text:
A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (The Oxford Shakespeare), ed. with a glossary by W.J. Craig M.A. (Oxford University Press, 1916). https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/1612,
The 1916 Oxford University Press edition of all of Shakespeare's plays and poems.
The text is in the public domain.
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.


text:
Creative Toowoomba groomer turns dogs into 'works of art'
WITH scissors, an air brush and a steady hand, Toowoomba's Taryn Binstead turns ordinary pet dogs into living works of arts.
Mrs Binstead has been "creatively grooming" dogs for the past two years.
She was inspired to transform scrappy dogs into artistic pooches after seeing pictures and videos online.
"I have been grooming for 13 years and I always knew I would work in the pet industry and with dogs," the qualified dog trainer said. "I love the creative side of it."
Next week, Mrs Binstead will travel to Sydney to take part in the nation's premier pet grooming event, Groomquest 2013.
The event is a chance for those in the pet industry to receive information and advice from some of the world's most skilled groomers.
Mrs Binstead has been working on Pablo the poodle's design for a few months.
Pablo's hair is grown to a specific length, which usually takes four to five weeks, then designs and shapes are cut into his hair.
The hair is then coloured using non-toxic, dog specific products like chalk, paint and dust.
Pablo's design is still in progress and won't be finished until the day of the competition.
"We are like artists using a living canvas," she said.
Mrs Binstead will take Pablo as well as Sooty the poodle cross shih Tzu to Sydney for the event.
She will also use her skills on a burmese cat for the creative feline section.
"These guys (the dogs) receive grooming twice a week at the moment," she said.
"They love getting all the attention."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Apple and Samsung have both filed motions offering to cut the number of asserted patent claims in half. The purpose of cutting the claims was to keep a proposed July 30 trial date for the companies' first US lawsuit over their mobile device patent disputes. Apple continues to contend that Samsung is a "copycat," while Samsung claims Apple is merely trying to "compete through litigation."
Judge Lucy Koh told both companies during a recent case management meeting that the number of asserted claims was far too large, suggesting that forcing a jury to wade through them all would be akin to cruel and unusual punishment. Koh said the number of claims would have to be reduced significantly in order to proceed with a proposed July 30 start date for the trial.
While Apple and Samsung filed a joint motion to reduce claims last Tuesday, neither party seemed willing to budge very much. However, the separate motions filed this week cut the number of asserted patents and other rights nearly in half. Apple cut out four of eight asserted patents against Samsung, three of seven asserted design patents, and four of nine trade dress claims. It also dropped all of its asserted trademark claims.
Samsung has cut its asserted patents from 12 to 7, though many of the remaining patents are deemed "essential" to wireless 3G standards. Continued assertion of those patents against Apple could constitute abuse of its agreement to license such patents on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. The company is under a formal investigation by the European Commission for such alleged abuse.
It originally appeared that Apple may have been more interested in a broad and decisive win against Samsung rather than a quick resolution of the case. However, its proposal filed on Monday suggested that Samsung's continued infringement is costing Apple billions in sales while Samsung continues to gain marketshare lead over Apple.
The two companies are preparing for a court-recommended mediation later this month. While Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed an interest in settling the dispute out of court, he said that he didn't want Apple to become "the developer to the world."
"I've always hated litigation and I continue to hate it," Cook said during Apple's most recent financial results announcement, but "we just want people to invent their own stuff."


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By Emma Lacey-Bordeaux, CNN
Travel writer Rick Steves can pinpoint the moment he decided on his career path. He was traveling in Europe as a teenager with his parents when it hit him.
[:30]"I remember being in the Copenhagen train station seeing kids a couple years older than me with rucksacks and Eurail passes, no parents and Europe was their playground and I thought I don't need you mom and dad."
Then and there Steves pledged he'd go back every year. It's a promise he's made good on through a simple premise.
[:55]"Others could learn from my mistakes rather than their own and have a better trip and I could have an excuse to go back to Europe every year and update my material."
Steves has turned this idea into a travel empire. His guidebooks have sold millions of copies, he has TV specials and a weekly radio program. He now divides his time spending about four months of the year in Europe researching, the rest of the year he's super grounded.
[1:20]"I look out my window and I see my junior high school."
Edmonds, Washington is Steves oasis. It's his springboard to the rest of the world. But, his time in the United States is as much marked by political activism as it is by the comforts of home.
Among other things, Steves is a passionate advocate for the legalization of marijuana. He argues that American drug policy is costly and counterproductive.
[3:07] "Drugs are not healthy. They are not good for you. They can be addictive. They can be abused. But, I don't think we should criminalize things for adults just because they are not appropriate for children.
Steves sees marijuana as a civil liberty. This year voters in his state agreed with him. It's a victory he's excited by, but it won't mark an end to his political work.
Increasingly Steves sees his work as a travel writer as linked to political discussion and debate.
[3:49] "I find that you can leave our country and look back at it and see it in a higher contrast and see things that we should address."
It's all part of an evolution for this travel guru. Something that he hopes Americans will take to heart. It's a big world out there and Steves hopes Americans will travel more and worry less.
[4:16]"I find that the flip side of fear is understanding and we gain understanding through travel."
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. And listen to CNN Profiles on our SoundCloud page.
Marijuana is a harmful drug and known to alter personality. I have seen so many conservatives chage into liberals after continued use. Avoid it at all costs, especially if you are conservative.
Love Rick Steves!
If all these "pot" haters would smoke some good herb kicked back in their easy chair this evening they would be asking their kids to find them some more tomorrow. The government can't find a way to regulate it, so they won't legalize it. PERIOD!
wow, not I really feel safe on the road. drunkers and stoners. maybe we can legalize prostitution next? that is also ok, right?
Why not?!
Yes, prostitution should be legal, too. Nice try at a slippery-slope fallacy, but everyone knows you shouldn't drive intoxicated, regardless of what you're doing.
Even for a troll you're a real idiot.
People who get baked drive very slowly and carefully, and only between home and the Taco Bell. Not really a problem.
There is no logic in our drug laws. If there is no victim then why penalize it? It's not the same as theft or assault. In those crimes there is a definite victim, but if someone sits in there living room getting stoned who is hurt by that?
Yes, marijuana can be abused, alcohol can be abused. But everything can be abused or misused. Cell phones are legal but should you be texting while driving in rush hour traffic? It has the same deadly potential in that situation yet I don't see anyone pushing to outlaw cell phones, just texting while driving. A similar logic is already applied to alcohol. It's still legal to consume but driving drunk is prohibited. Marijuana should be treated the same way: legal to use but illegal in situations where it's affects can have a negative impact.
And as far as prostitution, yes, it should be legalized. I've never understood why a women can have sex with any number of random strangers and it's perfectly legal, but the moment she gets paid for it she's breaking the law? By criminalizing it you force women on the street where they are much more likely to be raped, beaten, robbed or killed. In countries that have legalized prostitution you don't see this at anywhere near the level here in the US (and the numbers for the US are most likely low as a woman is less likely to report an assault, theft or rape if she has to admit to breaking the law to do so). And there's certainly no victim here. A prostitute doesn't choose random men and throw herself at them. They come to her of their own free will. The john get's what he wants, the prostitute gets what she wants and that's the end of it.
Yes, everything can be abused. Even the ability to post comments. However, making something legal makes it more accessible and therefore more likely to be abused. The average Joe (not a pot head) isn't capable of just stopping at a store to pick up some weed to smoke on the way home. Just like during prohibition, the average Joe who maybe only drank a few times a year, probably wouldn't go out of his way to find something to drink. Making it more accessible has a direct relationship to people abusing something and causing harm to others.
Let's see...cigarette smoking is hazardous to the health, but pot is legalized? People, it's a mind altering drug, that affects the lungs as well....am I on a trip?
Rick, who cares what you think, you're a travel guru. I enjoy your shows, but probably won't be watching anymore. You're simply a nutcase. Bon Voyage!
It's a matter of policy. The "moralistic" arguments don't work when society is worse once you ban it. Tobacco is legal too
The point that's kind of lost in the outtakes is that are enforcement of drug prohibition causes far worse problems with our society than the effects of simply allowing people to smoke pot.
OK, I'm all for legalizing it, but just doing that wont stop the illegal trade. Just watch one of those moon shiner shows (a guilty pleasure) and you'll see that despite the repeal of prohibition people still bootleg alcohol (though much less than during prohibition, I'm sure). For me, as a 40 year old, it'll just be strange to move from thinking of it as something you sneak to something you can do in the open.
Sorry Denise, but outlawing anything that might be harmful in any way is just delusional. I don't want my tax dollars spent tilting at windmills. Sounds like you do. No matter, it will be legalized and if it isn't...people will still use it. Sorry you can't control it all.
Just tremind people who use drugs that more than likely they are partners in murder: thousands have been murdered by drug cartels especially in Mexico..it is a shame that our Hispanic communities do not say more about this...so go ahead and make it legal and rembver that you are also legalizing murder as a result...have fun at other's expenxe.
thats pretty dumb...if its legalized, the cartels and underground traffickers will not have anything to fight over since its legal...wise guy
Terik – when marijuana becomes legal (as it now is in CO & WA state), the state government regulates the products & distribution of the drug. Thus, the demand from illegal sources (like the ones you point out) will diminish & so to will the violence surrounding it. We saw this before with prohibition. When booze was illegal, organized crime flourished and violence was out of control. The ONLY way that law enforcement could get control of the situation was through legalization. If your main concern is the violence associated with the drug trade, then you should be a huge proponent of drug legalization.
Anyone who addresses the audience in the manner of "People:", should be tied and gagged. Why not
try minding your own business, and doing what's best for yourself.
Yes, I like a lot of other people care what he says, it's you and what you have to say that holds absolutely no value for anyone. But thanks anyway for not really trying.
PS: Denise thanks for not traveling as the 'Ugly American' and embarrassing the rest of us with your extreme ignorance!
Life is so not fair. This guy not only has my dream job but he also likes to enjoy his herb. That man deserves a Nobel prize for his work.
Rick Steves advocates for legalization, but also claims to not smoke the 'herb'
Rick Steves is a successful travel writer/show producer. If you don't like his take ignore him, but don't expect anyone to particularly listen to you, unless of course you too have some experience and expertise in travel.
The article is about his views on decriminlization of marijuana. Last time I checked people are allowed to express their views in America. All he is saying is that criminalizing marijuana is a failure, a waste of money, and useless in stopping people from partaking in it, much like prohibition of alcohol was a failure and gave rise to criminal enterprises and associated violence.
As for those views, again you can accept them or reject them, and if it makes you feel better, throw some epithat like "loony left winger" at him, even though the issue is not a right or left political issue, but is really about freedom of choice and freedom of expression.
Funny how conservatives want government out of our business when it needs revenue, but want it in our business when it comes to pot and making everyone live by one religion's principles.
funny how libs don't mind having government in every part of their lives unless it has to do with drugs or sex.
The exact same argument against pot was made against alcohol. it was made illegal. the illegality created a giant amount of crime. it was then re-legalized. Why do we insist on repeating this charade?
Of course Socialism should never be attempted in America... They're too stupid to make it work.
How dense are you people. Enough with these ism's. We already have more than a few "social" programs here in the states.
This coming from someon calling themselves BKBroiler.
Have it your way..
No, the stupid people just have no idea that there already is socialism here, and that they personally have benefited from it both directly and indirectly, yet they want to ban it. It really goes back to the cold war, as the dumber part of the population continues to confuse socialism with Stalinism/Leninism.
Sort of the enlightened view in Canada, Smoking anything heightens one risk of cancer, but what good is served by criminalizing the conduct and jailing citizens at great expense. Aside from the liberty issue, how long can the taxpayer squander tax dollars on prisons, and making people criminals .. so that they aren't working and paying taxes, or smoking and paying taxes. The costs to imprison and remove workers from employment sound silly in a country with an enormous national debt.
Oh oh ... our PM wants more jails for criminals too! Yikes.
I have always enjoyed Rick's show whilst indulging in some tasty herb.
Hahaha me too! It makes me sad that we're the only ones with some sense.
We are the new silent majority.
this guy is a typical Seattle LOON !!!!
Yeah, he's not smart like you since you understand how effective and inexpensive the war on marijuana has been.
"Loony" doesn't always recognize loony.
Yeah, arresting all of those pot smokers has kept me safe from....um....Krispy Kreme becoming a bigger company than Apple?
Free Marc Emery.
I remember when I was 16. I didn't want marijuana illegal. Alchohol was illegal and was really tough to get. Weed though? I knew 50 people I could get it from at school.
Question is why do we spend so much money and allow the government so much power to illegalize a substance, when the illegalization itself makes the substancec more readily availabe to children.
Our policy really puts the moron in Oxymoron!!
I agree with you.... It is a lot easier for kids to get marijuana then it is to find someone to buy you beer at the store. It's absolutely crazy!
Rick Steves always mentions that traveling will open your eyes to the world and my permission is that he thinks American need to travel more. That's probably true. However, I notice that Rick Steves never travels to Latin America or Africa or anywhere else in the third world that might be dangerous. He ought to go to some of those places to really have his eyes opened.
I like Rick Steves and his programs but I think that to often he rationalizes situations and practices abroad that are not positive. The issue with Islam in France is one of them. He likes to travel and see new things as long as the new things don't disturb his Pollyanna view of the world.
He says that he hasn't learned any of the languages and gets by with a phrasebook. Would he do well that way anywhere outside of Europe? Maybe he would in the internet age.
People go to Latin America and Asia all the time without knowing the languages spoken in the places they visit. And they come back just fine.
I have no idea what your phrase means about 'your permission is'. Makes no sense. I enjoy his shows. He shows things that others would not see. He suggest cheaper ways to do things and see things. He encourages people to travel and see the world. He engages the natives of the places he visits. He uses local guides, goes to local spots. I don't know if he's ever gone to Latin America, so I can't comment on that. But maybe someone could research that and see if that's an accurate statement. Might not be...
I suspect he goes to Europe because he likes Europe, in addition he knows about Europe. One can't be an expert on the entire world. I really se no virtue in going out of your way to court danger. He leads tours is my understanding, he knows where he would like to work. That makes all the sense in the world to me. If you don't want to go to Belize, Cambodia or anywhere else why should you? It sounds to like saying to a brain surgeon, Yup you can slice up brains competently but why aren't you an orthopedic surgeon.
As for Marijuana, not my cup of tea any more than alcohol but I figure in a free country anyone is entitled to be stupid if they choose.
In defense of Steves (whom I rarely watch), "Europe" is apparently his passion, and he's entitled to that as everyone is entitled to have their favorite places. It's also his business model. For him to continue to make a living at it, he has to continually update his information with repeated visits. That doesn't necessarily leave a lot of time for other locales ... unless you seriously expect him to spend ALL his time on foreign travel. Then it wouldn't be fun; it would be work.
He did a show from Iran once.
Good golly – a successful, intelligent person advocating the legalization of marijuana. Apparently he would have been -more- successful and -more- intelligent if he hadn't been a pot user, eh? Sort of hard to argue the evils of weed when someone as plain vanilla middle-of-the-road as Rick Steves comes out in favor of it.
For all you conservatives out there, if you had actually read the article he makes a very strong "personal responsibility" argument which normally resonates with conservatives. The government shouldn't be dictating the behavior of adults if it doesn't directly harm anyone else. Between that and states' rights, the far right ought to be all for legalization in Colorado and Washington if that's what the voters want.
I am not a pot user (tried it, made me sleepy... I didn't see any benefit for myself), but I definitely advocate the legalization of marijuana. Alcohol is the cause of more deaths annually than ANYTHING ELSE..across the board...internationally...ANYTHING ELSE. ... but we keep that readily available. There have been exactly ZERO deaths as a result of marijuana use. None. Nada. In fact, it has benefited people with chronic pain (and doesn't destroy your life like Alcohol or H or prescription meds) and myriad other conditions. Yes, it makes some people a little goofy, but goofy isn't bad... sloppy, fight-picking drunk ... kinda bad, yes?
Really, absolutely no deaths, ever? It seems logical to me that at some point in history there was accident that could have happened because someone was high and the accident resulted in a death.
How many of you moroooons have 16 year old kids getting high and driving the family car around town??? If that is acceptable to you, you should be in jail also, right next to the loser pot-head.
The pothead should not be in jail, period.
Yeah, and that whole pot = loser thing is antiquated. Square.
You're just stupid....but I'm sure you must be aware of that already.
Right, I guess it isn't really the point (even though I am correct). The point made was that there were NEVER any deaths caused by smoking pot. I have seen that comment several times in different discussions. Although I don't care enough to research it and find a case that is a direct result of smoking dope, it shows "ignorance" to make that claim. I almost caused one when I was young because I had a little too much.
r schier: That is not what your mom said last night...
Not quite old enough to be a "square". Old enough to have college aged kids. Old enough to see what smoking pot does to a kid's drive and interaction with his family. Old enough to know that when people say "there is nothing wrong with smoking pot", they don't have a clue. Or, they are not very good parents.
For every person on pot who is unmotivated, there is another who is driven. I know pot smokers of all stripes, and the stereotypical view you display is nothing short of wrong, and does nothing other than perpetuate ignorance.
BTAH – would it have been just for your college aged kids to be thrown in jail for their "crimes" of smoking pot? What if they had sold some pot to a friend? Would a multi year prison sentence be justified?
True, kids should not use pot, but that's not the point here.
My post ended up in the wrong order:
Right, I guess it isn't really the point (even though I am correct). The point made was that there were NEVER any deaths caused by smoking pot. I have seen that comment several times in different discussions. Although I don't care enough to research it and find a case that is a direct result of smoking dope, it shows "ignorance" to make that claim. I almost caused one when I was young because I had a little too much.
And by the way, "doesn't directly harm anyone else" makes no sense. Because I am sure there has naver been a case in which someone without insurance smoked pot and hurt themselves and needed to go to the emergency room. Hmmm, who pays for that? Not sure if you have a job or not, but I do, so I am guessing a little of my tax money paid for that visit. So, it DOES directly harm other people. Why should I pay for some loser to get bandaged up because he/she was high and messed up.
You have quite a tortured definition for the word "direct."
For the last time people, marijuana legalization is not a left or right issue!
Statists, such as social conservatives or socialists, believe that the government should have a say on what we do in our own homes.
Libertarian fiscal conservatives and socially progressive Democrats (as opposed to blue collar Dems) mostly support legalization and are against government intervention in our personal lives.
All you have to do is look at who supported legalization in Colorado. The Democratic Governor, President Obama and Eric Holder were against legalization. Republicans Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul (of Texas) were strong advocates for legalization.
Therefore, to call it a left or right issue is simplistic, so let's stop all the childish name calling. If anything beyond a liberty issue, the divide is generational.
I hated to see Rick Steves so vocal about the decriminalization of marijuana. His shows are entertaining and informative. He always seemed like a witty guy with great travel tips. In my profession I work regularly with people who struggle with marijuana. I don't believe pot/weed is an innocuous substance and am not for legalization. Now I am not a Rick Steves fan, either.
Good thing alcohol is an innocuous substance that no one has struggles with. Oh, wait....
Your post is a strong statement against sobriety.
NotSo, Sorry but years as a Nurse I have yet to have a patient whose body was ravaged and destroyed by pot.
On the other hand between 18 and 27 percent of my patients, DAILY, have bodies that were destroyed by alcohol. Tax it, legalize it and keep it out of the hands of kids.
If you have half a mind to understand the workings of, well, the mind, you'd understand that those people with a "marijuana problem" (as you put it) are mentally ill, with the cannabis use as a symptom or side effect, not a cause. While it is true that marijuana use can make mental illness worse (like any substance, including the ones that they prescribe to alleviate mental illness), looking at marijuana as causative or even contributory smacks of the old discredited propaganda-driven 'science' of yesterday.
If it wasn't pot, they'd most likely struggle with something else.
I hope they never legalize it.I like it when Mexican drug cartels chop off heads and hands for a few pounds.
Travel around the world while smoking pot! Now he must have voted for Obama! No Tea Party down-to-earth practicality here! Not those right-wing idiots made up of grandmas and the like! Smoke on Rick!
Granny gets high too – didn't ya know?
More and more Grannies smoke everyday. The hippies have rediscovered that weed, in some cases, can be good for what ails you.
That's right! The first person I knew who smoked pot was my grandmother. She was dying of cancer and it helped her feel better.
Nothing wrong with sitting on the farm & enjoying the last few months of life the best you can. That's what pot did for her & I am glad she found some relief.
Stick to travelling Steve & don't get involve with that idea.
Alta, stick to whatever you do. You obviously are allowed to have an opinion on only your job. Thank you.
I am 30, my parents were teachers (aka I didn't come from money), I make $90k a year, have a 132 IQ and yes a medical marijuana card. I go to work everyday, don't do drugs, pay taxes and am a good citizen. The only argument I see left is that I'm going to hell, but I don't believe in hell so please try another. Legalize it!
The on campus cop we had in high school made it pretty clear.
If you smoke pot and we catch you, you will go to jail.
Jail is bad for you.
Therefore pot is bad for you.
Since pot is bad for you, we will throw you in jail for it.
Hard to argue with that. Without laughing that is . . .
Almost nothing is funnier than ridiculous circular logic.
Now that was a Mister Macky moment.
"ummmm Marijuana is bad. Mkay? Drugs are bad. "
I think the above comments are the result of Rick talking politics – about here at home and abroad. They do not belong in travel conversation. See how it divides people (see above comments). We escape the daily grind of our lives by traveling and enriching our lives. Rick – stick w/ what you do best – bringing the love and joy of Europe to us. Just leave it at that. By the way, we've been to Europe 8 times, w/ Rick's fantastic tour books in our hands. Thanks, Rick!!
Good for you, Sandy! Nothing represents American ideals better than telling Rick Steves what he can or cannot talk about. I mean...what could a guy who travels the world for a living possibly know about the world?
I like the guy, he is a good host and as far as travel shows go, I put his right up there Globe Trekker. Prohibition needs to end.
Enjoy his program, and a pleasant guy. But another far left looney. Also an advocate for European style socialism.
Yes, and what amazes me about him is how he is always touting European culture and seems to enjoy it while supporting the very forces that are destroying it. I just saw his show on Paris and his amazing Pollyanna dismissal of any problems with Muslims. In fact, he showcased the Arab Institute there, which seems to be little more than a organization for the Islamic beach head in France. What is called Islamaphobia is way up in France and the officials are concerned over it, but refuse to realize that the French have had it with the abuses their government has been forcing on them in the name of "universal brotherhood."
Maybe you should gp there Meemee before you speak. "destroying" the EU is funny...those civilizations have been around much, much longer that us with those principals. A total capitalistic society eventually turns cannibilistic. come on get an education
What's destroying society is people that won't let others live their lives like they want... If one isn't ripping others off, leave them alone!
I love how people show you how the rest of the world is through their experiences and you still don't believe them!
yup, glad you dont make any decisions,...maybe you should lose your job, get kicked out of your house and have nothing to eat...maybe than you would see the need to help others. As for pot its none of your buisness what others do in their own home or do you want to control smokes and liquor too? PS, not everyone abuses the system and the few that do doesnt mean we should stop those programs that help those who dont do as well as us. Guess the voting majority agrees with me.
This country would benefit greatly from a little taste of "european socialism". You will probably be the first one in line crying for your "social" security. hypocrite.
A socialist? Maybe just a REALIST, unlike yourself...
Since when does opposing legalization paint someone as being leftist or socialist? Legalization advocacy is Libertarian which is the opposite of of socialist. Republican Tom Tancredo in Colorado, as well as GOP Presidential candidate Ron Paul supported legalization while Democratic Governor Hickenlooper is a rabid opponent, just like Obama and Holder et al.
Even Pat Robertson supports legalization. Get your talking points fact checked next time.
JD, what the hecks your problem, why are you critiquing other people's opinion, maybe they are not literalists who hold everyones opinions to printed words in front of them, cany you please stop being a -ack-ss and light one up and relax a bit, you are sounding like a moron!
In my circle of friends, I am fairly conservative politically and I take offense to the overly broad strokes you have used. Not everyone you disagree with beholds the values you believe they do. I am from Texas, served four years in the military, am happily married and a small business owner.
I was not pleased with the results of the 2008 election promises – like most Americans and are hungry for rapid economic change in this country. You have by now developed some sort of mental image to represent me.
SIDE NOTE: I travel to Eastern Spain twice a year and alternate a trip to an unvisited region or country every other year. This year, we are going to explore some of the Balkans (clearly not an American invention).
Americans do project a rather large amount of ego in terms of accomplishment. As a country, we have done formulated many (if not most) of the modern conveniences used around the world today. While the citizenry is varied, these advances were performed under the US flag and so she gets the credit.
Yes, Greece created the art of Philosophy, France brought us Democracy, and Iran issued Algebra. We took those milestones of Humanity of took ourselves to heights few could imagine.
Yes, we have some swagger.
We are also the FIRST to lend assistance to ANY country in a time of crisis. Some folks tend to "forget" this nugget of fact.
I love the multicultural aspects of this planet; I feel while bringing these cultures together to communicate, the Internet has begun to erode the individual beauties within them as we clash together and construct a world less friendly than before.
I am not thrilled with the current GOP, but I will listen to friends and peers involved in that party as they are good people and have good ideas as well. I never understood why anyone would think one line of thinking is the only efficient way – it has never worked out well throughout history.
I am White, 46 years old, I am married and live in Camarillo, CA with my wife of 12 years. I run a small development house with 8 employees. I am a Social Conservative and have voted Democrat since 2000.
You may want to take a self-inventory lest you again project your ideas of who and of what other people are comprised and be thought as the redneck status you bestow upon others..
Have a Nice Day.
It is so predictably odd to read your post, filled as it is, with a demonstration of misinformation, partial knowledge of the things you wish to talk about as if you have mastered such knowledge. France did not give us democracy, Greece invented it and the common era's march to democracy is traced from England beginning with the Magna Carter, then the establishment of a parliament, Cromwell's influence, etc., where French King Louis XVl went broke paying for our revolution (but that was out of competition with England, not love of democracy). France was jolted into Democracy. Philosophy is not an art, it is a discipline. If you really check, many inventions that serve us today were invented in Europe and in many cases, such as with Tesla, we claim ownership where there really is none. You will find out about how Serbs and others in the Balkans feel about this when you visit. Tesla's image is on Serbian currency.
I can almost understand what you're saying, but please learn to write an English sentence before launching these lectures.
By Dr Billy Kidd, Mon, November 19, 2012
The 2012 presidential election kind of looked rigged from the get-go.
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted had installed an untested, unapproved software patch for ballot counting just a week before the election. When various groups protested to the courts, Husted responded that the software patch ran outside of the federally-approved voting machinery. Therefore, it did not need testing and did not to be reviewed by the state election commission. The courts went along with him.
A few days later, the international hacker group Anonymous released a video. In it Anonymous warned that they were monitoring all the computers of Fox News analyst and Republican chief fundraiser Karl Rove. Anonymous warned Rove personally to not interfere with the election results.
That made sense. This was because Craig Unger warned Americans about the possibility of electioneering in his book, Boss Rove. That is where Unger argued that Rove's software hackers hijacked the Ohio election results at 11:14 pm EST in 2004. That was when the Ohio vote-tallying computers all went offline. When they came back up, the vote counters had switched thousands of votes in favor of Senator John Kerry to President George W. Bush's column.
Then, during election night in 2012, it was suddenly Unger's story all over again—almost. This time the Ohio, statewide, vote-tallying computers went down at 11:13 pm EST. That was thirteen minutes after voter analyst Karl Rove had begun to throw his 30-minute tantrum live on Fox News. Rove was angry that the Fox analysts had called the Ohio election in favor of President Obama at 11:00 pm EST. During his rant, Rove went into a detailed analysis about how that part of the yet uncounted voter—25%—would throw the election to Romney. And then, bingo—
The Ohio computers went down in the middle of Rove's rant. But when they came back up there was no change in the vote. Obama still led. Rove looked even more perplexed. He then argued for another 15 minutes that Romney could still win Ohio. Finally, Rove conceded that perhaps Romney might lose the state.
Then, two days after the 2012 election, Anonymous released another video. The hackers explained that they had inserted a firewall into Secretary of State Husted's software patch. That had stopped the Ohio election counters from using it. The hackers said that they had analyzed the patch and that it would have flip-flopped the vote in the same counties that Karl Rove, of Fox, had argued would eventually swing the Ohio election to Romney.
Interesting, on election night, when the Ohio computers came back online, the vote tallying went on without the patch, and Obama won.
This whole thing might mean that the patch should be subpoenaed into court and examined for its potential to rig an election—especially since no one dared to complain that it did not work. And the counting kept on going, anyway, unquestioned. But that's not all.
Anonymous claims that Mitt Romney's Orca program was a fake, also. It was not meant to be used as a get-out-the-vote program as stated by the Romney campaign. Rather, it was meant to be used to divert and flip flop the vote in two other states, Florida and Virginia. Like Ohio, both states have Republican Secretaries of state who resolve voting issues. Makes you wonder, right? But there is more.
Mitt Romney was so sure of winning that he did not have anyone prepare a concession speech for him ahead of time. If that sounds a little suspicious, consider this. The election had already been called a week earlier in Obama's favor by the best known poll analyst in the U.S., Nate Silver.
There are a dozen reports concerning these events. The Humboldt Sentinel, in its online version, ran a video showing talk radio host Thom Hartmann's report on Rove's supposed election rigging. The Drudge Report also covered it in its online version. What is more, The Daily Kos reported on this story. Yet most all of the major media won't touch this story about Anonymous and Karl Rove. That is because it contradicts what Americans believe about their elections—that they are generally just and fair.
Congress also would have to be pushed pretty hard before it ever touches the story. As far as the Congress is concerned, the election is over. And after all, the committee it voted in to law to fix the problems with national elections has no sitting members and goes unfunded. This shows that Congress is deadlocked about issues that would regulate U.S. national elections.
Well, I'm sure glad that some unknown international hacking group is hacking into our election system and presumably the rest of our government with all its branches to make sure we're doing things the way they think is just! Thank you for letting us know!
The patch should be applied to your vacuous rant...
What a bunch of drivel........ gawd the Left can spin up a story apparently needing to cement their thinking as if just. Look at the several voting precints in OHIO that went Democrat and yet also total more than the number of legally registered voters. You spin a complicated hacket theory. I present simple fact. In fact, you should have travelled to Philadelphia, PA where you would have had to get past the Black Panthers to get into the voting booth. There are pictures on the Internets to prove. Sure the election was rigged... just the opposite however of the yarn you've spun. And BTW – some travel guy talking about legalizing pot is as pathetic as it is what makes this country great – the ability to speak one's own mind.
Give me the name of one county where there were more votes than voters. ONE. Just one?
You can't, because it didn't happen. Results like that would have prevented certification of the vote totals and would have been front page nationwide news.
When will you accept the fact that your ideals are outrageous and not good for the general population? If you want to discriminate go back to the 1800s, douche bag. I do not support Obama but I surely don't support the GOP.
Interesting article, "me", but what does the 2012 election have to do with Rick Steves?
Does cnn.com not have an editor?
"His guidebooks have sold millions of copies, he has TV specials and a weekly radio program."
(Comma splice)
He now divides his time spending about four months of the year in Europe researching, the rest of the year he's super grounded.
(Comma splice again, and use of the cringe-inducing phrase "super grounded")
Edmonds, Washington is Steves oasis.
(Missing apostrophe)
That's three straight sentences with obvious errors, and they only represent a fraction of the style errors in this piece. See if you can count the missing commas, sentence fragments, and sentences ending in prepositions. What do you need to do to get hired as a cnn.com writer? Show up?
CNN is thankfull for the Grammar Police, thx to you they can keep hiring inturns for less. 🙂
"inturns, inturns," gaaaaa, haaaa, haaaa!!
Interns... (SP)
Sorry to break it to you, but writing English is a dying art in America. Interns, my friend, interns.
Yet none of you picked up on Thankfull instead of Thankful...
Someone dies from LEGAL prescription drugs every 19 minutes in this country. More than heroine, coke, and meth deaths combined. More than people who die in car crashes. Proud to be in CO, (or WA) but I can't believe it's still taking this long.
I guess as long as we don't live in a perfect world, this justifies getting high on pot.
I like the way you're thinking here. Take away the sarcasm, and I agree with you completely. Stress reduction is what it's all about. Alcohol is legal, and it's far less effective at killing physical and psychic pain. But you've heard all the arguments already I'm sure.
The traveling has made him a wise and liberal man. He sees the big picture. Good for him.
Look, I'm not going to say I know anything about the rest of his politcal stance just off a one page article with six single-line quotes, but I'm assuming you read the exact same article I did.
So please, explain to me how ""Drugs are not healthy. They are not good for you. They can be addictive. They can be abused. But, I don't think we should criminalize things for adults just because they are not appropriate for children." makes him a liberal man? In fact, that's quite the contrary. This statement alones portrays him as a conservative at best, if not a libertarian. Just because most liberals are for legalization, doesn't make it a liberal belief on politics.
It's not difficult to figure it out; he's not just a liberal, but a sell-out. He makes his living touting European Culture while supporting the forces that are destroying that very thing. That he supports decriminalization is in keeping with where he lives, and where I live, too. But somehow, I am not surprised with his anything goes attitude about pot because as he takes in the best of what is left in Europe, he isn't at all worried about the loss of it or any need to promote and conserve European culture OR Europeans. He's exists in the here and now, very much like a dope smoker.
Are you kidding? He makes his living from showcasing European Culture, but doesn't care about preserving it. Once, I heard his radio show when he was in Wales. He was in Cardiff, I think. He was suddenly aware that his guide wasn't Welsh or English at all, but an immigrant from the Middle East. He bluffed through it, but he seems to set up his shows more carefully since then. What he usually does now is pretend that everything is fine, all working out well, when it isn't at all. At the best, it is requiring harsh government lawmaking to suppress Europeans while others are moving in and taking over. But there's Rick Steves, hanging out at one of the shrinking European locations with all its fading charm, like Pollyanna refusing to see anything unpleasant (so he can continue to make money touting travel privileges that you will likely never be able to enjoy without his connections.


text:
Laboratory Corporation of America
B-407108: Nov 5, 2012
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
(202) 512-8278
Kenneth E. Patton
(202) 512-8205
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp), of Burlington, North Carolina, protests the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (Quest), of Chantilly, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. VA-246-11-RQ-0321, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs for laboratory testing services for Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 6. The protester argues the agency failed to conduct an adequate analysis of the realism of Quest's proposed pricing. LabCorp also argues that the evaluation of its own technical proposal was unreasonable.
We deny the protest.
The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. This redacted version has been approved for public release.
Matter of: Laboratory Corporation of America
File: B-407108
Date: November 5, 2012
David E. Frulla, Esq., Robert I. Steiner, Esq., and Elizabeth C. Johnson, Esq., Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, for the protester.
Merle M. DeLancey, Esq., and Ryan P. McGovern, Esq., Dickstein Shapiro LLP, for Quest Diagnostics, Inc., an intervenor.
Kevin L. Pearson, Esq., Department of Veterans Affairs, for the agency.
Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., and Edward Goldstein, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision.
1. Under solicitation contemplating establishment of fixed-price blanket purchase agreement, protest objecting to agencys failure to perform realism analysis of successful vendors pricing for individual items is denied where the contracting officer reasonably evaluated the awardees lower price.
2. Protesters challenge to technical evaluation is denied where the weaknesses attributed to the protesters technical submission were reasonably based.
Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp), of Burlington, North Carolina, protests the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (Quest), of Chantilly, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. VA-246-11-RQ-0321, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs for laboratory testing services for Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 6. The protester argues the agency failed to conduct an adequate analysis of the realism of Quests proposed pricing. LabCorp also argues that the evaluation of its own technical proposal was unreasonable.[1]
We deny the protest.
The RFQ contemplated the establishment of a fixed-price BPA against the successful vendors Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract for a base period of one year and four 1-year options. Services to be provided include specimen processing, transportation of specimens from the VISN 6 primary VA medical facilities to the contractors laboratory/laboratories, performance of testing, and reporting of results. The solicitation also included a courier pick-up option for the transportation of specimens, reports, and supplies between VAs smaller Community Based Outpatient Centers (CBOCs) and the primary VA medical facilities.
Proposals were to be evaluated on the basis of technical, past performance, and price factors, with technical and past performance, when combined, of significantly greater importance than price. Under technical, proposals were to be evaluated on the basis of the following 10 factors (in descending order of importance): specimen testing, sample processing, specimen processor, transportation services, reporting of results, customer service, specimen storage, performance improvement activities, utilization reports, and value added characteristics. [2] The RFQ included a detailed chart summarizing the technical factors and their subfactors, the evaluation standard for determining whether a subfactor had been met, and information pertaining to the subfactor that offerors should include in their proposals.[3] RFQ at 24-28.
Under the price factor, the solicitation included a pricing schedule, which contained two tabs. Tab 1 (Lab Testing) contained a list of 1,235 tests with estimated quantities. The 64 tests with the highest estimated quantities were identified as core tests. The solicitation provided that the pricing on core tests would be used as a tool for quick comparison, but that all test pricing [would] be analyzed. RFQ, amend. 0002, at 3. Tab 2 (Courier Pick up Option Pricing for CBOCs) listed 23 CBOCs and their associated VA Medical Centers. Offerors were to furnish a proposed annual cost for courier service between each CBOC and its parent medical center. The RFQ provided that the agency would evaluate each offerors total price to determine whether it reflected an understanding of the project and the ability to perform successfully, was adequately supported and realistic in terms of the offerors proposed technical approach, and was reasonable. RFQ at 30.
The VA received three proposals prior to the September 23, 2011 closing date. A technical evaluation panel (TEP) met in November, 2011 to assign consensus ratings to the proposals. LabCorps proposal was rated as green/satisfactory under each of the technical factors, with the exception of performance improvement activities (for which it received a rating of yellow/marginal); overall, the VA rated the protesters technical proposal as green/satisfactory. Quests proposal received ratings of blue/excellent under seven of the technical factors and ratings of green/satisfactory under the other three; overall, the VA rated Quests technical proposal as blue/excellent.[4] The third offerors proposal received an overall technical rating of yellow/marginal. A subgroup of the TEP evaluated past performance and assigned all three offerors ratings of excellent in that area.
LabCorps annual price for both the core tests and all tests was lower than Quests--[deleted] vs. [deleted] for the former, and [deleted] vs. [deleted] for the latter. Contracting Officers Statement at 3. Quests total annual price for the courier pickup option was considerably lower than the protesters, however--i.e., [deleted] vs. [deleted]. When overall totals for all tests, plus the courier pickup option were calculated, Quests total annual price ($3,767,798) was lower than LabCorps ($4,107,712).[5] Id. at 5.
Because Quests proposal had both the highest technical rating and the lowest evaluated price, by decision of June 19, 2012, the contracting officer determined that Quests proposal represented the best value to the Government.
The agency notified the protester of its decision in a letter dated July 23. The protester requested, and, on July 26, was furnished with a written debriefing. The debriefing letter identified the following marginal technical findings in the protesters proposal:
- LabCorp will repeat a test within 5 days if the provider questions the results but the test must be performed by [LabCorp].[6]
- LabCorp will provide a STAT test within 4 hours but there is an additional charge of [deleted] for STAT testing.
- If LabCorps normal specimen processor is not available, the facility will have to provide their own specimen processor if LabCorp cannot find a replacement.
- LabCorp will remove the specimen processor with a 60 day notice if there is a drop in the testing volume.
- LabCorp will change their courier routes at any time at their sole discretion which will change the facilities pickup schedule.
- LabCorp charges for a STAT pickup of a sample.
- LabCorp will provide a weekly report for test delays whereas competitor will provide a daily fax.
- LabCorp saves specimens for 5-7 days which is the least for all offerors.
- LabCorps response to Quality Assurance Plan/Performance Improvement Activities was weak compared to responses from the other 2 offerors. LabCorps proposal did not provide much detail on [its] Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance activities. For example, listing of quality improvement monitors, outlining quality indicators, and the reporting and auditing process in reference to quality measurements.
Debriefing Letter, July 26, 2012, at 1. LabCorp protested to our Office on August 1.
LabCorp argues that Quests courier pick-up prices are unrealistically low and that the agency had an obligation to confirm them to ensure they did not reflect a misunderstanding of the solicitations requirements on Quests part. The protester further argues that Quests courier service pricing for some of the CBOCs is below market, which is contrary to the terms of the RFQ. In addition, LabCorp challenges all but one of the agencys marginal technical findings, arguing that they lacked a reasonable basis. For the reasons discussed below, we conclude that the protest is without merit.
Price Evaluation
In challenging Quests courier pick-up prices as unrealistically low, the protester highlights the language in the RFQ indicating that the agency would evaluate prices to determine, in part, whether they reflected the offerors understanding of the project, and whether they were realistic in terms of their proposed technical approaches. As a general matter, when awarding a fixed-price contract, an agency is only required to determine whether offered prices are fair and reasonable. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) § 15.402(a). An agencys concern in making a price reasonableness determination focuses primarily on whether the offered prices are too high, as opposed to too low, because it is the contractor and not the government that bears the risk that an offerors low price will not be adequate to meet the costs of performance. Sterling Servs., Inc., B-291625, B-291626, Jan. 14, 2003, 2003 CPD ¶ 26 at 3.
While price realism need not be considered in evaluating proposals for the award of a fixed-price contract, an agency may include in a solicitation a provision that provides for a price realism evaluation for the purpose of assessing whether an offerors low price reflects on its understanding of the contract requirements. General Dynamics One Source, LLC; Unisys Corp., B-400340.5, B-400340.6, Jan. 20, 2010, 2010 CPD ¶ 45 at 9. Where a solicitation provides for a price realism evaluation, the depth of an agencys evaluation in this regard is a matter within the sound exercise of the agencys discretion. Citywide Managing Servs. of Port Washington, Inc., B-281287.12, B-281287.13, Nov. 15, 2000, 2001 CPD ¶ 6 at 4-5. In reviewing protests challenging price realism evaluations, our focus is on whether the agency acted reasonably and in a manner consistent with the solicitations requirements. General Dynamics One Source, LLC; Unisys Corp., supra.
Here, to the extent the solicitation provided for a price realism evaluation, it indicated that total price would be evaluated, and the record reflects that the agency considered Quests overall total evaluated price realistic where it was close to LabCorps total price and the government estimate. Contracting Officers Statement at 12. Moreover, the record reflects that the VA investigated the one element of Quests pricing--the courier services pricing--which was significantly lower than the pricing proposed by the other offerors. Best Value Determination, at 5. In response to an inquiry by the contracting officer, Quest provided the basis for its courier pricing, which was consistent with the other offerors courier services. Id. Although LabCorp argues that Quests low courier pricing reflects an inherent lack of understanding of the agencys courier requirements and that the agency should have conducted further inquiry regarding the matter, its arguments in this regard amount to little more than disagreement with the agencys exercise of its discretion in evaluating Quests pricing, which does not provide a basis for our Office to conclude that the agencys evaluation was improper or otherwise unreasonable. See Flight Safety Servs. Corp., B-403831, B-403831.2, Dec. 9, 2010, 2010 CPD ¶ 294 at 6-7.
LabCorp also contends that Quests courier service pricing for some of the CBOCs is below market, in contravention of the terms of Attachment B. As previously explained, the RFQ included an option for courier services between many of the CBOCs located within VISN 6 and their associated primary VA medical centers, and Tab 2 of the solicitations pricing schedule asked offerors to provide a proposed annual cost for the services. In connection with the courier pick-up option, Attachment B to the RFQ provided as follows:
b. During the term of this agreement, contractor agrees at the request of a VISN 6 Primary Facility to provide courier services for the facility Monday Friday excluding holidays (. . .) on behalf of its customers which are located along the contractors Laboratory Courier Routes.
. . . It is specifically understood that the facility and its customers shall be responsible for delivery of such reports and supplies to the contractor in a timely fashion and in a timely manner sufficient for contractor to include them in contractors normal courier routines. . . .
c. In consideration for the Services, the designated Facility agrees to pay monthly and the contractor agrees to accept sums specifically defined for referenced routes listed in Attachment A. The parties agree that such fees payable hereunder shall not be less than fair market value of the services being provided, meaning the value in arms length transaction, consistent with general market price. While billed separately, consistent pricing for services should be reflected for all facilities.
RFQ, Att. B, at 2.
The record reflects that the VA is agreeing to pay Quest the amounts that Quest itself proposed for courier service between the various CBOCs and their parent medical centers. Since Quest proposed the amounts, they represent not less than what Quest regards as the fair market value of the services to be rendered. Under such circumstances, we have no basis to object to the amounts proposed.
Technical Evaluation
The protester also challenges the agencys evaluation of its technical proposal, arguing that several of the agencys marginal technical findings lacked a reasonable basis.[7] We have reviewed all of the protesters challenges in this regard and, as illustrated by the examples discussed below, we find them to be without merit. [8]
As a general matter, where an agency conducts a formal competition for the establishment of a BPA, we will review the agencys actions to ensure that the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation and applicable procurement statutes and regulations. OfficeMax, Inc., B-299340.2, July 19, 2007, 2007 CPD ¶ 158 at 5.
LabCorp argues that the agency acted unreasonably by assigning its proposal weaknesses based on LabCorps indication that if its normal specimen processor is not available, and it is unable to provide a substitute, the agency will have to provide its own specimen processor, as well as LabCorps indication that it would remove the specimen processor with a 60 day notice if there is a drop in the testing volume.
The solicitation required the contractor to provide personnel on-site at the primary VA facilities to process specimens for testing and to record test results. The RFQ further required the contractor to provide uninterrupted specimen processor support. RFQ at 11.
In its response to the RFQ, LabCorp proposed as follows:
In the event the assigned specimen processor is unable to provide Specimen Processing Services, LabCorp shall make reasonable efforts to provide a substitute specimen processor or if no such substitute is available, make reasonable efforts to secure such specimen processor coverage. LabCorp shall not be considered in breach of this Agreement in the event the aforementioned coverage cannot be obtained due to circumstances beyond LabCorps control. Notwithstanding, if for any reason LabCorp is unable to provide Specimen Processing Services during such regularly scheduled hours, CLIENT agrees to provide its own Specimen Processing Services.
LabCorps Proposal at 4. The proposal further stated that [i]f at any time during the term of the executed agreement, should specimen volume drop to a level that does not support the placement of the processor, LabCorp reserves the right to remove the processor upon sixty (60) days notice to CLIENT. Id. at 5.
With regard to the weakness pertaining to coverage during the regular processors absences, the protester argues that the conditions under which its proposal requires the agency to furnish a processor are unlikely to occur. In this connection, LabCorp notes that during the past five years, it is, in fact, aware of only a single isolated incident in which a VA facility was required to provide its own specimen processor for any amount of time. Similarly, with regard to its reservation of the right to remove a specimen processor, the protester points out that it reserved the right to do so only in the event that specimen volume drops to a level that does not support the placement of the processor. According to LabCorp, this is an event, which to its knowledge, has never occurred during its performance under the predecessor contract.
We find the protesters position to be unavailing. LabCorps proposal failed to demonstrate full compliance with the requirement of the RFQ that the contractor ensure uninterrupted coverage of the specimen processor position. Moreover, while the protester appears to be arguing that it took only very limited exception to the requirement (because the circumstances in which it reserved to itself the right not to comply are unlikely to occur), the very fact that LabCorp included the conditions in its proposal shows that it believed them to have some significance.
The protester further argues that the evaluators unreasonably assigned its proposal a weakness where it proposed to save specimens for only 5-7 days, which the agency noted to be the least for all offerors. In this regard, LabCorp contends that the agencys evaluation should have factored in LabCorps extremely short turnaround time for many of the tests, which would offset the amount of time that the specimen needs to be stored. LabCorp pointed out, by way of example, that if it stored a specimen only 5 days, but turned around test results in 1 day, the 4 extra days of storage would be greater than an offeror who stored the specimen 7 days but took 4 days to turn around the test results. Protest at 9-10.
The RFQ required that the contractor store specimens a minimum of seven days after the test is reported in the event that subsequent action is necessary (i.e. problem solving, add-on test, and/or repeat testing). RFQ at 16. In its proposal, LabCorp stated that it retains most specimens for five to seven (5-7) days. LabCorps Proposal at 30. Thus, there is no question but that the protester failed to demonstrate compliance with the RFQ requirement pertaining to specimen storage.
In sum, the record demonstrates a reasonable basis for the agencys assignment of a technical rating of green/satisfactory to the protesters proposal and for its selection of Quests higher-rated, lower-priced proposal for award.
The protest is denied.
Lynn H. Gibson
General Counsel
[1] While the solicitation was issued as a RFQ, it referred to vendor submissions as proposals and the vendors themselves as offerors.
[2] There were 3 subfactors under the specimen testing factor, 2 subfactors under sample processing; 4 subfactors under specimen processor; 8 subfactors under transportation services; 5 subfactors under reporting of results; and 1 subfactor under each of the remaining factors.
[3] The solicitation provided that a proposal would be assigned a technical rating of blue/excellent if the proposal demonstrated that the offeror met or exceeded all of the governments requirements for the technical factor/subfactor; a rating of green/satisfactory if the offeror met most of the governments requirements for the technical factor; a rating of yellow/marginal if the offeror met some of the governments requirements for the technical factor; and a rating of red/unsatisfactory if the offeror did not meet the governments requirements. RFQ at 29.
[4] Factors under which Quest received ratings of green were sample processing, reporting of results, and customer service.
[5] The third offerors prices for the testing and the courier services were higher than both LabCorps and Quests.
[6] The actual agency finding referenced repeat tests being performed by Quest. The agency acknowledged that this reference to Quest was in error and that the reference was supposed to be to LabCorp.
[7] The protester did not challenge the findings pertaining to additional charges for STAT testing (although it did point out that the finding that it charged for a STAT pick-up of a sample was repetitive of the finding that there was an additional charge of [deleted] for STAT testing.)
[8] We do agree with the protester with regard to one of its complaints--that is, we are not persuaded that it was reasonable for the evaluators to attribute a weakness to the proposal for LabCorps reservation to itself of the discretion to change its courier routes. It does not appear, however, that elimination of this weakness would alter the rating assigned the protesters proposal under the transportation services factor.
Oct 23, 2020
Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.
We deny the protest.
Oct 22, 2020
Academy Medical, LLC
We deny the protest.
Colonna's Shipyard, Inc.
We dismiss the protest in part, and deny it in part.
Knight Point Systems, LLC
We sustain the protest.
J&J Worldwide Services
We deny the protest.
Oct 20, 2020
MindPoint Group, LLC
We deny the protest.
Oct 16, 2020
Potomac Electric Corporation
We deny the protest.
Oct 15, 2020
Island Pyrochemical Industries
We dismiss the protest.
Oct 14, 2020
MicroTechnologies, LLC
We deny the protest.
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text:
For Immediate Release
Patricia Kiernan Johnson;
FRAYDA B. LINDEMANN, Ph.D. BEGINS TERM AS CHAIRMAN OF
Eight New Members Also Elected to the Board
New York, NY—
OPERA America
, the national nonprofit service organization for opera, is pleased to announce that
Frayda B. Lindemann, Ph.D.
became the first opera company trustee in the organization's entire 42-year history to be elected Chairman of its Board of Directors. Dr. Lindemann began her term at OPERA America's recent Annual Business Meeting — held during
Opera Conference 2012
in Philadelphia — where eight new members were also elected to the Board.
The eight newly-elected Board members are:
Daniel Biaggi
(General Director, Palm Beach Opera),
James Feldman
(Board President, Washington National Opera),
William Florescu
(General Director, Florentine Opera Company),
Christopher Hahn
(General Director, Pittsburgh Opera),
Barbara Leirvik
(opera patron),
Susan F. Morris
(Board Chairman, The Santa Fe Opera),
Esther Nelson
(General and Artistic Director, Boston Lyric Opera) and
Francesca Zambello
(Artistic & General Director, The Glimmerglass Festival).
Dr. Lindemann, a trustee of the Metropolitan Opera, is the first non-general director to serve as Chairman of the OPERA America Board of Directors. She takes over the Chairmanship from
Anthony Freud
, General Director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, whose term was completed. Mr. Freud was warmly thanked for his service and valuable contributions to the organization and will continue to serve as a Board Member, as outlined in the by-laws.
"I am delighted to work with Frayda in her new role at this exciting moment in OPERA America's history, with the opening of the
National Opera Center
in September," stated President/CEO
Marc A. Scorca
. "As a Board Member, Frayda has brought a fresh perspective to the leadership of our organization. Her experience as an opera company trustee informs our broader service to the thousands of Board members who help sustain their companies across the country. I am also very pleased to welcome eight outstanding new members to our Board," continued Scorca. "Each of these individuals, representing the administrative, business, governance and artistic spheres of our industry, brings a different set of valuable skills to OPERA America."
In addition to the election of new Board Members,
Gregory Swinehart
(Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP) and
Darren K. Woods
(Fort Worth Opera) were both re-elected to a second three-year term. Mr. Woods was also re-elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Artistic Services Committee. Current Board Member
David Bennett
(Gotham Chamber Opera) was elected Chairman of the Governance Committee and in that capacity, a Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors. The following officers of the Board were re-elected to their posts and committee chairmanships: Vice-Chairman and Opera Center Committee Chairman
Stephen Trampe
(Owen Development, St. Louis), Treasurer and Finance Committee Chairman
Timothy O'Leary
(Opera Theatre of Saint Louis) and Secretary and Membership Committee Chairman
James W. Wright
(Vancouver Opera).
As of the June meeting, four members of the Board of Directors completed their terms and were thanked for their years of dedicated service to the organization:
Peter Gelb
(The Metropolitan Opera),
David Gockley
(San Francisco Opera),
Charles MacKay
(The Santa Fe Opera) and
Steven Sharpe
(Opera Santa Barbara).
The OPERA America Board of Directors oversees the organization's portfolio of programs, including professional development activities, educational offerings and grant opportunities such as
The Opera Fund
. The Board of Directors meets three times per year and the next meeting will take place in November in Dallas, TX.
David Bennett (Vice-Chairman), Gotham Chamber Opera
Daniel Biaggi, Palm Beach Opera
J.A. (Gus) Blanchard, Minnesota Opera
Gregory Carpenter, Opera Colorado
Keith Cerny, The Dallas Opera
Rena M. De Sisto, Bank of America
David B. Devan, Opera Company of Philadelphia
James Feldman, Washington National Opera
William Florescu, Florentine Opera
Allen R. Freedman, opera patron
Anthony Freud, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Christopher Hahn, Pittsburgh Opera
Jake Heggie, composer
Carol F. Henry, Trustee, Los Angeles Opera
Barbara Leirvik, opera patron
Jay Lesenger, Chautauqua Opera
Frayda B. Lindemann, Ph.D. (Chairman), Trustee, Metropolitan Opera
W.R. (Bob) McPhee, Calgary Opera Association
Andreas Mitisek, Long Beach Opera & Chicago Opera Theater
Susan Morris, Trustee, The Santa Fe Opera
Esther Nelson, Boston Lyric Opera
Kevin Newbury, stage director
Timothy O'Leary (Treasurer), Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Kenneth Pigott, Trustee, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Norman Ryan, Schott Music Corporation & European American Music Distributors LLC
Marc A. Scorca (President/CEO), OPERA America
Gregory C. Swinehart, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP
Stephen Trampe (Vice-Chairman), Owen Development
Alec C. Treuhaft, IMG Artists
Frederica von Stade, mezzo-soprano
Darren K. Woods (Vice-Chairman), Fort Worth Opera
James W. Wright (Secretary), Vancouver Opera
Francesca Zambello, The Glimmerglass Festival
Christina Loewen, Opera.ca
Nicholas Payne, Opera Europa
Frayda B. Lindemann
is vice president of the Metropolitan Opera Association, member of the Executive Committee, and has been a managing director of the board since 1991. She is also a member of the board of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. In 2012 she was elected Chairman of the Board of OPERA America, the national organization that supports the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera, and provides artistic and educational services to opera companies and their communities.
For many years, Dr. Lindemann has given time and support to the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera, which provides training for exceptionally gifted young singers; the program has introduced a new generation of artists who are currently performing at the Metropolitan Opera and other opera houses. For 35 years, she also supported young musical talent through her work with Young Concert Artists.
Dr. Lindemann received a Ph.D. in musicology from Columbia University in 1978. She was associate professor in the music department of Hunter College for 12 years and now serves as co-chair of the Music Advisory Board at Hunter.
Daniel Biaggi (General Director, Palm Beach Opera)
Now entering his third season as general director of Palm Beach Opera, Daniel Biaggi is committed to expanding the company's mission of presenting high-quality opera productions and engaging educational and community outreach performances to the communities it serves. Previously, Biaggi was associate director at Guy Barzilay International Artist Management in New York, co-managing the careers of over 40 singers worldwide. He has served on the faculties of Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music and Sarah Lawrence College in New York, coaching singers in operatic and art song repertoire. He has worked extensively for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, giving pre-performance introduction lectures and participating in the organization's various Teaching Artist Programs as performer and educator. A frequent panel discussion guest and competition judge, Biaggi has served among others as panelist for
Opera Conference 2008
in Denver, and has been jury member for the Richard Tucker Foundation Career Grant Competition and Awards Nomination Panel, Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition and Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition. His commitment to young singers has led him to be invited to MissionAudition as part of Sherrill Milnes's V.O.I.C.Experience, NYIOP pre-selection auditions in New York, Berlin and Zurich, and has been advisor and judge for the National Society of Arts and Letters Local Florida Chapter Competition. Biaggi holds post-graduate and master's degrees in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music, a bachelor's of music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and a certificate of musicology from the University of Berne, Switzerland.
James Feldman (Board President, Washington National Opera)
James Feldman has served as an instructor in law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School since January 2009 and is an attorney in Washington, D.C., specializing in Supreme Court litigation. Feldman was an assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States from 1989 to 2006, with responsibility for representing the government, where he argued 45 cases in the U.S. Supreme Court. He served as a law clerk for United States Court of Appeals Judge Skelly Wright and Supreme Court Justice William Brennan, and as part of the Iran-Contra Independent Counsel team. He serves on the boards of the Shakespeare Theatre Company and Washington National Opera. Feldman received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.A. in philosophy from Columbia University and graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude, where he was president of the Harvard Law Review.
William Florescu (General Director, Florentine Opera Company)
William Florescu became the general director of Milwaukee's Florentine Opera Company in May 2005. During his tenure, he has overseen the expansion of the company's repertoire, producing works including the first Bellini opera (
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
), first Baroque opera (Handel's
), the Midwest premiere of Aldridge's
Elmer Gantry
(the professional commercial recording of which won two GRAMMY Awards) and a world premiere of Don Davis's
Río de Sangre
(also available in a commercial recording). In October 2008, Florescu oversaw the creation of the Florentine Opera Studio, a season-long residency program for young professional singers, which enters its third year during the 2010-2011 season. Florescu is a frequent judge of vocal competitions, most recently for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, The Eastman School of Music, The Montreal International Czech and Slovak Voice Competition and Fort Worth Opera's McCammon Vocal Competition. He has served on the Opera Review Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts, and as an on-site reporter for the NEA. He is a member of the board of directors for the Creative Alliance of Greater Milwaukee. Florescu is currently maintaining a blog about auditioning in opera for young singers. He received his training at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the Trinity College of Music in London, Miami University and Ohio State University.
Christopher Hahn (General Director, Pittsburgh Opera)
Christopher Hahn was appointed general director of Pittsburgh Opera in 2008, having served as artistic director since 2000. Since then, he has significantly enriched the company's repertoire, introducing Baroque and contemporary operas presented in a variety of production styles. Trained in his native South Africa, Hahn began his career in opera in 1983 at San Francisco Opera as rehearsal administrator. He then managed the San Francisco Opera Center, including the world-renowned Merola Opera Program, a training program for American singers. Following his 13-year tenure in San Francisco, he served as artistic administrator at Los Angeles Opera with Plácido Domingo and Peter Hemmings. Hahn's expertise in recognizing young vocal talent has made him a sought-after juror at American and international vocal competitions, including the Bernstein Competition (Jerusalem), Plácido Domingo's Operalia Competition, the Francisco Viñas Competition (Barcelona), the McAllister Awards and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Barbara Leirvik (Opera Patron)
A former OPERA America board member, Barbara Leirvik was a trustee of Opera Cleveland, serving on the company's executive committee, and a founding member and trustee board member of N.O.V.A. (New Organization for Visual Arts). Leirvik has chaired and served on fundraising events for these organizations as well as the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland and the Cleveland Ballet for the past 30 years. In addition, she is an ambassador member of OPERA America and supports the Cleveland Institute of Music, the CIM Opera Department, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chautauqua Institution and Chautauqua Opera. Leirvik is visual artist who specializes in painting on furniture and canvas, and worked for many years as a commercial interior designer. She is married to businessman and investor Ronald K. Leirvik.
Susan F. Morris (Board Chairman, The Santa Fe Opera)
Susan F. Morris attended her first Santa Fe Opera performance as part of the Gala Opening Celebration for the company's 40th season in 1996. As a token of her admiration for the company's founder and general director, Morris and her husband established the John Crosby Production Endowment Fund, which each season helps to underwrite one production. She became a member of the board of directors of The Santa Fe Opera in 1999 and was later elected vice president in 2001 and president in 2003, serving until 2011. During that time, she chaired the Building a Sound Future Campaign, providing the single largest gift to the $30 million multi-year campaign to improve rehearsal and patron facilities. Morris was a hands-on president, bringing to the opera her extensive experience from the board of trustees of her alma mater, the Masters School and providing advice and support to Richard Gaddes, the company's second general director. She spearheaded the search for the company's third general director, identifying and then recruiting Charles MacKay for the position. In her leadership capacity, she participated in the strategic planning process undertaken by the board of directors in concert with MacKay. Morris has advocated for the company with the Mayor and City Council, and also walked the halls of the state capitol to campaign on behalf of The Santa Fe Opera with state legislators. "The Morris's contributions to both institutions are immeasurable, and a lasting legacy to their passion and commitment to the operatic art form," observed Charles MacKay, general director, The Santa Fe Opera.
Esther Nelson (General & Artistic Director, Boston Lyric Opera)
Esther Nelson combines an extensive career in the arts with significant management expertise. Nelson was, until the fall of 2002, the general director/CEO of Glimmerglass Opera, one of the country's largest and most prestigious opera festivals. During her seven-year tenure, the company experienced significant artistic growth and fiscal stability, including the elimination of its accumulated deficit and development of a surplus. Her leadership earned her a professional citation from the governor of New York. Her previous General Director positions include Nevada Opera and Triangle Opera (North Carolina). She was also Director of Virginia Opera/Richmond, and held a senior management position at New Orleans Opera. Prior to joining Boston Lyric Opera in September 2008, she was a management consultant for clients such as the New York Historical Association, their research library and their associated Fenimore Art Museum; the Farmers' Museum (Cooperstown, NY); the European International Music and Arts Foundation; the Cultural Diplomacy Institute (New York and Berlin, Germany); Albany Symphony Orchestra (New York); The Douglas Moore Fund (New York City); Foothills Performing Arts Center (Oneonta, NY); Virginia Opera; Memphis and Portland (Maine) Operas. Other previous board memberships include the Spring Brook Home for Adults and Children with Disabilities, and the international executive committee of the Friends of Amerika Haus, Berlin, Germany. Nelson was also a frequent evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and the executive and finance committees of Assurant Insurance Company of New York State.
Francesca Zambello (Artistic & General Director, The Glimmerglass Festival)
Francesca Zambello officially assumed the role of Glimmerglass's artistic & general director on September 1, 2010. An internationally recognized director of opera and theater, Zambello's work has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, the Bolshoi, Covent Garden, the Munich Staatsoper, Paris Opera, New York City Opera, Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and English National Opera. She has staged plays and musicals on Broadway, at the Royal National Theatre, BAM, the Guthrie Theater, Vienna's Raimund Theater, the Bregenz Festival, Sydney Festival, Disneyland, Berlin's Theater des Westens and at the Kennedy Center. In May 2011, Zambello was appointed artistic advisor to Washington National Opera. She has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for her contribution to French culture, and the Russian Federation's medal for Service to Culture. Her theatrical honors include three Olivier Awards, two Evening Standard Awards, two French Grand Prix des Critiques, Helpmann Award, Green Room Award, Palme d'Or in Germany and the Golden Mask in Russia. She began her career as the artistic director of Skylight Opera Theatre and as an assistant director to the late Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. She has been a guest lecturer at Harvard, Juilliard and Yale. An American who grew up in Europe, she speaks French, Italian, German and Russian. She is a graduate of Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
OPERA America leads and serves the entire opera community, supporting the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera.
Artistic services help opera companies and creative and performing artists to improve the quality of productions and increase the creation and presentation of North American works.
Information, technical, and administrative services to opera companies reflect the need for strengthened leadership among staff, trustees and volunteers.
Education, audience development and community services are designed to enhance all forms of opera appreciation.
Founded in 1970, OPERA America's worldwide membership network includes nearly 200 Company Members, 300 Associate and Business Members, 2,000 Individual Members and more than 16,000 subscribers to the association's electronic news service. In 2005, OPERA America relocated from Washington, D.C. to New York as the first step in creating the first-ever National Opera Center. With a wide range of artistic and administrative services in a purpose-built facility, the Opera Center is dedicated to increasing the level of excellence, creativity and effectiveness across the field.
OPERA America's long tradition of supporting and nurturing the creation and development of new works led to the formation of
The Opera Fund
, a growing endowment which allows OPERA America to make a direct impact on the ongoing creation and presentation of new opera and music-theater works. Since its inception, OPERA America has made grants of nearly $11 million to assist companies with the expenses associated with the creation and development of new works.


text:
Alder Stream Canvas
Jane Barron
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Email Address:
For over 20 years Jane Barron has designed and made canvas products in Maine. Alder Stream Canvas offers a wide variety of products, such as packs, duffels, totes, briefcases, chisel cases, and paddle cases. Alder stream products are sewn with care, and made with high quality materials, such as: canvas, leather, copper rivets, and roller buckles. Custom orders available.
Geographic Region:
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Builder Services:
Dry Goods


text:
Instagram - A beautiful way to share your world. It's fast, free and fun!
Pick from one of several gorgeous filtered effects to breathe a new life into your mobile photos. Transform everyday moments into works of art you'll want to share with friends and family.
Share your photos in a simple photo stream with friends to see - and follow your friends' photos with the click of a single button. Every day you open up Instagram, you'll see new photos from your closest friends, and creative people from around the world.
☆ 100% free custom designed filters and borders
☆ Lux works its magic by making your photos more vibrant and brings out details in your photos you couldn't see before
☆ Instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare (Flickr coming very soon)
☆ Interact with friends through giving & receiving likes and comments
☆ Works with Android versions 2.2 and above that support OpenGL ES 2
☆ Full front & back camera support
☆ And much much more...
What's New in This Release:
· Double-tap on filters to adjust the filter strength
· Perfect your composition with Adjust and Vignette
· Enrich colors with Warmth and Saturation
· Adjust lights and darks with Brightness, Contrast, Highlights and Shadows
· Make your photos crisp and clear with Sharpen
· It's now easier to upload and share videos
· Improved design and bug fixes
What's New in 5.1:
· Introducing an updated design for Instagram on Android, making it faster and more responsive. All of your favorite features with an improved interface.
What's New in 5.0.2:
· Introducing Instagram Direct, a new way to send photo and video messages to your friends. Now you'll see a new icon in the top right corner of your home feed. Tap it to see photos and videos that people have sent directly to you. To send your own photos or videos, choose Direct instead of Followers once you've edited your post. When you're done editing, just choose the people you want to share with.
What's New in 5.0.1:
· Introducing Instagram Direct, a new way to send photo and video messages to your friends. Now you'll see a new icon in the top right corner of your home feed. Tap it to see photos and videos that people have sent directly to you. To send your own photos or videos, choose Direct instead of Followers once you've edited your post. When you're done editing, just choose the people you want to share with.
What's New in 4.2.6:
· Automatically straighten your photos when you take them with the Instagram camera
· Simplified video settings to give you more control when sound plays
· Added setting to help you control data usage when watching video
What's New in 4.2.2:
· Share videos from your photo library
· Recording video is now also supported for all devices running ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich)
What's New in 4.0.2:
· We're excited to introduce Video on Instagram and bring you a new way to share your stories! Recording videos is currently supported on devices with Jellybean (4.1) and above. All Android versions can already play videos on Instagram and we're working around the clock to enable capturing videos on many more Android devices.
What's New in 3.5.3:
· Important fixes for HTC One X (international version), tablets, and other devices with Tegra processors.
What's New in 3.5.1:
· Important bug fixes for international users
What's New in 3.4.5:
· Enhancements for LG Optimus devices
What's New in 3.4.4:
· Important bug fixes for Honeycomb devices
What's New in 3.4.2:
· Improved support for accented characters
What's New in 3.4.2:
· Improved quality of tilt-shift
· Various bug fixes and performance improvements
What's New in 3.2.0:
· Improved support for Samsung Galaxy Ace and Samsung Galaxy Y devices that experienced partially black images.
What's New in 3.1.0:
· Introducing Photo Maps! A fun, new way of browsing photos on a map
· New design for user profiles and many other parts of Instagram
· It's now easier to write longer captions when sharing photos
What's New in 3.1.0:
· Bug fixes and stability improvements.
What's New in 3.1.0:
· Improved password recovery
· Redesigned registration flow
What's New in 1.1.8:
· Fixes for some devices that experienced black images on the filter screen.
What's New in 1.1.7:
· Improved reliability for offline photo posting
What's New in 1.1.7:
· Google Nexus 7 Support
· Share to Flickr
What's New in 1.1.4:
· Optionally share likes to Facebook (enable in Profile > Settings > Sharing settings > Facebook)
· Search for users and tags in the Explore tab
· Bug fix for loading more comments


text:
Hylas-1 is bringing Europe broadband from the sky. This 'Highly Adaptable Satellite' is our continent's first geostationary satellite dedicated to high-speed Internet, rolling out broadband connectivity to hundreds of thousands of Europeans.
Gaps in connection
It is hard to imagine modern life without broadband, for most of us at least. The high cost of extending terrestrial broadband networks, however, means that many Europeans still do not have the high-speed connectivity that the rest take for granted.
Access to broadband is increasingly recognised as economically and socially essential – even mandated by some nations as a fundamental human right. But the fact remains that tens of millions of Europeans remain deprived of it.
Terrestrial broadband access is based on on extensive communications infrastructure, which it is often uneconomic to extend into more remote areas. Some 13 million European homes and businesses fall within such 'notspots', finding them with no way of accessing high-speed Internet. There is little indication the situation will improve significantly within the coming decade.
Flexible cross-European coverage
But Hylas-1 is capable of connecting up even the remotest corners of Europe - from Ireland in the west to Greece in the east, Denmark in the north to Italy and Spain in the south, simultaneously serving widely-dispersed collections of end-users.
Thanks to continuous improvements in telecommunications technology, satellites have become an efficient method of getting Europe online. Geography presents no obstacle: from city suburbs to rural villages, remote islands to high mountains, anyone within the satellite 'footprint' can obtain a broadband link.
ESA has devoted years to developing satellite broadband technologies through its ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems) initiative. Now several of these innovations are being put to work aboard Hylas-1. The mission's flexible payload technology can vary its data throughput across the European regions it serves, keeping pace with market demand.
Serving a developing market
Hylas-1 serves as an excellent case study of the added value that ESA provides to Europe's economy. As one of the few worldwide space agencies tasked with responsibility for industrial competitiveness and market development as well as basic exploration and technology research and development, ESA can collaborate with industry to leverage new technologies swiftly into sustainable business applications.
Joining forces with commercial operator Avanti Communications means that Europe's advanced telecom technologies reach orbit much more rapidly and economically than otherwise. The Hylas-1 public–private partnership drives the technical state-of-the-art forward in space while efficiently serving a fast-developing market.