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Makes 1 big plate
- One 16-ounce can refried beans (I opt for mild rather than spicy for late-night fare)
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat or regular sour cream
- 3/4 cup bottled salsa
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- A few big handfuls of yellow corn tortilla chips
With a large spoon spread out the beans in a ring on a large microwave-safe dinner plate, leaving clear about 4 inches in the center of the plate. That's where you're going to pile the chips. Smear the sour cream and then the salsa over the beans. Sprinkle about half of the cheese and then the cilantro over everything. As you build up the layers, be sure to leave the space in the center of the plate empty.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove the plate from the microwave, pile the chips in the center of the plate, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the chips. Return the plate to the microwave and nuke again on high for 1 minute, until the cheese has melted. Use a pot holder to take the plate out of the oven; it will be hot. Dash with a couple pinches of chopped cilantro. Serve hot.
Young & Hungry
my notes
- Calories436
- Carbohydrates25 g (8%)
- Fat28 g (43%)
- Protein23 g (46%)
- Saturated Fat17 g (84%)
- Sodium1,215 mg (51%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat2 g
- Fiber7 g (27%)
- Monounsaturated Fat8 g
- Cholesterol79 mg (26%)
recipe at a glance
type: Kid-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Entertaining
main ingredients: Cheddar, Sour Cream, Tomato, Cilantro, Bean
cuisine: American

subset: commoncrawl


text: | Dáil Éireann - Volume 428 - 30 March, 1993 Adjournment Debate. - Thurles (Tipperary) Plant Closure. Mr. Lowry Mr. Lowry 1352 Mr. Lowry: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me the opportunity [1352] to raise this issue on the Adjournment. It is with a sense of regret and sadness that I find it necessary to raise the matter of the sudden and rather abrupt closure of Tipperary textiles in Thurles with a loss of 64 jobs. This news has shocked and devastated the very loyal and dedicated workforce. They are disillusioned and demoralised and find it difficult to accept that their livelihoods and future have been swept from them in an unexpected swoop. Many of them with young families have heavy financial commitments, including mortgages. They are now to become an anonymous statistic with the other 300,000 unemployed. Their future is dark and bleak as alternative employment is not available in the locality. This is a further hammer blow to an already depressed local economy. Thurles town has endured an alarming level of closures, job losses, rationalisation programmes and industrial stagnation. For 32 years Tipperary Textiles was an integral part of the commercial and economic life of the area. The loss of a £10,000 per week payroll, together with the impact on local supply and service companies, is substantial and significant. Thurles is fast becoming an industrial wilderness. It has paid a heavy price for Government neglect and indifference. Its commercial base has been eroded to such an extent that it cannot absorb blows like this without suffering permanent damage. The basic fabric of our town is now threatened. 1353 I appeal to the Government to realise and accept the seriousness of the situation. The people of Thurles are tired of false and broken promises and the announcement of phantom jobs. They are jaded from soft talk, pious platitudes and ministerial humbug. They demand, and are entitled to, positive corrective action. They want their share of viable and sustainable job opportunities. Despite having so-called Ministerial clout, proposals for the provision of a third level institution in Thurles have been ignored. The proposal for the designation of Thurles under the urban renewal scheme was dismissed and, [1353] despite its geographic location and general suitability, the town has been overlooked under the Government's decentralisation scheme. With regard to the closure of Tipperary Textiles, I ask that priority be given to protect and honour the entitlements of the workforce. I am also disturbed about and conscious of the immense damage which can be inflicted on the suppliers of services and materials who are owed substantial moneys by the company. Failure by the liquidator to raise sufficient funds from disposable assets to provide for these creditors will put other companies and jobs at risk. I request the Minister in the first instance to mobilise all relevant State agencies to ensure that every effort is made to sell Tipperary Textiles as a going concern. Its product is excellent, the expertise and skill is available and the markets are sufficient to sustain a scaled down operation. It is imperative that, before final decisions are taken, an exhaustive study is carried out to ensure that all company property, plant and material are at the disposal of the liquidator in a concerted and determined effort to get the best deal possible for the despairing workforce and unfortunate creditors. I wish to place on the record of the House my intention to monitor the sale of the assets, the identity of the purchasers and the location to which the plant or equipment will be redeployed. 1354 I strongly believe that the Minister's Department should have in place a formula and code of conduct which would apply to closure announcements. At present communication with the workforce on such serious and far-reaching decisions is haphazard and insensitive in many such instances. It is totally unacceptable that a worker can one minute be diligently performing his duty and minutes later be outside the door, locked out without a full and reasonable explanation for that decision. To be told one is no longer employed is a shattering and traumatic experience. It is a sad reality that all too often managment ignore the tragic and human consequences of their decisions and are more interested in conducting [1354] and implementing the economic and logistic diktats of their superiors. It is a deeply disturbing time for a workforce who deserve to be dealt with in a caring and sympathetic fashion. The experience of Tipperary Textiles will be repeated throughout the country in the coming months as a result of Government policy and inaction. The textile industry has been mortally wounded by the impact of the currency crisis. My party Leader, Deputy John Bruton, was the only politician with the courage and vision to propose a devaluation of the Irish punt as a solution to the crisis. His sound advice was ignored by the Taoiseach, the Minister for Finance and the Tánaiste. Textile workers are now paying the penalty for this fiasco. To compound the problem, the Minister for Finance has imposed a further 5 per cent VAT penalty on the textile sector. Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment (Mrs. O'Rourke) Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment (Mrs. O'Rourke) Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment (Mrs. O'Rourke): I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this matter on he Adjournment. I share the Deputy's concern that the workers should be treated in as sensitive and caring a manner as possible. One would hope that all employers in similar situations would conduct their business in this way. I do not know enough about the way the workers were treated in this instance to comment on the matter, but I would be glad to speak to the Deputy about it. I know the Deputy will be aware of the background to Tipperary Textiles. On occasions like this Ministers are given endless pages of background information which is of little relevance, because the person who raises the matter and the other Deputies from the area know much more that I would ever know about the background to the case. I am aware of the move from Rathdowney to Thurles. 1355 The Deputy referred to the currency crises. The Government — I was very much involved in this — set up the market development fund. This is not to say that the fund on its own would have been able to work all the miracles one would have wished, but many firms were helped [1355] during that difficult period. The Deputy refered to Deputy John Bruton's call for devaluation — late in the day, I might add. He was trounced by his Finance spokesperson at that time in regard to the matter. Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton: The Government had to finally take my advice. Mrs. O'Rourke Mrs. O'Rourke Mrs. O'Rourke: The Deputy may laugh all he likes—— Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton: Having criticised me, within a week the Government had to take my advice. Mrs. O'Rourke Mrs. O'Rourke Mrs. O'Rourke: The Deputy's voice is getting louder and shriller all the time. Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton Mr. J. Bruton: There is no need for me to speak in this instance as the facts speak for themselves. An Ceann Comhairle Seán Treacy An Ceann Comhairle: The interruptions must cease; they are not welcome. Mrs. O'Rourke Mrs. O'Rourke Mrs. O'Rourke: For whatever reasons, Tipperary Textiles did not seek any help from the market development fund at that time. Perhaps in its wisdom it decided not to seek help. As the Deputy knows, an official liquidator will be appointed at 6 April meeting. There will be various options before the liquidator at that time. I will ask the IDA, with whom I have been in contact today, to look at every aspect of Tipperary Textiles in the lead up to that meeting to see if any aspect of the company's activities can be retained. I will also speak with the Deputy and the IDA in an effort to monitor how the workers have been and will be treated. All of us share the distress which Deputy Lowry and the other Deputies from Tipperary naturally feel at an imminent closure of a company within their town. 1356 The textile industry throughout Europe is gong through a bad time. The aim of the Community is to address this issue and make the industry strong again. [1356] There have been many casualties within the textile trade along the way. I hope that the position of Tipperary Textiles can be looked at again during the short time which remains. Dáil Éireann 428 Adjournment Debate. Thurles (Tipperary) Plant Closure. General Debate 19930330 | ||||||||||||||||||||||


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I inherited a small orchard up in Twin Lakes, WI. We have a total of approximately 30-35 trees (predominanetly apple and pear). I sprayed with dormant oil this spring followed by a fruit tree spray last month.
However, in recent weeks, I've noticed brown spots on the leaves of my pear trees. The apple trees, on the other hand, have leaves that are curling up and brown. They almost look burnt. I'm at a loss to how to proceed. Is there any particular insectiside that I use? I am nervous that if I don't attempt to remedy this quickly, I will have a disaster on my hands. PLEASE HELP AND HELP SOON. Thank you in advance. |
Follow-Up Postings:
any chance of pictures? |
Yes, I have several pictures but I don't know how to download them to this site. |
I believe these photos will accurately depict the problems I am facing. I am in desperate need to determine which spray (s) to use to try to remedy this situation. |
I went to a company called CONSERVE up in Wauconda, IL. This company supplies a lot of commercial sprays, etc. When showing my photos, the disease on the pear tree (photo 2) was said to be BLACK SPOT. On closer examination, I was also told that this pear tree has BLACK KNOT. The apple tree disease was left as an unknown. However, I was told that a concoction of "Pentrabark"(sp) + "Agrafos" (sp) applied to the bark of the trees may considerably lessen the spread of this unknown disease. That's where I am now with this problem. |
- Posted by harvestman 6 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 5, 10 at 6:42
I would not trust a diagnosis that didn't involve investigation under a microscope by a competent pathologist if it was an uncommon problem. Once I know what a disease is I think first of what is making the trees vulnerable. If it is a rare disease there is a good chance that it is the result of environmental stress. I've never heard of pears getting black knot and the disease is rampant in many orchards I manage. |
I absolutely agree with you. I am planning on contacting the extention up in Wisconsin. However, being a newbie, I also think that it is wise to take advantage of having someone in the business come out and actually see the entire orchard. I believe an actual walk through, by someone besides myself, may provide more of a macro snapshot of the orchard and possibly uncover potential issues/problems that I am not even recognizing and thus not addressing. When I returned from the orchard yesterday, I started looking through the forum threads. I did read the discussions you had with others regarding black knot and your experiences with plum trees. Interestingly enough, I have recently purchased 2 stanley plum trees, so of course, I was most interested in the threads. Regarding environmental issues, we have one major issue and that is rain. We have had an unusually rainy spring coupled with above average temps. This may be contributing to some of the issues. This may have contributed to our trouble last year. 7 counties in WI suffered through tomato blight last summer/fall. We were one of the victims. My vegetable gardens were hit badly. We lost in upwards of 120 tomato plants in roughly 1 week. On a completely different note, I would like to inquire about cherry trees. One: can I graft a sour cherry tree onto a regular cherry tree? and Two: How much pruning do sour cherry trees require? |
Is it windy at your site? |
I would say predominantly no. Although there have been occassions where the winds were strong enough that I dared not burn any piles; but that premise is applicable to just about everywhere. I can say that the bulk of the orchard sits in a lower lying area in comparison to the surrounding land. Therefore, the venue of the orchard sometimes contributes to the "winds". Why do you ask? |
- Posted by harvestman 6 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 5, 10 at 10:09
Forget about pesticide burn. That looks pretty serious. I agree that a visit from a paid consultant would be a good investment if the consultant is legit. |
- Posted by stngrayguy (My Page) on Sat, Jun 5, 10 at 23:39
I think your apples could have leafhopper damage (I just sprayed mine today for the same issue). Seems they especially like young tender trees that they can hop onto from the ground. Check out the pictures in the link. Also, my pears get those dark spots,usually in tops of trees, but seems more of a nuisance than really damaging, but I would guess it's a fungal/bacterial thing that perhaps myclobutanil (Immunox) might help. |
Here is a link that might be useful: leafhopper damage pictures
Your apple trees look like they could have wind or frost damage. |
- Posted by stngrayguy 7 (My Page) on Sun, Jun 6, 10 at 8:19
See link on pear scab (aka blackspot). As I mentioned earlier, immunox should take care of it, although as the article says, it's not as severe or devastating as apple scab. Regarding your apples, I posit leafhopper b/c the upper leaves of your apples are curled, a result of the leafhoppers sucking the sap out of them. If you can kill the leafhopper nymphs (often seen on underside of leaves) it will be easier to control damage in future. Insecticidal soap, pyrethrins, and imidacloprid are all apparently effective, esp. the last as it's systemic in leaves -ie suck the sap, and bang your dead:).Honestly, you could probably ignore all of it and be OK, as they're not devastating issues. |
Here is a link that might be useful: blackspot
- Posted by harvestman 6 (My Page) on Sun, Jun 6, 10 at 9:34
It doesn't look like scab to me but I don't see much of it on pears here, mostly I see fab. in concert with psyla. The thing is what the apple has is definately not scab so I believe it may not be a disease issue at all but some kind of burn. If I apply oil when it's slightly raining I can almost duplicate the leaf damage, just haven't done quite as much. Immunox is affective on apple scab but not pear at all. Mancozeb is the only thing fairly inexpensive that deals with it well, but not reactively. |
I'm no expert, but to me that looks like the very early stages of fireblight, on both kinds of trees |
- Posted by scottfsmith 6B/7A MD (My Page) on Tue, Jun 8, 10 at 10:55
My vote is burn from the fruit tree spray you did. Maybe it was very hot when you did it and it was very cool and cloudy in the days before. Its not fireblight. Scott |
I am in Marietta, Ohio and my pear trees look exactly like yours. I have 2 that are 3 yrs old. I did not spray mine with pesticides, so I doubt they are burnt from that. My guess is that it's from an insect or blackspot, as mentioned above. It is definitely not fireblight. We did have 2 late freezes this spring, so it could be frost damage also. Please post again if you do find out exactly what it is. |
I am in Chicago, IL and my pear tree looks just like that picture. I also have not sprayed anything. I also think it is blackspot. I will have to look into what to do; what to spray on and when. Of course, suggestions are welcome!! Thanks. |
- Posted by harvestman 6 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 11, 10 at 5:37
Rust mites and psyla can cause scorched leaves. You can usually find psyla with a good magnifying glass but rust mites will require a microscope and something like 20X mag. The rust mites may already be gone by the time you see symptoms. I did a little research when I saw a lot of this on Bosc this season at several sites. |
- Posted by foolishpleasure 7 (My Page) on Thu, Aug 12, 10 at 2:02
It is really a dilemma or us amateurs who care for few trees. I have a pear tree and an Apple tree. I sprayed with dormant oil spray. Then weekly with Bonide then switched to Sven. What I have now An apple tree with dark green leaves and look very healthy but all the apple dropped down with black spot on it. I still have One lonely apple on the entire tree. The pear tree lost most of its leaves, they turn yellow and fall. Some pear fruit fell down but I still have lots on the tree but with parley any leaves on the tree. Are the Fruits will survive without leaves I don't know. I read somewhere that you need 35 leaves to survive one fruit. The two sprays I used said it kills 100 kind of bugs. I must have bug no 101. |
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To say that I have a different perspective on life would be an understatement. Because of the different trials I have been through in my life, I see things a little differently. I have for a while. I like to think that my trials have made me more compassionate. But nothing could have prepared me for the perspective I have now that we have been though such a tragedy as losing Laney.
I cannot look at the news and see that someone else lost their child without my heart breaking. I look at the things that I used to worry about and realize that they just don't matter anymore. The little things just don't matter. I can see how much more important my family is to me. How those I hold dear, I try to hold a little tighter to.
But I also see the suffering of others more clearly. Feel the need to lighten their burdens. I find joy in things that I didn't take the time to notice before. I pay more attention to those around me that may need a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. I have had some of my friends say, "You don't need to listen to my cares because you are going through so much." But to them I say, I do need to listen. I need to help. It helps to bring me peace and comfort to help others.
So, don't be afraid to talk to me. Don't be afraid to talk about Laney. I absolutely love to talk about her. To keep her memories alive. And because she isn't really gone. She is still my daughter.
I hate that I lost my daughter. I hate that I have to learn how to live without her. I even hate the new perspective I have. But I love the peace I feel when I serve others. When I reach out to strengthen another person. When I put my arm around someone who is struggling and let them know that they can make it through another day. Nothing makes me happier than helping someone else. Just a little added perspective.


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Sony 360-Degree Volumetric Display: the Stuff Sci-Fi Dreams Are Made of
Sony just introduced a video demonstrating this amazing new 360-degree display technology that's something you might find in a James Cameron movie.
The new autostereoscopic display projects 360 individual slices of an image onto an array of special LEDs, providing a volumetric display you can walk around and view from any angle – without glasses. It can even recognize gestures, allowing you to manipulate the object displayed on screen.
Check it out in the demo video below:
If you happen to be at SIGGRAPH 2010 in Los Angeles between July 25th and 29th, you'll be able to see the Sony 360-degree display in action at the Emerging Technologies section of the show.
[via The Awesomer]
MORE:Digital Imaging | Future Tech | Interactive | Technology | Videos | 360 degree | 3d | display | led | screen | sony | volumetric
Comments (3):
This is pretty cool, though the resolution is kinda low. I imagine they could improve that in time. The one major issue is that recording an actual person requires a very complex and limiting rig.
Just like basic 3D technology, its there, but who cares, the media hasn't caught up yet. I don't even think Avatar was worth seeing in 3D. But now with the 3DS coming out, once that technology has improved for larger viewing and the Kinect is designed to match or a complete holoimaging unit that has a large horizontal surface area. Then I may care, for now its just something to advertise new items on. When it becomes cheap, porn will be the first to use it extensively.
when and how much will a 36" display cost, and where will the content come from?


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Hotels in Le François
From luxury resorts to small design hotels and cozy inns, there are an infinite number of great places to stay in the world, including hotels in Le François. Browse our travel guide and get Travel + Leisure's picks for the best Le François hotels—all-inclusive resorts, design hotels, remote lodges, vacation rentals, and more. Our international team of editors and writers handpicks the top Le François hotels, helping travelers discover the most popular places to stay in Le François, and the most memorable.
Whether a boutique hotel with luxury amenities, a wilderness lodge, a cool rental home, or a country inn fit for your budget, Travel + Leisure highlights the best of the best. From affordable beach resorts and cozy inns to high-tech hotels and kid-friendly all-inclusive resorts, these Le François hotel listings will help you find just the right place to spend the night during your visit. Below find Travel + Leisure's top spots for where to stay in Le François.
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Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa
PRICE RANGE:At this 50-suite escape on Martinique's verdant eastern coast, a Guerlain spa and Creole fusion cuisine add Gallic spice to a modern plantation-sty... More -
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PRICE RANGE:A tiny speck of sand just off the French Caribbean island, Îlet Oscar has only one building: a 19th-century house with four guest rooms that face a... More -
Plein Soleil
PRICE RANGE:The accent is on Creole French in this tasteful collection of villas facing Thalemont Bay. An open-air restaurant serves spicy crab farci and local... More
Explore hotels in Martinique for more options.
1 - 3 of 3 Results


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GM negotiator slams Opel bidder's Russian connection
The GM blogger is at it again. John Smith, General Motors' group vice-president and chief negotiator for the sale of its stake in Opel/Vauxhall, lays into the bid by Canadian-Austrian car parts maker Magna – especially the Russian Connection – in his latest update on the state of the talks.
He also pours cold water on happy talk from German politicians of an early decision in favour of Magna, backed by the German authorities, rather than rival Belgium-based financial investor RHJ International, which clearly still has GM's preference.
What is most striking about Smith's blog post is the withering tone of his comments on Magna's partnership with Russia's Sberbank in a joint bid, and of the opacity surrounding the Russian leg of the proposed deal. Here are some choice morsels:
As noted in my prior blog post, the Magna proposal is more complex, owing to the inclusion of Russia and a third, Russian-based investor. We started the week with about 30 issues to resolve, including NewOpel involvement with Chevrolet in Russia, intellectual property transfer rights in Russia, advanced technology access, product development responsibilities, minority shareholder rights and other items.
I can report some progress, resolving perhaps one-third of the issues during a first day of talks. However, the difficulties of getting to 'yes' with three parties in the room were very much in evidence yesterday. Little progress was made in whittling down the outstanding issues, in part reflecting the return of some issues that we previously considered to be resolved.
That suggests that Kremlin-backed Sberbank has resurrected previous demands for de facto control of NewOpel's Russian operations. Smith then goes further and expounds his suspicion that the Russian Connection is a way of sucking Opel's high technology in engines and transmissions away to Russia.
One key point for GM is intellectual property, and this transaction should not become a pipeline, shipping valuable intellectual property to destinations unknown.
The post seems to be an effort to undermine the main arguments of Magna's supporters in the German federal and state governments, Opel's workforce and the Social Democratic Party. Contrary to their contention, he says, the offers are substantially similar in terms of product, manufacturing and purchasing plans. RHJ's would be easier to execute and require less government money, and both bidders have the same global market access. Anyway, Smith adds, Opel has always done best when it concentrated on its home market. He also notes that an (unpublished) evaluation by the German government's advisers, Lazard, left "a strong impression that the RHJI bid was superior".
Finally, he seeks to demolish the argument that the Magna bid is superior because it would give Opel greater independence from GM.
In truth, Opel needs a close connection to a high-volume, global automobile company to take full advantage of related economies of scale as it will not survive for very long on its own. One has to look only as far as the new Insignia and forthcoming new Astra to see drivable dividends from today's everyday product development relationship with General Motors.
Smith's blog post certainly does not read as if GM is moving towards a deal with Magna/Sberbank, whether this week or in a month of Sundays. Of course there must be a degree of megaphone negotiation involved, but the three yardsticks he sets for lenders to judge the offers – the amount of government money required; the degree of 'independence' truly in Opel's long-term interest; and the question of the focus of the NewOpel group – suggest GM may still be steering towards a head-to-head collision with the German government.
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
GM is selling OPEL because GM went bust. Its selling a majority stake, so sell the lot. Its selling a commodity not founding a religion. Who cares what the CEO thinks . Just shut up and take the money.
Is GM in a position to demand this and that? Were it not for US, Canada, Ontario governments big billion bailouts, GM would be now in liquidation and John Smith in the streets job hunting.
Why would Sberbank (backed by the government) invests billions into Opel without appropriate degree of control, without significant transfers of technology, without ownership of Russian productions using Open designs and technologies. Does Mr Smith think the Russians are stupid? Would HE takes the deal he complains about if he were on the Russian side? Mr Smith is an example of unfettered American arrogance even when they are down in the gutters hanging on bailout money. GM, and certainly Mr Smith is in no position to demand much of anything even with a leftover 35% ownership. As to his argument about economy of scale, true, but that not GM problem. That's Magna/Sberhank problem and it's up to the buyers to decide.
Although GM is the seller, its Opel division is already in German receivership. Therefore the key deciders of the nature of a deal is the German gov/court, the US government.
Perhaps all the executives at GM should be rounded up, along with the Board of Directors, and explained the concept of negligent fiduciary care (as gross incompetence is actually legal) where they caused the loss to millions of Americans, of billions of dollars of investment. Heck, the politicians which colluded in the smoke-and-mirrors bankruptcy should probably join them as well. John Smith is collecting nickels in a tin cup, and should be happy to get anything. Thats what bankruptcy is all about.
GM's reticence about the Russians is quite understandable. The Russians have a splendid track record in dishonouring deals and shafting partners: Stronach and the Germans have rocks in their heads to hop in bed with them. GM may get some money now from a sale, but in the future its IP would underpin a competitor that does not stick to whatever agreement might have been signed before. It may be more prudent to let Opel go bankrupt, and sell Opels branded as Chevys.
What nobody seems to get is the the IP that is being talked about isn't owned by Opel. It is IP that GM and its subsidiaries and partners in Asia own. Opel is a small and not that significant part of GM, in the big picture. But GM's IP is much bigger than Opel.
Mercedes and BMW have paid huge money to GM in the US to get access to GM's hybrid technology.


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"This was a new one for me. Embargoed papers not being available to anyone but the press, sure. But available to many doctors — and anyone doctors showed them to — for two weeks before we could write about them?"
Oransky expressed his concerns to the journal and decided that he would respect its embargo even if he didn't agree with it. But other journalists have not been as understanding.
In 2008, the Web site TechCrunch announced that "PR firms are out of control. Today we are taking a radical step towards fighting the chaos. From this point on we will break every embargo we agree to." In August, the Web site PaidContent.org reported that The Wall Street Journal had also enacted a new policy declaring that it wouldn't abide by embargoes unless they were exclusive, but the details were sketchy.
Breaking an embargo can have serious consequences, of course, but so can adhering to them at the expense of more ambitious journalism. At Embargo Watch, Oransky cited a 2006 book by Vincent Kiernan, Embargoed Science, which "argues that embargoes make journalists lazy, always chasing that week's big studies. They become addicted to the journal hit, afraid to divert their attention to more original and enterprising reporting because their editors will give them grief for not covering that study everyone else seems to have covered."
Whatever the case, the debate about breaking embargoes and whose interests they serve is extremely important. Oransky wrote that he will use Embargo Watch "to try to keep track of anecdotes about embargoes. Are they helping journalists? Helping journals? Who's breaking them? And, most important, are they helping the general public?"
"My hope," he added, "is that by chronicling these stories and trends, I can help make embargoes work better." Whether that will mean doing away with them or refining them remains to be seen, but at least the debate has a new home.


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After George Foreman defeated Joe Frazier and claimed the heavyweight title (January 22, 1973), the WBA believed he should next face Apollo Creed, while the WBC believed Muhammad Ali was the top contender. As Ali had already beaten Creed some time before, Foreman chose to face Ali in the now famous "Rumble in the Jungle" fight (October 30, 1974). However, the WBA chose not to recognize the bout, and instead awarded its championship to Creed after he beat Joe Frazier. Creed then defeated Ali by a close and controversial decision in March 1975 to become the undisputed heavyweight champ.
Creed refused an immediate rematch with Ali, saying that he wanted to fight another challenger first. It turned out to be a misstep. That set up Ali's famous "Thrilla in Manilla" fight against Frazier, which many people considered a fight for the true heavyweight championship, even though it was sanctioned by neither the WBA nor the WBC.
Seeking to repair his public image, Creed, who was Ali's match in terms of self-promotion, looked for a worthy contender. When a bout with Foreman fell through, he decided to give an underdog fighter a chance at the heavyweight title as a publicity stunt. Creed chose little-known Robert "Rocky" Balboa for the fight, which took place on January 1, 1976. Balboa surprised everyone by going the distance with the champ. Creed won by split decision, but his public image had taken another hit. Creed finally decided to fight Ali, but Ali had decided to retire to promote his faith of Islam*. That set up a rematch with Balboa on Thanksgiving 1976, which Balboa won.
Balboa retained the heavyweight championship for five years, winning ten more bouts along the way. His early title matches featured impressive wins against Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, John Tate and Mike Weaver, but many felt his final fights in this stretch were lackluster. He was finally beaten by James "Clubber" Lang in August 1981. The following January, Balboa regained the WBA and WBC titles in a rematch with Lang. He was also named the inaugural IBC champion in 1983, but was stripped of all three belts later that year as he chose not to defend them in the ring. Following the death of his friend and one-time foe Apollo Creed in the ring in 1985, Balboa came out of semi-retirement for a Christmas Day 1985 match in Moscow against Ivan Drago (the man who had accidentally killed Creed in that fateful bout) in what many billed the best fight of Balboa's career. However, he retired again, this time officially, in early 1986 due to concerns about the severity of the concussion he sustained during the Drago fight.
Following Balboa's reign, there was no consensus champion again until Mike Tyson gained all three belts in 1987. A fourth championship awarding organization, the WBO was founded in 1988 with Union Cane as its first heavyweight title holder, although Mike Tyson was still almost universally acknowledged as the dominant fighter in his class. In January 1989, Tommy "Machine Gun" Morrison defeated Cane for the WBO title and James "Buster" Douglas defeated Tyson for the other three belts. Both champions would lose their titles within a year, however.(Morrison recaptured the WBO title briefly in 1997, but lost it again later that year.)
Tyson would later regain some of the titles, but his late career was marred by criminal convictions and unsavory behavior in the ring, including biting the ear of Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield in a 1997 title fight. Holyfield claimed the IBF, WBA and WBC titles from 1990-1992 and would continue to win championship belts for the next decade. In addition to Tyson and Holyfield, other champions during this time included Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis and a resurgent George Foreman, who captured the IBF and WBA titles in 1994 at age 49.
In 2005, Mason "The Line" Dixon became the first boxer in 20 years to hold all of the existing heavyweight titles at once (and the first to simultaneously hold the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO belts). At first, many accused Dixon of lucking into the titles as heavyweight boxing was not what it once was. However, an exhibition match with then 59-year-old former champ Rocky Balboa in February 2006 changed that perception. Dixon beat Balboa by split decision in what turned out to be a true test of character. The champ injured his hand early in the fight, and still managed to beat Balboa who proved to be in exceptional shape.
Dixon remained the undisputed champion until February 2008, when the IBF and WBO awarded the title to Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. As of early 2012, Klitschko still retains those titles, while his brother Vitali Klitschko has taken the WBC belt and Russian Alexander Povetkin is the WBA champion.
*Note: while Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, it is not believed that this factored into his decision at that time. A popularly held but unproven theory is that in addition to his public speaking engagements, Ali was secretly living a double life for a time as the masked vigilante known as Shadow Boxer. Shadow Boxer, of course, is best known for capturing the "Son of Sam" serial killer in New York City in the summer of 1976. In the only known photograph of him, he is partially hidden behind fellow vigilante Luke "Powerman" Cage, but many eye-witness accounts report that his fighting style was "like Ali, only even faster and stronger." Ali fueled further speculation when he agreed to an exhibition in the spring of 1978 against Superman, which he handily won.


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Hi, Just started a new forum!!! The forum is totally dedicated to YouTubers...
Require Feedback on overall design what needs changing and what you think of this idea? And also domain name is it any good? Looking forward to kind reviews Thanks in advance.
You haven't given us the URL for your site, but I presume it's the one in your signature.
Yes, it is the one in my signature, sorry I did add but it didn't show up.. http://yttopics.com
Anyone would give their feedback? I would really appreciate thanks http://yttopics.com
It's got way too much red in my opinion.
Thanks, but you could help one what you feel should I change it to?
Experiment until you find something you like. You have red in your board and red in your background. It's too much red. You don't introduce another color until the bottom. Maybe the red should be used to accentuate something? To contrast with the background which is another color than red? I'm not a graphic artist. I know what I like and it is too much red to me.
ahan thanks i will try to change the background if i get more reviews on that thanks
I would appreciate any other reviews preferably reviews that pinpoints issues thanks.
This topic is now archived. It is frozen and cannot be changed in any way.


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Five Reasons Independent Retailers Should Be Blogging
- Details
- Created on October 29, 2014
- Written by Ryan Bowman
Remember when blogs were little more than personal online journals chronicling the musings of industry experts and intrepid travelers?
Those days are history.
More than ever, blogging has become a popular way for businesses to spread their message, engage their audience and drive sales. And regardless of industry or geographic location, it seems to be working.
Five Investments Every Independent Retailer Should Be Making
- Details
- Created on October 21, 2014
- Written by Ryan Bowman
A dollar is a dollar is a dollar.
But when it comes to spending money on your business, not all expenses are created equal. Some, while necessary, offer little in the way of return on investment. Others, however, can pay off in spades and have you seeing more black than you ever thought possible.
Twelve Traits That Make Retail Employees Irreplaceable
- Details
- Created on October 14, 2014
- Written by Ryan Bowman
If good help is hard to find, it's even harder to hold on to.
In the world of paint and decorating retail, which is largely driven by sales and customer service, good employees can make the difference between failure and success. And while there's rarely a shortage of resumes coming in, detecting the diamonds in the rough remains one of the biggest challenges facing small business owners.
Five Affordable Marketing Tips For Independent Retailers
- Details
- Created on October 07, 2014
- Written by Ryan Bowman
As an independent retailer in the paint and decorating industry, marketing is as essential for your success as the products you carry and the services you offer. Unlike giant corporations, which can get by on their seemingly unlimited advertising budgets and sheer volume of sales, small businesses are built on reputation and image.


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Sat, Aug 28, 10 at 16:52
We planted a dwarf orange tree a couple of months ago and the leaves are curling up and are turning yellow. The tree has small green oranges the size of gumballs and a little bigger. They also seem to be turning yellow and are falling off. What could be making this do what it's doing. Please help! |
Follow-Up Postings:
what is your watering schedule, how are you caring for it? |
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UPDATED DAILY M-F by 9 a.m. Pacific Links to commercial press
stories are functional at the date of posting. In some cases, links
"expire" when the source would like to begin charging you for old
news. WSLC Reports Today links to all stories of interest to
organized labor; some positive, some negative. The intention is to inform.
The creation of a link does not constitute an endorsement of that story's
content. |
Reports for October 21-24, 2003 Previous weeks' news: Oct. 13-17 -- Oct. 6-10 -- Sept. 29-Oct. 3 FRIDAY,
Oct. 24 -- U.S.
Navy has adopted Washington State Ergonomic Rule THURSDAY,
Oct. 23 -- Friday,
Oct. 24 is "National Take Back Your Time Day" WEDNESDAY,
Oct. 22 --
Ergonomic experts
oppose I-841 as "setback to safe workplaces" TUESDAY,
Oct. 21 -- No on I-841: Keep working
families and employers healthy Previous weeks' news: Oct. 13-17 -- Oct. 6-10 -- Sept. 29-Oct. 3 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24 The United States Navy implemented a prevention-based ergonomics standard last year identical to Washington state's ergonomic rule. "World-class organizations do not tolerate preventable accidents," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in a memo challenging all defense departments to reduce injury rates at military installations by 50 percent over the next two years. "We owe no less to the men and women who defend our nation." (This memo is posted at www.navosh.net/ergonomics/documents/challenge.pdf.) The U.S. Navy Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual (posted at www.navosh.net/docs/public/481/23f.pdf) in Chapter 23, Appendix A includes a worksite assessment checklist identical to Washington's -- even citing the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries as a source -- which is being used at Navy bases across the country to identify "risk factors" for workplace ergonomic injuries. In addition, Naval officers who identify these hazards are instructed to reduce the hazard level "to the degree technologically and economically feasible," exactly as Washington employers are under the state rule. "We saw Washington's rule as a great tool to identify risk factors (for ergonomic injuries) so we wanted to adopt it for the Navy," said Cathy Rothwell, a Navy Ergonomics Program Manager based in San Diego. "The feedback we've gotten from people in the field is that they like the checklist. It is widely accepted and widely used as an easy way to identify hazards." The Washington state business lobbying groups financing Initiative 841, which would repeal the state ergonomic safety rule, have argued that the rule is too confusing and that there is no proven benefit to ergonomic safety prevention. "Obviously, the United States Navy disagrees with the special interests trying to kill our ergonomic safety rule," said Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council, which opposes I-841. "I agree with the Secretary of Defense, we owe no less to the working men and women of Washington state to insist that workplace hazards be removed and injuries prevented. It's good common sense." "The Navy is very serious about ergonomic safety," said Rick Williams, president of the Bremerton Metal Trades Council which represents workers at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. "They know that avoiding preventable injuries saves money and improves mission readiness. It's really just common sense and it absolutely works." For more information, contact David Groves at (206) 281-8901 or via cell (206) 979-1299. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24 The following Call to Action comes from International Association of Machinists District 751: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23 If you lived in Western Europe, you'd be done working for the year. Americans now work nine weeks more each year than Western Europeans. We're putting in longer hours on the job now than we did in the 1950s, despite promises of a coming age of leisure before the year 2000. In fact, we're working more than medieval peasants did, and more than the citizens of any other industrial country. Friday, October 24, with nine weeks left in 2003, thousands of Americans will JUST SAY NO to the overwork, over-scheduling and overstress that threaten to overwhelm our lives. They'll take the day or part of it off work, and join in hundreds of activities to initiate a much-needed national conversation about work/life balance and how we can reclaim it. In Seattle, the celebration of National Take Back Your Time Day will begin tonight (Thursday) at a forum from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Mountaineers hall, 300 3rd Ave. West in lower Queen Anne. There will be music, theater and conversation for a suggested donation of $3. Speakers will include Gretchen Burger of NTBYT, Cecile Andres of Simplicity Circles, State Sen. Karen Keiser, Stephen Bezruchka of the UW School of Public Health and others. Are you, or your friends or relatives, working more now but enjoying it less? Does your family's schedule feel like a road race? If so, you're not alone. Millions of Americans are overworked, over-scheduled and just plain stressed out. They complain of unprecedented levels of busyness in everyday life. They worry about frenetic schedules, hurried children, couples with no time together, families who rarely eat meals together, and an onslaught of "hidden work" from proliferating emails, junk mail and telemarketing calls. American life has gotten way out of balance. Producing and consuming more have become the single-minded obsession of the American economy, while other values -- strong families and communities, good health and a clean environment, active citizenship and social justice, time for nature and the soul -- are increasingly neglected. Overwork hurts all of us in different ways:
Take Back Your Time Day is not anti-work. Useful and creative work is essential to happiness. But American life has gotten way out of balance. Producing and consuming more have become the single-minded obsession of the American economy, while other values -- strong families and communities, good health and a clean environment, active citizenship and social justice, time for nature and the soul -- are increasingly neglected. The Take Back Your Time Day model is the first Earth Day, which brought a new environmental awareness to America, leading within two years to the passage of the most significant ecological legislation in our history -- the EPA, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air and Water Acts. For more information, visit www.timeday.org. THURSDAY, OCTOBER
23 The following election endorsement appears in the latest edition of the Seattle weekly newspaper The Stranger, which joins the state's most powerful and influential newspapers in urging voters to reject Initiative 841: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
22 A group of leading ergonomists, doctors, nurses and other public health experts has stepped forward to support safe workplaces by opposing Initiative 841, the measure created by special-interest business organizations to repeal the state's workplace ergonomic safety rule.
"Washington workers and employers can't afford the setback to safe workplaces that Initiative 841 would cause," said Kate Stewart, MS, CPE, an ergonomist with StewartPrezant Ergonomics Group. "We shouldn't allow business to recall a common sense rule that protects thousands of workers from serious injuries." After the special-interest business groups sponsoring I-841 recently touted two "leading" ergonomists who support repeal of the safety rule (see story at right), a group of Certified Professional Ergonomists and other work safety professionals in Washington stepped forward to express opposition to I-841 and support for the state's prevention-based ergonomic safety rule. (See list of names below.) Many professional health care groups have already endorsed the No-on-841 campaign. They include the Washington State Nurses Association, the Washington Academy of Family Physicians, the Washington State Public Health Association, the Washington State Council of Perioperative Nurses, the Washington Chiropractic Association, the Washington Council of Fire Fighters and others. Washington's ergonomic safety rule also has been endorsed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Centers For Disease Control). Dr. Linda Rosenstock, the Director of NIOSH, testified: "The bottom line is that we know enough now to prevent or reduce many of these disorders, and the Washington state ergonomics rule is an effective and scientifically valid way to do so." The State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) adopted its ergonomics rule in May 2000. It requires employers with hazardous jobs to take feasible steps to limit workplace exposure to those hazards that cause work-related musculoskeletal injuries like tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and low back strain. Every year, more than 50,000 Washington workers suffer these injuries costing the workers' compensation system more than $1 billion -- nearly one half of all costs to that system. Ergonomics is the science and practice of designing workplaces with workers in mind, so that jobs can be done safely without exceeding the physical limits of the human body. This means taking measures to ensure that jobs do not require highly repetitive motions, excessive hand forces, extremely awkward postures, or frequent heavy lifting. "Ergonomics works, " said Randy Loomans, Safety and Education Director for the Washington State Labor Council. "By taking simple, inexpensive steps to keep jobs safe employers not only prevent injuries but also usually find that they have become more productive and competitive. Ergonomics is not only good science, it is good business." There are many positive examples of ergonomics in Washington workplaces. However, after more than 10 years of working with employers on a voluntary basis, an L&I survey of 5,000 Washington businesses revealed that 60 percent of employers report no efforts to reduce ergonomic-related injuries. Even among employers who recognize that injuries have occurred in their workplaces, 40 percent report no efforts to reduce the hazards that cause them. An economic analysis by L&I demonstrates that the benefits of the ergonomics rule will outweigh its costs. For every dollar invested in fixing a dangerous job, L&I estimates four dollars will be saved through reduced medical costs and improved productivity. The rule was designed to protect jobs. Employers are only required to take steps that are economically feasible and no employer is required to replace full-time with part-time workers or to reduce an employee's work hours. A Blue Ribbon Panel of national experts -- that included representatives from the business community, including Boeing -- has found the ergonomics rule easy to understand and use. The panel reported "the rule itself is clearly written… and usually free of bureaucratic legal jargon." Here is a list of ergonomists
and health care experts who have expressed opposition to the ergonomic
rule-repealing I-841: |
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 The following op-ed by WSLC President Rick Bender appears in today's edition of the Seattle Times:
If you have news items regarding unions or workplace issues in Washington state that you would like to see posted here, please submit them via e-mail to David Groves or via fax to 206-285-5805. Copyright © 2003 Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO |


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The Provisional Section on Tobacco Control currently welcomes all American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) members and non-AAP members (Affiliate Members) who would like to join us in accomplishing the mission and goals of our section. The Provisional Section on Tobacco Control Executive Committee is committed to making the Section a multidisciplinary collaboration. In July 2013, membership in the Section was opened to non-AAP members (Affiliate Members). We will draw from the strengths of the AAP Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence, building initiative and energy to address the challenge that tobacco poses to children's health. The Executive Committee is excited to work alongside others that share their same passion.
Join the Provisional Section on Tobacco Control as a current AAP member or non-AAP member (Affiliate Member):
The Executive Committee is now accepting current AAP Members to join the provisional Section. Please note an application and Tobacco Disclosure Statement are required.
There are no dues for this new AAP section for current AAP Members.
We have expanded our professional base to include the following categories:
With the application for membership, a candidate for the Affiliate Member category of membership must submit: 1) current curriculum vitae; 2) Tobacco Disclosure Statement; 3) sponsor letter from a current Section on Tobacco Control Fellow or Specialty Fellow detailing the nominee's involvement in tobacco control; and 4) Copy of license, certification or diploma (where applicable).
Annual dues for Affiliate Members is $20.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the Section's membership process or would like additional information, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Well, it's finally finished! Jessica and I have been working on a collaborative kit with bright colors called "Color Pop" and we are so pleased with how it turned out! It has 32 papers, 1 alpha, and 101 elements!!! Here is a preview:
Click here to find it in the store under collaborative kits!


text: Where's it? Towers gamesBookmark the permalink. Release date: Jan 31st, 2011 Price: 0.99 Version: 1.0 Seller: Sunny Cheung Buy Now STP SCORE: Not yet reviewed Description Related Games MovieCat 2 – The Movie Trivia Game Sequel! Garfield's Trivia Party Aliens Abducted The Price is Rightâ"¢ Decades Quiz Climber™ Monty Python's Trivial Quizzical Quest YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Family Feudâ"¢ Decades HD Scene It? Horror MovieCat!


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- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- salt and pepper to taste
Mix mayonnaise with sour cream. Add green onion, parsley, dill and salt and pepper.
my notes
recipe at a glance
type: Quick & Easy, Sauce
main ingredients: Dill, Sour Cream, Parsley, Mayonnaise
holiday/celebration: Summer


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This story has been updated. See note at conclusion.
The upcoming retirement of Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), and what it means for financial regulatory reform, presented an interesting challenge this week for political journalists—and helped bring forward some underlying assumptions about what a "good outcome" is. Whether or not they're right, the political cognoscenti seem more or less to agree that Dodd—the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee—will want to cement his legacy by shepherding a reform measure into law. But doing so will probably mean retreating from the aggressive bill Dodd proposed in November, which would consolidate banking regulators and create new agencies to monitor financial risk and protect consumers.
The real question for news outlets was how to frame the story. Is Dodd's retirement a good thing, because his quasi-lame duck status frees him from parochial political concerns and makes it more likely that something called "financial regulatory reform" may pass? Or is it a bad—or at least, complicated—development, because that "reform" may not amount to much?
The Associated Press took the first option, headlining its story, "Dodd Retirement May Help Banking Bill." The article opens: "Freed from his liberal base and moneyed donors, Sen. Chris Dodd can now cast himself as the honest broker in negotiations over a massive Wall Street regulation bill."
This makes sense if you think that Dodd's "liberal base" and his "moneyed donors" have been equally culpable in sabotaging legitimate efforts at financial reform. But the use of that dichotomy here is a little confusing: yes, Dodd's career has been built on support from these two groups, which are at odds on this issue. But when it comes to financial reform, the important distinction isn't liberal/rich—it's non-rich/rich. That's not how Wall Street presents it, though. The first two quotes in this story come from John Breaux, a former Democratic senator from Louisiana who was famously sympathetic to big business and now lobbies for the financial industry, and Scott Talbott, a lobbyist for banking trade group The Financial Services Roundtable. They're both pleased as punch that "political motivations" will no longer be shaping the regulations; it's that sentiment that shapes the top of the story. But here's a tip: if those two think a news event works in their favor, that event's probably not doing much to bolster financial reform. (The article does, farther down, talk to consumer advocates, and explore how some reform measures are likely to be sacrificed. But the main theme is that Dodd's retirement is more likely to prompt a compromise—and that compromise is a good thing.)
Taking a similar tack was The Washington Post, which ran the somewhat wordier headline, "Dodd's retirement decision may boost chances for financial regulatory overhaul." The headline doesn't quite do the story justice: the Post does a much better job explaining that there are serious competing interests at stake here, and that the value of a "financial regulatory overhaul" depends on what's in the overhaul, and which interests you care about. Still, the WaPo story reinforces the idea that petty partisanship—rather than, say, Wall Street's entrenched influence among both parties—is the chief obstacle to reform, and thus Dodd's new "freedom from politics" is a good thing. The closing quote goes to Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who says, cheerily, "If this removes one level of the partisan concerns, so much the better."
A different—and better—take comes from The Wall Street Journal, which signals its stance right in the headline: "Dodd's Retirement Muddles Financial Overhaul." Reporter Damian Paletta gets right to the point:
If Mr. Dodd wants to pass the bill by November to bolster his legislative legacy, Capitol Hill aides said, he and the White House will likely have to water down their proposals and broker a deal with Republicans, who oppose the legislation and have little incentive to give Democrats a victory.
"If Dodd still wants a bill, he can get one; he just has to compromise much more than he would have had to before," said Mark Calabria, a former Senate Republican aide who is now director of financial-regulation studies at the libertarian Cato Institute think tank. It's a view echoed by liberal consumer groups.
That Calabria quote does a lot more to help readers understand the situation than the AP odes to bipartisanship from Breaux or Talbott. In fact, Paletta appropriately kicks the quotes from interested parties—both bankers and consumer advocates—to the end of the story. Near the top, though, he offers this tidbit:
Financial executives were mostly measured in their public reaction to Mr. Dodd's announcement. But privately, several said any legislation that passes will likely be more industry-friendly than what was under consideration even a few weeks ago.


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Design for Everyday Living Series/1971 - Misc. Pub. No. 334
Each year many serious accidents occur while mowing the lawn. These accidents result in costly medical expenses or property damage. You should be familiar with your lawn mower in order to obtain the best results, have a neat appearing lawn, and prevent accidents. Here are suggestions to aid you in safely carrying out this necessary task:
Refueling and Starting the Lawn Mower
Mowing Precautions


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A day after the finals are over and done, we're kind of suffering from a Tampa Am hangover. No headaches or listlessness, but a deep sense of "Now what do we do?" That's how all consuming this SPoT 20th Anniversary + Tampa Am was, and it's quite possible that we were all in too deep.
Which is funny — in a totally not funny way — since aside from the 300 dudes skating, the huge cast of worker bees behind the scenes at Tampa Am, and another few hundred people in attendance, you and I just watched the proceedings from the comfort of our own wi-fi connections. How could we be so consumed with the broadcast of an amateur skateboarding contest that it's left us bored and questioning exactly what we're supposed to be doing? Is this the future? Is this the new now? Or is this just a bad case of the Mondays?
I don't know, but I'm pretty sure we're supposed to be skating, not looking around for the next epic skate broadcast. So after you check this selection of Rodent's Tampa Am bro-down snapshots, give the entire SPoT staff a virtual high five and move along — you've only got like 360 days to get ready for Tampa Am 2013.
Your 2012 Tampa Am champion, Alec Majerus, has a sweet plaque and a new psycho, photo bombing fan to go with it.
Another army of of bros in arms: Ryan Dewitt, Sebo Walker, Stevie Perez, and Erica Yary.
The supremely talented Mark Suciu and the supremely gravel throated Tim O'Connor.
Long, lost first-name cousins: Jon Mehring and Jon Constantino.
Mad muggers: Kevin Bradley, Nakel Smith, and Tyshawn Jones.
The first ever Tampa Am Fan Favorite, Pat Shaefer.
A quick break from the shoulder-to-shoulder sitch, Neal Hendrix interviews Tom Remillard for the live broadcast.


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Studying for a (Doctoral) degree in Münster
Münster University offers some interesting courses of study for Bachelor students from abroad. As soon as you've found the right course for yourself you can make your application. One thing to remember, however, is that you need to have certain German language skills for some courses.
Bachelor/undergraduate degree
You can apply to do a Master's course if you already have a first degree. Before you make your application, please clarify any questions on course content and requirements for the individual subjects.
Master/graduate degree
Doctoral students
Here you can find information on both structured doctoral programmes and individual doctoral degree courses at Münster University. There is also information on grants, residence permits, work permits, tax liability, immigration and accommodation in Münster.
Facts and information for doctorate students
Exchange programmes/ERASMUS
Anyone who wishes to come to Münster University with ERASMUS or any other exchange programme should first of all find out about the German language skills required, university events, credit points and accommodation.
More information on the exchange programmes
"Die Brücke" ("The Bridge") – the international meeting point
Die Brücke is Münster University's international centre. It organizes all sorts of university-related activities and events for international undergraduates and doctoral students.
The international centre "Die Brücke"
International OfficeSchlossplatz 3
48149 Münster
Tel.: +49 251 83-222 15
Fax: +49 251 83-22226
- International Office
- Map of WWU buildings
- International Centre
"Die Brücke" - Career Service
- Student Advisory and Counselling Centre (ZSB)
- Registrars Office
- Language Centre
- Student Support Services
- German Academic Exchange Service
- EURAXESS Deutschland
- Federal Foreign Office
- City of Münster
- Virtual Münster Tour


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Blog | Comments |
WoW | 2 Comments |
Recent Comments:
The Queue: Hard mode is hard {WoW}
Mar 6th 2009 3:03PM Tier 8 tokens are currently on PTR, buyable with Emblems of Conquest. How likely is it the combination of Rogue, Mage, DK, Druid will be on them when they go live, or is the current PTR Build just copy/paste from the T7 buyable token with changed name, etc.?
Ask a Beta Tester: A closer look at the starting zones and other things {WoW}
Nov 5th 2008 4:33PM I have a question for the Ask a Beta Tester:
I heard from a friend that Blues went back and said the championing would be allowed for old school reps (Timbermaw, AD, CC etc) in level 80 instances. How true is that, if it is? Or is it just like I've been reading for only Northrend factions?


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Then: In its heyday, the J.M. McDonald Co, which was headquartered in Hastings, was one of the largest retail outfits in the area. At its peak, it had grown to include 108 stores in 12 states.
The company's namesake started the chain with an acquisition in 1934 and grew through purchasing other businesses and opening new stores. Ironically, these same corporate purchases led to the company's demise. In 1968, J.M. McDonald was bought by Gamble-Skogmo Inc. In 1980, Wickes Corp. of San Diego, Calif., purchased Gamble and its subsidiaries in 1980. Two years later, Wickes filed for bankruptcy, forcing the closure of McDonald's.
Now: Herberger's stands in place of the J.M. McDonald Co. store at the Imperial Mall.
Herberger's bought the McDonald's store at the mall within weeks of the announced bankruptcy.
Clint Calkins of Hastings was with J.M. McDonald Co. more than 20 years before the doors closed. He was sad to see the company go. He said it was a good company for employees.
Calkins started in 1961 as a sales clerk in Wichita, Kan. Through 1975, he worked his way up to assistant manager before being transferred to Grand Island to help open a store at the Conestoga Mall. He moved to Helena, Mont., to serve as a store manager until he moved to Hastings in 1977 to work in the main office.
"When it started falling apart when Wickes bought it, it was very disturbing," he said. "There was no personal touch to it. You had to do everything through somebody on the West Coast."
After J.M. McDonald Co. closed in 1982, Calkins moved to Burbank, S.D., to work at another Gambles company, Fashion Crossroads. He served as district supervisor and was later stationed in Montana and then Iowa. Then he moved back to Hastings in 1992, where his two daughters lived.
Don Kissler of Hastings, who is now the Tribune's business manager, worked at J.M. McDonald's for 20 years, starting as an auditor and then moving into the financial department.
He said the company was unique in its approach to employees. The company culture helped with the longevity of employees. Several co-workers in the main office had been there 40 or 50 years.
"You couldn't find any company with employee relationships better than they had," he said.
Upper management acknowledged any employees they came across and would chat with them, no matter where they were on the totem pole.
"You just don't see that anymore," he said.
He recalled one company president during his time had a knack for remembering names. Charles Blair was able to call people by name when visiting stores as far away as California.
"He was a very personable individual," Kissler said.
J.M. McDonald's was a department store featuring shoes, clothing for the entire family and accessories, similar to Dillard's or J.C. Penney.
In fact, the store was closer to J.C. Penney than many may realize.
J.M. McDonald got into the retail business early in his life while helping his father out at the mercantile store he operated, according to the J.M. McDonald Foundation website.
At the turn of the century, McDonald joined three older brothers to start a dry goods and grocery store named McDonalds. It was sold in 1904.
The following year, McDonald helped his boyhood friend J.C. Penney open his first store. After six months, McDonald left to help his brothers start a department store. He went back to J.C. Penney Co. in 1911 and helped grow the company until he left in 1929.
The company that became J.M. McDonald started as a single retail store in Holdrege. It was founded as a Golden Rule store owned by the Brown-Ekberg Co. in 1915. A second store opened in Minden three years later and by 1934 there were 18 stores in the chain.
Even after leaving J.C. Penney's, McDonald continued to be active in the merchandising business. In 1934, he purchased the Ekberg interest in the Brown-Ekberg company and the name was changed to Brown-McDonald.
In 1936, the company's offices were moved to Hastings. Ten years later, the company had grown to 40 stores. The original owner Eban Brown died in 1937, but the company name wasn't changed to J.M. McDonald Co. until 1948.
In 1953, 33 stores were added to the company with the purchase of W.W. Virtue Inc. Another 10 stores came into the fold two years later with the acquisition of J.P. Croff Co.
Combination executive offices and a warehouse were built at the 2600 block of West Second Street in 1956. The building now houses Johnson Cashway Lumber Co.
By 1967, there were talks of a merger with Gamble-Skogmo, but the vote fell through. The following year, Gamble made a bid to buy the company.
The retail store moved to the Imperial Mall in June 1970.
In early 1980, Gamble and its subsidiaries were purchased by Wickes Corp., which had been the nation's largest retailer of lumber and building supplies. The enlarged corporation suffered financially in the two years after the purchase and filed for bankruptcy in 1982. Herberger's bought the Hastings' location at that time.
While here, the business left a legacy through the J.M. McDonald Foundation. The foundation helped with a variety of projects through the city, including the J.M. McDonald Planetarium and Hurley-McDonald building on Hastings College campus.
Kissler helped close down the business, completing the required paperwork for the bankruptcy. He felt like it was the end of an era.
"It was a unique company," he said. "It really was.".
To read more, see Friday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>


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Hi Bookgrubs,
Well book club continues with great enthusiasm and Michelle has kindly chosen the next book…
"Smith demonstrates both an instinctive storytelling talent and a fully fashioned voice that's street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time. A writer of remarkable powers'
The New York Times
Howard Belsey, a Rembrandt scholar who doesn't like Rembrandt, is an Englishman abroad and a long-suffering Professor at Wellington, a New England Liberal Arts college. He has been married for thirty years to Kiki, an American woman who no longer resembles the sexy activist she once was.
Their three children passionately pursue their own paths; Levi quests after authentic blackness, Zora believes that intellectuals can redeem everybody, and Jerome struggles to be a believer in a family of strict atheists. Faced with the oppressive enthusiasms of his children, Howard feels that the first two acts of his life are over and he has no clear plans for the finale. Or the encore.
Then Jerome, Howard's oldest son, falls for Victoria, the stunning daughter of the right-wing icon Monty Kipps. Increasingly, the two families find themselves thrown together in a beautiful corner of America, enacting a cultural and personal war against the background of real wars that they barely register. An infidelity, a death, then an unexpected legacy set in motion a chain of events which sees all parties forced to examine the unarticulated assumptions that underpin their lives. How do you choose the work on which to spend your life? Why do you love the people you love? Do you really believe what you claim to? And what are the really beautiful things in life – and how far will you go to get them?
Set on both sides of the Atlantic, Zadie Smith's third novel is a brilliant analysis of family life, the institution of marriage, intersections of the personal and political, and an honest look at people's deceptions. It is also, as you might expect, very funny indeed."
Michelle thought that we could have our next Book Club meeting at the end of July sometime and some pub nice and warm with a big fire. How does that sound?
Date: 7pm Wednesday 26th July
Venue: To be announced closer to the time
Hope to see you all there!!


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The workers' compensation system is such that employers, insurance companies and the doctors they elect to work with, operating to protect their own profits, can act against your best interests. In order to avoid becoming a victim on their efforts to have you accept as little treatment, time off work and compensation as possible, it is vital you know your rights. A Kansas City workers' compensation attorney can guide you competently through your case and advocate for you throughout. Some fundamental guidelines you should keep in mind include that you have the right to:
At Haight Stang, LLC, we pledge to be accessible to you throughout your case and guarantee to offer only honest information. When your health, well-being, future and rights are on the line, you need legal representation that will act only in your best interests. We can help you to understand how your rights under the law apply in your particular case and help you navigate through the workers' comp process.
For help protecting your rights after an on-the-job injury, contact a Kansas City workers' compensation attorneytoday.


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FAQ - League of Young Voters Primary on Facebook
- I heard the League of Young Voters is having a primary election for young voters on Facebook? Is that true?
- What's this all about?
- How do I get started?
- What if I'm not sure who to vote for?
- What is Facebook?
- Who is Facebook for? Just young people? College students? Hot dog vendors?
- But what about the League of Young Voters application? Is that only for young people? What is young anyway?
- Is it a partisan primary?
- Is this project sponsored or endorsed by Facebook?
- What happens to the email addresses you collect through this application?
- When does the voting begin?
- What is the purpose of the application, and what else are you going to do with it?
- So I just vote online and that's it?
- Is there any off-line component to this?
- How can I vote for candidates from other parties besides Democrats and Republicans?
- Wow, the app is beautiful? Who is the graphic designer?
I heard the League of Young Voters is having a primary election for young voters on Facebook? Is that true?
Why, yes.
What's this all about?
The League of Young Voters is teaming up with MoveOn.org Political Action to launch a presidential primary for young voters on Facebook. We're sending a mass of young voters to the "virtual polls", aiming to amplify the voice of young voters. It's based around a Facebook application, where people can vote for and promote their favorite candidate, and identify their top issues as well. You can see not only who's winning nationally on Facebook, but also who's winning in each Facebook "network". In other words, it automatically starts a primary election race in each city, school, workplace, etc. The race is on to get your candidate and issues to the top in your network!!
How do I get started?
Click here to get started: http://apps.facebook.com/theleague
If you already have a Facebook account, you can log in on the left side.
If you don't have a Facebook account yet, the signup form takes about 15 seconds and you're in! It's free and easy. More info about Facebook is below.
.What if I'm not sure who to vote for?
The application links to a terrific website called glassbooth.org, where you can get unbiased information on all of the candidates, using their own statements about where they stand on the issues. You can look at candidates and issues individually, or you can take their Candidate Quiz to learn more about which candidate matches your views most closely.
What is Facebook?
Here's the description from the Facebook site: "Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet." Read more at http://facebook.com/about.php
Who is Facebook for? Just young people? Just college students?
Facebook is open to everyone, and anyone with an email address can get a Facebook account. There are well over 50 million people on Facebook, so as you can imagine they are not in any easily-definable category.
But what about the League of Young Voters application? Is that only for young people? What is young anyway?
Anyone who is on Facebook can vote, but since this primary is for young voters, only votes from users who are 35 and under will be counted towards the totals. Results will be tallied overall, but also network-by-network, so you'll be able to see who is ahead in your city, high school, workplace, college, etc. Other features of the application like the badge, friends comparison, newsfeed features will work fine regardless of age.
...And since you asked, we think anyone who feels young is young. :)
Is it a partisan primary?
No, both Democrat and Republican candidates are available on the primary, as are write-in candidates. We hope that, no matter who they are supporting, young people from all over participate, express their opinions, and engage their friends.
Is this project sponsored or endorsed by Facebook?
No. Facebook allows outside groups to create "applications" that work with their platform, but they are not sponsoring or endorsing this project in any way.
What happens to the email addresses you collect through this application?
If you choose to provide your email address in the "Basic Info" section of the application, it'll go to the League of Young Voters and MoveOn.org Political Action, so they can keep you informed and engaged. Of course, you can opt out at any time after that if you don't want to receive updates. For the full privacy policy for the application, see http://moveon.org/fb_apps/lyv_primary/privacy.html.
When does the voting begin?
Voting begins on the morning of January 3, 2008 -- the same day as the Iowa caucuses. It runs for a month until Feb 5, but results may be publicized along the way.
What is the purpose of the application, and what else are you going to do with it?
We have several reasons for undertaking this project:
- To engage young people online in the lead up to the primary.
- To demonstrate that young people are engaged and paying attention. The League and MoveOn are providing a space online to echo what is going on in communities across the nation; young people are turning out to the polls records numbers and are more interested than ever.
- To bring young voters and their issues to the forefront of the national political discussion. We want the candidates to talk about issues that matter to our communities.
- To register new voters and re-register young voters who have moved.
- To encourage young people to turn out to the polls during their primary election or caucus, and in the general election in November.
- To have a little fun.
So I just vote online and that's it?
Well, hell no! Voting online is a cool way to show people that you're paying attention and that you want your voice to be heard. But it doesn't count for much unless you get off your rear and vote in the real elections too. For a calendar of primary elections click here, and to find more information about your election and polling places, go here. We'll do our best to remind you to vote when the time comes too.
Is there any off-line component to this?
Yes, we'll use this application to help young people engage, register, and turn each other out to vote in innovative ways.
How can I vote for candidates from other parties besides Democrats and Republicans?
You can vote for any candidate using the write-in option. Unfortunately for manageability we had to limit the list of pre-filled candidates to this list from the New York Times. But if you support a candidate from another party, we encourage you to vote for that candidate using the write-in option at the bottom of the candidate list.
Wow, the app is beautiful. Who is the graphic designer?
That would be our ace design homie Jeff French at http://ixley.com. You may remember him from such smash hits as theballot.org and this site that you're on now. The man has skills


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On Your Mark, Get Set, Travel!
Traveling is a part of our soul! So anything travel related that is unique and savvy hits a soft spot for both of us… When we found this cool solution for traveling with kids toys, we knew we hit airplane gold!
Lay-n-Go is an activity mat, cleanup, storage and carryall solution in one. Kids can play with their small-piece toys (aka Legos, Playmobil, Kynex, blocks, tiny dolls, etc.) on the mat and then just pull the drawstring to form a cute, little pouch. So easy….so genius!
On planes, cars, visits, restaurants…this little pouch will save you hours of nagging and frustration!
Our friends at Lay-n-Go are offering a 10% discount to our readers using the check-out code HOOLABOOLA.


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Fourteen Senior High basketball players were suspended from competition for at least a week after an alleged Wednesday night hazing incident, according to interim School District 2 Superintendent Jack Copps.
The incident happened during a dinner held for the basketball team at a private residence.
"It was a private gathering, which isn't unusual for this kind of thing with teams, and it got out of hand," said Copps.
It appears, partly due to a video obtained by school officials, that players held down another team member, a junior, and shocked him with a dog's shock collar. Copps said each of the suspended players had varying degrees of involvement.
"The team had a lot of momentum here and this is a huge loss for them," he said.
The victim, who appeared to have been shocked in the neck area, was not visibly injured and did not require medical treatment, Copps added.
Basketball games scheduled for the week -- Thursday night at West High and Friday night at Hardin -- will go on as planned, using junior varsity and sophomore players.
At Thursday night's rivalry game at West High, Senior's starting lineup featured a glut of youth -- three sophomores and two juniors, most of whom hadn't seen significant varsity minutes -- due to the suspensions.
"It's just sad all around, what happened," said Senior student Kennedy Chambers, 15.
Senior student Kael Giebink, 15, said he spoke with the victim earlier in the day and that it's impacted the whole school.
"Our school was pretty tense today," he said. "I know he, and most of us, was really freaked out about what happened and about the suspensions."
Despite the sudden shakeup with the team, the gym on Thursday night was packed and echoed with the cheers of parents and students on both sides throughout the game, which West won, 72-25.
"We're here to support our school," said Kenzie Schreier, a 15-year-old Senior student. "We're going to support our school no matter what. It's too bad this happened but we still go to Senior High and we're part of the student body and we'll support them."
Even with the lopsided loss, students, coaches and fans said the Senior players did well given the tumultuous circumstances.
"I'm so proud of those kids and for their effort," said Senior head coach Jim Wilsey. "West is so good ... if you don't come with all your weapons against them, it's tough. And obviously we didn't have all of our guys tonight. The seven kids that took the court for us gave it everything they had."
Copps said he felt the players' punishment was fitting, especially given that they came during a critical time in the basketball season and for an important game.
"I think the message is loud and clear," he said. "I think they fully understand the gravity of this."
At least one Billings parent disagreed on Thursday. Brenda Sommerville has two children attending West who know several of the suspended players.
She feels they should be removed from the team.
"It's just very sad that a human does that to another human," she said. "There needs to be consequences and they need to understand that."
It isn't clear yet if charges be filed. Copps said it is out of SD2's hands and up to the victim and his family.
"There has been a significant school district investigation and the School Resource Officers have participated in the investigation, so what will become of this we don't know yet," Copps said.
The players weren't allowed at Thursday's game and won't be admitted to Friday's in Hardin. They're expected to return to the team on Monday.
Wilsey feels it is "a good team with good kids" and hopes they can learn from the incident.
"They'll be back at practice Monday and we'll regroup and get back after it," he said. "This will be a learning experience for them. They made a mistake and they'll learn from it, but we certainly won't throw in the towel on the season."
Regardless, Copps said it's important that a distinct line is drawn between playing around and hazing.
"We recognize what happened as hazing," he said. "It's a very dangerous activity and throughout the years we have made every attempt possible to educate the kids about these hazings."


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Growth of above 10 per cent is the goal in the coming years
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government's first budget, presented on Thursday, unveiled new schemes and development initiatives totalling Rs. 8,900 crore.
Among the new measures were free distribution of electric fan, mixie and grinder (Rs.1,250 crore), solar-powered green house scheme (Rs.1,080 crore), Chennai Mega City Development Mission (Rs. 500 crore) and cash dole for students of 10th standard and higher secondary classes (Rs. 394 crore).
Watched by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her Cabinet colleagues, Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam delivered his maiden budget speech that lasted three hours.
As he rose to present the budget, members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, led by M.K. Stalin, staged a walkout.
Revenue deficit
Giving the big picture of the budget, the Finance Minister said, "We focussed attention more on fulfilling our electoral promises…We have also eliminated the previous year's revenue deficit of Rs. 2,720 crore and generated a marginal revenue surplus of Rs. 173.87 crores in this budget."
Amid thumping of desks, he said the budget size, for the first time, exceeded Rs. 1 lakh crore.
Though the growth rate of the primary and secondary sectors in the first three years of the 11th Plan period (since 2007-2008) was disappointing and below the national average, the economic growth in the State was propelled by the service sector. "We are well aware that service sector-led growth may not be sustainable in the long run. Therefore, we will make the primary and manufacturing sectors the main drivers for achieving higher growth." At the same time, critical bottlenecks in infrastructure development would be addressed to sustain higher growth in the service sector so that an overall growth of above 10 per cent was achieved in the coming years, he added.
Power projects
The Minister said that the capacity addition in power sector this year was expected to be 3,280 megawatt. It had been proposed to take up power generation projects of 3,800 MW at a cost of Rs. 22,800 crore, either under the State sector or through joint venture.
Keywords: Tamil Nadu budget, Jayalalithaa government