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Texas A&M to the SEC?
Would it be a good move?
Pete Fiutak- Follow us ...
Texas A&M is going to meet with the Texas House Committee on Higher Education
on Tuesday with a meeting of the minds conference
call coming Monday. Yes, the move to the SEC really and truly might be happening.
Texas A&M wants it. The Aggie fans seem to want it. The students seem to want it. But now, politics will be involved and the same forces that shaped the Big 12 in the first place – there's a reason Baylor got in over TCU – are going to argue to keep the status quo.
Don't hold your breath.
Despite how the story might be spun, Texas A&M
leaving for the SEC would be a major body blow for a
Big 12 that weathered the storm of all the 2010
expansion talk, but might not have enough sandbags
this time around. The Big 12 will have to get very,
very creative to make sure it's still viable and worth the mega-deal it was able to sign with Fox, and it'll have to do everything possible to keep Texas happy while holding on to enough quality programs to provide opponents and programming for the Longhorn Network. ESPN makes out either way with its deal with the SEC certain to be stronger if A&M makes the switch, even though its Big 12 TV deal would take a step back.
But what does this really mean to the world of college football?
Everyone's going to make millions, and the rich are all going to get richer, but what would an A&M move to the SEC
be a positive? How would the conferences adapt and change, and how would the product be on the field? Let's say Texas A&M really does bolt for the SEC …
1. It'll finally be time for Texas A&M to start producing.
Find a football program with a bigger name that has done less, at least over the last decade, than Texas A&M.
UCLA might be in the running, hitting the skids under Rick Neuheisel and winning just one bowl game - something called the EagleBank Bowl against Temple - since 2005.
Clemson, outside of an appearance in the title game two years ago, hasn't exactly been burning up the ACC and is 1-4 in its last five bowl games.
Arizona State hasn't gone bowling in the last three years and hasn't won a post-season game since 2005, and Syracuse has fallen off the map, but none of the underachieving programs are as big or has the following of A&M.
Since shocking the college football world by beating Kansas State in the 1998 Big 12 Championship, A&M hasn't been close to getting back to the title game with Oklahoma and Texas dominating the league and the former Big 12 South. That 1998 campaign was the lone double-digit win season since 1994, and there's been just one bowl win since 1995. A&M is just 1-10 in its last 11 bowl games, with the one win coming in the 2011 Gallery Furniture Bowl over a TCU program that wasn't the TCU it is now.
All of this means ...
2. The SEC isn't exactly going to lose any sleep.
It's not like the Aggies have regularly battled SEC teams over the years, playing just six games against the league since the classic 2000 Independence Bowl snow globe game against Mississippi State.
In those games,
A&M is 0-6.
Since beating LSU 33-17 to open up the 1995 season – back when A&M was in the Southwest Conference – the Aggies haven't beaten an SEC team losing the
last six games by a combined score of 237 to 128, or an average of 39.5 to 21.3.
Texas A&M would certainly provide an instant boost to the SEC midsection, but it couldn't come up with a Big 12 South title
in well over a decade and now it might move to an even tougher league. The Aggies would certainly provide a tough filler game, but could they ever challenge for
more? It's going to take an upgrade in talent and production, however …
3. The recruiting would instantly improve.
According to Scout.com, Texas A&M ranked 33rd in the 2011 recruiting rankings, was 25th in 2010, 12th in 2009, and 15th in 2008. All very solid rankings, but there's a big difference between being in the top 15 and putting together elite of the elite classes like Auburn did this year and Alabama and Florida
come up with on a regular basis. However, it only takes a few signatures to move up the charts and make a good recruiting class special, and a move to the SEC would likely do that for A&M. LSU might own Louisiana, but it's also known for picking off a few key prospects here and there from Texas, like 2007 five-star receiver Terrance Toliver from Hempstead, Texas; 2009's No. 1-ranked safety prospect Craig Loston from Houston; and this year, getting four-star defenders Trevon Randle from League City and David Jenkins from Lewisville.
Arkansas always steals a few four-star types from Texas, and every SEC program tries to get a player or two away from the Big 12. Of course, Texas A&M isn't going to get every Texas prospect that other SEC teams want, but even if it gets two future starters a year, and can
steal a few from SEC country that last year wouldn't have thought about going to College Station,
A&M could make that big leap forward it's been
waiting for.
By going to the SEC, Texas A&M will get more looks and more chances at top prospects that normally would've been locks for Texas or Oklahoma, and yes, the idea of staying in Texas and
playing in the SEC – a much bigger stage than the Big 12 - will be a really, really big selling point.
4. Okay, so how would the new SEC look?
It would be simple and obvious. Texas A&M would be a lock to join the SEC West – along with Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State. The odds-on favorite to be the seventh team in the East is Florida State, to go along with Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. ESPN would push for more conference games, and the SEC would likely throw out one of its non-conference games and would play a ten-game league slate with six games against the other teams in each division and four from the other side. And while Georgia would still play Georgia Tech and South Carolina would still keep its rivalry date with Clemson, it would be cupcake central for most of the SEC's non-conference games. If you're a program from another BCS league, forget about ever getting an SEC team to come to your house.
5. Okay, so how would the new Big 12 look?
There was already a hate-fest for Texas by the rest of the Big 12 teams and a slew of programs were already looking to get out from under the UT shadow.
The Longhorn Network became the final straw.
Making matters worse is the disastrous nose-thumbing public relations move by Commissioner Dan Beebe, who basically said that A&M could do whatever it wanted because Texas is all that really matters to Big 12's survival. Everyone already knew that, but it doesn't help that even the pretense of league equality isn't there.
While Kansas has spearheaded the effort to rally the other eight non-Texas A&M programs around the idea of staying in the Big 12, the loyalty won't last.
The Big 12 teams are all going to say the right things, and everyone will crow about how great the league can still be, but everyone has an eye on
doing something different.
The Pac-12 wanted to be the Pac-14 or even the Pac-16 when it first looked at expanding, and Oklahoma would be a dream of a get as a rival for USC in the South. Missouri is the Big Ten's for the asking, and Kansas, because of the basketball program, would be a nice fit for the Pac-12 North.
On the plus side for the Big 12, assuming no one else takes off, would be more TV money for the remaining programs, but the package wouldn't be as interesting without the Aggies and a nine-team league wouldn't last for very long.
Beebe has learned his lesson, and he and the Big 12 will be more proactive in case more teams start to defect. The Big 12 would take a look at Houston or maybe even SMU just to keep more of a Texas presence, and to appease some state politicians, but it would have to be proactive.
Colorado State would be a decent fit with the Denver TV market a positive, Boise State would bring a little pop, and Southern Miss would make sense to expand east, but the options are limited. The league isn't in a position to take teams away from other BCS conferences, and going after Conference USA and Mountain West teams will look desperate, which is precisely what the Big 12 will be without Texas A&M.
6. Would Texas A&M leaving for the SEC be a good thing for college football?
No. It would make the SEC stronger, and while that might be a whole bunch of fun to watch, adding A&M, and possibly Florida State, would only make the gap between the conferences even bigger. It would also be the catalyst to escalate the super-conference arms race, it would raise the stakes even higher for an SEC that's already nuts, and it would probably be a net-minus for the sport as a whole. It'll be hard to take any other conference seriously if the SEC has at least ten – probably more like 11 or even 12 - legitimate top 25 teams each any every year.
Again, though, Texas A&M and Florida State in the SEC would make for one whale of a conference.


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First Commander of U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier to Speak in Grand Rapids April 30
Captain John Meier, the first commanding officer selected for the Navy's newest class of nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, is scheduled to speak at an event for the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation at 7 p.m., April 30.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Music
- 650 South Griffin Street, Dallas, TX, 75202
One Silent Night FFH concert - First Baptist McKinney
Lifesong for Orphans
Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Lifesong for Orphans is sponsoring a Christmas concert featuring FFH with special guests from Lifesong Zambia. This concert will provide a excellent opportunity for you and your church to bring awareness to their orphan ministry while enjoying a unique performance celebrating the birth of our King!
A love offering will be taken during the concert and 100% will go towards orphan care
Lifesong for Orphans is BRINGING JOY and PURPOSE to orphans and vulnerable children through indigenous ORPHAN CARE in eight countries and FOSTER CARE initiatives in communities across the United States. We facilitate no-cost CHURCH ADOPTION FUNDS nationwide and provide ADOPTION grants and loans to adoptive families.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


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1908-D $10 Motto MS68 PCGS. Ex: Eliasberg. In his 1980 book on ten dollar gold pieces that had been offered at public aucti...
2006 April (CSNS) Signature Auction #404
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Of course, at the MS68 level, this piece is among the finest known. In fact, only two other pieces have been so graded, one by PCGS and one by NGC. It is not known if the NGC coin is a resubmission of this piece. At least one other MS68 actually exists. That coin was sold as lot 3007 of the Michaels Collection in January 2004. Judging from the photograph in that auction catalog this piece appears to be significantly finer. The Michaels catalog stated as much: "David Akers states in reference to the coin offered here [the Michaels coin] that 'This is truly an exceptional coin, the likes of which many specialists in this series have never seen unless they are familiar with the Eliasberg coin which sold in 1982.' " [emphasis ours] The Michaels coin brought $86,250.
This is a truly spectacular coin. The surfaces are covered with thick mint frost. Like the Morse coin that we sold in November of last year, this piece also has a fine-grain texture and it displays rich orange-gold and lime green coloration on each side. Examination with a magnifier shows no obvious or mentionable marks on either side of this pristine coin. It is essentially perfect and undoubtedly the finest known 1908-D Motto tens in existence.
Ex: Eliasberg (Bowers and Ruddy, 10/82), lot 848.
Indian Eagle Selections from the Dr. Steven L. Duckor Collection.(Registry values: N1) (NGC ID# 28GK, PCGS# 8860)
View all of [Indian Eagle Selections from the Dr. Steven L. Duckor Collection]
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Revised Edition by James L. Halperin, Mark R. Borckardt, Mark Van Winkle, Jon Amato, and Gregory J. Rohan, with special contributor David W. Akers
The Coinage of Augustus Saint-Gaudens is an issue-by-issue examination of these two artistically inspired series of gold coins.
Each date and mintmark is reviewed with up-to-date information, much of which has never been previously published. The book is based on
two extraordinary collections: The Phillip H. Morse collection and the Dr. and Mrs. Steven L. Duckor collection.
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49ers salary-cap look: Offense
Monday, April 14, 2014 at 5:30 AM | Comments
Let's take a look at how the San Francisco 49ers' 2014 salary-cap status currently breaks down, thanks to ESPN Stats & Information.The 49ers have about $4 million under the cap and will get another $6 million-plus June 1 because of the Carlos Rogers cut. Most of that money will go to signing the rookie class.At this time of year, only the top 51 contracts count toward the salary-cap. Here's a position-by-position look at the 49ers' salary-cap situation under the top 51 rule.


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Tsugawa Nursery: 410 E. Scott Ave., Woodland. Events are free unless noted. Register: tsugawanursery.com/events.htm or 360-225-8750.
• What to do in the Garden in November: 11 a.m. Nov. 2. Monthly seminar on what should be done in the yard and garden.
• Wintertime Beauty — Conifers, Barks and Berries: 11 a.m. Nov. 9. Brian Tsugawa offers a great new perspective as he shares some of his wintertime favorites.
• Bonsai for the Holiday Workshop: 11 a.m. Nov. 16. Let our staff help you create a holiday gift or treat for your own collection. Silent observers welcome free of charge. Fee based on cost of materials used. Registration required.
Shorty's Garden and Home: 10006 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd. shortysgardenandhome.com; register: 360-892-7880. • Dormant Spraying: 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 2. Rob Sculley will discuss what dormant spray is and why it is important to be thinking about this crucial garden care item through the fall, winter and early spring. Free.
Natural Fertilization and Soil Management: 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at CASEE, Room 202/205, 11104 N.E. 149th St., Brush Prairie. Heather Havens of Concentrates Inc. will discuss natural and organic soil-management practices that are easy to understand and implement. Free.
Annual Chrysanthemum Show: Noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 9 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Clark Public Utilities Building, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way. Show entries must be submitted from 7 to 10 a.m. Nov. 9. Show admission is free.
All About Lavender:10 a.m. to noon Nov. 16 at CASEE, 11104 N.E. 149th St., Room 206, Brush Prairie. Mary Jones, owner of Scented Acres Lavender Farm, will help you learn the smells and feel of different types of lavender used in sachets, cooking and wreath-making. Free to NatureScaping members; $15 for nonmembers. *Register: firstname.lastname@example.com or 360-737-1160.
Fort Vancouver Rose Society meeting: 7 to 9 p.m. the first Thursday of every month, Clark County Genealogy Annex, 7165 Grand Blvd. Free. 360-696-1331.
Camas-Washougal Community Garden Club: 1 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month, Camas Community Center, 1718 S.E. Seventh Ave., Camas. 360-210-8012.
Minnehaha Garden Gate Club: 10 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month at Minnehaha Grange, 4905 N.E. St. Johns Blvd. 360-992-2939.
Vancouveria Garden Club: 12:30 to 3 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month, Covington House, 4201 Main St. 360-936-6515.
Vancouver Chrysanthemum Society: 2:30 p.m. third Mondays, Heritage Farm, 1919 N.E. 78th St. 360-696-9617.
Send information for the Garden Calendar to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Serious bug in 8178 driver
Hi everybody
I found a serious bug in the 8178 driver that makes it impossible to use my GPU for many general purporse calculations under FreeBSD :(.
What I need to do is to create a framebuffer object (via the "EXT_framebuffer_object" extension, supported by the current driver) and attach a texture of unclamped floating point numbers to it (available via the "NV_float_buffer", "ATI_texture_float" and "ARB_texture_float" extensions, all three of which are supported by the driver).
Unfortunately, every available type of unclamped floating point texture, when attached to a FBO, leads to an error. I have written a little program that, when run, tries all the combinations I can think of and reports whether the driver accepted them or not:
#include <stdio.h>
g++ -I/usr/X11R6/include -L/usr/X11R6/include -lGLEW -lglut -o fbo_test fbo_test.cc
Target: GL_TEXTURE_RECTANGLE_NV
On the *same* machine, under Kubuntu GNU/Linux and using the 8178 driver as well, I get many combinations that work. So clearly, this is a bug in the FreeBSD driver. It is a *serious* bug because many GPGPU algorithms depend on multipass rendering into floating point textures. I myself need this for my thesis and am forced to switch to Linux until this is fixed :(.
The only other version of the driver available directly from ports is 7174 - but this version is so old that it does not support the "EXT_framebuffer_object", so it is of no use in this case.
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Featured Products
Unique water-absorbing pouches absorb and eliminate excess moisture in areas that are prone to excess humidity. Learn More >>
From the Blog
Restore Your Deck with Concrobium Mold Solutions and The Remodelling Guy
Fact: our outdoor mold fighting system works really well to restore your outdoor spaces to like-new condition. Now for a lot of folks, this news won't come as a surprise since they've been using Concrobium Mold Solutions to get their... Read More
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Domroe made "How to Be Happy," a short film, after college, and working on a few TV shows and shooting a pilot for HBO. The dark piece is still winning him awards, and continues to earn the Syracusan notoriety in the industry. While churning out music videos, he has begun shooting a full-length feature on the streets of Syracuse.
The fast-paced action thriller is similar to "Snatch," according to Domroe. How does a one-man company juggle all of the responsibilities normally taken on by a crew of hundreds? Hard work, help from friends and basically free reign in the city, (for which Domroe is very grateful).
"I was able to shut down an entire street and shoot a gun fight in the middle of the day for a very reasonable price," laughed Domroe. "There aren't many places in the world where you can do that. I've been working with the Film Commission out of the Hotel Syracuse, and everyone is incredibly receptive to what I'm doing. That makes it much easier, of course, but it also makes me appreciate the opportunities that I have here."
Domroe, with the help of Syracuse First and other agencies, is working to make the city an attractive destination for filmmakers, similar to what Vancouver has become during the last two decades. The push is in its infancy stages, but Domroe is one who dreams big.
"Architecturally, Syracuse is a beautiful place," he said. "I could have started elsewhere, but there are so many visually great aspects here. It would be amazing if I never had to leave, and no matter where I do end up, these are my roots."
Quinn and his mates would also like to stay in Syracuse. He knows that branching out may be a necessity someday, but, for now, he's happy here.
"We're not leaving anytime soon; we love it," said Quinn. "No matter what happens, we'll always have an office here. We were raised here, have had success here and are devoted to giving back here.
"Syracuse has allowed us to grow. Now it's our turn to continue giving back."
Brian Smith is a contributing writer for The Eagle. Reach him at email@example.com.
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County officials said an anonymous letter accusing an Erie County Job and Family Services administrator of berating subordinates has prompted an investigation.
The three-page letter from the spouse of an anonymous employee accused Aaron Voltz of yelling at workers inside the Parish Street office.
Voltz, 37, is assistant director at Erie County Job and Family Services.
"I'm disturbed and upset these accusations were made against me," he said. "If necessary, I will show the false nature of these accusations."
Job and Family Services director Judy Englehart asked a special investigator from the county prosecutor's office to help look into the allegations.
Even so, Englehart said she supports Voltz 100 percent.
"I always take these accusations seriously," Englehart said. "I didn't see him yell at people. He is a man who cares very much for the children and the families, and at times, he demands excellence from his staff."
Prosecutor's employee Paul Schnittker has been assisting with the investigation since Dec. 10.
The work should be completed by week's end, and if any action is taken it'll likely be administrative on the part of Englehart, said Kevin Baxter, county prosecutor.
Voltz said he's confident the investigation will show he did nothing wrong. He also serves as a reserve officer with Norwalk police.
His personnel file shows no reprimands or discipline in his 15 years with the agency.
The letter accuses him of "instilling fear in staff" and telling them "they WILL do their job and if they did not do their job he would 'gut them like a fish.'"


text: Fearful of catching the MERS virus, workers wear masks during a soccer match on April 22 at King Fahad stadium in Riyadh. Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images hide caption itoggle caption Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images Shots - Health News Why The U.S. Is Worried About A Deadly Middle Eastern Virus April 24, 2014 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has a fatality rate of about 30 percent. An uptick in new cases in Saudi Arabia has health specialists concerned that the virus could spread outside the region. Listen Loading… 2:32 Playlist Download Embed Embed Close embed modal <iframe src="http://www.npr.org/player/embed/306535300/306886419" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no">


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Permanent surface modification of polypropylene nonwoven fabrics is achieved through electron beam radiation induced chemical bonding. The electron beam energy levels suitable for such chemical bonding are between about 5 KeV to about 110 KeV at the surface of the fabric facing the electron beam radiation source. At these energy levels, chemical bonding, control of electron beam penetration and the formation of free radicals in the polypropylene nonwoven fabrics are achieved. Control of electron beam penetration produces free radical formation and chemical bonding at selective levels within the fabric as well as bonding of different chemicals asymmetrically to the same fabric with minimal, if any, loss of polymer fabric strength.
1. A process for selectively chemically modifying a shaped polymeric material having a first surface and a second surface separated by a thickness, the process comprising:
contacting the shaped polymeric material with a first unsaturated modifying compound having a first substituent capable of altering the surface characteristics of the shaped polymeric material;
exposing the shaped polymeric material under ambient pressure conditions to from about 5 KeV to about 85 KeV of ionizing radiation from an ionizing electron beam radiation source operating at an energy potential of from about 75 KeV to about 125 KeV to selectively chemically bond the first modifying compound to the first surface of the shaped polymeric material, wherein the first surface is facing the ionizing electron beam radiation source;
washing the shaped polymeric material to remove first modifying compound which was not chemically bonded;
contacting the shaped polymeric material with a second unsaturated modifying compound having a second substituent capable of altering the surface characteristics of the shaped polymeric material; and
exposing the shaped polymeric material under ambient pressure conditions to from about 5 KeV to about 85 KeV of ionizing radiation from an ionizing electron beam radiation source operating at an energy potential of from about 75 KeV to about 125 KeV to selectively chemically bond the second modifying compound to the second surface of the shaped polymeric material, wherein the second surface is facing the ionizing electron beam radiation source.
2. The process of claim 1 which further comprises:
washing the shaped polymeric material to remove second modifying compound which was not chemically bonded.
3. The process of claim 1, in which the shaped polymeric material is a fibrous web.
4. The process of claim 1, in which the shaped polymeric material is a nonwoven web.
5. The process of claim 1, in which the shaped polymeric material is a shaped polyolefin material.
6. The process of claim 5, in which the polyolefin is polypropylene or polyethylene.
7. The process of claim 1, in which the second substituent is fluorine, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group.
8. The process of claim 1, in which the first and second substituents are the same.
9. The process of claim 8, in which the first and second substituents are fluorine, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group.
10. The process of claim 1, in which the first and second substituents are different.
11. The process of claim 10, in which each of the first and second substituents independently is fluorine, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/548,398 entitled "PROCESS OF ENHANCED CHEMICAL BONDING BY ELECTRON BEAM RADIATION" and filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 26, 1995, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/198,935 entitled "PROCESS OF ENHANCED CHEMICAL BONDING BY ELECTRON BEAM RADIATION" and filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 22, 1994, now abandoned. The entirety of this application is hereby incorporated by reference.
This invention relates to processes of chemically bonding materials to polymers by radiation. More particularly, this invention relates to improved techniques of chemical bonding by electron beam radiation.
Generally, polymer materials and materials formed from polymers are sometimes classified in one of two groups, i.e., hydrophilic or hydrophobic, based upon the polymer surface affinity for water. If the polymer is water wettable or the polymer absorbs water or in someway unites with or takes up water, then the polymer is considered "hydrophilic". If the polymer is not water wettable or repels water or in someway does not unite with or absorb water, then the polymer is considered "hydrophobic".
While the water affinity property of a polymer is an important factor when determining the usefulness or applicability of a particular polymer in the formation of a product from such polymer, other factors, such as, but not limited to, costs, availability, polymer synthesis, environmental concerns, ease of handling, and current product composition are also weighed. In some instances, it may be more feasible to employ a water repellant or hydrophobic polymer in a product designed to absorb water than to use a water absorbent or hydrophilic polymer. In other instances it may be more feasible to employ a water absorbent or hydrophilic polymer in a product designed to repel water than to use a water repellant or hydrophobic polymer. In these instances, the selected polymer or polymer surface must be modified to conform to the intended use of the polymer in the ultimate product.
Historically, the surfaces of polymer compositions have been modified by non-permanent and permanent means. In the case of polymer compositions having hydrophobic surfaces, such non-permanent means include treating the polymer composition with surface active agents or surfactants. The surfactant, in combination with a hydrophilic composition, transforms the hydrophobic surfaces of the polymer composition to hydrophilic surfaces. However, in some instances, these modified hydrophilic surfaces generally became altered or lose their hydrophilic properties upon the first water wetting.
Permanent means of modifying polymer compositions include a number of wet chemical techniques and radiation techniques which initiate a chemical reaction between the polymer and a water affinity altering material. The process of chemical bonding by radiation is sometimes referred to as "grafting".
To permanently modify the polymer a chemical bond is formed between the polymer and the water affinity modifying material. Once chemically bonded to the polymer, the modifying material generally survives a first wetting so that the presence of the modifying material in the polymer alters the water affinity properties of the polymer for an extended period of time.
Wet chemical techniques include, but are not limited to, oxidation, acid or alkali treatments, halogenation and silicon derivative treatments. Radiation techniques which produce free radicals in the polymer include, but are not limited to, plasma or glow discharge, ultraviolet radiation, electron beam, beta particles, gamma rays, x-rays, neutrons and heavy charged particles.
There are generally three main techniques of forming chemical bonds between a polymer and a modifying material by radiation. These are: mutual; pre-radiation; and peroxide formation.
The mutual technique involves radiation of the polymer in the presence of a modifying material, wherein the modifying material is in either a liquid or vapor phase. The pre-radiation method involves radiating the polymer alone and then bringing the radiated polymer in contact with a modifying material, wherein the modifying material is in either a liquid or vapor phase. The peroxide formation method involves radiating the polymer in air and later decomposing the resulting polymeric peroxides in the presence of a modifying material, wherein the modifying material is in either a liquid or vapor phase. Both the mutual and the peroxide methods lead to homopolymerization, whereas the pre-radiation method leads mainly to copolymerization, i.e., chemical bonding occurring mainly between the polymer and the modifying material.
Generally, the mechanism by which a modifying material, and particularly a modifying material having a vinyl moiety, chemically bonds to the polymer upon radiation is via a free radical reaction between the polymer and the modifying material. Radiation produces free radicals in the polymer. The chemical bonding occurs in the polymer at the site of the formed free radical(s) and between the free radical(s) and the modifying material, and particularly between the free radical(s) and the modifying material's vinyl moiety.
Many of these radiation techniques have reaction times in minutes to hours to days. For example, ultraviolet radiation reactions using photoactivators have reaction times in the seconds to minutes range. Gamma radiation results in reaction times in the hours to days range. Additionally, many of these radiation techniques and wet chemical techniques may be relatively expensive and/or present environmental concerns.
In the case of on-line processing with web through-puts of between 600 to 1500 ft/min, rapid reaction rates are desirable. Therefore, there is a need to form chemical bonds with the polymer, such as on the surface of the polymer, in relatively short periods of time, generally less than {fraction (1/100)} of a second, wherein the formation of such chemical bonds is economical, environmentally friendly and wherein the resulting bonds are sufficiently strong to survive multiple wettings.
To form chemical bonds under these requirements a sufficient dose of energy must be delivered to the polymer in less than {fraction (1/100)} of a second. Of the above mentioned techniques, electron beam radiation affords the best opportunity to meet the rapid reaction times required by such on-line processing.
However, traditional on-line polymer processing via electron beam radiation at conventional energy levels of between 150 KV to 300 KV, producing electron energies greater than 145 KeV at the surface of the target polymer, has shown loss of polymer strength. Additionally, conventional electron beam radiation techniques, whether on-line or static, do not provide an ability to control the rate and location of the chemical bonding on the polymer. Furthermore, such conventional electron beam techniques deposit a large portion of the electron energy produced at these levels in the equipment shielding and not in the target polymer. Thus there exists a need to form chemical bonds by radiation, and particularly electron beam radiation, which avoids the above disadvantages.
In response to the above problems encountered by those of skill in the art, the present invention provides modified polymeric compositions and methods of effecting the polymeric modification by, for example, exposing the polymeric composition to radiation. For example, electron beam ionizing radiation wherein the polymeric composition is subjected to electron beam ionizing radiation in the range of from about 5 KeV to about 110 KeV. For example, from about 5 KeV to about 75 KeV of electron beam ionizing radiation. More particularly, from about 5 KeV to about 50 KeV of electron beam ionizing radiation. Even more particularly, from about 5 KeV to about 25 KeV of electron beam ionizing radiation.
Typically, the polymeric composition to be modified will be in a form possessing one or more surfaces. In one embodiment, the modification of the polymeric composition may affect the molecular structure of the molecules of the composition present on one or more of the composition's surfaces. For example, one or more modifying material(s) may be chemically joined or bonded to one or more of the compositions's surfaces. In some embodiments the degree of the modification may vary from surface to surface. That is, in embodiments where only one modifying material is present, a larger amount of the modifying material may be joined to one surface than another surface.
In other embodiments, the modification of the polymeric composition may affect the molecular structure of the molecules of the composition present in the interior of the composition. Additionally, in some embodiments the modification of the polymeric composition may affect the molecular structure of the molecules of the composition present at both the surface of the composition and in the interior of the composition. For example, the modification may be such that the degree of modification by the modifying material varies from the surface of the composition into the interior of the composition. Thus, a concentration gradient of the modifying material with respect to the distance from a surface of the composition may be created.
The present invention is also directed toward methods for effecting the modifications discussed above. These methods may include, for example the steps of bringing a modifying material into contact with a polymeric composition to be modified and radiating the polymeric composition with, for example, ionizing radiation such as electron beam radiation. Typically, the ionizing radiation source will be sufficient to apply from about 5 KeV to about 110 KeV of energy to the surface of the polymeric composition. The ionizing radiation is applied for a time sufficient to chemically bond or join the modifying material to the polymeric composition in the manner and location desired.
Exemplary polymeric compositions which may be modified in accordance with the teachings of the present invention include polyolefins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutylene and copolymers.
Exemplary modifying materials include vinyl monomers, such as 4-fluoro-alpha-phenylstyrene, maleic acid and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), methacylates, alkenes and substituted alkenes.
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an electron beam processor.
FIG. 2 is a theoretical depth dose curve in a polymer for a 200 KV electron beam.
FIG. 3 is a theoretical depth dose curve in a polymer for a 70 KV electron beam.
Generally, there are two different types of commercial electron beam processors. The first type of electron beam processor generates a narrow or pencil shaped beam of electrons. The narrow beam of electrons is scanned by an electromagnetic field over a width of the target.
The second type of electron beam processor generates a curtain of electrons over the entire target width. This type of electron beam processor eliminates the need to scan the beam over the width of the target. As such, the second type of electron beam processor provides better beam efficiency than the narrow beam processors of the first type. Increased beam efficiency provides for improved continuous and uniform treatment of the target.
The processor schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 is of the second type. The electron beam processor unit used to obtain the results described below was of the second type and more particularly the electron beam processor unit was manufactured by Energy Sciences of Woburn, Mass., and particularly a Model CB 150/15/10 with Energy Sciences' window modifications as described below. This particular electron beam processor operated at up to 175 KV and 10 mA.
Turning now to the drawings and referring first to FIG. 1, an electron beam processor 10 which converts electrical energy into accelerated electrons is illustrated. The electron beam processor 10 includes a filament 12. The filament 12, which may also be referred to as a cathode, is the source of the beam of electrons 14. The filament 12 is housed in a chamber 16 suitable for maintaining a vacuum therein. The chamber 16 also supports an electron transmissible window 18 which may also be referred to as an anode. The chamber 16 as well as other portions of the electron beam processor are surrounded by protective shielding 20 which prevents electrons generated within the electron beam processor from escaping.
Upon the application of sufficient voltage between the filament 12 (cathode) and the window 18 (anode), electrons generated at the filament 12 are accelerated, in vacuum, towards the window 18. The window 18, described in greater detail below, separates the vacuumed environment of the chamber 16 from the ambient pressure conditions in a treating zone 22.
A target material 24, such as a polymer, is exposed to the beam of electrons 14 in the treating zone 22 under ambient pressure conditions. The material 24 may be stationary or moving, such as for example on-line processing of a rolled material. In the case of on-line processing, the material 24 is fed from a roll (not shown) through the treating zone 22 whereupon the material 24 is exposed to the beam of electrons 14. The exposed material 24 may then be collected on another roll (not shown). The collected radiated material 24 may then be fed back through the treating zone 22 for repeated exposures with the same or different compositions suitable for chemical bonding with the exposed material 24.
Whether the material 24 is stationary or moving through the treating zone 22 the material 24 may be contacted by one or more compositions suitable for chemical bonding with the exposed material 24. As previously mentioned, contact between the material 24 and one or more such compositions may occur before the material 24 is exposed to the beam of electrons 14 or after the material 24 is exposed to the beam of electrons 14.
To avoid the disadvantages of conventional electron beam applications described above, the inventors concluded that the electron acceleration voltages (the voltages applied between the filament 12 and the window 18) and the energy of the electron beam 14 contacting the material 24 would have to be modified from those voltages and energies produced by conventional electron beam processors. The inventors further concluded that when the material 24 was positioned from between about 0.5 inches to about 3.5 inches below the window 18 and the treatment zone 22 was continually flooded with nitrogen gas so as to displace oxygen and the material 24 was wet with a modifying material or grafting agent in solution, acceleration voltages of or less than 175 KV and the energy of the electron beam 14 contacting the material 24 of less than 145 KeV would be required.
It was further concluded by the inventors that by contacting the material 24 with electrons having energies below 145 KeV, the electrons contacting the material 24 would exhibit improved stopping powers (absorption), over conventional electron beam applications. Improving the electron beam stopping powers, as will be demonstrated by the examples below, resulted in an improved interaction between the contacting electrons and the material 24.
It was further concluded by the inventors that while conventional electron beam processors which generated electrons with energies in excess of 145 KeV at the point of contact with the material 24 deposited some of their energies in the material 24 to promote chemical bonding, the conventional electron beam processors developed electrons which predominately passed through or perforated the entire thickness of material. It was further concluded by the inventors that electron-perforated materials were weaker than electron-non-perforated materials or materials which stopped or absorbed the electrons at the surface or at some distance beneath the surface, such distance being less than the total thickness of the material.
To achieve these modified acceleration voltages and electron energies, the original window supplied with the Model CB 150/15/10 processor was replaced with a 12 micron sheet of substantially pure aluminum foil 15 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. Construction of the window support and cooling of the window are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,466 which is herein incorporated by reference.
Conductive cooling of the window as well as convective cooling is desirable so that the window foil temperature is maintained below the point at which phase changes leading to destructive failure might occur. To this end, thin support frames of high strength were used. The conductively cooled struts described in the '466 patent were replaced by relatively thin members. Heat reduction was also achieved by conductive transfer in the window foil. These modifications improved window transparency while providing sufficient window foil cooling.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that generating electron energies at the point of contact with the material 24 is dependent upon, among other things, acceleration voltages, window construction (materials, thicknesses, etc.), distance between the window and the material 24, environment of the chamber 16 and the treating zone 22, and the condition (wet, dry) of the material 24. Therefore to achieve the electron energy ranges at the point of contact with the material 24 of between about 5 KeV to about 110 KeV, the above parameters used in the following examples are but some of many such combinations of parameters suitable for obtaining such energies. Furthermore, as one skilled in the art would appreciate, achieving such energies may also depend upon the configuration, make and model of the particular electron beam processor.
Electron Beam Processor. The electron beam processor used in the following examples was the Energy Sciences' Model CB 150/15/10 as described above. In Examples 1-4 the target polymer was positioned a distance of about 1.875 inches from the window. This space, or the treating zone 22, was continually flooded with nitrogen as the target polymer was exposed to electron beam radiation.
Target Polymer. While the particular polymer used was polypropylene it will be understood that other polyolefins may be used. Other suitable polyolefins include but are not limited to polyethylene, polybutylene and copolymers.
In Examples 1-3, the polypropylene material used herein was formed into non-laminate meltblown nonwoven fabrics having a base weight of either 0.7 oz per square yard, having a thickness of about 0.2 mm to about 0.5 mm, or 2.0 oz per square yard, having a thickness of about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm. In Example 4, one of the polypropylene materials was a non-laminate spunbond nonwoven fabric. These polypropylene fabrics were produced at Kimberly-Clark's Roswell pilot facility. Prior to radiation, all polypropylene fabric samples were hydrophobic.
Modifying Materials. Modifying materials or grafting agents contacting the polymer were vinyl monomers which included 4-6-fluoro-alpha-phenylstyrene, maleic acid, and 2-Hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA). The 4-6-fluoro-alpha-phenylstyrene was solubilized in Freon-113. The maleic acid and HEMA were solubilized in methanol. Other vinyl monomers suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, methacylates, alkenes and substituted alkenes.
The polypropylene samples were cut into 4″�4″ squares and soaked for five minutes in a 5%, 10%, or 75% solution of the above described vinyl monomers. After five minutes of soaking, each fabric square was either nipped with a laboratory wringer and then radiated, directly radiated after soaking, or allowed to air dry and then radiated. Unless otherwise indicated, only one side of the samples was exposed to either 175 KV, 125 KV, 100 KV or 75 KV radiation, producing energies at the polypropylene fabric of between about 160 KeV to about 140 KeV, between about 110 KeV to about 85 KeV, between about 75 KeV to about 50 KeV and between about 25 KeV to about 5 KeV, respectively. The treated samples were then washed twice in either Freon-113, or methanol and allowed to air dry.
The gravimetric amount of modifying material chemically bonded to the fabric was determined by weighing the fabric before and after treatment (post wash). In addition, the chemically bonded amount of maleic acid was substantiated by a standard titrimetric procedure using sodium hydroxide (Fisher Scientific) as the titrant.
Tables 1-4 summarize the electron beam effects using 10% maleic acid-methanol solution in combination with 0.7 and 2.0 oz/square yard of meltblown polypropylene polymer fabric (hereinafter the "meltblown fabric"). In each of the Tables 1-4 acceleration voltages were set at 175 KV and 75 KV.
The term "Collective Density" represents the combined density of the meltblown fabric and the modifying material/solvent solution. The term "Unnormalized Wt." represents the total weight of the meltblown fabric (fabric wt. plus the wt. of the modifying material chemically bonded to the fabric) after exposure to electron beam radiation.
The term "Normalization" or "Penetration Factor" is a calculated estimate based upon the depth penetrated by the lower energy electron beam. In essence, the Normalization or Penetration Factor attempts to illustrate the relative efficiencies of the two electron beam energies relative to (i) the depth of penetration in the fabric by the lower energy electron beam and (ii) the weight of the modifying material bonded to the meltblown fabric in the portion of the meltblown fabric penetrated by the lower energy electron beam.
These estimates were based upon the collective density of each meltblown fabric and mathematically derived depth dose curves for theoretical 200 KV and 70 KV electron beams having theoretical energy levels of 190 KeV to 170 KeV and 20 KeV to 5 KeV, respectively, at the fabric surface. The depth dose curves for the 200 KV and 70 KV are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively.
The depth dose curves were derived by using a Monte Carlo computer modeling code (Sandyl). The code was run on a main frame computer at the Atomic Energy of Canada, Limited, which tracked thousands of numerically simulated electrons. As these electrons were tracked, the energy loss by each electron produced histograms of various energies remaining in the beam at any number of planes from the window foil down to the product and beyond the product. Additionally, an assumption was made that uniform bonding takes place as a function of penetration depth.
For example, referring to Table 1 below, the first run at 175 KV on a meltblown fabric having a collective density of 160 resulted in an unnormalized maleic acid (modifying material) wt. percent bonded of 2.9. The first run at 75 KV on a meltblown fabric having a collective density of 160 resulted in an unnormalized maleic acid wt. percent bonded of 2.1. Based upon the above modeling techniques, it was determined that at the 75 KV setting and respective collective density, the electron energy was absorbed in the top one-tenth of the thickness of the meltblown fabric. Thus, to "normalize" the 175 KV data to the 75 KV data a 1/10 penetration factor was applied to the unnormalized wt. percent bonded at the 175 KV setting.
Due to the Energy Sciences' equipment limitations a 175 KV electron beam was used for all chemical bonding experiments rather than the theoretical 200 KV electron beam that was used for modeling and derivation of the Normalization or Penetration Factors. For the same reason a 75 KV electron beam was experimentally used in the chemical bonding experiments rather than the theoretical 70 KV electron beam. Data used to calculate the values for the 175 and 75 KV data were appropriated from the 200 and 70 KV data without approximation or scaling to the actual 175 or 75 KV settings.
Referring now to Tables 1-4, maleic acid was used as the modifying material. It can be seen in Tables 1-3 that at lower collective densities (60-70 vs. 160-170), the 75 KV electron beam setting produced generally greater unnormalized weights. However, upon normalizing the data, the 75 KV electron beam produced between five to eight fold increases in chemically bonded maleic acid at the normalized depths. In the runs reported in Table 1, the soaked meltblown fabrics were radiated wet. For Tables 2-4, the meltblown fabrics were allowed to air dry before radiation.
Referring now to Table 4, meltblown fabrics having weights of 2 oz per square yard were soaked with maleic acid/methanol solution. The collective densities of all meltblown fabrics ranged from 290 to 310. While the averaged unnormalized data indicates a modestly greater percent weight of maleic acid chemically bonded to the meltblown fabric at the 75 KV setting, the averaged normalized data indicates around a twenty seven fold increase in efficiency at the 75 KV setting.
Tables 5 and 7 present the results for chemical bonding of HEMA and 4-fluoro-alpha-phenylstyrene, respectively, to the fabric samples. The meltblown fabrics reported in both Table 5 and 7 were wet with modifying material at the time of electron beam exposure. As noted in Table 5, the fabrics were soaked then nipped to the reported weights.
As is illustrated in Table 5, the normalized data shows a greater than three fold increase in chemical bonding efficiency at the 75 KV setting as compared to the 175 KV setting. As chemical bonding efficiency is herein determined by weight, it should not be overlooked that in the case of HEMA, homopolymerization, which was not accounted for in these results, may contribute in some instances to weight gain.
The normalized results in Table 7 indicates a greater than four fold increase in chemical bonding efficiency at the 75 KV setting as compared to the 175 KV setting.
Table 6 illustrates the water wetting performance of the HEMA treated materials at both the 175 KV and 75 KV settings. For the 175 KV setting runs, the front and back surfaces of the meltblown fabric were wet with water with penetration into the bulk of the fabric between the front and back surfaces. For the 75 KV setting runs, only the front surface of the meltblown fabric was wet with little or no water penetration into the fabric bulk.
The data in Table 6, as well as the data contained in Tables 8-11, clearly demonstrates the ability to control chemical bonding by radiating at selectively reduced energy levels. This data further supports the theoretical calculations and theories for illustrating chemical bonding efficiencies by "normalizing" the data as described above.
As has been demonstrated by the above Tables, one advantage of chemical bonding by exposing a polymer to selective energies is the ability to control the depth of penetration of the radiant energy into the fabric. By controlling the depth of penetration, control of the formation of free radicals in the fabric as well as the depth of chemical bonding in the fabric between the modifying material and the fabric at such depths are now achievable.
Table 8reports ESCA analysis for HEMA-bonded meltblown fabrics at the 75 KV and 175 KV settings. Table 9 reports ESCA analysis for 4-fluoro-phenyl-styrene-bonded meltblown fabrics at the 75 KV and 175 KV settings.
Referring now to Table 8, at the 75 KV setting, HEMA was present only on the top side, or side exposed to electron beam radiation. The 2% of oxygen atoms detected on the bottom side was concluded to be merely background and not from the presence of chemically bonded HEMA.
Surface analysis of the treated fabrics using ESCA reported in Table 9 confirms that hydrophilic 4-fluoro-phenyl-styrene was only present on the surface of the fabric exposed to electron beam at the 75 KV settings.
Experimentation demonstrating the formation of a concentration gradient is reported in Table 10. In preparation for these ESCA analysis a 0.7 oz/square yard meltblown fabric was soaked in a 75% HEMA/methanol solution (220 g/square meter collective density) and exposed to a 125 KV electron beam (10 Mrad). The surface analysis data for the "exposed" and "non-exposed" fabric surfaces are presented below.
This data clearly shows a chemically bonded HEMA concentration gradient in the meltblown fabric. The top side of the fabric shows a larger concentration of HEMA than the bottom side. Additionally, further evidence supporting the formation of a concentration gradient is that while the top side of the fabric rapidly wetted with water the bottom side of the material only wetted slowly.
A further treatment configuration tested included coating one of the surfaces of the meltblown fabric with a first modifying material which chemically bonded thereto upon exposure of that surface to electron beam radiation. The other surface was coated with a second modifying material which chemically bonded thereto upon exposure of that surface to electron beam radiation. This was accomplished by the following procedure.
A 0.7 oz/square yard material was first soaked in 75% HEMA/methanol (225 g/square meter collective density). One of the surfaces of the material was exposed to an electron beam at the 75 KV setting. The once radiated material was then washed and dried and re-soaked in a 5% 4-fluoro-alpha-styrene/Freon-113 solution (250 g/square meter collective density). The non-radiated surface of the material was then exposed to the electron beam at the 75 KV setting. Table 11 reports the surface analysis data.
The top side of the treated fabric was water wettable and the bottom side was hydrophobic and alcohol repellant (n-propanol).
Based upon the above data, it has been shown that the surfaces of a polymer, such as a polypropylene nonwoven fabric having a first and second surface separated by a interior thickness, can be selectively modified by chemical bonding induced by selective radiant energies, and particularly by selective electron beam radiant energies. By controlling the spectrum of the radiant energies contacting the polymer and depth of penetration by the radiation into the polymer and thus the depth of free radical formation in the polymer, together with selective chemistry, and particularly selective vinyl chemistry, it is possible not only to chemically bond at a surface and/or to selective levels beneath said surface, thus forming a concentration gradient, but it is further possible to chemically bond the same or different chemicals to different surfaces, such as opposing surfaces, of the polymer. Additionally, it is now possible via radiation, and particularly electron beam radiation, to introduce a number of opposing and/or complimentary surface properties, such as hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface properties, into the same polymer material.
It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the particular physical properties of the nonwoven samples tested above required radiation at the above reported radiant energy levels to achieve these results, modifying materials and polymers formed from different compositions and/or having different physical properties, such as density and collective density, as well as polymers having different textures, such as nonwoven laminates, films, film laminates, nonwoven/film laminates and micro-porous films may require radiant energy levels which vary from those reported here in order to achieve selective depth penetration and corresponding selective chemical bonding.
To determine the effect of electron beam radiation at various settings on the polypropylene materials, two non-laminate nonwoven fabrics formed from polypropylene were exposed to electron beam radiation. Once radiated, the fiber strengths of the samples were analyzed using the grab tensile test.
One of the polypropylene fabrics included 2.0 oz/square yard fabric samples of a spunbond non-laminate nonwoven polypropylene which were radiated at the 175 KV and 100 KV settings. Table 12 reports the grab tensile strength analysis of the radiated spunbond fabrics. The other polypropylene fabric included samples of a meltblown non-laminate nonwoven polypropylene which were also radiated at the 175 KV and 100 KV settings. Table 13 reports the grab tensile strength analysis of the radiated meltblown fabrics.
From the data described in Table 12 it is clear that exposure at the lower setting produces little or no effect on the nonwoven spunbond fabric tensile. In contrast, exposure at the higher setting considerably weakens the fabric. It is thought that this weakening occurs at the higher settings as a result of the electrons passing through the entire thickness of the fabric.
It is thought that the highly ionizing energy of the electrons at the higher setting results in radical formation on both the fabric surfaces and in the bulk, leading to degradation of the fabric. In contrast to the higher settings, the electrons produced at the lower settings having lower ionizing energy are stopped or absorbed at the surface or at some distance in to the bulk which is less than the total thickness of the fabric. Therefore, it is thought that at the 100 KV setting, there remains portions of the fabric bulk or thickness which are not contacted by electrons.
The grab tensile test results reported in Table 13 appear at first to suggest that greater tensile strength loss occurs at the lower electron beam setting. However, unlike spunbond fabrics fibers, meltblown fabric fibers are considerably shorter. As such, unbonded meltblown fabrics comprise short entangled fibers. The grab tensile analysis of the meltblown fabrics gives the energy required to untangle these relatively short fibers and not the energy required to break the fibers. Additionally, grab tensile deviation errors for meltblown fabrics are typically 20% to 30% which would essentially make the reported breaking point data for each sample the same.
In view of the above data and experimentation, the inventors have clearly established that by exposing a polymer to radiation at selective energy levels, chemical bonding, and particularly depth of chemical bonding within the polymer, between a polymer and a first modifying material and/or second modifying material can be selectively controlled with minimal if any loss of polymer strength.
While the invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of and equivalents to these embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be assessed as that of the appended claims and any equivalents thereto.
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i will and once again i'm sorry bro. i got my comments disabled for i don't know how long for to many negative thumbs


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Environment: Content from Across the ABC
07 Jul 2015 7:16:49pm
Australians could not begin to comprehend the dangers the Bob Barker crew must go through on a daily basis during poaching season. Such courage and determination in their quest should be commended and acknowledged by our govt..
But it is a pity our government is doing nothing to support an organisation that is doing their work for them.
It shouldnt matter which party is in power. There should be the same message sent to Japan, and the same level of surveillance carried out each season to show that Australia as a Nation, does not tolerate this yearly slaughter under the guise of research.
That also goes for other environmental issues. Most people who care about the environment know that when the conservatives are in the house......the environment pendulum will swing the other way.
I wish Peter and his crew success this season and a safe journey home.


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Fed judge nixes free defense team for O'Brien in Probation case - 0 Comments
The public defender gravy train came to a screeching halt today in Boston, where a federal judge told former Commissioner of Probation John "Jack" O'Brien he's on the hook for his own mounting legal bills.
O'Brien, 55, of Quincy, has been indicted federally on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud for allegedly rigging the Probation Department's hiring policies to curry favor with top legislators pushing unqualified applicants for jobs. He also faces state charges of bribery, which he'll be tried on in September,


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The Panasonic VW-AD20 AC Adapter is specifically designed to charge your VW-VBG260 Panasonic battery. The charger produces 8.4V of output power for the battery and 7.3V for charging the compatible camcorder directly. An AC cable, DC cable and the adapter are all included in the box.
- The VW-AD20 is compatible with the Panasonic VW-VBG260 battery and will also charge the following Panasonic camcorders: HDC-SD5, HDC-SD1, SDR-H60, SDR-H40, SDR-H41, SDR-H200, SDR-H18, VDR-D310, VDR-D50, VDR-D51, VDR-D230, VDR-D220, VDR-D210, PV-GS500, PV-GS320, PV-GS85, PV-GS83, PV-GS90 & PV-GS80


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Artist description:
chibi Latias is one of my fave pokemon
Flash Draw Created Sep 13, 2009 338 x 470px Unless noted Copyright 2009 wildclaw62.
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whitecat2 Sep 13, 2009
AWWW! This is soo cute! ♥ 5/5
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President Obama
President Obama, Kerry Washington and more notables names imparted words of wisdom to the graduating class of 2013 this spring. —Britt Middleton
At his second official commencement address this spring, President Obama delivered a message of discipline and perseverance to Morehouse College grads on May 19. "You have to remember that whatever you've gone through pales in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured — and they overcame, and if they overcame them, you can overcome them too." He will next address the U.S. Naval Academy on May 24. (Photo: REUTERS/Jason Reed)
Everything You Need to Know About the Charleston Massacre 07/02/2015
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In Memoriam: Rev. Clementa Pinckney 06/26/2015
Reactions to the Supreme Court's Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage 06/26/2015
Justice for Freddie Gray: What's Happening in Baltimore? 06/26/2015
ICYMI: Texas Woman Thought She Was Black for 70 Years 06/25/2015
The Confederate Flag Debate 06/24/2015
The Rich History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 06/19/2015
ICYMI: Wall Street Journal Says Institutional Racism Is Over 06/19/2015
When Racists Attack Black Churches 06/19/2015
BET Remembers the Victims of the Charleston Massacre 06/19/2015
Lester Holt: 9 Facts About the New Face of 'Nightly News' 06/18/2015
Juneteenth 2015: Where You Can Celebrate in Your City 06/18/2015
What's Happening in Ferguson, Missouri? 06/15/2015
Black Lies Matter: Rachel Dolezal's Identity Crisis 06/15/2015
What's Happening in McKinney, Texas? 06/12/2015
The Best Tweets in Response to Rachel Dolezal's Identity 06/12/2015
NYPD Chief Says He Can't Find Black Men Without Records 06/11/2015


text: RT Web Page DB /z-wcorg/ DS http://worldcat.org ID 738512663 LA English UL http://site.ebrary.com/id/10476966 T1 The ticket to freedom the NAACP and the struggle for Black political integration A1 Berg, Manfred,, PB University Press of Florida PP Gainesville YR 2005 SN 9780813037011 0813037018 AB "After many years of neglect and faultfinding by contemporary activists, historians, and the media, Manfred Berg restores the NAACP to its rightful place at the heart of the civil rights movement. Berg reveals the group's eminently political character as he assesses both its historical achievements and its failures. He suggests that while the NAACP did make significant gains in furthering the progress of America's black citizens at the grassroots level, its national agenda should not be discounted. Berg challenges criticisms of recent years that the NAACP's goals and methods were half-hearted, ineffective, and irrelevant and reveals a resourceful, dynamic, and politically astute organization that has done much to open up the electoral process to greater black participation."--Jacket.


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Xenophobic Hatred Grows with Latino Population in Georgia
In Georgia, where nearly 1 million Hispanic immigrants have arrived since 1990, xenophobic hatred and violence are on the rise
By Bob Moser
In the charged atmosphere of North Georgia, bigotry tends to bubble up in surprising settings — like city council chambers. This September, 12 years after a Chamblee councilman recommended catching immigrants in bear traps, a verbal melee broke out at what was supposed to be a routine city council meeting in neighboring Doraville.
Once an overwhelmingly white suburb of 10,000, celebrated in pop song by the Atlanta Rhythm Section as "a touch of country in the city," Doraville is now 43% Hispanic officially — and perhaps 60% unofficially.
The city has seen some "white flight" in response, but not by its elected officials: Until this January, Doraville's mayor and six council members were all white men between the ages of 60 and 73 who'd been in office for more than two decades. The council now has a Hispanic member and a woman. But the old regime made itself heard on Sept. 20.
Doraville had decided to charge sponsors of an Oct. 12 "Festival de la Raza" (raza means "race") march $2,000 for police security — an unprecedented fee with no basis in local law.
When members of the march's sponsoring group, the Coordinating Council of Latino Community Leaders of Atlanta, decided to attend the Sept. 20 council meeting to protest, state Sen. Vincent Fort of Atlanta went with them.
Fort, a history professor at Morris Brown College who represents a predominantly African-American district in the city, believed that charging for security "was a violation of free speech. It was clear to me that they were being treated differently because of who they are."
As a civil-rights activist and a student of civil-rights history, Fort felt compelled to stand with the protesters. In fact, he was the first to speak. But almost as soon as he began, Lamar Lang, a former Doraville mayor who now sits on the council, interrupted to question Fort's right to address the council.
"Being a senator doesn't cut any ice with me," Lang said. "I'm going to call a spade a spade."
After a brief but heated exchange, Fort resumed reading his statement in support of the marchers. And then Lang got really cranked up. "Latinos are freeloaders," he declared. "The city doesn't have to pay for charges incurred by the undocumented."
A couple of weeks later, Lang issued an apology of sorts, saying, "Maybe I shouldn't have made that statement." After some negotiations with the Doraville police chief, the Festival de la Raza went off without a hitch. Of course, D.A. King and a band of American Resistance members were part of the crowd.
In the wake of the city council meeting, Fort couldn't help being struck by the parallels between the backlash against black civil rights and the current anti-immigration movement.
"Ultimately, Lang was saying what many people in Doraville — and this whole area — believe. As their numbers increase, you're going to see more and more resentment against Latinos in Georgia, not less.
"And especially as they start to assert themselves and defend their rights, it won't be pleasant. We know that from the civil-rights movement.
"Take the hate crimes in Canton. People usually don't report those kinds of incidents, because many of them are undocumented and fear the police. If one or two are reported, you know there are a lot more of those crimes happening. And we won't see an end of them any time soon."
Life and Death in Georgia
While Georgia's immigration debate heats to a boiling point, Domingo Lopez Vargas waits for justice — justice, and a ticket home. Having sworn off day labor, he works night shifts now, cutting up chickens at the nearby Tyson plant, wincing through the pain that shoots up his right arm when he lowers the boom on a bird.
But it's only temporary, he says. "I called my wife and told her what happened. She told me to move back to Guatemala. I wanted to, but I didn't have enough money to go back and the police officers told me not to go out of the country because they will still need me to work on the case. After the case is finished, I want to go back to my family."
It could take a while. At press time, no trial date had been set for Lopez' assailants. The delay is not particularly surprising, since Cherokee County's district attorney and both its Superior Court judges removed themselves from the case, citing their ties to defendant Ben Cagle's prominent Republican family. The prosecution had to be shifted to neighboring Cobb County, home base of American Resistance.
Until Oct. 25, when Georgia's hate-crime law was declared unconstitutional because of vague wording, activists were pressing the Cobb County district attorney to bring hate crime charges against Lopez' assailants — and those of Carlos Perez and Elias Tíu.
"These victims were chosen, clearly, because they were Latino day laborers," says MALDEF's Tisha Tillman. "And if you're going to say that robbery was the motive, why were these men beaten with fists and sticks and pipes?"
Because so few atrocities committed against Hispanics are ever reported — much less brought to trial — Angela Arboleda, civil-rights analyst for the National Council of La Raza, says justice is especially important in this case, hate crimes or no hate crimes.
"The message sent by these assaults is already bad enough," she says. "If you wake up at 5 a.m. and want to work hard in Georgia, you're putting your life at risk."
Every weekday morning, just down the hill from the old mill house where Lopez lives, scores of laborers still gather to take that risk.
On a misty morning in late September, a couple of dozen have assembled at MUST Ministries, a two-story brick storefront converted into one of Georgia's few job centers for day laborers. MUST provides a measure of safety, taking contractors' names and license-plate numbers in case there's trouble.
But many contractors prefer to stop up the street, where dozens more men wait in front of Tienda Guatemalteca and La Luna Panadería, a bakery — and where no ID is required.
"Everyone knows it's dangerous," says Manolo, an ebullient 22-year-old from Chiapas, in southern Mexico, who's volunteering at MUST on a late September morning.
"American men — they don't like to pay. That's usually the trouble. But some people have been robbed and beaten — right up there." He points up the street toward one of the unofficial work sites, where dozens of jornaleros have crowded around a contractor's truck, clamoring for work.
A few blocks up the street at La Luna Panadería, Antonio (who doesn't want to give his last name) believes things have gotten a little better since he arrived in Canton four years ago.
Back then, "Americans would throw things out their cars at me when I would walk down this street to lunch." On one memorable occasion, as he walked through the local park with friends, he says a group of black and white men drove by and opened fire on them with pellet guns.
That hasn't happened in a while, Antonio says. But there was that day last year when he came to work to find a dead man out front on the sidewalk. "He had bruises all over like he was beaten," Antonio says.
The police came, the body was taken away, and "The Latino community still has no idea what happened." Nor do Canton police. But since the Cherokee High School students were rounded up, says Assistant Police Chief Jeff Lance, no more bruised Hispanic bodies have been reported in Canton.
"It's been real quiet," Lance says. "Knock on wood."
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You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
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31 year old man | Cambridge, MA, USA | Seeking women 23-28 within 15 miles
I pick things up and put them down
I am a beach kid at heart, plucked from the coast of Virginia to spice this city up more than it already is. Down to earth is an understatement. Things I find enjoyable: 80's and 90's karaoke, sketchy Asian and Mexican restaurants, surfing, snowboarding, petting people's dogs and yelling at crying babies. Other than the occasional bar fight I am a southern gentleman, and she started it. I'm hoping to find an obese girl with daddy issues and low self esteem; not too much to ask for I think. In all seriousness though, I am looking for someone fun, down to earth, and kind to be my partner in crime and make the most of this awesome city.
Dining out , Movies/Videos , Music and concerts , Nightclubs/Dancing , Playing sports , Volunteering , Watching sports , Wine tasting
Basketball, Billiards / Pool, Dancing, Football, Other types of exercise, Weights / Machines
I exercise 3-4 times per week.
I like Dogs
Middle of the Road
Being new to Boston I have only been to limited places but want to do it all. So far I like the North End waterfront and Back Bay the most
TV- anything on HBO or Showtime, ESPN 30 for 30, South Park, and The Bachelor( I know)Music-80's rock, Phil Collins, 90's rock,some pop punk, and Phil Collins Movies- To randomly pick a few: Team America, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and MacGruber
Movies, concerts, enjoying different types of foods/restaurants/bars, hanging with friends and family, surfing and snowboarding, golf (very much a beginner)
Bringing Down the House
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What he is looking for
|6'2" (187cms)
|5'2" (157cms) to 6'0" (182cms)
|Body type:
|Athletic and toned
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned
|No preference
|Light brown
|No preference
|No Way
|No Way
|Social Drinker
|Social Drinker
|Medical / Dental / Veterinary / Fitness
|No preference
Fitness Coordinator for Rehabilitation Hospital
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|Never Married
|Never Married
|Have kids:
|Wants kids:
|I'll tell you later
|White / Caucasian
|Asian, Black / African descent, Latino / Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, White / Caucasian
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
I am more Jewish- Agnositc if there is such a thing.
|Bachelors degree
|Some college


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The last Nikon F3 I bought on eBay had the screen with the grid lines and not split screen (I forget the model number). I too thought it would be a pain, but now I like it, especially since it has the grid lines. In some cases I do prefer the split screen for accurate focusing.
As a side note, I'm a bit near-sighted. Would a diopter help me or are they for people who are far-sighted?


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Bereft Episode Spoilers.
Anyone else think that the sphere the team picked up in the desert which is apparently from Apokolips could morph into a Super-Cycle for the team? They've got Miss Martian's ship for when they need to travel the world but what if they just need to go down the street or Miss Martian is unavailable to pilot? The semi-sentient mechanical object that seems to have latched on to the team like a pet just makes me think it'll end up becoming the Super-Cycle. Besides it'll be better for Robin, Aqualad and Artemis to ride in rather than have to be carried by Superboy, Miss Martian and Flash if they don't have to go so far to need Megan's spaceship.


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