text:
Sunday, 09/02/2012
Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
Soundcheck: Goin' Down Slow -> Jam
Set 1: CTBCars Trucks Buses, BagAC/DC Bag > DwDDown with Disease, GinBathtub Gin, Nellie Kane > SampleSample in a Jar, BOTTBack on the Train > Rift > Free, Ride Captain Ride > Maze, Halley'sHalley's Comet > 46 Days > Possum
Set 2: Sand -> Ghost -> Piper > Twenty Years Later > LizardsThe Lizards, HoodHarry Hood
Encore: Character Zero
· Soul Shakedown Party tease in Bathtub Gin
Noteworthy Jams: Sand (highly recommended)
Average Song Gap: 8.71
Performers: Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon
Notes: This show was webcast via LivePhish. Bathtub Gin contained a Soul Shakedown Party tease from Mike. At the end of Hood, Trey noted that it was the last set of tour, thanked everyone for an "absolutely joyous summer," then pantomimed crying and said "I don't want to go home." Trey added that "We'd also like to say, 'fuck your face'." The soundcheck Jam contained a Three Little Birds quote by Mike and a Don't Worry Be Happy quote by Trey.
Official Photos
Audience Recording
LivePhish Download
Phish.Net Blog Recap: Good to the Last Dick's
Song Distribution:
3 Farmhouse
3 Billy Breathes
3 Stash
3 The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday
2 Hoist
2 Rift
1 Joy
1 Round Room
1 The Story of the Ghost
1 Lawn Boy
1 The White Tape
Songs by Debut Year:
This show was part of the "2012 Late Summer Tour."
It's funny that Phish happened to release the 12/6/97 show so soon after this bad boy was played - not that I think this second set is as good as 12/6/97 II, but it definitely feels similar in that it's nearly 50 minutes of music that encompasses three different songs yet all feel like one massive jam. Sand goes full-fathoms-five deep before pulling itself out of the mire and opening up the hose, then leads into a glorious reprise of the main theme that leads into a plinko-laden, genius segue into Ghost, which immediately goes dark and stays dark before dissolving into a beautiful puddle and brilliantly segueing *again* into Piper, which opens up the hose once again and brings some serious heat before the bottom drops out and the band explores yet another dark place...and then turns into 20 Years Later, which may be an odd choice, but hardly one to begrudge the band given the brilliant music they'd just played beforehand. And don't sleep on the Hood either, 16 minutes of pure bliss to close things out. This is one of those sets that you almost feel compelled to play over and over again, to pick out parts you missed earlier, like a good book you reread over and over to marvel at how good the prose is. And Phish 2012 has no shortage of great musical prose.
I guess the upshot of all of this is that not only is Dick's 2012 the run of 3.0, 3 of the 10 best shows they've played since 3.0 began (with 8/31 the show of 3.0 and - hell, I'll say it - the best since Fukuoka, apologies to 2/28/03 and SPAC 04 and 8/15/11 and 8/19/12 and whatever else you want to stack up against it), but we've now reached a big moment for Phish (or maybe it feels like it to me), where the stakes seem to have been raised in a way they haven't since they returned. We're now seeing shows that we can legitimately say are the best of 3.0, as well as shows that we can even stack up against the good ol' days, and that is no small thing. 2013 is shaping up to be a huge year for The Phish From Vermont, and whether or not they live up to those expectations, we can say that Dick's 2012 *gave* us those expectations, and for that I will forever be grateful.
See ya next year!
(Set one was standards central, all cleanly played, with typical type one stress and release phish-rager-goodness, I keep the focus to the meat of it though! Set Two, Enjoy! )
Sand is unleashed from the arsenal for the last time (and to be clear, redundancy abounds, as everything played tonight is/was played for the last time this tour)and in its rhythmic torrent unleashed from the opening licks, set two is looking like things are going to get weird! It only took a few moments out of the song proper to get into IT. But I am getting ahead of myself; the gusto that was apparent in every note played was wholly reciprocated by the audiences keen attentiveness: the massive collective was housed in the communal quasi-make-shift congregation that gathered for what turned out to be a wholly religious experience. Page's comps that resonated just under the lead guitar, Mike's infectious bass groove, Fish tapping away at his hi-hat it all meant something. I liken it to a good piece of fiction, where every word is intended, no filler, each line constructed had to exist for every other line to have a chance existing. We are six minutes in and the whole band has locked into some cosmic joke that they are attempting to spell out musically, letting it flow through them. Page is still on point following right behind Trey jumping from rig to rig, and settling in on his baby grand. Unlike Sands of past, where Mike keeps the Sand bass repetition very much in line, this one strays from Sand while clinging to the last grains as it erupts to same cosmos that we were treated to the previous evening.
Trey whines out a long note before hitting his signature 3.0 staccato licks and Page's clav is sinister in its approach to what Big Red is throwing down. From this quick tempo section, entering in at the 10 minute mark, Trey begins to sink the band back into the quick Sand, briefly, before registering some funk filled licks, which trail into a howling drone. It is in these section, where the drone begins to take on the rhythm of the crowd, that the band seems to re-group (not lost, but really opening their minds and hearts to each other, to the crowd)! Supersonic loops, Page's effects, bass bombs that would rival those dropped on some unsuspecting rival country the sirens now blaring and we are in heaven, elysium, gone now from the plane of existence, the band in fully into another stratosphere, and we are left, we have left the physical realm. Repetition of this uplifting beat, screams echo from behind, more cries of exaltation. In this rhythm, very much Gorge 2011 Rock and Roll Jam, is then christened with Trey playing a section that almost seems wholly composed, the four horsemen of the apocalypse now locked into each other, and Page steps up, and begins to take a lead where Trey steps back. 17 minutes in and I am lost at how we got this far into the Jam, and (oh trey's tremolos). Sand, now dissolved completely, has become a new beast, with its sights set on total annihilation.
Interesting anecdote (as Trey's machine gun licks begin to bring the rise of the jam) the eerily thematically linked sections of this song, all come together as I walk the entire surrounds of the venue, before taking up shop dead center, behind the last bank of speakers; it culminating in the classic tension and release the band knows so well. Then, from the ether, formulating like the cyclical nature of the rain clouds that riddled Commerce City earlier that afternoon, we come to and are dropped from the sky right back into the semi-completion of Sand.
Now this is where I love my thought processes getting the best of me, because with a little Mike Plinko action, Sand's rhythms, which always have hinted at Ghost in my mind, slowly transform this massive jam, seamlessly, (very deserving of --> on this transition) and here we are tour ending Second set Ghost. The irony of the sheer nastiness of this segue, fusion, jazz funk fugue, is that 30 seconds into the Ghost, its not really Ghost yet (according to my livephish download, by the by) I could trade in all the songs to completion just for the band to play a montage of valid fusions from one song to the next. (ones that deserve -->)! The Ghost, to take the thematic implications of the Sand fiasco we just some how got ourselves out of (like some high school debacle regarding a very near-run in with the authorities) is now registering in my mind; maybe we didn't actually get out of that Dick'sand alive, but rather, were sleighed by the four headed demon equipped with musical quasi-weapon instruments, and we have now been blessed to be transplanted back onto earth, as apparitions as Ghosts.
It doesn't take long for the molasses to take hold and the undulation of thick, chunky effects driven leads, Page's comps, Mikes bass nails on rails, and Phish, holding down the tempo, my thoughts as I take this all in, along with the twirling freakers, spin-reeling, holding from long strings, between his legs, what appears to resemble, or signify testicles (makes sense, with all the Dick humor) are jumbled thoughts, barely able to comprehend as the Trey's wah effects are combined with searing leads, still being accurately traced by Page, just a little louder than his previous destruction of Sand. We are now over 30 minutes into this set, and locked back into a whole band groove, which is just fine with me, building in speed, and Mike's bass finally making moves for the lead, no one ego overtaking at any moment, but Mike clearly holding the reigns, as Page cascades a sprinkling of moon dust behind him.
As this section raps up, me re-hashing my set list book, all scribbles at this point, I realize we are only in Song 2! A no quarter theme arises from the smoldering ashes, the remnants of what was Ghost and the audience, and as a Phoenix from the ashes, or a Worm from the Sand, Piper graces us with his lovely presence, a sobering intro to say the least, which doesn't take long to get the cosmos realigned, smiles abound from those able to be fortunate to be present for this final Sunday sermon from our favorite preaches, giving us insight into the Universe by allowing themselves to be opened up to its rhythm and ancient voice. These four conduits for, what I feel is, the Platonic Form of Beauty, how Plato feels their is one true form for which all things are spawned, from that Perfect (insert object here) Phish is presenting us the Platonic Form of Music.
Having settled a little further back, Fish side, against the far back rail, I overwhelmed by the sheer majesty, as I am able to be a passenger on this voyage, all four musicians, inextricably linked via some tap into each other's souls. There ability to turn on a dime, and enter a whole new rhythmic progression, and so smoothly, obviously comes from a summer of magic, and a career that beckons the question (the one no one wants to ask) will this end? I fear the loss of this, as a piece of me will certainly be taken, as it almost was a few years ago.
Now Trey comping Page, in this last passage of the tale of Piper, risen from the Sand, and as the final stretch is nearing, each member locked and loaded, kung-fu style, a down-right, Chuck Norris-Bruce Lee style ass whooping! The fitting landing pad, for what just occurred is 20 years later that comes next, and as much as this might be a breather, it is more a reflection, like McGrupp recounts what occurred in Gamehendge, this song paints the mural of the arc of an ever evolving (mature) band, having wrestled with it all, and come out on the other side, able to produce such infinitely transcending Music.
We stand at the same precipice we found ourselves gazing off the previous evening, knowing we only needed but a taste of what we had just experienced to be fulfilled, band bows, house lights up. But no, here comes the added punctuation. About to veer off this cliffside, towards the denouement, everything we get from here on in is the sweet frost on the proverbial cake, the white caps to the majestic rockies, which in and of themselves, Snow caps aside, are enough to fill your soul. But no, having just been told the meaning of life, we are granted the chance to be told it yet again, to revel in the majesty of IT!
My girlfriend had been chasing Lizards for 50 shows, (missing out on the Worcester Lizards; a show I was regretfully, for her sake, at) but with the Gamehendge classic's, and elusive set list evader's, opening notes from Trey, I began to run circles around her; her jaw dropped cartoon style to the grimy floor of Dick's, but as she scooped it up, and was basking in the positive wave of energy, a bit of sadness overcame her. And it was in her eyes, in he heart I was let on to, until now, what I may not have always been able to put words to. IT, that elusive intangible, wholly cosmic convergence of so many outside forces, that we are but a small morsel in the larger chocolate chip cookie that IT encompasses, but a still a necessary ingredient, without which IT could never occur (Tree fallen to deaf ears); IT, what we just experienced, while certainly a goal of mine to experience, to revel in, to roll around and grovel in the cosmic muck, is also to be sought. Once you have seen it, you begin to chase the proverbial four headed dragon, 15 years across the planet, through Blizzard and scalding heat, occasionally it slipping through your hands, like fine grains of sand, other times, grasped, like tonight, brimming on the moment of wake from a heavenly dream, knowing you will not depart from this venue with IT in tow. Having held IT, you learn to let it go, knowing that the old adage of if it's meant to be, when let go, it will surely return. We would be like Wilson to think we could keep the book to ourselves, like Golum his ring, which in all it's power and understanding, is meant not to be owned, or possessed, but glimpsed for sometimes fractions of seconds, sometimes over the course of a Sunday evening, sometimes to be conveniently, if not seemingly deliberately, purposely evading your questing for IT, your hope of drinking from ITs cup, and quenching your thirst for IT. There, in her eyes, she had just been witness to IT, and it was sad, because, that specific quest was now over, and all at once, as the 10 minute mark hit, and the finally notes stretched into the cool colorado air, aloft in the breeze, the evening was drawing to a close, and the end of the summer was here; with us along the journey, a friend of vast significance, of consoling words, and infinite insight into IT, and Summer too, jettisoned from our lives, packed up its ruck-sack and sped off into the distance, without leaving their number, but knowing we will be seeing them once more, once the days begin to grow longer, and the sun remains in the balance of the sky for what seems like infinity, as if these days would never end!
Harry Hood was the obvious punctuation on this final chapter to this epic story of summer 2012; most complete tour; re-emergence of a band that can consistently kick it (yes they can) night in and night out, regardless of Web-Casting, couch tour and all the other Tweet-Space-Booking-trending-hullabaloo, that envelopes our modern society, What these performances have done, if anything, is forced those at home to get to their local amphitheater, local music venue, and tap into IT! Character Zero is the epilogue which begs the question, of how one might proceed in life, which we will all be asking ourselves, even after we were able to, albeit briefly, fold over time and look back upon ourselves. But we ramble from our respective seats, out into the lot, legs aching, sweat now drying to light saltiness, and the air is a bit sweeter, if not bitter sweet, the sky a little brighter, and the journey home, while still a daunting task, is just a little bit more manageable, knowing we were able to add another journey to the record books of our relentless questå for IT. Thank you, Phish!
Second set was the single greatest set of Phish in history. Somewhere in that Ghost jam, the web cam captured an entire crowd slack-jawed. Looked like the people wouldn't even dance. Everyone just got their faces fucked. SO it goes, the web broadcast was epic!
Finished 15 minutes early as a gift to everyone at the venue working behind the scenes. Nothing more to say.
But the second set is where it's at. All we really need to talk about is Sand, Ghost, Piper. These three songs accounted for nearly an hour of high quality, exploratory music alone. 20 Yrs fit well, and the Lizards was rocking. I love that damn song! Hood finished the 2nd set strong. A solid, high energy Zero taboot, and call it a night.
All 3 nights were great, and are certainly tour highlights. For second leg I've it ranked as following: 1st night Dicks, St. Louis, 3rd night Dicks.
Can't wait to see what they've got in store for the New Years run.
1st set song choices were great, an early set DWD, that was fun cause trey forgot the lyrics, and bathtub gin which was stellar for a first set jam. sample, bott were played great,rift always awesome,free needed a little more energy for the awesome song it is, i was missing a hurricane from mike but who cares. ride captain ride is a great song that amped the band back up, reminiscing of san fran. maze lit the place up, halleys comet always fun but ended a little abruptly. then a smoke show 46 days that just tore the roof off. at the end of 46 days we hit the 90 min mark and i thought for sure that was the end of the set, and pretty sure so did mike. then trey just busted into possum and took every body by surprise.
second set sand killed it!!! trey winded down the jam and paige, oh man paige!! stepped in there and took it to a whole new realm. 15 min later fish brought the beat back and they pulled it back in. beautiful! then one of the most perfect transitions ever, and this one into ghost. ghost again, huge!!! into a great piper. those 3 songs were huge jams. highly exploratory and full of energy. to me 20 years later was perfectly placed. it said allot after those 3 songs. then we get a taste of gamehendge with lizards, pretty sure they looked at each other and said why not?! again perfect placement and perfect musicianship high high energy. great hood closer. and a character zero encore
all in all it doesn't get any better.
that was soaring through gamehendge with the only band that can take you there. out of body out of mind.
if you've never head phish dreams you will now!!!
excellent song choices, better placements and even better music
thank you phish for laying it all out there night after night this summer.
it feels like 98-99 with the build up to big cypress. what are we building up for? 30th anniversary tour? with a stellar 3 day festi!!!!
But the second set is where it's at. All we really need to talk about is Sand
I thought I had seen the best of the best after night three of Bill Graham, but this just goes to show that the Phish can and will continue to blow me away and shatter my expectations every time I see them
Otherwise, nothing that I can add 'bout the 2nd set except that like many among us I couldn't dance (for various reasons) during the Sand>Ghost>Piper segment but stood slack-jawed to the floor because my face was being fucked once again, the Twenty Years Later (my first) was gorgeously powerful, The Lizards was powerfully beautiful and the Hood was everything it could be. Zero represented the amount of energy I had at the end of it, they asked it all from me and got it all. Happily and without hesitation. Because they want us to be happy.
Thank you Phish for the biggest, baddest, greatest and longest birthday party I've ever been given. Friday, my birthday show, was my favorite but simply due to personal preference and it easily could have been any of the three, they were simply that good show in and show out. Thank you to my beloved peeps for traveling near and far to share my birthday and good times here in Colorado. And thank you Dick's for letting me be me. I LOVE DICK'S! And so does Phish. In that platonic, non-inhaling sort-of way...:-wink/smile!
The first set was relatively standard but showcased rock solid playing and an engaged and respectful crowd. Ride Captain Ride was a huge treat and the band finished the set with an energetic and tight segment of 46 Days > Possum.
The second set with forever be ingrained in the back of my head. Phish kicked things off with a loose and groovy Sand which quickly traveled into uncharted territory. Fishman, mike, and page and working as a unit while Trey is laying down clean buttery lead. This blissful jam did not drag on in any way. It was focused, determined Phish - playing with a passion to move through the improv so naturally. After a crushing peak Sand melted beautifully into Ghost. We had just witnessed something epic. Ghost continued to showcase the band's creative and delicate playing that has taken place in this new era. 20 Years Later was placed right in the middle of the set, giving it the treatment it deserves. The dark, melodic, and perfectly toned riffs from Trey absolutely hit the spot. This is Phish in 2012 - 20 years later. And then boom, as if I didn't even know it would sneak up on me, Lizards pops out. Seeing this song on L was an incredibly special moment that I will cherish forever. Capping the set with one of my top 3 phish songs ever, a beautifully placed Harry Hood. The encore was also a perfect choice in Zero because of the energy at the moment. Zero is also one of my favorite encores and while it might be looked down upon at times, it certainly did not disappoint. This second set will be one of the best this band will play in this era because it truly can't get much better. I will always remember this show for the seamless segment of Sand>Ghost which absolutely transcended everyone in attendance. I honestly felt that it lasted about 30 seconds that's how good it was. Phish loves Dick's and everyone was going absolutely apeshit bonkers in the crowd. Thank you phish. What a memory and a show I will always revisit.
Although each song of set II was solid, I have to say that I could only give this show 4 stars and not 5, for the simple fact that with the exception of awesome versions of Maze and Bathtub Gin in set I, everything else in that set wasan afterthought. As with almost all set I's for summer '12, it was the warm up for the main event of set II. For me, a 5-star show should be pure brilliance from the first note to the last, and this one doesn't fit that criteria. Don't get me wrong - I loved this show, but it's not in the top echelon of Phish shows. (Top echelon of 2012, sure, but not all-time.)
Something about the Ghosts in Denver.
See you soon,


text:
GREENVILLE, Ill.-- The Greenville College men's soccer team finished the 2014 spring season with a notable 3.34 team GPA.
This high team GPA is impressive for such a large team, and it has improved since the fall semester.
Twenty Panthers combined to post this average, and the team saw significant improvement from a few players. Others simply kept getting the job done in the classroom.
The Panthers return to campus in August for the second camp directed by head coach Chris Swift and assistant coaches Sasha Viatrov and Jameson Ramirez.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Definition of relief in English:
1A feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress: much to her relief, she saw the door open
More example sentences
- There were so many feelings in this room: happiness, relief, anxiety, anger and pain.
- Like a patient leaving the hospital, she stepped out of the house on 11 Bandfield Street and gazed at the street with a blend of relief and anxiety.
- I almost screamed into the phone out of excitement, relief, anticipation, anxiety, and every other unsure feeling.
reassurance, consolation, comfort, solace
1.1A cause of or occasion for relief: it was a relief to find somewhere to stay
More example sentences
- With the autumn sun smiling and rain providing an occasional relief, the season has set in with a vibrant and colourful note.
- It is also a relief to see him in a role that buries his floppy-haired, bumbling nice guy image.
- It is such a relief to know which side is right, and downright comforting to have a hero in the person of that rookie cop who blew the whistle on the six bad cops.
1.2The alleviation of pain, discomfort, or distress: tablets for the relief of pain
More example sentences
- When other therapies fail to provide relief from the pain of a damaged hip, hip replacement may be the answer.
- Thus, the clinician's goal is to promote relief from pain and promote functional recovery.
- Is there a treatment that can bring relief from the pain and muscle stiffness?
alleviation, alleviating, relieving, assuagement, assuaging, palliation, allaying, soothing, easing, lessening, reduction
freedom, release, liberation, deliverance
1.3A temporary break in a generally tense or tedious situation: the comic characters aren't part of the plot but just light relief
More example sentences
- Fortunately, the programme does provide light relief.
- Indeed, the political circus may well provide light relief to an otherwise thoroughly depressing scenario.
- The first act then proceeds with the usual light relief provided by Wolfgang (the tutor) trying to prove that he can still cut a step or two with a younger woman.
respite, amusement, diversion, entertainment, jollity, jollification, recreation
2Assistance, especially in the form of food, clothing, or money, given to those in special need or difficulty: raising money for famine relief [as modifier]: relief workers
More example sentences
- The focus now is completely on getting relief and assistance into these devastated areas.
- It has assisted with disaster relief in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Lebanon, and the Persian Gulf region.
- The services help the Corps build dams, waterways, roads and other national infrastructure, as well as assist in disaster relief.
help, aid, assistance, succor, sustenance, TLC;
charity, gifts, donations
2.1A remission of tax normally due: people who donate money to charity will receive tax relief
More example sentences
- This figure includes your own contributions, any contributions your employer may make and the tax relief you receive from the Inland Revenue.
- Special cases for years, suddenly farmers were being hit by measures common to all taxpayers, such as the ending of the roll-over relief on capital gains tax.
- Any excess relief in a tax year may be carried forward for offset against rental income arising from Irish property in future years.
2.2chiefly Law The redress of a hardship or grievance.
Example sentences
- There are some cases where judicial review courts give relief.
- The applicant in this case seeks prerogative relief under section 75 of the Constitution.
- Does this court have authority to grant the interlocutory relief sought?
2.3The action of raising the siege of a besieged town: the relief of Mafeking
More example sentences
- They also were significant in limited tactical actions close to the shore such as the prosecution or relief of sieges.
- So, in the summer of 1139, while Zengi was laying siege to Damascus, a Christian army marched to its relief.
- In 1646, on the anniversary of the relief of Taunton from siege, George Newton, the minister, looked around him and described it in a sermon.
3A person or group of people replacing others who have been on duty: [as modifier]: the relief nurse was late
More example sentences
- The first day I worked in the OR, a relief nurse came to give me a break, and I began to look forward to the morning socialization and a cup of coffee.
- Once we had this physics lesson with a relief teacher because our normal teacher was off sick and Andy pretended to be deaf.
- The question remains whether the carnage that was wrought from the air and by the relief columns was strictly necessary.
replacement, substitute, deputy, reserve, cover, stand-in, supply, locum, locum tenens, understudy
4The state of being clearly visible or obvious due to being accentuated in some way: the setting sun threw the snow-covered peaks into relief
More example sentences
- Shocked at this, it quickly shifted into relief that he was busy with her therefore couldn't bombard her with fake concern this time.
- But these cults throw into relief the more usual pattern.
- This respondent throws into relief the transition he has made from one mode to the other.
4.1A method of molding, carving, or stamping in which the design stands out from the surface, to a greater ( high relief) or lesser ( bas-relief) extent.
Example sentences
- Intaglio is a type of incised relief in which the design does not project from the surface; rather it is cut into it, sinking below the surface.
- Previous Pharaohs had followed the rule that, in temple design, incised relief was used on the exterior walls, where it could cast strong shadows.
- Later, it became more complex: cutting, putting blocks together, printing with relief and with intaglio blocks.
4.2A piece of sculpture in relief.
Example sentences
- Sculpture is generally classified into three major categories: intaglio, reliefs and sculpture in the round.
- The arch was inset with sculptural reliefs depicting the campaigns of the French armies in Italy, while in front and behind it there stood figures of Liberty and Triumph on circular podia.
- Although technically sculptural reliefs, these works speak to a number of painting's traditional formal concerns.
4.4 Geography Difference in height from the surrounding terrain; the amount of variation in elevation and slope in a particular area.
Via French from Italian rilievo, from rilevare 'raise', from Latin relevare
Example sentences
- It took one computer artist a full year to paint terrain relief on every plate.
- Furthermore, in choosing the forward edge, it is important to take into account terrain relief, the type of soil, and the depth of the snow cover.
in relief
- Nicole Ronald then came on in relief in the third inning and silenced the Western bats for the remainder of the affair.
- Dave Cornelius came in relief for McNabb and held the Badgers to just one hit in the remaining three innings.
- The second year pivot came on in relief and had his share of struggles.
on relief
- chiefly North American Receiving government assistance because of need.Example sentences
- In the 1930s, working-class people, many on relief, flocked to movies where Park Avenue swells wined and dined in style.
- Organisers on relief risked having their benefits taken away, but still they persevered.
2 Baseball Acting as a replacement pitcher.
Example sentences
Late Middle English: from Old French, from relever 'raise up, relieve', from Latin relevare 'raise again, alleviate'.
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: re·lief
Definition of relief in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
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= trending


text:
In most industries, innovation comes from big companies that invest large amounts of money in equipment and research. The IT industry is different: the only real investment is a PC—and copious amounts of time necessary to study and research. (Without free software it could have been a very different story today, since we could live in a world where you couldn't program without forking out several thousands of dollars just for a compiler. Does anybody remember how much the first version of Visual C++ cost?)
In computers, the most important leaps forward are often made by single (outstanding) individuals. I've had a chance to talk to Arturo "Buanzo" Busleiman, who wrote Enigform. If Enigform becomes a standard, it could change the way everybody logs onto their internet banking sites and more. He's the best person to talk about Enigform... so, here he is.
TM: Arturo, please tell us about yourself!
I'm a 25 year old Argentinian GNU/Linux user, admin and developer who really loves information security, programming and guitar playing (I play the guitar and sing in a punk-rock band, check it out people!). I've been "Linuxating" since late 1994, and GNU/Linux and the FLOSS movement helped me to become what I am today: a full grown geek. (Yes, I do have a wife, and children, too).
TM: You developed Enigform... can you give us a very simple description of what it does?
Enigform is a Mozilla Firefox extension that implements OpenPGP signing (and in the future, encrypting) of HTTP requests, allowing web servers (or proxies, for example) to authenticate the identity and integrity of the request. It uses GnuPG, and works on any operating system where Mozilla and GnuPG can run.
TM: What about a more detailed/technical description?
GnuPG allows its users to sign and encrypt files, but it's mostly used for email. If I send you a signed email, and you have my public key, then you can verify that I have sent it. I can also encrypt it so you are the only one who can decrypt it and thus read it. Both operations can be combined, of course. That's quite cool, because signing also gives the ability of verifying the contents of the message. Email forgery is not valid here.
Imagine all those benefits for web browsing! No Phishing, no session hijacking, no man-in-the-middle attacks! Alternatives to SSL. A safer browsing experience. Better eCommerce. Imagine Paypal or Google Checkout or Home Banking where both the user and the server can identify each other with the same level of confidence we can expect from PGP Signed/Encrypted email...
Of course, server-side support is required. That's why I had to develop mod_auth_openpgp, an Apache module that you can enable for a server or virtual host (per-directory support is on its way).
Enigform does not break HTTP in any way, it just adds a set of request headers. Servers that do not support the OpenPGP extensions will not benefit from them, but won't be affected either.
TM: So, it needs an Apache module to actually work. What about other web servers? And on the client side, what about IE, Opera, etc.?
Regarding Microsoft's IIS... well, I wouldn't code for it myself, but could provide support to other programmers. However, I'm willing to port
mod_auth_openpgp to other open source, freedom-based httpd implementations. In any case, it just depends on GPGME (a library of GnuPG functions that is quite easy to use), so should be an easy task.
Opera has a plugin API, and I quite like it because it runs on many mobile platforms, which is a great thing. I'd like to support it just because of that, even though it's not open source (yet!).
IE 7 now has a plugin API. I guess someone will port Enigform... In any case, I don't think IE (and Windows as we know it) will live much longer. I've always believed that if Microsoft went GPL, they would really benefit. Who knows.
TM: Who will benefit from this module? Can you give us a couple of use cases?
Both users and web developers/admins/etc. Signing HTTP requests (encryption is still not supported) allows web programmers, webmasters and administrators to authorize access to private content, or simply to identify users. I like to think that Phishing (as no user and password are required!) and Man in the Middle attacks can be rendered obsolete by this. Some people have suggested that it could also help in scenarios where HTTP traffic must be encrypted. SSL is used for this, but for the whole certificates process to work you need one public IP per virtual host. As Enigform works on the application layer, not at socket layer, it can even work behind accelerators, reverse proxies, etc.
TM: So, people would have only one set of keys (private/public), and then provide their public key to their bank, their favourite shopping site, and so on (assuming that they support Enigform). Which also means that they will only have one password to remember—the password to their private key. Is this correct?
You got it right! Enigform can also make use of the gpg-agent, so it is not necessary to input the passphrase for every request. Enigform can also store the passphrase in memory, but using the gpg-agent is far better in terms of security.
TM: Enigform will basically confirm that the key belongs to the right user. However, the OpenPGP architecture doesn't have a central authority to have a list of "confirmed" identities. Is this a problem? If I were (for example) a bank, and wanted to use Enigform, what would I have to do in order to get my customers to use it?
First of all, "trust" comes in a different flavor under the OpenPGP mechanism. I can sign other people's public keys, making them more trust worthy. And there are even documents on "How to organize a pgp key-signing party". Yes, it's completely different, but I think that's the good thing: it is an alternative. Not a different implementation, but a whole different concept that fully differs from SSL and that could actually coexist with it.
For example, Banks are requesting their users to type their Home Baking password using a "virtual keyboard" that appears on-screen. This has already been hacked, and for different browsers and banks. With Enigform, banks could just request users to submit their public key to a keyserver, or send it via email to some special email address, and then tell them to type in their pgp keyid at the neareast ATM. How does this differ from current procedures? Instead of setting the Home Banking password at the ATM, you specify your OpenPGP Key ID. No password is necessary. Not even a username. Of course, an attacker would have to steal the user's private keyring AND the passphrase, but once the user's computer is compromised... no security mechanism applies.
TM: I am a little concerned about mobile devices, that might be too small to actually have OpenPGP. How would you address that? (If every bank used it, I wouldn't be able to do internet banking with my tiny tablet!
Well, GnuPG is currently not working with Windows CE, for example, but Palm has announced the switch to a Linux-based OS... thus GnuPG will potentially be supported. Mobile is not my field (... yet! I'm from Argentina, I've not attended a security conference yet because of money issues, so... Mobile? What's that?!)
TM: Does Enigform actually need to deal with encryption as well? I mean, you could use Enigform to verify the user's identity, and transfer information through HTTPS, right?
Of course. But when HTTPS is not an option, or when you only want certain requests to be encrypted thus avoiding the bandwidth payload, then request encryption is clearly an interesting alternative. Additionally, the benefit of avoiding the high cost of SSL certificates is definitely nice. Well, we could also talk about the cryptographic benefits of using the algorithms and keysizes an OpenPGP implementation allows, but... :)
TM: Is there anything equivalent in the free software world? What about the proprietary world?
The only thing remotely similar that I've found so far (and I've really googled for this) is a CCI PGP extension documented here. I believe its from 1995...
TM: I understand you want it to become an accepted standard. How is the approval process going?
Some guys from the IETF OpenPGP Working Group are helping me with some procedural details, but I expect to have it submitted to the IETF by July this year (2007). Hopefully, it can become an RFC. That would probably make Enigform and other plugins obsolete, because the browser itself could/should support it. I'd love to focus on the server-side, really.
TM: What are your future plans about Enigform/
Well, I want to enhance Enigform itself with some per-domain, or regex based, rules like "always sign for this domain using key 0xdeadb33f", provide some key-exchange negotiation mechanism, and support it in reverse: the browsing user can verify the remote web server. If verification works both ways, then it would simply be fantastic. Absolutely no more phishing! Of course, to add request encryption is pretty high up in my TODO list.
TM: For this to work, it will need widespread adoption. Is it easy for the user to actually set their public key? Does the plugin help the users create a keypair? And, if/when this makes it into normal browsers, do you think it will be easy enough to use for common users?
Well Tony, once you have configured GnuPG, and once your keypair is ready, Enigform is ready to be used. If no specific key-id is chosen in Enigform's Preferences Dialog, then the default one is used. It does not help the user in any way, but Enigform 1.0.0 has not yet been released either! My TODO list has a "gnupg wizard" item, but it's not high on my priority list. As you say, for this to work, it will need widespread adoption. If I don't focus on the HTTP-PGP process fully, then it will become an unstable platform. I'd rather define a clear workflow (i.e. the Internet Draft), and then implement better user interface elements. Of course, if anyone is willing to help, then some user-friendly features could be added asap. If it ever makes it into normal browsers, then each one will provide its own OpenPGP implementation and/or wizards, and all of that would be presented to the user in the format and design they're used to seeing in those browsers. I trust the design and development team at Mozilla and Opera! :)
TM: Thank you so much for your answers, Arturo. Best of luck with your project and with its acceptance as a standard!
certs haven't caught on, why this?
HTTP sessions can right now be encrypted and authenticated using TLS (or SSL), but nobody i know does it (here in the US). and i'm not talking about authenticating the server, but the client.
SSL is used for this, but for the whole certificates process to work you need one public IP per virtual host.
TLS requires a unique IP address? no; a unique endpoint (IP and port) is sufficient. isn't specifying something other than port 80 too difficult for users? it's easier than generating and properly handling a public-private key pair. and people just go to their bank's home page and find the redirecting form (bad!) or link for login to the "secure" web site, so why can't that be replaced with a link that has a port number in the url? and for most businesses willing to go through the expense of client-side auth (TLS, PGP, etc), a dedicated IP address is nothing.
Enigform works on the application layer, not at socket layer, it can even work behind accelerators, reverse proxies, etc.
yes, because SSL does encryption at the transport layer the application layer is obscured, so there's less flexibility (you can only play games at the transport layer, not the application layer). but usually the main concern is load balancing which is possible if you distribute connections based on TLS sessions and share the same cert across all web servers. it may even be possible in practice to just distribute TCP streams, ignoring TLS sessions.
the high cost of SSL certificates
yes, if you want 3rd party verification, you need to use a recognized certificate authority, but there's nothing to stop a bank from becoming their own authority. and certificate authorities are not even necessary if the trustworthiness of the certificate was established out-of-band (eg in person at bank branch office, by physical mail, etc). certificate authorities are only so by trusting a single entity you can implicitly trust all issued certificates (without verification of each individual certificate), but as long as my bank trusts my cert (by verifying it ahead of time), it accomplishes the same. and PGP's partial/accumulative trust might work for social networks, but i don't see it as beneficial/necessary for banks that want me to sign on the dotted line, not 2 or 3 people they trust to know me.
we could also talk about the cryptographic benefits of using the algorithms and keysizes an OpenPGP implementation allows
please elaborate on what cryptographic benefits PGP has over TLS, as GPG and OpenSSL, common implementations of each standard, support the widely used RSA and AES algorithms in 2048 & 256 bit keysizes, respectively. TLS is currently limited to MD5 & SHA1, the two most popular hashes, but both TLS & OpenPGP (RFC 2440) lack SHA2 (though draft RFCs addressing SHA2 exist for both). yes, OpenPGP allows for less popular algorithms, but i don't see that as a big cryptographic advantage (as "less popular" means "less analyzed").
and there is a draft for using OpenPGP keys for TLS but who knows if it will go anywhere.
HTTP-PGP would allow for more granular use of encryption/authentication in HTTP than TLS, but securing the entire transport seems good enough. MIME supports the fine granularity of mixing OpenPGP and plain texts in the same email message, but i haven't seen an email application do that but instead just apply OpenPGP to the entire email; probably because securing the entire email is "good enough".
is HTTP-PGP complimentary and/or supplimentary to TLS and are choices important? yes. has TLS been widely adopted for client-side auth and does HTTP-PGP have any more chance of being used? no.
i just don't see any attribute of HTTP-PGP being so much better than TLS that it sees more uptake than TLS.
addition: SSL hostname-based solution exists
this removes one of the limitations of TLS.
instructions to implement SNI (server name indication) in an apache installation, which allows multiple server certs (one for each hostname or virtual server) per TCP endpoint (ip address & port).
found by way of this blog
well, from the interview,
well, from the interview, i'd say it's just an alternative to ssl/tls but only in some aspects and in some environments.
having alternatives is good, and one using OpenPGP looks just fine. in any case, installing enigform (yeah,i tried it, why commenting if you haven't tried it, anyway) in is painless, and configuring mod auth pgp on apache is quite easy, too.
i think the best benefit is that it allows to avoid the concept of "login". for the sake of testing, i wrote a simple web site, i added the public keys of some test users to the keyring at the server. they didn't have to login, just get to the site, and they were automagically logged-on, identified by their keyid, fingerprint or email address.
yeah i liked it, i'm waiting for mod_auth_openpgp to grow some more (having auto public-key importing would be cool,and a management interface via a sethandler!).
Possible fundamental advantage to Enigform
GnuPG provides for "digital signatures", as well as other things. Digital signatures provide for "authentication" and "integrity". Leaving aside discussions of SSL/TLS/GnuPG encryption and "single-sign-on", another use for GnuPG is the production of a digital signature for any given "message". This is one function that TLS/SSL don't make use of today, as far as I know.
The possible ability to apply and recover message authentication and integrity would itself be a big boon in many applications, even without considering "web of trust" issues with GnuPG/PGP "keys".
see RFC 2246
you don't even have to get into the technical details of RFC 2246 to know that TLS provides authentication and integrity checking.
from the abstract:
The protocol allows client/server applications to communicate in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, or message forgery.
from the introduction:
The primary goal of the TLS Protocol is to provide privacy and data integrity between two communicating applications.
continue reading the RFC to learn the details, but to summarize:
- "TLS Record Protocol" provides the integrity checking by way of MACs (MD5 or SHA)
- "TLS Handshake Protocol" provides authentication by way of public keys (RSA or DSS)
TLS even has a "null" cipher which should approximate OpenPGP signed cleartext. to see it in action:
openssl s_server -cert server.pem -accept 65000 -cipher eNULL
openssl s_client -connect localhost:65000 -cipher eNULL
sudo wireshark
note: you'll want to instruct wireshark to decode the transport as SSL as port 65000 is not associated with SSL/TLS.
finding a "real world" implementation might be difficult (or at least configuring it) because i've never seen TLS used without encryption. the default OpenSSL cipher list excludes NULL. and most (all?) deployments exclude the NULL cipher because there have been downgrade attacks where a man-in-the-middle could force a weak cipher so the stream could be easily decrypted.
and the common usage of OpenPGP cleartext signatures is for a message going to an unknown recipient (or a recipient with an unknown key), usually for wide distribution (mailing lists, software downloads, etc). that use case is impossible for TLS because the communication is real-time (where the key can be learned and validated in real-time using certificate authorities) with a single endpoint.
overall OpenPGP and TLS use the same algorithms (AES, 3DES, MD5, SHA, RSA, DSS/DSA) for the same purpose (encryption, integrity, authentication). though there are slight protocol/implementation differences, i don't believe any are significant enough to garner Enigform more widespread adoption than TLS for client-side authentication.
(I want to be proven wrong by seeing widespread use of encryption and authentication, whether in the form of Enigform or TLS.)
As you state earlier, I
As you state earlier, I think the advantage of this approach is its granularity. My server would encrypt only the content that needs to be encrypted and the rest would be signed and thus at the same time unforgeable and cachable both on the client and any intermediate proxies. This is not currently possible as far as I know. Otherwise, please enlighten me.
http enigform granularity analysis
based on this article's description of enigform and a quick perusing of Busleiman's freshmeat article, i ascertain that engiform can encrypt a single request or response (in theory), where TLS always encrypts both (at least in practice and probably also in theory unless mid-stream renegotiation exists as in some other protocols).
here's a supporting quote from this article:
Enigform does not break HTTP in any way, it just adds a set of request headers.
and from the freshmeat article:
There was no more HTTP POST body tampering, just a set of HTTP headers added to each request: The signature itself, a GnuPG version string, and a Digest Algorithm string.
i didn't see enigform encryption elaborated on, but i presume it works in a similar fashion to signing: encryption metadata in headers with the body encrypted, possibly as a new content type (requiring a new Content-Type header).
technically, TLS encrypts per TCP connection, not HTTP request/reply (as it operates on the transport layer, not the application layer), but you can send all encrypted requests/replies over one TCP connection, and unencrypted requests/replies over another TCP connection (eg web page contents over https, but generic images over http). your password could be submitted over an encrypted TCP connection where the server's response would redirect you to an unencrypted web site. (logging in with a password wouldn't even be necessary with client-side certs, but you get the idea.)
enigform can conceivably encrypt only half of a request/reply pair (user sends password in encrypted request while server responds with unencrypted reply), where with TLS both request & reply are either encrypted or unencrypted as the reply must be sent over the same TCP connection as the request. so there's a little bit more flexibility with enigform.
currently web browsers notify the user about web pages with mixed encrypted/unencrypted content (TLS encrypted & unencrypted TCP connections on same page), but there's no technical reason that warning can't be removed if mixed content becomes the accepted practice (because what i want to be warned about is unencrypted data submitted from an encrypted page, as a user would general assume an encrypted page would submit encrypted data).
i wonder what variety of attacks are possible against enigform as it appears enigform only safeguards HTTP contents, but not headers (at least in the example of signatures in the freshmeat artcle, but i suppose encryption works the same). can cookies not be authenticated or encrypted using enigform? and are urls visible, compared to TLS where the entire connection (headers & body) is encrypted, protecting even the url requested (ie information disclosure)?
again, please don't interpret my critique as disapproval of enigform, except in the fact that enigform is so similar to TLS from a practical standpoint that i see no reason why it should succeed where TLS has failed (and failed not for technical reasons necessarily, but maybe because everybody thinks passwords are sufficient for client-side auth).
caching signed content
I mostly agree with you.
But currently no http scheme that allows a server to sign the content and make it cachable by proxies. If done right, that'd be a killer feature. As you also note, some of the headers would have to be covered by the signature as well.
The creator of enigmail has this to say about the issue (from freshmeat):
"As you saw, I decided to focus on Identity and Data authentication of client at server, but of course I'm also thinking about the same scheme in reverse."
And the creators of coralcdn also saw a need for server signatures, as on http://wiki.coralcdn.org/wiki.php?n=Main.FAQ#rewrite I found this: "To handle
this issue, we've written an apache module that servers can use to sign content
to ensure content integrity and freshness, to be verified both and proxies and
possibly by client browser extensions."
But so far I haven't got any response to my request for clarification on their mailing list: http://www.cs.nyu.edu/pipermail/coral-users/2007-August/000511.html
stupid me: yes, cachable authentication
i totally missed that in your first post. yes, server-signed content would be cachable (in theory; i don't know how caching proxies, like squid, handle headers and if they are maintained with the associated cached content).
my guess is that currently headers are not signed nor encrypted because of the difficulty in implementing it in a standards-compatible way (ie assuming the signature headers apply to all headers that follow them, can it be guaranteed that a proxy server won't add any of its own headers below the signature headers or reorder the headers, ruining the signature).
and i can see the benefit for public web servers that want to serve signed content (linux distros: security bulletins, installation instructions, etc) but also need it to be cached for web site performance.
but when i want encryption, i want everything encrypted (no information disclosure even through headers, especially the request header which would be difficult to encrypt and not break standards).
so i can see how enigform would excel at authentication (or minimal encryption use like only submitting a password on a login form) while ssl would be reserved for encryption (banking web site).


text:
André Kriger received the 10th annual FTTXcellence Award from Corning Incorporated and Lightwave at the 2013 FTTH Conference and Expo held on Sept. 30.
Kriger is the fiber-to-the-home director at Vivo, Telefonica Group's local brand in Brazil, and is responsible for the São Paulo state concession area. His perseverance and project management expertise in the Vivo deployment to Brazil were cited for the award. Kriger received a donation in his name to US Ignite and a decorative glass piece from the Corning Museum of Glass.
FTTX Award candidates must be nominated by a peer and selected by a panel of judges. Th 2013 panel of judges included representatives from Corning Incorporated, Lightwave and the FTTH Council Americas.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
When Your Child Needs an Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Procedure
Interventional cardiac catheterization can be used to treat certain heart problems. During the procedure, a special catheter (thin, flexible tube) is inserted through the skin into a blood vessel. It's then guided into the heart with the help of live X-rays. An interventional cardiac catheterization procedure is performed by a pediatric cardiologist (doctor who diagnoses and treats heart problems in children). He or she has special training in cardiac catheterization.
When Is an Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Procedure Used?
Some catheterization procedures are preferred over heart surgery to treat certain heart defects. This is because they're less invasive, may have fewer risks and complications, and have a shorter recovery period. An interventional cardiac catheterization procedure can be used to:
Open heart valves or blood vessels. A balloon at the end of a catheter is inflated and deflated one or more times to open a valve or widen a blood vessel. A catheter may also be used to place a wire mesh tube (stent) in a blood vessel. This is a tiny device used to widen and keep open a blood vessel.
Close holes or blood vessels. A catheter is used to guide a device such as a coil or plug into the heart. This is usually done to close a hole in the heart or a blood vessel in or around the heart.
Before the Procedure
Don't give your child anything to eat or drink for 4 to 6 hours before the procedure.
Follow all other instructions given by the doctor.
Let the Doctor Know
Tell the doctor if your child:
Recently had a cough, fever, runny nose, groin infection, or diaper rash.
Has any allergies.
Is taking any medications.
During the Procedure
The procedure takes place in a catheterization laboratory. It usually lasts about 2 to 4 hours. You'll stay in the waiting room during the procedure:
Your child lies on an X-ray table.
Your child is given a pain reliever and a sedative (medication that makes your child relax or sleep). This is done by mouth or an intravenous (IV) line. He or she may also be given anesthesia (medication that makes your child sleep and not feel pain). This is done by facemask or IV. A trained nurse or doctor (anesthesiologist) is in charge of this process.
A breathing tube may be placed in your child's trachea (windpipe). Special equipment monitors your child's heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure.
A local anesthetic (medication given so your child won't feel pain) is injected at the catheter insertion site. This can be in the groin, neck, or shoulder.
Then a catheter is passed through a blood vessel and is guided into the heart. The movement of the catheter can be seen with live X-rays.
Contrast dye is injected through the catheter. The dye tracks the movement of blood through the heart and allows the structures and blood vessels in the heart to be seen more clearly. Pictures are taken of the heart and blood vessels using X-rays.
Blood samples are drawn from the chambers and blood vessels in the heart. Oxygen levels and blood pressure are measured.
Specific interventions to open or close a valve, hole, or blood vessel in the heart are performed at this time.
The catheter is removed once the procedure is complete.
Risks and Possible Complications of Cardiac Catheterization
These complications can Include:
Reaction to sedative or anesthesia
Reaction to contrast dye
Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)
Injury to the heart or a blood vessel
After the Procedure
Your child is taken to a recovery room. You can stay with your child during this time.
It may take 1 to 2 hours for the medications to wear off.
Pressure and a dressing may be applied to the catheter insertion site to limit bleeding. The doctor or nurse will tell you how long your child needs to lie down and keep the insertion site still.
Your child may be given only clear liquids to drink for a few hours. This to prevent reaction to any anesthesia if it was given.
Any contrast dye your child is given should pass through the body in about 24 hours.
An overnight hospital stay is often required. You'll be given instructions for your child's home care before he or she leaves the hospital.
Call the Doctor
After an interventional cardiac catheterization procedure, call the doctor right away if your child has any of the following:
Pain, swelling, redness, bleeding, or drainage at the catheter insertion site
Severe pain, coldness, or a bluish color in the area that held the catheter
In an infant under 3 months old, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
In a child 3 to 36 months, a rectal temperature of 102°F (39°C) or higher
In a child of any age who has a temperature of 103°F (39.4°C) or higher
A fever that lasts more than 24-hours in a child under 2 years old, or for 3 days in a child 2 years or older
Your child has had a seizure caused by the fever
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Irregular, rapid heartbeats (palpitations)
Passing out
How to Help Your Child Prepare
You can help your child by preparing him or her in advance. How you do this depends on your child's needs.
Explain what will happen during the procedure in brief and simple terms. Younger children have shorter attention spans, so do this shortly before the procedure. Older children can be given more time to understand the procedure in advance.
Make sure your child understands which body part(s) will be involved in the procedure.
As best you can, describe how the procedure will feel. An IV may be inserted into the arm to give medications. This may cause a brief sting. Your child won't feel any discomfort once the medications take effect.
Allow your child to ask questions and answer these questions truthfully. Your child may feel nervous or afraid. He or she may even cry. Let your child know that you'll be nearby during the procedure.
Many hospitals have a child life specialist. This person is specially trained to help children understand what to expect during their time in the hospital. Books, videos, dolls, and toys may be used to help explain the procedure to your child. Be sure to ask your child's doctor about the resources available at your hospital.


text:
A morning fire guts a popular Washington Road restaurant.
Firefighters don't know how this fire started yet.
But around 8:00 this morning they arrived on the scene at Kurama Japanese Seafood & Steak in Washington Place and spent hours putting out all the fire.
Inside Kurama, flames spread quickly, gutting most of the building.
"Kurama's has heavy fire and smoke damage," says Ivan Bolgla of the fire department. "They'll be out of commission for a while."
Firefighters estimate damage at more than $100,000.
Next door to Kurama is a business that hasn't opened yet: The Country Club.
A supervisor there may have stopped the fire from spreading to their building.
"He thought he heard some popping from next door and then also one of his employees came in and said that he smelled smoke, so they were the ones who called 911," says Dakota West of The Country Club.
Other than a bad smell, The Country Club isn't damaged.
"We're staying right on track and we will be open in the next few weeks," West says.
"I feel sad because Kurama's been there many years," says Ti Gorssk, who runs a salon and Internet cafe up the strip mall. "I turned down about five of my customers for haircuts today. They say they're going to call me tomorrow."
She says 15 of her computers won't turn on, but thinks they can be fixed.
Even though the salon is okay, signs of a morning fire are still here burned insulation is everywhere.
"My main concern that nobody was hurt, getting the situation under control, but once that's been taken care of, then it's back to normal," says Nathan Shields, the first customer of the day.
And except for Kurama, businesses here are up and running again.
But it may be some time before the sushi and steakhouse reopens.


text:
Holocaust Denial on Trial, Trial Judgment: Electronic Edition, by Charles GrayTable of Contents
|<< Case for the Defendants
|< Introduction
Irving's response
5.197Irving asserted that there were nowhere near 600,000 Jews in France. He argued that his translation of abschaffen is correct and is consistent with the word abtransportieren which is to be found in the typed version of the note. Irving did not accept the suggestion put to him that abtransportieren was euphemistic language adopted for the official record of the meeting. He argued that his interpretation of the note is borne out by what in the event happened to the French Jews: they were transported to camps in Germany, where large numbers of them were put to work in the armaments industry.
5.198Irving claimed that his account in the 1977 edition of Hitler's War is accurate. He explained that the reference to the note was deleted from the 1991 edition because it was an abridged edition and part of the text had to be deleted.


text:
The New Yorker has a piece this Nov 07 2006
The New Yorker has a piece this week on Nicholas Stern's 700-page report on global warming for the British government. Stern says, "Our emissions affect the lives of others. When people do not pay for the consequences of their actions, we have market failure. This is the greatest market failure the world has seen." The BBC has a nice series on it as well (look for related links in the sidebar). If you want to hear it straight from the horse's mouth, the entire report (and related documents) is available courtesy of the British government.


text:
Science Features
USGS and Tribes Work Together to Gain Water Knowledge
USGS scientists work closely with Tribal leaders around the country to address water availability and water quality issues on Tribal lands.
Water — in adequate quantities and quality — is key for healthy Tribal communities across the United States. Fundamental information on how much freshwater is available from streams, rivers, or aquifers, and whether that supply of freshwater is increasing or decreasing, is essential for the Nation's economic and environmental health. Business and community leaders, farmers, wildlife managers, urban planners, homeowners, and people who use water for recreation all need very specific information about water for many different purposes.
Beyond its necessity and practical use, water on Tribal lands often has an added significance for its place in a Tribe's cultural heritage.
Water Data for Tribes
Tribal lands are home to an extensive network of USGS streamflow gages and groundwater monitoring stations. Coupled with quantitative models and scientific research, this monitoring network provides objective data and information that can be used by the Tribes to address vital issues such water rights, water supply, flood-warning predictions, contamination, and sustainability of critical habitats and healthy ecosystems.
Some Tribes depend on USGS water science for Tribal sustenance and sovereignty. Ms. Sharri Venno, Environmental Planner with the Houlton Band Maliseet Indians in Houlton, Maine, explained, "Our Tribe relies on USGS streamflow gaging activities to maintain aquatic habitats conducive to native medicinal flora that are of great importance to our Tribal lifestyle and longstanding tribal ceremonies."
"In addition," Ms. Venno continued, "USGS streamgages located on the Meduxnekeag River in eastern Maine provide valuable real-time information for us on river flow and water-quality. This information is critical for preserving native fish habitat. One native species the Tribe hopes to restore to healthy populations is the Atlantic salmon."
USGS monitoring, assessments, and research with Tribes in your state
(Look up your state)
USGS coordinated efforts with Tribes span a wide variety of activities: for instance, monitoring, training, data management, geographic information systems (GIS), quality control, development of models, and scientific research on ecology, water quantity, and quality.
Moving Upstream in Washington
In the State of Washington, for example, cooperative monitoring, assessments, and research with more than 20 Tribes has led to water science and habitat restoration for threatened salmon species and other fish.
The USGS worked with the Yakama Nation, Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Bureau of Reclamation to create a comprehensive model for the entire Yakima River Basin that simulates the groundwater system and its interaction with rivers and streams.
Tom Ring with the Yakama Nation spoke of the importance of this work to the Yakama People. "Salmon from the Yakima River have sustained the economy, diet and culture of the Yakama People since Time Immemorial," he noted. Ring also highlighted the importance of sustained flows in the Yakima River Basin since the Yakama Nation Treaty Right for instream flow is the senior water right in the basin.
OK in Oklahoma
USGS in Oklahoma works with many Tribal Nations, including with Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the Caddo Nation, and most recently, the Osage Nation. These efforts serve water resource needs within Tribal Nation jurisdictional boundaries and help to support the information needs identified in the Oklahoma Water Resources Board's recently completed State Water Plan.
A "State of the Science" effort with the Osage Nation, begun in July 2013, employs the latest advancements in USGS technology to assess water types (i.e. fresh and saline) and help quantify connections between water supply and demand. The study incorporates conventional hydrologic data gathering along with the latest advanced technology for water studies: high-resolution aerial geophysical surveys, real-time surface water/groundwater interaction monitoring sites, aquifer yield assessment wells, and the development of a geologic framework model. Ultimately, an integrated three-dimensional surface-water/groundwater model will be developed to analyze critical changes in the several hydrologic regions of the Osage under different climate and water-use scenarios. The study results will provide a versatile and reliable knowledge base so that the Osage Nation and their partners can plan for sustained water resources now and into the future.
Arizona Waters and Tribal Lands
USGS in Arizona works with 10 of the 19 federally recognized Tribal governments to investigate such topics as water rights, water use, hydrologic conditions, and water-quality issues. Summary of USGS Tribal programs in Arizona.
USGS Water Science Center in Arizona provides critical training and materials to Tribal personnel in the collection of hydrologic data (including surface water, groundwater, and water quality), analysis of surface-water records, and other field techniques. The Center has prepared a step-by-step field guide for the Navajo Department of Water Management that describes procedures for collecting and maintaining surface-water data on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Hurricanes to Climate Change: Hazardous and Long-Term Tribal Issues
A multi-disciplinary USGS team of scientists is working with four Native American Tribes in New England and New York— the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head-Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard, MA; the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on Cape Cod, MA; the Narragansett Indian Tribe near Charlestown, RI, and the Shinnecock Indian Nation on Long Island, NY—to assess impacts from Hurricane Sandy and to identify research needs related to hazards from future storms and climate change. The team is considering ways to supply the Tribes with datasets, GIS training, instrumentation, site evaluations, and science on vulnerability and resiliency that will help the Tribes meet their immediate storm recovery and longer term planning needs.
In the Northwest and Alaska, the USGS helps to address the impacts of climate change on American Indians and Alaska Natives through the Northwest Climate Science Center (NW CSC) and the Alaska Climate Science Center (AK CSC). Tribal communities are especially vulnerable to climate change because they are place-based and depend on natural resources, such as salmon, shellfish, game, timber, medicinal and sacred plants and rangelands, to sustain their economies and traditional way of life. The Northwest and Alaska CSCs are committed to working with Tribal governments of all federally recognized Tribes that have reservations or natural and cultural resource interests within the Centers' geographic reach to jointly address the effects of a changing climate.
In Alaska's Yukon River Basin, the USGS National Research Program (NRP) is in its 10th year of a highly successful partnership with the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) to conduct a long-term water-quality and climate-change program. The partnership manages a vast network of trained volunteer water technicians from over 60 Tribes and First Nations across Alaska and Canada known as the Indigenous Observation Network (ION). (Fact Sheet)
Our Commitment Holds Water
The USGS aims to provide its stakeholders and the public with continuous, consistent, unbiased, well-documented, and well-archived information to meet a wide spectrum of current and future needs.
Whether you are simply a citizen of a watershed — and we all are — or a local, State, Tribal, or Federal manager responsible for water decisions, the USGS will continue to work to provide the valuable science you need, today and into the future.
Learn more about USGS and Tribal cooperative activities.
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"Black magic, witches, and a thoroughly sympathetic supernatural detective team, together with the plot's many exciting twists and turns, make this book a thrilling and enjoyable read."
I was very happy to interview Justin Gustainis when his first novel, Black Magic Woman, came out a year ago. His urban fantasy received great reviews, and he sold more in the series. He's just released another in his Quincy Morris/Libby Chastain series, Evil Ways.
Justin blends crime novel grittiness with fantasy elements in his series, which features an investigator and a white witch who team up to solve crimes. Love Vampires gave his first novel five stars and said, "Usually the protagonists of fantasy novels have some special power or are supernatural creatures themselves but Quincey is human and this story is told from a human point of view."
Justin is also the author of the supernatural thriller, The Hades Project, which Jim Butcher called, "Gritty, darkly fascinating, truly frightening." Since he's a professor of communication of Plattsburgh State College, he's very well qualified to tell us about his exciting series.
If you'd like to win a copy of Evil Ways, just leave a comment. The contest runs through Saturday night and a winner will be chosen at random.
MARTA: Welcome back to Vampire Wire, Justin! Tell us a little about your new novel,
JUSTIN: It starts with both Quincey Morris and Libby Chastain in serious trouble – but of different kinds. Quincey is being blackmailed by the FBI into investigating a series of child murders similar to those that occurred in Black Magic Woman, but on a grander scale. Libby is the target of a murder attempt by professional assassins. She escapes, but has no idea who wants her dead, or why. Eventually, Quincey and Libby realize that they are holding opposite ends of the same thread. Both the child killings and the attempt on Libby's life are part of a scheme by crazed zillionaire Walter Grobius to stage the biggest black magic ritual of all time.
MARTA: You've changed the title of your series from Quincy Morris Supernatural Investigation to the Morris/Chastain Investigations. Did you expect Libby Chastain's role to become so essential?
JUSTIN: Actually, the change was made by my publisher, Solaris Books. But I agree with it wholeheartedly. When I started the first book, Black Magic Woman, I didn't intend for Libby to be an equal partner with Quincey, but by the time that book was done, I knew that she would be. And
MARTA: Describe the dynamic between Quincy and Libby.
JUSTIN: I don't know how many of our readers will recognize the cultural reference, but their relationship is not unlike that between John Steed and Emma Peel in the old British TV show, The Avengers. They respect each other professionally, and they have real affection for each other without it evolving into romance – so far, anyway. There is a certain degree of sexual tension between them, and several readers have asked me if Quincey and Libby are ever going to "kick it up a notch." All I can say is: keep reading, and find out.
MARTA: I think I read somewhere that you were surprised when your books were categorized as part of one of the hottest trends around, urban fantasy. So what did you think you were writing?
JUSTIN: I don't much like to put labels on my work, but I realize that it's necessary, for marketing purposes. My first novel (not about Quincey and Libby), The Hades Project, was horror, pure and simple. The Quincey/Libby books are not quite as hard-edged. When I started the first one, the term "urban fantasy" wasn't in wide use (as you know, the time span over which a novel is written, sold, and published is usually measured in years). If you'd asked me at the start, I suppose I would have said Black Magic Woman was dark fantasy. I don't reject the urban fantasy label; I think it's entirely appropriate for what I'm writing. I just didn't have it in mind when I started the series. I've been tempted to have a T-shirt made up that reads, "I was doing urban fantasy before urban fantasy was cool."
MARTA: Would you tell us a little about how your education at a Jesuit university has figured in your writing?
JUSTIN: Well, it gave me a working knowledge of Latin, which sometimes comes in handy when I'm writing spells (actually, I began to acquire Latin in high school. Yep, Catholic high school, too. Sigh.). I also learned the necessity for thorough research, no matter what I might be writing about. In addition, there's a character in The Hades Project, a Jesuit named Eugene Grady, known as "Dirty Eugene." Drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney, swears like a longshoreman. He's a good man,
MARTA: When will the third in the series, Sympathy for the Devil, be published? How many books do you plan in this series?
JUSTIN: I don't have a firm publication date yet, but my best guess would be December. The number of books in the series? That hasn't been determined; I don't generally think beyond the book I'm working on. I'm inclined to keep writing about Quincey and Libby, and will probably do so until people get tired of reading about them, or I run out of ways to get them into trouble.
MARTA: Have your students had any interesting reactions to your career as an urban fantasy writer?
JUSTIN: There hasn't been much reaction. Of course, I don't usually talk about my fiction writing in class; I don't think that's an appropriate use of class time (although I do have copies of the book covers on my office door). Every once in a while, a student will hand me a book to sign. It's hard to know, in most cases, whether they're genuinely interested or just trying to suck up to me. But, either way, I've sold another book – so, as they say, it's all good.
MARTA: Why were you drawn to writing stories with supernatural/magical elements?
JUSTIN: I've been interested in that stuff ever since I was a kid. Also, I seem to have developed something of a dark sensibility at a young age. When I saw Disney's Sleeping Beauty as a child, I was probably the only kid in the theatre rooting for Maleficent, the Evil Witch Queen. My therapist seems to find that very interesting.
MARTA: What is your favorite underrated or unfairly ignored novel?
JUSTIN: I'd vote for James Blish's Black Easter, published around 1968. Blish is better known for science fiction, but this little exercise in demonology gave me nightmares for a week – and I read it as an adult. It was obscure when it was published, and is even more so today. It deserves a bigger audience.
MARTA: Where can readers find out more about your books and your appearances? Can they drop in on your lectures?
JUSTIN: My web site is www.justingustainis.com. I'm not planning to do any signings for
Thanks, Justin, for telling us about your books and writing!
Read an excerpt from Evil Ways, and add Justin as a friend on MySpace.
If you'd like to enter the contest to win a copy of Evil Ways, just leave a comment. The contest runs through Saturday night and the winner will be chosen at random.


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Rick Singleton has been president of Studio A Advertising in Mishawaka for more than 25 years. The company has numerous in –house capabilities including Web design, radio and television production, and magazine development. The company has won numerous local and national awards.
He is also owner of America's Directories, America's Directories South, America's Directories Midwest, White Bear International, Imagination Publications, Best Delivery System and America's Finest Club.
The Mishawaka native writes, edits and has developed several publications including the Executive Journal and the Best Book, a yellow page directory.
Singleton is involved in a number of community activities and is often asked to speak on entrepreneurship and motivation.


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Captiv8 wrote: Oh dear. With Manning in Denver now they have an awesome opportunity to be contenders. I'm sure the offense and defense are feeling good about this. Plus Tebow will most likely be an awesome understudy. Manning can certainly impart some tips. I'm thinking this could be a lesser version of Montana to Young. Call me an optimist.
spagucci-one wrote: Huge developments in the NFL today. Saints coach Sean Payton suspended for the 2012 season for his role in the defensive bounties.
Also, Tebow mania will now move to New York as he was traded to the New York Jets.


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Heartfelt speeches. Dramatic smooches. More Matthew McConaughey than anyone could handle ... Monday night's 66th Primetime Emmy Awards had a little bit of everything.
Here are the show's Top 5 moments:
1. REMEMBERING ROBIN: Billy Crystal capped off the traditional In-Memorian segment with a short and simple, yet emotionally powerful tribute to his dear friend Robin Williams.
With his voice quivering at times, Crystal recalled Williams as "the brightest star in a comedy galaxy." But more than that, he was a close confidant.
"He was the greatest friend you could ever imagine," Crystal said. "Supportive. Protective. Loving. It's very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives."
2. SUCKING FACE: When Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Veep" won her third straight Emmy as Best Actress in a Comedy, Bryan Cranston -- mustache and all -- intercepted her on the way to the stage and engaged her in a monumental lip-lock. (Shades of Adrien Brody and Halle Berry at the Oscars).
Suddenly, Louis-Dreyfus had no problem remembering that Cranston played a dentist who she once dated on "Seinfeld."
Longest TV kiss ever? It gets our vote.
3. I'M TOO SEXY: Presenter Jimmy Kimmel just couldn't understand what Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey was doing at the lowly Emmys.
"You just won the Oscar five months ago. No offense, but how many of those speeches are we supposed to sit through?" Kimmel wondered. "I mean, 'All right, all right, all right already.'"
And on it went. "You don't belong here," Kimmel said, chiding McConaughey for being too beautiful and not having a TV face. "And take Julia Roberts while you're at it."
4. COLBERT'S STAND-IN: After presenter Gwen Stefani pulled a Travolta and mispronounced "The Colbert Report" as "The Colbor Report," losing nominee Jimmy Fallon rushed to the stage and hijacked Colbert's acceptance speech:
"She said the name wrong. I want to see the envelope!" he demanded.
Fallon went on to deliver a speech as Colbert whipsered lines in his ear.
"I want to thank his wife and his children," Fallon said, before finally turning the mic over to the actual winner.
5. LOTS OF HEART: HBO's "The Normal Heart," a film about AIDS activists in the 1980s, as expected, captured the prize for best TV film. Upon accepting, director Ryan Murphy -- accompanied by ailing writer Larry Kramer -- delivered a moving speech that included a dedication to artists who have died from HIV/AIDS.
"Your memory and your passion burns on in us," he said.
Contact Chuck Barney at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.ChuckBarney, or Twitter.com/chuckbarney


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- Lightweight and breathable
- Currently Unavailable
Umbro has outfitted soccer champions, including the English National Team, since 1924. The polyester Manchester kit controls moisture while your team controls the game.
Classic jersey with contrasting color rib-knit, crewneck collar and cuffs. Includes embroidered logo. 100% polyester. Imported.
Camiseta clásica con detalles contrastantes. Logotipo bordado de Umbro. 100% poliéster. Importada.


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Charlie Beljan hospitalized with heart problem after shooting 64 to lead Disney Classic
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer
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Redskins: RG3's knee injury not serious
|Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is helped off the filed after an injury during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Landover, Md., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The Washington Redskins say Robert Griffin III doesn't have a major knee injury.Team spokesman Tony Wyllie said Sunday that Griffin underwent an MRI and has a sprained right knee but that "everything is clear" in terms of significant ligament damage.
Wyllie specifically ruled out a season-ending torn ACL.
Wyllie said coach Mike Shanahan will update the rookie quarterback's condition Monday.
Griffin was injured in the final minutes of regulation in the Redskins' 31-28 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Wyllie specifically ruled out a season-ending torn ACL.
Wyllie said coach Mike Shanahan will update the rookie quarterback's condition Monday.
Griffin was injured in the final minutes of regulation in the Redskins' 31-28 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens.
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Valley Humane Society
"They call me Boom Boom Betty, and I'm the real thing, honey -- the cat's meow. You could wait nine lives before you find another feline like me. I'm quite kittenish at heart. Come on down and see me some time -- soon!"
During an adults-only event this week, Thursday through Sunday, adopt any adult cat (9 months or older) for $14; standard adoption criteria apply.
Valley Humane Society is at 3670 Nevada St. in Pleasanton. Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. For details, call 925-426-8656 or visit www.valleyhumane.org or www.facebook.com/ValleyHumaneSociety.
-- Melissa Bonnel, Valley Humane Society


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TrueModern 11-Ply Night Stand
"That's a lovely belt," is a nice compliment, but the TrueModern 11-Ply Night Stand is an even better complement to the rest of the TrueModern 11-Ply series. Made in the USA, this modern nightstand features a laminate top in your choice of color and is not just for kids. The 11-Ply Night Stand has so much modern charm, it's equally appealing for adults and teenagers as well as kids. Sure, receiving a compliment is nice, but getting the 11-Ply Night Stand to complement your decorating scheme is far more satisfying.
This item does not qualify for free shipping.
This item does not qualify for free shipping.
- Modern style one-drawer nightstand
- Made of sustainable birch plywood
- Open storage space under drawer
- Interlocking drawer face
- Laminate top in your choice of color
- Solid birch Danish-style legs
- Custom made for you in the USA
- Ships fully assembled
Overall: 15.75"w x 15.75"d x 17.75"h
Weight: 24 lbs
- (1) TrueModern 11-Ply Night Stand
Small Parcel
One year warranty against manufacturer defects
1-877-224-6663 or 973-276-0444
Copyright 2003-2015 by Evofurniture, LLC. All rights reserved.


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- Binding: Hardcover & eBook
- Era: 19th Century
- Number of Pages: 352
- Subject: Civil War
- Date Available: May 2009
Clear The Decks Price*
The Union Navy played a vital role in winning the Civil War by blockading Confederate ports, cooperating with the Union Army in amphibious assaults, and controlling the Mississippi River and its tributaries. President Lincoln understood, however, that the Navy was not as important, militarily and politically, to the war effort as the Army, so he delegated authority to his Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, who divided the Navy into six squadrons and hand-picked their commanders. This book examines Welles' selections and why he appointed them.
"A dense and richly detailed narrative that is filled with vivid thumbnail sketches of the main actors in the drama. Stephen R. Taaffe tells a good story, has a dazzling command of the primary sources, and, in the end, produces a reasonable and balanced picture of naval contributions to the war for the Union. . . . Taaffe's narrative is worth reading because of his focus on and insights into leadership and decision making. Commanding Lincoln's Navycontributes much and joins the list of key texts on Civil war naval history and should be read by anyone interested in the study of leadership—military or civilian."
— Pull Together, Spring/Summer 2011
"This is not a chronicle of the Civil War at sea and on the rivers. Instead it is a penetrating examination of the political and operational leadership of the Union Navy in the context of the major naval campaigns of the War. . . Overall, Taaffe has provided a detailed examination of the operational leadership of the Union Navy at war and how it responded to political direction. He has exposed a 'senior leadership group' which was by no means perfect, but which in the end got the job done. His descriptions of squadron commanders really do illustrate just how individual and imperfect we humans are and possibly equally important, how imperfection does not necessarily mean inability. This is a very useful book and it will reward careful reading."
—Journal of the Australian Naval Institute, June 2011, Issue 140


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Another FOSS Video Editor Round Up
Over at the BOHOL Blog, they've written a review covering a number of open source video editing software. Touched on in this article are Jashaka, Avidemux, Cinelerra, Kino and LiVES. The article is much more of an overview than a hands on review of the capabilities of each application.
Jashaka seems to receive the most attention. "Once finished, it would be in the same market space as Newtek's Video
Toaster and Pinnacle Liquid Edition. With all promised features it
would be a rival to Adobe's After Effects or Autodesk's Combustion – in
fact the GUI is heavily based upon Combustion." Big goals and high aims for Jashaka!
Recently Jah Shaka, the founder and lead for this project, says the "project has been liberated from its evil benefactors and is now free to
get back to its roots and start building the high end visual effects
tools it set out to deliver!"
Perhaps liberation from evil will result in the project moving forward again. Good luck to them.


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On flood rates, a sea change in Congress
Published: Friday, November 8, 2013 at 8:44 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, November 8, 2013 at 8:44 p.m.
The same members of Congress now vowing to reverse the dramatic flood insurance rate increases taking effect in Florida voted to impose them in the first place.
Below are the three key votes that led to the reform of the National Flood Insurance Program, increasing rates for property in high-risk flood areas.
1. July 12, 2011
Roll call vote #562
House Resolution 1309 — Biggert-Waters Act
The bill passed the House 406-22.
Twenty-four of Florida's 25 House members vote for the bill, which is never heard in the U.S. Senate. No votes from Florida: U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV, R-Fort Myers.
2. June 29, 2012
Roll call vote #451
House Resolution 4348 - Federal Highway Bill
The bill passed the House 373-52 vote.
The highway bill was loaded with the insurance reform, changes to federal student loan rates, and grants to help the Gulf Coast recover from the BP oil spill. Only four members from Florida opposed the bill: Mack; Richard Nugent, R-Spring Hill; Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland; and Bill Posey, R-Rockledge.
3. June 29, 2012
Roll Call Vote #172
House Resolution 4348 - Federal Highway Bill
The bill passed the Senate 74-19.
The Senate passed the same bill that cleared the House. Florida's Bill Nelson, Democrat, voted for it. Marco Rubio, a Republican, voted no.
The turnaround is a lesson in how legislation is passed, and in the often unintended consequences of that passage. While Florida's lawmakers, and others from many coastal states, are anxious to at least delay the law because of potentially debilitating economic impacts, there is no guarantee that it will happen in today's politically divided capital — at least not quickly.
In July 2011, all but one U.S. House member from Florida voted for the Biggert-Waters flood insurance reform bill that is causing rate shock for property owners in high-risk flood areas.
The law's aim was to cut the National Flood Insurance Program's $25 billion debt and force people living in high-risk areas to pay more "actuarially sound" rates for coverage. Taxpayers were essentially subsidizing insurance for people in high-risk areas, proponents of the law had argued.
Since Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans in 2005, the program has been a financial mess, unable to help fund the recovery after Superstorm Sandy devastated the Northeast last year.
But the sharply higher rates threaten Florida's real estate market. Some homeowners could pay as much as eight times more than they currently do for flood insurance.
For those who supported the reforms — particularly in coastal areas — the legislation has become a sticky political topic, with homeowners demanding answers to why the law was ever passed. Many of those who voted for the original bill and backed it again last year say they were misled about the severity of rate increases and when they would take effect.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, acknowledges he supported the bill in 2011, but said he thought there would be a study on the impact of the higher rates before they were imposed. "We passed it with the idea that they were going to do an affordability study," he said at a town hall meeting Friday when repeatedly asked why he supported the law.
"We had a commitment. They didn't do the study. They just raised the rates."
U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, a Republican who represents all of Charlotte County, takes a similar position. While he supported reforming the flood insurance program, he expected there would first be an affordability study before rates went into place, Rooney spokesman Michael Mahaffey said.
Buchanan and Rooney were hardly alone in their support. The bill passed by a 406-22 vote in the House, with major industry support from groups such as the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors.
Of Florida's members, who then numbered 25, only now-former Rep. Connie Mack IV, R-Fort Myers, voted against the bill.
The reforms mostly affect older properties that were not built to current flood elevation standards. Sarasota and Manatee have roughly 30,000 structures in high-risk zones, and more will be added as flood maps are revised over the next year. Rates are to rise up to 25 percent annually for many older, low-lying properties in high-risk zones until the government decides premiums are adequate to cover the flood risk.
The U.S. Senate never picked up the standalone flood insurance program reform bill. But eventually the Biggert-Waters bill was added to another mega-bill in June 2012 that also included the nation's annual highway spending bill and funding for Gulf Coast states affected by the BP oil spill. That package easily passed the Senate and then passed the House again to become law.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, voted for that omnibus bill in the Senate. Nelson supported the reforms because without them the National Flood Insurance program was in jeopardy of going belly up — which would have dealt a blow to the state housing market, making coastal homes harder to sell without flood insurance.
Also, the legislation was part of the Restore Act, which included funding to help Gulf Coast states recover from the BP spill.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, was one of just 19 Senators to vote against the spending bill that included the Biggert-Waters Act, but it wasn't because of the insurance reform measure. The bill passed 74-19. After the June 29, 2012, vote, Rubio said he would have supported the Biggert-Waters Act as a standalone bill, but opposed the bigger package because it involved too much government spending.
"I believe a lapse in flood insurance coverage would be devastating for the already-fragile housing industry and Florida's economy," he said in a blog post on his Senate website at the time.
Nearly everyone in the state's delegation in Congress is now looking for a stopgap solution that would postpone the rate increases for up to four years while FEMA works on an affordability study.
"We want to try to get something done as quickly as we can," Buchanan said.
Rooney, too, has co-sponsored several bills to fix the problem.
Buchanan said realistically his hope is to get something done by the end of the year, though he acknowledged Congress isn't inclined to act speedily these days.
The House is only scheduled to be in session four more weeks between now and year's end.
Buchanan said Florida's congressional delegation is to meet in Washington on Nov. 21 to discuss ways to gain support for postponement. He said other Gulf states and coastal communities are dealing with similar issues and are likely to want to support postponing the rate increases.
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