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- Filed Under
Events and activities are open to the public, free and in Mountain Home unless otherwise noted:
TLLC meeting slated
The Twin Lakes Literacy Council volunteer meeting is set 10 a.m. Thursday at Computer Automation Systems, 1793 AR Hwy. 201 N.
Fulton Co. holiday event set
The Fulton County Fair Holiday Extravaganza is set noon to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at Fulton County Fairgrounds. The event includes candles, florals, handbags, food, handmade crafts, jewelry, apparel, wall décor and home décor, art glass, photography, skin care, makeup and much more. Vendor space is still available. Funds from rentals and concessions will be used for a Modern Woodmen of America matching grant for a kitchen area at the fair theater building. For information, call (870) 895-5565.
BRMC Auxiliary sale announced
The Baxter Regional Medical Center Auxiliary monthly fundraiser, "Books R Fun" is set 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 7-8 in the BRMC Lagerborg Dining Room.


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Credit: © Sara De Boer / Retna
Jennifer Lopez (Sep 29th, 2005)
Jennifer Lopez rocks some serious height on top of her smooth French Twist.
Styling Tip
Step 1: Start with smooth, dry hair.
Step 2: Take a two-inch section on top and hold it straight up. Use a tight-toothed comb and backcomb in short strokes along the back of the section toward your scalp. Leaving your bangs out, repeat with all sections on top of your head.
Step 3: Pin a mesh hairstyling form onto the top of your head and smooth the hair on top of your head over the form. Gather all hair in back and roll it vertically until it snugs up against the back of your head. Pin securely into place.

subset: commoncrawl


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- The Big Picture - http://www.ritholtz.com/blog -
Star-Forming Region NGC 1763
Posted By Barry Ritholtz On January 23, 2013 @ 10:40 am In Science,Weekend | Comments Disabled
click for larger image
Source: Space.com [2]
I know that space doesn't look like this in real life, but that does not stop these images from tickling my fancy and sense of adventure . . .
Article printed from The Big Picture: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog
URL to article: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2013/01/star-forming-region-ngc-1763/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/star-forming-region-ngc-1763.jpg
[2] Space.com: http://www.space.com/17278-hubble-telescope-hidden-treasures-pictures.html
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2008 The Big Picture. All rights reserved.


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York City Mayor Kim Bracey has signed a contract with an interim business administrator.
Michael Johnson will temporarily fill the void left by Michael O'Rourke, who held the position for 14 years but said he resigned last month at Bracey's request.
According to the contract provided by the city controller's office, the city will pay Johnson at a rate of $75 per hour.
The total cost cannot exceed $42,000, according to the agreement.
The contract does not specify how many hours per week Johnson will work. However, to reach the $42,000 maximum at a rate of $75 per hour, Johnson would work the equivalent of 14 40-hour weeks.
The hourly rate is significantly higher than O'Rourke's rate of about $53 per hour. O'Rourke earned an annual salary of $110,250.
Johnson's contract with the city went into effect April 21 and will expire Dec. 31. Either party can cancel at any time with a 10-day notice, and it could be extended beyond Dec. 31 if both parties agree.
Bracey did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
On the agenda: Last week, she said she would discuss the appointment at Tuesday's York City Council meeting.
Councilman Michael Helfrich said he trusts that Johnson, who has a banking background, will do a good job. Johnson served as treasurer for Helfrich's 2011 election campaign.
"He's got a good, solid skill set," Helfrich said.
Council President Carol Hill-Evans said it is her understanding the city will pay Johnson as a contractor with money budgeted for "other professional services."
She said she views the $42,000 agreement as "a good deal."
But, Hill-Evans said, she hopes the contract with Johnson does not delay the search for a permanent business administrator.
"We want to get the best person in there that we can. I know it's going to take some time. I just hope that we can do it as quickly as possible," Hill-Evans said.
Background: Bracey originally characterized O'Rourke's departure as a voluntary resignation that went into effect April 14.
However, last week, O'Rourke said the mayor showed up at his house Sunday, April 13, and asked for his resignation. The next day, O'Rourke said, his email and building access were shut off.
According to a separation agreement, O'Rourke will remain on the city payroll until Aug. 31, collecting a paycheck for his accrued but unused vacation time.
Then, when O'Rourke's retirement goes into effect Sept. 1, the city will pay O'Rourke for his remaining vacation time of 1,060 hours.
Taken together, that amounts to more than 46 weekly paychecks. That means the city will pay him more than $97,000 in vacation time.
Job duties: According to Johnson's contract, the search for a replacement will be one of Johnson's responsibilities.
In the agreement, he is tasked with establishing a search and recruitment committee "to obtain qualified and capable candidates to fill the vacant" position.
Johnson's other responsibilities include management of the business administration department; oversight and management of city finances; evaluation and possible negotiation of proposed agreements; coordination with the state Department of Community and Economic Development on the Early Intervention Process related to York's "financially distressed" status; coordination with the mayor and city staff on a municipal asset and facility review; and coordination with the mayor and city staff on inter-municipal discussions of cost-sharing and regionalization.
Even though the mayor is not required to seek the council's approval of the appointment, Hill-Evans said she is glad the mayor has decided to appear at Tuesday's meeting to introduce Johnson.
"I think it's a courtesy, and it's a good move, for her to bring him forward rather than just putting him in that position," she said.
The council's meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. with public comment, followed by the legislative session at 7 p.m.
— Reach Erin James at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: Sean Hannity is on KGAB 4-7PM MDT weekdays [ Ron Paul and Stu Varney on Hannity Today By Dave Chaffin October 18, 2011 Today on the Sean Hannity Radio Program, Sean's guests will be: At 5:05pm MDT Congressman and Presidential hopeful Ron Paul will join Sean as part of our ongoing "Meet the Candidate" segment. Read More|Comment Category: Program News Tags: Ron Paul, Sean Hannity Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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Mark Cutler & Men Of Great Courage and The Bob Kendall Band will perform
On Saturday, May 25, Mark Cutler & Men Of Great Courage and The Bob Kendall Band will perform at Sandywoods Center For The Arts.
Mark Cutler & Men Of Great Courage (Jimmy Berger, Rick Couto, Bob Kirkman, Dick Reed) combine powerful lyrics with memorable melodies and driving rhythms. Mark's guitar-driven tunes are played and sung at every gig as if for the very first time. Come see why this gifted guitarist and award-winning singer/songwriter received the Providence Phoenix 2010 Male Vocalist award. Mark served as frontman for The Schemers and The Raindogs, and, with The Raindogs, toured in support of Bob Dylan and Warren Zevon. He continues to release award-winning CDs with bands such as Men of Great Courage and The Dino Club.
Bob Kendall is a singer/songwriter born in California, but raised in Huntsville, Alabama and Middletown, RI. At 19, he moved to Boston where he became a founding member of the bands Lifeboat, The Blood Oranges, and The Brothers Kendall. In 2002, Bob released his first solo record "Enough is Enough." That same year, he played the Newport Folk Festival.
Bob recently released the recording "Midnight Flower," a collection of songs that he has written over the past decade. It was self-produced and recorded in his shed studio, and mixed and fixed by Kraig Jordan and Pete Weiss. The title track features vocals by Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses, The Breeders). Bob describes his songs as "telling tales of recrimination and self-deception." He is currently recording with producer Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Pixies, Fort Apache).
Bob has opened for a host of legendary musicians, including The Replacements, REM, Psychedelic Furs, Billy Bragg, 10,000 Maniacs, Marshall Crenshaw, and many more. "Kendall's wistful vocals capture the ache of not belonging in your parents' world anymore. A piercing depiction of suburban teenage boredom." (Rolling Stone Magazine).
The event starts at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 advance, $15 at the door; visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/377354 for advance tickets. Sandywoods is located at 43 Muse Way, Tiverton.
For more information, call 401-241-7349 or visit www.sandywoodsmusic.com.
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Location, ST | website.com


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Never seen a flame.Missing the nylon mesh storage sack.List price $95.9550.00 shipped CONUS PAYPAL preferred
Edited by hwy395lvr on 01/05/2013 17:21:13 MST.
PM Sent about set
Still available? I'll take it. PM sent.
PM's answered
sold to Jared....thank you
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text:
A revolution in hearables may be coming soon
November 25, 2015, 2:32 p.m. by Lloyd Alter
New designs like the Eargo and new rules from the government may change everything.
Why are towns making their own money?
October 12, 2015, 3:01 p.m. by Starre Vartan
Like the eat local movement, this trend is another way to keep your dollars close to home.
What's the 'club sandwich generation'?
September 28, 2015, 12:13 p.m. by Lloyd Alter
Some boomers are going to be supporting three generations, but their kids are going to have it worse.
Should we scrap cash altogether?
September 21, 2015, 1:29 p.m. by Lloyd Alter
Really when you think about it, we're pretty much already a cashless economy.
Will a robot take your job?
September 18, 2015, 8:50 a.m. by Lloyd Alter
Not if you're an artist, therapist, love counselor or yoga instructor.
Ad-blockers: The death of the Web as we know it?
September 15, 2015, 2:27 p.m. by Lloyd Alter
They might just kill a few sites that you know and love.
(Un) Happy Earth Overshoot Day
August 13, 2015, 10:31 a.m. by Karl Burkart
Today marks the day we go into 'nature debt,' utilizing more than the year's supply of water, forest and agricultural resources.
6 wild animals worth more alive than dead
June 1, 2015, 9:24 a.m. by Russell McLendon
Most wildlife adds value to nature, but it's often hard for humans to quantify. Thanks to eco-tourism, though, some species are becoming undeniable gold mines.
Could the carbon bubble ruin your retirement?
May 14, 2015, 10 a.m. by Sami Grover
Remember the subprime mortgage bubble? The carbon bubble might be our next $6 trillion nightmare.
As costs fall, corporations reach renewables goals early
February 25, 2015, 5:31 p.m. by Sami Grover
Energy goals that once looked ambitious are being met much earlier than expected.
Meet Jake Browne, a professional marijuana critic who is living the high life
December 30, 2014, 12:45 p.m. by Shea Gunther
Find out how this stand-up comedian, writer and entrepreneur found his dream job.
Legal cannabis: A business resource guide
December 16, 2014, 1:20 p.m. by Shea Gunther
Everything you need to know to get started or informed — from investing to fundraising to finding a job.


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Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy walks off the field after Friday night's preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field. / Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette Media
Packers coach Mike McCarthy held a press conference the day after his team's 17-0 loss to Arizona in the preseason opener at Lambeau Field.
As far as the medical I do not really have any more information for you on Datone, hes going to go through some more testing this afternoon. Weve been in meetings throughout the afternoon so I dont have an update on him or a timeline, so with that Ill take your questions.
On David Bakhtiari: I thought David played well. He did some good things but hell definitely grow from this experience. Theres definitely things he needs to work on and we need to work on.
On Don Barclay: I thought Barclay was clearly one of the top performers of the game for us. When we went through the grading we didnt grade out very well as a football team, we graded out poorly as an offense. I thought Don Barclays performance was clearly one of the better spots in last nights game.
On what Barclay showed: Just his flexibility. He plays the right way. Hes assignment sound, did an excellent job finishing, he won the majority of his blocks and his pass sets.
On Tyrone Walker: Tyrone Walker, hes another one I would say was one of our top performers after grading the tape. I really think hes been doing it all camp. Hes very instinctive, very athletic, has a pretty good understanding of what were doing on offense. He really picked it up quickly, you could see that right away. Was given some opportunities. Hes a solid route runner and he seems to have a pretty good connection with all of our quarterbacks.
On making adjustments this week: Well, I mean Were definitely on the high end of time commitment to fundamentals, so I dont know how much more time we could really commit to those fundamentals. Its more the actual drills you do within your fundamental periods is where you adjust. As far as our practice schedule. The players will be off tomorrow. This will be on our one week to get back into an in-season schedule. So we will use this week to transfer into that. Mondays practice will be a review practice. We will be in helmets. There are a number of things conceptually that I want to go back and review and then well start Tuesday as if it was a Wednesday in a normal work week and get our players on an in-season schedule because obviously after we play St. Louis, were working six-day weeks. Thats really what were going to accomplish with that. Really our preparation will be more in-season type schedules, more game-planning type practices as far as cards and so forth. So were shifting gears this week.
On the running game: I thought the attempts were there. It wasnt clean and I think really the word clean, its something I spoke on in the team meeting we just had. Its a reflection of preseason football. I showed them a tape of some of the things I thought we did very well. Theres some outstanding combination blocks, some really good finishes, B.J. (Raji) and Ryan Pickett I thought both played very well, splitting the double team and letting the linebackers run. So theres things that are very clean but also in some of those runs, youve got two dominant blocks and then you have a guy that misses a block or the reads not exactly right. So to answer your question, it wasnt very clean. It wasnt consistent enough. We didnt have enough plus 5 yard runs. Its a starting point and like anything you have to get the attempts. Well continue to work all of our backs and our run blocking unit will get better/
On T.J. Lang: I was very pleased with what T.J. Lang gave us last night, especially playing through what he played through. Ill probably be smart with him this week. I cant recall his grade specifically, but I thought he was solid. I thought the first group on offense played well.
On the performance of the secondary: Secondary-wise, I mean, OK. There were some winners and there were some guys that didnt win. The tight coverage, our coverage wasnt as tight as it needed to be in certain spots. Their ability to hit a couple of those outs on us from tight splits and there are some things, wed probably do a better job at if it was during a normal week of preparation. So I thought Carson Palmer threw it well and got our guys turned early in the first quarter on two of those types of throws. They did some good things. We didnt handle the deep ball a couple times. Really, the big negative for the defense was the adversity defense. After both turnovers, it turned into 14 points. Specifically, the interception, the next play to give up a touchdown, thats something well have to emphasize as we move forward.
On the limited work the kickers received in the game: Theres nothing to do about it. I dont ever go out and not expect to score any points either. Thats where I would start with the disappointment. With the kicking battle, thats something were going to have to pick up the volume in practice. We addressed that last week. We had to be smart with those guys and dont over-kick them early in camp, but their volume is definitely going to pick up because we need more information and both kickers need more opportunities. What happens in the games, happens in the games. Im not going to go for 60-yard field goals. Shouldnt go for it on fourth down maybe, either, too. So, I thought that was a good call.
On backup quarterback reps in the coming week: Dont know yet. We have to work the quarterbacks through the practice this week. So, we havent even set them for Mondays practice yet.
On Graham Harrell needing to push the ball up the field: Plays are called and balls are distributed accordingly. Did I give him a lot of opportunities to go down the field? No, no, I did not. So thats something you could look at in hindsight, as far as creating opportunities. Graham has to play better, and its tough. Playing quarterback in the preseason, its never clean, and its been like that as long as Ive been in this league. Youre going to have things go wrong. Youre going to have guys run the route too deep and your guy who doesnt get off the press and they run into each other, then you have to go on to the next receiver. Its those types of things where you have to play through odd looks. Play through situations that someone gets beat and throw the ball away, and things like that. Its a challenge for any of those guys that get in there at that time because youve got some guys playing in their first NFL game, youve got some guys playing right tackle that havent even practiced there. Thats the way the preseason goes. For quarterbacks particularly, you have to play above that.
On the non-touchdown call in the first quarter: The ball was over the goal line; (referee) Carl (Cheffers) said he could not see his knee. His hip was three feet off the ground so, I mean, I couldnt see his knee either. You can figure that out. At least three feet off the ground.
On Davon House: You give him the benefit of the doubt. I thought hes practiced very well. I thought Davon has really come on in practice. Obviously, youd have liked to have seen him play better and he will play better. Guys coming off of injuries, its different out there. They made a couple plays on him and hes just got to respond and keep playing. Youve got to have a short memory as a corner. Thats life in the NFL.


text:
Current research focuses photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, also known as artificial photosynthesis, through which solar energy is captured and stored in the form of chemical fuel (H2). The goal is to find a photoelectrode material that utilizes solar radiation with high efficiency while enjoying decent chemical stability against the harsh PEC environment, through an integrated approach of material synthesis, photoelectrochemical studies, theoretical modeling, and advanced optical characterizations. A major research emphasis is the combinatorial synthesis of complex semiconductor metal oxide thin films/nanostructures for band gap engineering, using various techniques. The material screening is performed with photoelectrochemistry methods and coupled with ultrafast laser spectroscopy for a comprehensive understanding of the exciton dynamics and the interfacial charge transfer process. Other interests include the experimental/theoretical studies of nanophotonic/plasmonic nanostructures for improving light absorption in solar energy devices and applications in chemical/biochemical sensing.
M. Z. Liu, N. d. L. Snapp, H. Park, Water photolysis with a cross-linked titanium dioxide nanowire anode, Chem. Sci. 2, 80 (2011). [Highlights in Chemical Science article]
M. Z. Liu, T.-W. Lee, S. K. Gray, P. Guyot-Sionnest, M. Pelton, Excitation of Dark Plasmons in Metal Nanoparticles by a Localized Emitter, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 107401 (2009).
M. Pelton, J. E. Sader, J. Burgin, M. Z. Liu, P. Guyot-Sionnest, and D. Gosztola, Damping of acoustic vibrations in gold nanoparticles, Nature Nanotech 4, 492 (2009).
M. Z. Liu, M. Pelton, and P. Guyot-Sionnest, Reduced damping of surface plasmons at low temperatures, Phys. Rev. B 79, 035418 (2009).
M. Pelton, M. Z. Liu, H. Y. Kim, G. Smith, P. Guyot-Sionnest, and N. F. Scherer, Optical trapping and alignment of single gold nanorods by using plasmon resonances, Opt. Lett. 13, 2075 (2006).
M. Z. Liu and P. Guyot-Sionnest, Mechanism of Silver(I)-Assisted Growth of Gold Nanorods and Bipyramids, J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 22192 (2005).


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Non Trek Fic: Quinn's Code (A Daria AU)
View Single Post
April 1 2012, 08:32 AM
USS Fardell
Location: Australia
Re: Non Trek Fic: Quinn's Code (A Daria AU)Quinn's Code Installment 6:
Quinn's Code
Installment 6: The Lab Mouse. The Geek and the Convention
Part 1
Monday, November 21, 2005
Lawndale High School
The sophomore Biology class was in session, with Lawndale High's head Science teacher, Janet Barch, teaching.
And like a husband going home to his noble and self-sacrificing wife, the rat keeps returning to the food box. That is, the positive reinforcement. She then turned to her misandry. Huh, if only men could be more like rats. Oh, sure, they come home at first. You feed them, you wait on them, and then, after twenty-two thankless years, they just up and leave. No note, no phone call, no nothing! She slammed the ruler on the desk. Just... like... that!
I wonder why he left, Daria Morgendorffer said to her friend, Jennifer Burns.
Now, before I divide the class into teams of two, who can give me another example of reinforcement? Ms. Barch paused. Fine, class. Ignore me... just like
did! Kevin?
Uh? Kevin Thompson drew out.
Shut up, Kevin. Ms. Barch said, her misandry at full intensity. She turned to Daria. Daria? Reinforcement?
Hmm... Daria began. To make a child stop crying, a mother might say, "That's it! I'm sending you to El Paso to live with your real father." Whenever the child gets upset, the mother might wave an airline ticket in her face, or maybe even frame it on the wall by the clown picture. The ticket stops the girl from crying, or showing any emotion... ever.
Jennifer looked at Daria. 'Is that right?'
I like the way you think. Kevin... Daria will be your lab partner.
'Uh, oh!' Jennifer thought.
What! Kevin's girlfriend, Brittany Taylor, shreiked.
You two will design a maze, and condition Kevin, Ms. Barch said, she quickly recovered from her almost faux pas. I mean, condition a mouse using positive or negative reinforcement.
But babe, we've never been separated on a lab project before! What'll we do? Kevin wondered.
Pass? Daria asked.
Jennifer chuckled in amusement.
Brittany, Charles will be your partner.
But Ms. Barch, I'm a cheerleader! Brittany squeaked in protest.
Give me an 'R.' Charles Rutthiemer III, aka Upchuck, said suggestively.
I really like doing mazes. Those ones on the back of cereal boxes are cool, Kevin said.
Well, now I am excited, Daria said.
Shut up, Mack! Ms. Barch said.
Michael 'Mack' Mackenzie raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Ms. Burns will be your partner, Ms. Barch said.
'Cool, I can deal with that.' he thought.
Cool, Jennifer said.
So, now Kevin's my lab partner, Daria said at lunch.
Next best thing to working alone, Jane said.
Oh, no. He likes mazes, Daria said.
I'd swap if Ms. Barch would let us, Jennifer said.
Mack's not that bad, Jane siad.
I'm not complaining. I've worked with him before, although that was years ago, Jennifer said as she started to reminice.
4 years earlier
Younger Jennifer and Mack working on a project in Jennifer's living room...
They were collaborating on a design for a future city.
So we put the hospital here? Mack asked.
Jennifer merely nodded.
Cool, Mack said. He drew the hospital, slightly embellished.
Jennifer gave a thumbs up.
So, should there be a park near the hospital?
They continued their work
Good times, Jennifer said quietly.
Cool, Jane said. She turned back to Daria. Maybe you could get a wind up toy to distract him, she said.
His wind-up toy is working with Upchuck, Daria said.
That is definitely unfair for her, Jennifer murmured.
Certainly, Jane said.
Kevin came up to the trio. Hey, Daria. Mind if we do the maze thing at your house? My cable's broken.
Daria began to get a calculating look on her face.
'She's up to something,' Jennifer thought.
Sure, Daria said.
Cool! Kevin said.
Jane looked at Daria. You have a plan, don't you?
Daria shrugged.
Of course you do, Jane said.
Helen Morgendorffer clicked off the TV. Daria, I heard you're working with Kevin Thompson on a science project. He's quarterback of the football team, isn't he?
Daria remained silent and looked at Quinn.
Brittany was crying in the girls room, Quinn said.
Isn't he? Helen asked.
Yes, Daria said.
Science is fascinating. Tell me all about it, honey.
I can't. I signed a confidentiality paper. The other scientists would be mad, Daria said.
Helen sighed. She turned to Quinn. Oh, forget it. Quinn, how was your weekend?
It was awesome! Cindy and I totally pwnd all the guys in
Age of Empires
, and then the rest of the games were pretty even...
Helen interuppted. Daria, p
tell me about the project.
Daria sighed. It's about how behavior is affected by positive or negative reinforcement.
Sounds Super, Helen said.
Like... say, you have a friend who responds to everything you say with, "That's great!" This insincere reply is the same whether you saved a life or killed a bug, and thus becomes "negative reinforcement," causing you to withdraw from that person or persons, Daria said.
Wow. That's fantastic!
Daria rolled her eyes.
Maybe if you and Kevin work well together, he'll associate you with feeling good and want to include you in his circle of friends, Helen said.
'I don't think so, Mom,' Quinn thought.
Daria just ignored Helen.
Maybe I'll help with the project. I'm into science, Quinn said.
Quinn, that's great!
Quinn, I don't need your nerdiness in doing my project, Daria said.
Dar-i-a! I've told you many times. I'm not a nerd! I'm a geek! There's like a rather large difference, Quinn said with annoyance.
Not from where I sit, Daria said.
Helen sighed, recognising the start of one of her daughters' many arguments.
However the doorbell rang interuppting the belligerence.
Door! Quinn said as she went towards it.
The phone rang.
Phone! Helen said.
Quinn opened the door. Hey, Kevin, she said.
Hi, Quinn. Hey, Daria, I'm ready to start this maze thing, Kevin said.
I'll be helping, Let's go, Quinn said.
Sure, Kevin said.
However, Daria had a distraction in mind. She turned on the TV. Look, Kevin: the Pigskin Channel. Great big guys slamming into other great big guys. Fun.
Cool! Kevin said.
The Pigskin Channel! Classic football games 24 hours a day -- every day, all this month.
I guess it's just you and me. Got your saw and sandpaper?
Sure, Quinn said. She looked at Kevin totally engrossed in the Pigskin Channel. 'There's no way I can get his attention away from that without turning off the TV, or changing the channel.'
Good play! Kevin said.
Daria and Quinn entered the garage from the dining room. So you have a plan for the maze? Quinn asked.
Of course, Daria said.
Good, Quinn said.
Daria went over to where she had placed the pieces of wood.
Mack pulled his white Valiant up in front of a small two story house, with a ramshackle yard. He got out, walked to the door and knocked on it. Jennifer soon came to the door. Hi, come in, she said quietly.
Hi, Jen, could we start on the project tonight? he asked.
Sure, Jennifer said. She lead him towards the garage...
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Once again, Kevin Thompson arrived at the Morgendorffer's house. Hi, Kev, my man, Jake Morgendorffer said as he met Kevin at the door.
Hi, Mr. Morgendorffer, is Daria home?
She's here, she's up in her room.
Daria! Your friend is here!
Daria was up in her room, and on the phone. So you and Mack, have been friends a long time then?
Since early grade school,
Jennifer said.
That's a long time, she said.
I guess so
, Jennifer said.
Daria then heard her father call out that Kevin was there.
Daria! Your friend is here!
Sorry, I have to go, Kevin is here, she said.
Good luck
Thanks, bye. Daria hung up and then went downstairs.
Hi, Kevin, Daria said as she came down the stairs.
So, am I helping with the maze thing, or watching the Pigskin Channel?
Watching the Pigskin Channel.
Are you sure, Daria? Jake asked.
I don't need his help, Daria said as she turned on the TV.
Oh, Jake said.
Daria then headed towards the garage, out the front door.
Quinn entered the living room from the kitchen, carrying snacks for her friends. She saw her father and Kevin watching a football game on the TV. 'Isn't he supposed to be helping Daria?' She had helped Daria with building the maze the previous night but she didn't want to do it again. Kevin?
No response.
Still no response.
Again, no response.
Quinn changed tack. Daddy?
What is it, Quinn? I'm watching this game.
Why is Kevin watching the TV and not helping Daria?
She asked him to, Jake said as he scratched his chin.
Of course she did, Quinn realised.
Jake turned back to the TV. Wait a minute, I don't remember that!
It happened, Mr. M.
Quinn sighed.
Quinn re-entered her room and placed the platter of snacks on the table next to the computers.
Oh, that Daria! she exclaimed.
What's up with her this time? Kristen Bell asked.
She's not allowing Kevin to help her with the lab project!
Did she give a reason? Cindy Brolsma asked.
'She says that he would interfere with what she's doing and give her a bad mark!'
Maybe you could ask her if she could find him something he can do and still contribute to the project, Cindy said.
I will think about it, Quinn thought. 'If only I can find a way to ask her that won't lead to an argument...'
Anyhow, you're ready for the convention this weekend? Kristen asked.
Yes, my Ichigo costume is almost ready, Quinn said.
Crossdressing? Kirsten asked.
No, Kristen,
Tokyo Mew Mew
, not
! Quinn said with a nervous laugh.
Sorry, Kristen said as Cindy laughed.
So, are you coming? Quinn asked.
Certainly, Cindy said.
I'm coming, Kristen said.
It's going to be great!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Kevin arrived at Schloss Morgendorffer a third time. Hi again, Kevin, watching the Pigskin Channel again? Jake asked.
Of course, Mr. M, Kevin said.
Cool, Jake said.
Quinn had seen Kevin park his jeep through her bedroom window. She grabbed her cell phone.
Jennifer and Mack were in Jennifer's garage, training the mouse. Jennifer's phone rang. Jennifer dropped the mouse in surprise. Where did it go? she asked.
I'll look for it whilst you talk, Mack said.
Thanks, Jennifer said. She pressed the answer button. Hi.
Hi, Jennifer?
It's Quinn
I know, what are you calling about?
It's about Daria, and Kevin. She's not letting him participate in their lab project!
Have you talked to her about it? Jennifer asked, she didn't want to broach the subject with Daria.
Not yet
, Quinn said.
Talk to her about it, see if she could give him something for him to do.
Yeah, Cindy said something similar.
Good, anyway I have to go, the mouse is being difficult.
How can a mouse be difficult?
You don't want to know, bye.
Jennifer put the phone in her pocket. She turned to Mack. I'll help, don't want it getting into my food...
Quinn hung up after her conversation with Jennifer. 'I guess I would have to talk to Daria afterall,' she thought as she went to her closet to get out her so-far-incomplete costume for the convention.
Brittany finished filing Upchuck's
magazines. 'I don't want to touch them ever again!' She went back to the Rutthiemer's garage.
Ok, I have finished filing your magazines!
There are more chores I have in mind for you, otherwise...
Hours later, Jennifer collasped into bed, exhusted. She and Mack had been unable to find the mouse...
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A stalemate in contract negotiations has left DirecTV customers unable to watch Channel 7-KVIA for the past week.
That means no two-stepping on "Dancing with the Stars," no catching up with the "Modern Family," no gossiping on "The View" and especially no Rick Cabrera and Estela Casas at 10 p.m.
DirecTV customers have been without the local ABC affiliate since about 11 a.m. Oct. 9, when KVIA and the El Paso/Las Cruces CW were blacked out.
Kevin Lovell, the station's general manager, said KVIA's owner, News-Press and Gazette Co., is in the process or trying to re-negotiate a contract for DirecTV to re-transmit KVIA's signal and digital rights.
"We are disappointed. This is the first time we have had an impasse like this with a major television provider," Lovell said. "I was hoping (the negotiations) would be done immediately last week. I thought everything would be back by the time football began this past weekend."
ABC showed several college football games this past Saturday, including the University of Oklahoma and University of Texas at Austin rivalry game. Locally, those games were not available on DirecTV.
"The complaints have not stopped," Lovell said. "Every day we get a large amount of phone calls and emails."
Lovell said KVIA is still available for free over the air with an antenna.
Representatives from DirecTV could not be reached but did have a message to customers on it's website that said: "News-Press and Gazette Company (NPG) has blacked out KVIA-ABC and CW to DirecTV's local customers in El Paso and will not let us restore these channels unless DirecTV commits to more than triple the price we currently pay to retransmit their 'free' TV signals."
The negotiations are happening at the corporate level, Lovell said, but a "staff report" is posted on KVIA's website that lays out the News-Press and Gazette Co. side of the dispute.
"DirecTV pays another, considerably less popular program provider more than five (5) times the rate KVIA is asking for the right to sell the Station's signal to its subscribers," the report said. "Having paid top dollar for its highly rated programming, the Station's price proposal, in comparison to what DirecTV pays for less popular programming, is very fair and reasonable."
Grace Weissinger, 84, does not care who is at fault, she just wants her newscast back.
"I like to watch the news at noon and a few other shows," Weissinger said. "I don't want to have to change my cable provider just to get Channel 7 and switching to an antenna is too much trouble for me."
Lovell said the dispute will eventually get resolved.
"Every distributor has had this kind of impasse before and in every case it has been resolved," Lovell said. "The longest I have ever heard of is a month. I hope we get resolved sooner than that."


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Maidana bets he'll defeat MayweatherComment on this story
Washington - Marcos Maidana is so confident he will beat undefeated world champion Floyd Mayweather that he said Monday he would risk his prize money for their September 13 welterweight rematch.
Argentina's Maidana lost a majority decision to Mayweather in their title unification bout in May but last week Mayweather announced that he would face the South American slugger again in Las Vegas.
The fighters launched a five-city promotional tour Monday in New York with Maidana speaking to reporters at a second event in Washington.
Mayweather, 46-0 with 26 knockouts, won the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns after saying he would not fight until Maidana switched gloves, claiming his rival's choice did not have enough padding.
Maidana, 35-4 with 31 knockouts, agreed to switch gloves but brought up the issue when Mayweather dared him to bet his share of their rematch purse on a victory, asking, "We can bet whatever, but will he let me use my gloves?"
Maidana says he is ready to win in whatever gloves Mayweather chooses.
"I feel like this is my time now and I will win this rematch," he said. "I'm willing to take the bet, no problem."
But just which gloves will be used remains unclear.
"It hasn't really been finalised yet," Maidana said. "The last time I couldn't use my gloves. I suspect that will be the situation again.
"I don't think he's afraid. I think he's just trying to be cautious. He knows he has to respect my power.
"The gloves are not an issue. If you're going to beat him you're going to beat him."
Mayweather also taunted Maidana as being a dirty fighter, noting a gash on his right eyelid.
"My eye didn't get a deep gash from a punch. I got it from a head butt," Mayweather said. "I'm not fighting a boxer. I'm fighting a (mixed martial arts) fighter."
Maidana shrugged off the complaint and spoke of being elbowed often by Mayweather.
"Floyd is a fighter who always comes up with excuses," Maidana
said. "He calls me a dirty fighter and he always uses his elbows. If you want to fight dirty, I'm with you.
"He can do whatever he wants. He's not getting into my head. If he would like to stand and fight I'll beat him. If he runs I'll chase him down and then beat him."
Maidana said he plans no major changes for the rematch.
"I just have to fine tune a few things," Maidana said. "I have to get my punches off a little better."
Maidana was disappointed at Argentina's loss to Germany in Sunday's World Cup final but said he does not feel extra pressure to bring sporting glory to his homeland because of it.
"It was painful to see them lose but at the same time I was very happy for them - they made the final and gave a great effort," Maidana said.
"Of course you feel a little bit of pressure for your country, but I want to win it for myself."
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Headlines May 15, 2012 Full Show | First Story >
Palestinian Prisoners Approve Deal to End Hunger Strike
Palestinian prisoners have voted to end a mass hunger strike that challenged Israel's policy of indefinite detention without charge. On Monday, around 2,000 jailed Palestinians approved an Egypt-brokered deal that will see Israel end solitary confinement for 19 prisoners, drop a ban on visits from relatives living in the Gaza Strip, and no longer hold prisoners without charge once they complete their terms. The Palestinian minister for prisoner affairs, Issa Qaraqe, confirmed that a deal had been reached.
Issa Qaraqe: "We announce that the leadership of the prisoners, the higher committee leading the hunger strike, has signed an agreement this evening in Ashkelon jail, based on Cairo's understandings yesterday."
Palestinians Mark "Nakba" with Day of Protest
As the prisoner hunger strike comes to an apparent end, Palestinians across the Occupied Territories are holding protests today to mark what they call the Nakba, or "catastrophe," when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes during the period Israel declared statehood in 1948. A mass rally is expected in the Gaza Strip, along with a number of smaller protests across the West Bank. Clashes have already been reported, with Israeli troops firing tear gas and rubber bullets at stone-throwing Palestinian youth.
Colorado Lawmakers Nix Same-Sex Union Bill
Lawmakers in Colorado have defeated a measure that would allow civil unions for same-sex couples. The proposal was rejected after it was moved to a special legislative session. But instead of going to a vote before the full State House, Republicans successfully transferred it to the State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, where it lost along party lines in a 5-to-4 vote. A number of House Republicans had broken ranks to voice support for the measure, which had also passed the State Senate. One of the Republican senators who voted to defeat the bill has a gay son.
Obama Delivers Commencement Address to Women Graduates
President Obama delivered the commencement address Tuesday at New York's all-female Barnard College. Obama urged women graduates to look to the history of social struggle in the United States for inspiration in the fight to ensure gender equality and reproductive justice.
President Obama: "The trajectory of this country should give you hope. Young folks who marched and mobilized and stood up and sat in, from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, didn't just do it for themselves, they did it for other people. That's how we achieved women's rights. That's how we achieved voting rights. That's how we achieved workers' rights. That's how we achieved gay rights. That's how we've made this union more perfect."
Obama Hailed for Same-Sex Marriage Stance at Campaign Fundraiser
President Obama later appeared at a campaign fundraiser hosted by the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Leadership Council. The pop singer Ricky Martin praised Obama for his recent backing of same-sex marriage.
Ricky Martin: "We admire his courage, like the courage he showed last week in affirming his belief in marriage equality. That is the kind of courage we expect from our president, and that's why we support him."
In his remarks, Obama drew applause after explaining how he came to declare his public support for same-sex marriage.
President Obama: "I want everybody treated fairly in this country. We have never gone wrong when we expanded rights and responsibilities to everybody. That doesn't weaken families, that strengthens families. It's the right thing to do. At root, so much of this has to do with a belief that not only are we all in this together, but all of us are equal in terms of dignity and in terms of respect, and everybody deserves a shot."
Report: NATO Failed to Fully Investigate Civilian Deaths in Libya Bombing
Human Rights Watch is accusing NATO of failing to properly investigate at least 72 civilian deaths in the bombing of Libya last year. In a new report, HRW says NATO "took important steps to minimize civilian casualties," but adds that NATO has yet to properly examine the air strikes that killed dozens of civilians, including 24 children. Seven out of eight bombing sites were found to lack clear military targets. The report's author, Fred Abrahams, called on NATO to account for the killings of Libyan civilians.
Fred Abrahams: "We have questions that NATO has not yet answered, and we're calling for prompt, credible and thorough investigations to understand why these 72 civilians died. And until now, NATO has taken a position of denial. They refuse to acknowledge that civilians died. They refuse to give information about how they died. And they refuse to investigate. And it's this lack of transparency that's deeply troubling. And I think it will lead to unnecessary civilian deaths in the future, if NATO refuses to look at what went wrong and make corrections."
As part of its investigation, Human Rights Watch interviewed survivors of an August 2011 bombing that killed 30 civilians east of the capital Tripoli.
Ali Hamid Gafez: "Why did they bomb me? The NATO forces came to fight in order to protect civilians. Because Libya is under satellite surveillance, it's right in front of them. They can see everything. So we wonder, how is it possible that they could have bombed us? How could they bomb us?"
Rebekah Brooks Charged in Murdoch Phone-Hacking Scandal
In Britain, the former editor of the now-defunct News of the World tabloid has been charged in the phone-hacking scandal that has engulfed the media empire of Rupert Murdoch. Rebekah Brooks is accused of hiding documents, computers and other materials from the police, as well as conspiring to remove records from Murdoch's London headquarters. Beyond the allegations that reporters at the now-defunct tabloid routinely hacked the phones of public figures, police are also investigating whether staff hacked into computers and made illegal payments to police and other officials. Brooks, who had a close relationship with Murdoch, had previously admitted receiving messages of support from British Prime Minister David Cameron and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Her husband and four staff members are also facing charges.
Head of Anti-Whaling Group Sea Shepherd Arrested in Germany for 2002 Confrontation
The founder of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd has been arrested in Germany and is facing possible extradition to Costa Rica on charges stemming from a confrontation over illegal shark finning a decade ago. According to a statement from the group, the charges relate to a confrontation in Guatemalan waters with the crew of a Costa Rican vessel after activists reportedly uncovered an illegal shark finning operation. Shark finning involves slicing the fins off sharks and returning them to the water, where they usually die. Paul Watson, head of Sea Shepherd, is reportedly facing an attempted murder charge stemming from the incident. In its statement, the group said the Costa Rican crew had falsely accused the group of trying to kill them.
Malaysian Tribunal Finds Bush, Cheney Guilty of War Crimes
An ad hoc tribunal in Malaysia has found former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney and six other members of their administration guilty of war crimes. A panel of five judges heard testimony from victims who were tortured at U.S. military prisons around the world. The tribunal says it will send transcripts of its proceedings to the International Criminal Court.
California Governor Unveils Cuts, Tax Hikes to Overcome Budget Shortfall
California Gov. Jerry Brown has unveiled a new fiscal proposal to address a $16 billion budget shortfall — $7 billion more than previously thought. Brown's plan calls for a 3 percent tax hike for California's wealthiest earners, a sales tax increase and cuts to public services.
Ron Paul to Suspend Campaigning, Focus on Delegates
Texas Rep. Ron Paul has announced he is suspending campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination, but will instead focus on amassing delegates ahead of the end-of-summer Republican National Convention. Paul lags far behind presumptive nominee Mitt Romney in the delegate count.
Democrats Accept Corporate Funds for Convention
The Democratic National Committee has reneged on a pledge to stage its convention in Charlotte this summer without corporate donors. The Wall Street Journal reports Democrats have established a fund called New American City to accept convention money from companies including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Duke Energy. Meanwhile, an online petition is now urging the DNC to move the convention out of North Carolina following the state's rejection of same-sex marriage last week.
Report: Attorney in Clarence Aaron Drug Pardon Case Withheld Vital Information
New information has emerged in the case of a former college student who was denied a presidential pardon after being sentenced to three life terms for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense. An investigation by ProPublica shows the pardon attorney in the case of Clarence Aaron omitted critical information when recommending that President George W. Bush deny Aaron's pardon request. The report found Ronald Rodgers, who remains in the post of pardon attorney under President Obama, did not disclose the fact that the prosecutor and judge in the case had advocated for Aaron to receive an immediate commutation — his only chance to avoid life behind bars. Clarence Aaron, who is African American, was in his early twenties when he was sentenced to three life terms for a nonviolent drug offense — despite the fact that he had no criminal record and did not buy, sell or supply the drugs involved. A recent investigation by ProPublica and the Washington Post found that white applicants were nearly four times as likely to receive presidential pardons as people of color between 2001 and 2008.
Activists Protest Resumption of Controversial Immigration Policy in New York
Protesters rallied in New York City on Monday to oppose the resumption of a controversial federal immigration enforcement policy that requires local police to forward fingerprints of every person they arrest to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The program, Secure Communities, allows federal immigration officials to pursue deportation against those found to be undocumented or a non-citizen with a criminal record. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suspended involvement in the program last June, but it goes back into effect today. Juan Martinez is with New York's Project Hospitality.
Juan Martinez: "This is going to harm us a lot. We can no longer calmly go to work. We have to take precautionary measures because we know the program will be prejudiced toward us. We can no longer live tranquilly, because we have children born here, and what would happen to them if one day they deported us? The government doesn't care about that. They just care about these times of raids because it brings them more money."
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By Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan
On the night of Oct. 20, 2014, Laquan McDonald, a 17-year-old African-American teenager in Chicago, was walking down the street when two police cruisers sped up to him. Officers jumped out, and at least one of them, Jason Van Dyke, began firing. Laquan fell to the ground, his final, painful moments caught on the dashboard video camera of a third police vehicle that had arrived just seconds before. Laquan spun as he was shot. Two bullets hit him in the back. As the video clearly shows, the bullets were pumped into him, evidenced by clouds of dust exploding off the pavement. This week, on the day the video was released to the public by court order, Officer Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder — 400 days after he killed Laquan McDonald.
Dec2Wed | 7:00 pm
On Saturday, Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman appeared on MSNBC to talk about the 2015 elections, drug policy and the future of healthcare in Kentucky under newly-elected Republican governor Matt Bevin.
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Exclusive: Air Force Whistleblowers Risk Prosecution to Warn Drone War Kills Civilians, Fuels TerrorNov 20, 2015
Glenn Greenwald on "Submissive" Media's Drumbeat for War and "Despicable" Anti-Muslim ScapegoatingNov 19, 2015
"Numbing & Horrible": Former Drone Operator Brandon Bryant on His Haunting First KillNov 20, 2015
Journalist on Shooting of Laquan McDonald By Chicago Police Officer: "It Was An Horrific Execution"Nov 24, 2015


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The whitewashed church bordering the main square is worth peeking into, although it is quite understated. To the right of the cathedral is the convent. Built in the late 1500s, it is one of Cobán's oldest surviving buildings, and now serves as the diocesan offices. In front, an odd, modern orange-and-yellow bandstand mars the central park and blocks your ability to get a good photo of the cathedral. Residents have dubbed it "the tortilla press," and most would be just as happy to see it torn down.
1 Av. and 1 Calle, Zona 3, Cobán, 16001, Guatemala
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Bowie County judge: Proposed budget won't be filed until Monday
Several factors contributed to the delay, Lacy said
By: Paige Alexander - Texarkana Gazette
Bowie County Judge Sterling Lacy won't file the 2014-15 proposed budget until Aug. 11, according to a press release issued by his office Thursday afternoon.
The proposed budget was due to be filed with the county clerk's office July 31 per state law, but has yet to be filed.
The release states "several factors contributed to this delay" but does not elaborate.
A budget hearing scheduled for 6 p.m Aug. 18 will still be conducted, but a budget hearing to satisfy legal requirements won't be set by Commissioners Court until after Sept. 15, the release states.
See Friday's online and print editions for more coverage.
Published: 08/07/2014
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November 9, 2011
Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan hugs her sister Donna Barry after declaring victory in the race for the supervisor's seat on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The race has not yet ended as there are still several absentee ballots yet to be counted.
Stories this photo appears in:
Mahan declares victory, but race continues
Denise Sheehan does not conceded, absentee ballots to be counted
Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan might be declaring victory but the race for supervisor is not over yet.
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Multiple Children Injured After US 131 Accident
KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Several children have been seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash on northbound US 131 at 100th Street in Kent County, according to deputies.
It was unclear how many total people were injured in the accident, which happened at 2:20 p.m. Monday afternoon. Aeromed was called to the highway to assist.


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The democratic process relies on the assumption that citizens (the majority of them, at least) can recognize the best political candidate, or best policy idea, when they see it. But a growing body of research has revealed an unfortunate aspect of the human psyche that would seem to disprove this notion, and imply instead that democratic elections produce mediocre leadership and policies.
The research, led by David Dunning, a psychologist at Cornell University, shows that incompetent people are inherently unable to judge the competence of other people, or the quality of those people's ideas. For example, if people lack expertise on tax reform, it is very difficult for them to identify the candidates who are actual experts. They simply lack the mental tools needed to make meaningful judgments.
"Democracy is the theory that the people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
Locke and Hume, though, expected their citizens to assent to their rule through reason
I think the primary problem with American Democracy (and I think there are lots, I am, after all, something of a Monarchist) is that it is a hard and set two-party system. Because of first across the post voting, third party candidates have almost zero chance of winning in any significant election.I think part of this is to do with who gets to set political boundaries. As I recall, in the US it's a politically-affiliated board somewhere in Congress? So the incentive is for party officials to draw the boundaries to include only their voters so as to be more likely to win, which then means that to win in that area you have to appeal to party people, which means tending to more polarised positions. I remember reading up on the British three-party system a few years ago, and the general tone of the articles I read was, "Hmm. This shouldn't work." Whether or not the survival of a UK-wide third party can be directly attributed to the independent Boundaries Commission, I don't know.


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Who's Afraid of Marmalade?
I was afraid of marmalade I never did know why.
I could not bear to have it near no matter how I tried.
An Orange didn't bother me and jam I just adored;
but just a glimpse of marmalade would chill me to the core.
I went to join the Navy, to get away you see.
They said I'd need to be so brave, I said; "there's nowt scares me."
But when I sat for breakfast and someone passed the toast,
all spread across that butter was the thing I feared the most.
I ran out of the cabin and jumped into the sea.
The shark infested ocean held little fear for me.
I wrestled with a giant Crab then climbed onto its back.
It took me to an island where I was soon attacked
by seven giant spiders with countless staring eyes.
I wrenched a claw from Mr. Crab and cut them down to size.
I ran into a cavern and I could barely see.
Vampire bats flew round my head; they didn't frighten me.
I climbed a spiral staircase; it took a day or three.
I reached the highest place on earth, but was I scared?...Not me.
I just removed my jacket; took laces from my boots;
and well inside a minute I had made a parachute.
I jumped right off that mountain and floated down for weeks.
Monstrous Eagles swooped on me; I kicked them on their beaks.
And then a Pterodactyl came at me from a cloud.
Its beak was wide its teeth were sharp; I merely laughed out loud.
I took off my leather belt, my trousers they fell down.
I lassoed Mr. Dinosaur and rode him to the ground.
By the time we reached the ground the Dinosaur was tame.
"I'll keep you as a pet," I said; "but first you'll need a name.
Terry is too obvious and Dino just won't do.
Roger is a lovely name so that's what I'll call you."
Roger gave a silly smile and lifted up a leg.
And then I got the biggest shock as Roger laid an egg.
"Well I can't call you Roger," I started to explain.
"I know, I'll call you Florence, it was my Mother's name."
The desert where we'd landed was hotter than it looked.
We had to find some shade before the egg got cooked.
We found a cool dark cavern where Scorpions liked to hide.
I picked them up and threw them out and Florence stepped inside.
The egg began to crack and Roger's head appeared.
It had to be a boy of course 'cause girls just don't have beards.
We fed him on some desert Ants, I caught some Rattlesnakes.
We cooked them on an open fire and cut them into steaks.
Then Florence caused the biggest shock since Roger's egg was laid.
She pulled from underneath her wings a jar of marmalade.
My body froze, my mouth went dry my legs began to shake.
As Florence took the marmalade and spread it on the steaks.
And then as quick as lightning, as I began to sob.
She grabbed a sticky Snake steak and shoved it in my gob
My head was filled with fireworks; my taste buds all went mad.
It was the scrummiest' yummiest grub that I had ever had.
We waited till the night fell and Florence flew us home.
She flew us over Istanbul; she flew us over Rome.
I built a massive aviary for her and Rog to share.
And now when I come home from work I see smoke in the air.
We don't have any Rattlesnakes but Earthworms by the ton.
They're lovely on the barbecue if slightly underdone.
We cover them with marmalade and share a flask of wine.
Roger has to use a straw but Florence drinks just fine.
And now that Orange marmalade it holds no fears for me
I eat it for my breakfast, my dinner and my tea.
I'm not afraid of marmalade but do know some who are.
Those wriggly Worms all freeze with fear if they see just one jar. D.Wood 2012©
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The Deleveraging American Consumer?
by Barry Ritholtz - August 15th, 2013, 7:28am
click for ginormous graphic
Source: WSJ
I love this giant graphic from this morning's WSJ — it gives us the 30,000 foot view of consumer debt here in the USA.
Despite low rates — or is it because of them? — American consumers have seen their debt loads fall to the lowest levels in 6 years. Now they are starting to open those wallets up again, and spend.
But is this a general improvement or a specific response to unique circumstances? While many mortgages and home equity loans have been refinanced at ultra low rates, is that giving consumer space to shop?
For example, Automobile loans have ticked up $20 billion in Q2 — but the US auto fleet is the oldest its ever been. Perhaps consumers are expecting higher interest rates, and are making belated car purchases. (Outside of autos, however, consumer debt fell $78 billion).
We cannot yet tell if this is part of a broader trend, or if it is a series of specific modest improvements. Note that the Great Depression created an entire generation of debt averse savers.
I wonder what the Lesser Depression has done to Consumers' collective psyches . . .
UPDATE: August 15, 2013 8:30am
Wal-Mart (WMT) quarterly earnings are out — and they disappoint. Sales are $116.2B, weaker than $118.09B estimates; the company cuts fiscal year estimates. Traffic at Wal-Mart is now down 2 quarters in a row. Though Q2 profit rose 1.3%, to $4.07 billion ($1.24 per share), that was a penny shy of estimates. Net sales rose 2.4% to $116.2 billion. Revenue at stores open at least a year at Wal-Mart's namesake business fell 0.3 percent. That's considered an important measure of a retailer's performance.
Is the consumer trading down? Or is the low end consumer broke?
Confident Consumers Step Up Their Borrowing
WSJ, August 14, 2013
Category: Consumer Spending, Credit, Fixed Income/Interest Rates
Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor implied. If you could repeat previously discredited memes or steer the conversation into irrelevant, off topic discussions, it would be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.
31 Responses to "The Deleveraging American Consumer?"
stonedwino says:
The deleveraging by Americans is nowhere near over. It took us several decades to get to these debt levels and it will take us a few more years to get to where we should be. Good jobs are hard to come by; wages have gone nowhere; consumers have paid a dear price for carrying a big debt load and we've all said no thanks after this last downturn. Most people I know are continuing to deleverage, living on less and making do. I still see deflation everywhere except for health-care, taxes, insurance, food and energy.
New car? How about certified pre-owned? New computer? nah…Ebay has killer deals. On top of that, the barter economy is working its magic…I wonder how big that grey economy really is, with so may folks having a hard time making ends meet?
mllange says:
"I still see deflation everywhere except for health-care, taxes, insurance, food and energy."
This list you just provided entails well over half of the monthly expenditures for lower income individuals, and it is absolutely devastating. Tack on housing and they are tapped out, (watching rent prices in most markets lately? Where's the deflation in rent prices?)
The lower income consumer no longer exists, they've become lower income survivors. As an after-hours, part-time volunteer working with elderly and low income individuals it is obvious that many are losing hope that they will ever get out of survival mode. The idea of prosperity is not even on their radar.
S Brennan says:
Agree: This the inevitable result of implementing Milton Friedman's recommendations…which can be boiled down to "selfishness builds better societies". Unfortunately, Americans didn't know enough of their history to know that this path leads to societital collapse 100% of the time it has been implemented.
I can not be said too often, Milton Friedman complained of the "government trough" for needy individuals, while he himself engorged himself on public monies. Besides his satanic worship of greed, Milton Friedman was the consummate hypocrite. When we imagine evil we picture Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, but I think we need to recognize that characters like Friedman belong in that pantheon…if on a much lower pedestal.
Milton Friedman was a man who lacked the gumption to strike for power and chose instead to aid those would eventually overturn democracy, not only in the USA, but worldwide. Like Marx, Milton Friedman laid out a utopian vision that would be implemented…and end in disaster. In fairness to Marx, Friedman's history wasn't as accurate, as his monatary conjecture of past events has been recently shown to be untrue, then too Marx had no part in the cruelties of his philosophies implementation, wheras Friedman reveled in the inhuman treatment his policies meted out.
stonedwino says:
"Note that the Great Depression created an entire generation of debt averse savers." I think this time it's worse, since so many more people had loads of debt going into downturn, compared to 1929….way more people totally averse to banks and debt.
BennyProfane says:
Nope, I don't see much of a change, this time. Look at those charts. Credit card debt (probably at an average in the high teens interest) has hardly changed since '08. I'm guessing the drop is a result of millions of cards and accounts being closed by banks, and credit limits restricted. And students and their parents have accelerated their borrowing for education debt to a very scary level. My father, a child of the depression who carried a wallet bulging with cash, and nothing else, and celebrated the day he paid off his mortgage, would be horrified.
Remember, if you moved that chart back to 1980, a lot of that credit barely existed. Most individuals didn't own a credit card, and home equity lines? – taking a second mortgage was an embarrassment to my parents generation, done out of desperation and in secrecy. But, today you see competing commercials on TV trying to get you to refi and cash out.
jib10 says:
It is generational. Boomers who racked up enormous debts can not get enough of the stuff and are too old to change, it is the under-30 crowd that will be different. It was the same thing with your fathers generation. They were much more debt avers than the previous or next generation.
It may take a while to show up but then it will be with us for a very long time.
BennyProfane says:
I don't know. explain to me why every one of those kids is walking around staring at an expensive phone on an expensive plan. My guess is that era hard times really haven't set in for the middle class youth, yet, and, if they had access to money or credit, they'd spend it.
jib10 says:
Have you seen the cars they are driving or in a lot of cases not driving? It is easy to afford the phone if you are not making big car payments. You can get a data plan for what cable TV costs. Pick and choose what you want, it depends on your priorities.
Spending is not the issue, if they have money, they spend it. It is debt we are talking about. I think the bunch just coming out will be the biggest anti-debtors. They are young enough to not have big student debt and old enough to see all the issues debt has caused their parents and older sibling. But I can be wrong, we will see.
S Brennan says:
You have to love generational warriors, always at war and wrong:
Bob K. says:
At my current rate and time in my home I am applying 1/3 of my mortgage as principal. These ultra low mortgages are going to drastically reduce debt loads in the future just through the amortization schedule.
BuildingCom says:
It's good you're delevering from the mortgage debt but that house still represents a huge loss.
WickedGreen says:
I look at those charts and see … less debt than a few years ago, and/but nevertheless more debt than a few years before that.
The history therein only goes back to '03 in the longest of examples, but we all know what a further look back would show.
Less horrible? That's what zero rates/massive Fed intervention has (cough) bought us?
Color me less than bowled over.
BuildingCom says:
Has any deleveraging actually occurred or is it simple a result of creditors writing off bad debt? I believe it's the latter.
Tens of millions dramatically overpaid for a house back in the first decade and millions more recently made the same error. Each one of those unfortunate people set up a deleveraging event lasting 30 years. It's was a big vacuum and now their is a void with nothing but air underneath housing with decades of deleveraging the only thing in sight.
rww says:
Confidence is one side of the coin. Cashlessness is the other.
scottinnj says:
It seems that borrowing is mostly by the younger demographic e.g by that first suit for work, the first car the first home. With this younger generation having fewer jobs less income and higher student loan debt it isn't that surprising that younger consumers are borrowing less. Plus I think a lot of boomers are realizing that paying down debt is the best return…paying off my 4.5% mortgage is a much better return that 2.7% 10 yr treasury. I also think there is a shift from own to renting e.g. See the success of Zipcar.While this isn't helping retail today (see Macy's and Walmart earnings) this is really a long term positive is we are becoming more prudent in borrowing. Of course Econ 101 would suggest the government fill the gap but that is another argument.
ByteMe says:
Still too much mortgage debt… too many mortgages are "upside down" and it looks like it'll be another 4+ years before we work through that. Those people can't move, and lack of mobility slows their climb up the corporate ladder, because the choice of jobs is limited by location instead of just the person's ability.
Student loans are keeping the kids indentured servants in a slow economy. What the hell did we expect liberal arts grads with $100K of debt to do? Hey parents: Just say "no" to taking on debt for degrees with no financial future. Your little genius needs to be an engineer, not an art teacher with a degree from a $40K/year college!
I don't think we're growing a generation averse to debt. In the 30′s, finding food was hard and that really affects the soul. Now, we just can't move to a bigger house when we want. Oh, the horror!
Oral Hazard says:
To the extent that Wal-Mart is among the bargain retailers that benefit counter-cyclically during recessions, you probably want to contextualize with comparisons to mid-range retailers. Amazon beat expectations in Q1 and juu-ust missed in Q2 ($15.7 billion vs. $15.73 expected). At best The Big Picture seems equivocal on this point.
Barry Ritholtz says:
Ezra has some more good charts
S Brennan says:
Ezra or Neil Irwin?
GeorgeBurnsWasRight says:
The price of gas has been up until just a couple of days ago. People living paycheck to paycheck tend to cut down on purchases of goods and trips to restaurants when the cost of gas goes up. I note that McDonalds had a similar same-store sales drop recently.
I don't know what all the long term effects of the Great Recession will be, but I think financing your standard of living by refinancing to take out the equity in your home won't be back in favor anytime soon.
Petey Wheatstraw says:
"As their overall finances have improved . . ."
I don't know if that's true.
So, what keeps the credit-based economy rolling if this is the trend?
Debt slavery via student loans?
Maybe it's forced participation in the health insurance "industry" under the guise of taxes.
What it is NOT, is general prosperity.
Slow morning. Here's a somewhat appropriate mash up of George Thorogood (Burbon, Scotch, Beer), and The Vapors (Turning Japanese):
"She a-hollerin' about turning Japanese, she'll be lucky if we ain't all turning Chinese."
"He said "I don't know man, ah she kinda funny, you know, she thinks you're turning Japanese"
I said "I know, everybody turnin' into Asian peasants, now you a peasant, too."
rd says:
Much of the debt deleveraging appears to be baby boomers' mortgages. Does anybody really think that the baby boomers are about to buy $500k houses again as they move into retirement with little savings and income?
The kids coming out of school right now are competing with their parents and grandparents for jobs. The parents are staying in their jobs to pay off debt accumulated over the past 20 years. It is unlikely that the 20 something crowd is about to aggressively buy housing or big cars until their employment situation improves.
We are also seeing a decline in suburbia. If this trend continues, I expect to see car sales stay relatively flat and without a resurgence in big vehicles. Ever tried to park a Silverado on a side street in DC?
econimonium says:
Ezra's charts add some dimensionality to this. Mortgage debt is the driver here and until those mortgage balances come down, or wages rise enough to leave more free cash spending will be tempered. (By this I mean that I bought my house in 1996 so what then was a big part of my salary is now not by a long shot so I have more free cash to spend/save).
The interesting part, to me at least here, is Walmart. Is it the low-end consumer or is it Walmart itself that's broken? When I was in bshcool and we studied Walmart's numbers and model, my remark was that I found it strange that a viable long-term business model was predicated on having your customers aspire to going somewhere else to shop. And now prices aren't all that different in other stores (compare a lot of grocery chains and even Target and Costco), competition is heating up, their labor doesn't care about the company (their internal rate of "shrinkage" is the highest in the business) and their stores are increasingly unstocked and messy. So what's wrong here? Is it really the low-end consumer (after all, those people are probably pretty consistent in their spend since they have to be) or is it signs of something else wrong with Walmart? Some really good analysis needs to be done here.
Oklahoma Kid says:
I'm curious how much of the deleveraging is driven by bankruptcy and how much is people setting aside extra to pay on loans/mortgages?
Having not had a raise in 2 years at my current employer, I recently paid off a 5 year note on a 2009 vehicle 6 months early. I have no plans to purchase a new vehicle to replace the other vehicle I own even though it's 13 years old and I owe nothing. My everyday expenses for food and other necessities have risen so dramatically in the last 2-3 years we just can't afford it without an increase in income.
My middle class social circle in their mid 30s is very risk averse to debt. One friend is selling his home and replacing it with a downtown luxury apartment he will lease. He's only made a small dent in his student loans he took out in the late 90s for a Bachelor's and again in 2002 for an MBA.
I know another person that despite having a household income that's risen in the low 6 figures, refuses to replace either paid-off vehicle or upgrade his home. Why? Extended unemployment from the Great Recession decimated their finances and almost caused them to lose their home. They are still drowning in credit card debt from 2004.
Only people I know sitting pretty financially are healthy baby boomers with houses paid off and no kids at home.
Barry Ritholtz says:
I dont know off the top of my head, but I would imagine the Fed Z1 flow of funds has info on that
culhnd says:
Oh to be able to slice and dice this data to reveal what is really happening. I'd love to see some median values and indebtedness per consumer. I would hypothesize that older cohorts are deleveraging rapidly with younger cohorts nearly making up for it. One piece missed by this dataset is that the cost of servicing these debts is significantly lower over the last 5 years, freeing up $$ to either speed deleveraging or spend.
Anyhow – the real reason for commenting – I think the meme that student loan debt is crushing kids is a canard – at least as it pertains to traditional 4 year schools/degree. The folks getting crushed are the ones sucked in by for profit universities – loan default rates are often higher than their graduation rates.
Here's some data on 3 year default rates from the Department of Education, summarized in a quick pivot table (apologies if it formats horribly). NBD = number of defaults, NBR = number of loans. >5k data points, this is the top 10 records, sorted on NBR. Penn State just breaks the top 10 and has a vastly different default rate. No bank would lend at the default rates of for profits, but the loans are often guaranteed by the govt (or school) and schools will directly pay fees to the lenders (up to 20-30% of loan amounts). Pretty nice system – guaranteed profits for the school and the bank, with a nice hangover of debt that can't be discharged in bankruptcy for students in exchange for a few credit hours towards a degree they didn't get.
I believe that is what is really driving student loan growth, not tuition inflation. Its a cesspool that needs cleaning.
Sum of NBD Sum of NBR Default Rate
University of Phoenix 49,592 187,798 26.41%
ITT Technical Institute 11,708 34,534 33.90%
Kaplan University 8,669 33,413 25.94%
DeVry University 6,394 26,427 24.19%
Everest College 7,046 23,433 30.07%
Kaplan College 4,363 18,045 24.18%
American InterContinental 4,749 17,275 27.49%
Everest Institute 5,152 16,822 30.63%
Colorado Technical University 4,031 16,088 25.06%
Pennsylvania State University 924 14,946 6.18%
Data source : http://www2.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/defaultmanagement/cdr.html
mllange says:
This is beautiful data, horrible and terrifying. Bleed the peasants with the promise of title.
theexpertisin says:
I would challenge every high school to report how many of their graduates stating enrollment at a four year college/university are still in school three years later.
I'll bet it is under 50%, on average.
Angryman1 says:
You need to inflation adjust and understand growth capacity can create new debt at a reasonable rate to drive expansion.
I think people forget that the Federal Government had a 'fiscal bailout" of 7 trillion dollars which made financial firms able to keep working. The problems is when debt surges to fast like in 2002-6 period. The debt needs to grow steady and slow, but grow.
Let it also be known, that the market loves it and approves of fiscal bailouts. The "backing" of the dollar reserve is not "fiat", but US economic expansion. Fiat is just the transmission mechanism. If the US decided not to grow and liquidate, their would be a massive run on the dollar and it would collapse. Short term rates would rocket and invert the yield curve destroying the US economy as countries fend for themselves, including native Americans. That would politically open up a potential problem for capitalism down the road as we know it now.
NMR says:
Yes I think lower rates might have had something to do with it…LOL. Just about everyone I know who had mortgages much above 4% on primary or secondary residences, or investment property, has re-financed if they were able to. If they had HE loans these got rolled in. Investment property was tougher until early 2012 but eased thereafter if the numbers penciled. Probably got a little way to go but with mortgage rates rising it has to choke it off soon even though rates are still low by historical standards because of the spread with existing mortgages.
BottomMiddleClass says:
I currently make 68k a year and I'm 39. My investment history is a train wreck…. bought REITs in 96, mortgaged a condo in 97 that did not go up in value because it was a college town and I swear to god developers started air dropping condominiums every night in the area, bought Tech Stocks in 99, bought a house in 2001 at a "Historical Low Interest Rate" of 5.75% one month before the twin towers fells and had a very hard time selling the condominium afterwards.
I did buy a very cheap small house (125 k), so I didn't lose it but I'm still stuck in it. My job doesn't have a pension. I have 150k saved up in the bank, which would seem rich to everyone I know but its a fraction of a fraction of what I need to retire. I really don't look forward to working my ass off until I'm 65 just to retire in abject poverty because the politicians eviscerate social security. I could get a gun and kill myself when I can't work anymore… but if that's my plan why not kill myself now and spare myself 25 years of working my ass off? I should probably invest better but I'm just not smart enough or don't have the time to figure it out with my current job. What's the plan for turning 150k plus 15k a year into the 2013 equivalent of 2 million dollars in 2039 so I can retire? And what if I do it and die of a heart attack at age 66? wouldn't that suck?
I should really get therapy but it's so expensive and I'm stressed out OVER MONEY!


text:
Panasonic back in the blackComment on this story
Tokyo - Panasonic said Tuesday it returned to a nine-month net profit of $2.4 billion thanks to a sharp fall in the yen and cost cutting as the Japanese electronics giant undergoes a painful restructuring.
The 243.0 billion yen net profit between April and December reverses a net loss of 623.8 billion yen over the same period a year ago, while sales came in at 5.68 trillion yen, a rise of 4.4 percent.
"Yen depreciation contributed to the sales increase," the company said in a statement.
A weak yen inflates profits of Japanese exporters including Panasonic and rivals Sony and Sharp.
Panasonic pointed to a boost in sales of auto-related products, such as GPS navigation systems and car batteries, while new home construction in Japan also provided a boost.
But sales in digital consumer products, including its struggling television business, remained weak as the company shifts its attention away from loss-making divisions as part of a wider restructuring.
Panasonic maintained its forecast for the fiscal year to March, expecting an annual net profit of 100 million yen on revenue of 7.4 trillion yen. - Sapa-AFP
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Ewan McGregor, from left, Eleanor Tomlinson and Nicholas Hoult star in 'Jack The Giant Slayer.'
- Filed Under
Bryan Singer was the wrong man to direct "Jack the Giant Slayer."
Actually, I think he should steer clear of fantasy films in general. Singer's meticulous style doesn't mesh well with the genre, leading to misfires such as the first two "X-Men" films and the meandering "Superman Returns."
The story of "Jack and the Beanstalk" was a bizarre one to adapt to the big screen in the first place - an obvious ploy by studio heads to unlock a whole new genre of film: fairy tales told via action-packed adventure ala "Pirates of the Caribbean." But, as we've seen with recent updates of "Little Red Riding Hood" ...


text:
Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950)
Webb Carey returns to Orta, near Milan, to find out who betrayed his World War II O.S.S. team and caused the death of several villagers. His old love Julie, whom he thought dead at the ... See full summary »
Director:Mitchell Leisen
Writers:Robert Thoeren (screenplay), Martha Albrand (based on the novel by)
Stars:Alan Ladd, Wanda Hendrix, Francis Lederer | See full cast and crew »


text:
HP under investigation for price fixing in South Korea
updated 01:30 pm EDT, Mon April 16, 2012
HP's South Korean offices raided by the FTC
Korea's Fair Trade Commission raided HP's Seoul office on Friday as part of an investigation into the company's alleged price-fixing practices, The Korea Times reported. Employees were questioned and computer records as well as documents were ceased during the raid. Other companies that are said to be involved in the scheme include IBM and Oracle.
FTC officials didn't reveal their reason for the probe due to their own rules. An HP spokesperson called the probe "routine" and part of the FTC's commitment to clamp down on multinational IT firms. Concerns are growing that Korean firms are relying on foreign providers for computer servers, storage and database management systems. HP, IBM, and Oracle are the major players in this business.
If the FTC finds the companies violated South Korea's antitrust laws, it may turn the case over to the prosecution, which may result in criminal charges for the executives responsible.


text: Hometalk member and gardener extraordinaire Barb Rosen recently wrote of her nightmare experience with chameleon plant, Houttuynia cordata, and what may be her life-long project of getting rid of it. But Barb surely isn't alone in having planted something she regretted. For me, my biggest mistake was planting gooseneck loosestrife, Lysimachia clethroides. I'd heard how "rambunctious" the plant could be, but I had a dry, shady spot where I couldn't get anything else to take hold and bloom. Well, the lysimachia did, and soon started looking for territory to annex. I've since sold the house and it may have taken over the entire property by now for all I know. Here's your chance to sound off and put up the warning flag about plants that belong on a "do not plant" list. Please post a photo if you have one, and let us know what zone you're in.


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Above all, the proper home warranty plan ought to keep your units and appliances running and be reasonably priced also. Consider a home warranty as a smaller regular investment that ensures that any conditions that arise will be looked after. Repairs are made efficiently, and dying appliances will be swapped out at an inexpensive rate. Consider how expensive and bothersome buying and looking after a house is already. You shouldn't have the added stress from abrupt and high-priced maintenance. A home warranty plan can help cut down stress and the hassles of owning a home.
The main features that you need to be looking for in a home warranty are low payments and one that covers quite a few home systems and appliances. Furthermore, a home warranty company must be accessible any day of the week, night and day. Above all, decide on a company that will actually quote your coverage cost assessment, over the telephone, free of charge. We can very easily help you find the best longterm option for your Florida home warranty prerequisites. We can assist you with any inquiries you have on the subject of home warranty cost and protection. And whenever you're willing, we'll be there to assist you in selecting the appropriate warranty plan for your residence. Receive the best bargains attainable with our premium partnerships with America's top-rated warranty lenders.
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text:
June 15, 2006
Jim Laise
WVU quarterback-athlete commit Brandon Hogan is already part of one extended family, now he is ready to stretch that tree to Morgantown. "Just tell them I'm happy to be there and that I hope they welcome me to their family," Hogan said Thursday morning. Hogan (5-foot-11, 170, 4.4) became the seventh high school player to commit to the Mountaineers this spring and summer. National Letter of Intent day falls on Feb. 7, 2007.The Mountaineers are keeping pace with Sugar Bowl vanquished Georgia and other major powers nationally in recruiting. The Bulldogs have committed eight candidates to date, while WVU currently possesses seven picks--three quarterbacks, one offensive lineman, one defensive lineman and two superbacks. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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text:
Maybe we should shift our Program to move providers away from volume and toward quality by shifting the Program itself away from volume and toward quality. [That gave me a headache but you get the point] Maybe a better approach is to set expectations using a balanced scorecard approach just like the GAO and OMB recommend for government operations. From wikipedia:
The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a performance management tool for measuring whether the smaller-scale operational activities of a company are aligned with its larger-scale objectives in terms of vision and strategy.
By focusing not only on financial outcomes but also on the operational, marketing and developmental inputs to these, the Balanced Scorecard helps provide a more comprehensive view of a business, which in turn helps organizations act in their best long-term interests.
Organizations were encouraged to measure, in addition to financial outputs, those factors which influenced the financial outputs. For example, process performance, market share / penetration, long term learning and skills development, and so on.
The underlying rationale is that organizations cannot directly influence financial outcomes, as these are "lag" measures, and that the use of financial measures alone to inform the strategic control of the firm is unwise. Organizations should instead also measure those areas where direct management intervention is possible.
Think about it this way. Many people who work in a corporate environment have about 30% of their pay tied to tiered performance bonuses. And although Wall Street firms misused bonuses to focus on short-term gains, their use as a tool to encourage long-term growth is still solid. These tiered bonuses are often structured as such: one-third for their company's performance (tier 1), one-third for their division's performance (tier 2), and one-third for their personal performance (tier 3). The interesting thing about the tiered approach is that is builds a sense of community where one division is rooting for their peers and helping them reach their shared goals. Why can't health care do the same thing?
Current VBP efforts really only focus on tier three and a few tier two objectives: process and intermediate outcomes. This makes it easier to implement but less effective at achieving real change that makes a difference in patient outcomes and our country's finances.
From my post last week, I mused:
For example, Medicare makes various adjustments to hospital and other provider payments that account for local cost differentials. These differentials largely support a continuation of the wide variation that exists today in costs and their inverse relationship to quality (see excellent New Yorker article by Atul Gawande). But imagine what a difference it would make if Medicare watered-down these local cost differentials over time and phased-in local health improvement differentials. That means all Medicare payments to a hospital would be partly tied to their ability to improve the health of their local community. Now we're talking real change and alignment of incentives.
The more I think it about the more I like some variation of this approach. Let's call it Community-Based Purchasing (CBP). [Even though CBP would add one more acronym to the mix, it would definitely be better than the Medicare's horrid RHQDAPU]
Just like in a balanced scorecard, CBP would fill the first tier of the bonus structure. Then a small set of summary measures covering the normal domains (financial, internal process, customer focus, and training and education) could be applied to individual providers in tier 2). And so forth and so on as the measures cascade down the chain.
[Graphic above is courtesy of the Balanced Scorecard Institute and their helpful presentation can be found at this link]
What would this do? Well, first of all it help would align incentives and build necessary relationships between providers. It would also balance the "art" and "science" of improvement efforts. The Federal Government could assume its role setting expectations with a small set of global measures and provider-based measures, and leave these providers and their local collaboratives to figure out the best way to achieve those expectations. It would also assist with CBO scoring of reform efforts as Tier 1 measures that focus on public health are available in actuarial tables (e.g. incidence of smoking, access to care, mortality and morbidity, etc.).
In summary, we have often heard that our reform efforts need to result in a system that is uniquely American and in that regard, why not build a uniquely American solution using uniquely American tools – like the balanced scorecard. ~BAA


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