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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) - A hidden camera WUSA9 taxicab investigation shows D.C. cabs denying service to a black undercover 9 News staffer twice as often as to a similarly aged and dressed white passenger.
Follow Investigative Reporter Russ Ptacek on Facebook or @russptacek on Twitter.
"I didn't know he was white"
Undercover video shows one cab refuse the black passenger, and going on to pick up an undercover white passenger a hundred feet later who requested the same destination.
"I didn't know he was white," the driver said when confronted on camera by 9 Wants to Know. "I drive for anybody."
Click here to see extended video: This video shows the driver when he refused to transport black passenger.
Click here to see extended video of black taxi driver apologizing for not picking up black passenger.
In the end, he hung his head and apologized.
"I'm sorry, the driver said.
Six of 40 cabs tested don't service black passenger
We asked all 40 cabs that we tested to take us to the intersection of Savannah St. and Congress St. in Southeast Washington, D.C.
Surveillance video show six cabs either pass by the black passenger in favor of a the white passenger, or verbally refuse service using various excuses.
The driver of Riteway Cab #7 is the only cab who ultimately acknowledged that his decision was influenced by race, but initially claimed he didn't even notice the race of the passenger whom he did agree to pick up.
In the video you can hear what sounds like the driver locking his car doors as he refuses service to the black passenger.
The driver claimed he rejected the black passenger because another customer had just bailed on him.
He said the problem passenger had requested the same location used by the WUSA9 undercover staffers in our test.
"This man I took to Southeast. I took a black man," the taxi driver said. "He didn't pay me."
He ultimately agreed to take the black passenger to the requested Southeast destination.
Most cabs tested agree to Southeast destination
Out of all the cabs we tested, the majority agreed to take the black passenger where he wanted to go. Our destination? Malcolm X Elementary and Recreation Center where neighbors say cabs seldom come.
"They say, I'm not going that way," said one resident.
"I can't get a ride from here," said a frequent neighborhood visitor. "It's very hard."
With both undercover WUSA9 staffers requesting that same destination, the video shows the black passenger being passed up for service six times, while the white passenger is refused service three times.
One undercover video shows a cab going right past our black staffer to pick up the white staffer down the block.
The video also shows cabbies refusing to take this reporter, a 49 year old, gray haired, suit and tied, white reporter, to the same Southeast location.
Nothing new on streets of DC
It's not a new problem in Washington.
A 1995 undercover 9 News investigation showed even the then- taxi commissioner, Karen Herbert, a black woman, couldn't hail a cab.
In December 2012 during our two day test, 34 of the 40 cabs tested agreed to take us to Southeast
D.C. law allows taxis to refuse service if they fear injury, but prohibits that decision being made because of race.'
Only two of six cab companies respond
WUSA9 camera recorded cabs from Travelers, Riteway, Premium, Dial, Federal, and Lincold either refusing service directly or driving by our black staffer without stopping.
Only Riteway and Premium cabs returned calls for comment.
"We tell all the drivers, you can't discriminate, said Shaw Qureshi, owner of Riteway Cab. "They know, but they take chances."
Riteway is the cab company that employs the driver who told us he refused to pick up the black man because another black man had failed to pay him.
"I know they are concerned about their safety, especially around the holidays because taxis are easy targets," Qureshi said. "The cabbie is worried but what he did is wrong and I may get rid of him."
Jeff Schafer, the owner of Premium taxicab, said he himself forwards complaints like this to the Taxi Commission.
"It's an ongoing problem especially in the downtown area because many drivers refuse to go to the outskirts, no matter where it is," Schafer said.
"I've talked to the Commissioner about it and I'm glad we have something on TV to make people aware of it."
DC Taxi Commisioner promises "severe fines"
After seeing preview clips of an undercover WUSA9 investigation airing Thursday night, the D.C. Taxicab Commission issued a statement saying it "is determined to eliminate the discriminatory actions of drivers."
The full story hadn't yet been broadcast when the commission responded, but preview clips show one cab refusing to take a black man to a Southeast Washington destination, while picking up a white man 100 feet up the road and agreeing to take him to the same location.
"I want it understood that enforcement against drivers who refuse to haul is the number one priority of the DC Taxicab Commission," DCTC Chairman Ron M. Linton said in the statement.
The statement said the Commission intends to change taxi behavior with "severe fines" of up to $500 and by establishing driver training and education courses.
"Our Hack Inspectors put forth a diligent effort to make sure drivers adhere to our regulations and we encourage passengers to lodge formal complaints with our office so that we may proceed to enforce Commission regulations," Linton said.
The statement identified a 24-hour service number to handle complaints. You can reach the hotline by calling 855-484-4966 and selecting option one.


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(SportsNetwork.com) - The 2012-13 season ended horribly for the Oklahoma City
They represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals in June of 2012,
only to lose to the Miami Heat. They shipped reigning Sixth Man of the Year
James Harden to Houston in a cost-cutting move, but the Thunder didn't miss a
OKC finished with the best record in the West and had the No. 1 seed.
Optimism brimmed at a chance to avenge their Finals loss.
Then, horror befell the Thunder.
Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley went for a steal as the teams were
heading to a timeout and injured All-Star guard Russell Westbrook's knee. He
was out the remainder of the postseason with a torn meniscus.
The Thunder's realistic title hopes were dashed. They lost to the Memphis
Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals and regrouped for this upcoming
One small problem arose.
Westbrook's meniscus healed properly, but as training camp began, there was
swelling in the knee. It was determined a stitch came loose and Westbrook
underwent arthroscopic surgery and will miss four to six weeks of the regular
"We're down a man right now, but we're not down," head coach Scott Brooks said
after an early practice. "This team is built on toughness. This team is very
resilient. We have players with high character that understand the situation
that we're in. We have a good team. We're going to continue to move forward as
an organization and as a group of basketball players. We're excited about what
we have."
Westbrook is no ordinary "man." He is an All-Star and an elite scorer and
plus-defender. His loss is tough, but Brooks is right, the Thunder are by no
means done.
OKC may lose some early ground in the standings, but with Kevin Durant, a
legitimate MVP candidate, the Thunder should still be in the top four of the
Western Conference.
An additional problem that may arise for Oklahoma City stems from a bench
loss. Harden has been gone for a season, but his replacement, Kevin Martin,
who had a strong season for the Thunder, bolted for the Minnesota Timberwolves
via free agency.
Who replaces him and Harden as the bench star is a big question.
But Durant is capable of carrying a team on his back. Don't shed too many
tears for the Thunder just yet.
2012-13 Results: 60-22, 1st in Northwest; Lost in West semifinals to Memphis
KEY ADDITIONS: C Steven Adams, F Andre Roberson, F Ryan Gomes
PG- Reggie Jackson
SG- Thabo Sefolosha
SF- Kevin Durant
PF- Serge Ibaka
C - Kendrick Perkins
KEY RESERVES: G Jeremy Lamb, G Derek Fisher, F Nick Collison, F Ryan Gomes, C
Hasheem Thabeet, C Daniel Orton, F Perry Jones, F Andre Roberson, C Steven
FRONTCOURT: Over the last four seasons, Durant has finished second, fifth,
second and second in MVP voting. He's made four All-Star teams and made four
consecutive appearances on the All-NBA first team. He is the game's most
gifted scorer, whose rebounding and assist numbers have gone up in the last
two seasons. He is the second-best player in the league and has the dumb luck
of being in his prime while LeBron James is as well.
Ibaka enjoyed a great 2012-13 season just after signing a four-year, $49
million contract. His scoring increased by almost 4.0 ppg and he's already led
the NBA in blocks the last two seasons en route to All-Defensive first team
honors. Can his scoring go even higher than 13.1 ppg? Probably not, but Ibaka
is an All-Star in the making.
Perkins is only 28, but is entering his 11th season. Some were surprised
Perkins wasn't amnestied by the Thunder considering he's due about $18.6
million over the next two years. His numbers, including minutes, all declined
last season.
BACKCOURT: Westbrook is not a traditional point guard, but how do you replace
23.2 ppg (which ranked sixth) and 7.4 apg (which tied for seventh)? The answer
is, you don't. Westbrook is a shoot-first lead guard, which rubs people the
wrong way, but, prior to the injury, he played every game of his entire
career. Westbrook is a decent defender who gets steals and when he gets going
toward the basketball, he's unstoppable. A rested Westbrook come the
postseason would scare me.
Jackson will most likely become the starter while Westbrook rehabs. Jackson
started in his absence during the playoffs and averaged 15.3 ppg. He's a
fantastic option for two months and the experience gained will help when he
goes back to the bench for the postseason.
Sefolosha is out there for his defense, but he shot 42 percent from beyond the
arc last season and attempted 3.2 long balls a game, which was a career best.
BENCH: So who does take that bench starring role?
The smart money is on Jeremy Lamb, who, like Martin, came over in the Harden
deal. He was a capable scorer at UConn and is a good shooter, but is a guy who
played all of 147 minutes last season, his rookie one, going to make that huge
a leap?
Jackson and Fisher will man the point guard bench spots when Westbrook
returns. Fisher is closing in on "E" in his career, but is a smart veteran.
Collison is just a prototype bench big man. He can play both spots and for 20
minutes a night, the Thunder get everything he has. Collison is a good
defender and banger.
Thabeet, Jones and rookie Adams represent some great future talent. Are they
close to helping this season? Maybe Thabeet, or Jones.
Gomes was brought in as Durant's backup, but anyone want to bet Durant is top
five in minutes played this season, especially with Westbrook shelved for two
COACHING: Brooks is a former Coach of the Year and is one of the game's best,
partially because he's had so much talent. This season will be more of a
challenge considering the disappointment of last year's playoffs, Westbrook's
injury and the lack of a bench star.
Luckily for Brooks, he has a lot of veterans to lean on. He lost one of his
top assistants, Mo Cheeks, who left for the Detroit Pistons head job. Brooks
will have to gather his team and tell them the first part of the season may be
rough, but it will all pay off come the postseason.
OUTLOOK: Any team with Durant is a title contender. The Thunder had a
legitimate chance to go all the way with a healthy Westbrook last season.
The Martin loss will hurt. There is no one on the bench who is a proven
scorer. Sefolosha is a premiere defender, but sometimes, in crunch time,
Brooks will need someone else who can put the ball in the hoop out there.
Maybe Lamb becomes that, or maybe Jackson's scoring increases with the
confidence he gains as an early-season starter.
Don't look for the Thunder to reclaim that No. 1 seed in the Western
Conference. Westbrook will miss too much time in the beginning for that to
remain an attainable goal.
But OKC will be there in the end. The Thunder should be among the four or five
teams with a realistic chance to win an NBA title. The bench could use some
help, but the nucleus, led by Durant, is still excellent.
The Sports Network

subset: commoncrawl


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Mepham gets past Oceanside
(Page 2 of 2)
Though neither team saw action in nearly two weeks leading up to the quarterfinals due to Hurricane Sandy and a Nor'easter that slammed the area, Foronjy thought it was well-played game. "Both teams have a lot of heart," she said. "We knew no matter when or where this game happened, it was going to be close."
Duffy, who led the Lady Sailors on the year with five goals, opened the scoring by converting senior Laura Dwyer's corner kick with 10:31 to go in the first half. Simpson made several point-blank saves to keep Mepham from falling into a deeper hole, and Picinich got the equalizer 13 minutes into the second half off a feed from Emily Schmitt.
"Nadine was All-County as a sweeper last year and jumped into the goalie position with no experience," Foronjy said. "She's played consistently well."
Temple-bound senior keeper Emily Doherty made eight saves for Oceanside.
KeywordsOceanside, Lady Sailors, soccer, Mepham, Lady Pirates
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Is There a God? And What Was He Thinking?: The Recent Publication Flurry
Many people have read the recent spate of books by the men who are being called the "new atheists."
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. 2006. This noted Oxford biologist argues against scientific proofs of the existence of God, and proclaims that religion is essentially dangerous.
The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris. 2005. Harris, a student of neuroscience, describes our biological need for spirituality, and goes on to say that not only extremist but also moderate religion is very harmful and should not be tolerated.
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens. 2007. In this provocative work, Hitchens, like Dawkins and Harris, maintains that there is no reason to believe in God; he got my goat by saying on NPR that just because some people believe in fairies there shouldn't be "fairiologists" on the faculty of the university, and no more should there be theologians. So I had to read his book.
But have you read anything else on the topic lately?
Try some of the following current San Mateo County Library books on belief and non-belief.
Killing the Buddha: A Heretic's Bible by Peter Manseau and Jeff Sharlet. 2004. The authors made a road trip around America, looking for colorful believers and, while they were at it, asking various writers and other artists to rewrite scripture in modern terms.
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett. 2006. Dennett is another well-known atheist, who describes in this book evolutionary theories of the development of religion, then goes on to propose policies to reduce what he regards as its deleterious effects.
The Dawkins Delusion? Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine by Alister E. McGrath and Joann Collicutt McGrath. 2007. The McGraths, English professors (I mean, professors in England), respond to Dawkins' God Delusion in chapters titled, "Has Science Disproved God?", "What Are the Origins of Religion?" and "Is Religion Evil?" They apparently are kinder and gentler to him than the "new atheists" usually are to believers, but argue that he sounds convincing but does not really prove his points.
Everything You Know about God Is Wrong ed. By Russ Kick. 2007. A compilation of controversial essays on religion.
I Don't Believe in Atheists by Chris Hedges. 2008. Hedges, a journalist and divinity school graduate, describes the "new atheists" as fundamentalists just like the most rigid of the believers they criticize; he would like to see more room made for moderation, tolerance and compassion.
God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question--Why We Suffer by Bart D. Ehrman. 2008. Ehrman, a prolific scholar of religion and a former pastor, explains how the problem of suffering and the various unsatisfying answers to it in the Bible caused him to lose his faith in God.
Why Faith Matters by David J. Wolpe. Foreword by Rick Warren. 2008. A prominent rabbi answers the "new atheists" kindly and thoughtfully, discussing the history of religions, how they have been a force for good and not just evil in the world, and how faith has helped him in his own battle with cancer.
Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists by Dan Barker. Foreword by Richard Dawkins. 2008.
The Case for God by Karen Armstrong. 2009. Another prolific popular writer on religious subjects, Armstrong here recounts the history of religion and tells how she believes religion, rather than being a threat, can meet the needs of a polarized society and "help us live creatively, peacefully, and even joyously with realities for which there are no easy explanations."
Author Bio:
Vaughn Harrison works at Half Moon Bay Library and on the Bookmobile. Her reading interests include anthropology, archaeology, ethnic relations, religion, mysteries, and travel writing.


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Royals agree to terms with Getz and Pena on one-year contracts
The Royals announced on Monday that the club has agreed to terms one-year Major League contracts with infielder Chris Getz and catcher Brayan Pena, avoiding arbitration. Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed. The Royals now have five remaining arbitration-eligible players: pitchers Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and Jonathan Sanchez; and outfielders Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier.
Getz, 28, batted .255 (97-for-380) with six doubles, 26 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 118 games for the Royals in 2011. He was acquired by Kansas City in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on November 6, 2009. Born in Southfield, Mich., he now resides in Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Pena, who just turned 30 on January 7, batted .248 (55-for-222) with 11 doubles, three home runs and 24 RBI in 72 games for the Royals in 2011. Pena set career highs in games played, at bats, hits, doubles and RBI. He was acquired by Kansas City in a waiver claim from the Atlanta Braves on May 30, 2008. Born in Havana, Cuba, he now resides in Miami, Fla.
1 Comment
I follow Pena for some time and I can say that he really makes a good job. Good luck in the future!


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Accessibility tools
Service tools
Language selector
Navigation path
The latest versions of the guides to national social security systems are now also available as web pages, further to a revision of their format and content to increase their user-friendliness.
The revised guides will be initially available in English, French, German and in the country's own language(s). Translations into other EU languages will follow soon afterwards.
We apologise for any inconvenience that this transition might cause.
Click on a flag to find out about your pension rights, unemployment benefits, family benefits and other social security rights in:


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The Water Programme, Asia encourages collaborative, efficient and sustainable water resources management mechanisms to ensure that secure water for all. We work with local leadership, communities, governments and regional development partners to implement multi-stakeholder processes to promote healthy watersheds and wetlands.
Water Programme activities:
- advocate greater investments in restoring, building and managing natural infrastructure
- provide expertise and training, as well as encouraging knowledge exchange on water resources management concepts, such as environmental flows, trans-boundary water governance, climate change resilience and payment for ecosystem services
- facilitate in developing and strengthening river basin organizatons throughout Asia
- focus on nature-based solutions to conserve and protect water resources
The Water Programme 2012 portfolio includes projects in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam. The Programme also collaborates on Global Water Programme initiatives.


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|Cobblestone celebrates grand opening
|Written by Holyoke Enterprise
Official grand opening activities were held Thursday, Oct. 3 at Cobblestone Inn & Suites, located at 805 S. Interocean Ave. in Holyoke. Residents of the community enjoyed tours and refreshments at the new hotel, which opened in mid-June.
Pictured at the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce's presentation for the business's first dollar of profit plaque, from left, are investors Gayln Einspahr, Harvey and Nancy Colglazier, Wanda and Hank Hassler and Steve and Kim Young; Chamber director Mary Tomky; Brian Wogernese, president of Cobblestone Hotels, LLC; and Tim Shefchik, vice president of regional development for Brimark Builders, the primary builder and developer for Cobblestone brand.
—Enterprise photo
For the full article, contact us about subscribing to our e-Edition. 970-854-2811


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Beyond Last Night
I make few denials about being partisan. I enjoy it at times like last night. In fact, I haven't enjoyed watching a bunch of people from Wisconsin administer a condign beatdown on a deserving opponent this much since Brett Favre was playing in The Super Bowl. All gloating aside, a lot went into last night that goes far beyond just Wisconsin State-Level politics and provides | Read More »


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Neil and Bipasha having wine together in Aa Dekhen Zara movie
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BLACK FRIDAY ends tonight! Save $25 off $200* Use code: TLBF15
Primus Events
|Sorry, Primus tickets aren't available at this time.
"Primus will be with you shortly" read the 12th floor in an animation on Primus' website that signaled the band's return to the studio and Primus tour dates after a hiatus that saw no new music from the band until 2011's Green Naugahyde was released. After a long trek through a barren Primus tickets-free desert, the insatiable appetite of the Primus fan was sated.
Primus have always produced a variety of high-quality content ranging from live DVDs to a mockumentary that have captured the imagination of their audience but nothing says Pork Soda like a Primus concert.
If listening to the South Park theme isn't cutting it and you long for the days of Lollapalooza '93 and Woodstock '94, break out your Frizzle Fry and get on the Sea of Cheese with Primus concert tickets!
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text: Get started with your new flatbed companies trucking job! Scroll down the list of all the flatbed companies truck jobs available that are placed below. To find out more information, click on "View" next to the company's name for the full job description. Complete the secure online application when you find the jobs that interest you!


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WISENET (Women in ICTs Shared Excellence Network) is the International Bureau's convening platform that aims to leverage the experience, resources and connections of the international ICT community to better the situation of women, their communities and their countries. As part of this work, the FCC has invited prominent women in technology from around the world to post blogs sharing their experiences.
As e-Business Advisor at USAID, I focus on using information and communications technologies (ICT) to make the agency's economic growth projects more successful. Because agriculture drives the economies of many developing countries, much of this work is being done through the U.S. government's Feed the Future Initiative.
I'm lucky to be able to get out into the field – literally – and see our agriculture projects and how ICT is or could be used to assist farmers. I've seen some high-end applications that seem to be working. For example, Sustainable Harvest uses iPads for coffee cooperatives in Rwanda to capture traceability information. The iPad's intuitive user interface is much easier to use than a PC keyboard. (More information about the project is available here).
Increasingly, USAID and other organizations are integrating ICT into development projects. Unfortunately, I have seen many examples of using ICT in agriculture development projects that are unsustainable without on-going donor support and that lack a viable business model to reach the hundreds of thousands (even millions) of farmers that could benefit. Because higher-end Internet-based services are especially hard to scale, I focus on lower-end ICTs such as mobile phone based services as well as radio combined with mobile services, GIS (geographic information systems), and digital images.
One such innovative low-end application that was used for a real-time auction for maize –– using only a desktop PC and an overhead projector –– radically changed how business is done. For the first time, a room full of bidders in a city in sub-Saharan Africa could actually see the bids of their competitors in real-time and decide whether to lower their own bids as the potential buyer watched.
Another low-end application is using low-cost video tutorials to augment traditional agriculture extension services, teaching farmers how to increase their productivity. One approach honed by Digital Green in India emphasizes producing short videos—say, less than 10 minutes—on specific topics, and distributing them via a hub-and-spoke approach that doesn't require Internet access. (You can check out some sample videos on YouTube.) These training videos, made with inexpensive video recorders and projectors (each about $150) are complemented by in-person and phone-based feedback to track which are most useful. The videos star local farmers or extension workers in the field. Digital Green's partners have produced over 2,200 videos and reached over 100,000 farmers in India. It is now expanding its approach to its partners in Africa. During a recent trip to Mozambique in January, I traveled cross country from Nampula to Mocuba and on to Quelimane through largely rural areas. Each USAID project team I visited showed strong interest in trying out these low-cost videos.
A third-party evaluation of Digital Green's project is currently underway that will provide important data for us to assess its impact in detail, but Digital Green reports its approach is significantly more effective in getting farmers to try new practices.
USAID's FACET Project has developed a practical toolkit for teams wanting to try low-cost approaches to integrating low-cost video into agricultural development projects and is conducting related workshops for USAID teams in Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique this spring.
In future blog postings, I will highlight promising ICT tools or services that can help further economic development. One of these is the mFarmer Initiative (a partnership between USAID and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and being implemented by GSMA) that provides helpful resources, including a market entry toolkit for potential agriculture value added services providers. Other resources are available on USAID's ICT for Ag website, as well as through the World Bank and the FAO.
To learn more about women in ICT see: WISENET: the Women in ICTs Shared Excellence Network


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Tech at Night: Apple, WiMAX, RIM
Good evening. It's going to be short tonight, because I don't actually have anything new to say about G—– or F— P—- tonight, as against freedom as they both are. But I will say this about Net Neutrality: competition from new technology is the way out of any problems we have with the ISP monopolies and duopolies that state and local regulators cram down our | Read More »


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I have tried to add Zimbra Appliance into Fuse HQ monitoring. Officially only Hyperic HQ is supported, but I wanted to try whether Fuse HQ works as well.
I have a Fuse HQ server and I configured Zimbra Appliance's Hyperic HQ plugin and added the platform into Fuse HQ, but on the Fuse HQ side, I get the following error message: "The problem is: Invalid configuration: Error contacting resource: Unable to connect to SNMP Agent (snmp:null null,null)"
It seems Fuse HQ requires SNMP access to the Zimbra Appliance. This is strange, since the documentation states that Fuse HQ Agent uses only port 2144. Additionally, there isn't SNMP running on the Zimbra Appliance.
So the question is, does Zimbra Appliance work with Fuse HQ, or is Hyperic HQ required for monitoring?
Versions used:
Release 6.0.7_GA_2513.UBUNTU8_64 UBUNTU8_64 NETWORK edition.
Fuse HQ 220.127.116.11-fuse


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Figuring it out
Music | At MerleFest, it's all about the music at this laid-back gathering of musicians and music lovers in the western foothills of North Carolina
WILKESBORO, N.C.—When you go to a big music festival such as MerleFest, taking place this weekend in this small town (population 3,413) in the North Carolina foothills, you have to spend a little time just figuring it out. It can be a big job just making sure you're at the right place at the right time to catch the events you want to see.
And, of course, getting the "vibe" of a place is vital. At Austin, Texas' South by Southwest, which I wrote about for WORLD back in March, the vibe was über-cool and more than a little frantic. No matter how great it was where you were, it was hard to shake the notion that somewhere else might be greater, the band on some other stage hotter, the party somewhere else cooler.
MerleFest, on the other hand, is much more laid back. Take parking, for example. It's free, and so are the shuttle buses that take you from the parking lots to the festival itself, compliments of Wilkesboro's local Boy Scout Troop (which does take donations, if you're so inclined).
The next thing you notice is that volunteers are everywhere. In fact, MerleFest's official program boasts of more than "4,400 MerleFest volunteers from all over the world." On the other hand, because so many come from so far—and therefore know so little—sometimes all the volunteers can offer is a smile.
A case in point: When I arrived at MerleFest on Friday afternoon, I wanted to know where the media interview tent was, because that's where all the press conferences would take place. So I asked the four women at the information tent near the main entrance. Their response was like one of those cute viral puppy videos on YouTube: They all four cocked their heads sideways and got an endearing but vacant look in their eyes. It was so comical that the man standing next to me burst out in laughter. I looked at him and said (good naturedly, I hoped), "You know, it's not a good sign when you get blank stares from all four of them." The volunteers, to their credit, started laughing, too. Quickly recovering, one of them said, "Baby, I don't have any idea where it is, but I've got a map and I bet we can figure it out."
And, sure enough, we did.
And that, in a way, is the story of MerleFest: They've just figured it out. In the beginning, MerleFest wasn't even MerleFest. The festival's founder, "B" Townes, was trying to put together a fundraising event so he could improve the gardens at Wilkes Community College. He recruited local bank executive Bill Young to help out. It so happened that Young, an excellent guitar player himself, was a friend of the legendary Doc Watson. Doc's son Merle had died just a few years before in a tractor accident on the family farm. So by the time the first fundraiser happened in 1988, it had a purpose and a name: MerleFest, and it raised money for the Eddy Merle Watson Memorial Garden for the Senses.
This is the first year of the festival without Doc Watson, who died in May of last year at age 89. In fact, his last public performance was last year at the "Spirit of Sunday" concert, a MerleFest tradition of Sunday morning gospel music. (This year, by the way, Jim Avett of the Avett Brothers will lead that event.) But even without Doc Watson, MerleFest is likely to remain the stuff of music festival legend. Top acts clamor to perform on one of its 14 stages. Just under 80,000 attended last year, with this year's attendance likely to top that. Organizers claim the festival brings more than $10 million in economic activity to Wilkesboro, and the festival has donated more than $9 million to the college over the years.
But unlike Austin's South by Southwest, which started more recently (1992), has grown much bigger, and has diversified into film and technology, MerleFest, now in its 26th year, remains all about the music. In fact, in addition to the bands—which this year include the aforementioned Avett Brothers, plus Enter the Haggis, The Waybacks, Tift Merritt, Michael Martin Murphey (see "Still hangin' around" from the Feb. 27, 2010 issue of WORLD Magazine), and dozens more—the spectators also play. "The Pickin' Place" is open throughout the festival for impromptu jam sessions. On Friday afternoon, I hung out for a half-hour at the "Little Pickers" stage, where fast-picking guitar players and high-lonesome tenors performed one after the other—and not one of them was over the age of 16.
So if you see someone at MerleFest carrying around a guitar case, or for that matter wheeling around a big stand-up bass, he might be with one of the bands. On the other hand, he might just be looking for a jam.
It's just one more way that the folks at MerleFest are figuring it out as they go along.


text: By Jan Rahn Managing Editor A new administrator has been hired to oversee a portion of the facilities at Perkins County Health Services (PCHS). Peggy Rogers began on March 18 as the administrator of Golden Ours Convalescent Home, Park Ridge Assisted Living, and Hugs-n-Teddybears Daycare Center. An administrator will be hired in the future for the hospital. Rogers said she was seeking a position where she could utilize her skills as an administrator—the offer from PCHS appealed to her because it was a setting that was progressive, community-oriented, and financially sound. Rogers said bringing and maintaining harmony among all departments at all times is the goal. "I believe in providing and meeting the residents' needs on their schedule," she said. "It is our job to provide a safe, warm, inviting, caring atmosphere with the residents at our forefront at all times." Rogers said she likens her role as an administrator to one of a conductor of an orchestra—"It is to ensure that each department is fulfilling its obligations to ensure the highest quality of care that we can deliver to the residents." Important to Rogers as well as to the employees of Golden Ours is building relationships with not only the residents, but the families. "Open lines of communication and being able to bring concerns forth is vital to the well being of everyone involved," she said. "I recognize that staff is our most valuable asset – without them, we would not be able to provide quality care for our loved ones. The employees care about whom they serve and what they do." Rogers said she believes in establishing an environment that makes the home a good place for residents to live and a good place for employees to work. "It is a balance between them —both are important," she said. Employees need continuing education, empowerment, and the tools to get their job done, said Rogers. She said her job is to provide responsiveness, clear direction, and leadership to them, while still being on 'their team.' Goals to be met at Golden Ours, Park Ridge and the daycare include the continual cultural changes as preparations are being made for the baby boomers and the amenities that this group will demand, said Rogers. The transition to electronic health records is approaching also, she said, and she is meeting this week with the architect to begin the planning of upgrading rooms at Golden Ours. "I want to thank the Board of Directors at Perkins County Health Services for the opportunity to serve the members of the community of Grant and Perkins County," said Rogers. "It is an honor to take care of those who took care of us in their younger years. I am compassionate about providing quality care for our elderly and look forward to serving in this role for many years."Background In 1998, Rogers completed her Health Care Administration degree at Central Community College in Hastings. She passed the state and national licensing board exams and began as administrator at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook in 1998. She has served in many capacities including district president, governmental entities member, and treasurer of the executive board of Nebraska Health Care Association, the nursing home trade association. She was appointed by Governor Heineman to serve as a board member for the Rural Health Association, and also served on the Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administration—one year as chair. She and her husband, Dick Rogers, have two sons, Shos of Grand Island, and Nick of McCook. Her husband has a business, Western Window & Door, and specializes in overhead doors, new windows and doors. Son Shos is carpenter and remodeler, while Nick is the executive chef at the Coppermill in McCook. Their recently adopted Irish Setter, Blaze, from the Humane Society, keeps them busy along with their pastimes of camping, being on their pontoon boat, gardening, and refurbishing older homes. Growing up in a large Irish Catholic family, Rogers was the third child and the oldest daughter. "Helping my mother with my siblings was a second nature to me," she said. "I have always enjoyed helping others." When she was 12 years old, she ran her own babysitting business, working full time during the summer months babysitting for two children and any night of the week for others. Her grandmother lived one block up the street and was an important part of her childhood. She worked as a nursing assistant at the hospital and her mother worked as one at the nursing home. "Being around people of all ages and respecting and providing for their needs was ingrained at a young age," said Rogers. "During these formative years, I also learned the "art of listening to others" and "learning as much as I could on a job" from my father. I attribute these abilities to my father."


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Jun 23
Roll Out the (Orange) Barrels! Top-Line Event for Summit Racing on Auto Smarts presented by Germain.com!
Posted by: lori on Jun 23, 2010
Tagged in: Germain Racing
Yes, it's that most wonderful time of the year! Not the winter holidays, it's time for construction in central Ohio and around the state. Nancy Burton is the District 6 Communication Manager for ODOT and she is armed with the information you need about the projects including, where the work is being done, when they are slated to be finished, and how to deal with the face-lift for our roadways. Orange you glad she's there to share? She'll do just that this Saturday with Dan "Boots" Longenette, Lex McAllister, and Randy Rhinehart on Auto Smarts presented by Germain.com, Saturday from 1-3pm on 610 WTVN.
Greg Anderson and Jason Line of Summit Racing are two of the top pro stock drag racers in the world. Both will be showing off their talents this weekend in Ohio at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk. The duo rank fourth and sixth in points respectively and will share their thoughts about racing in the Buckeye state with the Auto Smarts team.
Features? Sure, we have those. Michael Sacks with his 1-800 Lemon Law Lemon Aid Minute, Mike Fornataro of National Trail Raceway with his weekly Bits from the Pits, and Jack Moser of bustedfordrunkdriving.com will all be on with their weekly tips and insights.
Plus, you always have a chance to voice your opinion or ask your question. Call us during the radio show at 821-WTVN or toll free at 800-610-WTVN. You can also hit the net at www.autosmartsradio.com and join us via Facebook or Twitter!
Auto Smarts presented by Germain.com will be packing up and doing their road show twice in the month of July. Listen this weekend for all the details!
For more information contact: Randy Rhinehart
Auto Smarts presented by Germain.com 614-795-8469 email@example.com


text:
Third District Republican Congressman Walter Jones has a warning for President Obama. Any use of military power without Congressional approval would constitute a "An impeachable high crime and misdemeanor."
Congressman Jones has introduced House Concurrent Resolution 107 declaring if the president should use offensive military force without authorization of an act of Congress, it would be an impeachable offense.
The resolution comes in response to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's comments that the president need not look to Congress for authorization to bomb Syria but to NATO and the United Nations.
Jones' resolution calls for impeachment should Obama take offensive action based on Panetta's statement because it would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution.


text:
A last quarter moon looks half-illuminated. It rises around midnight, appears at its highest in the sky at dawn, and sets around noon.
Last quarter moon comes about three weeks after new moon. Now, as seen from above, the moon in its orbit around Earth is at right angles to a line between the Earth and sun. The moon is now three-quarters of the way around in its orbit of Earth, as measured from one new moon to the next.
It's very cool to see the last quarter moon just after it rises, around midnight. The image at the top of this post illustrates it well. Just after the last quarter moon rises, its lighted portion is always facing downwards, more or less toward the horizon. Why? Because you're on the midnight portion of Earth – with the sun below your feet – just as it's below this moon.
After the last quarter phase, the moon will begin edging noticeably closer to the sun again on the sky's dome. Fewer people notice the moon during the day from about last quarter on, because the sun's glare begins to dominate the moon.
A last quarter moon can be used as a guidepost to Earth's direction of motion in orbit around the sun. In other words, when you look at a last quarter moon high in the predawn sky, you're gazing out approximately along the path of Earth's orbit, in a forward direction. The moon is moving in orbit around the sun with the Earth. But, if we could somehow anchor the moon in space . . . tie it down, keep it still . . . Earth's orbital speed of 18 miles per second would carry us across the space between us and the moon in only a few hours.
As the moon orbits Earth, it changes phase in an orderly way. Follow these links to understand the various phases of the moon.
Understanding Moon Phases
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous
Last Quarter
Waning Crescent
New Moon


text:
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Michael Bush had two touchdowns on the ground
and the Chicago Bears took a 28-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC
North battle from Soldier Field. Jay Cutler, who returned to play after
sitting out last week's loss to San Francisco with a concussion, was 23-
for-31 with 188 yards, one touchdowns and one interception for the Bears
(8-3), who snapped a two-game skid to move a game ahead of Green Bay for first
place in the NFC North after the Packers lost to the Giants later Sunday.
Christian Ponder was 22-for-43 with 159 yards, one touchdown and one
interception for the Vikings (6-5), who were coming off their bye week
and lost for a third time in their past four games. Adrian Peterson
carried the ball 18 times for 108 yards in the loss.
Final Score: Cincinnati 34, Oakland 10
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - It was not a pleasant homecoming for Carson
Palmer. And his successor has his team back in the AFC playoff hunt. Andy
Dalton threw three touchdown passes and outperformed Palmer in the
Cincinnati Bengals' 34-10 win over the Oakland Raiders. Dalton, who replaced
Palmer at quarterback a year ago following his ugly split with Cincinnati,
threw for 210 yards on 16-of-30 attempts for the Bengals (6-5), who have
won three straight games and are tied with the Steelers for the sixth and
final playoff spot in the AFC. BenJarvus Green-Ellis carried the ball 19
times for 129 yards and a score in the victory. Palmer, a seven-year Bengal,
was booed vehemently on Oakland's first offensive possession. He finished
19-of-34 for 146 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the
Raiders (3-8), who have dropped four consecutive contests for the first time
since 2008.
Final Score: Cleveland 20, Pittsburgh 14
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Ben Roethlisberger's return may come too
little and too late for the Pittsburgh Steelers to achieve their goal of an
AFC North title. Emergency starter Charlie Batch threw three interceptions
and the Steelers turned the ball over eight times in all during an ugly 20-14
road loss to the Cleveland Browns that could impact their postseason chances
later on. Trent Richardson had 112 yards from scrimmage and rushed for a
go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter to help the Browns (3-8) register
only a third victory in their last 25 matchups with the division-rival
Steelers, but the Cleveland defense turned out to be the biggest stars of the
game. The Browns recovered five fumbles -- including one each by four
different Pittsburgh running backs -- in addition to their three picks of
Batch and scored 17 points off the Steelers' litany of errors. Brandon Weeden
added a touchdown pass while completing 17-of-26 throws for 158 yards with an
interception for the Browns, who are now 3-3 following an 0-5 beginning to
the season. Pittsburgh (6-5), meanwhile, has now dropped two straight
heading into next week's showdown at the AFC North front-running Ravens, who
dealt the Steelers a 13-10 defeat in the Steel City last Sunday in a game
Roethlisberger also missed due to injuries to his right shoulder and ribs.
Cleveland also held Pittsburgh to just 242 total yards, with Batch managing
199 through the air on 20-of-34 passing.
Final Score: Indianapolis 20, Buffalo 13
Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - T.Y. Hilton returned a punt 75 yards for a
score and caught a touchdown pass from fellow rookie Andrew Luck, sparking the
Indianapolis Colts to a 20-13 win over the Buffalo Bills at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts (7-4) rebounded nicely from last week's humbling loss to the
high-powered New England Patriots. The 59-24 dismantling halted their four-
game winning streak, but just as they have done all season, the Colts quickly
got back on track. Luck had 240 yards on 20-of-37 passing with one
interception for Indianapolis, which has yet to lose two straight games this
season. Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 17-of-33 passes for 180 yards for the
Bills (4-7), who have dropped four of five.
Final Score: Jacksonville 24, Tennessee 19
Jacksonville, FL (Sports Network) - Chad Henne threw for 261 yards with two
scores on 17-of-26 passing and the Jacksonville Jaguars hung on for a 24-19
win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at EverBank Field. Henne got the
starting call in place of Blaine Gabbert, who was hurt in last week's loss
to the Houston Texans and was subsequently placed on injured reserve
earlier in the week. Rashad Jennings ran for 43 yards and a score on 16
carries, while Cecil Shorts caught four passes for 105 yards and a
touchdown for the Jags (2-9), who finally put the brakes on a seven-game
slide. They came close last week in a 43-37 overtime loss at Houston and
won for the first time since a 22-17 triumph over Indianapolis in Week 3.
Jake Locker made his second straight start for Tennessee after missing five
games with a shoulder problem and threw for 261 yards with one touchdown and
two interceptions on 23-of-40 passing. Chris Johnson ran for 80 yards on
21 carries and Kenny Britt snagged a touchdown pass for the Titans (4-7),
who were coming off their bye and failed to build on a 37-3 win at Miami two
weeks ago. Tennessee has dropped three of its last four games.
Final Score: Denver 17, Kansas City 9
Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Peyton Manning tossed a pair of touchdown
passes and the Denver Broncos held off the reeling Kansas City Chiefs, 17-9,
at Arrowhead Stadium. Manning overcame an early interception to complete
22-of-37 throws for 285 yards for the Broncos (8-3), winners of six straight
games. Demaryius Thomas and Jacob Tamme each hauled in four passes and a score
in the victory. Knowshon Moreno, who hadn't seen game action since Week 2,
handled the bulk of the rushing attempts in Willis McGahee's absence. He
rushed for 85 yards on 20 carries for the game. McGahee was placed on
injured reserve earlier in the week after tearing the MCL in his right knee
in last Sunday's win over San Diego. While Kansas City (1-10) played well
defensively, the offense continued to struggle, as the Chiefs were unable
to find the end zone all day in dropping their eighth straight contest. For
the first time since 1976, the Chiefs have lost their first six home games.
Brady Quinn got the start at quarterback and was only able to throw for 126
yards on 13-of-25 efficiency. On a desperation heave, he was intercepted on
the final play of the game. Jamaal Charles paced the Kansas City rushing
attack, finishing with 107 yards on 23 carries in the setback.
Final Score: Miami 24, Seattle 21
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Dan Carpenter drilled a 43-yard field goal as
time expired to lift the Miami Dolphins to a 24-21 victory over the Seattle
Seahawks at Sun Life Stadium. Ryan Tannehill threw for 253 yards with a
touchdown and directed a 65-yard drive in seven plays over the final 1:32
for the winning score. Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas combined for 147 yards
with a touchdown apiece on the ground for Miami (5-6), which scored 17 fourth-
quarter points and halted a three-game slide. Russell Wilson completed 21-
of-27 passes for 224 yards with a pair of touchdowns for the Seahawks
(6-5), who were coming off their bye and had a two-game win streak stopped.
Seattle fell to 1-5 on the road this season.
Final Score: Atlanta 24, Tampa Bay 23
Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Michael Turner barreled in for the go-ahead
touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, as the Atlanta Falcons escaped
Raymond James Stadium with a 24-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The
outcome gave Atlanta (10-1) a stranglehold on the NFC South and ended
Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak. The Falcons hold a four-game lead atop
the division heading into Thursday's showdown against the New Orleans Saints,
who handed them their only loss on Nov. 11. Matt Ryan, coming off a five-
interception performance in last week's win over Arizona, turned it over twice
but completed an efficient 26-of-32 for 353 yards, including an 80-yard
touchdown heave to Julio Jones. Jones, who was listed as questionable
because of a sore ankle, caught six passes for 147 yards. Doug Martin, the
NFL's leader in yards from scrimmage, ran for two scores but was held to 50
yards on 21 carries for Tampa Bay (6-5). Josh Freeman threw for 256 yards on
19-of-30 passing in defeat.
Final Score: Baltimore 16, San Diego 13 (OT)
San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Justin Tucker tied the game on the final play
of regulation, then kicked the game-winning field goal with 1:07 to play in
overtime as Baltimore took a 16-13 win over San Diego. The rookie kicker hit
three field goals and Joe Flacco threw for 355 yards and a score on 30-of-51
passing for the Ravens (9-2), who have won four straight and now hold a
three-game lead over both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC
North. Ray Rice carried the ball 22 times for 97 yards and caught eight passes
for 67 yards, including a 29-yard catch that converted a 4th-and-29 in
regulation which led to the game-tying field goal. Philip Rivers went 23-
for-36 with 228 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers (4-7), who have
dropped their past three games. Malcom Floyd caught four passes for 65
yards and a score, while Ryan Mathews had 19 carries for 72 yards in the
Final Score: St. Louis 31, Arizona 17
Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Janoris Jenkins returned two Ryan Lindley
interceptions for touchdowns to carry the St. Louis Rams over the slumping
Arizona Cardinals, 31-17, at University of Phoenix Stadium. In addition to
the big plays, Jenkins, a rookie out of North Alabama, helped pitch a
second-half shutout while limiting star wideout Larry Fitzgerald to three
catches for 31 yards. Sam Bradford completed just 8-of-17 passes with an
interception, but totaled 205 yards and two scores through the air for St.
Louis (4-6-1), which had not won since downing the Cardinals on Oct. 4.
Steven Jackson amassed a season-high 139 yards on 24 carries in the win.
Lindley, starting in place of the ineffective John Skelton, threw for 312
yards with four interceptions on 31-of-52 attempts in his first NFL start. The
rookie from San Diego State's turnovers resulted in a subpar 44.7 quarterback
rating. Beanie Wells returned from a seven-game absence and ran for two
scores in the loss, Arizona's (4-7) seventh straight following a 4-0 start.
Final Score: San Francisco 31, New Orleans 21
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Colin Kaepernick threw for a touchdown and
ran for another, while Ahmad Brooks and Donte Whitner each returned an
interception for a score as the San Francisco 49ers downed the New Orleans
Saints, 31-21. Kaepernick completed 16-of-25 passes for 231 yards with the
touchdown and an interception in his second career start in place of Alex
Smith. Smith suffered a concussion during the 49ers' 24-24 tie against the
St. Louis Rams two weeks ago, and although Smith was cleared for contact
earlier this week, Kaepernick remained the starter for San Francisco (8-2-1).
Kaepernick finished with 27 yards and a touchdown on six carries and Frank
Gore added 83 yards on 19 totes in the 49ers' second straight win. Drew Brees
threw for 267 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on 26- for-41
efficiency for the Saints (5-6), but was mainly kept in check by a 49ers
defense that racked up five sacks. Marques Colston became the Saints' all-
time leader in touchdowns and finished with 36 yards and a score on four
receptions as New Orleans had its three-game win streak snapped.
Final Score: NY Giants 38, Green Bay 10
East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Eli Manning threw three touchdown
passes and the New York Giants dominated the Green Bay Packers, 38-10, in a
battle between the two most recent Super Bowl champions. Ahmad Bradshaw
carried the ball 10 times for 58 yards and a score for the Giants, who
stunned the Packers in a NFC Divisional playoff contest last season at
Lambeau Field. Bradshaw also caught two passes for 61 yards. Andre Brown
rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries for New York (7-4), which
snapped a two-game skid and holds a two-game lead over the Redskins and
Cowboys in the NFC East. Rueben Randle, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz caught
TD passes. The news was not all good for the Giants, however, as Brown
suffered a broken fibula in the fourth quarter. Aaron Rodgers connected on 14-
of-25 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and an interception for the
Packers (7-4), who had a five-game winning streak snapped. Green Bay
fell one game behind the Bears for first place in the NFC North. Chicago
beat Minnesota by a 28-10 margin on Sunday.
Thursday, November 22nd
Final Score: Houston 34, Detroit 31 (OT)
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - For the second time in less than a week Houston
went to overtime, and for the second time, the team pulled out a win. After
missing a 51-yard field goal earlier in the extra session, Shayne Graham
booted a 32-yarder with 2:21 left to give the Houston Texans a thrilling 34-31
win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Last Sunday, Andre Johnson caught a
48-yard score in overtime as the Texans took a 43-37 win against the
Jacksonville Jaguars. This week he accounted for 188 yards on nine catches as
the Texans (10-1) won a franchise-record fifth straight game as the visitors.
Matt Schaub, coming off a 527-yard, five-touchdown game against Jacksonville,
passed for 315 yards with one touchdown and one interception on 29-of-48
attempts while Arian Foster had 20 carries for 102 yards and two scores for
Houston, which has won five straight overall. Matthew Stafford went 31-for-61
with 441 yards and two touchdowns while Calvin Johnson caught eight passes for
140 yards and a score for the Lions (4-7), who have dropped three straight and
nine consecutive Thanksgiving games.
Final Score: Washington 38, Dallas 31
Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Robert Griffin III threw for 311 yards and
four touchdowns in his first Thanksgiving Day game, as the Washington Redskins
held off the Dallas Cowboys, 38-31, on Thursday in an NFC East clash at
Cowboys Stadium. Griffin, who fired four touchdown passes in Sunday's victory
over Philadelphia, finished 20-of-28 with one interception, while Alfred
Morris carried the ball 24 times for 113 yards and a score as the Redskins
(5-6) snapped a three-game losing streak against the Cowboys. Tony Romo threw
for 441 yards on 37-of-62 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions
in the setback. The Dallas signal-caller had been undefeated in his previous
five starts on Thanksgiving Day. Dez Bryant hauled in eight passes for 145
yards and a pair of scores for the Cowboys (5-6), who had won their last two
Final Score: New England 49, NY Jets 19
East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - In less than a minute, the Thanksgiving
football nightcap went from competitive to a one-sided blowout. An 83-yard
Shane Vereen TD reception and a pair of fumble recoveries for touchdowns by
Steve Gregory and Julian Edelman during a 52-second stretch in the second
quarter paved the way for a Patriots' 49-19 blowout victory over the New York
Jets. Tom Brady completed 18-of-28 passes for 323 yards while tossing three
touchdowns and adding another on the ground for New England (8-3), which
scored at least 40 points for the third time in its last four games. Without
Pro-Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker led the Patriots with seven
catches for 71 yards and a score. Aaron Hernandez, who played for the first
time after missing the last three games, finished with two catches for 36
yards. Four days after winning in St. Louis, the Jets (4-7) were decimated by
turnovers by the offense and special teams. They had four in the first half
and finished with five for the game. Mark Sanchez threw for 301 yards and a
touchdown on 26-of-36 passing, but was intercepted once and also lost a fumble
that resulted in a Patriots touchdown. With the defeat, the Jets lost to the
Patriots for the second time this season, clinching the Patriots sixth
regular-season sweep of the team in the past 10 seasons.
The Sports Network


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Smiddy Bunkhouse & Blacksmiths Backpackers Lodge
Real Reviews
Real reviews from fellow travellers
These are trusted reviews from guests who have actually stayed here. We hope you find them helpful.
Note: we only give a property a rating once it has received a minimum of 3 reviews.
- Page:1/1
- " Host is very nice "
- 29 Jul 2014 Anonymous Hong Kong
- " lovely place. good bus services to other places. nice kayak trips "
- 24 Jul 2014 Fleur Belgium


text:
Science fiction tabletop skirmish game in the 28mm-32mm scale.
Work Needed:
Looking for a cartographer capable of producing detailed, tiled map sections that can be combined by the players to represent the interior of various starship/spacestation settings.
The map sections would be of various sizes and shapes, giving the players an almost unlimited number of combinations for game play setup. Something along the lines of the e-Future tiles from http://www.skeletonkeygames.com is what I am looking for.
Quality & Size:
Work will need to be of professional quality and high resolution as all components will be reproduced in hard copy for the players.
Time Constraints:
This part of the project is slated to begin in the next 1-3 months
I will have the right to use the images for commercial purposes, the artist will have the right to exhibit the image as part of his portfolio but not to exploit it for commercial gain.
To be discussed with the cartographer during negotiations.
Contact Details:
If interested and/or for more details about the project, please contact me at:


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Weather Forecast
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Calendar of Events
- From 01 Sat Dec 2012 to 30 Sun Dec 2012 December 1, 2012 December 30, 2012 Sunset Inn & Suites
Amaluna by Cirque Du soleil
Amaluna is a touring show by Cirque du Soleil which premiered in Montréal, Canada, on April 19, 2012, created and directed by Diane Paulus. Loosely inspired by William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the story takes place on an island governed by goddesses. During a storm, a group of men are washed up on shore. The queen's daughter falls for one of the young men, and the trials of their love are the elements composing this production.
The title, Amaluna, is the combination of two separate words. "Ama" which refers to mother in many languages, and "luna" which means moon. The moon is a symbol of femininity, which is part of the reason it was chosen for this production.


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Worked With:
Eddie Murphy
Birth Name: Eddie Murphy
Born: 04/03/1961
Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Born: 04/03/1961
Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Born Edward Regan Murphy on April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, NY, the future comedian was the second born child of New York City police officer, Charles Murphy, and his wife, Lillian. Although Murphy's parents divorced in 1964, Eddie and his older brother, Charles, Jr., remained in contact with their father until his untimely death four years later. In 1970, Lillian Murphy remarried and moved the family to Roosevelt, Long Island, where her new husband, Vernon Lynch, worked as a foreman at the Breyer's ice cream plant. A precocious child growing up, young Eddie spent hours in front of the television set, voraciously watching old movies and cartoons. Not surprisingly, the youngster became a gifted m... Continue Bio >>
Listen to Eddie MurphyAll Albums >>
and similar artists - Play Now
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A state probe into how Kendrick Johnson's organs were removed from his body and replaced with newspaper has yielded few answers for the family of the Valdosta, Georgia, teen who was found dead in his high school gymnasium a year ago.
Johnson was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat at his high school on January 11, 2013. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted an autopsy and ruled the death accidental, but his family questioned the ruling and had his body exhumed for a second autopsy.
At the second autopsy, it was discovered that his organs were missing and his body cavity was filled with newspaper.
"No determination could be made whether the organs were transferred to the funeral establishment with the body," the Georgia Board of Funeral Service concluded Thursday in a letter addressed to Johnson's mother.
The letter further states that while filling a body cavity with newspaper may be a "practice that in the past was generally accepted, and that some embalmers may continue today" -- and that there are more acceptable alternatives that the board would encourage funeral professionals to use -- it is not illegal to use newspaper.
"Legislation or regulation does not address the practice or prohibit funeral professionals from filling a cavity with newspaper; therefore, the practice while certainly not a 'best practice,' is not a violation of the law," the letter states.
In closing its investigation, the board states that it "may consider appropriate regulations concerning this issue in the near future."
Neither the funeral home nor Johnson's family could be immediately reached for comment.
The family's complaint, filed last month with the board, a division of the secretary of state's office, alleges that Harrington Funeral Home in Valdosta mishandled Johnson's body and specifically accuses director Antonio Harrington of helping obscure the teen's cause of death.
The funeral home's attorney, Roy Copeland, said in an October letter to CNN that coroner Bill Watson has already stated that "the accusations and innuendo regarding Mr. Harrington's involvement in the disposition of young Mr. Johnson's internal organs are baseless."
According to "The Principles and Practices of Embalming," a sentence of which was included in Copeland's October letter to CNN, when the organs have been removed in an autopsy, the person handling the body should dry the cavity, "dusting it with hardening compound or embalming powder and then filling it with dry, clean sawdust or cotton mixed with a small quantity of hardening compound or embalming powder."
Copeland conceded at a November interview that newspaper was not listed, but he added, "nor is it precluded as one type of foreign substance that may be introduced into a body for purposes of building it up for public display."
The family's complaint alleges that when Johnson's body was exhumed for the second autopsy, "all of our son's inner organs, including his brain, were missing." CNN was the first to report the development in October.
Harrington has previously told the family that the organs were missing when he took custody of the body after the GBI autopsy, and Copeland said last month that the funeral home "absolutely, positively" did not receive the organs.
"There is no collusion between Mr. Harrington and any law enforcement. In fact, I'm appalled that anyone would even suggest that," Copeland told CNN.
Harrington Funeral Home never informed the family the organs were missing, and the GBI said it replaced all of the organs after its autopsy, the complaint alleges.
Harrington initially said "one or two organs might be missing," according to the complaint, but in an October 4 letter to the family's attorney, C.B. King Jr., Harrington said the organs had been "destroyed" and "discarded ... before the body was sent back to Valdosta," where the funeral home took custody of the body.


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|City utility fees escalate
|Written by April Peregoy
Residents of Holyoke can expect to see their utility bills go up in 2009, thanks to new resolutions establishing higher rate fees for electric, water and sewer usage.
Holyoke City Council held a public hearing for the resolution establishing electrical rates during its regular meeting Tuesday, Dec. 16. The resolution increases the rate fees by eight percent from 2008. Hearing no comments or objections, the resolution was approved.
Moving on to new business, the council then introduced two more resolutions, one setting new water rates, and the other, new rates for sewer system use.
Service charges for water rates will increase from $5.75 per month to $5.92 per month. In addition, usage rates will grow from $.49 per 100 cubic feet to $.50 per 100 cubic feet. Rates are still doubled for users outside the city limits.
Monthly flat rates for sewer system use will rise from $15.97 to $16.40 for each family dwelling inside the city limits. For those outside the limits, the flat rate will jump to $32.90 from $31.94.
Commercial rates are determined by basing average monthly water consumption, determined by meter readings from November-February each year. New commercial base rates per cubic feet are listed in their entirety elsewhere in this week's Enterprise.
To get an idea of how the increased utility rates will affect the average consumer's bill, councilman Kevin Scott offered a comparison of his 2008 monthly bills to what they will be in 2009, if his usage amounts remain the same.
For January 2008, Scott's utility fees were as follows:
Electric $114.48
Sewer $15.97
Water $9.42
Trash $12.89
Total $154.48
Calculated fees for January 2009 are expected to look like this:
Electric $123.63
Sewer $16.45
Water $11.42
Trash $14.44
Total $165.94
Over the course of the 2009 year, the projected total difference would be $121.43 over the total amount paid in 2008.
Also on Tuesday night, the city council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 9, which amends the way SourceGas will calculate its franchise fees for natural gas distribution from now on.
Recently, Colorado Public Utilities Commission authorized SourceGas to bill its customers on a therm basis, rather than a CCF basis. The new city ordinance simply changes the wording to accommodate SourceGas's changes.
As explained by SourceGas, a therm factor will be based on temperature, pressure and heat content of natural gas to convert the metered volume to a thermal equivalency. Previously, customers were billed on a CCF basis, with CCF being a unit of volume equal to 100 cubic feet.
Public hearings for the ordinance, as well as the two resolutions involving water and sewer rate changes, are scheduled for the Tuesday, Jan. 6 Holyoke City Council meeting.
Other business
In other business, city council members:
—accepted a report from the Holyoke Volunteer Fire Pension Board.
—wrote off bad debts for 2008.
—donated $1,250 in utilities to the Phillips County Historical Society for the Phillips County Museum.


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Habs get a PP in Boston 6 on 4 and their D is throwing the puck on net, it eventually goes in.
Bruins get maybe the most important PP of the season and the 6 players on the ice just don;t get it. It starts with Chara. Everyone knows the puck is going to him and he's either not quick enough to shoot or move the puck.
We can complain about the lines all we want, the game was at 2-1 till they got a PP 6 on 4 and they failed miserably , again !
Yes the PP is important, it's clutch and that's the bottom


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Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Mary Ronan are slated to attend an event this evening aimed at encouraging young professionals to become mentors for local youth.
Violence begets violence; it certainly doesn't have the effect of bringing about effective communication that ultimately leads people to understand and embrace positive actions. So why would Ohio schools – institutions of learning and thought – allow hitting kids as punishment?
Whether you celebrate the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas, do you go looking for and/or peek into gift bags? Is it a tradition? A sport? A challenge? An "accident?"


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I am about to have my 3rd VBAC at my midwife's cottage in the next week or so. I have had 2 successful VBACs in hospitals (last one was able to labor in tub) and enjoyed both those experiences. However we have moved to a new location and the hospital here is not so understanding of wanting a natural VBAC so we were lucky enough to find our wonderful midwife who has a birthing cottage set up with an amazing tub!
My only concern is about post partum care. I have had alot of bleeding postpartum which concerns me wether it is a good idea to stay there after the birth. She also only has regular beds and not so sure about how comfortable that will be for recovery, especially while breastfeeding; love those hospital beds.
We are considering going to the hospital soon after birth for postpartum care. Due to my husband's insurance I've been able to be seen by the midwife group attached to the hospital and have a good repore with them. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to just show up at the hospital with baby, not letting them know all along we had planned a 'homebirth' and receive care for recovery there. Or am I just over worrying? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Views: 18
I bled quite a bit with both births. 1st in hospital, 2nd in home. I am red-headed and I guess we usually bleed more than other people. Anyway - I never even thought about going to the hospital after my 2nd birth. I wanted to be home, in my element, able to relax.
If you feel like you are comfortable going to the hospital after your baby is born, then go ahead. I know that a lot of moms who choose alternative birth places usually do not want to be in a hospital at all. Maybe wait and see how everything goes, and if your midwife thinks you are bleeding too much, you can decide then to make the trip to the hospital. They don't need to know why you chose the birth place you did, but they will help you with your post-pardum bleeding.
IMHO (not trying to sound harsh, condecending or discouraging) if you are that concerned (and I can certainly understand why you would be) about PPH, you might seriously rethink your decision to do an OOH birth...even the strongest supporters of HB/OOHB consider total trust in the process & your MW to be part of what it takes to consider that as an option. If you are worried about the after...it could seriously affect the NOW. Unresolved fears/worries have a HUGE impact on labor & if this is a big enough issue for you too consider leaving the cottage & going to the hosp, esp if you are also worried/wondering about how the hosp might react when you arrive w/baby, it may very well hamper your ability to feel safe, relaxed, & allow your self to let go...which in turn would affect your labor progress.
Was your bleeding just really heavy or was it diagnosed as PPH? Was your previous bleeding so bad that it required intervention not available to you at the cottage? At what point PP did they/you discover you were bleeding heavily/hemmorraging? Has your current MW looked over your previous birth records, which includes info about the bleeding? Does she feel like it is going to be a possible issue and that PP transfer for bleeding may be necessary? (I would imagine that if you have a history of PPH your MW would seriously consider this in her decision to recommend for or risk you out of an OOHB) Are you worried that once you are home your bleeding will get severe?
There are herbs that your MW can give you to take at home that are effective at helping heavy bleeding. Maybe your MW will allow you to stay at the cottage longer than normal so that you feel more comfortable when you do go home? Does she do PP visits the next day? Maybe sch your 12 hours later instead of 24 so your bleeding can be evaluated (this might make you feel better & safer). Discuss this issue w/your MW. Tell her your fears. If you trust her to be your provider in your OOHB, her feelings on the necessity of you going to the hosp for PP care should weigh heavily in your decision.
Since you haven't had the OOHB...there are great advantages to L&D OOH, but there are also great advantages to what happens to the baby after he/she is here...As for the hosp bed being more comfy/easier to nurse in...I had lots of fluffy pillows to prop up on, and best of all, the bed was big enough so that Daddy, my son, & daughter & I all got to snuggle in our bed w/the baby...as a family. Def not an option in the hosp bed. Plus when night came & it was time to sleep Daddy wasn't forced to sleep in the hosp uncomf cot/chair thing (that was his FAV part about the HB, as he snuggled up to me & the baby that 1st nite in bed he told me this was the greatest idea I ever had :-)
In the end you have to gather all the info you can & then make the decision that feels best for you...
First, were your VBACs in a hospital? Midwife tended or OB tended?
The reason I ask is because natural labors tend to bleed a little more postpartum (from my first-hand experience & second-hand witnessed births) than labors that are augmented with pitocin. This is reasonable, because most induced or augmented labors are "topped off" at the end with a final shot of pit to expel the placenta and clamp the uterus. Just as natural labor contractions are more manageable than pit contractions, pit contractions are quicker at clamping bleeding postpartum. It is a reasonable conclusion, there. I mention this, because nurses may "feel" as if you're bleeding heavier than others would, because it is heavier than what they usually see. Unless it is diagnosed hemorrhage, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
The bleeding isn't a bad thing, though, unless it is just overwhelming...filling a pad an hour possibly with clots for a significantly long time.
If you are worried about postpartum hemorrhage, you should be in a hospital. Immediate hemorrhage requires immediate medical attention and is usually what is associated with partial or complete uterine rupture. Delayed hemorrhage has plenty of signs & symptoms that will tell you if you need to go to the emergency room...fever, bleeding through 1 or more pads an hour for 12 hours (even after resting), pain, passing lots of clots, etc. It is usually caused by poor suturing to wounds from the birth or retained placenta, I think. Your midwife can help to make sure that you've not retained placental tissue by thoroughly inspecting the placenta after the birth. Also, you could request that it be placed in a bag and put into a cooler for you to keep. If you aren't feeling really great and suspect bleeding within 24 hours of the birth, you can take this with you to the hospital to help them decide whether or not you've retained placenta. That would be up to you.
Your midwife will have herbals (if a lay midwife) or pitocin (IV or oral, if a nurse midwife) to care for immediate bleeding issues. If she doesn't...I might suggest a different midwife. Make sure that you are taking your prenatals, getting a good amount of Vitamin K and iron, and are well-hydrated during the weeks before birth.
Basically, if it was me, I would avoid going to the hospital unless medically necessary to do so. Read as much obstetrics and midwifery literature in the prevention, treatment, and signs and symptoms of postpartum hemorrhage. That will be your best resource in battling postpartum bleeding.
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Ana Ivanovic, who's been in Queensland training and tanning for the upcoming season, was spotted either preparing for the evening gown competition of some Aussie beauty pageant or for a Brisbane International photo call.
Love the hair, hope you win Ana.
(image via Getty)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
PHOTO OP: Ana wants to be Miss Queensland 2009 and has the evening gown to prove it
Labels: Ana Ivanovic, photo op, Queensland, tennis
6 comments:
Oh Rich you're so right. Her whole look is very pageant from the gown to the hair. Eek. Whoever the stylist is should be fired. Maria S. would never be caught looking like this.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 3, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Ana is so pretty and has such a pretty and feminine figure yet she comes out looking fat sometimes. WTF?ReplyDelete
All natural Ana looks much better than glammed up Ana. If only her people realized that.
- AnonymousJanuary 3, 2009 at 11:48 AM
I agree with Joan but in the picture of Ana on the tour's website home she looks really nice.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 3, 2009 at 12:53 PM
^ yeah, that pic of her on the tour's website is looking FANTASTIC.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 4, 2009 at 5:58 PM
LOL on the miss queensland comment. ana is a lovely girl and is much prettier in random shots (not all dolled up). her photos for l'equipe sport&style (maybe because it's a conde nast publication, the same guys who publish vogue and vanity fair) and for rolex are still the best all-glammed up pics of her.ReplyDelete
She looks like a giant Barbie doll there. LOLReplyDelete


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Apples and meat and the county pension fund
In response to
The U-T's coverage of the county pension fund's re-hiring of Salient Partners of Houston to act as portfolio strategist for its $9 billion fund sparked a discussion between a reader and retirement board member David Moore.
The first two installments have already been posted.
First, Chairman David Myers of the retirement board wrote a letter defending the system's consultant choice, saying, "Over the past three years, we have paid Salient $3.3 million and for that SDCERA has received $2.6 billion in total earnings which exceeds the median return of our peers by $464 million."
Reader Rick Paul of Escondido wrote to the entire board, taking issue with some of Myers' math and with the payment formula approved for Salient.
Board member David Moore responded with this letter to Paul:
First let me state that my views are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect those of SDCERA or those of the other trustees.
With that disclaimer out of the way, I'm going address your last issue first because it represents a glaring misunderstanding on your part. Regarding the previous three years' returns for the pension fund you stated, "But look, the 11.36 took three years to generate and was not an annual return [emphases yours]." This is factually 100% incorrect – please see the bottom of page 58 in this document (which is not adjusted for 1Q13, but you could take 1Q13'S result and do the rudimentary math). In fact, the 11.36% return IS the annualized return. While Mr. Myers' letter does not include the word "annualized," anyone who's been paying attention over the last few years would realize that this was an annualized figure as opposed to a cumulative figure. Moreover, it's a figure that would take about 30 seconds to verify, as it's easily-located public information. Clearly, it is your objective to be taken seriously and viewed as an objective observer. In order to do so, however, you must first establish credibility. In attempting to establish such credibility your case would be helped greatly by first getting the simple, easily-verifiable facts correct.
You asked about "typical" fees for an outsourced CIO arrangement such as the one SDCERA currently has with Salient. Thus, I'll provide you with some facts, some of which will be anecdotal in nature because I'm not aware of any almost fully-outsourced CIO arrangements as large as SDCERA's (although many are under consideration). This article states, "There are economies of scale in oversight: While 10 or 20 basis points spent on oversight costs for a very large institutional investor might be prudent, that may be woefully inadequate for a smaller entity that is pursuing a high equity and highly diversified strategy." What's not clear is how "very large" is defined. In my world, "very large" would be north of several billion dollars in AUM. So, if 10-15 bps (according to this source) is in the ballpark of normal for several billion dollars in AUM then 8 bps does not seem unreasonable for $9 billion. Moreover – and this anecdotal – I sit on a corporate board on behalf of an outsourced CIO firm that manages ~$12 billion among nine relationships (all endowments), the largest of which is ~$2.5 billion. This firm – admittedly one of the premier in the industry – charges this relationship 40 bps plus an incentive above a blended benchmark. I asked one of the partners how much they would charge for a $10 billion relationship and he replied, "Hard to say exactly without more information but probably ~20 bps plus ups." Admittedly this is anecdotal but, again, we might not find a true "comp" because it might not exist (yet). So, just as you issued Mr. Myers the challenge of naming a single $8 billion pension fund that paid as much as 20-50 bps to its outsourced CIO, I would issue the implied contrary challenge: for you to name a single eight billion dollar investor, of any type, which is paying less than 8 basis points to its outsourced CIO. I strongly suspect you will come up empty handed but if you succeed I would ask that you send along the firm's name to us for consideration. After all, our contract with Salient can be cancelled with 30 days' notice – a point that appears necessary to reiterate.
More importantly – as I already explained in my prior email – isn't the overall cost of managing the fund the more critical issue? If you give me $50 to go to the market with a list, expecting me to spend $40, and I return with all of your desired items and $15 in change… do you really care if I paid 50% above your expectation for tomatoes but paid 1/4 of your expectation for cookies? I'm somewhat bewildered by this manner of thinking – it seems completely illogical and profoundly misguided. I'm going by memory here but I believe our total investment costs for FY12 were ~88 bps versus a peer median of ~96 bps – in any case, I recall that we were 6-8 basis points below the median. So, even adding in an incremental 7 bps (paid to Salient) puts us at the median. More importantly, if the Salient contract leads to its logical conclusion (as I, personally, hope it does), we have the opportunity to drive down costs by an additional 20-25 basis points (!), which would put us in the most efficient 1/3 of public pension funds. I would assume that any rational person would see that as a positive, but please elucidate if I'm missing something.
Regarding the 8 bps vs. $0.80, etc etc from Mr. Myers' letter… I didn't write or edit the letter and I'm not interested in playing grammatical gotcha with Mr. Myers – you appear to have that job covered.
I hope this email addresses some of your concerns.


text:
- 240Promote
iPhone & iPod Touch Skins
Pipe Dreamsby Mat Miller
Skins are thin, easy-to-remove, vinyl decals for customizing your device. Skins are made from a patented material that eliminates air bubbles and wrinkles for easy application.
Happy Dreams of a happy little pipe.
psychedelic, bold, weird, surreal...
Lisa, Carina, Sharon and Seamless - Thank you muchly! =]
I love it, great work and cool colours!
Thanks gwenola, very kind!
This is freaking dope!
Thanks mrbiscuit! Your work is also very cool!
Wow! Very nice!
great work
Smashing colours!
this is my favorite one of yours so far. I'm obsessed.
Thanks David, JUSTART, John and Monica! I appreciate you taking the time to look! John, thanks, I'm always drawn to this colour palette for some reason. Monica, glad you think so! =]
This is so rad! love it ;)
Thank you Muxxi! =] Hippie bunnies to the rescue!
wonderfully imaginative
Thanks Patricia!
Glad you think so Hannah, thanks!
Thanks Demetri!
love it! and that little swing the whole piece fantastic!
Hehe thanks so much Kris!! The little hippie bunny enjoys his swing also. =]
Wow. You got something crazy going on here. Can't. Stop. Looking.
Thanks Terry!! It is a little mental =]
wonderful illustration!
loving the fluid feel to this work :)
Thanks Fabian and Polkip for kind comments!
Love it and the colors are great.
Thanks Foxe!
Funny good one!
Thank you Marko!
beautiful illustration!
Thanks very much Victor!
Creative work!! LOVE IT!
Thanks Eternal!
crazy art! so so love it!
Thanks very much Margarita!!
nice one..well done!
superb mat!
See More Comments


text:
Rail shipment issues cited in WSJ report are a matter of network velocity
April 25, 2011
Earlier this month a Wall Street Journal report noted how Detroit automakers were "struggling with rail shipping woes…stalling deliveries of finished vehicles."
The report pointed out how Chrysler and GM were forced to delay vehicle shipments by up to two days for large quantities of automobiles. While some of the delays had to do with the winter weather, the report explained how when the economy was contracting during the recession, railroad operators put thousands of rail cars into storage and cut staff. And now with shipments increasing, it said that U.S. railroads do not have enough rolling stock for fast deliveries, coupled with problems when dealing with demand surges.
While there was not enough rolling stock to meet the uptick in demand, FTR Associates Senior Consultant Larry Gross told LM that this situation is not so much a question of moving cars out of storage as it is a question of network velocity.
"The cars are out there but they are not moving as fast as they need to be," Gross explained. "If you have a thousand loads a month and you are getting two loads per car per month, you need 500 cars to service that need. Now let's say the network is disrupted by weather and gets congested. Train speeds slow down 5 percent so maybe you are getting 1.9 loads per car per month….now you need 526 cars to service the same demand, not 500. The symptom says 'not enough cars' when the actual problem is lower velocity.
As of the latter part of March, Gross said non-intermodal merchandise train speeds were running at around 21 mph which is about 6 percent below prior-year levels. And terminal dwell time—time spent in yards waiting for the next train—was up to 23 hours but has now retreated back towards 22 hours, which slightly higher than last year and is a sign of improvement.
In general, said Gross, it looks like railroads are having some trouble recovering from the slowdowns and congestion that resulted from adverse weather earlier in the year, adding it is similar to the problems the airlines have in recovering from cancelled flights, with not enough spare capacity, which, in turn, takes a long time to get all the passengers moved out.
"I think this is a temporary situation sparked by a quick uptick in volume," said Brooks Bentz, a partner in Accenture's supply chain practice. "Cars have been steadily released from storage, but the nature of storage means putting cars out of the way so they don't take up needed real estate and disrupt normal operations. That can mean taking a bit longer getting cars back into service. The railroads are not being overwhelmed by this, but rather I'd see it as a temporary blip that will smooth out relatively quickly."
According to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the number of rail freight cars in storage as of April 1 was 283,649, which was down 22,667 cars from March 1.
For related articles, please click here.
About the Author
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entire logistics operation. Start your FREE subscription today!


text:
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