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The Blackhawks prepare to face an unfamiliar Eastern Conference opponent. The last time the Hawks faced the Buffalo Sabres was back in 2012. This will be the first of two meetings this season between these two clubs.
The Buffalo Sabres are winless to this point with a 0-4-1 record which, could make them a very dangerous team if the Hawks overlook them or the dislike level is too low considering they have not faced each other much.
The Sabres come into this tilt with scoring problems as they are just averaging one goal a game. If that continues then the Blackhawks should be in good shape. You can never discount the Sabres however with Ryan Miller in net for Buffalo. Look for Co...
After giving up two goals to the Islanders in the final minute of the first period, Friday night's game was at risk of going the direction of the Blackhawks' last two games.Coach Joel Quenneville's line blender was on frappé after two tough losses; but the new lines produced.The scoring started with Blackhawks rookie Joakim Nordström, who tallied his first NHL goal 9:32 into the first period. Jonathan Toews would push the score to 2-0 at 16:05, gathering a rebound off Duncan Keith's shot, which had deflected behind the Islanders' goal.Josh Bailey would get the Islanders on the scoresheet at 19:06 in the first; Kyle Okposo would fol...
Saying that John Tavares will have a breakout season when he recently became a Hart Trophy finalist and has scored 249 points in 291 played NHL games in just four seasons might sound a bit ridiculous. But it very well may be true (Photo credit: theseoduke/Flickr).
Tavares was just one point shy in each of the past two seasons from establishing himself as an official point-per-game player (47 in 48 games in 2013, 81 in 82 games in 2012). He also has only eclipsed the 30 goal mark once, scoring 31 in 2012 with a whopping 50 assists to go along with his scoring touch.
With all of that being said, it is very possible that John Tavares still has not reached his full potential.
Tune in for the latest episode of our Blackhawks podcast! Stream live or watch it later!
Podcast starts at 8 pm CT tonight! If you're watching live, submit questions to @TCLBlackhawks on twitter!
Remember to follow us on Twitter @TCLBlackhawks for updates throughout the off-season!
Both teams have been in this position before.In 2010, the Blackhawks were headed into Philadelphia for Game 6, up 3-2 in the series against the Flyers. In 2011, it was Boston at home, down 2-3 versus the Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks. Both teams won their respective games.These aren't the same Blackhawks. These aren't the same Bruins.
Both teams have a number of core players who were on their Cup-winning teams before. Those players know what has to be done and have to lead the way for the rest. Nobody can doubt that any player on other team doesn't have the will and desire to do whatever needs to be done to close out the series.
Podcast starts at 8 pm CT tonight! If you're watching live, submit questions to @TCLBlackhawks on twitter! We welcome tonight Bruins writer Wayne Whittaker for our show tonight!
Remember to follow us on Twitter @TCLBlackhawks for updates throughout the playoffs!
The injury rumors are starting to fly thickly now: that Hossa may be nursing a neck or hip injury; that Toews may have injuries of his own. Marian Hossa not playing in game three, and Jonathan Toews taking enough ice time to be well-down the TOI chart in the same game lends weight to those rumors.Game four of the Stanley Cup Final is in Boston on Wednesday night. Right now, the Bruins feel they have the upper hand. They're playing the way they want to play, punishing the speedy Blackhawks, living up to their historical moniker of "the Big, Bad Bruins". Beyond that, they're playing for a noble cause, a cause that's bigger than all of them and even bigger t...
Before the puck even dropped to start the game, an unpleasant surprise happened for the Blackhawks: winger Marian Hossa was a last-minute scratch when he was injured during warmups. Rookie Ben Smith filled his spot on the roster, and Coach Joel Quenneville started his line shake-ups early, looking for some fresh chemistry against the Bruins.The problems that have plagued Chicago this series are not new; some of them stretch back over the past two seasons. The team struggling to enter the offensive zone on power plays is a big one. They also continue to lack any net-front presence, not really forcing the opposing goalie to work for the big saves and early dirty goals. Individua...
As the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks prepare to face off against one another in Chicago on Wednesday night, let's take a look at both teams by their playoff numbers thus far.
Boston has had 22 players dress in 16 games. Their top two scorers (Krejci and Horton) are not their top regular season scorers. (Their top scorers, in order, during the regular season were Marchand [36], Krejci/Seguin/Bergeron [32]). There is a gap in production after those two, although the next four top scorers (Marchand, Lucic, Bergeron, Chara) are much closer in scoring. The Bruins have 6 players with an average TOI of over 20:39; their highest is Chara with 29:21, who plays 5:11 more/gam...
And then there were two. It took two overtimes for the Chicago Blackhawks to punch their ticket back to the Stanley Cup Finals but they did. They now are returning there for an opportunity at the most coveted trophy in sports.
The game saw the return of two key players for each side, Mike Richards for the Kings and Duncan Keith for the Blackhawks. Both players factored into the game in significant ways.
Duncan Keith got the scoring going in the first with what would have to be categorized as a soft goal by Jonathan Quick. Keith fired off a slap shot just inside the Kings blue line that squeaked through Quick's pads into the net.
Quick seemed to make another misjudg...


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Hennessy Sports 1st March, 2012
TYSON Fury says he is coming to the Odyssey Arena to fight Martin Rogan on April 14 to prove that he is the rightful successor to the ultimate Irish warrior Cucuhalian.
The battle between Ireland's two top heavyweights will be a memorable night and Fury, whose uncle lives just outside Belfast, says it will be a fight unlike any other ever seen in an Irish ring.
"Never before has a fight like this taken place on Irish soil between two proud heavyweight warriors who never say die - the fans know this is a once in a lifetime fight," said Fury, who recently vacated the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles so he could focus on "unfinished business" with Rogan.
Rogan has seen himself as the Irish king of the heavyweights but Fury says he will be the man wearing the crown on April 14.
"Then ultimate Irish warrior was Cucuhalian, everybody knows that. Now Rogan and I will decide who is the rightful heir to his throne and I have no doubt it will be me.
"The legend goes that Cucuhalian could stand single handed against an army and that his sword inflicted wounds from which you could never recover and Martin Rogan is going to feel pain that he has never felt before when I land my big shots.
"There's a lot of pride on the line here, nobody is going to back down and it's going to be an absolute war. Rogan thinks he is the king of the Irish but on April 14 he will realise that I am the true king.
"I'm sure Cucuhalian will be looking down on us that night, watching two 21st century warriors showing the same pride and desire for victory that he always showed."
Fury is convinced that victory over Rogan on the Odyssey Arena stage will then set him on the path to European and World glory.
"I've won the British and Commonwealth titles but I always said that I wanted to prove I'm the best Irishman around before I tackle the European and World stage."
Tickets for the UNFINISHED BUSINESS event at the Odyssey Arena on April 14th are priced at Ł155, Ł105, Ł65, Ł44, Ł33 and Ł27.50 and can be purchased from the Odyssey Arena Box Office on 028 9073 9074, or via Ticketmaster on 0844 277 4455 (24 hour).
Tickets can also be purchased in person from the Odyssey Arena Box Office and the usual Ticketmaster outlets.
Tickets are also available to purchased online from www.ticketmaster.ie
Please Note: Inner Circle Ringside tickets are NOT currently on sale and the Ł155.00 priced tickets are Floor tickets and not ringside tickets.
March 2012
TYSON Fury says winning the Irish heavyweight title will be like standing on the Olympic podium with a gold medal around his neck.
Full article : 27th March, 2012
TYSON Fury and Martin Rogan will fight for the vacant Irish heavyweight title at the Odyssey Arena on April 14.
Full article : 25th March, 2012
FORMER Commonwealth and Irish cruiserweight champion Darren Corbett will return to the ring on April 14 after two years away from the ring as part of the 'Unfinished Business' Tyson Fury-Martin Rogan show at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast.
Full article : 22nd March, 2012
Five of Britain's top sporting personalities have teamed up with five of the country's top comedians to try their hand at one of the hardest games there is: stand-up comedy! And it's all in the name of Sport Relief..
Full article : 19th March, 2012
After a year away from the sport, Irishman John O'Donnell will be making his comeback on the undercard of the Hennessy Sports promoted event at the Odyssey Arena on Saturday 14th April.
Full article : 19th March, 2012
PANAMANIAN Bernardo Checa says he will give Martin Rogan the perfect tactics to bring Tyson Fury's career to a grinding halt when the two heavyweights battle it out on April 14 at Belfast's Odyssey Arena on the main event of Hennessy Sports "Unfinished B
Full article : 13th March, 2012
Five of Britain's top sporting personalities are teaming up with five of the country's top comedians to try their hand at one of the hardest games there is: stand-up comedy! And it's all in the name of Sport Relief...
Full article : 5th March, 2012
TYSON Fury says he is coming to the Odyssey Arena to fight Martin Rogan on April 14 to prove that he is the rightful successor to the ultimate Irish warrior Cucuhalian.
Full article : 1st March, 2012

subset: commoncrawl


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How to Shop for Private Student Loans
Private loans are a source of funding meant to supplement, not replace, borrowing through federal student loans. For many students, federal loans aren't enough to cover the cost of attendance. Here are some tips on how to select and apply for the right private student loan:
- Compare Private Student Loans – While federal loans are regulated to have the same rates and fees, private student loans come in all different shapes and sizes, so it's important to compare different private student loans and find the right fit for your needs.
- Look at the APR – The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of a loan bakes in all the costs associated with the loan so that you can compare one loan to another on an apples-to-apples basis. The interest rate alone is not an adequate point for comparison. For example, a loan with a high interest rate might look worse than a loan with a lower interest rate, but high fees on the lower-rate loan mean that it might actually be more expensive. The APR would reflect this difference.
- Compare the total cost of the loan, or "price" of the loan. Total cost of a loan is an estimate of the sum of the total payments you would be scheduled to make on a loan. Your need for $5k today, may cost you considerably more if paid back over the course of 10 years. APR expresses a similar point of comparison, but it's often useful (and sobering) to see how much a loan might cost you over time. Remember – loans with shorter repayment terms will usually cost less than those with longer repayment terms.
- Apply with a creditworthy cosigner – a cosigner will almost always be required for an application to get approved. And not just anyone will fit the bill – the cosigner must have strong credit (credit score of 700 or higher) and verifiable income.
- Only borrow what you need. Not a penny more.
Need a private student loan? Compare your student loan options all in one place. SimpleTuition


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Akiman approves Legendary Visions :DLegendary character designer and illustrator Akira Yasuda, AKIMAN (Capcom & Street Fighter) holding my art book, "Legendary visions" in his studio in Japan. His work as been a big influence since I was a kid back in 80´s and 90´s and until today, that´s why this image means a lot to me Thanks a lot sensei!Remember, you can get Legendary visions via Amazon or on a store near to you Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1926778219?ie=UTF8&tag=udoent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1926778219 // Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Legendary-Visions-Art-Genzoman-UDON/dp/1926778219/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296653524&sr=8-1 // Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Legendary-Visions-Gonzalo-Ordonez-Arias/dp/1926778219/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1296653727&sr=8-2 //Amazon France: http://www.amazon.fr/Legendary-Visions-Art-Genzoman-UDON/dp/1926778219/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296653754&sr=8-1 //Amazon Germany: http://www.a
Regarding the Boston Marathon BombingI've tried to write this journal a few times, but I am having trouble finding words.I live in Massachusetts, so Boston is "my home" when I travel and the city that I most strongly associate with myself. I'm mad. I don't know how to feel about things like this other than to be mad. In an age of immediate and 24 news, it's hard to not know who or why, and endlessly frustrating to watch people fight and blame without any factual information.I do love the quote from Fred Rogers that has been going around. But I also think about the words of people like George Carlin. Is this just how we live now? I feel like people my age, who were teens during 9/11, live our lives just assuming that any and every day there's a chance we could be violently and senselessly killed by a random act of violence. Does that mean that the people who do these things have succeeded?It's aggr
Tip of the Day: ComparingDon't compare your life to others. See what others are doing but the best person to compare yourself to is you.If I always compared myself to others and wanted to constantly compete or beat others, I wouldn't want to share what I know.Everyone is on their own journey but together we can get further and faster.Have a great Monday!Sending positive vibes to you allBobby
TYPOGRAPHYlove========================:iconfancystupidfoxplz: Happy New Year! Wish you all much happiness, adventure and knowledge in 2012! ========================FEATURED: Typography There is something about typography that is just awesome. The combination, use and placement of words/language is something we see in everyday design and should be appreciated as an art form. So to spread the love of Typography, here are some amazing typographic pieces you should all check out: :thumb23234837: :thumb166787426: Typography 2 Typeface by dRoop Evolution of Typography by SilverThornz :thumb105099481: typography diseases 3 by chuckTHEchick Got a Light by DesertViper I emotion you Typography by il6amo7a-Q8 Typography Desktop by BlackHug Hello Monday by DrewDahlman More on Typography Comic Sans Criminal: http://www.comicsanscriminal.com/ We Love Typography: http://welo
DC puss out.While at my local comic-book emporium, I had a quick leaf through Harley Quinn #0 to check out the winning page from DC's recent talent search.It didn't do much to dampen the disdain I harbour for the big-name comic companies.For a start, I'm not sure how that page was selected as the cream of the crop. Bravo to the artist for being selected, sure, but there were far more dynamic, lively examples I saw posted here on DA, and I'm genuinely surprised that none of them were chosen. The page selected feels just as stiff, stagnant, sterile and devoid of life as much of the other stuff DC discharges onto the shelves (which might have been why they ran with it).The main gripe I have, though, is that they changed the final panel.For those that (somehow) missed the whoo-haa that the whole talent search kicked off: the script DC provided to their would-be artists called for illustrations depicting the titular Harley trying to off herself in a series of absurd ways: holding
I HATE THIS GUY. Seriously. I quit, LOL.I discovered Kim Jung Gi during my years living in South Korea when I came across his first sketchbook in '09. It was a blue and red bible of non-stop art. it made me cry. SEEING him do what he does, however, makes me contemplating giving up art altogether, lol. T________T #SoGood
The Making of YOSHINARI'S LITTLE WITCH ACADEMIAFor all aspiring artists/ students who whish to work in 2D animation production, and those already in 2D animation who know little to nothing about actual 2D animation production, here is but a glimpse of what it's like. This is also a pretty brilliant program enacted by Japanese grants to nurture the talent pool for the new generation. Watch director Yoh Yoshinari (gurren Lagaan, Evangelion, FLCL) train 5 young animators at his newly founded animation company STUDIO TRIGGER (KIll LA KILL), as he guides them through the process of helping him create the first episode of the wildly popular Little Witch Academia OVA. Inspiring stuff and a true peek behind the curtain of what it's like for young artists/creatives/animators who work under a giant like Yoshinari. Enjoy!!!!
Awesome Pic of the DayAwesome Pic of the DayEvery once in awhile, I come across a picture that takes my breath away. My DeviantART page has been kinda bland recently, so I thought it would be cool to dedicate a section of it to feature these awesome pics. You'll find it under a section called Awesome Pic of the Day. It's much easier and quicker to post these, and I'll try to keep it updated daily or as close to it as I can get. If you think it's a good idea, let me know, and I'll keep it around. I'll archive the history of pictures in this journal entry.About Today's PicRing Dream's Freezer Katakura from ABZome @ twitterAwesome Archives
my current philosophy...if i wanna draw something , i draw it.. if it creatively itches, i scratch immediately....try it , its fun XD
Since I can't submit this to my galleryI'll post it here in a journal.Basically remembered that I liked this pic of Nayru from Oracle of Ages while I was working on dicerolls, so I edited it.Hurr.
SPACE DANDY KEY ANIMATION!A collection of Genga Animatics from one of my absolute favorite animated shows this year, "Space Dandy." It makes me happy to see this kinda content is still all done on paper. No Command Z. Japanese 2D TV animators continue to inspire me beyond no end. featuring some of the work of key animators Tadashi Hiramatsu, Yutaka Nakamura, Norifumi Kugai, Gosei Oda , Bahi JD and others!
Snafu forum and Spanish siteHi guys Check out Snafu's new forum at http://www.snafu-comics.com/forum/We've made some modifications and changes so feel free to register and join in on the discussion.I'll probably join in but i seem to have lost my password, I'll need to ask the mods to find it for me.Also a lot of people have been requesting to translate some of my webcomics into spanish, well look no further.There is already an official spanish version of PPGD, GT and SB athttp://www.maneko.cl/bleedman/index.htmlTranslated by Maneki.Check it out cuz it's got this cool comic page flip book thingy.Makes me kinda...envious... -_-
SAI pressure sensitivity SOLUTION!!!Now, there has been a lot of problems over this I'm gonna tell you what to do with some handy screenshots.It gets really annoying when you loose pressure sensitivity and you're in the middle of drawing and that is because sometimes SAI can lose you're settings, after you have been told to remove all preferences and that, you, like me, may get no response from your pen but only when you press hard on it. I have found a great solution.This might not work for all users, because of the type of laptop and the type of tablet because it has no sensitivity installed on it at all., but I hope that this will work for you.Note: Before we go on I forgot to say that you need a tablet, Wacom preferably and you also have to have purchased SAI.Without Pressure...:So, thats what it looks like. yours might be different though, but the next steps will help. Go to Others - Options - DigitalSupport
Double Dragon NEONHi there guys! As maybe you know Double Dragon NEON was released the last week! and whoa! It was an incredible project! I´ve got several notes and emails asking if I was involved in the game: "billy and Jimmy looks like your charas", "the girls!", etc... so, yes! I worked in chara design and concept art. Was really an honor not only to be part of a franchise that I love like Double Dragon (as a kid, I spent hours playing the original game on arcades and then withe the NES version) but also to work with one of the game developers I deeply admire like Wayforward in this love letter to the 80´s. You can play it right now in your Xbox 360 and PS3!!! I hope you like it! I love brawlers! hope to upload some of the images soon too Also this is the last week for pre-release of CLOUD RIDERS, the new Kerion album! you can pre-order it and get some goodies like a big poster of the cover I´ve done and also some nice cards of the characters I designed for


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Michael Wade
How To Build A Dictatorship
Venezuelan voters approved a referendum to end term limits on Sunday, paving the way for Hugo Chavez to perfect his dictatorship:
President Hugo Chavez says a referendum victory that removed limits on his re-election is a mandate to intensify his socialist agenda for decades to come. Opponents warn of an impending dictatorship.
Both sides had called the outcome of Sunday's vote key to the future of this South American country, split down the middle between those who worship the president for redistributing Venezuela's oil riches and those who see him as a power-hungry autocrat.
"Those who voted "yes" today voted for socialism, for revolution," Chavez thundered to thousands of ecstatic supporters jamming the streets around the presidential palace. Fireworks lit up the Caracas skyline, and one man walked though the crowd carrying a painting of Chavez that read: "Forever."
The constitutional overhaul allows all public officials to run for re-election as many times as they want, removing barriers to a Chavez candidacy in the next presidential elections in 2012 and beyond.
"In 2012 there will be presidential elections, and unless God decides otherwise, unless the people decide otherwise, this soldier is already a candidate," Chavez said to applause. First elected in 1998, he has said he might stay in power until 2049, when he'll be 95.
Hmmm. Maybe those "critics" are onto something, eh?
At their campaign headquarters, Chavez opponents hugged one another, and some cried. They said the results were skewed by Chavez's broad use of state resources to get out the vote, through a battery of state-run news media, pressure on 2 million public employees and frequent presidential speeches which all television stations were required to air.
With the courts, the legislature and the election council all under his influence, and now with no limits on his re-election, officials say Chavez is virtually unstoppable.
"Effectively this will become a dictatorship," opposition leader Omar Barboza told The Associated Press. "It's control of all the powers, lack of separation of powers, unscrupulous use of state resources, persecution of adversaries."
As the article notes, however, everything is not peaches and cream for Chavez. Venezuela's economy, which is so heavily dependent on oil revenues, lies in shambles, beset by low oil prices, rampant inflation, and little prospect for relief. According to Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington:
… the global financial crisis and the plunging price of oil, which accounts for 94 percent of Venezuela's exports and nearly half its federal budget, will limit Chavez's ability to maintain the level of public spending that has fueled his popularity.
Without oil revenues to prop up the socialist spending regime, Chavez will have to resort to other means of stabilizing the economy. Because producers of wealth are so politically disfavored in Venezuela, and there are myriad obstacles to successfully operating any businesses, Chavez's options for economic recovery are limited:
"Venezuela faces serious problems no matter what today's results were. Later this year, economic problems are going to be felt more acutely."
Venezuela, the fourth-largest supplier of crude oil to the U.S., depends on oil for 93 percent of export revenue and half the government's budget. Prices for crude have plunged 74 percent since touching a record in July.
"Now we're going to see what's beyond this campaign and what he does when he takes the economy into account," [Enrique] Alvarez, [head of Latin America fixed-income research at IDEAglobal in New York] said.
The adjustments to economic policy will probably include raising taxes and devaluing the currency to cover a public deficit now that his marathon political campaign is out of the way, said Alberto Ramos, Latin America economist at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in New York.
Raising taxes is de rigueur in such circumstances, but not likely to generate much revenue. After all, the government has taken over the most lucrative part of the Venezuelan economy, and people and businesses who don't earn much don't have much to pay to the government. Taxes are not going to solve any problems.
Without any real economic engine to fund socialist programs, therefore, Chavez won't be able to buy votes anymore. Instead he will have to find another way to garner (or manufacture) public support if he wants to remain in power. And there isn't any doubt that he wants to remain in power.
The most obvious way for Chavez to accomplish this feat to convince the country that his leadership is indispensable to the country's fortunes. That line of argument is already a staple in his rhetoric — i.e. that success of the Bolivarian Revolution depends on Chavez exercising ever increasing power — so the foundation has been laid. However, it was much easier to sell that idea when the oil revenues were pouring in. With a looming fiscal crisis at hand, and the prospects of economic improvement looking dim, a call for new leadership will likely grow louder.
Ironically, the path to permanent power for Chavez was described by socialist activist Naomi Klein in her book "Shock Doctrine: the Rise of Disaster Capitalism." In what has become the bible for the anti-capitalist/ant-globalization movement, Klein
… explodes the myth that the global free market triumphed democratically. Exposing the thinking, the money trail and the puppet strings behind the world-changing crises and wars of the last four decades, The Shock Doctrine is the gripping story of how America's "free market" policies have come to dominate the world– through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries.
Her theory rests on the premise that democratic obstacles to corporate domination are swept aside in times of severe crisis (e.g. Iraq war, Katrina, tsunami in Sri Lanka), allowing global moneyed interests to swoop in and take control of the economy. She often cites Milton Friedman and the "Chicago Boys" dealings with Pinochet as an example of how capitalist forces purposely, and sometimes violently, undermine the will of the people when they are at their weakest in order to introduce reforms that actually serve the interests of the elite rather than the people. In spite of her historically challenged maunderings (Friedman only met Pinochet once for an hour, and wrote him a letter), Klein does hit on an important point: crises are routinely used to further the power of the elites. Klein just identifies the wrong parties. It is typically the government elites who profit from these crises.
Take, for example, how our own government has seized upon the current fiscal crises to shove a giant social spending bill down our throats, plunging future generations into massive debt, and centralizing control over the lives of individual Americans:
Last year the US economy was hit with one shock after another: the Bear Stearns bail-out, the Indymac collapse, the implosion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the AIG nationalisation, the biggest stock market drop ever, the $700bn Wall Street bail-out and more – all accompanied by a steady drumbeat of apocalyptic language from political leaders.
And what happened? Did the Republican administration summon up the spirit of Milton Friedman and cut government spending? Did it deregulate and privatise?
It did what governments actually do in a crisis – it seized new powers over the economy. It dramatically expanded the regulatory powers of the Federal Reserve and injected a trillion dollars of inflationary credit into the banking system. It partially nationalised the biggest banks. It appropriated $700bn with which to intervene in the economy. It made General Motors and Chrysler wards of the federal government. It wrote a bail-out bill giving the secretary of the treasury extraordinary powers that could not be reviewed by courts or other government agencies.
Now the Obama administration is continuing this drive toward centralisation and government domination of the economy. And its key players are explicitly referring to heir own version of the shock doctrine. Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, said the economic crisis facing the country is "an opportunity for us". After all, he said: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And this crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things that you could not do before" such as taking control of the financial, energy, information and healthcare industries.
That's just the sort of thing Naomi Klein would have us believe that free-marketers like Milton Friedman think.
Of course, that isn't how supporters of free markets behave at all. It is, however, exactly how someone like Hugo Chavez operates.
With the Venezuelan economy shrinking, and real suffering occurring on a growing scale, the opportunity is ripe for Chavez to further "reform" the country, and complete the Bolivarian Revolution as he has promised. That won't save the nation from economic ruin, and indeed will probably hasten such an outcome, but it will provide the impetus for perpetual Chavista rule.
The economy is doing poorly? That's because the revolution has not advanced far enough. Economy doing well? The revolution is working its wonders! Rinse and repeat.
Thus the keys to Chavez's Bolivarian kingdom lie in the propagandistic message that only centralized and powerful leadership can provide adequately for all. Principles such as "fairness" and "equality" are used as bludgeons against any who dare step out of line. Individual achievement is sneered at as "selfish" and "against the common good." The redistribution of any wealth created outside the government system (as all wealth created inside is confined to the governmental leaders) is touted as the only means of ensuring a safe and productive future for all. Capitalism is deemed the language of the oppressor, and blamed for any and all ills that befall the nation. Yet, despite all this rhetoric, things will never seem to get any better.
Poor, poor Venezuela. Thank goodness we won't such stifling of economic welfare and individual freedom here.
"Friends" – A Valentine's Day Special
A needed break from the doom and gloom that is our slickened slide into American socialism. It's good to remember the important things in life. And sickly sweet sarcasm …
That's from the HBO series "Flight of the Conchords," an offbeat story about a laconic New Zealand band.
Free Market Bashing
Since the inception of the current downturn, free market capitalism has taken quite the bashing. Supporters of significant government involvement in the economy deride the horrors of "unfettered capitalism" and a "free market run amuck." Frequently, deregulation of capital markets is singled out as the most dastardly culprit, to which Pres. Obama seems to be alluding when he blames "relying on the worn-out dogmas of the past," and "too little regulatory scrutiny." Yet, after the last eight years in which we witnessed Sarbanes-Oxley, No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, and numerous attempts to reign in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shoved aside by legislators, evidence of unregulated economic activity being the source of our crisis seems rather scant.
The idea that "deregulation" was somehow responsible for the mortgage meltdown is a particularly shaky proposition. Shannon Love explains why:
Leftists have to answer a question: if greedy, irresponsible, unregulated etc. capitalism caused the housing bubble, why didn't we see a similar bubble in commercial real-estate markets which operate under even less regulation than the residential markets? Why does the politically neglected and unregulated commercial real-estate market exhibit much milder swings?
The differences between residential and commercial real estate provide the means to test the hypothesis that government intervention or the lack thereof caused the housing bubble and subsequent collapse of the financial system. We can compare the two markets because the same institutions ultimately make residential and commercial loans. They make loans in the same communities and regions. Changes in the economy affect both types of real estate at the same time and to the same rough degree. The only major difference between the two markets lies in the degree of government intervention.
After dispensing with some obvious questions about the comparison, Love highlights how the residential market was essentially turned into a Lemon's Market:
As Love points out, the commercial real estate market has no such mechanism muddying its waters, and information is comparatively less asymmetric. Without the government interference, commercial mortgage lenders let the potential for bad outcomes drive their decision making:
More than any other policy, the creation of Freddie Mac and Fanny May distorted the residential mortgage market in a way that the commercial market escaped. The FMs exist solely to induce lenders to make residential loans that the free market judged too risky. The FMs buy up residential mortgages from primary lenders and bundle them together in securities. They do so precisely in order to short-circuit the free-market feedback system that communicates to banks when the financial system as a whole has lent out as much money as it safely can. That feedback system worked like a governor on an engine. It kept the system from running away and lending more money than it could recoup, but also prevented people with poorer credit from getting loans.
Politicians who wanted the engine to run faster created the FMs to bypass the governor in order to get higher performance in the short run. Since the FMs would buy up almost any mortgage, lenders could make riskier and riskier loans without suffering any negative consequence. The FMs replaced the self-interested secondary-market buyers with people playing with government money and a mandate to induce more and more lending. Special dodgy accounting rules allowed the FMs to hide the risk behind the securitized mortgages they sold.
Tellingly, no such intervention occurred in commercial markets. The FMs' charters expressly prevented them from buying commercial mortgages. As a result, the commercial mortgage market functioned with a free-market governor. When lenders made too many risky loans, free-market secondary buyers stopped buying their mortgages and the system cooled down. As a result, commercial markets saw no runaway boom and subsequent colossal bust.
Although I think that laying the crisis solely at the feet of the residential mortgage market is overly simplistic (for example, what was up with the ratings agencies?), Love does point to a very apt comparison as to how government intervention in the market changes incentives and behavior. If you guarantee risks against bad loans, and subsidize the debtors, then more of such loans will be made. Remove such a guarantees and subsidies and market forces will severely punish improperly compensated risk taking.
The trade off, of course, is that free markets do not allow much opportunity for rent-seeking. Which is why Love's final lament is so true:
Sadly, experience suggests that mere empiricism has no place in political economics.
That's because empiricism does not buy votes.
Poll Battle
Do Americans support the stimulus bill proposed by Congress, or hate it? The only way to glean a credible answer is by looking to reliable polls. Bruce did that earlier with respect to the ATI-News/Zogby poll which found that:
Amidst all the rhetoric surrounding President Barack Obama's first signature piece of legislation, a massive $800 billion economic "stimulus" bill, one thing is clear: a majority of Americans reject the President's handiwork. A just-released ATI-News/Zogby International poll shows that clear majorities of Republicans and Independents are against it.
On the other hand, a USA Today/Gallup poll found that support for the bill has dramatically risen [HT: Hot Air]:
Public support for an $800 billion economic stimulus package has increased to 59% in a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted Tuesday night, up from 52% in Gallup polling a week ago, as well as in late January.
So which is it? Is support up or down? Frankly, I don't think we can really tell. Here's why.
Both polls reveal the number of people questioned, and break down the results by party affiliation (although the ATI-News commissioned poll did not provide any numbers for Democrats). However, neither poll details how many participants of each party were polled, and/or whether the results were weighted. In short, if the ATI-News poll included substantially more Republicans and Republican leaning people among the 7,010 voters questioned, then the results should predictably skew towards the Republican side of the issue. Similarly, if there were significant number of Democrats and Democratic leaning independents among those 1,021 national adults polled by the USA Today poll, then we should expect that poll to favor the Democratic side.
Because we aren't informed as to the breakdown of the total by party affiliation, we really can't say how reflective the polls are of the country as a whole. Seeing as how the polls contradict one another, it's safe to say that neither one accomplishes that task.
It's tempting to conclude that, since the ATI-News poll was conducted over 5 days, as opposed to one, and interviewed almost 7 times as many people as the USA Today poll, the larger sample provides a more accurate picture. Moreover, the poll showing that the public is against the stimulus bill claims a margin of error (+/- 1.2%) that is far lower than the other poll (+/- 3.5%). Yet, the confidence interval for the latter poll is 95% and none is given for the ATI-News offering. If it was only 90%, I think (but could be wrong) that makes the USA Today poll slightly more accurate. In addition, without knowing how many answers came from each party (D/R/I), it's impossible to say just how representative the poll actually is.
By the same token, the USA Today poll appears to offer a more comprehensive look at those questioned, and the questions asked seem less likely to evoke biased answers. For example, the main USA Today poll question was this:
As you may know, Congress is considering a new economic stimulus package of at least $800 billion. Do you favor or oppose Congress passing this legislation?
Compare that question to the following:
Most Republicans oppose the currently proposed stimulus bill supported by President Obama because they say there is too much money being spent for non-stimulus items. Do you agree or disagree that too much money is being spent on items that won't improve the economy?
The first question above is simple, straightforward, and doesn't present any potential bias words with respect to the issue. The second, however, sets up a premise, attaches "Republican" to it, and then asks for agree or disagree. Not surprisingly, the second question elicited a much stronger response from Republicans (93% agreed) and Independents (66%) than the first (56% Independents; 28% Republicans). Perhaps then the USA Today poll, despite its small sample, is the more accurate?
Once again, we don't know how many of each party were questioned. If it was overwhelmingly Democratic Party leaners, then the results would have to be expected. In addition, the USA Today poll questioned all adults, while the ATI-News poll only queried voters, whom one might assume are somewhat better informed. Finally, the fact that any poll of voters could find a string correlation between the words "agree" and "Republicans" suggests that the wording was not causing any undue bias (unless, of course, it was mostly Republicans interviewed, which is pretty unlikely).
In the end, I don't know how to view these two contradictory polls in a way that sheds any light on how the populace is actually feeling about the stimulus bill. Other than the glaring fact that Democrats overwhelmingly favor its passage, while Republicans do not, there is nothing definitive to be learned. I do agree with Bruce's assessment that Independents are the best to look for answers, however the poll numbers we have don't seem to match up.
I guess its possible that the a majority of people are ambivalent about the stimulus bill — yeah it'll probably be a big screw up, but we have to do something, don't we? — which would explain some of the apparent contradiction. And maybe Obama's sales job made the difference in the numbers (the ATI-News poll ended on the 9th, while the USA Today poll was taken on the 10th).
Whatever the reason for the contradiction, I think it's interesting that each day we have a different poll telling us that the public loves/hates the stimulus package, yet we never see any polls testing the public's knowledge of what's in the bill (much less anyone in Congress). Maybe if people were better informed about the contents of the legislation we see more consistent polling. Instead of constantly reading polls asking if the Republicans are right or wrong, or if $800 billion is a good number to spend, perhaps we'd learn more about what the public really thinks if we asked them how stimulated they would be by $4.2 billion for "neighborhood stabilization activities," or $34 million to renovate the Department of Commerce headquarters, or $88 million to help move the Public Health Service into a new building, or $55 million for Historic Preservation Fund, or $6.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program, or $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. Now there's a poll I'd like to see.
Newspeak: Bi-Partisan Redefined
I won't go into the whole kit'n kaboodle about how "bi-partisan" has recently come to mean "all of one party plus 3 of the other," but instead point to this (supposedly) journalistic effort to shore up the new definition:
Harry Reid spokesman Jim Manley on Heath Shuler's comment that Reid and Nancy Pelosi "failed" on bipartisanship.
It's a good one
Quite the set up, eh? It must be something awfully devastating. The way that Glenn Thrush, the Politico "reporter" detailing Shuler's walk into the wilderness, leads into the allegedly withering comments with little more than a snarky swipe at the Congressman's dubious NFL career ("Manley sacks Shuler")one would think that Manley had something important to say. One would be wrong.
Before getting to Manley's "sack" (in Thrush's words), let's take a look at the sole account of Shuler's misdeed, which incidentally is from Glenn Thrush:
"In order for us to get the confidence of America, it has to be done in a bipartisan way," Shuler said in Raleigh following an economic forum, according to the AP.
"We have to have everyone — Democrats and Republicans standing on the stage with the administration — saying, 'We got something done that was efficient, stimulative and timely … I truly feel that's where maybe House leadership and Senate leadership have really failed."
Shuler, rumored to be mulling a '10 Senate run, was one of 11 House Democrats to vote "no" on the stimulus and was already deep in Pelosi's doghouse. Now he'll have to build a Harry Reid wing.
Apostasy! How dare a Democrat call the incompetent leaders of the House and Senate incompetent. What is he, a Republican? It's almost as if Shuler really bought into all that post-partisan claptrap that Obama spouted on the campaign trail. Well, Earth to Shuler. The campaign's over. Time to get in line and do what your told like the rest of America.
But I kid.
According to Thrush, Manley had a much better takedown of Shuler's insubordination:
Let me get this straight – this is coming from a guy who threw more than twice as many interceptions than touchdowns?
Maybe Someone should tell congressman Shuler that under the leadership of President Obama we have put together a bipartisan bill that will create or save 3 to 4 million jobs, and that We have been more than willing to work with our republican friends. We have accepted some of their ideas and will continue to do so. But not at the expense of creating jobs, investing in our future of helping the middle class. He can stand on a stage if he wants, but senate democrats are busy trying to pass legislation that will provide essential investments designed to create and save jobs.
Hmmm. I didn't realize that Shuler's career as an NFL quarterback was somehow relevant. Didn't get that memo. But Thrush sure did:
In four years as an NFL QB — three with the Redskins, one with the Saints — Shuler threw 32 INTs while tallying only 15 TDs. Shuler was the third overall pick in the 1994 NFL draft and held out for a seven-year $19 million contract, but completed fewer than half his passes — with a rock-bottom 54.3 lifetime passer rating.
In 2008, ESPN rated him the 4th biggest draft bust in league history.
Ummm … OK. So, that's it? That's the "good one"? Cracking on Shuler's life before becoming a Congressman? I mean, I see that Shuler's point concerning the lack of bi-partisanship is roundly countered by Manley's response to the effect of "Nuh'uh." But is that really so devastating? Does that have anything to do with Shuler's point about the failure to include Republican's in the Mother of All Spending Bills? Judging from Thrush's reporting, the "good one" was little more than a schoolyard taunt.
Perhaps the larger point was that Thrush simply wanted to generate some controversy so that he'd have something to write about. Take a critical remark from a supposed friendly and use it to elicit a stinging retort. That's the world of lazy journalism and tabloid reports.
But Thrush misses the real story here in a spectacular fashion. Where Schuler takes a political risk in challenging the leaders of his own party by pointing to the actual lack of any Republicans signing onto the bill, Thrush instead focuses on the sarcastic response, completely ignoring the glaring fact that only three out of 219 have been brought on board. Manley's retort may generate guffaws in the Democratic lunchrooms, but it's hardly the caliber of a "good one" even for a sophomore in high school. Thrush has reduced himself to little more than a gossiping sycophant, content with relaying the latest insults delivered by the cool kids in order to ingratiate himself with the in-crowd. And in the process, he has perpetuated the myth that the stimulus bill is any way bi-partisan.
One would think there was a good story in there somewhere. That is, if one were really a journalist.
$9.7 Trillion
That's "trillion" with a capital "T". And that's the amount of money being spent by Congress to right our approximately $14.58 Trillion economy (source).
The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government's commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation's home mortgages.
The Federal Reserve, Treasury Department and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have lent or spent almost $3 trillion over the past two years and pledged up to $5.7 trillion more. The Senate is to vote this week on an economic-stimulus measure of at least $780 billion. It would need to be reconciled with an $819 billion plan the House approved last month.
Again, that's "trillion" with a "T". In order to grasp the magnitude of that much spending, understand that you can reasonably round the number to $10 Trillion and thereby assume an extra $300 Billion, which is about the amount of TARP funds already pushed out the front doors of Congress. It's also about one third of the amount being debated in Congress right now. In other words, the stimulus funds are pennies compared to amount of money already spent and/or promised.
Here's another way to look at it (my emphasis):
The $9.7 trillion in pledges would be enough to send a $1,430 check to every man, woman and child alive in the world. It's 13 times what the U.S. has spent so far on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Congressional Budget Office data, and is almost enough to pay off every home mortgage loan in the U.S., calculated at $10.5 trillion by the Federal Reserve.
It's a lot of money. So why is it that we're only privy to the debate (if it can be called that) over a measly 10% of the spending?
"We've seen money go out the back door of this government unlike any time in the history of our country," Senator Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, said on the Senate floor Feb. 3. "Nobody knows what went out of the Federal Reserve Board, to whom and for what purpose. How much from the FDIC? How much from TARP? When? Why?"
Financial Rescue
The pledges, amounting to almost two-thirds of the value of everything produced in the U.S. last year, are intended to rescue the financial system after the credit markets seized up about 18 months ago. The promises are composed of about $1 trillion in stimulus packages, around $3 trillion in lending and spending and $5.7 trillion in agreements to provide aid.
Many of us were disappointed with the spending habits of "compassionate conservativism" and lamented how it merely approximated socialist government policies with a friendly face. Of course, the alternative to Bush was real-deal socialist spending and a weakening of our national security.
Now we're getting the full-on brunt of a dour-visaged collectivist government, employing a magician's sleight of hand, and it makes the compassionate conservatism look positively stingy in comparison. While we argue over $800 Billion, another $9 Trillion is quietly being shoveled out the backdoor with little to no accountability.
When Congress approved the TARP on Oct. 3, Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and then Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson acknowledged the need for transparency and oversight. The Federal Reserve so far is refusing to disclose loan recipients or reveal the collateral they are taking in return.
There's no doubt that the Bush administration greased the skids, but Obama is running a rocket sled of spending, and there does not appear to be any end in sight.
One has to wonder when Atlas will finally shrug.
SNL – Phelps Phlack
I'm not much of a fan of Saturday Night Live anymore. The overly partisan commentary was bad enough, but when Will Ferrell left, there wasn't much reason to stick around anymore. Despite all that, however, I think Seth Meyers pretty much nailed it on the Michael Phelps pot smoking non-story:
Podcast for 08 Feb 09
In this podcast, Bruce, Michael, and Dale talk about the stimulus bill, and President Obama's unforced errors.
The Direct link to the podcast can be found here.
The intro and outro music is Vena Cava by 50 Foot Wave, and is available for free download here.
As a reminder, if you are an iTunes user, don't forget to subscribe to the QandO podcast, Observations, through iTunes. For those of you who don't have iTunes, you can subscribe at Podcast Alley. And, of course, for you newsreader subscriber types, our podcast RSS Feed is here. For podcasts from 2005 to 2007, they can be accessed through the RSS Archive Feed.
Executive Pay Capped
Many progressives thought that Pres. Obama had abandoned them after the election, but I'll bet they're singing a different tune today:
President Barack Obama on Wednesday imposed a $500,000 cap on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving taxpayer bailout money and promised new steps to end a system of "executives being rewarded for failure."
The limit would apply to top-paid executives at the most distressed financial institutions that are negotiating bailout agreements with the federal government.It also would apply to other banks that receive aid, but they could get around the limits by publicizing to shareholders plans to exceed the salary cap.
The "most distressed financial institutions" will not include those which have already received TARP funds, such as AIG and Citigroup. However, those firms are already subject to caps on executive pay under the statute authorizing the bailout last Fall. And because these companies have all come to the government "with hat in hand," in Obama's words, not too many people outside of Wall Street are upset. Yet, Obama does not seem content to stop with these "distressed" companies:
The administration also will propose long-term compensation restrictions even for companies that don't receive government assistance, Obama said.
Those proposals include:
• Requiring top executives at financial institutions to hold stock for several years before they can cash out.
• Requiring nonbinding "say on pay" resolutions — that is, giving shareholders more say on executive compensation.
• A Treasury-sponsored conference on a long-term overhaul of executive compensation.
This is exactly the sort of creeping socialism that many of us were worried about with Obama's election. Mind you, McCain would not have been much better, but this sort of heavy handed government interventionism would not have been proposed by his administration, much less tolerated by most Republicans in Congress.
Obama's proposals are somewhat tolerable with respect to the bailed out companies since they are being funded with tax payer dollars. If these companies are going take the money, then they should have to abide by whatever rules are attached to the funding no matter how onerous. But trying to impose such draconian restrictions on companies that are not being bailed out is nothing more than a direct assault on freedom.
Even if you think that no executive should be paid more than $X more than the lowest paid employee of a firm, or are just angry at the seemingly wasteful and lavish life styles of Wall Street bankers, you still have to find this sort of proposed legislation abominable. Why? Because no matter what you think about executive compensation, the owners and operators of these companies think otherwise. It's their decision to make about how their companies are run and how well their employees are paid. Unless, of course, you would just fine and dandy with some government bureaucrat deciding that you are overpaid for your position, and that no matter how hard you work you can never make more than $Y.
The only people who would ever agree to such slavery are those who have no ambition and little, if anything, to offer the world in terms of work product. They are not the people who invent the items, create the ideas, or provide the services that make our lives better over time. That is not to say that their efforts are not appreciated, nor that they shouldn't be rewarded. But neither should we base the engine of wealth creation on their hopes and dreams of sinecure.
Beyond the egregious assault on freedom these proposals represent, there is also a huge question as to their efficacy, regardless of whether the firms are troubled or not (my emphasis):
Compensation experts in the private sector have warned that intrusions into the internal decisions of financial institutions could discourage participation in the rescue program and slow down the financial sector's recovery. They also argue that it could set a precedent for government regulation that undermines performance-based pay.
"One of the big questions is whether it will make it more difficult to recruit and retain executives at these companies," said Claudia Allen, chair of corporate governance at the Chicago-based law firm of Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg.
The $500,000 cap "is a very tight limit," she said.
Timothy J. Bartl, vice president and general counsel for the Center On Executive Compensation, said the president's actions are a unique situation given the government's role bailing out troubled institutions.
"We do not view it as something that ought to be extended beyond this circumstance," he said.
I don't think there's any legitimate doubt that these will be the effects. Indeed, here are some of the reactions to Obama's proposals:
Goldman Sachs said yesterday it wants to repay $10 billion it got from Treasury under the TARP to signal the firm is healthy and to escape limitations that came with that infusion of money. "Our financial condition is sound and, subject to approval from regulators, we hope to repay TARP money as soon as practicable," said Lucas van Praag, a spokesman for New York- based Goldman Sachs.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said Feb. 3 that the firm didn't need capital and didn't ask for TARP funding. The lender accepted the $25 billion it received from the first capital injection at the request of the government and to help stabilize the banking system, he said.
Goldman has to get permission to repay the government? Does that make sense? Only if the reason the funds were distributed in the first place was to give the federal government control over the market place. I think that's exactly what Bush ("I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system") and Paulsen had in mind with TARP, and I think Obama is prepared to carry the ball even further into socialist territory.
As far as retaining talented executives, why would any of them stay? If you were making $10 Million per year including your bonuses (not uncommon), why would you stay somewhere that's forcing you take a 95% pay cut? Of course, many will say good riddance to bad rubbish, and perhaps their right. It's not like a firm that goes crawling for a federal handout was performing all that well. Except that (a) it's far from clear that bad management led to the current crisis (although, surely that had something to do with it), and (b) even if it were clear, not every executive or potential executive was responsible. If you are a rising star in your investment bank who has put in exhaustingly long hours to get ahead in hopes of a big payday in the future, why would you stick around where you know your options are limited? These are very smart, industrious and capable people. There are plenty of places where they can go and not be subject to such pay strictures, and that is where they will end up.
Moreover, a part of the proposed regulations practically eliminates the fabled "golden parachutes" for executives:
Obama said that massive severance packages for executives who leave failing firms are also going to be eliminated. "We're taking the air out of golden parachutes," he said.
This displays a fundamental misunderstanding of what golden parachutes are. Contrary to popular belief, they are not generous giveaways to failed executives, but instead incentives for failed executives to get out of the way and allow new management. Without these sorts of incentives, management becomes entrenched and complacent. If a proposed takeover threatens to take away the goodies they can vote themselves, then they will forego such proposals and keep cashing in. In order to align management's interests with the shareholders, golden parachutes were introduced to incentivize firm managers to sacrifice their jobs when the best interests of the company warrant it. Since one of the major problems that everyone seems to have with Wall Street is the failure of effective management, one would think the new rules would make it easier to bring in new blood, not harder.
But none of that matters to Obama:
Mr. Obama said the cap strikes the right "balance" between fair compensation and proper stewardship of taxpayer funds. "This is America. We don't disparage wealth. We don't begrudge anybody for achieving success. And we believe that success should be rewarded. But what gets people upset –and rightfully so–are executives being rewarded for failure, especially when those rewards are subsidized by U. S. taxpayers.
"For top executives to award themselves these kinds of compensation packages in the midst of this economic crisis is not only in bad taste, it's a bad strategy — and I will not tolerate it as President."
Again, it's hard to generate much sympathy for executives who've come begging to Washington. But at the same time, what point is there to heavy handed measures that don't do anything more than satisfy some people's jealousy and outrage? Shouldn't these proposals be designed to put people back to work?
Rangel to Be Cleared?
Given the vaunted status of tax cheats amongst the Democrats, you're all shocked, I'm sure:
House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel predicted, on C-SPAN's Newsmakers program that aired Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, that his multitude of ethics woes would soon disappear. "I think that next Tuesday you will see a break in this and as soon as the Ethics Committee organizes they ought to be able to dismiss this," National Journal's CongressDaily quoted the Rangel as saying.
If so, it's hard to imagine that the Select Committee on Ethics will have devoted anything more than a cursory glance at the various issues raised. Consider just one aspect, for which documents are in the public record: Rangel's financial disclosure forms. We took a look at his filings going all the way back to 1978, the first year members were required to disclose information on their personal finances, and found 28 instances in which he failed to report acquiring, owning or disposing of assets. Assets worth between $239,026 and $831,000 appear or disappear with no disclosure of when they were acquired, how long they were held, or when they were sold, as the operative House rules at the time required.
This is all according to Charlie, of course. Much like the Obama team clearing itself of any inappropriate behavior in the Blagojevich troubles, taking Charlie's word here would not be advisable. However, he seems to know that something is coming, and considering that Speaker Pelosi made little to no effort to support the investigation, we shouldn't be surprised if Rangel walks away from this with his Chairmanship still intact.
Most ethical Congress ever!


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Reviews for Cher
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:-: CHER IS AMAZING :-: | Reviewer: Ran | 11/14/07
She's the most beautiful woman in the whole entire universe ever ever!!! Her songs always make me feel better when I'm depressed!! I'm in love with Cher :)))))))))))))))))::)::::))))
CHER IS HOT wooo | Reviewer: jelyyyyyyyyyy | 10/22/07
me an dmy 2nd best friend rochelleee we share so manyn good times late night's schoool days talking about cher and listening to her music me and rochelel love her so much sh eis one person the brings us close together our fave songg is you can pwah by cher and sonny we lovee you cher xoxo jelly & rocheeeleee p.s your soo cooool xxx
CHER | Reviewer: Anonymous | 10/19/07
Cher for me is my favorite singer because she has a meaning for every song she sings and I love that about her.
Cherlious | Reviewer: Rob | 9/22/07
Just read the reviews and the short bio above and I'm in total awe--love it all. Even Cher. I have all her albums, movies, and pictures-I'm a true Cher Diva fan. Keep them coming Cher.
The past is gone | Reviewer: Chuck Gardner | 6/29/07
I doubt Cher would remember that we talked once at McDonalds in Phoenix at Indian school & Central. The brief conversation left me with the impression she would succeed, I told her Sonny wouldn't treat her right – I was right.
Come back CHERE | Reviewer: Anonymous | 5/19/07
It's been to long without you. Get yourself on a weekly tv show, or make an album. I want my kids to know & see the superstar you are.
cher the best | Reviewer: Anonymous | 5/16/07
cher is the best singer ever!she is cool,nice and beautiful.but why she left us???
cher | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/14/07
why do you take pictures that look like you are naked?
She's a survivor | Reviewer: mike | 2/28/07
She was popular, made a few career mistakes, started over, and became even more popular. She's a legend who has "turned back time". She has surrounded herself with good people behind the scenes, who have only helped her advance her career. Rock on Cher!
I love Cher | Reviewer: Coco | 4/27/06
Cher is so great shes the best singer actress and human on the world shes perfect and an real beaty.
Cher forever!!!
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Molino's Ristorante
- Address:
26841 S. Bay Drive
Bonita Springs, FL 34134Neighborhood:
Bonita Springs
- Cuisine:
ItalianPrice: $30 and under
Molino's Ristorante
- Dining Style: Casual Dining
- Website: http://www.molinosristorante.com/
- Phone: (239) 992-7025
- Hours of Operation:
Daily: 11:30am - 9:00pm
- Payment Options: AMEX,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
- Cuisine: Italian
- Executive Chef: Kenny Purisico
- Dress Code: Smart Casual
- Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
- Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Beer, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Non-Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Smoking Area (patio only), Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine Bar
- Special Events: Available for buyout and parties up to 60 people private, also private VIP table in wine cellar for up to 12 people.
A word from Molino's Ristorante
At Molino's Ristorante, owner and native Italian Kanuccio Purisico captivates diners with a menu of mouthwatering Northern Italian fare. Dishes of calamari fritti, and clams oreganato entice appetites, and burbling waterfalls beckon outdoors as patrons find themselves in sunny Adriatic here in beautiful Bonita Springs. Our culinary team dazzle guests with authentic dishes such as the lambata di vitello alla griglia, a grilled veal chop accessorized with hot cherry peppers and mushrooms, or the rollatine melanzane, ricotta cheese rolled into thinly sliced eggplant and topped with tomato sauce. For those searching for ocean-fresh seafood try our salmone onde e terra, a cut of broiled salmon luxuriously lounging in a rich cognac sauce with a posse of peas, prosciutto, and mushrooms.Continued
Foodspotting photosSee all photos
Awards voted by OpenTable diners
- Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
- Diners' Choice WinnerBest Ambiance
- Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food
Molino's Ristorante - Best Restaurants in Bonita Springs ›
Molino's Ristorante reviews from OpenTable diners
45 reviews since August 1, 2014
- Food4.3Service3.9
- Ambiance4.2Noise LevelModerate
great for outdoor dining (21)special occasion (21)fit for foodies (21)neighborhood gem (21)romantic (12)good for groups (11)notable wine list (8)hot spot (2)great for brunch (2)late-night find (1)great for lunch (1)Show More
- deliciousFeliciaVIPDined on 11/17/2014Our dining experience was affected by extremely slow table service. Almost to the point of neglectful. Our table of 4 was a first to arrive and last to leave due to the wait staff. They offered a great dinner deal of 40% off entire check, Food is wonderful and ambiance.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- High End Dining?????HowardDined on 11/17/2014Looks like they're trying to be high end with prices to match, Tables so packed together with lots of noise indicate otherwise. Food was good but very small portions and high prices even with the 40% coupon applied. Service was so fast we hardly had time to talk or enjoy our food. Disappointing!
- JettyboDined on 11/15/2014FOOD GREAT...SERVICE NOT WE MET FRIENDS WHO WE HAD NOT SEE IN A WHILE AT THE RESTAURANT FOR DINNER....WE HAD A DRINK BEFORE DINNER AND WHILE HAVING OUR DRINKS THE WAITER TOOK OUR ORDER. WE MET AT 7:00 PM....WE WERE IN OUR CARS BY 8:05 PM....WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO ENJOY OURSELVES OUR DINNER WAS SERVED IN FIVE MINUTES AFTER WE ORDERED IT. FOR THAT REASON I WILL NOT GO BACK TO THIS RESTAURANT.Special Features:
- time2dinVIPDined on 11/14/2014Food and service was excellent but of course Florida in season -it was extremely crowded inside and very noisy. We were able to set outside underneath a gas propane heat lamp and it was super. Joey was our waiter and he did a great job.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Poor service and poor foodTarunDined on 11/8/2014Very disappointing Poor food quality. Not much to eat for vegetarian. Server made too many mistakes. Would not go back.Special Features:
- PeteDined on 11/8/2014Everything was ok, just average. No vibe. Our food came out surprisingly fast. We suspect that a lot of it was pre-cooked.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- unusual weatherpoppynjackDined on 11/1/2014Bonita Spring's weather took a 20 degree drop so I don't think that the restaurant was prepared for the onslaught of diners. My husband and I had a reservation and we were seated immediately. We were given our drinks stat-as it should be. The "bus boys"were overworked but were very fast and took the rush in stride.I really was amazed at their efficiency. I will go back because I think the restaurant was unprepared and of course the food was GREAT!Special Features:
- Consistently Great!MtrplatoVIPDined on 10/19/2014Molino's continues to be a community favorite. It has been a consistently great spot for several (many?) years as Kenny and Sammy stay the course. They are both always there, right in the middle of the action both of them either cooking, greeting, or serving. Their involvement helps assure a first class experience. Our favorites are Clams Oreganato, Fried Zucchini to start, followed by Osso Buco and Lobster Ravioli - all delicious and served as requested and promptly. Lastly, the wait staff is attentive, but not hovering. Luigi is the best!! And his "sidekick" Diego is a non-stop helper. Molino's has a great staff, working as a team from the minute you arrive til you step out the door completely satisfied!!Special Features:
- OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 10/16/2014We will definitely return for this delightful experience.Special Features:
- A Great MealbonsDined on 9/28/2014Had a great waiter and excellent food. We would recommend.Special Features:
- A very nice eveningValsoneDined on 9/20/2014We were a group of 6 ladies celebrating a re-union. We had a very nice table -not too large and so were able to converse across the table. The menu is Italian and covers most offerings of an upscale Italian restaurant, the food was good and presented nicely. the main waiter was a little harried but good but the assistant waiters were not well trained and passed food and collected plates etc. in front of the diners at the table.... not good!. This was outo f season dining for the area and it appears that they need to train the waiters more (or maybe they were short staffed?)Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- QualifiedDined on 9/6/2014We all enjoyed our food. Redsnapper, veal marsala and gnocchi were all very good. Menu prices were high, but we had a discount coupon, so our check was quite reasonable. Not sure I would return at regular menu prices.Special Features:
- As AlwaysDiner1Dined on 8/30/2014The food and service was excellent as always Don't forget to check out go waiter.comSpecial Features:
- Sea bass was very good.OpenTable Diner Since 2007Dined on 8/21/2014Waiter gave himself a tip on the bill - very bad taste, I thought. I would have been generous. We had a 40% off coupon and I would have tipped him on the full amount of the bill - not the discounted price. He said "feel free to change it" but I didn't.Special Features:
- OpenTable Diner Since 2013Dined on 8/16/2014overpriced small portions if they didn't give a 40% coupon they would have very little bussiness i woud not recomend this restaurant
- Dinner with family and friendsOpenTable Diner Since 2012Dined on 8/13/2014We dined earlier this week at Molino's with a total of 11 people. Food was wonderful and service is always good.Special Features:
- OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/3/2014This is one of our very favorite restaurants. The food is excellent, the atmosphere inviting, and the service friendly. When we think of Italian food we think Molino's! When we wish to impress guests we take them to Molino's!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- The following 148 reviews are from the Molino's Ristorante reviews archive.
- Italian Food!bonitababeVIPDined on 7/19/2014Food was very tasty...portions were reasonable...price though...had baked clams- hard to find down here.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great little findBruniDined on 7/12/2014I had heard good things about the restaurant but was really glad when I went and the reputation stood up to what I had heard. The clams oreganto were the best I have eaten in this area! Coming from NY where the Italian food is king this says a lot. Thoroughly enjoyed the mealSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great night at dinnerDiner1Dined on 7/11/2014We had a great time as always. They will always make anything that we want. The menu is great it is good for all types.Special Features:
- Not what it appears to be.NaplesResidentDined on 7/9/2014When you walk in Molino's, you expect to have a very fine meal. The place is very nicely done. Sorry to say, it's all down hill from there. The food is mediocre, at best. The staff are taken with themselves and intrude far too much of their egos. We were there during the off-season, so the place was quite empty (and quiet). Even with the 40% off coupon they offer, I wouldn't go back or recommend that you do.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 7/6/2014Overall the food was tasty and presentation was appealing. The clam appetizer was definately too small in size of clams and portion served. The crem brûlée was not properly prepared ( not crusted on top) and fruit was not included.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Excellent!RoniDined on 7/5/2014Always excellent. Everything is always perfection.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- customerFii5057Dined on 6/7/2014The food was excellent and the service was #1. The waiter was very attentive. Thank you.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2013Dined on 6/7/2014food and service was good, although it was a bit pricey to go there more often.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- BIGMDined on 5/31/2014A restrauant well worth visiting...you feel like THIS IS A GOOD NIGHT OUT..OUTSTANDING STAFF.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great FoodDianeDined on 5/18/2014We had guests from out of town for this dining experience. They loved it. We have been several times and food if wonderful. I would recommend Molinos to anyone that wants a nice relaxing dinner. One of our favorites.Special Features:
- Molino's always consistentDinerDined on 5/11/2014Excellent food and portions are not so large that you cannot eat all that is served. A bit on the pricey side but we have always had excellent food and good service every time we have been there.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- great timeacehanlinDined on 5/10/2014We found the food to be fantastic. The waiter recommended a nice Italian red wine@ $75 and it was worth every penny. The ambience outside on the patio was awesome with ne exception. The plastic chairs that are used on the patio have to go. When at a nice restaurant and sending $75 on a bottle of wine, I don't want to be sitting on lawn furniture. C'mon guys, raise the standard outside on the patio too.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Forget this place !retiredinfloridaVIPDined on 5/10/2014We have lived in the area for 10 years and wondered why no one ever mentioned Molinos-now we know! Food is fair at the best and prices are way too high. Service at first was disorganized where a bus boy took the wine order and had no idea what was what. Many other area restaurants have much better food and a better dining experience. Forget this place and keep driving . We will NEVER RETURN .
- Great foodbonitabetseyDined on 5/2/2014We have dined here on many occasions and have always been pleased. The Veal Marsala is delicious and the Chilean Sea Bass is out of this world. You can't go wrong if you choose this restaurant!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Highly RecommendLarryDined on 4/27/2014The food was different and excellent. The service was very good. Would return again the next time in the area.Special Features:
- OpenTable Diner Since 2005VIPDined on 4/24/2014Very good selection of entrees. Service staff always avalable. Tables set apart enough so that noise level was low.
- excellent italian foodjpz1313VIPDined on 4/23/2014We are from chicago and have many great italian restaurants to compare to. I would rank Molinos at the top with these as the food was authentic well presented the staff which most sooke italian made the atmosphere even more authentic. We will be back to continue to work our way through the menu and wine list.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2007Dined on 4/19/2014We were a large group and we were handled efficiently and quickly. Because there were children in the group we were put where we would not bother other diners. We had no complaints about the food or service. Everyone was happy with their food, osso buco, Dover sole, and pasta dishes were excellent. Hope this was helpful.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Almost New York ItalianPiKNJDined on 4/14/2014Very good food with a friendly professional staff. Always worth a visit.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Good Neighborhood placeGailVIPDined on 4/2/2014Nice restaurant and easy to get in. Not as busy as many of the other restaurants. I ordered Fettucini with salmon in a pink sauce which was very good but my husband ordered the spaghetti with meatball and sausage and it came with a quarter of a sausage. He also had meat sauce as a special request which was a good thing or it would not have been enough. Service is very good though and hopefully they will survive with all of the changes going on in the shopping plaza where they are located.Special Features:
- OK,---BUTOpenTable Diner Since 2008Dined on 3/29/2014Nothing exceptional just OK. Service very fast and attentive
- A great findStainmstrDined on 3/25/2014We were caught in the craziness of waiting in line for dinner in season at another restaurant , when I pulled out the phone and used open table to find this great little place. I got a table within 15 minutes of booking it. The decor was very nice we were seated at a nice table for two. Our waiter was a true gentleman, and the service was great! The food was very good, we both ordered from the specials of the day menu and were pleasantly surprised. If you haven't tried Molino's you should. When we are back in town we will be back.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Real Italian Food in Bonita~FoodLoverVIPDined on 3/23/2014There are many inexpensive Italian pizza shops and restaurants in the area, but this restaurant is the real McCoy! The atmosphere was lovely, and our waiter Luigi was right from Italy!! Nice to hear Italian accents when you are imagining yourself in Italy! The food was excellent.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.


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chestnutSaltos de línea: chest|nut
Pronunciación: /ˈtʃɛsnʌt /
Definición de chestnut en inglés:
1 (also sweet chestnut) A glossy hard brown edible nut which develops within a bristly case and which may be roasted and eaten.
Example sentences
- Some authors have suggested that their flavour and texture are comparable with those of the chestnut or cashew nut.
- Almost equally invigorating is a poached chicken, sliced into strips atop a mound of basmati rice but bathed in a potion of tarragon and chestnuts.
- And I can't really tell you how it was made, as I spent the entire recipe-making time chopping walnuts and chestnuts, sneaking teeny bits in every now and then.
1.1 [mass noun] A deep reddish-brown colour: [as modifier]: chestnut hair
Más ejemplos en oraciones
- They had the same straight chestnut hair and deep green eyes.
- She had a sweet smile, and her light olive skin went with deep, chestnut hair.
- She flung her deep chestnut hair away from her eyes.
1.2 (also chesnut) A horse of a reddish-brown or yellowish-brown colour, with a brown mane and tail: [as modifier]: a chestnut stallion
Más ejemplos en oraciones
- Sharon rides Andy, a chestnut Quarter Horse who has never before experienced dressage.
- Berndon was looking at a chestnut mare with a black mane and tail and took out some coins to pay for it.
- The chestnut colt is the last foal out of Jewell Ridge, who died on August 1.
2 (also chestnut tree, sweet chestnut, or Spanish chestnut) The large European tree that produces the edible chestnut, with serrated leaves and heavy timber.
- Castanea sativa, family Fagaceae
Example sentences
- Greece originally introduced the chestnut tree to the rest of the European community.
- As she got nearer she saw him shaded from the sun by the leaves of the chestnut tree.
- One damaged chestnut tree and five mature conifers had to be removed.
2.1 short for horse chestnut.
2.2Used in names of trees and plants that are related to the sweet chestnut, or produce similar nuts or edible parts that resemble them, e.g. water chestnut.
Example sentences
- They also collected a broad variety of wild herbs, wild vegetables such as acorns, water chestnuts, and broad beans, and possibly wild rice.
- In general, European chestnut trees haven't suffered as devastating an outbreak as their American cousins.
- The European species of chestnut catches the disease, too, and early researchers noticed some Italian trees that seemed to have spontaneously recovered their health.
early 16th century: from Old English chesten (from Old French chastaine, via Latin from Greek kastanea) + nut.
- 1
an old chestnut
- A joke, story, or subject that has become tedious and uninteresting through constant repetition: the subject under discussion is that old chestnut, public or private financing of the artsMás ejemplos en oraciones
- This is an old chestnut of a story, and like the previous similar surveys it has a huge flaw which undermines the result: you don't know if the respondents are telling the truth.
- Another barrier comes tumbling down, as that old chestnut about the Germans never making a funny comedy has to be consigned to the history book.
- In the past she has denied the old chestnut about women not being as funny as men but today she clearly can't be bothered fighting.
- 2
pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire
- Succeed in a hazardous undertaking for someone else's benefit.[with reference to the fable of a monkey using a cat's paw to extract roasting chestnuts from a fire]Example sentences
- For example, we have pulled your chestnuts out of the fire in two world wars that were occasioned by European diplomacy.
- I think it'll take more than him to pull their chestnuts out of the fire.
- Whatever it takes to pull his chestnuts out of the fire in Virginia.
Definición de chestnut en:
- Inglés de EE.UU. dictionary
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Palabra del día sacerdotal
Pronunciación: ˌsasəˈdəʊt(ə)l
relating to priests or the priesthood; priestly


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A manufactured housing company in Elkhart County is betting on "ND" to boost business.
In this case, ND stands for North Dakota, not Notre Dame.
While Heckaman Homes in Nappanee is a heck of a long way from places like Williston, North Dakota, the two have suddenly developed some close business ties.
"I've been in the business 15 years, I've seen some booms in areas, I haven't seen one like this," said Heckaman Homes Sales Manager Jeff Tanner.
North Dakota's boom has been inspired by oil production. The state's unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation at 3.5 percent. Some 40,000 new high paying jobs have been created there by the oil industry since 2011.
The situation makes it hard to fill positions in other fields, including openings in home building.
"You used to get paid for being a simple carpenter out there, you can now make three times that working in the oil industry," said Tanner. "When you take a carpenter's wage over several months it takes to build one of these houses, what the carpenter gets out there, we're going to save them a lot of money."
By the end of 2013, Heckaman Homes hopes to sell and ship up to 150 manufactured homes to customers in North Dakota. The boost comes at a time when the housing market in general is sluggish.
"We hired more crews, they're willing to be on the road, and we just decided we need to service more of the area," said Tanner. "And we could easily see it making up a third or more of our business before this year is over."
Officials at High Tech Housing in Bristol tell NewsCenter 16 that they have shipped some commercial buildings to drill sites in North Dakota, and are working to take part in some larger commercial projects.


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November 26, 2014
One man is under arrest after a Shawano County crash involving a car and horse and buggy.
According to the Shawano County Sheriff's Department, both vehicles were heading south on County Highway G in the Town of Grant, near Caroline, when the car hit the buggy around 6:45 Thursday evening. Two people, a 23 year old man and 21 year old woman, in the buggy were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The driver of the car, a 38 year old man from Nortonville, was arrested on suspicion operating under the influence of an intoxicant. It is his third offense, according to deputies.
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|Massachusetts Men's Gymnastics
|Hosting a Meet?
Review the
Meet Hosting
USA Men's
Techical Updates
USA Men's
Program Rules
|NOTE: Many of the files
provided on this website
can only be viewed using
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It can be downloaded
|2014-2015 Massachusetts State Championships Packet
The qualification scores and requirements for the 2014
Future Stars National Championships have now been posted on the
Men's page of the USA Gymnastics web site. This document will be
used for all Regional Future Stars Evaluations.
Click Here For The 2014 Future Stars National
Championships Qualification Requirements document
Click Here for the Future Stars National Championships Entry Form
If You are Interested in Becoming a Judge Please
Contact Sean Monaco - firstname.lastname@example.com -
There will be a judges course on Nov. 9th at
Somersault Center for anyone interested in attending.
E-Mail to email@example.com
Age Group Competition Update #4 & Replacement Pages
Effective Immediately
Technical Sequences Manual (August 2014)
Effective December 1, 2014
2015 Academic All-American Recognition
Click Here to See the Future Stars Update #3
Recent JO Rules Clarifications
2014 State Championships
Age Group Competition Update #3 has now been
published - Download Here
The men's Age Group Competition Program Update #2 is now
posted on the men's page of the USA Gymnastics web site at:
2013-2016 Men's Junior Olympic Age Group Competitive
is Now Available - Click Here
|2013 State Meet Results
2013 State Cup Results
Official 2012 State Meet Results
Official 2012 State Cup Results


text:
3699 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75204
Category: Art Galleries
Region: Uptown & Oak Lawn
Dallas painter Joey Seeman specializes in portrait caricature and has drawn inspiration from rock 'n' rollers, Bonnie and Clyde, Mexican wrestling and other pop-culture treasures. He has an exhibition of new works entitled Masquerade at the Magnolia Gallery, which is located inside the Magnolia Theatre in West Village, 3699 McKinney Ave. The art will be on display during theater hours through November 16. For more information, contact Scott Horn at email@example.com or visit magnoliagallerydallas.com.
Oct. 13-Nov. 15, 2011


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AD Tag – GNN
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Interview: Ian Fetterman - Pumpkin Carver Extraordinaire
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November 20th, 2014
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Book Review: Axes of Evil - Edited by Alex S. Johnson
November 22nd, 2014
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Book Review: Prisoner 489 - Author Joe Lansdale
November 17th, 2014
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Book Review: Equilibrium Overturned - Authors Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson
November 13th, 2014
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Film Review: Pigs (1972)
SYNOPSIS: Driven permanently insane by her sexually abusive father, runaway Lynn (Toni Lawrence) hides out in a small town and lands a job at the local diner owned by creepy pig farmer Zambrini (Marc Lawrence). Zambrini (who feeds corpses to his pigs) takes a liking to man-hating Lynn, who has the habit of killing any man who puts the moves on her. With help from the hungry pigs, Zambrini and Lynn neatly dispose of her … Continue reading


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International Fashion Stylist Association
6135 Park South Drive, Suite 510
Charlotte, NC 28210
Kimsioux Montgomery, whose email signature is "fashionably yours," is a budding author, working on her first book, "Panty Power: 7 Insider Secrets of a Fashion Stylist." She volunteers and uses fashion as a self-esteem vehicle to speak to elementary and high school students. When she's not looking at, reading or thinking about fashion, she spends time with her husband Eric, six-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son.
Speaking about how she became a fashionista and whom she serves, Kimsioux states, "After working for many luxury retailers and traveling the world, I realized that clothing has its own language and tells a story. I'm a great storyteller as you can see in my work!"
Kim continues, "There used to be a time when only celebrities or famous people used a fashion stylist. Today, the need for my services has grown. As a result, my clients come from many backgrounds to include close friends, attorneys, entrepreneurs, fashion students, professors, bankers, realtors, interior designers and the list continues. They either want a spin or a different 'eyeball' on their current look or they want that one-time 'special event' look, or they want to enhance their brand through a complete makeover. In the famous words of one of my all time favorite fashion stylists, Lori Goldstein, 'We all know what pretty is.' I can bring you pretty, but 'sickness' is what I bring and this is what my clients want."
"Finding the best deal online is all relative. From my point of view, Modaoperandi.com provides a great deal online. Although you pay full price for women's clothing, you are able to pre-order the latest, most up-to-date couture women's clothing straight from the runway in installments. It's like a modern-day lay-a-way. You place your order with usually half down and then months later, once the item is ready, you pay the other half. You were able to order that Antonio Barardi dress with the shear panels down both sides that Gwyneth Paltrow adorned at the premier of 'Iron Man' for only a few hundred dollars up front."
"For accessories, I really love the hi/low hunt. I prefer 1stdibs.com, yoox.com and RenttheRunway.com. 1stdibs.com is a totally unconventional way to shop for accessories, for they are almost never new and most items are vintage, but some modern. If you are looking for glamour, unique and different, then this is the place to go for authentic rubies and sapphires to handcrafted earrings from Miriam Haskell or sophisticated costume pieces by the legendary Verdura. If you can wait long enough towards the end of the season, then Yoox.com provides the best bang for your bucks. I recently spotted a dress from designer Mary Katrantzou's postage collection that sold for over $1,000 for well below 50-percent off! RenttheRunway.com is surprisingly hassle-free and you can rent your favorite accessory, dress or gown for pennies on the doll . . . for real!"
"If you want the finest menswear without paying full retail, then virtualclotheshorse.com is by far for the discerning gentleman. Its deals make you 'look like the job you want, not the one you have' . . . Fortune 500 all the way!"
Related: Best Lingerie Boutiques In Charlotte
For kids, Zulily.com and Target online are my 'no-brainers' for huge deals, but alexandalexa.com is a designer children's site that has great deals at the end of the year. You can snatch that Stella McCartney lace dress for your princess for $40 bucks!"
"For classic, high-end designer looks, matchesfashion.com is my favorite. If you want to buy trendy (and scared to admit it), then take a chance on asos.com and nastygal.com. They have cool stylish designs and if you really know what you are doing, no one will ever know that you aren't wearing Giuseppe Zanotti!"
Related: Best Charlotte Fashion Blogs
Jacquelin Celeste Peters has produced award winning radio programs at WPFW Pacifica-Washington. She is a Culture and Events Examiner in Charlotte, North Carolina, which she calls home. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.


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Dear Dr. G.,
The holidays are quickly approaching and frankly I am dreading them. My two kids ages 13 and 15 both girls get so competitive about gifts. They not only count the number of gifts that they each get from me and my husband but they also compare the monetary value of the gifts. To me this does not seem like a healthy thing. I was an only child and never had a sibling to compare myself to so I was always grateful for what I got.
Please tell me how I can deal with this without having to cancel Christmas.
A Mother of Ingrates
Dear Mother of Ingrates,
I hear you. Since the beginning of time sibling rivalry has been around. The oldest known version of sibling rivalry is when Cain killed Abel because God rejected Cain's offering of produce but accepted the animal sacrifices offered by Cain's brother Abel.
It is natural that kids growing up under the same roof define themselves in part by comparing their experiences to those of their brothers and sisters.
With the understanding that some sibling rivalry is normal and to be expected there are some things that you can do to decrease competitiveness about gifts:
1.Create holiday family traditions that don't necessarily involve gifts. You may want to spend time baking with one child while spending time decorating the house with the other child.