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American Express Personal FAQs
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By BookRenter Andy
The snooze button is an interesting creature. Like the Siren temptresses of Greek Mythology, the snooze button is an inviting provocation of sweet release; if you push it, you might plunge right back into your comforting dream for ten more minutes. If you don't, you're probably an impenetrable rock of a person. Or you're tied down to the bed. (Maybe both?)
As we are still in the throws of acclimating to the post Daylight Savings shift in sleep patterns, we figured it was time to delve a little deeper into the snooze button. So we asked our Facebook fans and came up with some shocking results. {EN: Ok, we weren't really shocked. If people didn't use the good old snooze button, clocks would stop having them. Right? Anywho, back to the matter at hand.}
83% of responders hit the snooze button, and 34% of responders hit the snooze button 4 times or more. We are a weak, sleepy bunch, us humans. So I ask you, reader: is this a sign that our beloved college students are not getting the necessary ZZZ's, or are they gluttons of sleep?
Whether or not you're smacking the snooze button each morning, you can't argue the importance of getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can have some serious effects on not only your mind, but also your body and general well-being. Take a look at some recent articles from the New York Times:
Less Sleep Linked With More Eating
Learning While You Dream
Getting Sick From Lack of Sleep
Napping to Boost Brain Power
Forget the old mantra, "You Snooze You Lose" – sleep is too important. I say let everyone hit the snooze button: "Snooze and Cruise"! You could also just try getting to bed earlier, but that's a discussion for a different day…
By the way, here's a well-referenced Facebook response:
"I saw a shirt depicting a person hitting the snooze button that said "keep the dream alive" – LOVE it! I have to hit the snooze at least once – preferably twice ;)" – Barbra
I, for one, refuse to believe that the snooze button is for losers, even though the Internet is full of people trying to convince you otherwise. Like Barbra said, the snooze is for DREAMERS, not losers.
Comment on our blog and be entered in to win one of our weekly coffee giveaways. Each winner will receive a $10 gift card, to Starbucks. Winners will be chosen at random and announced each Wednesday.

subset: commoncrawl


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Manatee schools finance audit due Jan. 14
Published: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 10:46 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 10:46 p.m.
MANATEE COUNTY - Investigators looking into how the district overspent by $8 million during the last school year expect to wrap up their investigation by Jan. 14, School Board members learned Monday night.
Manatee County School District superintendent search
Applicants have until Jan. 9 to apply to be the school district's new leader. The job pays between $170,000 and $195,000, depending on experience.
Here's a list of people who have applied so far or who have indicated they intend to apply:
• Diana Green, deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction, Marion County Schools
• Arthur Gottlieb, professor of education at the College of St. Joseph, Rutland, VT.
• Kathleen J. Harris, former superintendent of Monroe City Schools, Monroe, LA.
• Steve Black, Venice, no career information submitted.
• Bernard L. Osborn, principal, David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center, Miami.
• Rolston Cordner, call center representative, former instructor at Lincoln College of Technology.
Up until the end of November, the district spent $70,000 on the forensic audit that is intended to reveal how the district ended up $3.4 million in the red after failing to budget for new teachers and textbooks among other spending.
Of that total, almost $39,000 was paid to Trenam Kemker, the Tampa law-firm chosen by the district's audit committee to oversee the investigation.
Navigant, a Chicago-based firm conducting the audit, has billed the district almost $31,000 so far. The audit is being conducted by a team that includes a former FBI investigator based in the company's Tampa office.
"They are making final touches to recommendations," said Jim Toomey, a member of the district's audit committee.
The investigation includes the interview of key district figures, including former Superintendent Tim McGonegal and former finance director Jim Drake, who was paid $236 to drive from his Jacksonville home to be interviewed in Tampa, district officials report.
The revelation of the overspending led to the resignation of McGonegal. Drake had already retired. An analysis by interim Superintendent David Gayler then discovered that $7 million in spending including promised bonuses for employees was omitted from the district's budget for this school year. School Board members say the audit is a crucial step to restoring public confidence.
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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The gates are open, the course is ready and Augusta's biggest week is officially underway.
The eyes of golf fans all over the world will be glued to Augusta this week. As always, News 12 is your home for Masters coverage.
The crowds were in force at Augusta National Golf Club Monday morning.
Nothing could keep Masters fans away, not even the cloudy skies.
Gates opened at 8 o'clock, and as you can expect thousands of patrons filed into the Augusta National for the 70th Masters Tournament.
There are patrons here for the very first time, and of course there are the old faithfuls that keep coming back year after year.
The first day is a chance for patrons to catch a glimpse of the golfers and even take pictures. We'll catch up with some of them later Monday.


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It has seen its fair share of presidents, Revolutionary War types, brides and grooms and even countless dogs, runners, walkers and bicyclists.
East Muskingum Park, along Front Street in Marietta, features a gazebo, the Start Westward monument, a portion of the River Trail and plenty of benches.
Kara Watters, 19, of Woodsfield, comes to the park about two times per week when she isn't busy with her studies at Washington State Community College.
Article Photos
"It's a nice place to walk," Watters said.
The River Trail begins at Indian Acres Park, includes East Muskingum Park and continues downtown, along the Muskingum and Ohio rivers.
The park is a peaceful spot, with plenty of grassy areas and trees.
Article Map
However, Franklin Dennis will say one thing is missing - a restroom.
"We need a restroom here," said Dennis, 78, of Reno. "I don't think they'll build a restroom. The river comes up in here."
East Muskingum Park is part of the city's 28 parks and parklets. The park can even claim a rich past when it comes to visitors from the White House.
Fact Box
East Muskingum Park, along Front Street in Marietta, features a gazebo, the Start Westward monument, a portion of the River Trail and plenty of benches.
Mt. Rushmore's Gutzon Borglum sculpted the Start Westward Monument for Marietta's sesquicentennial. In 1961, the central figure lost his head, and Fred Mitchum, of Beverly, carved a replacement. President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the monument in 1938. President William Howard Taft spoke in the park in May 1910. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a short speech in May 1912.
Most recently, Marietta City Council approved installation of electrical service at a cost of $12,000. The project was finished just in time for the Sweet Corn Festival that began its two-day run July 19.
Harley Noland, D-At-large, Marietta City Council member and chairman of council's Lands, Parks and Buildings Committee, said he would like that project to continue.
"I would like to see another power outlet farther upstream of the Start Westward Monument," Noland said. "A number of trees have died in the past year. We have to look at to the Tree Commission for money to replant some of those."
While all the big events for East Muskingum Park are finished for the year, Noland said he has been talking to a recently established Shakespeare group. Noland said he hopes to have a Shakespeare in the Park event in 2014.
"The park is rented a lot," said Mary Grubert, clerk for Mayor Joe Matthews. She also is in charge of renting the gazebo for weddings.
"There are a number of walks and runs and other little celebrations," she said.
During May through September, at least three of the four Saturdays each month are rented for weddings. Grubert said the city charges only $25 as a service to the bride and groom. The wedding party also typically has the gazebo for the day before for a rehearsal.


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Nashua Telegraph: The cost of doing the public's business in NH
The legislative pay structure means most of us cannot afford to serve at all. As a result, the membership is made up of the well-to-do and retired in numbers disproportionate to the general population.
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Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, in conjunction with Union College and Albany Law School, will serve as a host site for the 40th annual New York African Studies Association (NYASA) Conference taking place April 3-4, 2015.
The first day of the Conference will be held at Union College and the second day will be hosted on the ACPHS Campus.
The theme of the conference will be "Africa, Its Diaspora, and Laws." This will include laws in the traditional sense of the term, but also include laws of science, Darwinian laws, economic laws, religious laws, biological laws of health, and social laws related to healing, spirituality, gender, sexuality, community behavior, social hierarchies, performance, and health codes.
NYASA was founded in 1967 as the SUNY African Studies Faculty Association. It is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to advancing the discipline of Africana Studies. Its members include faculty at colleges and universities, researchers, professionals, and students.
As a regional organization, NYASA promotes the visibility and advancement of the discipline in New York State and surrounding areas, and offers opportunities for the scholarly and professional development of educators, in addition to enhanced education for community members, leaders, and activists.


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To promote the exchange, among the Defense Department, other government agencies, national laboratories, industry, and academia, of technical information relating to the various fields of ballistics, including concepts and theories. Emphasis is both on research results and the application of these theories and concepts to the design, development, and evaluation of weapon systems and their performance against materiel such as armor and other potential targets.
The Ballistics Division's executive board, whose membership includes world-class U.S. ballisticians, organizes and conducts the widely attended, U.S. based, unclassified, international ballistics symposia, at three year intervals. They are assisted in this effort by world-class ballisticians from over 24 countries, who also report on their own current unclassified work in ballistics and, in many cases, assist in the paper selection process. The Ballistics Division also contributes technical support, in the paper selection process, to the off-shore international ballistics symposia, which are also held at alternating three year intervals, between U.S. based symposia. The offshore symposia are conducted under the auspices of the International Ballistics Committee, which includes many members of the Ballistics Division's executive board. Finally, since May 1998, the Ballistics Division has undertaken to organize and conduct (jointly with the NDIA's Bomb and Warhead Division) the Annual Joint Classified Ballistics Symposium (SECRET-U.S. ONLY).
Propulsion Dynamics -- This original field of Ballistics emphasizes new or improved methods for understanding propulsion using electromagnetic, chemical, and other forms of energy sources. Current areas of interest include railgun dynamics; electrothermal plasma processes; new chemical propellants; new energy sources; control of ignition and chemical combustion processes; gas/plasma flow in guns, rockets, and nozzles; and thermomechanical effects upon projectiles and chambers of guns and rockets. The purposes for emphasizing efforts in these areas include:
Launch Dynamics -- The effectiveness of modern weapons is driven by greatly increasing requirements for accuracy. Erratic launch conditions increase the probable error in miss distance of a round and may cause premature tumbling and disastrously short trajectories for projectiles that are initially only marginally stable. In high performance weapons, projectile deformations can also lead to inaccuracy or even disastrous conditions at launch. Some of the degrading effects introduced during the transitional phase can be attributed to muzzle whip, tip-off, in-bore balloting caused by worn gun tubes, muzzle jet flow, interaction with projectile/rocket and launcher, and sabot separation. The first three of these effects occur while the projectile is still in contact with the launcher; the motion and orientation given to the projectile during this contact may be amplified when the projectile is in transient flow just outside the muzzle. The efforts in this important field include:
Flight Dynamics -- Effective weapon systems depend on meeting flight performance standards in an economical and realistic fashion. A designer must resolve many conflicting technical requirements and usually must choose or compromise among competing factors. For example, the factors of range and payload compete directly and simply with each other when one speaks of improved weapons; some rational value must be ascribed to each as one attempts to optimize overall performance. The salient task in projectile/rocket flight is to provide the logic needed to make the necessary compromises for the optimum aerodynamic performance of weapons while at the same time meeting interfacing problems involved in launching a projectile and ensuring its satisfactory arrival for maximum terminal effectiveness. Thus, emphasis is on research in aerodynamics and classical dynamics both as an approach that will tell one how to ensure minimum energy loss to a projectile/rocket -- thereby deriving maximum range, and as means to increase stability factors controlling possible flight aberrations such as those due to loose or moving cargo and liquid-filled projectile sections -- thereby improving accuracy and reliability.
Warhead Mechanisms & Effects -- The propulsion of lethal elements through explosive/metal interactions is advancing the warhead mechanics technology base rapidly through insight gained by means of parallel experimentation and computer analysis. Parallel efforts in experiments, analytic formulations, and computer code developments are enhancing the prediction of the performance of shaped charge warheads, explosively formed penetrators, fragmenting devices, mines, incendiary ammunition, and fuel-air explosives. Warhead effects consider the consequences of impact and penetration by blast waves, fragments, shaped charges, and kinetic-energy rounds insofar as behind-armor defeat is concerned. These consequences include target response (including deformation and translation), spallation, behind-armor blast, behind-armor debris, the ignition of fuel, propellants, and explosives, and the exploitation of energetic (pyrophoric) materials to enhance lethal effects.
Terminal Ballistics (Protection) -- The technical base for protection of combat vehicles, aircraft, and personnel requires a deep understanding of the response of materials and structures to the intense deposition of kinetic energy by bullets, kinetic energy penetrators, hypervelocity penetrators, shaped charges, and fragmenting warheads. This information is gained through advanced instrumentation techniques, such as high speed cameras and flash radiography, as well as through improved understanding of the response of materials to stress and strain. Great progress is being made through improved analytical techniques and computer analysis based on highly instrumented experiments. A broad data base is being accumulated and organized by means of computer accessed data and models that can interpolate between the data so as to forecast future experiments as well as protection packages for vehicle systems, aircraft, and personnel.
Target/Environment Signature Analysis -- Targets must be found before they can be attacked. A major thrust in this effort is the development of computerized models predicting the signatures of both targets and their backgrounds in the infrared and visual regions of the spectrum (0.4 to 14 micrometers) as well as in the millimeter wave region. Component mathematical submodels are needed for description of targets, terrain, vegetation, natural and artificial sources of irradiation, smokes, atmospheric transmission (absorption and scattering), atmospheric turbulence, camouflage materials, terminal homing systems, target acquisition systems, and surveillance systems.
Weapon Concept Analysis -- This element of ballistics technology focuses on constructing new technical approaches (or combination of techniques) for solutions of problems related to advanced weapon systems. It is essentially a systems engineering approach leading to close integration of all activities within the Ballistics Division and ultimately to extensive in-depth competence in all aspects of weapon technology. A very important facet of concepts analysis is the search for optimum solutions through continuing theoretical research, judicious experimentation, mathematical modeling of physical processes and performance simulation, concept synthesis, and conceptual design. The competence for the derivation of optimum solutions for weapon systems demands that there also be a constant awareness of and an examination of many technological areas peripheral to the elements of Ballistic Technology. The yield from such competence will include more rapid engineering evaluations in response to queries, recognition of systems implication of the results of research programs and a stimuli for new research & development activities.
Vice Chairman:Bill FlisDE Technologies, Inc.E-mail: email@example.com
Secretary:Brian ScottU.S. Army Research Laboratory E-mail: email@example.com
NDIA:Britt Sullivan, CMPDirector, OperationsPhone: (703) 247-2587E-mail: email@example.com
For more information about the International Ballistics Society, visit:www.ballistics.org


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Cloud Infrastructure has a new standard
By macoracle on Aug 29, 2012
CIMI provides a model for the resources that can be mapped to any existing cloud infrastructure offering on the market. There are some features in CIMI that may not be supported by every cloud, but CIMI also supports the discovery of which features are implemented. This means that you can still have a client that works across multiple clouds and is able to take full advantage of the features in each of them.[Read More]


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From the moment Aaron Gordon said that he was signing with Arizona, there was widespread speculation that he would spend only one season in the desert.
Tuesday, the speculation became reality.
Gordon, largely viewed as the most talented basketball player to come from the San Jose area, announced in a news conference on the Arizona campus that he is entering the NBA draft.
The decision takes the 6-foot-9 forward one step closer to fulfilling a childhood dream. The draft is June 26.
Gordon thanked Arizona coach Sean Miller, the coaching staff and his teammates before stating his intentions.
"I love these guys so much," said Gordon, a former Archbishop Mitty star. "But at the end of the day, I need to make the decision that's right for Aaron Gordon, just like before I came to Arizona. I have a great foundation, my parents, my mom and my dad, my brother and sister. I've talked to them a lot. I talked to the coaching staff and my players and made sure everything was good to go.
"From about the first grade, I have wanted to compete at the highest level. So that's what I intend on doing next year. I am going to go to the NBA."
Gordon said last spring that he had hoped to go straight from high school to the NBA. But rules prevented that goal from becoming a possibility.
So Gordon set his sights on trying to win a national championship with Arizona.
The Pacific-12 Conference freshman of the year helped lead the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament West Regional final before the team's season ended with a crushing 64-63 loss to Wisconsin in overtime.
Gordon averaged 12.4 points and eight rebounds per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the field. He also was lauded for his defense. But he continued to struggle from the free-throw line, shooting 42.2 percent.
ESPN analyst Chad Ford has Gordon rated No. 6 on his draft board, behind Kansas' Andrew Wiggins, Duke's Jabari Parker, Kansas' Joel Embiid, Australian Dante Exum and Kentucky's Julius Randle.
On the ESPN board, Gordon is described as a "freak athlete" caught between a small forward and a power forward.
Gordon made his decision alongside his Arizona teammate, Nick Johnson, the Pac-12 player of the year. Johnson, a junior, also announced that he is entering the NBA draft.
"Today is nothing but a good day for our program," Miller said. "These are two guys from great families that took time to get the facts from the NBA, as much as you can at this point, have all the information and make the best decision for them.
"The only thing I'll tell you, it's bittersweet because these two guys, people like them, don't come along very often. In Aaron's case, it's far too short. You feel like you're just getting started and then you wave goodbye."
Despite the short stay, Gordon said he learned a whole lot from the experience with Miller.
"I understand the game of basketball better than I did a year previously," Gordon said. "We have such great basketball minds on our coaching staff. It helped me tremendously, understanding little intricacies to the game, how to play the game better."
Asked if he had a preference where he would want to play professionally, Gordon said, "I've been a Lakers fan. But I want to go on to any team that I am going to contribute and I am going to help our team win. I don't really care where I'll go."
For more on high school sports, see the After School blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/highschools. Follow Darren Sabedra on Twitter at twitter.com/DarrenSabedra.


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Hi there,
I've stumbled upon a minor problem I can't really find an explanation for.
I've been using PMS for about a month now and I've been completely amazed by the ease of use. I'm running it from my old server and everything has been smooth. It can't handle most 1080p movies with MEncoder but when I switch to tsMuxeR everything is fine. I haven't done any extra configuration after I installed PMS the first time - mainly because I haven't had to the time to sit down and do so. For the first time, I've experienced that a transcoding through tsMuxeR isn't available with a specific movie - there simply just isn't such entry. As usual my server can't handle MEncoder but I'm wondering why with this specific movie tsMuxeR doesn't apply? It still works with all my previous films and so far I know there isn't anything special about this.
Can't anyone please explain?
Kind regards


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Steelers Recap: Another field goal game betweentwo bitter rivals
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, left, paces the sideline in front of some of the defense during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright) It was another classic Ravens vs. Steelers game. It came down to the team with the ball last and it was decided by a field goal. More than just a classic game between these two bitter rivals; it was a look at the past and possibly the future for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The black and gold got back to smash mouth football and while it may have been nail biting and nerve wracking, the result was a notch in the win


text: Humans love to stalk, to hunt, to devour. Many of the advancements humanity has found in the world have their roots in the desire to overpower another: weaponry, medicine, knowledge, these are all achievements which place humanity at the top of a quickly narrowing pyramid of superiority. We want nothing more than to know that we are at the top of the food chain.


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New Hampshire skier visits up 20.9%, fifth best year on record
Alpine ski areas recorded a total of 2,276,370 alpine skier and snowboarder visits, a 20.9% increase from the prior winter and a 4.7% increase over the ten year average. This number is the 5th best downhill ski season on record for the state.
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Forms | Clinic Letter | Registration Form
CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Cheer and Dance Teams will be holding the fourth annual Islander Cheer and Dance clinic before the start of the Islanders women's basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The Islanders will be taking on Texas State in the Play 4kay Pink Game at 7 p.m.
Previous experience is not required and dancers, dance teams, cheerleaders and cheer teams are welcome to attend. The clinic will be fun filled for all ages Pre-K to sixth grade. Participants will be given one free game ticket and will be invited to perform that evening at the game.
Please email all forms to the email provided or register the day of the event. Parents are encouraged to arrive early for the game and watch their child become an Islander Cheerleader for the day.
Director Melanie Lowry (361) 825-3417 Email email@example.com


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The VITEK VT-PTZ36W-FSD 36x Xpress Dome Indoor PTZ Camera with WDR is a surveillance camera that features a high resolution Exview HAD CCD imager for enhanced lowlight sensitivity. It offers True Day and Night ICR and a resolution of 550 TV lines with built-in 3.4 to 122.4mm lens. This camera also features WDR (Wide Dynamic Range), Image Stabilization, and On Screen Display (OSD). This IP-67 rated weather resistant camera is user-friendly with on-screen pull down menus and short-cuts that make it easy to setup as well as operate.
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New state law expands scope of coverage
February 22, 2013
Coaches and parents say they support a new Ohio law addressing concussions in youth athletics, but many wish more had been done to get the word out and some still have unanswered questions about......
Ohio Rep. Michael Stinziano, D-Columbus said, "We are encouraging individuals to talk to their lawyers." Guess what this legislator does in real life. Oh, look, he's a lawyer. Surprise, surprise! This is another unnecessary law, fostering confusion among the populace, more work for the legal profession, and higher costs for struggling small businesses. A truly free people is not a herd of cows to be prodded, restricted, and force-fed behaviors from every conceivable direction. As a parent, I need to put down the cellphone, get out of the car, and walk over to the coach, "Hey, coach, what about these new warnings on kids concussions? Oh, you haven't heard? I'll get some information and get back to you; it is really important for safety. Oh, you don't care; you just want to win? Fine, little Johnny will not be playing on your team. We have many other alternatives." As a parent, I am responsible to be aware of the risks and to put my foot down on behalf of my child's
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From the article, "And Stinziano added there are no legal penalties in place for those not in compliance with the law. 'The goal of the law was to educate and inform and provide for student safety…,' he said."
This is how government grows, how it metastasizes; like a cancer, it can spread to places it shouldn't be. And this little concussion rule with no penalties is just the tip of the iceberg.
Protecting kids and others from repeated concussions is a serious problem, worthy of attention. But leave it to the medical people, teachers, coaches, parents, and educated kids to step up and solve this problem. The legislators are already overwhelmed (flailing) with taxes, school funding, etc; they should butt out on matters such as this. What Stinzaino did by sponsoring this bill amounts to nothing more than political grandstanding! There were other effective ways for a free people to advance concussion education and compliance.
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, walks with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., following a closed-door GOP meeting as the "fiscal cliff" bill passed by the Senate Monday night waits for a vote in the Republican-controlled House, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday Jan. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)


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Construction on Fury's Ferry Road has been going on two years too long.
A Georgia representative introduced a bill to hold contractors accountable for late projects.
It didn't pass this legislative session.
Representative Ben Harbin's bill would have kept late contractors from bidding on new projects before finishing current ones.
The senate wanted to make some changes on the bill before approving it, but time ran out.
Orange barrels are a common sight for Fury's Ferry commuters.
"We're excited about freer traffic flow," says resident Eric Chou. He fights the construction traffic every day on his way home. He thought the bill was a good idea.
"If they spread themselves too thin it seems projects could carry on for a long time," Chou says.
Two years in this case. Reeves Construction got the bid for Fury's Ferry...and Rep. Harbin says his legislation would keep companies like that from taking on more than they could handle.
"People will see the projects moving faster," Harbin said. "If they do fall behind, they won't be able to bid."
The bill got held up in a committee and didn't pass this year. The Georgia Department of Transportation says they still think it's a good idea...they plan to pass their own regulations to keep construction moving.
Some people question whether the Fury's Ferry project will be done in time for the April deadline. We caught up with another contractor who says they've been working with Reeves for the past two months to help them get the job done.
"We're here to complete the project, to get it done a little quicker," says contractor Ryan Davis. Reeves brought in extra workers like Davis to get the project done by the end of April.
"It would be great if they could hurry it along," Chou says. He's ready for the construction to be cleared up now.
Representative Harbin says he expects his bill to pass next legislative session.
Reeves Construction said the work should be mostly done by the late April deadline, and that there may be some cleanup going into early May.


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Tutorial: Silk Slip with Small Bust Adjustment
Hello! Nicole at Home, here. Even with the onset of colder weather in California, I've not wanted to give up on wearing dresses. But tights with dresses, and the static that clings them together, make me completely crazy. So, with an opportunity to use some of Britex's beautiful silks, I just had to make a slip. Click here to read more »


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Helen McGonigle, 48, was just six years old when Father Brendan Smyth, a notorious sex offender from Co. Cavan, first abused her.
McGonigle, now a successful attorney in Connecticut, says Smyth destroyed her family. She blames Smyth for the death of her sister and brother and the demise of her beautiful mother.
After years of suppressing the memories of the horrendous abuse, McGonigle is now dealing with her past and hoping other victims will do the same.
McGonigle, whose maternal grandparents were from Co. Kerry, was living with her family in East Greenwich, Rhode Island when her childhood was ripped apart at the seams.
Like any good Catholic family of their time, the church and clergy were to be highly respected. Helen was taught to obey church teachings and respect church leaders . . . including the new parish priest, Smyth.
The McGonigles were members of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and she went to school where Smyth worked.
Helen wasn't the only sister to encounter Smyth's evil ways. The Cavan priest also sexually abused her older sister Kathleen.
In the past few years, both Kathleen, 48, and her brother Gerard, 53, died of drug overdoses. McGonigle claims it was the abuse Kathleen suffered at the hands of Smyth that made her dependent on antidepressants.
Gerard, she told the Irish Voice, suffered from depression because he felt guilty he was unable to help his family during these terrible years.
It was finally her sister's tragic death in 2005 that lead McGonigle to face her worst nightmares, nightmares from the past she thought she would never need to resurrect.
"It was because I observed my sister rapidly deteriorating and fearful for her life that I began my investigation into the past about our childhood in Rhode Island," said McGonigle during a lengthy interview with the Irish Voice.
While her sister was ailing, McGonigle's father said accusingly, "It was that priest from Rhode Island that gave your sister alcohol that started her problems."
Not only did this statement shock and frighten McGonigle, it got her thinking back into her past. Was Smyth really responsible for his sister's problems?
"People who do not walk in these shoes cannot comprehend how it (abuse) impacts adults and can be life threatening as in the case of my family," said McGonigle.
Smyth, who died in jail in 1997 from a heart attack at the age of 70, was first introduced to the McGonigles in 1967 by Helen's grandmother, who was residing with the family in Rhode Island and had struck up a friendship with the new parish priest. They shared a common love for the Irish language.
"They were able to converse in Gaelic, something foreign to us in the U.S.," recalls McGonigle.
Smyth was invited into the McGonigle home to give it his blessing. He gifted them with a crucifix from his Norbertine Abbey, Holy Trinity in Co. Cavan.
He was an instant hit with the family. However, it didn't take Smyth long to expose his dark side.
In 1968, McGonigle said Smyth was caught molesting children in her parish and sent to Purdysburn Mental Hospital in Northern Ireland for treatment.
After his time was served in Ireland, Smyth was allowed to return to Rhode Island, said McGonigle.
"It was during that visit in the summer of 1967 that Smyth learned of the bizarre death -- supposedly blood poisoning from stepping on a bobby pin -- of my uncle Gerry Gerard O'Connor in 1947 while he was a seminarian at St. Mary's Baltimore," explains McGonigle. He would later use this to get to Helen.
Exploiting the family's tragedy and witnessing how distressed her grandmother and mother were over the loss of Gerry, Smyth, when reintroduced to McGonigle after he returned from Northern Ireland in her first grade year said, "You can call me Gerry like your uncle and your brother."
This was the start of the abuse, which lasted four years.
McGonigle, now divorced with one child, said from the start Smyth appeared jovial and playful. He told the family to call him Father Gerry. He was everyone's friend.
"He had a clever way of making things better for kids at our very grim school. Some of the older nuns were especially mean and cranky," McGonigle recalled.
"Smyth would breeze into a classroom and come up with ideas like having an ice cream cart at the basketball games and then selling the extra ice creams to us kids during the school day as a special treat."
During the abuse, McGonigle knew nothing but fear. Smyth told her she would "end up like the body in the woods" if she ever told a soul about what he was doing to her.
"I took that as a real death threat and was terrified and confused and very young," she says.
McGonigle also witnessed Smyth molesting her sister. They had a bedroom with a door directly to the outside that he could enter.
Smyth's evil antics didn't stop at the McGonigle sisters either. Their mother also spent time in a mental institution.


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According to Coach Gene Hildebrandt, 14 boys played seventh grade football this season.
When there's 14 kids out for 11 man football, the students get a lot of action and get to play on both sides of the ball, which is a good thing when the focus at this age should be getting playing time so kids can develop some skills.
Boys who played for the SJA Saints this past fall were Sawyer Carr, Austin Durheim, Javier Esqueda, Wilbert Esqueda, Sam Henderson, Brandon Johnson and Garrett Larson.
Other players participating in Saints football were Arnulfo Morales-Banda, Joe Reim, Anthony Rodriquez, Noah Sandmeyer, Riley Sandmeyer, Cole Sawatzky and Ricardo Vite.
The young Saints played in or scrimmaged against the Maple River Jamboree, LCWM, the Jackson Jamboree, Blue Earth Area, Windom and Maple River.
Assessing the players' performances this past season, Coach Hildebrandt said, "At the seventh grade level, all the kids have promising futures if they stay out for football."
Location, ST | website.com


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إرفنج ضد ليبستدات
Defense Documents
David Irving, Hitler and Holocaust Denial: Electronic Edition, by Richard J. EvansTable of Contents
|<< (iii) Irving's Account of...
|< (i) Background
(iv) Conclusion
1. Irving's egregious errors and lapses from normal scholarly standards go beyond mere carelessness. We have already seen numerous examples of how Irving distorts the documentary record in his futile attempt to claim that Hitler did not know about the pogrom of 9-10 November and tried to stop it when he found out about it. In places, he goes beyond this and gives credence to the Nazis' own public claims about the events, which, as we have seen, portrayed the assassination of vom Rath as a Jewish conspiracy and alleged that there had been little or no violence against Jewish persons. On page 272 of Goebbels: Mastermind of the 'Third Reich', Irving suggests that there is 'some frail evidence that LICA, the Paris-based International League Against Antisemitism' had a hand in the assassination. But he provides no evidence for this insinuation at all, not even frail evidence. In the 1991 edition of Hitler's War, Irving has already made a similar suggestion. Once more failing to provide a source reference for his claims, Irving wrote:
Revisionist historians now argue that the Nazis had fallen into a Zionist trap. The Haganah officials with whom Adolf Eichmann negotiated on his trip to Palestine in November 1937 had hinted that it would serve their interests if things were made hot for Germany's Jews, to accelerate Jewish emigration to Palestine. It deserves comment that Grynzspan, although a destitute youth, was able to reside in a hotel in 1938 and purchase a handgun for 250 francs, and that his defence counsel Moro Giafferi was the best that the money of the International League against Anti-Smitism (LICA) could buy: LICA's Paris office was around the corner from Grynszpan's hotel.164
2. Once more, therefore, Irving uncritically repeats the Nazi propaganda claim that Grynszpan had acted as the agent of 'world Jewry' as if it were fact.165 Irving again has taken over the details from the discredited antisemitic writer Ingrid Weckert, this time however without acknowledging his debt to her in any way.166 Yet again, his claims have no basis in fact. Grynszpan, whom Irving describes in an illustration caption in Goebbels as a 'crazed Jew', had actually been living until the day before his assassination attempt with his uncle Abraham Berenbaum, and left after a quarrel, renting a room in the Hôtel Suez on the Boulevard de Strasbourg for 22 francs 50 centimes a night. With 320 francs in his pocket, he bought a gun and cartridges from the weapons dealer Carpe for a total cost of 245 francs on the morning of 7 November 1938. There is no indication at all that he received financial or any other kind of support from Jewish organizations. His defence lawyer was paid by a non-Jewish committee in the USA set up by the journalist Dorothy Thompson in November 1938 specifically to help the young Pole. A subsequent investigation by the Gestapo failed to come up with any links at all between Grynszpan and Jewish organizations, or between such organizations and other assassinations mentioned by Irving. When Grynzspan was finally arrested after the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, the official appointed by the Propaganda Ministry to represent the interests of the German Reich in the Grynszpan affair in France, Professor Friedrich Grimm, admitted on 10 July 1942 that 'one can not prove any direct relationship between the murderer and Jewish organizations'.167 It was precisely because of this that plans to prosecute Grynszpan were dropped. One is entitled to ask, therefore: what does Irving know that the Gestapo and the Propaganda Ministry failed to discover? One searches his text and footnotes in vain for an answer to this question.
3. Irving's entire portrayal of the events of 9-10 November is designed to diminish the suffering of the Jews. Even though Irving is well acquainted with the figures detailing the terror of the pogrom drawn up by the Nazis themselves, he often provides much lower figures in his published work, both of the destruction caused and of the number of Jews killed. In The War Path, published in 1978, Irving gave the official figure of 91 killed, arrived at by the Nazis themselves. Of course, this figure is still far too low, and does not account for suicides, of which there were 680 by Jews during or shortly after the pogrom in Vienna alone. Others were killed after their transport to the concentration camps.168 However, many other historians have quoted the figure of 91 deaths, and Irving's account in 1978 at least gives some insight into what happened during the pogrom. He comments that the night of 9-10 November saw 'the first anti-Jewish pogrom since the Middle Ages', in which there was 'an orgy of burning and destruction, of murder and rape' throughout Germany and Austria.169 By the end of the 1980s, however, Irving had altered his portrayal of these events. In his book on Göing, published in 1989, and his book on Goebbels, published in 1996, he cites a figure of 35 or 36 dead, basing it on an early, incomplete report by Heydrich.170 Irving's own earlier work shows that he knows as well as anybody that these figures are wrong. His overall presentation of the events, which he describes in the Goebbels book simply as the Night of Broken Glass, without any inverted commas, reaches a low point of tastelessness in the relevant Chapter heading of the Göring biography, which is entitled 'Sunshine Girl and Crystal Night', trivialising the murderous destruction of the pogrom by linking it in this way to a section on Göring's daughter Edda.
4. In his most recent writings on the pogrom, Irving's manipulation of the figures of destruction caused during the pogrom is even more openly designed to minimise the suffering of the Jews in Germany. In Goebbels: Mastermind of the 'Third Reich', Irving only devotes one short paragraph to the statistics of the pogrom: 'By dawn on November 10, 191 of the country's fourteen hundred synagogues had been destroyed; about 7,500 of the one hundred thousand Jewish shops had had their windows smashed. Thirty-six of the country's half-million Jews had been murdered, and hundreds more badly beaten.'171
5. Not one of these claims is accurate. The only source Irving supplies for his claims is the minutes of the conference on 12 November 1938, chaired by Göring.172 What Irving fails to tell his readers is that, once more, he has lifted large parts of his information from the notorious Ingrid Weckert (the figure of 1,400 synagogues; the figure of 100,000 Jewish shops).173 Let us deal with Irving's various claims in turn.
6. First, on 12 November 1938 Heydrich did give the figure of 7,500 shops. At least this figure is repeated correctly in Goebbels: Mastermind of the 'Third Reich'. In an article in 1995, Irving had merely stated that 'Hundreds if not thousands of Jewish shops were destroyed'.174 However, while giving the correct figure in Goebbels: Mastermind of the 'Third Reich', Irving utterly trivialises the damage done to these shops. Heydrich did not claim at the conference on 12 November 1938 that the 7,500 shops merely had their windows smashed, as Irving does. What Heydrich did say, in fact, was that these shops had been 'destroyed'.175 During the pogrom, the internal fittings of many Jewish shops had been smashed, goods had been destroyed, thrown on the streets or stolen.176 It was official Nazi propaganda which trivialised this destruction as the 'Night of Crystal', a lie simply taken over by Irving.
7. Secondly, it is totally misleading to claim, as Irving does, that only about one in every 13 Jewish shops were destroyed during the pogrom. As the historian Avraham Barkai, an expert on the economic life of Jews under the Nazis, has discovered, according to official figures there were only about 9,000 Jewish shops left in the Altreich in July 1938. Thus, during the pogrom the vast majority of Jewish shops in Germany were destroyed.177
8. Thirdly, regarding the destruction of synagogues, Heydrich himself had stated in a letter to Göring on 11 November 1938 that a total of 267 synagogues had been set alight or smashed during the pogrom.178 It was clear even at the time that the real figure was considerably higher. The organisation of the Social Democrats in exile (SOPADE), which had informants all over Germany, estimated in November 1938 that 520 synagogues had been completely or partially destroyed.179 More detailed investigations of the damage could only be carried out after the war. According to A. Diamant, some 1,200 of around 1,800 synagogues and prayer-halls standing in Germany in 1933 were destroyed during the pogrom five years later. S. Korn has arrived at slightly lower figures: of around 2,000 synagogues and prayer-halls, about half of which were destroyed during or just after the pogrom.180 Whichever way one looks at these figures, it is clear that Irving's figure of only 191 destroyed synagogues is many times lower than the real figure.
9. Fourthly, as Irving himself has acknowledged in the late 1970s, at least 91 Jews (as noted previously, the real figure is significantly higher still), and not 36, had been murdered during the pogrom. Again, Irving uses implausibly low figures in order to diminish the suffering of Jews. He also fails to mention any cases of rape and sexual abuse.
10. The account David Irving gives in his recent work, and above all in his book Goebbels: Mastermind of the 'Third Reich', of the pogrom of 9-10 November 1938, therefore, amply demonstrates the unscholarly and biased nature of his approach to the past. He falsely attributes conclusions to reliable sources, bending them to fit his arguments. He relies on material that turns out directly to contradict his arguments when it is checked. He quotes from sources in a manner that completely distorts their authors' meaning and purposes. He misrepresents data and skews documents. He uses insignificant and sometimes implausible pieces of evidence to dismiss more substantial evidence that does not support his thesis. He ignores or deliberately suppresses material of which he is aware that it runs counter to his arguments. When he is unable to do this, he expresses wholly implausible doubts about its reliablility. He uses discredited sources when they appear to support his arguments, and tries to conceal his dependency on them from the reader. He has no scruples about stooping to sheer invention if this serves his purpose.
11. Irving does all this in order to minimise and trivialise the violence and destruction visited by the Nazis upon the Jewish community in Germany, to suggest that the Jews were themselves partly responsible for it by organising the assassination of vom Rath, and above all to dissociate Hitler completely from events which he approved of. Irving's conclusions are completely untenable. His scholarship is sloppy and unreliable and does not meet even the most basic requirements of honest and competent historical research. None of his work on the Reichskristallnacht, whether it was written before or after his conversion to full-scale Holocaust denial, merits being called a serious contribution to historical knowledge.
164. Irving, Hitler's War (1991 ed.), p. 148, footnote.
165. See for example BA Berlin, BDC Ordner 240/I, Joseph Goebbels, '/Der Fall Grünspan', Völkischer Beobachter, 12 Nov. 1938.
166. See the passages of Weckert, '"Crystal Night" 1938', in Third Supplemental Discovery List, marked with pencil in the margins, presumably by Irving.
167. Helmut Heiber, 'Der Fall Grünspan', VierteljahresheIte für Zeitgeschichte, Vol. 5 (1957), pp. 134-172.
168. Irving, The War Path, p. 165: Der Oberste Parteirichter to Hermann Göring, 13 Feb. 1939, in Der Prozess gegen die Hauptkriegsverbrecher vor dem Internationalen Militärgerichtshof< ND 3063-PS, IMT Vol. XXXII; IfZ G 01/91: Der SD-Führer des SS-Oberabschnittes Donau an den Chef des Sicherheitshauptamtes, 21. 11. 1938.
169. Irving, The War Path, pp. 164-5.
170. Irving, Göring, p. 237.
171. Irving, Goebbels, p. 276.
172. Stenographische Niederschrift von einem Teil der Besprechung über die Judenfrage unter Vorsitz von Feldmarschall Göring im RLM am 12. November 1938, in Der Prozess gegen the Hauptkriegsverbrecher vor dem Internationalen Militärgerichtshof Vol. XXVIII, ND 1816-PS.
173. I. Weckert, "Crystal Night" 1938: The Great Anti-German Spectacle', Journal of Historical Review, 6 (1985), p. 190.
174. Irving, 'Revelations from the Goebbels's Diary', Journal of Historical Review, 15 (1995), pp. 2-17, here p. 12.
175. Stenographische Niederschrift von einem Teil der Besprechung über die Judenfrage unter Vorsitz von Feldmarschall Göring im RLM am 12. November 1938, in Der Prozess gegen the Hauptkriegsverbrecher vor dem Internationalen Militärgerichtshof Vol. XXVIII, ND 1816-PS.
176. See, for example, Obst, "Reichskristallnacht", p. 271.
177. A. Barkai,' "Schicksalsjahr 1938"', i. Pehle (ed.), Der Judenpogrom 1938 (Frankflirt a.M., 1988), pp. 94-117, here p. 96. Heydrich on 12 November 1938 explicitly refered to 'shops' only. But even if one counted all Jewish business in Germany, not just shops, one would only reach a figure of around 30,000-40,000, and not 100,000; see ibid. See also A. Barkai, Vom Boycott zur 'Entjudung'(Frankfurt a.M., 1987), p. 147.
178. Heydrich to Göring, 11.11.1938, in Der Prozess gegen die Hauptkriegsverbrecher vor dem Internationalen Militärgerichtshof, Vol. XXXII, ND 3058-PS.
179. Cited in S. Rohde, 'Die Zerstörung der Synagogen unter dem Nationalsozialismus', in A Herzig, I. Lorenz (eds.), Verdrängung und Vernichtung der Juden unter dem Nationalsozialismus (Hamburg, 1992), pp. 153-172, here p. 169.
180. A. Diamant, Die Zerstörung der Synagogen vom November 1938 (Frankfurt a.M., 1978), p. xv; S. Korn, 'Synagogenarchitektur in Deutschland nach 1945', in H.P. Schwarz (ed.), Die Architektur der Synagogue (Frankfurt a.M., 1988), p. 309; both cited in S. Rohde, 'Die Zerstöorung der Synagogen unter dem Nationalsozialismus', in A Herzig, I. Lorenz (eds.), Verdräangung und Vernichtung der Juden unter dem Nationalsozialismus (Hamburg, 1992), pp. 153-172, here p. 170.
|<< (iii) Irving's Account of...
|< (i) Background


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Writers gained insight on writing columns from Wayne Anderson, "Venture Bound" Columbia Daily Tribune; Cathy Salter, "Notes from Boomerang Creek" Columbia Daily Tribune; and Elizabeth Davis, "Historically Yours" Boonville Daily News. The area columnists formed a panel at the Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild meeting July 1.
Moderator Carolyn Mulford asked questions like "Where do you get your material?" and "How do you go about writing your column?"
Ms. Davis said she checks her files to see what she has made notes on from other sessions, before she goes online to do research. She added area people are quick to make suggestions for columns.
Dr. Anderson said he writes detailed journals of all his trips, so his travel columns are almost written when he starts. A retired professor, he added when he started writing columns, he had to unlearn academic writing.
Ms. Salter, who also journals, said she confronts a blank computer screen or writing tablet on Monday morning and starts her "notes." She adds somewhere during the course of the day magic happens and pulls it all together. Seasoned writers know what she means.
Three different approaches, three different methods, three appealing columns result.
Location, ST | website.com


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Puckett, Wood win WABFA tournament
Published: Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 12:16 a.m.
TUSCALOOSA | Mike Puckett and Stephen Wood won the West Alabama Bass Fishermen's Association's first tournament of the year on Lake Tuscaloosa on Feb.9.
Puckett and Wood took first place with a stringer weighing 13.96 pounds. Hunter McKinley and Micah Easterling finished second with 12.12 pounds and Lavaughn and Michael Goodman were third with 10.98 pounds
McKinley and Easterling had the big fish, a 5.58-pound bass. Thirty-four boats participated in the tournament.
The club's next tournament will be March 2 at Lock 8 on the Warrior River. The club's year runs from February through December. Anyone interested in joining the West Alabama Bass Fishermen's Association should call Jack Woodard at 752-3501 or 454-7996.
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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|Length Overall
|Dry Weight
|2,800 lbs.
|Tested Weight
|Weight Capacity
|Draft Up
|Person Capacity
|Draft Down
|Fuel Capacity
|41 gal
|Air Draft
|Water Capacity
|Length on Trailer
|Max Headroom
|Height on Trailer
|Bridge Clearance
|Trailer Weight
|Total Package Weight (Trailer,Boat & Engine)
|Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.
|Std. Power
|Malibu 320 LCR - 320 hp, EFI-MPI
|Tested Power
|1 x 400-hp Indmar 383 Hammerhead
|Opt. Power
Hammerhead 383 - 400 hp, EFI-MPI
Malibu Monsoon 340 - 340 hp, EFI-MPI w/ catalyst
|Malibu Malibu
A Purest Machine
By Capt. Ron Svoboda
Slipping behind the LXi's low profile helm and windshield, I started to wonder what driving a world championship pro ski boat was going to be like. Admittedly, I don't have a lot of exposure to a boat like this in my line of work. So I asked myself, was it going to be quick? Probably. Was the boat going to handle differently than other vessels? Probably. Was I going to enjoy the ride? Oh yes!
The LXi is a purest machine, designed to do one thing very well. Actually designed to do three things very well. Its goal in life is to tow the best water skiers, jumpers and tricksters to world fame. It all starts with a 20 foot, 6 inches long, low freeboard hull that's meticulously wrapped around a high-tech Indmar inboard engine that's coupled to a direct drive transmission. This configuration maximizes the boat's balance and towing efficiency and delivers a nimble feel while tracking a solid line around buoys. Standard fare is a multi-port fuel injected motor that dishes-out 320 horsepower. For high altitude lakes and others with the need for more power, a 340 horsepower version is available, along with a 400 horsepower, Hammerhead 383 mill. All these motors meet CARB regulation standards so you can ski at various California spots where others cannot.
Layout and Features
Inside the boat, the narrow beam offers ample room for up to eight people to sit comfortably. But don't expect to move about the boat while others do, as floor space is minimized to maximize seating. There is even a pair of optional jump seats that can be placed on either side of the engine box for two more bodies. When not in use, they can be simply removed without the need for tools and stashed at the dock. The back of the boat gets a wide bench seat and a decent sized transom sun pad. This tanning bed conceals a fully carpeted storage compartment below the cushions, and ensures adequate storage space for the day's activities. Even though the gunwales are low, built-in side coaming panels are beautifully integrated into the sides of the LXi and provide quick access to towels or ski vests.
Up at the front of the boat, is a thoroughly padded seating area designed for two people to stretch out and catch some rays. A centerline filler cushion can be removed to convert the area for seating instead of lounging if you choose.
Two more people can sit at the observer's bench seat that's fitted to the port side across from the helm. Here you will also find a large glove box and massive compartment behind the seat's flip-up back cushion that hides more storage and access to the stereo head unit.
Control Freak
Putting forth the ability to control this deluxe tow machine is Malibu's innovative helm. At the center of the dash is the Precision Pro Speed control that allows you to dial in the perfect speed, plus memory inputs let you set predetermined speeds for different skiers and conditions. Malibu also incorporated their unique LCD switch panels that control all accessory power switching while adding a sleek look to the helm. A JBL stereo system integrated with a special Malibu controller and Rockford Fosgate speakers finishes off the modern pilot station.
With corvette like performance, virtually-flat wake characteristics and an unlimited pallet of color customization options, there is no reason why the LXi won't be able to improve your slalom, trick and jumping routines and ensure you'll perform at your best time after time.
|Power Steering
|Exterior Features
|Carpet: Cockpit
|Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
|Swim Platform
|Tower: Watersports
= Standard = Optional
|Warranties change from time to time. While BoatTEST.com has tried to ensure the most up-to-date warranty offered by each builder, it does not guarantee the accuracies of the information presented below. Please check with the boat builder or your local dealer before you buy any boat.
|Hull Warranty
|Lifetime Limited
|Engine Warranty
|Limited 3-Year
|Powertrain Warranty
|Limited 3-Year
|Gelcoat Warranty
|Limited 2-Year
|Accessories Warranty
|Limited 3-Year
|Pricing Range
|Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.


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The Cardinals have agreed to terms on a trade that will send LT Levi Brown to the Steelers.
Theres suddenly a left tackle arms race in the AFC North.
After the Ravens made a move last night to getEugene Monroe off the Jaguars, the Steelers are trying to keep pace.
According to Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com, the Steelers and Cardinals are hammering out a trade which would sendLevi Brown to the Steelers. A league source tells PFT the deal is done, pending a physical.
The Steelers have clearly been dissatisfied with their tackle play all year, rotatingKelvin Beachum in for both Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians referred to Brown as an elite left tackle this offseason, but must not feel that way after a month of regular season games.


text:
Recently I learned about the open source tool kabeja, that does a very good job in rendering pdfs from dxf (circles remain circles, even with a line pattern!), but the hatches from my qcad drawings come out wrong. Curiously, the errror looks much the same in a recent version of Adobe Illustrator: at first sight the hatched area looks like a black solid, only when zooming in I see, that there are virtually hundreds of lines crammed very tightly.
Is there anything I can do about it? will the promised version 3 change that? the file in the qcad patterns library looks fine on its own.


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"Seva has given so much help to so many thousands of people for so many years — such a wonderful example of love in action."
Bonnie Raitt
Singer / Songwriter
"For 30 years Seva has made an extraordinary contribution to the world — not only through their
international programs, but here in some of the most impoverished communities in North America, on Native American reservations. Thank you Seva."
Jackson Browne
Singer / Songwriter
"Seva takes the impulse towards generosity and turns it into compassionate action that helps people in real need. I honor my friends and relations by giving to Seva in their name — the entire world benefits. I hope you'll join me."
Peter Coyote
Actor / Writer
"Compassion and caring for people in need - that's simply a moral necessity. But it's not
always easy to do. Seva makes it easy. They know how to put your donations to work in ways that truly benefit people."
Joan Baez
Singer / Humanitarian Activist
"When we met the folks at Seva, we knew we were among kindred spirits, joining to bring people together in service to others. Whether preventing blindness in Nepal, assisting native peoples in Guatemala and Mexico, or helping our own Native Americans, Seva has been there to help alleviate suffering and improve people's lives. Long may they rock!"
Phil Lesh
The Grateful Dead
"Seva's efforts create hope and happiness worldwide for so many people in difficult conditions. I've always been amazed and cheered by their good works and I've been very happy to help them in their fundraising efforts."
Bruce Hornsby
Singer / Songwriter
"We've always admired Seva's focus on serving indigenous people in the U.S. and around the world. Seva knows how to work with communities in ways that truly benefit those in need. We are honored to be involved with their mission and look forward to contributing to their efforts for years to come."
Tea Leaf Green
"I congratulate Seva Foundation for the magnificent work they continue to do."
Legendary Folk Singer
"Seva has done an incredible job all over the world helping people who really need it. I am proud to be one of the many who followed Wavy and his friends down this particular yellow brick road."
David Crosby
Singer / Songwriter
"Such dedication to others — how could you not love Seva and what they accomplish? Well done!"
Graham Nash
Singer / Songwriter
World-class Benefit Concerts
Audiences turn Compassion into Action for over 35 years
|Seva Benefit at Beacon Theater 2011 - Ani DiFranco
|Seva's 30th Anniversary - Bonnie Raitt & Elvis Costello
|Sweethearts For Seva 2010 - 'Get Together'
|Seva Benefit Concert 2007 - ZERO: 'Catalina'
|Seva Benefit at the Palace of Fine Arts 2013 - Jai Uttal
|Sing Out For Seva Benefit 2007-
Chris Robinson & his Wooden Family: 'New Speedway Boogie'
|Seva Benefit 2011 - Bob Weir & Friends: 'Sugaree'


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Fed's Plosser: May Need to Employ Aggressive Tightening Campaign
The Federal Reserve is facing daunting challenges when it comes to eventually ending its current easy money stance, and it might have to raise short-term rates faster than many expect, warned Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Charles Plosser.
While he didn't say the central bank is on the edge of needing to raise rates off of their current rock-bottom levels, the official fretted the Fed confronts a wide range of uncertainties about how that process will play out. Mr. Plosser has been a long-term skeptic of the Fed's bond-buying stimulus efforts, and he's been uncomfortable with the duration of very low short-term rates.
Mr. Plosser, who spoke as part of a panel discussion held in Philadelphia at the annual American Economic Association, will be a voting member of the monetary policy setting Federal Open Market Committee this year. His comments follow the FOMC's decision in December to slow the pace of what had been an $85 billion per month bond-buying program. Going forward, the monthly pace of purchases will stand at $75 billion, and many in the market expect a gradual but steady reduction in the pace of buying as the year progresses.
Mr. Plosser used his remarks to look out a bit further at the monetary policy outlook. Currently, the Fed expects to keep short-term rates very low until some time in 2015. The veteran central banker is uneasy with that, and warns the Fed should prepare for a faster and more aggressive campaign of rate hikes given the inflation risks presented by all the liquidity it has provided markets.
Mr. Plosser said the Fed would like to raise rates "gradually" but added "it doesn't always work that way."
"How fast will we have to move interest rates up…we don't know the answer to that," Mr. Plosser said. He warned that the Fed may have to be "aggressive," and he added "people like to think the Fed has all this great control over interest rates, but the market does its own thing."


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An oft-trumpeted home triumph in technology discussion sites isthe conversion of friends or loved ones to a GNU/Linux desktop. "Iwas tired of fixing Windows on my kid's/grandmother's/in-law'scomputer, so I set up a Linux desktop. They love it! It's so easyto use, and I don't have to do anything to maintain it! No ad-wareor viruses, and best of all, it's free!" It sounds almost too goodto be true.... has the free desktop revolution arrived? I recentlyfound myself in a position to find out first hand.
Earlier this week, my wife's Windows XP computer began to randomlyshut down and had difficulty turning on. I didn't have the time toproperly troubleshoot the hardware issue, so I supplied her with anaccount on my Ubuntu desktop as a stop gap.
She was already familiar with several of the applications, such asOpenOffice.org, Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, so she was already familiar with portions of the system. I copied herbookmarks from a backup and set up her email, so after some briefinstructions, she said she was comfortable enough to have a go at italone.
Later, I asked her to describe her first experience with aGNU/Linux desktop environment. Overall, she found the system to besimple and fast; it reminded her of the Mac interface, which shelikes. However, it was harder to find things at first. "I don'tknow where to go to find Photoshop... I didn't recognize the programnames."
I checked the Applications menu; while one could easily findprogram categories, picking the right program could very easily beintimidating. Just by reading the title and looking at the tool tip,how can you tell the difference between Democracy TV and VLC? They're both described as multimedia players, but they'refundamentally very different.
Later that day, she called me into the office. "I can't get theCD-ROM drive to open." That's odd, it was working before. I triedopening it myself, first by pressing the button (no response), thenby right-clicking on the CD icon on the desktop and selecting eject. I got an error saying that my account was the only one that couldeject the disc. I switched back to my account, ejected the disc, andreturned. Now, the drive worked as expected.
There's a fine line between security and usability, and I feel itwas crossed. Having to switch users to eject a CD just isn'tintuitive. I hadn't put the CD in during the session; it was in thedrive when the machine booted. I had initially signed in, then latershe switched users to check her email and get some work done. Noapplication was accessing it; it was just sitting there, inactive.
These avoidable and very minor issues marred an otherwise positivefirst-time experience, which indicates further improvements to theuser interface need be made. Distributions like Ubuntu desktop arebeing marketed as fairly easy to adopt, and for the most part, I feelit's an accurate portrayal. As for a revolution, not exactly, but it's well on it's way. My wife's final words on the subject: "Ihope you put [Ubuntu] on my computer after you fix it."
On usability
What's intuitive about the name "Photoshop"? Nothing, except experience. iTunes sells tunes, so a "Photoshop" probably sells photos. Expectation is the enemy, and the only way to conquor it is to give the user enough information to understand
* what can I do?
* how do I do it?
* have I done anything?
A common problem in multi-user systems on one home machine like GNU/Linux or Microsoft XP Home Edition is that users are not familiar with being protected from one another, and that this goes for processes as well. When trying to access a locked resource, it would be helpful if the error messages where a bit more informative. In stead of just saying "Access denied", it would be helpful - at least in a none-ICT-professional home environment - if the system had some notion of context. "While you started this program by clicking an icon, the process is owned by a more privileged user account than you have, so when you try to stop it from printing 500 pages of drivel, you will not succeed. Please use a systems administrator account and try stopping the printer again!"
If a crackers can get all they need using a key stroke logger, why can't regular users expect the operating system to be intelligent enough to check a command history against system privileges and give a meaningful error message appropriate to the context?
To fix the problem with the
To fix the problem with the non ejecting CD you have to add your non-priviliged account to certain user groups. In ubuntu it seems to be self explanitory: "Use CD-ROM drives"
You go to System -> Administration -> Users and Groups -> Click on non-priviliged user that you added -> Properties -> User Priviliges -> Check whatever you wish to let the user have.
It's not a problem, it's a user mistake. You expect to add a user and have most priviliges added to it automatically. That's not how a secure operating system works. That's why Linux is different from Windows: It makes you think, and if something goes wrong, you know what actually went wrong, in experience. Windows hides so much from the user that he can only go to control panel and change settings or if he knows what he's doing alot go into the registry or some System Administration tool that they can't really find in the Home Edition.
Also, Photoshop would be under Applications -> Wine if at all, you can always move it to Graphics section via the Menu Editor, or better yet just put it in the panel as a quick-launcher. Knowing the Icon she would definitely click on it, also, people are just used to the way Windows works, so for them looking in Applications is not really self explanitory, it seems. Also, don't forget that Photoshop is not a native application, so if you installed it, it will most likely be in wine directory, no? :)
Dumbed-down GUIs
It's a bit off-topic but I'd like to disagree slightly on what you said about the difference between Windows and GNU/Linux:
I don't see how going to System -> Administration -> Users and Groups is any different from going to the control panel, or how editing /etc/groups is different from going to the Registry.
This is a sad thing because I think GUIs shouldn't hide what they're doing. I had a similar problem as the original author. I don't remember the details, but I ended up having to find the file that the "Users and Groups" dialog wrote its settings to. Guess what, the dialog doesn't mention that it really just edits /etc/groups. This might be a good thing when you don't want to overwhelm users with technical details. But at least the help page could have mentioned what the dialog was doing.
There's a tendency to dumb down GNU/Linux in order to make it more acceptable to Windows users. I'm not for sending users to the terminal, or to edit config files. GUIs have their merits, but developers or documentation writers shouldn't forget to describe the technical details in case the user needs them.
Not only /etc/groups
The problem is that group and user information might be stored using LDAP, NIS or even a SQL database. There should be some way of configuring this. That also means that admins need to be aware that a system can have local and non local users (e.g. ones that have their user information and perhaps even their home directory on other sysems).
That's the problem in a nutshell
I'm afraid that this response highlights one of the biggest problems Linux encounters on the desktop.
Desktop users want computers to serve them, not to put obstacles in their way. I agree with the writer that it's
"a line crossed" when a new user can't use the CD drive. It's not that much of a problem of Linux in and by itself, it's a problem of settings and defaults.
This brings me to the comment of "user error". I heartily disagree. It's a system design error to set up things that a user has to worry about things like that. It's simply targeting the wrong type of user. For a file server or a workgroup machine it would be ok to have a setup that takes a safety first approach, but a home-user system should in my opinion go out of its way to make it easy for people to actually use the computer. I don't mean giving users root access ... I just mean that they should be able to use all the ordinary peripherals of the system (the printers, the network interfaces, the modem connections, any scanners that might be connected, the USB ports, and certainly any CD-Rom drives).
In addition, I think that there is absolutely no merit in revelling in the "everything is forbidden unless permitted" dictum. Just remember that an ordinary Linux system is far from secure, and not hardened. The NSA has produced a version of Linux which takes a few steps in that direction, and it's not fun to use. There is no black-and-white distinction between secure and not secure. There are only degrees of security, each one appropriate or less appropriate to a certain situation.
For desktop use at home use I believe that new users (especially ones that are created when you install Linux) really should have all privileges that they would have had under Windows, by default. Then if you create another user, you should be presented with a big option-list where you can see (in plain language) what privileges this new user can be gratned and where you can check/uncheck whatever you feel is appropriate. That would have been helpful.
Anything more is (I feel) just trying to look interesting at the users' expense.
I fear that this is the grain of truth that underlies the widespread belief that Linux isn't user-friendly. No matter what you (a veteran Linux user) might feel about the appropriateness of allowing new users access to CD-Roms by default, I'm confident that Joe Sixpack couldn't care less. He/she just wants to switch on the darn machine, slap in a CD, open a spreadsheet / wordprocessor application, print, end perhaps email the result to someone. All without once being pestered by "access violation" and obscure requests for configuration.
If users can *count* on that being the case when they buy a machine with Linux pre-installed, that's when we'll see uptake of Linix on the desktop.
User privileges
Note also, It is not just a question that you
must accept the defaults that Ubuntu starts with.
You can change the priviles in various user profiles
to your own liking, so that when you add your wife
as a user, choosing the 'Desktop' profile cant automatically
include 'access CD ROM', and you won't have to think of it
Why Ubuntu doesn't include CDROM access as a default for
desktop user is another question, but at least you don't
have to blindly accept their 'mistake'.
I always create a few relevant launchers
When I create a user account for someone new to Linux, I normally spend a few minutes figuring what applications they would typically use and popping launchers for them onto the toolbar. Sometimes I'll change the explanatory bit that pops up on mouse-over so it's clearer.
It just gives an extra bit of ease to their experience.
Not quite
It's not a problem, it's a user mistake. You expect to add a user and have most priviliges added to it automatically. That's not how a secure operating system works.
I disagree. A secure operating system works as expected. The flaw is that there was not a question asking what type of user do you want to add? A) a remote user? B) a trusted local user (will have access to removable media such as USB devices, CD/DVD burners, floppies, etc.)? C) a local user? D) a highly trusted user (all of B, plus the ability to use sudo to install/uninstall software, configure/disable hardware, etc.)?
Obviously I have not put much thought into the questions, but you get the concept. Windows is theoritically more secure than linux (without selinux), however the security in linux is used. The key is making security easy to implement for the average user. If this was a frequent problem, people would give up on the security and just run as root, just as most people run as administrator under windows, it is not that windows couldn't be fairly secure, just that it takes too much work to secure it, so no one bothers.
Fundamental Difference between Linux and Windows
When I explain to people why Linux is secure and behaves differently from Windows I repeat these two lines:
In Linux everything is forbidden unless explictly permitted;
In Windows everything is permitted unless explictly forbidden.
In my experience, the less computer savvy the listener, the easier (s)he finds the aphorism to grasp.
Windows is a single user system, and so this problem can never arise on Windows. Unix/Linux is a multi-user system so it is possible for many users to be logged in at once (remotely, or on local multi-head PCs) and for one to hog the CD-ROM, and so lock the other out. This problem can also arise when a program using the CD locks up. On Windows it is standard practice to reboot if this happens, but on Linux rebooting is not customary. The Windows approach is not the right one for a multi-user system like Linux. The Unix/Linux secure mounting/unmounting approach is exactly the right way to do it on servers, but not on multi-user desktops.
I don't think simply changing Unix/Linux permissions, nor logging in as root (or using sudo) and killing the offending application is the right approach. For example you wouldn't want any user (say a remote user) on the system to be able to arbitarily kill another user's applications or eject a CD another user is using.
I think What is needed on Linux desktops is an extended security model, one which can allot to selected removable devices or shared devices the ability for their drivers to kill the applications using them when eject button is pressed or when the application has been idle for a preset period of time. Limiting the right to kill other people's applications to pushing the eject button on the CD, will allow person using the CD to see who is doing it, and so maintain security in that way. You wouldn't want to apply this to all shared devices either - for example a CD burner.
My experience
I have converted all my friends and family to Linux, and the group gets larger and larger. It is always customized (kinda like an OEM would), and I rename all the major applications with an icon on the desktop. Email, Edit Photos, Surf the Web, Burn a CD, etc. I also drag the (I use KDE, so that is what they get, until they want to change on their own), KDE Control Center to the desktop and name it "Customize Everything". I have never had a revert back, and in about 1/3 of the cases, they ask me if I can remove Windows (dual boot usually for the critical shareware game, etc). Few boot into Windows anymore and my life is peaceful with no more support calls.
Let's put it this way, my Mom, 71 years old had her modem fry in a lightning storm. I ordered her a modem to pick up at the store. Over the phone she plugged it in to replace the old one. That was it. No driver install, no change, no reboot-rinse-repeat, no EULAs, no 200 meg of teaser applications, nothing. She turned the computer on and all was completely fine. That is the sum total of my problem support in two years. I have, of course, provided positive help, such as this program does that, etc.
Let's look at apples and apples. If you gave Joe Average a computer, Linux installed and XP in a box, just how wonderful an experience are they going to have? The HPs and Dells of the world PRECONFIGURE everything so that is why it "just works" (and preconfigure a TON of crapware). Amazingly enough, if you buy a Linspire or Suse laptop pre-installed, everything "just works".
So, my advice, take the twenty to thirty minutes with the person you are OEMing for, do the above, teach them the basics about KDE control center (or Gnome or Fluxbox, whatever your passion is), and empower them with enough to hit the ground running. Time very well spent. I have never had a user tell me they didn't like Linux, the speed, the reliability, etc. My sister still has transparent windows, Hot Pink borders and because she was familiar with Photoshop, everything the Gimp does is second nature, with 30 seconds of me demonstrating that it is all right mouse menu driven.
LOL, 1/2 don't even know the root password, they haven't needed it, and guess what, they wouldn't know a command line interface from chow line interface.
Oh Yeah, her kids messed up her system playing games on a few occasions with Windows. It can't happen with Linux and their "Potato Guy" Account.
Potato Guy
"Potato Guy" account. I like that :)
Thoughts on this article
The original writer writes:
"I checked the Applications menu; while one could easily find program categories, picking the right program could very easily be intimidating. Just by reading the title and looking at the tool tip, how can you tell the difference between Democracy TV and VLC? They're both described as multimedia players, but they're fundamentally very different."
I recognized this immediately. Why? Because that's how I feel when I'm using Windows. When I click on that "start" button, and ask to see all programs, I see move 60 menu entries, many of which are place holders for submenus and often sub-submenus. I wouldn't know a PhotoShop from a putty knife.
So how does a user who has minimal experience on an OS to which they are new learn about the programs that are there? Certainly one can search the internet for the words on the menu, to determine what they are. On some Linux systems, the programs are at least categorized, but as the article writer points out, the categories are quite broad. So the second method is to start up the application to see what you can learn. I often find applications on any platform which come with little useful tutorials or introductory articles - see O'Reilly's entire series of books that one might wish popular applications came with :smile: .
The author then goes on to write:
"Having to switch users to eject a CD just isn't intuitive." This is particularly true in the case of Mac and Windows users, who back in the golden oldies days never had more than one user using the hardware at a time. However, starting with Windows NT and forward, users more and more frequently run into cases where one has to gain admin privleges to perform certain actions (on most xp systems, I can't install new software, or even try out popular web sites, because the installation of applications, plugins, etc. is limited, due to security purposes."
Now, imagine on a truly multi-person system like Ubuntu, if linux were to allow user 2 to eject the CD-Rom while user 1 was still using it. How is the
system supposed to know whether or not user 1 has currently running, or scheduled to run, some process which needs to access the cd-rom in question? The environment grows ever more complex as one has to concern themselves over the sharing of limited resources such as internet, printing, cd-roms, etc.
And if one rushes blindly into fixing a situation where software has "crossed the line" they may find themselves facing quite rude surprises later unexpectedly.


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6 Ways to Win Over His Friends
"Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it."
—Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember
"Eventually, I think you find a spiritual and emotional connection with someone, and I think it unifies you with everyone else. I think if you love one person, it makes you love everyone..." Russell Brand


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Read More About
Dunkin' Donuts, America's all-day, every day stop for coffee and baked goods, announced today that the company is recruiting franchisees for the markets of Reno, Nevada; Wichita and Topeka, Kansas; and portions of Texas, including territories in the western, southern, and eastern regions of the state that include cities such as Amarillo and Corpus Christi.
The company expects that restaurants in these markets will begin to open in 2014.
Dunkin' Donuts' development of these western and south central markets is part of the company's goal to more than double its current footprint of more than 7,000 restaurants in the United States over the next 20 years.
"We've experienced incredible momentum over the past few months and are excited to offer additional franchise opportunities in Nevada, Kansas, and Texas to continue to grow the brand," says Grant Benson, vice president of franchising and development, Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. "In Texas alone, agreements have been signed to open more than 100 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants over the next several years in cities like Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, which is a testament to the strength of our brand and our passionate and dedicated franchisees."
In an effort to keep the brand fresh and competitive, Dunkin' Donuts offers franchisees flexible design concepts, including free-standing stores, end caps, in-line sites, kiosks, and gas stations, as well as other retail environments.
Dunkin' Donuts has aligned its development strategy to support the growth opportunities and consumer needs of each individual market. In addition, for a limited time, there are special development incentives available in these markets, including reduced royalty fees for the first three years and an extra $10,000 in local store marketing.
"We are looking for qualified candidates with foodservice, operations, and real estate experience," Benson says. "By joining our team, franchisees become part of a nationally established brand with over 60 years of experience and 95 percent brand recognition, receive the benefits of a multi-million dollar advertising fund, in addition to world-class training and ongoing support, among many other benefits."


text:
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EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado - Courtney Holm said her clients have told her what Eagle County's greatest need is - jobs.
Holm, a Republican, is seeking to unseat incumbent Democrat Jon Stavney. The political system generally favors incumbents, but Holm said she wouldn't have taken on the job - and as a late entry to race after former candidate Shayne Mitchell withdrew in August - if she didn't believe she could win.
"I've climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and I was stuck in Gander, Newfoundland for four days over 9/11 (2001)," Holm said. "Running for commissioner isn't that big a deal."
Holm may be well traveled, but she's a local woman who's done well, born and raised in the valley. About the only time she's been gone for any extended period of time was for college and law school. She's been practicing in the valley since 2002, and has had her own practice since 2010.
Holm said she was asked by the local Republicans' candidate vacancy committee to consider a run this fall, and agreed to interview.
"A lot of the reason I came forward was my long history in the valley," Holm said. "And I've been disappointed in these commissioners."
While she's a late entry to the race, Holm said she's been reading "voraciously" about county issues, both news stories and county documents, as well as talking to people both inside and outside the organization.
"I've gotten to talk to a lot of really intelligent people so far," she said.
Finding new employers
In Holm's view, the biggest issue facing the county is jobs, and residents' ability to earn a living here. It's something she sees and hears about every day in her job, she said.
Holm said the county needs to do what it can to ensure businesses that were founded here stay here. The county should also be involved in helping recruit businesses - mostly likely smaller companies with between six and 10 employees.
"That creates housing demand and commerce," Holm said.
The county can help that process by making sure businesses don't have too many regulatory hurdles to open their doors here, and by working with towns and other local governments to draw new employers to the county, Holm said. And recruitment could include working with local chambers of commerce to send people to conferences and trade shows to put out the word that the county is a good place to live and work.
Beyond talking to residents, Holm said she grew up studying political science and similar subjects, and is a firm believer that "if things aren't going the way you think they should, you need to get involved."
Holm said technology also has a role to play in revitalizing the county's economy. That includes working with Colorado Mountain College, and local medical centers, she said.
"Let's focus on helping CMC become a destination," she said.
Interviewed the day after a candidate forum, Holm said that event reinforced her view that the current commissioners are out of touch with many residents.
Being out of touch, in Holm's view, includes the current commissioners' defense of the decade-old open space tax.
"It hasn't been what people envisioned," Holm said of the program, adding that she'd like to put the issue back to voters.
On the subject of finance, Holm knows the county is facing another drop in property tax revenue starting in 2014.
"We need to focus on core services," Holm said. She added that her understanding is that there are only three Eagle County sheriff's deputies on duty in the Basalt/El Jebel area, and wondered if that's adequate.
Building revenue
While jobs and opportunity top Holm's to-do list, there's only so much government can do on that front - job creation is, ultimately, a private-sector task. But the payoff comes to everyone.
"Increasing jobs will stimulate the economy, and that will boost real estate values," she said.
One way to stimulate the economy might be an international terminal at the county airport.
Holm said finding the initial funding to pay for an international terminal won't be a problem.
"The real issue is the markets - where are they?" Holm said. "We need to figure out what's sustainable, and we need to work with the resort companies and the chambers."
Ultimately, Holm said, county officials need to determine "if the numbers make sense."
The county should also be involved more in bringing events to the valley.
"We have enough facilities to bring a lot more people here," she said. "The chambers (of commerce) need support to do that."
Through good times and bad, Holm said the county government needs to continually adjust its own rules and regulations to adapt.
"We need to be cognizant of what works right now, and keep checking in," she said.
Holm has seen the housing market rise and fall, and said that experience - and the experience gained in a lifetime of living here, would make her a good county commissioner.
"I have specialized knowledge of the county," she said, including both work and recreational pursuits from hunting to cycling. "I talk to people from all walks of life every day.
"I feel sorry for the incumbent facing me."
Business Editor Scott N. Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930 or firstname.lastname@example.com.