text:
A 20 year-old man came down with appendicitis in October of this year. He posted the bill on Reddit and it has gone viral. The US Health Care system is a topic of much debate, not only in the US but around the world. A lot of countries get 'free' health care, so needless to say, this has stirred up a lot of conversation. As if waking up in excruciating pain isn't enough, this is the bill he received in the mail a couple months later. Take a look:
The original cost was over $55,000. Because the 20 year-old man was on his father's insurance, the cost was lowered to $11,000.
Which is still an obscenely high bill to pay for such a young man. He was in the Recovery Room for 2 hours and it cost him $7,500.
The actual surgery cost $16,000.
This bill caused quite an uproar. A lot of citizens of other countries chimed in with their own experiences.
An Australian with appendicitis never even saw a bill.
A Canadian's mother had foot surgery and her only charge was $60...for cable.
A Malaysian paid the equivalent of $25 for an appendectomy.
And then other Americans gave their two cents (or hundreds of thousands of dollars):
This American got cancer and had to file for bankruptcy. At age 24.
His cousin died because he had reached his "lifetime limit" for treatment. He was 27.
$2000 for a night's stay, a juice box and a pill.
We don't take political sides here in any way, but it's hard to deny that these costs are absurd. No matter how you think this should be fixed, I think we can all agree that it needs to be. What's your opinion? Share this guy's hospital bill with others.


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Joan R. Sollazzo, 75, a resident of Churubusco and widow of Columbus John Sollazzo, passed away at 10:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, at the Kingston Care Center in Fort Wayne. She had been a patient there for the past two years.
Mrs. Sollazzo was born in Fort Wayne on Jan. 30, 1936, a daughter of Raymond and Wava (Brandt) Stilwell, and spent her formative years there.
On July 3, 1964, she was married in Fort Wayne to Columbus John Sollazzo. The couple spent the first months of their marriage in Fort Wayne before moving to Churubusco in 1965.
Always having a love for children, she worked as a licensed day care provider for 30 years. Later in life she also worked at Shroyer's Variety & Hardware in Churubusco.
She was a member of the Churubusco Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary Post 3846, and in her leisure time she was a avid gardener. Most importantly, she loved and cherished her family.
Mr. Sollazzo preceded her in death Oct. 4, 1997.
The surviving relatives include four children, Robert Sollazzo, Jr. and Susan (Pierre) Longardner, both of Churubusco, John R. (Beth) Sollazzo of Columbia City, and Tony (Phyllis) Sollazzo of Clarion, Iowa; a step-daughter Rosalie Sollazzo of Mansfield, Ohio; two sisters Barbara (Lawrence "Bud") Dennison of Pomona, Calif. and Mary (Jim) Ehinger of Fort Wayne; three brothers, Richard (Shirley) Stilwell and James (Pat) Stilwell, both of New Haven, and Don (Debbie) Stilwell of Fort Wayne; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a step-daughter Barbara Prudhome; and by a grandson Jon Longardner.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco with Rev. Lane Burgland, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, officiating.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m.
Interment will be in the Eel River Cemetery, south of Churubusco.
For those who wish, memorials may be directed to Faith Lutheran Church in Churubusco, or Churubusco Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3846.
To make an online condolence to the family, log on to www.sheetsandchilds.net [1]
[1] http://www.sheetsandchilds.net

subset: commoncrawl


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True Blood
Super Spoiler Roundup! True Blood Season 4, Episode 7: "Cold, Grey Light of Dawn"
Can't wait for Sunday's all-new episode of True Blood? Check out this tasty treat from Wetpaint Entertainment: Seven juicy spoilers from Season 4, Episode 7: "Cold, Grey Light of Dawn."
1. Bill tries to save his kingdom from Marnie! Now that Marnie's officially gone bat-crazy and eaten Antonia for lunch, she's more powerful than ever — and she's threatening to force Bon Temps' vamps into the light of day! In an attempt to save fang, Bill issues an unpopular order to his vampire kingdom. He sure is becoming a pro at being unpopular.
2. Eric embraces his amnesia! Uhm, we thought Eric already embraced his new identity as a soft-spoken man-child when he renounced his evil ways and pounded Sookie in the forest, but maybe there's something we're missing.
3. Luna and Sam go south. And we're not talking about in the bedroom. Luna's pissed at Sam (aka Tommy) for sexing her up and kicking her out, and she's not about to forgive him! Will they be able to mend their relationship? Sam's going to be devastated if he can't play Barbie with Luna's daughter anymore.
4. Lafayette "expands his consciousness"! We're not really sure what this means, but ten to one it has something to do with Tio Luca living inside Lala's body.
5. Andy and Holly go on a date! Andy treats Holly to a night out (presumably at Merlotte's), but unfortunately their date doesn't go as planned. Maybe the humans of Bon Temps should find a new place to eat. You know, like somewhere that's not packed with vampires and the occasional dead body.
6. Jessica and Hoyt might break up! Jessica spends the night at Bill's to avoid Hoyt, and Hoyt heads over to Jason's to chat about his relationship problems. Will Jason tell Hoyt about his dirty dreams?
7. Alcide and Debbie get initiated! Debbie convinces Alcide to join the Shreveport werepack, but Alcide can't stop thinking about Sookie all alone in the woods. Of course, he doesn't know that she's perfectly safe in the arms of a Viking.


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Zuckerberg reveals Timeline, a whole new Facebook at f8 2011 [Video]
This year at the Facebook developer conference, Andy Sandberg introduced himself as Mark Zuckerberg and showed off their newest feature - the Slow Poke, a poke that takes 24 hours to reach the person being poked, plenty of time to be cancelled by the obviously drunk sender. Zuckerberg replaced him about 5 minutes into his mindless rant to mild applause and Mark himself continued on with the usual milestone listing. Half a billion people signing on in one day, for example. Then he went on to note that apps and depth of engagement were the next "way of the future," this future having very much to do with the way you present yourself with Facebook - the new way being Timeline.


text: Lately Before playing (any game), to warm up I've just been throwing balls onto the table and just randomly shooting whatever, I like this because I can shoot combos, jumps, anything I really want that I might run into in a game. I've also set up clusters and problem balls on purpose so that I'm totally prepared come game time. Who else has tried this and do you think it's a good way to warm up?


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By Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press Service
VAIL, Colo., March 6, 2006 Amputees being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., wrapped up the third annual Vail Veterans Program here yesterday, having taken another step ahead in their rehabilitation and more convinced than ever that they have the support of the American people.
The 24 veterans, who lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan, spent three days here at this world-class ski resort, courtesy of Vail Mountain and the Vail community. While enjoying the red-carpet treatment with free lodging, meals, ski gear, lift tickets and lessons, they skied and snowboarded their way to new emotional and physical milestones.
"This is the most unique program because it provides one-on-one instruction and care for our veterans at the most important point in their lives," said Army Capt. Dave Rozelle. Rozelle, who lost part of his foot in Iraq and then returned to duty there, now serves as administrator for Walter Reed's Amputee Care Center.
While participants in the Vail program challenge each other on the slopes, there's no last-day race and no sense of competition, Rozelle said. "Everyone here finds success in their own way," he said.
"This program is about getting on the slopes and doing things you never thought you would do again," said former Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell, who was medically retired after losing her leg in Iraq.
Army Lt. Col. Barbara Springer, chief of Walter Reed's physical therapy service, said it's exciting to watch the transformation that takes place on the slopes. "I've seen a lot of people turn the corner," she said. "By the end of the first day, you could see the big smiles ... (and) the sense of accomplishment on their faces."
That accomplishment will have a long-term effect on the wounded servicemembers' recovery, she said. "Once they build up their confidence to the point where they can face a challenge and meet that challenge, then they feel like they can do anything after that," Springer said.
Nikola Nemcanin, an instructor at the Vail Adaptive Ski School who worked with the veterans, shared Stringer's excitement in watching the veterans realize their capabilities. "We show them what they can do, not what they can't do," he said. "It's really great to see the smiles on their faces when they realize what they've achieved."
"These people are just super in instilling confidence again," said Army Lt. Col. Dennis Walburn, who lost part of his leg to a roadside bomb in Mosul, Iraq, last May. Walburn, an avid skier before his injury, was making solid progress on the slopes using a single ski and outrigger ski poles.
Army Sgt. Joe Kapacziewski, a 3rd Ranger Battalion soldier who received extensive leg and arm injures in northern Iraq, admitted he was a little nervous about his first experience on skis. "My doctors didn't really want me to do this," fearing an accident could set back his progress, he said. But Kapacziewski decided to give it a go anyway.
"I'm so glad I did. It's absolutely awesome," he said of his experience on a "bi-ski," specially adapted for disabled skiers. "This is the most fun I've ever had since I've been injured."
Rozelle, who has been involved with the Vail Veterans Program since it started three years ago, said veterans' experiences on the mountain translates directly to their progress when they return home. "When they go back to Walter Reed, they take their rehabilitation much more seriously," he said. "This gives them a new goal."
"Morale goes up" when troops return from an experience such as the Vail program, agreed Harvey Naranjo, an occupational therapy assistant at the hospital who accompanied the wounded troops to the event. "They're recharged and re-energized to continue to get ready to fully live their lives."
By "living their lives," Naranjo said, he means living without feeling bound by a disability. "We don't want them just to walk," he said. "We want them to run and to ski and to do whatever it is they'd like to do."
Based on the veterans' progress on the slopes, Naranjo said he felt good about the care he and his coworkers at Walter Reed are providing. "Some of my patients are better than me," he said. "That lets me know that we are doing the right thing at the hospital. We are on the right track."
While enjoying their ski experience, participants in the Vail Veterans Program said the outpouring of support they received from the Vail community wowed them. "This is a package that's overwhelming," said Army 1st Lt. Frank Washburn, a New York National Guardsman who lost the front half of his foot to a roadside bomb in Iraq in May while serving with the 467th Engineer Battalion.
The hospitality started when Washburn checked into his luxury condominium -- where a suitcase packed with a ski jacket, ski goggles, a souvenir coffee cup and other gifts awaited him -- and never let up through the five-day event. "They've really gone out of their way for us," Washburn said.
"The outpouring is just awesome," agreed Army Pfc. Justin Leon, a 101st Airborne Division soldier who lost his right arm in Kirkuk, Iraq, in December.
"Our community wanted to figure out a way to give back to you and your families and your friends," Cheryl Jensen, the event's organizer, told participants at their closing-night dinner, hosted by the Vail Fire Department March 4.
One of the firemen called the dinner payback for the veterans' service and sacrifices overseas. "It all goes back to the (attack on the) World Trade Center. We lost 343 of our brothers and sisters in that tower, so it's a privilege for us to be serving you who are overseas kicking ass over there," he said.
Former Marine Sgt. Christopher Fesmire, who was medically retired from the 1st Marine Division after an anti-tank mine left him a double above-the-knee amputee in October 2004, said it's evident to him that Americans from all corners share the fireman's sentiment and support the troops. "It's from everybody," he said. "I've been finding that across the board people are supportive."
Related Articles:Rumsfeld Pays Surprise Visit as Wounded Troops Hit the SlopesVail Community Opens Arms, Slopes to Wounded Troops


text:
Appears in 25 channels
Reviewed in Droid Expansion Modules
Keep a tab on where your money goes with this expense manager app.. it's simple yet useful..
Looking for an expense and budget tool? Stop searching. Expense Manager is simple, intuitive, stable and feature-rich app that is just designed for you. Everything you need at your fingertips to manage the expenditures and budgets. 100% FREE – full features, no hidden charges or in-app purchases
Expense manager has the following great features:
• Tracking expenses and incomes by week, month and year as well as by categories
• Multiple accounts in multiple currencies
• Schedule the payments and recurring payments
• Take a picture of receipt
• Payment alerts
• Budget by day, week, month and year
• Search and reports
• Import and export account activities in CSV for desktop software
• User chooses to auto backup on Dropbox, Google Drive and SD Card backup
• Customize expense categories, payer/payer, payment methods, date format, white or black background, button style etc
• Account transfer
• Auto fill
• Convenient tools such calculator, currency converter, tip calculator, sales and tax calculator and credit card calculator
• Charts
• Debt Management
• Developer support
Internet Access is used to retrieve currency exchange rate.
Camera permission is used to take picture of receipt.
Account permission is used to for Google Drive data backup
SMS permission: it parses the SMS message from bank automatically and save the record in the app.
All data save on your phone or your personal cloud account. Nobody but you can access your account.
Thanks for the help from:
Emilio Blanco for Spanish translation.
Christian Glass and Manuel Gruber for German translation.
Michel Graciano, Gustavo de Freitas Leite and Ricardo Gomes for Portuguese translation
Cerrato Renaud for French translation
Please email question and feature request directly to developer.


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Staff Profiles
Prof James Piscatori
(email at email@example.com)
Professor Piscatori has worked at several universities in Britain, Australia and the United States. In Britain, he was Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford; and Professor of International Politics in the University of Aberystwyth. In addition, he was Professor at the Australian National University and Associate Profesor in the School of Advanced International Studies of the Johns Hopkins University. He has also been Senior Fellow at two research institutions -- the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London and the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He has served on several international collaborative committees such as the Committee for the Comparative Study of Muslim Societies of the Social Science Reseach Council, and was co-editor of a series on Muslim Politics for Princeton University Press.
Professor Piscatori's work has centred on two themes: Islam and international relations; and Islamic political thought, particularly as it relates to democratisation in Middle Eastern societies. Area focus has been principally, but not exclusively, on the Arab states of the Gulf. Recently, he has been working on pan-Islamism and Islamic transnationalism, and specifically investigating the contemporary meaning of the ummah (community of the faith).
Research Groups
- Politics of the Muslim World
- The History of Political Thought
Research Interests
- Islamic political and international thought
- Politics and international relations of the Middle East
- Religion and politics in the Arab states of the Gulf
Teaching Areas
Introduction to Middle East Politics(10 hours/year.)
Indicators of Esteem
- :
Elected to the Society of Scholars, Johns Hopkins University
Current Advisory Board Membership
- Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, School of Foreign Servce, Georgetown University
- Casa Arabe and International Institute of Arab and Muslim World Studies, Madrid and Cordoba
- Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University
- Centre for Muslim States and Societies, University of Western Australia
- National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies, Australia
- 2012 Exhibition on the Hajj, British Museum, London
Current Editorial Boards
- Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs
- Critique: Journal of Middle Eastern Studies
- Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World and Oxford Islamic Studies OnLine, Oxford University Press
- Journal of Islamic Studies
- Political Handbook of Political Islam, Routledge
- Intellectual Discourse [Kuala Lumpur]
- Awraq [Madrid]
- Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions (on-line)
Books: authored
- Piscatori, James (2004). Muslim Politics. Princeton University Press.
Books: edited
- Dresch, Paul & Piscatori, James (2005). Monarchies and Nations: Globalization and Identity in the Arab States of the Gulf. I.B. Tauris.
Edited works: contributions
- Piscatori, James (2012). 'Winning Hearts and Minds: US promotion of a democratic Islam'. In American Democracy Promotion in the Changing Middle East: From Bush to Obama. Akbarzadeh, Shahram,, Piscatori, James, MacQueen, Benjamin & Saikal, Amin Routledge.
Journal papers: academic
- Piscatori, James (2012). 'Secular Aspirations and Political Islam in the Arab Middle East: The 1950s - reconsidered',. The Maghreb Review 37(1): 3-32.
- Piscatori, James (2000). 'Imagining Pan-Islam: Religious Activism and Political Utopias'. Proceedings of the British Academy 131.
- Piscatori, James (2000). Islam, Islamists and the Electoral Principle. International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM).
Selected Grants
- 2010: Australian Research Council Grant on Democratisation in the Middle East


text:
Snoop Dogg
- Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop, West Coast
- Description: Music video by Snoop Dogg performing I Wanna Rock (The Kings G-Mix). (P) (C) 2010 Capitol Records, LLC. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable laws. Manufactured by Capitol Records, LLC, 1750 North Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028.


text:
Waterford Heritage Days spans time
Talk about community pride.
In Waterford, it takes three days and many venues to celebrate its heritage -- which includes a Fort LeBoeuf visit by George Washington when he still wore red.
It's called Waterford Heritage Days. And it's free.
Things get under way Friday at 3 p.m. Festivities include music, encamped historical re-enactors, historical tours and demonstrations, concessions and more. Among the highlights:
Friday: A strawberry social by the Asbury United Methodist Church, 6 p.m. in Main Park.
Saturday: A parade (Cherry Street), Judson House self-guided tours (31 High St.), and arts and crafts show (Main Park), all beginning at 10 a.m. Music continues throughout the day in Main Park; the historical encampment is at the ballpark.
Sunday: Judson House tours, noon-4 p.m.
Visit www.waterfordheritagedays.com. for details.


text: Spending $400 million on a makeover is something only an established store with a worldwide brand should attempt — but is it worth it if you're just turning it into yet another Apple-esque space? Macy's is the next to go for the shiny, sleek and super-white Apple look at its famous flagship store in New York City, but some traditionalists say in this case, change isn't good. [More]


text:
Starting & Managing
Starting a Business
Managing a Business
Loans & Grants
Small Business Loans
Surety Bonds
SBIC Program
Other Financial Assistance
Getting Started
Contracting Support for Small Businesses
Understanding the Federal Marketplace
For Contracting Officials
- HUBZone
- Non-Manufacturer Waivers
- Report Fraud, Waste & Abuse
- Protests
- Small Business Goaling
- Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
- Certificate of Competency Program
- Procurement Center Representatives
- Government Contracting Field Staff Directory
- Service Contract Inventory
- Partnership Agreements
- Goaling Program
- Interagency Task Force on Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses
Learning Center
Local Assistance
About SBA
What We Do
SBA Team
SBA Locations
SBA Newsroom
SBA Initiatives
- SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative
- Clusters Initiative
- 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance Services Program
- Small Business Teaming Pilot Program
- Small Business Jobs Act of 2010
- Startup America
- Council on Underserved Communities (CUC)
- Intermediary Lending Pilot
- Dealer Floor Plan Financing Program
- Greening SBA
- Small Business Saturday 2013
SBA Performance
Oversight & Advocacy
You are Here
Already an LLC - how to choose how to be taxed
by lucasmccoy, Window Shopper
- Created: April 30, 2013, 12:35 pm
My husband and I have already formed a business as an LLC and we are each 50% owners. I am applying for a federal tax ID number and have the option to choose sole proprietor or partnership as the type of entity. Which is a better option since we are married and both equal owners?
JGabriel | Community Moderator | 5/8/2013 - 7:21 pm
BizResearcher is correct, the following page can shed some more light on LLCs: http://www.sba.gov/content/limited-liability-company-llc
BizResearcher | Window Shopper | 5/1/2013 - 11:58 am
If you both own the business equally, you would be partners.
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text:
Grumpy Cat, you've met your match!
As the royal family kicked off their three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia, Prince George seemed to be taking a cue from the Internet's feistiest feline.
There was plenty to smile about, though: The 8-month-old future king donned a cream colored jumper and shorts as his ravishing-in-red mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, held him on her hip before the crowd in Wellington, New Zealand. The historic trip includes visits to 13 towns and cities and 45 separate engagements.
Could jet lag have prompted the cutie to do his best Grumpy face? After all, the royals landed in New Zealand around 12:05 p.m. on Monday following a long flight from London that began Saturday evening.
Well, at least his parents seem to be enjoying themselves.
The Daily Treat: Prince George Does His Best Grumpy Cat Impression in New Zealand
David Rowland/Xinhua/Zuma; Rodrigo Vaz/FilmMagic


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CLEMSON - Clemson enters the ACC Tournament this week in need of a miracle run if it is to play deep into March. The Tigers will be the No. 11 seed and open ACC Tournament play against No. 6 seeded Florida State at 9 p.m. Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.
Clemson (13-17, 5-13 ACC) finished its regular season with a loss at ACC regular season champion Miami on Saturday.
Clemson has lost sixth straight and eight of nine games. The Tigers have not had a losing season since 2003-04, Oliver Purnell's first season.
Clemson has lost in both of its meetings against Florida State (17-14, 9-9) this season. Florida State won the ACC Tournament last season.
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Jeremy Leslie
Jeremy has recently been trying to bring his magazine habit under control, channelling his addiction into warning people of the opportunities and risks involved in experimenting with this most versatile medium. He works full time at John Brown in West London, where he encourages fellow addicts to face their demons, and writes a blog encouraging users to enjoy publications responsibly. He is also co-founder of Colophon, an international conference set up to help independent magazine makers and users. Over the next week, he'll be answering a question he's often asked, 'What is a magazine?'
Further reading:


text:
The former Barcelona star has joined the Rossoneri on a season-long loan.
The Spanish international only joined Roma from Barcelona last summer.
"I chose Milan for many reasons," said Bojan.
"It is a great club and the team is made of an historic group of players. I want to thank the coach, who wanted me so much, by playing at my best."


text:
Tonight's the night that the "Desperate Housewives" suspense is finally over, when we finally find out who says "I do" to Mike Delfino: Susan (Teri Hatcher) or Katherine (Dana Delany).
All I can tell you after watching the screener is that both wear a wedding dress on the premiere episode – at 8 p.m. on ABC.
As for the rest of the Wisteria Lane bunch, Gaby (Eva Longoria Parker) is determined to rein in her new teenage charge: Carlos' wild defiant niece Ana (Maira Walsh). She even follows her to a hot nightclub to bring her home, getting pawed herself on the dance floor.
Lynette (Felicity Huffman) struggles to deal with a pregnancy she doesn't want. Bree (Marcia Cross) is conflicted over whether to have an affair with her divorce lawyer Karl. And a new mystery begins unfolding when a family of three moves into Mary Alice's old home.
What is mom (Drea de Matteo of "The Sopranos") hiding about her devilishly handsome teenage son (Beau Mirchoff)? And why is the dad (Jeffrey Nordling) so interested in Susan's daughter Julie (Andrea Bowen)?
Most important, did either of them have something to do with an attack on a young character that punctuates the episode?
Ooh, creepy. Don't miss the lively opener of what promises to be a juicy sixth season.


text:
An electrode assembly for a plasma reactor, such as a plasma etch or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor, comprises an electrode plate having a support frame attached to one surface thereof. The electrode plate is composed of a substantially pure material which is compatible with a particular reaction being performed in the reactor, while the support frame is composed of a material having desirable thermal, electrical, and structural characteristics. The support frame is bonded to the electrode plate using a bonding layer, usually a ductile metallic bonding layer, which provides effective thermal and electrical coupling while permitting a degree of thermal expansion mismatch between the support frame and the electrode plate.
1. An improved reactor of the type having a first electrode for supporting a substrate, an opposed electrode, and means for producing a plasma therebetween, wherein the opposed electrode has one face exposed to the first electrode and an opposite face connected to an electrical source and a thermal sink, the improvement comprising an opposed electrode including (a) an electrode plate composed of a substantially pure material and having a substantially uniform thickness and (b) a support frame composed of an electrically and thermally conductive material bonded to a back face of the plate, whereby the support frame is connected to the electrical source and thermal sink and a front face of the plate which is exposed to the first electrode is substantially free from protuberances.
2. An improved reactor as in
3. An improved reactor as in
4. An improved reactor as in
5. An improved reactor as in
6. An improved reactor as in
7. An improved reactor as in
8. An improved parallel electrode reactor as in
9. An improved reactor as in
10. An improved reactor as in
11. An improved reactor as in
12. An improved reactor as in
13. An improved reactor as in
14. An improved reactor as in
15. An improved reactor as in
16. An improved reactor as in
17. An improved reactor as in
18. An electrode assembly comprising:
an electrode disk composed of a substantially pure material and having a substantially uniform thickness; and
a support ring bonded about the periphery of one face of the disk, leaving the other face substantially flat and free from protuberances, wherein the support ring is composed of an electrically and thermally conductive material.
19. An electrode assembly as in
20. An electrode assembly as in
21. An electrode assembly as in
22. An electrode assembly as in
23. An electrode assembly as in
24. An electrode assembly as in
25. An electrode assembly as in
26. An electrode assembly as in
27. An electrode assembly as in
28. An electrode assembly as in
29. An electrode assembly as in
30. An electrode assembly as in
31. An electrode assembly as in
32. An electrode assembly as in
33. A method for forming an electrode assembly including a support ring and an electrode plate, said method comprising:
bonding the support ring about the periphery of the electrode plate at elevated temperature, wherein the material of the electrode plate support ring has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the electrode plate; and
allowing the bonded assembly to return to room temperature, whereby the differential contraction imparts the desired stress.
34. A method as in
35. A method as in
36. An electrode assembly formed by the method of
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the design of electrodes used for producing a plasma in a reactor vessel. More particularly, the present invention relates to the design of a composite electrode useful in plasma reactors, such as plasmid etch and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactors.
2. Description of the Background Art
Plasma etching of semiconductor wafers and other substrates relies on the production of ionized gaseous species using a radio frequency (rf) discharge at pressures in the range from about 0.1 to 10 Torr, commonly referred to as a glow discharge. The charged species react with molecules at the surface of the substrate, resulting in volatile reaction products which are carried away.
Several types of etchers are commonly employed in semiconductor fabrication including wet chemical (barrel) reactors, vertical dry chemical plasma reactors, and horizontal dry chemical plasma reactors. Of interest herein are dry chemical parallel plate plasma reactors. Such parallel plate reactors are typically characterized by a reactor volume defined by a pair of vertically spaced-apart horizontal electrode plates, although other orientations may also be employed. An enchant gas is typically fed through at least one of the electrode plates, and rf energy is applied across the electrodes to induce the desired plasma. Parallel plate reactors may be configured to process either single or multiple wafers. Single wafer parallel plate reactors, because of their highly symmetric electrical field and gas flow characteristics, are able to provide highly uniform etching across the surface of the wafer. Parallel plate reactors are described in a number of U.S. Pat. Nos. including 4,612,077; 4,534,816, 4,595,484, 4,590,042; 4,407,708; and 4,158,589, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Parallel plate plasma reactors usually operable by introducing a low pressure enchant gas through the upper electrode plate and placing a single wafer or multiple wafers over the lower electrode. The plasma is uniformly generated as the etchant gas flows downward and the rf energy is applied to the reactor, typically across the two electrodes.
The upper electrode must meet a number of requirements in order to achieve desired performance characteristics. Foremost, the electrode must have defined electrical properties, such as impedance, current capacity, and the like, in order to couple rf energy into the plasma in combination with the lower electrode. Additionally, the upper electrode material must be able to withstand prolonged exposure to the generated plasma, and interaction between the electrode material and the plasma should not have a deleterious effect on any of the desired plasma properties. In particular, the upper electrode should not generate large particles or large quantities of particles and should not release heavy metals or other contaminants into the zone between the opposed electrodes. Transition group metals severely degrade minority carrier lifetimes and significantly increase junction leakage. Alakalis, particularly sodium, cause instability in MOS threshold voltages. The temperature characteristics of the plasma are also critical to system performance, and it is desirable that the electrode be able to be maintained at a uniform, stable temperature across its entire surface. Finally, it is often desirable that the enchant gas be introduced through the upper electrode. In that case, the electrode material should be machinable in order to form the necessary passages and other features for delivering a uniform flow of gas therethrough.
Heretofore, upper electrodes for parallel plate plasma reactors have generally been formed from a single (or coated) material, such as polycrystalline silicon, graphite, aluminum, flame sprayed silicon powder on aluminum, or the like. While each of these materials enjoys certain advantages, e.g. polycrystalline silicon is compatible with many plasma chemistries, anodized aluminum is relatively inexpensive and easy to fabricate, and graphite is readily machined and can be purified to semiconductor purity, no one material has been found to meet all electrode requirements.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved upper electrode construction used in, inter alia, parallel plate plasma reactors. Such electrodes should possess desirable electrical and thermal properties, and should be compatible with any or all plasma chemistries. In particular, it would be desirable if such electrodes were relatively easy and inexpensive to fabricate.
According to the present invention, an electrode assembly suitable for use in a parallel plate plasma reactor comprises a plate, usually in the form of a disk, composed of a "semiconductor purity" material having a substantially uniform thickness. One face of the plate is bonded to a support frame composed of an electrically and thermally conductive material, leaving the other face substantially flat and free from protuberances. Usually, the support frame will be in the form of a ring which is bonded about the periphery of a plate in the form of a disk. Preferably, a plate and support frame are bonded together with a relatively ductile bonding layer formed by brazing, soldering, or the like. The bonding material should be composed of a thermally and electrically conductive material, such as metals, conductive epoxies, or the like preferably being formed from low vapor pressure materials which will leave less tendency to contaminate low pressure reactor environments.
The present invention comprises the electrode assemblies themselves as well as improved parallel plate electrode reactors which incorporate the electrode assemblies as an upper or exposed electrode thereof.
The composite electrodes of the present invention have a number of advantages over previous electrodes formed from a single material. The plate portion of the composite electrode which is exposed to plasma can be formed from material which is most suitable for the processing conditions with less concern for the cost of the material or the ability to machine the material. Thus, the material of choice can be dictated primarily by plasma chemistry and the desirability to minimize formation of particles and release of other contaminates. Similarly, the support frame can be composed of material which has desired electrical, thermal, and structural properties and which can be relatively easily machined or otherwise formed into a desired geometry, e.g. a ring. In particular, the material of the support frame should not be brittle and should allow treatment within the reactor by bolting or other conventional fasteners. The material of the support frame will usually be chosen to have a thermal expansion coefficient which is generally compatible with that of the electrode plate, but a certain amount of mismatch can be tolerated when the bonding layer is formed from a ductile material. In a preferred embodiment, the support frame is chosen to have a slightly greater coefficient of thermal expansion. By then joining and/or curing the bonding layer at a temperature above the expected operating temperature of the electrode, the electrode plate will be maintained under compression, enhancing the durability of the plate. In this way, the support frame can be reliably connected to an electrical power source as well as a heat sink intended to control the temperature of the electrode. By properly configuring the contact area between the support frame and the electrode plate, the rf fields produced by the electrode as well as the temperature profile maintained across the electrode can be maintained within desired parameters.
The present invention provides an improved construction for an electrode assembly useful particularly in parallel plate plasma reactor apparatus. Such reactor apparatus typically include upper and lower electrodes where the upper electrode is mounted in a housing which is capable of moving up and down relative to the lower electrode. The lower electrode which is generally fixed, will serve as a support service or "chuck" for the semiconductor wafer or other article which is being treated. A particular construction for such a reactor is described in more detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 3.
The electrode assembly of the present invention comprises a generally flat plate, usually in the form of a disk having a substantially uniform thickness thereacross, which is composed of a material which is "semiconductor pure". Semiconductor purity means that the material is at least 99.999% pure and is substantially free of trace contaminants that could interfere with the associated wafer fabrication process. In particular, the material should have a total ash content of less than 10 parts per million (ppm) including minimal amounts of heavy metal, transition group metal, and alkali contaminants which are particularly damaging to silicon device performance.
The plate will provide an electrode surface which is exposed to the plasma in the parallel plate or other reactor. Thus, the plate will be composed of a particular semiconductor pure material which is selected to be compatible with the plasma chemistry being performed in the reactor. Etching is typically performed with halogen-based chemistries, and the materials listed in Table 1 below are generally suitable for most such chemistries. This listing is not meant to be comprehensive and other electrode materials and plasma chemistries may also be used in the present invention.
The thickness and other dimensions of the electrode plate are not critical and will be selected based on the dimensions of the reactor, cost of the material, machinability of the material, material erosion rate, and the like. Usually, however, for expensive material it will be desirable to minimize the thickness of the electrode plate while providing sufficient material to permit extended use before thinning of the material requires replacement. Most commonly, the plate will be in the form of a disc having a diameter in the range from about 12 cm to 32 cm, usually being in the range from about 15 cm to 25 cm. The thickness of the plate will be in the range from about 0.1 cm to 2 cm, usually being in the range from about 0.3 cm to 1 cm.
The geometry of the electrode plate will generally be symmetric and relatively simple in order to enhance uniform electrical and thermal characteristics as well as minimize stresses which might occur during machining, mounting, and/or use of the electrode. The most preferred geometry is a round disk. The plate will generally be flat and free from protuberances, but the upper face might have ridges, shoulders, or other symmetric features. In particular, a peripheral shoulder may be provided to facilitate connection to a support ring, as described below. The exposed face of the electrode plate will be free from protuberances and it will usually be desirable to form apertures or orifices through the plate in order to facilitate introduction of reactant gases into the reactor volume. Such apertures will generally be chosen to have symmetrical characteristics, usually having a circular profile, and will be typically laid out in a uniform, symmetric pattern which will minimize non-uniformities in the thermal, electrical, and structural properties of the disk.
As an alternative to discrete orifices, electrode plates may be formed from a porous, sintered material, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,114, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In some cases, it will also be possible to form the electrode with a slight curvature, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,603,466 and 4,615,755, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The use of such "domed" electrodes, however, is generally limited to the electrode which supports the wafer being processed.
The electrode assembly of the present invention further comprises a support frame which is bonded to one face or surface of the electrode plate. The support frame provides mechanical support for the electrode plate when mounted in the reactor housing, as discussed hereinafter. Additionally, the support frame will provide electrical and thermal connection of the electrode plate to the rf source and heat sink provided within the reactor. Thus, the support frame is preferably formed from a material having high electrical and thermal conductivities. By electrical conductivity, of course, it is meant the materials should have a low impedance within the rf range of interest, typically either about 400 kHz or about 13 MHz. The material of the support frame should be readily machinable so that the support frame can be shaped to be compatible with mounting of the electrode assembly in a wide variety of parallel plate and other reactor systems. Suitable materials for this support frame include graphite, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, and the like.
The support frame may assume virtually any geometry, but will preferably have a symmetric geometry corresponding to that of the electrode plate, i.e., usually having a circular symmetry in order to enhance uniform thermal, electrical, and structural characteristics in the electrode assembly during use. In the case of circular electrode plates, i.e. disks, the support frame will typically be an annular ring (or include a plurality of concentric annular rings) which is bonded about the periphery of one face of surface of the electrode plate. As described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings, the use of the annular ring defines a region for receiving enchant gases which are then passed through the apertures or orifices, when present in the electrode plate. Alternatively, the support frame could itself be a disk having apertures aligned with the apertures in the electrode plate (if any) to allow introduction of reactant gases.
Referring now to
Support ring 14 includes a flange portion 18 and a downward extension portion 20. The downward extension is sized to engage the upper surface 22 of electrode disk 12 about its periphery.
Exemplary dimensions for the electrode assembly 10 are set forth herein below.
The support ring 14 may be bonded to the electrode plate 12 by any suitable process which provides the necessary bonding strength as well as thermal and electrical characteristics. Typically, bonding will be performed by either brazing, soldering or use of adhesives to form a ductile bonding layer, preferably having a low vapor pressure. The ductility is desirable so that any thermal expansion mismatch between the electrode plate 12 and support ring 14 will not result in breaking or fracturing of the bond, or the electrode plate 12.
With both soldering and brazing, a metallic bonding layer will be formed between the electrode plate and the support frame. Suitable metals include ductile, low vapor pressure metals, such as indium, silver, and alloys thereof. Particularly preferred is the use of indium. The characteristics of indium are particularly well balanced for use as the bonding layer. Indium is available at relatively high purity, has a high ductility, and provides good wetting of and abrasion to other materials. Additionally, indium has moderate strength, a moderate melting point, and a relatively low vapor pressure which minimizes loss into the reactor. The difference between soldering and brazing is primarily temperature, with soldering generally being performed at below about 800� F. and brazing generally being performed at above about 800� F.
In a preferred embodiment, the electrode plate 12 is secured to the support ring 14 by soldering with indium at a temperature of about 310� F. to 320� F. Soldering is a less expensive process and is particularly suitable for joining materials which have a large mismatch in their coefficients of thermal expansion. The relatively low solidification temperature of soldered materials minimizes the expansion mismatch at the solidification temperature. Brazing will usually provide a higher strength bond, but is suitable only for materials which have well matched thermal expansion coefficients in order to avoid high stresses in the bonding layer and electrode plate after cooling to room temperature.
As an alternative to soldering or brazing, the bonding layer may be formed from an electrically and thermally conductive adhesive, preferably from a metal filled epoxy such as a silver, aluminum, nickel, platinum, gold, iron, and copper-filled epoxy. Suitable metal filled epoxies are commercially available from suppliers, such as Devcon Corporation, Thermoset Plastics, Shell Company, and Varian Associates.
The support ring 14 and electrode pair 12 will be bonded at an interface region defined by the contact area between the ring and the plate. It will generally be advantageous to maximize the interface area in order to enhance thermal and electrical contact as well as structural support. Usually, the contact area will have an annular width of at least about 1 cm, preferably being at least about 1.5 cm. The width may, of course, be greater up to and including having contact along the entire rear surface of the plate.
When employing brazing or soldering, it will usually be desirable to coat thin layers of metal on the interface region of both the support frame and the electrode to enhance wetability and adhesion of the bonding layer. Suitable metals typically include titanium and nickel, and will usually be applied to thicknesses in the range from about 1000 Å to 50,000 Å by conventional techniques, such as sputtering.
In forming the electrode assembly 10, it will be desirable to "pre-stress" the support ring 14 so that it provides a radially-directed inward compression on the electrode plate 12. Such a compressive stress helps to inhibit stress fracturing of the electrode plate 12 during use. More specifically, by utilizing a support ring 14 which is formed from a material which has a slightly larger thermal expansion coefficient than that of the electrode plate, and forming or curing the bonding layer at a temperature above the expected operating temperature, the support ring will apply a constant compressive force on both the electrode plate and the bonding layer. Even when the temperature of the electrode assembly is raised from room temperature to the operation temperature, the support ring will still be in compression (although reduced relative to room temperature). Thus, thermal cycling will be less likely to fracture the electrode plate which is fragile relative to the support ring.
Referring now to
Briefly, the reactor housing 52 includes a lower electrode plate 58 which is adapted to receive a single wafer substrate on its upper surface. The electrode assembly 10 is mounted in an upper structure 59 which is reciprocally mounted in an open upper end of the reactor chamber 52 with a motor-driven screw mechanism 60 capable of raising and lowering the upper structure 59. In this way, the gap between the exposed surface of electrode plate 12 and the lower electrode 58 may be precisely adjusted.
The load lock mechanisms 54 and 56 include means for transferring single wafers from a wafer supply source 62 through the reactor vessel 52 and out to a wafer receptacle 64. The construction of suitable load locks and transfer mechanisms are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,433,951; 4,483,654; 4,728,252; and 4,833,790, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The reactor system 50 will also include an etchant gas source 70 connected to the electrode housing 59 to deliver the etchant gas to the electrode assembly 10. The system further includes a blower and main pump 72 used to maintain the pressure in the housing 52 at the desired level, typically in the range from about 0.01 to 10 Torr. The reactor system 50 will also include a cooling water source 74 connected above the upper and lower electrodes, as well as a load lock pump 76 for drawing down the pressure in load locks 54 and 56. Finally, the system 50 includes an rf power source 78 for supplying the necessary excitation voltage to the electrode assembly 10 and lower electrode 58. An exemplary power source is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,421, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Alternate embodiments of the electrode assembly of the present invention are illustrated in
The electrode assembly 10″ (
Referring now in particular to
Reactant gas from gas panel 70 is fed to electrode plate 12 through central passage 86. The gas enters the region between the rear (unexposed) surface of electrode plate 12 and the lower surface of backing plate 80. A pair of baffle plates 87 and 88 are provided in the region between the backing plate 80 and electrode plate 12 in order to help distribute the gas evenly through apertures 16 formed in the electrode plate. The baffle plates may be substantially solid disks including a plurality of apertures (as illustrated) or may alternatively be screen members defining a plurality of tortuous paths in order to help distribute the reactive gas.
Additional structure including a first insulating ring 90 and a second insulating ring 92 are provided about the outer periphery of the electrode assembly 10. Such structure protects the support ring 14 from direct contact with the plasma, enhances the electrical field properties of the electrode plate 12 during use, and electrically insulates the electrode assembly 10 from the upper structure 59.
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the intended claims.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
Original Image


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The care and cleaning of a cast iron pan is different than that of other types of cookware. This is a guide about cleaning a cast iron pan.
Read and rate the best solutions below by giving them a "thumbs up".
Sometimes a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet needs more than just a simple scraping/wiping to get it ready for the next job. In those cases, I used to soak mine in hot water in the sink. Then I wised up and decided to boil water in it on my stove top. I believe the hotter water soaks and cleans the pan better. Just a few minutes at boil followed by brushing with coarse brush should do the job.
Then I wipe dry, finish the drying on low stove top heat. When totally dry, add a tiny dab of whatever oil you like and continue heating for another few minutes. I use a heavy-duty paper towel to burnish the oil in the pan once or twice before shutting the stove down.
My favorite skillet then gleams and I can almost see my reflection in it. The bottom is just as smooth as the proverbial 'baby's butt'.
By tomatohanger from Canton, OH
Give a "thumbs up" to the solution that worked the best! Do you have a better solution? Click here to share it!
Here are questions related to Cleaning a Cast Iron Pan.
When our mother passed away, we cleaned out her home, inside of the oven we found a cast iron pot in which she had fried fish and never got a chance to clean. It is a beautiful cast iron pot which I do not want to throw away but despite my efforts in cleaning, it will not shed the fishy smell. Do any of you thrifty readers know of a way to clean smelly cast iron. It had a top to it and was covered for who knows how long.
By john larney [1]07/12/2009
Vinegar is good but make sure it is apple vinegar and use a 1 to 5 ration of vinegar to water, boil for a while, wipe it dry. Then a little more of the mixture. Use a paper towel to wipe it around and then a clean paper towel to dry it, never soap.
Can anyone tell me how to clean built up and burned on food from an iron skillet?
By Sandi from St Louis, MO
By sandikay11/15/2011
If you have a self cleaning oven, leave 1 rack in it and put the iron skillets upside down. Start self cleaning mode. After the oven has cooled down remove skillet and wash and reseason. They will look brand new when done.
What is the best way to clean up an old iron skillet? I know you are supposed to rub oil on them after use. Is it true you do not use soap in them? My grandmother's old iron skillet has a few rusty areas. I'd like to clean that all up and start using it on a regular basis.
By Danielle from Raleigh, NC
By Dorothy [1]10/13/2010
Lodge manufacturers cast iron pans. I followed their instructions on how to re-season my cast iron and it came out beautiful. Check this site for other tips on cleaning and cooking.
How do you clean iron skillets that have not been used in about 3 years and have been sitting in a closet?
By Sophia
By Sharon Stone Gibson [4]10/27/2011
I have cast iron skillets from my mother and mother-in-law. I love them! They are family treasures. If your cast iron has been sitting for a long time and not being used, treat it like you would a new one. Completely season it again. To season it: 1) Wash with warm soapy water....do not use any abrasive cleanser or cloth, then rinse really well. 2) Dry really well. 3) Rub a good quality vegetable oil all over it. 4) Put it into a preheated oven for at least one hour on 350 degrees. 5) Let cool completely in the oven. Now, your skillet should be good to go! Happy cooking! :)
How can the crust that develops on a cast iron fry pan be removed?
By Frank N.
By Carol Z.11/22/2011
I have always put my cast iron skillets in my oven when I turn on the self cleaning cycle. They come out wonderfully clean, you just have to wash off the ash with soapy water.
Thrifty Fun has been around so long that many of our pages have been reset several times. Archives are older versions of the page and the feedback that was provided then.
Don't use dish soap to clean cast iron pans and don't run them through the dishwasher. Fill the dirty pan with water and bring it to a boil, then you should be able to scrub off any debris. Rinse with hot water, let the pan dry and rub a small amount of shortening, lard, cooking spray or cooking oil inside the pan before storing.
Maintenance is the best form of cleaning. Clean and oil right away. (01/24/2005)
By terry
By tuey
By SFreer
By Harriet
---> Cast Iron... NOTHING beats it! (08/29/2006)
By Cyinda
Susan from ThriftyFun (08/29/2006)
By ThriftyFun
By dpcw
By Grandma Margie
By gben82
I love using my old-fashioned cast iron cookware, especially my grandmother's Dutch oven for homemade soups on top of our wood stove. I treasure each piece.
I have found it best to wash only in hot water, and then rub some vegetable shortening on the inside of each one after washing. This keeps them rust-free with that beautiful black sheen. This also makes them quite "non-stick" without a questionable coating, like Teflon.
By Margaret M. from N. Springfield, VT
By pkgobble
How can I clean cast iron pots?
I use cast iron pans to help keep our blood iron levels more normal. But sometimes when we forget to season them well things get stuck on the bottom, or even burned. Putting a little water into the hot pan will cause all the charred bits to lift right off. In a few minutes, it can be swished out easily with no scraping or scrubbing.
By Bailey36 from SW Michigan
By soapynurse


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Klaine vs. Finchel: Whose Glee Post-Breakup Reunion Was the Most Awkward?
Is it just us, or was Klaine and Finchel's big post-breakup reunion during Glee Season 4, Episode 6: "Glease" one of the most uncomfortable things you've ever had to watch?
Seeing your ex for the first time is bound to be awkward — especially when the split was so dramatic — and both couples' reunions definitely fit that bill.
Finn (Cory Monteith) and Rachel (Lea Michele) at least managed to talk to each other a little bit, though they really couldn't seem to think of much to say. Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) were virtually silent, and the two could barely manage to look at each other.
Kurt only came to McKinley because he wanted closure on ending things with Blaine. But when his ex finally chased him down and tried to explain the real story of what happened with his cheating incident, Kurt more or less plugged his ears and refused to hear any of it.
Rachel went to Mckinley feeling little need for closure, but she ended up leaving with things in a much worse place than before she arrived. Finn caught her in tears over Brody (Dean Geyer) and the hurt of watching her move on so quickly was too much for him to bear.
Finn mandated that the two of them cut off all contact. If they're forced to see each other at all, they won't even speak.
Obviously, neither of the reunions went well. All four of them are still very much in pain. But with so much post-breakup awkwardness, which couple do you think got the worst of it? Finchel or Klaine: which reunion was the most uncomfortable for you to watch?
Can't get enough Gleetastic goodness? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!


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Alan J. Krupnick
Senior Fellow and Co-Director, RFF's Center for Energy and Climate Economics
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Air Quality
Policy and Analysis
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Alan Krupnick is Co-Director of Resources for the Future's
Center for Energy and Climate Economics
and a Senior Fellow at RFF. As the Director of CECE, Alan works with the full complement of Center researchers to establish and carry out the Center's research agenda.
Alan's own research focuses on analyzing environmental and energy issues, in particular, the benefits, costs and design of pollution and energy policies, both in the United States and in developing countries. He was lead author for the Toward a New National Energy Policy: Assessing the Options study, examining the costs and cost-effectiveness of a range of federal energy policy choices in both the transportation and electricity sectors. His primary research methodology is in the development and analysis of stated preference surveys, but he has also undertaken research on natural gas supply and impact on energy prices and policies; the costs and benefits of converting the U.S. heavy-duty truck fleet to run on liquefied natural gas; and the costs and benefits of expanded regulation around deepwater oil drilling.
Alan has been a consultant to state governments, federal agencies, private corporations, the Canadian government, the European Union, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank. He co-chaired an advisory committee that counseled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on new ozone and particulate standards. Krupnick also served as senior economist on the President's Council of Economic Advisers, advising the Clinton administration on environmental and natural resource policy issues. He is a regular member of expert committees from the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. EPA. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Maryland.
Featured Publications
Understanding the Costs and Benefits of Deepwater Oil Drilling Regulation
Alan J. Krupnick
, Sarah Campbell, Mark A Cohen, Ian W.H. Parry
RFF Discussion Paper 10-62 | January 2011
Toward a New National Energy Policy: Assessing the Options
Alan J. Krupnick
, Ian W.H. Parry,
Margaret A. Walls
, Tony Knowles, Kristin Hayes
RFF Report | November 2010
The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth
Fredrik Carlsson, Mitesh Kataria,
Alan J. Krupnick
, Elina Lampi, Åsa Lofgren, Ping Qin, Thomas Sterner, Susie Chung
RFF Discussion Paper EfD 10-24 | November 2010
Abundant Shale Gas Resources: Long-Term Implications for U.S. Natural Gas Markets
Stephen P.A. Brown
Alan J. Krupnick
RFF Discussion Paper 10-41 | August 2010
Energy, Greenhouse Gas, and Economic Implications of Natural Gas Trucks
Alan J. Krupnick
Backgrounder | June 2010
Paying for Mitigation: A Multiple Country Study
Fredrik Carlsson, Mitesh Kataria,
Alan J. Krupnick
, Elina Lampi, Åsa Lofgren, Ping Qin, Susie Chung, Thomas Sterner
RFF Discussion Paper 10-33 | June 2010
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| December 2010 | Vol. 48, No. 4 | pp. 203-934 | Related Discussion Paper
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Environmental Science and Technology
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Elicitation from Large, Heterogeneous Expert Panels: Using Multiple Uncertainty Measures to Characterize Information Quality for Decision Analysis.
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Using Expert Elicitation to Link Foodborne Illness in the U.S. to Food
Sandra Hoffmann, Paul Fischbeck, Alan Krupnick, Mike McWilliams
Journal of Food Protection
| May 2007 | Vol. 70, No. 5. | pp. 1220-1229
The Effect of Risk Characteristics on the Willingness to Pay for Mortality Risk Reductions in Electric Power Generation
Kenshi Itaoka, Aya Saito: Fuji Research Institute Co., Japan;Alan Krupnick: Resources for the Future, USA;Wiktor Adamowicz: University of Alberta, Canada;and Taketoshi Taniguchi: Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry, Japan
Environmental and Resource Economics
| forthcoming
Valuation of Natural Resource Improvements in the Adirondacks
Spencer Banzhaf, Dallas Burtraw, David Evans, and Alan Krupnick
Land Economics
| August 2006 | Vol. 82, No. 3 | pp. 445-464
Economics of Pollution Trading for SO2 and NOx
Dallas Burtraw, David A. Evans, Alan Krupnick, KarenPalmer, and Russell Toth
Annual Review of Environment and Resources
| November 2005 | Vol. 30 | pp. 253-289 | Related Discussion Paper
Economics of Pollution Trading for SO2 and NOx
Dallas Burtraw, David A. Evans, Alan Krupnick, Karen Palmer, and Russel Toth
Annual Review of Environment and Resources, forthcoming
| 2005 | Vol. 30 | pp. 253-289
Does the Value of Statistical Life Vary with Age and Health Status? Evidence from the U.S. and Canada
Anna Alberini, Maureen Cropper, Alan Krupnick and Nathalie Simon
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| Forthcoming | Related Discussion Paper
The Ancillary Carbon Benefits of SO2 Reductions from a Small Boiler Policy in Taiyuan, PRC
Richard Morgenstern, Alan Krupnick and Xuehua Zhang
Journal of Environment and Development Economics
| 2004
The Value of Good Quality Drinking Water to Canadians and the Role of Risk Perceptions: A Preliminary Analysis
Victor Adamowicz, Diane Dupont and Alan Krupnick
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
| 2003
Trading Cases: Is Trading Credits in Created Markets a Better Way to Reduce Pollution and Protect Natural Resources?
Karen Palmer, Jim Boyd, Dallas Burtraw, Alan Krupnick, Virginia McConnell, Jim Sanchirico, and Margaret Walls
Environmental Science and Technology
| June 2003 | Vol. 79, No. 3
Ancillary Benefits of Reduced Air Pollution in the United States from Moderate Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies in the Electricity Sector
Dallas Burtraw, Alan Krupnick, Karen Palmer, Anthony Paul, Mike Toman, and Cary Bloyd
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| May 2003 | Vol. 45, No. 3 | pp. 650-673
Ancillary Benefits of Reduced Air Pollution in the U.S. from Moderate Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies in the Electricity Sector
Dallas Burtraw, Alan Krupnick, Karen Palmer, Anthony Paul, Mike Toman, and Cary Bloyd
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| July 2003 | Related Discussion Paper
The Future of Cost-Benefit Analysis at EPA
Richard Morgenstern and Alan Krupnick
The Annual Review of Public Health
| May 2002 | Vol. 23
The Value of Reducing Risk of Death: A Policy Perspective 2002
Alan Krupnick
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
| Spring 2002 | Vol. 21, No. 2 | pp. 275-278
Age, Health and the Willingness to Pay for Mortality Risk Reductions: A Contingent Valuation Survey of Ontario Residents
Alan Krupnick, Maureen Cropper, Anna Alberini, Nathalie Simon, Bernie O'Brien, and Ronald Goeree
Journal of Risk and Uncertainty
| March 2002 | Vol. 24, No. 2 | pp. 161-175
Public Support for Pollution Fee Policies for Motor Vehicles with Revenue Recycling: Survey Results
Alan Krupnick, Winston Harrington, and Anna Alberini
Regional Science and Urban Economics
| July 2001 | Vol. 31, No. 4 | pp. 505-522 | Related Discussion Paper
Location Efficient Mortgages: Is the Rationale Sound?
Allen Blackman and Alan J. Krupnick
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
| 2001 | Vol. 20, No. 4 | pp. 633-649 | Related Discussion Paper
Overcoming Public Aversion to Congestion Pricing
Winston Harrington, Alan J. Krupnick, and Anna Alberini
Transportation Research
| 2001 | Part A, Vol. 35 | pp. 87-105
Cost of Illness and WTP Estimates of the Benefits of Improved Air Quality: Evidence from Taiwan
Anna Alberini and Alan Krupnick
Land Economics
| February 2000 | Vol. 76, No. 1 | pp. 37-53
Economic Analysis and the Clean Air Act
Alan Krupnick
Pace Environmental Law Review
| Winter 1998 | Vol. 16, No. 1 | pp. 69-80
The Costs and Benefits of Reducing Air Pollutants Related to Acid Rain
Dallas Burtraw, Alan J. Krupnick, Erin Mansur, David Austin, and Deirdre Farrell
Contemporary Economic Policy
| October 1998 | Vol. 16 | pp. 379-400 | Related Discussion Paper
Intel's Project XL Agreement: Who Benefits?
Janice Mazurek, James Boyd, and Alan Krupnick
Semiconductor Fabtech
| July 1998 | Edition 8 | pp. 67-73
Air Quality and Episodes of Acute Respiratory Illness in Taiwan Cities: Evidence from Survey Data
Anna Alberini and Alan Krupnick
Journal of Urban Economics
| 1998 | Vol. 44, No. 1 | pp. 68-92
Social Costs of Electricity: Do the Numbers Add Up?
Alan J. Krupnick and Dallas Burtraw
Resources and Energy
| December 1997 | Vol. 18, No. 4 | pp. 423-466 | Related Discussion Paper
The Second-Best Use of Social Cost Estimates
Dallas Burtraw and Alan J. Krupnick
Resources and Energy
| December 1997 | Vol. 18, No. 4 | pp. 467-490 | Related Discussion Paper
Valuing Health Effects of Air Pollution in Developing Countries: The Case of Taiwan
Anna Alberini, Maureen Cropper, Tsu-Tan Fu, Alan Krupnick, Jin-Tan Liu, Daigee Shaw, and Winston Harrington
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| December 1997 | Vol. 34 | pp. 107-126
Air Pollution and Acute Respiratory Illness; Evidence from Taiwan and Los Angeles
Anna Alberini and Alan Krupnick
American Journal of Agricultural Economics
| December 1997 | Vol. 79
Second-Best Adjustments to Externality Estimates in Electricity Planning with Competition
Dallas Burtraw, Karen L. Palmer, and Alan J. Krupnick
Land Economics
| May 1997 | Vol. 73, No. 2 | pp. 224-239 | Related Discussion Paper
Cost-Benefit Analysis and Regulatory Reform
Ray Kopp, Alan Krupnick, and Michael A. Toman
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment
| November 1997 | Vol. 3, No. 5
Value of Health Benefits from Ambient Air Quality Improvements In Central and Eastern Europe: An Exercise in Benefits Transfer
Alan Krupnick, Kenneth Harrison, Eric Nickell, and Michael A. Toman
Environmental and Resource Economics
| June 1996
Optimal Adders for Environmental Damage by Public Utilities
Dallas Burtraw, Winston Harrington, A. Myrick Freeman III, and Alan J. Krupnick
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| July 1995 | Vol. 29, No. 2 | pp. S1-S19
Social Costing of Electricity in Maryland: Effects on Pollution, Investment and Prices
Karen L. Palmer, Alan J. Krupnick, Hadi Dowlatabadi, and Stuart Siegel
The Energy Journal
| 1995 | Vol. 16 | pp. 1-26
Global Warming and Urban Smog: The Cost-Effectiveness of CAFE Standards and Alternative Fuels
Margaret Walls, Alan Krupnick, and Carol Collins
The Energy Journal
| October 1993 | Vol. 14, No. 4 | pp. 75-97
Air Pollution and Respiratory Morbidity Among Adults in Southern California
Winston Harrington, Bart D. Ostro, Michael J. Lipsett, Jennifer K. Mann, and Alan J. Krupnick
Journal of Epidemiology
| April 1993 | Vol. 137, No. 7
The External Costs of Nuclear Power: Ex Ante Damages and Lay Risks
Alan J. Krupnick, A. Markandya, and E. Nickell
American Journal of Agricultural Economics
| 1993 | Vol. 75 | pp. 1273-1279
Weighing Environmental Externalities: How to Do It Right
Dallas Burtraw, A. Myrick Freeman III, Winston Harrington, and Alan J. Krupnick
The Electricity Journal
| August/September 1992 | Vol. 5, No. 7 | pp. 22-29
Externality Adders: A Response to Joskow
Alan Krupnick and A. Myrick Freeman III
The Electricity Journal
| August/September 1992 | Vol. 5, No. 7 | pp. 61-63
The Cost-Effectiveness of Methanol for Reducing Motor Vehicle Emissions and Urban Ozone
Alan Krupnick and Margaret Walls
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
| July 1992 | Vol. 11, No. 3 | pp. 373-376
Social Costs of Electricity
Dallas Burtraw and Alan J. Krupnick
Public Power
| May-June 1992 | Vol. 50, No. 3 | p. 56
Electric Vehicles and the Air Pollution in Los Angeles
Alan J. Krupnick, A. Ted Russell, and Hadi Dowlatabadi
Energy and Environment
| 1992 | Vol. 3, No. 2
The Effect of Information on Health Risk Valuation
Alan Krupnick and Maureen Cropper
Journal of Risk and Uncertainty
| 1992 | Vol. 5 | pp. 29-48
Controlling Urban Air Pollution: A Benefit Cost Assessment
Alan J. Krupnick and Paul R. Portney
| April 26, 1991 | Vol. 252 | pp. 522-528
Transportation and Urban Air Pollution in Developed and Developing Countries
Alan J. Krupnick
Transportation Research Record
| 1991 | p. 1312
Ambient Ozone and Acute Health Effects: Evidence from Daily Data
Alan J. Krupnick, Winston Harrington, and Bart Ostro
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| 1990 | Vol. 18 | pp. 1-18
The Economic Losses of a Waterborne Disease Outbreak
Winston Harrington, Alan J. Krupnick, and Walter O. Spofford, Jr.
Journal of Urban Economics
| 1989 | Vol. 25 | pp. 116-137
To Live and Breath in L.A.
Alan J. Krupnick, Paul R. Portney, David Harrison, and Hadi Dowlatabadi
Issues in Science & Technology
| 1989 | Vol. 4, No. 4 | pp. 68-73
Reducing Bay Nutrients: An Economic Perspective
Alan J. Krupnick
Maryland Law Review
| Winter 1988 | Vol. 47, No. 2
Agricultural Policy and the Benefits of Ozone Control
Alan J. Krupnick and Raymond Kopp
Journal of the American Agricultural Economics Association
| December 1987 | Vol. 69, No. 5
Sources of Uncertainty in Economic Analyses of Management Strategies for Controlling Groundwater Contamination
Alan J. Krupnick and Walter O. Spofford, Jr.
Journal of the American Agricultural Economics Association, Proceedings
| December 1986 | pp. 1234-1239
Short-Term Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure and Acute Respiratory Disease in Children
Winston Harrington and Alan J. Krupnick
Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association
| October 1985
Assessment of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Policies
Winston Harrington, Alan J. Krupnick, and Henry Peskin
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
| January-February 1985 | Vol. 4, No. 1
Evaluation of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Policies
Alan J. Krupnick, Henry Peskin, and Winston Harrington
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
| 1985 | Vol. 40 | pp. 27-32
Synergistic Effects on Rat Lungs of Mixtures of Oxidant Pollutants and Respirable Aerosols: A Comment
Alan J. Krupnick and Robert Frank
American Review of Respiratory Disease
| May 1984 | Vol. 129
On Marketable Air-Pollution Permits: The Case for a System of Pollution Offsets
Wallace E. Oates, Alan J. Krupnick, and E. Van De Verg
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
| September 1983 | Vol. 10 | pp. 233-237
Understanding Regulatory Decision Making: An Econometric Approach
Winston Harrington, Alan J. Krupnick, and Wesley A. Magat
Policy Studies Journal
| 1982 | Vol. 11, No. 1
Variable Rate Mortgages: Boon or Bane?
Alan J. Krupnick
Business Review
| September 1972
SDRs: Super-Duper Reserve?
Alan J. Krupnick
Business Review
| July 1971
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text:
This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country which has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.
This proposed sale of the AGM-142D missile allows Israel to increase its capability to engage high value and hardened/buried targets. The proposed sale will contribute significantly to U.S. strategic and tactical objectives by strengthening the unity of the coalition forces throughout the region. Israel, which already has AGM-142D air-to-ground missiles in its inventory, will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region.
The prime contractor will be Lockheed-Martin Electronics and Missiles of Orlando, Fla. There are no offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government representatives or contractor representatives to Israel.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.


text:
Brazilian Blaze
Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 8:13 PM
Author: Sierra Birx (news editor)
As many were celebrating their final day of freedom from school and work, a blaze broke out, cutting the celebrations and many lives, short. It began at about 2 a.m. on Jan. 27 when some 2,000 people in a Santa Maria nightclub began chaotically trying to escape the flames. Of those 2,000 people, 1,000 of them were over the maximum occupancy limit of the Kiss nightclub and at least 230 didn't make it out.
While officials in Brazil have not yet ruled on the cause of the fire, they, along with survivors of the tragedy, say that there was a pyrotechnics show going on just before the fire broke out. An accordion player was also performing on the same stage and is among the victims.
As people were struggling to flee the club's premises, guards were fighting to keep them in by blocking the doors. The misunderstanding led to more confusion and panic.
"Some guards thought at first that it was a fight, a huge fight that happened inside the club and closed the doors so that the people could not leave without paying their bills from the club," said reporter from CNN affiliate, Band News, Glauber Fernandes.
Of the over 230 people whose bodies were found in the club, 185 have been identified thanks to the congregation of the bodies in a nearby gym. Many of those died not from the blaze itself, but from smoke inhalation and crush injuries sustained during the stampede to get out. Many of the bodies were found trapped in the bathroom or trapped by the roof collapse that happened in the midst of the chaos.
Since August, the club's license was expired, had no exit signs lighting the way out, and very few emergency exit doors. The club owner, band member Gurizada Fandangueira and the club's head of security have all been arrested by police, according to ABC News.
Many college students were among the victims of the fire. The Federal University of Santa Maria, a private university in the area, was home to at least 80 of the students killed in the blaze.
Past pyrotechnic tragedies left 100 people dead in a 2003 fire in Rhode Island and almost 200 dead in a 2004 nightclub fire in Argentina.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was at a conference in Chile when the news broke, prompting her to leave and go back home to support the people of Brazil.
"The Brazilian people are the ones who need me today. I want to tell the people of Santa Maria in this time of sadness that we are all together," Rousseff said.
As many classes and work schedules resume on Monday Jan. 28, first responders will continues to piece together the night and try to bring relief to the families of the victims.


text:
Linguistik-Klassifikation: Grammatikforschung / Grammar research
Year of publication
- 2008 (3) (remove)
- English (3) (remove)
- Grammatik (1)
- Hethitisch (1)
- Indogermanische Sprachen (1)
- Informationsstruktur (1)
- What is it about? The topic in some Ghanaian Gur grammars (2008)
- This talk deals with the pragmatic notion topic and its encoding in Buli and some related Ghanaian Gur languages and reveals that it is responsible for several intricate phenomena in the grammar of these languages.
- Hittite hi-verbs and the Indo-European perfect (2008)
- In an earlier study (1983) I argued that unlike aorists and athematic presents, Indo-European perfects and thematic presents originally had a dative subject, as in German mir träumt 'me dreams' for ich träume 'I dream', e.g. Greek oida 'I know' < 'it is known to me', édomai 'I will eat' < 'it is eatable to me'. On the basis of Oettinger's epoch-making book (1979), I proposed that the Hittite hi-flexion originated from a merger of the perfect, where *-i was added to 3rd sg. *-e in order to supply a new present, with the thematic flexion of causatives and iteratives, where the final *-e of 3rd sg. *-eie was dropped before the loss of intervocalic *-i- (1983: 315).
- On the scope of the referential hierarchy in the typology of grammatical relations (2008)
- In the late seventies, Bernard Comrie was one of the first linguists to explore the effects of the referential hierarchy (RH) on the distribution of grammatical relations (GRs). The referential hierarchy is also known in the literature as the animacy, empathy or indexibability hierarchy and ranks speech act participants (i.e. first and second person) above third persons, animates above inanimates, or more topical referents above less topical referents. Depending on the language, the hierarchy is sometimes extended by analogy to rankings of possessors above possessees, singulars above plurals, or other notions. In his 1981 textbook, Comrie analyzed RH effects as explaining (a) differential case (or adposition) marking of transitive subject ("A") noun phrases in low RH positions (e.g. inanimate or third person) and of object ("P") noun phrases in high RH positions (e.g. animate or first or second person), and (b) hierarchical verb agreement coupled with a direct vs. inverse distinction, as in Algonquian (Comrie 1981: Chapter 6).


text: Hello! On Fri, Oct 28, 2005 at 10:47:10AM +0200, Marc Espie wrote: >[...] >> We don't all install X on hosts that are simply intended to be servers. >> What's more I regularly have to do package installs to remote hosts >> accessed over a DSL line - and if you've never tried using X under such >> circumstances then my advice is _don't bother_ -- the performance sucks >> something rotten. >Oh, you should try dxpc then. It's *not* rotten. I've used X over a modem >in the past (yes, the 56K thingy), and it was *usable*. Interesting. As I'm sometimes using remote X over a slow line, I just tried dxpc out, too. Used lbxproxy and tightvnc before. xterm was a breeze, the window was there quite fast - with lbx it took much time until the window appeared, but afterwards it was usable (but then, the same was the case for X through ssh with Compression on). tightvnc is very usable for xterm, too. gaim crashes with some BadMatch error (works through plain X via ssh, lbx and tightvnc). Konqueror works but scrolling can be slow (I guess scrolling would be faster with tightvnc). Still an interesting thing. >[...] Kind regards, Hannah. PS: Did all via ssh (with compression), of course. dxpc using -L4000:localhost:4000, lbx using the normal forwarded display to proxy onto, vncviewer with the -via option. So no loss of security on the connection with dxpc or tightvnc.


text:
American Mary (2012)
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Farmingdale, New York
Posts: 1,399
I'm really confused why this movie is getting so much praise because it was OK at best. The concept of the film was interesting, but it was executed so poorly I don't know where to begin, I felt like I was watching some sort of body modification fetish movie. At the 40 minute mark I literally said, out loud to myself, "Where the fuck is this movie going?" and that's the biggest problem, it takes why to long for the Soaska's to figure out what it is they are trying to accomplish. There is no "real" story arc to be found, just a mesh of different scenario's thrown together. On the up side, the visual style is cool, the special effects are well done considering the budget, and, I think this goes without saying, Katherine Isabelle is finer than a mother fucker as usual (even in a surgeons clothes she is sexy!). I really wanted to like this movie a lot, but I was really underwhelmed. I think the Soaska's have some sort of untapped potential, but I'm not sure what it will take for them to show it.
Rating: 6/10
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text:
Lea Michele went on a filming marathon this weekend as she and some of her fellow Glee costars filmed on location all around New York City. And we mean all around. It seemed exhausting, but on the upside it gave her a chance to bust out some seriously killer skirts! The starlet traveled up and down Manhattan showing off some dance moves and flaunting her fab legs.Just looking at all the wardrobe changes kind of wears us out! She was filmed in Battery Pack mouthing No Doubt's "Don't Speak" to boyfriend Corey Monteith, strolling 14th Street with Chris Colfer and hanging out with Dean Geyer around Washington Square Park.
Lea stuck to loose sundresses for her personal attire over the weekend, but the preppy fall couture she was forced to don as Rachel Berry have been pretty rough considering the summer heat! The shoot had more costume changes than a Lady Gaga concert, so we collected her 10 leggiest looks from just this weekend alone! OK, so we snuck in one that wasn't from the shoot, but a pic she tweeted from her new Candies ad campaign. But we bet you'll get over it. Enjoy the hot legs, cool clothes, and sneak peek from the upcoming 4th season of the hit series!
[Photo: Splash News Online]


text:
|« Back to Article
Mexican city bans Tigres del Norte for drug songs
Associated Press : March 13, 2012 : Updated: March 13, 2012 7:31am
Photo By AP
The Tigres del Norte band pose in this 2002 handout photo in northern Mexico. The group, which drew fire in the past for songs about drug traffickers, is now mocking President Vicente Fox.
Photo By MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS
Julieta Vengas (L) and Jorge Hernandez from Los Tigres Del Norte perform at the sixth annual Latin Grammy Awards in Los Angeles November 3, 2005. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Photo By Miguel Tovar/AP
Accordion player Jorge Hernandez, of the Mexican band Tigres del Norte, performs during an ALAS, Latin America in Solidarity Action, Foundation concert in Mexico City, Saturday, May 17, 2008. More than 20 Latin American pop stars were featured in two simultaneous concerts in Mexico and Argentina Saturday to raise money for impoverished children in Latin America.
Photo By MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
Vina del Mar, CHILE: Mexican singer band "Los Tigres del Norte" tigers of North) performs during his presentation at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival 25 February, 2006, in vina del Mar Chile. AFP PHOTO/MARTIN BERNETTI
Photo By Alexander Sibaja/Getty Images
402080 02: Musical group "Los Tigres Del Norte" attend the OLAW (Organization Of Los Angeles Workers) press conference named "El Baile De Los Trabajadores" March 07, 2002 at Tamayos Restaurant in East Los Angeles, CA. The "Dance For The Workers" benefit concert for emigrants is scheduled for March 23, 2002 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
Photo By SETH WENIG/AP
Los Tigres Del Norte celebrate winning Best Norteno Album during the Latin Grammy Awards in New York, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006.
Photo By EDWARD A. ORNELAS/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
FOR METRO - Los Tigres Del Norte's Jorge Hernandez (left) and Hernan Hernandez perform with the band Sunday Feb. 10, 2008 during the 59th Annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo at the AT&T Center. (PHOTO BY EDWARD A. ORNELAS/STAFF)
Photo By KEVIN GEIL/EXPRESS-NEWS
SA LIFE - Los Tigres performs to a sellout crowd Sunday Feb. 9, 2003 at the SBC Center for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. KEVIN GEIL/STAFF
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) — The capital of Mexico's Chihuahua state has indefinitely banned the famous norteno group Los Tigres del Norte from playing in the city after the band sang ballads glorifying drug traffickers during a weekend concert.
There have been other attempts in Mexico to ban the ballads known as "narcocorridos," but seldom have they affected a mainstream group as popular as Los Tigres.
The band has been a mainstay of norteno music for decades, with hits like "Contrabando y Traicion" (Contraband and Betrayal) and "Jefe de Jefes" (Boss of Bosses).
"The musical group will not get permits for future shows in the city limits, until such time as authorities decide otherwise," the city said in a statement.
The Chihuahua city government said the band violated a three-month-old city ordinance prohibiting songs that glorify traffickers, and that the concert's organizers would be fined "at least 20,000 pesos" ($1,585).
The band appeared Saturday at a concert organized as part of a cattle expo.
A Twitter posting on an account linked to the band's official website claimed the group was surprised at the ban and was not aware of the ordinance.
The posting said the band had played "La Reyna del Sur," (The Queen of the South), a song believed to refer to alleged female drug capos like Sandra Avila Beltran, better known as the Queen of the Pacific.
City Governance Director Javier Torres Cardona said "we ask concert organizers and the artists themselves to think about the difficult situation the country is in."
According to official figures, drug-related violence has cost the lives of at least 47,515 people in Mexico from December 2006 through September 2011.
Chihuahua state, which lies on the U.S. border and contains Ciudad Juarez along with Chihuahua city, has been particularly hard hit by drug cartel violence.
On Monday, gunmen burst into a barber shop in Chihuahua and shot to death five young men, including one who was getting a haircut at the time, city officials said.
It is not the first time the Tigres del Norte have had run-ins over controversial songs.
The group canceled a planned appearance at an awards ceremony in 2009 after organizers allegedly asked it not to play the song "La Granja" (The Farm). The song's biting lyrics appear to lampoon former officials and also allude to the violence unleashed in Mexico's war on drug cartels.
Since 2002, here have been several scattered attempts by local governments in Mexico to ban narcocorridos, which are a subgenre that updates Mexico's folkloric "corrido" tradition of singing about revolutionary heroes to tell the story of, and sometimes lionize, drug traffickers.
In 2011, Sinaloa state implemented rules to rescind the liquor licenses of businesses that play the songs.