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climate change
College professor calls for jailing climate "deniers"
It never fails. At some point, the mask slips among the "tolerant" members of academia and we are exposed to their real controlling and authoritarian face. Over the past few weeks there have been two good examples of this. At Harvard, we had senior Sandra Korn ("a joint history of science and studies of women, gender and sexuality concentrator", whatever that might be) declare that academic freedom is an outdated concept and that "academic justice" is a much better concept:
In its oft-cited Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, the American Association of University Professors declares that "Teachers are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results." In principle, this policy seems sound: It would not do for academics to have their research restricted by the political whims of the moment.
Yet the liberal obsession with "academic freedom" seems a bit misplaced to me. After all, no one ever has "full freedom" in research and publication. Which research proposals receive funding and what papers are accepted for publication are always contingent on political priorities. The words used to articulate a research question can have implications for its outcome. No academic question is ever "free" from political realities. If our university community opposes racism, sexism, and heterosexism, why should we put up with research that counters our goals simply in the name of "academic freedom"?
Instead, I would like to propose a more rigorous standard: one of "academic justice." When an academic community observes research promoting or justifying oppression, it should ensure that this research does not continue.
Tolerance of ideas you don't like or agree with? Forget about it. Instead, refuse to fund research that doesn't conform to your agenda and we'll call that "academic justice". Feel a little chill?
Now we have an assistant professor of philosophy at the Rochester Institute of Technology who would like to see those who disagree with him on climate change put in jail. Apparently freedom of thought and speech and the right to disagree are outdated concepts as well. Eric Owens at the Daily Caller brings us up to date:
The professor is Lawrence Torcello. Last week, he published a 900-word-plus essay at an academic website called The Conversation.
His main complaint is his belief that certain nefarious, unidentified individuals have organized a "campaign funding misinformation." Such a campaign, he argues, "ought to be considered criminally negligent."
Torcello, who has a Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo, explains that there are times when criminal negligence and "science misinformation" must be linked. The threat of climate change, he says, is one of those times.
Throughout the piece, he refers to the bizarre political aftermath of an earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy, which saw six scientists imprisoned for six years each because they failed to "clearly communicate risks to the public" about living in an earthquake zone.
"Consider cases in which science communication is intentionally undermined for political and financial gain," the assistant professor urges.
"Imagine if in L'Aquila, scientists themselves had made every effort to communicate the risks of living in an earthquake zone," Torcello argues, but evil "financiers" of a "denialist campaign" "funded an organised [sic] campaign to discredit the consensus findings of seismology, and for that reason no preparations were made."
"I submit that this is just what is happening with the current, well documented funding of global warming denialism," Torcello asserts.
No mention of the current, well documented funding of global warming alarmism (Al Gore, call your booking agent). No mention of the science that counters many of the claims of alarmists. No mention of the unexplained 15 year temperature pause. In fact, no mention of anything that might derail his argument. But that's par for the course among alarmists, and Torcello is certainly one of them. And, as he makes clear, he will not tolerate deniers because they're not only wrong, they're criminals:
Torcello says that people are already dying because of global warming. "Nonetheless, climate denial remains a serious deterrent against meaningful political action in the very countries most responsible for the crisis."
As such, Torcello wants governments to make "the funding of climate denial" a crime.
"The charge of criminal and moral negligence ought to extend to all activities of the climate deniers who receive funding as part of a sustained campaign to undermine the public's understanding of scientific consensus."
Of course the reason he's so upset is this new fangled thing called the internet has enabled anyone who is curious about the climate debate to actually see both sides of the argument layed out before them. For the alarmists, that has inconveniently helped a majority of people realize that the science behind the alarmism is weak at best and fraudulent in some cases. It has also helped them understand that the alarmist science that Torcello wants enshrined as "truth" was gathered from deeply flawed computer models and fudged data. And, it has also let the voices of dissenting scientists be heard. Finally, this ability for the public to weigh the arguments has found most of the public viewing climate change as a minor problem at best.
Torcello would like to make all of that a crimnal activity based simply on his belief that the alarmist argument is the accurate argument. He'd jail the heretics and deny the public the opposing argument. This is what you're reduced to when you have no real scientifically based counter-arugment and are just pushing a belief.
The Torcellos of the world once tried to do this to a man named Gallileo. And we know how that worked out.
It is always easy to wave away those like Torcello and claim they're an anomoly. But it seems we see more and more of them popping up each day. The struggle to gain and maintain freedom is a daily struggle. It is the Torcellos and the Korns of the world who would – for your own good, of course – be happy to help incrementally rob you of your freedoms. They must be called out each and every time they do so and exposed for what they are.
Krauthammer takes the hammer to the myth of "settled science"
In a great column by Charles Krauthammer, he those who spout the "settled science" mantra their just due:
"The debate is settled," asserted propagandist in chief Barack Obama in his latest State of the Union address. "Climate change is a fact." Really? There is nothing more anti-scientific than the very idea that science is settled, static, impervious to challenge. Take a non-climate example. It was long assumed that mammograms help reduce breast cancer deaths. This fact was so settled that Obamacare requires every insurance plan to offer mammograms (for free, no less) or be subject to termination.
Now we learn from a massive randomized study — 90,000 women followed for 25 years — that mammograms may have no effect on breast cancer deaths. Indeed, one out of five of those diagnosed by mammogram receives unnecessary radiation, chemo or surgery.
So much for settledness. And climate is less well understood than breast cancer. If climate science is settled, why do its predictions keep changing? And how is it that the great physicist Freeman Dyson, who did some climate research in the late 1970s, thinks today's climate-change Cassandras are hopelessly mistaken?
A fair and unanswered question to this point. Instead alarmists offer excuses or twist science in such a way it is unrecognizable in order to justify their claims. Krauthammer continues:
They deal with the fluid dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans, argues Dyson, ignoring the effect of biology, i.e., vegetation and topsoil. Further, their predictions rest on models they fall in love with: "You sit in front of a computer screen for 10 years and you start to think of your model as being real." Not surprisingly, these models have been "consistently and spectacularly wrong" in their predictions, write atmospheric scientists Richard McNider and John Christy — and always, amazingly, in the same direction.
Settled? Even Britain's national weather service concedes there's been no change — delicately called a "pause" — in global temperature in 15 years. If even the raw data is recalcitrant, let alone the assumptions and underlying models, how settled is the science?
Precisely. Climate change is happening because climate change always happens. Climate isn't a static thing. But suddenly, using these wildly innaccurate and downright wrong models, "scientists" are trying to lay off the responsibility for that change on man. Nothing new there. The extreme left of environmentalism sees man as an intruder to be gotten rid of rather than a natural part of the world. And they, for one, see this as an opportunity to work toward that goal. The politicians, of course, see revenue. It is a dangerous combination.
Krauthammer then covers the alarmists attempts to use weather events as harbingers of climate change. But just like the temperatures these past 15 years, the data just doesn't support their claims:
But even worse than the pretense of settledness is the cynical attribution of any politically convenient natural disaster to climate change, a clever term that allows you to attribute anything — warming and cooling, drought and flood — to man's sinful carbon burning.
Accordingly, Obama ostentatiously visited drought-stricken California last Friday. Surprise! He blamed climate change. Here even the New York Times gagged, pointing out that far from being supported by the evidence, "the most recent computer projections suggest that as the world warms, California should get wetter, not drier, in the winter."
How inconvenient. But we've been here before. Hurricane Sandy was made the poster child for the alleged increased frequency and strength of "extreme weather events" like hurricanes.
Nonsense. Sandy wasn't even a hurricanewhen it hit the United States. Indeed, in all of 2012, only a single hurricane made U.S. landfall . And 2013 saw the fewest Atlantic hurricanes in 30 years. In fact, in the last half-century, one-third fewer major hurricanes have hit the United States than in the previous half-century.
Similarly tornadoes. Every time one hits, the climate-change commentary begins. Yet last year saw the fewest in a quarter-century. And the last 30 years — of presumed global warming — has seen a 30 percent decrease in extreme tornado activity (F3 and above) versus the previous 30 years.
Facts. My goodness how to explain pure and simple facts that contradict the "settled science." They can't.
He concludes beautifully with a stake through the heart of "settled science" myth and calls it what it really is – whoring. Science whoring and political whoring:
None of this is dispositive. It doesn't settle the issue. But that's the point. It mocks the very notion of settled science, which is nothing but a crude attempt to silence critics and delegitimize debate. As does the term "denier" — an echo of Holocaust denial, contemptibly suggesting the malevolent rejection of an established historical truth.
Climate-change proponents have made their cause a matter of fealty and faith. For folks who pretend to be brave carriers of the scientific ethic, there's more than a tinge of religion in their jeremiads. If you whore after other gods, the Bible tells us, "the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit" (Deuteronomy 11).
Sounds like California. Except that today there's a new god, the Earth Mother. And a new set of sins — burning coal and driving a fully equipped F-150.
But whoring is whoring, and the gods must be appeased. So if California burns, you send your high priest (in carbon -belching Air Force One, but never mind) to the bone-dry land to offer up, on behalf of the repentant congregation, a $1 billion burnt offering called a "climate resilience fund."
Ah, settled science in action.
UPDATE: Speaking of "settled science", one of the biggest proponents of that mantra can't even get short range forecasts right:
The Met Office's 'pitiful' forecasts were under fire last night after it was revealed it told councils in November to expect 'drier than usual' conditions this winter. In the worst weather prediction since Michael Fish reassured the nation in October 1987 that there was no hurricane on the way, forecasters said the Somerset Levels – still under water after more than two months of flooding – and the rest of the West Country would be especially dry. Last night, it was confirmed the UK had instead suffered the wettest winter since records began.
There is every reason to be skeptical of the science of "climate change" alarmists
Let's make something clear here before we start. The argument in science, about climate change, isn't whether or not man is contributing to climate change – it's whether what man is contributing makes a big difference in the climate (and should therefore be addressed) or an insignificant contribution to climate change (and therefore "remedies" which are likely economy wreckers should be foregone). The former is the "alamrist" side. The latter is the skeptical side.
The science of the situation, i.e. the data, seems to support the skeptical side. So what you don't want to fall into is the trap of agreeing that man is contributing nothing. Just by living we contribute to the mix. What skeptics are arguming is the contribution of man, in reality, is insignificant and doesn't warrant huge costly taxes, significant change or monsterous government programs. Skeptics offer that the atmosphere doesn't react signficiantly to rising CO2 produced by man (and that seems to be the case).
Therefore when you hear all this nonsense about skeptics denying man's contribution to climate change, it is just that – nonsense. Every living creature contributes to the gasses which make up the atmosphere of our planet and some of those gasses do indeed have a role in climate. To deny that is silly. What we skeptics are saying is those contributions simply aren't significant because their effect on climate is minimal and certainly nowhere near on par with natural events. When the alarmist thow out numbers like "97% of scientistst agree man is contributing to climate change" it is a partial truth. However, there's a huge split among scientists as to how significant man's contribution is to any climate change. But alarmists never go there.
In fact, we're just in the middle of the latest round of "catastrophe hype" that the media has been complicit in for years. Whatever it takes to sell papers. Remember:
"U.S. Scientist Sees New Ice Age Coming," said a Washington Post headline in 1971. "The world could be as little as 50 or 60 years away from a disastrous new ice age, a leading atmospheric scientist predicts." The New York Times went one further, saying: "Climate Changes Called Ominous." But it wasn't just theory. "There is a finite probability that a serious worldwide cooling could befall the Earth within the next hundred years."
Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Not to mention forgetting about how we'd all be starved to death by now because the population wasn't sustainable and … well, you know them all.
Which brings us to the latest attempt by the alarmists to redefine both the "problem" and the skeptics. Our buddy John Kerry in Indonesia over the weekend had this to say:
Kerry, who delivered the speech on Sunday in the capital, Jakarta, spoke critically about climate change sceptics adding that everyone and every country must take responsibility and act immediately.
"We simply don't have time to let a few loud interest groups hijack the climate conversation," he said, referring to what he called "big companies" that "don't want to change and spend a lot of money" to act to reduce the risks.
He later singled out big oil and coal concerns as the primary offenders.
"The science is unequivocal, and those who refuse to believe it are simply burying their heads in the sand," Kerry said.
Right. Interestingly, Indonesia is huge coal producer. Our boy Kerry knows how to pick 'em.
Of course the science isn't "unequivocal" where it counts. I.e. what is driving climate change (you know, beside the big yellow thing that appears in the sky each day like magic but is, for the most part, roundly ignored by alarmists – no pun intended) is, well, many natural forces. Our Earth has seen climate change for its entire existence. We have two warm periods in our past which were warmer that the warmest period of modern history. And we're not warming now, despite increased CO2. So, if one wants to really do science, i.e. demand "unequivocal" proof, one has every right to be skeptical of the current science being pushed by the alarmists. Skepticism is the root of science.
And, of course, Kerry had to over dramatize the supposed problem in order to alarm the gullible even more:
John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, has stressed the importance of tackling climate change in a speech in Indonesia, saying that it may be the world's "most fearsome" weapon of mass destruction.
Wow. That's just a …. silly comparison.
But alarmists seem to pay no attention to reality as they push their mantra. For instance, Al Gore, Alarmist-in-Chief had this to say just a few days ago:
Earth's ice-covered regions are melting. The vanishing of the Arctic ice cap is changing the heat absorption at the top of the world, and may be affecting the location of the Northern Hemisphere jet stream and storm tracks and slowing down the movement of storm systems. Meanwhile, the growing loss of ice in Antarctica and Greenland is accelerating sea level rise and threatening low-lying coastal cities and regions.
Not a word of that is true. None. The jet stream's move south?
One of the Met Office's most senior experts yesterday made a dramatic intervention in the climate change debate by insisting there is no link between the storms that have battered Britain and global warming. Mat Collins, a Professor in climate systems at Exeter University, said the storms have been driven by the jet stream – the high-speed current of air that girdles the globe – which has been 'stuck' further south than usual. Professor Collins told The Mail on Sunday: 'There is no evidence that global warming can cause the jet stream to get stuck in the way it has this winter. If this is due to climate change, it is outside our knowledge.'
Who are you going to believe? Al Gore or Professor Collins? Who has the real chops. And note to that the Professor makes it clear that we don't have the knowledge to make such a claim anyway. Not that such an impediment of factual knowledge ever stopped Al Gore.
Antarctic sea ice has grown to a record large extent for a second straight year, baffling scientists seeking to understand why this ice is expanding rather than shrinking in a warming world.
On Saturday, the ice extent reached 19.51 million square kilometers, according to data posted on the National Snow and Ice Data Center Web site. That number bested record high levels set earlier this month and in 2012 (of 19.48 million square kilometers). Records date back to October 1978.
So what do real scientists note?
"This modeled Antarctic sea ice decrease in the last three decades is at odds with observations, which show a small yet statistically significant increase in sea ice extent," says the study, led by Colorado State University atmospheric scientist Elizabeth Barnes.
You might also remember that 2013 was the year the sophisticated models the alarmists base their claims upon said that the Arctic would be ice free. The gullible and true believers ate it up, and some even acted upon it.
Only six years ago, the BBC reported that the Arctic would be ice-free in summer by 2013, citing a scientist in the US who claimed this was a 'conservative' forecast. Perhaps it was their confidence that led more than 20 yachts to try to sail the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific this summer. As of last week, all these vessels were stuck in the ice, some at the eastern end of the passage in Prince Regent Inlet, others further west at Cape Bathurst.
Shipping experts said the only way these vessels were likely to be freed was by the icebreakers of the Canadian coastguard. According to the official Canadian government website, the Northwest Passage has remained ice-bound and impassable all summer.
D'oh! I think they ought to bill the forecasters for the cost of rescuing the yachts, don't you?
So, I don't know, given all of that, maybe we ought to be skeptical of the fidelity of the models and the science? You think?
I certainly do.
And Billy Nye? You're an engineer and an actor – not a climate scientist. If you want to be among the alarmists, then be one. But do us all a favor and do it quietly.
Coming in 2014 whether you like it or not
Just for an intro:
A Russian expedition ship carrying global warming scientists got stuck in ice earlier this week. Now a Chinese ice breaker sent to rescue the scientists is frozen too just miles away.
Yes friends, "global warming", "climate change" or whatever the alarmists choose to call it next year, will be with us and with a vengeance.
You see, "if you like your insurance you can keep it" Obama has said it will be one of his highest priorities. There's gold in that thar air. It is an as yet untapped revenue source that, well, he's bound and determined to tap – science, or lack thereof, be damned.
Nevermind that 13 new Obama taxes go into effect this next year and will likely stunt economic growth … again. Global warming produces an entire new opportunity to gouge taxpayers "for their own good" — you know, just like ObamaCare. And, of course, the grab will be couched in language much like ObamaCare. They'll promise the moon. They'll deliver misery. The only institution which will benefit? Government.
What will be chipped away?
A little more of your freedom. Your liberty.
It is obviously okay now for government to just engage in bald faced lies and get away with it. Obama's "if you like your insurance …" lie led the parade of Pinocchio awards by that renowned right-wing rag the Washington Post. Result? Nada? Penalty? Nada?
Lesson learned by the perpetrators of the lie?
Hey, it's okay, there are no penalties and it works.
Next up?
Global warming (and your wallet).
You've been warned.
We share the same climate as … the Romans?
What climate alarmists will swear to is a) today's climate is unprecedented in human history and b) is a result of human action (specifically, industrialization).
But what if these conditions have existed prior to now during another era? Wouldn't that put the end to both "a" and "b"? Well you'd think the Medieval Warm Period would have done that, but alarmists have all but handwaved that away as an "anomaly" if they admit it existed at all.
However, a study has found another era that seems to have shared our climate:
A Swedish study found that the planet was warmer in ancient Roman times and the Middle Ages than today, challenging the mainstream idea that man-made greenhouse gas emissions are the main drivers of global warming.
The study, by scientist Leif Kullman, analyzed 455 "radiocarbon-dated mega-fossils" in the Scandes mountains and found that tree lines for different species of trees were higher during the Roman and Medieval times than they are today. Not only that, but the temperatures were higher as well.
Oh, my. Those industrialized Romans must have been the blame. Right? I mean if you choose to be consistent about your argument, wouldn't you have to at least consider that as a claim to why the Roman era was even warmer than now (burning that fossil fuel, huh)? I mean, if you're sure it is human action leading to the rise in temperatures and, specifically, industrialization?
Yeah, that'd be the logical approach, wouldn't it? So this new data (among all the other "new" data that is so roundly ignored by so-called scientists who are pushing the alarmist line) is very inconvenient. And, in reality, the study points out that 5,000 to 9,000 years ago, without any real human action or industrialization, the global temperature was even higher than it was during the Medieval Warm Period and the Roman era:
"Historical tree line positions are viewed in relation to early 21st century equivalents, and indicate that tree line elevations attained during the past century and in association with modern climate warming are highly unusual, but not unique, phenomena from the perspective of the past 4,800 years," Kullman found. "Prior to that, the pine tree line (and summer temperatures) was consistently higher than present, as it was also during the Roman and Medieval periods."
Kullman also wrote that "summer temperatures during the early Holocene thermal optimum may have been 2.3°C higher than present." The "Holocene thermal optimum was a warm period that occurred between 9,000 and 5,000 years ago. This warm period was followed by a gradual cooling period."
According to Kullman, the temperature spikes were during the Roman and Medieval warming periods "were succeeded by a distinct tree line/temperature dip, broadly corresponding to the Little Ice Age."
So what's a skeptic to do when he see's this data which directly contradicts the alarmist claims?
That's easy … remain very skeptical of the "science" underlying the alarmist nonsense and make sure that politicians don't try to cash in on bad science by taxing you for something that just isn't your problem.
Blaming Typhoon Haiyan on climate change – no surprise there
First, let me say my heart goes out to the people of the Philippines. This was a horrific and very deadly event. And I can even understand their representative to the UN letting emotion carry the day when he said before the UN:
"What my country is going through as a result of this extreme climate event is madness.
"We can fix this. We can stop this madness. Right now, right here.
Well, emotion aside, no we can't. As Bjorn Lomborg has said any number of times, the cost of doing what those who want to "stop this madness" want done would literally end life as we know it, ruin economies and yield, at best, marginal results. Or said another way, we can't afford their desired programs and even if we could, they wouldn't have much effect.
Then there is the reality of the day. Right now, for instance, carbon emissions in the US are at 1994 levels (and have dropped in most places around the globe due to the downturn in the global economy). Then there's the inconvenient fact that warming around the globe has paused for ten years and some climate scientists say it may stay paused for another 2o years. And your guess is likely as good as theirs as to what the climate will do then. Oh, and arctic ice? Back with a vengeance. It is hard, in the middle of possible 30 year pause in warming, to claim a single event has been caused by … warming. But someone always will.
Finally, look on this side of the globe. Hurricanes and tornadoes are down – a lot:
Summer is almost over, and as of Tuesday morning, not a single hurricane had formed this year. Tornado activity in 2013 is also down around record low levels, while heat waves are fewer and milder than last year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Meteorologists credit luck, shifts in the high-altitude jet stream, African winds and dust.
So it is possible that the "local" weather, in this case "local" is a rather relative term, in our tropics was cooler than the weather in the tropical region of the Philippines. Luck or the way the climate works? Is that something man has control over? Or, is it something that an increasing number of scientists seem to be concluding – that various "local" climatic events have more say over our weather than does CO2?
Since I don't accept the science is settled on this issue, I think we have a lot to still learn about our climate and how it works and what effects it. To this point, I'm not convinced that a single trace gas that, until recently science said was a lagging indicator of warming, is not the culprit that spawns super storms like Haiyan.
It's time to call Warmists "deniers"
Because they deny both science and fact to push an agenda that is demonstrably false. Yet have the temerity to call those who are skeptical of their claims "deniers". And, of course, they have their "scientific" mouthpieces as well. For instance:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released its "State of the Climate in 2012" report, which states that "worldwide, 2012 was among the 10 warmest years on record."
But the report "fails to mention [2012] was one of the coolest of the decade, and thus confirms the cooling trend," according to an analysis by climate blogger Pierre Gosselin.
"To no one's surprise, the report gives the reader the impression that warming is galloping ahead out of control," writes Gosselin. "But their data shows just the opposite."
Well of course it does. It's not like we haven't seen this sort of thing from them before. It is "Headline" science. It's also Chicken Little Science. Always the alarmist. Always the problem … a problem that only government can fix, of course. And a problem that also includes you losing some freedom of action. You know, the usual prescription.
Then there's the confusion:
Although the NOAA report noted that in 2012, "the Arctic continues to warm" with "sea ice reaching record lows," it also stated that the Antarctica sea ice "reached a record high of 7.51 million square miles" on Sept. 26, 2012.
And the latest figures for this year show that there's been a slowdown of melting in the Arctic this summer as well, with temperatures at the North Pole well below normal for this time of year. Meteorologist Joe Bastardi calls it "the coldest ever recorded."
Oh, my … an "inconvenient truth". Now what?
Well, because the facts don't support the usual assertion, AP was forced to retract a photo and caption:
The Associated Press had to retract a photo it released on July 27 with the caption, "The shallow meltwater lake is occurring due to an unusually warm period."
"In fact, the water accumulates in this way every summer," AP admitted in a note to editors, adding that the photo was doubly misleading because "the camera used by the North Pole Environment Observatory has drifted hundreds of miles from its original position, which was a few dozen miles from the pole."
I guess they were out of distraught polar bears hanging on to a sliver of ice or something.
And then there's this:
NOAA also reported that the "average lower strastospheric temperature, about six to ten miles above the Earth's surface, for 2012 was record or near-record cold, depending on the dataset" even while the concentrations of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, continued to increase.
But don't worry … the real science will be ignored. Why? Because a certain set of politicans are sniffing the wind and they smell an opportunity to create a tax out of thin air. And that, my friends, is all it takes. Politicians and junk science … a marriage made in hell.
Damn the facts and costs, full speed ahead
We often talk about how poorly we're served by our political class. The examples are legion (just take a gander at the "Gang of 8's" travesty of an immigration bill). But most puzzling about what they do is when there are real world examples of why what they propose is doomed to costly failure, they go ahead anyway. Hubris? Arrogance? Ideology? A giant dollop of all?
Take Obama's latest – his late entry into the climate change nonsense just as everyone else has realized it's a costly boondoggle and are pulling out. For example:
In May, Europe's heads of state and government at the EU Summit promoted shale gas and reduced energy prices. They would rather promote competition than stop global warming.
Obama just returned from Northern Ireland at the G8 meeting where he evidently didn't ask why the United Kingdom removed climate change from the agenda.
European carbon markets had collapsed with the price of carbon hitting record lows, wrecking the European Union's trading scheme for industrial CO2 emissions.
British Gas owner Centrica was buying up shale gas drilling rights in Lancashire for fracking operations. Green investors faced bankruptcy as Spain cut subsidies even further.
Large German companies such as Siemens and Bosch abandoned the solar industry, which had lost them billions, while investments in failed solar companies, including Q-Cells and SolarWorld, destroyed 21 billion euros of capital.
In response, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a June energy conference in Berlin to expect reduced government spending on energy like wind and solar power to keep Germany economically competitive. Europe's clean energy economy had become a black hole eating euros.
Last week, Merkel's government warned EU member states that German car makers would shut down production in their countries unless they support more affordable vehicle emissions rules.
At the same time, our oblivious president spoke at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, saying, "The United States will "do more," before it's "too late" to prevent "dangerous" global warming.
Yeah. We'll do "more". Meanwhile, everyone else has decided to do much less or … nothing. And that "more" Obama is talking about? Well, apparently it's time to wreck another industry:
Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told me, "The centerpiece of President Obama's climate plan is a declaration of all-out war on coal. The only affordable way to reduce emissions from existing coal-fired power plants – which now provide 40 percent of the nation's electricity – is to close them down."
Obama's plan has political implications as well, Ebell said. "Coal dominates the heartland states that tend to vote Republican. Major industries are located there because coal produces cheap electricity. If electric rates go up to California levels in the heartland, where will American manufacturing go?"
Good question, no? Answer: he doesn't really care. Seriously. This is all about ideology. Blinders on, facts ignored, examples discarded, it's about legacy and "saving the world from itself" even if he has to do so autocratically. Because, you know, that Constitution thingie just get's in the way of good governance … or something.
Prepare for the next government push to scam their way into your wallet
The Wall Street Journal reports:
When President Barack Obama lays out plans to tackle climate change in a speech Tuesday, including the first effort to curb greenhouse-gas emissions from existing power plants, he will unleash a years long battle that has little assurance of being resolved during his time in office.
The president has called climate change a "legacy issue," and his speech may head off a backlash from environmentalists should his administration approve the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. But the address is unlikely to blunt criticism of Mr. Obama's approach from the left or the right.
He is set to propose a host of measures to help lower emissions of gases that climate scientists say contribute to climate change. These include ways to boost energy efficiency, promote cleaner energy and rein in emissions from the existing fleet of power plants, according to people briefed on the speech.
Of course, as we've seen, the science and reality doesn't support their contentions – and that's all they are – at all. It is another scam designed to literally create a tax out of thin air. And they will try all the emotional arguments too.
We'll be told that F3+ tornadoes are up because of climate change :
We'll be told that hurricanes are up because of climate change:
We'll be told we're suffering more drought/wetness because of climate change:
And that temperatures are higher than ever:
Reality is a bitch.
All you have to remember is what they said would happen based on their predictions hasn't. In fact, it's not even close, is it?
HT: Powerline
And the beat goes on …
And on and on and on:
"We now have an elephant in the room, and its name is peak oil." —Kjell Aleklett, Professor in Global Energy Systems
Lord I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard that in the last 30 years. And always in the face of something like this:
Nearly a third of the world's technically recoverable natural gas and 10 percent of its oil can be found in shale formations, according to anew report by the Energy Information Administration. Thanks to fracking and horizontal drilling, there's a bounty of oil and gas available to countries around the world .
This report, which has a much larger scope than previous reports, bumped up the estimated global amount of technically recoverable shale gas by 9.3 percent. In its regional breakdown North America looks like a big winner. Of the 41 countries surveyed, Mexico had the seventh and Canada the ninth largest reserves of shale oil, while the US was second only to Russia. Meanwhile, the US, Canada, and Mexico were in fourth, fifth and sixth place, respectively in the EIA's ranking of the largest technically recoverable shale gas reserves.
Of course part of the reason the peak oil crowd continues to issue it's predictions is it seems tied into, well, another bit of a scam:
Are you optimistic about the future? Do you think that politicians will, at some point, address the problem of peak oil?
I've been working in this field for many years now, and it's sad to see how little has been done. The measures that have been taken have been implemented largely because of climate change. Energy challenges such as peak oil are closely linked with climate-related issues, so victories within the field of climate change tend to be victories for peak oil as well. The good news is that we have started to tread the right path. Ultimately, we have to act. Whichever way you look at it, we won't be able to use as much energy in the future as we do today.
I'm sorry, but that's just nonsense. A) there's no reason, at least at this point, that we can't use as much energy in the future as we do today, and B) perhaps that energy will come from a different source but not necessarily. Unless, of course, these sorts of people have their way. More importantly though, politicians need to be kept strictly out of this business.
As we note often, this isn't about energy or climate-related issues – it's about control.
Make the warnings scary and dire enough and we'll pitch control over to them. See "war on terrorism" as a case study.
Meanwhile, in the back forty, a certain cow is still mooing the same old song:
Former Vice President Al Gore lamented today that scientists "will not let us link record-breaking" tornadoes in Oklahoma and elsewhere to climate change because of inadequate record keeping on the twisters.
"But when you put more energy into a system, it gets more energetic," Gore said at an environmental event in Washington hosted by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.
Yeah, darn those scientists anyway. Oh, wait, I thought all his stuff was from scientists. No?
As to that familiar tune?
"It is well-past time that we put a price on carbon and not just accept the price that it extracts from us," he said.
He noted that some officials won't pay for tornado shelters in public schools. But "if we're having arguments about how to pay to recover" from storms, he said, that's one more reason to fix the climate change that is leading to stronger storms.
Even if the "price" can't be supported by science.
Got it.


text:
Home | Government Agency | Oklahoma State Bond Advisor
Established in 1987 as an office of the Oklahoma Department of Central Services, th Office was given independent status in 2003. The current State Bond Advisor is Tim Martin. The Office was created in 1987 during the term of Governor Henry Bellmon. |

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UltimateDisney.com | Review Index | Upcoming Disney DVD Schedule | Direct-to-Video Page
Mickey and the Beanstalk DVD Review
Disney Learning Adventures: Mickey's Math & Fun - Mickey and the
Beanstalk is among the latest in Disney's new direct-to-DVD
educational series for young children. In the case of "Beanstalk," the idea is
that a classic Disney short is frequently interrupted to take advantage
of "teachable moments." The result, unfortunately, isn't the
educational entertainment that is promised.
Following a drawn-out introduction in which the viewer is dubbed
"the sorcerer's apprentice" by the narrator (Cam Clarke), the short
itself, "Mickey and the Beanstalk" begins (followed by a speedy coloring book
activity to prepare the first scene). The short debuted as part of
1947's Fun and Fancy Free, one of several "package features" that
made a movie out of blending together two or more animated shorts. Since
then, "Mickey and the Beanstalk" has taken on a life of its own, easily
becoming the most recognizable part of Fun and Fancy Free for
the general public.
Based on the classic fairy tale, the story stars
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as starving farmers with no prospects for future
success. Left with no alternative but to sell the family cow, Mickey
sets off to make a good deal. When he returns, though, he's only managed
to get a handful of magic beans, to the fury of Donald. The rest is
well-known enough to probably go without explanation- the beans produce a
magic beanstalk that bridges the farmers' world with that of Willie, a
giant who has stolen the happiness (a beautiful singing harp) from
Happy Valley. Disney's adaptation is, as one might expect from films of
Walt's time, a bit of a departure from the traditional story. The use of
three protagonists works well, especially since it's everyone's favorite
gang in the roles. Willie provides quite a bit of comic relief as the
clumsy villain. It's worth noting that the version presented here is not
the original. Taking the place of the live-action bookends featuring Edgar Bergen, Luana Patten, and a ventriloquist dummy that appeared in Fun and Fancy Free are sequences featuring Ludwig von Drake, which appears to be older animation. In this version, Ludwig, not Bergen provides the short's narration as well.
Throughout the short, the story is paused and Ludwig von Drake
narrates an educational excursion. The exercises mostly consist of counting,
with the occasional try at simple division or shape and size
Upon the story's conclusion, a final activity is introduced in which
the short is recapped in storybook form. This abbreviated revisit is
probably unnecessary, having just seen the story in its entirety, and is
likely frustrating for any adult, but it may entertain children and is
as educationally worthwhile as any Disney read-along. This is the only
area in which the "Reading" portion of the title comes into play and
one can't help but wonder if it isn't only an effort to boost the running
time of the set closer to the apparent goal of one hour.
The educational entertainment that is really the intention of this
set unfortunately is neither all that entertaining or educational.
Instead, the very good story of "Beanstalk" is frustratingly interrupted
with some frequency and often in the peak of action. As far as educational
value goes, the interstitials are only more likely to appeal to
children than a simple set of counting blocks in that they sometimes feature
Mickey and company. Still, it's likely that children may at least be amused by
and responsive to any animated interaction, especially when it's of the
Disney variety.
There are two ways to view the DVD. The first is "Guided Play,"
which begins by default if the menu is left idle for too long (irritating
to anyone wanting to leave the menu running to quickly attend to
something before starting). The second and more useful is "Sorcerer's
Apprentice Play." Whereas the former features a voiced group of children
immediately solving all problems, the latter allows for interaction in which
the viewer solves the answers with their remote control. I can see
little benefit in the "Guided Play" option.
Each of these options treats the final story recap a bit
differently. In the generally useless "Guided Play," the very same short that has
been interrupted countless times is shown yet again in its
uninterrupted entirety. This repetitive inclusion seems unwarranted and is sure to
beckon anyone to hit the stop button on the remote control. "Sorcerer's
Apprentice Play" abridges the plot, putting it on the pages of an
interactive storybook in which viewers have the option of having it read to
them by Ludwig (with words still on the screen) or reading it to
VIDEO and AUDIO
All the new video is clean, vibrantly colored, and without fault.
The older footage from the short itself, though, is rather dim and
grainy. The entire presentation is in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is entirely acceptable throughout the
presentation. At times it packs more of a punch than others, particularly
in the music and sound effects of the newly-created footage.
There's only one bonus feature, "Game Time: Mickey's Magical Beans
Game." The concept is a simple one: count the number of beans that fall
into Mickey's bag and then select the matching drawing with the remote
control. After each of the possible answers has been used once, the
game moves to succeeding rounds. The second round is a bit more
challenging as it combines counting with item identification. The third and final
round has the player helping Mickey chop down the beanstalk. "Mickey's
Magical Beans Game" is by far the most stimulating activity on the
entire DVD and it's a shame that there's not more like it included.
The disc opens with sneak peeks at Pooh's Heffalump Movie,
two upcoming installments of the Disney Learning Adventures line (again
themed to Pooh and friends), and the most recent releases from the
Disney Princess line. The Sneak Peeks Menu also includes a look at last
year's "Bear in the Big Blue House" discs as well as previews for Lilo &
Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch and Little Einstein.
MENUS and PACKAGING
The 4x3 menus are lively and musical and to their credit, they ease
a rather complicated navigation system as much as possible. Still, for
a preschool DVD, it's not the world's most user-friendly.
Inside the case, a coupon booklet offers $2 savings on Mulan
II as well as releases in the Learning Adventures, Disney Princess,
JoJo's Circus, and Growing Up With Winnie the Pooh lines. A
chapter listing is included which also explains the viewing options and
each of the three levels of "Mickey's Magical Beans Game."
The most notable insert, though, is a six page activity booklet.
Most of the activities are written reincarnations of the interactive
activities included on the DVD, but a few are brand new, including
directions for growing a bean plant. The booklet is a nice inclusion.
It's difficult to see the benefit to this particular installment of the Disney Learning Adventures line, though to be fair, it's certainly not intended for anyone capable of writing a review of it. Still, I suspect even the target audience (preschool-aged children) will be frustrated. The greatest educational value lies in the culture of the story itself, not in the activities provided, which are mostly simplistic and boring.
There are two options for play, one which bars all interaction and thus renders the disc void of its purpose, and the other which frequently interrupts the flow of an otherwise brilliant and beloved cartoon short. Perhaps the disc would have been more effective by putting all the questions and activities at the end of the story.
Mickey fans need not feel obligated to acquire this DVD for their collection. After all, the short itself is presented (in better form) on the Fun and Fancy Free and Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Volume 2 DVDs. The only benefit here is that this disc uses the narration and animation of Ludwig von Drake (and his summary of Disney magic using video clips from animated classics) rather than the original live-action interstitials that are included in these other two sets.
Because some children may very well enjoy an educational "adventure" with their favorite Mickey Mouse characters, I have trouble entirely condemning this set. For the most part, though, I would advise those searching for quality educational entertainment to look elsewhere. For the same price, that goal has been better accomplished in other products, even from Disney.
Related Reviews
UltimateDisney.com | Review Index | Upcoming Disney DVD Schedule | Direct-to-Video Page Reviewed March 26, 2005.
Disney Learning Adventures: Mickey's Around the World in 80 Days
Disney Learning Adventures: Winnie the Pooh - Wonderful Word Adventure
Disney Learning Adventures: Winnie the Pooh - Shapes and Sizes
Fun and Fancy Free Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Volume 2
The Three Caballeros The Chronological Donald, Volume 1
Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers


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SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 2, 2012: Rapper Big Sean performs on the main stage at Key Arena during the Bumbershoot music festival in Seattle on September 2, 2012.
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Jefferson Barracks Hist. Park
St. Louis (Mehlville), Missouri 1 course · 18 holes Driving directions
18 following Course discussion
« Prev | 1 | Next » |
Carla C March 25, 2014 at 2:54pm
This is something that my boyfriend and I are just starting to do. Can you tell me if this is something that we need to make a reservation for or if we just show up? Is this an appropriate course for beginners?
Landon Bond
March 25, 2014 at 3:23pm
for Glad to hear you're playing Carla! Jefferson Barracks doesn't require reservations and is free. It can also be very tough on beginners depending on basket placements. It's also a ton of fun so don't let that deter you. If you googleRiver City Flyers their page has all of cour ... more


text:
slim straight denim pant
by MM6 BY MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA
was $280.00
Women's Size Chart
Product Details
Slim, stretch twill jean in a garment dyed black wash with matching black stitching along the seams. Slim straight leg, classic 5 pocket styling and double belt loop detail.
• signature white topstitch at back
• matching topstitching along seams
• 98% cotton, 2% elastane
• made in Italy
• Italian sizing
• model wears size 40
• model's height: 5'10", bust: 32", waist: 24", hip: 34"
In this look: MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela Cut Out Tee, Acne Studios Pistol Short Boot


text:
Matthew D. Cox
Transit Manager
Department of Transportation
City of High Point, North Carolina
716 W. Kivett Drive
High Point, North Carolina 27262
Dear Mr. Cox:
I write in response to your letters asking the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to waive its Buy America requirements for Dodge Sprinter vans (Sprinters). The basis for your request is that the purchase of Sprinters is in the public interest. After careful consideration, and for the reasons outlined below, I have decided to deny your request.
By letter dated December 12, 2007, the City of High Point (High Point) asked FTA for a non-availability waiver pursuant to 49 CFR 661.7(c) for the purchase of three Sprinters. By subsequent letters High Point rescinded its request for a non-availability waiver, replacing it with a request for a public interest waiver pursuant to 49 CFR 661.7(b). According to your letter dated February 6, 2008, you "believe the Sprinter to be superior to other para-transit vans offered in the same weight class and physical size." You contend that "the public interest would be better served by the use of the Dodge Sprinter for High Point's para-transit services because of the following benefits—fuel economy, additional seating capacity, improved accessibility, enhanced safety, reduced maintenance cost, and better value using life cycle cost."
With limited exceptions, FTA may not obligate funds for a project unless all iron, steel, and manufactured products used in the project are produced in the United States.[1] When procuring rolling stock, the cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States must be more than 60 percent of the cost of all components of the rolling stock and final assembly of the rolling stock must occur in the United States.[2]
Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(A), FTA may waive its Buy America requirements if the applying the requirements would be inconsistent with the public interest. Similarly, FTA may waive its Buy America requirements if the materials for which the waiver is requested are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality.[3]
High Pointis seeking a waiver from FTA before commencing a competitive procurement.
On April 7, 2004, FTA responded to a request from Daimler Chrysler Motors Company (DMDC) for a non-availability and public interest waiver of FTA's Buy America requirements for the chassis and drive train used in Sprinter vans.[4] In many respects, High Point and DMDC presented similar arguments for a waiver—compared to similar vehicles, Sprinters have a lower propensity for rollover, greater suitability for wheelchair access, more space for passengers, better turning radius, and full-height rear doors that swing open 270 degrees.
In 2004, FTA recognized "that the Sprinter may have features that grantees find desirable." FTA instructed its grantees to seek non-availability waivers, however, noting that "[i]f a grantee determines that its needs are only satisfied by the Sprinter and a sole source can be justified, [then] the grantee may request a non-availability waiver of the Buy America requirements under 49 CFR 661.7(c)(2). If the grantee determines that it needs a brand name or equal, it should specify the salient physical and functional characteristics in its solicitation and if the facts alleged here are true, [then] an individual non-availability waiver could be requested, by the grantee, under 49 CFR 661.7(c)(1)." For these reasons, FTA denied DMDC's request for a public interest waiver.
FTA takes a similar approach here. If High Point seeks the performance characteristics outlined above, then High Point should follow FTA's Third Party Contracting Guidance, FTA Circular 4220.1F, and include in its solicitation a "statement of the qualitative nature of the property to be acquired. . . . to be acquired . . . [describing describe its requirements in terms of functions to be performed or level of performance required, including the range of acceptable characteristics or minimum acceptable standards." FTA's "Best Practices Procurement Manual" contains additional information on the preparation of specifications, including examples with specific language.
FTA will presume that the conditions exist to grant a non-availability waiver if no responsive and responsible bid is received offering an item produced in the United States.[5]
FTA's position with respect to Sprinter vans has not changed since 2004. Therefore, while FTA lauds High Point for looking to purchase vehicles with benefits like fuel economy, additional seating capacity, improved accessibility, enhanced safety, reduced maintenance cost, and better value using life cycle cost, it must deny High Point's request for the same reasons it denied DMDC's request in 2004.
Feel free to contact Jayme L. Blakesley at (202) 366-0304 or firstname.lastname@example.com with any questions.
SevernE.S. Miller
Chief Counsel
[1] 49 CFR 661.5(a).
[2] 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(C).
[3] 49 CFR 661.7(c).
[4] Letter dated April 7, 2004, from FTA Deputy Chief Counsel to DaimlerChrysler Motors Company, LLC.
[5] 49 CFR 661.7(c)(1).


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Curvature wave-front sensors for electron density characterization in plasmas


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Most Popular Titles With Christopher Jaques
- Job Types
- Movies or TV
- Genres
- Keywords
- IMDb Rating
- Instant Watch Options
- In Theaters
- On TV
- Release Year
1. Inception (2010)
PG-13 | 148 min | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A thief who steals corporate secrets through use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a CEO.
Writer: Christopher Nolan | Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe
Votes: 1,208,493
2. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
PG-13 | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Steve Rogers, a rejected military soldier transforms into Captain America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum". But being Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a war monger and a terrorist organization.
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby | Director: Joe Johnston | Stars: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayley Atwell
Votes: 394,013
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
PG-13 | 130 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery
Harry, Ron and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.
Writers: Steve Kloves, J.K. Rowling | Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon
Votes: 442,676
4. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
When Dr Jane Foster gets cursed with a powerful object, Thor must protect it before an army and its ruthless leader try to get their hands on it to take over the remains of Earth.
Writers: Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Don Payne, Robert Rodat, Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby | Director: Alan Taylor | Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård
Votes: 322,814
5. Transcendence (I) (2014)
PG-13 | 119 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A scientist's drive for artificial intelligence, takes on dangerous implications when his consciousness is uploaded into one such program.
Writer: Jack Paglen | Director: Wally Pfister | Stars: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy
Votes: 135,736
6. John Carter (2012)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Transported to Barsoom, a Civil War vet discovers a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Woola and a princess in desperate need of a savior.
Writers: Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, Michael Chabon, Edgar Rice Burroughs | Director: Andrew Stanton | Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton
Votes: 191,165
7. Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Writers: Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, Hossein Amini | Director: Rupert Sanders | Stars: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin
Votes: 200,957
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
PG-13 | 146 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
As Harry races against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, he uncovers the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.
Writers: Steve Kloves, J.K. Rowling | Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Bill Nighy
Votes: 278,329
9. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart.
Writers: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright, Bryan Lee O'Malley | Director: Edgar Wright | Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Alison Pill
Votes: 237,038
10. Captain Phillips (2013)
PG-13 | 134 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
Writers: Billy Ray, Richard Phillips, Stephan Talty | Director: Paul Greengrass | Stars: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener
Votes: 279,625
11. Total Recall (I) (2012)
PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Adventure, Mystery
A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
Writers: Kurt Wimmer, Mark Bomback, Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, Jon Povill, Gary Goldman | Director: Len Wiseman | Stars: Colin Farrell, Bokeem Woodbine, Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale
Votes: 182,539
12. The Debt (I) (2010)
R | 113 min | Drama, Thriller
In 1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.
Writers: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Peter Straughan, Assaf Bernstein, Ido Rosenblum | Director: John Madden | Stars: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Tom Wilkinson, Ciarán Hinds
Votes: 52,122


text:
Tradorec may be available in the countries listed below.
UK matches:
- TRADOREC XL 100MG PROLONGED RELEASE TABLETS (Leaflet)
- TRADOREC XL 200MG PROLONGED RELEASE TABLETS (Leaflet)
- TRADOREC XL 300MG PROLONGED RELEASE TABLETS (Leaflet)
Ingredient matches for Tradorec
Tramadol hydrochloride (a derivative of Tramadol) is reported as an ingredient of Tradorec in the following countries:
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Is Marriage for Rich People? A Book Review of Ralph Richard Banks's Is Marriage for White People?Nancy LeongUniversity of Denver Sturm College of Law May 11, 2012 43 Connecticut Law Review 1311 (2012) Abstract: Blacks have the lowest marriage rate of any racial group in America, and black women are more than three times as likely as white women to never to marry. Ralph Richard Banks' monograph Is Marriage for White People? provides a searching inquiry into the condition of black singleness. He argues that, as the result of a shortage of "eligible" black men, black women often face the unappealing dilemma of "marrying down" -- that is, marrying a man of a lower socieoeconomic class -- or remaining single. He advocates that black women would serve both themselves and blacks more generally by opening themselves to "marrying out" -- that is, to marrying a man of a different race. The changes Banks envisions, played out to their logical conclusion, would reduce the racial disparity in marriage at the expense of widening the socioeconomic disparity in marriage and instantiating current socioeconomic gaps. Banks is correct that objections to interracial marriage are often overstated. But a better solution to the marriage disparity would both discourage hostility to interracial marriage and avoid reifying class distinctions. One place to start involves our thinking about both "marrying out" and "marrying down." If we recognize both alternatives as potentially legitimate choices, we would make progress toward wearing away existing barriers of race and class. Number of Pages in PDF File: 13 Keywords: race, class, interracial marriage Date posted: January 2, 2012 ; Last revised: September 9, 2012Suggested CitationContact Information
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This art/photo has 6 comments. Post your own now!Great photo! The b&w effect makes it really artsy.
I love this ha it had me laughing a lil at first, but then had me wondering what she could be so curious about :)
i love the reaction i got from this. it was funny, at first i was like, oh this is classic black and white, outside... you know. and then i'm like, this girl looks like she's peeking in on the guy she just snuck away from. lol, love it. and she's pretty hot :)
Hahaa:p Not quite sure how to respond to that, but thanks? She is very pretty
Good Job! I really like this!


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Author: St Margarets Story: Since Feeling is First Part: Part 1 Rating: Teens Setting: Post-DH Status: Completed Reviews: 101 Words: 5,483 Updated: August 13, 2007, 4:52pm
Part 1since feeling is first wholly to be a fool my blood approves, we are for each other; then And death i think is no parenthesis e.e. cummings Ginny had just placed her hand on the kitchen door when she heard the sound of an Apparition �pop� coming from within and then her father�s sheepish voice. �Sorry I missed lunch, Molly �� �I can�t say I�m surprised.� The sarcasm in Mum�s voice carried clearly through the open windows. �It is, after all, Saturday. Why on earth would you be home?� �Molly.� Now Dad sounded annoyed. �You said �just a couple of hours.�� Mum�s voice was shaking with anger. �But it�s never a couple of hours, is it?� �Molly!� Dad rebuked. �There�s a lot to be done. The Death Eaters did more damage to the records than �� �You don�t need to tell me what damage the Death Eaters have done,� Mum said bitterly. Ginny heard the dull thump of a plate on the table. �Ginny and I already ate together � like a family.� �Molly � I �� �What?� she demanded. �What, Arthur? We still have a family even though Fred is gone.� �I know that,� Dad answered quietly � wearily. The sunny August afternoon faded as Ginny stood on the doorstep and listened to her parents talk about Fred for the first time since the funeral. �I think you�re trying to forget you have a family,� Mum said in a low, deadly voice. �I think all of these extra hours at the Ministry are your way of avoiding the truth that our boy is gone.� She took an audible breath. �Furthermore, I think you�re avoiding more than the pain about Fred � I think you�re avoiding me.� Ginny froze at this accusation. The wire handle from the pail of freshly picked string beans was digging into her palm, but she barely noticed. It was horrible to hear her parents argue. There was a long silence. �Yes, I have been avoiding you,� Dad finally admitted in a thick voice. �Oh!� Ginny didn�t know if she had said it or if Mum had said it � but she felt the cut of those words as surely as her mother did. �It�s because I don�t know what to do,� Dad said with pain in his voice. �I feel so helpless now that the funeral is over. I can�t make you feel better, because I �� �I don�t want you to make me feel better,� Mum said, her voice rising. �Muriel told me the other day that I should count my blessings that I wasn�t like Andromeda � having lost a child and a husband. I couldn�t tell her�� She started to weep. ��that I felt like I had a lost a husband, too.� �Molly.� Ginny heard a chair scrape across the wooden floor. �Molly.� Ginny had never heard her father sound so desperate. �I wish I knew what to do.� Hearing her parents fall apart was worse than hearing her parents argue. Ginny�s stomach clenched painfully. �You don�t have to do anything,� Mum said through her tears. �I just want you to listen.� She sniffed. �And I want to listen to you. I don�t want to be alone in this.� �I don�t want to be alone, either.� Oh, God. That rasping hurt sound couldn�t be� Dad hadn�t cried at the funeral. Ginny set the bucket of green beans on the doorstep and fled to the orchard. * Ginny closed her eyes and let the back of her head rest on the trunk of the apple tree. She used to hide here when she was a little girl. She would watch her brothers play tag and chicken and Quidditch and all the other broom games she wasn�t allowed to play. Sometimes it made her angry that they wouldn�t include her. Other times she was glad, since she didn�t want to fall ten feet to the ground, like Ron, because Charlie was akin to brick wall in the air. Most of the time, though, she wanted to play. Tears pricked at her eyelids as the thought she had been trying to tamp down all day roared to life. So unfair. Stop it! she admonished herself. She was lucky compared to so many people. Harry was alive. She was alive � Mum had seen to that. But Fred wasn�t and her family would never be the same again, said the voice that threatened to plunge her mood back into blackness. At least the argument between her parents felt real. There had been an unnatural calm in the house that consisted of careful conversations and off-putting politeness. Perhaps she was as guilty as Dad was for avoiding her own feelings, Ginny thought. She had tried as much as possible to ignore her mother�s sad eyes and the clock that now only had eight hands. She opened her eyes. The dappled sunlight was beautiful, she told herself fiercely, not wanting to acknowledge any more pain. The apples over her head were green and round and perfect. Soon they would be sweetly crisp and red and ready for harvesting. Tears filled her eyes. Right now, though, they were sour, hard things. Maybe if she had seen Harry on his birthday, or maybe if Ron had been home this summer to help carry the burden of her parents� grief, then maybe her heart wouldn�t feel as small or as sour as those immature apples. Immature. She stood up in agitation and immediately caught her hair in a low branch. Snapping off the twig and swearing made her feel better. Maybe she was immature, she thought as she finally freed her hair. What were her longings for the way things used to be in light of what had happened at Hogwarts? Her brother had died. Colin had died. Remus and Tonks. So many� She should be stoically moving forward, her mind on the great sacrifices everyone had made so she could walk in freedom in this orchard � instead of feeling unhappy and trapped and bored. She sighed at her own thoughts. She was immature. The sad fact was that she had barely seen Harry since all of the funerals and this longing to see him was killing her. There, she had said it to herself. This was yet another truth she was trying to ignore. Harry was just as involved in the Ministry rebuilding as Dad. Although she didn�t think Harry was avoiding her � why would he? Her steps faltered. She had cried a lot at Fred�s funeral � and at Remus and Tonks�s funeral. Harry didn�t like tears � maybe he felt like Dad did? He didn�t know what to do, so he didn�t do anything? She couldn�t fault Harry for that. He didn�t have Ron or Hermione to advise him or tell him to slow down and relax, since Hermione was still with her parents in Australia and Ron was dividing his time between helping George with the shop and working with the contractors rebuilding Hogwarts. After what Harry had gone through, she felt she could forgive him just about anything. She swallowed a lump in her throat. Harry had almost died � or had died for a time. At least she had thought he was dead when she saw his limp body in Hagrid�s arms. She shook her head against that image and began to walk quickly through the orchard. Harry had come back from King�s Cross, and for a brief time it looked like everything was going to be fine between them. She smiled as she remembered that long walk they had taken together around the lake the morning after the battle. Harry had talked and talked and talked � telling her about the Horcruxes and the Hallows and Dumbledore and Dobby and King�s Cross. She had held his hand and listened. Every word was a balm � for now she knew what he had been up against that year they were apart � now she knew that he had thought of her every day � now she knew that he had thought of her before Voldemort raised his wand against him. She had been his last thought. She stopped as she caught sight of the chimneys of The Burrow. Had he thought of her since? * The next day it rained. Breakfast wasn�t gloomy, however, even though Dad had left early for the Ministry. Mum explained that the senior officials were doing one last sweep of the Ministry building for Dark Magic while the regular workers were away for the weekend. �Then he�s promised to spend more time at home,� Mum said cheerfully, putting a plate of toast on the table. �He thought that he might take a day off next week � maybe we can all go to Brighton if the weather is good.� Ginny smiled. Mum and Dad seemed to have worked through something yesterday, and she was glad. Last night, they had resumed their old routine of Dad listening to The Magic of Muggles (Tonight�s episode: staplers) on the wireless and Mum sitting next to him knitting. �Harry�s in the paper again,� Mum said, glancing at the front page of the Prophet. �Dear boy � he�s certainly showing Kingsley the support he needs.� Ginny looked over her shoulder and stared straight into Harry�s serious eyes. He looked� trapped. He was the youngest person in the photograph that depicted the new Minister for Magic and his council of advisors. Poor Harry! Maybe she should contact Harry through the Floo, Ginny thought. Surely he wasn�t that busy that he couldn�t talk to her in the evening. But Mum believed that a witch should never Floo a wizard � that was chasing. She sighed. At the sound, Mum looked up at her. �You�re looking a bit peaky this morning,� she observed. �Are you feeling all right?� �Just that time of month,� Ginny lied automatically. At the beginning of the summer it had been disconcerting to have Mum pay such vague attention to her � but now that Mum was studying her with that familiar eagle eye, she realized that she didn�t want to be fussed over, either. �Do you want to go to Muriel�s with me today?� Mum asked. �You don�t have to if you�re not feeling well. She wants me to help her make jam � the raspberries are in.� Ginny shuddered at the thought of ceaselessly stirring a cauldron of hot raspberries without magic whilst Aunt Muriel dredged up old family scandals and commented on Ginny�s Muggle jeans and t-shirt. �I�ll stay home,� she answered. Mum nodded and stood up. �I�ll leave the dishes for you then.� * Harry�s footsteps echoed through the silent Hall of Desks where clerical workers toiled for the Ministry. On a Sunday morning there was no other sound or movement in this normally bustling place save the fluttering paper airplane memos, tethered in in-boxes. Harry set the last Dark Detector on the stone floor and waved his wand. Blue and gold magic swirled upward from the floor, touching the contents of every desk: the quills and inkstands, the neat rolls of parchment, the family photographs, the jars of sweets and the other trinkets that reminded the workers of the life they had beyond these walls. Life beyond these walls. Harry was starting to wonder if he had a life beyond helping at the Ministry each day and going home to Kreacher each night. Only one dark arrow formed after the magic penetrated the desks. Harry wasn�t surprised. Items that contained Dark Magic were expensive and dangerous � not something clerical workers could afford to leave behind at work during the weekend. The item in question turned out to be a type of Copy-Cat Quill that was banned at Hogwarts. It would be handy to have if your job was copying numbers into ledgers, but it was not allowed since the magic could wear off and create errors. Harry Vanished it to the seized-evidence locker in the Aurors� office and decided not to report it. Based on the mug sitting on the desk, the owner of the quill was a �Number One Mum� to the waving toddler in the silver frame. She also liked Bertie Bott�s Every Flavour Beans and her desk diary had a sticker from Weight Watching Witches that said drinking eight glasses of water a day would magically help her lose weight. He could almost picture this unknown witch. She was constantly in a hurry trying to juggle her Ministry duties and her family, probably eating too much take-away food and worrying about what her daughter was doing whilst she was at work. He probably shouldn�t be looking so closely at the other desks now that no Dark Magic had been revealed, but Harry couldn�t seem to help himself. These people who worked in the Hall of Desks seemed to have such normal lives. The family portraits and the snaps of little witches and wizards on training brooms and the Quidditch memorabilia seemed so happy and full of real feeling compared to the stiff portraits of famous politicians in the luxurious offices flanking the Minister for Magic�s rooms. As he turned away and began to pick up the used Dark Detectors, Harry thought about what he would put on his desk if he had one. A photo of Ginny, for starters. He glanced again at Number One Mum�s desk. Ginny really wasn�t his now, though. Hermione had told him before Fred�s funeral that Ginny and Ron were going to need a lot of time with their family to get over Fred�s death. Harry knew Hermione was right, and immediately felt guilty for monopolizing the one private conversation he had had with Ginny the day after the battle of Hogwarts. He hadn�t thought about Ginny�s feelings at all � just how glad he was to finally tell her everything. Ginny was doing all right without him, he told himself firmly. She was one of the strongest people he knew. She was doing what she was supposed to be doing without complaint and so should he. The large clock suspended from the high ceiling struck twelve times. Noon already. He had thought he had all kinds of time, but this day was slipping away like so many others before it. He ignored the ungrateful voice that wondered why he and Ginny had to be apart to do what they were supposed to be doing. * As soon as Mum left through the Floo, Ginny turned her back on the messy kitchen without a second thought. The novelty of listening to any program she wanted on the wireless was too strong of a temptation. Every Sunday morning a week�s worth of Days of Destiny was aired, so she decided to condition her hair and do her nails whilst catching up with her old friends, Roderick and Fiona. Once she had guessed that Fiona was not going to come out of her coma for a few more episodes, she flicked her wand to find something else to listen to. Her attention was caught by a news report. It seemed professional Quidditch was finally going to be played again after a one-year hiatus. The first match was to be between the Holyhead Harpies and Puddlemere United on the eleventh of August � her birthday. Ginny spent a moment daydreaming about actually going to Exmoor to see the match, and then quickly discarded the notion. Dad had just started earning a salary again, so there wasn�t money for extras like that. Then she wondered uncomfortably if anyone was going to remember her seventeenth birthday. Last year the day had gone by virtually unnoticed since it was the early days of the Death Eater�s reign at the Ministry, and everything had been so uncertain. She sighed. At least she knew where Harry was this year. In order to staunch these gloomy thoughts, she switched the channels until she found the Top Ten Dance Countdown. By song number five she was on her feet, dancing with abandon. She caught Fred�s eye in the portrait above the mantel and felt happy thinking about him for the first time in two months. Fred loved to dance � he used to swing her around the sitting room and then do silly cha-cha-cha steps when he let go of her hand. Maybe Fred�s King�s Cross was a dance club, she thought as she twirled into the kitchen. Fred would flirt with all the girls and explain that he had been sent ahead of George since George was still too shy ask anyone to dance� She laughed and started to fill the sink with hot water. Fred was okay wherever he was � she just wished there was some way she could tell Mum and Dad that and have it make sense. She was scouring the last of the porridge from the pot, when Floo flames roared in the fireplace behind her. Mum must be home early from Muriel�s, Ginny thought. It was a good thing she hadn�t wasted the whole morning on Days of Destiny and had the kitchen tidied. Mum didn�t have a lot of patience these days. When she turned around she saw that it wasn�t Mum climbing through the Floo, but Harry. She gaped at him with the dishtowel still clutched in her hand. He looked handsome and oddly formal standing there in his crisp black business robes. He must have come from the Ministry. �Hi.� He broke the awkward silence and then looked around the room. �Is your mum home?� Ginny felt a thousand feelings at once. She wanted to hurl herself into his arms and feel his mouth claim hers. She wanted to hear his breath hitch as she placed tender kisses all over his face. She wanted to touch his soft hair� and pull it as hard as she could. �No, Mum is not home.� Her voice trembled with sudden anger. �You�ll have to come back later to see the person you really want to see.� His eyes widened. �Ginny, I came to see you.� �Oh? Fancy that. Where am I on the list? After the Rebuild the Statue committee but before the Hippogriff enthusiasts?� He winced. �I haven�t meant to ignore you.� She crossed her arms in front of herself. �How long did you mean not to ignore me?� He met her eyes and then looked away. �I don�t have an owl and it�s always too late by the time I get back to Grimmauld Place to use the Floo.� She froze. He still didn�t have an owl after Hedwig had been killed a year ago. She covered her mouth. �I forgot about Hedwig.� Her eyes filled. �Sorry.� Then she spun around and gripped the edge of the sink. �What must you think of me?� she whispered with her head bowed. �Ginny.� He stood behind her and put tentative hands on her upper arms, but she wouldn�t turn around. �I think about you all the time � it�s just that everyday at the Ministry one person wants this and then someone else wants that, and everything is urgent and I do want to help.� He trailed off and dropped his hands. �Ginny, the thought of you � that�s the only thing �� �God, Harry!� She turned around. �Aren�t you as tired of the �thought of me� as much as I am of waiting for you?� Her words echoed in the empty kitchen. He was standing so close to her that she couldn�t see his expression without lifting her face. Although, after this silence, she wasn�t sure she wanted to see his expression. Maybe he thought she was being immature, too. Not daring to look up, she stared at the knot of his tie. �I �� She looked up as he faltered. �I thought you were okay,� he said, looking miserable. �Your dad � I overheard him talking to Kingsley about how hard your mum was taking Fred�s death, but that you were her best source of comfort.� She felt her face warm at this unexpected praise. �He did?� �So I thought �� His eyes were bleak. �I thought that I should stay away so you could be with your family. I mean�� �What?� she prompted, since she had no idea where he was going with this. �My feelings weren�t all that important compared to getting the Ministry back on track or�� He sighed and his shoulders drooped as he continued his litany of responsibilities. ��or attending memorial services or visiting Teddy or letting you grieve for Fred without worrying about me.� Here she had thought he was okay, too. But how could he be after all he had been through? They both had been ignoring so much. She touched her nose to his chest. �If your feelings were first priority for you, what would you do?� He put his arms around her. �I dunno. Fly as fast as I could. Laugh. Take off this tie.� She hugged him tightly and he clung to her. There was something in the way he was breathing that told her he was on the edge of control, so she said nothing and simply held him. When his grip started to loosen, she patted his shoulder. �Why don�t you start with the tie?� He gave a shuddering laugh and then pulled away to loosen the knot at his throat. �Yeah. Start simple.� They exchanged awkward glances. Harry appeared to be over his urge to cry, but his eyes were still dark with emotion. �So it�s too rainy to fly,� she said brightly, �but I think I can make you laugh.� His eyes lit up. �Oh?� �I was listening to Days of Destiny this morning and �� He smiled. �Some things never change.� He had teased her about her �obsession� with the long-running soap when they were going out last year. She giggled. �So true. Fiona is still in a coma.� �I thought she was in a coma last year? Is this the same coma?� �It is � although to be fair, the show was off the air most of last year since several of the actors were Muggle-borns.� He winced at this reminder of Voldemort�s reign. �So is she going to come out of the coma soon?� �Oh, they�ll milk it another couple of weeks,� she answered. �Then they�ll have to have something new to keep Roderick and Fiona apart.� �Amnesia?� he asked. �They�ve both had amnesia in other episodes.� She shrugged. �I�m guessing it will be a witch this time.� Then a new thought struck. �Maybe it�s that kind Healer who has been keeping Roderick apprised of Fiona�s condition!� Harry finally laughed. �Or maybe an anvil will fall on his head and lay him out.� �What?� �Those things are always happening in Muggle cartoons � anvils fall or grand pianos or maybe a big boulder.� �Oh.� She didn�t get the joke. Maybe Dad would understand why Muggles were interested in falling anvils and grand pianos � still, it was good to see Harry laugh. �Do you want a cup of tea?� He glanced at the clock. Then Ginny realized that it was two in the afternoon � not exactly teatime. �Er? Lunch?� He brightened. �Kreacher cooked a big breakfast this morning, but that was a long time ago.� While he sat at the table, Ginny pulled the bread out of the breadbox and started to cut the loaf by hand. �You still can�t do magic?� he asked. �In two days,� she answered absently. Now she wondered if there was enough cheese to make a decent sandwich. �Your birthday is in two days?� �Yeah.� Now she couldn�t find the mustard. Mum had gone on a cleaning spree last week and everything was in a different place. �I don�t know if anyone will remember or want to celebrate this year, given what�s happened,� she said irritably. Then she spied the mustard behind the jar of pickles. She quickly finished making the sandwich and brought it over to him. �Thanks,� he said as he looked at the lopsided ham and cheese sandwich. �I know,� Ginny said, sitting down with a huff. �It�s a little uneven � but that knife is used to magic, so it fights you if you�re doing it the Muggle way.� �Ginny,� he interrupted. �If you could put feelings first, what would you do?� He was staring at her with an intensity she hadn�t seen in him for a long time � like he was really seeing her � and not just an idea of her. �I � I don�t know,� she began breathlessly. �Like you, probably. You know � I want to fly � laugh.� She giggled. �I don�t have to worry about the tie, though.� His mouth softened into a loving smile as he reached out for her. She sat in his lap and kissed him back while he ran tender hands along her back. The rain pattered against the windows, and the clock ticked, and the ghoul dropped something heavy and metallic in the attic. �Your hair smells different,� he finally said. �I put some conditioner on it,� she explained in bemusement. �Fleur gave it to me since she said she didn�t need it for her hair.� �And she thought your hair did?� He smiled �I suppose.� She giggled and then shivered as she felt his fingers brush her bare arm. �Harry, you�re not angry with me � for yelling at you? I think I probably said some hard things �� �Yeah, well. They�re all true.� His smile was rueful. �No one�s yelled at me for a while. I guess I missed it.� �Harry.� Now she felt worse. �I�m not angry.� He leaned forward and very slowly moved to touch his lips to hers. It was a sweet, lingering kiss full of promise. �No, I guess you�re not angry,� she murmured shakily when he pulled away. Flames erupted in the fireplace. Mum was coming through the Floo. She jumped off his lap. �Ginny, I promise we�ll do something for you birthday,� he said quickly, standing up as well. �Harry!� Mum exclaimed as she struggled with two jam jars and her purse. �My goodness, we haven�t seen you for ages.� She handed Ginny the jam jars and proceeded to hug Harry. �I�m sure you�re missing Ronnie these days. He�s not here, but why don�t you stay for dinner anyway? Ginny hasn�t seen a lot of young people this summer �� �I didn�t come to see Ron,� Harry interrupted. �I came to see Ginny.� Mum stepped back and looked from Harry to Ginny. �Oh.� �Um. I was wondering if I could take Ginny out on Tuesday. For a meal �� He glanced at Ginny as if to get her approval for this idea. �Or something.� �Oh! Well�� Mum looked so flummoxed that Ginny took pity on her. �Mum, Harry and I did go out at the end of my fifth year.� �Yes,� Mum said, peering at the two of them. �I suppose Ron did mention it.� �We haven�t had a lot of time to see each other,� Harry continued. Mum�s face softened. �No, I suppose you haven�t � what with� everything. Yes, if Ginny wants to go, of course you can go out.� �I want to go!� Ginny blurted. She could feel her face flush with happiness. Harry smiled at her enthusiasm and so did Mum. �Muriel told me today we should get out more,� Mum said thoughtfully. �Maybe Arthur and I should join you.� At Harry�s startled expression, Mum laughed. �Just joking, dear. Now, are you staying for dinner?� Ginny beamed at Harry. They were going out, and best of all � it was the first time she had heard her mother laugh in two months. * Harry Apparated to the Ministry the next day feeling a sense of happy expectancy that he hadn�t felt in over a year. He and Ginny were going to go out for her birthday. They had never been out anywhere together, really. He had never taken her to Hogsmeade; he had never bought her an ice cream in Diagon Alley; he had never bought her anything, come to think of it. He gulped. It was her birthday � he needed to buy her a gift. He had no idea what to get her. He kept his head down as he passed people in the corridor leading toward the Minister�s office. He always gave Hermione books and Ron something for Quidditch. Other than that, his gift-giving experience was sadly limited. The chicken gargoyle, as Harry privately dubbed the eagle that watched over the Minister�s office, told him that the Minister was busy, so he took a seat in a squishy chair in the impressive waiting room. Harry�s thoughts weren�t on his surroundings however; he was still working out what to buy Ginny. Ron had given Hermione perfume one Christmas and she hadn�t seemed too impressed with it. Ginny always smelled nice, so he didn�t think she needed perfume. He smirked. Or conditioner. The music playing in the plush waiting room stopped abruptly. It was nine o�clock, the Wizarding Wireless announcer said, time for the morning news. Harry listened with half an ear as he tried to think of what he could buy for Ginny. The announcement that tickets to the Harpies/Puddlemere match were going on sale this morning penetrated his thoughts. He could take Ginny to a Quidditch match! She had a poster of the Harpies on her wall of her bedroom. She would love to see them play. He would love to see a professional Quidditch match. He had only been to the World Cup. �Tickets are expected to sell out within the first hour,� the announcer said. �The Minister will see you!� the gargoyle clucked. Kingsley was alone in his office. �Harry, sit down,� he said in his deep voice. �We have a finalized list of candidates. I�d like you to sit in on the interviews next week. It�s important we have the right witch or wizard to train future Aurors.� �Yes, that�s fine,� Harry agreed quickly. �Now, today,� Kingsley continued, �there�s a meeting with the Statue Committee at ten o�clock.� Where do I come in on the list � after the Statue Committee and before the Hippogriff Enthusiasts? �Sir, I was wondering if I could leave this morning?� Kingsley looked up from his papers in surprise. �Something wrong, Harry?� �Wrong?� He could feel himself blushing. �No, I just wanted to buy tickets for the Harpies/Puddlemere match,� he blurted. �They say they�re going to sell out in no time.� �Quidditch tickets, you say?� Kingsley put down his papers with exacting slowness and reached for a quill. �I think I can help you out.� He scrawled something on a canary yellow sheet of paper and then waved his wand over it. The paper folded itself in to a bird and flapped out of the office. �I sent that to Bagman. He should have a few tickets lying around.� �Oh.� Harry gaped at him. It had never occurred to him that there were other ways to get tickets. Kingsley went back to his papers and the meeting continued. Fifteen minutes later, the paper bird flew in with two shiny tickets in its beak. Kingsley frowned. �He only sent two.� �I just need two,� Harry said, his spirits soaring. Ginny was going to be so surprised. Kingsley�s eyebrows lifted. �I�m taking my girlfriend.� His stomach flipped at that unfamiliar phrase. �It�s her birthday.� �It�s Hermione Granger�s birthday?� Kingsley asked. �I�ll have to make a note for my PA to send her a card from the Ministry.� �No,� Harry said quickly. �Hermione�s not my girlfriend. It�s Ginny � Ginny Weasley.� �Arthur�s girl?� Kingsley�s voice rumbled even lower. Harry didn�t know if that was approval or disapproval and he really didn�t care. �Yes.� He sat up straight. �I didn�t tell Bagman who the tickets were for,� Kingsley said. �They�re box seats, so you won�t be with the crowd.� He slid the tickets across the desk to Harry. �But I�m warning you. The minute the press sees you with a pretty girl, you�re going to get a lot of attention.� Harry nodded and took the tickets. The idea of attracting attention for being with Ginny didn�t bother him at all. It had taken him two months to get used to the idea that Ginny was his girlfriend again, and that they could actually spend time together without jeopardizing anything. It wouldn�t hurt for everyone else to know that, too.
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If Lebron didn't leave Cleveland it would of been like Iverson with the 76ers. Just have average talent around him and leading the team on his back year by year and coming up short. Just like A.I., Lebron carried his team to the finals. But A.I. didn't leave the 6ers til he was hitting his decline but he was still an elite. Lebron is barely hitting his Prime and now has Wade and Bosh.
So to me Lebron made the right choice to win. And thats why everybody plays in the NBA is to win. |
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Imagine if you have those handchecks (which IMO didn't changed dramatically the last 15yrs but correct me if I'm wrong) and you have a man of a thousand moves like Hakeem and if those rules applied that time he would've dominated more with his great finishing skills at and-1 situations. Not even Shaq a year later can stop The Dream, albeit the more physical brand of play then. |
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