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Ted Nickel
Governor Scott Walker appointed Ted Nickel of Merrill, Wisconsin, as Commissioner of Insurance for the state of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011. The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance regulates the business of insurance in Wisconsin. The office has a staff of 153 and is responsible for examining industry financial solvency and market conduct, licensing agents, reviewing policy forms for compliance with state legislation, investigating consumer complaints and providing consumer information. In addition to its regulatory duties, the office administers the State Life Insurance Fund, Local Government Property Insurance Fund, and Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund.
Prior to his appointment, Commissioner Nickel worked for almost 18 years as director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs for Church Mutual Insurance Company in Merrill, Wisconsin. Commissioner Nickel has been actively engaged in insurance industry affairs in Wisconsin. He has served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance, including having served as chair. Commissioner Nickel served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund and the Oklahoma Property Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association, as well as having served as a member of the Legal and Government Affairs Committee of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. Commissioner Nickel also worked in the administration of former Governor Tommy Thompson.
Commissioner Nickel served on the Northcentral Technical College District Board of Trustees for six years. While there, he served as secretary/treasurer and participated on a CEO recruiting committee. He chaired the Merrill Parks and Recreation Committee and was vice chair of the City Plan Commission.
The Commissioner was elected secretary-treasurer of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in December 2014. He currently serves on the Executive (EX) Committee, Cybersecurity (EX) Task Force, Governance Review (EX) Task Force, Government Relations (EX) Leadership Council, International Insurance Relations (EX) Leadership Group and the Internal Administration (EX1) Subcommittee. He chairs the Audit Committee and the NAIC/Industry Liaison Committee and is vice chair of the Consumer Participation Board of Trustees. He is a member of the Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee, Health Insurance and Managed Care (B) Committee, NAIC American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee and serves on several other NAIC task forces and committees. In addition, he chairs the Contingent Deferred Annuity (A) Working Group, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance (E) Working Group, and the Health Care Reform Regulatory Alternatives (B) Working Group.
In August 2014, the Commissioner was appointed to the Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance which serves as an advisory committee to the Federal Insurance Office.
Commissioner Nickel earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from Valparaiso University.
Dan Schwartzer
Governor Scott Walker appointed Dan Schwartzer as Deputy Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin on January 4, 2011.
Deputy Commissioner Schwartzer, subject to the general direction of the Commissioner, supervises the regulatory, public information and administrative functions of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. As Deputy, he also exercises and performs the functions of the Commissioner in the Commissioner's absence.
Prior to his appointment, Deputy Commissioner Schwartzer owned his own government relations and association management firm that worked with both corporations and trade associations from a variety of industries. He served as executive director for the Wisconsin Employee Benefit Advisors Association, executive director for the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, as well as executive director for the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin.
Deputy Commissioner Schwartzer is a licensed insurance intermediary holding property, casualty, life, accident and health insurance licenses. He has over 25 years of experience in insurance, health care financing and business issues and over 12 years of experience in government relations and association management.
Deputy Commissioner Schwartzer earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University.
J.P. Wieske
Mr. Wieske was appointed Legislative Liaison/Public Information Officer in October 2011. His duties include supervision of the legislative and public information and communications functions in the agency.
Mr. Wieske brings 18 years of experience in working in the insurance industry, particularly in dealing with health insurance issues. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Wieske served as the Executive Director of the Council of Affordable Health Insurance. He joined the Council in 2003 as the Director of State Affairs. The Council is a research and advocacy association of insurance carriers that is active in individual, small group, health savings accounts, and senior markets. In this capacity, J.P. has led the Council's state advocacy efforts and regularly testified before state legislatures across the country. He has also co-authored several publications related to timely health insurance issues. Prior to his work with the Council, Mr. Wieske was the Senior Government Affairs Specialist of a Wisconsin-based insurer.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Political Science from Carroll College.
Mollie Zito
Mollie Zito was appointed Chief Legal Counsel in November 2012. Her duties include providing legal counsel to Commissioner Nickel and Deputy Commissioner Schwartzer as well as oversight of the OCI legal department.
Ms. Zito brings a wealth of legal and policy experience to her position and a variety of perspectives. Ms. Zito has worked with the provider community, the federal government, as well as a small health insurance company. Most recently, she served as a Senior Legislative Attorney for the American Medical Association focusing on state laws governing insurance and provider contracts. As counsel to U.S. Senators Charles Grassley (Iowa), John Thune (South Dakota), Jon Kyl (Arizona), and John Cornyn (Texas), she concentrated on legislative issues affecting Medicare, Medicaid, insurance, and public health issues. Ms. Zito also served as Assistant Vice President and Counsel at the Trustmark Companies located in Lake Forest, Illinois, which provides group health and life insurance as well as benefit management services.
Ms. Zito earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law.


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Natural resource plans (county)
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Click one of the Browse This Collection buttons at the right for a complete listing of the contents of this collection.
Documents in this category include plans, studies, or inventories of natural resources within a county's planning jurisdiction. Some documents were required by Goal 5 of Oregon's Statewide Planning Goals. Others respond to requirements of the federal Endangered Species Act. Documents that fit the general description of the category may be included, even if they are not required by these two authorities. Documents governing the use of forest or agricultural lands will be included.
Recent Submissions
(Umatilla County (Or.), July 9, 2008)
(Harney County (Or.), September 24, 2008)
(Clackamas County (Or.), November 13, 2008)
(Harney County (Or.), November 26, 2008)
(Clatsop County (Or.), January 17, 2003)

subset: commoncrawl


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Lawmakers: State must crack down on diploma mills
Bear held up a counterfeit degree from Harvard that he said he bought online for $39.
Steve Boilard, the managing principal analyst for education from the Legislative Analyst's Office, testified that it will not be easy to root out diploma mills.
"It is not hard to find them if you are looking for them," responded Marcia Trott, the former head of the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Schools, which shut down in 2007 after lawmakers deemed it ineffective. "There are plenty of laws on the books. We just have to have the political will to enforce them."


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New technologies that the country's defence research laboratories plan to develop will be hit if the outlay for their research is not increased, the country's top defence scientist has said.
In recent years, the Defence Research and Development Organisation had been feeling the funds crunch as its annual budget remained at Rs. 10,000 crore or 5.4 per cent of the overall defence outlay, said its Director-General Avinash Chander, who is also the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, here on Thursday.
A new weapons system would need about 10 years. "So we need to fund them today and that is where we feel the pinch."
He was responding to questions about the spending cut imposed across the board by the Finance Ministry to contain the fiscal deficit.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ninth annual International Radar Symposium India 2013, co-hosted by DRDO and radar developer and user community, he said, "If you want a real growth of indigenous capabilities, you need to have 8-9 per cent of the defence budget marked as R&D. Otherwise you will continue to import."
He expected the situation to get better next year. "Fortunately, all levels where we have conveyed our concerns agree on this."


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In Michigan
5:14 pm
Wed October 7, 2009
MI Legislature considers physicians tax
By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – A tax on physicians' earnings approved by the state House may have come to a standstill in the Senate. Democrats approved the bill in an effort to fill cuts made to Medicaid in the budget last week.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop says he does not think his fellow Republican senators would vote for any new taxes. But Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon says he thinks he can find some Republican support.
"I think as those 8% cuts to hospitals and nursing homes are put in place, I think you're going to see a lot of pressure build that we've got to find some solution," he says. "Because if you look at some of the hospitals that are heavy with Medicaid, you know, that tend not to have a lot of surplus cash lying around to survive."
The physicians' tax is one of the new revenue options Democrats have proposed to generate money for programs cut from the budget. Dillon says a tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes, approved by a House committee, needs more discussion before it goes up for a vote in the House.


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Evening Paddle
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When it's all too much, I'm off to the backwaters.
Brettun's Pond, Liverpool, Maine
22 responses
James Wiley gave props (13 Jul 2012):
Wonderful Ted! The light is providing such beautiful contrast on the paddle.
Kristina Krause gave props (14 Jul 2012):
This is absolutely beautiful! Wonderful composition, light, detail......Terrific work!
Lynn E. Harvey gave props (14 Jul 2012):
Just beautiful!
MindTheStep gave props (14 Jul 2012):
elegant, emotional
Carlo Pagan gave props (14 Jul 2012):
Barbara Huffert gave props (14 Jul 2012):
This is beautiful!
ROCIO GUILLEN gave props (14 Jul 2012):
Looks great in the lightbox!
Barbara Socor gave props (15 Jul 2012):
A beautifully conceived and executed image....Elegant indeed!
Michael Stafford said (15 Jul 2012):
Lovely work, I like the composition
Davide Simone (Deleted) gave props (16 Jul 2012):
Laurie Search gave props (17 Jul 2012):
This is really gorgeous!!
Donna Mullins gave props (17 Jul 2012):
Amazing tones and the perfect moment captured!
elfriede fulda gave props (19 Jul 2012):
Your work is outstanding !!
Susan B. Griffith said (26 Jul 2012):
Wow, great capture.
Jason Stern gave props (26 Jul 2012):
Davide Simone (Deleted) gave props (28 Jul 2012):
superb my vote
Gerard Sweeney said (29 Jul 2012):
wow, beautiful, voted.
James Wright gave props (29 Jul 2012):
Very beautiful. You can hear the drops.
Pedro Teixeira gave props (29 Jul 2012):
Keria B gave props (30 Jul 2012):
Bailey Cooper gave props (4 Aug 2012):
I can hear the water lapping on the sides of the boat through the silence.
John Linton gave props (8 May 2015):
Oh YEAH! Rad!
Also by Ted Anderson
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Mitchell Glenn Martin, age 61, passed away on July 4, 2014 at his residence in Starkville, Mississippi. He was a retired owner of Quality Carpet Care.Â
He is survived by his wife Nancy Whitehead Martin of Starkville; parents, Clifford Barnett Martin and wife, Sandy of Ocala, FL; brother, Michael Martin, Ocala, FL; sister, Cheri Brown of Ocala, FL. He was preceded in death by his mother Joyce Allen Martin.
A visitation is scheduled for Sunday, July 6 from 4:00 - 6:00 at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville, MS. A graveside and funeral service will be held at a later date in Lake City, Florida. Burial will follow in the Corinth Cemetery in Lake City,Florida.
Memorials maybe made to the Humane Society.
Visit www.welchfuneralhomes.com to sign the on-line guest register.


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When asked if he raps during practice, Baylor head coach Art Briles answers with a lyric by Drake
Art Briles is an easy going guy, plain and simple. He commands the respect of his staff and players while being one of the guys at the same time. During Big 12 media days today, Ahmad Dixon said Briles is … Continue reading


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Two methods that allow biscuit and snack food manufacturers to take advantage of rapidly rising demand for products with reduced fat contents have been developed by APV.
The company has also invested in facilities to allow customers to undertake full process and development trials.
Consumer preference is clearly for low fat products that do not compromise on taste and texture. The 'baked not fried' concept of production for snack products allows this to be achieved.
The key is the use of a conventional baking oven and an oil spray, rather than a fryer. This allows the oil content to be significantly reduced (typically from 35 to 40% to 5 to 15%); it also enables the product to benefit from the much wider range of textures that can be achieved during the forming and baking process.
Such products can be further enhanced by the use of 'designer' flavourings that are often introduced at the oil spray stage.
Existing biscuit production lines can be easily adapted for 'baked not fried' products, as a conventional hard dough cutting system needs only an oil spray unit, flavour applicator and a bagger to be added after the oven.
Low fat and no fat products are also a growing trend. Equipment and the process for such products are more complex but APV now offer systems that can handle biscuits with up to 50% less fat than conventional products.
As reducing the fat content in the recipe creates problems in the actual processing, an effective fat replacer must be used. More than 130 fat replacers have been tested already and no 'standard' has emerged so far but interested readers should contact the Baked Products Division at APV Baker Ltd, Manor Drive, Paston Parkway, Peterborough, tel:0173 328 3000.
More Developments at Leatherhead
We hear that in the next phase of the Food RA's 3 to 5 year programme of modernisation, the chemistry laboratories are to be relocated and refurbished to create a fully centralised department.
The RA's pilot-scale manufacturing capabilities for snack foods have recently been enhanced by the addition of an integrated frying and flavouring processing line.
Originally designed as a pellet fryer, in-house modifications have made this equipment more versatile. It can now be used for a range of frying applications, ranging from pellet flying to crisp production.
Portasilo Completes Tate and Lyle Contract
Portasilo Bulk Handling Systems of York recently completed a [pounds]2.9m. contract to supply and install a sugar storage and handling system for Tare and Lyle Sugars at the Thames Refinery.
This Portasilo contract formed part of one of the largest engineering schemes ever undertaken at the refinery - the total scheme cost some [pounds]15m.
The Portasilo scheme centred on two site-built 2500 tonne capacity sugar storage and conditioning silos, of mass-flow design, capable of taking granulated sugar from process at the rate of 125 tonnes an hour. The temperature of the sugar is in the range 40 [degrees] to 50 [degrees] C and relative humidity levels are up to 0.12%.
These are the largest steel fabricated vessels in the UK, with a diameter of 11m and height of 40m. They have been designed on the mass-flow principle to ensure a consistent discharge of sugar on a 'first in-first out' basis. These tanks also had to meet conditioning, recirculation, explosion protection and transfer criteria.
We are told the stainless steel mass-flow cone for the silos, incorporating plenum chambers at two levels for sugar conditioning and triple outlet points, is currently the only in the world on a silo of such a capacity, handling such a difficult product as sugar.
Pesticide Reporting
The Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association is now offering a new pesticide reporting service. Tailor-made reports are reproduced in response to individual customer requests using data held on the Campden Pesticide Database.
This database is updated as soon as new information becomes available, ensuring that every customer has an up-to-the-minute situation report.
Two types of report can be generated for specific crop/commodities: Maximum Residue Levels Reports specify UK, European Union and Codex MRLs on a crop-by-crop basis; Pesticide Approvals Reports list pesticide products approved for use in the UK, together with their active ingredients and MAFF approval status. These reports also provide useful information (supplied by the NFU) on off-label approved pesticide products.
Starfrost Equipment for Frozen Herbs
Lowestoft-based Starfrost Systems Ltd have gained a contract to supply Frozen Herbs Ltd of Eye with a specially designed version of their Starlite Turbo freezer.
As many readers will know, the Eye company manufacture individually quick frozen herbs for industry and have more than 1000 acres under cultivation.
This Starlite unit is highly suitable for freezing small particulate products and Frozen Herbs will be freezing 2000kg an hour of parsley and coriander natural florets, as well as a variety of other English leaf herbs, like basil, mint and rosemary The product will be fed into the unit at a temperature of +10 [degrees] and discharged at 26 [degrees] C.
Frozen herbs are very convenient from a handling and storage point of view.
A Starlite Turbo will effectively freeze product that was previously only considered suitable for cryogenic freezing. The use of the Star-D-Belt to filter the air leaving the product allows air flows of sufficient velocity to fluidize even small products, such as chopped herbs and yet retain the fines within the freezer and without the evaporator becoming contaminated.
Ro-Dor for British Beef
The British Beef Co Ltd, part of the Union International Group, have only been operating from their Padholme Road processing plant for five years.
Recently, they replaced an existing external facing timber door with a roller shutter door provided by Ro-Dor Ltd of Chilbolton near Stockbridge.
This single phase door measures 1.6m wide by 2.6m high and is finished in grey. Being constructed from PVCu, this door easily withstands pressure washing or hosing down.
Amending Solvents Regulations
Proposals to amend the Extraction Solvents in Food Regulations 1993 to include the use of cyclohexane as a permitted extraction solvent have been issued by MAFF.
The regulations have been amended, following the adoption of an amendment to EC Directive 88/344 to permit the use of cyclohexane in the extraction of flavourings up to a maximum residue limit of 1 mg per kg.
Krones Unit for H P Foods
H P Foods are about to take delivery of a Krones Autocol rotary self-adhesive labeller.
Designed to apply front, back and neckaround/shoulder labels to an initial range of 8 rectangular and oval polypropylene bottles, the Autocol is equipped with 3 synchronized pressure-sensitive label applicator heads. It also has disengagable infeed worms for maximizing bottle stability on entering the carousel and, prior to the infeed, a pressure reduction device to introduce spacing between the containers and minimize bottle-to-bottle contact.
Bowes Order More Ro-Dors
Bowes of Norfolk, the pork processors, decided a couple of years ago to replace the galvanised steel roller shutter on a loading bay with Ro-Dor PVCu roller shutter doors.
So pleased were Bowes with these doors that they ordered two more for distribution bays, and other roller doors, all in white, have been installed in the cold room, the production area and a recently completed extension.
In all, ten Ro-Dors are now in use at the Bowes plant. However, they then asked Ro-Dor Ltd of Stockbridge in Hampshire to fit their latest model,which is a faster acting PVCu RS door with a speed of operation of 0.8m a second. This model has the added benefit of being tough enough to be used as an external security door. Altogether six of these fast acting doors have now been fitted. All operate from inductive loops plus pull cord switches with an automatic timed closure. Four measure 3m wide by 3m tall, one is 2.5m wide and the same height and the final door is 2.5m wide by 3.5m high. All are finished in grey and can be pressure washed down when necessary.
Investment at East Kent
Reports tell us that East Kent Packers Ltd are about to install new grading plant. As readers will know, East Kent operate from a large controlled atmosphere packhouse and they are involved in the storage, grading and marketing of fruit for leading multiples.
Labels for Caviar
Sales of caviar to top UK hotels were up more than 25% in recent months as opposed to a year earlier.
This created a problem for Princesse d'Essenbourg et Cie, the London-based purveyors of fine foods and wines. The company, which imports three grades of caviar from the Caspian Sea, ran out of labels.
Fraser Labels of Richmond came to their rescue with the overnight production of more self-adhesive polyethylene labels. The design itself involves the use of an all-over grey ground colour over-printed in two colours and silver foil blocked, then overlaminated with a clear protective film.
Quality Assured Services Gains Further Approval
A further consultancy has been awarded approved status under the Royal Society of Health Hygiene Accreditation Scheme for the Food Packaging Industry.
Quality Assured Services of Royston, Herts is the fourth consultancy to achieve such status, following assessments by the Society's Audit Unit based at the Cardiff Institute, an associate college of the University of Wales.
The QAS point of contact for the Scheme is Tom Clifton, who is based at Tredington in Warwickshire.
Largest Egg Grader
Oasters have installed in their new packing centre a Cranbrook in Kent what is believed to be the largest egg grader in the world.
Manufactured by Staalkat in Holland, this unit will handle 150,000 eggs an hour and is the first machine of its kind to be manufactured throughout in stainless steel.
Another first for the egg industry is the use of a laser detection system to identify shell faults. We understand that every egg is scanned several million times by laser light to determine shell quality. This means the system works without contacting the eggs and is more accurate than existing crack detection equipment, we are assured.
Park Foods' Project Q
The Park Foods Group has under development a new product, code-named Project Q. This is a new potato product.
Apparently, their development will allow chips to be deep fried in just a minute that will mean the technique used for the manufacture of frozen chips will be considerably changed.
A new plant is to be opened at their Birkenhead premises and this will be capable of producing some 20 to 50 tonnes of product a day.
Clawson Upgrades Fleet
Long Clawson Dairy Ltd, the stilton and speciality cheesemakers, have upgraded their fleet both to cope with increased demand for their products and more milk intake capacity.
As a farmers' co-operative, Clawson continue to obtain the bulk, say 80%, of their milk supply from producing members but have recently added 14 new suppliers to their membership. This means there are now 43 members, which has necessitated investment in a 26 tonne six-wheel tanker that is capable of carrying 16,500 litres of milk to the dairy.
At the same time Long Clawson have purchased a new 17 tonne refrigerated delivery vehicle to help supply their range of cheese products to beth wholesalers and the depots of major multiples.
More Investment at Fletchers
A further [pounds]3.5m. investment in a store freezer is more evidence of the continued success of Fletchers Frozen Foods.
With nearly ten million bakery items being produced every week, the pressure on storage space had been growing steadily. To meet this need and provide for future expansion, they are to build a 6000 pallet store freezer on a five acre site.
This freezer is being built adjacent to the Sheffield bakery but initially, at least, they will not be able to fill all the space themselves and will thus be able to hire out space on a short or medium term basis.
Former Tech Formers for Snack Factory
Former Tech, the specialist vertical form fill seal machine shoulder assembly builders, have through their UK contact, Kelvin Woodard, recently supplied The Snack Factory.
Twelve formers have been provided for the use on the crisp and snack food manufacturer's VFFS machines specifically to carry out a private label contract on behalf of a leading supermarket chain.
The snacks for this contract are being packed in metallized-type materials and, in consequence, The Snack Factory needed formers that would not mark the packaging material. As readers will know, face-marking can easily appear on metallized materials if they are run over formers that are worn or have been mad e to a lower quality standard.
Laurens Automate with Comas
Laurens Patisserie Ltd of Newark have invested in the latest depositors from Comas of Italy to match the increasing demands for their products.
Three specially designed DR 500 depositors are now in continuous use, depositing sponge batter, choux batter, cream and smooth batter or jam to produce mini, small and large eclairs weighing from 10 to 38g, 12g cream puffs, profiteroles and their other specialities.
These depositors were recommended by European Process Plant Ltd of Epsom, the UK distributors for all Comas equipment. Each of these stainless steel units has three interchangeable dosing plates. with 4, 7 and 8 outlets, with sets of nozzles offering 8, 10, 12 and 15mm options.
Their 457 by 662mm baking trays are fed in and out of the depositing station by means of a rubber cord conveyor, which is adjustable for height.
These units are computer-controlled and can be programmed to produce up to 50 different selected deposits.
Safeline Upgrade Blendex Systems
The upgrading of quality systems at Blendex of Tyne and Wear has included the integration of three metal detection units into their automated production lines. These units were manufactured by Salford-based Safeline Ltd.
Blendex supply blended seasonings, curing compounds and preservatives to both manufacturers and butchers. The company also has a contract packing arm that specializes in dried foodstuffs.
Their Safeline installation includes an inclined detector which monitors polybags of powders of varying sizes and weights up to 227g. The detector is preprogrammed to recognize a wide range of powders and, since many have a high salt content, screen out 'product effect' automatically without loss of sensitivity.
On their bulk line, a Safeline sack detector works in tandem with a bagger to monitor large sacks before they pass to the palletizer.
Blendex Contract Packaging runs the new Safeline Series 35 conveyorized system between a VFFS bagmaker and cartoning equipment as a final check of the packaged goods. Here, the system's space-saving design and resistance to interference from nearby metals proved essential when slotting it into the existing production line.
Ucrete Floor for new Solway Factory
Solway Foods' new Factory 3 at Corby produces chilled snackfoods.
When designing this new factory the company attached considerable importance to the choice of flooring. As the transfer of food material along a production line can occasionally lead to accidental spillage, it was vital to have a slip-resistant floor. The flooring also had to remain unaffected by the ingredients that might be spilt, and be able to withstand the rigorous cleaning that is necessary to achieve the high standards of hygiene needed in 'high risk' areas.
Ucrete HF 100 flooring has been laid. It was trowel-applied to a nominal 9mm thickness on to a prepared substrate. The new flooring is non slip, resistant to corrosive materials and its monolithic nature minimizes the need for joints.
Some sq m of the flooring has been installed by Vodka Flooring (East) Ltd, an approved applicator of Crete material.
Multivac Machine for Dairy Crest's Pick' N' Mix
With retail sales of Pick' N' Mix cheese portions currently growing rapidly, Multivac thermoforming equipment has been chosen by Dairy Crest Ltd to produce the pack required for their new single portion of Blue Stilton cheese, which is now being sold in the Pick' N' Mix section at supermarkets.
A specially modified M855F machine, from Swindon-based Multivac UK Ltd, is now in operation at Dairy Crest's blue cheese plant in Hartington, producing the miniature packs. This M855F unit uses peelable preprinted film to produce the top web and unprinted film for the bottom web; the packs themselves measure 4 by 4 by 1cm with a 2cm overlap at the top. A 'knoppen' helps to keep the two films separate in one corner, making the pack easy to open.
In order to meet the requirement for a rigid, well defined pack, this M855F thermoformer is equipped with a plug assisted die, which ensures the film is evenly distributed and forms sharp corners, providing good protection and a quality appearance. The machine also incorporates the Multiprint hot foil printing system that dates stamps the top web of the pack in-line.
Marden Edwards Unit at Thorntons
Preparing for the Easter rush is now no problem for confectionery specialist Thorntons, thanks to Marden Edwards & Co of Wimborne.
In the past, Easter was hard work for Thornton's shop staff. Chocolate boxes were individually hand-wrapped in seasonal paper at the point of sale. Whilst having that hand-wrapped look, it was obviously time-consuming, so the manufacturers decided to install overwrapping machines to do the work.
Thorntons are now using two Marden Edwards overwrapping systems at their factory in Belper to gift-wrap their Temptations range of boxed chocolates in seasonal paper. An additional two Marden Edwards machines are then used to apply a film overwrap to the paper-wrapped box to protect the paper wrap during transit and storage.
The particular machines that the Wimborne-based engineers have now supplied are two ME12-30FF/6 paper overwrappers and two ME12-30FF/6 film overwrappers. The first machine in each line wraps printed kraft paper around each box and seals it with PVA cold glue, while the second overwrapper in the line puts a heat-sealable film wrap around the box.
These machines enable Thorntons to wrap some 12,600 boxes a day.
Afos Unit for Wensleydale
Wensleydale Dairy Products are now able to provide in-house smoking facilities for the growing demand for their smoked products, rather than relying on the spare capacity of other food smoking processors in the area.
The new smoking kiln, a Double Maxi from Afos Ltd of Hull, will meet foreseeable demands for their smoked cheese, as well as providing, on a sub-contract basis, the capacity to offer other local cheese producers and food processors hot and cold smoking facilities.
This compact, all-stainless steel Double Maxi unit is floor-mounted and coupled to a fully automatic Afos smoke generator that controls the burning of the oak and beech shavings to a preselected smoke density.
RVL Makes it Lighter for DBC
The Danish Bacon Co have just purchased a temperature-controlled insulated body from Refrigerated Vehicles Ltd.
This lightweight box body has provided not only long term load flexibility but, at the same time, increased payload by some 500kg.
As DBC carry fresh bacon, fresh meat, chilled products and dry goods, they needed separate chilled and ambient compartments for multi-drop deliveries. Thus, a movable bulkhead assembly was constructed to enable the company to alter the relative size of the compartments to cater for different load combinations.
To maintain the temperature between zero and 2 [degrees] C in the chilled compartment, RVL have installed a Carrier Supra 722 refrigeration unit. At the same time, a different type of seal system has been used on the movable bulkhead, incorporating a capping to which PVC extrusions are adhered. A flat bash-plate has also helped to prevent the problems of leakage through the sides of the bulkhead.
So a whole consignment can be pallet or cage-loaded, RVL of Easons Green, Framfield have incorporated gas-assisted struts that enable the movable bulkhead to be raised up to the roof.
Enterprise Unit for Lowe
Lowe Soft Drinks of Cardiff have recently ordered a capping turret from the Enterprise Croup of Barton Road, Pulloxhill in Bedfordshire.
This ten-head capper for 28mm plastics PP Caps will be turret mounted on to an existing filler. An important feature of the purchase was that the capping heads had easily adjustable torque. This is achieved by a single Allen screw with calibrated adjustment. By turning this screw, it is a simple matter to adjust the gap between the permanent magnets in each capping head.
For this particular application, the Arol Euro is being fitted with a pick and place device, to give positive placement on the bottle, and the bottles range from 33cl to 2 litres.
Lowe Soft Drinks already had a Baumer shrinkwrapper installed, and it was being serviced by Enterprise, so the company and its capabilities were well known to them.
Laser Coding for Cadburys
Proven success of Lumonics laser coding at Cadburys led the company to purchase four additional Xymark 7000 laser coding systems from the Hull-based company to cede their Easter egg range.
Cartons for the popular egg range, including Cadbury's Milk Tray, Cadbury's Roses, Cadbury's Time Out and Cadbury's Buttons, are being coded with 'best before' dates, lot marks and shift codes. Such a system, provides Cadburys with accurate product traceability and allows the company to meet the specifications of BS 5750.
Cadbury, which already had Xymark 7000 dot-matrix laser coding systems installed on their lines, chose the same units again because they offered clean, flexible operation. With a large variety of products to be coded, flexibility is essential, to avoid altering the coding head height for each carton change.
To further simplify operations, the systems have been adapted to function from a single control panel, and an additional panel has been linked in to provide operators with production line information.
Tetra Top Filler at MD
A high speed Tetra Top filling machine has been installed and commissioned at MD Foods Oakthorpe dairy.
This new machine, a TT/3, is designed to fill Tetra Top 1 litre cartons at a rated capacity of 9000 units an hour and is the first Tetra Top filling machine to be installed by MD. Initially, the output from this machine will be committed to the supermarket own-label business.
The company is already equipped with Tetra Pak filling equipment, including two Tetra Rex TR/7 machines, a Tetra Brik TB/9 units and end-of-line handling and distribution equipment for both returnable and one-way distribution systems.
As readers will know, the Tetra Top carton is fitted with a plastics ring-pull as an integral part of the plastics unit sealed to the top of the canon. This plastics unit, including the ring-pull, is formed in one continuous operation within the TT/3 filling machine and sealed to the body of the paperboard carton. All the operator has to do is to ensure the TT/3 is supplied with plastics granules to form the Tetra Top plastics top unit and printed reels for the formation of the body of the pack.
Labelling System for Saudi Arabia
Precision Labelling Systems Ltd of Leeming Bar, Northallerton recently secured a contract for the supply of four labelling systems to Halwani Bros and a single system to Gandour (Al-Jazira Food Co), both in Jeddah, through their agents Zultec Saudi Arabia.
The contract comprised combinations of stainless steel mobile conveyor units, to IP65 standard, complete with overhead and side-mounted applicators, also short overhead stabilizing belts to facilitate wrap-around and tamperproof label-ling of various sizes and shapes of glass bottle containing preserves and cheese products, and plastics Halawa containers.
Rotary turntables for batching labelled products were also incorporated in the installations.
Changes at Ormeau
Towards the end of January, Belfast-based Ormeau Bakery announced a significant cut in its labour force - one third.
This state of affairs has been caused by increasing loss that have been building up over the last five years.
As part of its operational changes, we understand the company plans to open a central distribution facility.
Ice Cream Manufacturer Cuts Waste Removal Costs
Cleanliness was the main motivation for the move to waste compaction by Richmond Ices of Northallerton.
They wanted to eliminate the build-up of waste, which is a potential health hazard. However, it was appreciated that their waste incorporated plastics cartons and the like - more air than solids. So, compaction was an obvious idea.
To solve their problem, Richmond purchased a Bergmann Roto-Compactor from Kenburn Waste Management of St Albans. Not only does this unit compact all their waste but it also saves money, as the cost of waste handling has been reduced by some 30%, as against the five skips they used to have on site.
More Western Influence in Dubai
We hear that McDonalds have opened their first outlet in the UAE at Dubai's Al Ghurair Centre. This 270-seater restaurant is said to be one of the largest outside the USA.
Gulf Agency Co is to open a new cold store in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. This 14,310sq m facility is being equipped with computerised mobile racking and will operate round-the-clock, providing client companies with more than 7000 pallet positions.
Lint-Free Uniforms
Belnor Workwear and Breadwinner Foods have made hygiene history by introducing lint-free garments for the employees at the Bread winner sandwich factory.
In a food preparation area, reducing lint in the air can play a vital role in halting the spread of air-borne bacteria.
The material being used for these garments is new to the UK but widely used on the continent. Despite a 50% cost premium for using this fabric, Breadwinner opted for lint-free uniforms for their staff. To offset some of the increased cost, they and Belnor have devised a uniform that is suitable for both sexes. Such a technique means they can hold fewer uniforms in stock.
Usually food preparation garments are made from a poly/cotton fabric, which not only releases microscopic lint particles into the air but also attracts and holds bacteria. The new material being used by Belnor Workwear Ltd of Hounslow is Twill 180 100% Pontella, which is less likely to attract bacteria and does not produce lint particles.
Tristar at Brakes
Brake Bros Foodservice has more than 800 products on offer to the catering trade.
With such a variety of products in their portfolio, the necessity for high speed, flexible manufacturing is obvious.
In 1989 Brake Bros acquired a factory in Flint and inherited a low speed ready-meal assembly line but it soon became obvious that faster and more flexible systems were needed.
At that time Dellepac Food Systems Ltd had a concept for a high speed lidding and sealing machine capable of speedy change-over between board lidding, hooding and heat sealing.
Brakes received the prototype and ran it at Flint for a year. This trial resulted in a few minor improvements being made before Dellepac were able to launch their Tristar unit. Brakes now run both their Tristar machines continuously and they each achieve throughputs of 50 units a minute with board lidding a variety of round, square and rectangular foils, foil hooding of oval foils and heat sealing CPET trays.
Billy Boy's Rider Contract
Rider Plc have won a five year contract hire agreement with Billy Boy Frozen Foods (Tonbridge) Ltd.
This agreement covers the supply and maintenance of eight Leyland Daf 45-130 7.5 tonne trucks.
These trucks, which are fully liveried to the customer's specifications, replace existing vehicles and account for 20% of their fleet.
Based at Billy Boy's Tonbridge depot, these vehicles will make around 40 deliveries a day in the South Eastern area. To cope with the demands of such an intensive schedule, they are fitted with Thermo King forced air refrigeration units.
Versatile Fasson Livery for BOC
A new versatile livery, adaptable to all their variously styled designated service operations, has been adopted by BOC Distribution Services.
The smart red, Fey and black graphics are all produced on Fasson's FasCal 900 QM by J G Fenn Ltd of Stoke-on-Trent. Among the variations are liveries for BOC Baker, BOC Euroshield and BOC Transvite, as well as that for BOC Distribution Services itself.
Doubling LongLife Production at Tanners
A major new installation, to double the production of longlife milk at Tanners Foods dairy in Sible Hedingham was commissioned at the beginning of this year.
The integrated processing and packaging plant was installed by Tetra Pak Ltd and includes cream standardization equipment, UHT processing plant, filing machines and new multi-packing equipment.
Centrepiece of this plant is the Tetra ThermAseptic/Flex. This is a new model of the TA/Flex (formerly Steritube), in which the lobes are self-supporting rather that relying for stability on a separate frame. We understand this new design cuts thermal stresses and saves up to 50% of floor space.
Cream standardization is carried out with an Alfast unit, that features cascade control for accurate measurement.
To package this additional capacity, Tanners are installing two Tetra Brik Aseptic TBA/8 fillers. These will be used to fill 500ml cartons for sale either as own label on under Tanner's own brand.
Equipment downstream of the fillers is also being modernised and expanded to provide a more efficient service for their supermarket customers. Two tray packers are being retained, the existing shrinkwrapper is being uprated and a new Multipacker 62 is being installed. This will allow the new lines to collate in units of 6 or 4 by 500ml cartons.
Europe's Largest Pasteurizer Cooler Flensted A/S of Denmark are that country's largest supplier of vacuum packed ready-peeled potatoes, along with other fresh packed vegetables.
When the company were investigating the production of pasteurized vacuum packed peeled potatoes, they approached Cabinplant International A/S of Haarby in Denmark. They wanted a system to pasteurize the vacuum packed potatoes and Cabinplant developed a pasteurizer cooler with a capacity of 1000kg an hour for them.
Such was the success of the product that Cabinplant were asked to increase the capacity of the unit, and this was done by a factor of 50%. In order to lower the costs and also not interfere with existing production, a separate cooling section was built and tailored to the existing machine. On installation, the existing machine was modified to become the pasteurizing section.
Demand for the product continued to increase and the capacity of the unit has now been increased to 3000kg an hour and the whole unit measures 66 by 4m.
In the pasteurizing zone the packs are sprayed with recirculated hot water, the temperature of which is maintained by means of live steam injection; some 200,000 litres an hour of water are recirculated. Energy reduction in the cooling zone is achieved by first stage cooling of the product in an evaporation zone by means of water recirculating through a cooling tower mounted above the building. Depending on ambient temperature, up to 70% of the total heat can be removed. Evaporation losses are made up by steam condensate from the pasteurizing zone, the remaining heat is removed by the use of chilled water in the 36m long cooling zone.
Chilled water passes over the product in 8 counteflow stages, the temperature rise in each stage being around 2 [degrees] C before it is recirculated via the chiller. This means that, during the entire cooling process, the water has the maximum temperature differential with the product. At the same time, water consumption is reduced to a minimum because the machine consumes no water at all except that being used for steam generation.
In the UK, interested readers should contact Cabinplant (UK) Ltd of Redbourne, Gainsborough.
Mentec Order from Thorntons
Thorntons Plc have placed an order with Mentec Ltd to supply and install a comprehensive business control system, which is based on a software package called Oracle-GEMMS.
This system was designed by Datalogix to satisfy Enterprise Information Requirements of process manufacturers and should continuously improve quality, service and overall efficiency.
SCI System for Mineral Water Company
Kerry Spring Water of Dingle, Co. Kerry market their mineral water in five sizes of bottle, both glass and PET, and in various pack sizes and configurations.
To meet their rapidly expanding market, they ordered a fully automatic SCI system from AssiDoman Medway, the Italian company's distributors in the UK.
The Kerry water is marketed in 250ml glass bottles and 500ml, 1.5, 2 and 5 litre PET bottles. Their multi-packs come in 2 by 2, 2 by 3 and 2 by 4 for the PET packs and are automatically collated by machine and wrapped in film only. The glass bottles are wrapped on a base card and in film.
The SCI AF 432/BF machine was recently commissioned at the Kerry plant and when operating with the new filling equipment, which is being installed shortly, will collate and shrinkwrap the packs at speeds of 30 a minute. This new machine also has the ability to produce multi-packs with the printed film in register with the pack.
Joint Venture Company to Provide Advice
A joint venture company has been set up to provide specialist business development advice and assistance.
The Food Industry Team includes professionals from a range of disciplines and can provide an integrated service covering all aspects of business and project development, from process management and space planning to energy audits, guidance on legislative compliance and advice on funding, construction and planning issues.
We understand the Team are able to assist all types of company in the food and drinks sector, be they in catering, manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution or retailing.
The three leading partners in the Team are Peter Buchan of Rider Nicklin, a multi-disciplinary firm that provides advice on working environments, Ian Stewart of Monk Dunstone Associates, who provide finance and project management advice, and Jennie Stokell of JS Management, who advise on process management.
Readers wanting more information should contact the Team at Northumbrian Way, Killingworth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, tel:0191-216 0999.
Willett Codes Norwegian Coffee
A new flexible packaging overprinter, the Willett 2730, is being used by NKL, the Norwegian Co-operative Society.
NKL, based in Oslo, where the coffee is roasted, ground and packaged, is the first coffee producer to which the overprinter is already established in UK confectionery companies.
The company uses the 2730 to code high quality silver coffee bags, made from aluminium foil and a polypropylene laminate, with 'sell-by' dates. Packaging time and lot codes are also printed at the same time, to provide traceability.
Because traceability is now so important, the 2730 unit is being connected to NIL's central database by Wailed Norway.
Torbed Unit for EAFI
A Torbed 750 reactor is now being used to pasteurize herbs and spices at the plant of East Anglian Food Ingredients Ltd in Clacton-on-Sea.
Installed last December, this automatic unit treats the firm's full range of whole or rubbed products at the rate of 250kg an hour.
As readers may know, this unit has been designed byAldermarston-based Torbed Services Ltd for the very fast heat transfer to food products, up to 350 C, without the use of oil or superheated steam.
EAFI carried out trials, which showed that in 50 seconds the Torbed unit reduced the total viable count of organisms on Sarawak black pepper from 32 million per gram of product to just 200,000.
Surveillance of Coffee for Ochratoxin
The Leatherhead Food RA is now conducting surveillance for ochratoxin A in green and roasted coffee beans on behalf of MAFF.
As some readers may know, ochratoxin A is found as a natural contaminant of plant products, including wheat, barley and beans.
Until recently, this mycotoxin had not been detected in coffee, and it was generally believed that caffeine inhibited the fungal growth necessary for toxin production. However, work carried out in both Switzerland and the Netherlands, using more sensitive detection methods, have shown that ochratoxin A does occur in coffee.
In this latest programme, scientists at Leatherhead will compare ochratoxin levels in normal and decaffeinated coffee, sampling from a variety of coffee types including Robusta and Arabic Mild from South and Central America and Africa, and Caribbean and Arabica dry-processed beans from Brazil.
Urschel Unit for Tinsley
Tinsley Foods of Holbeach St Marks, near Spalding have recently installed a new Urschel Model VSC cutter.
The installation of this new unit will allow the company to expand its output still further.
As readers will know, the VSC is capable of making segments, slices and square rectangular strips from vegetables like carrots, pickles and potatoes. This system employs the same type of cutting technology that, until now, has only been available from large scale watergun systems, say Leicester-based Urschel International Ltd.
Quality Award for Castlefields
Castlefield Foods, following 18 months of internal evaluation and focused improvement, has been registered with the ISO 9002 Quality Management System. The company, that procures meat and poultry by-products, tells us it is one of the first companies to be registered across all its sites.
Distribution Contract for MCG Closures
MCC Closures Ltd have awarded their national distribution contract to Inter-City Transport.
Inter-City will replace MCC Closures' own account fleet and provide a rapid response delivery service to drinks manufacturers throughout the UK for the delivery of aluminium and plastics bottle tops.
Inter-City, part of the Transport Development Group Plc, will distribute in excess of 1500 loads per year from MCG Closures's manufacturing facility at West Bromwich. To meet customers' demanding production schedules, Inter-City will operate around-the-clock.
With a network of eight strategically located depots throughout the country, major operational synergies result from this new agreement because Inter-City are already undertaking primary distribution for MCG Closures' customers.
Crown Computing's Britvic Contract
Britvic Soft Drinks have recently awarded a contract to Crown Computing doe their DC-Connect connectivity software, to improve supply chain management by developing links between the production line and Britvic's central As/400 computer.
Their new pallet labelling and bar-coding system means that when a pallet leaves the production line, all bar-coded data are captured using hand-held scanners, and passed immediately by DC-Connect to the central stock and sales order processing system.
Previously, operators had to input this information by hand.
Greenfield's Eggs Break Ground in Ireland
Greenfield Eggs Ltd of Smithboro in County Monaghan wanted to print on their eggs using edible fluids to create distinctive codes for an increasingly competitive market.
The solution to this problem was to use a Videojet Excel 170i ink-jet printer, which has the characteristics of providing small quality print, variable information and reliable coding.
Messages on eggs are now more common and include origin marks, logos and promotional brand identifiers.
With the addition of coding capabilities, Greenfield Eggs are now able to produce their own quality marks.
Presently, they are running 15 lines for eight different grades of eggs and use a 2-line 'best before' date code on grades 1, 2 and 3.
Greenfield installed the ink-jet printer along with a Moba egg grader and delivery system. The printer from Videojet Systems International of Welham Green, Hatfield was operational within a couple of hours of being installed and now runs up to 10 hours a day, across two shifts on a five day week.
Sessions Labels for Sun Ripe
Sessions of York are helping to brighten the products of Sun Ripe Ltd, the fresh fruit and juice suppliers.
Sessions have provided a colourful selection of self-adhesive labels for Sun Ripo's range of freshly squeezed juices and fruit desserts. The labels, printed in five colours, incorporate a bold design showing a lady squeezing fruit juice.
In addition, Sessions supply labels for their desserts, which are packed in portion pots with an in-lid spoon. This meant having labels with a non adhesive section to cover the spoon, which allows the consumer to tear back the label and remove the spoon with ease.
Capital Grants for Marketing Farm Products
Twenty two businesses stand to share nearly [pounds]5m. in grants designed to help them improve the marketing of farm products.
This [pounds]4.7m. award is part of the EU's Processing and Marketing Gram.
The companies concerned are involved in the production of cereals, eggs, fruit and vegetables, meat, potatoes or poultry and they were the successful ones from the 175 applications received. The sizes of the various grants ranged from nearly [pounds]600,000 down to just [pounds]25,000, we understand.
Russian Venture for GrandMet
We understand that Grand Metropolitan and VAO Soyuzplodoimport have agreed to jointly invest in fruit and drink projects for both the Russian and foreign markets.
Apparently, they plan to spend some [pounds]70m. over the next few years on production facilities, marketing and distribution of Russian food and drink.
Eventually, it is anticipated that some GrandMet food and drink products will be made in Russia.
New Filler for Giant Petfood Cans
Butchers Petcare Ltd of Crick have recently installed the latest version of the DRSP rotary filler from Hema Technologies of France, whose UK agent is F Jahn & Co Ltd of Burgoine Quay, 8 Lower Teddington Road, Hampton Wick, Kingston-upon-Thames, tel: 0181-977 8822.
This DRSP-3 filler is designed to handle large particulates and has been installed at Crick to fill their 800g and 1.2kg giant cans. The filler has been mechanically synchronized with their seamer to optimize line efficiency.
As readers may know, this DRSP unit incorporates a system whereby the product is filled over a siphon, with a secondary plunger to positively discharge the product into the can. This design enables the Hema unit to fill particulate pieces with a cross-section of up to 40mm. The siphon system also eliminates the possibility of product run-out when the machine is stopped. In addition, the specially designed vertical rotary valve offers the possibility of fully automatic in-place cleaning.
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Home > Archives
Saturday October 15, 2005
PUTRAJAYA: The Aedes albopictus mosquito, which breeds outdoors and is found in abundance at jungle fringes, has also been transmitting the virus that causes dengue fever.
According to Disease Control Department director Dr Ramlee Rahmat, cases reported in rural areas and Felda schemes led to the finding that besides the Aedes aegypti, the principal carrier, the albopictus was also spreading dengue.
We are getting reports of dengue cases from sub-urban areas and small towns like Jempol in Negri Sembilan as well as from Felda schemes.
We are concentrating on fogging, as the albopictus breeds outside homes in places that have trees and leaves, he told a press briefing here yesterday on the dengue situation in the country.
However, he said, fogging would only be carried out if there were known dengue cases in the area, as too much fogging could cause the mosquito to build up resistance to the chemical.
Dr Ramlee said 724 new cases were reported over the last five days, putting the total number of confirmed cases this year at 30,544, with 76 deaths.
The department will seek the views of botanists and relevant groups on the viability of having the serai wangi (citronella) in peoples homes and their immediate surroundings as a mosquito repellent.
Theoretically, he said, the approach should work because citronella oil was used in balms, sprays and pellets to repel insects, including mosquitoes.
Dr Ramlee said his department had sought the help of local entomologists, scientists, research facilities and universities to come up with more ways to deal with the dengue problem.
We also met with the construction industry players on Thursday to seek their cooperation in ensuring that building sites are free of aedes breeding grounds, he said.
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Body of child found buried in kitchen
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Justin Bieber to be charged with criminal assault in Canada
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05-02-2014, 13:33
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,914
Originally Posted by
Apparently in the mail. He was smoking so much pot on the plane which was searched the pilots had to wear masks.
Well it's all great PR if he wants to appeal to an edgier, older (maybe even more male) audience and leave his original fanbase in the dust.
The irony has always been that you'll have a longer shelf life these days if you're a pot-smoking, rule-breaking badass who's in trouble every five minutes than a sweet, wholesome cherub who twangs a guitar.
Someone's worked it out. And honestly, it's paying off for Bieber. He's morphing into someone who can be as bad as he wants and his dumbass fanbase excuse it, and also get a whole new 'street cred' reputation as a harder-edged artist. Have you noticed nobody's called him 'a girl' in some time now.
I think the whole world is insane though, tbh. Most of these stars and their people are insane. But it sells...
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24 Nov 2004, 06:34pm by Aaron Schatz
The latest strategic analysis from our friend William Krasker looks at Mike Tice's decision to go for two with the score 19-13 and further discusses his theory on intentionally committing a penalty in the final two minutes. There's also the usual slate of fourth down choices, and although I'm usually in agreement with William that going for it is better, I disagree with the first situation here: Green Bay kicking a field goal on 4th-and-1 from the Houston 21-yard line. Yes, using generic NFL numbers the probability of a win if greater if you take the risk of going for it.
24 Nov 2004, 12:42pm by Aaron Schatz
Yay, more discussion of overtime! We can never get enough of this stuff. This article from Science News says that the coin flip didn't really determine the winner in overtime until they moved kickoffs back to the 30-yard line in 1994. Since then, the team that wins the flip has won more often in overtime. Of course, we have our own idea about how to solve this.
2 comments, Last at 06 Feb 2007, 8:21am by phenteramine
23 Nov 2004, 02:44pm by Aaron Schatz
Our man TMQ is back with his usual collection of Sweet Plays, Sour Plays, great blocks, and cheerleader photos. He also discusses Throwback Thanksgiving, satellite radio, the Grey Cup, and Aaron Brooks' continued loss of sanity when it comes to certain pass plays.
23 Nov 2004, 02:29pm by Aaron Schatz
Here are the Football Outsiders team efficiency ratings after Week 11, along with Aaron's usual commentary for the math-o-phobic. This week the Big Three become the Big Four as the Indianapolis Colts make their case as a top Super Bowl contender. Do they have the defense to do it? And just how amazing was Edgerrin James' day in Chicago? Plus, Buffalo is special, Arizona is not, and Kansas City annoys me in more ways than one.
23 Nov 2004, 12:37am by Aaron Schatz
Here is the chat transcript from over at Baseball Prospectus. Thanks to everyone who asked questions!
5 comments, Last at 27 Mar 2007, 9:21am by honda odyssey go kart
23 Nov 2004, 12:12am by Aaron Schatz
It's another edition of our mailbag, where Aaron answers your questions related to VOA and other statistics from Football Outsiders. This week: Is Brett Favre better when the Packers are losing, or when they are winning? Why are the Lions ranked so much higher in our offensive rankings than in the NFL's rankings? And is there any way we could measure how well teams defense short passes compared to long passes?
22 Nov 2004, 04:16pm by Aaron Schatz
This week's gimmick at ESPN.com Page 2's Snap Judgment is letters home for Thanksgiving. We put words in the mouths of Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Daunte Culpepper, and Marc Bulger. Plus, this week's DPAR quarterback ratings from yours truly along with the usual commentary, and Brett Favre saves the world -- AGAIN!
22 Nov 2004, 02:15pm by Aaron Schatz
Peter King thinks Eli Manning did a fine job yesterday even though he didn't win. I'll agree with him and add that I've never seen a game that made me more annoyed that the NFL has such a haphazard way of tracking dropped passes. I wish I could include them in my measurements so poor Eli would rate better. How many passes went right out of the hands of Toomer and Shockey yesterday? I know he caught the touchdown but Shockey is mightily overrated. His hands are horrible.
19 Nov 2004, 01:35pm by Aaron Schatz
Eight teams in the AFC are 6-3 or better. Only six can make the playoffs. Who is in, who is out, and can anyone keep the Patriots and Steelers out of the AFC Championship Game? Aaron analyzes the first half of the season in the NFC through the Football Outsiders lens and predicts which teams will improve and decline with the brand new Midseason DVOA Projection System.
18 Nov 2004, 11:18pm by Aaron Schatz
The latest strategy review from our friend William Krasker includes a long discussion of Herman Edwards vs. the clock. Did you ask yourself if the Jets should have taken a delay of game instead of calling timeout? Krasker asked the same question and has an answer. Plus, Tampa Bay goes for it on 4th-and-1 and fails instead of kicking a game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter. You know William favors going for it most of the time (and so do we) but is that even true when the field goal would tie the game late?


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A. Zellner
Scholarship for student majoring in Technical/Industrial/Process Technology field. This scholarship was given by Johnette Hodgin in memory of her mother.
- Award
- $1000
- Deadline
- 08/23/2012
- Supplemental Questions
- Do you intend to study a technical, industrial or process technology field?
- If so, please indicate what field you will pursue.


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Publishers Weekly
This concise volume from the Boston Review series creates a conversation between leading scholars on Africa and development specialists. The opening salvo comes from economist Miguel (coauthor of Economic Gangsters) who, recalling a visit to Kenya and the plethora of cellphones, road improvements and small stores he witnessed, tentatively posits, "It is now possible to wonder whether the terrible decades of war, famine, and despair are finally over." In the ensuing chapters, nine scholars debate this claim, highlighting technological, political and environmental aspects of African development. Olu Ajakaiye, of the African Economic Research Consortium, questions China's ability to improve African trade markets; Paul Collier (The Bottom Billion) questions Miguel's assertion that democratization is responsible for recent economic gains on the continent. While the book focuses on Africa's recent political and economic gains, the authors do not gloss over the violence, corruption and global economic factors that could still derail Africa's economic renewal, but they avoid "politically correct positive and stereotypically negative" prognostications, making this a refreshing take on the fortunes of Africa in the current century and a fascinating compendium of some of the leading theorists of African development. (Apr.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


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Montana Union Station Mural - Anaconda, MT
in Murals
This is one of two former railway depots left standing in Anaconda, located just north of Front Street on Main Street. Appropriately, it contains a railroad oriented mural.
posted by: BK-Hunters
location: Montana
date approved: 10/8/2014
last visited: never
Saint - San Jose, CA
A large mural of a female saint in San Jose.
posted by: saopaulo1
location: California
last visited: 11/11/2014
People and the Land Mural (2 of 2) - Yreka, CA
Located behind the Siskiyou County Museum are two painted murals that focus on the Yreka Creek Greenway Project and the
posted by: thebeav69
date approved: 10/7/2014
Trees in a valley - San Jose, CA
A long mural in downtown San Jose, CA.
Tatou Ironik Sainte-Rose - Fabreville, Laval, Québec
Tatou Ironik Sainte-Rose, Fabreville.
Tatou Ironik Sainte-Rose,Fabreville
posted by: colibris7
location: Quebec, Canada
date approved: 10/6/2014
last visited: 10/15/2014
Souvenir de Hockey - Fabreville, Laval, Québec
Souvenir de Hockey ,Blvd. St-Rose, Fabreville, Laval.
Remember Hockey Blvd. St. Rose, Fabreville, Laval.
last visited: 10/10/2014
Le Petit Nid - Fabreville, Laval, Québec
Murale Le Petit Nid. Fabreville. Laval. Wall Little Nest. Fabreville. Laval.
Los Medanos College Mural - Pittsburg, CA
A mural inside a building on the campus of Los Medanos College.
Trolley Leaving Barn - Syracuse, NY
A triptych mural featuring trolley being prepared to leave the trolley barn is located at 420 N. Townsend Street in Syracuse, NY
posted by: neoc1
location: New York
date approved: 10/5/2014
Yreka Creek Greenway Project Mural (1 of 2) - Yreka, CA
Located behind the Siskiyou County Museum are two painted murals that focus on the Yreka Creek Greenway Project, an environmental restoration project to protect wildlife and water qualities of Yreka Creek.
date approved: 10/3/2014
Swaziland Women - Malkerns, Swaziland
This mural is located a a small tourist stop in Swaziland.
posted by: Metro2
location: Swaziland
last visited: 9/26/2014
Native American Scene - Auburn, CA.
A mural in downtown Auburn.
Brentwood City Hall Mural - Brentwood, CA
The mural is located on the side of the city hall building.
date approved: 10/1/2014
Simpsons Mural - Springfield, Oregon
In a 2012 interview, Simpson creator Matt Groening admitted, that Springfield, Oregon, was the city model in his TV animated comedy.
posted by: DougK
location: Oregon
date approved: 9/29/2014
Croatian National Team - Zagreb, Croatia
Mural showing Croatian National Soccer Team in Zagreb, Croatia.
posted by: GCEdo
location: Croatia
Communist Mural in Oktyabrskaya - Minsk, Belarus
This amazing mural is visible over the entrance to a metro station in Minsk.
posted by: Torgut
location: Belarus
date approved: 9/28/2014
Quarteira Bus Station - Quarteira, Portugal
This amazing mural decorates the bus station in Quarteira, a town in Southern Portugal
location: Faro, Portugal
Native American depiction, Mt Gilead, NC
This mural is a depiction of the Native Americans that inhabited this area as far back as 15,000 years ago. The village reconstructed was from the time period 1000 to 1400 A.D.
posted by: NCDaywalker
location: North Carolina
last visited: 9/28/2014
Flying - Riga, Latvia
A mural on a side wall of a building in the historical center of Riga, capital city of Latvia
location: Latvia
date approved: 9/25/2014
last visited: 4/4/2015
Town Mural - Union City, OK
Union City's documentation of their town's history.
posted by: hamquilter
location: Oklahoma
date approved: 9/15/2014
Residential Building at Borisosvkiy Trakt (2) - Minsk, Belarus
Socialist mural in a residential building in Minsk, capital city of Belarus
date approved: 9/13/2014
Residential Building at Borisosvkiy Trakt (1) - Minsk, Belarus
3 Upstairs Windows - By Skip Shelton
Located above the antique store at 118 S. Main Street in the historic Abbeville Town Sqare
posted by: jhuoni
location: South Carolina
date approved: 9/9/2014
last visited: 12/26/2014
Forces of Oppression - Warsaw, Poland
This is a political mural in the center of Warsaw.
location: Mazowieckie, Poland
date approved: 9/7/2014
"Selbitzer Bockpfeiferbier" - 95152 Selbitz/ Germany
Niegelnagelneuer Mural hahe des neuen REWE Einkaufsmarktes!
New mural next to REWE marketstore!
posted by: *Team Krombaer*
location: Bayern, Germany
date approved: 9/5/2014
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Can China force change in Burma?
- By Mike Boyer
Recent press coverage and commentary on Burma's "Saffron Revolution" got me thinking: Is it really as simple as China flipping a switch and Burma will be democratic overnight? Judging by many reports, you'd think so. "If China won't change its policies toward Burma on its own," writes Nobel laureate Jody Williams in today's Wall Street Journal, "it must be pressured to do so."
But aren't we forgetting that the West spent much of the second half of the 20th Century trying to get China out of the business of regime change in Asia? Is it wise to reverse course now? To get some insight on the situation, I got a hold of RAND's Bill Overholt, who has spent decades working on Burma and helped set up the Provisional Revolutionary Government in the country's mountain jungles in 1989. Here's what he had to say.
On China's ability to encourage change in Burma:
China has interests and involvements in Burma, but limited leverage. Burma is not some kind of client state of China. It is a xenophobic, divided, tribalized country with a nationalistic government; it bears more resemblance to one of the less coherent sub-Saharan African states than to most other East Asian countries. It's not an easy place to influence. Through most of the 1980s there was a Burmese Communist Party, which consisted primarily of the Wa tribe plus Chinese leadership. When the Wa decided to turn anti-communist in the late 1980s and chased the Chinese leadership into China, China's influence in the country was drastically reduced but there was little China could do without military intervention. So Beijing basically sat by passively when it happened.
There's a crucial lesson in that episode. The fact that China has economic involvements in this neighboring country and sells weapons to it doesn't mean anymore than when big U.S. companies are involved in some third world country and the U.S. government also sells weapons to it. Those things imply neither political commitment to a certain regime nor any ability to change the regime. The Chinese have been pressing Rangoon diplomatically for some time to liberalize the political system. Going beyond that to some kind of active Chinese attempt to impose a new kind of politics would be like the U.S. invading Mexico to clean up Mexican politics, but much messier because Burmese nationalism and tribalism make Mexico's nationalism and Iraq's tribalism seem modest by comparison.
One would hope that our experience with regime change in Iraq would temper somewhat the occasional neocon fantasy that China could simply install a new regime in North Korea or the apparent new fantasy of some liberals that China could just install a different kind of government in Burma."
On whether next year's Olympic Games factor into China's calculus on Burma, as many news outlets are suggesting:
China's motives in relations with Burma have nothing to do with the Olympics. I doubt that even the idea of some connection has ever crossed the minds of Chinese leaders. Only someone distant from the region could even imagine that."
On how events in Burma impact Sino-U.S. relations:
Washington basically has the same attitude toward Burma that China does. It doesn't like what's happening there, but isn't willing or able to do much about it. We have largely symbolic sanctions, and we have not done as much as we could have. We have not, for instance, gone after the oil companies that provide the big money to the junta and that have benefited so much from infrastructure built by tribal people who were kidnapped by the Burmese government and often forced to work without food until they died. Our drug policy has off and on fed the fox to guard the chicken coop…. We have occasionally given economic and military aid to the same government for the purpose of suppressing the drug trade, but the aid was of course used instead against the democracy movement.
Burma is one of the world's most serious human rights problems. We need to focus on getting our own policy right and on staying in sync with Burma's neighbors, including China, as we do so. We're pushing in the same general direction as the Chinese, for somewhat different reasons, with equally little success. Hopefully the monks are going to change the structure of the game."
With reports that the junta is stockpiling insecticides to use against demonstrators and is clearing space in jails and hospitals in anticipation of a harsher crackdown, the stakes have never been higher.
PS: For those following the "Burma" vs. "Myanmar" debate—and here at Passport, we've used both—James Fallows convincingly puts the issue to rest.
Related Stories
Leaving BurmaJai Singh | Passport |
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Burmese junta: Change you can believe in?Josh Rogin
Josh Rogin covers national security and foreign policy and writes the daily Web column The Cable. His column appears bi-weekly in the print edition of The Washington Post. He can be reached for comments or tips at email@example.com.
Previously, Josh covered defense and foreign policy as a staff writer for Congressional Quarterly, writing extensively on Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantánamo Bay, U.S.-Asia relations, defense budgeting and appropriations, and the defense lobbying and contracting industries. Prior to that, he covered military modernization, cyber warfare, space, and missile defense for Federal Computer Week Magazine. He has also served as Pentagon Staff Reporter for the Asahi Shimbun, Japan's leading daily newspaper, in its Washington, D.C., bureau, where he reported on U.S.-Japan relations, Chinese military modernization, the North Korean nuclear crisis, and more.
A graduate of George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, Josh lived in Yokohama, Japan, and studied at Tokyo's Sophia University. He speaks conversational Japanese and has reported from the region. He has also worked at the House International Relations Committee, the Embassy of Japan, and the Brookings Institution.
Josh's reporting has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, CBS, ABC, NPR, WTOP, and several other outlets. He was a 2008-2009 National Press Foundation's Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellow, 2009 military reporting fellow with the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism and the 2011 recipient of the InterAction Award for Excellence in International Reporting. He hails from Philadelphia and lives in Washington, D.C.| The Cable |


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Meridian Community College
910 Highway 19 N,
Meridian, MS 39307
Computer Network Technology is a two-year program that offers training in data communications, network administration and client/server systems. An Associate of Applied Science degree is earned upon successful completion of the Network Technology program.
Courses should be taken in sequence. The program coordinator must approve any change.
Progression: To meet graduation requirements for this program, students must successfully complete the specified courses with a "C" average (grade point average of 2.00) or better. A grade of "C" or higher is required in each IST and MAT course to progress in the program. Candidates for graduation must also obtain a Network+ Certification.
Here are some interesting and informative sites that will help you explore the field of computer networking.
Career Information for Computer Networkers
Best jobs with two-year degrees
The IT industry during hard economic times
Occupational Outlook for Support Specialists and System Administrators
Admission requirements, curriculum, and other program information subject to change. See your program advisor/counselor for additional information.
Meridian Community College • 910 Highway 19 N, Meridian, MS 39307 • 601-483-8241 • 1-800-MCC-THE-1
Accreditation • Nondiscrimination Statement • Mission Statement • Transparency © 2013. All rights reserved.
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Show Us Your Dresses!
View Single Post
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 848
Originally Posted by
Ding ding ding! We have a winner. It passed inspection from the front, side and back. It even earned a "Mom, that's cute!" from my 16 year old.
Again, the shelf bra is superfluous -- I can't see how anyone could feel comfortable in this thing without a sports bra -- but the flimsy foam cups are removable, so it's OK. $30.
It's nice to know the good people of Yonnex have folks like me in mind!
Now I have to decide whether to throw $15 at this little number:
What do you think could be going on with this dress? Are the straps really going to rest on my carotid artery? Is that snakeskin on the sides? Can I possibly get away with wearing that color?
For $15, I guess it's worth it to find out. Stay tuned.
Cindy -- who might just wear this pink dress in tomorrow's singles match
Thank you Cindy for the detailed report.
I like this one from Yonnex too, especially the removable cups. No need to worry about the straps. The LuluLemon line I like all have removable cups. I wish all tennis apparel should come with the device. What about the size? just normal size? small is small? medium is medium?
The blue one is cute if it comes with the removable cups.
The best of all is the price. You can't get wrong with that.
Balolat Z-Lite w/ Luxilon ALU Power @53lbs.
**FH:Keep racket closed at contact**
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I'm no expert, so I"m hoping you all can give me some advice on the safeguard GO Hybrid booster. I have LATCH in the car we use with grandparents, and it will be that, just a second car seat for my current DD who will be 4.5yo and eventually my younger one when she is old enough for FF toddler booster. TIA
Gparents carseat
HS Science teacher, Mama to Reina (1/2009) and Kaiya 11/2011), born & living in Okinawa, Japan
Comments (3)
A+J=B 9.16.09 and A 10.2.11
I would not trust grandparents with a difficult to use travel vest like the Go. I'd just get a maestro like pp said.
Kirsten^^AP*BW*EBF*ERF*C Mommy to
HaylieKay 6/19/09 ( . Y . ) DGD KK 11/26/06
AnayaGrace10/11/11 ( . Y . ) Diamond! Seedling 12/8/15
Think of the GO as a backless booster w/ a harness attached. It's not going to provide the same level of restraint and protection as a harnessed seat. W/ LATCH it isn't super hard to install, but it is more difficult to use properly than a traditional car seat.
Danielle ~ RN, BSN, CPST, CLC
DNs Tristan 4/09 39# 42" & Riley 1/11 33# 37.5", both FF FR90
DN Caroline 10/13 17.5# 27.5", RF BVCT


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Twitter brings trending topics to 160 new locations
Twitter, in an effort to make its site more useful to an ever-increasing number of people, is rolling out its Trends topic discovery feature in 160 new locations.
Twitter, in an effort to make its site more useful to an ever-increasing number of people, is rolling out its Trends topic discovery feature in 160 new locations.
A feature in the Twitter API (application programming interface) can be abused by attackers to launch credible social engineering attacks that would give them a high chance of hijacking user accounts, a mobile application developer revealed Wednesday...
Line, the popular messaging platform based in Japan, is challenging e-book vendors like Amazon and Rakuten with a new service to download and view manga, or Japanese comic books.
Facebook has released new software for Android phones that gives quick access to Facebook services and aims to further boost use of the social network on mobile devices.
Facebook's Home mobile software for Android-equipped smartphones might only appeal to the most active Facebook users at first, but the company's plan to integrate third-party social services into it could broaden its appeal.
Facebook is not building its own smartphone. Instead, it today unveiled Home, a Facebook-focused home screen designed to give Android users quick access to their Facebook friends.
It's not quite the long-rumored Facebook Phone, but HTC's new First phone isn't far off.
Twitter's not-so-great app for Android is now smoother and sleeker, thanks to an upgrade available Wednesday on Google Play.
Twitter's in-the-moment stream of quick comments and links might seem tailor-made for those with short attention spans, but the company is rolling out changes that will make tweets more interactive, including the ability to access mobile apps from in...
Salesforce.com continues to build out its Chatter social networking and collaboration software, with upcoming "social intelligence" capabilities that will allow users to find information through new Topics and Expertise categories.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has cleared the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter to announce corporate information.
A Facebook tool that allowed users to view and delete their search history on the site has vanished, and some people are keen to get it back.
Google is aiming to expand the reach of users' Google+ profiles and social data across the Web through new partnerships with Janrain and Gigya.
Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is scheduled to join a number of other high-profile tech players to testify in a private antitrust suit brought against seven California-based technology companies by former employees.
Imagine you're working out with friends at the gym and you all want to listen to a song, but only one person has it downloaded. Not a problem: Beaming the song from one smartphone to any number of other devices is a little easier now with a new app.
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Visit our shop for the best deals on hot products
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Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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Open Stance 2HBH?
I've been looking at lot of youtube videos on the backhand and most of them have a closed or neutral stance, but then I run into this bollettieri video talking about how awesome the open stance 2HBH is.
I've been trying it out a bit, but I can't seem to be able to hit through the ball well. I'm wondering what you guys think if this. When's the best time to even use an open stance backhand?
Azarenka does it routinely though...
It can be used effectively for returning serve and for returning shots out wide. The William sisters use the open stance quite a lot.
Are you coiling your torso when preparing to hit the open stance. You chest should be facing the side fence more-or-less. Notice the orientation of the feet, hips and torso in the video. Are you driving off your back leg (left leg or a righty).
it works best i find for returning serve or dtl. i've posted elsewhere though that it tends to make it much more difficult to hit cc. not just me, this is from the pros i went to straighten me out.
I only ever use this if I'm in a position where I cannot move my feet into the position I want fast enough (returning etc). It can work out perfectly fine, but I feel I lose some control over where I want the ball to go.
It is good when you don't have time to set up, like previous posts have mentioned. I have two college students I am teaching now, both with good two handed backhands, and I am working with them both on this.
It definitely helps on the return of serve and on out wide balls. Return of serve because you have such little time to reach and you are starting in open stance (the ready position). Out wide balls as well because you have less time to get to them and when you recover, recovering from an open stance when you are out wide is more effective as you will have better balance to bring yourself back to the middle of the court.
It's important to time your step with your outside leg (left leg if you are right handed) so that you take a nice big step leading into the open stance shot. Also, the mechanics such as hip and shoulder turn preparation are still the same, it's just not as much of a turn and not a linear shot where you are bringing your weight forward like you would in a closed or neutral stance.
I teach all my students to hit this shot. Most of the backhands you hit are better hit with a closed or neutral stance, but it is important to know how to hit with the open stance as well. Even with a one handed backhand, it's important to know how to hit with an open stance. I have a one handed backhand and hit with an open stance when the situation calls.
^^ I think it's always good to define open stance first. Like I can turn my whole body to the side while still having both feet on the baseline. It is still open stance even though I hit the ball all the way to my side. Requires much flexibility to reach for the ball this way and I would not do it a lot on the hard courts.
But for many players "open stance" means "facing the net when approaching the ball and hitting the ball in front of body". And such definition is very counterproductive.
Even with an open stance, you need to swing through the ball to get your arms fully extended before finishing over the shoulder. I find that it is helpful to think of the stroke is more of squarish motion and not a circle (note that you are shifting weight sideways with your body during contact to power the stroke, but should still be extending out forward and through the ball with your arms). Extension is key to the 2-hander.
The key to understanding open stance on the two hander is grip and hitting arm position. The women are hitting with both arms bent and more of a left handed emphasis--often like Serena with a weaker bottom hand grip. They will also-- like a forehand--thend to be more open with the torso at contact.
Some men, such as Davydenko use this config. But most men are hitting with the back arm straight or near straight--Murray, Djok. Or even both arms straight--Rafa, Agassi.
The dynamics are different with stronger grips and more bottom arm pull. The config is bent/straight or straight/straight It is a backhand hit more with both arms--not as much a lefthanded forehand. As such it resembles a one-hander is some ways.
The preferred stance is closed--or netural near the center of the court although obviously these players also use open.
The torso because of this stance and arm config is much more closed at contact.
The more I see all these drastic variations in technique of the best players, how "good" technique has changed over time, etc....the more I think that it hardly matters how one hits the ball as long as it goes where you want it and with some amount of pace on it!
I'll going to experiment with it a bit today. Seems like people think its only for returning serve or a stretched out wide shot.
Why do you think it should be different than an openstanced forehand?
Same thing...it's the last and plant step, hit ball, you're on your way to recovery.
It doesn't apply the most power to your 2hbh, but like the forehand, it works just fine and can go sharp angle CC much easier than a typical closed or neutral stance.
My thought is not really about playing the modern game.....it's questioning that this style is 100% better for everyone.
For every pro or expert that says "this is how you should hit the ball", there is another which says/does the opposite and is perhaps just as successful.
When I read old tennis books, I see a way of playing being taught as "correct" that would be called "incorrect" today.
I also see quite a number of higher level amateurs which play more old school tennis and it works just fine. Of course, I am not one of them....but am seriously considering learning the old school game for no other reason that longevity.
Would this style work at the ATP level...probably not, but that isn't really of concern to the average player.
Roger employs a variety of stances -- open, neutral and closed. Contrast this with Hewitt and Kuerten who both hit most of their FHs with a fully open stance. Both have had serious injuries to the right hip. I saw Hewitt, who has already had hip surgery, play recently (SAP Open). He was still hitting a lot of open stance FHs. And he was hitting some jumping (mule-kick) BHs as well. This undoubtedly puts added stress to that right hip. Others who've had recent hip issues include Haas, Nalbandian, and (Brian) Baker.
It might be best for you to learn both classic and modern styles and try to employ variety in your game. It's ok to get creative with your shot-making but make sure that you are not setting yourself up for overuse injuries in the process. Studying Federer's footwork would not be a bad idea either.
If the preparation and the set up to the ball are correct there is no problem going crosscourt off the closed stance.
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