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Why not a "living wage" for ALL workers?
I read with interest the OpEd column, "Everyone deserves fair compensation"� by David Bowen who is a Milwaukee County supervisor and sponsor of the living wage ordinance published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.� I agree with Bowen.� What do YOU think?
The GIST of the concept of "living wage" is articulated by David Bowen, "… wage paid to workers at a rate that allows them to stay above the poverty line and make a living. As it stands today, Milwaukee County uses public dollars to contract with and provide tax breaks to private corporations that pay their workers so little that they're forced to rely on public assistance, so taxpayers pick up the tab. That's just wrong."� I agree. What do YOU think?
Bowen's point is well taken, "The living wage is not a panacea, but it will aid in creating upward mobility among the working poor. It is a step in the right direction."
TRUTH BE TOLD, A living wage is not just an economic imperative; it is a moral one!� Consider the assertions made by Pope Francis.
I was HAPPY to learn from Bowen's column, "Communities in Wisconsin, including the City of Milwaukee, the City of Madison and Dane County, already have living wage ordinances. Nationally, dozens of communities from east to west — from Hartford, Conn., to Minneapolis and St. Paul to Los Angeles and Berkeley — all have living wage ordinances. Research is consistent to counter the misleading figures such as the ones suggested in the Milwaukee County comptroller's worst-case scenario analysis."
I agree with Bowen, "We need to join these communities and relieve taxpayers from having to subsidize low-wage workers with public assistance. And we need to stop subsidizing businesses that pay their workers such a low wage that they are forced to turn to the government for help."
Campaigning for his "living wage" ordinance for Milwaukee County, Bowen argues, "Living wage is about fairness. Hardworking people do not want handouts; they want to live in dignity and be able to pay their bills and provide for their families. The time for a living wage ordinance is now."� What about ROCK COUNTY?
After reading Bowen's column, I was motivated to do some online research on the issue of "living wage" and poverty in America.� I gained a great deal of information and perspective.� I urge you to check the following websites:
"Poverty in America: One Nation, Pulling Apart" - This website reports, "The United States is a nation pulling apart to a degree unknown in the last twenty-five years. A decade of strong national economic growth in the 1990s left many of America's communities falling far behind median national measures of economic health. Despite the investments in transportation and public facilities infrastructures, massive movements of capital and people, and the expectations of most regional economists over the past forty years, the nation's regional development patterns are becoming more uneven. Income inequality is on the rise. The number of communities falling behind the national economic average is increasing. This tendency has been most pronounced in recent years, when trade liberalization and globalization have greatly opened the American economy.
"According to our estimates in 2003, almost 25% of the nation's counties had low per-capita incomes below one half the national average or less, high unemployment, low labor force participation rates, and a high dependency on government transfer payments-all measures of economic distress…"
If you want to check on specific data about "living wage" in places throughout the US, you can use:
"Poverty in America:� Living Wage Calculator."
That part of the "Poverty in America" website reports, "In many American communities, families working in low-wage jobs make insufficient income to live locally given the local cost of living. Recently, in a number of high-cost communities, community organizers and citizens have successfully argued that the prevailing wage offered by the public sector and key businesses should reflect a wage rate required to meet minimum standards of living. Therefore we have developed a living wage calculator to estimate the cost of living in your community or region. The calculator lists typical expenses, the living wage and typical wages for the selected location."
My search on that website led me to the FULL list of "Counties and Places in Wisconsin."� You will find Rock County and then the locations of Janesville, Milton, Beloit and other municipalities in our area.� Checking on Janesville, I learned that the living wage for an average family (2 adults, 2 children) is $18.60.� The poverty wage is: $10.60.� Minimum wage is:� $7.25.� Check on YOUR local data.� What do YOU think?
I do NOT understand that we allow corporations to pay employees wages so low that the employees are dependent on public support which WE THE PEOPLE pay for through our taxes while the corporations reap HIGH PROFITS.� Can YOU explain this situation to me?
I believe that WE THE PEOPLE ought to be advocating – campaigning for LIVING WAGE ordinance in ROCK COUNTY.� What do YOU think?
John W. Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor assigned with the online/distance education faculty of Viterbo University, LaCrosse. He continues his personal mission supporting democracy/civics education in Wisconsin K-12 schools through Project Citizen, We the People, Discovering Democracy (Milton HS). John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff or management.


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a2b invokes conversion tools in sequence to convert files from one type to another, possibly performing some extra processing along the way. Itis a wrapper for many programs like gif2png, latex2html, netpbm, mencoder, ffmpeg, oggenc, etc., that can convert content from one type to another. It can covert text, documents, images, audio, and video and more. Some examples: a2b test.mp3 test.ogg; mencoder_opts="-ss 60 -endpos 10" a2b video.avi clip.flv; a2b -g=subtitles dvd://8 movie.sub; a2b -q http://sam.nipl.net/ sam.aac. That last example downloads the author's Web page, converts it to text with lynx -dump, speaks the text with flite or espeak, and converts the audio file to AAC with faac.
Alv verifies Oracle archive logs to ensure there is a viable set available for DB recovery. It can be run from wherever the logs are stored, so verification may be offloaded from the DB server. Checks are made on file size and type. By default, the checksum of each redo record is also verified. Program output consists of log sequence numbers and character codes which indicate status and highlight any gaps. Environment variable settings allow for custom log name formats and to check the DBNAME set within a log.
AstroStack is an easy-to-use astronomical imaging and processing tool geared towards the use of inexpensive webcam CCDs. It provides a very tunable environment to produce the best quality images. It supports the following features: tunable webcam sampling; image stacking (averaging, additive etc.); pre and post-capture gamma (brightness) and contrast correction; dark-shot CCD calibration (subtractive); and an internal 16-bit grey-scale format for optimal resolution.
The Auto Screenshot Utility for Linux allows users to capture screenshots at regular intervals. Configurable options allow control of the number of screenshots to capture. The capture time interval is also configurable from the main screen of the software. If your desktop environment supports a notification area, you can even minimize the main screen of the software to the notification area/system tray. The screenshot location is configurable as well.
Backshift is a deduplicating (variable-sized, content-based blocks), compressing (xz or bz2) backup program. Full saves and incrementals are pretty indistinct other than the amount of data transmitted, somewhat like with "rsync --link-dest" but without the huge number of hardlinks. It also de-duplicates large file content at a granularity of about 2 megabytes on average; there tends to be a unique copy of each file with size less than around 2 megabytes on average.
Chnorm is a simple command line utility for setting the owner, group, and the mode of given files and directories on a per file/per directory basis, recursively. It is especially useful if you often copy files with brain-dead permissions from filesystems not supporting the Unix permission scheme. It detects executables based on their contents and sets their permissions accordingly.
Japplis Toolbox is a compilation of text utilities in one application. It can encode and decode URL, Base64, Hex, SoundEx, or Metaphone. It can convert numbers from/to binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal, and to date. It gives you text information such as character count, word count, MD5, or SHA. You can get Java system properties, environment variables, or Swing default values. It checks and finds regular expressions. It can also manipulate lines of text by sorting, reversing, shuffling, deleting duplicates, trimming spaces, or numbering lines.
A C library providing HTTP server functionality.
performance monitoring toolkit and API


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Digestive System Evolution
Discussion of everything related to the Theory of Evolution.
Moderator: BioTeam
Re: Digestive System Evolution
Cynicism does not become you nor does it advance you argument, so it is best left alone.
Lysosomes and membranes are two entirely different macro molecules.
My question was which evolved first.
If it was "obviously the membrane" then what was the selective force that required this novelty?
Also how did the lysosome get into the membrane.
What natural selective force required this novelty?
Re: Digestive System Evolution
Ok throw your toys out of the pram then
Re: Digestive System Evolution
I didn't mean to poke fun. I apologise.
I will try and answer your questions
How does your creator look like?
A creationist may answer this way.
Three persons in one. Some images depict a three headed benign personage.
A member of Islam will have no image.
A member of Judaism will also have no image.
A member of the church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster will probably depict a --- well -- a monster made of spaghetti.
Did he create us in his own image?
Since this is a statement from the bible then a bible student will answer probably this way.
The image referred to is a personality image that needs to be cultivated through accurate knowledge of bible teachings.
Hope this helps.
No. You're saying, that the life on Earth was created by designer. How does this one look like? Did this particular creator create us in his own image?
Stop avoiding answers and say us what you know.
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
If you have a proposed hypothesis for how the digestive system developed, it would please me to know where this hypothesis or explanation is. What evidence is it based on? If there is evidence and a hypothesis, please give me the name of that hypothesis and the coordinating evidence.
"But it's still better than believe in God for which you have no proof at all"
There are several evidences for God, especially things which man cannot explain without a all powerful creator. I will begin with the digestive system, the brain, the immune system, the myriad of types of cells in the body, etc. etc. All of them are complex and, for just one system, evolution cannot provide the explanation for how it "developed". How did a simple eukaryote cell turn into a brain cell? How did the brain form? Evolution explains this no where in any hypothesis, especially if you take away the phrase which is simply a lack of an explanation: "It evolved."
Secondly, on evidence for God. There are multiple well known accounts of what you might call "unexplained phenomena". A sailor was in the navy and aboard a ship. The ship had a catholic chaplain. The sailor ridiculed the chaplain, saying (not exact quote) "If there is a God, then He can make me stop smoking!" Now this man had been smoking for some time, was young, had no previous trouble with smoking, and was used to being on a ship. He ritually smoked after lunch. So the next day, he went out on the deck, lit up, and took a deep breadth. He said to himself with satisfaction "There is no God." At that moment, he vomited over the side. He thought "oh, just a fluke of some sort". So the next day, he came upon the deck after lunch, and repeated the same phrase to himself, thinking that there is no God. And he vomited over the side of the ship. And the third day, the same happened again for the 3rd time in a row. He went back to the chaplain and gave his life to Christ. What is evolution's explanation for this? Obviously, this is not the result of a mutation.
I have seen 3 accounts of God myself: phenomena which is unexplained except for God's awesome heeling power. One woman I know, Bridget. She had a problem in her female parts, where she could not have a baby. There is a document showing a doctors report of this. She had been this way for some time. One day, while we were all in service, we had a special guest named Jay Hoskins. He laid hands on her, using the mighty name of Jesus, and she felt a warmth come over her in her female area. She went back to the doctor. The condition that had ailed her was gone. Bridget asked the doctor how this happened. He could not explain it. She went back again for another check up. The results stayed the same. She was heeled by the mighty power of God, which neither medical nor evolution has an explanation for.
The next 2 accounts are the same kind of healing, but they are physical healings which you can watch as they happen. Jay Hoskins, in the same night as Jesus healed Bridget, called out for anyone who had one leg shorter than the other. A young man came up. So that we could see the shorter leg, he sat on the stage and extended and straightened his legs. The left leg was about 4 inches shorter than the other. Jay said "In the name of Jesus Christ be healed." And in that moment, while I was watching, I watched the left leg grow right before my eyes, at about 2 or 3 feet away. And in about 6 seconds, both legs were the same length.
Another time with the same man, Jay Hoskins, called again for the same physical deformality. And a old woman stood up. He placed a single chair in the center aisle where everyone could see. He had her sit in the chair and extend her legs. There was a 3 inch difference this time. I was about 15 or 20 feet away, but a camera displayed it on the big screen. He again said "In the name of Jesus Christ be healed." And again, the leg grew before my eyes.
There was a man that came named John Smithwick. He came to our church and simply prayed over us all, that in the name of Jesus Christ, be healed. There was a girl who had gone to the dentist and was experiencing what was wither pain or numbness as a result of the anesthesia. The pain left her that night. There was someone who was a man who was experiencing pain as a result of a disk in his spine being out of place in some way. He was experiencing difficulties with going up stairs. That night, he had no pain and he walked up the stage stairs without any issues. He has continued in the healing Jesus gave him. There was a man in a wheel chair. He used to be able to walk with a cane. Now he could not and was sitting in a wheelchair. That night, we walked without a cane and received his heeling. Also, that same night, there were tens of people who came with pain, and left without it.
Also, John Smithwick goes around the world. People who had a myriad of medical problems are now free from them by the mighty name of Jesus. There are about 1000 documented healings for the summer.
There is a college for Rhema Bible Training Center. Since its founding, people have been coming in to become healed by Jesus Christ. People come in with many different diseases. Cancer is the most famous one. People come in with cancer, and with no kemo or medical treatment, they leave without it.
But God works by faith, by belief. The bible sais "By his (Jesus') stripes, we were healed." It sais "All things are possible to them that believe." The opposite is also true: if you dont believe, its not possible. Jesus will not overcome you and do something you do not want him to do. A woman had cancer, but did not want to get healed. The people from Rhema came and prayed, and nothing was happening. Then they asked her she believed in Christ, and if she knew Jesus was her healer. She knew, but she responded (not exact) "Im ready to go to heaven." They understood at that point. Then they prayed to God and told Him of the situation, which being the God He is, He already knew what was going on. They prayed her over into Heaven, and in the next few minutes, she passed on without a sign. She passed on without a seizure or twitches or anything that shows that she was dying. Just simply passed. She could not be healed by God's power because she did not want to be healed. She did not want to believe for that healing.
Also, you may look to the complexity of ALL life, especially the brain, and the complex systems, and the cycles that maintain life on earth, and the atom structure. I assume you know that carbon is the basis of all life. Everything that is alive has carbon. Carbon has 6 protons. Protons, in the natural world, do not bind to each other. They repel each other. Also, the speed needed for nuclear fusion do not occur naturally, by itself, in the natural world. Yet protons are held together in an atom by nuclear forces, forces that cause protons to stick together when they get extremely close together. Yet any farther apart, and they split. How did carbon form? How is it even possible for carbon to form? The answer is that it is not possible for carbon, iron, mercury, aluminum, fluorine, chlorine, magnesium, calcium, anything with an atomic number of 2 or above, to form. Life and the very world as we know it cannot exist by evolution and the big bang.
JackBean & scottie: Ask yourself this: where are you going when you die? There is indeed an afterlife. There is a heaven and a hell, and we must all go to either one, and we must all face the judgement seat of God. There was a survey given to people who had been clinically dead and had arisen from death. 4000 people said that they had either seen heaven, hell, or both as described in the Bible. One case in particular was a pastor in Africa. He was in a car accident and dies, right then and there. He was dead for 4 hours. During that time, his church was praying over his body that he should come back to life. He arose after 4 hours. He told the people what he saw when he came back to life. He saw heaven, where it was so pleasant. The flowers and everything there praised God. the air was filled with a peaceful tune. Then the angel that was guiding him around took him to hell. There was a man in hell who was a cannibal. The Bible sais that "whatever a man soeth (sows), so shall he reap." The cannibal was eating his own flesh. and in between bites, his flesh renewed itself so that he could eat into eternity.
Hell is a scary place, but you can escape only through Jesus. The Bible sais "No man come unto the Father (God) expect by the son", who is Jesus Christ. The bible sais "He who calls on his name (Jesus) shall be saved." Call on him.
-facts, observed events, plausible explanations, and solid evidence
scottie: Why does it have to be on or the other?
God want our heart. He wants our devotion, our time, and the dedication, to Him, of our lives and our moral conduct. But God DOESNT WANT TO TAKE THIS FROM ANY MAN! God is all powerful. He holds the universe in His hands, and the Earth id His footstool. If He wanted to, he could just do what he wanted and be draconian and tyrannical. But that is not in His nature. God wants to show you His glory and His power, and his love, peace, joy, mercy, and compassion.
It has to be one way or the other between evolution and God because evolution is something that tries to falsely explain how the world came to be. The universe and everything we say is the product of God's creation, and when we try to diminish His power and His power and His incredibly complex creation by saying that it arrived by itself from nothing and that it is the result of a random, impossible process. No. God created this universe and everything we see (there are artificial products, which were created from God's supply of basic materials, which He created).
Allow me to tell you about the origins of evolution. A man named Charles Darwin was a Christian. He believed in God. He knew he created the universe. He knew the good things of God. But his children developed incredibly serious illnesses: tuberculous and some others that I dont remember the exact ones. His wife got a serious disease. His children and wife dies eventually. Charles Darwin, being mad at God and wanting to get back at God, made the theory of evolution. Think: if you're a Christian scientist, and your children and wife get serious illnesses and die, and God is supposed to be good, and they die. How would you feel toward God? How could you get back at Him?
-facts, observed events, plausible explanations, and solid evidence
Well, for one, God is a trinity of three parts: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and The Holy Spirit. We men have 3 parts: spirit, mind/soul, and body. The spirit is where you are housed when you leave this earth. The spirit is shown to be existent by the many people who died and were still able to see in their after life. They were not seeing with their natural eyes. They saw with the eyes of their spirit as they walked the afterlife.
The mind/soul is not the physical mind, but it is your free will and emotions.
But essentially, God is in three parts joined in one, and we are three parts joined in one.
-facts, observed events, plausible explanations, and solid evidence
I believe there is a creator. I am a christian, and regardless of whether it came from me or him, it is a valid answer on the same God.
Also, take into consideration the complexity of our body. The several systems that have, for each, a different type of cell. The brain. The digestive system and the question of lysosome and the enzymes within, as well as the conundrum of how stomach acid ended up in the stomach, and how the t-cell came to be, and how each type of cell arrived on this earth. Then take into account how the body is organized in such a way, that all systems are stacked together in a way that allows them all to function. Now take into account the complexity of all life, the simplest single-celled organisms (which are complex, but are yet the simplest) and up to multicellular organism, and the fact that they are even more complex that unicellular. Then take into the account the earth's position and its life support systems, where if only one were out of place, all or most of life would cease to exist.
This cannot have happened simply by chance. The big bang claims that something, which is complex in design, cam make itself out of nothing. The theory of evolution sais that life began in the chemical slosh, where chemicals arranged themselves randomly so that the plasma membrane was on the outside, and the organelles were on the inside, and that the organelles would function, and that the cell as a a whole would be alive. Evolution shoots itself in foot when it sais "life comes from life", and yet a prokaryote, which is alive, can develop from a randomly accomplished organization of chemicals, which are not alive. It is so close to impossible, that mass amounts of phosphorus, adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine would amass together and somehow form DNA, or other chemicals to form a simple plasma membrane. Much less the organelles which are more complex in chemical structure and would develop after the plasma membrane, and would somehow end up inside the plasma membrane. How did organelles get inside the plasma membrane?
The answer to this is simply this: its impossible for life to come from things that are not alive, and it is impossible for life to randomly form on its own and have such perfect design. For life to be so complex and have the life support to accompany it, there has to be a creator, a God, an intelligent designer.
-facts, observed events, plausible explanations, and solid evidence
Re: Digestive System Evolution
Because evolutionary theory claims to be science. This is a science forum.
Your religion is your business, but it cannot be taught as science.
There are many religions around and yours is just one of the many.
With respect, the digestive system which this thread is about has nothing to do with your religion
Recall the question that started this thread.
If you wish to start another thread on your religion then by all means please do so.
I personally will choose not to post to that thread.
You and Jackbean seem to wish to discuss your respective religions.
That is up to you two.
He has found a comforting bolt hole to evade the science he is being examined on and you appear to want to persuade me to give my heart to your mysterious Trinity.
I can however answer one question you asked me because it can be answered by science.
When I die I go to the grave. The same place as anyone else including, sadly my dead dog. My body will decompose and it will return to all the constituent elemental parts. In other words I will cease to exist.
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Carverfest packing reminder thread...
1 - Print out the phone numbers of everybody who is coming. If you happen to break down on the way or need help getting there, help unpacking, a question about the last store or closest Wal-Mart or city? You'll be able to contact somebody to assist you.
2 - Remember to pack a flashlight and fresh batteries. One per person would be advisable. The mountains are out in the boontillies of North Carolina and the closest street light is probably 7 miles away. Point being, it's pretty damned dark out there. There is actually more light coming from the stars than the cabins themselves.
3 - Bring some extra rolls of toilet paper if you plan on having guests come to your cabin to listen to your rig. We have about 40-45 folks coming this year and while the cabins supply toilet paper? They only do it once, not daily.
4 - NO BOSE. As part of the unspoken rules of Carverfest, anybody who brings BLOSE into the cabins will immediately have to check it in at the door to offer it as a sacrifice to the audio Gods. A ceremony will have to be scheduled to find out when we all can watch it being thrown off the side of the mountain.
5 - Bring an umbrella "just in case". We will be in Nature's house this upcoming weekend and even though weather patterns have been dry lately, it has rained at every single Carverfest held. Think of it as insurance for your gear as you are packing or unpacking if you don't mind getting wet.
6 - No smoking in the Cabins, no exceptions. Do not flick your butts in the forest either. If we see you flick your butt off the side of the mountain, the next thing going over the mountain will be you.
7 - Don't forget your swimsuit. This is optional for the women, of course. There is a jacuzzi at every cabin....why deny yourself the luxury?
8 - Bring a selection of your favorite music and test tracks. There will be many rigs that will be setup throughout Carverfest and you may be very interested in hearing your favorite tracks or reference material on some of them. Got something killer you would like to share with the group? Bring it. A description of what you hear won't work as good as the actual music.
9 - Bring power strips or heavy duty extension cords. This mostly applies to folks that are bringing a rig or two but if you have one you can pack? It may come in handy for someone. The reason this was mentioned is that we have had some issues in the past with outlets at the cabins not being placed where they are at your house. If you want to place your rig in the optimal acoustical spot, there may not be an outlet [or outlets] to supply your rig with power.
10 - Bring your favorite cup/mug/coolie. I am requesting that you take this into serious consideration. It's not a rule, it's a suggestion to help the main cabins. Here's why. It happens every year that the main host cabins either have 28 glasses when they should have 15, or they have 4 coffee mugs when they should have 10. With so many people going in and out of any and all cabins for various reasons an untold amount of times per day, it is impossible to keep track of what mug/glass goes with what cabin. Every freakin' year we have to waste an hour or three while packing to reclaim or figure out where the hell things went. While this is really nobody's fault, it will improve [and has improved] dramatically if you have your own personal cup/mug/coolie.
11 - Take photos of the interior of your cabin before you go setting up your rig(s). Some cabins require some major changes to the cabin in order to accommodate the rig to optimal acoustics. While this is no problem [moving furniture], if you don't set it back up the way you found it? You may have a hefty fee tacked onto your bill, especially if it takes two people to move it back. Please read the cabin agreement that you have to sign for all the terms and conditions. This is not a rule, but a suggestion that has come in handy every freakin' year we have attended. To date, no fee has been charged and if we keep this up? There won't ever be an additional fee.
12 - Bring some cash. You never know what may pop up for sale. Those that don't like shopping and haven't contributed to the food fund? Well, if you can't figure that one out......you will when you get hungry.
13 - Bungee cord your trash at the cabin!!! The cabins provide two trash cans with locking lids. Unless you want to pick up all the trash in the morning, it is strongly advised that you use these lids and lock them with the bungee cords! They do have bears, raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, bobcats and other "critters" that would love nothing more than to rummage through your trash and they will stop at nothing to get that opportunity. There will be no overnight security trash detail provided.
The best way to enjoy digital music reproduction is to never listen to a good analogue reproduction.


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Two home invasion suspects plead guilty
JANESVILLE—Two more suspects in a violent town of Fulton home invasion pleaded guilty to felony charges in Rock County Court this week.
Four people were charged with a combined 22 felonies and four misdemeanors for a Jan. 11 robbery in which intruders stole money and dozens of guns from a rural couple, police said.
Jesse D. Adams, 22, of 719 Kenwood Ave., Beloit, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to armed robbery, theft and possession of a firearm by a felon.
On Tuesday, 22-year-old Kayla L. Pearson of 1910 N. Lexington Drive, Janesville, pleaded guilty to armed robbery, theft and false imprisonment. Each charge was modified because she was a party to the crime.
Adams and another man, 25-year-old Christopher Kimps of Whitewater, broke into the couple's home, pointed guns at them, beat them and bound them with duct tape during the robbery, according to court documents.
Pearson had dated the couple's son for two years, authorities said, and lived in the town of Fulton home for months. She told the group about the house and its supply of guns, according to court documents.
Along with a fourth accomplice, 20-year-old Sarah A. Buckingham of Monroe, the trio made off with about $2,500 in cash, 35 guns and a pickup truck, court documents show.
Kimps later led police on a chase through downtown Janesville in the truck, authorities said.
The suspects were arrested in Sauk County a few days after the robbery.
Kimps pleaded guilty last week to five felony charges and is set for a sentencing hearing Feb. 4.
Adams' sentencing hearing will be Jan. 24, while Pearson's will be Jan. 30.


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libstudxml is a streaming XML pull parser and streaming XML serializer implementation for modern, standard C++. It has an API which the authors believe should have already been in Boost or even in the C++ standard library. It is compact, external dependency-free, and reasonably efficient. The XML parser is a conforming, non-validating XML 1.0 implementation which is based on tested and proven code.
The Link Grammar Parser (link-grammar) is a syntactic parser of English, Russian, Arabic, and Persian (and other languages as well), based on link grammar, an original theory of English syntax. Given a sentence, the system assigns to it a syntactic structure, which consists of a set of labelled links connecting pairs of words. The parser also produces a "constituent" (Penn tree-bank style phrase tree) representation of a sentence (showing noun phrases, verb phrases, etc.). The RelEx extension provides dependency-parse output.
gradle-sablecc-plugin is a gradle plugin which creates parsers using SableCC. SableCC supports automatic CST-to-AST transformation, emits all the visitor patterns and analysis helpers you will likely ever need, and is LR, not LL(k). Many example grammars are available for modern languages; the author of this plugin has written dozens.
jsoup is a Java library for working with real-world HTML. It can parse HTML from a URL, file, or string. It can find and extract data, using DOM traversal or CSS selectors. The HTML elements, attributes, and text can be manipulated. It can clean user-submitted content against a safe white-list. jsoup is designed to deal with all varieties of HTML found in the wild, from pristine and validating to invalid tag-soup; jsoup will create a sensible parse tree.
lihata is a compact textual language which can represent a tree of lists, hashes, and tables. The syntax tries to be minimal and flexible to allow formatting a lihata file to fit the context it represents. The source release contains an event and DoM parser and helper functions for maintaining lihata trees. lihata is a convenient language for both simple and complex configuration files and text representation of data files.


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35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Decal
35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Decal
Made in the USA! Premium Veteran Decals to Show Your Pride!
Perfect for any smooth, clean surface, these military decals are made here in South Carolina. Put them on your truck, windows, computer, door, mailbox, footlocker, personal Huey or Cobra Attack Helio - basically anywhere! They are printed on a 5 year exterior vinyl with thermal inks. This decal is printed on premium white vinyl and is diecut. They also come in 4 sizes. You get 2 decals (as pictured) for the small 3 inch decals as well as the mediums. The large and XL decals are sold as individuals. No transfer tape needed, just peel and stick while rubbing out any air bubbles.


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Riis Park
6100 W. Fullerton Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60639
(312) 746-5363
Fee: Free
Age Range: Any
Dr. Seuss' The LoraxThis animated adventure follows the journey of a boy as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
Rated PG | 86 minutes | 2012*Closed Captioned
Presented by Charter One, with additional support from RCN.
Underwritten by Griffins Rugby Football Club


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Are evolution and creationism mutually exclusive???
Discussion of everything related to the Theory of Evolution.
Moderator: BioTeam
Are evolution and creationism mutually exclusive???
Do you think that evolution and creationism are mutually exclusive???
Below is my "theory". See if you can disprove it with your arguments!!!
- Once upon a time there was a being, let's call him/her "God". God was interested in genetic engineering and observing effects of evolution. His primary purpose of coming to Earth was to conduct a large scale experiment – create a race in his/her likeness but capable of surviving in the conditions present on this planet and observe evolution with his/her own eyes.
God did not mean to create a person capable of complex thinking. Original "people" were a lot more like animals until one of them (Adam or Eve?) accidently made it into "employee only" section and drank (ate?) potion that activated/introduced genes for brain development (the famous apple of knowledge). After the accident God dumped all of his subjects on Earth in fear that next time someone will drink the potion that will introduce genes of longevity into population of his experimental subjects. If that happens, experiment will be ruined. God's lifespan was many times that of a person.
From time to time God or those of his/her race come to earth to pick up a few people, animals, plants and check progress of the experiment (UFOs/aliens). Sometimes he/she saved some of those subjects from being exterminated by others (see manna machine - http://www.thepansophical.com/node/117) .
Feel free to come up with the rest of the story!
Have fun disproving it!!!
NOTE: This post is primarily for fun. I have no intentions of proving this theory. I am supplying it as valid alternative to everything that's out there...
If the myth of spontaneous generation was 'true' and life did arise by itself (after the universe and all the matter in it springs into existence from nowhere, with no cause) then of course a supernatural entity is superfluous. So yes they are mutually exclusive. 'Evolution' is the foundation of the atheism creation myth and is necessary to avoid (or try to) Genesis in the bible and the implications of creation/fall of man.
Very interesting about the pyramids. I would say they were (presumably) built AFTER Noahs flood (because they are still here obv). The capstone is missing on the great pyramid. If your from USA look at your $1 bill.
Mathew 41:22
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Psalm 118:22
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
First, evolution is defined as "change over time" and has absolutely nothing to do with creation.
Second, if you want, look into Genesis. Specifically Genesis 3:22 (I looked it up). According to it, evolution (as defined above) is natural and NOT precluded by the Bible.
How did the God and his race come into life?
Why would God put such genes into humans if he didn't want to use them? Would you put toxin gene into bacteria if you didn't want the bacteria to produce it?
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Good question, but off the subject. All life is not life on our planet. Suppose it's a cycle that started untold number of years ago in another universe. God had a god, who had a god, who had a god...
This one is very interesting. So I will give you futuristic example:
Suppose we decided (for whatever reason) to populate a new planet that is not very suitable for us. We create new species of all earth organisms, and to insure their survival, we add ALL of the different genes from other organisms/species that we know and then we SILENCE them. This creates new species that seem to be exactly like what we are used to, but gives them an advantage in adaptation to new and largely unknown environment.
Re: Are evolution and creationism mutually exclusive???
Genesis 3:22
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
You asked if they ARE mutually exclusive. I answered yes. I will ask next time which definition of 'evolution'? Change in gene frequency over time? Speciation? Mutation? Descent with modification? Gene flow? Genetic drift? (all of which generate no new genetic information) The myth that that mistakes and accidents (not that there is a mechanism for such a process) in an undirected process resulted in the most complex thing man has EVER obtained knowledge of (DNA), krebs cycle, the human eye, DNA transcription and translation, the genius lac operon (it is to me anyway) etc etc? I assumed you meant the last one/prokaryote---->every living thing on the planet. Hence why i answered ' yes' they are mutually exclusive.
The fall of man had an unknown effect to us on our genetics and our environment other than one certainty- decay. Natural selection really is quite genius as is Mendelian inheritance such that different organisms can adapt to the environment to ensure the survival of the 'species' in a diverse range of climates. It is the God of the bibles created mechanism not Charles Darwins (or Edward Blyths though he got it first).
BTW Cat i dont refer to 'change in a living thing over time' as 'evolution'. There has been speciation, genetic drift, etc but again, these mechanisms have NOTHING to do with the putative origin of a genome, from non living matter, through natural processes, which then gets more and more complex over time, for no reason other than teachers INTENTIONALLY indoctrinating their students that said mechanisms are sufficient for such a DELUSIONAL process (by using the same word to describe all processes 'evolution') AKA The bait and switch which is an illegal advertising SCAM.
Re: Re:
Then you have circle spiral and it makes no sense to debate further. Next time simply say you believe in God and we're done.
The second way was just nonsense.
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Re: Re:
What I believe is that WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER. I just don't like when people keep confusing evolution (Evolution is change over time due to mutations, genetic drift, and natural selection) and, for lack of the better term, the origin of species. Process of evolution can be proven. Origin of life - cannot.
Heres a good one. First literature i read (intending to find one to laugh at)
Major transitions in biological evolution show the same pattern of sudden emergence of diverse forms at a new level of complexity. The relationships between major groups within an emergent new class of biological entities are hard to decipher and do not seem to fit the tree pattern that, following Darwin's original proposal, remains the dominant description of biological evolution. The cases in point include the origin of complex RNA molecules and protein folds; major groups of viruses; archaea and bacteria, and the principal lineages within each of these prokaryotic domains; eukaryotic supergroups; and animal phyla. In each of these pivotal nexuses in life's history, the principal "types" seem to appear rapidly and fully equipped with the signature features of the respective new level of biological organization. No intermediate "grades" or intermediate forms between different types are detectable. Usually, this pattern is attributed to cladogenesis compressed in time, combined with the inevitable erosion of the phylogenetic signal.
The one-time Prize will be paid to the winner(s) as a twenty-year annuity in hopes of discouraging theorists' immediate retirement from productive careers. The annuity consists of $50,000.00 (U.S.) per year for twenty consecutive years, totalling one million dollars in payments.
http://www.scitopics.com/The_Law_of_Phy ... eness.html
"If decision-node programming selections are made randomly or by law rather than with purposeful intent, no non-trivial (sophisticated) function will spontaneously arise."
If only one exception to this null hypothesis were published the hypothesis would be falsified. Falsification would require an experiment devoid of behind-the-scenes steering. Any artificial selection hidden in the experimental design would disqualify the experimental falsification. After ten years of continual republication of the null hypothesis with appeals for falsification, no falsification has been provided.
The time has come to extend this null hypothesis into a formal scientific prediction:
"No non trivial algorithmic/computational utility will ever arise from chance and/or necessity alone."
All of the DATA that supports "tree of life" - first prokaryote, than eukaryote that somehow swallowed prokaryote giving us mitochondria and giving plants chloroplasts can be interpreted in the OPPOSITE direction. If you remove our BIAS that we are MORE advanced than whatever existed years ago, you start to see that it's just as likely that eukaryote lost precursor of mitochondria and that gave rise to bacteria and so on. My problem with evolution in particular and with biology in general is that people stopped thinking for themselves. Even in this forum you see people quoting what this or that scientist is saying as opposed to quoting factual data. At best you see someone else's conclusion instead of the data. So, please, give me your thoughts and support them with actual data.
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Population of Heide Ward 2012
- Profile
- Heide Ward
- Population of Heide Ward
- Population 2012
Learn about the population of Heide Ward 2012 and other demographic information in an accurate, up-to-date, website.
Did you mean...
The most up to date population for Heide Ward was recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the 2011 Census. This is the basis for all population figures for the next five years. All quoted populations since 2011 are therefore estimates or forecasts.
The first official population estimates for Heide Ward for 2012 will be available in March 2013. In the meantime, you can access 2011 figures in the following websites from population experts, .id.
The websites show how the population has changed from1991 to 2011. For some areas population forecasts are also available.
The data is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, compiled by population experts and funded by the local council, so you can be confident when using the figures that they are up to date and accurate.


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Betty Gorgas, Janesville, WI (1925-2014)
June 23, 1925 - January 8, 2014
Betty Gorgas, age 88, of Janesville, died on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, at St. Mary's Janesville Hospital. She was born in Delavan Lake, WI, on June 23, 1925, the daughter of Glen and LaVida (Blodgett) Cross. She married Virgil "Chick" Gorgas in Brick Church Parsonage on Oct. 14, 1943, and he preceded her in death on June 17, 1997. Betty was a member of First Lutheran Church, and was a volunteer for R.S.V.P., Kennedy Elementary School, and the Senior Meals Program.
Betty is survived by her two children, Virgil (Sharon Briggs) Gorgas of Janesville, and Rev. Lori (Tom) Hlaban of Pewaukee; honorary daughter, Jeanne Vaughn of Janesville; six grandchildren: Tracy-Mark Gorgas, Mairi (Mark) Hanning, Heidi (Jason) Swinney, Michael (Becky Famularo) Hlaban, Maggie Hlaban and Roza Hlaban; and five great-grandchildren: Tyler and Trinity Hanning, Zondra, Quinton and Kira Sweeney. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.
A Funeral Service will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at SCHNEIDER APFEL SCHNEIDER & SCHNEIDER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY with Rev. Naomi Garber officiating. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 1:30 until 3 p.m. at SCHNEIDER APFEL SCHNEIDER & SCHNEIDER FUNERAL HOME. Entombment will be in Roselawn Memory Gardens, Lake Geneva. Lasting Memorials may be made to S.P.C.A. or the American Cancer Society. For on-line condolences and registry: www.schneiderfuneraldirectors.com


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Fair officials 'thrilled' with possible option to stay in Janesville
JANESVILLE--Janesville's assistant city manager has pitched a plan to move the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds to the General Motors plant site, and the fair board president said he's thrilled.
�"I'm real thrilled that they stepped up and talked to us," fair board President John Quinn said.
The majority of fair board members thought the idea is "very viable" and the proposal "exciting," Quinn said.
Janesville City Council Vice President Matt Kealy, who was briefed on the plan in a closed-door meeting recently, said the fairgrounds is a good option for the GM site if the land becomes available.
Kealy said having a large, open space for the fair and other events would be good for Janesville and all of Rock County.
"I don't think we're ready to home in on this one idea," Kealy said. "But now is appropriate to look at the reuse of that site."
The GM property might be available if GM takes the Janesville plant off standby status after expiration of the UAW national contract in 2015.
Assistant City Manger Jay Winzenz, who at the time was acting city manager, drafted the fairgrounds proposal after another group proposed moving the fair to Evansville.
The Southern Wisconsin Agricultural Group—SWAG—hopes to build a regional agricultural events and education center in Evansville and recently suggested the Evansville facility could host the fair.
At the time, some suggested Janesville wasn't doing enough to make sure the fair stays in Janesville.
Former fair board member Craig O'Leary, for example, said at a public hearing that a new venue is needed for the fair but fair board members had never "heard a peep" from Janesville officials about the economic benefit the fair provides the city.
Winzenz responded with a map showing what could be done on about 130 acres if GM divests itself of the property.
The fair board is considering a new location after a wildly successful 2013 fair that featured performers whose songs hit No. 1 at fair time. That caused crowding on the 18.5-acre fairgrounds in the middle of Janesville.
The fair board doesn't know if it will move but wants to leave all options open, Quinn said. The fair would need at least 100 acres, and he called the SWAG concept "wonderful."
SWAG might want to put some of its components in Janesville, Quinn said.
"I would hope that SWAG would come on board, maybe put something down there," he said referring to the GM fair site.
The GM site is easy to access from Interstate 90/39, Highway 51 and Highway 14 via Delavan Drive, Winzenz said. It is in a central location in the county.
The GM site is about 200 acres. Winzenz said an entertainment complex could be one option on the northern half that could also host the fairgrounds. He suggests the city buy about 28 additional acres along the river, opening access to the river. The city has since the 1920s followed a strategy of buying land along the river.
A redevelopment company has talked about building greenhouses no that site, and the city could partner with a university to offer agricultural credits, Winzenz said.
Winzenz envisions an agricultural and auto museum in the oldest portion of the manufacturing plant, which originally built Samson tractors.
"From several meetings with General Motors, I believe they want to have a legacy in the community," Winzenz said.
Mark Freitag started as city manager Dec. 2. He declined to comment on the GM fairgrounds proposal.
The city has a long-term goal of buying riverfront property and opening access to the public. That follows the 1920s direction of famed city planner John Nolan.
Winzenz's proposal would mean buying 44 properties, including residences and businesses with an assessed value of about $2.8 million. Francois Oil accounts for more than $300,000 of that.
Forty-one of the properties are in the 100-year or 500-year floodplain, Winzenz said.
Winzenz said he could only guess at the expense of the plan. A 2004 study estimated a cost of $20 million just to move the fairgrounds.
The proposal includes a convention/exposition center, outdoor horse and rodeo show arena, a midway, amphitheater/grandstand and tractor museum with auto and agricultural exhibits. A parking lot already exists, but more parking could be needed.
The current fairgrounds host gatherings almost every weekend. A management company could book the new facility for equestrian events, concerts, tractor pulls or gun shows, Winzenz said.
�"Anything would be possible, even a hotel, convention center or ice arena," Winzenz said.
�"There are a lot of people that are going to have to come to the table for this to happen," he said.
City council members generally were receptive to Winzenz's suggestions, Councilman Sam Liebert said. Behind closed doors, the council gave the administration the OK to continue exploring the possibilities.
"I think it would do a lot to help Janesville and the south side," Liebert said.
He noted the UAW contract isn't up until 2015, and the council has to be sensitive to that. Winzenz's proposal is only one idea, he said.
"While nothing is cast in stone, it is better to be proactive instead of sitting on your hands and doing nothing," Liebert said.
�"It's probably the most—next to SHINE (a new medical isotope company)—probably one of the most exciting things I've ever been presented with," Liebert said.
"It would be something awesome."
"It's better to have a vision than no vision at all," he said.
Winzenz said he is "planting seeds" with his proposal.
GM officials "very early on … told us they wanted the community to be involved in the plans for redevelopment," Winzenz said.
"They wanted to be sensitive to that, and they didn't want to do something that wasn't OK with the community.
�"I'd like to be able to roll this concept out to the General Motors folks and say, 'This is what we want,'" Winzenz said.
"There are a lot of opportunities here."


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RealGM.com20. Toronto Raptors : -2.9
The Raptors have been encouraged by their record and excellent play since the middle of December, encouraged enough to take the idea of trading Chris Bosh completely off the table.
Toronto doesn't risk a whole lot by keeping Bosh and playing out the season as a middle seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They get that benefit, the solid opportunity to sign him to an extension, plus they could also do a sign-and-trade or have approximately $9M in cap space if he walks.
Pretty sure he's wrong about the cap space if Bosh walks. I had a numbe in my mind that was less than the MLE and of course by being under cap by any amount means the MLE and the BAE are off limits.


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eGift Cards
As the Exclusive Hockey Equipment Retailer for USA Hockey, Pure Hockey / Total Hockey is proud to join in their efforts to grow the game. Due to their nation-wide presence, USA Hockey is able to encourage growth through initiatives such as Hockey Weekend Across America, Try Hockey for Free and the Degree Hockey Jersey Program. To learn more about these programs and our partnership, visit our USA Hockey page. Click to view information about the Grow the Game Award or our $1 Donation program.
Because of similar goals, Pure Hockey / Total Hockey joined forces with the Grow the Game Initiative to launch GrowtheGame.com. As the Founding Sponsor, Pure Hockey / Total Hockey plans to continue the Grow the Game partnership by working together to increase player participation and player recruitment. Other plans include local state contests to increase hockey participation as well as development of Grow the Game materials to help parents improve the youth hockey experience for kids.
In addition, Pure Hockey / Total Hockey is partnered with National Hockey League organizations who share the goal of growing the greatest game on earth. These programs provide hockey families, parents, players, coaches, recruiters, fans and those new to the game with vital information about all aspects of the game, including proper equipment fitting, tips on helping your child with the sport, player development, and much more. Pure Hockey / Total Hockey is partnered with the Dallas Stars Care, Phoenix Coyotes Care, Colorado Avalanche Cares, Columbus Blue Jackets Care, Tampa Bay Lightning Care, Florida Panthers Care, and the St. Louis Blues Youth Sports Scene.
The Grow the Game Initiative is a national program to grow the game of hockey across the U.S. Founded by the Youth Sports Coalition, the Grow the Game Initiative's goal is to grow the game of hockey so that all players learn life lessons through hockey participation. For more information, please visit: GrowtheGame.com.
One of our greatest partners in the effort to grow the game, Minnesota Hockey, in conjuncture with USA Hockey, sponsors many programs to introduce kids to the sport and to recognize those who make a difference. Through our partnership with Minnesota Hockey, Pure Hockey / Total Hockey has established the Pure Hockey / Total Hockey Playmaker Fund. This fund comes from sales within Minnesota Pure Hockey / Total Hockey stores and from contributions of Minnesota customers. Pure Hockey / Total Hockey Playmaker Fund is one of the ways we are working to expand the sport and support youth hockey associations. To see more of what Total Hockey does in partnership with Minnesota Hockey check out Volunteer of the Month, Gear Up Minnesota and our Donations page.
In addition to our partnership with Minnesota Hockey we strive to work with hockey associations in every area where we have stores. These relationships help us to promote hockey growth and connect with youth hockey players in the area. We currently are partnering with Missouri Hockey and Mid States Club Hockey Association and continue to build relationships with local hockey associations as we expand.
Pure Hockey / Total Hockey sponsors youth hockey radio shows in an effort to increase interest to new players and grow the game. Youth Hockey Radio demonstrates the immense benefits of having a child play hockey, which allows listeners to hear firsthand the many benefits of the game both physically and emotionally for children.
The Maksymum Hockey Radio Show is a youth hockey specific radio show that began in 2003. "The Voice of Youth Hockey" is based in Rochester, NY, and is partnered with USA Hockey. Pure Hockey / Total Hockey is the The Exclusive Hockey Equipment Retailer of the Maksymum Hockey Radio Show. Shows air from October through March each hockey season on WHTK-AM in Rochester and all shows are streamed live on www.maksymumhockeyradio.com and www.usahockey.com.
To listen to archived shows, click here.


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If we needed any more proof that a successful business today is a global business, consider a recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey of U.S.-based middle market companies. In the 2013 CFO Outlook Midyear Update, more than three out of four executives said their companies are doing business internationally. That figure is even more incredible when you consider that 18 months earlier it was only 54 percent. Clearly, international markets have been important to these companies' revenue growth during the economic recovery. And the number of midmarket firms looking to grow globally may continue to climb, as many of the business conditions necessary for expansion—such as access to low-cost credit—remain stronger than they have been in years past.
At the same time, the risks inherent in doing business overseas remain significant. It is vital for a company's leaders to decide on a cohesive corporate strategy before entering international markets. By taking into account all of the risks and opportunities that overseas expansion might entail, an organization can reduce its borrowing costs, optimize its working capital and liquidity structure, and facilitate investment activity—all while navigating local clearing systems and currencies.
Access to Capital
For many midmarket companies, the first consideration when looking at doing business overseas is figuring out how to access capital abroad. Although borrowing costs remain very low worldwide, raising capital in a foreign country is very different than taking out a loan in the United States. Liquidity is still tight in many countries, at least on a bilateral basis, and many foreign banks are working to build their balance sheets by expanding their business with their largest domestic clients, rather than taking on new customers. Multinational corporations' subsidiaries sometimes have difficulty accessing international capital markets, so capital can be a serious concern in a push toward global growth.
Global credit facilities are often attractive to U.S.-based businesses that are growing abroad because they extend credit based on the standing of the business overall, its financial performance, and the financial strength of the parent company. This is particularly important for syndications, as it leverages North American banking relationships for a global benefit. Such an arrangement also simplifies global borrowing; the entire company has one master credit document with a banking counterparty. Terms and conditions are harmonized companywide, which leads to simplified execution.
Consider a U.S.-based company's various options for structuring financing for business units operating in two European countries—France and Italy, for example. One option would be to secure independent financing to fund the working capital needs and collateral assets in each country. This would require two sets of financing documents, two sets of compliance rules, and two teams to keep the projects going.
An alternative would be to establish an organizational structure that includes a principal company in a credit-friendly country, such as the Netherlands, which holds all collateral assets for both subsidiaries. In this scenario, the businesses in France and Italy would be converted into tolling operations that receive a fee from the holding company for operating expenses; all their cash inflows and outflows—including inventory purchases, operating expenses, financing expenses, and capital expenses—would go through the Dutch holding company. This arrangement might have long-term benefits in terms of simplifying the credit structure of the multinational organization, and it might provide better terms for borrowing for the French and Italian companies. However, it's worth noting that one recent trend in international borrowing is the tightening of global credit requirements, as a result of many nations' increased scrutiny of the banking industry.
A multinational company that is trying to determine the best way to structure financing around the world needs to start by analyzing the strategic priorities for its overseas ventures. It should quantify the amount of capital it needs to fund each priority and rank them in order of importance. These strategic priorities should include funding day-to-day operations, funding growth and strategic investments, and optimizing working capital liquidity. Gaining operating efficiencies, protecting margins, and managing volatility and financial risk are also priorities for most businesses. Because every company and every country is different, taking the time to articulate corporate priorities before moving into a new market will help an organization make optimal decisions with regard to its banking needs.
Cash Management and Liquidity
Once a company has secured a source of capital for a subsidiary in another country, its next major treasury challenge is to establish a process by which the corporate entity can maintain full visibility into how much cash the global operation has on hand at any time, as well as where the funds are located. New banking regulations make it more important than ever before to consolidate treasury activities as much as possible. Basel III is designed to ensure that banks have enough cash on hand to cover their loans, a change that could add more complexity to global liquidity management.
For many midmarket businesses, technology can provide the requisite visibility. Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) software can improve transparency throughout the Eurozone and beyond. There are also standardized, bank-agnostic solutions, as well as single-access platforms and any-to-any file integration. These tools—which are generally offered by larger global banks—enable companies to track their currencies through a familiar user interface.
Of course, optimizing visibility requires process improvements as well. An integrated payment and risk management policy can help a company centralize decision-making, maximize liquidity, and make full use of a technology solution that integrates multiple payment channels.
One unfortunate tendency among companies that are expanding globally is avoidance. Treasurers often avoid making changes to existing systems because they don't want to have to change the way they perform basic treasury functions. That usually translates into an insistence on being paid in dollars. But using dollars to pay for goods in foreign countries costs 5 percent more, on average, which runs counter to the treasury goal of maximizing receipts.
Although most multinational corporations benefit from centralizing treasury processes, it is important to know the local rules and customs in each nation in which the company operates, and to think broadly about the opportunities in every jurisdiction. For instance, there are times when an organization might adopt a currency hedging strategy in order to gain certainty around the costs it incurs in the course of its daily operations. At other times, a company might engage in the same type of cross-currency swap with the goal of favorably affecting its interest rate risk.
Consider a U.S.-based business that wants to expand overseas by acquiring a company in the United Kingdom. The parties would set the acquisition price in British pounds, so a hedging strategy that maximized flexibility while minimizing obligation would be vital to the acquiring organization. For some pre- and post-acquisition expenditures, paying in the local currency and then hedging to mitigate foreign exchange (FX) risks would be critical, especially to offset the cost of unique, sometimes expensive, goods and services such as legal fees, advisers' fees, and travel expenses for executives. In other cases, the acquiring company would want to use an integrated multi-payment channel to execute FX transactions, especially if the acquired company receives payments in British pounds via numerous small transactions.
Having one channel that can process different denominations allows for greater control and centralization of the treasury function. This can help lower costs by consolidating activities with a single group of personnel. And by using one set of internal protocols to manage the currency, including the FX transactions, business leaders can achieve greater visibility into day-to-day management of the company. They can also more quickly identify issues to address and favorable opportunities to exploit.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for navigating global clearing systems and currencies. However, a cohesive strategy—along with best practices to consolidate the activities within the organization—allows companies to optimize their working capital and leverage short-term cash across the different regions in which they operate. Treasurers can keep control of global cash management at company headquarters, maintain international account information in one place, and consolidate accounts receivable.
Moving Forward—and Going Far
Taking advantage of international growth opportunities presents challenges, but many midsize companies are taking the leap into new countries or moving deeper into international expansion. To be successful, they must have an overarching strategy for securing capital and managing liquidity abroad. Failing to set a global treasury strategy—instead, simply exporting the processes and technology that the treasury team uses for North American operations—can result in inefficient systems and processes that drain time, resources, and energy from the finance team. That is not only unfortunate, but also potentially hazardous to the business, as the processes cut into the time and energy the finance team should be investing in making the expansion and acquisition successful.
Several technology tools are available to make it easier for midmarket businesses to explore and execute on a global strategy. And companies that want to expand overseas should make sure their financial partners have the strength and resources to provide a full range of treasury, cash management, and liquidity solutions. That will help set them squarely on the path to achieving a successful international profile.
Galen Robbins is head of Global Commercial Banking Transaction Services at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In this role, he oversees the delivery of treasury and liquidity solutions to commercial and institutional clients across the United States and Internationally.


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The Chicago Park District and the Jazz Institute of Chicago proudly announce the 16th anniversary season for JazzCity, an admission-free concert series featuring world-class performers at various neighborhood parks throughout the city on select Fridays, Feb. 15 – Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. JazzCity concerts are unique in their mission to connect people of all ethnicities and generations to the musical and spiritual legacy of jazz in Chicago.
All programs are family friendly and admission free. Dates are subject to change. For more information on JazzCity, please call the Jazz Institute at 312-427-1676.
Following is the 2013 season lineup for JazzCity:
Awakening to Xperience: Tribute to Ken Chaney
Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.
Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd St., 312-747-6147
This season is dedicated to two people without whom JazzCity would not have been possible: cultural arts advocate Helen Doria (1951-2012) and pianist Ken Chaney (1939-2012). As Deputy Director of New Program Development at the Chicago Park District, Helen Doria welcomed the idea to program free concerts in neighborhoods across the city and helped shape and grow the program while at the Park District. Master musician Ken Chaney was JazzCity's music director. His creative programming chops gave birth to the BeBop Brass Band and many other concerts that brought musicians and audiences together in unexpected ways. This concert celebrates their spirit and continues their legacies with a new season of spectacular music, beginning with a tribute to Chaney.
"He was a very sensitive human being, a very humble human being, and highly creative," said pianist Ramsey Lewis.
In recognition of his hallmark bands and years of mentoring and introducing young artists to the public, Awakening to the Xperience: A Tribute to Ken Chaney will celebrate his music with performances by Chicago's leading jazz artists. Duke Payne leads off with a bagpipe salute, followed by a bebop set led by pianist Willie Pickens, with Rajiv Halim and Irvin Pierce on saxophone, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Zakiya Powell on trombone, Josh Ramos on bass and Ernie Adams on drums. Chaney's much-admired Awakening band will include alums Ari Brown on saxophone, Pharez Whitted on trumpet, Josh Ramos on bass, Ernie Adams on drums and Miguel De la Cerna on piano. Special guest Dee Alexander who worked with Chaney for a decade and will also pay homage to her longtime music partner.
Ken Chaney's Xperience, a unique fusion of jazz and funk, was reunited at JazzCity in 2007, and will come together again to honor its leader with Robert Irving III on piano, Frank Russell on bass, Charles Heath on drums and original vocalists Ann and Susan Ward, Ben Farnandis and newest member Teniya Farnandis.
Big Band Dance
March 8 at 7 p.m.
Loyola Park, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave., 773-262-8605
Got your dancing shoes ready? Come hear the NIU Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Ronald Carter, one of the best college big bands in the country.
Bebop Brass: Tribute to Lee Morgan
April 12 at 7 p.m.
Tuley Park, 501 E. 90th Pl., 312-747-6763
Ken Chaney's dream band featured a different line-up of Chicago's top brass every year. This one features Pharez Whitted, Victor Garcia and Bobby Lewis on trumpets, Steve Berry, Adam Thornberg and Audrey Morrison on trombones, Xavier Breaker on drums, Marlene Rosenberg on bass and stepping into Chaney's band leader role, pianist Miguel de la Cerna.
NextGenJazz in the Park
May 10 at 7 p.m.
Sherman Park, 1301 W. 52nd St., 312-747-6672
Hear what the new generation has to play with New Frontline led by trombonist Kendall Moore. Featuring Christopher McBride on sax, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Michael King on piano, Junius Paul on bass and Marcus Evans on drums.
Jazz Cabaret: Frieda Lee
June 14 at 7 p.m.
Columbus Park Refectory, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd., 773-287-0856
A Chicago mainstay for more than 20 years, Frieda Lee's swinging vocals moved and grooved countless audiences touring with Joe Williams and Kevin Mahogany and as primary vocalist for Jeff Lindberg's Chicago Jazz Orchestra.
Latin Jazz Festival: Celebrating Community Through Culture
July 19 at 7-9 p.m. & July 20 at 1-8 p.m.
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1359 N. Sacramento Ave., 312-742-7549
With performances at the open-air boathouse in Humboldt Park, this festival has been expanded to two days to feature music, dance and art making in celebration of Latino traditions old and new. Enjoy music on Friday and more music, mask making, parades, bombaso, and activities for the whole family on Saturday.
Remembering Jodie Christian
Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
West Pullman Park, 401 W. 123rd St., 312-747-7090
Jodie Christian was known far and wide as one of the few pianists who thrived across the entire spectrum of jazz styles. Some close musical companions will celebrate him including pianist Miguel de la Cerna, saxophonist Juli Wood, trumpeter Brad Goode, bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Charles Heath.
John Moulder: Soul and Spirit
Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.
Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St., 773-287-7658
How does jazz give voice to the human soul and spirit? Guitarist John Moulder explores the connection with a new composition that expresses transcendence and the quest for unity, higher consciousness and peace.
Cultural Crossroads: Miyumi Project Meets Great Black Music Ensemble
Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.
Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave., 773-638-1766
Tatsu Aoki's Miyumi Project has long incorporated Great Black Music Ensemble Director Mwata Bowden into its unique amalgam of traditional Japanese music and jazz. Bowden's leadership of Great Black Music Ensemble has redefined the art of improvised composition in the context of swing. Come listen as two musical brothers unite to explore their musical and cultural connections.
JazzCity is a free concert series initiated in 1997 by the Jazz Institute in collaboration with the Chicago Park District, now in its 16th season of bringing people together from across the city to hear Chicago's top jazz musicians. JazzCity is sponsored by WDCB 90.9 FM and WHPK 88.5 FM Radio and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information visit www. Jazzinchicago.org or call 312.427.1676.
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