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Session: 2007/2008
Date: Tuesday, 23 October 2007
Members present for all or part of the proceedings:Mr Jeffrey Donaldson (Chairperson)Mr Alex AttwoodMrs Carmel HannaMr Nelson McCauslandMr Ian McCreaMr Alan McFarlandMs Carál Ní ChuilínMr John O'DowdMr George Robinson
The Chairperson (Mr Donaldson):We will now move to the inquiry into the devolution of policing and justice matters. I remind members that the session is being recorded for Hansard. I refer members to the briefing paper in your folders. We have received replies from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and from the cabinet secretary for justice in the Scottish Government, and those may be relevant to the Committee's considerations today. Copies of those letters were sent out to members yesterday, but if anyone has not yet seen those items of correspondence, we will circulate copies to them. The agenda suggests that there are four broad headings under which we might proceed with our discussion this morning, namely: the ministerial model; the departmental structure; the governance and accountability mechanisms; and the internal and external relationships.
I refer members to the relevant papers that are contained in your folders. I will try to bring some structure to the discussion. I am happy for parties to express their views under each heading in turn. I recognise that there will be considerable overlap between those four headings, but if members are content, we will proceed on the basis that we will have a brief discussion under each heading, giving each party the opportunity to express its views. We will explore to what extent there is consensus on the ministerial model, on departmental structure, on governance and accountability mechanisms and on the nature of the internal and external relationships — by that, I mean the Northern Ireland Court Service, the Public Prosecution Service and the Attorney General, etc. Are members content to proceed on that basis?
Members indicated assent.
I invite members to declare relevant interest before we proceed with the discussion.
I declare an interest as a member of the Privy Council and of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
Mr G Robinson:I declare an interest as a member of the Limavady District Policing Partnership.
Mr I McCrea:I declare an interest as a member of Cookstown District Policing Partnership.
The Chairperson:During the Preparation for Government proceedings in the Transitional Assembly, there was consensus among the parties for a single Department for policing and justice.
The main parties agreed that the basis for devolution would be a single Department for policing and justice. To date, there has been no evidence from the inquiry that that matter should be revisited. For the record, am I safe to assume that there remains consensus on that matter, and that members are agreed in principle that policing and justice should be in a single Department?
We had considered a briefing paper that described the options for ministerial models that the NIO has legislated for, and the procedures that would be used for filling the ministerial posts. Is any member unclear about the different models that are contained in the NIO's legislation?
To remind Members of the options: the first option under section 21A(3) is a single Northern Ireland Minister; the second option under section 21A(4) is two Northern Ireland Ministers acting jointly, in other words in a similar arrangement to the First Minister and deputy First Minister; the third option is for a Northern Ireland Minister to be appointed, supported by a junior Minister, and for those positions to rotate at intervals specified by Act of the Assembly; and the fourth option states that: "There must not, at any time, be more than one department in relation to which provision of the kind mentioned in any of the previous subsections (3), (4), and (5) is made by Act of the Assembly."That confirms that there should be one Department. The legislation provides for three options, namely: a single Minister; two Ministers acting jointly; or a single Minister supported by a junior Minister on a rotational basis.
I will open up the floor for discussion, and I remind Members that the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 subsequently amended section 21 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The new provisions provided for:"the Department of Policing and Justice to be in the charge of a Northern Ireland Minister elected by the Assembly, and for that Minister to be supported by a deputy Minister elected by the Assembly."Therefore there was a slight amendment made to the options. The act also introduced the option of using an Order in Council in order to establish a new Northern Ireland Department. Furthermore it introduced:"An option to be used in circumstances where, if it appears to the Secretary of State that there is no reasonable prospect of the Assembly passing an act to establish a Department of Policing and Justice, he may use the power conferred by section 21A(6) to lay before Parliament the draft of an Order in Council in order to establish a new Department of Policing and Justice."It further provided that the Department would be in the charge of a Northern Ireland Minister elected by the Assembly and supported by a deputy Minister elected by the Assembly.
That is the legislative basis upon which we will base our discussion. The floor is now open for any contributions on the ministerial model.
Mr O'Dowd:A lot of our debate will repeat discussions from last year's Committee for the Preparation for Government. Sinn Féin's view remains that the option allowing for two Ministers of equal status to act jointly is the preferable ministerial model.
The Chairperson:Does a Member of another party wish to venture a view?
Mr McFarland:Can we afford two Ministers? There is a line of logic that ran through the discussions of last year, which it may help to revisit. It is clear, particularly from discussions in this Committee, that we cannot devolve policing and justice until there is public confidence to do so.
There is an argument that if there is public confidence in the devolution of policing and justice powers and we are all completely comfortable with the situation, there should be no problem with the idea of a Minister being appointed under d'Hondt. If there is confidence that one party or another will not abuse its position and so on, what is the problem? That might be an argument for having one Minister, because those powers will not be devolved here until there is public confidence.
Last year, we discussed a model that involved a Minister and what was termed as a "super junior Minister". I see that that option is no longer in the paper, which is unfortunate. Such an arrangement would save the expense of having two Ministers. There is a fairly serious issue about who runs the show and makes the decisions. The idea was that a "super junior Minister" would be shown all the papers and that there had to be broad agreement between the two Ministers, and it saved the cost of a full Minister. That proposal seems to be completely off the paper now.
The model of the rotating Minister and junior Minister also raises some questions. How long would each rotational period last? Would they rotate every six months? Could the new incoming Minister change a position taken by the previous Minister? All those issues were cantered through; all the models have drawbacks and some have advantages.
The Chairperson:I want to clarify a matter. As I understand it, the amendment made by the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 effectively introduces a fourth option, which is the concept of a First Minister and deputy First Minister of justice, for want of a better way of putting it. We have the model of Ministers acting jointly, but it seems that that would effectively mean having two Ministers — in other words, rather than them being a First Minister and a deputy, they would both be Ministers of equal standing in the Department.
Thus, it now seems that another option has been introduced, whereby two Ministers act jointly, but one is known as a First Minister and the other as a deputy Minister. I would like this point clarified. Is the model of a Minister and a deputy Minister different from the model of a full Minister and a junior Minister? The First Minister and deputy First Minister are Ministers acting jointly; they are not Minister and junior Minister. Therefore, is the model proposed in the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 under which one Minister would be known as the Minister and other as the deputy Minister, even though the two Ministers would be acting jointly and would therefore be equal, in a sense? If that is the case, that represents a fourth option, rather than simply being another way of expressing the concept of two Ministers acting jointly. Thus, the third option would be to have the Minister and junior Minister rotating, and the fourth option would be to have one single Minister. Is that correct?
The Committee Clerk:Yes.
The Chairperson:So, in effect, we have four options. Option one is to have two Ministers acting equally and jointly; option two is to have a Minister and a deputy Minister acting jointly; option three is to have a Minister and a junior Minister rotating; and option four is to have a single Minister.
Mr O'Dowd:In discussing any matter, we cannot ignore costs. However, at this stage, the primary concern must be the need to have safeguards built into the system to allow for community confidence. As Alan said, the community must have confidence in the system and its operation — and I am glad that he used the term "community confidence" rather than simply "confidence within the unionist community". Our party's primary concern is the need for safeguards, and it believes that a joint Ministry would allow for those safeguards. The party believes that at the end of the four-year term, appointments to the justice Ministry should be run under the d'Hondt system, as would be the case with any other Ministry. That would bring to an end the jointery of the post and also allay some of the concerns about finance.
The Chairperson mentioned the idea of a First Minister and a deputy First Minster for justice, and, if I heard him correctly, he is correct that it is a joint office. The titles are really a play on words; it is a joint office, in that sense.
Mr G Robinson:How will he or she be elected under the d'Hondt system?
The Chairperson:I understand that a provision was made stating that the Minister or Ministers will be elected on a cross-community vote in the Assembly. Members or the Clerk might be able to help me with that. I am not sure whether that provision applies to the initial appointments only, because if d'Hondt is run for the policing and justice Ministers, it will have to be rerun for the ten departmental ministerial positions, but probably not the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Therefore, if the Minister with responsibility for policing and justice is appointed by the d'Hondt system, it will have to be run alongside the rerunning of the other ten Departments. To overcome that problem and to avoid disrupting the Executive, the Government proposed that the new Ministers be appointed through a cross-community vote in the Assembly. Nominations for a Minister or Ministers, therefore, will be made in the Assembly, and the appointment will be made by cross-community vote as legislated for in the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006. That is the arrangement for the remainder of the current mandate, but I assume that if details around the devolution of policing and justice powers are finalised during the present mandate for full devolution in the next, the relevant Ministers will be appointed alongside the others under the d'Hondt system.
Mr McFarland:Tab 2 of the members' pack explains the process for making a ministerial appointment. Schedule 5 of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 amends schedule 2 of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 so that only the appointment of a Minister will carry a position in the Executive Committee and count in the calculation of the d'Hondt running order. Therefore the appointment of a deputy Minister does not count in either the calculation for the d'Hondt running order or the Executive. It might be worth getting clarification on the meaning of the fifth paragraph in the section entitled 'Process for making a Ministerial Appointment': is it relevant now? Will it be relevant in a future mandate? It states that Members standing for election to the post of Minister of policing and justice must belong to one of the two largest designations. That means that only the DUP Ministers can decide on the Minister and Sinn Féin decide on the deputy Minister.
The Chairperson:Designation means unionist or nationalist. The Minister might, therefore, come from the DUP, UUP, or PUP on the unionist side and the SDLP or Sinn Féin on the nationalist side.
Mr McFarland:It states that it must belong to one of the two largest political designations.
The Chairperson:That is unionist or nationalist: it is not parties.
Mr McFarland:
So they must come from different designations — I am trying to make sense of this. Will d'Hondt be rerun? If, for example, the great decision is taken next year sometime, will the entire system be rerun?
The Chairperson:If the decision was to appoint by d'Hondt, that system would be used. I do not think that the process would be run to appoint the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, but it would be rerun for the other ministerial positions.
Mr McFarland:Is it correct that the current legislation states that the new Ministers will have to be appointed by d'Hondt?
The Chairperson:No. There is provision in the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 for an alternative method, which will be to appoint one Minister from each of the two main designations — if two Ministers are required.
Mr McFarland:Will they be nominated by the Office of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister?
The Chairperson:The nomination will be brought forward and decided on by a cross-community vote in the Chamber.
Mr McFarland:Has that been overtaken by the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007?
The Chairperson:No. My understanding is that following devolution and on the establishment of a new department and Minister — or Ministers — this Committee must complete a report on the operation of the ministerial arrangements in a policing and justice Department.
Therefore, after the initial phase, and before the expiry of the first mandate, we must report to the Assembly again on the arrangements for ministerial appointments. Therefore, this Committee —Mr McFarland:Ministerial appointments will be made during the second mandate, will they not?The Chairperson:That is correct. We must report before the next Assembly elections, and the Assembly would have to agree, prior to the second mandate, the method of appointing the justice and policing Minister or Ministers to the next Assembly. As I understand it, Alan, and I am open to correction, there are two options for appointing a Minister or Ministers to the Department under the current mandate. The first option is to rerun d'Hondt and incorporate the policing and justice Department. That may involve the existing 10 Departments plus the additional policing and justice Department, or 10 Departments, with room having been made for the new Department.
Alternatively, the Assembly could appoint the Minister, or Ministers, by a cross-community vote ensuring that, if there are to be two new Ministers, one must be drawn from each of the main designations. The d'Hondt option is included in the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007, and the option for an election by a cross-community vote is contained in the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006.
Mr McFarland:The question is whether we want to disrupt the current Ministries. How will a further Department be created? Unless an additional Department is created, Departments will have to merge, and that will interfere with the current ministerial posts in any case.
The Chairperson:It is the responsibility of the Efficiency Review Panel to deliberate about the number of Departments.
Mr McFarland:That panel was established by OFMDFM. Therefore, it could be argued that it is hard for us to get a steer on the issue until the panel decides whether to opt for the creation of an additional Department.
Chair, perhaps you and John may be able to help the Committee on a different issue. At one stage, there was a rumour that the junior Ministers' urgent requirement for additional staff was due to a cunning plan, at First Minister and deputy First Minister level, for the two junior Ministers to absorb the new Ministries.
Perhaps you have already heard that rumour. Perhaps the posts were initially to be absorbed in shadow form, but moving on to the autumn of 2008, at which stage the Secretary of State has suggested that the devolution of policing and justice may be ready to happen, those two would morph into the two Ministers in OFMDFM. Are you aware of any such plan?
Mr O'Dowd:I never listen to rumours or rely on cunning plans.
The Chairperson:I am afraid that Baldrick has been at work, Alan. No, there is no —
Mr McFarland:If it were true, it would save having to create an extra Department or interference with —
The Chairperson:The Preparation for Government Committee discussed whether the powers on policing and justice should be absorbed into OFMDFM. By consensus, the parties firmly rejected that option and felt that there had to be a single Department. I have not heard any suggestion that junior Ministers would become joint Ministers of the new Department, or of whatever ministerial model that may be agreed, and that is certainly not my understanding.
Mr McFarland:If the First Minister and deputy First Minister were reluctant, unable, or felt that the time was not right, to make a decision on creating an extra Department or amalgamating existing Departments and the February 2008 deadline was rapidly approaching, one way out of the problem — in an emergency and for a short period of time — would be to do just what the parties agreed not to do. That is even more reason for OFMDFM to tell us what they intend to do.
The Chairperson:Alternatively, we must report any failure to agree to the Assembly, which, in turn, must report it to the Secretary of State. The decision is for the Executive, not only OFMDFM. The Executive will have to decide whether there is to be a change to the number of Departments and Ministers, and we must await their decision.
However, that does not prevent us from reaching a view on how the ministerial model would operate — subject to a decision on whether there will be a new Department in addition to the existing Departments, or whether room will be made for the Department to become one of the existing 10. Nor does it necessarily require the Committee to take a view on whether d'Hondt or the cross-community voting mechanism should be used for the appointment of the Ministers. We must deal with whether there should be one Minister, two Ministers who act jointly or a Minister and a junior Minster.
The Committee will move on from consideration of that issue to the question of how the Ministers are appointed, either by d'Hondt or by cross-community voting. So far, I have only received Sinn Féin's view. The party prefers the model of two Ministers who act jointly. John, do you have a view about whether there should be should be a Minister and a deputy Minister or two joint Ministers?
Mr O'Dowd:There should be two Ministers of equal status; Minister and Minister.
The Chairperson:Does any other party have a view on the suggested models, for which there has been legislation? If the Committee so wished, it could bring forward an alternative suggestion, for which the Assembly could legislate, or it could be legislated for by Order in Council at Westminster. The Committee is not restricted to those models, but I am not sure what other models it would want to consider.
Alex, does the SDLP have a view, one way or the other, on the options that are before the Committee?
Mr Attwood:There are several points for consideration. The general question about the number of Departments is being taken forward by the Executive. Can you clarify what stage that matter is at, Chairman?
The Chairperson:The matter is with the Office of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, which will establish an efficiency review panel. Under its remit, the panel will examine the number of Departments, among other issues. When the Deputy Chairperson, Mr McCartney, and I met the special advisers, we impressed upon them the need to give that issue priority in the efficiency review panel's work. Clearly, before it reports, the Committee must have a view about whether the Executive is minded to reconfigure the Departments or whether the Committee should report to the Secretary of State to seek his approval for the creation of a new Department, in addition to those that already exist. Therefore, we impressed upon them the need to report on that matter at an early stage.
Mr Attwood:Is the intention for the panel to have, at least, reported by March 2008?
The Chairperson:I do not know that yet. That is one reason that we have asked for the meeting — to get a feel for when the panel will be appointed and the timeframe within which it will report.
Mr Attwood:It is quite proper that you and the Deputy Chairperson have raised that issue and that it will be referred to in any letter as well. I concur with what Mr McFarland said; that views that might be expressed at present could be subject to radical reshaping depending on what OFMDFM comes back with, and given that the Minister of Finance and Personnel has voiced his views in recent days. I suspect that he was putting down a clear marker to OFMDFM as to what he wishes to see as the outcome. I have not seen his script. It might, therefore, be useful —
The Chairperson:For the benefit of the Committee and the public who are present, can you summarise those views?
Mr Attwood:I can only go by what I have heard in media reports. I want to ask the Clerk to acquire a copy of the script that was used by the Minister of Finance and Personnel, who, I suspect, was moving early in order to tell all his fellow Executive Ministers how he wants the matter to progress. His words came out of the blue. Peter Robinson does not speak out of the blue on most matters. That is important and worrying because it was calculated. The issue of the number of Ministers is upon the Committee and plays into its work in an intimate way, so I would like a copy of the script — if he had a script, and I presume he did. Perhaps we should ask for the script.
If we were looking at this — as we are at the moment — in strictly objective terms, we would probably conclude that having a sole Minister is the most efficient and effective way to go forward, because the vast majority of policing powers have already been devolved to the policing institutions. The role of any future justice Minister, in respect of policing responsibility, if he or she honours the limits of statutory responsibility, will be quite limited. Many of the justice functions are at arms length, one way or the other, from the justice Ministry. They will operate through various agencies and so on. If the Lord Chief Justice gets his way, arms length will be maximised. So, if one considers this without reference to the politics of the North, the functions of that office should go into a single Ministry, because the functions are such as justify a single Ministry and a single Minister. In the North, however, we do not work in a political vacuum.
Furthermore, I echo Alan's concerns regarding the issue about reducing the number of Departments — let us say, to five or six — creates a balance of argument such that, if it were to transpire, the justice function should be located in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. I must put down a very strong marker — and I think Alan did likewise — that my party will oppose the location of justice powers in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. We think that that is centralising power; it has a potential for abuse; and it does not give much clarity to the justice function, whatever the limitations. The SDLP will strongly oppose that.
I am surprised by John's comment about having a model of shared Ministry, but he then added that it was initially for the current mandate. Again, I put down a marker — once a joint Ministry is established and then announced as time-limited, there are people in other parties who will take that point and use it as an argument to unpick the joint Ministry of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Therefore, if, as at the moment, there is a joint First Minister and deputy First Minister, and there is an argument, as there is, to have a shared and independent justice Ministry, the SDLP will not be vulnerable to putting a time limit on it. We think that there would be elements — especially in the DUP — who will consider remodelling the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister or remodelling the form of coalition Government that we have.
If there is to be a joint Ministry — whatever the issue about effectiveness and efficiency — joint and equal, and independent of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, makes most sense. Who would want to be a junior Minister in a justice Ministry where the junior Minister is not picked through the d'Hondt system; will not be sitting at the Cabinet table; and his or her functions exist by grace and favour of the First Minister? Whatever way negotiations about the division of responsibility between the primary Minister and the junior Minister in the justice Department might end up, you would end up as "junior" in lower case, and in all ways, and it would be an invidious position to be in. Therefore, there is an argument for any joint ministry to be joint and equal.
Considering this without reference to the politics of the North, a single Minister in an independent Department makes a lot more sense. However, if there is to be a joint ministry — and there are arguments for that, too, in the context of the North — then joint and equal is preferable to senior and junior. Those are the views of the SDLP, subject to all those matters I mentioned. [Laughter.]
The Chairperson:As I understand it, Alex, and to summarise, the SDLP reserves its position at the moment on being definitive about the preferred ministerial model, pending clarification as to where the Executive and the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is going with the reconfiguration of Departments and also whether Ministers should be appointed by the d'Hondt system or by a cross-community vote in the Assembly. However, you have indicated, in respect of each of the options before us, your view on that. You have ruled out a Minister-and-junior-Minister model; you say that in an ideal world you would have a single Minister, but, you suspect, it will be joint Ministers acting jointly and equally, and not as Minister and junior Minister.
Mr Attwood:To avoid any doubts, part of your characterisation is correct. On balance, a single Ministry would be our preferred option. There are arguments, given the politics of Northern Ireland, that a shared model should be joint and equal, but in any circumstances a justice Ministry should not be part of OFMDFM nor should justice Ministers exist within OFMDFM.
The Chairperson:Just to be clear, Alex. Although your preference would be for a single Minister, you are saying that if the outcome is two Ministers acting jointly, that should be the perpetual position rather than a single mandate position that is reviewed thereafter. You did make the point that to unpick that raises questions about the unpicking the joint nature —
Mr Attwood:I do not think that anything is ever in perpetuity in politics. If devolution of justice is achieved in October 2008, the mandate for the Assembly runs out two and a half years thereafter, and I would not want to create a hostage to fortune by saying that the joint Ministry would run out at that time. That would create a rush towards the argument as to why we have a joint Ministry for OFMFDM.
The Chairperson:Presumably you would articulate that view in this Committee when it reports, as it is statutorily required, on the ministerial appointments in advance of the elections to the second mandate.
Mr Attwood:Yes.
The Chairperson:OK.
Mr I McCrea:May I also seek some clarification? Is it not the work of this Committee to consider some type of mandatory or voluntary coalition, or a change to the system and type of government, at which time we will have the opportunity to deal with those issues?
The Chairperson:Yes. We must report by 2016 on the major structural issues in relation to the Assembly.
Mr I McCrea:If the efficiency review panel decides to reduce the number of Ministers, how will a joint Ministry work, given, as Alan McFarland said, that only one Minister can serve on the Executive? Our briefing papers mentioned the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006; under the heading 'Process for making a Ministerial Appointment' the paper states that:"Only the appointment of the Minister will carry a position in the Executive Committee and count in the calculation of the d'Hondt running order."
If there is to be a joint ministry in which both ministers are equal, how can only one Minister be on the Executive?
The Chairperson:I understand that that is only one option of several that are available.
Mr I McCrea:If the number of Ministers has been reduced by the time that the confidence exists to devolve policing and justice, the question is whether d'Hondt would have to be run in any case; some one or some party will lose out.
The Chairperson:Again, the difficulty arises around which party is entitled to appoint the Minister, if that is done under d'Hondt.
If the appointment is done by d'Hondt, a party that has the option of appointing a Minister to the Department of policing and justice might make that choice. It may have made that choice if d'Hondt had run again, and, instead of choosing Finance and Personnel or Education, the party might have chosen policing and justice.
If we use the current system of d'Hondt, the parties will automatically say that they have appointed 10 Ministers, so which party is eligible to choose next —
Mr I McCrea:We must use cross-community voting to make the decision.
The Chairperson:My understanding of the law is that we would have to run d'Hondt again. If we were to remove a Ministry — for example, the Department of Employment and Learning — would the party that holds that Department automatically get policing and justice? Would that be that party's choice? Or, if we were to add an extra Department to the existing 10, would it simply be given to the next party that would be eligible? Is that what everybody wants? It throws up several issues.
According to the research paper, schedule 5 to the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007:"provides that the appointment process for the Minister and deputy Minister must take place after the appointment of the FM/dFM, but before the running of d'Hondt for the remaining Ministerial positions and before the procedures for appointing junior Ministers are applied."That further complicates the issue, because it seems that, under the Justice and Security Act, policing and justice is given preferential treatment. In addition to appointing the First Minister and deputy First Minister outside of d'Hondt, the suggestion is that we should appoint two Ministers of policing and justice, also outside of d'Hondt, and then run d'Hondt for the other Departments. Ian has opened a can of worms.
Mr McFarland:I am struggling with this. Surely the Justice and Security Act 2007 overtakes the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006? Normally, new legislation replaces the old. My understanding is that the 2006 Act gave several suggested models. The way in which the Justice and Security Act 2007 is phrased suggests that it is the plan — in other words that it lays out the options for real. It would be useful to get a clearer picture of everything.
The Chairperson:Yes. I accept that. Our interpretation is that the 2007 Act does not actually replace the options in the Miscellaneous Provisions Act. In the end, the Assembly must decide on the preferred model. If that model differs from those already provided for in the legislation, the Assembly must legislate for it, or Westminster will legislate for it by an Order in Council. The legislation provides for the Assembly to legislate for a different model.
I think that what you are asking, and I can understand it, is what are the options available to us? For example, do we run d'Hondt, or use the cross-community vote, or do we have a kind of hybrid version, which would use d'Hondt but would leave out policing and justice, if you see what I mean?
Mr McFarland:It worries me that we are trying to make decisions in the middle of —
Mr McCausland:Chaos?
Mr McFarland:— a game, where the rules are not clear. I can see what the options are. However, I sense that some of the options have overtaken others, because they were in the 2006 Act, when the Government was trying to apply leverage to parties and so on. Those options still exist, but I am not clear about the status of the Justice and Security Act 2007. Is that a result of an updated plan for devolving policing and justice?
Perhaps we need clarity on the status of all this from the NIO.
The Chairperson:Someone is going to have a lot of material for their Assembly sketch next week.
I take your point about the need for clarity. My understanding of the Justice and Security Act 2007 is that it is the latest, post-St Andrews thinking on how the Assembly might proceed on that. However, the Assembly is not bound by it, nor does it rule out the other options that were already provided for in the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006. The NIO is simply making known its latest thinking on how that might be handled, so that if the Assembly expresses a preference the legislation is already there. However, as I understand it, the Assembly would still have the option to pick a new model completely, or to revert to one of the models and methods outlined in the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006.
Mr McFarland:There are also party political factors to be taken into account when knocking Departments on the head, because of the effect on the numbers that different parties get. If OFMDFM remain sacrosanct and the other Departments have been chopped back — the UUP would lose one, and I cannot remember the figures but I think the SDLP would lose one — but if the Departments were dropped down to eight and amalgamated, the parties would lose out. You are then into the business of having a separate vote initially for the two security Ministers. There are big choices if we and the SDLP have only one go at this. You would have to hold off policing and justice, and hope for something further.
What I am saying is that there are political considerations that are not clear to us yet, because we do not know how many Departments there will be, and that could affect all sorts of decisions.
The Chairperson:At the risk of further complicating the position I will clarify what the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 says:
"Regarding the calculation of "M""Alex will be glad to know that "M" is not an agent acting on behalf of the security services. [Laughter.]
Mr Attwood:He is called "N".[Laughter.]
The Chairperson:"M", for the purposes of d'Hondt, is the letter used in the legislation to calculate the number of Ministers allocated to each party:
"Regarding the calculation of "M" in the d'Hondt process (the number of Ministerial offices held by a party), a party which is entitled to two or more seats in the Executive Committee and that has had a member successfully elected to the position of a Minister in charge of a Policing and Justice Department".In other words, the Minister or Ministers should be appointed to the Policing and Justice Department before d'Hondt is run. If:
"a party which is entitled to two or more seats in the Executive Committee has had a member successfully elected to the position of a Minister in charge of a Policing and Justice Department"then"that Ministerial position will be taken into account only after at least one other Ministerial position is held."by that party in the Executive."Effectively, this means that the Minister for Policing and Justice position is taken into account in the second round of calculations."
I hope that is clear. What that means is, for the purposes of calculating "M", or deciding which party gets first choice and which gets second, the fact that a party has already taken a ministerial post in the Policing and Justice Department prior to running d'Hondt is not taken into account in the first round. It only becomes a factor in the second round — in the second round of allocations under d'Hondt.
This is rocket science.
Mr McFarland:The SDLP and the Ulster Unionists are punished in that it only affects the DUP and Sinn Féin.
The Chairperson:That is correct.
Mr McFarland:Therefore, only Members from those parties can become security Ministers. Is that correct?
The Chairperson:As the research paper says: "Should a party which is entitled to only one seat in the Executive Committee have a member successfully elected to the position of Minister, then that Minister will fill their single ministerial entitlement."
In other words, if the SDLP were entitled to a single Minister, and he or she was successfully appointed as a Minister in the Department of policing and justice, he or she would have no further ministerial entitlement. It is only a party that has two or more ministries that —
Mr McFarland:If the number drops to six, it only affects the two parties.
The Chairperson:Yes — if you drop to six.
Ms Ní Chuilín:Actually, by 2016, God knows who will be here.
Mr Attwood:None of that is prescriptive. It is the British Government that want blue-sky thinking but, instead, were thinking in the shadows when all of that emerged. It is not prescriptive. The Committee and the Assembly are free to make whatever choice they want. The British Government will devolve justice and policing, but the shape of it will be in our gift.
The Chairperson:As it will be for us to appoint the Minister, or Ministers.
Mr Attwood:Everything is in our gift. The British Government have said that in the absence of agreement between us they might impose a departmental structure. However, that does not mean that they will impose Ministers. That stills fall under the St Andrew's Agreement's triple-lock requirements that were negotiated by the DUP.
The Chairperson:Carál, did you want add anything beyond 2016?
Ms Ní Chuilín:No. The principle is that it is still our decision. Until we get clarity from OFMDFM, it is an argument that is confusing the confused.
The Chairperson:It would help the Committee if the team could prepare a paper that was in tabular form and set out each option, and the steps involved, in making the appointment. That would bring a little bit of clarity to the matter. Sinn Féin has been clear about its preferred model. I suspect that, around the Committee table, other parties are reserving their position, pending clarification of: where we are going; the number of Departments; and how that is going to be handled. They may also be awaiting clarity on the confusing picture that arises from two separate pieces of legislation: the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 — and the options that it presents — and the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007.
Will the Committee Clerk check on Alan's point as to whether the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 supersedes the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006? Are the options in the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act still available for us and, if so, what are the appointment mechanisms relating to those options? How do they differ from the appointment option that is set out in the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2006? We want an illustration — that we can set in front of us — of the available options and the appointment processes for each of those options. Secondly, we seek clarification as to whether all of those options are still available to us, as a result of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2006. We will park that matter at present. I hope that when we return to it we will have some clarity from OFMDFM on the issue of how it intends to proceed on the number of Departments.
Mrs Hanna:They have not yet set up the efficiency review panel. Therefore, the issue is a way down the road.
The Chairperson:We have also to be consulted before it is established.
Members, we will park that issue for the moment. The discussion has been useful and has highlighted the degree to which the picture is confused.
Mr McFarland:It strikes me that when we get around to discussing the Court Service, several discussions will be necessary if we are to get our heads clear as to what the options are. It is complicated. We might as well get it right.
Mr McCausland:At least we have clarified the confusion.
The Chairperson:Absolutely. Clarification has been an oft-used word in this process, and now we are seeking clarification of the confusion.
Mr O'Dowd:To confuse matters even more, we could set up a ministry that would then be scrutinised by the efficiency review panel in 2016 or earlier. We could introduce an interim arrangement that could be changed again by future Administrations.
Mr McFarland:We are settling down well here. There will probably not be much of an appetite in the next three years for chucking a load of Departments in the air and organising them, especially with the whole issue of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE). If we were to get a steer from the First Minister and deputy First Minister that we should leave the Departments static during this mandate, at least that would guide us. We could potentially create an extra Department for this mandate, which would get us out of all the trouble of messing with other Departments. It would be useful if we could pin down the First Minister and deputy First Minister, because my sense is that we will not get a review up and running in the short term.
The Chairperson:In effect, you are saying that we need a political decision on the matter. While that decision will come from the First Minister and deputy First Minister, it must also come from all the parties. That is a fair point. Unless the efficiency review panel is established immediately and prioritises and focuses on the issue and reports by Christmas, or January at the latest, it will be difficult for us to bring forward a report, with a degree of clarity, in February.
Mr McFarland:We may not even bring forward a report in 2009. Let us suppose that, with a fair wind, the Secretary of State's ambitions for next autumn were realised, we would not manage to turn around all the Departments, get everyone resettled and change all the roles between now and next autumn. It would be useful if the First Minister and the deputy First Minister could meet with the parties and the Executive to focus on where this is going and to give us some ground rules. Otherwise, we will be in difficulties.
The Chairperson:The Committee Clerk has just pointed out that there is no timeframe for the efficiency review panel. That is something that OFMDFM will have to establish. At the moment, we have no framework to point to, so we are looking for a steer, and we will reflect that in our discussions with officials from OFMDFM.
We have a response from the NIO that will help to clarify aspects of the departmental structure and, in particular, there are annexes to the NIO's letter that might be helpful as a guide. There are additional papers in your packs from the Northern Ireland Court Service and from the office of the Lord Chief Justice. There is also a briefing paper on the Court Service in England and Wales. We are examining some of the issues that we touched on in our oral evidence session last week, for example, the extent to which the Public Prosecution Service and the courts service would be at arms length from the Department. Would they be non-ministerial Departments? How does that impact on accountability of the Public Prosecution Service and the Court Service to the Assembly? How does that impact on the Department and the capacity of the Minister to answer questions in the House on matters relating to, for example, the Court Service or the Public Prosecution Service? This is a complex issue, and it goes to the heart of the evidence that we have received from the Court Service, the Public Prosecution Service and the Lord Chief Justice that they wish to argue for arm's length departmental structures.
That is in contrast to the evidence, legislation and proposals from the NIO, which indicate that those matters should be under the direct control of the Department, as in England and Wales. The Committee has heard reference to the Scottish model, which is emerging and evolving, and to the model in the Republic of Ireland.
[Assembly Research and Library Service briefed the Committee.]
The Chairperson:Time is marching on. I do not know whether parties want to give an initial view, but I am not sure that we will get far today in coming to a consensus on departmental structure, particularly in reference to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and the Court Service, accountability issues and ministerial accountability in the Assembly. I would like time to consider the research paper in more detail.
Mr McFarland:Can we have answers to the questions in section 4 of the research paper?
The Chairperson:Those are questions for the Committee to consider. The content of the research paper is heavy and serious stuff because it is part of the debate that has been raised by the Court Service and the PPS about their views on the Department of justice and policing. I do not feel that I am yet in a position to give any informed view and I would like to do justice to the excellent research paper and take time to consider its implications.
Mr McFarland:It will take several meetings to do that.
The Chairperson:I know that it may seem that we are not making much progress, but we are, in that we are identifying the key decisions to be considered. The research paper will help to focus our minds on what is a major aspect of the report that we must prepare.
Mr Attwood:First, the Committee has received a weighty letter from the NIO, which I will come back to. I only read it this morning.
Secondly, one of the matters that we discussed before was the sensitive power of the Chief Constable to appeal against decisions made by the Parades Commission. To complete the circle, perhaps we could ask Lord Ashdown the anticipated date of his report into the review of parading. He might have a view on the matter, and given that it crowds into the working of the Committee, that would be useful.
Thirdly, given the transfer of primacy for national security to the security service, is the NIO in a position to share with the Committee what those new arrangements are and what the relationship is between the Police Service and the Policing Board?
It is referred to in a letter from the NIO, which says that the Minister for justice would get the same information as the Policing Board. In anticipation of that, should we not get the information the Policing Board got in respect of what the new arrangements will be?
The Chairperson:You will note that the minutes from the previous meeting stated that an interim report is expected on the strategic review of parading, with the final recommendation to follow in the spring. We will, therefore, seek clarity on what is meant by the spring. Is it likely to come before the Committee reports in February?
I can report that the security services have indicated that they will not be responding directly to the Committee; that is implicit in the letter that we received from the NIO, which has responded on behalf of the security services.
Alex, I would be happy if there was a note of issues that you feel have not been covered — in fact, that goes for any member. Members should look at the NIO response regarding the security services or any other aspect of the responses that we have had. If members feel that there is a deficiency or shortfall, or that something that we have asked for has not been adequately addressed, please give us a note of it. We will then do a follow up with the NIO.
As regards the research paper, the subject arose of the Courts Service in England and Wales and its relationship to the Department, which is similar to what the NIO has proposed for Northern Ireland. There is a note at the back of the folder on England and Wales, which the Clerk has provided. Do you want any further research on the England and Wales model, or are we clear on that?
Mr Attwood:There is one question that I am not clear on. The NIO is proposing an agency model, and that is different from what we currently have. The NIO is saying, and the Lord Chief Justice accepts, that any model other than a justice agency would have to be legislated for in the future by the Assembly. Does that mean that the British Government are legislating now for the agency approach before devolution of justice?
Mr I McCrea:Did the Secretary of State not refer to that when he was here? Is he not going ahead with their proposals, and we would make any changes regardless?
Mr Attwood:That is what I heard. However, is that legislation or simply an executive decision?
The Committee Clerk:I will have to check. Annex B of the NIO letter describes the Courts Service as falling under the Department of the Lord Chancellor and not having a current sponsor. It describes the future status as it being an agency, and its future sponsor would be a "Fraser figure" in the proposed Department of Justice. However, it does not go on to articulate whether legislation would be required. My impression is — from what the Secretary of State said — probably not. However, if the Committee did want to go for the non-ministerial model advocated, legislation would be needed. However, that point can be checked.
The Chairperson:That point arose in the oral evidence from the Court Service, whom we specifically pressed on that point. It said that legislation would be required for its model, but not necessarily — I think — for the agency model.
Mr Attwood:Why?
The Chairperson:We can seek clarification on that, Alex.
Do members have a view on whether we should ask our colleague from Research and Library Services to do further research on the England and Wales model?
Mr O'Dowd:It might be useful. Questions may arise as we go through the issues, and then we would have to go back. It would be useful to have the work done.
The Chairperson:Are members content that we ask Research and Library Services to have a look at the England and Wales model? Perhaps in doing so, it could draw a comparison between that and what the NIO is proposing in its current proposals for the agency status.
The governance and accountability mechanisms again touch on the issue of PPS and the Northern Ireland Court Service et cetera. I do not feel that the Committee is in a position to start drawing a consensus on that because we need clarity in our own thinking. Similarly, internal and external relationships go to the heart of how the Northern Ireland Court Service relates to the Department et cetera. Are Members content that we take time to examine the briefing paper as parties and individuals?
Members indicated assent
Research and Library Services are going to prepare some more work for the Committee on the England and Wales model. The Committee will return to these issues. In the meantime, hopefully we will bring more clarity to the table on the position of OFMDFM, the options for Ministerial appointments et cetera. At least the discussions helped the Committee focus on the areas that require further discussion.
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Potato and Pork Skillet
This scrumptious skillet dinner from Mary Tallman in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin makes the ideal hurry-up entree for a hungry family. Round out the meal with steamed vegetables or a rustic green salad.
4 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 20 min.
4 boneless pork loin chops (1 inch thick and 4 ounces
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium red potatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup diced roasted sweet red peppers
Sprinkle pork chops with pepper. In a large skillet, cook chops in
oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until chops are
lightly browned; drain. Remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, saute the potatoes, onion and oregano for 6-8
minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Stir in broth and red
peppers; bring to a boil.
Top with pork chops. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or
until a thermometer reads 145°, stirring occasionally. Let stand
5 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Facts:
1 serving (prepared with reduced-sodium broth) equals 292 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 297 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber,
© Taste of Home 2014
2 of 2
Potato and Pork Skillet
Nutritional Facts:
26 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges:
3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable.
Light-Bodied Red Wine: Enjoy this recipe with a light-bodied red wine such as
Pinot Noir
© Taste of Home 2014

subset: commoncrawl


text:
information contained herein is written by and the property of
Lynn Hayes. You may include a portion of this information on your
website without permission, but you must include a link back to
the article and clearly indicate the author of the information.
Astrology of September 11
September 11, 2008
always easier to look backwards and find astrological correlations
to major events than it is to predict specific events using
astrology. Only astrologer Lynne Palmer predicted the attacks
of September 11, although other
astrologers did note that this period would be a stressful
time for the US.
the day of the attacks, transiting Pluto was within seventeen
minutes of an exact conjunction to the US ascendant at 12 degrees
Sagittarius. Astrologers had worried for months about the opposition
of Saturn to Pluto that was in effect at that time, and Pluto,
which had been traveling retrograde, turned direct on August 25th
within 11 minutes of the US ascendant. When planets change direction
in a close aspect to one of our planets, the effect is extremely
and Pluto are both Lords of Death with Saturn having played that
role in the early days of astrology before Pluto was discovered.
Modern astrologers don't find Saturn as evil as the more traditional
astrologers do, but the stress between the restriction of Saturn
and the transformative power of Pluto can be difficult at best.
With these two facing off and Pluto sitting right on the ascendant,
the face of American life and politics (ascendant) were irrevocably
changed (Pluto) that day.
this Pluto cycle actually began on November 25, 2000 when Pluto
first crossed the US ascendant - the week of September 11 was
the second phase of this cycle. During that week in November 2000,
the Florida recount began that would be the first phase of the
lawsuits that resulted in George Bush being appointed President.
seems likely to me that the events surrounding the 2000 election
in the first phase of Pluto crossing the US ascendant undermined
the structures that formed the very fabric of the country to the
point where it was vulnerable to attack when Pluto came around
the second time and sat right on the US ascendant for a month
or more. .
that time Mars in the US chart has turned retrograde (back in
2007), signifying for many astrologers a weakening in the formerly
powerful military might of the country. Transiting Pluto last
spring began a square to the Midheaven (the government) of the
US chart that will return in early 2009 when Pluto returns to
Lerner points out that Mercury was sitting right on the ascendant
of the chart of the first World Trade Center attack in NYC, exactly
conjunct the US Saturn. Mark writes, "And when this first
plane hit -- remember Mercury had winged sandals and was the "Messenger
of the Gods," symbolizing this jet in the sky -- it would
set off a chain reaction that would throw our entire nation into
extreme fear (Saturn). In fact, for the first time in American
history, this event, followed by the other plane hijackings and
crashes, would close all American airports."
is the clearest vision we possess. But on this day when we honor
those who gave their life on the day that transformed American
politics forever, I believe it is our duty to stay informed and
work like hell in our communities to bring American life back
into balance.


text:
MURRAY, Ky. (AP) -- Mike Liabo scored 20 points and Myles Taylor added 15 to lead Tennessee-Martin to a 69-68 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Murray State on Thursday night.
After the Skyhawks (9-19, 5-10) led 33-19 with 4:35 left until halftime, the Racers (20-8, 10-5) battled back for a 40-40 tie with 14:46 remaining but were unable to gain the lead.
Murray State got within a point five times in the final 6
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
The 42-hour student pilot was performing solo touch-and-go crosswind landings to Runway 09. On the fifth and final landing, the single-engine airplane swerved unintentionally and exited the right side of the 3,455-feet long, by 40-feet wide asphalt runway. Moments later the nose landing gear fork fractured and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest in the inverted position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained structural damage. An examination of the airplane's flight controls revealed no mechanical failure or malfunction. The weather observation facility located about sixteen nautical miles west from the site of the accident reported winds from 170 degrees at 5 knots.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Index for May2007 | Index of months


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Chance Encounters Pet Services
Brevard County's Premier pet sitting, dog walking, pet taxi & more services!
- Categories: dog walking / sitting
- Address: Serving the Space Coast of Florida Map
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- Email: Chance Encounters Pet Services
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Interview: Ian Fetterman - Pumpkin Carver Extraordinaire
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Film Review: Sweet Movie (1974)
SYNOPSIS: No synopsis can do this movie justice, but it basically boils down to a bunch of 'radical' students misbehaving on camera, with the the end result being passed off as an experimental art piece. It's a psycho-sexual 'comedy' that wallows in shattered taboos, and absurdist, free-form vignettes. REVIEW: Directed by: Dusan Makevejev Starring: Carole Laure; John Vernon The film opens on a live TV show in which several women compete for the title of … Continue reading


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Kardashian shows off her love of fringe in Calabasas, Calif. Plus: Kellan Lutz, Jason Momoa, Beyoncé and more
Credit: John White/INF
Published: Friday Aug 12, 2011 | 05:00 PM EDT
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Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi make a happy pair strolling arm-in-arm through Toronto on Thursday.
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Figma Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan
The strong and stoic protagonist from Attack on Titan is coming to Max Factory's Figma line all ready to fight off any strange merchandise of the Colossal Titan. She comes fully equipped with her Three Dimensional Maneuvering Gear, several optiona faces, a display base decorated like a rooftop, and a cloak. Coming January 2014 for 4,800 yen.
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Comments5 comments posted
Seriously, all I wanted since the show started.
...Game of Thrones, SOA, Dexter, Fox News, Breaking Bad, Attack on Titan, E Channel...
what else am I the only person not watching?
... laugh.
Hey, a woman gets hungry in a post-apocalyptic terror world.


text:
I think this reader is right. It seems like there are three parts of the Enterprise computer that we are talking about: the human-machine interface (i.e. Dr. Crusher and the female computer voice interacting), the voice-recognition software that does what Watson did this week on Jeopardy, and the memory, which contains basically the entire history of several civilizations as well as every science and engineering fact ever known.
I watched the PBS documentary on Watson last week and what struck me most was just how close we are to a Star Trek ship's computer.
Being a fan of The Next Generation, I loved watching Beverly Crusher go back and forth with her sickbay computer to diagnose a medical issue. You could see flashes of inspiration in Beverly's eyes as the computer made connections that she had no way of making because it was tapping into to resources and databases her human mind could never store internally (or never even know about). But the "ta-da" moment came from Beverly as she connected the dots herself, and then bounced her logic off the computer to make sure it was sound, sometimes going several rounds before working it all out. Watson seems very close to being able to fulfill that kind of promise.
The documentary touched on a possible new type of "big picture" researcher. A scientist or doctor that uses a Watson-type interface to make connections across various fields of research; connections that specialists might never make because of their narrower focus. As long as a person is trained on how to ask the questions, the Computer can pull answers from all available sources and suggest multiple related items that might never have been considered before.
The potential is extraordinary, right?
And so there lies the genius of Watson: the ability to take human language with its faults and peccadilloes and turn it into a searchable parameter. But can we do better? Many people, after Watson's victory, argued that computers will, as their AI goes from weak to strong, eventually surpass human cognition.
But though Watson's abilities at cognition are impressive...they were written by a human. Watson, and his supercomputer peers, does not contain a single circuit of creativity. He contains 2800 processors, terabytes of data, and requires a huge amount of electrical power. Ask Watson any information about any song ever written and the computer could probably give it to you. But ask Watson to generate a unique song that reminds him of the flight of a sparrow, and he would fail completely. He'd fail miserably.
But a human, even an average composer, armed with a Watson interface, might be able to look up chord structures, watch videos of sparrows, hear other songs inspired by birds, and create a masterpiece for an entire orchestra.
Back in February 2010, Gary Kasparov, the chess legend, wrote about the awesome power of a human armed with a computer:
In 2005, the online chess-playing site Playchess.com hosted what it called a "freestyle" chess tournament in which anyone could compete in teams with other players or computers. Normally, "anti-cheating" algorithms are employed by online sites to prevent, or at least discourage, players from cheating with computer assistance. (I wonder if these detection algorithms, which employ diagnostic analysis of moves and calculate probabilities, are any less "intelligent" than the playing programs they detect.) Lured by the substantial prize money, several groups of strong grandmasters working with several computers at the same time entered the competition. At first, the results seemed predictable. The teams of human plus machine dominated even the strongest computers. The chess machine Hydra, which is a chess-specific supercomputer like Deep Blue, was no match for a strong human player using a relatively weak laptop. Human strategic guidance combined with the tactical acuity of a computer was overwhelming.
The surprise came at the conclusion of the event. The winner was revealed to be not a grandmaster with a state-of-the-art PC but a pair of amateur American chess players using three computers at the same time. Their skill at manipulating and "coaching" their computers to look very deeply into positions effectively counteracted the superior chess understanding of their grandmaster opponents and the greater computational power of other participants. Weak human + machine + better process was superior to a strong computer alone and, more remarkably, superior to a strong human + machine + inferior process.
Which goes back to the brilliance of Watson. If we can continue to improve the way humans interact with computers, our ability to do what humans (uniquely in the known universe) do best (create) could grow as our need to do what computers do best (process data fast) becomes more integral into our daily lives.
And it isn't happening at just the supercomputer research facility. Already, my generation has learned to not bother remembering every dang fact we come across. We have wikipedia for that. We don't memorize sports statistics anymore, we have a myriad of stat tracking sites to plunder. We don't even need, really, to memorize science data anymore. I honestly don't remember the last time I did a unit conversion in my head. I have 'online unit converter pro' for that - on my phone.
So the question, to me, of Watson's victory is not whether the machines are going to supplant us, but rather how can we better integrate humans and Watsons together? We asked this question, here at TAE, several different times last year. "All you need is drivers," I rant again and again. Watson's interface requires a specific type of data (a Jeopardy "answer") relayed to it electronically. It really can't go beyond that, too far. On Star Trek (TNG), the crew can interact with the computer via voice or via consoles throughout the ship.
What if they could interact with the computer via direct neural connections? What if they could "plug in" to the computer, interact with it, and then unplug? What if the plug was a wireless connection, and they could be constantly connected? Imagine if you will, the scenario above:
Dr. Crusher seeks to solve a medical mystery. She sits down in her sickbay, silent. She appears to be concentrating very hard. Little flashes of inspiration cross her eyes. In less than a minute, it is over. She stands and prepares a new hypospray, which she administers to the patient, who immediately recovers. Ground-breaking medicine has become a silent exercise of human creativity directly coupled to raw computational power.
At the end of the day, Dr. Crusher unplugs herself from the system, and puts the external component of her human-machine interface (the power supply and antenna) in a charging socket. Though it can provide her with days of power, she likes the act of plugging it in every night. She likes to disconnect herself (she feels it helps her retain her 'humanity'), and she likes the antiquated notion that daily recharges are still necessary.Is it really so far-fetched? Why are we spending countless hours developing better and better human-machine interface software, like Watson's interface, when we could be potentially circumventing the need for it by developing better human-machine interface hardware?
The future, I believe, is one in which we can connect our minds directly to the machines. All you need is drivers.


text:
March Garden Calendar
Tackle pruning chores
• Most trees and some shrubs can be pruned now. Delay pruning spring-blooming shrubs so you don't trim off developing flowers. Most other shrubs will benefit from a little trimming now.
• Prune roses, eliminating dead shoots. Once roses send out tiny red buds that will turn into stems, they are ready for pruning. When the stems are about 1/2 inch long, the rose is pretty well out of dormancy. You should be able to tell what wood is alive and what has been killed by winter cold and should be removed.
• Spray fruit trees with dormant oil. Do this when the temperature is above 40 degrees. Dormant oil, available at garden centers, prevents scale insects, spider mites and other pests later in the season. You can also spray dormant oil on roses and other trees and shrubs that have been troubled by pests in the past.
Spruce up for spring
• Rake old leaves. You'll feel like you're giving your yard a fresh spring start when you remove the remnants of winter -- late-falling leaves, sticks and trash that may have blown in during the winter months.
• Cut back perennials. If you didn't do this in the fall, cut them back now.
• Pull away winter mulch. As soon as you see signs of new growth, pull away and lean up any straw or leaves you applied in the fall to protect perennials.
Lawns: Perk up warm-season grasses
• In the southern Midwest, if you have a lawn with warm-season grasses, such as Bermudagrass and zoysia, fertilize and apply a preemergent herbicide at the end of the month.


text:
Home and Garden
The nights are starting to get a little chillier, and a little longer. When it comes time to entertaining the family in the evening, get up off the couch and into the backyard with a welcoming hearth. Now for a limited time get the beautiful Rattan Fire Pit for your backyard for just $119 from Micro World Imports.
This beautiful fire pit is weather proof and durable with a stylish metal stand and steel fire bowl, giving your backyard a rustic appeal that doubles as a centerpiece for entertaining, storytelling and s'mores. The Rattan Fire Pit weighs about 50 pounds and comes in at 32x32x15.
Late in the evening after dinner, sit around the fire pit, warm your faces and share some fantastic stories – you'll learn a little bit more about the days happenings without any distractions. The kids will love warming up their toes or roasting a few marshmallows, and you'll love sitting next to your loved ones with a glass of wine. Welcome fall with a Rattan fire pit that's perfect for any home.
This is a business that spealizes in home goods. They are a full service place and like to hit on each room in the house. A little something for everyone and very home!


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Baby and Kids
Your kids have been dying to pick out their Halloween costumes since ... well ... the second they got home from trick-or-treating last year! It's getting down to the wire, so get today's screaming deal for 50% off and let the kiddos go wild!
You'll receive $40 worth of costumes, accessories, props, decorations, and more for only $20. Halloween Express carries the highest quality of Halloween merchandise that's sure to please everyone in your family this season (even your pet!). The mega store also has an enormous selection of party supplies for your SPOOK-tacular event.
What ever your Halloween costume or decoration needs are, Halloween Express has you covered. Find sassy costumes, scary costumes, funny costumes, pet costumes, plus-sized costumes and family friendly costumes. THeir new for 2011 costume category has over 3,000 new costumes, accessories, and props. Those looking for accessories — hats, wigs, shoes, make-up and masks — won't find a larger selection anywhere. Check out their list of costumes for families, groups, and couples. They also have kids' costumes for under $20 and $30. Simply put, Halloween Express has more costumes, more styles, and more options than anyone. Check their site and see for yourself.
Redeemable Locations:
Halloween Express-Centennial
Behind Safeway next to Mama Roma's
8200 S. Quebec St.
Centiennial, CO 80112
HalloweenExpress-Aspen Grove
712 Next to Pier 1 Imports
7301 S. Santa Fe. Dr.
Littleton, CO 80120
Halloween Express - North Glenn
Next to Cinzettie's Italian Restaurant
331 W. 104th Ave. Northglenn, CO 80234


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As Iron Sharpens Iron…
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."- Proverbs 27:17
This verse has been on my mind a lot lately. I love how God sometimes just takes verses, lays them on our hearts, and then shows us they are true and still applicable. This verse has been made alive to me in the recent weeks more times than I can count. Everywhere I look, there are friends around me, continually pushing, encouraging, challenging, and sharpening me.
One thing I've learned about this experience is that it is not always pleasant. When a blade is sharpened, it is rubbed against a rough surface, often tearing and breaking away jagged edges to make the surface smooth and sharp. And the same is applied to people: Being sharpened, often, is unpleasant but necessary.
I hope this verse can be as much an encouragement to you as it was and is to me! May God show you the people in your life that are acting as your iron, so that you may cherish them all the more.
May God bless you!
– Mark


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Alan certainly knows the game and is very good on TV. I bet he would like to get into the pro coaching ranks, but he'd probably need to start as an assistant first, right?
I don't want to speak for Alan, but it would not surprise me if he is interested in joining the coaching fraternity. He definitely has the knowledge and communication skills to pull it off after gaining some experience.


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Andrew Romanoff.Andrew Romanoff, who came up short in his bid to defeat Michael Bennet in the Democratic Senate primary, is the guest of honor tonight at a party (details below) to celebrate his 44th birthday -- and to help retire his campaign debt, which would be even more oppressive if he h ... More >>
Bankruptcy court snatched Ocean Journey from the jaws of extinction. Now the aquarium's on the line for big legal fees.
Even if one community turns them down, developers always know they can get what they want from another.


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Distance Learning course pricing is also available.
Certification Certification Level
Fuld-Gilad-Herring Academy of Competitive Intelligence believes
in long-term, continuous learning. To encourage you and your colleagues
to continue the CI learning process and to expand it corporate-wide,
we offer you tuition discount programs that give you and your organization
the most flexibility and, at the same time, the greatest discounts
If you register for the entire two week core and advanced CIP program, we offer a 10% discount off the tuition (US only). For information on group discounts, contact us at: U.S. (888)732-6812 or Outside U.S.(630) 983-5530 or via our online contact form.


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Friday, 11 June 2010 00:00
Make no bones about it - the Sea Cliff cell tower controversy is coming to a boil.
In an ambitious display of public relations, Mayor Bruce Kennedy attempted a lengthy explanation of what the village's position was on cell towers in our community. The treatise appeared with his photo on the front page of this newspaper.
Meanwhile, a disgruntled pocket of residents of Altamont Avenue and Cromwell Place continues their mobilization against the possibility that a tall cell tower will be erected near their homes on the grounds of the Village Recycling Center. Two dozen of the zealous group attended the May 10 village board meeting, exclaiming their dismay and disappointment that the specter of such a tower is still hovering over their heads.
The neighbors have printed a "Speak Out" flier to distribute around town, inviting their neighbors and fellow citizens to join them at the next village board meeting in village hall this Monday, June 14, at 8 p.m. It could be another pivotal meeting that will determine whether or not Sea Cliff needs or wants any cell towers within our One Square Mile. A large attendance will show the mayor and trustees how important this issue has become to village taxpayers.
Joe Krupinski


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The Mountain Land Physical Therapy Sun River Clinic is conveniently located in the center of the Sun River community to offer physical therapy close to home. Our goal is to help our patients get back to a healthy and active lifestyle in a timely manner. We are proud to offer specialized treatments that include our Neuromuscular Training Program, stroke rehabilitation, spinal cord and nerve damage rehabilitation, and Occupational Therapy. We look forward to serving you in our beautiful new clinic and hope to make friendships that will last a lifetime.
Steven is from Houston, Texas and has practiced physical therapy since 1997. He earned a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University in 1994, and a master's degree in Physical Therapy from University of Alabama Birmingham in 1997. Steven specializes in neurological rehabilitation, specifically in stroke, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy rehabilitation. He has received advanced training in Electromyography (EMG) from the Houston Rehabilitation Institute. Before joining the Mountain Land team, Steve was the director of the Southwest Neurological Center for nine years. Steve specializes in treating neurological patients from across the Western United States using his sophisticated EMG training. Mountain Land is now one of the few centers in the country able to offer this specialized therapy.
Steven was inspired to become a physical therapist because he wanted to help people who were paralyzed learn to walk and move again. Steven enjoys coaching, playing all sports and writing; he writes novels and children's books.
Copyright © 2012 - Mountain Land Rehabilitation


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During the landing roll, the bolt holding the left main landing gear hydraulic extension and retraction actuator to the gear support structure failed, which allowed the left main landing gear leg to retract. Further inspection determined that over time the bolt hole on the support structure had elongated to about twice its original size. This condition would have been very difficult to detect on a preflight inspection; however, it should have been detected during previous annual inspections.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Index for Jun2009 | Index of months


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Virtua Striker 2
Virtua Striker 2 (バーチャストライカー2) is a Sega Model 3 arcade football game and a sequel to Virtua Striker.
This particular entry in the series was very popular in arcades across the globe, and has therefore been re-released numerous times with minor improvements. Virtua Striker 2 Version '98 and Virtua Striker 2 Version '99 (and a minor revision, Virtua Striker 2 Version '99.1) were released as Sega Model 3 arcade updates, while Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 2000 was released for the Sega NAOMI arcade platform.
Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 2000.1, based on the latter game, was released for the Sega Dreamcast. In North America, the this version is simply known as Virtua Striker 2 but is due to its increased number of features, is not considered by Sega Retro to be the same game as this one.


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Fundraising Events
SeptemberDealin' For Dogs
Saturday, September 14
Please Visit Our Sister Site: DealinForDogs.com »
The eigth annual Dealin' for Dogs will be full of entertainment galore! Join us for fun, food, blackjack, silent and live auctions, live band and much more. Dealin' for Dogs has brought hundreds of volunteers, donors, clients and friends together for an evening of fun, games, refreshments and entertainment for many years. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to help Assistance Dogs for Achieving Independence with their biggest fundraiser of the year!
April2014 Spring Graduation
Thursday, April 10
Join us as we celebrate the partnership of our dogs and consumers!
OctoberReverse Raffle & Dinner Party
Saturday, October 18
221 S. Walnut St.
Bryan, Oh 43506
click here for a map/directions
The Fraternal Order of Eagles of Bryan, OH will be hosting a Reverse Raffle and Dinner Party for our organization. This event is one of the many ways you can support our organization and have a blast doing it! Buy your tickets now, the sooner the better, by calling the ADAI main office at 419-885-5733 (please hit extension 262). Tickets cost $50.00/person. Besides benefitting our organization, the ticket price includes: a steak dinner, a reverse raffle ticket, as well as beer/wine/simple mixed drinks.


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Tickets and Events
Milady, it is with much jubilation that Minnesota Children's Museum proclaims June 25 as the date of the 2011 Grand Family Ball. The LEGO® Castle Adventure celebration will be a royally good time for adults or the entire family!
Today's deal for a Family pass includes Two Adult and Two Child tickets to the Grand Family Ball. Special pricing normally reserved to Museum members only. Ball attire is encouraged. Or, come dressed in princess gowns, suits of armor, or kingly crowns. The Museum will be open exclusively to Grand Family Ball attendees and closed to the public.
Funds raised will benefit the Access program, ensuring that the Museum's doors are always open to children, families, and schools facing financial challenges.
Minnesota Children's Museum is dedicated to providing children with a fun, hands-on and stimulating environment to explore and discover. The Museum helps to instill a life-long love of learning by nurturing the real-world skills children need to become engaged citizens in the future.
Minnesota Children's Museum
10 West 7th Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
(651) 225-6000


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Sunday, May 20, 2012
Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (1974) *
Director: Terence Fisher
Screenplay: John Elder
Cast: Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, David Prowse, Madeline Smith, David Prowse, John Stratton, Patrick Troughton, Charles Lloyd Pack, Michael Ward, Bernard Lee, Peter Madden
Hammer's last Frankenstein picture is an oddity indeed, deliberately conceived in an era of upheaval and experimentation as a conscious experiment in back to basics aesthetics, with as many original contributors on board as possible.
Unfortunately, austerity measures demanded a savagely low budget, necessitating that the film be almost entirely shot in a few claustrophobic studio interiors. It's grim, too, with several surprisingly unsavoury grand guignol flourishes and a pervading air of gloom, while the monster make-up is as weirdly over the top as the film's title.
The result was a film that remained unreleased for two years (and as long again in the US), but such is the professionalism of the studio, even at this low an ebb, that, to aficionados at least, it remains interesting and oddly compelling at all times.
2 comments:
I constantly thought commenting was stupid, but for this blog i shall give it a go. Im loving it!
- May 27, 2012 at 2:01 AM
- Matthew Coniam said...
I'm afraid you were right the first time.
- May 27, 2012 at 10:19 AM
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US troops could be stuck in Afghanistan beyond 2014
US ambassador to Kabul does not believe there can be a full withdrawal by Obama's target date
Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Kabul, has suggested that the mission in Afghanistan will extend beyond its projected completion date. President Obama had targeted 2014 for full withdrawal but in an interview with The Times, Crocker claims: "It is entirely possible that there may still be US forces and other international forces here (Afghanistan) after 2014".
The expensive and bloody war in Afghanistan has grown increasingly unpopular in the US, and President Obama is under pressure to withdraw. Crocker's prognosis will do Obama no favours in the run-up to next year's election. "Obama's Republican rivals are intent on making it (Afghanistan) an election issue", says Ewan MacAskill in The Guardian, pointing out the potential for the war to become a $1 trillion stick with which to beat the President.
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is set to deliver a foreign policy-oriented speech in South Carolina this week, having already called for withdrawal on several occasions. The latest opinion polls show that 73 per cent of Americans want to see the troops return home.
Crocker's claim can also be taken as a demand for Obama to get real. More than 450 international troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year and to leave in the current climate would inevitably be painted as failure.
Setting the 2014 withdrawal date has been described as a strategic error because it would boost the Taliban's morale. Crocker himself endured a 20-hour attack against the US embassy in Kabul last month, which he feels was motivated by the insurgents seeking a higher profile.
The ambassador's willingness to downgrade American hopes can also be taken as a sign of growing concerns over suspected Pakistani-Afghan co-operation in terror attacks. The Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network claimed responsibility for the US embassy attack. The Haqqani were described last week as a "veritable arm" of the Pakistan military intelligence agency - the ISI - by outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen.
An unenviable choice awaits the White House: bow to the clamour for withdrawal and lose the war, or sacrifice yet more support by hanging on while the casualties mount. Crocker's remarks suggest that the enemy in Afghanistan remains formidable and that the prospect of a US victory is not drawing closer. ·


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National Transportation Safety Board
Office of Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Carol J. Carmody has announced that she is leaving the National Transportation Safety Board after nearly 5 years as a Member. Her last day on the Board is today.
Member Carmody joined the Board on June 5, 2000 as the 30th Member of the NTSB. She served two years as Vice Chairman of the Board from 2001 to 2003, during which time she served twice as the agency's Acting Chairman.
During her tenure on the Board, Ms. Carmody was the on-scene Member at several major transportation accidents, including the aircraft accidents that killed Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan in October 2000 and Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone in October 2002, the derailment of an Amtrak train in Kensington, Maryland in July 2002, and the March 2001 crash of an airliner in Aspen, Colorado that killed all 18 persons aboard. She chaired Safety Board public hearings on the 2001 crash of American Airlines flight 587 in Queens, New York, and the 2002 derailment of a hazardous materials train in Minot, North Dakota.
Before coming to the NTSB, Member Carmody held posts for 20 years in the aviation community, including serving as the U.S. Representative to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal from 1994 to 1999.
Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said, "I want to thank Carol for her service to the Board. As she departs today, Carol can take great pride in knowing that her direct efforts and those resulting from Board actions over the last 5 years have done much to make our nation's transportation modes significantly safer. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors."
NTSB Office of Public Affairs: (202) 314-6100
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause
of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety, and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.


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|Total (w/tax)
|Total (w/tax)
Book Description:
This statutory supplement supports casebooks and other teaching materials in courses focusing on payment systems. It begins with the most widely used version of the UCC, consisting of the 2009 version of Articles 1 and 3-9 and the 2002 version of Articles 2 and 2A. Appendices contain the PEB commentaries, as well as earlier versions of Articles 1, 3, 4, and 7, and the 2003 and 2005 amendments to Articles 2 and 2A, in underline-strikeout form with the Official Comments. Also included are the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act and significant federal legislation and regulations related to payments (Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act; Consumer Credit Protection Act and related regulations; the major check collection statutes and regulations, and Federal Trade Commission Holder-in-Due-Course regulations).
Tags: Reference,


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Women's Party
It''s time to celebrate in the Party dress sandals from LifeStride.
Silk fabric upper in a slide sandal style with a round, open toe
Asymmetrical vamp detail with metal grommet accent
Textile lining, cushioning insole
Features SoftSystem(R) comfort elements for all-day comfort
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Etched in Bone
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Fantasy fiction
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This series started out as imaginative & promising but I think I'm done. Sure, there are interesting characters & lots of action. The problem is the plot, which is in need of resuscitation. There are two main devices: a seemingly endless supply of evil, shadowy government people who have a seemingly endless supply of evil plans for our protagonists interspersed with Heather's sister making a boneheaded decision that puts everyone in DANGER. Over & over & over. They are so interchangeable that it's hard to remember in which book they took place. The two main characters are likeable but the author needs to move on to some fresh ground so it feels less like reading the same book again.
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Written by Pat Eagleson Wednesday, 12 August 2009 09:23
The New Hyde Park Gladiator Fund will hold the 15th Annual William F. Kelly Memorial Golf Classic to benefit James J.T. Meredith, son of James and Karen Meredith, New Hyde Park Memorial Class of '81, diagnosed with traumatic brain injury.
Golf will be at the Eisenhower Park Blue Course, Merrick and Stewart Avenue, East Meadow, New York.
Registration and continental breakfast will be at 6:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m.
Dinner will be at 2 p.m. at the Inn at New Hyde Park, 214 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park.
Cost is $160 and after Aug. 21 $175, which includes 18 holes of golf, cart, breakfast, dinner and four-hour open bar. The cost to attend the dinner only is $75. The dinner starts at 2 p.m. Proper attire is requested; a collared shirt is a must, no jeans and soft spikes only.
Gladiator Fund, PO Box No. 2025, Hillside Manor Station, Hillside Avenue, New Hyde Park, 11040. For further information, please call Dan Connor at 352-7602 or by fax at (516) 352-6130.


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Scissor Sundays
West Village
Sun Nov 25 2012
- Free
Time Out says
Posted: Thu Jun 14 2012
JD Samson's beloved weekly tea dance features a friendly, mixed crowd grooving to tunes by a rotating cast of local and visiting DJs, plus deliciously strong drinks and gorgeous sunsets over the Hudson.
ReviewsAdd +
Venue details
- Name:
Rusty Knot 425 West St
West Village
New York
- Cross Street:
at 11th St
- Venue phone:
- Venue website:
- Opening hours:
Daily noon–4am
- Transport:
Subway: 1 to Christopher St–Sheridan Sq
- Price:
Average drink: $10. AmEx, MC, V
Rusty Knot
- 425 West St
West Village
New York
- 212-645-5668
- therustyknot.com
- 40.735156,-74.009806
- 425 West St
- Rusty Knot
- Event phone:
- Event website:
- Categories :
Alternative nightlife. Nightlife
- Good for :
Unique. Going solo. Drinks. Big name talent. Unique New York. Dating. Date night. Quirky. Hip factor. Waterfront. Lively scene. Trendy. Going in a group. Local flavor. Bar scene. Great views. Local talent. Socializing
- Event type :
Club nights
- Date Time Price information
Sun Nov 25 20122:00pm


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Written by Melissa Argueta Friday, 08 April 2011 00:00
With a fashionably late entrance, Garden City resident and television icon Susan Lucci appeared every bit as glamorous as her soap opera character during the opening night of her new book tour at Book Revue in Huntington last week.
In the age of Reality TV shows dominating the airwaves, La Lucci proves that good old-fashioned soap opera fans are still alive and well, with legions of admirers lining the book store's aisles to meet the star.
The queen of daytime rapped candidly about her newly penned memoir, All My Life. The book offers an eye-opening glimpse into the star's personal life and chronicles her childhood growing up on Long Island, her rise to fame as Erica Kane and her personal and professional highs and lows.
Since 1970, the actress has appeared on All My Children and addressed why it took her so many years to finally write about her personal life. "I grew up on Long Island and happily so," she explained. "I have been a very private person. I was raising children along with having things go along in my career and wanted to protect their lives and have a sense of normalcy growing up."
It was about a year ago, Lucci said, when her son came to her and said "You know mom, I think you should write a book…For one thing, the girls I date, once they know you are my mom, they want to know how did you do it?... Everybody knows Erica Kane, but nobody knows you."
In her new book, the Garden City High School alumni reveals the inside scoop about winning her first Daytime Emmy after being nominated 19 times, her Broadway debut in Annie Get Your Gun and her stint on Season 7 of Dancing With The Stars. The book also discusses her personal relationship with her husband, Austrian businessman Helmut Huber, whom she has been married to since 1969.
"There's a lot of moments when I would pinch myself along the way and say 'Oh my goodness! Is this really happening?' and also some of the more challenging times that each and every one of us goes through in our lives," Lucci said.
In addition to receiving the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a daytime drama series, Lucci was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2006 and was the recipient of the 2005 Gracie Allen Award.