text:
VANCOUVER -One year ago this month, the newly renovated BC Place reopened to the sounds of Sarah McLachlan singing the national anthem at a game between the hometown B.C. Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos.
Sporting a spiky new hairdo and a hole in its roof, the iconic downtown stadium began its second incarnation with an expensive new lease on life and government hopes for economic renewal.
Gone was the air-supported dome long derided as a "mushroom in bondage." Gone, too, were the traffic-blocking airlocks, the dirty-white curtain liners that hung from the roof, the terrible acoustics that scared off concert promoters, and the original 1980s washrooms that didn't reflect modern demands for disabled accessibility.
In their place arrived the Vancouver Whitecaps (also beginning a second life as a newly minted Major League Soccer franchise), a sparkling new technological refit, a striking secondary retractable roof, the promise of new concerts and exhibitions, and expectations for a major casino, hotels and an office tower on the stadium's unused corner properties.
Take a look at photos from the first year at the renovated BC Place
Arriving at the same time was a whopping bill for just over half a billion dollars to fund improvements the government said were necessary and prudent to preserve one of the province's major economic generators. A building that generated $50 million to $60 million annually for the local economy, the rebuilt stadium is now supposed to deliver at least $100 million per year.
The B.C. Pavilion Corp. (PavCo, which owns and operates BC Place) and the province say the stadium is already meeting that demand. During the first six months of operation, it generated $71 million in economic benefits, largely from the 2012 Grey Cup and the CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying soccer tournament in January. BC Place general manager Howard Crosley said in the first 11 months more than 1.43 million people visited the stadium, exceeding the previous annual average of 700,000.
Most of the $514-million construction budget was covered by provincial government grants and handouts, but at least $199 million is coming from the Crown-owned PavCo, which expects to recover those funds from development rights, concessions and — hopefully — increased attendance at games hosted by the stadium's two major tenants, the B.C. Lions and the Whitecaps.
But these are difficult times for PavCo.
The beleaguered Liberal government, reticent to anger the public, killed a $35-million stadium-naming deal between PavCo and Telus in March.
Casino deal nixed
The casino project also ran into the stiff winds of opposition, and nearly went off the rails. Instead of ending up with a significantly expanded Edgewater Casino and two bright, shiny hotels, PavCo and casino owner Paragon Gaming barely escaped city council with a status-quo rezoning: the city agreed Paragon could move and even build the hotels, but not expand the size of the casino itself. That denial of the golden egg has cost PavCo at least half the annual $6-million lease revenue it anticipated from Paragon in the initial years.
The Telus and Paragon deals were supposed to help pay back a large chunk of a $150-million loan the government gave PavCo to help with the renovation.
There have been a couple of bright spots, however: PavCo spent $48 million less than it expected on its original $563-million construction budget. It also made a windfall of more than $30 million selling some density rights it received from the city in the casino rezoning process to a next-door developer.
But Vancouver city council has thrown another wrench into PavCo's plans with its proposal to demolish the Georgia Viaduct, which runs right over the stadium's eastern truck entrance and may imperil one of the development sites that is part of the loan-repayment scheme.
Empty seats
Attendance at Whitecaps games — originally projected to be 22,000 per game — is barely breaking 19,000, and when you consider that every ticket sold also means dollars in rental fees and concession spending for PavCo, making sure the seats are filled is a major preoccupation of both the team and BC Place management.
There is also considerable pressure for the stadium to show that its new retractable roof can find revenue-generating markets. While the successful, privately owned 19,000-seat Rogers Arena next door seems to easily draw any number of rock, country, heavy metal and pop shows, the stadium, with its 54,500 seats, is a tougher sell.
Since reopening on Sept. 30, 2011, BC Place has held just one concert, Roger Waters' The Wall, in late May. That event was a successful litmus test for the relatively small stadium concert market, with promoters declaring the venue's old ghost of bad acoustics now dead.
"If the Roger Waters acoustics weren't so great, I think it would have been a challenge for us moving forward. But now we can get into the doors of those managers and agents," said Graham Ramsay, BC Place's director of sales and marketing. "They are saying, 'Hey, this is different, this is not a domed stadium.'"
Ramsay says a little perspective is helpful here: During the past decade, the stadium has averaged less than one-half a concert a year, largely because of the economy and acoustics problems. But based on the concert industry's positive response to the Roger Waters show, the stadium can expect up to four shows a year. That's the equivalent of eight shows in the more compact Rogers Arena, he said.
Take a look at photos from the first year at the renovated BC Place
The biggest change the renovation and roof has brought to BC Place is a new sense of direction, Ramsay said. In the past, the stadium was home to one sports team (the Lions) and made most of its money renting floor space to trade shows and events that didn't require use of its seats.
"Our business model has changed to what the stadium should be in terms of spectator events. It is a different business model," Ramsay said.
But there have been other little glitches along the way. Unveiled with much fanfare as one of the largest video screens in the world, the "jumbotron" can't be seen from some seats in the lower bowl. PavCo's solution: Install television monitors nearby those sight-restricted seats. General manager Crosley says the stadium had many more sight-restricted seats under the old configuration, when the only screen was a jumbotron at one end of the building.
During the recent renovation, PavCo replaced the stadium's main water line, but not the many branch lines. That will end up costing the stadium another couple of million dollars, but Crosley said the work will be done during operational maintenance.
Also, the stadium's staff is still wrestling with the considerable time it takes to convert the building for sporting events. Every time the Whitecaps or Lions play, it takes up to 48 hours for staff to deal with seating configurations, installing or retracting the Whitecaps' secondary roof, and re-lining the field and re-programming the video boards. At $17,000-$20,000 per conversion, there's an incentive for staff to become more efficient using the venue's new technology, Crosley said.
By comparison, crews can convert Rogers Arena from concerts to hockey in less than 24 hours.
'Absurdly lavish project'
PavCo chairman David Podmore argues these are the inevitable shakedown issues that come with any major project. Thankfully, there have been no major hiccups, he said, and with just one year under its belt, he believes BC Place has met its initial targets.
But not everyone sees such a rosy picture. The stadium's two most-vocal critics, NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, who represents the riding of Vancouver-West End, and anti-casino crusader Sandy Garossino, say the rebuild was far too extravagant for what has been delivered.
Chandra Herbert has grilled provincial Jobs and Tourism Minister Pat Bell repeatedly over the half-billion-dollar cost. He's frustrated the government still won't make public the business case it used to justify the stadium renovation.
"My argument has always been that they should show me that this is the best way to spend $563 million. Were there other options? Certainly. Was this the only way? Definitely not," Herbert said.
"We may look back in 20 years and have that discussion (that it was worth it). But I think to have that discussion in a real way, the Liberals really do need to release their business case so people can poke through their numbers."
Bell says that for $514 million, the public got a stadium that would have cost $1.3 billion to build anywhere else. And when coupled with the new Vancouver Convention Centre, it positions the province to benefit from increased tourism andconvention visitor spending.
Garossino, who became the public face of the opposition to the Edgewater Casino expansion, has now set her sights on the stadium renovation itself. She says the government has failed to bring in the 40 acts or events that Podmore said would result from the renovation.
Garossino has gone so far as to suggest in a personal blog that were this a privately funded project, Podmore — a successful developer in his own right — and former PavCo president Warren Buckley "would have been drawn and quartered by their shareholders by now, based on the fundamentals behind this absurdly lavish project."
Podmore says Garossino is taking liberties with what was promised. The stadium over the years has averaged 200 booking days a year, including conversions. PavCo expected the new facility would generate another 40. But as of this month, it has already been busy for 250 days, exceeding PavCo's estimates. He said he never meant to convey that there would be 40 "new acts," but rather 40 more days filled on BC Place's calendar.
"She went a little over the top. I don't see that argument," Podmore said. "I'd say give us a chance. We've just finished the building. We've just had part of a season of operation.
"I'm satisfied the building is performing the way it was intended to. But I think it will take a few years to draw in these new events to the venue just because of the lead time it takes on getting bookings."
Every one of the bookings this past year has acted as a test for future bookings, and the stadium will get busier in years to come, he said.
Garossino is unconvinced.
"I am extremely skeptical that they will ever achieve the numbers that were said to the public that they were going to get," she said. "I hesitate to say what could have or should have been in that (location) in place of the stadium, but I do question whether that structure is ever going to either make money or maximize the return on investment that the public put into it."
Rentals steady
Crosley argues the stadium, like the Vancouver Convention Centre, was never expected to be a pure profit generator. Instead, both facilities were conceived to generate economic activity for the city and the province. BC Place operates with an annual operating subsidy from the province of between $9 million and $12 million.
At 250 booking days a year, the stadium is as busy or busier than all other major stadiums in North America, Crosley said. BC Place must also hold back potential playoff days in the fall for both the Lions and Whitecaps. If the teams don't make it that far, the stadium has to scramble — and take lower rates — to rent out the facility at short notice.
Still, marketing director Ramsay said BC Place is no slouch at generating rentals. It has a stable five-year contract with the B.C. Home and Garden Show, and is largely booked for the next five years during the spring, fall and winter. The stadium charges a basic rate of $40,000 a day for most one-off events, although the Lions and Whitecaps pay fees based on rent plus attendance. The teams also have the rights to the stadium's 52 private suites, but BC Place gets all of the revenue from concessions.
Ramsay said there are plans next year for a proposed new "summer amphitheatre" music festival similar to the now-defunct Merritt Mountain Music Festival and Sasquatch Music Festival in Squamish. The stadium is also working on luring professional rugby.
Blog: vancouversun.com/jefflee
Take a look at photos from the first year at the renovated BC Place


text: Selecting a college can be a daunting task. The sheer number of colleges and degree programs out there makes searching for the right program a time consuming activity. This guide will help you narrow your search by exploring undergraduate and graduate degree programs, minors, certificates, and online degrees at all of Nevada's regionally accredited colleges and universities. It includes a college by college listing of all study option, making it easy for you to find programs of interest. Busy professionals interested in furthering their education will also benefit from a wealth of online degree program listings. Many Nevada colleges and universities offer online degrees ranging from Bachelors to graduate degrees, in addition to a wide range of undergraduate and graduate certificates.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Brightly colored orange foods are good for your eyes, skin, immune system and heart. Orange foods contain high amounts of carotenoids; these compounds help provide Vitamin A, or retinol, to the body. Vitamin A helps us see at night, keeps our immune system strong and keep our skin cells healthy. Orange foods are also loaded with Vitamin C. The color orange can also improve your mood and re-energize you. Be sure to brighten up your meals by eating at least one orange food a day.
Healthy orange fruit & vegetable choices include:
- Pumpkins: Don't wait until Thanksgiving to include this excellent food in your family's meals. Add vitamin and antioxidant packed pumpkin puree to pancakes, burritos, and bread or muffin recipes. Pumpkin also makes great soup.
- Peaches & Nectarines: Now is the time to eat fresh peaches and nectarines. In addition to Vitamins A and C and Carotenoids, peaches and nectarines are a good source of dietary fiber. Slice a peach in half and grill for a juicy and delicious side dish.
- Cantaloupe: This orange delight is chock full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Dice cantaloupe in fruit salads and vegetable salads. This gem also makes a very nice edible garnish.
- Oranges: Some say you can taste the sunshine in a glass of orange juice. Eating oranges and drinking orange juice supplies your body with a great dose of Vitamin C for healthy skin and a strong immune system. Oranges also contain folic acid for healthy development.
- Carrots: This sweet and crunchy super food helps to keep your eyes healthy, your skin radiant and your body cancer-free. Carrots make a great raw snack. Steamed carrots make a delicious, sweet side dish.
- Orange Peppers: Like their red and yellow cousins, orange peppers add great flavor and good nutrition to meals and snacks. Serve orange peppers raw as a snack and in salads, sautéed in pasta, stir fried or roasted in soups and stews.
- Papaya: Nutritious and delicious papaya is loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, and beta-carotene. Add papaya to salads, smoothies and salsas. Or, use papaya as an edible garnish for chicken and seafood dishes.
- Sweet Potatoes: Eat sweet potatoes on a regular basis, not just at Thanksgiving. Fiber and Vitamin A rich sweet potatoes taste great grilled, baked, mashed, roasted or boiled. For added nutrition, add mashed sweet potato to bread and muffin recipes.


text:
This project will identify and compile existing nitrate data from groundwaters and surface waters in the Lower Mississippi Basin (LMB) generally and focus on the Root River Watershed. The purpose is to investigate the quantity and quality of existing nitrate data, and to organize it for use in comprehensive watershed strategy development (including assessment, TMDL computation and identification and study of nitrate sources and delivery mechanisms).
This project will support a civic engagement cohort that will be offered in southwest Minnesota to foster partnering and build capacity of local government, organizations, and residents for effective civic engagement in water protection and restoration. This project will also build networks and the skill set of local resource professionals to do effective civic engagement work for water restoration and protection. The cohort will be administered through the Minnesota River Board (MRB), established in 1995 with a goal of focusing water management efforts on the local level.
Approximately 70 percent of all Minnesotans rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Wells used for drinking water must be properly sealed when removed from service to protect both public health and Minnesota's invaluable groundwater resources. The Minnesota Department of Health protects both public health and groundwater by assuring the proper sealing of unused wells.
Clean Water funds are being provided to well owners as a 50% cost-share assistance for sealing unused public water-supply wells.


text:
I've recently seen a number of TV commercials for a product called Glymetrol that are extremely troubling. In fact, I find the marketing of Glymetrol offensive on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin telling you about it. First is the cavalier manner in which this "natural" product is being marketed to people with diabetes, a potentially life-threatening disease, with severe long-term consequences if not managed properly, even though it has neither been reviewed nor approved by the FDA. People with diabetes should be under the close care of a physician fully knowledgeable about their condition, their blood sugar levels, their diet, their weight, their insulin sensitivity and their medications. Only at the bottom of the Glymetrol FAQs page does it even remotely suggest consulting a physician, and even then it's only in regard to whether the product might negatively interact with other prescription medications one might be taking.
But because Glymetrol contains "natural" herbs and minerals, it needs no FDA review and they can say practically whatever they want. And what they say is both bold and, at least to me, quite shocking:
Healthy blood sugar management
Maintains healthy glucose metabolism
Maintains healthy insulin sensitivity
Maintains healthy glucose concentration
These are all critical factors for people with diabetes. The problem is, however, that no one has a clue whether or not Glymetrol actually achieves any of these claims, let alone all of them. That's because Glymetrol has never been studied in anyone, let alone in people with diabetes. If it had you can be sure they'd be telling you about it and promoting it, which they're not. And while the individual herbs contained in Glymetrol may have been shown in animal or laboratory studies, or perhaps even in small human trials to have some effect or influence on blood sugar metabolism or levels, it's far from definitive that any are effective in the treatment of people with diabetes and there's certainly no evidence that all of them combined together are either safe or effective.
And yet they say "Proven safe," and "Safe and Effective." They can say that because all herbs and minerals are safe enough to be marketed as foods (nutritional supplements) without any studies (how they can say "effective" is simply beyond me). But who knows what the effects might be of all these herbs combined together in one product? Glymetrol contains unknown amounts (a "Proprietary Blend") of: Alpha Lipoic Acid, Gymnema Sylvestre, Cinnamon Extract, Fenugreek, Bitter Melon Extract, Nopal Cactus, American Ginseng, Salacia Oblonga Extract, Banaba Leaf Extract, Chromium, Zinc, and Biotin. Let's say, for argument, that each one of these individually does actually have some effect on blood sugar. Shouldn't we then assume that when mixed all together they would have some dramatic, if not dangerous, impact on blood sugar? Perhaps even causing some drastic drop in blood sugar? But since no studies have been done, we have no way to know, except, of course, by people experimenting on themselves with this untested, but "all natural" product.
And just how is it that the marketers of this herbal mixture know that "the standard recommended dosage [is] three capsules a day? How could they possibly know that every diabetic should take 3 capsules? No two diabetics are exactly alike. Each requires a unique combination of diet, exercise and oftentimes one or more of a variety of prescription medications including oral hypoglycemic and/or insulin. It sometimes takes weeks of careful titration of a variety of factors until blood sugar is properly controlled. Even then it requires frequent monitoring to ensure that blood sugar is being maintained at normal levels. The only way, in fact, that they could know that three capsules would be appropriate for every diabetic would be if the product didn't work at all! Which is probably not as unlikely as you might think.
Then there's the rest of the misleading marketing. The TV commercials and the Web site emphasize how you can try Glymetrol for free (just pay shipping and handling of $7.99). Well it's only "free" if you don't like the product and you call within 30 days to receive a "return authorization number and return instructions." Who knows how much it will cost you to return the unused product. And if you don't call and return the unused product, your credit card will "be automatically billed 2 easy payments of $49.99." Some free offer! And that's assuming they're even legitimate enough not to simply charge you anyway like so many other fraudulent herbal marketers. And/or sell your name, address and email information to who knows who.
So before you sign up for Glymetrol, or any natural diabetic product, I urge you to ask yourself these questions:
Do I really know anything about the company to which I'm giving my personal and credit card information?
Has their product been subjected to any clinical trials in humans with diabetes and if so what were the results?
What does my personal physician, the one who is managing my diabetes, think of this product?
Is this product really as safe and effective as they say it is, and how do they know that?
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


text:
Rice domestiction confiirmed genetically
Biologists from Washington University in St. Louis and their collaborators from Taiwan have examined the DNA sequence family tree of rice varieties and have determined that the crop was domesticated independently at least twice in various Asian locales.
Jason Londo, Washington University in Arts & Sciences biology doctoral candidate, and his adviser, Barbara A. Schaal, Ph.D., Washington University Spencer T. Olin Professor of Biology in Arts & Sciences, ran genetic tests of more than 300 types of rice, including both wild and domesticated, and found genetic markers that reveal the two major rice types grown today were first grown by humans in India and Myanmar and Thailand (Oryza sativa indica) and in areas in southern China (Oryza sativa japonica).
A paper describing the research was published in the June 20, 2006 issue of the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
"We chose samples across the entire range of rice and looked for DNA sequences that were shared by both wild and domesticated types," said Londo. "These two major groups clustered out by geography."
DNA is comprised of vast, varied combinations of chemical subunits known as base pairs. Londo, Schaal and their collaborators concentrated on finding genetic markers shared by both cultivated and wild rice types that ranged from 800 to 1,300 base pairs.
Cultivated rice has a genetic signature that defines it as cultivated, Schaal explained.
"What you do is go out and sample all the wild rice across regions and you look for that signature in the wild," said Schaal, who has done similar work with cassava and Jocote (a tropical fruit). "You find that the unique signature of cultivated rice is only found in certain geographic regions. And that's how you make the determination of where it came from."
Schaal said that she was surprised and "delighted" by their results.
"People have moved rice around so much and the crop crosses with its wild ancestors pretty readily, so I was fully prepared to see no domestication signal whatsoever,," Schaal said.
"I would have expected to see clustering of the cultivated rice, but I was delighted to see geographical clustering of the wild rice. I was thrilled that there was even genetic structure in the wild rice."
In contrast to rice, other staple crops such as wheat, barley and corn appears to have been domesticated just once in history.
Rice is the largest staple crop for human consumption, supplying 20 percent of caloric content for the world.
By finding the geographic origins of rice, researchers can consider ways to improve the crop's nutritional value and disease resistance, which in turn can help impoverished populations in Asia and elsewhere that rely heavily on the crop.
A third type of rice might have originated independently in India, but the researchers can't be certain, said Londo, because "with two of the gene networks we see sharp similarities, but with a third one that emerges from the data we don't have enough resolution."
Londo expects to find even more evidence for differing geographic domestication. He said that by using the database that they've gathered, they could design a sampling to target specialty rices such as the aromatic rices basmati and jasmine.
For instance, one direction that the researchers are going is Thailand, where the Karen tribe has been using multiple landraces of rice for many hundreds of years, Landraces are localized varieties of rice that have been cultivated by traditional methods and have been passed down many generations, Schaal said. "We're going to try to find out how landrace varieties change after domestication. These landraces are ancient varieties, which are high in genetic diversity, thus valuable to breeders looking for new traits."
Source: Washington University in St. Louis, By Tony Fitzpatrick
Explore further


text:
Jak's back. The long-eared one and his furry sidekick Daxter return for another bout of futuristic free-roaming adventures, but this time our hero has changed... Picking up where the original left off, Jak II sees the pair stepping through a time-shifting portal - and into a whole lot of trouble. Jak is arrested by red-clad goons acting under the instruction of mysterious Baron Praxis, leaving Daxter to scamper off in search of help for his pal. Two years later, Jak finally gets released by his tardy little friend, and the pair head off in search of justice and a way back to their own time.
You'll begin with the same abilities from the first adventure, although the ever-helpful Daxter will provide a crash-course on Jak's talents by way of reminder during your escape. The moves available from the outset are complemented by some nice new equipment, which you'll accumulate once you've completed various missions. The neatest addition is the ability to morph into Jak's mean, pasty-skinned alter ego Dark Jak, a result of dangerous Dark Eco experiments conducted on him during his imprisonment. Collect enough Dark Eco and you can call him forth to dispense with any persisting enemies.
You can also call forth an array of devastatingly effective weaponry to blast the Baron's henchmen into the next galaxy. Among the goodies on offer you'll find a short-range cannon, an all-purpose, pump-action shotgun, a Gatling gun, and a devastating grenade launcher.
Guns aren't the only innovative addition to the action, though; getting about the sprawling Haven City means hitching a ride. Grab a passing hovercar, chuck the driver out, and away you go. If your vehicle of choice takes too much damage, simply take another one and you can be on your way again. There's also a hoverboard to get to grips with that'll see you manoeuvring round town and performing tricks while checking out the gorgeous, beautifully rendered environments.
If you thought the original was big, then you'll definitely be impressed by the sheer vastness of Jak II. The world is truly free roaming, so you can explore the city whichever way you fancy, and stop to play the odd minigame along the way too. The graphics have been given a complete overhaul, with Jak, Daxter and the supporting players looking buffed to perfection.
Jak II: Renegade expands on its predecessor in just about every way. The same charming character animation has been given a polish, the gameplay is more intuitive than ever, and additions such as car-jacking give Jak II a unique twist on the well-worn 3D platform adventure.
See it in action


text:
|Buchbestellungen innerhalb Österreichs und Deutschlands versandkostenfrei
|Sichere Bezahlung
|Zahlung per Rechnung, Kreditkarte, PayPal und Sofort.
|Service Hotline: +43 1 246 30-0
The most important and recent judgments of the CJEU
Considering the ever increasing importance of indirect taxation as a source of revenue for governments, the intensifying complexity of legal framework, and the proliferating number of countries adopting indirect taxation, it is essential to scrutinize how the law is actually applied in practice. The primary driving force in this area is, undoubtedly, the Court of Justice of the European Union.
This book analyses selected topics (e.g. the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and VAT, taxable base and rates, exemptions, and deductions) by examining the most prominent and recent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Experts from all over the world, not just from academia but also government representatives and tax practitioners, have provided their input and helped us compile what is an informative and worthy read for anyone dealing with indirect taxation on a professional basis.


text:
State epidemiologist John Pape on protecting people and horses from the West Nile virus.
At CPR News, our mission is to serve all Coloradans, not a partisan sliver. As the election approaches, we wanted to explain more thoroughly what we're doing to earn your trust every day.
CPR is now able to receive gifts of real estate to support our mission. This includes homes, warehouses, land, and shopping centers. The tax deduction is based on a current property appraisal, less any cash paid on your behalf -- such as to pay off a mortgage. Learn more.


text:
Related Articles
- News IQ. // Scholastic News -- Edition 5/6;1/12/2009, Vol. 77 Issue 12, p8
A quiz about school bullying is presented.
- BuLLied to death. Delsite Everett, Alison // Boys' Life;Apr2009, Vol. 99 Issue 4, p38
The article talks about bullying in schools and discusses ways to stop such incidents.
- The rat pack. // Girls' Life;Aug/Sep2002, Vol. 9 Issue 1, p12
Focuses on issues regarding school violence. Opinions of kids on school bullies; Information on the decline of school assemblies concerning violence; Conflict resolution strategies developed by schools addressing violence against students.
- Mean Teens. Weir, Kirsten // Current Science;11/26/2010, Vol. 96 Issue 7, p6
The article focuses on the issue of school bullying and discusses how to prevent it.
- STICKY SITUATION. // Scholastic News -- Edition 4;2/15/2010, Vol. 72 Issue 15/16, p13
The article solicits advice from readers of "Scholastic News" children's magazine on the actions that should be taken by a girl after witnessing a bullying incident in school.
- Scholars Call for Examining School Violence in a New Context. Viadero, Debra // Education Week;4/21/2010, Vol. 29 Issue 29, p5
The article discusses a report in the journal "Educational Researcher" calling for changes in efforts to address school violence with a broader, cross-disciplinary and evidence-based approach which includes the problem of bullying.
- The Bully Problem. Wilson, Amy // World & I;Sep2006, Vol. 21 Issue 8, p8
The article addresses the problem of bullying in schools in the U.S. Since the 1980s, a wave of scientific research has repeatedly documented the harmful and lasting impact of bullying among youth. Researchers have found clear evidence that bullying, long thought to be a benign rite of passage,...
- Media Watch. // Education (14637073);5/12/2006, Issue 220, p5
Covers issues related to education in Great Britain published in various periodicals. Psychological techniques used by groups of alpha females to bully other girls; Plan of the City and County of Swansea Council to introduce concrete bollards outside many of its schools to stop parents who...
- CHAPTER 2: Bullying. McCabe, Kimberly A.; Martin, Gregory M. // School Violence, the Media & Criminal Justice Responses;2005, p23
This chapter explores bullying within the school environment in the U.S. It discusses bullying as a major problem in American schools. It outlines the elements of bullying. It presents the characteristics of bullies. It provides information on the theories to explain bullying. The...


text:
Limited Time Only
6 Months Special Financing available on all orders. No minimum purchase required.
12 Months Special Financing available on orders of $299 or more
made with your JTV Preferred Account
White Jewelry
May We Recommend
Sorry, you may only compare up to 4 items. Please remove an item to add a new one.
Compare Items
Select 2 to 4 items to compareCompare Items
Limited Time Only
White Fashion Jewelry
Today is the day to wow in white. With gorgeous white jewelry from JTV, you will make a lasting impression on anyone you meet. White is a simple yet stunning hue, so it's a gorgeous color for rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. If you would like to expand your jewelry collection with beautiful pieces you can wear for the years to come, this collection is a great place to start.
Explore a diverse range of white jewelry. From diamond jewelry to coral jewelry and beyond, your options are limitless when you shop at JTV. Find simple jewelry that is subtle and refined along with statement jewelry that is bold and beautiful. This collection also includes white accessories, such as white clutches, white hair clips and more.
Give the gift of white jewelry. If you are shopping for her, try a glossy pearl necklace or diamond ring. If you are shopping for him, buy a new set of cuff links or a handsome wrist watch. And because these pieces are super affordable, you don't have to settle for just one. Find presents for anniversaries, birthdays and holidays when you explore the selection.
Shop for the perfect piece, or mix and match white jewelry for a trendy look. If you prefer fine jewelry, you will find jewelry in this selection to suit your taste. Discover exquisite pieces from designers such as Bella Luce® and Artisan Gem Collection. This white jewelry is high in quality but low in price, so you get the best of both worlds every time you shop.
Shop white fashion jewelry and other great styles from JTV.
Share the Jewelry Love
Shop your favorite photos and share your own with #JTVjewelrylove for a chance to be featured!


text:
Kasich to lawmakers: I want to cut taxes - tell me how
$63.2B budget plan under debate
Ohio Gov. John Kasich wants to cut tax rates on incomes and small businesses, and his administration is open to suggestions from lawmakers about how to do it, the state's budget director said Tuesday.
Budget Director Tim Keen said in an interview with The Associated Press that based on discussions he's had with legislative leaders, he believes the income tax cuts will remain in the budget.
His comments come as the Republican-controlled Ohio House is preparing its changes to Kasich's $63.2 billion two-year state budget proposal.
Kasich, a Republican, campaigned in 2010 on a pledge to reduce Ohio's income tax. With re-election just a year away, this budget is where that will need to happen.
Kasich's plan would lower the state's income tax 20 percent over three years and reduce the tax rates on consumer sales and small businesses. He's proposed doing so by raising the severance tax on large-scale oil and gas drilling and by applying sales taxes to a new list of services as varied as those offered by lawyers, accountants, amusement parks and rock concerts.
Republicans and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce have raised concerns about extending state sales taxes. Business leaders have argued the new sales taxes on their services will be burdensome to impose, unfairly double-tax them in places and ultimately harm the bottom line.
GOP Rep. Ron Amstutz, who chairs the House budget-writing committee, said last week that substantial changes are planned for Kasich's tax overhaul proposals. He said he anticipates the House's version will replace the governor's proposed sales-tax expansion as a way of paying for the income tax cuts.
House Speaker William Batchelder also has signaled that the House will remove Kasich's proposed tax hike on drilling.
Keen declined to give details about the discussions the administration has had with legislators on possible alternatives to achieving the statewide income-tax cuts. But, he said, "The idea is that if people have a different way to go about this, let's have those conversations."
Asked whether there was anything more the administration could say to persuade lawmakers to keep the severance tax increase in the budget, Keen said he wasn't sure.
Still, the administration is not bracing for a budget that looks drastically different from its proposed, Keen said.
"The discussion is really about how large of a tax cut and to what extent there should be tax reform elements included in this bill," he said.


text:
What, you missed it? Sure, it's not as widely celebrated as Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day (seriously) or Bunsen Burner Day, but these things take time.
A Roth IRA, as everyone knows, is and individual retirement account in which a person can set aside after-tax income (that's key) up to a specified amount each year. Earnings on the account are tax-free, and tax-free withdrawals may be made after age 591/2.
Or does everyone know?
"It all started a few weeks ago when I was asked to speak at my alma mater," writes Jeff Rose, the certified financial planner and blogger behind Roth IRA Day, when describing the genesis of the movement. "I was speaking to a group of soon-to-be graduating seniors with about 50 to 60 in attendance. In my talk I was planning to cover savings, budgeting and investing tips that these seniors would be faced with once they hit the real world."
When he reached the investing portion of his talk, he took a poll of the students to see how many of them had heard of what he calls "my most loved investment tool, the Roth IRA."
"Can you guess the number?" he taunts. "Let me give you a hint: Zero, Zilch, Nada."
Fearing that he hadn't been heard, he repeated himself.
"'Have any of you ever heard of the Roth IRA?' Unfortunately, my shock was confirmed. No one in the room knew what a Roth IRA was."
That's a shame, since the college demographic is a cohort that can most take advantage of the benefits of a Roth. If they haven't even heard of the strategy, maybe industry education efforts aren't quite what we thought.


text:
Legislature confirms nomination of Andrew Roraback to Superior Court
The nomination of former lawmaker Andrew Roraback to the Superior Court was unanimously confirmed by the General Assembly Wednesday afternoon after several of his former colleagues in both the House and Senate lavished praise on him.
Roraback, a Republican from Goshen, served for 18 years as a legislator, most recently as the 30th district's senator and previously as the state representative for the 64th district. In November, he lost his bid for the 5th Congressional District seat to Elizabeth Esty. He was nominated to the judgeship by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in January along with 15 other attorneys.
Roraback, 52, will serve an eight-year term on the bench, succeeding Judge Barbara J. Sheedy. He is an attorney with his family's firm, Roraback and Roraback, in Torrington.
After his nomination, Roraback said he was "honored and grateful" to receive it and welcomes the opportunity to continue to serve the public.
"He's one of the few people who when you get out into your district that everybody recognized," said Rep. Craig Miner (R-Bethlehem), who represents towns within Roraback's former senate district, during Wednesday's confirmation vote. "Everybody knew Andrew. And they knew him as a caring individual. someone who was intelligent, spoke from his heart and someone who followed through on constituent's issues.
"I know Andrew will make a great addition to the bench, and if I were going to be tried, I'd like to be tried by someone of his quality because I think he's fair, honest, and I think he'll bring that quality to the bench," Miner added.
The Judiciary Committee, on which Roraback previously served, also overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 1 in what Rep. Sean Williams (R-Watertown) called a "love fest."
Williams said during Wednesday's session that Roraback deserved the praise and is a "man of integrity and honesty. You knew his word was good and that's not always the case here (in the legislature).
The House chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Gerald Fox (D-Stamford), said Roraback's fairness, temperament and knowledge of law make him a strong candidate for a judgeship.
"Everyone believes he will make a fine superior court judge," Fox said.
Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington), said Roraback is "an incredible mentor, friend and colleague," who did great things for Torrington and was always "level-headed when it comes to understanding both sides of the aisle."
Roraback never missed a vote during his years as a legislator.
"He was an excellent representative of the Northwest corner of Connecticut," said Rep. Roberta Willis (D-Canaan).


text:
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
EMAIL: email@example.com
Applications to turn on water must be signed by the owner and agent of the property involved and must be filed with the Bureau before they become effective.
(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 179978, 180917 and 182053, effective August 15, 2008.) An owner or tenant may request by telephone, in writing, or in person that the Bureau temporarily discontinue water service. Fire protection service may only be discontinued upon written request of the owner and approved by Portland Fire & Rescue. Base charges will continue during temporary shut off.
It is unlawful to use or permit use of City water through a service that has been shut off.
Should the water be turned on without authority from the Bureau, the Bureau may stop water service either by shutting off the water at the main, by removing the meter, or by any other appropriate method.
The charge for removing the meter and the charge for replacing the meter shall be in accordance with the annual water rate ordinance. The charge for stopping water service by any other method and the charge for subsequent restoring of the water service, shall be as provided in the Title of the City Code which addresses finance regulations. All such charges shall be charged to the user and when the delinquent user occupies the premises, water shall not again be furnished to the premises until the charges are paid.
When premises or additional premises are connected without the application prescribed in Section 21.20.010 "Application to Turn On Water." the premises may be charged as prescribed in the annual schedule of water rates and the service may be shut off by order of the Administrator. In case water shall be turned off as provided in this Section, the same shall not be turned on again until all rates and charges against the premises have been paid in full.
(Amended by Ordinance No. 182053, effective August 15, 2008.) The Bureau reserves the right at any time, without notice, to shut off the water supply for repairs, extensions or any other reason. The Bureau shall not be responsible for any damage, such as the bursting of boilers, the breaking of any pipes or fixtures, stoppage, or interruption of water supply, or any other damage resulting from the shutting off of the water.


text:
Friction Stir Welding—It's Not Just For Aluminum
Friction stir welding allows tough steel alloys and other metals to be permanently joined without arc welding. In many cases, this operation can be done on equipment that resembles standard milling machines.
Friction stir welding is now a proven process for joining high-carbon steels. This process does not involve temperatures high enough to melt these materials and cause unwanted metallurgical changes. Introduced in the early 1990s, friction stir welding found acceptance as a fast, high-quality method to join aluminum and other non-ferrous metals that are difficult to weld with traditional arc welding. A new generation of friction stir welding equipment brings the advantages of this process to a much broader base of applications. Unlike previous systems that required a substantial investment in a custom-engineered machine, the new system from ESAB Welding & Cutting Products (Florence, South Carolina) is based on a modular design. Given the name Legio by its developers, the new series of friction stir welding machines is built from standard modules designed to accommodate most applications. In fact, friction stir welding of high-nickel or other high-strength alloys solves some of the most difficult problems in joining these materials. According to the company, the process does so economically, bypassing the problems usually associated with arc welding of these materials.
In friction stir welding, a cylindrical shoulder tool with a profiled pin is rotated and plunged into the joining areas between two pieces of sheet or plate material. The adjacent surfaces need not be flat, thus making fillet joints and lap joints as weldable as butt joints. Heat from friction between the wear-resistant welding tool and the workpiece causes the sheet or plate to soften without reaching the melting point. The plasticized material is transferred to the trailing edge of the tool pin as the tool moves along the weld line. The material is forged by the intimate contact of the tool shoulder and the pin profile. After cooling, a solid phase bond is created between the pieces of metal that have been "stirred together." This process joins materials without the need for a filler metal or shielding gas.
Featured Content
Until recently, friction stir welding has been associated with "soft" or non-ferrous materials such as aluminum, magnesium, copper, zinc and lead alloys. All of these materials become plasticized enough for friction stir welding at much lower temperatures. However, the use of friction stir welding on carbon steels has been restricted because few tool materials could withstand the high temperatures and high pressures required to weld harder alloys. Recently, the use of tool bodies composed of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) with tips made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) has overcome this limitation.
This technology is available in many configurations. In addition to joining sheet and plate, systems can be configured for welding sections of pipe. These designs involve special spindle heads and pipe clamps to hold the round workpieces in place and weld together almost any diameter of pipe. With current technology, the maximum welding depth in pipe applications is about 5/8 inch in a single pass with no joint prep.
At first glance, the typical Legio system might be mistaken for a small milling machine or a drill press.
What's "Wrong" With Welding
Arc welding thick plates requires special preparation of the weld joint. The steps involved are time-consuming and expensive. For example, the surfaces must be cleaned adequately and positioned carefully. The sides of adjacent surfaces must create an appropriate V-shape to allow the weld bead to melt into the joint in multiple passes. The V-shapes can be added by grinding, thermally cutting or nibbling with specialized tools. Between passes, any welding slag must be removed. Typically, hand tools such as wire brushes or air-powered peening tools are used to clean the joint. Friction stir welding does not need special cleaning of the surfaces because it welds completely in one pass. Thus this process is generally faster and cheaper than arc welding while maintaining good joint quality, developers say.
Experience shows that traditional arc welding of low-density materials such as castings can lead to unacceptable results. Often, cavities and voids not visible on the surface can be left in the finished welds. However, joining metals with friction stir welding can yield welds of excellent quality, even in cast materials. According to researchers at ESAB, the microstructure and homogeneity of the cast material actually improves after stir welding. Any porosity, a typical problem with castings, disappears. The microstructure of the stirred area is much finer-grained after welding, even in coarsely grained material. This effect is visible in the photo.
Arc welding high-nickel alloys such as Inconel, Monel, Waspalloy, and various stainless steels is typically performed by TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding processes, which by nature create large amounts of heat. While sufficient heat is necessary to fuse the parent and filler materials in a molten state, it can also deform and warp the components being joined. According to ESAB, correcting these conditions is the most common mode of rework following welding operations. However, friction stir welding can join plates as thick as 2.56 inches can be joined in a single pass with no deformation. In addition, joints can be welded as much as 10 times faster than conventional arc welding.
What's "Right" About The Alternative
Likewise, friction stir welding has benefits when used to join high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) carbon steels. Applications for these materials have been growing in the automotive, agriculture, and heavy equipment industries. The metal inert gas (MIG) welding process most often used to weld these materials has been somewhat of a challenge because of the high probability that toe cracks will occur. Toe cracks are caused by poor fusion of the weld filler material into the parent workpieces. Such cracks can be remedied only by extensive off-line hand welding. This rework causes delays and adds to production costs. However, friction stir welding these materials will not create toe cracks. According to the company, the ability to weld without using filler materials makes this joining process attractive for all series of HSLA steels, including HK65, HK80, and HK120.
Another cost advantage of friction stir welding is that a shielding gas is not needed. During arc welding, shielding gas displaces air near the molten materials so that they do not oxidize during fusion of the joint. The type of gas (argon, helium, or carbon dioxide) or gas mixture can vary by application, but typical costs can be as high as $20 per hour, per torch. Friction stir welding avoids this cost.
Moreover, friction stir welding is safe for the skin and eyes. The bright "spark" associated with arc welding is the emission of ultraviolet light produced by the electrical arc that creates the high temperature necessary for welding. The exact wavelength is not important, but the light emitted is almost 100-percent ultraviolet A rays. These rays are similar to those from the sun, but more intense. While a person might be exposed to sunlight for an extended period before damage to the skin occurs, welding light can damage unprotected skin in minutes. Exposure to unprotected eyes can cause permanent damage in seconds. Industry practice is to cover all exposed portions of the welder with PPE (personal protective equipment) including a welding helmet, thick gloves, welding smock, and fire-resistant sleeves. With friction stir welding, nothing more than typical shop apparel is required, developers point out. This helps keep supply costs low and operators comfortable. It also makes the modular approach to friction stir welding a good fit for machine shops serving automotive and other markets that can benefit from this technology.
Stirring Up New Interest
It might be said that friction stir welding is more like CNC milling than arc welding. The machines are similar in appearance and operation to other machines found in the shop. They have no air collection systems to remove harmful fumes and no special protective barriers to safely contain welding light. Friction stir welding equipment such as the Legio machines can be installed rather easily on the typical shop floor, developers say.
This point raises another attraction to friction stir welding – it can very likely be performed by existing shop personnel. Because the conventional rules of arc welding do not apply, special skills or training are not necessary to learn how to operate these machines. According to ESAB, one of the hardest positions to fill at present is that of a skilled welder. However, friction stir welding promises to ease the demand for skilled welders in a number of applications.
High-level programming skills are not required either. Programming can be performed off-line as well as at the machine. A program must be prepared for each part, as it would for a standard VMC or other CNC machine. Programs can be uploaded and downloaded via standard DNC software and RS-232 connections. Each part program for a Legio unit controls the rotational speed of the tool, the tilting angle of the head, welding speed and down force. Standard welding speed for all models is as high as 79 ipm (2 meters/min). Once the process parameters are determined for a part, they can be stored and recalled at any time, and the results will be as predictable as rerunning a program on other CNC equipment.
Legio friction stir welding machines are available in five basic with one or two heads. They can be configured in seven size ranges to a maximum of 10 meters in length. Other applications and sizes can be accommodated with the company's customized platform of friction stir weld machines in the Super Stir series.
Friction stir welding is already an approved welding process for many aerospace, automotive and ship-building applications involving titanium, aluminum, and nickel alloys. ESAB, in a partnership with TWI, leads a significant effort to certify other materials and applications.
With the addition of friction stir welding to the list of economical and dependable welding processes, shops can provide high-value welding/joining without the experience or expense associated with traditional arc welding.


text:
Tales of the Cocktail Takes the Show to Canada
Weekly insight into the world of drinks with Paul Clarke from the Cocktail Chronicles and Imbibe magazine.
Every summer for the past eight years, a steadily growing crowd of bartenders, spirits-industry professionals, journalists, and other curious drinkers has convened in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, an event that basically boils down to five days of boozy education and celebration. Not surprising for an event in New Orleans in July, the weather is usually wiltingly hot; also not surprising for a convention of drinks professionals (which for many equates with "professional drinkers"), an event that's akin to the Detroit Auto Show of cocktails usually turns into an all-hours week-long festivity—an easy feat to accomplish, given the event's Big Easy setting.
Last week, however, the organizers and sponsors of Tales of the Cocktail sought to answer a couple of fundamental questions: How will this signature New Orleans event function in another, less notoriously party-hearty city? In particular, will the first-ever Tales "On the Road" event, which was held in Vancouver, B.C., last Monday, translate into Canadian?
After spending several days in Vancouver for before-and-after celebrations, as well as for the main event on Monday, I can say with a little surprise that the answer is "mostly yes."
If I was hedging my bets before the event, I had my reasons; for one thing, while Vancouver is home to Canada's craft-cocktail renaissance and some of the city's best bars are on par with their craft-cocktail compatriots in San Francisco, L.A. and New York, it's still a very young scene. Also, Canada's national and provincial laws regarding bar opening hours and the availability and tax rates on certain spirits largely works against the no-holds-barred celebratory atmosphere that accompanies Tales events in New Orleans.
But through sheer enthusiasm of the region's bartenders and curious drinkers, and likely abetted by a few shades of good luck, the Vancouver event seemed largely a success, with sell-out crowds for most if not all the seminars and festive crowds at the receptions and other events. The sessions were largely a "greatest hits" of past Tales of the Cocktail, with seminars on the stormy history of the Mai Tai by exotic-drink historian Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, a raucous session on ice (yes, it's possible to get worked up about frozen water) highlighted by the chainsawing of a massive block of crystal-clear ice, and a seminar on the science of cocktails led by French Culinary Institute instructor Dave Arnold, pictured above with his set of calculations regarding experiments on the chilling/dilution of drinks. (And to be true to the host country, there was also a seminar on Canadian whisky, which, somewhat fittingly considering the subject matter, was rather bland and vaguely disappointing.)
All told, for an event that's so closely affiliated with New Orleans, the Tales of the Cocktail event in Vancouver demonstrated that not only could the "brand" extend into other areas, but it could do so while stoking plenty of excitement in local bars and restaurants. So far event organizers have only said they plan to make the Vancouver extension an annual event, in addition to the much larger event in New Orleans in July.
But as the craft-cocktail movement continues to grow in cities such as Portland and Boston, and as cities such as Minneapolis, Nashville, and Louisville start to make their mark in mixology, it's worth considering what other places would be appropriate homes for such an event. What about your city? Do you think your area bars and cocktail culture would be a good location for this kind of gathering?
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
Weekend Talk Amongst Yourselves
Comment by: Diamond Sea
Nominated by: Slatz_Grobnik
Ah, I see what you mean. The problem is, not every game wants to be that open-ended. The only one I can think of is Heavy Rain.
First of all, it's a question of budget. It takes millions of dollars to design an exciting, linear adventure. Imagine how much more it'd cost to make a game where every action, every failure has consequences on the story. You may say "Dragon Age/Fallout 3/etc did it", but those games hardly used that gameplay aspect as a substitute for HP. There were a few moments in the story you could affect, and that's it. It's
not the same.
Secondly, it's a question of developer freedom vs. player freedom. Some game developers are very content with immersing the player in their story. What you're describing is a writer's nightmare. If we ever want to establish videogames as a viable storytelling medium, we must get over this misconception that since videogames are interactive, their story must be interactive as well.
Lastly, and this is a purely personal standpoint, I feel like a big part of the fun in videogames is overcoming challenges. Losing a life or restarting at a checkpoint isn't annoying to me if I learned something from it. Heck, when I play a game with unlimited lives, most of my first tries on a boss fight consist of recognizing its patterns. I don't care about dying, I'll revive and I'll have a stronger knowledge of how to defeat that opponent. Canonical? Absolutely not. Challenging and fun? Well to me, yes.
We mustn't lose track of what videogames are. I believe videogames are first and foremost meant to be fun. The storytelling and immersion aspect are welcome, but unessential.
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Comment by: TRT-X
Nominated by: madammina
It's really annoying that everytime somebody brings up cosplay somebody else has to come in and right away act like you aren't allowed to do it unless you are "hot".
NEWSFLASH: Most real women aren't going to have the same body type as a virtual women designed to be attractive.
If a fat chick wants to dress as Bayonetta, so what? If a black guy wants to be Mario, who gives a crap?
It's a costume. The idea is to dress up and have fun.
Americans Get Russia Fighting The US
Comment by: Jedite13
Nominated by: Eternal
China is good!
They make the tiny hardware for our computerzz. They make fast food and eat with tiny sticks. And don't forget the cheap clothing.
Yeah, these guys must be good!
But RUSSIA!
With their Vodka and Kalaschnikow!
And with their Lenin Mausoleum!
Always singing horrible songs about Stalin and tanks by the fire with accordion!
These are just a few attributes of the evil ways of the Russians.
Their attitude just pisses Americans off.
We Went To Sony's GamesCom Presser And All We Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt
Comment by: AndwuH
Nominated by: Lee
I like the lanyard, but the shirt must have been made by Kotaku commentators.
I'm guessing..
Microsoft: Get Kinected
Nintendo: Why settle for double Ds, when you could have 3DS..
Hands-On With The Faster, More Brutal Dragon Age II
Comment by: Sumada
Nominated by: drivenbyart
The problem is variety. I played ME1 and DA:O because they were what they were, and now Bioware decides to change them to mimic other, more popular games? I have no problem with tons of Gods/Gears of War existing, but I think it is vital for there to be other choices out there for people who want something different.
You say "skill is skill." Does skill in basketball transfer to skill in golf? Does skill at Tetris transfer to skill in Modern Warfare? Similarly, a skill based tactical system does not transfer to a skill based action system.
And I thought the main plot (certain loyalty missions aside) suffered in ME2. It was terribly, terribly bland and generic, huge threads I cared about were left hanging, they threw on a coat of "darker and more jaded" paint on most of the characters from the first game and left it at that. Even the decision trees suffered, many of my "paragon" choices I made shoehorned my character into being an ass anyway. Considering we're no longer playing ourselves, but our version of "Hawke," looks like that could very well happen again too.
I like new, innovative games, but this isn't innovation, it's replacing what we had with something some other game already had. And honestly, even to an extent I can respect that, because there is obviously an audience for that. But to do it with both of their franchises and leave those of us who don't like those big-name games they're aping out to dry? I think people have a right to feel betrayed by that.
Want to nominate comments? Send to tips any insightful or funny comments you read from other commenters. (Read: NOT YOURSELF). Be sure to include the post's URL, the commenter's page, the actual comment and your commenter page.
Here's a handy guide to commenting. Read it, learn it, live it, love it.


text:
Atheist group seeks to ban "religious preference" from military documentation
As with most things MAAF does (Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers) this seems to be solution in search of a problem.
Last we heard from MAAF was when they were going after a cross at Camp Pendleton that Marines had put up to honor their fallen brothers. That effort angered even their fellow atheists:
I am a fellow atheist and have been for over ten years. I joined the Marine Corps in 2002 and continue to serve today. Never in that time have I been asked to change my beliefs or encouraged to be silent about my religious opinions… I will say that the opposition to that monument by this organization disgusts me and takes away from our brotherhood and all that we stand for.
More than once I've wondered if they weren't secretly a religious group trying to discredit Atheism because the battles they pick to fight seem so utterly ridiculous.
A support group for atheist servicemembers has launched a petition drive to have President Obama end the requirement that the services solicit the religious affiliation of personnel, including recruits.
But a week after the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers submitted the petition on WhiteHouse.gov the effort has garnered just 25 of the 25,000 signatures it needs by Feb. 5 to get any kind of response from the White House.
MAAF President Jason Torpy, a West Point graduate and former Army officer, acknowledges there is a long way to go but says he remains "optimistic that we'll get the signatures once some other groups pick this up."
As of last time I checked, a few minutes ago, it was all the way up to 30 signatures. I'm fairly confident I could put up a petition calling on the federal government to indict Spongebob Squarepants for crimes against Starfish and have 50 people sign it by lunch just by putting it on my Facebook page.
Nonetheless, they do have what I consider a legit concern on one thing:
"What MRFF [MAAF allies Military Religious Freedom Foundation] has received complaints about is the fact that a service member's religion is listed on forms where there is no legitimate reason for it to be listed, such as the Army's ORB (Officer Record Brief) … forms whose purpose is to provide a summary of a service member's education, special skills, and service record," said Chris Rodda, a writer and a researcher for MRFF.
"There is no reason that religion should be a factor in any career or assignment decisions that the information on these forms is used for," she said.
I honestly didn't know it was on any of those forms, and I am at a loss to explain why it should be, so I definitely can see their point there. And if that is what this petition said, I would have pushed it through a few different mediums. As far as I can tell there is no reason anyone on a promotion board or similar group should know what God or Deity one ascribes to, or chooses to disbelieve. I just don't see how it is germane.
But alas, that isn't what their petition says:
Every new military recruit is asked the question, "What is your religion?" This causes undue stress and pressure to conform as the recruit considers the predominant Christian culture of the military and the US. Having the "right" answer on ID tags and official records might make the difference in peer treatment and in equal opportunity in military assignments and promotions.
That first part seems absurd and insulting. You mean that our brave men and women signing up today are so susceptible to peer pressure that they would conform to something contrary to their moral underpinning? Maybe I just served in the most enlightened units of all time, but I never saw even a hint of this. The guys I served with had WIDELY divergent religious views, and no one had a problem with it, except the one dude who found out that he only had to work certain hours during Ramadan and promptly became a Muslim. And the only ones truly hostile about that were the other Muslims in my unit who knew the guy was using it as a scam.
In my Infantry Platoon alone we had a Muslim, a Mormon, several Catholics, a ton of Baptists, a Universalist Unitarian, two Buddhists, and atleast one Wiccan. (I've also served with Jewish guys and people who worshipped Odin.) Most the rest I didn't know or had no religious affiliation. None of it mattered, no one cared. The only time it ever came up was if we were discussing something theological, and that was just for debates. (We would sometimes put the Muslim, Mormon and Catholic in the same Guard Tower so they could fight it out rhetorically.) If someone's religious views are so milquetoast that they would change them because of peer pressure, then they probably weren't all that devoted to their religion in the first place.
What the article neglects to mention at all is the actual reason for having a religious preference on military forms. That was brought home to me last night in a sad story that my friend Amy told me about. Her son is at Navy Basic Training, and his unit lost a man yesterday:
A recruit at Naval Station Great Lakes died Wednesday morning during a physical training exercise, according to the Lake County coroner.
Christopher Walker, who turned 19 in December, suddenly collapsed on the base near North Chicago, said Lake County coroner Artis Yancey.
He was rushed to James Lovell Federal Health Care Center but was pronounced shortly after at 9:57 a.m., according to Yancey.
Authorities said Walker was a Pennsylvania native.
It seems to me that Mr. Walker's grieving parents would appreciate that the chaplain that came to the door to pass on this horrific and tragic news would be of the same religious persuasion as Christopher himself. Sending a Sikh chaplain to inform the parents of a deceased Catholic soldier wouldn't seem to make much sense would it?
Lastly, the whole doing away with "No Religious Preference" thing seems just politically correct to me. How does a blank space convey something different than that phrase? Add "Humanist", add "Spiritual But Not Religious", add "First Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster"; it won't make any difference to me. When I joined the army I became green. We may self-identify as white, or Christian, American-Indian or Buddhist, but we identify those around us more easily: because they are all our brothers and sisters, regardless of any other affiliation.
EXIT QUESTION: Someone either below of possibly in an email to me said that the DoD choses what religions it recognizes, and that some people practice ones not recognized by the DoD. Can someone name me a religion not recognized by the DoD and someone who wishes it were practiced? An actual religion mind you, not some made up one that is clearly farcical. I am actually curious, and would like to explore it with the DoD, but I need an actual example.
* To comment without a Facebook account, please scroll to the bottom.
Demophilius (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 10:43am
This strikes me as yet
This strikes me as yet another ham fisted and idiotic way of taking something that's a legitimate concern (ensuring choice of religion and/or lack thereof is not a decision point in promotions and advancement) and completely invalidating your point by wrapping it in a hand grenade of your overzealous and extremist views. Just because people are bats#!t crazy doesn't mean they don't sometimes have a point.
So yes - keep relgion out of consideration for promotions but you know what - stop getting p!$$ed off at the rights of other people to have a relgion which is right up there with your right to not have one. This is a place (America) where we're supposed to form a whole despite and while recognizing our differences, not where we're supposed to use differences as a wedge to divide us into neat little groups that won't join together as a whole.
Jim (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 6:55pm
Atheist group seeks to ban "religious preference" from military
Well, if I am not mistaken, Atheism is a religion, so put it on your tag, what the problem?
Ron Moore (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 9:11am
Jack (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 11:06am
Atheism a Religion?
Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby
jerry l. trimble (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 4:02pm
reply to you are mistaken
you are wrong, Atheism is actually the absence of Christ.
Wilbur (not verified)
January 14, 2012 - 10:49am
So in your opinion...
Jews are also atheists? Muslims? Buddhists?
JRFCO (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 6:14pm
Atheism is a religion in that
Atheism is a religion in that one has FAITH IN and BELIEVES that there is no God. And, actually, there is no such thing as a true atheist because a true atheist could PROVE that there is no God. However, most people who claim to be atheist are really agnostic, which means they don't know and they don't care.
Albert Thibodeaux (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 6:17pm
GREGORY LUKE (not verified)
January 17, 2012 - 12:31pm
Constitution garantees freedoms, being offended isn't a freedom
The Atheist's request to have "religious" preference removed from registration is in direct violation of the vary law that they hide behind, separation of church and state. In the US Constitution this ammendment, among other things, specificaly prohibits the government from siding with a "religious viewpoint" and then forcing it on it's citizens. The atheistic viewpoint on God is a "religious viewpoint"! By preventing the celebration of one's religion, our government is in direct violations of the Constitution. The acknowledgement of a soldiers beliefs, on a dogtag for instance, assures that his body is treated with the practicing policies of his religion upon death, horrific injury, or notification of next of ken. The sacrament of "communion" and the "last rights" of Catholism are perfect examples of this. Additionally, if atheist don't truly believe in "God", why are they so affended by his worshipers. I'm not affended in the least of people that believe aliens brought man to earth. I think the idea is absurb; but, that's their choice. Do atheists think that if they take away all visible forms of religion that everyone will be like them? Is it the childish excuse of "everyone else is doing it"? The Constitution does not garanty the rights of our citezens to "not be offended". It garanties the freedom of people to make their own choices, to be specific, the freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion. These freedoms aren't garantied in some places. They are garantied everywhere in the US including our government. The only way for our government to be impartial on the subject of "religious beliefs" is to give each and every religious viewpoint to be spread throuoghout our entire country, including our government. As soldiers we are tasked to protect the freedoms of our citizens, not to protect them from being "offended"!
Vze8ikiq (not verified)
January 14, 2012 - 12:48pm
Religious declaration
1- Make answering OPTIONAL.
2- 'Proving a negative' is impossible
3- atheism is not a belief or faith, rather a realization that theism is only a belief & faith with no proof of any kind!
budm303 (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 2:39pm
Religious preference?
Decline to answer (Constitutional separation). Job applications may not inquire.
Wendy Ingersoll (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 1:15am
Atheist and Military
Constitutional separation? Could this be in reference to the "separation of church and state" that has many panties in a wad? Do you KNOW what the constitution says? Let me quote the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
In other words, Congress (government) will not establish a state religion, it does NOT say there shall be no religious references on anything that has to do with anything the government may say, do, own or otherwise. It also says it can't prohibit religion, much to the chagrine of this Atheist group. If they don't want to believe, that is their right, but it does NOT give them the right to dictate that there be no references to religion anywhere else.
Wilbur (not verified)
January 14, 2012 - 11:01am
The Constitution
What that clearly means that government may not give preference of one set of religious beliefs over another. So, if you want to put the 10 commandments in the courthouse foyer, just leave room next to it for whatever equivalent inscriptions the satanists might want to put up. OR... we could do as Thomas Jefferson intended, and keep the separation as deep and clear as possible, for the benefit of both government and religion.
Thomas Jefferson on separation of church and state:
"Our rulers can have no authority over such natural rights, only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. In neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg"
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes"
"In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own"
"The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and ingrafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against the civil and religious rights of man"
"The clergy...believe that any portion of power confided to me [as President] will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly: for I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion"
Buddy Jacobi (not verified)
February 9, 2012 - 5:26pm
Reply to Wendy
James Elliott (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 2:40pm
No Religious Preference
Why further divide people. Haven't we seen enough fighting over religion. Balkans, Middle East, Iraq, Mynmar, etc. Ancient superstitions have no use in this modern world.
Neil (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 8:19pm
Mark (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:27pm
Atheist group seeks to ban "religious preference" from military
This is ridiculous and I don't understand why these clowns would waste time and money on this type of thing. I went into the Navy in 1992 and since I don't have a religious preference, guess what, I chose no religious preference and guess what, that's exactly how it appears on my dog tags. No religious preference. Simple as that. No harm has been done. This is really a pointless argument and issue.
raymond l ormsby (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:27pm
religious preference
i am an athist but i believe in freedom of choice.we have to much anti B.S.now,leave it up to individuals to make there own personal choice
Neil Richards (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:28pm
Religious Preference on Dogtags
I think the Atheist augments are ludicrous. Maybe we should leave the identification of religious preference up to the military member, also to include "Undesignated." I can understand a reluctance to designate religious preference if the potential adversary might use that knowledge to the service member's detriment, if captured.
Jack Price, MSg... (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:29pm
Religious don't ask-don't tell
The religous choice (no pref, none, athiest - all legitimate choices, just as is catholic, babtist, ect.) is on the dog tags and in the records because many troops and thier families want the military to know what religous belief the troop has. Should battlefield conditions allow, a Catholic could have last rites, for instance, whereas a jew may not be interested in such. My parents, hard-shells that they were, would have been very uncomfortable if an Episcopalian, for instance, chaplin came to comfort them due to my death.
Put athiest, non-believer, infidel or n/a for religious preference, I don't care. Looks to me like the "free-thinkers" only believe they can be free by denying others their freedom. Maybe they should just drop out of the military and go to work at Berkley.
Paul Johnson (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 6:25pm
Atheist attack on OUR rights
I think you hit it on the head Jack, the atheist (meaning No God) are a religion just as surely as Christian (Christ follower), Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Muslim, etc. etc etc. . . are.
My son was unhappy with his issued Dog Tags because it did not list his preferance, only "Christian"! So where are the people protecting OUR rights to worship as we desire?
The First Ammendment states that the government shall not make a law "establishing religion" - it does not say "seperation of church and state" or "freedom from religion". If you look at most states in Europe and throughout the middle east and much or north Africa, there is a specific religion that is the state religion. In Europe, it is primarily Roman Catholic, Lutheran, or Church of England - NOT "Christian". And throughout the middle east it is "Muslim" with Israel the lone holdout.
Our nations Founding Fathers thought out things very well. They knew that most of the European immigrants had fled their countries because of religious persecution. And this includes many of my ancesters.
My family have been the victims of religious persecution - by atheists. The atheists are just as adamant about killing off the belief in Christ as the radical muslims are! And these terrorists are very open about their intent to take over the world, "converting at the point of a sword, or dieing by it".
I wonder, has anyone heard a single complaint from these atheist groups condeming the islamic terrorists for their abuses? Why is it OK for a muslim to cut the head of a woman off for talking to a man, but not OK for us to talk about God?
Jack (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 11:10am
Atheism a religion?
Incorrect, to state "Atheism is a religion" is like saying "Not collecting stamps is a hobby"
The atheism is a religion "argument" is just a strawman anyways.
Religious Preference
Religious preference is a private matter and has no place in our national policy.
Religious Preference
Religious preference is a private matter and has no place in our national policy.
Neil (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 8:31pm
Ignorance has no place in our national policy. The concept of dog tags are to identify those who are injured or dead. Some religions have very specific beliefs and/or rituals for the dead and dying. Dog tags list religious preference so that the service member's wishes will be carried out in accordance with his or her beliefs. Denying those beliefs is violating the service members' rights. Denying those beliefs just because YOU don't believe the same way is FORCING YOUR BELIEFS on everyone else. This is arrogant, self=centered and pig-headed.
E7-O4 (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 10:14pm
No mention of dog tags in article...
I did not see where the article mentioned not putting one's religious pref (or lack thereof) on dog tags... One's faith should not be indicated on personnel/performance-related files that may be reviewed for consideration for promotion or awards.
On another side of the issue, invocations and other forms of religious expression should be banned from all military ceremonies (with exceptions for funerals), in order to respect the separation of church and state. No one should be forced/coerced to bow their head (or be threatened/harassed for not 'complying').
K. Guldin (not verified)
January 13, 2012 - 1:22pm
Religious preferance on dog tags and military records.
I agree with Neils comments. I am a Vietnam Era veteran and chose to have this information on my dog tags and in my military records. This is nothing more than a group of people trying to force there beliefs on everyone else. It desplays there arrogant additude and a total lack of respect for the rights of others. This is not broken and does not need to be fixed.
Neil (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 8:32pm
Ignorance has no place in our national policy. The concept of dog tags are to identify those who are injured or dead. Some religions have very specific beliefs and/or rituals for the dead and dying. Dog tags list religious preference so that the service member's wishes will be carried out in accordance with his or her beliefs. Denying those beliefs is violating the service members' rights. Denying those beliefs just because YOU don't believe the same way is FORCING YOUR BELIEFS on everyone else. This is arrogant, self-centered and pig-headed.
KorVetUSMC (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:30pm
Orville (not verified)
January 16, 2012 - 7:56pm
Spoken like a privileged
Spoken like a privileged religious bigot. Any subject that disagrees with your worldview means you don't want to talk of it. I guess it's okay to piss on our military heroes who aren't Judeo-Christian in your eyes?
Wronan (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:32pm
Atheist hangmen
It would seem that the intent of this Atheist group is to simply justify their own innadequacies of feeling they just might be wrong with their dissbelief that there is something mightier than they that actually owns the resultant dosposition of their dissembodied souls. Rather than face the probability that they are wrong, they simply want everyone to walk to the hanging tree with them carrying their own ropes. Is it too much for an individual to simply accept the fract that some people don't feel or thing or believe the same that you do? is it too much to ask that my dog tags reflect what minister, imam, priest or rabbi will tend to my needs upon my demise in combat? If they want to leave theirs blank or simply state "no preference" it's perfectly acceptable. These same Atheists that would have everyone remove any visible sign of any religion from any business, school, park, building, or home, so as not to impose religion on childrens minds that may not want to acceot that thinking, and forego the possibility that maybe they aren't the only ones with "rights" to freedom from Atheist terror tactics? Attacking a free people with law under loose and ambiguos lawsuits is nothing short of terror acts aimed at scaring the free people into cowering from the possible threats they, the Atheists, pose by their frivelous lawsuits and attacks on social and religious freedoms. Where are the lawyers protecting the rights of us, the cistizens, from these terrorists?
Bob Minsky (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:36pm
Dog Tags
The purpose of dog tags is to speak for those no longer able to. I spent 20 years in the military and I was asked what preference I wanted. I could have said none or whatever. But some prefer their remains be accorded treatment in respect to their religion. What you put on your dog tag is your choice. I resent their insistence to deny those who wish their religious preference to be shown. I think they should get a life and leave the afterlife to individual preference and belief
Charles DeVine (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:39pm
Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers
Help me here! Give me the number of 'Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers' that stood up in a foxhole and demanded that the person shooting at them have no religious identity?
Just saying.
Orville (not verified)
January 16, 2012 - 8:00pm
How about the number of the
How about the number of the religious "thinkers" who stood up in a foxhole because they really had faith in their god to keep the bullets away?
Bonnie Austin (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:40pm
Religious preference
Are dog tags marked with the religious preference? I've wondered about the wisdom of stamping ID tags with a religious preference. In the areas of the world where our servicemen and women are active, that information could be viewed as cause for harm.
Neil (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 8:41pm
Research the Subject Before You Write
Bonnie, obviously you have never served in the military, because you have absolutely NO CONCEPT of what this subject is all about.
Dog tags are used to identify injured and dead service members. Religion is put on the dog tags to ensure that the appropriate rituals are performed when the service member is unable to to request it themselves.
John M. E5 UAS (not verified)
January 15, 2012 - 11:33am
Do we only put the dog-tags on when we get injured or dead? I wore mine 24x7...
Phyllis T. Miller (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:42pm
Religious rights
This group need another pet project. Please leave this issue alone. Nothing is more personal than for one to maintian their freedom to practice a religion or no religion ay all. a matter of choice. If the forms ask for the information, one can respond with a simple "N/A" .
Wayne Patterson (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:44pm
Religious Preference
If a member of the military wishes to have his preference known, isn't that a free exercise protected under the 1st Amendment? If I were killed in combat, I would want a Christian burial, and I suppose an Atheist can list his preference to be simply stuck in a hole. Why should we yield our beliefs to a minority, or worse yet, to those wishing us harm? Should an atheist have a head stone with a name inscribed, or just a plane old rock signifying that a dead human is under it? Would they be "offended" if we, believers, insisted that they occupy unmarked graves???
Orville (not verified)
January 16, 2012 - 8:03pm
Go look up "Majority Tyranny.
Go look up "Majority Tyranny." Try and remember how the Romans treated Christians next time you go to the zoo and visit the lion exhibit. Remove the plank from thine eye.
Jim Zevely (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:44pm
I for one am fed up with all of the individuals and groups that are trying to undermine one of the basic foundations on which this country was founded. If you don't like IN GOD WE TRUST on our money then don't use it. If you don't like a cross on or in front of a city, state or government building or private property don't look at it. If you are so narrow minded move to a country that does not have any of those things if they will have you. You should focus on things that really matter like the homeless, family's without enough food or the lack of jobs so they can support them selves or just the poor state of the economy in general.
dfebossman (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:45pm
Athiest group seeks
Again we have a classic example of gross stupidity. People joiniong the Armed Forces are simply asked about THIER religious preference. They do not HAVE to fill in ANYTHING or can enter any Damn thing that they wish. Maybe an anti-sexist group will petion the question MALE or FEMALE checkboxes, Or anothetr group protesting having to fill out BIRTHDATE line. WHERE WILL THE IDIOCITY END?
Chris Plyman (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:46pm
Check the ORB. Right above
Check the ORB. Right above religion is a block for sex and race. To the left is how many adult and child dependents you have. Below it is the birth place of your spouse. Clearly this form is used for much more than promotions and assignments. One obvious reason it to allow the soldier to review his/her data recorded in the personnel management system - people here may remember the requirement to do that annually, or at least this Jason Torpy person should. I assume the data is also used for statistical reasons, for example to determine how many chaplains of various faiths the Army needs, as well as personal reasons, such as having the info on dog tags to ensure someone gets their last rites in the proper tradition of their faith.
If Torpy wants to pick a fight, he should at least pick a well considered one.
Clem Glinski (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 3:48pm
Religion on Dog Tags
While engageing in military action in Islamic countries it might be advisable not to list religion on dog tags.
Neil (not verified)
January 12, 2012 - 8:48pm
Clem, GET A CLUE!! The religious preference is up to the individual service member to ensure that their remains are treated in accordance with their preferences. Any service member can put "NO RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE", "ATHEIST" or even have that line completely blank. IT IS A PERSONAL CHOICE.


text:
Dream Weaver
This story appears in the April 1998 issue of . Subscribe »
If you're a modern-day Edison with a product that will change the world as we know it, it's time to share your vision. But how can you find the answers to all the questions you've got about turning your idea into a product? Simple: by asking someone who's done it already.
"I'm inundated with phone calls and letters from would-be inventors asking the same questions," says Tomima Edmark, inventor of the TopsyTail, a hairstyling tool that has generated more than $100 million in sales. To answer these frequently posed questions about inventing, Edmark again took to the drawing board and created The American Dream Fact Pack.
In eight books, the Fact Pack addresses such essential invention topics as protecting your idea with patents and trademarks, creating a prototype, finding financing, avoiding scams and manufacturing your product. Also included is a helpful resource guide with addresses and phone numbers of various inventor-assistance associations, as well as forms from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, QVC and the Home Shopping Network.
The American Dream Fact Pack is available for $49.95 plus $5.50 shipping and handling. To order, call (800) 558-6779.
Food For Thought
News, facts and figures to spark ideas for new and better businesses.
Make 'em move: Participation in physical-fitness programs is declining in schools, according to Purdue University researchers, who also found nearly half of youths aged 12 to 21 are not vigorously active on a regular basis.
Lunch-hour downsizing: The American lunch hour is slimming down, says a survey by restaurant chain KFC. Some 63 percent of respondents skip lunch at least once a week; 56 per-cent take 15 minutes or less; and 42 percent eat lunch at their desks or "on the go."
Wearing the pants and carrying the wallet: According to The Global Network's Trend Letter, women influence or control 80 percent of all buying decisions--including car purchases and home-improvement projects. Women also handle 75 percent of family finances.
Time bandit: Although it seems no one has a minute to spare these days, John P. Robinson and Geoffrey Godbey, authors of Time for Life: The Surprising Ways Americans Use Their Time (Penn State University Press, $24.95, 800-326-9180), found the average American's free time has actually increased by about five hours per week since 1965. The problem: Television-watching is up, too, with Americans spending 40 percent of their leisure hours staring at the tube.
Frame And Fortune
Picture frames have long been considered perfect gifts because just about everyone can use them. But what could possibly be new in the age-old world of frames?
Plenty. According to Laura Caiaccia, editor of Picture Framing magazine, framing trends usually follow home decor and furnishing trends, so changes appear as often as new "looks" do. Smart business owners are getting the picture: When it comes to finding the hottest new frames, they're staying focused on what catches the customer's eye.
"People are interested in collecting objects right now, so we've been seeing a lot of shadowboxes, which are part frame and part display case," says Caiaccia. "People who have collections can display them in a frame and not on a shelf, where they'll collect dust."
FrameMica in Bohemia, New York, developed "The Boxers"--a line of shadowboxes that can be stacked one behind the next to contain larger objects, such as sports memorabilia and model trains.
Another innovative company capturing the modern framing spirit is TL Horton Design Inc. in Dallas, whose Urban Dweller frames are forged from torched copper and other materials used to erect city skyscrapers.
And Icebox Graphics in Encinitas, California, sells Ice Box Art, a line of magnetic photo frames and corners that help turn refrigerator doors into domestic galleries.
Stick `Em Up
By Laura Tiffany
Do your office walls resemble a patchwork quilt of multicolored Post-it Notes? It's time to get organized. Stick those "stickies" where they belong with new Post-it Software Notes, a software program that allows you to create and paste Post-it Notes on your computer screen.
Using Windows 95, 3.1 or NT, you can create electronic Post-its and stick them to your desktop or store them on a personalized memo board. You can customize the notes, choosing from four colors and several fonts. Organizing them is simple: Sort them either alphabetically or by time/date, and minimize them with a quick mouse click to store the miniature icons on your desktop. There's even an alarm to remind you to reread timely notes.
Post-it Software Notes comes on an easy-to-install 3.5-inch disk. It requires 2MB RAM and 3MB hard-drive space for Windows 3.1 or NT, and 4MB RAM and 3MB hard-drive space for Windows 95. To download a 30-day sample version, visit the Post-it Software Notes Web site at http://www.3M.com/psnotes
Suggested retail price: $24.95. From 3M, St. Paul, Minnesota. To order, call (800) 330-3966.
(Sells Like) Teen Spirit
Talk about a busy schedule: In addition to attending daily classes and playing on the Westwood Warriors varsity football team in Austin, Texas, 17-year-old high school senior Richard Williams has been running his own part-time, homebased business since age 14.
Hearing friends complain about broken pagers gave Williams the idea for Electronic Board Service (EBS). The company reconditions and resells some 1,000 pagers a month for close to 20 wireless communications companies in Texas, Arizona and Nevada.
Although he occasionally meets a bit of resistance in the marketplace because of his age, Williams doesn't let it slow him down. "When [people] see that you know what you're doing," he says, "they start to pay attention."
Across the country, teens like Williams are starting careers and businesses before they even finish high school. Encouraging these young adults to explore business through its three-day weekend Young Entrepreneur Camp and its Entrepreneur Club is KidsWay (http://www.kidsway.com), a youth-targeted entrepreneurial organization. It also publishes a bimonthly, 16-page news magazine for teens.
For more information about KidsWay or to subscribe to its news magazine (a one-year subscription is $16), write to KidsWay Inc., 5589 Peachtree Rd., Chamblee, GA 30341, or call (888) KIDS-WAY.
Contact Sources
FrameMica, 519 Johnson Ave., Bohemia, NY 11716, (516) 567-8889
The Global Network, 1101 30th St. N.W., #130, Washington, DC 20007, (202) 337-5960
Icebox Graphics, 330 W. I St., #6, Encinitas, CA 92024, (760) 944-1968
KFC, 1900 Colonel Sanders Ln., Louisville, KY 40213, (502) 874-8395
Picture Framing, 225 Gordons Corner Rd., Manalapan, NJ 07726
TL Horton Design Inc., 11120 Grader St., Dallas, TX 75238, (214) 349-3515