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Once again, gutless politicians take aim at the military budget because they do not have the intestinal fortitude to go over after all the social welfare programs and bloated government departments that really are draining our budgetary resources. My recommendation is to cut welfare and other social welfare programs so that the only truly needy stay on it. Paying for other people's poor decisions and in some cases immoral lifestyles is not the taxpayer's responsibility. Allowing single mothers to keep having children at taxpayer expense is just wrong. Where are the deadbeat fathers? They should be forced to pay first, then the government should only provide what is needed. There are countless stories of single teenage moms having numerous children with numerous fathers. If they can't take care of the children they have, they should either stop having them or put them up for adoption. I don't mind helping those who are hurting, but when someone games the system, it is time to start with some tough love. We also need to revise medicare, social security, and social security disabilty so that it will last. All are going broke because we try to be all things to all people. The current rip off is people who have run out of unemployment are now going to social security disabilty for depression, lack of sleep, and stress and they are acutally getting it. People with kids with learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit disorders etc, are getting it also. It was never meant to do this and we are now facing huge deficits that are killing the budget.
Primary tabs
What do you think of the president's plan for a "leaner" military?
25 Comments
Obama and Soros's Utopia does not in the Military
This president is the worst this country has ever had, and all he wants is power and a government that runs everything. If he is reelected I'm afraid our country will never be what it has been in the past and for sure not what our founding fathers had in mind. To "lean" our military is the most stupid thing that could be done. What did it accomplish when Carter did it? Want to save $$, then cut some of the welfare to those that don't deserve it. Cut the pay of the President and Congress. Cut bailing out companies that go belly up. Cut aid to countries that oppose us. Cut high $$ for oil from countries that hate us, and install the Keystone Pipeline and use our own oil from the Gulf and Alaska.
Please Americans vote for and put anyone in the White House other than the one that is now there. He and the crooks that support him will ruin our country for years to come. You, your children and grandchildren will have anything but a good "AMERICAN" style life with Obama.
We have a so-called CINC, who is a usurper and a traitor to his oath, his office, and the USA. His purpose is to destroy the nation -- to leave it weakened and vulnerable. He is the domestic enemy to the Constitution we all swore to defend against. So ... how are we defending?
We are the greatest, strongest armed forces on this earth because we have the resources to provide the best training, the best equipment, the best personnel. That does not come free. Lets cut the almost criminal pork barrel spending, the political "paybacks," welfare, boot the United Nations out of our country and eliminate foreign aid for all but our true allies.
We simply cannot afford to keep funding the military at its current rate. This next budget is still going to see an increase in military spending. If it wasn't for the Bush administration taking us into countries where we should never have gone, this might not have come to pass.
This President is doing the right thing, just like the reduction in force 20 years ago. So just how do you think reducing the size of the military makes us less safe?
Oh, and this isn't WWII, ok? We are not at war with any country, right? Why is everyone so gung ho on war? Have you learned nothing?
Cutting our Military budget and shrinking our right to protect "OUR" United States of AMERICA is wrong so wrong. It's Obamas way of saying " screw you America and all you Veterans!
Im not surprised. This pres was the first in decades that did not lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and now he cuts national defense. All veterans should remember this on election day
During ww 2 there was Churchill and Chamberland, unfortunatly we are stuck with Chamberland
I retired from federal service after working for the Navy.
There is massive waste in all gov't agencies and the military is no different.
I am in favor of spending cuts as long as it is done in the right way.
Former Sec. of the Navy Rumsfeld tried to reorganize to make the new military more effective.
With that said I do NOT believe the Obama admin will do anything "in the right way".
What can I say, so many good accurate comments, I concur with so many, we must get this whatever you call him out of office, he has brought our country Down and he continues, remember to vote Nov 2012, NO obummer for me.
Post 10 Manassas, Va. is my post, these are my thoughts
One of the constitutional jobs of the federal govt. is to provide for the national defense. Not all of the social programs it has taken on to get votes.
I see it this way. Once Obama is found to be unconstitutional, he will lose his presidential immunity. Then he can be prosecuted as the communist traitor he is.
The President and Secretary of Defense, of course, are responding to the laws passed by a Republican-dominated Congress. It is Congress that has required the current $490B reduction in growth of the Defense budget and of the additional billions of Sequestration cuts to begin in FY 2013. The challenge lies in the best way to trim the Defense budget without harming our readiness and without breaking faith with current and past members of the Uniformed Services. Winding down of Cold War relics, elimination of weapons programs that can't meet design or budget, and reduction of future people programs that don't impact health, safety, or retirement are the ways to go. Keeping Senator X's favorite toy project is not the way to go. Maybe we need a BRAC for overseas bases. Should we still be in Bosnia, the Sinai, Germany, Spain, Italy? Do the analysis and decide just as we did for US bases and facilities. Remember the Brooklyn, Boston, Charleston, Philadelphia, Long Beach and Mare Island Naval shipyards? All long since closed.
Thanks to the idiot bowing before foreign heads of state, the military is the LAST thing to face budget or personnel cuts. He made such a big deal telling the enemy when we were leaving the area that they will just wait until we are gone, and start their bombings and killings. There is a need for better oversight on budget items so that expenses can be better kept on track. Since Iran seems to be the next place we are going to end up, any budget cuts or downsizing to the military would jst go to show how incompenent of a president he really is. Remember November 2, 2012 and vote! Make sure we no longer have to put up with this moron.
Having worked for the Army for 43 years. I know there is a lot of waste - primarily in organizational structure. Many organizations were created in all services to find jobs for returning overseas service members and to create GO positions. Unfortunately the focus appears to be on reducing the "teeth" (fighting force) and not the "tail". The BRAC actons were long overdue to reduce military costs. We don't need more aircraft or carriers, but we do need to retain the expertise at the aircraft companies and shipyards so we will need to continue buying these items we don't really need.
This administration has made us look weak to the world (just look at tiny nations such as Iran laughing at us). We need a strong military more than ever before! I agree that we could do with less presence in places like Japan, Germany and S. Korea and other countries who could pay more and provide for their own self defense. Why are we still wasting billions in the middle east to rebuild their countries when our own infrastructure is crumbling! They should be repaying us with all their oil money, not looking for us to keep pouring money into their corrupt governments! Let's re-deploy our forces and spend smarter to be more efficient with our dollars and soldiers!
After we have given money to those who are out to kill all Americans, After we have opened Our Doors to anyone and everyone.
No this is Crazy, we do need to cut back on spending but not at the risk of the Safety and Lives of Our Troops and Our Vets who have done there part. Cut out the Fat and Fraud in the White House and other Government Offices!
What a joke! This guy does not have a clue about anything he's doing. I'm not certain we can recover from the damages he has already inflicted on us. I for certain know that we cannot sustain another four years of the antics.
May God Bless our precious country, what is left of it anyway.
Although I generally oppose the cuts, there are elements of "truth" in the other vote options. Our troops are present in many countries where they should have been pulled out of years ago. Also there is a significant amount of waste but, unfortunately, a lot of this is due to Congress which views defense spending as a form of local district welfare. Lastly, it is not reasonable to expect that we slash our spending without the military taking some of the hit. Active duty military and veterans' benefits and services, however, should be sacrosanct. A promise to someone who places life and limb at risk in the service of his country isn't in the same league as free cell phone service for welfare recipients!
Such cuts are consistent with his policies and plans for the United States. Who'da known? A 10 year old child would'a!
Every member in Congress wants the next Aircraft Carrier, Fighter/Bomber, Missile System, Radar System etc etc built in their district. We just can`t afford it. We`re not fighting WW2 any longer.
A better balance must be struck.
Having read all the comments on this subject that are posted, I do agree with most but would like to add this: As a Soldier that is just now retiring after 23 years active Army service, I have seen alot of waste at all levels. But one huge way to balance the defense buget is to do away with the Billions of wasted dollars given to Military Contractors such as KBR, and Haliburtan the only true winners in the War on Terror. They do jobs that the Army has Soldiers trained on, and they do not do them as well. If this was done the government would not have to make such deep defense cuts, I belive.


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Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012
ALBANY, Ga. (AP) -- School officials in Dougherty County say the first four teachers to appear at administrative hearings in connection with a test cheating scandal have agreed to 60-day suspensions without pay.
The Albany Herald reports (http://bit.ly/MZB8RI) that the deals were made Tuesday, as the first tribunals of teachers in the district began. The tribunals give the teachers and administrators a chance to appeal losing their jobs. More tribunals are planned for this month.
The contracts of about two dozen teachers and two principals in the southwest Georgia district weren't renewed after they were named in Gov. Nathan Deal's report on test cheating.
A state investigation released last December concluded at least 49 educators in Dougherty County were involved in cheating in some way during standardized testing in 2009.
(Copyright 2012, The Associated Press)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Premier League preview: Balotelli could be given fresh chance at Man City
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Get dirty, have fun and grow more food with great gardening tips from real-life gardeners.
By Barbara Pleasant
warm weather salad greens, growing greens, warm weather gardening, spinach alternatives
Is it too hot now to grow spinach where you live? You may know that there are a couple varieties of spinach that can withstand high temperatures, but there are also several other excellent greens that can easily take the place of spinach in your garden and in your diet. Try growing one of these nine tasty and nutritious varieties this summer.
Patience Dock*Rumex patientia
Golden Purslane*Portulaca oleracea
Perpetual spinach,
spinach chardBeta vulgaris ssp cicla
Garden sorrel*Rumex acetosa
Lambsquarters*Chenopodium giganetum
OrachAtriplex hortensis
Vegetable amaranth*Amaranthus species
New Zealand spinach*Tetragonia tetragonoides
Malabar spinachBasella rubra
*These plants can become weedy, so maintain tight control on reseeding. Grow responsibly!
To learn more about growing spinach, browse our archive here. And if you have any favorite hot weather greens of your own, please use the comments section below to tell us about them.
You Grow Girl
Kitchen Gardeners
Green Blog on NYT
Edible Landscaping
Barbara Pleasant's Blog Central
Cold Antler Farm
In My Kitchen Garden
The Rowdy Radish
Growing for Market
Veggie Gardening Tips
Seasonal Wisdom
A Way to Garden
At MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we are dedicated to conserving our planet's natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That's why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $12.00 (USA only).
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Monroe County Environmental Education Center will host a Kettle Creek "Disco Hike" from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the center, 8050 Running Valley Road, Bartonsville.
Brian Hardiman, environmental educator, will lead the hike on Kettle Creek Wildlife Sanctuary trails. Participants, who should dress for the weather, will explore everything from tracks and bird life to winter adaptations and insects.
The cost is $5 for nonmembers and $3 for members. To preregister, call 570-629-3061. For information, visit mcconservation.org.
Location, ST | website.com


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Liverpool Message Board
Anyone for a Carra/Stevie combi to run the show ?
Basically said all the things Im about to say here the other day but Yahoo in their wisdom managed to sabotage the board so....I think we are going nowhere with Rogers ..yes it was great to see us thump a hapless SWANS RESERVES but...so what ? Rogers believes hes reinventing the game and frankly I think all this does is generate in the end dissent on te part ,of the players hence his only wanting to sign players hes had some contact with previously . Whatnhes doing withthis 5th rate version of Barca and the Spanish national sides tici taca is like teaching the ranks of our senior pros to suck eggs. Its clear to me that the only time we seem effective as anattacking sourse is when the players abandon his ideas and play rapid pass and move and run at a defense...Suarez does it all on his own that same thing quite often he is just too good to abide by this clowns ideas.
I believe this man cannot inspire his charges out there whereas a combi of Carra as Boss and Stevie his general and right hand man and captain down there on the pitch would have all of the playing staff giving 100% at all times no matter who the opposition was...there would be no place to hide for the shirker. Both Carra and Stevie KNOW who should be on the payrole and probably more importantly who SHOULD NOT BE.
I have thought carefully about this before posting and feel on the back of a 5.0 win its the time to express this point of view not after yet another loss at home or a thrashing in the Euro Cup I just dont think Rogers is ever going to take this club back where it belongs so why prolong the agony let him go and make his mistakes on the job elsewhere he isnt up to thios job. If the switch to Carra was to be made asap the rest of this season might be a bit shaky but probably no more so thn right now but we would be ready for kick of next season with every memeber of playing staff chomping at the bit and ready to fight to get us back where we belong and ...INSPIRED to do so. Unlike with on the touchline right now someone who looks like The Most Miserable Man Alive...he just doesnt look capable of inspiring his charges out there on the pitch. The team reflects the manager no FIGHT no RESOLUTION no SPIRIT ubable to protect 2 goal leads and caving in soon as we are a goal down heads DOWN.This is NOT what I grew up as a kid supporting...we were ofen last minute winners of the biggest games we fought to the last second of every game I believe a combi of Carra Boss and Stevie his General and Rt Hand Man and Captain down there on the pitch would restore our SPIRIT and our SOUL which has been somehow lost amongst the shuffle of managers since Kenny's FIRST COMING as Player Manager.Sort: Newest | Oldest | Most Replied Expand all replies
arnoldlayne arnoldlayne Feb 22, 2013 01:47 Flag
Got bored with reading that....... try and use proper grammar, cut out the CAPS, leave the clichés out, but most of all, stop with trying to make Gerrard the new Messiah!
Seanicemanreturns Seanicemanreturns Feb 21, 2013 14:09 Flag
You really are a dumb qunt arent you......................hahahahahahahaahah
my 132 year old daughter.....................i'll shag her......................hahahahahah
dsteer_lfc_68 dsteer_lfc_68 Feb 19, 2013 23:24 Flag
Colin, simple answer is no, at least not now.
For me Carra is very likely to go into management, and from what I can tell could end up a very good manager (although you never know if you can swim until you jump in the deep end). Stevie on the other hand I'm less sure of. But even if Stevie has the touch, I just don't think either would be ready yet. I'd prefer any player wanting to go into management to ease into it by either climbing the ranks within a club - youth team, or assistant positions, or go to a smaller lower league club to learn the ropes. We're a huge club, and there is a lot more than just pep talks and training sessions to run for the modern manager, and the consequences of a simple stumble are huge, both for the manager and the club.
But another point I'd make, which I think I may have posted to you on Saturday, before Yahoo decided to delete the weekend's posts, was your change in position it seems. I thought you felt BR deserved at least till the end of the season, if not half of next season before we considered giving him his P45. Are you now openly advocating we sack BR? I know you had doubts about BR and have for a while, but it seems quite a shift if I read what you're posting now, and what I assume you posted over the weekend, if you think we need rid of him now and appoint a player manager twosome in Carra/Stevie.
- 1 Reply to dsteer_lfc_68
I think that JC will be our manager one day, I think he could be a legendary manager at that too. In fact, I would go as far as to say he will suceed BR at the club whenever that time may come. But I dont think that time is now, JC will likely go away and finish his coaching badges and then take a no.2 job somewhere, if not at LFC this coming season. For me, he seems set up to be a high profile no.2, he could be the guy to shut out the mistakes and work on improving our defenders positioning and game reading abilities, those qualities will benefit the team to the same amount as him actually being the manager. I love how we play, I dont want that to change but it needs a bit of fiddling to tighten it up and change how quickly we change our shape when we lose the ball, I think he could aid that too.
All the stuff about him on the sidelines could be benefitted by him being in the dugouts as a no.2, you can still do all the shouting from there!
hot dogs buers chips hot dogs buers chips Feb 19, 2013 19:01 Flag
Colin I can't help but notice that last season you were singing Kenny's praises for playing total football tactics, yet this season you bemoan Rodgers for employing tiki-taki. Tiki-taki was of course famously developed at Barcelona under the guidance of one Johan Cruyff, the same Johan Cruyff who developed totaalvoetbal at Ajax and the Dutch national side, there is only one Johan Cruyff after all. I have another name for tiki-taki and total football, it's called pass and move, developed by Shankly, made famous by Liverpool F.C.
- 1 Reply to hot dogs buers chips
hot dogs...believe total football and tici taca to be too different species. Tici Taca was developed by Pep Guardiola as a style and executed to perfection by his Barca sides. Cruyff was never in charge long enough at Barca to bring about the same kind of revolution thatPep did. Total Football u are correct originated in Hoilland whether Cruyff originated the style Im not sure. Pass and Move was indeed implemented as our true style by Mr Shankly now we play tici taca which in essence DOES rquire u to move but we just adhere to the pass side of this style forgetting to move because everyoine is so seemingly afraid to be caught inposesssion that we just pss and then stare at the player we passed it to in case he wishes to simply pas it back to us in a sideways or backwards fashion ! ??? Mate if u back and support Rogers and where u think hes taking us its your right my point of view is enough is enough any further delay in getting rid of this horrendous mistake that he is could prove fatal .... we are going nowhere withthis man..he cannot inspire the lads. He has no spirit and the side is mirroring its manager.


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Product Overview
The Cisco® ASR 1000 Series DSP-SPA is a single-width, half-height, high-power shared port adaptor (SPA) digital signal processor (DSP) module that can be used in multiple Cisco platforms (Figure 1). The SPA-DSP provides voice service such as voice transcoding and transrating and dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) interworking capability for the platforms that support SPA modules.
The DSP-SPA helps position a peering session border controller (SBC) with another carrier's voice-over-IP (VoIP) network and helps provide access to the SBC in the service provider edge, enabling Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking and aggregation of enterprise and residential customers. These cards can also be used when the Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers are deployed in Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) Enterprise Edition for public-switched telephone network (PSTN) access using SIP trunks. Transcoding is used for voice codec translation between two VoIP networks, as part of the data border element (DBE) functions. Transrating is used for repacketization for packets with the same codec.
Transcoding is the process of translating a media stream encoded using one codec into a media stream encoded using another codec: for example, translating a media stream encoded using G.711 into G.729. It requires DSPs. Customers take two approaches to transcoding (Figure 2). One set of customers expects SBCs to have DSPs on board to perform the transcoding when required (model 1). Another set of customers wants to centralize the DSP resources, so SBCs at the edge offload transcoding to a centralized DSP resource (model 2); this centralized DSP resource could be serving a number of SBCs and providing many other DSP-dependant services in addition to transcoding. The Cisco ASR 1000 Series SBC supports both models.
When deployed in an enterprise customer's network, the DSP-SPA cards can be used to transcode between a codec required by a SIP service provider and a codec used within the enterprise network. As shown in Figure 2, the DSPs can reside either in the same device (in-box transcoding) or in a different device (out-of-box transcoding).
Features and Benefits
The DSP-SPA card for the Cisco ASR 1000 Series enhances the Cisco SBC voice experience, providing both voice transcoding and transrating capabilities. Benefits include:
● Tight integration of SBE and transcoder
◦ Capability for SBC to use on-board DSP-SPA as transcoder
◦ Faster delivery of voice content.
◦ Very low latency
◦ Transrate voice codec for incompatible endpoints and gateways
● Enhanced DTMF capability
◦ In-band DTMF to RFC-2833 and out-of-band DTMF interworking
● Optimized bandwidth
◦ Optimized media path; no external, third transcoder needed
◦ Use of less bandwidth because transcoding is on board
● Lower customer deployment and maintenance costs
◦ No dedicated servers or appliances
◦ Transparent operations and ease of deployment
◦ Little configuration and administration
◦ Investment protection; DSP-SPA can be used together with SBE or DBE
The DSP-SPA card is implemented on the industry-leading Cisco SPA design. The Cisco SPA/SIP portfolio offers the following additional advantages:
● Highly modular, flexible, intelligent interface processors
◦ Pioneering programmable interface processors provide flexibility for the service diversity required in next-generation networks.
◦ Innovative design supports intelligent service delivery without compromising performance.
● Increased speed-to-service revenue
◦ The scalable, programmable Cisco architecture extended to 10 Gbps dramatically improves customer density, increasing potential revenue per platform.
● Dramatically improved return on routing investment
◦ Improved slot economics and increased density reduce capital expenditures (CapEx).
◦ The capability to easily add new interfaces as they are needed facilitates a "pay-as-you-grow" business model. SPAs are shared across multiple platforms and can easily be moved from one platform to another, providing consistent feature support, accelerated product delivery, and a significant reduction in operating expenses (OpEx) through common sparing as service needs change.
For product specifications for all Cisco SPAs, please see http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6267/prod_module_series_home.html.
Product Specifications
Product specifications are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Product Specifications
● Cisco ASR 1002 Router
● Cisco ASR 1013 Router
For low-complexity codec such as G.711: approximately 900 sessions
For medium-complexity codec such as G722, G726, and G729: approximately 580 sessions
For high-complexity codec such as G723, G728, AMR, and iLBC: approximately 350 sessions
Voice codecs supported
G.711 u-law and G.711 a-law
G.729, G.729A, G.729B, and G.729AB
G.722 (wideband: 64 Kbps)
G.723 and G.723 Rev A (only on CUBE Service Provider)
GSM-AMR-nb (only on CUBE Service Provider)
Online insertion and removal (OIR)
Operating temperature: 41 to 104°F (5 to 40°C)
Storage temperature: -38 to 150°F (-40 to 70°C)
Operating humidity: 5 to 85% relative humidity
Network Equipment Building Standards (NEBS)
This product is designed to meet the following requirements (official qualification may be in progress):
Table 2 lists the maximum number of DSP-SPA cards allowed on each Cisco ASR 1000 Series chassis model.
Table 2. Maximum Number of DSP-SPA Cards per Cisco ASR 1000 Series Chassis
Cisco ASR 1000 Series Model
Maximum Number of DSP-SPA Cards Allowed
Cisco ASR 1001
Cisco ASR 1002 Fixed Router
Cisco ASR 1002
Cisco ASR 1004
Cisco ASR 1006
Cisco ASR 1013
Ordering Information
To place an order, visit the Cisco Ordering homepage.
Table 3 lists the part number for the DSP-SPA card.
Table 3. Ordering Information
Product Name
Part Number
Digital Signal Processor SPA
For More Information
For more information about the Cisco ASR 1000 Series or the Cisco ASR 1000 Series DSP-SPA, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/asr1000 or contact your local Cisco account representative.


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Students invited to Military Service Academy Day
Published: Friday, September 6, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 11:44 p.m.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan invites all seventh-12th-grade students and middle and high school counselors to attend Military Service Academy Day 2013 at Randolph Community College in Asheboro on Saturday, Sept. 21.
The event will provide an opportunity for students, parents and counselors to learn more about the five service academies and Hagan's nomination process.
"North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the country, and I am proud that my office can help outstanding young men and women from across the state who want to attend one of the nation's five prestigious service academies," said Hagan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
For more information contact Senator Hagan's Director of Constituent Services Jennifer Johnson at 336-333-5311 or firstname.lastname@example.com. No RSVP is required.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Kingstanding Ward
Kingstanding Ward, in the Northern part of the City, includes parts of New Oscott, Perry Common, St Mary's Roman Catholic College, Witton Lakes and part of Kingstanding Circle. It is part of the Parliamentary Constituency of Erdington.
Kingstanding Ward is essentially suburban in character and primarily a residential area with limited commercial and manufacturing development. Most of the area was developed in the 1920s and 1930s, though Wyrley Birch dates to the 1960s and Oscott to the 1970s.
Distinct development patterns and the arterial routes through the area divide it into a number of districts or neighbourhoods: North Kingstanding, Perry Common, Wyrley Birch and Oscott.
North Kingstanding is a large inter-war housing estate which is in need of a major modernisation programme to bring it up to modern standards. Wyrley Birch is a 1960's estate which has benefited from Estate Action and Housing Association investment over the last few years. Perry Common is the subject of a major redevelopment programme which is being carried out through a resident led Community Association. Oscott is a largely private sector development dating from the 1970s.
For demographic information about the people who live in this Ward, take a look at our population and census pages


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© The Financial Times Ltd 2016
FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.
The Financial Times and its journalism are subject to a self-regulation regime under the FT Editorial Code of Practice.
Imagine walking past a shirt shop with two friends and glancing at the garments in the window. Suddenly your mobile phone pings with a message. Buy two shirts from the shop, runs the text, and you will receive a 20 per cent discount; buy three and the discount will be 30 per cent.
This kind of personalised promotion is the bread and butter of a consumer initiative called LiveLab, now hitting the streets in Singapore and the brainchild of professors at Singapore Management University. The country's consumers are invited to opt into the service using their mobile phones in three locations – Orchard Road, Singapore's most famous shopping street, Changi airport and Sentosa island, home to visitor attractions such as Universal Studios.
Combining personal data with location is key, says Steven Miller, dean of the school of information systems and vice-provost for research at SMU.
"It is something they [consumers] will find helpful in that context. It's going from location-aware to context-aware. That's where a lot of the smarts are."
Meanwhile, a few miles across town, Columbia Business School marketing professor Bernd Schmitt is working with another Singapore business school, at Nanyang Technological University. He has set up the Institute of Asian Consumer Insight, which is spearheading both academic and corporate consumer research.
One of the latest pieces of research from the institute is trying to understand how people shop. "It's about how values are changing in Asia and how that affects behaviour," says Prof Schmitt.
His decision temporarily to swap New York for Singapore has been spurred by a real corporate thirst for information on Asian consumers. Academic research has traditionally compared behaviour across continents, between North America, Europe and Asia, he says.
Nanyang's Institute of Asian Consumer Insight has attracted the attention of one large consumer goods company, Unilever, which commissioned research on the changing concepts of Asian beauty. The FT put some questions to Unilever.
What was the challenge?
Unilever already sells well-known brands such as Fair and Lovely in India, Pepsodent in Indonesia and Omo in Vietnam. The challenge for the company now is to understand the fast-evolving consumer market better.
Why was this important for the company?
It would be a misnomer to think of Asia as a unitary entity because from a demographic, societal, affluence or lifestyle perspective there are a multiplicity of smaller, distinct "Asias".
Were the results predictable or unexpected?
There were many additions to Unilever's knowledge and some surprises as a result of the work.
Did the research use Unilever data?
No. Unilever wanted the ACI team to start with a clean slate.
How much did the research cost?
Is there more work to do?
Unilever is working on a number of projects for 2013 with ACI.
"That is just not enough any more. Companies are interested in specific markets. We need comparative studies. There is almost nothing [in this field]."
These days, he stresses, there is a real sense that Asia is where the action is. "The engine of the world economy for the next few decades will be Asia," he says. "It will not be America. It will not be Europe."
It is no coincidence that both these consumer initiatives have been established in Singapore, which is exercising a real pull for business researchers. It is a discrete multicultural urban centre with high-quality infrastructure and as such it can act as a test bed for consumer research, says Prof Schmitt. "It is great for preliminary findings that you can go out and test in other markets."
It is also located between India and China, with strong links to both, as well as strong relationships with Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines
But perhaps the biggest draw is the cash. "I could not do this in the US any more," says Prof Schmitt. "They just don't have the money."
Key to the establishment of both the NTU and SMU experiments has been the financial support of the Singapore government. Nanyang's Institute on Asian Consumer Insight is jointly funded to the tune of S$77m (US$62m) over five years by the Singapore Economic Development Board and NTU. Meanwhile, Singapore's National Research Foundation, through its Interactive Digital Media Programme, has invested S$9.94m over five years in SMU's LiveLabs, subject to further funds being raised from industry.
The Singapore government is also investing a further S$26m in a separate research project at SMU, the Living Analytics Research Centre (Larc) which is run jointly with Carnegie Mellon University. It has been set up to develop Singapore as one of the world's leaders in "live" data. This will enable researchers to observe how large numbers of users behave by observing their digital traces – from mobile phones, for example. They will be able to see how behaviour evolves over time or how people react in certain situations.
Following huge investments in communications and education by the Singapore government – business schools Insead, Essec and Chicago Booth have campuses there, for example – information is the next stage of the government's long-term strategic plan, says Prof Schmitt.
"I think it is a smart way to invest in intellectual services."
For Prof Miller, the two projects at SMU put the fledgling university in the big league.
"We're not aware of anyone in the world that is doing things on this scale," he says. "We're building a larger ecosystem than anyone else." And he dismisses any concerns about data privacy. The data protection laws on the use of personal information are as strong in Singapore as they are in the US, he says.
At the heart of the ACI's research will be the development of traditional analytical tools but also those relating to ethnography to help companies better differentiate between consumers.
This will use big data sets using data from large corporations, such as telecoms companies and banks, as well as data collected by researchers.
"Big data sets will allow us to find out how specific markets behave," says Prof Schmitt.
He is not stopping there. The next subject for research at ACI will be the Asian home – how Asians live, from what their home decorations are like to what kitchen utensils they buy, for example.
"The future Asian home will look like a western home [from the outside]," he believes.
"But will there be Asian elements? Will there be fusion? Or will there be a distinct Chinese or Indian style?"
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Following the much-anticipated Black Friday shopping rush, local retailers reported everything went well to kickoff the Christmas shopping season.
Shawnee Mall Manager Scott Kingrey said Black Friday sales went very well.
"We're very busy," Kingrey said.
Several mall merchants opened earlier, and reported to Kingrey that they saw a good number of customers.
"They were all very pleased with the results," he said. "They ones who did [open early] were glad they did."
Typically, Black Friday sales are limited to consumer electronics, however many clothing stores opened early and saw good results as well.
"I've gotten very positive feedback," Kingrey said.
"You spend the whole year getting ready for this," he said. "It's nice to see it come together."
Kmart was extremely busy on Friday, although their shopping craze began on Thanksgiving Day.
Kmart Manager Derek Stevens said they've had steady traffic and have seen "substantially more" customers than last year.
Kmart was open on Thanksgiving, but closed from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, then reopened until 3:30 a.m. The store closed again and reopened at 5 a.m. with Black Friday deals.
"We've had an incredible amount of traffic," Stevens said, attributing that to the new approach and hours.
Many area merchants are expecting to be busy throughout the weekend as the holiday shopping season gets into full swing.
Location, ST | website.com


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A proposal to require Ohio to invest billions of dollars in solar, wind and other energy sources has cleared an initial hurdle to getting on the ballot.
Ohio's attorney general said Monday that backers of the so-called Ohio Clean Energy Initiative amendment have met state requirements to proceed with their effort.
If successful, the measure would require the state to invest $1.3 billion each year for the next decade on energy infrastructure, research or development. The money would fund projects determined by a Delaware corporation, Ohio Energy Initiative Commission LLC. The measure also calls for paying the commission $65 million in annual operational expenses.
The next step is Tuesday's state Ballot Board meeting to determine whether the issue is more than one amendment.
Location, ST | website.com


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November 17, 2005
There were more than 5,400 burglaries in Aiken, Richmond and Columbia Counties combined in the last year alone, and it can take police as long as 45 minutes to get to the scene. News 12 is on your side with steps you can take to protect your family.
Some criminals keep a lookout for the signs, things like newspapers piling up when you are out of town, no lights, and no cars in the driveway. And it gets worse around the holidays. The key is to appear as if you are always home and that you're not alone.
This sound is the best way to get a burglar off your property. The sound scares the intruder and clues the neighbors in that something is not quite right. Roger Guerrero says he was led by fate to protect people. He called in air strikes in the first Gulf War and now he's calling is to save lives.
He does it by putting video cameras in businesses and homes. His eight on staff include several Richmond County deputies.
"If seeing is believing, then it just makes sense," Guerrero said.
Captain Clay Smith says video surveillance is a good backup in case the alarm does not drive the intruder away.
"If an intruder does get in and they're on video, and then they leave when they hear the alarm, video surveillance helps catch them," Smith said.
Dedric Badua from American Guardian Security recommends some other extras, like a broken glass detector.
"Homeowners that have kids, everybody's worried about kids being snatched out the window," Badua said.
And experts say you need an eighty-five decibel siren to scare the intruder away. Other recommendations include a wireless key with a panic button that sends all of your information directly to the alarm company, strobe lights in the house to alert the deaf, and sensors that activate the alarm if a window is opened. And put bars on your sliding doors.
Most systems work on a landline, but if yours is cut, having a backup cell line is also a good idea. And change the alarm's battery on a regular basis.
The first step to preventing a break-in is to discourage the intruder from approaching your house at all. One way of doing this is to put a security system sign in your yard. Another suggestion for single women is to put a pair of men's shoes on your front porch to trick the intruder into thinking you don't live alone.
Keeping the shrubbery short around your windows is another must, because tall plants give burglars a place to hid. Keep your upstairs windows locked and keep ladders locked in the garage. Father of three Carlton Wilson installs security systems for a living.
"Sometimes you're away, you are working, a lot of times you spend most of your time at your job. You don't know what's going on at your house," Wilson said.
That's where Roger Guerrero and his cameras come in.
"The world's not getting any better," Guerrero said.
Police can respond, but staying alert and going the extra mile to keep your family safe is up to you.
Another way you can protect yourself is house watch. Columbia County deputies will drive by your house twice during the day and night while you are out of town. Richmond County will also drive by during downtime throughout the day. Aiken County does not provide this service, but they do encourage communities to form neighborhood watch groups.
There's also a little financial incentive to getting an alarm system. People who have a system get ten percent off their homeowners' insurance rate.


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Lawyer, 2 police officers snared in dispute over wealthy Portsmouth woman's estate
PORTSMOUTH — Attorney Gary Holmes knew his elderly Portsmouth client, Geraldine Webber, had dementia when he had her sign new estate plans that left money to a pair of Portsmouth police officers, attorney Paul McEachern alleges in a new filing with the county Probate Court.
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The world has continued to demonstrate the ridiculous attitude of men. There is the story of a man condemned as an "old fossil", and called crazy because he thought of planting a mango grove. No one helped him plant, in fact, all deserted him, scoffing and mocking him. Years rolled by, the mango trees grew and brought forth delicious fruit and all the sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters and great-greats ran to the grove and placed up a sign board saying, "This Mango grove belongs to us!"That's the world. The world has never once thought how it has ill-treated its benefactor.
V. T. Neelkantan
Source: Babaji's Death of Death, 2003
Contributed by: bajarbattu
Copyright © 2016 Gaiam, Inc.


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Deplorable Labor choice
In nominating Thomas Perez to be secretary of Labor, President Obama cited the personal story of Mr. Perez, a first-generation American, as "remind(ing) us of this country's promise." The president's decision is alarming. Throughout his career, Mr. Perez has been motivated by one goal: the advancement of the far left's agenda.
It seems unlikely that he is flexible enough to run the Labor Department as the economy changes rapidly.
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|2.02 lbs.
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Monday, November 21, 2011
Regarding Newgarden
Of course, as we well know, that scholarship does not equal a full-time ride, or even a partial one; whispers last year were that 2010 Lights champ JK Vernay didn't impress enough in his IndyCar tests to secure a ride. Whether or not that's the case, Vernay is no longer part of the Mazda Road to Indy.
So will Newgarden fare any better? I certainly hope so; I believe he could definitely be a big part of the IZOD IndyCar Series in the near future, if given a chance. Curt Cavin's blog, although not specifically naming him, seems to float the idea he could be part-time at Sam Schmidt Motorsports in their second car (with Simon Pagenaud basically confirmed as their primary driver next year). Honestly, I'd rather see Newgarden in a part-time competitive ride than a non-competitive full-time one, if it comes down to it.
Josef might trail only Justin Wilson in terms of potential scenarios as far as where he goes for 2012; various suggestions have included Andretti Autosport and even AJ Foyt Enterprises. But it's important to remember that Schmidt basically has first dibs on the young driver. I don't think he'd hold him back, and it also might turn out that a second car at SSM is the best bet for the would-be rookie.
We won't see anything close to the mass rookie class from Lights we saw this year (Hinch, Pippa, Kimball, Saavedra, etc.), but it is important that the ladder series functions as a true ladder, especially for a deserving young talent such as Newgarden. With the car count up and scholarship money in play, let's hope something can be worked out for him.
5 comments:
Agreed on putting Newgarden in a part time competitive ride of a full time non-competitive one. We see where that got Will Power.ReplyDelete
As for J.K. Vernay, he was hired by Peugeot as a reserve driver for their all conquering LMP car - that tells you something. He's also been doing pretty good in LMP2, along with Franck Mailleaux and Lucas Ordonez he won LMP2 in the 6 Hours of Zhuhai earlier this month in the Signatech Nissan. It would have been nice to see what he could have done in IndyCar.
I'd really like to see Newgarden in a full time ride this year whether it be a Schmidt or elsewhere. You can't have your scholarship winner not get a ride two years in a row or else there is no point in doing anymore.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 23, 2011 at 9:47 AM
NEWGARDEN WILL CONTINUE TO BE A HUGE FACTOR IN ANY SERIES HE LANDS IN.ReplyDelete
Well, Anonymous, I like your enthusiasm! :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 30, 2011 at 10:21 PM
I honestly love josef and will continue to root for him wherever he ends up. So excited for his future. love him and his family. they deserve the best.ReplyDelete


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The A's have gamed the system again, or taken another multidimensional leap ahead, or just figured out some subtle things before everybody else.
Once again.
This time, it's easy to miss except when you examine the A's roster in totality:
Of their current 25-man roster, only ace Sonny Gray and closer Sean Doolittle were drafted and developed by this supposed draft-and-develop franchise.
Everybody else was acquired as a discounted asset via trade, the waiver wire or another subtle transaction.
"Oh, you noticed?" general manager Billy Beane said with a chuckle when we spoke Wednesday evening. "What I can say is that we have a very disciplined approach to things. We have to be disciplined because of who we are ...
"I don't think there's any secret about how we approach it. If I put on my G.M. hat, I can say I'm definitely not clairvoyant on this stuff. This isn't some special magical power."
Not magic, that's understood.
But somehow, the A's acquired Josh Donaldson in the 2008 Rich Harden deal and picked up Brandon Moss and Jesse Chavez after they had washed through several organizations.
They also traded for Derek Norris (in the 2011 Gio Gonzalez deal), Jed Lowrie (in the 2013 Chris Carter swap) and Drew Pomeranz (in the 2013 Brett Anderson deal).
There's more, but I think you get the point.
That's how the A's built this deep and flexible team that has the best record in baseball and a bonanza run differential that laps the field.
With the fourth-lowest payroll, by the way.
We'll see if the A's can break through and finally win a World Series in the Beane era, but for now, this is the most well-rounded team they have had in a long time.
Beane obviously won't get into the specifics of how the A's identify intriguing players in other organizations, but he says they monitor every professional league and they know what they're looking for.
"We're just a jigsaw puzzle of strengths," Beane said. "We have a bunch of guys who have been in other organizations -- a guy like Brandon Moss who bounced around before we got him but who has a clear strength; he can really hit right-handed pitching.
"Or a guy like Norris, who can really hit left-handed pitching. Or (John) Jaso, who can really hit right-handed pitching.
"They're imperfect players, but they have specific tools we can identify and by using them creatively ... they really can be effective players."
There probably are only about 15 to 20 near-perfect players in baseball and to get them, you must either do it via the draft (Gray might qualify soon) or give up more talent and salary than the A's have to spend.
But if you can get a bunch of players in the nebulous next category (say, from 25 to 100) at low prices while other teams are paying their peers star prices or not acquiring them at all, you're way ahead of the game.
So far, with that massive run differential, the A's are way, way ahead through 47 games.
"If I speak as a G.M., I can say it's still a small sample size, right?" Beane joked.
"But (run differential is) a concrete metric to describe where you are as a club ...
"Certainly we're pleased with the performance so far. And it's indicative of the understanding that this is a very good club."
Beane and his lieutenants have flipped the dynamic: They have turned their budgetary limits into an advantage because there's no angle for them to hold onto established players.
They won't sit still because they can't sit still, and that makes them experts about not sitting still. Even now.
"We make no apologies for who we are and for the situation we have in terms of revenue and what we have to work with," Beane said.
"We have to take advantage of who we are, which means we have to take chances and do things that maybe don't fit the orthodoxy."
Of course, a new stadium -- in San Jose, Oakland or wherever -- would change some of that. But there is no sign that anything is imminent or five years from imminent.
"At some point, it will come," Beane said of a new ballpark and larger revenue streams. "I'm just not operating as if we know when it will be.
"The best part of baseball is when you deal with the present. I think there is something to be said about the present in sports -- there is an intrinsic value to a win on this day, and you lose something if you overlook that ...
"If we can get a new venue and we have a larger revenue stream, that'd be terrific. But I'm not going to bed every night thinking about it."
A few years ago, Beane seemed frustrated by the A's financial purgatory and joked that the next time they're pushed into a reset, somebody else could do it.
But with this team and these players -- and the conviction that the A's can keep targeting and acquiring new players at discount prices -- Beane seems enlivened by the whole process.
Which makes sense, since he and his lieutenants are the ones who moved it to the next level, again.
Read Tim Kawakami's Talking Points blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami. Contact him at email@example.com.
MLB leaders in run differential (runs scored vs. runs against):
Team RS RA DIFF.
A's 243 147 +96
Rockies 257 209 +48
Angels 227 183 +44
Tigers 207 165 +42
Giants 199 169 +30


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Recipes from our current Star Chef Léa Linster
Has there been a dish you particularly enjoyed on board? You can find Léa Linster's original recipes here to print out and cook yourself.
During January and February 2011 Lea Linster will be treating First and Business Class passengers to her delicious cuisine on long-haul flights from Germany. You can find a Léa Linster menu to try yourself at home in the booklet which our Business Class passengers receive as a giveaway:
Starter: venison terrine with marinated beans and mustard sour cream sauce
Main course: wild mushroom ragout with vegetables and chive dumplings
Dessert: Betty's cheesecake & madeleines
Recipe booklet to download as a PDF


text:
Batman Arkham Asylum
Version and / or Patch Used: 1.1
Timedemo or Level Used: Built-in Test
Developer Homepage: http://www.batmanarkhamasylum.com/
Product Homepage: http://www.batmanarkhamasylum.com/
Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum - Gotham's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City's most notorious villains who have taken over the asylum.
Using a wide range of Batman's gadgets and abilities, players will become the invisible predator and attempt to foil The Joker's demented scheme.
Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner Paul Dini, whose credits include Lost season one and Batman: The Animated Series.
Note: With support for PhysX NVIDIA based cards will be tested with the technology on and off, ATI cards will be tested with the technology off due to it not being supported on their cards.
Non PhysX performance is up and even against the HD 5970 TOXIC performance is strong. With PhysX on, though, we do still see a performance increase, but unfortunately the same gains aren't seen.


text:
Fla. doctor faces 350 years' prison in pill case
Published: Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 6:43 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 6:43 a.m.
FORT LAUDERDALE - A South Florida doctor could get a maximum 350-year prison sentence for his conviction in an illegal prescription drug pill mill case.
A Broward County jury this week found 54-year-old Dr. Thomas Rodenberg guilty of 14 charges, including racketeering, trafficking in the painkiller oxycodone, conspiracy and illegal delivery of controlled substances.
Rodenberg was one of 11 people arrested in 2012 as part of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-led investigation into a Pompano Beach pain clinic. Undercover officers posed as patients during a three-year probe, obtaining numerous prescriptions for controlled substances although there was no medical need.
Authorities say the 55 prescriptions for undercover officers included nearly 3,000 units of oxycodone.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Opower Shapes Its Software Story
As it prepares for a potential initial public offering, Opower Inc., a company that runs innovative energy-efficiency programs for utilities, has been adding board members and tweaking its branding to align with successful software companies.
These efforts might help the Arlington, Va.-based company affect how investors view it. Whether Opower gets compared to other software companies that had a great IPO run in the past 24 months, or to "smart grid" and "clean-tech" companies that serve the heavily regulated utility industry, could affect its fortunes. The company recently hired bankers to explore going public, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
On Thursday, Opower announced that it welcomed Mark McLaughlin, chairman, president and chief executive of Palo Alto Networks Inc., to its board. He's joining Marcus Ryu, chief executive of Guidewire Software Inc., and Deep Nishar, senior vice president of products and user experience at LinkedIn Corp.–all having started on the board in the past few months.
All three of the companies that the new directors work with represent potential comparisons and learning opportunities for Opower. All three were also high-growth venture-backed software companies that completed successful IPOs in the past two years.
Palo Alto Networks, for example, which provides security software to enterprise customers, priced its IPO in 2012 well above initial plans and then saw its shares jump on first day of trading. It currently trades at about 9.3 times sales, according to data from Capital IQ.
It's notable that in the press release announcing Mr. McLaughlin's appointment, Opower dubbed itself as a "cloud software" company, which appears to be the first time it referred to itself this way. It also threw in other technology buzzwords, such as "big data," a term that started cropping up in Opower's press releases starting this fall.
Contrast that to the way Opower characterized itself in 2009, as "a leading smart-grid software company." The company's products and offerings didn't drastically change over the years, but it's self-characterization did.
"Smart-grid" companies haven't done nearly as well in the public markets recently as have software technology plays.
EnerNOC Inc., for example, a company that provides that reduces demand for electricity for commercial customers and works with utilities, trades at a price of 1.13 times sales, according to Capital IQ. Silver Spring Networks stands out in this regard — it's a venture backed smart-grid company that languished in IPO registration for many months, but did have a successful IPO earlier this year. Still, there are many fewer successes in this sector than in software.
"Opower has always been a software company, and that will continue to be our focus," said Carly Llewellyn, spokeswoman for the company. She declined to comment further.
Opower processes loads of data, collecting reads from electronic meters from millions of homes. It sends consumers paper reports, as well as messages via text and email, where it gives them suggestions for how to decrease energy use tailored to their circumstances (they vary based on whether you own a big house or live in an apartment building). The company compares electricity usage of homeowners to that of their neighbors, creating a peer-pressure effect that leads people to save more electricity.
Its business requires a good understanding of what drives consumers, know-how in data processing, as well as skills in regulatory and politics work as it sells to utilities.
Which category of companies Opower will fall under in investors' eyes will matter greatly for its IPO, as share price depends often on performance of companies considered comparable.
Confusion over how to categorize the company likely cost a bit of money to SolarCity Corp. The solar project developer and financing company that went public a year ago, set its share price well below earlier estimates. At that time SolarCity was trying to differentiate itself from solar manufacturers that hurt many investors, but its CEO Lyndon Rive said then that many investors still lumped it together with those more unfortunate businesses.
SolarCity shed the negative associations and is now the stock with the best post-IPO performance for the year, according to Nasdaq. (It priced at $8 and is trading at above $52.)
For Opower the challenge will be to present itself as a software-as-a-service play, and not be burdened by the fact that it sells to a notoriously difficult customer set: utilities.
In previous interviews, Jon Sakoda, board member and partner at New Enterprise Associates, one of Silicon Valley's largest venture firms, said that Opower has been growing faster than any of the firm's other software-as-a-service companies.
Software companies that sell to a niche industry have been successful, with Guidewire among the group. That company, whose CEO is a recent member of Opower's board, went public last year and sells its products to insurance providers. It has been trading well above its IPO price.
Opower sells to utilities, and it has been adding expertise in that area, as well, but by adding people to its advisory board, rather than to the board of directors.
Write to Yuliya Chernova at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ychernova.


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The Gaza Spring
At the time I had Islamist tendencies. I was still a schoolboy when the inqilab happened in 2007. (Thus spoke Amin, which is not his name: 22, author, activist, affiliate of Fateh, lifetime resident of Palestinian Rafah. We spoke on the roof of a mid-range hotel in Gaza City late last week. By inqilab, the accepted term—literally: "overthrow"—Amin was referring to the post-democratic, forcible overtake of power in the Gaza Strip by Hamas. Now I notice that, every time he said "they" in the abstract, "Hamas", especially its security apparatus in Gaza, was what he meant.) At first they blew up all the security agencies; it's unclear why, the buildings were empty. But they did. And they arrested everyone who said 'I am Fateh': all the militias, of course, but also civil servants, citizens, students…
We thought it was an overthrow of the Palestinian Authority but it was really an overthrow against Fateh; and it was driven by power hunger… I happened to have relations in Fateh so I could see how they dealt with people. They would give you something called "the acquittal": 'Hand over your weapons and you can go, but don't engage in any activity of any kind whatsoever.' Sometimes they kept you under house arrest. That was the earliest period. Later President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decision that everyone should stay at home: all the Authority employees. He never called it that but it was a form of civil disobedience—a general strike. Everyone did stay at home, more or less. And so we discovered that they already had a full team of professionals in every field imaginable: security, health, education, everything; it was predictable that they should have security forces since they were a force of the resistance but they turned out to be ready to replace the Authority in every aspect of life.


text:
Toggle: English / Spanish
A chronic subdural hematoma is an "old" collection of blood and blood breakdown products between the surface of the brain and its outermost covering (the dura). The chronic phase of a subdural hematoma begins several weeks after the first bleeding.
Subdural hemorrhage - chronic; Subdural hematoma - chronic; Subdural hygroma
A subdural hematoma develops when the tiny veins that run between the dura and surface of the brain (bridging veins) tear and leak blood. This is usually the result of a head injury.
A collection of blood then forms over the surface of the brain. In a chronic subdural collection, blood leaks from the veins slowly over time, or a fast hemorrhage is left to clear up on its own.
A subdural hematoma is more common in the elderly because of normal brain shrinkage that occurs with aging. This shrinkage stretches and weakens the bridging veins. These veins are more likely to break in the elderly, even after a minor head injury. You or your family may not remember any injury that could explain it.
Risks include:
In some cases, there may be no symptoms. However, depending on the size of the hematoma and where it presses on the brain, any of the following symptoms may occur:
Your health care provider will ask questions about your medical history. The physical exam will carefully check your brain and nervous system to check for problems with:
Because the symptoms and signs are often subtle, if there is any suspicion of a hematoma, a
The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and reduce or prevent permanent damage to the brain. Anticonvulsant medications such as carbamazepine, lamotrigine or levetiracetam may be used to control or prevent seizures.
Surgery may be needed. This may include drilling small holes in the skull to relieve pressure and allow blood and fluids to be drained. Large hematomas or solid
Hematomas that do not cause symptoms may not require treatment. Chronic subdural hematomas often come back after being drained. Therefore, it is sometimes better to leave them alone unless they are causing symptoms.
Chronic subdural hematomas that cause symptoms usually do not heal on their own over time. They often require surgery, especially when there are neurologic problems, seizures, or chronic headaches.
Call your doctor or nurse immediately if you or someone else has symptoms of chronic subdural hematoma. For example, call if you see symptoms of confusion, weakness, or numbness weeks or months after a head injury in an older person.
Take the person to the emergency room or call 911 if the person:
Avoid head injuries by using seat belts, bicycle and motorcycle helmets, and hard hats when appropriate.
Ling GSF. Traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 406.
Stippler M. Trauma of the nervous system: craniocerebral trauma. In: Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 50B.
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Local loans' value falls steeply in 2013
Published: Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 8:16 p.m.
SARASOTA COUNTY - This county's top lenders started off the new year by making nearly as many loans as they did in December. But the dollar value of those loans dropped considerably.
The largest lenders made 662 loans, a 4 percent drop from a busy December, records show.
But the dollar value of the loans fell 26 percent, from $166.5 million in December to $123 million last month.
Topping the list by dollar volume was Wells Fargo, with 125 transactions valued at about $22 million. Next was Quicken Loans, with 111 loans valued at nearly $20 million.
JPMorgan Chase was third, with 120 loans valued at $17.2 million, while Bank of America was fourth, with 95 loans valued at $15.8 million.
Fifth was SunTrust Bank, with 79 loans worth $12.5 million. Next was PNC Bank, 21 loans, $8.3 million; CitiBank, 18 loans, $8 million; Fifth Third, 51 loans, $7.7 million; BB&T, 37 loans, $6 million; and Northern Trust, 5 loans, $5.6 million.
The top five lenders in December were similar: Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Quicken Loans, SunTrust and JPMorgan.
This story appeared in print on page D3
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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LEGO Shop Home Themes Technic Tractor
- Item: 9393
- Ages:9-16
- VIP Points: 0
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The powerful Tractor is ready to rip through the fields! Use the control knob to steer it into position then unfold and lower the tool, move the tractor and spin the blades! Rebuilds into a buggy featuring steering and detailed motor with moving pistons.
- Features working steering and detachable tool that unfolds, lowers and spins
- 2 models in 1: rebuilds into a buggy
- Steer the Tractor!
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- Building instructions included for both models
- Buggy features functioning steering and moving engine pistons
- Tractor measures over 5" (13cm) high, 11" (28cm) long and 4" (11cm) wide
- Buggy measures over 4" (11cm) high, 9" (23cm) long and 5" (13cm) wide
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enabled and will therefore experience limited functionality.
WHEN a manufacturer opts to revise a car midway through its lifecycle the results are often more predictable than earth shattering. With a mild tweak here and there, the car is sent packing for a few more years until something better comes along. Not so Mercedes and its E-Class, which has been subject to a considerable makeover.
The car's exterior caused a few raised eyebrows when it first appeared, with particular attention drawn to the rear three-quarter angle. Some liked it and some did not, but you couldn't fault Mercedes for choosing a bold and visually arresting look. In a move that will please the critics, that nod to classic Mercedes designs of old has been toned down in favour of a more streamlined and simplified appearance.
In contrast, a bolder nose complete with dominant three-pointed star is now the default configuration. Complimenting this is an enlarged air intake layout below the bumper. Overall there's no question that the changes have resulted in a bolder stance and aligns the E-Class more closely to existing cars in the Mercedes family.
It's the mechanical changes to the car that are the real headline-grabbers, though. In a bid to improve safety and efficiency much work has been done to maintain the popular executive saloon's competitiveness.
A new 2.0-litre petrol engine boasting clever turbo and fuel injection systems promises to deliver added refinement alongside improved performance, emissions and economy. Badged as an E 250, the 211 horsepower unit's rated at 138g/km for CO2 despite its beefy 258lb/ft torque figure. It's suitably brisk too, which should satisfy buyers seeking the trappings of E-Class ownership but without having to spend too much in the process.
Of course diesel power is where it's at for most buyers, especially in the company car sector, and the E 250 CDI offers a decent mix of performance and economy from its 204 horsepower 2.2-litre four-cylinder motor. The six-pot equivalent might be smoother but the 250 CDI offers ample performance for when pounding motorways is the norm. It's one of many to gain a standard fit seven-speed auto gearbox - only the lesser E 220 CDI makes do with a manual gearbox - which further adds to the car's ease of use. Factor in official an combined 57.7mpg and it's easy to see the car's real world appeal.
Buyers seeking more thrust can opt for the aforementioned six-cylinder E 350 CDI, and while its 252 horsepower rating might not be a big step over its smaller cousin the extra torque is most welcome and something to consider if you opt for the commodious estate variant.
But if its high-tech you want then the E 300 Hybrid delivers in spades. Utilising the 2.2-litre diesel from the 250 CDI alongside a compact battery and electric motor system, you have the best of both worlds regarding economy and extra acceleration when you need it. There's also an engine-off coasting mode, which works well on flat and downhill road sections, while there's no compromise in terms of cabin or load space thanks to the hybrid system's compact design. All in all, despite the price premium over a regular diesel, it's hard to ignore the hybrid's impressive 109g/km CO2 and 68.9mpg figures.
And it's also hard not to be impressed by the amount of clever safety kit being thrown at the E-Class by Mercedes. Some familiar technology remains, such as road sign-reading cameras, blind spot warning and night vision, but the tighter integration of adaptive cruise control with the auto braking function should result in a greater chance of you avoiding an accident - especially at low speeds in urban environments.
Mercedes also wants to keep you safe at higher speeds with its active lane keeping assist function, which will gently add steering input to guide you away from danger if you wander too close to the centre of the road into oncoming traffic or out of your lane on a motorway. Factor in intelligent headlights with a beam that adapts to traffic conditions and obstacles ahead of you plus an array of sensors tuned to help detect hazards at junctions, and it's hard to fault Mercedes' commitment to safety.
Of course not all the fancy safety kit will be standard on every car but this is the exception not the rule for the new for 2013 E-Class thanks to Mercedes UK's generosity. As with before, the UK spec deviates somewhat from the default Euro template and you get a great deal more than in years past.
Two trim levels, SE and AMG Sport form the backbone of the range, with the former gaining the likes of 17-inch alloys, simulated leather upholstery, Comand navigation and DAB radio, parking sensors, folding mirrors and practical LED headlights. Moving up to AMG Sport trim adds 18-inch alloy wheels, sports seats trimmed in the same simulated leather as SE models, plus a subtle sporty exterior trim to compliment its specification level.
The casual observer could be forgiven for thinking not much appears to have changed with the E-Class. However, on closer inspection it's clear that this is more than a simple nip and tuck from Mercedes. While the car's exterior is now more elegant and sporty in equal measure, the wealth of smart technology on offer to entertain and keep you safe is impressive.
With equipment levels now rivaling that of the more expensive S-Class and real world economy and performance to please both the head and heart respectively, this thorough revision of an already accomplished car should see the E-Class remain competitive for some time to come.
Model: Mercedes-Benz E 250 CDI SE saloon, from £36,590 on the road.?
Engine: 2.2-litre diesel unit developing 204bhp.?
Transmission: seven-speed automatic transmission as standard, driving the rear wheels.?Performance: Maximum speed 150mph, 0-62mph 7.5 seconds.
?Economy: 57.7mpg.?
CO2 Rating: 131g/km.
Motors.co.uk value verdict:
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They come from as far as Cuba and Lenox with their cars and pickups full of perennials, fresh baked bread and eggs. Their destination — downtown Rolla for the weekly farmers market.
This year will mark Rani Abston's eighth year vending her goods at the market. Her snack trailer is among a dozen or so sellers who arrive each Tuesday morning. She loves the fresh veggies among other things.
"There is a lot of wisdom all around me here," she said in regards to the veteran growers. "These farmers have been there and done as it relates to their gardens and farms."
Debbie Miller from Rolla has been a regular at the market over the years. She enjoys the fresh vegetables when they start coming in.
"I enjoy buying it from the locals rather than from the grocery store," she said.
The Rolla Farmers Market is just one stop among several for farmers Mike and Jacque Bottom. They sell, among other things, their organic tomatoes and cucumbers at the Route 66 market on Fridays and the St. James market on Saturdays.
Don Good of Goodlands Best not only brought his fresh eggs but his great-granddaughters Decemember and Novemember with him for the first time this season.
"We like seeing all the stuff," the two girls said with a smile. The downtown market will run through October.
Location, ST | website.com


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Scarlett O'Kelly is not her real name. She's about 40 years of age. She grew up on a farm, went to a convent boarding school and to university, and describes herself as "well-groomed and attractive". Her three children are of school-going age.
Now she has written a famous tell-all called 'Between the Sheets', to be published by Penguin, that will shock millions of Irish about the life of a middle class hooker and escort.
She separated from her husband about a decade ago. She lives in a small town in Ireland. As a prostitute, she has slept with over a hundred men, unknown to her family and all but two of her friends. She published a book this week about her double life, entitled 'Between the Sheets'. It makes for riveting reading.
When the recession started to bite a few years ago, her ex-husband's maintenance payments dried up, as did her freelance work. She doesn't specify what kind of white collar work she used to do beforehand and is careful to change details about her background and those of her clients, who are given false names to protect identities.
Read more:
More news on crime in Ireland from IrishCentral
'Evil' Irish lady steals $1 million from Archdiocese of New York
Gaelic Girls TV - Music and 'craic' at the Temple Bar Tradfest 2012 - VIDEO
The stress of her financial predicament made her go into the escort business, which, she stresses, is different to working as a prostitute on the street or in a brothel. To get business, she advertised online as a "masseuse". Usually she met clients in hotel rooms.
"It was out of needs – of needing money," she says during a telephone interview. "I don't think I had a huge amount of foresight when I started except that I had bills to pay. I had children to feed."
Her rates are high – €400 for the first time; and €300 for repeat visits. She would talk on the telephone initially to prospective clients, often for 20 minutes to an hour, as part of a screening process.
Discretion, as well as rigorous health safety measures, is one of the cornerstones of her selection criteria. She tries to choose attached men – married or in relationships – so that they have as much to lose as her in getting caught out. Prostitution is illegal in Ireland, unlike, for example, New Zealand. She discovered that a lot of her clients were looking for what is known in the business as "GFE" – the girlfriend experience. It justified her high rates. She tries to build rapport and doesn't hassle clients if they run over time, who, she found out, dislike "clock watching" prostitutes andv meeting men in the corridor waiting for their turn.
The men she has serviced come in all shapes and sizes – from 25 years of age to grandfathers.
Occupations range from labourers and farmers to university professors. One was wearing a miraculous medal, which she asked him to remove before having sex. It came as a surprise to her that they tended not to be predatory men casually cheating on their wives. One of her earliest clients, frazzled by stress, fell asleep during his massage.
"The media portrayal of men who use the sex industry services are all supposed to be horrible and seedy and manky and dirty and abusive. My experience was the opposite," she says. "I have to be careful saying that because I appreciate that there's a very dark side to this industry – that there are an awful lot of vulnerable people who are trafficked into it, but I can only talk about my experiences and that there is another side to it.
"The guys were so normal. You'd have your fat, bald guy in his forties and there's nothing happening at home because she's too busy with the kids. On the other side of it you'd have a guy in his thirties and his partner was out of the country or they were very horny and hadn't had sex in ages. Nothing to do with not being in love with their partner or being satisfied with their sex life; they just needed some relief I suppose.
"An awful lot of the guys had a really, really high libido so much so that it interfered with their normal activities. They might have sex with their partner in the morning but by lunchtime, they're distracted again and can't focus. One of my clients like this was 65. They would describe it as a nuisance. It was not a good thing.
"I would say I took something good away from 85 to 90 percent of the experiences. Sometimes I'd be buoyed up by having really good sex or by something remarkable they had said about their home lives or private lives."


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In the battle of fitness versus fatness, which would come out on top? A new study finds that when it comes to longevity, how fit you are may be more important than your weight.
Published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the study followed 14,358 middle-aged men over a period of 11.4 years. The participants that were the most fit (determined based on measurements of aerobic intensity on a treadmill) had a lower overall risk of death or dying from cardiovascular disease during the follow up period.
According to TIME, the men who maintained their fitness levels from the outset of the study lowered their risk of death by up to 30 percent compared to those who became less fit. The results were even better for those who improved their fitness, lowering their risk of death by up to 44 percent. For every unit of improvement in fitness, there was a 15 percent decrease in death from any cause and a 19 percent decrease in death due to a heart related event.
The researchers found there was no association between changes in BMI and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, reports The Washington Post. Participants who lost fitness over the course of the study period were found to be at increased risk of death, despite any changes in their BMI.
For those wondering if how much we weigh is dependent upon how fit we are, lead study author, Duck-Chul Lee, tells TIME:
"When you change your body weight, you have to consider whether you become more fit or not…If you gain weight, but become more fit, then that might be okay regarding your mortality risk. We have to start considering other factors when we talk about weight change and health outcomes."
The researchers note that further research is necessary in order to determine if these findings would apply to women and those that are obese. 90 percent of the men in this study were either of normal weight or overweight at the start of the study.


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Musicalization of one of the biggest disasters of all time
Titanic at Moonlight Stage
Larry Steckling 10 a.m., Aug. 23
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Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps of the U.S. celebrates winning gold in the men's 100m butterfly final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre. Phelps, showing no signs of complacency after breaking every imaginable record in Olympic swimming, won the men's 100 metres butterfly gold medal at the London Games on Friday. On the eve of his retirement, he provided an unforgettable reminder of his incredible talent and determination when he came from seventh at the turn to overpower his rivals and win in a time of 51.21 seconds.
Reuters photo
Copyright © 2016, Orlando Sentinel


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You could say it all started with puffy paint. As a 10-year-old, artist Amy Ringholz painted sweatshirts using puff paint she was given for Christmas. She didn't hesitate about what she was going to paint --she automatically drew animals. In school she was steered towards painting landscapes or figures, but it didn't feel quite right.
"I always felt most connected to creating animals in art," said Ringholz, who is based in Jackson Hole, Wyo. "To this day when I purchase art myself, there is almost always an animal involved. My mind goes to that art and has a warm reaction to it first. Animals are a language that all humans feel something for. We respect them, admire them, study them, live with them, love them, and I can't imagine our planet, and how lonely and sad and without beauty it would be without them."
After graduating from college in 1999, Ringholz took a job working at a dude ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyo. She'd clean cabins each morning and paint in the afternoons. After finishing a piece, she'd hang it on the outside the small log cabin where she lived, so the sun and the mountain air could dry it faster. By the end of the summer she'd sold more than 30 paintings to guests who were drawn to the bright canvases. It was the beginning of her career.
"Her imagery speaks directly to soul of most people," said Simone Crotzer, the gallery director of Horton Fine Art in Beaver Creek, which has represented Ringholz for nearly four years. "Her passion is the great outdoors. Like most of us in Vail, she went for a summer and made it her residence."
'We are all given gifts'
This week, in a corner of Horton Fine Art, Ringholz set up her easel, canvas and slew of oil paints and got to work on side-view of a horse's face; now she's finishing up a buffalo.
"People's reactions have been 'Wow,'" Crotzer said. "Her work is very strong, pictorial, with a great sense of kinetic energy. There's lots of movement. You feel like you're looking deep into the soul of these beautiful animals."
In her new book called "Dreamers Don't Sleep," Ringholz describes her love for wildlife, and especially the buffalo: "The Wyoming Bison became my muse: strong, iconic, proud and peaceful ... Animals encompass all I love about the West." The book covers the first 10 years of Ringholz's career, a life calling that she credits a higher power for.
"I just feel like we are all given gifts and it is our job to try to use them to our highest potential," said Ringholz, who is in her mid-30s. "God gave me the gift and then the heart to do this and the faith to keep going even when it gets hard or tiresome or stressful. I have complete faith that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing with my life."
While her mostly Western wildlife subjects are instantly recognizable to anyone, her modern take on the subject is certainly her own. She uses thick black, almost messy lines to create the outline of the image and then fills it in with wide array of vibrant colors.
"I like to make up a full palette of color so that the painting can go in any direction," Ringholz said. "The trick is that my paintings each have different palettes. Sometimes you will go to a show and an artist will use the same seven colors in each piece, so you always know what is coming next. I like to create a show where you have no idea what feeling or mood the next piece will bring: Maybe laughter or a smile, peacefulness or a stoic feeling."
She's not just painting animal portraits, she's trying to make pieces that are bold and iconic, she said.
"So when you hang this horse or male lion in your home you are saying more than you like horses but you are the horse in some way," Ringholz said. "Some symbolism of the horse lives inside of you. So that can relate to the humor and trickery of the jackalope, to the confidence and boldness of the male lion, to the beauty and steadfastness of the horse. I want the art to mean more to you."


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Sooner Fan Fest
Fan Fest, presented by Sooner Sports Properties and the OU Athletics Department, opens three hours prior to kick and closes a half hour prior to game time.
Fan Fest is conveniently located along Jenkins Avenue. Entry is available from Jenkins across from the McCasland Field House (see map to the right).
Sooner fans of all ages can access Fan Fest and take part in the festivities. Highlights include inflatable interactive games for children, a live band, food vendors, the OU Schooner and Ponies and much more.
Fan Fest also features "GoVision" -- a transportable 16' by 10' video board that will feature live games from across the country, Sooner football highlights, and interactive audience interviews. The Sooner Tailgate show with Chris Plank and Teddy Lehman will also be broadcasting live from Fan Fest.
Check back on SoonerSports.com each week to find out what exciting attractions will be in Fan Fest for each game.
Sooner Fan Fest is presented by Allstate.
2015 Sooner Fan Fest Food Trucks:
2015 Sooner Fan Fest Vendors:
Academy Sports


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EL CERRITO -- Open space advocates and bicyclists, as well as those who belong to both camps, came July 23 to make suggestions for city "urban greening" and bicycle routes master plans.
About 60 to 70 residents peppered consultants with suggestions about upgrading parks, building new parks and designing connectors between parks, along with other urban greening issues at the evening workshop.
They also weighed in with ideas the city can use to update a 2007 plan to make streets friendlier for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Some residents suggested the city make improvements to Fairmont Park and create a park and sports field out of the former Portola Middle School site and connect it to Cerrito Vista Park and the El Cerrito High School sports fields.
Others brought up the city's plan to purchase property to connect the two Hillside Natural Areas, and had ideas about installing attractive green landscaping at entry points to the city on San Pablo and Central avenues and creating small "pocket parks" and opportunities to plant vegetable gardens and small orchards in the middle of neighborhoods.
Discussion leader Mukul Malhotra of Berkeley consulting firm MIG said the city's goal is "reinforce community identity and a sense of place."
That aim contrasts with current conditions on San Pablo Avenue, for example, a wide street -- and state highway -- that hosts miles of vehicular traffic across several cities.
The urban greening workshop was the first of three community events the city has set up to help prepare an urban greening plan. The second is scheduled for Oct. 19.
In the bicycling portion of the event, consultant Matthew Ridgway of Fehr and Peers in San Francisco asked residents to identify their favorite bicycling destinations, "hot spots" where it is dangerous to ride and walk, and challenges and opportunities to improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians on San Pablo.
Residents suggested creating a connecting path for bicyclists on Central Avenue to the Bay shoreline and creating a mountain bike connector through the Hillside Area between the Bay Trail and the East Bay hills.
The city had previously identified Key Route Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Arlington Boulevard, Potrero Avenue and other main streets as key targets for measures that would encourage people to get out of their cars and ride.
In a poll taken at the event, many expressing an interest in bicycling said they were comfortable sharing the road with motor vehicles but preferred to ride in bike lanes and on wider boulevards rather than unimproved or narrower city streets.
The cycling strategies tie in with the city's climate action plan that calls for a 15 percent reduction in citywide emissions, including emissions from motor vehicles, from 2005 levels by 2020.
"About 2.5 percent of El Cerrito residents commute to work by bike compared with about 10 percent in Berkeley, so El Cerrito has a lot of catching up to do," said Dave Campbell, advocacy director for the East Bay Bicycle Coalition.
Ridgway said he will design a bicycle tour of the city so residents can see firsthand the opportunities and challenges for improving conditions for bicycling at critical sites.
The 2.5-hour tour will leave from City Hall at 1 p. m. on Aug. 18.
"The city's objective is to improve every street, but we're trying to determine the order," Ridgway said.