text:
- Departments
- County Clerk
- Vital Records (Marriage, Birth & Death)
Vital Records (Marriage, Birth & Death)
Berrien County only issues certified copies of vital records. Certified copies cost $13 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same certificate and include the cost of the search.
Ordering through VitalChek
The Berrien County Clerk now offers online orders for Birth, Death and Marriage records using your credit card through an approved and secure Internet ordering service called VitalChek Network Inc. VitalChek offers the convenience of ordering vital records for your family from the privacy of your home or office, on an expedited basis, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. You can place your order at VitalChek and receive instructions on how to process your order.
VitalChek charges a $12.95 processing fee in addition to the Berrien County Clerk's fees.
Search records Online
Ordering by Phone
Starting on June 28, 2017, VitalChek will be offering a new "in house" call center program in addition to the online service, where you can now call and place your vital records order over the phone. VitalChek charges a $12.95 service fee in addition to the Berrien County Clerk's fees, for this new phone service.
- The number to call is: 888-243-0055
- Fax number is: 888-398-3905
Birth Record Request
Birth Records are sealed by law for 100 years and may only be requested by people whose names appear on the certificate (Mother, Father, Child) without a court order.
Death Record Request
Death Records are public information, and can be obtained for any number of reasons.
Marriage License Copy Request
Marriage Licenses are also public information and Berrien County's indexes date back as far as 1831.
Vital Records Forms
- Birth Certificate Copy Request Form (PDF)
- Death Certificate Request Form (PDF)
- Marriage License Copy Request (PDF)
- Marriage License Application
- State of Michigan Vital Records
The Berrien County Clerk's Office also houses a wide array of other records ranging from Board of Commissioner minutes to military discharges. If you have questions about obtaining copies of any other documents housed within the Clerk's Office, please Contact Us and a member of our staff will be in touch as soon as possible.


text:
A state ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana possession for recreational use is getting a lukewarm reaction from the owner of Steamboat Springs' largest medical marijuana dispensary.
Although he supports adult recreational marijuana use, Rocky Mountain Remedies co-owner Kevin Fisher said legalizing pot for all Colorado adults could jeopardize the business model he and other state dispensary owners have worked hard to create. Specifically, Fisher said he's concerned approval of a system that permits recreational marijuana use would lead to increased federal intervention in Colorado.
"While we support adult access to cannabis in any form, we're not sure supporting this initiative is right at this time," Fisher said last week.
The Colorado Secretary of State's Office announced last week that it had certified a ballot initiative that would decriminalize adult recreational marijuana use. Amendment 64 would allow adults 21 and older to possess as much as 1 ounce of marijuana and grow six plants in their homes. It also would create a regulatory system.
Mason Tvert, co-director of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said federal intervention isn't a concern. His group is the one that led the effort to get Amendment 64 on the ballot.
"The feds don't enforce state statutes," Tvert said. "They don't have DEA agents on the streets arresting adults for possessing less than 1 ounce of marijuana. They don't have U.S. attorneys going before federal judges to prosecute petty cases. Essentially, if this initiative passes, marijuana will be legal for adults. We hope the federal government won't prevent Colorado from trying to control it."
It's too early to say whether federal agencies and the Obama administration would agree.
The federal stance
The Obama administration has taken a generally hands-off approach to medical marijuana if patients are in compliance with laws in the 16 states, including Colorado, that permit it. But the administration said it would enforce federal drug laws in California if voters approved Proposition 19 to legalize marijuana in 2010. That measure failed.
Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver, couldn't say last week whether federal authorities would intervene in Colorado if voters approve Amendment 64.
"The Department of Justice is conducting a legal review of the proposed amendment, assessing its options," Dorschner said via email. "Beyond that, I cannot comment."
Although on a smaller scale, some Colorado municipalities already have decriminalized recreational marijuana use. One of the more notable examples is Breckenridge, which in November 2009 passed a measure allowing adults 21 and older to possess as much as 1 ounce of marijuana. Nearly 71 percent of Breckenridge voters supported the measure.
Breckenridge Mayor John Warner said some visitors said they wouldn't return to Breckenridge if the measure was approved, but he said last week that hasn't happened. And he said the town's police chief hasn't reported any more issues with marijuana than before it was decriminalized.
With the exception of the occasional person who walks down Main Street smoking a joint because they think it's legal, Warner said marijuana hasn't been a problem in Breckenridge.
"I have not seen a degradation of our lifestyle, law and order, etc.," he said.
What it would mean
If approved, Amendment 64 would require that the Colorado Department of Revenue adopt regulations that establish an application, licensing and renewal process and fee schedule for retail marijuana establishments. Existing medical marijuana dispensaries could transition to retail shops.
The Department of Revenue also would be tasked to create security rules for retail establishments, labeling requirements for marijuana and marijuana-infused products and health and safety standards for marijuana cultivation and product manufacturing. It also could limit advertising and create civil penalties for violating regulations.
Amendment 64 would allow state lawmakers to impose an excise tax up to 15 percent on marijuana sales. The first
$40 million generated from that would be dedicated to the state's Public School Capital Construction Assistance Fund.
The measure would allow local municipalities to ban retail establishments. And it wouldn't permit driving under the influence of marijuana.
Tvert added that Amendment 64 also addresses legal cultivation of industrial hemp, which would create a new industry that he said could lead to job creation.
Other pro-marijuana groups have indicated they would seek the more than 86,000 signatures necessary to put a separate legalization measure on the November ballot.
Messing with medical
Steamboat's Fisher, who acknowledged that legalization likely would expand his customer base, questioned what the passage of Amendment 64 would mean for patient access to medical marijuana.
In 2000, Colorado voters approved the use of marijuana for people with certain medical conditions and the recommendation of a doctor. State lawmakers adopted a comprehensive medical marijuana regulatory and taxing system in 2009 and updated it in 2010.
Tvert said Amendment 64 proposes a parallel system to the state's existing medical marijuana laws. He said medical marijuana has demonstrated that Colorado can regulate and tax it without significant issues while providing safe access and limiting the underground market.
A statewide measure to legalize marijuana failed in 2006, with 59 percent of voters rejecting it.
Fisher said the state's medical marijuana industry has come a long way in a short time. He didn't want anything to jeopardize his business, which now employs 40 people.
"We still have plenty of growing pains on the medical side on the local, state and federal levels," he said. "Moving forward with the retail model for recreational use, I'm not sure where we sit. I don't want to go to federal prison."
News Hawk – 420 Warrior 420 MAGAZINE
Location: Steamboat Springs, CO
Source: The Steamboat Today
Author: Jack Weinstein
Contact: www.steamboattoday.com
Copyright: 2012 The Steamboat Pilot Today
Website: www.steamboattoday.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A guilty pleasure is by definition something you like, but feel guilty about liking because you are aware your fondness for said thing is a little embarrassing or not so great. This weekend we want to know about your automotive guilty pleasure.
You know the car, the one you have a hard time admitting you like, but secretly pine after. The vehicle that goes against all of your instincts as someone who is automotive obsessed. The one that isn't particularly cool or interesting or fast or desirable yet for some reason you are still strongly drawn to. What is your automotive guilty pleasure?
My automotive guilty pleasure is the 1987-1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. The end was near for rear wheel drive two door passenger car at GM in 1987. Instead of creating one of the coolest vehicles ever made to celebrate the end of an era like Buick, Chevrolet decided to change the taillights and update the sticker package on their not-long-for-this-world Monte Carlo SS and left the terrible 305 "High Output" V8 under the hood.
They were slow, the build quality was atrocious and they only came with automatics. The paint was starting to fade before they left the factory in many cases and the problems only continued from there. I've had several and can say without hesitation they were the worst cars I've ever owned. Having said that, I still search Ebay and Craigslist hoping to find "the right one". So far I have avoided some dangerously close encounters with re-entering the world of Monte Carlo SS ownership since I sold the last one several years ago. I would certainly be lying if I said the desire to have another isn't there.
What is your automotive guilty pleasure?


text:
Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Audition) is in Cannes, prompting his latest film, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai. His next film won't be nearly as heavy.
"It is a very light comedy that I am filming now, a court drama, based on a video game, the Nintendo game DS," Miike told The Huffington Post. The movie hasn't been officially revealed, but earlier this month, there were rumors that Miike was filming a cinematic version of Ace Attorney, the popular DS courtroom mysteries.
The movie is apparently being filmed in Kyoto, and Miike was rumored to be the film's director—weeks before he said he was working on a film version of a DS game. These photos were taken of what is apparently the film's set. Earlier this month, it was thought that these images were of a TV commercial set, but, it seems more like they depict Miike's film.
Light comedy or not, the set sure looks creepy.
京都で実写映画版「逆転裁判」らしき撮影を見たと話題に [はちま起稿]


text:
I recently received a call from a friend inquiring if the newspaper would be interested in a story about seven men who have been friends for 76 years and have been meeting monthly for decades. A surprise party was planned for them with invitations to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
I initially recommended that she contact the features editor and hung up the phone. And then I gave her question a second thought — there's a column here. I called back and asked if I could be invited. The answer was, "Of course."
The gathering of these men and about 60 of their collective offspring was joyous, noisy and emotional. The men have been together since they were 8 years old, attending the same school with the same teachers. They all were good in sports, liked movies and served in the Navy. They even went to the Navy recruitment center together. Six out of seven are married to their original wives, who were given credit for nurturing these long relationships.
"These friends are the brothers I never had," Ralph Cohen said.
One of the wives commented, with tears in her eyes, "When one of them hurts, they all hurt."
Leon Levy, owner of a hair salon in Redondo Beach for more than 50 years and still working, said that when they get together, they talk about old times and politics.
And there was no shortage of humor at the party. When it comes to relationships, Levy said, "I've been married for 62 years; 61 have been spent in counseling."
A grandson noted his grandfather is never boring and is always loving, positive and caring. Love was in the air.
The relationship between being socially connected and longevity is an established area of research. Here are some findings:
• Having close relationships increases one's life span at the same rate as quitting smoking.
• The risk of dying for people who are socially isolated is equal to the death rate caused by obesity and physical inactivity.
• Psychologists estimate that the chance of dying over a 10-year period increases between 10 to 50 percent if you live alone or have a few friends compared to those with more friends and family.
• People who are socially isolated are more vulnerable to infections and have higher rates of cancer, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes compared to those with more social connections.
• Friends more than family are likely to increase one's longevity, according to an Australian longitudinal study. In contrast, another study found that frequent contact with family members was the most important factor in helping older adults avoid disabilities and as well as increase their longevity.
• Immune systems of those with friends work better than those with no or limited social connections.
• Friendships among men improve their physical condition and well-being, increase their sense of belonging and purpose, boost happiness, reduce stress and improve self-worth as well as steer them away from unhealthy lifestyles.
Why do friendships affect how long we live? Some say these relationships encourage people to take better care of themselves, such as cutting down on smoking and drinking and getting early medical treatment for potential serious problems. Others suggest that friendships help older adults cope with difficult situations and provide a positive effect on their mood and self-esteem. Yet others have found friendships stimulate an improved immune system.
"The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest" by Dan Buettner (National Geographic, $8) is a study of long-lived healthy people that attests to the importance of relationships.
In Okinawa, a characteristic of the Japanese island's long-lived people is maintaining strong family ties and close groups of friends called moais. Moai roughly means meeting for a common purpose. Originally it was a way that villages found financial support, pooling their money for needed capital or to buy land. Today that notion is a social support network, a ritual for companionship. Some moais in Okinawa meet every day.
Today, the average American has only two close friends, an unlikely formula for living a long life.
This special celebration and research affirm that close and caring relationships not only enhance the quality of our lives, but play a role in how long we live. A quote by John Lennon seems to fit. "Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears."
Sounds good to me.
This article was written by our friend Helen Dennis and posted in the Los Angeles Daily News.
About the Author:
Helen Dennis is nationally recognized leader on issues of aging, employment and retirement with academic, corporate and non profit experience. She has received numerous awards for her university teaching at USC's Andrus Gerontology Center and for her contributions to the field of aging and the community. Editor of two books, author of over 50 articles, frequent speaker and weekly columnist on Successful Aging for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, she has assisted over 10,000 employees to prepare for the non-financial aspects of their retirement. In her volunteer life, she has served as president of five nonprofit organizations. Fully engaged in the field of aging, she was a delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging and is co-author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller, "Project Renewment®: The First Retirement Model for Career Women." Helen has extensive experience with the media including Prime Time, NPR, network news, the Wall Street Journal, Sacramento Bee and Christian Science Monitor. She recently was the recipient of the excellence in literary arts award from the Torrance Cultural Arts Commission.


text:
The host Durham Bulls swept Norfolk in a doubleheader Saturday, providing plenty of offensive thunder.
The Bulls rolled 10-4 in Game 1, snapping the Tides' three-game winning streak. Leslie Anderson homered and had three RBI for the Bulls, and Mike Fontenot was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Danny Valencia had three hits and Jason Pridie doubled twice for the Tides, but starter Zach Clark yielded seven runs and seven hits in four innings.
In Game 2, Durham (12-5) broke a sixth-inning tie on Vince Belnome's two-out, two-run homer and held on to win 5-3.
The Tides (9-8) trailed 3-0 before a three-run fifth that included three walks, an RBI groundout by Luis Exposito and a two-run single by Jonathan Schoop.
Game 1 box:
Game 2 box:
Eastern League:
After losing 3-2 in the opener, the Richmond Flying Squirrels bounced back to split a doubleheader by beating the Reading Fightin Phils 4-1 in Game 2 before 8,407 at The Diamond.
In Game 1, Zach Collier hit a tying RBI triple and scored to make it 3-2 on Jim Murphy's single for the Fightin Phils in the fifth inning.
For the Flying Squirrels, Ryan Lollis and Javier Herrera provided RBI hits.
In the nightcap, Craig Westcott pitched 6 2/3 innings for the victory, while Herrera doubled twice and drove in three runs.
Game 1 box:
Game 2 box:


text:
Excerpt from the Burlington Historic District National Register Nomination
Now defunct, the church's original building still stands on Jefferson Street in Burlington. Built in the 1830s, the building is a Greek Revival temple-front edifice. As built, the three-bay facade was articulated with brick pilasters. One of the two original doors, with elliptical fanlight, survives in an outer bay. The other two were destroyed when it was later converted to a fire station.
The building was sensitively restored by the Boone County Fiscal Court, and now houses the Boone County Maintenance Department. It was included in the Burlington Historic Distric that was added to the National Register in 1979.


text:
|Find the best surf spots
This is an interactive map! Use controls to pan and zoom this map.
Datum: WGS84 [ Help ]
Latitude: 23° 47.366' S
User rating (5)
Wannasurf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this guide. You use this guide at your own risk.
Choose your format: please login first
You are free to use Wannasurf.com KML/GPS data files ONLY for your personal use. See Terms of use for more information.
KML file: please login first
Your favourites and future surf spot lists
Arrive in Inhambane and ask the way to go to Praia da Barra.
DistanceTake a car
WalkInstant access (< 5min)
Easy to find?Easy to find
Public access?Public access
Special accessDon't know
Wave qualityWorld Class
ExperienceAll surfers
FrequencySometimes break
DirectionRight and left
Normal lengthVery Long (300 to 500 m)
Good day lengthExceptional (>500m)
Good swell direction
Good wind direction
Swell sizeStarts working at and holds up to
Best tide positionMid and high tide
Best tide movement
Week crowdEmpty
Week-end crowdEmpty
- Sharks
No video available
|Ninguna sesión de surf
|Ningún viaje de surf
By Anonymous , 29-12-2007
World class!!!!???? - Deffinately wouldnt call it world class, maybe regional classic once every now and then. Gotta come in winter June- august or when hurricane season is on around december. We stayed here for 2 weeks and the only surf came when a hurricane was passing off between moz and madagascar. We has EPIC surf 4-6 foot perfect glassy, hollow waves but its rare. Plan your trip here well otherwise check out tofhino, if you lucky therel be more there.
You can edit this page to correct errors or add new information. If you have any problems regarding this page, Send us feedback.
Wannasurf.com on your mobile
RSS All the RSS feeds of Wannasurf.com
Newsletter All news by email


text:
Louis Fratto
"Cockeyed Louie" Fratto stared down three U.S. Senate committees -- Kefauver, McClellan, and Capehart -- by taking "the Fifth." His 30-year reign as the mob's lead man in Iowa netted him numerous civic honors, but not one day in jail.
by Allan May
According to Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Clark R. Mollenhoff, Louis Fratto, better known as Lew Farrell, "was not a master criminal. He was no more than a second or third operator from the lower ranks of the Capone mob in Chicago." This may have been Mollenhoff's opinion when the Capone gunman arrived in Des Moines, Iowa, in September 1939, but things would change.
As a cub reporter for the Des Moines Register during the early 1940s, Mollenhoff witnessed, "the tentacles of Lew Farrell reach into the Des Moines Police Department to promote his friends; into the Sheriff's Office for a gun permit; into the Prosecutor's Office to kill a criminal indictment; into the local courts to manipulate decisions on evidence; and into the state political arena."
Luigi Thomaso Giuseppe Fratto was born in Chicago on July 17, 1907. In Steven Fox's Blood and Power, the author discusses Fratto's nickname Lew Farrell, a name Fratto used most of his life, which allowed him an almost dual identity. Fox states, "As young boxers Vincent DeMora, Girolamo Santuccio, Joseph Aiuppa, and Louis Fratto took the ring names of Jack McGurn, Bobby Doyle, Joey O'Brien, and Lew Farrell, and when they graduated from boxing they kept the names."
Fratto grew up on the near West Side of Chicago with brothers Frank and Rudolph. The brothers were cousins of "Milwaukee Phil" Alderisio and were later related by marriage to William "Willie Potatoes" Daddano and Albert "Obie" Frobotta. As a young man, Fratto became acquainted with Charles "Cherry Nose" Gioe and would ride his coattails into the Chicago underworld.
Fratto's criminal career began in 1926 when he was charged with stealing a $14 coat. In 1932, he was identified as a member of the Fiore mob by Chicago Police Sergeant William Drury, who later would be murdered prior to his appearance before the Kefauver Committee in 1950. The Fiore mob, at the time led by Ted Virgilio, was suspected of muscling in on speakeasies and cabarets demanding 50 percent of the profits. The owner, who operated the place illegally, seldom complained out of fear of being closed, or worse, murdered.
In April 1933 Fratto was listed as secretary and treasurer of the Wardrobe Check, Washroom Attendants & Doorman's union. He and Virgilio were arrested that month for questioning in an $800,000 mail robbery. Later that year in December, Fratto was being sought in another mail robbery; this time a $250,000 heist pulled in the Loop. Also picked up for questioning in the robbery was John J. "Boss" McLaughlin, a onetime state legislator and political fixer for the North Side Gang. McLaughlin was one of the first suspects arrested and questioned about the murder of Chicago Tribune reporter Jake Lingle in 1931.
Mollenhoff offers this description of Fratto, "… a pleasant fellow with a perpetual smile, a constant line of flattery, and an alert and observing eye. The slight deviation in his eye alignment that resulted in the nickname "Cockeyed Louey" made him just a bit self-conscious about looking directly at you; but he managed to scrutinize you indirectly just as well."
Perhaps due to his longtime friendship with Charles Gioe, Fratto relocated from Chicago to Des Moines in 1936. Mollenhoff claims Fratto replaced Gioe, "who for unexplained reasons was giving up his role as the Capone mob's ambassador to Iowa." Fratto quickly became acquainted with tavern owners Alphonse "Babe" Basignano and Johnnie Critelli. Basignano ran a restaurant on Sixth Avenue that provided illegal liquor and slot machines for patrons. Critelli ran an after-hours joint on Harding Road that also offered liquor and gambling.
Basignano was once jailed for "manhandling" a municipal court judge who he felt had treated him unfairly. His brazenness resulted in a close scrutiny by law officials and he was arrested and jailed on illegal liquor charges. Critelli, on the other hand, considered himself above the law, which prohibited the sale of liquor in places where beer was sold in Des Moines. He was convinced that the citizens of Des Moines would support the illegal sale of liquor and that they didn't care if people like himself and Basignano operated in defiance of the law. Critelli was so sure of himself that he ran for safety commissioner, a post responsible for appointing the chief of police, the chief of detectives, the head of the vice squad, and all of the promotions within those units. His campaign slogan was "Be Honest with Yourself. Vote for Johnnie Critelli."
After spending thousands of dollars on billboard advertisements and promotions, Critelli collected a lowly 800 votes on Election Day.
In addition to Basingnano's and Critelli's operations, Pete and Gladys Randa ran the Mainliner nightclub located just outside the city, and Dave Fidler operated Club 100 where, besides liquor and gambling, he provided top-name floor shows. In 1942, Fratto tried to muscle in on the Mainliner, demanding 25 percent of the profits. One night he went to the nightclub and confronted Pete Randa with a gun. Randa's brother took the gun away from Fratto.
Fratto had a charismatic personality and made friends with politicians, law enforcement people, judges, and newspapermen. He was also active in the community and involved in several civic projects. The Des Moines Junior Chamber of Commerce granted him an honorary lifetime membership as well as a plaque for his outstanding service to the community. In addition, Fratto worked as a civilian recruiter for the Navy and helped enlist over 75 recruits; he headed a War Bond Drive that sold over $1 million worth of war bonds; and he received an award for his work on behalf of the Italian-American community in Des Moines.
In the mid-1940s, Fratto used his civic activities to help him obtain a beer distributorship in the area. Already a wholesaler for the Manhattan Brewing Company, Fratto was seeking a federal wholesale permit to distribute Canadian Ace beer in Iowa. Agents from the Alcohol Tax Unit investigated Fratto and advised that he was "not a proper man for a federal beer permit." During the hearing, Fratto, who used the name Lew Farrell in Des Moines, denied he was the Luigi Fratto with a record of 21 arrests in Chicago. This lie, combined with the attempted shakedown of the Mainliner, caused the agency to decline his application for the distributorship.
Fratto, with his influential Chicago ties, was then able to get to the deputy commissioner of Internal Revenue in Washington to obtain the beer permit, which was granted on April 16, 1946. The Alcohol Tax Unit agents were amazed at Fratto's connections and at the same time were frustrated at being unable to block the permit.
This incident would later fuel the interest of Kefauver Committee members during hearings held in 1951. Fratto was requested to appear in Washington on March 24, 1951 for questioning. His appearance before the committee and the exposure he received would be something he would never be able to live down.
Fratto was described as a "quiet operator" in the years after he received the beer permit. He came under suspicion a few times involving gambling. He worked out a deal for a joint gambling venture with his old nemesis, the Randas, at the Mainliner. On April 26, 1948, law officials raided the Sports Arcade on Grand Avenue, arrested two employees, and confiscated gambling equipment. Two of Fratto's associates in the club, Hymie Wiseman and Al Cramm were fined. Judge C. Edwin Moore, who had served as a character witness for Fratto just months previous to the raid, dismissed charges against Fratto. Moore later became a Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court.
In addition to the Sports Arcade, Fratto was a partner in the Downtown Businessmen's Club and was involved in the race wire service in Iowa.
Fratto's name made the headlines again during the summer of 1954. On Aug. 18, Charles Gioe – Fratto's mentor, friend, and one time boss – was murdered in Chicago. Gioe had been struggling to gain back the influence he once enjoyed before going to prison in 1944 for conspiring to extort more than $1 million from the motion picture industry. On the night of his murder, Gioe dined with Fratto associate Hymie Wiseman and another man. Later, as Gioe and Wiseman got into a friend's car, an automobile pulled along side and while one gunman blasted away at Gioe, another shot at Wiseman. Gioe was killed instantly, but Wiseman escaped to safety and was questioned by police a couple days later.
At the same time Wiseman was being questioned, gunmen struck again killing ex-Capone bodyguard Frank "Diamond" Maritote. Once an associate of Gioe, Maritote was convicted and jailed on the same extortion charges that sent Paul "the Waiter" Ricca, Louis "Little New York" Campagna, Philip D'Andrea, and Johnny Roselli to prison. When police questioned Maritote about the murder he told them Gioe was trying to muscle in on some building trade unions. Gioe had recently been asked to intercede in some labor problems, which brought him into direct conflict with Joey Glimco. Police theorized this confrontation resulted in the deaths of both Gioe and Maritote. Glimco was arrested and brought in for questioning, but no one was ever indicted for the murders of either man.
In Des Moines police sought Fratto for questioning in regards to Gioe's murder. Authorities believed no one was closer to Gioe than Fratto. A month after Gioe's murder Fratto testified before the Capehart Committee, which was investigating abuses and corruption in the home-repair industry. When he left the stand Fratto was arrested and taken in for questioning in the Gioe killing. He was released after police were convinced he could shed no light on the matter. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Capehart, a Republican from Indiana and chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, was determined to prosecute Fratto, but could not gather enough evidence.
During the Kefauver hearings, Fratto had been questioned about help the Gargotta brothers of Kansas City received from him and members of the Des Moines police force that were close to him.
In August 1958 Fratto was called before yet another congressional committee. This time it was the McClellan Committee, which was the abbreviated name for the Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field. Fratto was subpoenaed to appear with his personal financial records, which he brought into the courtroom in an attaché case. He refused to let committee members see the information and he was immediately threatened with a contempt of Congress citation.
"My record doesn't show what's in that grip you brought," McClellan said. I order you to open that brief case and expose them."
"I decline," Fratto answered.
"I'm going to say very frankly I'm giving you warning," said McClellan. "If you continue to refuse, I'm going to recommend that the Senate cite you for contempt."
Fratto again declined.
Fratto returned the following day and stated that the records he possessed represented all of his financial transactions since 1948. Fratto then invoked his Fifth Amendment rights in refusing to hand them over to the committee. He also refused to answer questions about his handling of Manhattan Brewing Company and Canadian Ace beverage operations.
Fratto was described by the committee as a "former beer distributor and gambling figure," now identified as a "labor relations advisor" who was very influential with the Teamsters Union. Fratto irritated committee members by "taking the Fifth" or remaining mute to questions about his relationship with Jimmy Hoffa or if he had plans with Hoffa aide Robert B. "Barney" Baker to establish a firm to wholesale liquor to Iowa state liquor stores or if he had made contributions to Iowa Gov. Herschel Loveless.
U.S. Sen. Carl T. Curtis of Nebraska began asking Fratto questions about his knowledge of Harold Gibbons and Jake More (Baker's father-in-law). When Fratto took the Fifth again Curtis inquired if it would incriminate him to testify about his relationship with More? Fratto responded that the committee was operating on information about him that it received from "space men."
McClellan reminded Fratto that if his operations were legal he should have no guilt in opening up the brief case. Fratto shot back that he had once gotten himself in trouble with an earlier congressional committee by voluntarily providing them with his records.
"What committee was that?" demanded Curtis.
"That fellow with the coon hat," snapped Fratto.
McClellan gave a final warning to Fratto that he was looking at a contempt-of-the-Senate charge. Fratto was then permitted to leave the witness seat, but told to remain available for questioning.
The following month the committee questioned Jimmy Hoffa in Washington about Fratto. Hoffa admitted that he knew Fratto and that he had negotiated a few union contracts with him, but denied they were friends. The committee questioned Hoffa extensively about the Teamsters' efforts to move in on the Midwest Burlap Bag Co. of Des Moines to take members away from the Textile Workers Union. The committee had earlier accused Fratto of serving as an advisor to Marvin Pomerantz in the case. While Fratto took the Fifth to the questions put before him then, records provided by the government showed telephone calls made between Fratto, Richard Kavner, an organizer for the Teamsters, Teamster officials, and to the Midwest Burlap Bag firm.
Walter Sheridan, one of the McClellan committee's outstanding investigators, introduced an affidavit from Pomerantz that stated Fratto played an important role in the negotiations. Hoffa still claimed that Fratto was neither working for him nor the Teamsters' local that was trying to steal members.
In February 1959, the committee heard testimony again in Washington from Lionel Rowley, a business agent for Local 106 of the Carpenter's Union. Rowley had been elected to the union's annual convention as an anti-corruption candidate. When he arrived at the convention in St. Louis he was refused admittance. Armed men who threatened to send him back to Des Moines in a "wooden overcoat" met him. After they stole notes from his brief case outlining his corruption charges, Fratto who, Rowley claimed, told him to keep his mouth shut and to "stop writing things down" confronted him.
In late June 1967 Fratto was indicted with three men from Chicago in a plot to bilk an Indiana businessman out of $17,500. The Chicago Sun Times said the indictment of Fratto "represented a successful start for a newly launched federal crackdown on 'satellite" underworld operators throughout the Midwest."
Fratto would never make it to trial. He was diagnosed with cancer during the mid-1960s. On Oct. 10, 1967 he entered the Cancer Research Hospital at the University of Wisconsin to receive treatment. On Nov. 24 he died at the age of 60.


text:
A rambling post today. Fuzzy brained and foot loose!
I was recently thinking about the concept of free will. It's an idea that has always bothered me, like a tickle at the back of the throat. I firmly believe in cause and effect. I firmly believe in the laws of physics and what they imply. So without an outside force, it makes sense that everything is controlled very directly by these laws. Including us. The logic behind it is fairly simple. I'm guessing it's the complexity of existence and the relative simplicity of our minds that makes choice such a plausible illusion. But an illusion is what it must be.
This used to scare me. Deep down, I do not actively enjoy the idea of being so mundane and effectually predictable. Trapped. And in my mind, nothing special. Accepting that there's nothing beyond death was easy. Accepting the fact that I am a huge equation was much harder. After all, I chose what I valued and valued choice for itself.
I spent a long time letting the idea sink past my emotions and into my more rational core. Eventually I decided that it didn't matter. How I make a choice, be it simply chemical predetermined or an active and separate process, matters much less than what my choice does. If my actions make the world better in some way my goal has been accomplished. And thinking back on this fear now, I can understand the desire to reject the idea of determinism altogether. Anything that removes our safety nets and makes us feel small tends to be met with the same resistance. Science gets the brunt of this reaction, but determinism falls right in with plenty of people.
So with all this in mind, I wonder what other people think on the subject. Is it frightening to think of yourself as an eventuality? Has anyone come across anything contrary to the idea of determinism? Do we perhaps agree? Thoughts, please!
Views: 591
In reply to Philip on the first page:
Yea, my initial feeling on this subject was a gut reaction. What, I'm not special and above the universe in some way? Just another part of it? Every single person wants to feel good and special; it's what the species bases its breeding on after all. And breeding drives us. Luckily, I am past being upset by it. Now it sits in the realm of probable fact.
Determinism would also imply that there is only one way things can go. It seems like we have many options, but what happens would be inevitable. We simply aren't advanced enough to see that one path and can only guess, even with help from science. Thus, choice of any sort is illusory.
Personally, I don't agree that the knowledge is useless.
There was an excellent speaker last night for the Think Atheist podcast, Thomas W. Clark. He addressed the matter much more eloquently than I can, but here's my attempt; knowing we are the sum of our bodies and experiences allows us to trace and understand our minds better, rather than just thinking "I am this because I want to be". It removes one more supernatural element from our thoughts, "I am separate from the universe".
It also logically follows that others are the sum of their bodies and experiences, and thus have very real reasons for thinking and believing as they do. They may be ignorant, but the portion of the world they see makes their own reasoning seem correct. If you don't understand why and how a person thinks it is very hard to talk with them on a level beyond chit-chat and. And it definitely pays to understand the whys and hows of your own thoughts. As my personal goals involve learning as much as possible (about me, about others, about anything) these are helpful to me. Empathy is a great tool for learning, oddly enough.
Dr. del Toro:
I couldn't accept your reasoning myself. Feeling something in the face of contrary evidence just isn't enough for me. I don't accept "God is real because I feel Him in my heart" as a valid argument, and I won't be hypocritical if I can help it. Feelings are misleading; the chemical brain is glorious, but fallible.
If we were capable of breaking down every influence within the world and seeing the ways in which these miniscule particles interact with one another, my guess is that the pattern would show more of a deterministic existence, as opposed to one comprised mostly of free will.
There are a wealth of characteristics which were already present within us once our bodies had formed. Out physiological makeup does, I think, determine to at least some extent our likes and dislikes, general preferences and tendencies.
But that is not to say that we are victims of our circumstances. Even if we only have the impression of free will, we are still responsible for our actions and who we are as human beings. In the words of Jean Paul Sartre.... "Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does."
I was not positing feeling as the basis of any argument. What I meant by what I wrote is that I don't really care whether or not I am the result of an equation. The sense of control is all that matters to me when it comes to the subject of free will vs. determinism. That feeling is more substantial than any "evidence" of determinism or free will. I don't know what contrary evidence you have found, but I'd sure be interested in seeing it. Feelings may be misleading, but so are our senses. Think about our perceptions. If you take your hand and look at it while you snap your fingers your brain will synchronize the visual event with the sound when in fact the sound that you heard was processed by your brain faster than the sight of it was. This is due to the time delay between synapses. Knowing that I may be misled by my brain about other things, I personally have no problem with being misled by my feeling of self-control, if it is in fact misleading. Why would I care that I'm the result of an equation? Arguing over it seems sort of arbitrary. You may want to reexamine the meaning of hypocrisy. I don't see how I'm being hypocritical by embracing the idea of free will. I believe in free will, if you can somehow prove that I am feigning my belief by proving that I actually believe in determinism then you may accurately paint me as a hypocrite. I know you didn't outright accuse me of hypocrisy, but your comment on avoiding being hypocritical if you can help it made it seem that you don't understand the concept of hypocrisy.
It seems to me that you have made the decision that free will is only possible if you believe in some sort of religion. This seems kind of narrow-minded to me. The free will vs. determinism debate has been ongoing, but seeing it as a god vs. no god argument is inaccurate. Look at the history of Christianity in America and you will find the idea of predestination (a deterministic view from within religion).
I am certainly open to the idea that we are the result of an equation (albeit a ridiculously complicated equation that I don't think anyone could possible hope to write down in a single lifetime). This could invariably lead to dark times of worshipping the Great Mathematician who wrote the Grand Equation.
I guess it comes down to asking what type of equations? I believe that we are the result of a vastly immense amount of probabilities. Is it so hard to imagine that within this grand equation, perhaps we have become variables?
I may reject determinism at a personal level, but that does not mean that I reject its plausability. Besides, all equations require input. Where is the input coming from?
I'm completely with Dr. del Toro on this one. I don't have any "beliefs" on determinism either way.
Much to the contrary of the question posed in this title, I would "fear" determinism for the same reasons I "fear" religion: a person who acts with the belief that their life is pre-determined has the same potential for depravity as a religious person who acts under the banner of "destiny."
As a non-theistic humanist who obtained his undergraduate degree from a small Christian University, I've always had a very negative reaction to anyone who invokes "destiny" or the phrase "everything happens for a reason."
I understand that determinism is far removed from the "everything has a reason" belief, but the potential for misuse of the idea is very similar.
As a humanist I'm interested in the idea of personal responsibility as a path to improving society, and any tenet which posits that personal decisions don't matter or are just an illusion is detrimental to that progress.
Atheists should be interested in the here and now, the life that we have on this Earth, and how we can improve it. Logical speculation and metaphysical musings are fun and interesting, but unfortunately atheists have an uphill battle to fight against those who say that they are just as religious in their atheism as others are in their religion.
Any speculative philosophy, like determinism, which puts much of its thesis in "faith," even if it's faith in science, works against the most important aspect of atheism: accept the here and now and work with what you have.
This life is important. It seems that we have free-will. Whether we actually do or don't is irrelevant, and, at the moment, just as impossible to prove true or false as, say, Bokononism.
To invoke Bertrand Russell: I could say that there is a teapot orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Does it actually matter if it's true?
A reply to Dr. Del Toro and Michael Edminster
The manner in which I am discussing this seems to be pretty far from where both of you have gotten.
The first question: Is determinism factual? (I gave my reasons and asked for ideas/contrary arguments)
The second question: Is this idea frightening? (The idea of no god scares some people and that affects their ability to understand the scientific arguments/views from atheists. I'm wondering if this idea does the same to the rationally minded people here.)
If all evidence shows that everything has a physical (not supernatural or otherwise outside-the-laws-of-physics) cause, and cause and effect is true, than I am also a product and continuation of these laws. And thus, in the ultimate sense, it is chemistry that dictates my life. Not "will". This is a theory, not a belief. If evidence comes to light showing determinism to be false I'll be glad to review and accept it.
" I couldn't accept your reasoning myself. Feeling something in the face of contrary evidence just isn't enough for me. I don't accept "God is real because I feel Him in my heart" as a valid argument, and I won't be hypocritical if I can help it. Feelings are misleading; the chemical brain is glorious, but fallible.
Technically, my definition of hypocrisy fits perfectly with what I said. I was speaking about myself and my standards and how simply feeling something doesn't matter to me in my search for truth.
hypocrisy [hɪˈpɒkrəsɪ]
n pl -sies
1. the practice of professing standards, beliefs, etc., contrary to one's real character or actual behaviour, esp the pretence of virtue and piety
As to this, "Atheists should be interested in the here and now, the life that we have on this Earth, and how we can improve it. Logical speculation and metaphysical musings are fun and interesting, but unfortunately atheists have an uphill battle to fight against those who say that they are just as religious in their atheism as others are in their religion. "
Atheists are people. We have different goals. We are not an army. We share a disbelief in gods and ~usually~ a certain level of rationality. If you don't know the truth about your species and yourself, how the heck can you hope to survive long term? Short term thinking is bunk and fighting other people doesn't do anything but get hackles raised. We don't need a freaking war, we need education and a rational understanding to be the norm. The most progressive and atheistic countries didn't get there by getting angry. They made education a priority and held schools to high standards.
If you want other people to follow you, not hate you, you must be informed and lead with example. Otherwise you'll be turned into a ridiculous caricature or internet meme. Dirty fighting at its best, and most prevalent.
@Mo Trauen
That reminds me of "Condemned to be free" - Sartre
That's quite a compliment. Thank you.
Loving this discussion, Kirsten... everybody. It's great to find such an active community on the web.
Also... gonna take some time to look through the responses and come up with a response deserving of the debate.
@Kirsten, apologies if I took the discussion in a different direction. I ramble when I'm stoned on the internet late at night.
I don't have any problems with determinism as an explanation of consciousness and choice. It's the best one we've got so far.
To quickly answer the two points of discussion you reiterated: I'm trained as a linguist, so I'm not sure I can answer the question "Is determinism factual?" because I'm not even sure what the word "factual" means. The second question, on the other hand, seems to have been answered by the significant response in this here comment section.


text:
What's On
Social and Educational Foraging and Gleaning: Only free open access events and activities get listed on the website…
Click on the event to get more information. If you have an event or activity in Edinburgh which you want to put on the calendar email in the details.
Please check external event websites to confirm details and get tickets


text:
Department of Plant Physiology & Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv originate since the High Pedagogical Institute is established in 1961 as a branch of knowledge Plant Physiology in Department of Botany. In 1974, Plant Physiology is established as different branch of knowledge with head Prof. George Kimenov and five lecturers more. The first young assistants and post-graduates are approved in 1989–1990. Since 1989, head of department is Prof. Ivan Minkov. At the same time in the department is established a new branch of knowledge – Molecular Biology, as educational and scientific research, later on and Genetic Engineering with head Associate Professor Stefan Dukyandjiev. Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Plant Biotechnologies are built. In the department are incoming gradually new young lecturers and PhD students. The number of the disciplines is increasing. In 1995, the department is renamed as "Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology'. Since 2015, head of department is Prof. Valentina Toneva
In 2000 as a result of hard work by the department and the rectorship, in the Faculty of Biology starts new bachelor degree of education - Molecular Biology. It is the most popular and desired discipline at the moment. The major disciplines studied in our department are Molecular Biology, Molecular Genetics, Molecular Virology, Molecular Evolution, Genetic Engineering, Biological Membranes, Bioinformatics and Molecular Ecology.Later in 2004 is introduced one more bachelor degree – Bioinformatics.The department has played a major role for its approvment.There are two Master degrees at the department – Bioinformatics and Molecular Biotechnologies.
At the moment, the staff of department includes 25 members – 10 are lecturers, 3 experts, 6 PhD students and 6 scientific workers and specialists, appointed at international and national scientific programs.
In the department are developing the following scientific branches of knowledge: "Molecular principles of abiotic tress and programmed cell death", "Interaction between viroids and high plants", "Bioinformatical research of viroids", "Regulation of human oncogenes by miRNA", "Role of the mobile genetic elements and miRNA for the evolution", "Insecticide delta-endo toxins and transgenic plants, resistant to insects", "Plant vaccine against hepatitis B", "Bioinformatical approaches for researching of miRNA", "Molecular Phytopathology of Orobanche sp.", "Research of some new transcriptional factors in Arabidopsis sp.", "Epigenesis and DNA methylation".
In 2003 on the basis of department, in University of Plovdiv is established Genomics Research Center which is taking participation in several international projects.In a result of scientific work, in the last 6-7 years many scientific articles with impact factor in common 120 are published, repeatedly quoted in authoritative international scientific journals.
Since 1994 until now, the department has taken participation in many scientific and educational projects with fund amount 1 000 000 EUR. In the last 3-4 years the department has involved in seven projects under Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), in a result University of Plovdiv "Paisii Hilendarski" has been awarded as best performed regional FP6 University.
PPMB EMAIL Log-In: Join Us:


text:
Though I've been mostly away from the internet these last couple of weeks, I had to come back to thank Jo Tracey for nominating me for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. She actually tagged me from her newish site, And Anyways that covers all her non-astro adventures. Do check it out–she's got a great eye and shares her photos, food exploits, and much more–so thank you, Jo! And on to the rules (because these things always have rules). Personally, I won't hold any of my nominees to list publishing or Soul-baring–that's up to them. So, I'll call them 'the suggestions'–and they are:
- Display the award logo on your blog
- Link back to the person who nominated you (that would be you Jo…)
- State 7 things about yourself
- Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award and link to them
- Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the awards requirements.
1) When I was younger I seemed to be tall–now I seem short–what happened? 2) I love to read 3) I don't sleep as much as I need or would like to–I'm too afraid I'll miss something 4) I love to cook 5) I've actually, literally, skinned a cat (for anatomy class–before that I thought it was just a saying, that there's more than one way!) 6) I studied midwifery; the first baby I caught was named Gustavo–he should be 32 by now 7) I love to garden
Bloggers whose work I admire, in no special order:
1. I've got to start with Jo–and her new blog–she has a light touch and shares her interests, excellent photos, and thoughts in a way that's almost like taking a break when you read it–and my Pisces Moon loves an escape!
2. There's another blog from one of my astro friends that should be mentioned, Two Hours You'll Never Get Back by Jude Cowell–a lovely and thought-provoking diversion with a touch of humor.
3. wildmonkeysects makes occasional, sharp-witted observation of the world–what more could you want?
4. When looking to identify the planets in the sky, I love the highly informative Naked Eye Planets This site should answer most of your astronomy questions, and quite a few about the lore behind the major bodies
5. Deb's Tarot Goodness a succinct, no-nonsense take on the upcoming week through Tarot
6. Her Halcyon Phase has an engaging, righteous (and I mean that in a good way), thought-provoking energy
7. Shannon Food is a meditation on what the earth produces, what we can do with it, and what it means to us, written by a true Chef of the heart
8. The Oculus Divinorum's The Feral Tarot can be appreciated by anyone into the Art of the Cards–part resource, part exploration, always interesting
9. The Mirror of Aphrodite offers a take on relationships and our behavior in them that is both exciting and full of common sense
10. An astute and very intriguing take on spirituality, paganism, and autism can be found at The Other Side
11. A discussion of science fiction, fantasy, and Art that focuses on the way we see and interpret these: These Other Realms
12. Exploring the human condition through thought, and sometimes astrology, Learning Curve on the Ecliptic
13. Peter Stockinger's Traditional Astrology Weblog is an excellent resource for all things traditional and horary
14. Shifting Realities by Verena Heinrich offers concentrated astro assessment with lots of detail
and finally, 15. A Question of Mindfulness offers first-person experience and spiritual insight in a thoughtful, considered way
I'll be back with 2-3x per week postings in just a few days–if you want to get it all, please subscribe to ECLIPSE; the upcoming issue, due out Thursday evening PDT, offers the detailed aspect and Lunar forecast for the week, and will come with a free booklet, 2012 The Elevation of Chiron–all current subscribers will receive this, as will anyone who orders by 30 August 2012.


text:
Course: Government 83 – Political Communications
Instructor: Prof. Deb Brooks
Assignment: Communicating Politics: A Dartmouth Classroom Simulation
The start of the simulation involved a detailed campaign communications strategy memo which was jointly developed and written by the team.
Each media team was responsible for producing 4 campaign advertisements, along with appropriate press releases for their candidate. The first 3 ads were each 30 or 60-second radio ad and/or direct mail, and had to include a specific strategy for targeting a particular group over voters given hypothetical budget constraints.
Each individual within a team was assigned to take ownership for one of the first three ads, with the final ad produced collectively by the team. Each student wrote a paper on their "owned" ad, describing their strategy for the creation of the ad in light to related readings from the course.
View the Final Projects


text:
Lola Ramona was founded in 2006. The Brand is rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark.
We thought that a certain type of shoes were missing in the market, so we set out to establish a Lola Ramona in order to make them ourselves. The shoes do not have a specific target group, they are "without" age. It is more a question of: It´s not only a name, it´s a total concept!
We are very true to our design, in which elements such as bows, dots and stripes are always present. All the shoes in the collection have a girly name allowing our customers to identify themselves with the product and the brand.
Have you once fallen in love with the certain fit of e.g. Angie, Elsie or any of the others? Just remember the name, and the fit of the shoe - it will always be the same.
Humor is an important element in the brand philosophy. We always strive to take the design further than you would expect.
We show the unexpected and top it off with that important element of humor!
The team behind Lola Ramona is very dedicated to the design. And they are the ones who make Lola Ramona come to life.
The first shoes were sold without a name. The design philosophy was very clear from the beginning, but the name was hard to find. At last, and only a few days before the first production, the name Lola Ramona was given to the "shoes with an attitude".
Just a girl… like any other girl, with issues. "I really shouldn´t have kissed him!",
"I decided he was my boyfriend long before I ever met him"
"Did I forget to shave my legs this morning?", "I always do my hair in the car on my way to work",
"you can never have too many shoes…only too little space"
Sometimes she stumbles in her high heels when walking - but she has the right shoes and she is real.
We all have a bit of Lola Ramona in us.
Women's feet are a cause for celebration and pampering. All Lola Ramona designs are based on thoroughly analysed and developed ideas, guaranteeing your feet good support.
That is why you can enjoy both the high and the low stilettos, the chunkier heeled pumps and the beautiful wooden wedges − the design and construction will allow you to dance the night away, or shop all day long without sore feet.
The shoes are ageless. It´s more a question of whether you, as a woman, can identify yourself with the design or not!
Lola Ramona is on a mission and will not give in before all of us find our inner shoe diva.
Surrender to a shoe universe full of surprises!
"Lola Ramona shoes are a small piece of art you can carry on your feet!"


text:
The Speak feature in Microsoft Office enables text-to-speech (TTS) in OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. By downloading additional TTS engines for other languages, you can change the voice selection to hear the text read in those languages. TTS engines are also necessary to hear translations with the Mini Translator.
Important: The Speak feature will not work with Windows XP.
To learn how to use the TTS feature in Excel, see Converting text to speech in Excel.
What do you want to do?
Add TTS engines for other languages
To add other language engines, for free, you will need to the correct Speech Platform, and then you must download the TTS engines in the language(s) that you want.
Download the Microsoft Speech Platform
To download and install the Microsoft Speech Platform, follow these steps:
Determine which operating system platform that you have.
Go to the Microsoft Download Center, and then download the Microsoft Speech Platform for your platform.
Follow the instructions to install the speech platform on your computer.
Download additional TTS language engines
To download and install TTS engines in additional languages, follow these steps:
Select your TTS language from the following list.
Available languages
Follow the instructions to install the TTS engine for the language that you selected.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 for any additional languages.
Restart your Office program for the changes to take effect.
Tip: To learn more about Speech technologies, visit the TTS engines page in the Download Center or the Microsoft Speech Technologies web site.
Note: If you have a third-party TTS engine already installed on your computer, Speak will use that TTS engine rather than a Microsoft TTS engine that you have installed from the Download Center. For example, if you have a German TTS engine from another company and you also install the German Microsoft TTS engine from the Download Center, the third-party TTS engine will always be used. If you uninstall the third-party TTS engine, Speak will automatically use the TTS engine from the Download Center.
Add Speak to the ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar
Before you can use Speak, you'll need to add it to the ribbon or the Quick Access Toolbar.
To learn how to add Speak to your ribbon, see Customize the ribbon in Office.
To learn how to add Speak to your Quick Access Toolbar, see Customize the Quick Access Toolbar
Use Speak
After you have installed the correct platform and language TTS engines, you can use Speak to hear the text playback in the language that you choose.
To hear the text playback, follow these steps:
Select the word or text string that you want to hear spoken.
Click Speak in the ribbon or your Quick Access Toolbar.
Click Speak again to stop the playback.
Note: Speak is disabled until you select text whose editing language matches one of your installed TTS engines.
Speak automatically knows which language to use, based on the proofing language you have set for your selected text. To learn more about using different languages in your file, see Check spelling and grammar in a different language. To learn more about hearing translations spoken with the Mini Translator, see See translations with the Mini Translator.


text:
According to a new market report published by Credence Research Inc "Tire Pressure Gauge Market – Growth, Share, Opportunities, Competitive Analysis, and Forecast 2017 – 2025," the The global market for Tire Pressure Gauge is expected to witness significant growth globally with increasing sale of vehicles, number of vehicle service centers and introduction of stringent regulations related to tire pressure monitoring. The market for tire pressure gauge is expected to witness significant growth with increasing production of motor vehicles. In addition, introduction of stringent emission and vehicle repair and maintenance regulations is also expected to support the growth of tire pressure gauge market particularly in developed regions. In emerging economies increasing vehicle fleet, expansion of automotive production facilities and rising number of independent vehicle services stations and workshops. Countries across the world are introducing stringent tire inflation regulations in order to reduce greenhouse gas emission from vehicle operating with under operated tire pressure. Several countries have made mandatory for gas/fuel stations to provide free compressed air when you vehicle owner purchase gas/fuel. In addition, Automotive Service Providers are required to check and inflate each vehicle's tires to the recommended tire pressure rating at the time of performing any automotive maintenance or repair service. Such mandatory laws are increasing the demand for tire pressure gauges across the world.
Browse Full Report at: http://www.credenceresearch.com/report/tire-pressure-gauge-market
Asia Pacific represents the largest regional market for tire pressure gauge systems followed by North America and Europe. Increasing sale of vehicle particularly in India, China and Southeast Asia are expected to drive the demand for tire pressure gauge devices in the country. China is the largest individual market for tire pressure gauge device. Introduction of stringent regulations to install tire pressure monitoring systems in high end vehicles is triggering the demand for tire pressure gauge devices in North America and Europe. Increasing sale of motor vehicles in Middle East, Latin America and major African countries also expected to increase the demand for tire pressure gauge across the world.
Read Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.credenceresearch.com/report/tire-pressure-gauge-market
Based on Type, the global tire pressure gauge market is segmented into stick gauge, dial gauge and digital gauge. Dial tire pressure gauge accounted for the largest revenue share in 2016. This segment is expected to maintain its dominating position throughout the forecast period. Dial tire pressure gauge are commonly used type and increasingly used in major markets such as India, China and others. The market for digital tire pressure gauge is predicted to see the fastest growth though the forecast period. Digital gauge are easy to operate and offers most accurate reading compared to other type of gauges.
Request Free Sample of This Report @ http://www.credenceresearch.com/sample-request/58601
The global tire pressure gauge market is very competitive and comprise of large number of small and medium size domestic as well as multinational player. Some of the key players in the global tire pressure gauge market include Coido, Accutire Gauge, Michelin, STEEL MATE, Goodyear, G.H. Meiser & Co, Milton Industries, Longacre Racing, TEKTON, NorthONE, Craftsman, Slime and others.
Related Reports:
About Credence Research:
Credence Research is a worldwide market research and counseling firm that serves driving organizations, governments, non legislative associations, and not-for-benefits. We offer our customers some assistance with making enduring enhancements to their execution and understand their most imperative objectives. Over almost a century, we've manufactured a firm extraordinarily prepared to this task.
Blog URL – http://www.mobilecomputingtoday.co.uk/6149/tire-pressure-gauge-systems-market-increasing-vehicle-registrations-stringent-regulations-related-tire-pressure-monitoring-driving-demand-globally-credence-research/
Media Contact
Company Name: Credence Research
Contact Person: Chris Smith, Global Sales Manager
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: +1-800-361-8290
Address:105 N 1st ST #429, SAN JOSE, CA 95103 US
City: SAN JOSE
State: California
Country: United States
Website: http://www.credenceresearch.com/report/tire-pressure-gauge-market


text:
- Font:
- +
- -
Satellite TV companies love to compare themselves to cable. They promise lower prices, more programming choices and better overall service. And if you talk to past cable customers who've made the switch to satellite, many will tell you they'd never go back.
Here's a reality check: Huge numbers of satellite subscribers have complained to the Better Business Bureau about surprise fees and confusing terms.
TV tips
When signing up for satellite TV, the BBB recommends customers:
- Get it all in writing: Don't just take a salesman, installer or customer service representative's word for it. You might be speaking with a third-party retailer and the verbal promises may not show up in the final contract with the satellite provider.
- Read the terms and conditions carefully: Payclose attention to the terms on introductory offers, equipment costs and the cancellation policy.
- Check every bill closely: The sooner you spot inaccuracies in billing, the better. Even if you have your account set up to automatically charge your credit card or debit your checking account, always review your monthly bill closely for any new or unusual charges.
- Mark your calendar: Put important dates down on your calendar such as when you need to cancel introductory promotions for premium channels and the end of your contract.
- File a complaint with BBB: Consult the terms that you agreed to and if you're unable to reach an agreement with your satellite provider, file a complaint with your BBB. Both Dish Network and DirecTV consistently respond to complaints and BBB has been able to help consumers receive refunds in many cases.
"There are lots of issues out there for consumers about their satellite TV service," says Alison Southwick with the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
During the last three years, the BBB received 53,000 complaints about satellite TV services: about 39,000 for DirecTV and about 13,000 for DISH Network.
"Early termination fees are a huge source of contention," Southwick says. "If you're not satisfied with the service or you can't afford the cost after the introductory period, you can't walk away, because you're going to get charged hundreds of dollars. This just makes the unhappy customer even more upset."
Satellite services have long-term contracts and charge an early termination fees for the same reason wireless phone companies do. It lets them provide customers with expensive equipment and installation at a much lower up-front cost.
But there are other significant problems. Many complaints deal with advertising and billing issues. The introductory offer, a commonly used promotion, gives the new customer a reduced monthly rate or free premium channels for a certain length of time. Once the promotional period ends, the prices go back to normal. Some customers claim that price increase was substantially more than expected. Others say they were charged for services that were advertised as free.
Because of all the complaints and how they are handled, the BBB gives Dish Network a C+ rating. DirecTV has an F. When asked to comment on this, both companies told me they provide excellent service.
"Admittedly, we don't get it right every time and when we find there's an issue we try to remedy it as soon as possible," says DirecTV spokesman Darris Gringeri. "We're working to fix these issues."
Dish Network's corporate communications manager Francie Bauer wrote me, "We appreciate the need to address customer concerns in an effective and timely manner and we will continue to work with the BBB to respond to and resolve these issues as quickly as possible."
Does DirecTV violate the law?
A few weeks ago, the Miami-Dade Consumer Services Department sued DirecTV, accusing the company of using a number of deceptive practices. The lawsuit alleges the company ran "false and misleading advertisements" about the cost of service packages and equipment and failed to properly disclose the terms of the contracts.
Sonya Perez, the department's public relations specialist, says her office reviewed DirecTV's ads and found they did not give the complete prices of products and services. The complaint states they were "phrased in a way to unfairly induce consumers to purchase DirecTV Packages."
For example, customers who signed up for the $34.99 per month service package were billed $55.99, the Consumer Services Department alleges. Those who chose the $39.99 per month bundle were billed $60.99 and those who purchased the $44.99 per month bundle were charged $65.99.
The lawsuit also claims DirecTV did not "clearly disclose conditions and limitations to their service agreements in advertisements or in any other type of communication with customers." Additional fees were buried in fine print, such as a $5 monthly charge for a second receiver and a $6 charge for the "FREE HD DVR Receiver Upgrade."
Washington also sues
Last year, the Washington state attorney general's office received more complaints about DirecTV than about any other company in the country. Unable to convince DirecTV to change its business practices, the state sued the company in December.
"Their business practices are unfair and deceptive," says Paula Selis, the senior assistant attorney general handling the case.
Here are three typical complaints from Washington state residents that are included in the lawsuit:
- John Tellesbo saw ads for "free premium movie channels" such as HBO and STARZ. But he said when he signed up for DirecTV, he was never told the free trial would automatically turn into a paid subscription. He said he assumed the channels would just stop once the three-month trial period ended. Instead he was billed for them. Tellesbo contacted the company and was refused a credit. He got a refund after he filed a complaint with the attorney general's office.
- Marie Merbach says DirecTV's "free installation" offer appealed to her. She said the customer service person who scheduled the installation appointment also made it clear the work was free. But when the installer attached the dish to the side of her house, he demanded $75. Merbach complained, but DirecTV would not refund the money.
- Arlene Osborn ordered a $29.99 per month service package. But her bills were for $48.41. After several months, Osborn called DirecTV and was told she had to mail in the rebate coupon she'd been sent to get the lower price. Osborn insists she was never told this when she signed up for the service and never got the coupon.
In its lawsuit, Washington state claims that important information about the terms of service is not always disclosed. Assistant AG Selis says sometimes DirecTV uses what she calls "mice type" – print is so small the average person can't read it.
How does DirecTV respond to these two lawsuits?
"We have a regular dialogue with the states to address incoming customer issues, but beyond that we cannot comment," says spokesman Darris Gringeri, who challenges the accusation that customers are not always told what they are signing up for.
"We make it clear about that agreement in the advertising and marketing materials," Gringeri says. "It is in readable print, not fine print. The customer is also told during a sales call or online ordering. There is a confirmation letter, confirmation e-mail and final review of the terms at time of installation. We make sure they are fully informed."
The BBB can't always help
The Better Business Bureau tries to resolve complaints against Dish Network and DirecTV. But it isn't always successful. That's why it's important to read the contract carefully. Make sure you understand all the terms about price increases, length of contract, early termination fees, plus all the details of a promotional special, before you agree to the service.
ConsumerMan Tip: If you plan to upgrade service or equipment, find out if that will extend your contract for another two years.
© 2013 msnbc.com. Reprints


text:
College 11hr ago
Oklahoma claims top seed at East Lake Cup behind medalist Patrick Welch
Oklahoma's roster got a big boost over the summer. In fact, you might say no other team came out on the other side of last spring's (…)
College 13hr ago
Ole Miss will get its match-play day at the East Lake Cup after claiming No. 1 seed
When the 2019-20 college golf season was canceled, Ole Miss' women had just bagged a fourth team title for the season. The Rebels were (…)
PGA Tour 15hr ago
2020 Bermuda Championship odds, predictions and PGA Tour best bets
Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda, hosts the second playing of the Bermuda Championship this week. The tournament follows (…)
College 17hr ago
Meet Monica Vaughn, the NCAA champ who just shot 58 and never tried to play on tour
Monica Vaughn wanted the record to indicate that she shot 58 from the forward tees on Saturday at Eugene (Oregon) Country Club. The (…)
PGA Tour 2d ago
How much money each golfer won at the Zozo Championship
Patrick Cantlay won the Zozo Championship at Sherwood on Sunday after carding rounds of 67-65-68-65 to finish 23-under 265. Finishing one (…)
PGA Tour 2d ago
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson end disappointing weeks at Zozo, turn attention to Masters
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Decisions, decisions, decisions. After wrapping up disappointing weeks at the Zozo Championship at Sherwood (…)
Equipment 2d ago
Winner's Bag: Patrick Cantlay, Zozo Championship
The golf equipment Patrick Cantlay used to win the PGA Tour's 2020 Zozo Championship: DRIVER: Titleist TS3 (10.5 (…)


text:
There are no Upcoming Shows listed for this comedian.
Felicity Ward
Multi-award winning Felicity Ward is one of Australia's most exciting comic performers. Since her stand up comedy debut in 2008, she has rapidly gained an international reputation as a remarkable live comic. A s a comedic actor, Ward recently appeared in Working Dog's feature film 'Any Questions for Ben?' and is a cast member in the ABC comedy game show, 'Randling'. Following her explosive season of 'The Hedgehog Dilemma', in which she was the only Australian comedian ever to be nominated for four Best Comedy Awards at each festival she performed, and winning two, the show was ranked in the Top Ten star-rated shows of the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She also performed sell out shows in London's Soho Theatre and Los Angeles. A deft MC and a powerhouse headliner, Felicity has toured Australia, NZ, Hong Kong, Singapore and the UK, and is currently developing new projects for TV.
Felicity Ward's Upcoming Shows
Felicity Ward is Known For


text:
Informasi Game
- Situs Web Resmi
- Bahasa UIEnglish
- PlatformPC
- PenerbitTrion Worlds, Inc.
Media Sosial
Produk Game
- Rixty Code (Global)
- Karma Koin
About Defiance
Defiance Overview
Defiance is a science-fiction-themed persistent world MMORPG third-person shooter from Trion Worlds. Defiance was releasedon April 2, 2013 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Defiance has "dynamic events" called Arkfalls. These arkfalls are massive chunks of alien ships, which contain valuable technology, that crash down from space, attracting a handful of friendlies and enemies, as well as on occasion attracting masses of alien creatures and dozens of ark hunters.
Defiance Game Info:
What is Defiance?
- Defiance is the futuristic online open-world shooter where thousands of players scour a transformed Earth competing for alien technology.
- Defiance players can shoot they way they want, with a multitude of weapons, armor, and special abilities that evolve with experience.
- Defiance is an evolving online world where Defiance players fight for survival in a constantly evolving environment with regular content updates and dynamic event.
- Defiance allows players to experience dynamic missions, massive co-op battles, and endless exploration across a gigantic game environment.


text:
The Museum is a Lab
The Muscarelle is more than a bunch of pretty faces
So how do you put your best face forward when the audience is constantly changing? And who is the audience on any given day?
The Muscarelle Museum at William and Mary just celebrated its 25th birthday amid much splendor, including its recent coup, an exhibition from Italy's famed Uffizi Gallery. But just as impressive is that side which might be invisible to some audiences: the teaching, the research and the partnering between museum and classroom.
"The museum really has two faces," says Muscarelle Director Aaron De Groft '88. "One which is very public, the town-and-gown face. But there is also the face that looks in, toward the campus, to serve the students and the faculty."
By all accounts, the museum is looking both ways, offering a wide array of experiences—artistic, cultural and academic—to internal as well as external users. For example, William and Mary students participate in the conservation, acquisition, cataloging and writing that goes on behind the scenes in this special place. There are students conducting research; there are docents, interns and volunteers. There are MUSE (Museum University Student Exchange) students working closely with staff to publicize events.
It's this face of the Muscarelle, the one that turns toward campus, that De Groft says brought him back to Virginia from a position at a top-tier art museum in Florida. In his two years since taking the helm, De Groft has guided the museum into uncharted waters as an academic partner on campus, creating a laboratory of sorts for faculty and students.
"The Muscarelle is a vehicle for teaching and research," says De Groft, "that goes to the core of William and Mary's academic mission."
"This is a place," De Groft said, "that goes to the very heart of what a museum originally was conceived of in Greece—a place where people come together for discussion and learning."
Not just for arts majors
Working in the Muscarelle is not just for the arts majors. Some of the students who work at the museum help with exhibitions and lighting; others help with painting. A group of business school students recently managed an entire traveling exhibition, marketing materials from design and concept to implementation and production, even creating a flash DVD.
"We also have a lot of independent study students," says De Groft. "They are serving internships for credit—real-world projects—that they can use on their résumés. This kind of experience gets them into graduate school or into the workplace."
Art students study techniques and conduct research, taking advantage of some 3,000 drawings and prints in the Herman Prints and Drawing Room. A photography class visits to see over 275 original photographs from some of the greatest American artists.
"They come to look at the great photographs," De Groft says, "because there is something value-added about seeing how they're printed, the color and surface of the paper—all of these dealing with the real object—that is the lab component that reinforces the classroom which is the same model for a lot of other things around campus."
Beyond art and photography, other classroom clients include visitors from Japanese film studies, art and art history and Russian studies. A geology class even walked over from McGlothlin-Street Hall to study geological formations in Clyde Butcher's landscape photography. There have been Spanish students writing papers on works of art (in Spanish, of course), and visits by Charles Center students and Sharpe Scholars.
"I really do think," says Carl Strikwerda, dean of the faculty of arts and sciences, "that one of the things Aaron has done so skillfully is that he has sized up the resources the College faculty has, and has brought them into the museum while taking the resources of the museum and making them available to what is being taught in classrooms across campus. There is real integration going on."
Bring in the deans
De Groft forges his link between museum to the classroom, starting with a committee whose core includes Strikwerda, Dean of the University Libraries Connie Kearns McCarthy and Dean of the School of Education Virginia McLaughlin. Sometimes he brings in folks from Special Collections at Swem Library or department chairs or still others depending upon the projects he has in mind. Everyone brainstorms and themes emerge.
"It helps to have an excellent library and enthusiastic colleagues," De Groft says. "Connie McCarthy has been a great collaborator, with [library staffers] Bea Hardy and Amy Schindler, in brainstorming and opening up their collections. There is fascinating stuff, but it just can't be in the private playground of the people who get to deal with it."
In 2007, as all eyes were on Jamestown's 400th anniversary, the museum partnered with the anthropology department's American Indian Resource Center to co-curate an exhibition which effectively kicked off the Muscarelle's Year of American Art. The exhibition was titled Jaune Quick-To-See Smith: Contemporary Native American Paintings and the Response to Colonization...Anniversary of the Beginning…Beginning of the End.
"We addressed provocative and difficult issues of a Native American artist's response to colonization, as well as exhibiting very important early documents and special collections of the College that represent the beginnings of the Americans and the Native Americans," De Groft said.
The museum is housed in a brick building that is small by standards of great museums, but don't let size fool you. This is the museum that just showcased Painting the Italian Landscape: Views from the Uffizi, covering five centuries of landscape painting and featuring more than 40 works from renowned artists like Botticelli, Nicolas Poussin and Canaletto.
Even when the Old Masters aren't in town, the Muscarelle holds plenty of names. The rotating permanent collection boasts more than 3,000 works of art, a number that might be considered small by some standards.
Small, but mighty
"But step inside the front door," invites Becky Shields, curatorial fellow at the Muscarelle, "and you're greeted by an original O'Keefe. Five feet to the left, a Titian. Just a few steps to the right, a Velazquez. By any standard, it's a good day at the museum."
Portraits are central to the permanent collection, beginning with the very first piece—a portrait of physicist Robert Boyle given to the College in 1732 by the third Earl of Burlington. There are 200 years of English and American portraits of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries but also an extensive collection of American and European art and landscapes. Within the permanent collection, there is African art, Asian prints and ceramics and American abstract expressionist paintings.
De Groft and the Muscarelle are always open to ideas. Last year a group of students approached De Groft about displaying a traveling exhibition called PostSecret. The exhibition was fairly shocking, De Groft said, and consisted of thousands upon thousands of postcards sent to an address from a web site. In their postcards, people share their deepest secrets—tragic, terrible, therapeutic, scandalous, loving, happy or sad.
"These are cultural artifacts—art of their time—so we hung the exhibit in the middle of the permanent collection," says De Groft.
De Groft also oversees the President's Collection of Faculty and Student Art and enjoys working with Bob Knowlton of the University Center, to display pieces in the UC from that collection as well as other student-arranged exhibitions. The University Center offers space which is accessible and dramatic, and provides a fitting backdrop for pieces that do not require museum-quality lighting and security.
In collaboration with the Student Health Center, the AIDS quilt hung in the museum for a week. In addition, the museum participated in a University Center exhibition of a collection called The Art of Surviving, undertaken with the College's sexual abuse counselors, and arranged an international volunteerism display when Governor Tim Kaine was on campus in January.
"And for our fourth exhibit at the UC," says De Groft, "we are helping the International Studies Club with photographs which they will produce— which we will mount and hang—reflecting what their group has done in terms of volunteer efforts."


text:
Burbank, CA (November 25, 2013) - ABC Family continues its rollout of all new episodes of original series with the return of the hit comedies "Melissa & Joey" and "Baby Daddy" on January 15 (8:00PM - 9:00 PM ET/PT).
"Melissa & Joey" (8:00PM-8:30PM ET/PT) - In picking up where the summer cliff-hanger left off, Joe rushes home to tell Mel that he has feelings for her after their romantic night together in New Jersey. When he arrives, he's shocked to find Austin (guest star Trevor Donovan) has shown up and wants to give his relationship with Mel another try. Deciding he can't stay and watch them fall in love all over again, Joe quits. Meanwhile, Lennox plots to get Joe and Mel together and Ryder gets sick from his own cooking.
"Melissa and Joey" stars Melissa Joan Hart, Joey Lawrence, Taylor Spreitler and Nick Robinson, and is executive-produced by Bob Young & David Kendall, Paula Hart, Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence. "Melisa & Joey" is a multi-camera comedy that shoots in front of a live studio audience in Los Angeles.
"Baby Daddy" (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) - In "The Naked Truth," Ben and Riley try to transition from friendship to being a couple, which results in a hugely embarrassing moment for Riley. Ben is still angry with Bonnie for bringing Emma's mom Angela (guest star Mimi Gianopulos) back into their lives. Angela tries to show Bonnie she's a capable mother while hoping for a fresh start with Ben. Meanwhile, Tucker tries to help Danny get over Riley and Amy with his five-step "T.U.C.K.E.R." break-up recovery system.
"Baby Daddy" stars Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Derek Theler, Tahj Mowry with Melissa Peterman and Chelsea Kane. The series is created and executive produced by Dan Berendsen. "Baby Daddy" is a multi-camera comedy that shoots in front of a live studio audience in Los Angeles.
Both comedy series will return in January 2014 with all-new episodes, along with the previously announced all-new episodes of "Pretty Little Liars" and "Ravenswood" on Tuesday, January 7 and "Switched at Birth" and "The Fosters" on Monday, January 13.
About ABC Family
Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. Emmy(R) Award-winning ABCFamily.com provides full episodes of the network's hit programming, along with sneak peek exclusive previews. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.


text:
Red Roof Inns Huntington properties are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Red Roof Inns hotel prices in Huntington, NY for your personal or business trip. We list the best Red Roof Inns Huntington hotels/motels so you can review the Huntington Red Roof Inns hotel list below to find the perfect place.
Our technology will show you discounted Huntington, NY lodging properties that get similar quality scores of a Red Roof Inns.Need a group/meeting discount? Request a group rate for Huntington NY
How should we direct your call?


text:
Thank You
Thank you for booking a test drive with Mercedes-Benz eMobility.
Kindly note that this is not the final booking confirmation. We will get in touch with you in the near future to set an exact date and time of your vehicle service.
A confirmation message will be sent to your email.


text:
ESPN Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with more than 50 business entities.
MARC USA, one of the largest independent marketing communications firms in America, is an expert in creating results for its clients.
NBC Universal has provided tremendous support to Make-A-Wish over the past 30+ years. The network recently played a major role in sharing the stories of Olympic wishes in London.
LNC Productions, a boutique video production company in NYC, produces high-end videos that tell the inspiring stories about Make-A-Wish kids, their families and communities.
Dropbox provided Make-A-Wish with several dozen cloud storage accounts, each with a significant amount of storage capacity, to help support the organization's real-time user-generated content.
HTC-USA donated several dozen high-end smartphones that Make-A-Wish and wish families are using to create and share photos, videos, and other content during their wish experiences.
Stay in Touch!
Sign up to receive email from Make-A-Wish.


text:
Belgian gov't blasts Queen Fabiola on inheritance
The Belgian government has chastised Queen Fabiola over her inheritance plans, which have been widely seen as a tax dodge on a fortune amassed with taxpayer money.
In a rare rebuke targeted at the monarchy, Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo told parliament on Thursday that he "shared" the emotions the scandal had caused.
He also called the plans of the widow of the late King Baudouin to create a private fund to deal with her inheritance ethically flawed, even if strictly legal.
Di Rupo told legislators that "because of the position of Queen Fabiola and the stipend annually provided by parliament, this fund causes ethical problems."
It was the latest in a series of scandals to embroil the Belgian monarchy.


text:
Abstract and Keywords
The concept of a constitution, a political entity that determines how a people are governed, emerged in ancient times. The government of the Roman Republic (509–27 BC) influenced the Western world. Later, Romanized Visigoths adopted a charter, the Fuero Juzgo (654), in the Iberian Peninsula that integrated Roman and Visigothic legal systems. The document influenced regional political entities throughout the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, each of the realms of the Iberian Peninsula adopted individual rather than shared fundamental codes. In 1265, King Alfonso X established Castilla's and Leon's first constitution, the Siete Partidas. The New World obtained its own legal system, known as the Derecho Indiano (Laws of the Indies). Like the kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula, those of America created a compact between the monarch and the citizens of each realm rather than Hispanic America as a whole. These systems of uncodified legislation evolved to meet changing circumstances and societal norms. They provided corporations and individuals expanding opportunities for indirect and direct experience in self-government.
In 1808, an unexpected upheaval transformed the Hispanic world. The French invaded Spain. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte lured the royal family into France, compelled them to abdicate in his favor, and then granted the Spanish monarchy to his brother, José. The Spanish people did not accept the usurper king, José I. They formed the Junta Central to oppose the invaders. As the French continued to conquer the nation, they convened a Cortes, which met on September 24, 1810, in the port of Cádiz. Approximately 220 deputies, including sixty-five Americans and two Filipinos, eventually participated in the extraordinary Cortes of Cádiz. Deputies representing overseas dominions played a central role in developing the most progressive constitution of the 19th century. Despite the political chaos that surrounded the constituent congress, the delegates debated and eventually reached consensus on a modern, flexible charter that reconciled the competing interests of the multiplicity of areas and ideological positions represented at the assembly. They produced a constitution for the entire Hispanic world that made the executive and the judiciary subordinate to the legislature. It also increased the scope of political activity by establishing representative government at three levels: the city or town with a thousand or more inhabitants (constitutional ayuntamiento), the province (provincial deputation), and the monarchy (Cortes). The charter transferred political power from the center to the localities, and incorporated large numbers of people into the political process for the first time by redefining the concept of active citizenship (i.e., those eligible to vote). This fundamental document formed the basis for constitutional development throughout the Hispanic monarchy and for most charters promulgated in the nations that emerged after the breakup of that political entity.
Keywords: constitutions, Romans, Iberian charters, Constitution of Cádiz, elections, revolution, independence
Access to the complete content on Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter without a subscription.
Please subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.
For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can''t find the answer there, please contact us.