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alex wrote: that was probably the best thing ive seen in a long time.
(i was part of the NH crew up front)
it was worth the drive, the 10 bucks, and even worth been accosted by a lady looking for her son and a crazy bum(who told us he was a famous basketball star..jojo white) who asked for 1.75 and got like 3 dollars cause duncan aciddently showed him all his quarters.
well worth it.
Sage Francis wrote: holy cow


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Sirious Business of Voice-based Assistance: Enterprise Apps and Global UX Considerations
By Ultan O'Broin Oracle UX-Oracle Paas4SaaS-Oracle on Nov 09, 2011
Yes, voice-based user experience has been around for a while. HCI freshmen grappling with Molich and Nielsen's seminal 1990 CHI paper on usability heuristics for the past two decades would have come across such user interfaces - twice. Even on mobile phones voice assistance is not new. I've used voice-based Google search on my iPhone and Google Translate Conversation Mode on my Nexus S for a long while now, for example. But now the inclusion of Siri as a native feature on the iPhone 4S has really caught the attention of the consumer market and UX professionals alike.
We've had discussion on whether Siri is or isn't a Google search killer, jokes about its inability to deal with Scottish accents, the unfortunate meaning of the word Siri in Japan and Georgia, outrage over the outages, and all the rest.
Two questions interest me:
- What are the enterprise applications user experience (UX) implications of Siri?
- What are the global UX aspects to the Siri potential?
As a UX professional I can see Siri use cases for mobile workers, sure, for simple input and creation tasks, but also for finding and manipulating more complex business transactions by taking direct action on data, contacts, locations, analytics, you name it, from one small device. Richard Bingham has some great points about Siri's potential in the enterprise customer service space.
Siri offers a logical means of interacting with devices that are essentially phones while on the move-your voice-and takes the natural user interface experience currently dominated by gestures to a new level. Obviously personalization and alternative interaction options will still always be needed as not everyone will want to use voice-based assistance all the time. Fine for telling Siri to approve an purchase requisition in your worklist or to map a route to the next service request within a 5 mile radius while you're driving (using a headset mind), but nobody is going to intone, Stephen Hawking-fashion, into their iPhone "Tell me who won't make quota in my sales territory this quarter" while waiting in line in Starbucks. For enterprise use, a more scalable service will also be required. An ability for Siri to handle domain-specific terms and jargon that a now comprehensive range of enterprise applications user profiles use in their conversations is a requirement too. With the mass uptake of iPhones and the fact that Siri learns from input means that shouldn't be a huge problem.
As far as I can tell in terms of international language support, Siri supports English sure, especially well if you like to speak like a real android, but also French and German. Additional languages will be needed to penetrate lucrative Asian, Japanese and South American markets. It will need to handle the more, shall we say, nuanced accents of non-native English speakers too. All this is very doable. Siri uses Nuance Communications technology acquired from the infamous Lernout and Hauspie, so global capability is in the DNA. As for usage in the field worldwide, will mobile workers in every culture take to Siri the same way, or at all? Looks like a fine ethnographic study on mobile voice assistance use in the making.
Can we expect Google and Android to react? You bet. With all that mobile Google Translate and search expertise expect something spectacular before the iPhone 5 appears. Of course, Siri is currently beta anyway, so by then, Apple will have moved it along significantly too.
Note: Apple says it have no plans to backport Siri to previous Apple iPhone versions, though Steven Stroughton-Smith and others have a solution to that.

subset: commoncrawl


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Feeling tired recently with a sore throat, I was comforted in more ways than one when I ate a cough drop. There are encouraging words, "a pep talk in every drop," written on each wrapper: Hi-five yourself; Buckle down and push forth; and Seize the Day, are just a few. I felt a bit more energetic just after reading the wrapper.
It makes me think of all the promising words featured in media and advertising. Stay Grounded (Maxwell House coffee), Live United (United Way), Let the Memories Begin (Disney), Enjoy the Go (Charmin), Seize the Moments (Swiss Miss hot cocoa), Let Creativity Flow Naturally (Samsung), Rethink Possible (AT&T), Just Do It (Nike), Have a Coke and a Smile.
We do desire and need such experiences in our lives, and the advertising companies know this. They spend a great deal of time and money to create such appealing ads. It's called persuasive or motivational advertising and it's used to attract attention, engage minds, trigger emotions and change what people think, leading to ultimate sales of the product. The ads are active, supercharged and empowering, and although the product won't really give you the experience unless you're willing to have it, the empowering words that sell the product may encourage a call to action ~ helping you become more proactive or engaged. Rather than just landing upon your lap along with the product, the desired experience may come after some awareness and use of energy. When you purchase an AT&T product, you may pay attention to the phrase, "rethink possible" and create opportunities within your environment to do so. Or when you notice, "seize the moments" on your hot cocoa container, you may realize it is something you want to do more of in your life.
Advertising's got it figured out ~ what we need and what we don't get enough of. If we could take the time to figure out our own needs, what words or phrases keep us moving forward and feeling great, we can use them regularly and offer the same to other people. Without even buying certain products, we can build and motivate a community to move more, move faster, and to reach their goals. Take time this week to notice what advertisements you are drawn to? What is the ad promising or promoting? Make that slogan or phrase yours for the week. Print it out, write it down and post it somewhere where you will see it frequently. Notice how the words encourage you throughout the week. Then share them with others.
Location, ST | website.com


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7 Ways to Draw Out Foreplay
When he uses this word (think: "I left the bar at six" vs. "I went home at six"), there's some kind of drama involved. Maybe he got stuck in traffic or is hiding something he did that he shouldn't have.
The big thing to look out for is when he says "never" when "no" will do. It's a sign he's overcompensating. For example, if you ask, "Did you just look at that girl's butt?" and he says, "Never!"


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A longtime 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge from North Dakota has been honored with a humanitarian achievement award.
Judge Myron Bright, of Fargo, received the Robert Feder Humanitarian of the Year award for his "lifelong advocacy of fairness, tolerance and equal rights."
The award is given annually by Temple Beth El.
The 93-year-old Bright has been a federal judge since he was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968.
Bright has been a teacher at the University of North Dakota, University of Minnesota, St. Louis University and the University of Hawaii law schools.
Bright tells The Forum (http://bit.ly/SJBG1o) he has received other awards but is proud of this one because it shows recognition from the community.
Location, ST | website.com


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Collectively matching anyone's style, this classy Breitling, with its cool, bold design, will elegantly go with any outfit.. Price: $6,250.00
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Brussels support for nge driver now available in nv86.
By sowmini on Mar 26, 2008
Miles Xu and Jason King have putback changes to plug nge into the Brussels framework in SNV yesterday, so that snv86 will now have an nge driver that is configurable through Brussels!
Check out Miles blog describing this new feature!


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Nicholls names 15 students to Hall of Fame
Published: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 4:18 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 4:18 p.m.
Nicholls State University has named 15 students to its Hall of Fame, the highest honor Nicholls students can receive based on both their academic and extracurricular achievements. Pictured are Hall of Fame honorees and university administrators, including: top row, from left, Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert, university president; Gavin Johnson of Larose; Trevor Boudreaux of Thibodaux; Yvette Barbier of Baton Rouge; Shelly Waguespack of Thibodaux; Matthew Jewell of Luling; Chrystal Lachney of St. Francisville; Sierra Payne of Shreveport; Carolyn Noble of Burlington, Ontario; Dr. Eugene Dial, vice president for student affairs; Sarah Baudoin of Gray; Drew Ledet of Thibodaux; bottom row, from left, Hailey Silverii of Thibodaux; Stephanie O'Gwynn of Ponchatoula; Jennifer Bourgeois of Raceland; Bridget Mire of Thibodaux; and Mingma Sherpa of Kathmandu, Nepal.
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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News 12 First at Five / Thursday, March 14, 2013
MARTINEZ, Ga. (WRDW) -- A low-income neighborhood is up and running after causing a lot of controversy for the past couple of years.
The Magnolia Trace neighborhood is at full capacity with 50 tenants.
Some neighbors are welcoming the new tenants, while others are thinking about packing their bags.
Dawn Poole's home backs up to the new complex, but that doesn't bother her.
"You can't blame them, not with today's economy. All the cutbacks. Every little bit helps, and to be honest, if I can terminate my lease and move over there I would," she said.
But others aren't as excited about the new neighbors.
Cheryl Stewart has lived in the neighborhood beside Magnolia Trace for 33 years.
"They're so close together, and it's just disrupted everything in the neighborhood," Stewart said.
The low-income neighborhood in Martinez has been the center of controversy since plans to build the 50 new homes were approved by Columbia County commissioners. Hundreds gathered to protest the decision back in 2011, but the project was eventually approved. Fifty homes were built, and those homes are now full of tenants.
Shey Justice, the leasing coordinator for Magnolia Trace, says there is a waiting list already for the property.
"We had so much interest in the property, and we were working with people as quickly as we could and we were actually able to get 100 percent occupied by the end of February," she said.
Now that the houses are filled and the project has come to fruition, some neighbors are changing their tune, saying the new homes aren't so bad.
"They're better than a lot of homes that are already built over here," Poole said.
"They all have open floor plans, energy-efficient appliances, we have ceiling fans, we have washer/dryer hookups, and then as of course, as we mentioned, the lawn maintenance," Justice said.
But others are still skeptical.
"I'm just waiting to see what happens, how it progresses with the people that move in six months, five years down the road, who's going to be moving in with them," Stewart said.
The property managers say they have at least a 15-year commitment to Magnolia Trace, so they have a vested interest in keeping the property nice.


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Earn your bachelor's and master's degrees in one streamlined program to become an artist as well as a licensed visual art teacher in public schools (PreK–8 or 5–12).
Get your Bachelor of Fine Arts in any major and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teacher of Visual Art for Grades PreK–8 or 5–12, Initial Licensure, in a joint program for a tuition discount and time savings.
This integrated dual degree program combines the curriculum of any BFA major and the curriculum of the Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teacher of Visual Art, Initial Licensure, Grades PreK–8 or 5–12.
Year 1 (Freshman Year)Take your regular program.
Year 2 (Sophomore Year)
Year 3 (Junior Year)
Year 4 (Senior Year)In your senior year of undergraduate study, you will take 12 graduate-level credits.
Fall SemesterTake your regular program with two electives (one social science elective and one general elective) selected from the following graduate courses:
Spring SemesterTake your regular program with two additional electives (one Art History and one general elective) selected from the above list of education graduate courses.
You will map out your fifth and sixth years of graduate study with a Creative Arts in Learning advisor to fulfill the requirements of the master's program and to meet your individual goals. Review the requirements for the M.Ed. Program in Teacher of Visual Art for Initial Licensure.
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State of Rhode Island
Department of Health
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. People get sick from seasonal flu viruses every year. Flu can cause illness ranging from mild to severe and in some cases can lead to hospitalization and even death. Most people who get the flu will have a fever plus a cough or a fever plus a sore throat. Other symptoms may include a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, a headache, chills, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea. more
Flu vaccine is safe and it is the best defense against the flu. Get your flu vaccine at your doctor's office, at a community clinic, or at a pharmacy. (Not all pharmacies vaccinate children. Call ahead before bringing your child to be vaccinated at a pharmacy.) Seasonal flu vaccination should begin as soon as vaccine is available, which is usually by October.
In March 2010, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended annual flu vaccination for people 6 months of age and older. It is especially important for people in the following groups to be vaccinated:
Flu viruses spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes near another person. They may also spread when people touch something covered with infected droplets and then touch their eyes, mouth, or nose.
Flu viruses can live outside the body for up to two hours. These germs spread when someone sneezes or coughs and touches something that contaminates a surface. You can prevent or contain the spread of these germs by:
Most people who get the flu will have mild illness and will recover without needing medical care or antiviral drugs. However, children younger than five years old have a high risk of complications like ear infections and pneumonia from the flu. Infants and young children with flu may have fever and seem very tired, but may not have cough or other symptoms. Do not give children younger than 19 years old aspirin to treat the flu.
Consider calling your doctor for advice if you get sick with flu-like symptoms and are at high risk for flu-related complications or if you have any questions or concerns about your illness. Your doctor can advise you over the phone if you need to come in for an appointment or start taking antiviral drugs. People who do not need to be seen by a doctor can be treated for the flu at home.
Seek emergency medical attention immediately if you have any of the following signs or symptoms.


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SCMers help deliver a petition to Queen's Park calling for clean-up of mercury contamination of Grassy Narrows territory
Get Involved
Join our faith and action programs
Travel with us!
There are lots of opportunities to travel with SCM Canada and the World Student Christian Federation!
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Attend our annual festival of faith, justice and DIY, June 9-12, 2016
Global Programs
Attend a global program in solidarity with communities around the world.


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Tallahassee, FL - A local clinic has changed its name to reflect its expanded services to the under and uninsured.
The Neighborhood Health Services at the Lincoln Neighborhood Center in Tallahassee is now the Neighborhood Medical Center.
New patient services include chronic disease management, women's care pediatrics, radiological services and educational programs.
Administrators say it comes at a time when Tallahassee shows rising chronic disease fatality numbers for HIV/AIDS patients and continues to battle high infant mortality.
Executive Director Oretha Jones says, "It's definitely going to make a difference. We're just being able to expand what we've been doing all the time and be able to get more people in the door. So, it will definitely make a difference. It's just absolutely wonderful."
The center serves Tallahassee and surrounding counties.
Tuesday, doctors performed their first mammogram in the center's new mobile unit.
Tallahassee, FL - Neighborhood Health Services (NHS) is hosting a press event to unveil new service offerings for women, children and chronic disease management patients. This comes at a time when Tallahassee holds record high chronic disease fatality numbers for HIV/AIDS patients and continues to battle infant mortality rates. These additional service offerings, along with an enhanced brand launch, are the culmination of NHS's extensive efforts to provide quality healthcare to those in need in Tallahassee.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Neighborhood Health Services
438 West Brevard Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(Inside the Lincoln Neighborhood Center / Parking is available in semi-circle driveway at front of building)
For 38 years, NHS has provided compassionate and comprehensive healthcare for the medically underserved, uninsured, and homeless of Tallahassee and surrounding counties. Priding themselves on being the community's healthcare safety net, they provide expert and cost-effective care in a non-judgmental and inviting atmosphere. Their mission is to serve those in need by providing and facilitating access to care and by enhancing the health of individuals through education, prevention and outreach. For more information about Neighborhood Health Services visit www.NHSclinic.org


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Saturday, April 24, 2010
It's A Good Thing He's So Cute (Grandma's Brag Book)
I'll admit that I couldn't have done it alone. If hubby hadn't come along with me I'd have been a crying mess by the time Gavin's parents returned home in the evening. Back in the day, I used to be able to hold a crying baby in one hand, cook dinner with the other hand, and all while folding laundry with my feet. But it's been too many years since I've had a tiny one around and I was sorely out of practice. It turns out that our precious little Gavin is a fusser, just like his daddy was, and if he wasn't sleeping or eating, he was fussing (I chose that word in the event that his parents read this blog post and don't want to hear that Gavin is a screamer, again, just like his daddy.) We chose to deal with the fussing in the only way we knew how; we fed him. Constantly. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that his weight doubled in this past week, but not worrying about a schedule is one of the perks of being a grandparent I think, so if we got him all out of whack while we were there, it's only because we're old and we're used to peace and quiet.
We had one mission to accomplish while Gavin was in our care and that was to take him to meet his great grandmother (my mother.) So on Thursday we had our son install the bullet proof, straightjacket car seat in our car and headed north 75 miles to the nursing home where she resides. Armed with a diaper bag the size of a suitcase, we felt fully prepared for any possible baby emergency. Three outfits, a dozen diapers, 4 bottles, two pacifiers, a box of pacifiers wipes (did you even know that they make those?) diaper wipes, changing pad, blankets, a burp towel and the kitchen sink. I rode in the back seat with him in his rear-facing car seat and all was right with the world for that day.
17 comments:
- Invizzible Ink said...
I love so many things about this post Auntie M...
1. Pacifier wipes are for panzies. I remember my parents splashing our pacifiers in a mug of cold beer to "get the dirt off." I've also witnessed the pacifier put into a parent's mouth to get the dirt off, and the always convenient wipe on a pants leg works everytime. Might have even seen a pacifier cleaned in lake Erie a time or two.
2. Grandma Bea looks great! That made me smile.
3. Got Milk?
- April 24, 2010 at 2:29 PM
- Mo said...
Awww! How adorable!
He seems like a sweetheart. :)
- April 24, 2010 at 3:08 PM
- Moogie said...
Grannie Mags, LOL... I remember those early grandma days. Freaking scary is what they were. And oh so tiring.
But he is adorable little thing so that makes it all better.
- April 24, 2010 at 3:35 PM
- All Our Fingers in the Pie said...
That is actually a very good picture. They should post it in all high schools. Pregnancy rate would plummet!
- April 24, 2010 at 4:26 PM
- tasteofbeirut said...
Fun! I enjoyed babies but I am glad my kids are grown !
- April 24, 2010 at 4:28 PM
- Karen said...
Aww, I know you enjoyed every minute of it :) After returning from my daughter and her 3-week old baby girl, I can definitely say that we have kids when we're young for a reason. LOL I just love being a gramma - it's the best thing in the world!
- April 24, 2010 at 4:37 PM
- Frieda said...
He is TOO cute! Guess we all need a refresher course when we become grandmas, huh? I still have a few years to go, but I am amazed at all the "stuff" babies come with these days!
- April 24, 2010 at 7:26 PM
- Julie said...
He's so cute! How great he got to spend time with his great grandma!!
Pacifer wipes...what will they think of next?
- April 24, 2010 at 8:06 PM
- Pam said...
I love the first commenters take on pacifier wipes! Really. I don't think they even used to wipe them off, it was that old 30 second rule.
- April 24, 2010 at 8:28 PM
- Sherry said...
He is absolutely adorable! Of course he screams; he wants his grandma's cooking! So young to be so manipulative, sigh. That's one smart little boy. Congratulations!
- April 24, 2010 at 11:00 PM
- Jane said...
Hi Mags,
I am of the belief that nature makes babies really, really cute so we'll want to keep them in the first place! :) And isn't it so true, that being the mom of a baby is a young woman's game. I'll bet you slept really well the night after your day with the little dude. Beautiful pictures, even the scary "got milk" one!
- April 25, 2010 at 3:29 AM
- Grumpy and HoneyB said...
LOL, I just love how you are so totally real about everything! The photo of you, hubby,your mom and Gavin is a great photo...and that last one? Gotta LOVE it!
- April 25, 2010 at 6:34 AM
- June said...
Oh Mags you are too funny, but man you must be exhausted! Love the pics - he's a doll for sure (and even more so because I can't hear the "fussing"). LOL Really, really like the pic of Gavin with the Grands and Great Gran!
- April 25, 2010 at 8:55 AM
- Dyan said...
You'll get better as a Gammie with time! My first time with our #1 was crazy also...I had her for an entire 7 hours and she spent part of the day in her new style highchair ( of which she was tooo small for, so we stuffed her in with blankets) and I did not know how to release the tray... How do you call the daughter-in-law and say "babies stuck in chair"...now after #10 came along I am like a new Mom again...It's the parents that parent differently than you did....
- April 25, 2010 at 6:56 PM
- Barbara Bakes said...
There you go again bragging about that cute little grandbaby, when I still don't have one. You're so lucky!
- April 25, 2010 at 7:14 PM
your best post ever!
- April 26, 2010 at 9:27 AM
- nanan said...
Love it!!!!
- April 26, 2010 at 1:47 PM


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Real Estate News: When Good News for Real Estate Is Bad
Here is a look at real-estate news in Wednesday's WSJ:
Home Prices Help Advance Economy's Slow Recovery: The U.S. housing recovery continues to gain strength and breadth, helping to lift the economy at a time when overall growth remains sluggish.
When Good News for Real Estate Is Bad: A new worry is threatening the rally in the rebounding market for commercial mortgage-backed securities: Property owners have started to pick up the pace of resolving problems with distressed loans.
Sports Groups Aim at Pier 40 in New York: Local groups have long opposed ideas to redevelop Pier 40 with uses such as retail or entertainment. But now community groups have devised their own plan with how to rescue the largest pier in Hudson River Park.
Coignet Building Goes on Block: The Coignet Building, a city landmark in the Gowanus neighborhood that is one of Brooklyn's most mysterious and quirky structures, has been listed for sale.
Singapore's Housing Tax Hits Home: An increased surcharge the Singaporean government has assessed on most foreign buyers to try to tamp down soaring property prices threatens to rattle Singapore's uneasy relationship with many of its rich foreigners while giving Americans an edge in one of Asia's hottest property markets.
Flipping in Philadelphia: A Philadelphia office tower is set to sell for nearly double the price it fetched three years ago, an example of the eye-popping returns that some real-estate investors are posting even in markets that haven't fully recovered.
Nursing-Home Operators Turn to the U.S.: The Federal Housing Administration has come to the rescue of nursing-home operators that are having a tough time obtaining traditional financing for mortgage loans.
A Modern Plan for Historic London Market: Soon-to-be-submitted proposals aim to redevelop parts of Smithfield Market that have lain desolate for decades—despite their prime location on the edge of the city's financial district.


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Back when I was in college I worked in a big three-star hotel in Meath as a bartender, and on my first day of orientation the owner told me about the "secret" motto.
"We're a three-star with five-star service so make sure you always smile," she said without a smile.
That was the end of the talk about service. I was shown how to pour a pint properly, how to make a drink and how to serve food. That's all I needed to know for the two years I worked there. That sufficed. Good enough.
The hotel had about six bars – a lounge, a restaurant, a lobby, a function room, a late bar and a nightclub. In one 12-hour shift I could be swept from one to the other, all with different types of customers.
I could go from serving hot ports in the lounge to an elderly lady, with gentle background music playing, to throwing out pints at a roaring wedding in the function room and then on to the drunken vodka-fuelled depravities of a nightclub, all in the same hour, and nothing would change in my demeanour.
I got the same money regardless. Why would I change?
Working in a bar in America shocked me. You have to learn quickly, and you have to adapt. Your demeanour changes with every customer, let alone every bar. You can go from talking sports and cursing with your typical, young American man to watching your language and reminiscing about the good times with your typical, elderly Irish woman.
In Ireland, you're a faceless machine in a bar. Put in €5 and get your drink.
But in America you're the face of the bar, the way actors are the face of a new Broadway show. People go to see you. And you can never disappoint them.
One thing that struck me about bars over here is the amount of people who drink on their own. They expect the bartender to be an instant best friend, someone to introduce them to other friends.
"Oh, you're in advertising? Go talk to Liz over there, she's also in advertising!," and just like that a new friendship is made through the medium of you.
In Ireland, people who come into bars on their own are ostracized and marginalized. "What the hell is that weirdo at in here on his own?"
Such overt friendliness does not come naturally to most people. There's a reason why budding actors and actresses make the best bartenders.
Being behind the bar becomes a stage, a stage they feel natural on. The lights come on, the curtain drops, the smiles go up.
The smiles go up because they have to go up. It all has to look effortless, even to you.
Bartenders over here are a little like hamsters running on a wheel, unaware that it all stops moving when you stop running.
Acting is about manipulating the emotions of the audience. But bartending is more than that.
You take on many personas in the course of a night -- an entertainer, a comedian, a therapist, a matchmaker, an agony aunt, a guidance counselor.
Instead of flowers at the end of the show, the audience throws money. And actors take to it like a duck to water.
The rest of us have to learn though, and we get thrown in at the deep end, to see if we learn enough to swim in the bartending game. You either learn quickly or you sink.
In Ireland, bar owners blame the layout, the decor, the location, the economy, the competition for the downturn of sales.
But in America, bar owners blame the bartender. You exit stage left and one of the many understudies comes in to take over.
So you have to learn to smile and be nice at all times. You have to learn the icebreaker jokes for new customers, for regular ones or customers returning from a notable absence.
"I thought you were in rehab," is my own personal mantra to returning customers. They always smile, knowing they were missed.
There is only one real thing to learn about bartending in America, and that is to get to know your customers. Easier said than done.
It's hard to learn the art of people. I was told in my first interview for a bar over here that any monkey can make a drink, but it takes more than a monkey to reel people in and keep them there. I mustn't have hid my tail well enough because this monkey didn't get the job.
But the bar owner did teach me a lesson though, and that was to take notes on people. I took that literally.
People in America love hearing their names spoken when they come in, being asked about their jobs or family, their drink ready for them before they even have to ask. It's a cardinal sin to forget any of these things.
And so I made lists. Lists that looked like this:
Tommy, fat, brown hair, going bald, banker, drinks Coors Light, hates his wife, wife hates him. DON'T MENTION HIS WIFE!
In Ireland, the customer is always right. But in America the customer is downright infallible.
Every joke they tell hilarious. Every insight they give is genius. Their jobs are the best; their jobs are the worst.


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Butler's purpose is to make it easier for you to perform different â" potentially recurring â" tasks. Butler lets you arrange these tasks in its fully customizable configuration. You can use it to launch or control various apps with universal triggers and/or keyboard shortcuts.
Required OS: 10.5
Tags: launcher , shortcuts , productivity , keystrokes , clipboard , menubar
21 Opinions
One word: Absalutly Brilliant! Oh, wait. That's who. Oh well.
Please, folks, realize that Butler is donationware. Yes, it's one of my must-have utilities, it's an essential. And it's donationware, please consider giving back a little bit to the developer, even if it's only a mere symbolic sign of your appreciation ... I'm sure he'll be happy and even more motivated to develop more wonderful stuff.
now we are all going to sing: "
Peter Maurer is our hero, created this up, cost zero!
Peter Maurer, he is our god! Lets record this to iPod!"
Come on, you are more creative than I am, aren't you?
Best. App. Ever.
I used Launchbar, then Butler, then Quicksilver and then I went back to Butler.
Clipboard-history, a major selling point.
Calling Butler a launcher doesn't do it justice. It is a fantastic app and I would recommend anyone to check it out. I donated and used it for a long time, although I now use QuickSilver, which has improved dramatically in terms of stability and does run a little faster on my machine. Having said that, Butler still offers more features and is probably the more complete all-round package. Try them both and see for yourself which best suits your needs.
Thay say it's always the butler that did it - and on my MacBook that's true as well. Butler does it all :)
This is a good launched with outstanding features, if your running Panther. If you have Tiger, or what ever the current Quicksilver build will run on, Quicksilver takes it in the launcher battle, though just by a hair. Growl support and a better actual launcher and this would be at the top.
Absolutely essential for all Mac users, I think. Quicksilver's without doubt more powerful and flexible, but I find that personally Butler's easier to use overall.
I use both this and QuickSilver for different tasks. Most of my main apps are bound to Butler hot keys or abbreviations, and I mostly use QuickSilver for adding notes to text files on the fly.
I got used to Butler's keyboard shortcuts for controlling iTunes early on, and have never seen a need for installing a separate app just to be an iTunes remote. Both Butler and QuickSIlver will do this and many more jobs with the greatest of ease.
Butler's arguably the easier of the two to figure out, but both are highly configurable and very powerful.
Page 2 of 3. 21 entries.


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Regarding the letter to the editor "Tragedy in waiting," there are many incidences where one could prevent a death through a simple policy change. However, an even better policy change would have been simply to close the run for whatever time it took to groom it during that time period.
I have spoken to ski instructors who have stopped taking their students down Redtail or Larkspur because of icy conditions which were not icy when those slopes had been properly groomed during the day.
Is the Thursday night instructor-kiddie ski-down safe? After all, it is usually semi-dark and the visibility is poor. This also is a "tragedy in waiting."
On the very next page where "tragedy in waiting" appeared, another article: "Fatal semi-truck crash closes I-70." With tongue in cheek, does that mean we close down I-70 to all semi-trucks? We all know that without them the highways would be safer, but yes, many deaths and accidents have occurred on I-70 involving semis.
I have been told that two skiers indeed collided with groomers, but I was also told that those groomers were at standstill at the time and no one got hurt. I wonder what we all are thinking.
So what does "Not exactly roughing it" really mean with the grooming change?
Toby Mower


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FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2012 file photo, Kelly Clarkson performs a medley of her songs at the 40th Annual American Music Awards, in Los Angeles. Clarkson and fun. are just two of the acts who will perform during the upcoming inaugural festivities, which also includes Beyonce, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry and dozens of others. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP, File)
/ John Shearer/Invision/AP


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NEW: For a prettier blog interface, see the Wordpress version!
Priorities - A: high, B: medium, C: low; Status - _: unfinished, X: finished, C: cancelled, P: pending, o: in progress, >: delegated. Covey quadrants - Q1 & Q3: urgent, Q1 & Q2: important
|Upload thing to website
|SMIT-Ed meeting at the SEC Faculty Lounge
1. Filipino speech corpus : 09:15
From Ramil Sagum:
the link for http://www.upd.edu.ph/~dsp/speech.html is wrong. =) whoever updated the site preffered .htm's rather than .html's.
The Filipino speech corpus has been given funding na nga pala. In fact, I'm using one of the new computers they bought for the project. However, it'll still take 2-3 years for a usable system.
2. canna-chasendic -- a Japanese dictionary for
ChaSen derived from Canna dictionary : 18:50
* Package name : canna-chasendic Version : 0.94h Upstream Author : NOKUBI Takatsugu <[email protected]> * URL : http://cvs.namazu.org/mecab-cannadic/ * License : GPL Description : a Japanese dictionary for ChaSen derived from Canna dictionary ChaSen is a Japanese morphological analysys system. It usually use with ipadic dictionary. But it is DFSG-nonfree, so the package provides yet another dictionary on DFSG-free environment. The dictionary is based on cannadic.
3. Debian pre-installed laptops : 18:56
Doh! Debian.org already has a page that lists vendors that will pre-install Debian here:
4. SSH for DOS : 18:59
Apparently, there _is_ SSH for DOS: http://sourceforge.net/projects/sshdos/
5. Hyper in Emacs : 19:01
Apparently, hyper in Emacs is C-x @ h if you haven't bound a key to it. To wit, C-h c C-x @ h a will tell you what's bound to H-a.
I'd love to hear about any questions, comments, suggestions or links that you might have. Your comments will not be posted on this website immediately, but will be e-mailed to me first. You can use this form to get in touch with me, or e-mail me at [email protected] .


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Bus driver convicted in fatal Sky Express bus crash in Va.
Bus had departed Greensboro for New York
The driver of a bus that crashed in Virginia killing four has been convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Caroline County Circuit Judge Joseph Ellis told Kin Yiu Cheung on Thursday that his conduct was "so gross and wanton," he had no choice but to find him guilty of the four counts.
Cheung faces up to 40 years in prison at his sentencing Jan. 23.
The conviction stems from the May 2011 crash on Interstate 95 about 30 miles north of Richmond. The bus was en route from Greensboro, N.C., to New York.
Witnesses described Cheung's erratic driving before the bus swerved off the road, hit an embankment and overturned.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Wow. Our experiment is off to a great start—let's see if we can finish it off sooner than expected.
Jaeah is a former reporter at Mother Jones. Her writings have appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, Wired, Christian Science Monitor, Global Post, Huffington Post, Talking Points Memo, and Grist. She tweets at @jaeahjlee.Get my RSS | Follow @jaeahjlee
Copyright ©2016 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. All Rights Reserved.
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Who: Secretary of State Ross Miller What: Secretary Miller, in his role as Nevada's chief elections officer, will be closely monitoring elections activities from the Election Integrity Task Force Command Center in Las Vegas. Media access to the Command Center will be limited throughout the day, and Secretary Miller is also scheduling media appearances. For an on-set interview or specific interview time/location, contact Catherine Lu via email or phone below. When: Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 Where: Secretary of State's Office 555 E. Washington Ave. #5200 Las Vegas, NV 89101 Contact: Catherine Lu, Public Information Officer (702) 334-7953 firstname.lastname@example.com Bob Walsh, Deputy Secretary for Southern Nevada (702) 460-7223 / 335-1487
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LOS ANGELES -- Just as January bowl games have become an annual event for Stanford, so have January draft decisions.
Last season, quarterback Andrew Luck and offensive linemen David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin headed for the NFL despite having one year of eligibility remaining.
This season, tight end Zach Ertz and linebacker Shayne Skov are among a handful of players who could decide next month to turn pro. They have asked for feedback from the NFL's draft advisory board.
"A number of guys will take serious looks after the season," said All-Pac-12 linebacker Trent Murphy, who includes himself in that group. "There are pros and cons each way.
"Everyone says if you're second (round) or higher, it's hard to come back. If I'm second round, it would make the decision more serious than what I think it's going to be."
Defensive end Ben Gardner and tight end Levine Toilolo also are evaluating their draft prospects, according to sources.
Ertz is considered a high-round pick and the most likely of Stanford's juniors to depart. The unanimous All-American has six touchdown catches and averages 12.7 yards per reception.
Skov was a top NFL prospect until he suffered a serious knee injury early last season. He leads the Cardinal with 73 tackles, but, by his own admission, hasn't regained his pre-injury form.
Skov, a senior who is eligible for a medical redshirt, has received feedback from the NFL but declined to indicate which way he is leaning.
"I'm weighing all my options," he said. "There are some definite positives to coming back and graduating, playing with my teammates. We've got an incredible team. I love Stanford."
Both Skov and Murphy noted the path followed by senior linebacker Chase Thomas, who opted not to enter the draft last winter and returned to school with two goals in mind: win the Pac-12 title and improve his draft value.
"It paid off for him," Murphy said.
"I wasn't thinking about the Rose Bowl when I was 10," said Thomas, who grew up in Georgia. "I was probably out chasing dogs or something."
Skov noted that Badgers tailback Ron Dayne had a big game (200 yards), but that was the extent of his recollection.
"I think, sadly enough, that I was a Cal fan at the time, growing up in the East Bay," he said. "Quickly came to my senses."
Center Travis Frederick said the event hasn't lost its luster for the Badgers.
"I think it puts us in a better position," he said. "The first year you come out here and maybe you're a little shaky and nervous about playing in the Rose Bowl.
"Then the second year you come out and you really don't want to take advantage of what you're doing.
"So the third year we've really experienced everything that we've done out here, and now it's truly all about the game."
For more on college sports, see Jon Wilner's College Hotline at blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports. Contact him at 408-920-5716.


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Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- They're the furry members of our families, and most pet owners are willing to do just about anything to save their four-legged friends' lives.
Americans will spend over $13 billion on general and specialty care for their pets this year.
Finding a good vet specialist is just as important as your pet ages. A general veterinarian covers yearly check-ups and shots, but specialists concentrate in areas like cardiology, neurology and internal medicine. Just like real doctors, right?
Of course, specialty care is very expensive, so make sure you take your time finding the right vet before handing your pet -- and your credit card -- over.
"When hiring a specialty veterinarian, you are going to do the same research you would for a regular veterinarian. You want to check their board credentials, their experience ... how long they have been practicing. The same types of steps you would use in hiring a specialist for yourself," said Angie Hicks of Angie's List.
Becoming a board-certified specialist means they must complete an internship and residency in their specialized field, which typically means an additional three to five years of training.
Finally, keep in mind that some pet health conditions cannot be resolved, no matter how much money you spend. Seek a second opinion if you're not satisfied but be prepared if nothing can be done.


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Alas. I was absolutely in love with the new Hyundai Santa Fe, gushing in fact - and then I found one critical flaw in the otherwise sterling automobile that set me back a bit. And good for Hyundai, I think it can be traced to "user error," for the most part.
The venerable Santa Fe crossover comes in a couple of variations for 2013, a shorter "Sport" version that's a dedicated five-passenger machine, plus a new long-wheelbase model (nearly 10 inches longer overall) that's comfortable for seven passengers and comes standard with a 290-horsepower, direct-injection V6.
I was thrilling to my all-wheel-drive Sport tester's new 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo and its very impressive and class-leading 268 horsepower, when near disaster struck. I was trying to merge from an isolated side road onto Highway 93 between Boulder and Golden - which many of you know as a long, lonely and extremely high-speed stretch of hilly highway - but I discovered that totally flattening the pedal did not produce a tire-roasting start. Rather, kind of an overly long and awkward pause, then a slow burst of acceleration. This was not a fun discovery with the traffic quickly bearing down on me.
After I changed my shorts, I spent the rest of the drive playing around with the throttle control and, not unlike the trigger on a 1911 .45 handgun, squeezing seems to be the trick, not stomping, in order to get the twin-scroll turbos to wind up. You can summon that not inconsiderable power with just a touch of patience, and use it to pass quite happily (even up at altitude, as well) or to sail along at 80 mph on the Front Range freeways, earning as much as 26 mpg in the process - considerably higher than the blended 21 mpg estimate.
In all other circumstances, the turbo's fully capable of flinging you along with judicious and plentiful power; if frugality's your game, the other option in the Sport is a 190-HP 2.4-liter direct injection engine that's rated for 33 mpg on the highway.
"Sport" may just be a model designation but the Santa Fe's ride and handling are quite impressive, noticeably brisk at times but mostly accommodating. Every model now includes a driver-selectable steering mode that can give you tighter (or more slack) steering control, and braking felt solid for the CUV's 3,700 pounds - a curb weight that's dropped 266 pounds through the use of high tensile steel. The six-speed sequential shifter is also as fast-acting as the one in the Genesis Coupe sports car, should you need to take downhill speed control into your own hands.
Beyond that minor emergency acceleration issue, the 2013 Santa Fe is a pretty well-sorted beast, with looks and finish that are on an ever-escalating trajectory toward its European targets (but starts at just $27,700 in front-wheel drive mode).
It's easily as good looking as the new Explorer, maybe better, actually, with Hyundai's "fluidic sculpture" ethos now blending rounded contour lines on the mostly flat hood and from the A-pillar back to the tail.
Inside, it's also been bumped up a notch, with a zillion standard options supplemented by my tester's $6,500 worth of leather seating surfaces, heated front and rear seats, a super-gigantic full-cabin sunroof and a 550-watt, 12-speaker Infinity stereo system - plus little touches such as shiny sill plates and a heated steering wheel.
Look around a bit (to the left of the backside of the steering wheel, actually) and you'll find all those Big Boy controls - hill descent control, a differential lock and the settings for the pedal-response-dulling Active Eco system. I opted not to push that button.
There's a driver-centered focus with a litany of polyangular surfaces (even the window control buttons), extremely bright instrument displays and a considerably improved navigation system. About the only residue of Old Time Hyundai is a slightly plasticky feel to the control surfaces and the center stack, though other surfaces get leather and some soft-touch rubbery pads.
Much unlike most of the other new vehicles out there, my Sport was lacking the package of blind spot monitors and forward-facing radar and crash prevention blinky lights. You do get access to Hyundai's BlueLink, an OnStar-styled, phone-operated service that will call for help in case of an accident, remotely disable the vehicle if it's stolen or provide navigation assistance.


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SANTA CLARA -- Coach Jim Harbaugh insisted Friday that a rule allowing defenders to hit quarterbacks after fake handoffs is "flawed and a bit biased."
After expressing similar sentiments Wednesday, Harbaugh reiterated his concerns Friday and claimed the league has no "appetite" to delve further into the issue.
Harbaugh wants quarterbacks carrying out read-option fakes in the pocket to receive the same protection as would-be passers regarding where defenders can hit them -- a strike zone that runs from the knees to the chin.
"When a quarterback is handing a ball off or faking a ball -- in the read-option case, he's reading on an option play -- he's as defenseless as a quarterback who's in the act of throwing," Harbaugh said.
"I'm not advocating that they don't hit the quarterback, if he has the ball. But when he's in the pocket, I believe there should be a strike zone, same strike zone that is given to the quarterback when he's in the pocket and throwing the ball."
The 49ers open their season Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, whose star defender, Clay Matthews, said earlier this week that their strategy is to hit mobile quarterbacks such as the 49ers' Colin Kaepernick.
"I feel like you give a license now to players to hit quarterbacks at the knee or in the head," Harbaugh said. "It just seems to be a flip-flop of what the league is trying to get accomplished, player safety."
Boldin, acquired in an offseason trade with the Baltimore Ravens, is slated to start alongside Kyle Williams, the only returning wideout from last year's team who's on the active roster. Backing them up are Marlon Moore, Quinton Patton, Jon Baldwin and Chris Harper.
Boldin likes what he's seen from Patton, a fourth-round draft pick. "We're excited and look forward to his growth, because we definitely could use him," Boldin added.
It looked as though the Ravens could have used Boldin and many of their other former players Thursday night when they opened their title defense with a 49-27 loss at Denver. Asked if that loss should resonate with the NFC champion 49ers, Boldin replied: "That message is always preached around here. No one is going to lay down because you were in the Super Bowl last year. It's the opposite."
Brooks said he encouraged teammate Aldon Smith's pursuit last season of the NFL sack record, when Smith's 19½ sacks left him two shy of Michael Strahan's mark. "Hopefully I can be the one to go for the sack record this year," Brooks said smiling.
Asomugha will learn Saturday if he needs to wear any support for his two-week-old injury.
"He's probably their most dynamic player on offense, because they can put him anywhere and allow him to make plays," Asomugha said.


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News 12 at 6 o'clock / Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The City of Augusta is saying goodbye to a program designed to keep downtown clean and safe.
Commissioners voted 5 to 4 on Tuesday night, nixing the Clean Augusta Downtown Initiative and the extra tax on downtown businesses.
Johnny Finley, who owns two businesses downtown, says he's glad to see the program go.
"There's no need for it because we're already paying county taxes," he said.
But not all business owners are pleased with the commission's decision, including the owner of Merry's Trash and Treasures who says the decision is going to be detrimental to small businesses downtown.
"I was just so disappointed. We've had this in place for five years, and it's been so clean down here," said business owner Bill Merry.
Fifty-two percent of downtown property owners signed a petition to keep the program going, but some commissioners question that petition's validity.
"I know just a couple of days ago y'all didn't have the 51 percent. I don't know what you did to get it, and in fact, I don't want to know, but I'm supporting the 48 percent," said Commissioner Bill Lockett.
"They came by and asked us if we would vote for it, and I said no, but they didn't let me sign a form saying no," Finley said.
Commissioners also had an issue with the management of the program, citing a lack of transparency in bylaws and selecting board members -- errors the group promised to correct.
"Now you're at the midnight hour wanting to talk about all the changes you're going to make. You're costing this city $1,000 a day," Lockett said.
But the owners who voted yes say this is a far cry from fair.
"I thought the majority ruled, but undoubtedly, I'm wrong. Fifty-one to fifty-two percent voted to keep it, but now we can't have it, it's being taken away from us," Merry said.
Those in favor of the CADI program say they had a lot of support from businesses between 9th and 12th streets, so they hope to eventually put a proposal together to look at approving a smaller bid district.


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Heavy-duty pump transfers gas, diesel and petroleum-based products
12-volt fuel transfer pump dispenses up to 15 GPM with a low, 20-amp draw
Explosion-proof Fill-Rite® 1/4 HP motor with permanent magnet, powderediron rotor with bronze or acetal vanes (horsepower and materials ofconstruction vary with model). Ceramic carbon seal reduces wear andrepair expense making these pumps real workhorses. Corrosion-proofadjustable suction pipe. Pumps may be padlocked for security. 2" NPT threaded base for tank openings. 3/4" x 12 ft. included hose. 18 ft. power cord. 1" inlet, 3/4" outlet size. Optional flow meter. UL/cUL listed. USA made.
2016 Master Catalog: Page 592


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Strong demand drove La Monte lots, homes and acreage for sale to record levels. With acreage offerings of single family homes, land, condos and townacreage, vacation and retirement homes, the For Sale market offers acreage and other in every price range. Search Listings for Land For Sale, CLASSIFIEDS, retirement communities, vacation and rental housing, land and lots, foreclosures and for sale by owner listings. Locate the perfect acreage or land.
Welcome to one of the last popular places in America.


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Bleys wrote: Dude, the bottomline here is the mall is a private institution, they can do what they want.
quasifoto wrote: this whole post shocks me. i wouldn't expect it on this forum! not like this. a guy wore a peace shirt in a mall!!! it's really that simple, he was targeted when he shouldn't have been. what if a muslim was told they couldn't wear something that was from their heritage from the mall because it was disturbing the shoppers? it's private property but come on, it's not like it's somebody's house. shit, anyone who kicks someone out of their home for wearing a peace shirt needs their head examined. the mall dropped charges, backtracked, they regret it- BIGTIME. but you'd still defend them? come on. this post is sick.
Bleys wrote:
Again, changing the law to allow people to wear whatever they want on other people's property actually limits freedom of speech more than it promotes it.
RandomSurge wrote: Bleys wrote:
Again, changing the law to allow people to wear whatever they want on other people's property actually limits freedom of speech more than it promotes it.
see with me ain't that.....
if they had the balls to actually say why the want somebody out...I wouldn't be all up about it
say you don't want women in cause you in fact do not want women around you
say why you don't want a t-shirt that says 'give peace a chance'...they still haven't
but they don't have the balls to do that cause it's bad pr....well once people start protesting this kind of shit, it becomes bad pr...and then when you backtrack....sssshhhit
it becomes a fucking joke
if you don't have a reason, stick your overriding rights up your ass. Tell those black people you don't want them in your golf club cause you you don't want niggas lowering the class of your property
come out and say that...fucking bitches...
quasifoto wrote:
so the security guard has now been fired.
quasifoto wrote: shane- it's a mall, not a home so it's way different.


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- Jan 17:
- San Jose: Convicted arsonist and sex offender blamed for string of fires
- Jan 14:
- San Jose: Second night without arson fire; search for suspect continues
- San Jose's arsonist: Strolling the streets of his targets
- Jan 13:
- Mystery deepens about identity of San Jose arsonist
- San Jose arson: Two more suspicious fires investigated early Sunday morning
- San Jose: No suspicious fires Monday morning, but hunt for serial arsonist continues
- Jan 11:
- San Jose on edge as police, fire departments hunt for arsonist
- Jan 10:
- San Jose: String of fires investigated as possible arson
San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE -- A man suspected of torching eight structures in four days was arrested late Wednesday, police said.
Police released few details about the suspect, who was taken in for questioning at 8:10 p.m. by SJPD's Covert Response Unit, Sgt. Albert Morales said. Investigators were still conducting follow-up interviews and planned to reveal more details at a news conference Thursday morning.
Sources said police had the suspect under surveillance for at least a day.
The suspect will be booked into the Santa Clara County jail.
Working in the wee hours of the night, the arsonist set the eight fires in only four days, destroying the house of a low-income couple in their 60s who barely escaped alive. The firebug's targets have appeared to be random -- a church storage trailer, old houses, a warehouse. Some fires erupted hours apart. Then they stopped.
As San Jose police and fire investigators scrambled earlier Wednesday to identify the culprit captured in neighborhood surveillance video, arson experts offered their assessment of the suspect's likely personality and motives based on their experience with other cases.
"If he's mentally disabled, he's not that mentally disabled," says Mark Mooney, a licensed fire investigator and former captain of the San Jose Fire Department's arson investigation who visited the downtown neighborhood this week.
Authorities have said little about the investigation that included an orchestrated manhunt. Newspapers, television stations and online blogs have featured blurry videos of the suspect, described as a tall, slender light-skinned man captured by neighborhood surveillance cameras setting fires. Vigilant neighbors have gone door to door, looking for witnesses and passing out suspect sketches.
Looking back almost three decades in the Bay Area, more than a few arsonists have specialized in their methods and targets. One went after large apartment complexes, another hit only medical offices and yet another favored Kmart and other big box stores. One liked to throw flaming trash bags out of his pickup truck.
The San Jose arsonist's territory appears to have been a 5-mile radius north of downtown in working to middle-class neighborhoods. Mooney visited a torched house on South 17th Street on assignment for an insurance company. The former arson captain said the suspect showed some tendencies: Targets have been older structures made of wood on streets with poor lighting. The fires start from the outside -- on porches or fences.
Investigators believe the suspect lives in the area and traveled on foot or bicycle. They said he may be driven by emotional problems to lights fires for gratification or to let off steam, but he doesn't see how his actions could kill, maim or destroy property and lifelong belongings.
"I don't think he's out to harm anyone," said Leonard Donk, a clinical and forensic psychologist in Cupertino. "I think he's out to just start fires. All arsonists are angry at something and set fires as a way to get rid of tension. Very seldom are arsonists psychotic. They know what they're doing."
The arson fire that destroyed the home of Vince and Sharon La Vigna started on the back porch, crept up the side of the wooden house and devoured the roof, which then collapsed. Neighbors rescued the retired couple, who in their 60s do not have the savings or insurance to rebuild or replace the house they had lived in for 47 years.
"It's hard to know if he did this for a cheap thrill or to kill somebody," said their son, James La Vigna. "He should turn himself in a get some help."
Speaking before the suspect's arrest Wednesday, experts had feared the pattern of the arsonist's activities indicated they might escalate from small structures to bigger buildings, from minor fires to deadly ones. John De Haan, a Vallejo-based criminologist, forensic fire scientist and textbook author, said the San Jose arsons remind him of Paul Keller, a Washington state man whose reign of terror started with small, victimless fires but escalated to the torching of a nursing home and the deaths of three elderly residents. First arrested in 1992, Keller is serving a life sentence.
"Basically, it's going to be everybody watching over their own places and watching their neighbors until this guy is caught," De Haan said.
Mooney said the San Jose arsons do not appear to be motivated by burglary, robbery or personal revenge. The randomness of the suspect's targets and large number of fires set in quick order -- he torched a church trailer at least twice -- suggest that the arsonist is driven by one or more emotional problems and that setting fires gives him a sense of gratification.
"This one is a loner who probably doesn't have many friends," Mooney says.
Contact Joe Rodriguez at 408-920-5767 and follow him on Twitter.com/JoeRodMercury.
To make a donation for Vince and Sharon La Vigna, a couple in their 60s who lost their San Jose home in a fire set by a serial arsonist, go to www.youcaring.com/help-a-neighbor/la-vigna-family-fire-recovery-fund/126155


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San Francisco Campus - Haight Street
Alliant's San Francisco Law School campus is located in Hayes Valley, near Market and Octavia Streets. San Francisco Law School has a small and engaged population, under 100 students, who attend classes on the SFLS campus pursuing a Juris Doctorate degree (JD).
Helpful Links
- Student Support Services
- Directions to Campus
- 20 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94102-5802
Tel: (415) 626-5550 / Fax: (415) 626-5584
The student population at San Francisco Law School has a rich variety. The student body typically has a 46-50 % female/male ratio, of which 46-49% are diversity students, with ages ranging from 24 to 45.
The 10,000 square foot campus includes 5 classrooms, a student lounge, a Law Library, and an administration area. All classrooms have Internet access and audio-visual capabilities. Academic Support sessions are available on Saturday morning during the Fall and Spring semesters. San Francisco Law School has incorporated Bar Skills courses into its curriculum with programs provided by BarBri.
The San Francisco Law School law library is available to students Monday through Saturday during class and office hours. The Law Library is accreditation compliant and the hard copy collection includes United States Supreme Court Cases, California Appellate and Supreme Court cases, annotated California Statutes, the full Witkin series, specialized Treaties, and other legal research and reference materials. Students and faculty at San Francisco Law School have access to comprehensive on-line legal materials provided by LexisNexis, which can also be utilized by the computers in the quiet, library setting.
Ms. Terri Conrad is San Francisco Law School's primary administrator and is responsible for being the primary point of contact for new and continuing students to access a range of support services and resources such as the academic support program, student involvement in campus life, as well as Alliant's health and wellness and career services.
Terri Conrad
(415) 626-5550, Ext. 102
San Francisco Law School, located in the Lower Haight - a subset of Hayes Valley,
is near downtown San Francisco between Octavia and Gough Streets. Hayes Street is
just a few blocks from the law school, and hosts several culturally diverse restaurants,
art galleries and designer clothing stores. Civil Center, Davies Symphony Hall and
the War Memorial Opera House are but a few minutes away and attract visitors from
all over the world.
The Hayes Valley neighborhood offers all versions of transit options and freeway access could not be easier. The proximity to Market Street makes the area especially appealing to cyclists. The freeway exits onto tree-lined Octavia Boulevard, little park called Patricia's Green, and neighborhood gardening areas, which offer a peaceful respite in the midst of a very vibrant street scene. Victorian, Queen Anne, and Edwardian townhouses abound, along with the new high-rise development. The area offers a glimpse of old fashioned charm in the heart of a booming metropolis
Parking Information
There is free guest parking on a space-available basis.


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Wolf Medical Systems recommends Sun Rays
By firstname.lastname@example.com on Sep 15, 2010
"...We save 15-20 minutes per doctor, per day.
In this testimonial video, posted on YouTube, Dr. Brendan Byrne, president and CEO of Wolf Medical Systems talks about not only why Wolf recommends Sun Rays to its customers, but why he uses the Sun Rays himself in his clinics. As a practising physician himself, he also demonstrates in his clinic where and how the Sun Rays are used.The savings when you add them up areabsolutely huge."
As an Application Service Provider, the Wolf electronic medical record (EMR) solution leverages "the cloud" to deliver high performance, rock solid desktops to physicians' clinics sometimes several hundreds of kilometers away from the central data center. The security of having NOT to having manage the desktops, the operating systems (and associated patchs and virus management, etc) or even backing up the data is a great advantage to doctors who want to be, well.... doctors, and not part-time IT specialists.
I know I am stealing from him, but when he compares the Wolf brand promise "simply powerful" to the delivery of service via the Sun Rays... I think we have a great fit.


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Local Safari Club hopes to reintroduce pronghorn to San Diego
San Diego, where the deer, turkeys and pronghorn may roam again
There was a surprise fundraiser inside the giant benefit dinner and auction put on Saturday night at the Town & Country Convention Center by the San Diego Chapter of Safari Club International.
Mike Rogers Jr., president of the club and producer of international hunting and fishing TV shows for SCI, showed a video he produced about the pronghorn. He then told the more than 500 people at the function that the swift, gazelle-like critters that once roamed Southern California, including our San Diego back country, could do so again with their help. Donations were sought on the spot, and by the time the last hand raised, $6,500 was gathered to begin the effort to reintroduce pronghorn to the San Diego region.
"We'll need to enlist a lot of partners, the Kumeyaay Indians, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and other state and federal agencies, but it can be done," said Jim Conrad, one of the board members of the SCI chapter.
Conrad said large landowners, leaseholders and water districts also will need to be brought on board.
If the San Diego SCI chapter pulls this off, it won't be the chapter's first wildlife success story.
Just over 20 years ago on Jan. 23, 1993, the first wild turkeys were reintroduced to San Diego County thanks to a partnership that involved the Department of Fish and Game, the San Diego Chapter of SCI and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
There were objections raised about the reintroduction of turkeys, but a battle was averted thanks to the quick work of DFW biologists John Massie and Randy Botta, together with the cooperation of private landowners. Rather than place the turkeys on public land, the turkeys were planted on the McCaw Ranch adjacent to Lake Sutherland and the Eagle Peak Pheasant Club and Canta Rana Ranch in Julian. The San Diego Chapter of SCI contributed thousands of dollars and man hours to the project, and the first bird was released on that quiet Saturday morning by Ron Wade of SCI, Randy Botta of the DFW and Charlie Ryan of the NWTF.
At one time, 40 to 50 million pronghorn lived from southern Saskatchewan to northern Mexico and from southeastern Oregon to the Baja peninsula. At one time, they may have been more numerous on the Great Plains than bison.
The same slaughter in the late 1700s and 1800s that nearly wiped out the buffalo also affected pronghorn. By 1915, only an estimated 12,000 to 13,000 remained.
But just as conservation efforts have brought back the wild turkey from near extinction, conservationists have brought back the pronghorn. There are an estimated 700,000 to 1 million pronghorn now, with most of them in Wyoming and Montana. Their range is from southern Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada south through the U.S. to northern Baja and to the Mexican mainland in Sonora and San Luis Potosi.
Conrad said the plan would be to reintroduce peninsular pronghorn to Southern California. The Sonoran pronghorn of Baja and Mexico is endangered and protected.
The pronghorn is an amazing animal. It is the fastest land mammal in North America, second-fastest animal on earth to the cheetah. But unlike the cheetah, it can go 40- to 50 mph much longer due to their larger lung capacity, large hearts and hollow hair.
Males can be nearly five feet long and stand 40 inches and higher. The male horns can grow to 15- to 17 inches and are coveted by hunters as trophies. The meat is tasty, especially when turned into sausage or ground into pronghorn burger.


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UBS Tipped for Success
UBS, whose widely-praised investment banking restructuring was overshadowed late last year by the Kweku Adoboli and Libor-fixing scandals, was today tipped for success in a clutch of research reports on European banks. Giles Turner, from efinancialnews.com, dug around to find out why. Here's a taster of his article.
By Giles Turner
UBS underwent radical restructuring in 2012 and in October announced plans to cut 10,000 staff and all-but-exit fixed-income trading, a capital-intensive business. The move to slim its investment bank was roundly praised by analysts at the time.
In November Morgan Stanley said in a note that the sweeping changes at UBS "have raised the stakes" for rivals.
UBS's share price has risen by over 18% since the announcement–the stock was trading at €16.34 this morning–and according to Andrew Lim, banks analyst at Espirito Santo, it may have further to run.
In a report this morning, Mr. Lim noted that UBS has been trailing the SX7P Banks Index by 6% in the last month, and that the bank's fourth-quarter results on Feb. 5 "will be the key catalyst for UBS to re-rate further to our target price, reflecting faster RWA reduction and with much lower exit losses than the market currently anticipates."
UBS was also among the top choices of analysts from Berenberg Barclays, and Morgan Stanley.
Analysts at Berenberg said:
"If you believe, as we do, that structural and short-term risks remain material, stocks to own are banks with sustainable dividend flows."
They added that UBS was among the "the banks that 'get it' and have the right business model".
Banking analysts at Barclays tipped BNP Paribas Deutsche Bank HSBC, RBS and UBS as the leading candidates for 2013. Barclays was itself picked out by Espirito Santo, which predicted strong results for the fourth quarter. For Morgan Stanley, UBS and BNP Paribas were among the favorites.
The reports come after the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, a group of the world's top regulators and central bankers, announced on Sunday that it was relaxing its rules around capital holdings and delaying implementation until 2019.
[The full version of this article is available at efinancialnews.com]


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A Mississippi mayor has been indicted for his role in a scheme ran by a Memphis educator who helped teachers cheat on certification exams over a 15 year period.
Metcalfe Mayor Cory A. Holmes appeared Monday in federal court in Memphis, Tenn. He was released on his own recognizance. His arraignment is scheduled for July 10 in Memphis.
Holmes' indictment was first reported by WABG-TV in Greenville.
The indictment alleges Holmes paid Clarence Mumford in 2008 to have a ringer take three different exams -- one each in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee. The ringer had Holmes' Social Security card and paid for the exam with Mumford's credit card.
Holmes is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy and Social Security fraud.


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PORTLAND, Ore. — The AAA auto club reports the average price of a gallon of gasoline in Oregon is $3.32.
That's up 4 cents in a week but only a penny higher than a month ago. It's a nickel lower than the national average and 31 cents lower than a year ago in the state.
Some metro prices from Tuesday's AAA survey: Portland $3.30, Salem $3.27, Eugene-Springfield $3.37, and Medford-Ashland $3.37.
Location, ST | website.com


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Donate a bike for a needy child
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 10:53 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 10:53 a.m.
The Lafourche Sheriff's Office seeks bicycles for its annual Christmas giveaway. Officials are also seeking the names of children in need.
Drop off new or gently used bikes at any Sheriff's Office site after Dec. 1. Monetary donations are also being accepted.
You can recommend a child in need by calling Capt. Dean Savoie at 632-5843.
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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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma laws requiring women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound image placed in front of them while they hear a description of the fetus and that ban off-lable use of certain abortion-inducing drugs are unconstitutional, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The state's highest court determined that lower court judges were right to halt the laws. In separate decisions, the Oklahoma Supreme Court said the laws, which received wide bipartisan support in the Legislature, violated a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court case.
The Oklahoma court said it has a duty to "follow the mandate of the United States Supreme Court on matters of federal constitutional law."
The Legislature passed the ultrasound law in 2010. Oklahoma is one of several states that have passed laws requiring doctors to both perform an ultrasound and provide a verbal description of the fetus before an abortion. The other law was approved in 2011.
The New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights challenged both laws, and Oklahoma County judges had halted their enforcement while the court cases made their way through the judicial system.
Michelle Movahed, a staff attorney for the abortion-rights group, said the rulings represent a "sweeping and unequivocal" rejection of the Legislature's attempt to restrict the reproductive rights of women.
"We're obviously thrilled," Movahed said. She said the decision indicates the U.S. Constitution does not permit the kinds of restrictions on women's rights that the laws imposed.
State Attorney General Scott Pruitt, whose office appealed lower-court decisions that invalidated the laws, said he is considering appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"We disagree with the court's decision, particularly with the fact that the question on whether Oklahoma's Constitution provides a right to an abortion was left unanswered," Pruitt stated.
The ultrasound law was struck down in March by District Judge Bryan Dixon, who ruled that the statute was an unconstitutional special law that could not be enforced because it addressed only patients, physicians and sonographers dealing with abortions without addressing other care.
The other law was rejected in May by District Judge Donald Worthington, who ruled it violated "the fundamental rights of women to privacy and bodily integrity." The law required doctors to follow strict guidelines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and prohibited off-label uses of certain abortion-inducing drugs such as RU-486.


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Forever Youth Liberator Eye Zone Serum
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-Upon application, eye zone area appears lifted, more supple and firm.
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- - Hepes: helps skin peeling, for a smoother skin.
- - Aquatoryl: hydrates and firms the skin.


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Social Justice Statements
Social Justice Statements
As an expression of our faith and values, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) takes positions on relevant issues of social justice. Our positions are discerned via the social witness process, as shepherded by the Commission on Social Witness. Grounded in these social witness statements, the UUA will sign on to letters and amicus briefs in coalition with other faith and social justice organizations, magnifying our impact in the larger world.
Social Witness Statements
Search our collection of Unitarian Universalist Social Witness Statements (updated annually). Enter keywords or phrases to search titles or page text.
Search Statements
Select any filter and click Search to see results or browse all Social Justice Statements by year or by topic.


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When Texas voters elected Republican Ted Cruz to the U.S. Senate last November, I had never heard of the guy.
But my first impressions of Cruz were positive. He made what seemed to me be a lot of sense when he warned of an existential threat to his party, which I passed along to readers of this blog on Nov. 13 of last year.


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jnecessary wrote:Chase has had testers in his bag for a while I think. From what I've read elsewhere online the logo doesn't really make much difference. Now, the new Vector and the Ion with the overmold on it are supposed to very gyroscopic and hold speed later in flight. I have a couple Ions but couldn't get past the grip to really try them out.
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Innovator's Auditorium (BUSB 132) - 8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504
CBU Philosophy Conference 2014
When: April 11th - 12th
Where: Innovator's Auditorium at California Baptist University
Keynote Speaker: Kevin J. Vanhoozer
Dr.Vanhoozer is Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Senior Editor, Transcending Boundaries in Philosophy and Theology series;
View Dr. Vanhoozer's bio: http://divinity.tiu.edu/academics/faculty/kevin-vanhoozer/
Dr. Vanhoozer's first address is:
The Turn to Drama: A Proposal for a Sapiential Aplogetics—Friday, 7:00 pm
Announcements on the death of Reason, and with it the end of apologetics, are now old hat. Even those who never read a postmodern philosopher have heard that reason is not as universal as previously thought, but rather local and situated: embodied. However, far from being the end of apologetics, these critiques of modern Reason have opened up exciting new possibilities. My project is to explore the possibility that apologetics may get a new lease on life by focusing on practical rather than theoretical reason, wisdom (sapientia) rather than mere knowledge (scientia). The domain of practical wisdom (phronesis) includes all the particular situations that comprise real life – and Christian discipleship. The "turn to drama" transcends the "ancient quarrel" between poets and philosophers, builds on the earlier turn to narrative, integrates reason and imagination, draws on both analytic and Continental philosophy, and employs a theatrical analogy that casts the apologist as an actor in (cross-)cultural dialogical scenes where what is at stake is the truth of the gospel as well as the actor's ability to speak-act it out.
Professor Vanhoozer's second address is:
Performance Practice: A Dramatic Demonstration of Christian Truth—Saturday, 3:00 pm
If the sapiential imperative is to "get understanding," then we can define the apologetic imperative as "demonstrate understanding." My suggestion is that the task of the apologist is not merely to defend theological propositions but also to witness to their truth, not least by embodying them. To demonstrate Christian understanding is to speak, do, and suffer the truth of the gospel in love. This is the "matyrological" aspect of apologetics. Such demonstrations will necessarily be dramatic inasmuch as they involve speech, story, dialogue, and deed. Disciples demonstrate understanding of God and God's word by showing how to go on in particular situations, even (at the limit) in the face of gratuitous evil. Demonstrations of Christian truth are dramatic because they involve the living out, in community, of the faith, hope, and love of the gospel: the wisdom and power of salvation displayed publicly in Jesus' cross and resurrection. A dramatic sapiential apologetics trains disciples in an important performance practice: doing church – a localized, corporate, and practical embodiment of the mind of Christ that fleshes out concrete shapes of human flourishing.


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Ben Bernanke Won't Be Very Popular in Berlin
When the Federal Reserve chairman described the U.S. economic recovery as "fragile" and made it clear that he isn't in any rush to abandon the central bank's easy monetary stance, he was being rightly cautious.
However, his words must have gone down like a lead balloon in Berlin.
Ben Bernanke's wariness means that the euro, which has already rallied back to its highest level in nearly a year, could rally even further just at the point at which Germany doesn't need it.
As many have feared, the four-year old euro-zone debt crisis is finally taking its toll on the region's strongest economy. New GDP data show that Germany contracted by 0.5% in the final quarter of 2012. This was even more than the 0.3% or 0.4% the market had expected and suggested that the country is suffering from slower export growth as well as a decline in investment.
So what does Mr. Bernanke have to do with all this?
His comments essentially confirmed that the Fed will keep quantitative easing until at least the end of 2013. This puts the U.S. central bank in line with the Bank of England as well as the Bank of Japan, which are also continuing to expand their balance sheets.
By contrast, the European Central Bank isn't.
Last week its president, Mario Draghi, signaled that the end of the Bank's easing of monetary policy was nigh for now, leaving the ECB as the odd man out and the euro at risk from further gains.
Greg Anderson, a currency strategist at Citigroup, explained it like this.
The ECB's "balance sheet expansion programs were designed to address financial crisis, not economic slowdown or unacceptably low inflation. With that in mind, the ECB's balance sheet is not expanding in tandem with the others in the G4… If the ECB fails to react, it runs the risk of seeing euro/dollar bounce higher this year."
While the euro may find itself attracting support as yield differentials work in its favor, the dollar could find itself coming under even more selling pressure because of U.S. politics.
As Mr. Bernanke acknowledged in his comments on Monday, the U.S. is still beset by fiscal cliff concerns.
While the debate continues to rage within the U.S. Congress over how to prevent automatic fiscal tightening, the government now faces an even more pressing issue–agreeing on a debt ceiling.
At Commerzbank, currency strategist Ulrich Leuchtmann warned of the risks surrounding the debt ceiling debate.
"There is much more at stake now: the functionality of the U.S. political system. If U.S. Congress is not even able to formulate a consistent fiscal policy, how are global investors going to be convinced that it will be able to pursue a sensible fiscal policy ever again?"
For the moment, the euro remains relatively stable, just underneath its recent high at $1.3404.
However, the single currency could easily find itself heading sharply higher again, especially if U.S. economic data remain mixed and Mr. Bernanke's caution about preserving an easy monetary policy looks even more justified.


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AUSTIN (January 24, 2013)--Members of the Texas Senate drew lots to determine whether their terms will expire in two years or four years and the results were mixed for area lawmakers.
State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, whose district includes Freestone, Leon, Limestone and Milam Counties, will face re-election in 2014.
State Sens. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury and Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, won't run again until 2016.
Birdwell represents Falls, Hill and McLennan Counties in Central Texas and Fraser's district includes Bell, Coryell, Lampasas, Mills and San Saba Counties.
The once-a-decade exercise happens after redistricting forces all 31 senators to stand for election in the same year.
Drawing lots allows the senators to stagger terms for the next 10 years.
The senators drew envelopes with pieces of paper numbered one to 31 from a large glass bowl at the front of the chamber.
Odd numbers meant four-year terms, while even numbers meant two-year terms.
The draw included the currently vacant Houston district previously held by the late Sen. Mario Gallegos, who died shortly before the 2012 general election.
Republicans hold a 19-12 majority in the Senate.
The Full List
Two Year Term,
John Carona, R-Dallas
Donna Campbell, R-San Marcos
Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth
Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock
Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls
Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth
Joan Huffman, R-Southside Place
Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville
Dan Patrick, R-Houston
Ken Paxton, R-McKinney
Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown
Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo
Leticia Van De Putte, D-San Antonio
Kirk Watson, D-Austin
Royce West, D-Dallas
John Whitmire, D-Houston
Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands
Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo
Four Year Terms
Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury
Bob Deuell, R-Greenville
Rodney Ellis, D-Houston
Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler
Troy Fraser, R-Horsehoe Bay
Glenn Hegar, R-Katy
Chuy Hinojosa, D-McAllen
Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville
Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound
Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso
Larry Taylor, R-Galveston
Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio


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Co-op platformer Trine was one of my favourite games of 2009. Judging by the cult following it's developed since then, I'm not alone in my fondness.
Two years later, the game is back for a sequel, one that, on the surface at least, promises to add very little to the formula already laid down by the first game. Who can say whether this makes it worth your time and money? Our guts can, that's who.
Luke Plunkett, who loves Trine 2 more than Trine 1: Oops. Kinda giving the game away there with that opener. Ah well, who needs suspense in an informal appraisal when your heart is so full of love and admiration for the little platformer series that could?
While other games have been technically more impressive in the visuals department in 2011, none for me can match how beautiful Trine 2 looks. It's an over-saturated wonderland that is often the game's fourth character, stopping you dead in your tracks to admire a bleeding sunset or a swinging lantern or the swirling mists of a shimmering, emerald jungle.
Not much has changed, granted, aside from the welcome jump to three-player online co-op. You're still controlling the same three characters who have largely the same toolset at their disposal. You play as one of them (or co-operatively you can team up), and have to juggle who is best for which particular situation or challenge. But the core concept of Trine was never its problem. It was a solid foundation, one that allowed for both freedom and organic puzzle-solving and that helped the game stand out.
Trine's only problem was that first time around it felt a little cheap in places. Not so second time around. There's a level of polish and professionalism to Trine 2 that gives its gameplay the accompaniment it deserves, your globe-trotting tale much better-told, the characters much more elegantly fleshed-out.
Trine 2 has come out at a time of year when it's in danger of being over-looked while people sink hours into Skyrim, Battlefield or Modern Warfare. Which is a shame. Because if you appreciate a little thinking with your platforming and some of the best-looking visuals around, you should be sinking some hours into Trine 2 as well. It's a definite Yes.
Brian Ashcraft, who played Trine and liked it okay: Trine 2 is out already, and for some reason, I haven't picked it up. I'm not sure why. The first Trine was a great little game.
Trine 2 looks to be great, too. The trailers and gameplay footage look absolutely stunning. The thing that I can't comment on, because I haven't played it, is the gameplay. But even if the gameplay totally stinks, I probably should buy this anyway—just to look at it. So should you. Yes.


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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's proposal to increase the U.S. minimum wage by 24 percent faces long odds in Congress, where Republicans took aim at it minutes after the State of the Union address. That might not matter: beyond Capitol Hill, some states took action long ago.
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia already require employers to pay more than the $7.25 an hour required by federal law, according to the Labor Department. At least eight more, including New York and New Jersey, are considering legislation to join them. On Jan. 1, Washington state, home to the highest minimum wage in the nation, raised its floor to $9.19, more than the $9 an hour proposed by Obama.
The patchwork of laws has offered new insight into the effect of higher wages on jobs. Some economists are challenging the traditional precept that as the price of something goes up, demand goes down, at least when it comes to labor.
"We've had this natural experiment where states that have raised their minimum wage border states that haven't," said Jack Temple, a policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, a non-profit worker advocacy group. "Businesses have adjusted without losing employment."
Temple and others point to two studies that challenge the conventional wisdom that higher wages lead to fewer jobs. The first, a 1994 study by Alan Krueger, now Obama's chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, and David Card, director of the Labor Studies Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research, compared fast food eateries in New Jersey and Pennsylvania after New Jersey raised its hourly minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.05 in 1992.
"The increase in the minimum wage increased employment," the two found. For low-wage workers, job prospects actually improved in New Jersey, they concluded.
That finding was buttressed in 2010, when a group of economists used a similar approach to compare restaurant workers in neighboring states with different wage limits. The study, authored by a group that included Michael Reich, director for the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley, concluded that minimum wage increases did not reduce employment.
The findings are at odds with other work, most notably from David Neumark, director of the University of California's Center for Economics and Public Policy in Irvine, who has studied the question with Federal Reserve economist William Wascher.
Their 2007 review of academic studies found that "almost all point to negative employment effects."
"It's the law of demand," said William Dunkelberg, chief economist at the National Federation of Independent Business, a lobbying group for small employers. "The higher the price of anything, the less will be taken. That applies to labor."
In his speech Feb. 12 to a joint session of Congress, Obama proposed raising the hourly federal minimum wage to $9 from $7.25 by the end of 2015. That would return the wage to its highest inflation-adjusted value since 1981, under Republican President Ronald Reagan, according to the White House.
Echoing Dunkelberg, House Speaker John Boehner dismissed the idea.
"When you raise the price of employment, guess what happens? You get less of it," the Ohio Republican told reporters Wednesday. "Why do we want to make it harder for small employers to hire people?"
In the Senate, John Thune of South Dakota, a member of the chamber's Republican leadership, called Obama's speech a "go- through-the-motions laundry list."
Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, who leads the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Rep. George Miller of California, the top Democrat on the House Education and Labor Committee, said they're moving ahead and will seek an even greater increase, to $10.10 an hour.
Twenty-one percent of job losses during the recession were in lower-wage occupations, according to the National Employment Law Project. During the recovery, those hires outpaced gains in higher-paying occupations, accounting for 58 percent of new positions since February 2010.
Washington's minimum wage, which is indexed to rise and fall with inflation, has been above $9 an hour since January 2012. Last year the state had a 1.8 percent increase in non-farm payrolls, more than the 1.6 percent growth in total U.S. jobs. Unemployment is lower, too, at 7.6 percent, compared to 7.9 percent nationally.
The Washington Restaurant Association says the law makes the state less competitive and points to Census Bureau data that shows that Washington food outlets employ three fewer workers per establishment than the national average.
"The business community has learned to adapt," said Heather Donahoe, public relations manager for the Olympia-based trade group. "So many of our operators have learned to do more with less."
That includes Dwayne Northrop, chief executive officer of Garlic Jim's Famous Gourmet Pizza based in Mill Creek, which has 22 franchise outlets in the state. He said the higher wage carries hidden costs.
"The customers are seeing it in slower service. The job market is seeing it because there are fewer jobs available," Northrop said in a telephone interview. At the same time, his franchisees have had little room to raise prices since 2007.
The hardest hit, though, are the state's young workers, Northrop said.
"All the kids answering the phones and tossing pizzas are high school kids and most of the kids delivering the pizzas are college kids," he said. "We're actually providing less opportunity for entry-level people."


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text: Get more lateral traction with these chains that put more chain on the face of the tire. Chains ride high on lugs...do not drop into the grooves. Side chain is 5/16"; cross chain is 3/8". DUO grip, heavy-duty chains are sold by the pair. Tire size: 16.9 x 28 Weight: 170 lbs.