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Ahaus Tool and Engineering
Our aim is to create a competitive advantage for our customers. Certainly, we accomplish this through experienced design staff, expert tool makers and exacting fabricators. But there's much more to it than that.
Ahaus products are engineered with insight and foresight – never with hindsight. Our technically strong mechanical and controls engineers continuously search for thoughtful solutions to improve customers' manufacturing processes. We anticipate and solve problems not only in the design of our products but in their application. Our singular goal is to provide customers with workable, economical solutions for manufacturing needs ranging from relatively simple inspection and workholding fixtures to complex, integrated, multi-station machining and assembly equipment.
What makes Ahaus different? What sets us apart?
Our customers say it best:
"Superior concept, design and engineering."
"They anticipate problems and solve them."
"They are plain-speaking, straightforward people."
"They keep the promises they make."
"Fair pricing and realistic delivery."
"Open and trustworthy communications."
"Reliable quality and performance."
For nearly 65 years Ahaus has been building innovative manufacturing solutions for its customers. More importantly, we've been building relationships with them.


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Last Modified: Friday, January 25, 2013 2:47 PM
A 40-year-old Vinton man was re-arrested on Thursday and charged with eight counts of aggravated incest, authorities said.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kim Myers said Christopher S. Benoit, 2212 Hillary Drive, was previously arrested on Jan. 17 and charged with two counts of aggravated rape and one count of aggravated incest.
Myers said Benoit is accused of having sexual contact with family member on numerous occasions, beginning in 2009 when the girl was 9 years old.
"After his arrest, the investigation continued and detectives received a separate complaint regarding Benoit sexually abusing another female family member on numerous occasions between 1988 and 1993," Myers said Friday in a news release. "The victim was delayed in reporting the abuse for personal reasons but the investigation revealed Benoit had sexual contact with the female relative, who was 6 years old at the time the incidents began."
Judge Clayton Davis Benoit's bond at $2,000,000 on the new charges, bringing his total bond to $2,700,000 for both arrests. He has been in jail since the arrest on Jan. 17.
Myers said victims of sexual crimes have 30 years after their 18th birthday to report incidents to law enforcement.
Detective Elizabeth Zaunbrecher was the lead investigator on both cases.

subset: commoncrawl


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Live Nation Entertainment has reported its fiscal results for the fourth quarter and full year 2012. The company saw an increased annual loss last year, growing from $83 million in 2011 to $163.2 million. The greater loss was attributed to a $5.5 million charge related to the exit of Irving Azoff at the end of 2012, as well as a one-time $62.7 million charge in Q4 to the Artist Nation division. This charge was related to "certain client/vendor relationship intangibles" based on expectations of the division's future cash flow, and taken to bring the division's profitability in line with its current value.
For the full year, revenue grew by 8.1 percent to $5.8 billion. Adjusted operating income was up 4.8 percent to $459 million in 2012. Concert division revenue was up 10.4 percent last year to $3.87 billion. While the total number of North American concerts declined by 3.7 percent in 2012, total attendance was up by three percent, to 32 million people. Ticketmaster's revenue grew by 4.1 percent to $1.37 billion in 2012.
Nikki Nite, VP of Prog. & Ops, Entercom/Austin
Copyright © 2017 Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. and Mediaspan Online Services - All Rights Reserved
Contact: Mediaspan Online Services
FMQB, 1930 East Marlton Pike, Executive Mews, Suite F-36, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003. (856) 424-9114.


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Narasimha, or Nrsimha, is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is popularly known as 'man-lion' or 'half man – half lion' incarnation. In 2017, the date of Narasimha Jayanthi is May 9. The main aim of the Narasimha incarnation was to end the tyranny of Hiranyakashipu and restore the path of Dharma. Prahlada the young son of Hiranyakashipu and an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu paved the way for the removal of Adharma.
Narasimha Jayanti is observed on the 14th day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Vaisakha month (April – May). It is believed that Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha on the day to destroy demon Hiranyakashipu.
If interested take a Quiz on the Narasimha incarnation of Lord Vishnu here.
Some Vishnu devotees observe a fast on the day. Special prayers and pujas are performed on the day. Jaggery and gram sprouts are offered to the deity.
You can find more details of Narasimha Jayanti and on how to observe the day in this article.
You may also like to read


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I finished my scratchbox call today. I have made 35 of them, and have a list of people to field test them.
I've made some bodies out of cherry and others with zebrawood. A few of the zebrawood have walnut ends because I ran out of zebrawood. They look pretty good. The sound boards are cedar, butternut or walnut, and the striker boards are rubberwood. I need to do some final tuning on most of them, but the ones I have tuned sound pretty good.
I'll take some photos and post when I get the chance.


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Web Stories
Pinker lecture canceled, Nov. 12
Posted November 12, 2001; 02:26 p.m.
Tonight's lecture by Massachusetts Institute of Technology psychology professor Steven Pinker has been canceled due to travel restrictions imposed after today's American Airlines jetliner crash in New York.
His talk was to be part of the University's Public Lectures Series . He will reschedule this lecture for the spring semester.
Contact: Marilyn Marks (609) 258-3601


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ORIGINAL: mark hay
Since you have offered him the kitchen sink ,,,,,I wouldn't try it again .
Be little more subdued ,,,,soft purrs , once in a while ,,,some leaf scratchin'. I would not yelp ,,,,or call loudly at all.
,,,and he may be a sneaker next time .
Patience,,,,don't make my mistakes , of tryin' to rush things along ,,,,wait him out ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,once your convinced he's heard some purrs , just give some scratchin' ,,,make him think she's feedin'.
Hope ya get him.
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to McCombs
Home ·
Centers at McCombs ·
Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs ·
Texas Venture Labs Investment Competition ·
Success Stories ·
"I thought I was tied to climbing the corporate career ladder until I learned the building blocks of entrepreneurship in class and how the formation and fundraising process works. I didn't think I would ever start a company because I just didn't know how to do it. My MBA changed all of that." - Becky Parker, MBA '09
FocalPop founders Becky Parker and Brian Romanko launched the first crowd-sourcing photography web site in September 2009 for the custom photo-acquisition process. Instead of buyers searching through stock photography or spending large sums of time and money on a custom shoot, buyers request specific photos from FocalPop's community of photographers. Photographers submit photos that fit the bill and the buyer chooses a winner, with the FocalPop site handling the exchange of money and image files.
When Parker and Romanko signed up for the New Venture Creation class along with classmates Ronnie LeBert, Eddie Howard and Libby Essinger, they knew they would be developing a business plan for the Texas Moot Corp Competition.
Romanko came into the MBA program with experience at several start-ups and was president of the graduate Entrepreneurship Society at McCombs. He planned his coursework so that he would be prepared for the Texas Moot Corp Competition in his final semester.
Parker's initial mindset and experience were different. "I thought I was tied to climbing the corporate career ladder until I learned the building blocks of entrepreneurship in class and how the formation and fundraising process works. I didn't think I would ever start a company because I just didn't know how to do it," she said.
"We ended up with a completely different product from our original concept," Parker said. "It wasn't any one person who came to the table with this idea. It evolved." The team spent the first half of the semester refining the idea through market validation, where they did in-depth, first-hand analysis of potential market segments. The rest of the semester they focused on strategies for the business model, financing, marketing and operational aspects of the business.
In addition to core accounting, finance and marketing courses, the FocalPop team also took Entrepreneurial Growth, Innovations in Business Marketing and the Advanced Venture Development Practicum.
After winning the Texas Moot Corp Competition in February 2009, the FocalPop team competed in the Oregon New Venture Competition in April 2009. FocalPop also competed in the Global Moot Corp Competition at McCombs in May 2009. Winning the Texas Moot Corp Competition attracted a lot of publicity and gave FocalPop a future home to house their company at the Austin Technology Incubator.
"Every time we went through a competition, there was feedback from the judges that we hadn't thought of before," Parker said. We were really glad we heard it because we could address it. Later on, when others would question why we did something a certain way, we already had the solution in mind because we were prepared based on those previous conversations."
Parker and Romanko launched a beta version of FocalPop in September 2009 with the full launch in December. They continue to build their photographer community before marketing to buyers. "The proof point of supply needs to be there before we start fundraising," said Parker. "Then we will invest in marketing and software development and making FocalPop our full time endeavor."
Page last updated: 5/15/2014
By phone: (512) 471-5921
2110 Speedway, B6000
Austin, TX 78705
©2017 McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin | Technology Resources | Contact Us


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There is just something about a letterman jacket that the girls seem to dig. The problem is that while you can rock a board on land and sea, they don't hand out chenille patches for that. It's a little late to get into one of those team sports, so just grab this Warren Baseball jacket from We Are the Superlative Conspiracy. It's like a letterman jacket for skaters and surfers - complete with a chenille WeSC patch embroidered on the left chest! Just tell the chicks you had to compete with thousands of other guys to get this bad boy. Technically that's true because if you don't grab it, they will and you'll be playing a new position - left out!
- Quality embroidery
- Two front pockets
- Applique logo
- Reinforced taped collar seam
- 70% Cotton/30% Polyester
- Rib-knit collar, cuffs & waist
- Imported
- Imported
- Brand: WeSC
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Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Jump to navigation
The Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) is a recurrent publication prepared by the Trade and Investment Division of the United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. It provides information on and independent analyses of trends and developments in: (a) intra- and inter-regional trade in goods and services; (b) foreign direct investment; (c) trade facilitation measures; (d) trade policy measures; and (e) preferential trade policies and agreements.
The Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2015 – Disasters without Borders, is a flagship publication of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It provides an overview of the state of disaster resilience in Asia-Pacific region, and places disaster risk reduction at the heart of sustainable development. It identifies emerging new risks in the region and the sectors that are most at risk.
This report features the results of the first UNRCsJoint Survey on Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade Implementation. This global survey was initiated in September 2014 by the United Nations Regional Commissions (UNRCs) i.e. ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP and ESCWA to collect data and information on trade facilitation and paperless trade implementation from their respective member states.
The State of Asian and Pacific Cities 2015 is the second such report published by UN-Habitat (the United Nations Human Settlements Programme) and ESCAP (the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific). In capturing the region's rapid urban transformation The State of Asian and Pacific Cities 2015 highlights the growing gaps between current urbanisation patterns and what is needed to shift to a more inclusive and sustainable urban future, in which the region's cities are unquestionably tied to national, regional and global development prospects.
The urban nexus approach aims at integrated planning and management of the key resources of energy, water and food, and this can contribute substantially to the long-term sustainable development of rapidly growing cities and their regions. In supporting integrated approaches it is essential to engage municipal, provincial and national actors towards collaborative planning and management in order to fully utilise the synergies and co-benefits arising from policies which integrate water, energy and food resources.
A waste crisis is emerging in the Asia and Pacific region, fuelled by rising quantities of waste, on the one hand, and poor regulation and management, on the other. This crisis threatens to overwhelm the resources and capacity of local governments and communities alike. Within this crisis, however, is a significant and largely untapped opportunity for transformative change. The waste-to-resource approach promotes a paradigm shift in the management of solid waste.
Published since 1986 by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asia-Pacific Population Journal (APPJ) brings out high-quality, evidence-based and forward-looking articles on a wide range of population and development issues in Asia and the Pacific.
This issue of the Asia-Pacific Population Journal contains the following articles:
Early marriage as a risk factor for mistimed pregnancy among married adolescents in Bangladesh by Sigma Ainul and Sajeda Amin
Most countries in Central Asia face high trade costs due to their lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets and high transit costs. Reducing trade costs and shortening transit time is a fundamental step towards integrating these countries into the global market. While it is well recognized that transport and logistics infrastructure play key roles in this regard, there is a growing consensus that trade facilitation is also crucial to reducing trade costs through streamlining of the trade process.
The Asian and Pacific Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Decade 2015- 2024 was proclaimed at the Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and Pacific, held in Bangkok in November 2014. This publication contains the Ministerial Declaration to "Get Every One in the Picture" and the Regional Action Framework on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific, which were two key outcomes of the Conference.
Services exports from Asia-Pacific least developed countries (LDCs) are growing in volume and should be further encouraged as they can contribute towards export diversification and development. Unlike in the case of merchandise trade, however, until recently LDCs did not receive any preferential market access in services trade. Progress is finally being made towards implementation of a 2011 WTO mechanism (the 'Services Waiver') that provides a route for countries to voluntarily offer LDCs preferences in services.
Subscribe to our monthly e-mail newsletter.
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Bangkok 10200
(66-2) 288-1234
(66-2) 288-1000


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study done in the Netherlands, of the different preening oils or waxes birds use during nesting time make it very difficult for mammalian predators to smell nesting birds.
This is very interesting, I have been trying to find the study online with no luck. Do you have a link to it?


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Amanda Gilliam, M.S.
Licensed Marital & Family Therapist
Sevierville 37862
Food and eating are often heavily connected to an individuals self worth and views of themselves. Men and women alike are surrounded by a culture that intensifies the idea that beauty and acceptance comes from size or appearance. Whether this is through binging, withholding food, persistent dieting, or exercise, this path can be controlling of the mind and body. Eating disorders are often paired with anxiety, the desire to be in control of an area of life, depression, or health concerns. The journey to recovery from an eating disorder is one that can be rewarding, and with time, the challenges can be overcome.
Stephen Ellis, Ph.D
Licensed Christian Counselor
109 Leader Dr., Piedmont, South Carolina 29673
Eating disorders cover a wide range of behavior. This could be from simply eating too much to the more complex conditions of anorexia or bulimia. We have a special compassion for and an expertise in helping people that are struggling with eating disorders. Treatment plans include discipline strategies to change our thinking process about eating which results in a change of behavior. We also work with people who have experienced some type of emotional trauma which is usually a root cause of the more serious eating disorders. We work to find that root cause and not just deal with the symptoms of a condition.
Patricia Starbird, M.S., LPC/MHSP, EMDRIA Certified
Licensed Professional Counselor
Piney Flats, Tennessee 37686
Eating disorders are not about food. They are about control. As a child, we don't have much control and sometimes we are placed in situations where we are helpless to prevent abuse, neglect, and mistreatment. Just as the alcoholic drinks to "numb out" to their emotional pain, the young woman with an eating disorder will soothe herself with food before purging, or restrict food to combat the painful feeling of helplessness. Eating disorders are treatable. You must work with a therapist who has expertise in working with trauma. Such a therapist will work gently with you, at your own pace, and in a way that will assist you in healing the pain that is driving the eating disorder.


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Elevated BP May Prematurely Age the Brain »
"Nov. 1, 2012 -- Having even mildly elevated blood pressure at midlife prematurely ages the brain, a new study shows.
Researchers say the early changes seen with higher blood pressure may set the stage for problems with thinking, memor"...
Read the Elevated BP May Prematurely Age the Brain article »
(olmesartan medoxomil) Tablet
- When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Benicar as soon as possible [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotens in system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
Olmesartan medoxomil, a prodrug, is hydrolyzed to olmesartan during absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Olmesartan is a selective AT1 subtype angiotensin II receptor antagonist.
Olmesartan medoxomil is described chemically as 2,3-dihydroxy-2-butenyl 4-(1 hydroxy-1- methylethyl)-2-propyl-1-[p-(o-1H-tetrazol-5-ylphenyl)benzyl]imidazole-5 carboxylate, cyclic 2,3- carbonate.
Its empirical formula is C29H30N6O6 and its structural formula is:
Olmesartan medoxomil is a white to light yellowish-white powder or crystalline powder with a molecular weight of 558.59. It is practically insoluble in water and sparingly soluble in methanol. Benicar is available for oral use as film-coated tablets containing 5 mg, 20 mg, or 40 mg of olmesartan medoxomil and the following inactive ingredients: hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, talc, titanium dioxide, and (5 mg only) yellow iron oxide.
What are the possible side effects of olmesartan (Benicar)?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
- feeling like you might pass out;
- urinating less than usual or not at all;
- chest pain, fast heart rate; or
- swelling in your hands or feet.
Less serious side effects may include:
- dizziness;
- joint or muscle pain;
- back pain;
- stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea;
- mild itching or...
Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Benicar »
What are the precautions when taking olmesartan medoxomil (Benicar)?
Before taking olmesartan, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney disease, liver disease, severe loss of body water and minerals (dehydration).
This drug may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.
This medication may increase your potassium levels. Before using potassium supplements or salt substitutes that contain potassium, consult...
Last reviewed on RxList: 7/26/2016
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
Benicar FDA Prescribing Information
Additional Benicar Information
Benicar - User Reviews
Benicar User Reviews
Now you can gain knowledge and insight about a drug treatment with Patient Discussions.
Here is a collection of user reviews for the medication Benicar sorted by most helpful.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get tips on handling your hypertension.


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ATV-Tek FlexGrip Pro Single Rack
Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online.
15% larger forks for extended carrying capability
360° of rotation
16" of width adjustment
Air TEK suspension isolates shock and vibration
Rock solid low-profile mounting bases
If hunting to you could mean using a shotgun, rifle, bow or muzzleloader, the FlexGrip Pro is the rack you need! It features 15% larger forks for extended carrying capabilities, 360° of rotation and an amazing 16" of width adjustment for the perfect fit every time. All rack adjustments can be made in the field without tools. The forks feature Variable Fit Technology that adapts to provide a custom fit for guns, guns in a soft case and bows. Specialized Bow Limb Slot keeps bows stable and is compatible with modern parallel limb designs. Air TEK suspension isolates shock and vibration to protect your gear while on the trails. The rock solid low-profile mounting bases adjust to provide a custom fit on tubular or composite racks.


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Posted on by KCPT
You may have heard of the Jawbone, Fitbit, Nike Fuelband or one of the myriad of other wearable self-tracking gadgets. Heck, you might even be wearing one right now! These gadgets help track everything from hours slept, calories consumed, to number of steps taken in a given day. But can they actually make you healthy??? …Continue Reading
Posted on by KCPT
With the Winter Olympics around the corner, people will be gathering around their televisions to watch incredible performances by amazing athletes. Randy Mason sat down with Robin Sterneck and Christine Kemper to discuss WIN for KC, the KC organization that has been helping women to take part in sporting events for 20 years. The Women's …Continue Reading


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If you're going to be part of Q&A, the cutoff date is Sunday night (aka, tomorrow/today depending on your POV). We don't have many questions, so almost anything asked will get used.
I'm not sure I would want a Shogun Warriors-sized one, they were 2 feet tall and had only 2 points of articulation usually (shoulder left and shoulder right), they were hollow vinyl and had limited play potential. But Grimlock should be bigger than Op, that's just KNOWN.
I cannot believe how repaint-crazy some of you guys are going.


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IBM Certified Solution Developer - InfoSphere DataStage v9.1
Job Role Description / Target Audience
Note: This certification will be withdrawn on 04/30/2016. The most current certification is: IBM Certified Solution Developer - InfoSphere DataStage v11.3
This certification demonstrates that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to professionally design and develop an efficient and scalable DataStage solution to a complex enterprise level business problem; configure a scalable parallel environment including clustered and distributed configurations; collect, report on, and resolve issues identified through key application performance indicators; be proficient in extending the capabilities of the parallel framework using the provided APIs (build-ops and wrappers).
Recommended Prerequisite Skills
- Able to design and develop a scalable complex solution using an optimum number of stages.
- Able to select the optimal data partitioning methodology.
- Able to configure a distributed or non-symmetric environment.
- Should be proficient with BuildOps and wrappers.
- Should understand how to tune a parallel application to determine where bottlenecks exist and how to eliminate them.
- Should understand basic configuration issues for all relational databases and be highly proficient in at least one.
- Able to improve job design by implementing new product features in DataStage v9.1.
- Able to monitor DataStage jobs via the Job Log and the Operations Console.
This certification requires 1 test(s).
Test(s) required:
Click on the link(s) below to see test details, test objectives, suggested training and sample tests.
Member Site
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Premium Wallet Card
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National Budget Simulation
Students serve as an Economic Advisor to the President, who must increase military spending out of political necessity, but needs to reduce spending in other programs to limit the deficit. Conflicting goals create a need for compromise and tradeoffs to create a national budget, while trying to remain under deficit limits.
Budget, Government Expenditures, Trade-off
- Identify the major spending categories for the federal government.
- Identify how changes in federal spending affect budget deficits.
- Recognize the tradeoffs involved in spending on government programs.
In this lesson students serve as an Economic Advisor to the President, who must increase military spending out of political necessity, but needs also to reduce spending in other programs to limit the deficit. Conflicting goals create a need for compromise and tradeoffs to create a national budget, while trying to remain under deficit limits.
The new President of the United States has been elected on the promise of fiscal responsibility. He has promised the voters he will not raise taxes, and he will not reduce Social Security or Medicare. He has promised interest groups that he will not reduce Commerce Department spending. By law he cannot reduce the net interest paid on the debt. The President's budget is projected to leave the country with a balanced budget, and he promises not to allow a deficit, unless the U.S. faces a recession or war.
Suddenly, the United States is subject to military attack -- a turn of events not anticipated in the current budget. At the same time, a lingering recession reduces the government's tax revenues and forces the government to increase its spending on unemployment benefits, welfare, housing assistance, food stamps, and other need-based programs. Because of the increased spending and reduced revenues, the nation falls into a projected deficit of $1090 billion.
Then Congress passes legislation to increase military spending by 20 percent, to pay for increased security within the U.S. and to pay for a prolonged military response against the attacking country and other potential threats. The President signs this bill into law, increasing the projected deficit to more than $1225 billion.
The President is committed to keeping his campaign promises, in order to maintain support for his reelection. He must protect the programs he promised to protect, and he cannot raise taxes, so he must cut spending on other programs to stay within his new guideline to keep the deficit below $1130 billion. The President turns to you, his trusted economic advisor, for help. (Note: While some events in this scenario reflect actual events, others are hypothetical for the purposes of this exercise. Budget figures are actual White House figures of 2012, including spending and revenues of 2012 ).
The National Budget Simulation Worksheet: This worksheet is used as a tool that enables students to think about the choices they made when developing their national budget.
CEE Budget Simulation: Students will use this interactive budget simulation to complete the lesson.
CEE National Budget Simulation.
- Follow this link to the CEE National Budget Simulation.
- To represent the 20 percent increase in military spending, the spending levels have automatically been changed. You can see how this affects the total spending at the bottom of the column.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the effect of the increase in military spending on the "New Surplus" or "New Deficit" (a negative surplus is a deficit). Remember that you need to get this figure below $1130 billion. Make note of the relative amounts of the budget spent on each area listed in the table, so that you can decide where cuts might be effective to reduce the deficit.
- Now begin cutting the program budgets as a tradeoff for the increased defense spending. Remember, for political reasons or by law, you cannot make any changes in these areas: Commerce and housing credit, Medicare, Social Security, Net interest, Allowances, and Undistributed offsetting receipts. You can click on the names of the spending areas to see the programs in the respective spending areas.
- Keep cutting programs until you have reached your $1130 billion deficit limit. Hint: You will have to cut most programs by at least 7.5 percent to reach your target. When cutting programs, keep in mind that program cuts could seriously affect citizens' daily lives. Also keep in mind people who may be so angered by program cuts that they will take action to prevent the President's reelection.
[NOTE: Some students will be tempted to quickly reach deficit limits by making extreme cuts or even eliminating entire programs. Encourage such students to consider the real-life ramifications of such cuts, and explain that even 7.5 percent cuts in many programs will have serious consequences.]
Students can be asked to write an explanation of the decisions they made and the justifications for those decisions. If several students have individually completed the activity, the class can discuss the decisions and justifications. Also have them hand in the printout of the "Your New Budget" page as a way to assess their decision-making skills in this activity.
When the student(s) have reached their target have them print out their results. Have the students consider which programs they have cut, to help them answer the reflection questions on the Worksheet. When they are finished with the lesson, hand in the paper that you printed along with this worksheet.
"This was a good activity that kept my senior students focused for almost a full 25 minutes - wow!"
"This is a good activity for students to learn more about budgeting."
"After using this lesson in class my students now fully understand the budget and why it's so important for us to balance it."
"Excellent lesson! I used it to discuss scarcity and opportunity costs with my class."
"I had difficulties completing this lesson. My students were more focused on reaching the budget goal and not of the ramifications of their actions. Maturity level of the students participating needs to be a factor in this lesson. It was a good lesson; I was very excited about it, but my students just were not ready for it."
"One issue I deal with in economics is that the students believe that reaching a balanced budget will be a snap. When they actually have to choose which programs to cut and must explore the ramifications and defend their choices, they really seem to start 'getting it!'"
"Absolutely amazing!"
"Students didn't focus on the ramifications of their actions, but I think they enjoyed it a lot!"
"Good exercise but very difficult."
"I am a student, and i really enjoyed this exercise. I don't think enough kids my age understand the kind of money that gets used by our government. I only wish that everything could be changed, such as Social Security, National Defense, and some of the other large and controversial programs."
"PLEASE HELP!! I have used this lesson for several years now, but something has gone wrong with the interface. The budge work page with the dropdowns is flickering and I can't see it clearly. EconEdLink: It should be working now. Thanks for letting us know!"
"I've enjoyed what I could do of this assignment and learned a lot however the budget calculator is flickering and will not load right so I was unable to finish it. EconEdLink: It should be working now. Thank you for your comment."
"how do you know once you've reached 450 billion?"


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Newly-renovated Tucker Hall at Florida A&M has an eco-friendly touch with sensor lights, low energy tiles and windows and vinyl flooring.
Tucker Hall gets an eco-friendly makeover
Author: Alaura Carter
Published: October 26,2010
"All these new upgrades came because of a push from the staff at Plant Facilities and Planning as well as the FAMU Environment and Sustainability Council, which created a list of accepted standard building products.
'At Tucker Hall, I served as the project manager, and was able to make sure that the efforts to make the building as energy efficient and maximize the use of green products during design and construction while providing the students the best environment possible, both indoors and outdoors,' Smith said."
Read more… http://www.thefamuanonline.com/news/tucker-hall-gets-a-more-eco-friendly-makeover-1.2383106


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Philippines: Picking up the pieces after Typhoon Haiyan
When Typhoon Haiyan hit Leyte's eastern coast, the town of Tanauan took much of its force. The massive storm tore through the modest homes and stores that line Tanauan's streets, and tore the roof off its imposing cathedral. Almost every single person in the town of 50,000 was affected by the storm. Many people – perhaps most – have lost their homes.
Seventy four year old Marina Villegas Doregowas at home when Typhoon Haiyan hit Tanauan, bringing with it incredible winds and a storm surge. "When Yolanda (the local name for Haiyan) came, I was surprised," she said. "I climbed up the aparador [wooden cabinet] and clung on."
The water was soon up to her neck. Marina clung to the piece of furniture for two hours, until the water finally began to subside. "If it reached three hours, I would have fallen down."
When the water finally flowed away, Marina surveyed the damage. San Miguel - her barangay or neighbourhood – was destroyed. Her home had collapsed, taking with it the small store where she used to sell sweets and cakes.
"Our things were all gone because of the water," she said. "All our appliances. Everything was carried away by the [receding] water."
Food aid from local authorities arrived within two days she says and soon more assistance began to pour in.
The Tanauan town hall
An inter-agency assessment team, featuring representatives from OCHA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Water and Sanitation Cluster, visited Tanauan as part of an effort to assess the impact of communities affected by Haiyan, and to understand their needs.
Their first port of call was Tanauan town hall, which had been turned into a medical clinic. On the ground floor the international NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) had set up a primary healthcare clinic. They are providing basic health assistance to people in the community who have not had access to doctors and medicines since the storm.
"We are seeing some cases of diarrhea, respiratory tract infections and skin infections," said MSF's Caroline Seguin. "We will be here for as long as we are needed."
Upstairs the emergency medical organization RescueNet and the Japanese agency the Tokushukai Medical Aid Team, are treating more serious cases. Australian paramedic Mark Cockburn says that they are still treating injuries from the storm, injuries that become infected and injuries incurred by people walking over debris.
"We were treating about 75-80 cases per day, but yesterday that dropped to 37 and today there have been even less," he said.
I want to rebuild my home
Back in barangay San Miguel, Marina sits with an OCHA aid worker to talk about the impact of the storm on her community. She says that the food they have received, and the medical support that has been available, have played an important role in helping her community cope with the fallout of the storm.
But when asked what she needs, she is very clear. "I want shelter; I want to rebuild my house." People want to rebuild their homes, she says, and they want to go back to work.
"When the storm hit, I prayed that no more calamities would come. I prayed for my children who are living away from me. I prayed that they would be safe.
"[Now] I pray that I can rebuild my live. I don't want to live with my neighbours, I want to be home."


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Skull Candy Smokin' Buds Headphones in Purple / Purple- Ships in ''24'' Hours!
Skull Candy Smokin' Buds Headphones in Purple / Purple


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GSA Issues Request for Information on New Telecom Program
October 17, 2003
Contact: Mary Alice Johnson (202) 501-1231
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA) Federal Technology Service (FTS), in coordination with the Interagency Management Council (IMC), today issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a major new telecommunications initiative, the FTS Networx program.
The RFI, posted on www.fedbizopps.gov, has two purposes: (1) to provide information to potential industry offerors and interested parties about the GSA FTS Networx program and
(2) to solicit comments from interested parties about the government's approach and the extent to which industry can meet the government's requirements. FTS developed the Networx acquisition strategy in partnership with the IMC, which includes representatives from federal agencies using the current FTS contracts.
"The FTS Networx program will serve as the centerpiece of our strategy for delivering top quality, best value telecommunications services and solutions to our agency customers over the coming years," stated FTS Commissioner, Sandra Bates. "We are really looking forward to receiving feedback on all aspects of our preliminary approach."
Current plans for the Networx program reflect two acquisitions: Networx Universal and Networx Select. Networx Universal will establish competitive, full service contracts for a comprehensive range of domestic and international network services. It will provide continuity of service for the expiring FTS2001 while providing the government with attractive pricing for service offerings. Networx Select will serve as a complement, seeking leading edge solutions from offerors that may not offer the broad service coverage available through Networx Universal but have solutions to meet the federal government's diverse needs.
FTS and the IMC have requested comments from interest parties on the overall strategy and on specific topics including: the technical offerings planned for the acquisition, contract type and duration, minimum revenue guarantees, commercial practices in use for billing and service order management, and other subjects of interest. Comments must be submitted by November 17, 2003.
GSA is a centralized Federal procurement and property management agency created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help Federal agencies better serve the public. It acquires, on behalf of Federal agencies, office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services. GSA, comprised of 14,000 associates, provides services and solutions for the office operations of over 1 million Federal workers located in 8,300 government -owned and leased buildings in 1,600 U.S. communities.


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Haven't played a Bioshock game, they simply never interested me. This one has raised my curiosity. Ive been reading up on various previews for the game and it looks incredibly ambitious. Seems like the story is divided into 3 sections that weave into one another:
1) Protecting Elizabeth. Protecting someone in games is often extremely frustrating, but by all accounts you dont have to worry about her dying and she helps you out in combat. As well, apparently the gameplay can change depending on your interactions and choices with her.
2) War between two utterly unlikable factions. Ultra-nationalists who have demonized Lincoln and believe in subjugating the "lesser races" versus extreme communists who believe even your wives and homes belong to "the people" and who murder individuals just for having jobs. While it seems a bit absurd, i find it refreshing to be able to hate both sides. You'll get to see their beginnings and see how the conflict started innocently enough, but the current state of the war has an attitude of "as long as we win everything will be fine".
3) Hunted. While everyone wants to capture and kill you, the Infinite equivalent of the Big Daddy is hunting you down. No one could mistake Resident Evil 3 as a masterpiece, and looking back it probably started the trend toward the crap games that are now churned out by that series, but i still remember the feeling of tension it evoked. I never knew if the next area was safe to move towards or if i was about to be in huge trouble. The nemesis added an element to games i hadnt experienced before and im hoping "SongBird" can pull off something similar.
Anyone planning on grabbing this? Anyone have an opinion on the other BioShocks, are they worth picking up before the new release?


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politics it not who you know its who you bl0w
politics it not who you know its who you bl0w
He just had to figure out who to pay off............
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have." - Thomas Jefferson
Stan b & Elvis
BTW---My friends in Chocago tell me the reason it was so cllose was the "DEAD" voter turn out was only about 40% this election!!!
Stan b & Elvis
"So what is big is not always the Trout nor the Deer but the chance, the being there. And what is full is not necessarily the creel nor the freezer, but the memory." ~ Aldo Leopold
"The Greatest Obstacle to Discovery is not Ignorance -- It is the Illusion of Knowledge" ~ Daniel Boorstin


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It's a great site to connect, share and get info/thoughts when news out lets are slow. It's also nice to get fan views rather than reporter threads. The worst thing about the site is it's battle to be good while the Dolphins are not. A winning product fixes many things. A lot of the threads we don't like would be gone if things were better in Miami. Hopefully the site rocks in 2013.
The Healthy Dolphins were playing like a good team. May health return quickly. Go Gase!
Nice place to talk dolphin football with other dolphins fans, i dont mind the ads, i just keep the volume tab on low.
Regarding the posts per page limit, I tried changing mine to 20 and it gave me this VBulletin error message
vBulletin Message
A required field called Panic Button - URL Jump is missing or has an invalid value.
Gase has taken an interesting approach to instilling a winning culture in Miami. He is cocky. He is smart. He is borderline deranged.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/sp...#storylink=cpy
I know I don't post a ton, but I honestly come to this site multiple times a day. I love reading what many of you post, and love how fast Fins news is reported on here. Guys like CK, WV, Vaark, Nublar, and countless others - sorry, not trying to leave a bunch of you out - make this site entertaining and informative. I honestly love coming here...And it doesn't matter what time of year it is, I will be a daily fixture here at FH. You can count on that.
Edit: I just signed up for VIP. Been meaning to do it for awhile now. This thread just gave me the extra urge to do it. Looking forward to the next year here!
Or Check out My Wallpapers Thread
My favorite thing about this site is how quickly breaking news is posted. Since I live in Virginia I'm obviously at a disadvantage when it comes to hearing about all the stuff that goes on in Miami regarding the Dolphins but since this site has been a part of my life since 2004, I've been in the know. I appreciate the site for being very informative and I like a lot of the guys here.
Just 2 complaints would be the fact that we can't cuss (we're adults, we should be allowed to voice our dirty mouths)
I also think we need more rules when it comes to people being able to create threads.
I must admitt this is one of my favorite web sites imma dolphins geek.
My football knowledge is way above where it would be had I never found this site. Ive been here since I was 15, so I guess you could say this site raised me
Love this site because its easy to find all of the Dolphin Material i want to read... Plus the good looking ladies in avatars don't hurt either. LOL


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Much is made of the infra-structure aspects of the Obama plan. However, this really shows that neither he nor his advisors know how construction projects work.
1. The money is available for projects that can be let within 90 days. To begin with, unless a project has been bid or is in the midst of bidding, few large projects can go from design completion through contract letting within 90 days. There are just too may steps and each step takes time. For instance, when bids are received it takes at least a week to pin down just which bid to accept. Then, there frequently is a cycle of "value engineering" which can take sometimes 30-45 days. Then the bonds must be procured, the contract prepared, etc. If the state legislature needs to approve the contract, you need to add 30 days at least to the pipeline. You can frequently get one or two contracts through in less than 90 days. I sincerely doubt that your can get several billion dollars worth through the pipeline.
2. Suppose that a contract is let within the 90 day limit. This merely obligates the money. The money is set aside and is no longer available but it is not spent. It stays in the bank account of the state. The money won't enter the economy until it is expensed or paid to the contractor. The work is paid for as it is completed and in the early days, not much is completed. Further, a certain percentage of the work is not paid for immediately but is retained until the end of the project. In short, the bigger the project, the more time it will take and thus the longer it will take before all the money is released to the contractor. For instance, we recently did a rehab on 18 bathrooms in a hospital. Total cost was about 1.8 million. From bidding until the final check was written...3 years.
3. The economy was reasonably balanced in terms of the demand for plumbers and pavement specialists for the number of projects. When the number of projects was increased beyond the workforce, projects got stacked up. That same thing is going to happen in spades. Then, the projects won't be expensed but rather the funds will remain in the state coffers for the foreseeable future.
Like many folks, the politicians think that just by saying "let's do a project", it's done. Not true by any stretch of the imagination.
What I'm saying is that the infra-structure portion of the bill won't have any immediate effect. That's besides the fact that jobs for road builders in Alabama won't be filled by white collar employees from CT who've lost their jobs.


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I noticed that at least one judge was listed as judging Master on Thursday and then Master on Saturday at same test in Feb. I thought AKC said you could not judge back to back at same level?? Is it because it is Master? It would really help the clubs if we could get the newbie judges to judge junior both days rather than only limiting them to judging 1 day because of the new rules. If it is ok to judge master back to back why not junior back to back? trying to figure out most efficient use of judges..
Thank you


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Tech Tip: Tmux: Disabling the Time Display in the Status
tmux is a usable and open source terminal multiplexer (that allows one to run several programs in the same terminal, detach them, split them into windows and viewports, etc.) which I've been happily using after switching to it from GNU screen. Some weeks ago, I noticed that if I keep tmux open in a konsole tab, then eventually that tab got highlighted as modified, even if there was no activity in the tab. I realised the problem had to do with the fact that tmux displays the current time by default.
In order to fix it, you can use a line like the following in your
~/.tmux.conf file:
set -g status-right '#H'
-g applies the assignment globally, and
displays the hostname (and not the time or whatever else is there by default).
While searching for an answer, I ran into the powerline project which provides much more functionality, seems like an overkill for me, but may work for you.
Shanah Tovah to everyone!


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Get Out!
For the Pure of Heart
One of the most beautiful hikes in the world is only nine hours away
By Elizabeth W. Hughes
We broke the journey in half and got a permit to camp at one of the 12 sites within the canyon. Even spread over two days, this canyon is tough stuff. Once you start, there's no way out. Precautions must be taken for flash flooding, as the river below the campsites grows narrow and deep. An afternoon thunderstorm could turn the beauty of the Narrows to terror in a matter of minutes. Even on a sunny summer day, the lower canyon is shady and cool, and deep water forces hikers to swim a few sections to get to the end.
The towering canyon walls with waterfalls and trees reached toward the sky.
The water levels stayed low, and obstacles like a small waterfall were enjoyable puzzles to figure out (Over? Under? Around? Through?). The air and water have sanded away surfaces, leaving awe-inspiring sculptures. The only sound was the water flowing over the rocks, instilling the calm, peaceful air of a cathedral.
Sometimes it was hard to keep moving because I just wanted to sit there and take it all in. But there were 30 pounds on my back, miles of stream to wade through and only so much daylight. The slippery rocks demanded concentration and meticulously placed footfalls. Hiking in wet boots is tough and slow-going. With stops for pictures and snacks, our group could count on a steady pace of about one mile each hour.
As the day waned, the sun drifted from the left side of the canyon to the right. About the time we landed at the confluence of the Kolob and Virgin Rivers, the daylight bid us adieu, and the canyon walls grew taller still.
With the sun down and about eight miles of canyon hiking behind me, I was tired. These last few miles really felt like some sort of forced march. My feet were wet, and my back was sore. I was the last in our group, trudging slowly to the finish.
Once we arrived and stashed our packs on high ground, we were off to play in the stream. The rapids and boulders that had made the hiking so hard were now our friends. We dried our soggy feet, made dinner and set off to sleep, exhausted. I can't imagine hiking all 16 miles in one day.
The fun of swimming through the Narrows is greatly diminished when you encounter it early in the morning, and it's mandatory for forward progress. On the second day, the coffee was barely spreading through my veins when I had to take my pack off and swim.
When we saw day hikers heading up the river from the Temple of Sinawava, we knew we were home free. Even though it had only been a short time since we'd left the comforts of civilization, the tourists seemed like strange creatures. "They're dry! They're clean! They smell so good!"
The two miles of hike remaining were filled with splendid natural beauty.
Zion Calling
To preserve this canyon and the Virgin River that flows through it, a permitting system allows only 80 people to hike the canyon each day. For full details on the backcountry permitting process, go to: bit.ly/ZionNarrows.
"Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon" • The Flaming Lips • Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
"Roses" • Outkast • Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
"Heartlines" • Florence + The Machine • Ceremonials
"Food, Glorious Food" • Lionel Bart • Oliver! (1968 Film Soundtrack)
Elizabeth W. Hughes can usually be found speeding away from Albuquerque with her dog, Dixie Belle, windows down, music up, in search of hot springs, cold beer or both.
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text:
Answered by:
Richard N. Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations
There is a well-known adage that politics stops at the water's edge, but this tends to be more hope than reality. American history is filled with examples in which political disagreement at home has made it difficult for the United States to act, much less lead, abroad.
Division within Congress or between the legislative and executive branches can make it impossible for individuals to be placed in senior positions. Such divisions can also make it impossible to conclude treaties, appropriate funds for foreign assistance, or pass specific reforms, such as the current proposed reform for immigration policy. A lack of consensus also can undermine investment in the foundations of American power, from resources for defense and diplomacy to education and infrastructure.
Gridlock at home can also work against the ability of the United States to set an example that other societies will want to emulate. And it makes the United States less predictable, something that can unnerve allies and others who depend on this country, and embolden adversaries. All this tends to contribute to global disorder—one reason I titled my new book Foreign Policy Begins at Home.
There are many proposals that, if adopted, would reduce gridlock, but many of these reforms are opposed by the same forces that welcome the ability to frustrate particular policies. The Supreme Court has over time shown little inclination to wade into such disputes. In the end, only politics—strong executive leadership along with powerful grass-roots organization—can bring about significant change in politics.


text:
Related stories
Nov. 29, 2011: Steamboat schools earn top marks
Oct. 26, 2011: South Routt schools near performance ranking goal
District ratings
1. Accredited with distinction
2. Accredited
3. Accredited with improvement plan
4. Accredited with priority improvement plan
5. Accredited with turnaround plan
School ratings
1. Performance
2. Improvement
3. Priority improvement
4. Turnaround
Steamboat Springs The Steamboat Springs School District can continue to tout having the state's highest academic accreditation rating.
For the third school year in a row, the Colorado Department of Education has graded the district as "accredited with distinction."
Steamboat likely is to be among a small group of districts who earn the title for the 2011-12 school year performance when the accreditation ratings are finalized by the Department of Education in December.
Only 18 of Colorado's 178 school districts were "accredited with distinction" in the 2010-11 school year.
"It's just an incredible accomplishment for the district," Superintendent Brad Meeks said Tuesday. "I think it's a tribute to the professionalism of the staff, who continue to find ways to improve. I think it's also reflective of our use of data and how we're using that data to get better as a school district and to really focus on the individual student."
Each year, the Department of Education accredits districts based on their students' academic growth and how well they prepare students for a career or postsecondary education after high school, measures that are determined by students' scores on the Transitional Colorado Student Assessment Program and ACT.
Each school in the district also is graded for its performance.
For the 2011-12 school year, all of Steamboat's schools earned the highest possible performance rating.
"It's again a confirmation that we are doing the right things," Steamboat Curriculum Director Marty Lamansky said about the accreditation. "And the fact that our scores are continually improving shows we're not complacent, and we continue to find those areas we need to improve, and we are improving."
He added the data that accompanies the accreditation rating showed Steamboat students maintained their academic growth scores from the previous year while they saw gains in the postsecondary readiness category that is measured by graduation rates and ACT scores.
Lamansky said he is excited about earning the top accreditation rating, but he also is starting to identify areas where the district can improve its performance.
"There are still those subpopulations (of students), such as our English language learners and our special education population, where we need to work on their growth," he said. "We also need to work on our students' math and science."
In Hayden, Superintendent Mike Luppes said his district again has been rated as "accredited," the second-highest grade out of five the state can give a district. He said the elementary and high school campus were rated as "performance" schools, while the middle school was rated one step below as an "improvement" school.
In South Routt, Superintendent Scott Mader said his district's three-year march to being "accredited with distinction" will continue another year. Like Hayden, Soroco earned the "accredited" rating. Soroco's secondary schools earned the "performance" rating, and the elementary school was rated as an "improvement" school.
"I'm pretty pleased with how this whole thing came out this year," Mader said. "We want to be one of the top 10 percent of the districts in the state. (Being 'accredited with distinction') is one indicator we are doing good things here, and if people send their students to the South Routt School District, they're going to get one of the best educations in the state."
To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210 or email firstname.lastname@example.com


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First Impressions Matter For Campus Grounds Crew
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A professor walks by a bench on the main Fairmont State University campus where Jamie Colanero is taking a rare time-out. She says, "This place looks like an estate!" Colanero says that compliments like that keep him and his crew in the Physical Plant and Road and Grounds Department motivated. "We want our visitors' first impression to be 'Wow, this is nice,' " he says.


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Protecting your loved ones with life insurance is more affordable than you may think.
Your browser does not support iframes.
AAA provides quality travel, insurance, and roadside services worldwide. To find your local club, enter a ZIP Code:
Life insurance and annuities are issued by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life Insurance Company is licensed in all states except NY. CA Cert of Authority #07861. Product availability and features may vary by state. 2008 - 2017 All Rights Reserved. New York Residents: Life insurance is issued by AAA Life Insurance Company of New York, Harrison, NY.


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Dr. Tim is speaking today about the differing types of narration – primarily 1st and 3rd person. Personally, I avoid books with a 1st person point of view (POV), largely because so many writers do it so poorly. Edgar Allan Poe was a master at sucking the reader in to the insanity of his main characters through a 1st person perspective, but not many others manage it (for me, anyway. I realize I'm in the minority.)
Third person narration is the he said, she said of writing. We can inhabit multiple characters through a bit of a distance, and have that comfortable omniscient feeling, the bird's eye view. I prefer this style of writing because of the distance I get from the story (can you tell mysteries are my favorite?), and the almost assurance I get that the tale will be neatly tied up by the end. First person characters almost never give you the whole picture.
Of course, there are other narrative tricks – 2nd person (remember Choose Your Own Adventure books?), and free indirect discourse (borrowing language from other characters), but they are not as common as the first two mentioned.
When it comes to characters, Tim asks, "Why do we have to read about these terrible people with their terrible lives?" Well, the simple answer is that good people are boring. When we get a nice guy or a decent lady that has a little bump in the road before everything is righted in the end, we have a warm, fuzzy feeling…but we tire of it quickly. Read three serial romances in a row and you'll see what I mean. You see the pattern, recognize the formula, predict the ending – and you're only on page four.
We get a little insight into Mrs. Tim, too, this time. She's a librarian (I love her already), and maintains that different rules apply to different books. What works for the hero of a Western, doesn't work for the hero of a Mystery.
Character Conclusions
1) A character doesn't have to be likable or admirable to be interesting.
2) An unlikable character can change and grow (even if we don't like them at the beginning, remember that they may not be around by the end of the story…physically or essentially).
3) Change and growth do not necessarily ensure a character's happiness.
Also, some of the best writing involves us growing right along with the characters. Neither of us should be the same by the end of the book.
Reader Tip: Get in the habit of monitoring your responses to characters. What is your first impression? Do your feelings about them change, and what contributes to that change? When and how does the story ask us to change our views?
Enjoy this and other educational series from Great Courses.
Read examples of interesting narrations and characterization from Edgar Allan Poe, Anton Chekhov, and E.M. Forster.
References: Aspects of the Novel, by E. M. Forster
Related Articles:
Narrators & Characters, or Who's Telling This Story, Anyway?


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I have an App class that I would like to manage a stack of objects subclassed from Scene and the main game loop. The App class' purpose is to yield control of the main game loop to the currently active Scene object.
using namespace std; typedef unique_ptr<Scene> ScenePtr class App { ... stack<ScenePtr, vector<ScenePtr>> scene_stack; ScenePtr current_scene; ScenePtr next_scene; // Don't want to go through the trouble of managing a Singleton // but for basic safety, don't allow copies. App(App& other); int run(); public: App(); ~App(); ... void startWithScene(ScenePtr scene); void pushScene(ScenePtr scene); void popScene(); };
There's a bunch of other code in there for initializing the display, running the actual game loop, etc. What I'm having trouble with (and can't find a decent answer on SO for) is how I can pass a pointer to a dynamically allocated Scene subclass into startWithScene, pushScene, etc.
int App::startWithScene(ScenePtr scene) { current_scene = std::move(scene); current_scene->init(); return run(); }
And what I'm trying to do in main() is:
... #include "BlankScene.h" int main(int argc, char *argvp[]) { App app = App(); app.startWithScene(ScenePtr(new BlankScene())); }
The idea is that the Scene base class is just an interface for the App to use. The subclass provides the implementation for any given scene in a game. The scene is responsible for all of its own entities, responding to the events it's interested in, rendering itself to the display, etc. This seems like a reasonable design to me and I'm just trying to get the minimum possible infrastructure in place to get it going.
However I'm getting an error that seems unrelated. On the line in main() where I create an instance of the App the compiler is telling me that I'm calling a private constructor of the class. It wasn't giving that error before I added the class members and methods to implement the scene management stuff.
I'm starting to wonder if I'm barking up the wrong tree here. I'm reading as much as I can about smart pointers in C++11 (very nice feature) but this error is throwing me for a loop. Are there more implicit constructors or something?
(And is this even a reasonable design?)
Edited by agentultra, 12 February 2013 - 12:13 PM.


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About Jeff Masters
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather
By: Dr. Jeff Masters , 04:24 PM GMT die 26o February, anno 2008
Are tornadoes and severe thunderstorms getting more numerous and more extreme due to climate change? To help answer this question, let's restrict our attention to the U.S., which has the highest incidence of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms of any place in the world. At a first glance, it appears that tornado frequency has increased in recent decades (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The number of EF-0 (blue line) and EF-1 and stronger tornadoes (maroon diamonds) reported in the U.S. since 1950. There is not a decades-long increasing trend in the numbers of tornadoes stronger than EF-0, implying that climate change, as yet, is not having a noticeable impact on U.S. tornadoes. However, statistics of tornado frequency and intensity are highly uncertain. Major changes in the rating process occurred in the mid-1970s (when all tornadoes occurring prior to about 1975 were retrospectively rated), and again in 2001, when scientists began rating tornadoes lower because of engineering concerns and unintended consequences of National Weather Service policy changes. According to Brooks (2013), "Tornadoes in the early part of the official National Weather Service record (1950-approximately 1975) are rated with higher ratings than the 1975 - 2000 period, which, in turn, had higher ratings than 2001 - 2007." Also, beginning in 2007, NOAA switched from the F-scale to the EF-scale for rating tornado damage, causing additional problems with attempting to assess if tornadoes are changing over time. Image credit: Kunkel, Kenneth E., et al., 2013, "Monitoring and Understanding Trends in Extreme Storms: State of Knowledge," Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 94, 499–514, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00262.1
However, this increase may be entirely caused by factors unrelated to climate change:
1) Population growth has resulted in more tornadoes being reported.
2) Advances in weather radar, particularly the deployment of about 100 Doppler radars across the U.S. in the mid-1990s, has resulted in a much higher tornado detection rate.
3) Tornado damage surveys have grown more sophisticated over the years. For example, we now commonly classify multiple tornadoes along a damage path that might have been attributed to just one twister in the past.
Given these uncertainties in the tornado data base, it is unknown how the frequency of tornadoes might be changing over time. The "official word" on climate science, the 2007 United Nations IPCC report, stated it thusly: "There is insufficient evidence to determine whether trends exist in small scale phenomena such as tornadoes, hail, lighting, and dust storms." Furthermore, we're not likely to be able to develop methods to improve the situation in the near future.The current Doppler radar system can only detect the presence of a parent rotating thunderstorm that often, but not always, produces a tornado. Until a technology is developed that can reliably detect all tornadoes, there is no hope of determining how tornadoes might be changing in response to a changing climate. According to Doswell (2007): I see no near-term solution to the problem of detecting detailed spatial and temporal trends in the occurrence of tornadoes by using the observed data in its current form or in any form likely to evolve in the near future.
Are strong tornadoes increasing?
Stronger tornadoes (greater than EF-0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, or F0 on the pre-2007 Fujita Scale) are more likely to get counted, since they tend to cause significant damage along a long track. Thus, the climatology of these tornadoes may offer a clue as to how climate change may be affecting severe weather. Unfortunately, we cannot measure the wind speeds of a tornado directly, except in very rare cases when researchers happen to be present with sophisticated research equipment. Tornadoes are categorized using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which is based on damage (note that the EF scale to rate tornadoes was adopted in 2007, but the transition to this new scale still allows valid comparisons of tornadoes rated, for example, EF-5 on the new scale and F-5 on the old scale.) So, if a strong tornado happens to sweep through empty fields and never destroy any structures, it will never be rated as a strong tornado. Thus, if the number of strong tornadoes has actually remained constant over the years, we should expect to see some increase in these twisters over the decades, since more buildings have been erected in the paths of tornadoes. However, if we look at the statistics of U.S. tornadoes stronger than EF-0 or F-0 since 1950, there does not appear to be any increase in their number. Not surprisingly, a study accepted for publication in Environmental Hazards (Simmons et al., 2012) found no increase in tornado damages from 1950 - 2011, after normalizing the data for increases in wealth and property (note, though, that I am suspicious of studies that normalize disaster data, since they are prone to error, as revealed by a 2012 study looking at storm surge heights and damages.)
The future of tornadoes
An alternate technique to study how climate change may be affecting tornadoes is look at how the large-scale environmental conditions favorable for tornado formation have changed through time. Moisture, instability, lift, and wind shear are needed for tornadic thunderstorms to form. The exact mix required varies considerably depending upon the situation, and is not well understood. However, Brooks (2003) attempted to develop a climatology of weather conditions conducive for tornado formation by looking at atmospheric instability (as measured by the Convective Available Potential Energy, or CAPE), and the amount of wind shear between the surface and 6 km altitude. High values of CAPE and surface to 6 km wind shear are conducive to formation of tornadic thunderstorms. The regions they analyzed with high CAPE and high shear for the period 1997-1999 did correspond pretty well with regions where significant (F2 and stronger) tornadoes occurred. The authors plan to extend the climatology back in time to see how climate change may have changed the large-scale conditions conducive for tornado formation. Riemann-Campe et al. (2009) found that globally, CAPE increased significantly between 1958 - 2001. However, little change in CAPE was found over the Central and Eastern U.S. during spring and summer during the most recent period they studied, 1979 - 2001. A preliminary report issued by NOAA's Climate Attribution Rapid Response Team in July 2011 found no trends in CAPE or wind shear over the lower Mississippi Valley over the past 30 years. However, preliminary work by J. Sander of Munich Re insurance company, presented at the December 2011 American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco, found that the number of days with very high CAPE values over the eastern two-thirds of the United States between 1970 and 2009 did increase significantly.
Del Genio et al.(2007) used a climate model with doubled CO2 to show that a warming climate would make the atmosphere more unstable (higher CAPE) and thus prone to more severe weather. However, decreases in wind shear offset this effect, resulting in little change in the amount of severe weather in the Central and Eastern U.S. late this century. The speed of updrafts in thunderstorms over land increased by about 1 m/s in their simulation, though, since upward moving air needed to travel 50-70 mb higher to reach the freezing level. As a result, the most severe thunderstorms got stronger. In the Western U.S., the simulation showed that drying led lead to fewer thunderstorms, but the strongest thunderstorms increased in number by 26%, leading to a 6% increase in the total amount of lighting hitting the ground each year. If these results are correct, we might expect more lightning-caused fires in the Western U.S. late this century, due to enhanced drying and more lightning.
Using a high-resolution regional climate model (25 km grid size) zoomed in on the U.S., Trapp et al. (2007) and Trapp et al. (2009) found that the decrease in 0-6 km wind shear in the late 21st century would more than be made up for by an increase in instability (CAPE). Their model predicted an increase in the number of days with high severe storm potential for almost the entire U.S., by the end of the 21st century. These increases were particularly high for many locations in the Eastern and Southern U.S., including Atlanta, New York City, and Dallas (Figure 3). Cities further north and west such as Chicago saw a smaller increase in the number of severe weather days.
Figure 3. Number of days per year with high severe storm potential historically (blue bars) and as predicted by the climate model (A2 scenario) of Trapp et al. 2007 (red bars).
We currently do not know how tornadoes and severe thunderstorms may be changing due to changes in the climate, nor is there hope that we will be able to do so in the foreseeable future. At this time, it does not appear that there has been an increase in U.S. tornadoes stronger than EF-0 in recent decades. Preliminary research using climate models suggests that we may see an increase in the number of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes over the U.S. late this century. However, this research is just beginning, and much more study is needed to confirm these findings.
Brooks, H.E., 2013, "Severe thunderstorms and climate change," Atmospheric Research, Volume 123, 1 April 2013, Pages 129–138, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2012.04.002.
Brooks, H.E., J.W. Lee, and J.P. Craven, 2003, "The spatial distribution of severe thunderstorm and tornado environments from global reanalysis data", Atmospheric Research Volumes 67-68, July-September 2003, Pages 73-94.
Doswell, C.A., 2007, "Small Sample Size and Data Quality Issues Illustrated Using Tornado Occurrence Data", E-Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology Vol 2, No. 5 (2007).
Del Genio, A.D., M-S Yao, and J. Jonas, 2007, Will moist convection be stronger in a warmer climate?, Geophysical Research Letters, 34, L16703, doi: 10.1029/2007GL030525.
Kunkel, Kenneth E., et al., 2013, "Monitoring and Understanding Trends in Extreme Storms: State of Knowledge," Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 94, 499–514, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00262.1
Marsh, P.T., H.E. Brooks, and D.J. Karoly, 2007, Assessment of the severe weather environment in North America simulated by a global climate model, Atmospheric Science Letters, 8, 100-106, doi: 10.1002/asl.159.
Riemann-Campe, K., Fraedrich, K., and F. Lunkeit, 2009, Global climatology of Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) and Convective Inhibition (CIN) in ERA-40 reanalysis, Atmospheric Research Volume 93, Issues 1-3, July 2009, Pages 534-545, 4th European Conference on Severe Storms.
Simmons, K.M., Dutter, D., and Pielke, R., 2012, "Normalized Tornado Damage in the United States: 1950-2011," DOI: 10.1080/17477891.2012.738642
Trapp, R.J., N.S. Diffenbaugh, H.E. Brooks, M.E. Baldwin, E.D. Robinson, and J.S. Pal, 2007, Severe thunderstorm environment frequency during the 21st century caused by anthropogenically enhanced global radiative forcing, PNAS 104 no. 50, 19719-19723, Dec. 11, 2007.
Trapp, R. J., Diffenbaugh, N. S., & Gluhovsky, A., 2009, "Transient response of severe thunderstorm forcing to elevated greenhouse gas concentrations," Geophysical Research Letters, 36(1).
Jeff Masters
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather


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Latest Headlines
REIDICULOUS (or EAGLES + FORK = DONE)
Posted on 14 Nov 2011 by Christopher Rowe.
Stop the ride. We are ready to get off now. It has been 13 seasons… (12-1/2 seasons to be exact) and while we have tallied up 121-79 regular season and 10-9 postseason record, Eagles fans are spent. We collectively feel more wretched than Donovan McNabb on his final legendary drive in Super Bowl XXXIX. Fourth and guts on the 20 yard line! We've celebrated 5 NFC Championship games but lost...


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'Corrupt' is a term not traditionally used in New Zealand politics, but it's certainly being thrown around now, not only by opponents of the National Government, but also by commentators and newspaper editorials. The best example is Vernon Small's SkyCity stench demands restart - probably the best analysis to date. Small makes the case for due process in government deals, saying the rules that the Key Government has been ignoring or flouting exist 'to protect against the risk of corruption and inappropriate influence'. He suggests that confidence in the public sector and the way government works has been damaged by the SkyCity deal: 'No corruption but a corrupted process'.
Allegations of corruption are the theme of Jane Clifton's latest Listener column - see: Winner takes it all (paywalled). Clifton says, 'There have always been whispers that various politicians are in the pocket of the booze, racing, tobacco, fisheries or some other sector.
But it was rather disarming when National climbed right into Sky City's pocket in plain sight, and openly waved a white hanky at us from within it'. She also expresses amazement that the Auditor-General could find so much wrong with the SkyCity deal process, but then be 'agnostic about whether the outcome was proper'. Clifton is less surprised that the PM thinks he can get away with such unconventional deal-making: 'He has form, having overtly buddied up to Hollywood execs, who also got legislation - and money - for letting New Zealand retain the Hobbit production, the cost-benefit ratio of which is also still mysterious'.
Writing in the NBR, Rob Hosking argues that the allegations of 'cronyism', 'dodgy deals' and corruption are 'overheated accusations' that are 'not borne out by the facts'. He suggests that the 'storm in a teacup' (or 'zephyr in a demi-tasse') is actually more the result of 'political games' by Opposition parties - see his (paywalled) column, SkyCity row: the sloppiness continues. The increased use of terms like corruption, cronyism and hypocrisy is largely due to a new campaigning fashion amongst politicians, using rhetoric as their main form of negative campaigning. An escalating war of words has developed over political integrity, with all parties seeking to damage the reputation of opponents, knowing that the public is highly-receptive to charges of political dishonesty. That may not always be the case as there is a danger of the boy who cried wolf syndrome where real instances of serious corruption are portrayed in the same language as normal political discourse.
Much is also being made of the threat the deal poses to New Zealand's corruption-free status internationally - at least by opposition politicians. For the best example of this, see David Cunliffe's blogpost, Today the house must not win.
It isn't, however, all just opposition outrage. The Dominion Post's Disregard for the rules is alarming is scathing of the Government's process, saying such rules are vitally important because 'adherence to proper process helps to ensure that public moneys are spent wisely and that New Zealand remains relatively free of corruption'. It concludes powerfully against the way that John Key has been doing deals: 'That is the way politics operates in Russia, China, India, Africa and other parts of the world in which corruption is endemic. It is not the way it should operate in New Zealand'.
Other important coverage of the SkyCity scandal includes David Fisher and Claire Trevett's Key retreats from TVNZ land deal statements, Toby Manhire's Move along! Nothing to see here!, and Patrick Gower's Casino chases taxpayer-funded marketing.
While the SkyCity issue can only be bad news for National, the effect of the shock news that Solid Energy is in crisis is less clear. The best account of the issue is Pattrick Smellie's report, Govt won't let Solid Energy fail, looks to banks to wear their share. National will also hope that the issue shows the need for the state to reduce its ownership of SOEs. And today, David Farrar pushes this line in his blogpost, So why do we own a mining company?. This view is parodied by Scott Yorke in Sell them all. But one of the bigger impacts of the story will be to re-focus public debate on the rocketing management salaries and bonuses of companies. The Standard makes the case that Solid Energy has suffered from a culture of excess: 'In a decade, the board's pay rose from $200,000 to $360,000 - a 80% increase, twice the increase in household incomes over the period. The CEO is worse: with pay rising from $380,000 in 2002 to $1,350,000 in 2012 - a 255% increase. The number of Solid Energy employees earning more than a Cabinet Minister rose from 6 in 2002 to 39 in 2012 (a further 250 were paid more than an ordinary MP). Just those 39 and the board were paid $15.5m a year - the equivalent of 310 average wages' - see: Nats' fossil fuel bet & culture of excess bankrupted Solid Energy. Some good questions are also asked about the company's performance in Grant Bradley's Hero to zero in two years, and the kitty's empty.
Other recent important or interesting items include the following:
* Labour's upcoming caucus reshuffle has been described by commentators as difficult for David Shearer because of the fraught issue of dealing with David Cunliffe and his supporters. But David Farrar has blogged on The Labour reshuffle and suggests that the problems are more about identity politics - i.e. can Shearer really demote two underperforming female MPs, and can he afford to have a Pakeha-dominated line-up? See also, Chris Trotter's Charge of the limp brigade which deals with the departure of Charles Chauvel and the apparent defeat of David Cunliffe, and asks, that 'With Champagne Charlie gone, can the talented Mr Cunliffe be far behind?
* New Zealand's head of state still can't be a Catholic, even if current constitutional reforms are passed - see Brian Rudman's It's a charade of heirs and graces.
* State education in New Zealand is supposed to be secular, but a loophole called the Nelson Clause 'allows schools to close for bible classes during school hours', which the Secular Education Network is fighting to close, apparently with little support from political parties keen not to offend religious groups - see: Pressure on Government over bible lessons.
* Why do state agencies have such a poor record of protecting highly sensitive privacy material? The latest scandal shows how the Police are putting people at risk - see Fred Tulett's 'Lives at stake' in files botch-up. There also appear to be reforms to the way that the Police Complaints Authority works - see both Blair Ensor's Police complaints going more public and Simon Bradwell's IPCA boss wants power to investigate.
* The Government has launched another round of punitive welfare reforms, this time receiving some support from the Beneficiary Advocacy Federation, which agrees with the decision to target the partners of benefit fraudsters - see Shane Cowlishaw's Fraud investigation measures raise concerns. But the logic of the reforms is countered by Gordon Campbell, who points out that mistakes by the bureaucracy and underclaiming of welfare benefits are much more of a problem than wilful fraud - see: On the latest spasm of welfare bashing. See also, Steven Cowan's Persecuting the poor. Interestingly, the Green Party has come out with harsh criticism of the reforms, but say that nonetheless they may still vote for the legislation - see Newswire's Benefit fraud crackdown 'unfair'. No Right Turn blogs with severe criticism of the move, but also implicating Labour - see: National spins the wheel again.
* Is the Government's announcement of a 'legacy commitment' to Afghanistan a U-turn? The Waikato Times suggest it is, and says to suggest otherwise is to fall for or push the 'spin' - see: Staying on in Afghanistan. This type of allegation is a 'cheap shot' according to Greer Berry writing in the Manawatu Standard - see: Afghanistan service serves our needs too.
* New Zealanders like to think our war-time record and defence forces are pretty clean but there was a clear violation of the Geneva Convention in the 1943 'wartime "massacre" of Japanese prisoners by New Zealand soldiers' in Featherston - see Seamus Boyer's Lecturer urges massacre apology.
* The new host for TVNZ's Q+A politics show has been announced - see: Susan Wood 'absolutely delighted' to host Q+A. The show restarts on March 10. Other current affairs and politics shows have the following restart/launch schedules: Native Affairs (11 March), The Nation (23 March) and The Vote (end of March). Also, TV3's new current affairs show, 3rd Degree starts on 6 March - watch the 30-second promo. Meanwhile Seven Sharp is still losing huge numbers of One News viewers but, interestingly, Campbell Live isn't continuing to gain from Seven Sharp's losses - see: Let's not talk about the ratings slump for Campbell Live last night.


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1350. MiamiHurricanes09
Quoting keiser:I would say that August, September, and October are the most active (based on climatology). The GOM, Caribbean, and U.S eastern coast are at the highest risk this year.
Member Since: Posts: Comments:
By: Dr. Jeff Masters , 1:51 PM GMT on June 10, 2010
The British private forecasting firm Tropical Storm Risk, Inc. (TSR) has joined the ranks of NOAA and Colorado State University in calling for an exceptionally active 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. The latest TSR forecast issued June 4 calls for 17.7 named storms, 9.5 hurricanes, 4.4 intense hurricanes, and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) 181% of average. These numbers are much above the 50-year average of 10 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 intense hurricanes, and are an increase from their April forecast of 16.3 named storms, 8.5 hurricanes, and 4 intense hurricanes. The TSR June forecast numbers are the highest they've ever gone for in the eleven years they've been issuing Atlantic hurricane season forecasts. TSR predicts a 85-90% chance that activity will rank in the top 1/3 of years historically, and a 85% chance that U.S. landfalling activity will be above average. TSR rates their skill level as 20-34% higher than a "no-skill" forecast made using climatology, though an independent assessment by the National Hurricane Center (Figure 1) gives them somewhat lower skill numbers.
TSR projects that 5.7 named storms will hit the U.S., with 2.5 of these being hurricanes. The averages from the 1950-2009 climatology are 3.2 named storms and 1.5 hurricanes. They rate their skill at making these June forecasts for U.S. landfalls at 10 - 17% higher than a "no-skill" forecast made using climatology. In the Lesser Antilles Islands of the Caribbean, TSR projects 1.8 named storms, 0.8 of these being hurricanes. Climatology is 1.1 named storms and 0.5 hurricanes.
TSR cites two main factors for their forecast of an exceptionally active season:
1) Their model predicts that sea surface temperatures will be 0.6°C warmer than average in August and September over the Main Development Region (MDR) for Atlantic hurricanes. This is the area between 10°N and 20°N, between the coast of Africa and Central America (20°W - 80°W). It is called the Main Development Region because virtually all African waves originate in this region. These African waves account for 85% of all Atlantic major hurricanes and 60% of all named storms. When SSTs in the MDR are much above average during hurricane season, a very active season typically results (if there is no El Niño event present.)
2) Their model predicts slower than normal trade winds in August and September over the Main Development Region (MDR). Trade winds are forecast to be 1.2 meters per second (about 2.7 mph) slower than average. This would create more spin for developing storms, and allow the oceans to warm up, due to reduced mixing of cold water from the depths and lower evaporational cooling.
Figure 1. Comparison of the percent improvement over climatology for May and August seasonal hurricane forecasts for the Atlantic from NOAA, CSU and tropicalstormrisk.com (TSR) from 1999-2009 (May) and 1998-2009 (August), using the Mean Squared Error. Image credit: Verification of 12 years of NOAA seasonal hurricane forecasts, National Hurricane Center.
2010 hurricane season forecasts from CSU and NOAA
NOAA's 2010 Atlantic hurricane season forecast, issued May 27, called for 18.5 named storms, 11 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes, and an ACE index 210% of normal (using the mid-point of their range of numbers.) The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season forecast from Colorado State University (CSU) issued on June 2 called for 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 5 intense hurricanes. So, the consensus forecast from NOAA, CSU, and TSR is 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 5 intense hurricanes. The June forecast numbers from all three groups were the highest they've ever gone for in their history of issuing Atlantic hurricane season forecasts.
May SSTs in the tropical Atlantic set a new record
Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) in the Atlantic's Main Development Region for hurricanes had their warmest May on record, according to an analysis of historical SST data from the UK Hadley Center. SST data goes back to 1850, though there is much missing data before 1910 and during WWI and WWII. SSTs in the Main Development Region (10°N to 20°N and 20°W to 80°W) were a remarkable 1.51°C above average during May. This is the fourth straight record warm month, and the warmest anomaly measured for any month. The previous record warmest anomaly for the Atlantic MDR was 1.46°C, set last month. Third place goes to June 2005 and March 2010, with a 1.26°C anomaly. As I explained in detail in a post on record February SSTs in the Atlantic, the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and its close cousin, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), are largely to blame for the record SSTs, though global warming and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) also play a role. However, trade winds over the tropical Atlantic have increased to near-normal speeds over the past week, since the Bermuda-Azores High has strengthened to near-normal pressures. The Bermuda-Azores High and its associated trade winds are forecast to increase to above average strength during mid-June, according to the latest runs of the GFS model. This means that Atlantic SST anomalies have probably peaked for the year, and we can anticipate that the June SST anomaly in the MDR will not be as great as the May anomaly--and may even fall below the June record set in 2005.
Figure 2. The departure of sea surface temperature (SST) from average for June 10, 2010. Image credit: NOAA/NESDIS.
Oil spill update
Light southeast or south winds of 5 - 15 knots will blow today through Tuesday, according to the latest marine forecast from NOAA. These winds will keep oil near the beaches of Alabama, Mississippi, and the extreme western Florida Panhandle, according to the latest trajectory forecasts from NOAA and the State of Louisiana. The latest ocean current forecasts from the NOAA HYCOM model are not predicting eastward-moving ocean currents along the Florida Panhandle coast this week, and it is unlikely that surface oil will affect areas of Florida east of Pensacola. Long range surface wind forecasts from the GFS model for the period 8 - 14 days from now show a southeasterly wind regime, which would prevent any further progress of the oil eastwards along the Florida Panhandle, and would tend to bring significant amounts of oil back to the shores of eastern Louisiana next week. If you spot oil, send in your report to http://www.gulfcoastspill.com/, whose mission is to help the Gulf Coast recovery by creating a daily record of the oil spill.
Figure 3. The oil spill as imaged on June 9, 2010, by NOAA's Terra satellite. The spill appears highly reflective in the sunglint portion of the image.
Oil spill resources
My post, What a hurricane would do the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
NOAA's fact sheet on Hurricanes and the Oil Spill
My post on the Southwest Florida "Forbidden Zone" where surface oil will rarely go
My post on what oil might do to a hurricane
Oil trajectory forecasts from NOAA
Gulf Oil Blog from the UGA Department of Marine Sciences
Oil Spill Academic Task Force
University of South Florida Ocean Circulation Group oil spill forecasts
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery from the University of Miami
I'll have a new post on Friday. The tropical Atlantic is quiet right now, with no models predicting tropical cyclone development over the next seven days.
Jeff Masters
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather


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This is a wonderful book "Christmas Jars" by Jason F. Wright. One of my Daycare mom's and I just gave a jar to a single mom with a 4 year old whose husband walked out on her and it was the most wonderful feeling I have ever experienced...will definitly do it every year. there is a web site www.christmasjars.com
Wonderful Book!
Started by Ande43, Dec 08 2010 10:36 PM
6 replies to this topic
Posted 08 December 2010 - 10:36 PM
Posted 09 December 2010 - 12:31 AM
Went to check out the website. I'll pick up a copy of the book tomorrow. Looks wonderful. Thanks for letting us know about it.
A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart. ~Author Unknown
Posted 09 December 2010 - 01:22 AM
Sounds amazing. Have to read this. Thanks for the tip!
Posted 09 December 2010 - 01:47 AM
Just checked some reviews and it sounds really good. Maybe I'll put it on my Christmas wish list for Santa. If he doesn't bring it to me, then I'll go buy it myself lol. TFS Carol.
Posted 09 December 2010 - 06:35 AM
What a great idea!
Posted 09 December 2010 - 09:09 AM
Sounds wonderful! I"ll have to check that book out.
~ ~ ~ ~
Posted 12 December 2010 - 07:59 PM
Thanks for the tip! I love a good book!
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