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February 14, 2013
Protecting schools from shooters vs more guns on the street
Total People in Discussion: 2
By Steve Esack
Categories: Current Affairs, Election 2010, PA Governor, Politics
I got a Harrisburg-style democracy for yous about violence and guns.
In one section of the Capitol on Wednesday, state and local police joined with teachers to discuss school safety before the state Senate Education and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committees. The hearing was held to help elected officials determine, what if anything, could be done to protect students and staff from crazed gunmen like Adam Lanza who killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., 11 days before Christmas.
The bill by state Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Jefferson Hills, would drop mandatory background checks in favor of nothing or voluntary background checks for "law abiding citizens," including those once held in mental institutions. That way they could own and carry firearms for "self defense or the exercise of reasonable force" in a school, bank, library, street, Capitol, car, WaWa, Citizens Bank Park or anywhere else in Pennsylvania. The bill also would allow any "law abiding citizens" to get guns in other states and bring those guns into Pennsylvania under less stringent reciprocal licensing agreements among states.
I'll get comment form both sides later today.What do you think? Do we need more or less gun laws to protect the public from the likes of Adam Lanza, Christopher Dorner or Homer Simpson?
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Posted By: paper writing service | Mar 16, 2013 1:34:51 AM
Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation yet 506 homicides happened there last year. Its on pace for 730 homicides this year. Maybe that answers your question. Criminals by nature don't abide by laws. If guns are the problem maybe you ought to interview the wooly mammouth and ask it why it isn't around anymore.
Posted By: McGruff | Feb 18, 2013 3:20:17 PM
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Iowa D-Day veterans remember where they were 70 years agoUPDATED 5:16 PM CDT Jun 06, 2014
In a calm room at the Iowa Veterans Home on Friday, the chaos of this day 70 years ago is remembered.Video Transcript
at the nation's capital this afternoon, D- Day veterans gathered at the World War II memorial to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the invasion. Standing alongside the veterans and their families... ... were are the descendants of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Eisenhower's granddaughter read the orders he issued that day.... And Toby Roosevelt read a D-Day prayer written by his great- grandfather... President Franklin Roosevelt Those who actually remember the normandy invasion are fewer in number every day. But their bravery and their contributions were being remembered around the nation today, including here in Iowa. In the calm of a room at the Iowa veterans home, the chaos of this day 70 years ago is remembered in speeches and music. Its remembered -first hand- by only a few now.. Very few... Like Fred Lindsey, ON June 5th he was listening to Eisenhower joke about his wedding , that night he would head out to land before dawn at Utah beach to clear underwater obstructions. 5636 TC12:25THEY JUST BLOWED US ALL TO HELL ALL OUR LITTLE OLD BOATS. And the weather was as much of an enemy as the germans. 14:35 ONLY 12 OF US OUT OF 130 160 OF US GOT AWAY 14:50 THEY TRIED TO GET THE REST OF THEM BUT THE WAVES AND STUFF WAS TOO BAD. Freddie has told the stories many times Of how the engineers-- made something out of nothing.. 16:29 WE HAD TO UNLOAD SHIPS WHERE THERE WAS NO PORT.. WE MADE A PORT! Les 563500:24 THAT WAS THE INTERESTING PART OF THE WAR FROM MY STAND POINT. Les Graham arrived in Normandy 10 Days after D day. It was a different time. War was much lonelier. No cell phones. Les 35: WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH HOME WHATSOEVER. Wounded near Cherbourg in a shootout with germans in a pill box. THEN THEY OPENE UP ON US FROM THE RIGHT IN ANOTHER PILL BOX DOWN THE LINE Like so many Les didn't talk about it for a long time.. Iwondered..why.. 7:10IT JUST SEEMED NOT RIGHT TREATED LIKE A HERO.. IT WASNT THAT WAY. MY KIDS STILL CANT TALK TIO ME ABOUT IT IS IT HARD TO TALK ABOUT.. YESS IT IS.. WHY.. PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOUR A HERO I WAS JUST THERE DOING MY PART...
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Sunbeamers to meet April 1
Members of the Southern Pacific Sunbeam Club will meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 1 at the Ennis IHOP. The final touches will be put on the plans for the annual reunion to be held on April 26. For more information, call 972-878-4069.
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NEWTON's HOME PAGE
Privacy Policy
Detergent, Soap, Hard Water
Name: Mashudu Status: student Grade: 9-12 Country: South Africa Date: Fall 2009
What is the advantages of using a synthetic detergent in place of soap in harder water?
The main advantage is that it will actually work.
In hard water, soaps exchange their cations for the hard water cations, and the resulting complex is insoluble, precipitating from the water. That means that it will not work to lower the water's surface tension or incorporate dirt into micelles, because the soap no longer has a hydrophilic head.
Most synthetic detergents do not have this drawback: their calcium and magnesium complexes are still hydrophilic.
Richard Barrans, Ph.D., M.Ed.
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Wyoming
Hi Mashudu,
Traditional soap is made up of a long chain-like, non-polar, molecule with a one polar end. This polar end is usually made up of an ionic bond such as Na(+) to an O(-). This arrangement allows the long-chain to attract non-polar molecules like oil, while the polar end attracts water. Thus, something like oil and water, which normally do not mix, will dissolve through the "bridge" created by the soap.
Since hard water contains many different cations and many of these ions have a 2+ oxidation state - Mg(2+), Ca(2+). These ions can now ionically bond twice. When this happens the soap molecule now looks like a long-chain, followed by the polar ionic bond, followed by another long-chain. The effect of this is to place the polar group in between two non-polar chains. This arrangement inhibits the "bridge" effect mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Synthetic detergents are designed differently - and there are many ways to do this, so that the effect of 2+ and 3+ cations does not reduce too much the wanted bridging effect. For example, some synthetic detergents will have a polar end that is normally bonded to a Ca(2+). This means that the detergent is designed to carry the bridging effect even with 2+ ions present. Some synthetic detergents carry multi-headed polar ends so that the polar end is not dependent only on one cation for its polar effect.
Greg (Roberto Gregorius)
Canisius College
Traditional "soap" is a mixture of carboxylic acids and its esters. These carboxylic acids form water insoluble salts with magnesium and calcium (hard water). This renders them inactive as detergents. Synthetic detergents have different chemical groups that remain soluble in the presence of salts like magnesium and calcium. Consequently, they remain active as detergents. This is a very simplified response to an entirely complicated technology of "detergence".
Vince Calder
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Nuclear-Weapon-Free Status:
Concept and Practice
Paper presented by Amb. J.Enkhsaikhan
at the Regional Meeting on
"Security Concepts in the Changing World"
Ulaanbaatar, 3-5 August 1999
The end of the Cold War resulted in profound structural changes in international relations. The international environment has also changed and opened the prospects for many small and medium States to play a more active and constructive role in international relations. Mongolia could be considered as one of such States. As a result of the changes in its geopolitical environment, Mongolia was able to radically shift its foreign policy orientation and pursue an active non-aligned policy based on the primacy its own national interests and priorities and that of the international community as a whole. One manifestation of such a change was Mongolia's 1992 declaration of its territory a nuclear-weapon-free zone. This policy of Mongolia was welcomed by the international community, including by the five nuclear-weapon States, two of them being its immediate neighbors. The subsequent events have demonstrated that practical realization of the initiative needs the understanding and support of Mongolia's neighbors, other members of the international community as well as a creative approach and genuine collective efforts. They have also demonstrated that small States can play positive role in strengthening their own security and at the same time promote greater confidence, regional peace and security.
Mongolia's initiative has also raised a number of questions of theoretical and practical nature connected with the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZs), ensuring security of small States and the role of regional security arrangements in areas of application of NWFZs.
The purpose of this paper is not only to give a background information on Mongolia's initiative that would allow clearer understanding of the broader issues involved but also raise some questions the discussion of which might be helpful for pursuing the issue both at the United Nations and at the regional level.
Mongolia's place in the world
Mongolia's geographical location has always been a major, and in many cases even a decisive, factor in shaping its destiny. The role of the external factor increased as Mongolia's two neighbors in XVII-XIX centuries grew stronger and expanded their spheres of possession and influence, while Mongolia's strength and role weakened, turning it from once the center of the largest land empire that mankind has known to an object of international relations, and then by the end of XIX century to a mere pawn in great power politics. The situation did not change in most of XX century, though Mongolia declared reassertion of its independence in 1911 and made its revolution in 1921. The main actors (besides the Mongolians themselves) and factors that influenced Mongolia's external status, and thus its security, throughout the most part of XX century, have been mostly China and Russia ( the Soviet Union ), and their interrelationship.
With two great powers as neighbors and no access to the sea, Mongolia attempted earlier in this century to diversify and broaden its relations by establishing relations with other powers, including the United States and Japan. However these attempts have been futile, due to considerations of great power politics. Believing in lesser of the two evils, in the XX century Mongolia chose to side with the Soviets.
The Soviet period
The Soviet period of Mongolia's history (1924-1990) is full of contradictions. Left with almost no choice throughout most of this century, Mongolia stuck through thick and thin with the Soviet Union. Thus its domestic and foreign policies followed (or copied) Soviet policies and ideology. In the period prior to World War II, Mongolia followed Soviet and Comintern policies and directives, irrespective of its own national interests and made unnecessary "sacrifices" for the sake of an alien ideology. Officially, like in the Soviet Union, the concept of "national interest" was not accepted in Mongolia. Its policy was based on the Soviet doctrine of class struggle and solidarity with the "working class" of the world, headed by the Soviet Union. Proceeding from that doctrine, Mongolia approached its security policy through the so-called class struggle principles: state security rather than national security was emphasized, which boiled down to the simplistic rule of defending "socialism" either inside the country or outside it. Search for enemies inside the country lead to annihilation of more than 30.000 of its citizens, including its elite and the clergy, and persecution of hundreds of thousands of people and underwent social experimentation. Search for enemies outside the country lead to cutting off the nascent trade and other ties with the US, Germany and other countries, and thus to isolating itself from the rest of the world, except the Soviet Union.
In early post World War II years following the creation of the People's Republic of China as its immediate neighbor, Mongolia found itself surrounded by two communist states, which raised the hope for harmony and all-round cooperation among the three of them. However, these hopes have been dashed with the subsequent Sino-Soviet split by the end of 1950s. The seemingly ideological split by mid-1960s grew into an overt inter-state Sino-Soviet hostility. Unable to be 'neutral' in the conflict, Mongolia again sided with the Soviet Union. Thus between the 1960s to the end of 1980s Mongolia fell victim of two prolonged and costly "cold wars": East-West and Sino-Soviet.
In the East-West conflict, Mongolia firmly sided with the Soviets, including on the questions of international security, arms control and disarmament. In January of 1966 it signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation with the Soviet Union, according to Article 5 of which the latter pledged to assist Mongolia in case of an external attack. When the Sino-Soviet dispute acquired inter-state character by mid-1960s, the Soviet Union and China both had heavily fortified their common border. In 1967 the Soviet Union introduced its troops into Mongolia. Soon Mongolia's two neighbors with numerically the strongest armies (China - 4.7 mil. and the Soviet Union - 2.9 mil.) were confronting each other, with the Soviet Union having up to 52 divisions stationed in its eastern border regions, including in Mongolia. In its turn, China deployed almost 1 mil. men in the adjacent military regions of Sinkiang, Lanchou, Peking and Shenyang. While the dispute grew tense, the Soviets perfected their nuclear arsenal, and China, having successfully tested its nuclear weapon in 1964, began developing various types of nuclear weapons, from tactical to strategic.
At the height of Sino-Soviet conflict in 1969, when the armed clashes occured along their border, Moscow had around 60-75.000 troops, including two tank and two motorized rifle divisions, plus unspecified air force units stationed in Mongolia. Some of the troops were equipped with intermediate range ballistic missiles with nuclear and chemical warheads.
Having sided firmly with the Soviets in the Sino-Soviet dispute and having Soviet troops on its territory, Mongolia was in fact more than a strategic buffer for the Soviets against China. It was also a springboard from which the Soviets could launch a blitzkrieg-type military offensive into northern China, and even Beijing, given the presence of the large Soviet land forces in Mongolia. Furthermore, in late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a danger that in an attempt to preempt China's improvement of its nuclear arsenal and nuclear forces, the Soviets might be tempted to undertake a preemptive nuclear strike at Chinese nuclear installations. It therefore was no coincidence that Soviet military experts and strategists were writing at that time that "along with conventional war and instantaneous nuclear war of incredible magnitude and devastation, war involving the restricted use of nuclear weapons in one or more theaters of military operations should not be excluded." It was also assumed that since China was Soviet Union's potential adversary, in case of a war between the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies on the one side, and the United States and NATO on the other, a perceived second front, i.e. between the Soviet Union and China, would involve the use of nuclear weapons. This concept of "limited" nuclear war was later abandoned by the Soviet military theory since it has been recognized to be practically impossible to contain nuclear war within predetermined bounds.
Since Mongolia was considered to be an important bastion of socialism in Asia, its territory was expected to play a strategic role in a potential Sino-Soviet confrontation or war. However, the nature of Soviet-Mongolian "alliance" and of the Brezhnev doctrine in general meant that the ultimate decision to use force, including nuclear weapons stationed in Mongolia, was to be taken by the Soviets themselves, without real consultation with the Mongolian side. The latter probably would have been informed of the decision ex post factum. In other words, the Mongolians did not have a say in the potential use of nuclear weapons from their territory. Mongolia's role as a strategic bridge-head in the potential conflict meant that in case of a conflict, Mongolia would have surely been turned into a battlefield.
New realities and new policies
Soviet agreement to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan and Mongolia as well as to ensure withdrawal of Soviet-backed Vietnamese forces from Cambodia in late 1980s have opened the way for normalization of Sino-Soviet relations. Subsequent end of the East-West and Sino-Soviet cold wars, the disintegration of the so-called socialist world and of the Soviet Union itself have fundamentally changed Mongolia's geopolitical environment. These changes have allowed Mongolia to abandon its pro-Soviet policies, and, for the first time in three hundred years, to define and pursue its own national interests and priorities.
In the new geo-strategic environment, Mongolia abandoned its reliance on one state only, abandoned its ideologically oriented domestic and foreign policies and adopted the so-called "multi-pillared" foreign policy, diversifying in fact its foreign relations beyond its immediate neighbors. This major pragmatic turn in its foreign policy has found reflection in the "Concept of Foreign Policy of Mongolia", adopted by the State Ikh Khural ( the parliament) of Mongolia in June of 1994. The concept has thus declared that Mongolia's foreign policy would henceforth be based on political realism, non-alignment and pursuit of its own national interests as reflected in the 1992 Constitution, and that its priority would be to safeguard its security and vital national interests primarily by political and diplomatic means. While championing its national interests, it pledged to respect the legitimate interests of its neighbors and partners.
Alongside with this new foreign policy concept, the parliament adopted in June 1994 the first ever "National Security Concept of Mongolia", which clearly defined the areas of Mongolia's security concern. Based on the policy of maintaining balanced relationship with its two neighbors, the concept underlined that this relationship did not mean merely keeping equidistance between the neighbors or taking identical position on all issues. The policy meant strengthening trust, developing good-neighborly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with both of them. It was pointed out that when dealing with these countries, due account would be taken of their policies towards Mongolia's national interests, above all its clearly defined vital interests. As to the disputes that might arise between the two neighbors in the future, it was underlined that Mongolia would pursue a policy of non-involvement and neutrality, unless the disputes affected its vital interests, in which case it would naturally follow the vital interests.
In line with the above policy, Mongolia has concluded treaties of friendly relations and cooperation with Russia and China in 1993 and 1994 respectively. In these treaties, the parties agreed to develop their relations on the basis of the principles of respect for sovereignty, independence, sovereign equality, non-use of force or threat of force, inviolability of borders, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs and other principles of international law.
According to Article 4 of the treaty with Russia, both sides have pledged not to participate in military and political blocks directed against the other party and not to conclude with third States treaties and agreements detrimental to sovereignty and independence of that other party. It was also agreed that neither of the parties would allow the use of their territory by third States for committing aggression or other forceful acts. In the same Article 4 Russia has pledged to respect Mongolia's policy of non stationing on its territory and non transit through it of foreign troops as well as nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
According to Article 4 of the Mongolian-Chinese treaty, the parties pledged not to participate in military and political blocks directed against the other party and not to conclude with third States treaties and agreements detrimental to the sovereignty and security of the other party. They have also pledged not to allow third States to use their territory to the detriment of their sovereignty and security. In a separate Mongolia-Chinese statement, the Chinese side reaffirmed its respect for Mongolia's independence, state sovereignty, territorial integrity and nuclear-weapon-free zone status. China has also expressed its respect for Mongolia's policy of banning the stationing on its territory and transit through it of foreign troops as well as nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
Policy towards nuclear disarmament
Mongolia has always been a strong advocate of disarmament. It has always been in favor of according the highest priority to nuclear disarmament. Thus it has consistently advocated cessation of the arms race, especially nuclear arms race, and taking practical steps to this effect in accordance with the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, the first special session devoted to disarmament and welcomed every positive step taken by the Soviet Union ( and later by the Russian Federation ) and the United States on bilateral basis or unilaterally to reduce the nuclear danger, nuclear arms race or some of their nuclear arsenals. Mongolia believes that every step, however small, should be taken to reduce further the nuclear danger and arsenals, and create a climate conducive to further disarmament. Thus it supports the measures to de-emphasize the role of nuclear weapons and, in that context, to revise nuclear doctrines, de-alert and de-activate nuclear weapons, and to halt qualitative improvement of nuclear warheads or their delivery systems.
As member of the Conference on Disarmament that associates with the group of twenty-eight, it believes that the nuclear-weapon States should take the necessary steps to fulfill their obligations under Article VI of the NPT and immediately start negotiations to that effect, and adopt a comprehensive and phased program within agreed time frame. As to the practical measures, Mongolia was one of the first to have signed and ratified the NPT and among the first ( the seventh ) to have ratified the CTBT. Moreover, it has submitted its two seismological and one radionuclide stations to the International Monitoring System established under the CTBT.
Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free policy
In line with the above policy on nuclear disarmament, Mongolia has always been a strong supporter of nuclear-weapon-free zones. In doing so it had its own reasons. Just like the idea of the Tlatelolco treaty originated at the height of East-West cold war during the Cuban Missile crisis of 1962, Mongolia's idea of declaring its territory is also connected with the Sino-Soviet tension and confrontation in late 1960s and early 1970s. However, because of the nature of Soviet and Chinese societies then, not many people fully realized at that time, even in those countries, that in the late 1960s the Sino-Soviet crisis in fact could easily have developed into an Asian version of the missile crisis. Though a number of unilateral, bilateral and even multilateral steps have been taken since, nevertheless the risk of nuclear catastrophe, though remote now, has not been completely eliminated. Though Russia and China have given unilateral nuclear assurances to the non-nuclear states, because of the nature of such assurances, they do not have legally binding force. Moreover, these assurances do not cover such vital issues as non-first use against each other. Therefore in any nuclear exchange, non-nuclear States, especially those adjacent to nuclear States, would be directly affected. Moreover, the assurances do not cover non-stationing of nuclear weapons or parts thereof on territories of other States.
Mindful of Mongolia's geographical location and its past experience with the threat of "limited" nuclear war, the national security concept of Mongolia has adopted the policy of ensuring the country's nuclear-weapon-free status primarily by political and diplomatic means. In the same manner the concept banned the use of Mongolia's territory against other States. In a more wider context, it has also been decided to promote and support turning its adjacent area - the Central Asian region - into a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
Mongolia declares its territory a NWFZ
Mongolia embraced the nuclear-weapon-free policy in 1992, when the last of the Soviet ( by then Russian ) troops were leaving the country. Thus in his address to the 47th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September of that year, H.E. Mr. Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, President of Mongolia, announced that Mongolia declared its territory a nuclear-weapon-free zone and that it would work to have that status internationally recognized.
The above initiative is important not only for Mongolia. Bearing in mind the country's geo-strategic location, it is also important for its immediate neighbors, especially in changing their perception of Mongolia primarily as an important buffer or a strategic springboard in power equations. The initiative, if or when realized, would make Mongolia's policy more predictable, which is important for its two neighbors in their future calculations and policies not only viz-a-viz Mongolia, but, what is more important, viz-a-viz each other and other powers of the region. Moreover, since global and regional approaches to disarmament complement each other, the initiative, that is of regional nature, could develop into an important confidence-building and non-proliferation measures.
International reaction to the initiative
Reaction to Mongolia's initiative on the part of the nuclear-weapon States, including its two neighbors, was positive. Thus the Russian Federation, in its treaty concluded with Mongolia on 20 January, 1993, has pledged to "respect Mongolia's policy of not admitting the deployment on and transit through its territory of foreign troops, nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction."
On 22 October, 1993 the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of China underlined that China welcomed and supported Mongolia as a nuclear-weapon-free State and would respect its policy of turning the country's territory into a nuclear-weapon-free zone. He noted that China had already pledged not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nuclear-weapon-free zones or the non-nuclear-weapon States and that the pledge applied to Mongolia as well. In April of 1994, in the Mongolia-China press statement, the Chinese side reiterated once again its respect for Mongolia's independence, state sovereignty, territorial integrity as well as its nuclear-weapon-free status. It was underlined that China respected Mongolia's policy of prohibiting the deployment on and transit through its territory of foreign troops, nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
United States' position on Mongolia's initiative, which influenced the positions of Britain and France, was expressed in October and December of 1993. It stated that "In adhering closely to the letter and spirit of the NPT, Mongolia, as a non-nuclear sovereign State friendly to the United States, benefits from the United States' commitment to seek Security Council assistance for non-nuclear-weapon States who are members of the NPT in the event of a nuclear attack on them, and from US assurances that it would not use nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear State not allied with a nuclear-weapon State…If Mongolia ever faces a threat and decides to refer the matter to the United Nations Security Council, the United States, along with other members of the Council, would consider appropriate steps to be taken."
The United Kingdom and France made declarations of support on 1 November 1993 and 24 January, 1994 respectively. Besides the nuclear States, many other States have expressed support for the initiative. Thus the Heads of State and Government as well as the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Non-Aligned Movement on a number of occasions have expressed their unanimous support for the initiative. Thus in Durban in September of 1998, the Heads of State or Government of NAM " expressed their support of Mongolia's policy to institutionalize its single State nuclear-weapon-free status".
Political environment and need for pursuing the initiative
The positive steps that have been registered in non-proliferation and nuclear arms reduction fields in early 1990s create a positive atmosphere for pressing further nuclear arms control and disarmament. The reluctance of some States to review their nuclear deterrence doctrines, reversal by some of their non-first use doctrines, reiteration by the NATO of their nuclear deterrence doctrine, the events in South Asia, steps that could alter the nuclear strategic balance, continued vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons and some other negative trends underline the necessity for the international community to pursue even more vigorously the nuclear disarmament agenda and reverse these trends.
Conducive political environment for pursuing the initiative
Mongolia's initiative comes from a region where two of the five declared nuclear powers are situated, sharing thousands of miles of common border with each other ( and with Mongolia ) and where many nuclear and nuclear-weapons related structures are situated. It is also a region where almost every fourth registered nuclear-weapon test in the world ( i.e. 136 tests in the atmosphere and 368 underground ) has been conducted in Semipalatinsk ( former Soviet Union ) and in Lop Nor (PRC), the environmental, health and geophysical consequences of which are yet to be fully assessed. These facts alone demonstrate the need for keeping the region nuclear-weapon-free, test-free and de-contaminating it.
Russia and China both have positively responded to Mongolia's initiative. There seem to be several reasons for that. First and foremost, foreign policies of both Russia ( previously the Soviet Union ) and China have shifted from confrontation with each other to wide cooperation. Thus in the joint declaration defining the basis of relations between them, signed at the summit meeting in Beijing in December 1992, the two sides had declared that their disputes would henceforth be resolved by peaceful means, that they would not use or threaten to use force in any form against each other, including the use of the territory, the territorial waters and air space of third neighboring countries. They have also pledged that they would not participate in any military-political alliances directed against each other, nor conclude with third countries any treaties or agreements that would be detrimental to state sovereignty and security interests of the other party. In the nuclear field, in September of 1994, the two sides have declared de-targeting of their strategic nuclear weapons and declared not to use first nuclear weapons against each other. The agreements signed between them since then in the political, military, trade and economic fields have further strengthened the atmosphere of trust, understanding and wider cooperation.
Furthermore, absence of any territorial, border or political problems between Mongolia and its neighbors, Mongolia's clearly defined foreign policy objectives and security concepts and policies mentioned above, that fully conform with the national interests and stated policies of the two neighbors, have also contributed to their positive response.
Of no less importance, of course, is also the general international atmosphere, including broad international support for the initiatives aimed at establishment of additional nuclear-weapon-free zones in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Brief analysis of the proposal
President P. Ochirbat's declaration of Mongolia's territory as a nuclear-weapon-free zone was clear cut. His reference to the "internationally guaranteed status" clearly demonstrates that what Mongolia has in mind is acquiring a status similar to other nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZs). Though none of the zones are or can be the same, nevertheless international practice and the studies undertaken by the United Nations on NWFZs amply demonstrate the need for at least the following requirements: complete and total absence of nuclear weapons in the zone of application; the initiative for the creation of the zone should reflect the geographical and political realities; the scope of application of the zone should be clearly defined; the constituent instrument of the zone should be an international treaty; there should be a system of verification and control; the zone of application should be clearly defined and the zone should, as such, be recognized by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Mongolia fully met the main criteria, while others could be met when actually establishing the zone.
The 1975 Comprehensive Study on the Question of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones in all its Aspects, when referring to the principles of establishing NWFZs, especially concerning its participants, has pointed out that "obligations relating to the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones may be assumed not only by groups of States, including entire continents or large geographical regions, but also by small groups of States and even individual countries" ( underlined by the author ). In 1976 the General Assembly expressed the hope that the Comprehensive Study, together with the views, observations and suggestions on that study, would enhance further the efforts of governments concerning NWFZs and would be useful for States in the establishment of such zones.
The above conclusion of the Comprehensive Study and General Assembly resolution 31/70 formed the international legal basis for Mongolia's initiative.
Since Mongolia is not threatened militarily by neither of its neighbors, the primary goal of the initiative seems to have been political, rather than military one. For the same reason Mongolia's initiative seems to be more of an insurance policy than an expression of a preventive diplomacy.
Bearing in mind the practical benefits of creating NWFZs, the proposed zone was designed to put a legal barrier to future attempts to reintroduce or deploy nuclear weapons in Mongolia under any circumstances or pretexts, and never again experience the dangers of the 1960s and 1970s.
Unlike other NWFZ initiatives, Mongolia's proposal is innovative. This is manifested in the fact that instead of a group of States, Mongolia was determined to create a single-State zone, as recognized and accepted in the Comprehensive Study of 1975 that was endorsed by the General Assembly. Moreover, Mongolia believes that the initiative cannot be realized solely by declarations of support. The assurances it was seeking were expected to be no less credible than those given to other NWFZs. Therefore President P. Ochirbat's reference to "internationally guaranteed status" meant that Mongolia, like other NWFZs, expected a legally based status. As the representative of Mongolia explained, to be credible, the zone cannot be based on unilateral declarations of support only, because unlike legally binding commitments, unilateral declarations are easily susceptible to changes of heart or mind. A NWFZ can be credible only when it has a clear legal basis, when parties to the arrangement have legally defined their rights and obligations."
To make its point and to encourage debate on single-State NWFZ concept, the Mongolian delegation introduced in April of 1997 in Working Group I of UNDC a working paper on the principles of establishment of such a zone ( the Commission was mandated to examine the question of "The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned" with the aim of presenting to the General Assembly specific recommendations.) The working paper was referred to on a number occasions during the consideration of NWFZ issues in the UNDC and the First Committee of UNGA in 1997 and 1998.
The informal consultations held on the single-State zone has revealed that the nuclear-weapon States had two major difficulties: a) accepting single-State zone as a concept (though they pointed out that Mongolia could be considered as an exceptional case and b) accepting the notion of "institutionalization" of the zone. On the other hand, Mongolia, which did not belong to any regional or bilateral alliance, thought that its nuclear-weapon-free status would be credible only if its over-all security concerns are duly addressed. This in itself meant that Mongolia's case could not be considered as a typical one, since all previous zones had been created within the framework of existing regional arrangements or mechanisms. All these factors were taken into consideration when a draft resolution on Mongolia's proposal was negotiated in the fall of 1998. The draft resolution entitled: "Mongolia's international security and nuclear-weapon-free status" tried to duly address all these concerns. The draft, with some changes, was adopted on 4 December by the General Assembly as its resolution 53/77D ( see annex of this paper).
The main gist of resolution 53/77D are :
? acceptance by the General Assembly
of Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status;
? acceptance of the fact that Mongolia's good-neighborly and balanced relationship with China and Russia constitute "an important element of strengthening regional peace, security and stability";
? invitation of Member States, especially the five nuclear-weapon States, to help Mongolia consolidate and strengthen its "independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of its frontiers, its economic security, ecological balance and its nuclear-weapon-free status as well as its independent foreign policy".
However no reference to the concept of single-State zones nor to the notion of "institutionalization" were made in the resolution. Notwithstanding the above, the resolution makes the first important step towards eventual establishment of Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status.
The statements made before and after the adoption of the resolution in the First Committee on 10 November as well as the statements made subsequently, inter alia, by President Jiang Zemin of China and the Russian Foreign Minister Mr. Igor Ivanov demonstrate that the resolution and the ideas behind it enjoy wide support, including of the two immediate neighbors.
Looking ahead
Resolution 53/77D is a forward looking one. Its implementation would strengthen Mongolia's international security and define the content of the nuclear-weapon-free status. Operative para. 3 of the resolution accepts broad definition of Mongolia's national security and invites Member States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to cooperate in its strengthening. The pledges contained in the treaties that Mongolia had concluded with its neighbors, and extensively cited above, provide a good basis for strengthening and developing further these important bilateral commitments, and turning them into multilateral.
Definition of Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status and the form that its institutionalization would take will depend primarily on the positions of Mongolia and its two immediate neighbors. However it would not depend entirely on them only, because the object of definition is an issue directly related to a nuclear-weapon regime, which, according to international law and practice, presupposes acceptance of certain standard minima that form the basis of the treaties establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones. Since China and Russia are supportive of Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status and support all the established NWFZs, it would seem that the definition of Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status would not create enormous difficulties.
Another set of issues that should be addressed in implementation of resolution 53/77D is strengthening the non-nuclear aspects of Mongolia's security.
Since security is always country specific, the content of Mongolia's external security, especially of its political, economic and ecological security, should be clearly defined, while the ways and means of ensuring and strengthening them should be agreed upon either on bilateral, trilateral or multilateral basis, depending on the issues involved. Since Mongolia has treaties on friendly relations and cooperation with its immediate neighbors, has no political problems with neither of them, there seem to be a sound political and solid legal basis for the implementation of operative para. 3 of the resolution.
The political aspects of Mongolia's security could be strengthened by reaffirming, on a multilateral basis its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, inviolability of its borders, its non-aligned and nuclear-weapon-free status. That could be reflected in a P5 joint declaration or statement, or in a political protocol or even in the statement of the President of the Security Council. For the status to be viable and effective, perhaps a sub-regional security arrangement could be devised that would also reflect the legitimate interests of its immediate neighbors. A balanced, transparent and practical arrangement would be useful not only for all the three States concerned, but could also form part of a broader regional security arrangement.
It is difficult, and in fact too early, at this stage to point out the form and shape that implementation of operative para. 3 could take. However it seems that one should look into the possibility of defining a set of principles and rules, and devising some form of an arrangement that would adequately address Mongolia's international security needs and concerns as well as the legitimate interests of its two neighbors. It is also clear that implementation of operative para. 3 of the resolution cannot be achieved at once or reflected in one or two agreed documents. It would take a process and a number of concrete measures to do so. The author believes that the identification of the nuclear-weapon-free status and strengthening of the non-nuclear aspects of Mongolia's security could be undertaken in parallel. One of the possible ways of dealing with the definition of the nuclear-weapon-free status is to have Mongolia adopt a national legislation on its status, bearing in mind the international practice of establishing NWFZs, and on the basis of that legislation address the specific issues that would involve other States, including nuclear-weapon States, and address such questions as security assurances, transit of nuclear devices, verification and other related issues.
In Mongolia's context, the economic security needs that ought to be addressed are first and foremost connected with ensuring unimpeded and fair access to the sea, security of its financial and banking systems from arbitrary foreign interventions, and, in a broader sense, commitment from the P5 to ensure non-resort to economic coercion designed to subordinate to others' interests the exercise by Mongolia of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure by others unilateral advantages of any kind. Such commitments have been made in 1994 by the US, Russia and Britain with respect to Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan in form of memoranda.
As to ecological security needs, international assistance in Mongolia's unequal and strenuous struggle against desertification and deforestation, assistance in reversing these ominous trends are vitally important. Moreover, it would be in the spirit of ensuring nuclear security if the nuclear tests are not resumed under any pretext in the future, and assistance is given to assess the effects of the past nuclear tests on the population and the environment adjacent to the Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor test cites ( no serious monitoring was done and there is no sufficient data on the effects of the weapons tests on the population and the environment ) and nuclear wastes are not dumped on the adjacent to Mongolia areas that could in the long run affect the population and the environment.
For all practical considerations, the national legislation and the agreed principles, rules and arrangements together could form a special international regime concerning Mongolia's international status.
Role of the United Nations
Resolution 53/77D explicitly underlines that its implementation depends on cooperation of Member States, especially the five nuclear-weapon States, with Mongolia, either on bilateral, trilateral or multilateral basis.
The relevant United Nations bodies are asked and expected to play an important supportive role. Operative paras. 5, 6 and 7 of the resolution defined the concrete role that the United Nations was asked to play. Thus the General Assembly:
a) requested the Secretary-General
and relevant UN bodies to provide the necessary assistance to Mongolia,
within existing resources, to take the necessary measures, mentioned in
operative para. 3;
b) requested the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the resolution at its fifty-fifth session, and
c) decided to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fifth session an item entitled: "Mongolia's international security and nuclear-weapon-free status", so as to consider this question at that session.
With its rich international
experience and expertise, the United Nations can and should play an important
role in the implementation of this resolution. Thus it could provide the
necessary expertise and advice on defining the nuclear-weapon-free status
in conjunction with Mongolia's international security, make studies on
possible sub-regional arrangements that could supplement and reinforce
the status and make arrangements that would ensure that once the
nuclear-weapon-free status is defined and agreed upon, it is fully observed
and respected. The IAEA could play a useful role in the latter as
well as in peaceful nuclear development. The United Nations
could also help in addressing the non-nuclear aspects of Mongolia's security,
especially in advising on economic and ecological security, in developing
a trilateral security arrangement that would make this part of the region
more predictable and stable, and that could comfortably fit into a wider
regional security structure or arrangement.


text:
Gallery Folders
My Sketchbook
Art from my childhood
Good day.
Do vasochen interesting set of pictures - colorful, varied and original. Thank you for such wonderful work!)
Pure Awesomeness.
thank you, the beautiful gallery
awesome gallery,detail incredible.
Great job, man. Just... just great job.
Very creative and mind blowing. Nice work!
Hey I've seen alot of these before... In the galleries of the people who actually drew them!


text:
James Gandolfini, Peter O'Toole, Cory Monteith — 2013 saw the loss of many talented stars. Here, we say a final good-bye to the actors, singers, authors and other entertainers who died this year.
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Leg lamp stolen from New York store's display
NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (AP) — Who took the leg lamp belonging to Ralphie's "Old Man" from a New York store's annual tribute to "A Christmas Story"? Full Story
Pittsburgh mayor goes 'Undercover' in reality show
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh's mayor has gone undercover for a reality show. A disguised Bill Peduto appeared on Sunday's episode of the CBS series "Undercover Boss," collecting trash, sawing down trees and helping build a door. Full Story
Commentary: Sony's fear and 'The Interview' decision set terrible precedent
Seth Rogen and James Franco film unlikely to remain in a vault after costing $44 million.


text:
Cottonelle Aims to Gussy Up Spare Toilet Paper Rolls
Look at that spare roll of toilet paper waiting expectantly atop your toilet. Doesn't it make you feel self-conscious? Don't you wish it looked pretty? Well, does Cottonelle have the solution for you!
As part of Cottonelle's "Respect the Roll" campaign (which debuted in August), the Kimberly-Clark T.P. brand employed the talents of popular "happy chic" designer Jonathan Adler to produce three "groovy" new toilet paper roll covers. As part of the campaign, Chicago-based agency Tris3ct created two new TV spots starring characters who live in the fictional town of Where the Sun Don't Shine. (So…they live up someone's anus?) In this dark town, residents apparently "respect" their backup toilet paper so much that they've given it a little house to live in, all the while teaching each other about proper toilet paper care and etiquette. Credits and one more spot follow after the jump.


text:
Results tagged ' Trevor Cahill '
Role Players Pivotal To A's Success This Year
My first observation following yesterday's 2-1 win in Toronto: Trevor Cahill (left) looks like the same guy who won 18 last year and earned All-Star honors—if not better. His ball still darts downward with a bite almost unfair to hitters. And this, from a 23-year-old kid who still sports peach fuzz on his cheeks.
It took some courage from Bob Geren to remove him from a 3-hit masterpiece after eight innings and a 105-pitch count, but in the long run, I think they felt it was time for Brian Fuentes to notch his first save. We don't make a serious run at the AL West crown unless we're clicking on all cylinders, and that means Fuentes, Bailey and Balfour providing the final touches on A's wins. Same goes for sitting down David DeJesus in favor of Conor Jackson (left, below) and plugging in Andy LaRoche to rest the ear-infected Ellis. Jackson and LaRoche will play vital roles on this team if we want to join the 90-win echelon of other playoff contenders. This means specialists and backup players will need to step up and flourish when they're asked to perform, whether it is an occasional start, a pinch-hitting appearance, or a summon from the bullpen.
The good news is they're passing the early tests. After a bout with a finger blister, Fuentes looked like his old self at the Rogers Centre, whipping that cross-body heater that can tie hitters up in knots. Jackson has been nothing but sensational in his two starts this season. Not only has he wielded a hot bat, he's also more than held his own in the field. His shoestring catch of a sinking liner off the bat of Adam Lind in the sixth inning today may have been even more impactful than his game-deciding RBI single was in the eighth. And LaRoche, thrust into the unaccustomed role of utilityman, may have emerged as our most consistent hitter in the early season while starting at shortstop, third base and second base in consecutive games.
Yes realists, we are only 2-4 as we enter the frigid confines of Target Field. But as I mentioned in my previous blog, this is a work in progress. While expectations are high, and the early season schedule presents challenges, those wearing green and gold uniforms are focusing merely at the task at hand. With 156 games left to the finish line, there will be many revelations in store as the season unfolds. Today, the Twins christen their home season. Brett Anderson will take the mound for the Athletics, aiming to spoil another team's Opening Day in the same fashion King Felix did in Oakland last week. As always, time will tell.
A Final Around-The-Horn Before Spring Training
Well, the countdown to
cactus continues. In about another week,
the annual rituals will begin. We'll be
checking into the team hotel in Phoenix
and voila, Spring Training will commence
in earnest. In case you hadn't noticed I've put my blog on ice for a couple of
months since the Winter Meetings. But
now I think it's time to offer up a few notes and anecdotes I've been storing
up lately. Hopefully you'll find some of
If there was any doubt that
baseball's popularity is truly international, just add a slugging designated
hitter from Japan
and an Australian set-up man to your roster during the offseason. In the world where we live–media
relations–the free agent signing of Hideki Matsui
brings a lot more than home runs and RBI to the A's. It also brings about 50 additional Japanese
media to the scene. Writers and
photographers from wire services like Kyodo
News and Jiji Press or daily
newspapers such as the Yomiuri Shimbun,
Nikkan Sports and Chunichi Shimnbun,
will join us in Spring Training and stay with us throughout the season. So will broadcasters from the Toyko Broadcasting System, Fuji TV and NHK, with NHK also
televising about 40 of our games live during the 2011 season. It will totally change the dynamics in the
clubhouse and pre-game on the field, as Bob Geren, the players and our Bay Area
media will have a lot of company this year.
For Spring Training, we've already made plans to add additional seating
and risers in the press box at Phoenix Muni.
My prediction: it's going to be a
tight fit.
Then you add veteran
reliever Grant Balfour, who hails from Sydney, and Australian
journalists have also jumped on board. I
just spoke with a U.S.
correspondent from Channel Nine, one
of Australia's
leading TV networks, who plans to cover camp later this month. I anticipate many other media from "down
under" will be calling soon. As far as
we're concerned, the more the merrier!
Did you notice the mention
of Dallas
Braden in the most recent edition of Sports Illustrated? It appeared in a feature story about Giants'
closer Brian
It's been well documented that Braden and Wilson are good friends and
off-season travel mates. Two years ago,
it was Europe.
This past offseason, the eccentric duo decided to explore Thailand. There was mention that they were regularly
found jogging in the jungle, which of course, made me wonder what local Thai
residents–not to mention the wildlife–thought about those peculiar numbers tattooed
on Braden's torso….2 0 9, indeed!
I'm really fortunate to have
two remarkable researchers and number crunchers on my media relations
staff. Mike Selleck has been our long-time baseball information person and
he's respected throughout baseball for his game notes, especially his obscure
or unknown nuggets. One fact he
unearthed that very few Bay Area fans were aware of is this: not only did the 2010 Oakland starting
rotation post the best ERA (3.47) in the majors, but that figure represented
the best turned in by a rotation in the American League in 20 years (Boston,
3.32 in 1990)! And it was accomplished
with a rotation that averaged only 23 years of age for much of the season.
Another crack PR staffer is
our newly-hired Adam Loberstein, who did some
rather interesting research of his own recently. He decided to add the 2010 statistics of our
new offseason additions, then subtract the stats of last year's A's who are no
longer on the roster, and see where we would place in the league rankings. What he found with the additions and
subtractions was the Oakland bullpen improved
its Opponents Batting Average figure from .248 to .217, which would have elevated
them from fourth best in the AL
to first in all the majors. What's more, last year's 3.75 ERA would improve to 2.94, moving
the A's relievers from a No. 6 ranking in the American League to first in the AL and second in the majors. Offensively, our new additions (most notably Matsui,
Willingham and David DeJesus) would have improved our 2010 on-base percentage
from .324 to .339, a swing from being ranked ninth to tied for third best in
the AL. So, clearly we're better on paper than last
year. Now the trick is transferring it
from paper to the playing field.
This year marks the 30th
anniversary of the zenith of Billyball, as it was Billy Martin's 1981 A's club that shocked the baseball world by
winning the American League West with a 64-45 record during a strike-shortened
season. That '81 club of misfits started
the season by posting an 18-3 record in April, still the best April in Oakland franchise
history. They opened the season with a
Major League-record 11 straight victories, including eight on the road. And in that 11-game period, A's pitchers
threw 10 complete games and compiled an overall 1.27 team ERA. Martin's no names roared into the playoffs,
where they swept Kansas City
in three games, outscoring the Royals, 10-2, in the AL Divisional Series. But Cinderella's run ended soon thereafter
when Martin's old team, the Yankees, returned the favor by sweeping the A's in
the AL Championship Series in three games.
This year's Cactus League
schedule will start with a bang for A's fans, as Oakland hosts 2010 NL Central
champion Cincinnati (March 1) and last year's World Series participants Texas
(March 4) and San Francisco (March 5) during the first week at Phoenix
Municipal Stadium.
Word has it that Scott Hatteberg, the man whose walk-off home run clinched the
Athletics' American League-setting 20th straight victory in 2002, will be
spending some time in A's Spring Training as a special instructor this
year. He'll join Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson in that capacity.
The 2011 A's Media Guide is
due off the presses by the end of this month.
On the cover? The Big Four: Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden.
There's been much
commotion–understandably so–about the Giants taking their 2010 World Series
trophy on tour in Northern California this offseason, giving their fans an
opportunity to pose with the cherished piece of hardware. Recently,
a Bay Area sportswriter called me about a column he was writing which
would cite how local pro sports franchises have chosen to display any past
World Championship trophies. He wanted
to confirm that we still keep our 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989 trophies in our
office reception area, available to the general public. I confirmed that we did. And I also could not restrain myself from
adding one final comment: "There is one
difference for our fans compared to Giants fans. When our fans pose for their photo, it's a horizontal shot."
Leo Durocher, the former major
league manager, was fond of saying that "nice guys finish last." Well, this week's Oakland A's award winners may serve as
Exhibit A and Exhibit B in disproving Durocher's claim.
When Andrew Bailey (right) was named American League Rookie of the
Year Monday
and then we learned Tuesday that Keith Lieppman
had received the Chief Bender Award–baseball's top lifetime achievement award
for player development–the reaction from friends and co-workers was the
same. It was pure joy and
exhilaration. It seemed everyone was genuinely thrilled to hear
the news, which in a way, may have served as the greatest tribute of all for both
For Bailey, we were flooded
with phone calls and emails from people he had touched on his path to the big
leagues. Shawn Touney, the media relations director at Single-A Kane
County, sent me a glowing note saying everyone associated with Andrew's old
team was thrilled for him. Even his old
coach and sports information director at Wagner
College (Staten Island, NY)
could not contain their excitement and felt compelled to contact us. Of course, what's not to like about a pitcher
who, minutes after learning he had won the Rookie of the Year award, is calling
many of his former minor league instructors to thank them for helping him win the award?
And then there's Lieppman (right) –he
shares the same nickname ("The Lip") as Durocher–who may even be a nicer guy
than Bailey if that's possible. I just
got a phone call from Monte Moore, the former legendary
A's broadcaster. He wanted to get
Keith's email address so he could drop him a congratulatory note.
Monte, now semi-retired and
living in Porterville, shared one rather
incredible story about Lieppman that dates back to his Little League days in Kansas City. "This is even before I started broadcasting Kansas City A's games,"
said Monte. "I was sports director of a
radio station in town and we held this promotion on the lawn called 'Strikeout
Sam.' We had this framed strike zone for
kids to throw the ball through. We
invited all Little Leaguers in Kansas
City to participate and they all got 10 pitches. And who wins the contest? A youngster named Keith Lieppman!" Little did Monte or anyone else know that the
Lip would eventually begin a long association with the Athletics that will
reach 40 years this spring. Lieppman, a journalism
graduate of the University
of Kansas, began his A's
career as a player in 1971. Later he became
a manager in the Oakland
minor league system before becoming the organization's director of player
development, a position he has held for 19 years.
Suffice it to say, he spans virtually the entire A's
history in Oakland,
making a profound impact on the lives of literally thousands of young men and coaches.
In many ways, he is the Oakland A's! So congratulations, Lip. It's comforting to know that nice guys can
actually finish first!
When you finish in last
place in the American League West, 12 games under .500 and 22 games behind the
division-leading Angels, there's not a lot of wiggle room in explaining how
your team fell short.
I guess the big question is,
which A's team will show up next season–the one that fell out of contention
early or the one that went 38-38 and led the American League in doubles and
stolen bases and ranked third in both batting average and hits after the
All-Star Break? There are credible
baseball people outside our
organization who believe we have a bright future.
In a San
Francisco Chronicle story written by Susan Slusser in September, here's
what some these sources said about Oakland's
fast-maturing roster:
- "It's an impressive haul. It's one of the best collections of
talent in baseball," -Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus analyst
- "I don't think they're far away from being a
real good club. All those young
pitchers they have are learning on the job and they'll be so much better
for it." -Dan O'Dowd, Colorado
Rockies GM
- "The Oakland
A's have become a big player in the international market. Billy (Beane) is all in. He's never going to be caught in
no-man's land…if these guys stay healthy and continue to develop, you'll
see the fruits of the labor. Fast
forward a year and the picture will look so much better." –Brian
Cashman, New York
Yankees GM
- "(Trevor) Cahill and (Brett) Anderson can fit into the top half of
even a very good rotation. And they
hit on Andrew Bailey." -Keith Law, ESPN.com analyst
Not to belabor the point,
but look at some of these numbers after the All-Star Break:
Player Post-ASB
Rajai Davis, cf .325, 42 RBI,
Ryan Sweeney, rf .319, 20 doubles,
Eric Patterson, lf-2b .302
Kurt Suzuki, c .250, 10 HR, 51 RBI
Adam Kennedy, 3b .288,
Daric Barton, 1b .287, 23 RBI
Mark Ellis, 2b .279, 7 HR,
Cliff Pennington, ss .279,
21 RBI, 32-game errorless streak
Brett Anderson, lhp 6-4, 3.48 ERA
Trevor Cahill, rhp 5-5, 4.59 ERA
Andrew Bailey, rhp 16-for-16 in saves,
Craig Breslow, lhp 7-3, 2.29 ERA
Michael Wuertz, rhp 1-0,
Brad Ziegler, rhp 1-1, 2.81 ERA


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This job is no longer available
Further information
An established architectural consultancy are on the hunt for a Qualified Architect with a successful track record delivering education projects.
The role demands for a strong project managing Architect with excellent design skills and experience delivering education projects (additional residential experience will be an advantage) to join, optimise and evolve within an established architectural consultancy. Within a creative task-force you will take on and run projects from the start, using your previous project running experience. The right person will progress very quickly, offering excellent career prospects, with a salary increase accordingly.
Software proficiency with AutoCAD is essential. Revit/BIM capabilities will be an advantage as will UK based experience.
Candidates will be client facing and therefore must be presentable and demonstrate confidence and have good presentation skills. You will be required to foster new business - you will need business acumen and development.


text:
Vendor Application:: Instructions:: Class Codes
Purchasing Division
City of Coral Springs
9551 West Sample Road
Coral Springs, FL 33065
Phone: 954-344-1100
Fax: 954-344-1186 (fax)
Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1. Name of Business (if individual, enter last name first).
2. Street or P.O. Box address to which bid requests are to be mailed.
3. City
4. Contact to whom bid requests are to be mailed. Enter none if no one person should be named.
5a. Telephone Number
(include area code)
5b. Toll Free Number
(if available)
5b. FAX
(if available)
5c. E-mail
(if available)
6a. Federal Employer's ID Number
6b. Social Security Number, if individual
7. Select the actual class-items from the 3 digit Commodity Class Codes. Print the appropriate sheets and attach them to this application.
8. Address of main business office if different from #2 or #3.
9. If incorporated, in which state
and date
10. Location of principal factory or warehouse.
11. If you currently hold any Florida State contracts, list contract numbers and expiration dates.
12. Principal line of business.
13. How long in present business.
14. Bidder's comments:
15. The undersigned hereby certifies that the above and foregoing information is a full, true, and correct statement of the facts. It is understood that failure to bid or return the proper no bid form on three (3) consecutive bid invitations for any given Commodity Class could result in removal from the Bidder's mailing list for that Class.
(After you print the form, be sure to sign your name above Authorized Signature.)


text:
MOBILE, Ala – The road to the NFL runs through Mobile every year in the Senior Bowl. More than 100 of the best in college football gathered at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Saturday, in hopes of improving their professional draft stock.
Auburn and Alabama both had four players on the Senior Bowl South team roster; and both teams had all-star's bring home some hardware.
Auburn's defensive end, Dee Ford, had two sacks and a pass break-up, earning him the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl MVP.
"This is an honor; I owe this to the South squad though. We came together in only a matter of time, so it's a big deal to me, but I really it to those guy," said Ford of the award.
Alabama's wide receiver, Kevin Norwood, was named the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl South team Most Outstanding player. Norwood caught four passes for 53 yards, and one touchdown.
"What a way to end a college career, to play your last game with the fans behind you, playing at home, with my family here – it was very exciting for me," said Norwood.


text:
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island cities and towns searching for ways to cover health benefits promised to retired government workers may have a new avenue for relief: Obamacare.
State Department of Revenue Director Rosemary Booth Gallogly suggested Monday that the state explore the idea of having municipal retirees purchase insurance through the state's soon-to-launch health benefits exchange, which is a key piece of President Obama's federal health-care law.
Rhode Island's exchange, known as HealthSource RI, is slated to launch Oct. 1. It is expected to be an online portal where small businesses and individuals without insurance can compare and purchase plans.
"We want to see if that's an opportunity for Rhode Island's communities and what that would mean to them," Gallogly said at a meeting of the Locally-Administered Pension Plans Study Commission, which is charged with monitoring the financial health of local pension and retiree benefit plans.
Gallogly, who chairs the commission, said she is interested in hearing from exchange officials about the idea at a future meeting. "We're open to any suggestions," she said.
HealthSourceRI spokeswoman Dara Chadwick says the exchange will be doing an analysis, noting that Governor Chafee has previously expressed interest in municipalities working with the exchange.
But Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who also sits on the local pension commission, noted that moving municipal retirees into Obamacare may not be a simple proposition for many Rhode Island communities.
"Those are negotiated benefits," he said after the meeting. "They are in the contracts. We can't just do it unilaterally."
The comments come as cash-strapped jurisdictions from Detroit to Sheboygan County, Wis., are considering moving retirees into Obamacare marketplaces as a way to reduce costs.
Detroit has proposed the option as it seeks to emerge from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
And Chicago plans to reduce health insurance coverage for tens of thousands of retired city workers next year. The city expects those retired workers would be able to purchase government-subsidized health care through Illinois' Obamacare exchange.
Fung said addressing retiree health care is as critical to the financial future of local cities and towns as addressing their overburdened pension systems. "It's just another looming problem that has to have some guidance," he said.
According to a 2011 state auditor general report, the unfunded liability for local retiree health plans was about $3.5 billion. The unfunded liability for city and town pension plans, by way of comparison, totaled about $2.1 billion, according to the report.
Gallogly said such retiree health benefits — oftentimes referred to as "Other Post-Employment Benefits," or OPEB — also have their own unique challenges.
"Unlike the local [pension] plans, where there is a trust fund in existence, OPEB is very different," Gallogly said. "Many are just funding those benefits on a pay-go basis. We do have some communities that have started a trust and are putting money in them. But they are pretty poorly funded, in general."
Chafee's administration, she said, is still gathering information from local officials.
At Monday's commission meeting, the administration released preliminary findings from a recent survey of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns.
The survey found that 35 communities provide OPEB to retired workers, but only about 15 have an investment trust to help pay for them. (Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond and West Greenwich are the towns that do not offer OPEB.)
The survey also found that 17 communities have enacted OPEB through union-negotiated contracts.


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In Case You Haven't Heard
About town
Don't forget Block Island's annual Game Dinner on Sunday, February 26, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Highview, upstairs and down. The food is always great, servers will be the island's clergy, and donation checks for the Manley Fund will be welcomed.
Follow-up information on the Groundhog Day census was imparted by Bill Penn, who told me he was winner of the Groundhog Day betting pool. The pot was a lavish $102, and Bill split it with the Manley Fund. "I sold him the winning number!" joked Nancy Worth. And of course, that lucky number was 948.
Now that spring is approaching, keep your eyes peeled for a few vintage mopeds that have gone back to road duty. The four proud owners of the vehicles have the makings for a road club of two-wheeled antiques, if they choose to go that way. I won't reveal their names; they may make themselves known if they wish "as time goes by," but I will say that one of the vehicles, surely the star of the fleet, is a wonderful 1977 French Motobecane with pedals that actually go round and round. It was mine until recently, and its new owner reports it is in beautiful shape. I'm delighted it has found a careful owner and new life.
Block Island everywhere
On a warm-up visit to Florida's west coast, Alan and Roberta Alpert and Ron and Judy Tierney stopped in to see Charlie Hayback and Joyce Clougherty on Casey Key. Norm and Shelley Topf drove down from their winter home outside of Tampa for the fun on a windy afternoon that reminded them all of Block Island, though Florida will never be as beautiful as home (says Judy).
Justin Barrows, down in Cream Ridge, New Jersey, was particularly happy with a Christmas gift from his mother, Diane Johnson: "My mom gave me Sharon Lehman's dock shack painting. How awesome is that! I've got it hanging in our entryway. She sketched a little figure that's supposed to be me beside the bench. She also signed it again because of it." Justin worked for the Block Island Boat Basin years ago, first at the store and then on the dock. He and beautiful wife Anna met each other at the Boat Basin the summer she came to work at the Oar, so the dock shack holds happy memories. (The now-famous painting may be viewed on the Block Island Boat Basin Facebook page.)
Justin added that he and Anna are renting a house on-island for 4th of July week: "See you this summer! Can't wait!" In addition to being the son of Diane Johnson, Justin is the grandson of native Block Islander Silas Littlefield ("Dub") Barrows.
A new blog by Johno Sisto can be reached at psckitchen.blogspot.com (make sure you put both those dots in there), and offers a cornucopia of food lore, a favorite meal or two, and some of Johno's recipes. Viewers are welcomed to become followers or friends of the site. Great idea, fun to read, and recipes are deliciously simple. And simply delicious.
All creatures
A funny avian configuration at Sands Pond was called to my attention by a bird watching friend: "I just saw a flock of about a dozen geese fly in, and they have a herring gull that flies in formation with them! They're out on the pond now, all together. When the gull flies with them, he keeps to their wing beat, he doesn't fly like a gull any more! Thinks he's a goose. Funniest thing!"
Later that day, at the end of a Chihuahua wildlife safari, I pulled the truck alongside the lot on Sands Pond wherein dwells a horse that doglets Tia Maria and Coco Chanel love to bark at. Dobbin was there, all right, and with him a flock of Canada geese with, lo, a white goose with gray wings in their midst. I watched to make sure 'twas goose, not gull; round and large it was, with a neck that craned far up, and a yellow/orange goose bill. I called the birdwatcher and reported. He replied, "It's definitely a herring gull that flies with them, but if they have a white goose too, maybe that's how the gull got confused."
Sound of silence
A winter neighbor and I were recently chatting about the lovely silence that prevails this time of year. "It's so quiet on the island now, it's wonderful!" he enthused, noting that March would bring more airplanes and the mowers would follow soon after. "People don't think about silence, but when it's gone, it's gone," he said. "Then, they miss it without knowing what made the difference." Like open space, we agreed. But airplanes and mowers are certainly essential, and summer's buzz of activity entertains us all.
Arlene Tunney and Ken Maxwell will celebrate their wedding anniversary on February 29, so wish them a happy anniversary and divide whatever number it is by four!
Is 2012 really a Leap Year? Julius Caesar added an extra day to the calendar every four years, starting back in 45 B.C., and the new Julian calendar was created to compensate for the 365.24 days it takes the earth to rotate around the sun. If an extra day were not added every few years, we would lose about six hours a year and be off by 24 days after a century, so Caesar standardized the timing to four years. In the late 14th Century, Pope Gregory XIII ruled that a year is not a Leap Year unless it is evenly divisible by 400. Maybe people were having too much fun with Leap Year every four years.
With February 29 leaping into the Gregorian calendar every fourth year anyway, we might as well celebrate. A lady who's of a mind to may propose to her man on Leap Day, and if he refuses he must pay a penalty. Tradition holds with a gown, or money, or in some parts of Europe, a gift of 12 pairs of gloves, so that the lady can wear them to hide the embarrassment of not having an engagement ring.
Whether people are marriage-minded or not on Leap Day, it's still fun to make some sort of occasion of the Leap's relatively rarity.
Of cakes and candles
A very happy birthday to Becca Hollaway, whose special day is February 25, the day this paper hits the street! Happy birthdays too to Mon Dickinson and Marilyn Bogdanffy, February 26; Betty Gann and Jessica Willi, February 27; Gabby Hobe, February 28; Charles Beck, Barby Michel, Abra Savoie and David Roosa, all on March 2; Webb Moore, March 3; Cliff McGinnes, March 5; Erica Tonner, Persephone Brown and Shirley Gasner, March 6, and Shirley, by the way, is celebrating her 95th this year; Betsy Theve and Barbara Temple, March 8; and Willis Dodge, Kim Gaffett, Cathy Payne and Tracy Muller, all on March 10.
Let us know what's happening! Visiting relatives, special occasions, updates on friends near and far, projects… Deadline is Tuesday morning, and Fran can be reached at 466-2892 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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This is the best time in years to list your home. Orange County real estate has appreciated in the last few months, outpacing the Inland Empire and Los Angeles. With such attractive interest rates, buyers are out there looking for their new family home. Don't miss out on this opportunity to sell your home quickly… Read More
Orange County Inland Empire Real Estate Update
Now is the best time to list your home!
O.C. condo prices tumble to 10-year low O.C. condo prices tumble to 10-year low
Call it the lost decade: Condos are back to 2002 pricing. That's a major highlight of DataQuick's new Orange County homebuying report. For the 22 business days ending Feb. 6, -Orange County's real estate market saw … Median selling price for condos of $250,000 — that is off 12.3% vs. a year ago. That's lower… Read More
Housing's a drag, not a killer
Mortgage market commentary Friday, May 04, 2007 March payrolls posted the weakest monthly gain in two years, net of prior-month revision only 62,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.5 percent. However, slowing in the economy has been so widely expected and so thoroughly built into long-term rates that the 10-year Treasury is still… Read More
April Market Snapshot for Southern California
I hope you find the following snapshot of local California Real Estate inventory interesting. The table represents aggregated values based on MLS data for Los Angeles County, Orange County and Riverside County for the specified date. With so much misleading information being presented to us by the mass media (TV, radio, newspapers, and yes,, the… Read More
The Best Home that Turtle Ridge Irvine Has To Offer
236 LONE TREE, IRVINE, CA 92603$900,0003 Bedrooms2 Bathrooms 1,800 Est. Sq. Ft. Listing # S470049Turtle Ridge Custom Beauty: VERY PRIVATE & SECLUDED. 3 bdrm 2 ba upstairs unit. 2 car attached garage w/PRIVATE FULL 2 CAR DRIVEWAY, NOT SHARED/CARRIAGE STYLE like 98% of Whispering Glen. Too many upgrades to list; Spanish trowled plaster walls &… Read More
Welcome to Jeff Oldham's Orange County Inland Empire Real Estate Blog
Watch this space for the new real estate information blog for Orange County and the Inland Empire from Jeff Oldham. Look to us for timely news, market updates, hot new listings and more!


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They came; they saw; they conquered. They ventured into barren lands and planted their flags, initiating new waves of product ideas, new lines of thought, new methods of getting the job done. At this point, perhaps you're expecting an essay about Mr. Dell, Mr. Gates or some other household name. Sorry to disappoint you (or should we say "Glad to make your day"?), but we're thinking of some young entrepreneurs who, while perhaps lesser known, are no less deserving of the "trailblazer" designation-not only because they planted their proverbial flags, but because they're planting more and more of them by the second. If these entrepreneurs are any indication of the kinds of pioneers we'll see throughout the 21st century, today's trailblazers prove that it's good for history to repeat itself. And they also prove that it's not out of reach for you to blaze a trail of your own.
Laura E. Vasilion is a trailblazer herself. As a freelance writer and frequent contributor to The Chicago Tribune, she beats a path to her computer every day.
Like this article? Get this issue right now on iPad, Nook or Kindle Fire.
This article was originally published in the January 2001 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Beep, Beep!.


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Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge
Unfortunately, this wild area is threatened by sprawl, development and fragmenting wildlife habitat. The Wilderness Society works in and around the Umabagog National Wildlife Refuge to:
- Expand its protected areas.
- Protect endangered animals and plants.
- Improve recreation opportunities in the Refuge.
Why Umbagog
A popular recreation spot and wildlife haven, the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge is threatened by encroaching development.
Work we're doing
The Wilderness Society and its partners are working to guarantee the long term protection of Umbagog.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge.
Be the first to hear about important campaigns, victories and features related to enjoying and protecting wilderness by joining our email and mobile WildAlert network.
Hear artists, activists and adventurers share what the ownership and legacy of these American wildlands means to them.
Each day, thousands of acres of our wild places are lost to development. You can help save America's last remaining wilderness by joining The Wilderness Society with a gift of $35 or more today!
Collaboration at a Crossroads:
The future of community-based collaboration around National Forest System Lands in Montana
The facts behind hydraulic fracturing, and what it means for our wild lands.
As Alaskans celebrate the past 50 years of designated wilderness and look forward to the next 50 years, they can do so knowing that the wilderness is one of Alaska's greatest natural resources.


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Session Cost
Any rough estimates as to how much session costs for a PS would be? Bascically I want to have a laundry list of improvements at my disposal afterwards.
It depends on the doc, the area, and the surgery. Give some specifics for better info. :)
Are you waiting?
Usually around $100 to $150 for a consultation (regardless of how many procedures your consulting about).
Remember plastic surgery is a business. Going to them to ask if you need something done is kind of like asking a carpenter if anything could use an extra nail in it.
Why haven't you taken our advice yet to see a mental health professional? Spend $150 on that instead.
Some PS docs I know charge $200+ for a consult.
A mental health consultation should come before PS, as la_angel said.
Concerning the MHP, I think they are just as willing to drain your wallet as anyone. There might be a few good ones out there, but they are hard to find.
$150 is typical but some won't charge you if they know you're serious.
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Sunday 04 March 2012
EA SPORTS simulate each Barclays Premier League fixture during the season, generating a prediction of the result using the FIFA 12 engine that takes club and player form into consideration.
This week FIFA 12 Predicts Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland: Watch simulated highlights.
Here are the rest of EA SPORTS predictions for this week's round of matches (actual scores will appear in brackets):
Liverpool 1-3 Arsenal (1-2)
Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Aston Villa (1-1)
Manchester City 3-0 Bolton Wanderers (2-0)
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Everton (1-1)
Stoke City 1-1 Norwich City (1-0)
West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Chelsea (1-0)
Wigan Athletic 0-1 Swansea (0-2)
Video: FIFA 12 Predicts Newcastle United v Sunderland (1-1)
Fulham 2-1 Wolves (5-0)
Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Manchester United (1-3)
© Premier League 2014


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Jason Noble, who led a series of Louisville underground rock bands and helped bring the entire concept of post-rock into focus, died on Saturday morning in Bethesda, Maryland after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 41.
Noble first came to prominence as the lead guitarist and occasional singer for Rodan, a band who, like their Louisville peers Slint, stretched post-hardcore clangor to meditative locked-in instrumental lengths. After releasing one album, 1994′s Rusty, Rodan broke up, and Noble went on to found the more pastoral post-classical instrumental group Rachel's, who released six albums between 1995 and 2003. As Shipping News, Noble and former Rodan guitarist Jeff Mueller also recorded four albums — the last of which, One Less Heartless To Fear, came in 2010, when Noble was battling the rare cancer strain Synovial Sarcoma. A number of artists, including Balmorhea and J. Robbins, recently contributed to the benefit compilation In Pleasant Company: A Mixtape For Jason, and proceeds from that will now go to Noble's family.
Below, watch footage of Rodan playing live in Athens, Georgia in 1994.
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Very interesting paper. Interactive Conformance Testing for VRML Mary Brady Lynne Rosenthal Information Technology Laboratory National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA ABSTRACT Conformance testing for the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) provides a means for determining if an implementation satisfies the requirements and specifications of the standard. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing a VRML test suite (VTS) to systematically address some of the problems posed by the nature of testing three-dimensional graphics. In addition, we will address using the WWW as a vehicle for delivering the VTS system. This paper discusses the test development strategy and design issues in developing the VTS. http://xsun.sdct.itl.nist.gov/~mkass/x3d/html/design.html -- wendy a chisholm world wide web consortium web accessibility initiative madison, wi usa tel: +1 608 663 6346 /--Received on Friday, 28 April 2000 13:14:37 GMT
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.2.0 + w3c-0.30 : Thursday, 9 June 2005 12:10:35 GMT


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Current Issue:
December 2014
OSHA to Hold Live Web Chat on Proposed Silica Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will host a live Web chat to discuss the agency's proposed rule on occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica from 1 - 3:30 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 14. Visit http://www.osha.gov/silica/webchat.html to participate.
The Web chat will provide participants the opportunity to ask questions, get clarification from OSHA on the proposed silica rule and learn how to participate in the regulatory process. OSHA staff will be available to clarify the proposed standards related to silica for general industry, maritime and construction. Staff will also answer questions on OSHA's underlying analysis of health risks, potential costs and benefits, and economic impacts associated with the proposed rule and how to submit comments to the rule-making record.
The deadline to submit written comments and testimony on the proposal is Monday, Jan. 27. Members of the public may submit comments by visiting http://www.regulations.gov.
Additional information on the proposed rule can be found at http://www.osha.gov/silica.
|Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 January 2014 19:58


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Business owners, Entrepreneurs and Managing Directors
Do you want to build a better business. Do you want to find a way to get more customers in less time? Do you find yourself stuck on a plateau? Are you uncertain about all the conflicting advice out there?
What if there was a way to not only get great advice but also a way for someone else to implement strategies and systems which freed up time, energy and money for you to really dominate your market.
Would you buy something if it were proven beyond any reasonable doubt that you would get ten times or more your return on investment?
Tensegrity Business Leverage System
Works by Understanding (where you are now). We take that information gathered by analysis and start the ball rolling;
- Optimising, your, business development and marketing. Optimisation is often misunderstood but is the fastest way to generate more cash through sometimes subtle changes to the way your sales and marketing system hangs together.
- Once cash starts to roll in we then move toward the Discovery phase of Strategy and Innovation. It's possible that your business is sitting on hidden marketing assets which are waiting to be uncovered.
- We aim to agree a vision and a strategy for your business which moves it forward in a systematic way. The focus is always on best leverage.
We work with mostly medium sized companies who are either at a plateau and who want to grow and dominate their market sector.
Most companies want to find a way to get more customers and spend the least amount doing it. If you are at that point of thinking about Lead Generation and want to build a better business then we have something which I think will interest you.
There is no doubt in my mind that an effective client acquisition system will pay for itself over and over again. The challenge though is to understand how all the interconnecting parts play together.
It's only after we see the woods and the trees we can get a true understanding of the potential.
So many times I have seen business take a huge chance and gamble on where they spend their money. And yet, there is a better way…
Even assuming you have a good client acquisition system what about creating an simple integrated system that helps to get repeat and frequent business.
If you want an intelligent pragmatic system that always seeks to work within any budget you have found the right place.
If you leave your name and email in the box two things will happen;
You will get a complimentary book on how to Explode Your Profits using On-Line marketing.
We will send you information which will show you how you can apply Tensegrity Business Leverage System in your organisation.
You may wonder why we are prepared to give you so much, apparently for free.
There's a simple answer – We believe in our product and service and we also believe that your business will benefit hugely but not everyone may be ready to go ahead immediately.
We wanted to find a way to satisfy your curiosity and provide some value at the same time. With that understanding we will provide you with good solid information which is going to help your business grow. It will also help to showcase our knowledge and insights.
When you are ready, all you need to do is call us and ask for an initial consultation. This can be done over the phone or face to face. A consultation will help us to help you. We ask a lot of questions about your business and at the same time provide valuable feedback.
It's only after the initial consultation we will agree to meet up and even then only if both parties are sure there is value in it.
Warmest Regards


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WHAAT? Wow.
It's nice to have you back.
HUGE shout-out to Greg613. I went by the GW with the torsos during lunch, and both of them were still there. I put one in my cart immediately, browsed around a bit, and then came back to inspect the second one. Right then, a woman started checking me out pretty heavily, it turns out she runs a beau-teek and they would be peeerrrrffeeecct for her store. I cleared out and let her snag the other one.
Great-ish shape, but could use a scrub down. Fully adjustable stand. $10.
I also picked up Purple Rain on vinyl. The cover's kind of beat, but the record looks clean, so I glady ponied up 77 cents.
And if anyone is ballsy enough to wear these, they were $20. NOS. Perfect shape. 11 D:
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
some finds from june...
lets start with some audio since everybody likes music
mint condition SANSUI with rosewood finish,best receiver i have ever owned PERIOD
how about some B&O rosewood speakers to go with that
prefer walnut? PARADIGM brand new in box form 2006
whats better then brand new Paradigms?
how about brand new in box never used BOSE 501s from 1980
prefer british speakers?
how about something to power them?
(sold for $900 bought for $50)
but you say,"hey Frenchy how about some instruments"
short scale mint condition Ibanez Bass form 1978
leather swedish chair
this one is on the current set of mad men (later model and different color)
how about a funky dentists chair from the seventies (a tattoo parlour owner bough this one off me)
very rare japanese Yamada Shumei
desks for Typhoid
complete set for DYRLUP DENMARK
some art
as exciting as those were there was only one item that really blew my mind (im a bit jaded after all these years of finding shit)
a brand new never ridden 1971 Japanese Bridgestone bike with the warranty card and instruction s still attached at a goodwill for $100 ( a guy fooowed me to the parking lot and offered me $500 on the spot but this one is a keeper).
all the lights still work,has the original Primus pump and tools in tool box.i cant even find a a pic of a used one never mind a new one.
the only pic i could find is in a Bridgestone Brochure from 1971
this thing is heavy but its fast
and a guy i know,i was actually precent when he found it got a REAL vintage Tag Heuer Monaco for $7.99 at Value Village (Savers)
Any tips on finding stuff like this? The thrifts I hit do NOT have this kind of quality.
And thank you for those. Probly my fav casual loafers at the moment.
They had similar grensons in the same size, but I hesitated. By the time I went back 2 hours later they were gone. Pride weekend really cleared out the thrifts.
That's a good thing. Means all new stuff to look at in the next week or two. When it gets a little stagnant, I have considered just buying a bunch of cheap undesireable shoes and donating them elsewhere, just to see some new stuff hit the shelves.