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"This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque 'salon' with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West "saloon" with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven." – Fr. Z
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Fr John Zuhlsdorf
Tridentine Mass Society of Madison
733 Struck St.
Madison, WI 53744-4603
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- Gab: A blessed anniversar y, Father and Thank You for answering God' s call.
- RichR: So many things in this post warm my heart to the point of tender tears. A Bishop turning to the Traditiona l Mass during this turbulent time, great food and wine, beautiful archite...
- AZ Joe: I was there! Your post brings back some very happy memories, Fr. Z! We were probably sitting in the same area as your grandmothe r. We received Holy Communion from St. John Paul II (of...
- FrankWalshingham: "I remember the dinner well – soup of oseille, a sole… ; a caneton � la presse, a lemon soufflé 230; And for wine, a bottle of 1906 Montrachet , then at its prime, ...
- FrAnt: When Cardinal Daneels died Michael Voris as the question, "Was it worth it?" Was it worth leading souls away from God? When tempted I ask myself, "Is it worth losing heaven and the glory of...
- excalibur: Father, when you have time give us a rating of the Sito Moresco Langhe 2014. There are a few here: https://ww w.cellartr acker.com/ wine.asp?i Wine=23182 86 I would like to try a bottle...
- DanW: Happy Anniversar y Father!
- matt from az: You list the great Generaliss imo Franco among that socialist riffraff? Gab, are you nuts? Franco was the defender of the faith and Church against the devilish Masonic republican s...
- Johanna: How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn is packed with mouthwater ing food descriptio ns. Particular ly Brandy Broth, which sounded so good that a few of my friends hunted up recipes...
- jaykay: "St. Theresa of Calcutta was there, just in front of where my folks sat. I had arranged for my grandmothe r, a convert to Catholicis m in her 80's, to receive Communion from the Holy...
- pattif: Ad multos annos, Father!
- Therese: [What used to be] the best education in the world, and this what we get.
- jkarpilo: For men, I *highly* recommend Exodus 90 (https://e xodus90.co m/). It was developed by Father Brian Doerr and seminarian s at Mount St. Mary's Seminary and provides a concrete plan of...
- The original Mr. X: Fr. Longenecke r has some good ideas on using imaginatio n to purify imaginatio n: https://dw ightlongen ecker.com/ using-pray er-to-puri fy-your-mi nd/
- roma247: Isn' t it strange? I can tell where those last photos were taken just by the lighting 8230;and then the shape of the plates confirmed my guess. (Oh yes, and the reflection on the...
- Stephanus83: There is a wonderful blog at The Paris Review concerning food from literature . The author posts monthly. The posts recreate scenes of food from various novels and include recip...
- youngcatholicgirl: Ad multos annos, Father Z!
- Kevin: It's easier to employ Benedict 8217;s 'her meneutic of continuity " in the event of any perceived rupture. Unfortunat ely this almost makes Pope Francis 217; papacy...
- iPadre: Ad multos annos Pater!
- Diana: This is a great post! I love all the suggestion s for alternativ e swear words, too! I do struggle with that– ;it' s one of my more persistent habitual sins– ;but I now feel...
- Diana: WOW! What a great story! Happiest of anniversar ies, Father! May God bring you many more years. And thank you for saying YES and for everything you' ve done for us and the Church...
- teomatteo: "I suppose that might make me a 2nd class relic.R 21; Maybe so, but not a monsignor! Many blessing to you Father Zuhlsdorf.
- Benedict Joseph: You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men....
- HighMass: Happy Anniversar y! Such happy days in the church, and for all of you who were may priest!
- Semper Gumby: God bless you Fr. Z and Happy Anniversar y.
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Recent Posts
- Rome Day 5-7: Caponata, Carbonara, and Che Guevara
- WDTPRS: Prayer "Pro seipso sacerdote – For the priest himself" (1962MR)
- Fr. Z's 28th Anniversary of Ordination: St. Philip plays a prank.
- ASK FATHER: How to break the bondage of bad habits, vices?
- 10 Great Meals In Literature
- Francis: Church Must Learn to Abandon Old 'Traditions'
- Editorial: Church leaders, to be "transparent", are still abusers. Of priests.
- ASK FATHER: Little daughter interested in the Mass
- PARIS: 500 undocumented Africans stormed, seized Terminal 2 of CDG airport
- Rome Day 4: Of crashing ceilings, weeping parents, and the dust and hearts of saints
- @Church_Militant report on a twisted priest-predator has a familiar ring
- Card. Müller on deaconettes. "No."
- Rome Day 3: Roman trash talk, perspiration, and prostitutes – UPDATED
- Requests for GREGORIAN MASSES and PRIESTS who can say them
- Persecuted Fr. Kalchik responds to homosexualist Jesuit Martin
- Anniversary of a turning point in Christian history
- NEW FROM MITSUI! Our Lady Untier of Knots
- Stupid angry lib (I know, tautology) at The Atlantic against priesthood
- Rome Day 1-2: Views, fabrics and eats
- My View For Awhile: All Roads Edition
- WDTPRS – 4th Sunday after Easter (1962MR): The smoke of Satan
- WDTPRS – 5th Sunday of Easter: The prayer's very word order reveals God's love
- CQ CQ CQ Ham Radio Saturday: QSL Cards and some firsts
- VIDEO: Diaconate Ordination of the the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter @CSPOrd
- Donations, PayPal, alternatives, and you
- Irish Ass. of Catholic Priests in toddler meltdown mode against Francis over no women deacons
- CQ CQ CQ Ham Radio Thursday: ZedNet, my first pile up, and remote from GITMO and… Vatican City?
- GERMANY: Pro-women's ordination group: "We want to take Mary off her pedestal"
- What's up at the southern border of these USA
- Lib liturgy positivists force people to stand after Communion
Let us pray…
Grant unto thy Church, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that She, being gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may be in no wise troubled by attack from her foes. O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of Thine anger which we deserve for our sins. Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Christian people that the heathen nations who trust in the fierceness of their own might may be crushed by the power of thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
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Daily Archives: 12 January 2012
Will the NeoCat liturgy obtain papal approval?
Sandro Magister reports: "Placet" or "Non placet"? The wager of Carmen and Kiko The founders of the Neocatechumenal Way aim to obtain definitive Vatican approval for their "convivial" way of celebrating the Mass. The document is ready. But it could … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 Tagged Neocatechumenal Way 60 Comments
D. El Paso and Fr. Rodriguez: Fr. Z makes a request.
A diligent reader offered me a text template for when some scandal or outrage takes place: Everyone- Yes, I know about _________________ [insert description of scandal or outrage at issue]. You can stop emailing me asking whether I have heard … Continue reading
Posted in SESSIUNCULA Comments Off on D. El Paso and Fr. Rodriguez: Fr. Z makes a request.
Nigeria: More Christians killed, probably by Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram
From CWN: Gunmen kill 4 Nigerian Christians Gunmen on the outskirts of Potiskum, a northeastern Nigerian city of 200,000, have killed four Christians who were fleeing the area in the wake of previous attacks. The Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Martyrs, The future and our choices Tagged Boko Haram, Islam, martyrs, Nigeria, terrorists 19 Comments
QUAERITUR: Pastor says he can waive requirement of regularizing marital situation.
From a reader: I am in the process of converting from the Anglican tradition to the Catholic Church. The priest of the church where I am taking RCIA has told me that he has the pastoral prerogative to waive the … Continue reading
Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices Tagged canon law, declaration of nullity, marriage Comments Off on QUAERITUR: Pastor says he can waive requirement of regularizing marital situation.
Green 'stations' of the… earth?
Secularists will eventually make environmentalism a key component of their religion. Do we have to help them? Even as we erode our own Catholic identity? I read this on the site of the best Catholic weekly in the UK, The … Continue reading
Posted in Dogs and Fleas, Our Catholic Identity Tagged environmentalism, green stations, Stations 46 Comments


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Selling a home in this tough economy is no walk in the park. If you are facing a foreclosure, then chances are you are grappling with the question, "who can buy my home with cash in Indianapolis?" Well, fret not! There are several options that you can explore when putting your home up for fast […]
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subset: commoncrawl


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Leticia Farr — Babe of the Day
Leticia Farr is a 30-year-old babe from Brazil currently living in Las Vegas. Luckily for us, the photos she takes in Vegas do not stay in Vegas.
You may have seen her revealing photo spreads in Ultimate MMA magazine or MMA Uncaged magazine. She's also appeared in Teen People and has been a featured model on Bullz-Eye.com.
Height: 5'5" | Weight: 118lbs | Cup Size: C


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Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains in the province of Alberta, and encompasses 2,564 square miles of mountainous terrain, numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense forest and majestic alpine landscapes. Although it was founded in 1885, winter tourism didn't begin until 1917 with the first Banff Winter Carnival which featured a large ice palace built by the internees. Carnival events included cross-country skiing, ski jumping, curling, snowshoe, and skijoring. The main commercial center of the park is the town of Banff, in the beautiful Bow River Valley.
Splash Magazine Worldwide editor-in-chief Lawrence Davis and I arrived in Calgary after a brief plane flight from Los Angeles. We rented an SUV from Budget rent-a-car and made the brisk 90-minute scenic drive to Banff National Park. We checked in to the luxurious Fairmont Banff Springs, a breathtaking 768 room hotel, who's "old world" exterior, hides a completely remodeled, state-of-the-art interior. Simply staying at this historic castle feels like a vacation in itself, complete with all the amenities you would expect from a 5-star resort. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself and read my complete review.
For my first snowshoe experience, our group met with an experienced guide from The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise's Mountain Heritage Guide Program as he outfitted us with the proper winter gear in the comfort of the hotel. Outside, the lake was completely frozen over with ice and together we walked to the program's storage shed to pick out our snowshoes. Our guide gave us a brief history and pointed out all of the different shapes and varieties of snowshoes available and asked me to choose which shoe "spoke to me." I went with the "bear paw" shape and after strapping my feet into the shoes, took take a little test walk to see how they felt. At first, I'll admit it was a bit difficult to navigate through the snow, some of which was at least a few feet deep.
But, you get the hang of it and soon enough and we were off and running (so to speak). After gearing up, we set out to explore the nearby forests. Our journey began by snowshoeing around historic Lake Louise, and then we veered off into the trees for a three-hour excursion through the fresh powder and ascension up the mountain. The view of the valley, down below from the extremely high vantage point is worth the trip alone. Seeing all of those trees covered with snow and looking back on the snowshoe prints we'd left as a reminder of our presence was one of my more memorable experiences in Lake Louise. Afterwards, be sure to grab a hot chocolate from the Chateau Deli to warm up, or a tasty treat as a reward after your exhilarating adventure.
There are two options for your Lake Louise snowshoeing adventure, both day and night tours are available. By day, you'll enter a world of stillness and mystery as you look for signs of various wildlife that inhabit the majestic and unspoiled landscape. For the nighttime excursion, (if skies are clear), you can take some time to learn about some of the great constellations that shine overhead Cassiopeia, the Great Bear and Orion the Hunter. Equipment is included: Snowshoes, Poles, and Head Lamps (for moonlight excursions). To book a tour or more information visit www.fairmont.com/lake-louise
Our next Winter adventure took us on an amazing journey through Johnston Canyon on the famous Discover Banff Tours Ice Walk through the parks Winter Wonderland. Hiking the Johnston Canyon trail to see frozen waterfalls and beautiful columns of blue ice always helps to make for a spectacular winter morning. There really is something quite remarkable about walking through a snowy trail and witnessing Mother Nature in all her glory up close on this particular winter sightseeing tour.
The Johnston Canyon Icewalk follows a series of steel catwalks that give spectacular views of the Johnston Canyon below. This popular ice walk will lead you past the lower falls and to the breathtaking upper icefalls. Travel through prime wildlife habitat and learn the clues to how Johnston Canyon was formed. Guests should dress in skiwear for this trip including hats, mitts and warm boots.
There is a sense of tranquility as you stare out into a sea of Lodge Pole pines with the hopes of seeing elk, deer, big horn sheep, moose, or a myriad of other animals inhabiting the forest, including the local Bow Valley wolf pack. A little red squirrel ran across the road and its red bushy tail was a burst of color against the white snow-covered landscape. The Ice Walk is a 5.4 kilometer trip with a walking time of about two and a half hours.
Our last stop on our whirlwind Winter tour of Banff National Park took us to Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours which were created over a quarter of a century ago as the very first dog sledding tours and recognized as a "Signature Experience" by the Canadian Tourism Commission. The tour begins with a scenic shuttle bus ride up to the top of the mountain to the drop-off point. There is brief informative lecture by one of the professional and qualified instructors on what to do, and not to do while guiding the sled dogs.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't say MUSH to get the sled dogs going, but the word HIKE! You are then off and running, literally, thorough miles of scenic snowy terrain, alongside picturesque running streams, across Lake Snow and finally back to your starting point. This amazing experience is a must-see while you're in the park, and actually guiding the sled dogs is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is not-to-be-missed. The picture-perfect scenery alone is worth taking the tour. For more information go to their website at www.snowyowltours.com/
No matter what kind of winter adventure you're looking, you'll find it at Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. Join the millions of visitors who have already enjoyed its breathtaking beauty, unlimited activities and fun for the whole family. Go to the website and book your dream winter vacation today. http://www.banffnationalpark.com/


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Date: Monday 28th May 2018
Time: 17:00
The Festival Players
'The Winter's Tale'
Written by Shakespeare in his later years, The Winter's Tale is an intriguing mix of drama and comedy.
Sparked by an obsessive envy of a perceived relationship between his Queen and his oldest friend, Leontes, King of Sicilia, sets in motion a train of events which affect two kingdoms and two generations; there is jealousy and joy, revenge and romance, loss and discovery, remorse and revelry, and an amazing revelation.
Tremendous entertainment for a Summer evening from this premier professional all-male company.
Click Here to Book Online Now
Phone 01726 879500
Call in to a CRBO
Local Box Office
Enter Tickets required below to book Online
Phone CRBO on 01726 879500
Buy over-the-counter at Tourist Offices in St Ives, Penzance, Falmouth, St Mawes, Truro, St Austell, Bodmin, Looe, Liskeard & Launceston plus 'Heartlands'Pool Redruth or 'The Well House' in Fowey.
Festival Players' Summer Tour
Click Here to Book Venues Online Now
The Festival Players Theatre Company is committed to bringing you the very best in professional touring theatre.
For 2019, the Festival Players will be touring Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing'
We appreciate that not all of our audiences have previously experienced one of our major playwright's brilliant plays presented in a colourful, clear, and entertaining production.


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Practice. Value. Access. Support.
Georgia State Law provides an outstanding legal education in a great global city that connects students and faculty with leading businesses, government, nonprofit organizations and cultural communities.
On a campus without boundaries, students expand their views of the world, open doors to practical learning experiences just blocks from the college, and develop professional skills and relationships that enhance post-graduation success.
Our faculty and students are at the nexus of an urban laboratory, enabling them to draw creative inspiration and address critical societal issues locally and in cities around the world. We are a community engaged in pioneering research and creative achievement.
Georgia State Law's flexible programs, including a robust part-time track, allow students to attend law school while meeting other obligations.


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May 28, 1999
House Committee on Commerce Approves H.R. 1180, the Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999
H.R. 1180 is similar to Senate bill, S. 331 ("Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999"), which has been reported by the Senate Committee on Finance and is awaiting action by the full Senate (see Legislative Bulletin 106-4). However, S.331 does not include the amendments in the Commerce Committee reported bill. These bills address barriers to work for individuals with disabilities. They would: expand the availability of health care coverage for working individuals with disabilities; establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program; and provide such individuals with meaningful opportunities to work.
H.R. 1180, as reported by the House Committee on Commerce, is still subject to change because the House Committee on Ways and Means has not yet considered the bill.
The bill contains the following provisions:
Expanded Availability of Health Care Services
State Options under Medicaid
- Would expand, for individuals who are at least 16, but less than 65, years of age, the States options and funding for the Medicaid buy-in for workers with disabilities by permitting States to: (1) liberalize limits on resources and income, and (2) provide opportunity for employed individuals with medically determinable impairments, as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to buy into Medicaid even though they are no longer eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to medical improvement.
Would be applicable with respect to medical assistance for items and services furnished on or after October 1, 1999.
Continuation of Medicare Coverage
- Would extend premium-free Medicare coverage for people with disabilities who return to work during a 10-year period beginning with the first month that begins after enactment. Further, it would extend coverage for subsequent months if they are entitled to health care benefits as of the last month of the 10- year period. It also would require GAO to examine the effectiveness and cost of providing such premium-free Medicare coverage and to recommend whether such coverage should be continued after the 10-year period.
Would be applicable for months beginning with the first month that begins after the date of enactment.
Responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Would direct the Secretary of HHS to:
- provide grants to establish State infrastructures to support working individuals with disabilities; and
- create a demonstration of a Medicaid buy-in for people whose disabilities have not yet gotten severe enough to cause them to stop work and file for benefits.
Election by Disabled Beneficiaries to Suspend Medigap Insurance
- Would allow workers with disabilities who have Medicare coverage and a Medigap policy to suspend the premiums and benefits of the Medigap policy if they have employer-sponsored coverage.
Would be applicable with respect to requests made after the date of enactment.
Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program
- Would direct the Commissioner to establish a Ticket to Work and Self- Sufficiency Program (Program) which would provide SSDI beneficiaries and SSI disability recipients with a ticket they may use to obtain vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, employment services, or other support services from an employment network of their choice.
Responsibilities of the Commissioner of Social Security
- Would select and enter into agreements with one or more organizations in the public or private sector to serve as a program manager(s) to assist the Commissioner in administering the Program.
- Would terminate agreements with program manager(s) who fail to meet the performance standards specified in the agreements.
- Would preclude program managers from direct participation in the delivery of services to beneficiaries or from holding a financial interest in an employment network in the service area covered by the program manager's agreement.
- Would select, and enter into agreements with, employment networks, including alternate participants who choose to act as an employment network, to provide services under the Program.
- Would terminate agreements with employment networks whose performance is inadequate.
- Would provide for periodic reviews of employment networks to ensure effective quality assurance in the provision of services.
- Would provide for a process to resolve disputes between beneficiaries and employment networks, between program managers and employment networks, and between program managers and providers of services.
Responsibilities of the Program Manager(s)
- Would perform such tasks as assigned by the Commissioner.
- Would recruit, and recommend for selection by the Commissioner, employment networks which can provide services under the Program.
- Would monitor employment networks under its jurisdiction to ensure that beneficiaries have adequate choices of services and reasonable access to services, e.g., case management, benefits counseling, supported employment, job training, placement, and follow-up services.
- Would ensure that employment networks comply with the terms of their agreements with the Commissioner and that payment by the Commissioner to an employment network is warranted.
- Would ensure beneficiaries are allowed changes in employment networks for good cause without being deemed to have rejected services under the Program.
Employment Network(s)
- Would assume responsibility for coordination and delivery of services under the Program to an individual assigning his/her ticket to work and self-sufficiency to an employment network.
- May consist of a one-stop delivery system established under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 or either a single provider of such services or a group of providers organized to combine their resources into a single entity.
- Would provide services either directly or by entering into agreements with other providers which can furnish appropriate services.
- Would serve prescribed service areas and take measures to ensure that services provided under the Program meet the requirements of individual work plans.
- Would meet the financial reporting requirements prescribed by the Commissioner. Prepares periodic reports, on at least an annual basis, itemizing specific outcomes achieved with respect to services provided to beneficiaries.
- Would develop and implement an individual work plan in partnership with each beneficiary that includes a statement of the: (1) beneficiary's vocational goal, (2) services and supports necessary to accomplish that goal, (3) terms and conditions related to the provision of those services and supports, (4) rights and remedies available to the beneficiary, and (5) beneficiary's right to modify his/her work plan if needed. The individual work plan is effective upon written approval by the beneficiary and a representative of the employment network.
Employment Network Payment Systems
- Would authorize the Commissioner to pay an employment network under either an outcome payment system or an outcome-milestone payment system. Each employment network will elect the payment system under which it will be paid.
- Under the outcome payment system, an employment network would be paid a percentage, not to exceed 40 percent, of the national average SSDI or SSI payment for each month that a beneficiary does not receive a benefit payment due to work activity for a period not to exceed 60 months.
- The outcome-milestone payment system would combine outcome payments with payments for achieving one or more milestones directed toward assisting the beneficiary in achieving permanent employment. However, the total amount of outcome-milestone payments must be less than the total amount of payments if the employment network were paid under the outcome payment system.
- Would require the Commissioner to review periodically the specifications of the payment system (percentage and total payment) to ensure that the system provides an adequate incentive for employment networks to assist beneficiaries in entering the workforce.
- Would allow the Commissioner to alter the percentage or total permissible payments, as well as the number and amount of milestone payments, to allow an adequate incentive for employment networks.
State Agency Participation
- Would permit a State VR agency to elect participation in the Program as an employment network with respect to each disabled beneficiary for whom it will provide services.
- State VR agencies participating in the Program would provide services under plans approved under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
- Would require a written agreement between the State VR agency and the employment network before a State VR agency can accept any referral of a disabled beneficiary from an employment network assigned a ticket to work by the disabled beneficiary.
- Would direct the Commissioner and the Secretary of Education jointly to prescribe regulations specifying the terms of such agreements.
- Would prohibit payment to an employment network if the employment network makes referrals to the State VR agency without entering into a written agreement with such State VR agency or in violation of the terms of the written agreement.
- Would require the Commissioner, if the amendments have not been fully implemented in a State, to determine through regulations the extent (1) to which the requirement concerning prompt referral to the State VR agency applies, and (2) of the Commissioner's authority to provide vocational rehabilitation services by agreement or contract with other public or private agencies in the State.
Continuing Disability Reviews
- Would prohibit the Commissioner from initiating continuing disability reviews during the period that a beneficiary is using a ticket to work and self-sufficiency.
- Would require payments to employment networks to be made from the Federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Trust Funds (OASDI) in the case of title II disability beneficiaries who return to work and from appropriations made available for making SSI payments under title XVI. The costs for administrative expenses must be allocated as appropriate from amounts made available for the administration of title II and title XVI.
- Would direct the Commissioner to prescribe regulations necessary to implement the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program not later than 1 year after the date of enactment.
Would be effective with the first month following 1 year after enactment.
Reauthorization of Program
- Would terminate the Program 5 years after the date the Commissioner begins implementation of the ticket program.
- Would provide that individuals who initiated an individual work plan prior to such termination may receive services under the Program after this date.
Employment networks would be paid during the outcome payment period of such individuals.
Scope of Program Implementation
- Would direct the Commissioner to implement the amendments in graduated phases at sites selected by the Commissioner to ensure the refinement of the Program processes prior to full implementation.
- Would require the Commissioner to fully implement the Program as soon as practicable, but not later than 3 years after the effective date.
- Would require the Commissioner to design and conduct a series of evaluations to assess the cost-effectiveness of the Program and the work outcomes for beneficiaries receiving a ticket to work and self-sufficiency under the Program.
- Would require the Commissioner to design and conduct a series of evaluations after consultation with work incentive experts, the Advisory Panel, GAO, other Federal agencies and private organizations with appropriate expertise.
- Would require the Commissioner to report following the close of the third and fifth fiscal years and prior to the close of the seventh fiscal year ending after the effective date. Reports would be submitted to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance on the Commissioner's evaluation of the progress of activities, as well as the success of the Program and the Commissioner's conclusions on whether or how the Program should be modified.
Work Incentives Advisory Panel
- Would establish a Work Incentives Advisory Panel within the Social Security Administration. The Panel would be composed of 12 members appointed by the Commissioner in consultation with the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate; at least 7 members should be individuals with disabilities or representatives of individuals with disability, and at least 5 of those 7 members should be current or former title II or title XVI disability beneficiaries. Would require that members be appointed not later than 90 days after enactment.
Duties would include:
- Advising the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, and the Commissioner of Social Security on issues related to work incentive programs, planning, and assistance for individuals with disabilities, including work incentive provisions under titles II, XI, XVI, XVIII, and XIX of the Social Security Act.
- Advising the Commissioner with respect to the Ticket to Work and Self- Sufficiency on the following:
- phase-in sites for implementation of the Program;
- access of disabled beneficiaries to employment networks, payment systems, and management information systems to ensure the success of the Program;
- the most effective designs for research and demonstration projects associated with the Program or conducted with respect to the reduction in disability insurance benefits based on earnings;
- development of performance measures for the employment networks; and
- furnishing progress reports on the Program to the Commissioner and Congress.
- Would require the Panel to submit interim reports at least annually and transmit a final report which includes a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Panel and its recommendations for legislation and administrative actions, to the President and the Congress not later than 8 years after the date of enactment.
- Would terminate the Panel 30 days after the date it submits its final report.
- The costs for the Panel shall be made from amounts available for the administration of title II and title XVI, and shall be allocated from those amounts as appropriate.
Elimination of Work Disincentives
Work Activity Standard as a Basis for Review
- Would prohibit the use of work activity as a basis for review for individuals who are entitled to disability insurance benefits under section 223 or monthly insurance benefits under section 202 based on disability and have received such benefits for at least 24 months.
- Would allow for continuing disability reviews on a regularly scheduled basis that are not triggered by work activity, and termination of benefits if the individual has earnings that exceed the level of earning established by the Commissioner to represent substantial gainful activity (SGA).
Would be effective upon enactment.
Expedited Reinstatement
- Would provide that individuals, whose prior entitlement to disability and health care benefits had been terminated as a result of earnings from work activity, may request reinstatement of benefits without filing a new application.
- Would require that such individuals must have been unable to continue working on account of their medical condition and file a reinstatement request during the 60-month period following the month of termination.
- Would require that, while SSA is making a determination (by applying the medical improvement review standard) on the reinstatement request, individuals will be eligible for the payment of provisional benefits for a period of not more than 6 months.
- Would require that, if SSA makes a favorable determination, both the individual's prior entitlement to benefits and the prior benefits of his dependents who continue to meet the entitlement criteria would be reinstated.
Would be effective on the first day of the 13th month beginning after the date of enactment.
Work Incentives Planning, Assistance, and Outreach
Work Incentive Outreach Program
- Would direct the Commissioner, in consultation with the Work Incentives Advisory Panel, to establish a community-based work incentives planning and assistance program for the purpose of providing accurate information related to work incentives to disabled beneficiaries.
- Under the Program, the Commissioner would be directed to:
- establish a competitive program of grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to provide benefits planning and assistance, including information on the availability of protection and advocacy services, to disabled beneficiaries;
- conduct directly, or through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, ongoing outreach efforts; and
- establish a corps of work incentive specialists within the Social Security Administration who specialize in title II and title XVI work incentives for the purpose of providing accurate information to disabled beneficiaries.
- Would direct the Commissioner to award a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract to an entity based on a percentage of the population of disabled beneficiaries in the State where the entity is located. No entity will receive a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract for a fiscal year that is less than $50,000 or more than $300,000. The total amount of all grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded for a fiscal year may not exceed $23 million.
- Would provide that the costs must be paid from amounts made available for the administration for title II and title XVI, and shall be allocated from those amounts as appropriate.
Would be effective upon enactment.
Protection and Advocacy
- Would authorize the Commissioner to make payments to protection and advocacy systems established in each state. Each system that receives payment would be required to submit an annual report to the Commissioner and the Work Incentives Advisory Panel.
- Would provide that protection and advocacy systems be paid the greater of $100,000 or 1/3 of 1 percent of the amount available for payments for a fiscal year.
- Would provide that payments must be made from amounts made available for the administration of title II and title XVI, and would be allocated from those amounts as appropriate. Any amounts allotted for payments to a protection and advocacy system would remain available until the end of the succeeding fiscal year.
- Would provide that payments may not exceed $7 million for fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may be necessary for any fiscal year thereafter.
Would be effective upon enactment.
Demonstration Projects and Studies
Permanent Disability Insurance Program Demonstration Project Authority
- Would: (1) permanently authorize section 505 of the Social Security Amendments of 1980 (Authority for Demonstration Projects), (2) direct the Commissioner to conduct demonstration related to sliding scale benefit offsets using variations in the amounts of the offset as a proportion of earned income, and (3) permit presumptively eligible applicants to participate in demonstration projects.
- Would direct the Commissioner to submit: (1) interim reports on or before June 9 of each year on the progress of the demonstration projects, and (2) a final report not later than 90 days after the termination of any experiment or demonstration project carried out under this provision.
Would be effective upon enactment.
Reduction in Disability Benefits Based on Earnings
- Would direct the Commissioner to conduct demonstration projects to evaluate the effects of a $1 for $2 withholding of SSDI payments for earnings over a level specified by the Commissioner.
- Would provide that the demonstration projects should determine:
- the effects, if any, of induced entry and reduced exit;
- the effect, if any, on a project being conducted in a locality under the administration of the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program; and,
- the savings to the Trust Funds and other Federal programs as a result of the project.
- Would require the Commissioner to determine the annual cost, the reasons for the return to work of beneficiaries who participate in the project, the employment outcomes, the merits of trial work periods and periods of extended eligibility for each project.
- Would authorize the Commissioner to waive compliance with the title II benefit provisions and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive compliance with the benefit requirements of title XVIII, insofar as is necessary for a thorough evaluation of the alternative methods under consideration.
- Would require the Commissioner to submit a written report to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance 90 days prior to the start of a project. Also, would require the Commissioner to submit periodic reports not later than 2 years after the date of enactment, and annually thereafter, on the progress of the project(s) and a final report on all demonstration projects to the Congressional committees not later than 1 year after their completion.
- Would provide that expenditures made for the demonstration projects must be made from the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Old- Age and Survivor's Insurance Trust Fund as determined appropriate by the Commissioner of Social Security, and from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts.
Would be effective upon enactment.
Reports and Studies
- Would require the General Accounting Office (GAO) to study:
- the extent to which existing tax credits and other employer incentives under current law encourage employers to hire and retain individuals with disabilities. A written report would be due to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act;
- the coordination of SSDI and SSI programs as they relate to individuals who are eligible for benefits under both programs, or whose eligibility changes from one program to the other. The study should focus on the effectiveness of work incentives and medical coverage for these individuals. A report would be due not later than 3 years after the date of enactment; and
- the SGA levels applicable to disabled beneficiaries; whether the levels serve as a disincentive for those returning to work, the merits of increasing SGA levels, and the rationale for not indexing the levels to inflation. A written report would be due not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
- Would direct the Commissioner to report to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, not later than 90 days after enactment, on all income disregards applicable to beneficiaries under SSDI and SSI programs. The report should specify the most recent statutory or regulatory change in each disregard; estimate the current value of any disregard if the disregard had been indexed for inflation; and recommend any further changes.
Would be effective upon enactment.
Technical Amendments
Drug Addicts and Alcoholics (DA&A)
- Would amend the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-121) to clarify SSA's authority to make SSDI medical redeterminations after January 1, 1997. (A similar SSI provision was included in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, P.L. 105-33.)
- Would expand the applicability of the provisions in P.L. 104-121 which authorize the Commissioner to determine if a representative payee would be in the best interest of a disabled beneficiary who is incapable and has a DA&A condition, and whether such individual should be referred to a State agency for substance abuse treatment services.
Would be effective as if included in the enactment of section 105 of the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-121).
Treatment of Prisoners
- Would extend the incentive payment provisions now in effect for SSI prisoners to OASDI, and would authorize the Commissioner to provide, on a reimbursable basis, this reported information to any agency administering a Federal or federally assisted cash, food, or medical assistance program.
Would be applicable to individuals whose period of confinement in an institution begins on or after the first day of the fourth month beginning after the month of enactment.
- Would eliminate the OASDI requirement that confinement stem from a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year--like SSI, benefits would be suspended for any month throughout which the person was confined because of a crime or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity. Would be applicable to individuals whose period of confinement in an institution begins on or after the first day of the fourth month beginning after the month of enactment.
- Would provide that an institution does not get two incentive payments when the reported prisoner is a concurrent OASDI/SSI beneficiary--the programs would split the cost of the payment.
Would be effective as if included in enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193).
- Would prohibit the payment of monthly benefits to any title II beneficiary who upon completion of a prison term remains confined by court order to a public institution based on a finding that the individual is a sexually dangerous person or a sexual predator.
Would be effective with respect to benefits for months ending after the date of enactment.
Revocation by Members of the Clergy of Exemption from Social Security Coverage
- Would create a 2-year window of opportunity to allow members of the clergy who applied for and received an exemption from Social Security coverage to revoke the exemption. The application for revocation would have to be filed before the due date for the income tax return for the applicants second taxable year beginning after 12/31/99. The revocation would be effective, at the applicant's option, beginning with either the first or second taxable year beginning after 12/31/99.
Cooperative Research or Demonstration Projects Under Title II and Title XVI
- Would clarify the Commissioner's authority to make grants and payments under cooperative research or demonstration projects in advance or by way of reimbursement to carry out demonstration projects and cooperative research not only for title XVI, but also title II under section 1110(a) of the Social Security Act.
Would be effective as if included in the enactment of the Social Security Independence and Program Improvement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-296).
Authorization for State to Permit Annual Wage Reports
- For purposes of income and eligibility verification for various welfare programs, would authorize States to permit employers to submit wage reports of domestic workers on an annual basis (rather than on a quarterly basis).
Would be applicable to wage reports required to be submitted on or after the date of enactment.


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Titanium Balloons Simple Large Earrings Scandinavian Green
In Stock
In this jewellery collection titanium shapes instead of stones have been used, which are moulded in silver. Titanium got its volume by press machines. As titanium is one of the hardest metals in the world, the pressing process took more than 4 months. The titanium balloons have got natural bright shades, which have been accopmlished by using anodizing. The collection was a very positive challenge – making light balloons from one of the hardest materials, titanium!
Request item: Titanium Balloons Simple Large Earrings Scandinavian Green, 220EUR
Product Description
sterling silver
14K Rose gold plated / white rhodium plated
anodized titanium
balloon dimension 2 cm
drop 6.5 cm
Category: Titanium Balloons.


text:
EnerGel Gel Ink Ballpoint Pens
by Pentel
The best qualities of liquid and gel inks are blended into a super-smooth formula and delivered via an exclusive ink\tip technology. Intensely vivid black ink dries quickly without smearing or blotting. Nonrefillable.
Ask a question about EnerGel Gel Ink Ballpoint Pens Ask a question about this product
Average User Rating: Based on (4 Reviews)
5 4
Suzy from Sacramento, CA says:
I've been using these pens at work for 10+ years. Hope they never stop making these. I love 'em!
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@Linda: If you right-click the Pixelscrapper logo image, you should get a popup window with all sorts of size options. Choose your size and on the next page it will say "Download the -selected- size of this photo".
I'm not sure what your mean when you say the preview covers too much, if you could elaborate on that a little I might be able to help.


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Bill Leonard
I was very pleased to have been asked to be a part of the Class of 1970's 40th Reunion Committee. I attended the Class of 1969's 40th Reunion and it was a very memorable experience. Ours will be too. Please begin to make your plans to attend. As many of you know, I married Ellie Davidson '69 a week after graduation and today, we have two adult children, Anne, 33 and John, 30. We now make our home in Bridgeport, WV. We moved here in March, 2009 to begin a new job in the property and casualty insurance field, in which I have spent my career. Ellie retired from John Hopkins University, where she had worked for seventeen years.Each of us have stories to tell about our college days.


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Meagan's Cozy Cocoon Bedroom
Like this entry? Favorite it below!
- Name:
- Meagan
- Location:
- Brooklyn, NY
- Division:
- United States
- What do you love about your bedroom?:
- My bedroom is my cocoon. I love the way it feels cozy and warm at night and refreshing and bright in the morning.
- What are your tips for creating a beautiful, healthy and organized bedroom?:
- Keep it simple. Don't make your bedroom a multi-purpose room. Also plants make all the difference.
- In modern homes, bedrooms have become more than just a place to sleep; they can be a retreat, a home office, a library, a relaxation zone. What are some ways you make the most of your bedroom?:
- I only use my bedroom for relaxation. I never work or bring work-like items into my bedroom.


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Manchester City's Joe Hart criticised for mistakes by Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini has slammed Man City's Joe Hart for making 'too many mistakes' following his gaffe against Southampton.
Last Updated: 10/02/13 12:51pm
A costly error from the England No.1 led to the Saints' second goal on Saturday as they triumphed 3-1 at St Mary's in a surprise upset.
Hart fumbled his save of Rickie Lambert's shot to allow Steven Davis to bundle home the rebound as City's Premier League title hopes were dealt a hefty blow.
He had also failed to clear in the build-up to Jason Puncheon's ninth-minute opener, allowing the Saints man to stab home.
The 25-year-old keeper has made several high-profile errors this season and Mancini has hit out at the shot-stopper.
He was quoted as saying in The Sun: "Joe has made too many mistakes. He has not been good enough.
"It was a really bad mistake from Joe.
"It was not good enough. It's not strange because he's done a few mistakes this year."
To find out more about live football on Sky Sports, Click here


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Stats - Character Gender Ratios
News has been slow and we've been looking at building random stats to keep you interested! We're still working on the juicy stuff but let's start with character gender ratios!
You might think that Female Dwarves are player's least favorite female model, but you would be mistaken! Female Orcs take the lead by a few percent margin in our poll of Level 85 characters.
Race Male Female Human 66.48% 33.52% Orc 89.34% 10.66% Dwarf 86.72% 13.28% Night Elf 56.2% 43.8% Undead 77.4% 22.6% Tauren 85.82% 14.18% Gnome 69.43% 30.57% Troll 74.24% 25.76% Goblin 72.44% 27.56% Blood Elf 55.05% 44.95% Draenei 47.73% 52.27% Worgen 80% 20%
Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
API - HTML scraping no longer allowed
This is important to anyone who is still scraping the new Armory HTML, as it will break anything that relies on doing so.
New World of Warcraft Fan Wallpaper
The World of Warcraft Fan Wallpapers section has been updated with a new wallpaper titled "Cataclysm" by Shock.
Trading Card Game Art Gallery Update
The Trading Card game art gallery has been updated with ten new pieces.
NVIDIA Drivers
A quick note for those of you that keep your drivers up to date. There are some significant bugs in the 280.26 drivers that were recently released, including a bug that makes cards run warm. Avoid upgrading until a fixed driver is released.


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Forms of welding have been around for centuries, but lucky for us, the art of joining pieces of metal together is no longer as complicated as heating and hammering by a blacksmith. However, more modern types of welding bring hazards to the job, like dangerous light emissions. That's why Lincoln Electric offers their new Viking StreetRod 2450 Welding Helmet. Not only does this piece of equipment protect your eyes from damage with its auto-darkening feature, it is also lightweight and comes with several lenses for use in a variety of areas.
Official Release:
Viking StreetRod 2450 Welding Helmet – K3035-1
VIKING solar-powered auto-darkening helmets are loaded with features, built to demanding specs and packaged with a host of accessories.
- Continuously variable control – For shade and sensitivity.
- 9-13 Shade Control – Internal
- Sensitivity – Adjustable for different welding environments.
- Delay – Adjustable from dark back to light state.
- Light weight – 21.0 oz. (595 g)
- Grind mode – Great for weld prep or post-weld clean up activities.
- Magnifying 'cheater' lens capable
- Hard hat adapter capable
- Extra Cover Lenses Enclosed – (2) inside and (5) outside.
Top Features:
- Auto Darkening Welding hood with 4×5 in. cartridge and 3.82 x 2.44 in viewing area
- Infinite control of Shade, Sensitivity and delay
- 4 Arc Sensors
- Magnifying Cheater lens capable
- Hard Hat Adapter Capable


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Tickets go on sale for Statue of Liberty, reopening July 4 after Superstorm Sandy flooding
NEW YORK – The Statue of Liberty is reopening July 4 after Superstorm Sandy flooded the island where it stands.
The statue has been closed since Sandy struck the region on Oct. 29 and damaged much of Liberty Island's infrastructure. The statue itself is on higher ground and was not damaged.
Ferry tickets to visit the island on July 4 or later may be purchased online or by phone. Tickets to the statue's crown are only available by reservation.
Meanwhile, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum is not expected to re-open to the public this year. The museum sits on Ellis Island, next to the Statue of Liberty in the center of New York Harbor. Sandy bought water levels up to 8 feet to the island, destroying boilers and electrical systems.
Online: http://www.statuecruises.com


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Our master bedroom has been a 10 year project. And by that I mean we've been in our house for almost 11 years and I have redecorated our room I don't know how many times. I know for sure that every time I was about to have a baby I made hubby repaint the whole room. Which obviously lead to new bedding and lamps. Don't ask hubby how many sets of lamps we've had...it instantly causes more gray hair.
I know this all sounds very wasteful {probably because it is}, and I'm not normally ok with that but I was just never quite "happy" with the room. I was never "in love" with it.
Well I am pleased to report that although there is still a bit of decorating to be done, our bedroom is now my favorite place! It's peaceful and bright and I could spend all day in there. It even makes folding laundry more fun!
I still have some walls to fill {oh and I need to order carpet} but I couldn't wait to show you what we've done so far.
Here we go:
Here is my lovely fluffy bed that I love! Did I mention I LOVE it! ok, moving on...
White bedspread:Target
Throw blanket. yellow pillow, button pillow & lamps: Homegoods
"keep calm" pillow: Little Miss Momma
Cross Painting: Casey Wiegand
One of my pet peeves is having books and things stacked on our nightstands. Mostly because my 3 year old loves to just knock everything over. So I turned these...
into these...
I realize they still need a little styling but now we both have somewhere to put our daily reading.
My curtains are literally fabric I bought, clipped up and hemmed with iron on velcro. This girl does not know how to sew!
And here is my new spot to keep my jewelry. Easy access, and so far none of the kids have destroyed it. I'll let you know if that holds up.
I couldn't be happier with it and I can't wait to complete the other ideas I have for the room.
The winner of the "literally Inspired" giveaway is Cerrisse. Congratulations! Email me so I can get you hooked up!
Have a lovely Monday!


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|Hunting Home
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Eugene R. Thorn
The West Virginia Big Buck Contest was established in 1964 to recognize sportsmen who bag extraordinarily big antlered bucks. The contest is co-sponsored by the Division of Natural Resources, the Izaak Walton League of West Virginia, the West Virginia Bowhunter's Association, the West Virginia Muzzleloader's Association, the Physically Challenged Advisory Board, and Toyota.
The Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young Club scoring systems are used to score bucks depending upon method of kill. Guidelines for the annual contest are as follows:
A review committee was established, by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources, to consider all deer entries to the Big Buck Contest. The committee has the power to make judgements as to the legitimacy of each entry and to accept or reject any entry in question. The West Virginia Big Buck Contest Review Committee consists of representatives from the Izaak Walton League of West Virginia, the West Virginia Bowhunter's Association, the West Virginia Muzzleloader's Association, the DNR's Wildlife Resources Section and the Law Enforcement Section, and the West Virginia Physically Challenged Advisory Board.
In 2009, 260 hunters had their deer antlers scored at one of the six DNR District Offices, Field Offices, or the West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show in Charleston (sponsored by the West Virginia Trophy Hunter's Association). There are eight DNR Wildlife Biologists and Wildlife Managers distributed throughout the state that are certified by the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young Clubs as official scorers. In the 2009 Big Buck Contest hunters took 80 big bucks (Table 1) with gun, muzzleloader (none this year), bow, or crossbow that met the score minimums, the requirements concerning Game Check Tags and Fair Chase Statements, and were not excluded for cause by the Big Buck Contest Review Committee. An additional 22 bucks from former years were scored that met the requirements for a Big Buck Certificate.
It is noteworthy that an additional sixteen score-sheets that met the minimum score requirements did not have the Game Check Tag verified, or did not have a signed Fair Chase Statement attached. These are the common reasons why hunter's bucks are excluded from the contest list and do not receive a Big Buck Certificate. A good practice is to staple the Game Check Tag to the back of a mounted head so that it is not misplaced. A hunter may only take their rack to be scored by one Official Scorer. Score shopping is prohibited by the WV Big Buck Contest and will be dealt with according to Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young guidelines. It is the hunter's responsibility to work with their official scorer to make sure that all documentation is completed (by the contest deadline of January 31) and sent to the Big Buck Contest Review Committee Chairman.
Twelve bucks killed by gun hunters scored above 140 points typical or 165 points non-typical. In the Typical-Gun category, the winner was Kenneth Carpenter from Streetsboro, OH with a 12-point buck killed in Kanawha County that scored 163 7/8. There were no entries this year in the Non-typical Gun category; therefore, the Non-Typical Gun category has no winner this year.
Muzzleloader hunters needed to score above 140 points typical or 165 points non-typical to win. There was no Typical or Non-typical buck taken with the muzzleloader this year that met the minimum score; therefore, both Muzzleloader categories have no winner this year.
Bowhunters killed 67 deer that scored above 125 points typical or 155 points non-typical. The winner of the Typical-Bow category was Jason Kerns of Shepherdsville, KY with a 14-point buck from Logan County that scored 162 3/8. The No-typical Bow category winner was Howard Powell III of Parkersburg, WV; Howard took a huge 23-point buck in Wood County that scored 193 1/8. Howard's buck took over the #4 position for Non-typical Bow kills in the list that ranks the top five buck scores in that category for all time in West Virginia (Table 2).
One buck killed by a physically challenged crossbow hunter scored above 125 points typical or 155 points non-typical. The Typical-Crossbow category winner was Bobby Grose of Rock, WV with a 9-point Mercer County buck that scored 131 3/8. There was no non-typical buck taken with the crossbow this year that met the minimum score; therefore, the Non-Typical Crossbow category has no winner this year.
The 2009 West Virginia Big Buck Contest had slightly more deer brought in to be scored than last year. The number of bucks killed in 2009 that qualified for Big Buck Citations was down with the gun and crossbow, and up with the bow from last year. As a reminder, two years ago we added two new weapon categories to the Contest; one to recognize muzzleloader taken bucks, and one for the physically challenged hunters that are using a crossbow with a Class Y Permit to hunt deer. The Big Buck Contest Committee would like to congratulate all the hunters that took bucks that qualified for this year's contest. Thank you to all hunters who participated and had antlers scored this past year!
Table 1. West Virginia Big Buck Contest 2009 Score Rankings.
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At an exclusive private party in Barcelona, Brit Award-winning band Florence and the Machine are entertaining a crowd, mostly male, middle-aged and rather well behaved, who can't believe their luck. Already at a conference in one of Europe's most beautiful cities, they find themselves enjoying an experience that – for most – money can't buy. Who does have the money for such a bash? Google.
The audience are the representatives of the mobile phone industry, a technology sector that has changed the world and is only just getting started. The annual Mobile World Congress could hardly be more different from the one that began in 1987, and while the crowd remains overwhelmingly male, it's a bit cooler – and a lot richer.
Kunimasa Suzuki is just one of those senior executives whose future is bound to Google. The President and Chief Executive of Sony Mobile, Mr Suzuki is a 30-year Sony veteran and the man charged with making the troubled Japanese company a force in the mobile phone business once again. His company uses the Google Android operating system, which by some measures powers three out of every four new smartphones. Among young people the percentage is even higher.
Sony's phone and accompanying tablet is waterproof and has a beautiful design - it is a mere 6.9mm thin and weighs less than 500g. But it is the software that is crucial. And in the words of Android boss Andy Rubin, all products that run the software are "mostly the same" when it comes to what they can do. Mr Suzuki, however, maintains "there's no emotional discussion" when it comes to choosing Android. It's a business decision. "Unlike others we could look around everywhere. We didn't have to choose Google," he says.
Google makes its money by bringing more people online and selling them advertising, while device makers must each work out how to entice consumers. Among manufacturers using Android, Samsung is the one taking most of the profits. That, says Mr Rubin, is not, as some critics have suggested, "an Android problem". Instead, he suggests, companies that can't make money from Google Android software "have an execution problem".
The competition among those manufacturers using Google's software, from Sony to LG, is as intense as ever and has benefitted other companies as well as consumers. Mike Bell runs Intel's mobile communications business, and while the company is trying to crack the mobile phone market, he says anybody asking for chips for devices that aren't Android would be more than welcome. The problem is, "Android's the only game in town at the moment," he says. Nobody has asked for chips that aren't for Google phones.
That makes Sony's task harder than ever. Mr Suzuki says his firm's relationship with Google is "really great", although he agrees there are "constraints" to working with Android. "I can study any types of platforms and depending on the situation in coming years I can do everything. But at the moment we're 100 per cent Google so we have a great relationship."
Mr Suzuki adds that for now Sony's focus must be on building a new mobile phone brand via premium products such as the latest Xperia Z, competing directly with Samsung. Sony shipped 34million largely unacclaimed devices globally last year, which was less than two per cent of the market, compared with Samsung's more than 20. Other than saying phones below $100 are unlikely, Mr Suzuki says he plans to boost market share with several more new models this year, and says the company's expertise in screens and cameras will allow it to produce products that simply aren't available from rival brands. Sony can also add music and film services thanks to the business's other interest.
Emerging technologies such as near-field communications (NFC) also mean simply touching a phone on a hi-fi or TV will transfer the music playing on the phone to external speakers. In the middle of this year, Mr Suzuki says there will also be an improvement in the availability of PlayStation Mobile games, using the company's existing expertise in the huge gaming industry.
Indeed, Sony is the only company that could theoretically use its TV business, its gaming business and its music and film studios to establish a unique selection of content products. But while that closed approach has worked for Apple, Sony is unwilling to adopt similar tactics. As with almost all major Google partners, it is committed to making products that use open standards. So its built-in remote controls can control the TV and hifis made by any of its rivals, and whizzy features to transfer pictures and films from a phone wirelessly will similarly work with other models. "Our job is to make sure you have the best experience with Sony," says Mr Suzuki. Where Sony could have chosen to develop its own, closed system that works with its other products and movies and music, Google's dominance made that a non-starter.
What might, however, change the game is chip companies such as Intel and Qualcomm making new, fundamentally more powerful processors to power products that are as different from smartphones as smartphones themselves are from the first mobile. For Mike Bell at Intel the aim is to look for new ideas. "The fact that we're constantly subsidising phones in the US and the UK drives down people's perception of value because they think it's free. It's stifling investment and we need to add more features that people are willing to pay for," he says.
Counter-intuitively, he argues bigger ideas need to be pushed faster to disrupt the maturing mobile market. "We're at a plateau in innovation," he says. "So we're trying to provide hardware that will provide that next stair up. Faster, smaller, cheaper, better chips are coming for the future – but of course we don't know what that looks like yet." It seems hard to imagine Google won't be involved.


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West Hartford, Connecticut photographer and psychologist Cliff Briggie uses ice, paint, light and water to make these abstract 'ice paintings'. Instead of using Photoshop, he relies on the ice and paint to morph into something unexpected and unique. He writes: 'A photograph captures a moment too brief to see. Within the moment is a flash, color, form, or movement-always different, always extraordinary. Little pieces of paint take on a life of their own, suddenly exploding, colors streaming everywhere and then they are gone forever. It is at once so breathtaking, heartbreaking, and compelling that I have missed more than a shot or two.'
via Paranoias


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Tory Burch is best known for distinctive designs inspired by the free-spirited fashion of the 1960s and 1970s. Her style has been described as "preppy-boho" that strikes a chord with women of all ages. Tory Burch apparel mixed classic style with a contemporary edge in vivid colors. Neiman Marcus offers a distinctive selection of Tory Burch dresses, tunics, jackets, tops, and pants.


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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
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Five Major Problems with Wormholes
Wormholes are supposed to be shortcuts from one time and place to another time and place. For example, drive your spaceship into one end and exit near some other star, perhaps 1000 light years away. Drive back through and return to earth. Simple enough.
Wormhole drawing from Wikipedia
If a wormhole is ever created for passage of man or machine by some future civilization, then there will be some major problems to overcome other than the biggie… creating the wormhole in the first place. I believe this is the first time most, if not all, of these problems have been identified.
Although the wormhole supposedly bends/warps time and space, there is a fundamental limit to how fast you can get from here to there, no matter how much time and space are warped. That limit is c and it applies to the Long Way Around (LWA) path length. First let me tell you why I think so as it is key to the some of the rest of my list of problems.
A common wormhole is created by every photon that exists. For example, a photon does a space/time warp from Proxima Centauri (the nearest star to our sun) to our eye. The distance and time the photon experiences is zero. It does not age during the trip and the total distance is zero at the moment of creation. However, it still takes 4.22 years to get here, the time light takes to travel the total distance from that star to ours.
Einstein's equations say that the photon traveling at c has a total path length of zero and travel time of zero duration. I believe that applies to every photon. However, we know that the photon takes 4.22 light years and travels about 28 trillion miles from that star to our eye as we measure or calculate it. Even though the path the photon sees is zero length and the time it ages is zero time during the trip, it still does not arrive until the entire 4.22 light years elapses.
It is my theory that this is because the space/time warp of our photon wormhole connects the emission point on Proxima Centauri and the landing point in our eye only in a virtual sense and only in the first instant of its creation.
After that first instance, the photon moves away from the emitter at light speed and the path behind it expands as the photon travels along it at c. The photon's path to our eye always remains zero length, but it traverses the path at c, leaving an expanded path behind until the entire path is traversed. The photon never transfers its energy until the entire path is completed at the maximum velocity of c.
My first wormhole problem is that the time required is no less than the long way around travel time at c. Anything entering the wormhole is imposibly close to the other end (as for our photon example), but cannot actually get there until the path from the entry point expands behind the object moving at c throughout the entire trip, the LWA, just as it does for the photon wormhole.
Even if the wormhole spans a time/space warp of 1000 light years, it will still take no less than 1000 years to get from here to there even if the wormhole appears to be of zero length. The crew of the space ship that manages to get into a wormhole would not age during the trip, a distinct advantage for the crew and the ship's lifetime. It would seem to be instantaneous and if it were indeed reversible, then the return trip would be just as fast. Drive into one end and return immediately and likely not be but a few hours older. However any companions that were left behind on earth would be dead nearly 2000 years. All this assumes the problems that follow can be solved.
The second problem is that a wormhole cannot be established before it is created at each end. If one end is created today and the other is somehow created on a distant star, the wormhole would not be operable until the second wormhole is created, presumably at least the normal space ship travel time from one construction site to the other, even if the construction crew travels at c. Unless the wormhole acts like a reversible time machine, a much more difficult arrangement, it will take the same amount of time each way through the wormhole with the arrow of time aging both ways and it cannot begin to be used as a shortcut until both ends are finished. It would take a very patient civilization to plan for such a feat.
My third problem involves getting into any wormhole that moves you along at light speed. The nose of the ship would presumably be accelerated to light speed even before the crew compartment made it into the opening. The result would be powdered spaceship and crew with photons leading the way, larger particles and atoms dragging behind, but no survivors or anything recognizable.
The fourth problem is getting out of the wormhole. Let's say somehow you can get your space ship in and up to speed. Everything going out the other end arrives there at light speed. A huge blast of various rays and light burping out the other end, frying anything loitering near the exit. A great light show, but hardly useful for the crew wanting to get from here to there in a hurry, or their greeting party for that matter. The wormhole turns out to be a great ray gun!
My fifth problem involves reversibility. We assume that entering the wormhole at either end establishes the direction of travel. However, it appears to me that it is very likely that the arrow of time exists only in the direction of the creation of the wormholes. That is, from the first wormhole to the second. Items entering the first one created would be moving in an arrow of time from the earliest time to the latest. Items trying to enter the second wormhole to come back would be rejected in a smoldering heap or blast of rays. If that logic is reversed, the problem still exists: One way only!
Arrow of Time Established?
I believe this applies to photons and particles in general. The equations for physics always seem to allow collisions to be reversable and there are no laws that would not allow any set of particle interactions to be reversible. However, it is my opinion that photons are not reversible for the reasons listed above. They are zipping through non reversible wormholes. Energy is transferred from point of creation to some other point where it is absorbed or transferred to another particle and can't go back though the wormhole as it is a one way street, from first end created to the second end and never the other way around. That means the arrow of time always moves forward and is never reverseable. It can be stopped but never reversed.
SuperLumal Transmission?
As a side note, for the reasons listed in the problems listed above, there will be no speedup of communications through a wormhole. No superlumal transmissions, no advantage over sending it across space the normal way, and very likely, no two way communications. I hope these revelations do not stop any projects in progress as science will advance no matter what. 8>) Photon wormholes are the best anyone will be able to do.
PS – check out my earlier wormhole article
Copyright 2007, James A. Tabb (may be reproduced with full credits)


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August 2016
Running clears your head and sets you up for the day, wherever you are. Here are ten scenic city spots worth packing your trainers for
Central Park, New York
As the 'lungs of New York', Central Park is crisscrossed with bridleways, bike tracks and roads, ensuring there's plenty of room for all the keep-fitters.
Top tip: try the full 6.1m loop around the park between 7-10pm, when the park is closed to cars.
Griffith Park, Los Angeles
Griffith Park rises up out of the LA smog to give runners, hikers and dog walkers 53 miles of dirt paths and bridleways to explore. But beware stepping too far off the beaten path: the park is a wilderness area, with coyote, deer and rattlesnakes all calling it home.
Plan your run
Maps of Griffith Park's trails and up-to-date information on trail closures are available from the park's eastern-located Ranger Station (+1 (323) 913 4688). Fly from London to Los Angeles from£316 returnBook flights to LA
Book your ticket
Bergen's cable cars run 9am-9pm, Monday to Sunday between March and October, and 10am-5pm during the winter months.More information
See the sights
The Atlantic Ocean is home to plenty of wildlife, from cormorants and oystercatchers to seals, dolphins and humpback whales. And if you time your run for the evening, you'll be in the perfect spot to see an epic South African sunset. Fly from London to Cape Town from£776 returnBook flights
Vidden Trail, Bergen
Unless you feel like running up 643m of steep trail, jump on the cable car to the summit of Ulriken, one of Bergen's seven peaks. From here, the Vidden trail awaits, complete with lakes, mountain firs, heather and rocky outcrops.
Leave your iPod at home when running Cape Town's Sea Point promenade – the sound of the waves breaking against the coast is the best soundtrack
Sea Point Promenade, Cape Town
This 11km route offers incredible vistas of the wild Atlantic Ocean. Leave your iPod at home – the sound of the waves breaking against the coast is the best soundtrack.
Challenge yourself
Make friends at a South African trail-running session. CRAG (Cape Runners Against Gravity) organises a 90-minute trail run every Wednesday night at beautiful venues all over the Cape Peninsula.Find out more
Margaret Island, Budapest
With long bike tracks running along the Danube, plus tens of public swimming pools and nearby lakes to splash about in, Budapest is fitness bunny's dream. For the most pleasant place to jog, visit the 5km rubber-coated running track at Margitsziget – an island in the centre of the Danube.
Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
Leave your hotel's stuffy gym behind and get active on this 3.5km trail that encircles Hong Kong's highest peak. Mainly flat, this path is best at sunrise or sunset, when the air is a little lighter and the city below is bathed in a golden glow.
MacRitchie Reservoir loop, Singapore
Jump on a bus from Orchard Road to MacRitchie Reservoir, where boardwalks and dirt paths come together to create one of the best urban escapes in Southeast Asia.
Circus Maximus, Rome
Bang in the centre of the city, the Circus Maximus used to be the site of chariot races and parades. Now, you can take a step back in time by using it as a running track. At 621m, with a springy, grassy surface, it's an atmospheric enough place to run laps. Be sure to go early, before the tourists arrive.
Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
The site of Edinburgh's Bupa Great North Run, Holyrood Park is the perfect place to beat out a 5k amid craggy scenery and lush parkland. The route circles the park before looping around the cliff face of Arthur's Seat and past pretty Dunsapie Loch.


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These thoughts might be controversial to some, but the issue is timely, and the moment to correct a series of injustices is now. Therefore, it is time for our country, and all of us in it, to recognize and enforce marriage equality.
Before I go further, it must be said that libertarians believe that neither government nor anyone else has the right to tell other people what they should believe. That issue should be left to the individuals themselves, as guided by their chosen religious teachings, philosophies and core beliefs.
Furthermore, most libertarians do not believe that the government should be involved in issuing marriage licenses at all. And further, religious institutions should continue to have the constitutional right to decide who can and cannot receive their blessings.
Maybe a little history would provide some perspective on the issue of marriage equality.
In our country, most state governments began issuing marriage licenses as a way of enforcing miscegenation laws, which made interracial marriage, cohabitation and sexual relationships a crime. In fact, the term "miscegenation" was first coined in the United States in 1863.
Similar laws were also enforced in Nazi Germany and apartheid South Africa. But after World War II, many states began to repeal their miscegenation laws, and those that remained on the books were declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1967 case Loving vs. the State of Virginia as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Since that time, it has been the law of our land that no governments could intrude upon an adult's choice of a heterosexual partner based on race. I hope that everyone pondering this issue is in agreement with that result.
As to some of my personal experiences as a trial court judge, when I was on the adoptions calendar, I was presented on several occasions with applications for the adoption of a natural mother's child by her lesbian live-in partner. In each case, after looking at the facts and being mindful that the legal standard was to act in the best interest of the child, I granted the application and personally performed the adoption ceremony. Those were the right decisions.
In reaching those decisions, I understood that society rightfully encourages the commitment by one person to another. What if I had not approved the mother's application? Do you think that the two women would have then seen the light, as some might phrase it, left their partnership and sought to live in a heterosexual relationship? Not a chance. They would have continued their live-in relationship but without the legal commitment of the second partner to the child. That was neither in the child's best interest, nor in society's.
So now the question of whether gay and lesbian adults legally will be able to marry each other is before our courts and our country. For many reasons, the answer to that question should be yes.
Fortunately we do not live in a democracy, which is a government in which the majority rules. Instead we live in a democratic republic, where the constitutional rights of the minority are protected from the dictates of the majority.
As you can imagine, after the Civil War and the passage of the 13th Amendment prohibiting slavery, a majority of voters in several states probably still would have approved a system of slavery. But even so, the minority rights to racial equality were enforced. Similarly, after the passage of the 14th Amendment, a majority in many states may have felt that women should not possess the same rights as men. But once again and with time, minority rights to gender equality were enforced as a matter of equal protection under the law. And now it is similarly time to protect marriage equality.
It is true that some good and thoughtful people are concerned that enforcing marriage equality will take us further down the road to a weakened system of values and morality. But those people must understand that those same arguments were raised with racial and gender equality as well. And they should also realize that science — and real life — informs us that, just as with one's race and gender, homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice but instead is a hard-wired trait.
Other good and thoughtful people argue that, as a long-term matter of public policy, marriage should only be authorized if it is used to further procreation. But that argument could also be applied to prohibit people older than 50 from becoming legally married, or anyone else who physically cannot reproduce. Instead, prohibitions of marriage should be imposed by governments only for clear-cut issues, such as incest and the lack of voluntary and knowing consent or to protect underage children from marrying.
So why is depriving rights by governments to gay and lesbian couples such an injustice? Why not instead simply allow them legally to form "civil unions"? Because there are literally thousands of line items in federal, state and local statutes and regulations that confer benefits upon those people who are labeled "married." These include more favorable treatment with regard to income and inheritance taxes, as well as rights to visit and make healthcare decisions for marital partners when they are hospitalized.
In summary, gays and lesbians generally are just as committed to their partners as anyone else. Therefore, as with the matters of race and gender equality, it is time for their rights to be enforced. In fact, I will go so far as to say that soon, just as with racial and gender equality, we will all look back and wonder why we had not all stood up for marriage equality long before now.
JAMES P. GRAY is a retired Orange County Superior Court judge. He lives in Newport Beach. He can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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MyTwoCensus files Freedom of Information Act request to better understand Census Bureau tech failuresTuesday, April 20th, 2010
Dear Ms. Potter and Staff:
Under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I am requesting the records of all technical and information technology glitches, failures, and errors that involved the Census Bureau and its technology systems from January 1, 2006 through the present. This includes everything from e-mail systems going down to fingerprint scanners not working properly to the recent paper-based operational control system failure. Most important to me are items pertaining to the 2010 Census. I would appreciate if you started with the most recent failures and worked your way back. These should include every piece of technology that the Census Bureau uses at field offices as well as at headquarters in Suitland.
As you probably already know, I run MyTwoCensus.com, the non-partisan watchdog of the 2010 Census. My work has also appeared on MotherJones.com, governingpeople.com, and other publications. Since this is a non-commercial request and the release of these documents will serve the public interest (because analyzing these documents is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government), I am requesting that all fees be waived.
I am also requesting expedited processing of these documents under the clause on your web page that states I can do so if this information is "urgently needed to inform the public concerning some actual or alleged government activity." With the 2010 Census just around the corner, and recent reports by the Associated Press and other organizations that language translations have been inadequate and sub-par, this request deserves your prompt attention.
If you deny all or any part of this request, please cite each specific exemption you think justifies your withholding of information. Notify me of appeal procedures available under the law.
Stephen Robert Morse


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At last week-end's press conference for the upcoming Disney holiday epic, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, star Jim Carrey (who plays several roles in the film) took issue with the idea that actors in motion-capture CGI films are not so much 'acting' as they are just a step in the technical process. Carrey says that, despite being totally body-wired and fitted with motion sensors, actors are still doing what actors do….act. (Click on the media bar below for audio):
http://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/2009/1 ... ll-acting/