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Battle Burning Over Legalizing Marijuana in 3 US States
WASHINGTON, October 16 (By Carl Schreck for RIA Novosti)
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Former American drug officials are sounding the alarm over ballot initiatives next month in three US states that would legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational use, warning Monday that the proposed measures are in clear violation of federal law and represent a serious threat to the public.
The November 6 ballot initiatives in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State mark the latest battlefields in a national debate over marijuana's legalization, which Americans increasingly support, according to polls.
Peter Bensinger, a former administrator of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, told reporters Monday that voters in the three states will see a spike in traffic accidents, overdoses, and drug addiction should they choose to allow the commercial production and sale of marijuana to adults.
"The legalization of marijuana is not about politics," Bensinger said on a conference call. "It's about public health, public safety, science and the law."
Bensinger spoke Monday on behalf of nine former DEA administrators who are calling on US Attorney General Eric Holder to warn voters in the three states that legalizing the substance would set them up for a showdown with federal authorities.
Holder issued just such a warning in the run-up to a similar ballot initiative rejected by California voters in 2010, saying the Justice Department would "vigorously" prosecute "individuals and organizations that possess, manufacture, or distribute marijuana for recreational use, even if such activities are permitted under state law."
The Justice Department has remained silent on the three ballot measures this year, leaving both opponents and proponents of the initiatives scratching their heads about how the federal government might react should they be passed.
John Walters, the former US "drug czar" under the administration of President George W. Bush, told reporters that the silence of the Justice Department and the White House on the legalization drives is "shocking."
"All they have to do is say things this administration has already said," Walters said on Monday's conference call. "By saying it in a timely way, it would help enormously to defeat these measures."
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment Monday on what its response would be should any of the three states vote for legalization.
Support for legalizing the use of marijuana has grown steadily in America over the past several decades, according to Gallup polls conducted since 1969. In a Gallup poll taken in October 2011, a record 50 percent of Americans said use of the drug should be legal. The poll had a margin of error of 4 percent.
Supporters of this year's ballot initiatives in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State say marijuana should be regulated and taxed much in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes. Legalization would keep nonviolent drug offenders from crowding prisons, and taxes on the drug could provide a huge financial windfall for states struggling to balance their budgets, they say.
Washington State's office of financial management has estimated that it could take in nearly $2 billion in tax revenues from marijuana sales should voters there pass the measure, which would give regulatory powers over the drug to the state liquor board and allow a limited amount of marijuana to people aged 21 and over.
Like many supporters of legalization, Washington State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles compares the outlawing of marijuana to America's disastrous federal prohibition of alcohol in the first half of the 20th century, which drove alcohol onto the black market and became a bonanza for organized crime networks.
"We have a system like Prohibition, and it's time to change," she said.
Other elected officials in the state say they are against the bill because it would pit the state's residents against federal authorities.
"It's set our citizens up, potentially, for the federal DEA to come in and arrest people with small amounts of marijuana, even though Washington State would allow it," said state legislator Mike Armstrong. "…If the federal law was changed, then I may have a different outlook on it."
Robert Mikos, an expert on federal and criminal law at Vanderbilt Law School, said it could take years before a unified response by the federal government begins to take shape should voters choose legalization.
Federal prosecutors' crackdown on medical marijuana in several states—including seizures and civil actions by the Justice Department—in recent years could prove to be a model for federal action against legalized pot, Mikos said.
Washington State legislator Joe Fitzgibbon, a backer of the initiative, said he expects it to pass, but he thinks the federal government will also likely seek an injunction. But he said he expects legalization to triumph in the end.
"For a long time the states have been viewed as laboratories of democracy," Fitzgibbon said. "When the federal policy is so broken, states take action and kick the federal government to reevaluate whether its policy is working."
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Another shot from the zoo. This big guy was simply miserable. His girl had just left to have a baby not too long ago. I guess even animals know what true love is like!
Aw! Poor lonely orangutan! He'll be busy enough when the family comes home though!
Awwww. Pore little big guy. Great capture looks like me after a long day :)
great shot of the poor miserable creature…. Know how he feels!
nice shot
thats me in the morning,,,lol great shot
poor fella…..this would make a great front to a miss you hallmark card!! great work
Ah! Sweet! Great Photo!
Sad sad sad image but well taken
LOL!! Delightful capture!
Great photo


text: EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Welcome to ACS inc. This handbook has been developed as a resource for information regarding the company's employment benefits and policies. You should familiarize yourself with these policies as they are intended to help you understand the corporation's culture and philosophies and guide you in interpreting your benefit choices. These policies are not, however, intended to be constructed in any manner as the terms and conditions of an employment contract. This handbook and the policies contained herein are subject to change by management at any time, particularly as a result of continuous improvement efforts. You will be notified of any such changes when they occur. You should also be aware that North Carolina is an "employment at will" state. This means that absent a written agreement to the contrary, either you or ACS inc. is free to discontinue your employment at any time for any reason or no reason. Should you have questions, comments or suggestions about anything contained in this handbook please feel free to contact a member of the Corporate Planning Team. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Mission and Philosophy ACS's mission is to be the premier building products distributor in the Triangle. ACS is a customer-focused, regional distributing business with broad construction and aftermarket capabilities. We constantly strive for 100% customer satisfaction by delivering value added construction services. ACS strives through the use of proven practices with a heavy emphasis on safety and quality control. To attract the best people and maintain extraordinary results and performance from our employees, it is our core belief that our employees must realize a high level of job satisfaction. We accomplish this by providing our employees with: Training Opportunity for growth Rewards and recognition Caring family atmosphere Challenging work EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Organization 3.1 Staff Organization ACS is divided into three divisions that carry out activities in the following categories: Multifamily Division: The Multi-family division sells windows, doors, fireplaces, and heating and air applications on large projects. Fireplace Division: The Fireplace division sells and installs fireplaces, gas logs, marble, granite and mantles. This division focuses on builder customers but is also heavily involved with the homeowner. Mechanical Division: The Mechanical division sells and installs heating and cooling solutions for builder and homeowner customers. This division is also involved with service contracts and warranties. Each division head is responsible planning, budgeting and operational activities with all activities subject to approval by the Corporate Planning Team and adherence to ACS's mission and philosophy. 3.2 Staff Communications In order for all staff members in the organization to properly and efficiently carry out their responsibilities to one another, all parties need to be informed fully as to what is going on and why. You should be kept informed of procedures and policies, and you should also make every effort to seek out information when you need it. If you have any problems connected with your job, every effort will be made to resolve them properly and fairly. In addition, your division leaders and fellow members want to know what is on your mind so they can benefit from your ideas and experiences and properly and fairly react to EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Any problems that may arise. Filling these needs requires free and open two-way communication. To facilitate communication, ACS provides a variety of techniques. For instance, staff meetings (all staff or various division meetings) give you a chance to hear and discuss new policies, status reports, business plan updates, etc. In addition, various tools such as e-mail, voice mail, memos and bulletin board announcements provided so that important news can reach all employees. 3.3 Orientation Process During the first few days of employment, all new staff members are provided a general orientation session by a member of the personnel staff. The personnel staff will explain ACS's employment benefits and general operating policies, and will provide instructions for enrollment in the various benefits plans. Orientation regarding an employee's product and service work and procedures is typically provided later by the employee's direct supervisor or division leader. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Employment Policies 4.1 Equal Employment Opportunity It is the policy of ACS to provide equal opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship or disability. This policy covers all activities of employment, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, upgrading, promotion, demotion or transfer, layoff, recall and termination, rates of pay and participation in all company sponsored activities. To ensure that employment and promotional decisions are made in accordance with equal employment opportunity. This policy shall be periodically brought to the attention of the full staff and shall be administered with a positive attitude by those with the responsibility to carry out the above activities. It is also the responsibility of each employee to ensure affirmative implementation of this policy in order to avoid any discrimination in employment. All employees are expected to recognize this policy and cooperate with its implementation. Violation of this policy is a disciplinable offense. Any employee who feels that he or she has been the subject of discrimination or has knowledge of such discrimination in the company should, without fear of recrimination, make his or her concern known to a member of the Corporate Planning Team as soon as possible. ACS is committed to the thorough and prompt investigation of all claims of discrimination raised by its staff. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 4.2 Grievance Policy It is ACS's policy to provide fair and open communication between management and employees, one in which employees can feel completely free to voice their opinions without fear of retribution. As such, employees should know that they are welcome to make any concerns or problems known to a member of the Corporate Planning Team or your direct supervisor. However, in the interest of fair dealing, employees should always make an attempt first to resolve any conflicts or concerns directly with the individuals or staff members involved. Realizing that there may be times when that may be impractical, employees should then take issue to the Corporate Planning Board for consideration. The Corporate Planning Team and/or personnel staff will conduct any necessary fact finding studies in order to fully understand the nature of the concern and identify any obstacles to resolving the issues. CPT will make the final decision regarding any action or inaction to be taken based solely on the facts involved. Should any employee feel that the decision rendered by CPT is incorrect, he or she may appeal in writing and request a review of the issue by the owners of the company. Because, however, there are always at least two sides to any issue among two or more people, the company cannot respond to anonymous complaints. ACS must be able to investigate fully any concern or complaint by an employee and cannot do so if the initiating party remains unknown. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 4.3 Disciplinary Policy ACS's disciplinary policy is based on several factors. First, there exists a supervisor responsibility for dealing with the initial unsatisfactory performance or behavior of an employee. Second, company management has the responsibility of clearly communicating the link between an offending employee's actions and their consequences. Finally, except in certain aggravated circumstances, a basic "three strikes" policy of progressive disciplinary actions will be employed. In all instances, however, it is up to the offending employee to take responsibility for improvements in his or her own performance or behavior. Discussions: If at any time an employee's work or conduct is considered unsatisfactory, a verbal complaint and suggestion for improvement should be registered directly with the offending employee. Offending employees are then expected to respond to the complaint to their supervisor with a commitment and plan to improve the work or conduct. Written Acknowledgments: A repeated complaint regarding unsatisfactory work or conduct will be documented in writing. Both the nature and history of the complaints and subsequent responses received from the offending employee will be kept on file. The offending employee will be asked to sign this written warning acknowledging receipt and may respond in writing to such documents placed in his or her file. Formal Action: Should unsatisfactory work or conduct continue to occur, your supervisor will inform you in writing the recommendation regarding suspension, demotion, reassignment or termination. The owners will make the final decision regarding any formal actions to be taken, up to and including termination. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Exceptions: In certain instances, the behavior or conduct of an offending employee may be so serious as to warrant a suspension without pay. During this time, the Corporate Planning Team will fully investigate the nature and circumstances of the incident and determine the appropriate next step which may include any action ranging from reinstatement to termination. However, certain blatant violations of either corporate or public policy including, without limitation, violent assaults, weapons violations, dishonesty, ethics violations, etc., may result in immediate termination of an employee by corporate management and possible notification of police authorities. In all cases, ACS will look to the nature of the incidents or performance deficiencies and take into consideration past disciplinary actions taken for similar offenses in order to ensure the consistent and fair disciplinary treatment of all employees. 4.4 Sexual Harassment ACS forbids sexual harassment involving any of its employees in the employment relationship. It is the company's firm policy that all employees are entitled to a work environment free of discriminatory harassment, including that based on sex. Sexual harassment is defined broadly as such conduct as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, including without being limited to sexual jokes, teasing, touching or language. Disciplinary action, up to and including termination, will be taken against any employee who engages in the following behavior: EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Suggesting or stipulating that submission to such sexual conduct is explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment. Suggesting or stipulating that submission to or rejection of such sexual conduct is a basis for employment decisions. Perpetuating conduct that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. Employees, without fear of reprisal, have the responsibility to bring any pattern of conduct that may constitute unlawful sexual harassment to the attention to any member of the Corporate Planning Team. Upon such knowledge, the corporation will conduct a prompt and, to the extent possible, confidential investigation into the circumstances of any person who believes that he or she is the object of or has been subjected to sexual harassment and will review the results of the investigation with that person. The corporation will move promptly to resolve any sexual harassment problems that it identifies or that are brought to its attention. 4.5 Drug Free Work Place Policy ACS is committed to providing a drug free workplace. The unlawful manufacture, purchase, sale, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of drugs, alcohol or any controlled substance in the workplaces of ACS is prohibited. The illegal use of drugs off duty or off company premises is also prohibited since impairment can occur subsequently at the workplace. Drug and/or alcohol abuse in the workplace is a threat to the safety and health of all employees. It jeopardizes the efficiency of our operations and the quality of our work. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Compliance with this drug free work place policy is specifically made a condition of employment, regular or temporary. Any employee who violates this specific policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, and/or will be required to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved by an appropriate health or law enforcement agency. Employees must notify the Corporate Planning Committee of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring on or off the premises of the company no later than five days after the conviction. Further, employees who drive company vehicles must notify the Corporate Planning Committee of any traffic ticket for driving under the influence no later than five days after the occurrence. Employees who believe they may have a drug and/or alcohol problem are urged to make use of counseling and rehabilitative services on their own or by contacting a member of the Corporate Planning Team. 4.6 Weapons/Work Place Violence Policy Weapons: Despite the passage of a concealed handgun law in North Carolina, ACS strictly forbids employees, customers, vendors, and anyone else from carrying a weapon onto company property. A violation of this policy will result in immediate dismissal and escort from the premises. A weapon is broadly defined as a handgun, shotgun, rifle, switch blade, explosives or any other such weapon or device designed to inflict bodily harm. Exceptions to this definition include pocket knives used primarily for utilitarian purposes and self defense items such as mace or pepper spray. It is the responsibility of employees who become aware of individuals violating this EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK policy to relay this information to a member of the Corporate Planning Team immediately. Work Place Violence: ACS recognizes that a place of employment safe from the fear of violence is fundamental to the health and well-being of both employees and customers alike. Accordingly, the corporation affirms its policy that its employees should work in environments that are free from any form of violence or intimidation including physical attack, threats and harassing behaviors. ACS strictly and explicitly forbids the display or conduct of any form of violence by its employees. A violation of this policy will result in immediate discipline up to and including termination. Violence is defined in this policy as: Property Damage: acts or behavior that contribute to the destruction or damage of private property. Harassment: communication or behavior that is designed or intended to intimidate, menace or frighten another person. Threats: the expression of a present or future intent to cause physical or mental harm. An expression constitutes a threat without regard to whether the party communicating the threat has the present ability to do harm and without regard to whether the expression is contingent, conditional or future. Physical Attack: unwanted or hostile physical contact such as hitting, fighting, pushing, shoving or the throwing of objects. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Further, the definition of violence shall include any act which is abusive and could cause physical harm and/or disrupts the work of other employees. It is the responsibility of any employee who experiences or witnesses such acts, conduct or behavior to immediately contact a member of the Corporate Planning Team. Upon being informed of such act, the company will promptly investigate the matter. Upon the conclusion of its investigation, the company will determine how to respond and will notify the employee of the outcome of the investigation and any corrective or preventative action taken. Appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination will be taken in cases of employee misconduct according to this policy. Further, employees who know of violent acts or threats or harassment but do not act consistent with this procedure will also be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. No employee will be retaliated against for reporting violence, threats or harassment. 4.7 Smoking Policy For the safety and comfort of others, the company does not allow smoking anywhere in the offices. All smoking must be done in the back of the building. Smoking is not allowed in front of the showroom. 4.8 Releasing Job References When responding to another employer's reference check on your employment with ACS, the company will only verify the facts and information regarding your employment. It is the company's general policy not to release information regarding your work performance to a prospective employer or salary information to a financial institution unless that request is received in writing and has been signed by you. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 4.9 Personnel File A Confidential company owned personnel file will be kept for each employee. This will be maintained in a secure place by the personnel staff. This file will contain: Personal information obtained at initial employment. Enrollment forms for employee benefits Letters or notices of commendation, promotion, salary actions or discipline. The only persons with access to information in a personnel file are persons with a legitimate reason to know and the employees themselves. Employees may have reasonable access to their files during normal business hours. 4.10 Safety Policy We believe that our employees are our most valuable asset. As such, the safety of our employees is of utmost importance. Therefore, the prevention of accidents is everyone's primary responsibility. To the greatest extent possible, we will make every effort to maintain a safe and hazard free work environment. Additionally, ACS will make accommodations as necessary to satisfy personal protective equipment. You should be aware of safety requirements on a daily basis. Employees with reason to visit work sites are provided with hard hats that should be worn at all times during the work site visit. Employees are expected to wear acceptable shoes or boots, and will be expected to observe OSHA safety guidelines at all times. Further safety guidelines are available to field personnel through a variety of methods which may be explained more thoroughly by your supervisor or designated safety officer. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 4.11 Employee Business Expense Reporting ACS's business travel and expense reimbursement policy is guided by both internal policies and regulations stipulated by the IRS. In order to maintain the tax free status of the reimbursements employees can receive for business expenses, ACS must maintain what the IRS calls an "accountable plan." An accountable plan has three rules: Expenses incurred by employees must have a business connection. Employees must account for the time, place, amount and business purpose of each expense. Employees must return any unspent advance amounts. Any expense which remains unaccounted for beyond sixty days from receipt of the advance must be included in the employee's income as taxable income and taxes withheld from the employee's regular pay. The company strongly encourages employees to turn in expense reports at least once per month. All expense reports must be turned in within sixty days of the date the expense was incurred. 4.12 Garnishments By law, the corporation is required to honor certain legal garnishments of employees' wages or salaries. The personnel staff will give an employee written notification of any such garnishments. 4.13 Licenses Certifications and Organizations ACS supports the participation of employees in appropriate professional organizations. Employees will be reimbursed for membership fees in one professional organization. ACS may require some employees to attend such functions. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 4.14 Exit Interviews Employees who are leaving the company will be asked to participate in an exit interview with a member of the personnel staff. This exit interview is important because the law requires ACS to inform departing employees of their rights under COBRA and provide them with information regarding their options for their retirement account. Employees will be expected to return any company property they have had in their possession and return all keys and access information at or prior to this interview. Employees will also be reminded of the terms and conditions of any confidentiality agreements they signed during the course of their employment with ACS. EMPLOYEE HANBOOK Hours and Compensation 5.1 Employment Status Full Time Employees: Full time employees are expected to work a minimum of 40 hours per week. Full time employees are eligible to receive all company benefits. Part-Time Employees: Employees who are authorized to work fewer than 40 hours per are considered part time employees. Part time employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week remain eligible for the same benefits as full time employees. However, the amount of corporate contribution to the premiums for insurance, as well as vacation and sick pay, will be reduced to the proportionate level of time an employee works. Part time employees who work less than 1500 hours per calendar year are not eligible for company benefits. 5.2 Hours of Work Company office hours are from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Field personnel may be required to meet at various locations outside of the office at 7:30 am. An average of forty hours a week is expected for each full time employee. 5.3 Time Sheets, Pay Periods and Paydays In order to have a standard means of accounting for staff time charged to ACS, you must complete and sign a pay sheet for each pay period. Hourly employees are expected to punch in and out to record their time at work. Salaried employees are expected to turn in signed time sheets. Pay checks will be issued every other Friday. These checks cover all work through the previous Friday. Overtime rates are calculated across the entire pay period, not on a weekly basis. Direct deposit is available free of charge to any employee requesting this service. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 5.4 Overtime Hourly employees are paid time and a half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked over 80 hours in a single pay period. Employees may be asked to cease work during a pay period if its continuance would incur overtime payment. Salaried employees do not receive overtime pay. 5.5 Compensation During Travel Travel time connected with ACS approved travel will be considered hours worked as follows: One day travel out of town or as part of the day's activities will be counted as hours worked, excluding the employee's usual meal periods. Overnight travel out of town will be counted as hours worked only for those hours in which the employee is engaged in direct travel to and from the destination, and the hours during actual work. 5.6 Severe Inclement Weather Conditions In rare instances, weather conditions may cause the offices and worksites of ACS to close. Should inclement weather be imminent, employees should call the main number at ACS after 7:00 am on a workday and the message will advise of any changes of work schedules. Hourly employees are not paid for these days, salaried personnel should mark "snow day" on their time sheets. This time will be deducted from your accrued personal days. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Employment Benefits 6.1 Vacation Policy ACS's vacation policy is designed to both provide a respite from the demands of work and reward long-term employees for their years of service. Vacation plans should be made in writing at least 30 days in advance. In general, employees accrue vacation time based on their years of service. No paid vacation time is granted your first year of service. Employees accrue vacation time at a rate of 5 days their second year, 10 days their third year, and 15 days after 5 years of service. The maximum carryover of excess vacation time at the end of the year is 40 hours. For those employees who have more than 40 hours of vacation time at the end of any calendar year, the excess amount of vacation over the 40 hours will be forfeited. Employees who terminate their employment with ACS will not be paid for any unused vacation days. You must work the day before and the day after your vacation to qualify for vacation pay. 6.2 Holidays Salaried employees will receive designated paid holidays during the calendar year. Hourly employees will receive ½ their rate of pay for these holidays. Part time employees will receive a percentage of paid holiday money based upon the hours normally worked. ACS is on holiday: New Years Day Memorial Day 4th of July Labor Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Hourly employees working on these days will receive their overtime pay rate. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 6.3 Sick Leave/Personal Leave For your own convenience and flexibility, salaried employees are allowed to take up to 5 days of sick/personal leave annually. This time should be listed as sick or personal leave on your time sheet. From time to time inclement weather conditions or other circumstances could cause you to lose sick and personal days. Sick leave should be used for short-term personal illness, medical treatment, or the illness or medical treatment of a member of your immediate family. Should you need to use sick leave, you must communicate this as soon as possible to the receptionist so that you may be marked "out" for the time period. You should also notify any other persons for whom your absence will create changes to their work flow. Employees are strongly encouraged to change their outgoing voice mail messages (remotely if necessary) to reflect any unexpected absences and direct callers to appropriate personnel as available. 6.4 Maternity Leave If, as a result of pregnancy, you are expected to be unable to work for a period of up to one month, a paid maternity leave of up to 10 working days may be granted. You will continue to accrue all regular benefits during this time. 6.5 Paternity Leave At the time of his child's birth, a salaried male employee may take up to three days of paternity leave with full pay. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 6.6 Funeral Leave In the event of the death of an immediate family member, employees will be excused from work with pay for a period not to exceed two days. If more days are needed they can be taken with personal leave or taken unpaid. 6.7 Military Leave Appropriate military leaves of absence will be granted by the company to full-time or part-time employees for the following types of military duties: Full-time active duty Active duty in Reserves or National Guard Weekend drills or summer training duty Employees are not required to use vacation time for their military training; however, they will not be paid for this additional time off except for training duty, in which case the company will pay the difference between your military pay and your regular pay for up to two weeks a year. 6.8 Jury Duty/Subpoenaed Leave An employee serving as a juror or as a witness under subpoena before any court or governmental body will be excused from work without loss of pay or benefits. A maximum of 3 days pay will be granted. 6.9 Leave of Absence Without Pay An employee may request a leave of absence without pay. Approval by the Corporate Planning Team is required. Any such absence must be at the convenience of the company. Vacation time or any other benefits do not accrue during this time off. The full cost of any medical and dental insurance premiums must be paid monthly by the employee during this time. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 6.10 Health Benefits ACS seeks to maintain an employees' insurance benefits program that is competitive in terms of attracting qualified personnel, cost effective for both employees and the company, and meet as many of the family health care needs of its employees as possible. Due to the ever changing climate of the health care environment, which includes state and federal legislation, advances in medical technology and insurance industry economics, the organization realizes the need to review its insurance program annually. Employees are eligible for insurance after they have worked for 90 days. ACS pays for 70% of the health care plan for the employee. The employee is responsible for 30% of their health coverage and 100% of any family members covered under the plan. For information regarding our current insurance package please see a member of the personnel staff. 6.11 Health Club Membership ACS recognizes that regular physical conditioning leads to a better outlook on life, is good preventative medicine, and results in increased productivity. To support and encourage this, ACS will pay $15.00 per month on your Pulse Athletic Club membership. This is only offered at Pulse Athletic. 6.12 Tuition Reimbursement ACS encourages the professional development of its employees through participation in educational activities directly related to assigned responsibilities. Employees desiring to be reimbursed for educational expenses associated with courses sponsored by business or technical schools, other professional organizations should obtain approval of their written request from a member of the Corporate Planning Team and maintain a C or better. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 6.13 Retirement Plan ACS maintains a qualified retirement plan known as a simple IRA. [This is somewhat similar to a 401(k) plan.] Because or plan includes both employee and employer contributions it is subject to a vast array of rules and regulations. You will receive addition information on the retirement plan when you are eligible. Employees are eligible for the simple IRA after one year of service. ACS matches your contributions up to 1% of your yearly salary your first year in the plan. ACS will match 2% your second year in the program and 3% your third year and beyond. Maximum match in the company is 3% of your annual salary per year. It is important to note that, although ACS will secure an IRS qualified investment company to receive employees' contributions. The company makes no guarantees of investment performance nor will it provide any investment advice to employees. 6.14 Workman's Compensation Workman's compensation insurance is a state mandated program, the cost of which is paid by ACS to a third party insurance carrier. It covers all employees for job related sickness or injuries. There are three types of coverage: Medical and hospital payments for treatment of a job related sickness or injury. Partial or total disability payments in the event an employee is prevented from working Death benefits provided to surviving dependents Employees are strongly encouraged to report and seek treatment for any work related injuries or illness, no matter how minor they appear. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 6.15 Social Security Social Security is a federally sponsored program that pays for several kind of benefits to employees who have made regular contributions to the program during their working years. These benefits include death, disability and retirement payments. Many people forget that the cost of Social Security is shared: employees pay half and employers pay half. Employees are encouraged to send for a Personal Earnings and Benefits Statement. (PEBES) which is provided free of charge by the Social Security Administration. A PEBES will help employees make sure that all the earnings and taxes they have paid in over the years have been properly credited to their account and will show the estimated amount an employee cam expect to receive at retirement. 6.16 Unemployment Insurance Unemployment compensation insurance is a benefit paid entirely by ACS, inc. through a payroll related state tax. Should an employee become unemployed through no fault of his or her own, he or she is eligible to receive an unemployment check from the state for a limited period of time. Any continued eligibility to receive unemployment compensation is determined by state rules and regulations. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 6.17 COBRA COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) provides that employees who terminate their employment or who are terminated for reasons other than gross misconduct may continue to receive group medical benefits from their previous employer while paying the full cost of such benefits ( plus an optional 2% administrative fee) directly to ACS. Normally employees may continue group coverage for up to 18 months or until they become eligible to receive other group benefits through their next employer. In certain instances, such as the death of the employee, their dependents may continue the same group medical insurance for up to 36 months thereafter. The company is required to provide notice of COBRA eligibility to all departing employees as soon as possible but before the employee leaves the company. Employees then have 60 days to make a decision regarding continuance of the medical insurance through COBRA. Should the employee take up to 60 days to decide to continue COBRA coverage, then reinstatement of the policy will be retroactive to the date of termination from ACS, inc. as soon as the personnel staff at ACS, inc. receives payment of the full premium. Personnel staff will provide departing employees with a full notice of their rights and responsibilities under COBRA. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK You, ACS, and the Public 7.1 Business Gifts The company prohibits employees from accepting gifts or gratuities valued over $25.00 from individuals and firms with which the company does business. Acceptance of such gifts is unprofessional and can place employees in compromising positions which are not in the best interest of the company or its employees. 7.2 Client Confidentiality ACS often performs work for or participates collaboratively with outside companies that will need to divulge proprietary information or trade secrets to us to achieve results. At such times employees may be required to sign confidentiality agreements concerning the receipt, distribution and use of such proprietary information, with such agreements written to survive the employment relationship. ACS expects all employees to adhere to the conditions of such agreements. 7.3 Code of Ethics ACS expects all employees to conduct their work in an honest and ethical manner at all times. Stealing, dishonesty, and other forms of unethical behavior will be cause for discipline, up to and including termination. Employees are also strongly encouraged to report any incidents of such unethical behavior as they only serve to the detriment of all employees. 7.4 Good Citizenship We believe that ACS and its employees should work together to promote good citizenship. You are encouraged to participate in civic affairs and vote for the candidates of your choice in elections for various public office. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK 7.5 Company Resource Policy While ACS encourages the use of communications tools and other company resources to facilitate business, it must set guidelines to prevent abuse. Therefore the following rules have been established regarding the use of company resources. All communications tools (e-mail, voice mail, telephones, cell phones, fax, internet access, etc.) are to be used primarily for business purposes. Personal use of these tools is allowed only if it: Is incidental in nature Does not interfere with ACS's business Does not affect productivity, quality or customer service in any way Does not create a conflict of interest Does not contribute to personal financial gain Does not cost ACS any money ACS explicitly prohibits the display or transmission of sexually explicit images, messages or cartoons as well as the use of ethnic slurs, racial epithets or anything that may be constructed as harassment. ACS reserves the right to enter employees' e-mail, voice mail, and office drawers and files. Such purposes may include ensuring various policies are being followed, in addition to accessing information when the employee is not available. Employees should know that the company reserves the right to examine at any time. Employees should know that they have no personal privacy rights in any e-mail, internet transmission, voice mail, etc., created, received by or sent from the companies system.


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@MAGZine: Well the anniversary never actually went down, we could still try again to have an actual one, we just need to figure out a time and date that works for everybody.
@tecnoc22: @Tashi: If you guys read the first post, you would know exactly what to do, but the way it work is, as long as you filled out the form AND have been onto the server at least once, we can approve you at anytime. If you've done this, i'd be more than happy to get you all set, Welcome to the server!
Hey guys, It's the Anniversary today! Hop on if you want to!
Well it happened guys, Microsoft now owns Minecraft
@Bratcher_Lev: oh shit Bratcher! it's been a while man!
@evil_gordita: @Rallier: Don't we still have both? I made sure to have a rail going to every (major) city.
Man that API has been talked about I feel like since minecraft is in alpha, i don't know why they haven't focused on that instead of these updates that just add junk that has been in mods forever.
@Tashi: Yeah @Rallier did a great job with that, that song is a basis of the pandora station i listen to when i play minecraft. The server was started by @MAGZine and i'm pretty sure on the free weekend which, was September 18th, 2010. I'd love to have some sort of big server event for our anniversary, maybe we can get all the old regulars back on for one night.
I will return once this 1.8 is on our server, i haven't been following minecraft at all, and have no idea what's in 1.8. I can't believe the server is 4 or about 4 years old.
@JeffreyGee: Radical!
@Fairaday: I was just foolin :P, I'm just glad to see people still joining the server.
@Fairaday: @Tashi: I see how it is
@Fairaday: Welcome to the server, sorry about the wait, you are all set.
@bshort: @Lorhan87 @Dominion Welcome to the server guys, you are all set, have Fun!
@Tashi: @evil_gordita: yep, I think I updated it to work with the new pack but gave up in updating it since because it didn't seem like anyone cared beside myself. If you want I might be able to find some time and update it.
@WolfOfOne: Oh shit wolf, hell i don't even know what is new or old that they added anymore.
@LexiSilva: Sorry, Been Busy, you are all set. Welcome to the server!
@evil_gordita: If it's what i think it is, then i'm pretty hyped about it finally coming together.
@s3bash: You are all set, have fun building and welcome to the server
@Tashi: If Wantan is one of your friends i added them but if greenphoenix/jeffencino is also a friend, i was unable to add them because they haven't been on the server yet.
The forums have always been slow, which i've always enjoyed it was a tight knit community, I'd always much rather have a conversation about something here than somewhere else. Although people on the minecraft server has hit a real low, it's still around and always there. The one thing i miss from the old site was a like "hey look what the community did", it helped bring people to the forums and helped encourage a people to stick around here. Also does the IRC for tested still exist?
@evil_gordita: Radical


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Hello from Seattle!
We've grown in love with Tumblr lately and think this might be a nice time for us to dip our toes in the water. We sometimes receive lots of great things that we want to share, but don't always have a place to put it. So, we'll share it here!
Anything you'd like to see here? Let us know!


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Shimono: The other day, for the first time, I had this BL themed dream…
Taniyama: Eh?! What?! What?! What is that about?! Tell me!!
Shimono: I wouldn't go into that much detail, but, in it, I was definitely getting naked and kissing another guy…
Taniyama: Your partner was really a guy?!
Shimono: Yeah, we were both guys…
Taniyama: Who was it? Who was your partner?
Shimono: Kakihara Tetsuya.
Taniyama: Hey~ stop it you~ are you for real?!
Shimono: I don't know as well why I had a dream like this with Kakki, but I think it's because I've had a lot of work together with him lately!
Taniyama: So you got curious?!
Shimono: That probably is the reason, that or maybe I'm just frustrated!


text:
I'm Lina, and this is my hidey-hole! Sometimes I post art and writing, too.
I like... TF2, sailor moon, pokemon, Reborn!, snakes, RPG horror, and a bunch of other misc. things.
Feel free to chatter with me~
(P.s.- this is embarrassing, but this isn't my main blog. Which means I can't follow everyone back with SSBT, I'm sorry! If I do follow you back, it'll be with Team Foolishness, so just know that's me. :I )
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
OH!!! yes
so your husband leave you for the credits guy ok i'll be the girlfriend of the credits guy girlfriend/friend/bitch


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As the New York Yankees got the 1996 season started, there were plenty of reasons to believe it would be a special one. There were some new faces, and the roster was loaded.
Tino Martinez and Jeff Nelson had come to The Bronx in a trade with Seattle, and Tim Raines and Dwight Gooden were also picked up. And as the season wore on, Darryl Strawberry, Luis Sojo and a feisty third baseman by the name of Charlie Hayes joined the team.This all resulted in a club that was deep, strong and extremely talented.
It was also the year of the legendary Jeffrey Maier incident. In a playoff game against the Orioles, Derek Jeter hit an eighth inning fly ball to right field. As the Orioles´ Tony Tarasco waited for the ball to come down, Maier reached over the right field wall to help the ball into the stands. As John Lennon would say: We get by with a little help from our friends!
The Yankees went on to win the ALCS Series to earn the right take on the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. After dropping the first two games at Yankee Stadium to the Braves by a combined score of 16-1, the Yanks were in big trouble. But a Bernie Williams home run and an excellent effort by David Cone helped the Yankees bounce back to a 5-2 win in Game Three. Then, in Game Four, led by an unforgettable home run Jim Leyritz, the Yankees won 8-6 to tie the series.
In the pivotal Game Five, Andy Pettitte through a masterpiece, and then yielded to John Wetteland who shut the door on the Braves. The Yankees won 1-0, and Wetteland picked up his third save of the series. That set the stage for a big outing by Jimmy Key in Game Six, as Wetteland finished it off with save number four.
Around the diamond, the Yankees had Tino Martinez at first, Mariano Duncan at second, Derek Jeter at short, Wade Boggs at third, and Joe Girardi at catcher. Tim Raines, Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill were in the outfield. Besides Pettitte, Key and Cone, the starting rotation included Dwight Gooden and Kenny Rogers. Joining Wetteland in the pen were Jeff Nelson, Bob Wickman and a young, promising set up man by the name of Mariano Rivera.
Besides the World Series Trophy, the Yankees took home a load of valuable hardware in 1996. Cecil Fielder won the Babe Ruth Award, Bernie Williams was the ALCS MVP, Wetteland was the World Series MVP, and The AL Rookie of the Year went to the one and only Derek Jeter.
Guiding the ship, was manager Joe Torre. When it was all over, Torre was exhilarated. ¨There´s nothing that can replace the feeling of winning,¨ Torre has said, according to BrainyQuote.com.


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There are park alerts in effect.show Alerts »
Park Closure due to Tropical Storm Ana
The USS Arizona Memorial, museums, theaters and ticket counter and snack shop will be closed Saturday, October 18, 2014. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center bookstore and grounds will remain open until 2pm. The park will remain closed Sunday, October 19, 2014
Shrine Room Closed
The Shrine Room of the USS Arizona Memorial will be closed for construction for approximately 5 weeks. Access to the USS Arizona Memorial will still be available during this time and viewing of the construction will be visible.
See also Pearl Harbor Map - December 7, 1941.
Did You Know?
The bond between USS Arizona shipmates went beyond being comrades; there were 37 sets of brothers assigned to the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941.


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ESCONDIDO: Diaz wants attorney general's opinion on checkpoints
License enforcement stops raise legal questions
Escondido's City Attorney Jeffrey Epp and police Chief Jim Maher maintain the checkpoints are legal.
In a letter responding to the groups' criticisms, Epp said he disagreed with the ACLU and El Grupo's interpretation of the law. In the letter dated Jan. 11, 2010, Epp said the law was intended to "prohibit officers from randomly pulling vehicles over on routine patrol to demand a driver's license."
However, the city agreed to change the way it conducts driver's license checkpoints, Epp said in the letter. Epp could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
"The city will modify its so-called driver's license checkpoints to include a request for vehicle registration and vehicle insurance along with the driver's license," Epp wrote.
Bill Flores, a retired assistant sheriff who lives in Escondido and is a spokesman for El Grupo, said the law does not distinguish whether a driver can be stopped by an officer at a checkpoint or while on patrol.
Christine Gasparac, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general, declined to comment, saying that the office had not received Diaz's request.
In December, Gasparac said that the Maywood report was not intended to be a formal opinion on the legality of driver's license checkpoints.
An ACLU spokeswoman said Thursday that the organization is evaluating the changes the city made to its checkpoints. She added the group has not decided what other steps it may take.
Diaz said she wrote the letter because she doesn't want the city embroiled in a potentially expensive lawsuit at a time when it is already struggling financially.
"I don't want to jeopardize the city's finances," Diaz said.
Call staff writer Edward Sifuentes at 760-740-3511.


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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Fresh Raspberries
- Total Time:
- 30 min
- Prep:
- 10 min
- Cook:
- 20 min
- Yield:
- 4 to 6 pancakes (2 servings)
- Level:
- Easy
- Total Time:
- 30 min
- Prep:
- 10 min
- Cook:
- 20 min
- Yield:
- 4 to 6 pancakes (2 servings)
- Level:
- Easy
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Butter, for griddle
- 1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd
- Fresh raspberries, for garnish
- Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Preheat a nonstick griddle.
Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.
Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Alternatively, remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stopping after 1 minute to stir the curd. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd over the pancakes, top with fresh raspberries, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
More Recipes and Ideas
Lemon-Blueberry-Ricotta-Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry-Cassis Relish and Blueberry Maple Syrup
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay
Lemon Ricotta Fritters with Fresh Berry Jam
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay
Orange Ricotta Pancakes with Caramelized Fig and Pistachio Compote
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay
These cakes were light and fluffy; they cook up very uniform and have just the right amount of sweetness. I also added some Grand Marnier to the maple syrup. I only used 1/2 of the orange so I took the other half, peeled and removed the pith from the fruit and made little orange chunks; gave them a touch of honey and served on top with a little sprig of mint and a shake of powdered sugar! WALLA!! A little magic in the kitchen with the LilKitchnWitch! Peace, Out!...
That said, these were stupendous. I followed the recipe exactly, only had to substitute orange for lemon. Divine. Not gummy. Fluffy, light, flavorful. Delicate, but still enough texture to hold up to maple syrup (which is what we used. Will be the go-to standard at home from now on....
We recently found a very easy recipe for ricotta cheese (just a gallon of milk and a quart of buttermilk, heat till it separates, drain as you do yogurt...so used homemade ricotta (whole milk as well.
We used Ina Garten's recipe for lemon curd, and it was easy to make. Her recipe is the one where you process the sugar and lemon rind together and then mix everything before cooking it...
Thank you! your flag was submitted.


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WEDNESDAY, Nov. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A standard patch-test screening series for diagnosing contact dermatitis allergic reactions to skin care products fails to do so in a substantial number of people, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
David A. Wetter, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues studied patch test results for 945 subjects to report the effectiveness of patch testing to a standard series in combination with a supplemental cosmetic series, and also to compare the efficacy of the combination series with various standard screening series for identifying positive allergic reactions.
The researchers noted one or more positive allergic reactions in 68.4 percent of the subjects, and two or more in 47.3 percent. They determined that nearly half (49.4 percent) reacted to a preservative and 31.2 percent reacted to a fragrance/botanical. Also, they determined that use of the thin-layer rapid use epicutaneous test, compared with the combination standard and supplemental series, would have missed allergic reactions in 22.5 percent of those sensitive to preservatives, 11.3 percent of those sensitive to fragrances/botanicals, and 17.3 percent of those with a vehicle allergy.
"Standard patch-test screening series miss a substantial number of patients with skin care product ingredient allergy," the authors write.
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$1 a Year ManAugust 7, 2007 8:54 AM
Chrsysler, has hired former Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli to run the now-private, once-again-American-owned automaker. Nardelli, of course, did a good job at Home Depot but left after six years when its stock price started to sink. At Chrysler, it's reported, he's getting what I think corporate boards should make the base salary for the CEOs of almost all public companies: $1 plus potential enormous bonuses if the company does well. Chrysler may have the least certain future of any really large American company and the fact that it can get a top-quality CEO on this basis shows that other companies can do the same.
Unlike John, I do think that CEO pay is something of a scandal. (Although I really don't have any quarrel with John's particular arguments and agree that pay levels in private companies have no place in the public policy realm.)
CEOs who produce profits, growth, and shareholder value deserve huge rewards. But I think that well-run boards should do everything they can to tie CEO pay directly to performance. Far too many boards seem content to let CEOs "harvest" market position and destroy shareholder value: $1 a year jobs should make that easier.
At Last, Competition for Amtrak?July 31, 2007 2:08 PM
A small upstart company run by a Colorado multi-millionaire, GrandLuxe Rail Journeys, appears to have broken a major barrier and started providing scheduled, competitive rail service in the United States. While the company also provides "land cruises," (that emphasize sightseeing by train) it also has a few services that would be useful for people looking to go from point a to point b. Although I have no idea if it has a viable business model, its existence seems to show that the death of government-run Amtrak won't mean an end for long-distance rail service in the U.S.
A handful of tourist-oriented heritage railroads and at least one other "land cruise" company still operate in the U.S. but, for about 35 years, only Amtrak has provided scheduled point-to-point inter-city service over significant distances. Amtrak also operates most of the commuter railroads in the country under contract and will even provide the locomotives for GrandLuxe.
This new company seems to be providing a high-end product at an appealing price: a little checking around shows that its Washington, D.C.-Miami fares are lower than the best business-class fares I could find. It's a niche market with limited client base to be sure but, of course, so are Amtrak's own inter-city trains.
Maybe the market doesn't exist for this kind of travel. It's a lot slower than flying however one chooses to look at it. But at least one entrepreneur appears willing to see if there's a market niche where Amtrak has failed.
They Can Have My Maserati When They Pry My Cold, Dead Hands off the Steering WheelJuly 12, 2007 11:12 AM
Bloomberg's Doron Levin presents a sad vision of Europe's future - one in which high-performance sports cars are a thing of the past:
If one of the more extreme responses to global warming comes true, driving a sports car anywhere but on a racetrack might be relegated to history's dustbin.
Fast, powerful cars within a few years may be outlawed in Europe, an idea that has been raised ostensibly because Ferraris and Porsches produce too much carbon dioxide. For those who abhor sports cars as vulgar symbols of affluence (along with vacation homes, furs and fancy jewelry), such a ban could be a two-fer: Saving the planet while cutting economic inequality.
The Bugatti Veyron: Soon to Be a 1001hp Exile?
What a surprise: the real impetus is an emotional reaction of the affluence of others. This appears to be part of an attempt to bring back all of the institutions of Medieval times. We already have a flourishing market for carbon indulgences, why not sumptuary laws as well?
Cell Phones and DrivingJune 15, 2007 2:45 PM
Interesting new study from James E. Prieger of Pepperdine University and Bob Hahn at the AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, looking at the relationship between mobile phone use while driving and accidents. It appears that "drivers who use mobile phones while driving may be more likely to get into accidents than drivers who do not, even when they are not using the phone." How's that again? Evidence suggests that people who use hand-held mobile phones while driving tend to be less careful drivers compared with those who use hands-free mobile devices, suggesting that use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving is just a proxy for more generalized bad driving. According to the authors, their results "call into question previous cost-benefit analyses of bans on mobile phone usage while driving, which typically assume that such bans will have a salutary effect."
Are European Roads Safer Than America's?June 12, 2007 2:54 PM
Marlo was just on an interview on CNBC where a question was asked about road accident rates. A Greenpeace spokesman said that European roads were much safer than America's, demonstrating that you can have a vehicle fleet of smaller sizes without compromising safety. Marlo admitted that he had no idea of road accident rates.
Marlo's answer was much more honest than our friend from Greenpeace's. According to the figures from the International Road Traffic Accident Database, there are indeed many more accidents per head here, but there is virtually no difference per vehicle kilometers traveled:
Country/Accidents per 100,000/Accidents per million VKMT/killed per billion VKMT
Austria 497/0.50/9.3
Belgium 472/0.52/11.5
France 140/0.15/9.6
Germany 408/0.49/7.8
Netherlands 166/0.24/7.7
The difference in accidents per head is almost certainly down to how many people drive and how much they drive. A country that drives more kilometers per driver will, all other things being equal, have more accidents per head of population.
France's figures clearly suggest significant underreporting of non-fatal accidents. Either that or an accident is much more likely to be fatal.
Of Gas Prices and Carbon TaxesMay 21, 2007 9:13 AM
Iain, I found your post on how higher gas prices have reduced travel very interesting. In the short term, what you present is a good first guess and it tells us what would happen in the first year of a carbon tax. But I think there's another level worth looking at.
Some percentage of auto travel -- commutes to work for example -- is difficult to change in the economic short run (the period before changes can be made in land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurial ability/smarts). It seems to me that changing any of these factors (getting to the long run, in other words), will take quite a while when it comes to automobile travel. It takes over 25 years -- longer in desert areas -- to turn over the nation's vehicle fleet. It also takes significant time to change land use patterns, create new transit networks, deploy new, more efficient technology, and make telecommuting more common. Thus, it seems possible to me that the relationship between gas prices over a long period and travel may differ significantly from what we've observed in to date. This may suggest very different long-run values, in either direction, for the relationship between gas prices and travel/emissions. This, in turn, suggests different values, in either direction, for the size of a carbon tax needed to reduce emissions. Any thoughts?
Mises on ImmigrationMay 18, 2007 4:46 PM
As long as I'm on the subject of immigration, a complex matter, I always find Ludwig von Mises always quotable, providing clarity in such complex matters (I've previously cited him on labor more generally). As he notes in the essay "The Freedom to Move as an International Problem" (1935):
If the European workers are prevented from emigrating and thus have to stay at home, this does not mean they will remain idle as a result. They will continue to work in their old homeland under less favorable conditions. And because of the less advantageous conditions of production there, they will be compensated in lower wages. They will then compete on the world market, as well as on the home market of the industry producing under more favorable conditions. These countries may then very likely strike out with tariffs and import embargoes against what they call the "unfair" competition of cheap labor. By doing this, they will be forfeiting the advantages which the higher division of labor brings. They will suffer because production opportunities which are more favorable, i.e. which bring a higher return with the same expenditure than do the production opportunities which must be used in other lands, are not being used in their own countries.
Of course, Europe is much better off today than at the time Mises wrote these words, but his insight applies to any two countries facing different economic conditions. Finally, I couldn't help but think of the current wave of anti-Americanism sweeping through parts of the world, especially immigrant-rich Latin America, reading the following passage:
A Free Market means a Free Labor MarketMay 18, 2007 4:35 PM
CEI's mission of "advancing the principles of free enterprise and limited government" doesn't come with the caveat of "unless it costs too much under our current welfare state."
Eli, while I agree that immigration, either legal or illegal, isn't driven by the availability of state-provided social services, I think you miss a key factor. In addition to greater economic freedom, people who enter the United States illegally do so because of the demand for labor here. The push of "Mexico's poverty" is only half the picture; the pull of American jobs is also crucial -- though the economic freedom you mention is what allows those U.S. jobs to be created.
I more strongly disagree with your contention that America has "little choice but as to keep on building walls to keep out illegal immigrants." That's another way of saying that U.S. policy makers have "little choice but to build more barriers between employers in need of labor and those willing to work for them."
I'm not opposed to building a physical barrier, but that should function only as an enforcement mechanism, not constitute a centerpiece of policy (as some Republican neo-nativists want). That means that as illegal entry is made more difficult, legal entry shouldn't be unduly burdensome and arbitrary caps shouldn't make it harder for employers to hire the workers they need.
But Maybe It's the Best we Can do For NowMay 18, 2007 9:04 AM
Hans, I disagree with some parts of your post on immigration and agree with others. On one hand, I'm in total agreement that we should ditch "family reunification" as a basis for legal immigration, bring in more skilled workers and swear never to do another amnesty. But I'd disagree with you on two major points.
First, who says that physical barriers won't work? There's actually ample evidence that they would. Where we've built them, near San Diego, they've displaced a large amount of immigration. We build more and we can displace it until it has no place left to go.
Second, although I think that illegal immigration is a net minus for society, I'm not convinced that social services consumption drives it. Coming over as an illegal immigrant costs lots of money (Coyotes charge about $3,000 per head, I'm told.) People just won't make that investment unless they plan to make it back. Some are wrong and they end up on welfare but I can't believe that many people make the decision to enter the U.S. based on our welfare system.
The real lure is simple: relative economic freedom. If our economy were a centerally planned nightmare, illegal immigrants just wouldn't come in large numbers.


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22. Parachute Adams Emerger - The Parachute Adams Emerger is one of the most effective mayfly patterns that I fish. I am tying this emerger pattern on an Allen Fly Fishing N204BL hook between the sizes of 14 through 16. This particular hook is a barbless scud hook with a down-eye, 2x short shank and thin wire. This hook very sharp, super strong and has a beautiful nickel finish, so check them out by visiting www.allenflyfishing.com I fish this fly throughout the late spring and summer months when mayfly hatches are present. I generally fish this fly as a trailing fly behind a mayfly dun or attractor dry fly. This fly sits low in the surface film of the water while the foam post remains visual to the angler. Many fish key on this type of pattern because of the vulnerability of the fly during its emerging stage of its life cycle. To view RK's Fly Design complete fly collection Visit www.facebook.com/RKsFlyDesign - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
23. Emergence Caddis Larva - The Emergence Caddis Larva is one of my favorite caddis larva patterns to tie and fish. It closely resembles John Barr's Uncased Caddis but with a few different materials and tying techniques. I am tying this pattern on an Allen Fly Fishing N202 hook. This particular hook is a down-eye, 3X-long, standard wire, slightly humped nymph /dry fly hook. It works great for caddis and terrestrial nymph and dry fly patterns. Check them out by visiting www.allenflyfishing.com This particular caddis larva pattern is tied to imitate an uncased caddis larva beginning its emergence stage of its life-cycle. I generally fish this pattern as my first fly in a tandem nymph rigging set-up between late spring and early fall. The fly gives off a lot of UV light qualities which attracts fish. The UV Fly Finish Coating provides the fly with a lot of depth. Below is a quick reference on what size brass bead to use relative to the size hook you're tying on. Allen Fly Fishing Hook Brass or Tungsten Bead Size 12 1/9" (2.8mm) Size 14 1/10" (2.4mm) Size 16 1/10" (2.4mm) To view RK's Fly Design complete fly collection Visit www.facebook.com/RKsFlyDesign - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
24. FlyOn tube fly system - A simple idea for switching tube flies lightning fast without cutting the leader or tying any knots - Global FlyFisher
25. Shakey Beeley Slate Drake (Isonychia) Soft Hackle - Featured in this fly tying tutorial is an absolute fish-catching soft hackle fly called the Shakey Beeley, care of Blue Ribbon Flies and Mr. Nick Nicklas. As explained in this video, there is a great story accompanying the fly, though the line between fact and fiction is a tad grey. Regardless, this pattern has earned a place in many fly boxes for its ability to imitate various insects, from emerging mayflies to drowned stoneflies. In this tutorial, I explain the techniques to tie the Shakey Beeley as an Isonychia, aka Slate Drake, plus a few methods to fish the pattern, as well. Feel free to modify this fly to match the natural insects on your home (or traveled to!) waters. Featured in this fly tying tutorial are the N202 hooks by Allen Fly Fishing; be sure to check out these hooks and many others at the following link: http://www.allenflyfishing.com/n202-nymph-dry-fly/ Additionally featured in this tutorial is hen hackle from Clearwater Hackle; please check out that hackle and many others at the following link: http://www.clearwaterhackle.com/mature-hens/ Thanks for viewing this YouTube fly tying tutorial for the Shakey Beeley; feel free to leave comments/questions on this page, or email me: email@example.com - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
26. Sleeze Burger - Fly tying the Sleeze Burger by fly tyer Kris Keller of Big R Fly Shop Material list Hook: mustad 2xh/4xl size 2 Eyes: dumbell eyes 7/32 Thread: 210 ultra thread Dubbing brush: medium ultra wire Body: black rabbit strips tiger barred rabbit strips black/orange over yellow and mahi green/ black over chartreuse Tail: tiger barred rabbit strips mahi green/ black over chartreuse mfc high voltage lime The Sleeze Burger is a fly I came up with when I moved to Great Falls. It competes with the Rapala. Guys were fishing the Fire Tiger Rapala at Holter like it was going out of style and so I figured I could match it in a fly. We have caught bass, carp, walleye, catfish, rainbows and browns all on this fly. It is more of a warm water fly, imitating a perch but works well on trout too. I've netted perch on more than one occasion belly up but still kicking below Craig. Tell me a big brown won't smack that. With the neon colors, it will make them hit out of aggression. Works great in off colored water! I like to tie it on the leader with a loop and a sink tip line when I am fishing it. It makes it juke, dive and flips that belly up to makes it look like it's wounded or it's jolting after small insects. The key to tying this fly and hooking fish on it is keeping a good hook gap. Whether you're in a pond, lake, stream, or river its something you should definitely slap it and strip it. - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
27. RK's UV Chironomid - RK's UV Chironomid makes you think outside of the box when tying a midge pattern. This pattern closely resembles Rick Takahashi's Mini Bow Tie Buzzer, but in a larger chironomid version for lake fishing. I am using an AFF N304 hook (straight-eye, 2x-short, 3x-wide scud/emerger hook. Check them out at www.allenflyfishing.com. The best thing about this fly is how it looks under water. The UV Clear Fly Finish coating provides the fly with a brilliant shine and depth to the fly. While the Mirage Opal Tinsel gives off a large array of colors. The overall profile and depth that this fly has truly makes this a fun fly to fish and tie. To view RK's Fly Design complete fly collection Visit www.facebook.com/RKsFlyDesign - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
28. Casting That Fly 2 - Advanced - Release 1st of November 2013. Trailer. DVD or Video-on-Demand http://www.wideopen.dk. Lars Chr. Bentsen is a certifed Master Casting Instructor with the International Federation of Fly Fishers and is recognized internationally for his ability to teach fly casting. This movie is about single hand fly casting.In the movie he shows spey casting, 5 different presentation casts, how to cast and fish shooting heads, and casting in the wind.We see how Lars adapts his shooting heads and how to make your own loops on shooting heads or fly lines.Lars Chr. Bentsen also shows the most common casting faults and then shows exactly what causes the fault and how to correct it. This section is valuable to all fly fishers.• The fly catching the leader or the line. • The leader not straightening.• You don't get prober distance.We have all tried it and in this chapter, Lars shows how to correct it the next time you see the problem.A movie for both beginners and more experienced fly casters. - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
29. Veterans Fly Fishing Program - Flyin' Heroes is a program that utilizes the sport of fly fishing to promote therapeutic growth and rehabilitation of U.S. military veterans. The goal of Flyin' Heroes is to create memorable fly fishing experiences that unlock the healing power of the water and foster lasting relationships. Flyin' Heroes utilizes individualized personal trips, which are used to empower and inspire veterans to make positive gains towards mental health and living productive, fulfilling lives. Please visit our website to learn more about our program at: FlyinHeroes.org - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
30. Fly fishing in Slovakia Part 1 - fly fishing paradise in in the heart of Europe - Slovakia is one of few not so much known excellent fly-fishing destinations in Europe. Slovakia is often being confused with Slovenia, but its quality of rivers can be easily compared to those popular in Slovenia. Thanks to the fact, that Slovakian rivers are not so famous as Austrian, German, Czech or Slovenian one, they do not stand under huge fishing pressure. Slovakia has the most national parks per square kilometre and due to this circumstance lot of untouched river systems. This makes Slovakia truly great fly fishing destination for fly fishermen, who enjoy pure nature. These facts are underline with the world highest productivity (insect-diversity and insect-quantity per m2) of Slovakian mountain rivers. Diversity of Slovakian water systems: big rivers, lakes, reservoirs, mountain rivers, creeks or mountain lakes - all what passionate fly fisherman can just think of, is offered by Fly Fishing in Slovakia. We are looking forward to your visit - fly fishing video channel - Global FlyFisher
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text:
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Posting about parents.
10 comments:
It came up on my feed and I read it. Ok, I see the points you were making but let me remind you of all the stupid things we did in high school, probably all of them started with a beer in our hands, right?ReplyDeleteReplies
Of course. And we lived. Some of us tool longer to get living. I wasn't really worried about my daughter. I was more having it out with the other parents. But we will work it out.Delete
- JillianJanuary 7, 2014 at 10:49 AM
Hi I have been following your blog for sometime now. However I am not sure hurting the children is the right thing. I can appreciate your want or need to be honest but hurting children is never the answer.ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Jillian. That's why I took the post down.Delete
I agree about hurting the children. I am glad you saw that it might affect them. I unfortunately did not see what the post was before it was removed but I really think you should reconsider having the post about parenting up as well. I have enjoyed reading your blog the times I have come across it but my feelings are that your recent posts may be going to far into shaming other families. This is just my opinion though.Delete
I deleted one. But the one before this one is staying. I'm not trying to shame them, just proving how my approach is different. I've had an emotional few weeks and have gone back and forth about if it's my "revenge" fueling this last one. I've decided no. I need to stand firm about what I'm doing as a parent and not let others put me down or try to parent my own kids in a way that I disagree. That's my point.Delete
Thanks for your comment. I do agree with not shaming people. But that is also where we differ as parents.
Plus, I fixed it to make it less shaming. Took out the video. But we parent different. And it got ugly. For the best, I believe.Delete
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text:
Mophie debuts Juice Pack Helium for iPhone 5
Following months of unexpected silence, Mophie has finally announced its first iPhone 5 battery case, Juice Pack Helium ($80). Initially available in two colors, the new Juice Pack Helium looks extremely similar to the company's earlier versions for iPhones, emphasizing thinness over raw battery capacity. Still sporting a curved rear surface with button access holes and bottom pass-throughs for speakerphone functionality, the case offers iPhone body coverage everywhere else, apart from the fully open face. Mophie claims that it's 13% thinner than any of its previous iPhone Juice Packs, while packing a 1500mAh battery pack that adds 80% additional power to the iPhone 5—notably less than most of the rival cases that were announced at CES last month. An included micro-USB cable promises to simultaneously charge the iPhone and Juice Pack Helium together.
A dark gunmetal metallic version promises to ship by February 14, with a silver version coming at the beginning of March.
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If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods/iPhones/iPad or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod/iPhone/iPad products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.
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text:
Letter: In Brief
Friday 18 September 1998
Isleworth, Middlesex
musicReview: Culture Club performs live for first time in 12 years
Children's bookseller wins The Independent's new author search
Arts & Ents blogs
- 1 This 'woman calls police to order pizza' story isn't going where you're expecting
- 2 Axe wielding man shot dead after attacking four New York policemen on busy street
- 3 Watch what happened when food critics were unknowingly served McDonald's
- 4 Jimmy Carr's Oscar Pistorius joke goes a bit too far at the Q Awards
- 5 Ottawa shootings: Bruce MacKinnon's cartoon is the perfect tribute to soldier Nathan Cirillo
Interstellar: What we know about Christopher Nolan's new film so far
The Apprentice 2014: Nurun Ahmed and Lindsay Booth sent home in double firing
JK Rowling to publish new Harry Potter story online for Halloween
Miranda Hart confirms eponymous sitcom has come to an end as she bows out on a 'high'
Fury, film review: Brad Pitt stars in visceral and brutally ugly drama that reminds us war is hell
Follow Simon Calder's journey in Cuba
As winter takes hold in Britain, sunny days and warm nights await in the Cuba.
Winter at its height
Seasons come and go, it's an annual cycle of varying temperatures, traditions and activities. When winter comes to Austria it is distinctly special and all embracing.
Playing a strong hand
How mobile technology has changed the instant trading game
i100: A single mother on benefits who became one of the world's most successful authors
11 rags-to-riches underdog success stories
Made of London Series
England's most-capped player tells 50 lucky Evening Standard readers at The Counting House that Stuart Lancaster can lead his team to World Cup glory next year.
Lines Ruled
Lines ruled at New York Fashion Week as highlighter stripes took centre stage. Emma McCarthy gets next season's look now.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.


text:
News from WTOP
News from the AP
Mike Causey
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- Business of Government Hour
- The CFO Agenda: Delivering value from financial transparency and audit efforts in the public and private sector
- CXO Surveys
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- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
Shows & Panels
- The 2014 Big Picture on Cyber Security
- AFCEA Answers
- American Readiness: Renewable Power and Efficiency Technologies
- Ask the CIO
- Building the Hybrid Cloud
- CDWG/NetApp
- Connected Government: How to Build and Procure Network Services for the Future
- Continuing Diagnostics and Mitigation: Discussion of Progress and Next Steps
- Delivering the Digital Government Mission
- Federal Executive Forum
- Federal News Radio's National Cyber Security Awareness Month Special Panel Discussion
- Federal Tech Talk
- The Future of Government Data Centers
- The Future of IT: How CIOs Can Enable the Service-Oriented Enterprise
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- The Intersection: Where Technology Meets Transformation
- Maximizing ROI Through Data Center Consolidation
- Mitigating Insider Threats in Virtual & Cloud Environments
- Modern Mission Critical Series
- The New Generation of Database
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
- Targeting Advanced Threats: Proven Methods from Detection through Remediation
- Transformative Technology: Desktop Virtualization in Government
- The Truth About IT Opex and Software Defined Networking
- Air Traffic Management Transformation Report
- Cloud First Report
- General Dynamics IT Enterprise Center
- Gov Cloud Minute
- Government in Technology Series
- Homeland Security Cybersecurity Market Report
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Technology Insights
- The Cyber Security Report
- The Next Generation Cyber Security Experts
Shows & Panels
Mark S. Orndorff
Monday - 8/13/2012, 3:38pm EDT
Director, Mission Assurance and NetOps
Mark Orndorff is the director of DISA's Program Executive Office for Mission Assurance and NetOps, where he manages the acquisition, development, and implementation of DoD Information Assurance and NetOps capabilities providing responsive, secure, and interoperable netcentric solutions necessary to secure and operate the Global Information Grid.
Prior to this role, Mr. Orndorff served as the Chief of DISA's Field Security Operations organization. As such, he served as the single IA certification authority within DISA, supporting accreditation decisions for all DISA systems and networks. He was also responsible for the execution of significant portions of DISA's IA program including implementation and management of DoD Enterprise Solutions; development and maintenance of Security Technical Implementation Guides, checklists, and evaluation scripts supporting the Department of Defense; development and maintenance of DoD's NetOps and IA training program; and development of a NetOps and Computer Network Defense Service Provider (CNDSP) certification program. Mr. Orndorff was also responsible for DISA's Information Assurance support to the Unified Commands and management of the regional Net Defense contract.
Prior assignments included service as the operations manager within the DISA Network Operations Center, Fort Ritchie, Md., where he provided remote network and systems management support for Army units worldwide. Mr. Orndorff was also a Network Engineer for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and a Project Manager for the Army's Program Manager for Tactical Management Information Systems. In addition to the above, Mr. Orndorff has held a variety of other management positions. Responsibilities have included: management of programs and the development of technology and standards for a TRADOC wide area network; and management of the Army's Tactical Army Combat Support System (CSS) Computing System. Prior to joining the civil service, Mr. Orndorff served as an Army officer with assignments as a Company Commander and Platoon Leader.
Mr. Orndorff attended the University of Virginia, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with High Distinction in Environmental Science. He also received a Master of Science Degree in Computer Systems as a Distinguished Graduate from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Mr. Orndorff was born in Arlington, Va., and is married to Susan, has a son in the Air Force serving in San Antonio, Texas, and a daughter working for Marriott Corp. in San Francisco, Ca. He lives in Fayetteville, Pa.,


text:
Pathfinder Player Companion: Advanced Class Origins (PFRPG)
Pathfinder Society Scenario #5–22: Scars of the Third Crusade (PFRPG) PDF
Pathfinder Adventure Path #33: The Varnhold Vanishing (Kingmaker 3 of 6) (PFRPG)
Pathfinder Society Scenario #3: Murder on the Silken Caravan (OGL) PDF
Pathfinder Society Scenario #6–05: Slave Ships of Absalom (PFRPG) PDF
Euro Games
See Also:
Grass Card Game
Euro Games
A fun, fast paced card game where you are the dealer. Sell the most Grass and you win, but beware of your competition; they can put the heat on you so you can't deal or they can even steal your stash!
Product Availability
This product is a backorder. Ships from our warehouse in an unknown time frame.
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