text: Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE's Cleanup Plan for the Paducah, Kentucky Site Faces Uncertainties and Excludes Costly Activities (Testimony, 06/27/2000, GAO/T-RCED-00-225). Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to clean up its Paducah, Kentucky, uranium enrichment plant, focusing on: (1) DOE's planned activities, cost, and schedule for cleaning up the site; (2) the challenges in accomplishing the cleanup plan; and (3) whether the cleanup plan includes all areas at the site requiring cleanup. GAO noted that: (1) DOE expects to complete the cleanup by 2010 at a cost of about $1.3 billion; (2) DOE's cleanup plan focuses on six major categories of cleanup; (3) four of these address the physical contamination at the site--about 10 billion gallons of groundwater contaminated with radioactive and hazardous materials, contaminated surface water in creeks and ditches leaving the site, contamination in soils that may be spread by rain, and tons of buried waste; (4) the two other major categories include treating and disposing of the equivalent of about 52,000 barrels of waste and decontaminating and removing two unused process buildings; (5) numerous technical, funding, and regulatory uncertainties present challenges to DOE's ability to complete the cleanup as planned; (6) technical uncertainties include the planned use of technologies that are unproven or perhaps not well suited to the site's conditions; (7) also underpinning the plan is the assumption that federal funding for cleanup at Paducah will increase to an average of $124 million annually over the next decade, compared with the last 7 years' annual average funding of $43 million; (8) the plan also includes optimistic assumptions about reaching agreement with regulators on issues such as cleanup levels, strategies, and priorities; (9) even when the planned cleanup has been carried out, billions of dollars and many years will be needed to address areas at the Paducah site that are not in the cleanup plan; (10) the plan excludes nearly a million cubic feet of waste and scrap in areas known as DOE Material Storage Areas and 16 unused and inactive buildings and structures; (11) the additional materials, buildings, and structures are excluded from the plan not because they require no action but because they fall under the purview of a different departmental program; and (12) this programmatic distinction prevents the Paducah cleanup managers from assessing risk or planning a cleanup on a comprehensive, sitewide basis, and distorts the picture of the cleanup task at hand. --------------------------- Indexing Terms ----------------------------- REPORTNUM: T-RCED-00-225 TITLE: Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE's Cleanup Plan for the Paducah, Kentucky Site Faces Uncertainties and Excludes Costly Activities DATE: 06/27/2000 SUBJECT: Nuclear waste management Uranium Water pollution control Strategic planning Radioactive pollution Industrial facilities Federal/state relations Radioactive waste disposal Cost control IDENTIFIER: Paducah (KY) Superfund Program ****************************************************************** ** This file contains an ASCII representation of the text of a ** ** GAO Testimony. ** ** ** ** No attempt has been made to display graphic images, although ** ** figure captions are reproduced. Tables are included, but ** ** may not resemble those in the printed version. ** ** ** ** Please see the PDF (Portable Document Format) file, when ** ** available, for a complete electronic file of the printed ** ** document's contents. ** ** ** ****************************************************************** GAO/T-RCED-00-225 NUCLEAR WASTE CLEANUP DOE's Cleanup Plan for the Paducah, Kentucky Site Faces Uncertainties and Excludes Costly Activities Statement of Ms. Gary L. Jones, Associate Director, Energy, Resources, and Science Issues, Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division United States General Accounting Office GAO Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Energy Research, Development, Production and Regulation, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U. S. Senate For Release on Delivery Expected at 2: 30 p. m. EDT Tuesday June 27, 2000 GAO/ T- RCED- 00- 225 GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 1 Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: We are pleased to be here today to discuss the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to clean up its Paducah, Kentucky, uranium enrichment plant. Recent allegations that past activities at the plant endangered the health of employees led to renewed interest in DOE's efforts to clean up the site- efforts that began in 1988, when contamination was discovered in the drinking water wells of residences near the plant. Allegations include the improper disposal of hazardous and radioactive materials, release of contamination into streams and drainage ditches, and exposure of workers to radioactive materials. In an October 1999 report on Paducah, DOE found that limited progress has been made in cleaning up the source areas of contamination at the site, such as landfills, waste burial grounds, and waste and scrap piles. 1 Our statement today, based on our April 28, 2000, report, 2 addresses three issues: (1) DOE's planned activities, cost, and schedule for cleaning up the site; (2) the challenges in accomplishing the current cleanup plan; and (3) whether the cleanup plan includes all areas at the site requiring cleanup. In summary: · DOE expects to complete the cleanup by 2010 at a cost of about $1.3 billion (in addition to the nearly $400 million spent over the past decade on the characterization of the contamination on site and mitigation efforts, such as connecting residences with contaminated drinking water to municipal water). DOE's cleanup plan focuses on six major categories of cleanup. Four of these address the physical contamination at the site: about 10 billion gallons of groundwater contaminated with radioactive 1 Phase I: Independent Investigation of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (Office of Oversight; Office of Environment, Safety and Health; Department of Energy; Oct. 1999). 2 Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE's Paducah Plan Faces Uncertainties and Excludes Costly Cleanup Activities (GAO/ RCED- 00- 96, Apr. 28, 2000). GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 2 and hazardous materials, contaminated surface water in creeks and ditches leaving the site, contamination in soils that may be spread by rain, and tons of buried waste. The two other major categories include treating and disposing of the equivalent of about 52,000 barrels of waste and decontaminating and removing two unused process buildings. · Numerous technical, funding, and regulatory uncertainties present challenges to DOE's ability to complete the cleanup as planned. Technical uncertainties include the planned use of technologies that are unproven or perhaps not well suited to the site's conditions. Also underpinning the plan is the assumption that federal funding for cleanup at Paducah will increase to an average of $124 million annually over the next decade, compared with the last 7 years' annual average funding of $43 million. The plan also includes optimistic assumptions about reaching agreement with regulators on issues such as cleanup levels, strategies, and priorities. · Finally, even when the planned cleanup has been carried out, billions of dollars and many years will be needed to address areas at the Paducah site that are not in the cleanup plan. For example, almost 500,000 tons of depleted uranium will need to be converted to a more stable form and removed from the site. In addition, the plan excludes nearly a million cubic feet of waste and scrap in areas known as DOE Material Storage Areas (DMSA) and 16 unused and inactive buildings and structures. Some of the waste and scrap material pose a risk of an uncontrolled nuclear reaction that could threaten worker safety. Such a reaction produces a burst of radiation that generally lasts several hours; it is, however, a localized event that would not result in an explosion or release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. The additional materials, buildings and structures are excluded from the plan not because they require no action but because they fall under the purview of a different departmental program. The DMSAs and the 16 excess buildings and structures are the responsibility of DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science, and Technology (Office of Nuclear Energy), while the site cleanup is the Office of Environmental Management's GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 3 responsibility. This programmatic distinction prevents the Paducah cleanup managers from assessing risk or planning cleanup on a comprehensive, sitewide basis, and distorts the picture of the cleanup task at hand. As a result, we recommended in our report that these areas be transferred from the Office of Nuclear Energy to the Office of Environmental Management. We also recommended that the cleanup plan address all materials at the site that are potential health hazards, regardless of organizational responsibility, and that sitewide contamination risk and cleanup priorities, cost, and schedules be reexamined. Background The Paducah uranium enrichment plant is located in western Kentucky, about 3 miles south of the Ohio River and about 10 miles west of the city of Paducah. The plant- formerly run by DOE and now operated by a private company, the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC)- enriches uranium for commercial nuclear power plants. Plant operations have contaminated the site over time with radioactive and hazardous chemical wastes, including technetium- 99 (a radioactive fission product), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), uranium, and volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene (used as a degreaser). DOE's management of the Paducah site is divided between two offices. The Office of Environmental Management is responsible for the site's cleanup, while the Office of Nuclear Energy acts as the site's "landlord," with responsibilities for maintaining roads, grounds, and facilities not leased to USEC and for managing material storage areas and cylinders of depleted uranium. Cleanup activities are managed under contract by Bechtel Jacobs. Other stakeholders include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, both of which have regulatory responsibilities and participate in cleanup decisions. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 4 Two federal environmental statutes govern the cleanup of the Paducah site. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, commonly known as Superfund, provides broad federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 applies to the safe management and disposal of hazardous or other solid wastes. Specific cleanup strategies, their cost estimates, and time frames for completion are included in lifecycle baselines prepared by the site contractor, Bechtel Jacobs. The lifecycle baseline, according to DOE and contractor officials, is a "living document;" it is updated frequently to reflect the evolving nature of the cleanup process. Revisions to the lifecycle baseline are made to incorporate such things as changes in funding; updated cost estimates for specific studies, tests, and cleanup tasks; and changes in project approach or scope necessitated by study results. Such revisions can affect estimates of the total cost and schedule. We examined activities, costs, and schedules contained in the January 26, 2000, version of the lifecycle baseline. DOE Plans to Clean Up Six Major Categories by 2010 at a Cost of About $1.3 Billion DOE's January 2000 plan divides cleanup activities into six major categories- groundwater, surface water, surface soils, burial grounds, 52,000 barrels of accumulated wastes, and removal of two unused process buildings. DOE plans to complete its cleanup by 2010 at a cost of approximately $1.3 billion. Table 1 shows, by cleanup category, the planned cleanup cost and completion date. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 5 Table 1: DOE's Estimated Cost and Schedule for Six Cleanup Categories at the Paducah Site, as of January 2000 Dollars in thousands Cleanup category Cleanup cost Completion date Groundwater $ 162,100 2006 Surface water 162,300 2007 Surface soils 19,000 2007 Burial grounds 535,400 2010 Waste barrels (52,000) 228,100 2010 Unused process buildings 92,100 2008 Other a 104,200 2011 Total $1,303,200 a Includes approximately $91 million for monitoring and maintaining the site and about $13 million for other activities in 2011, such as preparing post- cleanup reports. Source: DOE. Taken together, the scope of the planned cleanup activities for the six categories is immense. First, three plumes of groundwater contaminated with radioactive and hazardous materials is flowing toward the Ohio River. The plumes contain an estimated 10 billion gallons of groundwater tainted with trichloroethene and 250 million gallons tainted with radioactive technetium- 99, a fission product. Trichloroethene in the groundwater has been found at levels of up to 700,000 parts per billion; the drinking water standard is 5 parts per billion. DOE has connected nearby residences to municipal drinking water and constructed groundwater pump- and- treat systems to reduce the contamination of two of the plumes. DOE is considering the use of cleanup technologies to remove the sources of groundwater contamination and to remove the contamination from the groundwater. Second, surface water contamination has been discovered in surrounding creeks and ditches. One of the main sources of this contamination is the thousands of tons of contaminated scrap metal that DOE has stored on site. During rainstorms, contamination washes from the scrap metal, and the runoff carries contaminated soils and sediments into the ditches and creeks. Contamination also stems from the discharge of wastewater from plant operations. Interim measures have included treating some GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 6 wastewater and rerouting wastewater around contaminated ditches. DOE's planned cleanup tasks include removing the 65,000 tons of scrap metal, dredging ditches and creeks, and installing basins to catch, and thus allow treatment of, the contaminated water. Third, surface soils on- and off- site have been contaminated by water runoff, spills, and buried waste. DOE has identified 72 areas with contaminated soils and has taken interim measures, such as installing erosion control fences, to prevent further migration of the contamination. DOE's planned cleanup tasks include excavating and disposing of about 35,000 cubic yards of soil and continuing the use of an innovative technology to clean the soil at one highly contaminated area. The fourth cleanup category consists of 12 waste burial grounds that contain a variety of contaminants, including arsenic, beryllium, PCBs, trichloroethene, and pyrophoric uranium, which has a tendency to spontaneously combust in the presence of oxygen. The estimated contents of one of these burial grounds include 450 gallons of trichloroethene, 59,000 gallons of oils, and 270 tons of uranium. DOE is planning to excavate four or five of these areas and install a protective cover, or cap, over the remaining areas. The fifth category consists of the equivalent of 52,000 barrels of waste stored in various locations. 3 The majority of these barrels contain hazardous chemicals or materials with low levels of radioactivity. Over 12,000 of these waste barrels are stored outdoors and are deteriorating. DOE has disposed of only about 750 barrels of waste in the past 10 years. Before it can ship the remaining barrels offsite, DOE must characterize and repack most of them to make the barrels suitable for disposal. 3 This waste is stored in a variety of containers, such as 55-, 85-, and 110- gallon barrels. The total volume of waste stored at the Paducah site is equivalent to the volume of about 52, 000 55- gallon barrels. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 7 Finally, two process buildings that have not been used as part of the uranium enrichment process since 1977 will be decontaminated and removed. These two buildings are heavily contaminated from earlier operations. DOE Faces Challenges in Achieving Its Cleanup Plan A number of technical, financial, and regulatory factors associated with the implementation of the cleanup plan make it uncertain whether DOE can accomplish the Paducah cleanup within the targeted costs and time frames. Uncertainties exist about the nature and extent of contamination and the feasibility of cleanup technologies. In addition, assumptions about the availability of federal funding and the timeliness of stakeholders' agreement with cleanup levels and strategies may affect DOE's ability to meet the plan's milestones. Uncertainties about the nature, extent, and sources of contamination could affect the cleanup plan; the outcome of such uncertainties could increase cleanup costs. For example, the full extent of contamination in the surface water and soils within and outside the plant boundaries remains to be determined and could affect cleanup strategies, including the number of sedimentation basins that will need to be installed. The basins are intended to collect storm water runoff and will allow the treatment of any contaminants the runoff may contain. The state has expressed its preference for installing eight or nine sedimentation basins, while DOE has only budgeted for four of them and is deferring installation plans until it has finished investigating the extent of contamination. Similarly, although DOE's plan calls for excavating four waste burial grounds, a recent report from the Commonwealth of Kentucky has recommended excavating seven burial grounds. 4 Technical uncertainties related to the use of cleanup technologies also exist. Some of the technologies contemplated for use are emerging technologies, and others remain 4 Report of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's Task Force Examining State Regulatory Issues at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Commonwealth of Kentucky, Apr. 2000. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 8 untested for the specific environment found at Paducah. For example, it is uncertain whether the primary treatment planned for groundwater contamination will be successful. DOE plans to implement two key strategies for groundwater cleanup: (1) remove or reduce the sources of the contamination and (2) treat the contaminated groundwater as it migrates offsite. To treat the sources of groundwater contamination, DOE plans to use a technology called dynamic underground stripping. This technology injects steam into the aquifer to volatilize the trichloroethene and cause it to rise to the surface, where it is extracted. According to EPA officials, however, difficulties with steam injection were encountered at another site, and there are questions about whether the technology will work at the Paducah site because of the complex geologic formation. DOE's ability to treat the contaminated groundwater plumes is also uncertain. DOE plans to install over 4,000 feet of permeable treatment barriers across the paths of the highest concentrations of contamination within the plumes. Installing barriers involves injecting a gelatinous, gummy substance called guar gel- at depths of up to 120 feet- into the aquifer. The gel contains iron filings that serve as the treatment zone. In theory, as the groundwater moves through a barrier's treatment zone, the iron filings will chemically react with the trichloroethene, rendering it harmless, and will attract and hold the technetium- 99. As planned, the barriers will intercept portions of the groundwater plume with high levels of contaminants while portions of the plume with lesser concentrations will be left untreated. The permeable treatment barrier technology is quite new, and the potential for its success at the Paducah site is uncertain. The success of the barrier depends on numerous factors, including the rate of groundwater flow, the length of time the water resides in the treatment zone, the level of contamination, and the permeability of the barrier compared to that of the surrounding geologic structure. If groundwater flows too quickly through the barrier and thus spends too little time in the treatment zone, the iron filings might not have time to fully treat the trichloroethene. In that case, the actions of the barrier's treatment zone could change the contaminant to vinyl chloride, which is GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 9 more toxic than trichloroethene. Furthermore, it is uncertain how long the other principal contaminant, technetium- 99, will adhere to the iron filings in the barrier. In addition to the technical uncertainties, the cleanup plan is also built on some optimistic financial assumptions. For example, the plan assumes DOE will receive funding for cleanup that is considerably higher than it had received in the past. According to DOE, contractor, and regulatory officials, funding constraints have always been an issue, and their recurrence could delay the project and add to its ultimate costs. For fiscal years 2001 through 2010, DOE cleanup estimates range from a low of $78 million in 2001 to a high of $307 million in 2008, or an average of $124 million a year. In contrast, over the past 7 fiscal years, the site has received funding ranging from about $36 million to about $52 million, and averaging $43 million each year. Figure 1 compares DOE's funding projections through 2010 with this average funding. Figure 1: Funding Estimates for Fiscal Years 2001 Through 2010, Compared to Previous Average Dollars in millions 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Fiscal year Average funding level, fiscal years 1994 through 2000 Source: GAO's analysis of DOE's data. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 10 The cleanup plan also contains optimistic assumptions about the timely achievement of regulatory and stakeholder agreement on cleanup levels, strategies, and priorities. The lack of timely agreement could slow the cleanup and increase the costs. In the past, regulators and stakeholders have disagreed with various aspects of DOE's cleanup plan, and the disagreements have resulted in alterations that have been time- consuming and at times costly. For example, DOE cleaned up an area with PCBs in the soils to EPA's standard of 25 parts per million for open or unoccupied areas. Kentucky objected, however, saying that it wanted the PCBs in the soils cleaned up to 1 part per million, EPA's standard for occupied areas (e. g. industrial or residential use). The parties agreed to defer the resolution of this issue until DOE submits its plans for surface water cleanup. The state has put DOE on notice, however, that it wants a stringent cleanup level for the surface water in order to protect the ecosystem. If DOE adopts a more stringent cleanup level than currently planned, its costs to complete the effort will grow. Cleanup Plan Does Not Address All Areas that Require Cleanup Even when the planned cleanup has been carried out, billions of dollars and many years more will be needed to address areas at the site not currently included in the cleanup plan. These areas are excluded not because they require no action but because they fall under the managerial jurisdiction of DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy rather than its Office of Environmental Management. This programmatic distinction between the two offices prevents the Paducah cleanup managers from assessing risk or planning cleanup on a comprehensive sitewide basis. Specifically, four areas are excluded from the plan and will need to be addressed before site cleanup can be considered complete: (1) large amounts of waste and scrap materials, (2) various unused buildings and structures, (3) thousands of tons of depleted uranium, and (4) the buildings and equipment currently being used in the enrichment process that will require cleanup when the plant closes. The cleanup plan excludes nearly a million cubic feet of waste and scrap contained in 148 DOE Material Storage Areas, or DMSAs, located across the site- some indoors, some outdoors. The materials in these areas include thousands of barrels of low- level GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 11 radioactive waste, PCB waste, and asbestos waste; contaminated process equipment; various items and containers whose contents are unknown; and scrap metal. DOE has not yet determined the exact nature and extent of contamination in these areas, but it has identified 73 of them as posing a risk of an uncontrolled nuclear reaction (a burst of radiation that generally lasts several hours). DOE officials said they plan to pay USEC nearly $5 million to conduct a nuclear criticality safety review on the 10 DMSAs posing the highest risk. However, this does not address the need for a review of the other DMSAs that DOE has identified as having nuclear criticality safety concerns. Nor are cost or schedule estimates in place for characterizing all the DMSAs to determine whether they contain material regulated under federal environmental statutes. According to the DOE official responsible for these areas, the DMSAs have not been transferred to the Office of Environmental Management because DOE is hesitant to transfer any more areas to it. The Office of Environmental Management already has a large workload, and funding for cleanup is limited. However, because the DMSAs have not been transferred to the Office of Environmental Management, they could impede the progress of the cleanup schedule. For example, one of the DMSAs is located on top of a burial ground included in the cleanup plan, but the cleanup plan does not include cost or schedule estimates for removing the DMSA material. Furthermore, DOE officials could not provide any assurances that the material in the DMSAs, if not characterized and removed prior to the completion of the site cleanup, would not recontaminate any cleaned up areas. The cleanup plan also excludes 16 unused buildings and structures. These buildings and structures, which were originally used as part of the enrichment process, include a sludge lagoon, two water storage tanks, a nitrogen generation plant, and an incinerator. According to DOE officials, lack of funding and higher priorities have prevented these buildings and structures from being transferred to the Office of Environmental Management for cleanup. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 12 Before the site is considered cleaned up, nearly half a million tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride stored at the site, mostly in 14- ton- capacity cylinders, will need to be addressed. This material is the by- product of the uranium enrichment process and poses potential health risks. In July 1999, DOE announced plans to build and operate- for 25 years- a facility at Paducah to convert this material to a more stable form at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion to $2.4 billion. However, DOE has not identified any significant uses for the material once it has been converted. Finally, DOE's cleanup plan does not reflect the costs of decontamination and decommissioning that will be required after USEC ceases plant operations and terminates its lease with DOE. DOE has estimated in January 1998 the cost of this additional cleanup at about $1 billion. Mr. Chairman, as I have stated, even if DOE's January 2000 cleanup plan is followed, billions of dollars and many more years will be required to address contaminated or potentially hazardous areas that are not included in the current cleanup plan. The exclusion of these areas from the plan prevents the Congress and other stakeholders from easily ascertaining the full scope and cost of the actual cleanup task at hand. We are also concerned that if DOE does not transfer responsibility for the material storage areas and the unused structures to its Office of Environmental Management, as we recommended in our report to you, a comprehensive sitewide assessment of risks and priorities cannot be effectively completed. The Congress and stakeholders undoubtedly have expected that when the current cleanup plan has been accomplished, the site will be clean. It will not. --- Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement. I will be pleased to respond to any questions that you or Members of the Committee may have. GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 13 Contact and Acknowledgement For future contacts regarding this testimony, please contact Ms. Gary L. Jones on (202) 512- 3841. Individuals making key contributions to this testimony include Erin Barlow, Daniel Feehan, Glen Trochelman, and Pam Tumler. (141447) GAO/ RCED- T- 00- 225 14 Orders by Internet For information on how to access GAO reports on the Internet, send an e- mail message with "info" in the body to Info@ www. gao. gov Or visit GAO's World Wide Web home page at http:// www. gao. gov To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs Web site: http:// www. gao. gov/ fraudnet/ fraudnet. html E- mail: fraudnet@ gao. gov Automated answering system: 1- 800- 424- 5454 *** End of document. ***


text:
The first people customers usually see when they enter your store are the sales staff. Now that our new dealer principal has purchased the existing dealership, written the business plan, and upgraded the landscaping and some of the merchandising, he has to address the needs and incentives for the sales team.
The primary function of the sales manager is to coach, teach and consult with the sales team on a daily basis. And if the sales manager has a day off, those responsibilities must be picked up by another sales manager, the store's general manager, or even the dealer principal if need be. The coaching function does not stop.
The sales manager, our coach, is required to schedule two appointments with sales team members per shift — and he needs to keep those appointments. He also must build a sense of urgency with the team so they contact and follow up on every lead. He also must assist the sales staff with any problem that may arise that day, and realize that there is no time to waste. At the end of the day, the sales manager needs to review the results for each sales staff member.
Our dealer principal established the following plan for his sales team. Each day, before the store opens, the sales staff is required to attend what he calls a "15-minute huddle," where the team discusses the following:
- What ads the dealership and the OEM are running locally and nationally
- Units that are getting loaded with flooring
- The unit delivery schedule for the day.
- Various storewide topics that may relate to the sales department
- The programs, events and specials that may be applicable in the service and P&A departments — in this particular case, all associates are part of the sales team.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Florida freshwater fishing forecast for the last two days of January and Feb. 1 and 2 will give anglers challenging weather conditions and a new moon in orbit perigee.
The super new moon occurs today, but so too does a high-pressure weather system that will bring total cloud cover and a significant chance of rainfall. So while the moon phase gives fish the desire to form a larger feeding migration than usual, the cold front will delay the day's feeding migration until water temperatures reach the daily high.
For the past three days, the approach of the new moon phase, which would normally cause fish to feed during the mid-morning hours in large numbers, has had little positive affects on triggering fish to feed early in the day. Instead fish have held back from feeding until water temperatures reach the lower to mid-60 degree range. And even at the daily high, they only fed briefly for about an hour or so.
Therefore, I predict that fish will predominately feed in the early to middle afternoon hours today through the weekend as water temperature dominates all fishing factors until the daytime low temperature in the early mornings rises to the middle to upper 60s - which the extended weather forecast predicts as occurring Sunday and lasting for at least eight to 10 days.
The major feeding migration occurs from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. today and tomorrow. On Saturday and Sunday, I expect the duration of the feeding migration to increase slightly as water becomes warmer sooner in the day, and the moon-affect causes fish to feed naturally in the middle to later hours of the afternoon.
The minor feeding migration will not occur until the early morning water temperatures reach 66 degrees or higher. You might catch a "small one" here and there until this occurs, but the odds are against you.
The weekend fishing forecast should give anglers exactly what is needed to catch their favorite fish. Water temperatures will start out the day in the mid-60s, while a southerly wind will be mild to medium in speed and a even mix of clouds and sun should make conditions ideal in the afternoons. Temperatures in the middle to lower 80s and a moon phase that will also trigger fish to feed in large numbers from 2-5 p.m.
HighlandsBassAngler.com has been improved and now provides a "Lake Maps" page so that anglers can view detailed custom bathymetric maps of over 50 lakes in central Florida from their phones. Links to Highlands County's website provides information on lakes and boat ramp locations and more. The County lakes that have bathymetric maps and boat access areas are listed by towns, and there's an "Other Popular Lakes" section with bathymetric maps of lakes like, Okeechobee, Walk-in-Water, Kissimmee, Toho, Hatchineha, Reedy, Clinch, and Buffum and Arbuckle.
Fishing report of the past week: My last bass fishing trips were tough, tough, and even tougher. I won't mislead you. If I didn't know where the fish were biting before the front and cold temperatures slowed things way down, I would never have caught the "few" little to medium sizes bass that I did manage to find. Last Sunday I had to contend with lots of anglers competing in a tournament, but in the fishing holes that were vacant, I couldn't locate one feeding bass - a few gar and one mudfish kept me company by cutting my baits in half and yanking my worm from the hook.
I attended the weigh-in event at the end of the tournament and there was one angler who did find a large eight-pound bass and four two to four pounders. But only a half dozen of his competitors managed to achieve a five-bass limit in the nine to 10-pound range. Of the 45 boats in the field, most bypassed the scales.
Fishing Facts: When water temperatures here in Florida drop lake temperatures below the middle 60 degree range, all fish don't need food for several days. Bass for instance have not fed in eight of my best fishing holes on Istokpoga for three to four days in what I would call a "regular feeding pattern" - even during the high temperature period of the daytime. I did get one or two bass in the two to five pound range on the second day after the cold front, but it took two more days before five to eight fish (bass, gar, bowfin) attacked my baits when temperatures reached 64 degrees in the mid-afternoon.
Dave Douglass is a bass fishing guide and conservationist in Central Florida. This column can be accessed in full at BassFishingForecast.com and FloridaBassFishingForecast.com. Main website: HighlandsBassAngler.com Phone: 863-381-8474. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Heavy duty quality in a precision level
The title says it all. I checked this with another level I have and they're both right or both off the same amount. I like using this as a straight edge too.
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Before buying one of these, check its accuracy by measuring, then turning 180 degrees and ensuring the measurement is the same.It wasn't until I noticed my closet shelf didn't look...Read complete review
Before buying one of these, check its accuracy by measuring, then turning 180 degrees and ensuring the measurement is the same.It wasn't until I noticed my closet shelf didn't look right that I realized that this level was, in fact, not level. It gives different measurements depending on which direction it faces.Very disappointing since leveling is the only purpose for this tool.
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Great bargain buy
By Rich the builder
from El paso tx
About Me Avid Do-It-Yourselfer
Comments about Pittsburgh 24 in. I-Beam Level:
Use it for a cement slab and it helped me be always be leveled on the entire job
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Great level for the price!
By Bluesraker
from Las Vegas, NV
About Me Casual Do-It-Yourselfer
An aluminum I Beam level that works like it should at this price is a great deal!
excellent for home projects!
By Ted
from southwestern,va.
Great quality for homeowers, price is much cheaper than many of same quality.
useful tool
By Mr 49er
from Stockton
Light weight and accurate
Memory helper
By Dusty Mr. fixit
from Albuquerque, NM
I misplaced my favorite level and was attempting to level our new stove. I purchased this level for 2 reasons one to finish the leveling of the stove and 2 to find my favorite old level.
Great value
By John2363
from Riverview,FL
Works as expected.
good tool
By jack
from santee ca.
tested level in all positions in store prior to purchase which i always do with all levels no matter where it's coming from just good practice the price was more than fair
for camper
By Bobcat
from Garberville CA
Bought this for leveling my camper. Just the right size to carry in storage area.
Just the right size and a great price
By rogerd
from Thomasville, NC
I have needed a two foot level for a while and now I have one at the right price.
Kept Me On The Level
By Anza Steve
from Anza, CA
Worked great for a tile project that had limited space - in fact worked so good I went back and bought a second one.
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Guardians of the Ribbon South Texas Chapter
|This mission is about Men Supporting Women in the fight against all cancer.
"Cares Enough to Wear Pink"
Guardians of The Ribbon, dressed in pink fire suits, will drive pink fire trucks across the country every year to spread our awareness campaign supporting all women in their fight against cancer. The Guardians bring the tour to help raise money and awareness for the non-profit entities that help women in their City and State. In addition, this non-profit supports and helps other non-profit programs raise money by bringing the pink fire trucks to various fund raisers to assist in the efforts at no charge to the organization. As Guardians of The Ribbon, are goal is to spread the "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" campaign until all are in pink shirts. Why? Because Pink Heals!
These men honor those who can no longer fight, stand with those who can fight and inspire those who watch.
|Please Click to visit our Facebook Page
|<< Previous Next >>
2007 Dave Graybill National
2010 South Texas Chapter Wendell Geigle (Victoria Texas)
|©2011 Guardians of the Ribbon South Texas Chapter


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Berkeley Humane
Meet Chili, a mellow and calm 9-year-old lady with impeccable manners. Happy to doze the day away in a warm bed, Chili is equally content sitting on a lap and purring lazily as you read. This beautiful cat has peacefully coexisted with other cats before and would do well in most households, with a proper introduction.
Here's what her foster says about her: "Chili is very friendly and mellow. She loves sleeping with the children and loves sitting on laps. She likes petting and getting brushed -- her beautiful, soft coat does not shed much. Chili was very comfortable in my house after the first day. She's very tidy in the litter box and does not jump on high places or countertops."
Sweet and petite Alison is 4 years old, weighs 4 pounds, and is a perfect little lap dog. She's going to make a devoted and loving companion for some lucky person who is looking for a canine sidekick. Alison is not a high energy type of dog. She enjoys her walks around the neighborhood but she is most content when snuggled up with a human pal. Her foster Dad says her favorite activity is relaxing in his lap. Little Alison enjoys the company of other dogs and might even be able to live peacefully in a home with dog-savvy cats if properly introduced.
Cat adoption hours are noon to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m.to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; dog adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at Berkeley Humane, 2700 Ninth St. More details: 510-845-3633, www.berkeleyhumane.org or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Hotels in Cobreces
- Approximate price: Cheapest | Luxury
- Stars: 1 star | 5 stars
- First name: A-z | Z-a
- Central: More central | Less central
- Services: More services
- User evaluation: Best rated
- BestSelling: Most popular
Posada Alfonso
C/ La Yomba 139, 39320 Cobreces, Spain
Posada Alfonso
C/ La Yomba 139 see on map
Dating from 1810 with a period renovation, the establishment offers 12 rooms with ensuite bathroom and heating. Facilities include a bar...
Dating from 1810 with a period renovation, the establishment offers 12 rooms with ensuite bathroom and heating. Facilities include a bar and restaurant. Guests can create their own organic orchard, with seasonal plants in a 20 m2 plot on a farm next to the establishment. It is on request, and if guests are interested they should contact the hotel directly to reserve and for prices.
Accommodation facilities
- Laundry
Standard Room Services
- Satellite TV
- Television
Leisure facilities
- Solarium
Location: in the village of Alfoz de Lloredo, 41 Km. from Santander and very close to Santillana del Mar, San Vinicente de la Barquera and Torrelavega.
Refugio, El
Ctra. De La Playa, 1, 39320 Cobreces, Spain
Refugio, El
Cobreces, 813 m from the city centre. Ctra. De La Playa, 1 see on map
Hotel El Refugio is located just 30 meters from the Luaña beach, of fine golden sand and clean and fresh waters. The beach has showers,...
Hotel El Refugio is located just 30 meters from the Luaña beach, of fine golden sand and clean and fresh waters. The beach has showers, daily cleaning, parking, surveillance rescue and opportunity to practice a variety of sports such as fishing, surfing, soccer or volleyball.
The hotel has 23 rooms with bathroom and different decor in each one of them. Their meticulous cleanliness and simplicity makes possible enables a relaxed atmosphere.The rooms have heating, hairdryer, telephone, radio, TV, wake up service, desk and terrace overlooking the beach.
It has two restaurants: Babor y Estribor. Daily menus are simple and traditional cuisine to be enjoyed in an intimate atmosphere and a relaxed setting. The Bar Suomi offers a variety of rations at nights.
Accommodation facilities
- Parking
- Restaurant
Posada Las Mananitas
C/ Antoñán 88, 39320 Cobreces, Spain
Posada Las Mananitas
Cobreces, 444 m from the city centre. C/ Antoñán 88 see on map
We would like to cheerfully welcome you to the Posada Las Mañanitas. If you are travelling by car or bike, we have secure parking for...
We would like to cheerfully welcome you to the Posada Las Mañanitas.
If you are travelling by car or bike, we have secure parking for bikes and ample car parking spaces available.
Free for you
Free parking is available at the hotel.
Make yourself at home
Within the hotel a lobby is included.
Take advantage of the garden terrace.
Where you will stay
Services, for instance a safety deposit box, a radio, a hair-dryer as well as an office desk, can be found in every room.
Conveniences, like a TV (cable), are present in your hotel room.
In every room our hotel offers a minibar storing cold refreshing beverages.
Hotel guests can enjoy the comfort of windows in the bathroom.
You will find located in your room a shower, a bathtub and a hairdryer.
The bathrooms in the hotel offer towel warmers. There are also hair-dryers and make-up mirrors in them. These features are of great use after a long, hot shower.
The sound proof windows in each hotel room block out unwanted exterior noise.
Ask our helpful staff about our tanning studio included.
Leisure activities available include windsurfing and diving.
Horseback-riding is one of the leisure activities available in the hotel. It's a real favourite among our hotel's visitors and is a great opportunity to share some fun-filled moments with your co-travellers.
The downhill slopes close to the hotel are very well-liked among our ski-loving guests.
For a wonderful experience during your stay, go diving or sailing.
Our hotel also provides fishing gear to ensure its visitors have a fun-filled trip.
Business hours of reception:
On business days: from 08:00 to 22:00
Accommodation facilities
- Garden/Terrace
- Parking
Standard Room Services
- Television
Ctra. De La Playa, 217 E, 39320 Cobreces, Spain
Ctra. De La Playa, 217 E see on map
Accommodation facilities
- Garden/Terrace
- Parking
Visit CobrecesEnjoy your stay in Cobreces. Make your visit to Cobreces an unforgettable experience by staying in the hotel you deserve. Still don´t know where to stay? At Destinia we offer you a wide variety of hotels in Cobreces, Spain, so you can choose the one that´s right for you, depending on your expectations and your budget. There are numerous hotels in Cobreces that are ideal for a business trip, a family holiday, a weekend getaway or an outing with friends in Cobreces. No matter the reason for your trip, at Destinia, you´ll find the greatest variety of hotels and hostels, always at the best prices, guaranteed. Are you looking for a deluxe hotel in Cobreces city centre with a spa, Internet access or a pool? Perhaps a hotel that accepts pets or that has a child-care centre? We have that, too. Why not give our hotel finder a try? It´s quick, simple and the most effective way to find the best lodging in this part of Spain. Whether you need a single-occupancy room, double-occupancy room or even a suite, with Destinia´s search engine, you´ll always find the best deals, so all you´ll have to worry about is packing your bags and enjoying your trip to Cobreces.
Hotels by theme
In Cobreces we will have clear sky, light clothing is advised as the temperatures is going to be warm throughout the day.
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
Top Hotel Deals
- Santander
- Ceuta
- Ciudad Real
- A Corunya
- Ourense
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Toledo
- Valladolid
- Zamora
- Saragossa
- Granada
- Guadalajara
- Huelva
- Palencia
- Pontevedra
- Huesca
- Jaen
- Logronyo
- Leon
- Salamanca
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Seville
- Vitoria-Gasteiz
- Albacete
- Avila
- Palma
- Lugo
- Badajoz
- Alicante
- Almeria
- Burgos
- Caceres
- Cadiz
- Castellon de la Plana
- Cordoba
- Oviedo
- Cuenca
- Girona
- San Sebastian
- Lleida
- Malaga
- Pamplona
- Segovia
- Soria
- Melilla
- Murcia
- Tarragona
- Teruel
- Valencia
Beach Hotels
- Salou
- Benidorm
- Gandia
- Torremolinos
- Playa del Ingles
- Penyiscola
- Zahara de los Atunes
- Mojacar
- Sanxenxo
- Lloret de Mar
- Maspalomas
- Matalascanyas
- Roquetas de Mar
- Calpe
- Almunyecar
- Cambrils
- Puerto de la Cruz
- Ibiza
- Nerja
- Denia
- Cadaques
- Conil de la Frontera
- Roses
- Cullera
- Chiclana de la Frontera
- Fuengirola
- Isla Cristina
- El Puerto de Santa Maria
- Corralejo


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Friday morning, Gov. Phil Bryant held up a report that could change the way public school teachers in Mississippi make their money.
"We should pay for what works, not for what merely has been accepted," Bryant said.
It was put together by the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University and calls for teachers to be paid based on their performance in the classroom, expelling evaluations and longevity.
"It does our educational system and more importantly our students a disservice for a dedicated effective teacher to earn the same salary as a teacher who does the bare minimum," Bryant said.
Performance pay is part of Bryant's comprehensive agenda to reshape the state's educational system. If approved by the legislature, the plan would give local school districts flexibility in shaping their own framework and funding mechanisms. The report's principle author, Julie Jordan, says that's because local districts have different budgets and different needs.
Jordan says those districts and the state must make some adjustments to help pay for it.
"If we are serious about basing compensation on performance and not tenure then the state should end the practice of mandating a salary increase based on years of service. Likewise local districts must consider using local supplements to fund a new approach," Jordan said.
State Board of Education Chairman, Wayne Gann says the compensation plan would help create stronger teachers and administrators. By doing so, he says that would give students more of an edge.
"Our economic well being and the very quality of life in our state depend on a quality educated work force and trained work force," Gann said.
Bryant says he knows not everyone will embrace the plan but contends it's time for the state to make a change.
"If you know that your salary will increase if you improve, certainly you're going to be drawn to improvement. That's simple human nature. We use it in business very effectively every day. We need to use that business model in education," Bryant said.
Several school districts including Clarksdale, Gulfport, Lamar County and Rankin County have already expressed interest in the compensation plan and will possibly participate in a pilot program.


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Led by new coach Bobby Hauck, the UNLV Rebels open their 2010 season at 8 tonight in a nonconference game against No. 12 Wisconsin at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Badgers are favored by nearly three touchdowns. The game can be seen on TV on Versus (Channel 38).
UNLV-Wisconsin: No. 12 Badgers beat Rebels 41-21 at Sam Boyd Stadium
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Manage the Alerts you wish to receive and assign email addresses and cell phone number that should be contacted for notifications.
Note: ALL Alerts can be modified to fit your needs.
Unlimited number of text message & email alert recipients.
All Alerts, Reports and Historical information can be viewed at any time, 24/7, directly on the Web based tracking portal.


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Hyatt Regency Baltimore
Booking Reservations, Reviews, Information
Contact Information
300 Light Street
4 star
Price Range
From $175.19 to $449.00
Accomodation Type
14 floors and 488 rooms
This newly renovated 14-story hotel is located in the heart of downtown on the Inner Harbor. Linked by skywalk to the Convention Center and Harborplace pavilion, it is within walking distance to National Aquarium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards and PSI NET Stadium, and just 12 miles from Baltimore/Washington International Airport.Guest room ammenities include: TV with remote control, cable movie channels, in-room pay movies, voicemail, telephone with computer hookup, video messages/account review/check-out, daily newspaper (USA Today) delivery, individual climate control, electronic door locks, turndown available upon request, iron and ironing board, AM/FM alarm clock, hairdryer, coffeemaker.The hotel has two restaurants, an outdoor pool, sundeck, health club, putting green, tennis courts (outdoor), half court basketball. There are two golf courses nearby.
Family Rooms
Fitness center
Swimming pool
Wheelchair accessible
Business center
Meeting rooms
Non-smoking rooms
Data port
Dry cleaning/laundry
First Class Hotel


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shoppers recently viewed this!
Bacci Star Necklace
Qty: 1
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Description: 18K white gold necklace with small diamond star affixed to larger filigree star hanging from small heart with center diamond. Star measures ½ inches across with total heart and star pendant drop measuring ¾ inches. Total carat weight of 0.04. Chain has small heart detail and measures 16 inches in length. Lobster clasp closure with filigree and heart detail. PLEASE NOTE: DELIVERY OF THIS ITEM TAKES 1 TO 2 WEEKS.
Brand: Charriol


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We shall have to stop looking askance on trends in relation to sex merely as a reproductive capability, i.e. that it is normal to make babies. Society will have to change in its assessment of what the proclivities of humanity may be. Our viewpoints on homosexuality, for example, may have to be reconsidered and more wisely adjusted.
R. Buckminster Fuller (1895 - 1983)
Source: The Year 2000
Contributed by: Ox
Copyright © 2016 Gaiam, Inc.


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Planning Tools
Here are some tools and worksheets that can help you think about summer employment, career choices, loan repayment, and more.
Calculators and tools on the Student Financial Services website
- LIPP Benefit Calculator
This calculator can illustrate how LIPP can help you repay your loans over the short term (1 year) or long term (10 years).
- Take Home Pay Estimator
This tool will show you how much you'll have left after taxes and loan repayment when you graduate and start working, and will estimate how your total loan repayment compares to your total income in the 10 years after you graduate.
- View My HLS Borrowing Summary
Use this page for a summary of your education loans and estimated repayment amounts. (Login for this report is the same HLS username (i.e. jdoe, jdoe.jd10, etc.) and password you use to access HLS email).
- My HLS Financial Aid
This link (which is on the right had side of most pages in our site) will allow you access to your current financial aid status and award package details. You have a live view of our system and the information we have. In addition, you will find your LIPP Eligible Borrowing Amount on the "Message" tab of this system.
- Estimated Student Contribution from Summer Income (Single Students Only)
If you are single, this calculator can help you estimate how much of your summer income you will be expected to contribute to your cost of attendance for the following academic year.
- HLS Student Budgeting Worksheet (Excel)
Use this Excel worksheet to help plan your budget for the academic year and beyond.
Other useful calculators and tools
- This Loan Payment Calculator at www.finaid.org can help you estimate the monthly payment on one or more of your loans, and show you how much you'll pay off over time.
- You can calculate the Cost of Interest Capitalization at www.finaid.org to see how much capitalized interest will add to the outstanding balance and monthly payment of a given loan.
- You can find many other financial aid calculators at www.finaid.org.
- What is the value of higher education? You can find that (under the "college" link) and many other personal budgeting calculators at The Motley Fool.
- What is the average federal tax rate on a given income? Use this calculator at Smartmoney.com to find out.


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ADVISORY: AL NAACP to "Stand for Justice" with Independent Black Farmers against USDA DiscriminationMarch 19, 2013
Press Conference
TODAY, Tuesday, March 19th 2013 at 10:00am
Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, AL 35203
Out-of-State Reporters can join by phone at 866-508-2264 Passcode: 2127510
Bernard Simelton, President of the NAACP Alabama State Conference; Michael Stovall, Independent black farmer; Kevin Myles, NAACP Southeast Regional Director; USDA Coalition of Minority Employees; and others
The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP has received several complaints from Black Farmers that they continue to be denied equal treatment by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Black farmer are being denied equal access to farm loans. While this discrimination is well documented, the USDA has not settled thousands of claims.
Many people believe these claims were settled with the Pigford Class lawsuits. This is untrue. There are a group of black farmers in Alabama and other states who were discriminated against when they applied for loans from the USDA. These farmers filed separate from the Pigford group and some have received favorable judgments by USDA. However, the USDA has reneged on the agreement they negotiated and, 10-15 years later, there is still no settlement with USDA.
The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP will join with our Regional Office, the Black Farmers, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees and others to provide proof to the media and the public, that USDA has not lived up to its promise.
March 19, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Kelly Ingram Park Birmingham, AL 35203


text: Skydiving.com is proud to have a skydiving network that services Baldwin County, AL and the surrouding areas. Have you been dreaming of taking the plunge in Baldwin County for some time? No worries. Give Skydiving.com a call today at 1-800-617-7948 to inquire about skydiving in Baldwin County, AL or any other county surrounding Baldwin County!


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Deborah R. and Edgar D. Jannotta Professor of Social Thought, Medieval History, Middle East Studies, and the College; Member of the Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge; Dean of the Social Sciences Division
PhD 1992 Princeton University
Foster Hall, room 308 – Office
(773) 702-3423 – Office telephone
(773) 834-1968 – Fax
Mailing Address
The University of Chicago
Committee on Social Thought
1130 E. 59th Street, Box 35
Chicago, IL 60637
Field Specialties
Christians, Jews, and Muslims in medieval Europe and the Mediterranean; Medieval ideas about communication, exchange, and social relations
Much of my work has focused on the ways in which Jewish, Christian, and Islamic cultures constitute themselves by interrelating with or thinking about each other. My first book, Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages, studied social interaction between the three groups within the context of Spain and France in order to understand the role of violence in shaping the possibilities for coexistence. In more recent projects I have taken a less social and more hermeneutical approach, exploring the work that "Judaism," "Christianity," and "Islam" do as figures in each other's thought about the nature of language and the world. One product of that approach, focused on art history, was (jointly with Herb Kessler) Judaism and Christian Art: Aesthetic Anxieties from the Catacombs to Colonialism (2011). In Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition (2013), I attempted to apply the methodology to a very longue durée, studying the work done by pagan, Christian, Muslim, and secular thinking about Jews and Judaism in the history of ideas. Most recently, in Neighboring Faiths: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism Medieval and Modern, I've tried to bring the social into conversation with the hermeneutic, in order to show how, in multireligious societies (my focus is on Spain), lived experiences of interreligious contact interact with conceptual categories and habits of thought, and how this interaction shapes how adherents of all three religions perceive themselves and each other.
My work on these three religious traditions ranges across literary, artistic, historiographic, and philosophical genres. But even more generally, my interest seems to be in the history of how the possibilities and limits of community and communication have been imagined. To that end I've engaged in some debates about how the possibility of overcoming those limits has been fantasized, such as my essays on the "Politics of Love and its Enemies" and on "Badiou's Number". In order to explore these more general questions I am engaged in two long-term thematic projects: the first, a history of love's central place in a number of ancient, medieval, and modern idealizations of communication and exchange; and the second, a parallel study of poison as a representation of communication's dangers.
Neighboring Faiths: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the Middle Ages and Today. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2014.
Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. Review by Michael Walzer in the New York Review of Books.
Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages. Princton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1996; paperback edition, 1998. Spanish translation: Comunidades de Violencia: Persecución de minorías en la edad media. Peninsula Editorial, 2001; French translation: Violence et minorités au Moyen Age. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2001.
Edited Volumes
Coedited with María Elena Martínez and Max Hering Torres. Race and Blood in Spain and Colonial Latin America. LIT-Verlag, 2012.
Coedited with Herbert Kessler. Judaism and Christian Art: Aesthetic Anxieties from the Catacombs to Colonialism. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011.
Coauthored with James Clifton and Linda Neagley. The Body of Christ in the Art of Europe and New Spain, 1150–1800. Munich: Prestel Verlag, 1997.
Selected Articles
Coauthored with Richardo Nirenberg. "Badiou's Number: A Critique of Mathematical Ontology." Critical Inquiry 37, no. 4 (2011): 583–614. Response by Alain Badiou and a reply by us, "Critical Response." Critical Inquiry 38 (2012): 362–387.
"Die moderne Vorbildfunktion des mittelalterlichen Spanien." Münchner Beiträge zur Jüdischen Geschichte und Kultur 5 (2011): 7–29.
"From Cairo to Cordoba." The Nation (June 1, 2011).
"When Philosophy Mattered." The New Republic (February 3, 2011): 39–43.
"Shakespeare's Jewish Questions." Renaissance Drama (2010): 77–113.
"Double Game: Maimonides in his World." London Review of Books 32, no. 18 (September 23, 2010): 31–32.
"Anti-Zionist Demography." Dissent (Spring 2010): 103–9.
"L'Indécision Souverain: Génocide et Justice en Valencia, 1391." In Un Moyen Age pour aujourd'hui: mélanges offerts à Claude Gauvard. Edited by Julie Claustre, Olivier Mattéoni, and Nicolas Offenstadt. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2010.
"Judentum und Islam in der europäischen Dialektik von Glaube und Vernunft: Anmerkungen zur Geschichtstheologie Papst Benedikts XVI." In Religionskontroversen im Verfassungsstaat. Edited by Hans G. Kippenberg and Astrid Reuter, 181–207. Göttingen: Verlag Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2010.
"Wie jüdisch war das Spanien des Mittelalters? Die Perspektive der Literatur." Kleine Schriften des Arye Maimon-Instituts 7 (2005).


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October 12, 2006
After weeks of work sessions and hearing from many of you, Augusta city leaders are getting close to making some big decisions about next year's budget.
News 12's Jonathan Martin spoke with the city administrator about what we can expect, and a tax hike may be in the works.
Tuesday is Fred Russell's deadline to present a final budget to the commission.
"Part of the commissioners are not going to be satisfied that I've cut enough, the other part are going to be mad because I've cut too much," Russell predicted.
At first, Russell proposed cutting law enforcement, but says they'll probably now be safe. But other departments and jobs, including those in recreation and transit, are still in the danger zone.
Aside from the cuts, Russell says his proposal will likely include another tax increase.
"I don't think they should be raising taxes," Augusta resident Charles Barreras told News 12. "As a matter of fact, I'm going in to protest mine."
"If it means they have to raise taxes a little more, out of the three, do that instead of cutting anything," said Augustan Madel Royal. "Don't cut transit, and don't cut law enforcement."
While Russell has a tough task, perhaps it's the commissioners who will have a tougher time agreeing on the big fix. The talk of taxes has many of them torn.
"I'm not in favor of raising taxes, because I think we have too much fat in this government," Commissioner Don Grantham told News 12.
"I don't have any problem with a tax increase as long as we do something that makes sense and get it over with," said Commissioner J.R. Hatney.
There is some good news here. Russell says the city's revenue is actually a lot better than he projected when he started working on the budget, so he may not have to make as many cuts.
Some of you at home may be asking yourselves, "Didn't city leaders say they wouldn't even consider raising taxes to fix the budget?" Well, you're right...but apparently that may change.
Russell wouldn't tell us how much of a tax increase he was considering, but the last few increases have been rather small, between one and two percent.
The city administrator's budget is not final; the commission still has the final say.
They hope to have it all finished next month.


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SMSTS Training - CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme
- Date:
- Mon, 23 Jul 12 - Fri, 27 Jul 12
- Times:
- 09:00 - 17:00
- Duration:
- 5 days
- Delivery Schedule:
- Block
- Venue:
- Cheadle, UK
- Overview
- Objectives
- Course Agenda
- Who Should Attend?
- Assessment
- Venue
- Progression
- Accreditation
- Other Dates
This 5 day SMSTS Training course is designed for site managers, site agents and persons who are, or due to be, responsible for planning, organising, monitoring, controlling and administering groups of staff and a workforce. In order to obtain the qualification delegates MUST attend all days of their chosen course.
The SMSTS certificate is valid for 5 years, after which time candidates must sit the SMSTS Refresher course in order to renew their SMSTS certification
The SMSTS course covers all relevant legislation and other aspects which affect safe working in the building, construction and civil engineering industries. It highlights the need for risk assessment in the workplace, the implementation of the necessary control measures and adequate communication to sustain a health and safety culture among the workforce.
At the end of the SMSTS course successful candidates will be able to: -
- implement all health, safety, welfare and environmental legislation which affects them during their daily work
- implement new guidance and industry best practice
- state their duties and responsibilities with regards to health, safety, welfare and the environment
The SMSTS course will cover the following topics: -
- Site set up
- Risk Assessment
- Method Statements
- Scaffolding
- Electricity
- Excavations
- Demolition
- Confined Spaces
This course is intended for project managers, site managers and site supervisors as well as proprietors of small to medium sized companies. Client-based personnel would also benefit from attending the course.
At the end of the CITB SMSTS course, each individual has to pass an examination and present a suitable health and safety solution to a site activity which qualifies them for the Construction Site Managers Safety Certificate.
Delegates must attend all of the days, in accordance with the course programme, to achieve the necessary learning objectives to qualify for the certificate.
This certificate expires every five years. After this period certificate holders are required to sit the SMSTS two day refresher course to renew their qualification for a further five years.
Cheshire (Cheadle) (View Map)Village Hotel
Cheadle Road
Conveniently sandwiched between the City of Manchester and the Peak District National Park, VILLAGE Manchester Cheadle is ideal for both urban warriors and fresh air fiends alike.
Venue Facilities
- Free on-site parking
- Restaurant/Bar
- Wifi
- Disabled Facilities
By Car
From M6 Northbound
Exit M6 at Junction 19. At the roundabout turn right and follow the signs onto the A556 towards Manchester, the M56 and the Airport. Get onto the M56 at the next roundabout (Junction 7) towards Manchester & the Airport. Exit the M56 at Junction 3, signed M60 Stockport. Exit the M60 at Junction 2, signed Manchester Cheadle A560. At the roundabout, turn right onto the A560 towards Cheadle. Follow the road through two sets of traffic lights. At the third set of lights turn left onto the A5149 towards Cheadle Hulme. The Hotel is located on the left-hand side approximately one mile along this road.
From M60 and M62 Southbound
From the M62 join the M60 heading anti-clockwise, (southbound) signed to Stockport & Manchester Airport. Exit the M60 at Junction 3, signed A34 Cheadle & Wilmslow. Follow the road through the traffic lights. Exit the A34 at the slip road, signed Cheadle Royal & Cheadle. At the roundabout take the first road on your left onto Schools Hill, signed towards Cheadle & Cheadle Hulme. Follow the road to the T-Junction at the end. At the T Junction turn right onto the A5149 towards Cheadle Hulme. Take the first road on the left, signed to Cheadle Golf Club, and turn left into the car park.
From the M60 Clockwise (From the East)
From the M60, exit at Junction 3, signed A34 to Cheadle & Wilmslow. Follow the slip road to join the A34, and continue along this road through the traffic lights. Exit the A34 at the slip road, signed to Cheadle & Cheadle Royal. At the roundabout take the first road on your left onto Schools Hill, signed towards Cheadle & Cheadle Hulme. Follow the road to the T-Junction at the end. At the T Junction turn right onto the A5149 towards Cheadle Hulme. Take the first road on the left, signed to Cheadle Golf Club, and turn left into the car park.
By Train
Cheadle Hulme Rail station is the closest station, 1 mile away, but there is no taxi rank outside. There is a payphone at the station, which can be used to call a taxi.
Stockport Rail station is just 3 miles from the hotel. This is a main line station and is the stopping point for most of the fast trains to Manchester. Stockport station has a taxi rank outside.


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Feedback is inevitable in the business world. If the feedback is not from your peers, your consumers will provide you with plenty of feedback. It's vital to get feedback before your product hits the market or you risk it bombing. Seek feedback early and often to prevent from designing in a vacuum. Since no one person knows the right answer to everything, designing in a vacuum leads to wasted time or flawed products. You'll either end up spending too much extra time making changes down the line or release a less-than-ideal product and missing key opportunities. In a creatively safe environment, feedback can be a positive experience for all involved and will enable you to cut the right wires and disarm the bomb.
Giving Feedback is Hard
There are many reasons why a person may avoid giving feedback:
- it takes time out of their schedule
- it's emotionally draining
- they don't want to hurt your feelings
- they don't know the right answer
- they don't know how to give good feedback
- they don't feel it's their place
A designer must understand the value of feedback, how it is vital to their success and that the burden of getting feedback falls on them. With all the above reasons, seeking feedback can be a daunting task!
How to Seek Feedback
Work towards and find appropriate stopping points in your work. This is when you believe your work it's fleshed out enough for others to understand your vision. It's best to approach people one at a time or their feedback may be skewed by other people in the conversation. Beware of feedback that is overly positive, they may not have been comfortable with giving feedback. Here are some tips on seeking feedback:
- Find people who will give honest and open feedback – you don't want answers swayed by people who don't want to hurt your feelings.
- Find extreme users – get feedback from peers who think like you and from peers who don't think like you. If you only get feedback from those who think alike, you risk creating a self fulfilling prophecy.
- Treat them as an expert – after all, you value their opinions highly. Do this by asking them about experiences they've had with similar products and try to learn something new from them.
- Let them know how their feedback is valuable to you – most will be happy to help but keep in mind they are taking time out of their schedule for your benefit. Tell them what it means to you to make their time feel worth it.
- Give them time to take it in – make sure they understand what you are presenting, what it will be used for and what you need their help on. Give them time to ask questions and think about it.
- Put out a welcome mat to critique – make them feel safe to give critical feedback. If they think you love your work, they may feed bad about being critical. Start by identifying a concern in your work and ask them if they feel the same way about it. Now that they know you are open to criticism, ask them what other concerns they see. Then be optimistic, let them know that by getting their feedback you can make it better.
- Ask focused questions – if you ask high-level questions like "do you like it" you'll get an "uhuh, yeah!" Instead ask, "what about this small feature can use improvement?" Then ask why, why, why and why.
- Share multiple directions if you can – if your peers look at multiple different directions, they know you are not sold on one direction and will be able to speak to the merits and flaws of each one. Ask them which one they like the best and why, then ask about the one they like the least.
- As a rule of thumb, don't take their first answer – keep pressing them to dive deeper into their feedback and to provide you with more descriptions and examples.
- Try not to get emotional – it's hard, I know. Refer to "multiple directions" above for one way to help – this will also prevent you from getting caught up on one idea.
- Don't make them feel stupid – sometimes people worry it's their fault they aren't "getting it." Remind them it's your job to make them understand it and that you need them to tell you what is not working since you are designing it for them.
When you feel you have enough to go off of, thank them for their time. Reiterate the major points of their feedback and tell them how you'll use their feedback to improve the product. They'll be much happier to help in the future if they see their efforts being put to good use.
How to Interpret Feedback
After you've gathered feedback from a handful of people, start to identify patterns. If you're getting the same critical feedback from multiple people, it's time to adjust your design. If you can't identify patterns, get more feedback.
If you are getting similar positive feedback from multiple people who think like you and who do not think like you, and who you believe are giving you honest feedback – you should move forward with your design.
How to Give Feedback
People naturally fear the judgement of others and can be greatly affected by feedback that's not delivered well. Here are a few tips on giving good feedback:
- Be patient – Take the time to let them express their idea and make sure you understand their work. What challenges are they trying to solve? Why do they like the idea? Think about the positives and the negatives – but don't say them just yet.
- Start with the positives – there are surely a lot of great elements to their work. Let them know what you think it is!
- Build empathy – let them know where you are coming from and why you think the things you do.
- Guide them to insight – don't just tell them what's wrong with it. Walk them through the experience to the point of your concern. Hopefully they'll say "Aha" and see the same concern as you. Ask open ended questions like, "What are the advantages to this approach?"
- Ask probing questions – if they don't see your concern, start to point it out to them but frame it as a question. "I'm a bit concerned about this, does this concern you too?" or "Have you thought about it this way? Do you think it may be a problem?"
If You're the Boss
People are particularly affected by those in higher level positions than them. They look up to you, want to learn from you and most of all, want your approval. If you are in a position to direct their work and they are still not seeing your concerns after following the above process, try not to act frustrated. Instead, give them clear goals on how you want them to proceed. Always frame it as a challenge and not a dead end – people want to give you what you need, but it's frustrating when they are shooting from the hip and not making progress.
Start by asking questions like, "What could we do if we thought about it this other way?" or "I see an opportunity here that may be more beneficial, could you come up with a few ideas around that?" Then follow up with a few examples to start them on the right path, "Think about using this specific approach and then see what you can do from there." If they still won't budge, tell them to work on the other directions, but tell them it's OK to come back with their original work – but only after they've solved the specific concerns you've identified.
Never tell them their work is stupid, bad or not fun. For one thing, it's probably not ALL bad. Also, they'll begin to resent you, lose confidence in their work and lose motivation. If you have general critical feedback that you need to share, say things like. "I'm not sure if our core audience would find this fun because…" or "I've tried similar in my experience but have always ended up with poor results because…" Then, follow it up with a directed challenge.
Remember, even though the challenge they are solving may seem small compared to what you are working on, it might mean the world to them. Make them feel safe to flourish, flounder and fail and soon they'll start handling the bigger challenges.
Feedback Starts with You
As I mentioned in the beginning, the burden of feedback falls on the seeker. I also believe the best feedback comes when asked for and not from those who start by giving. However, in situations where feedback is not the norm, I'm struggling to figure out how to let people know when I may have feedback which could help them without being a thorn in their side. Any ideas?


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Note: when you sign up your will get a window asking you to allow the Ritz Crackers Battle of the Toppings app to access your Facebook information. You can accept and then once you are signed up for the contest you can go into your Facebook Privacy Settings and delete the app.
Here is a link for a $1.00 Off Any Two Nabisco Crackers printable coupon. You should be able to print this coupon two times.
Bonus: Get some great recipe ideas for Ritz Crackers and other Nabisco products at Nabisco World
Here are some sources of printable coupons. You should be able to print out two of each coupon from each computer you have access too:
Coupon Network - Print FREE Grocery Coupons - offers savings and coupons that you will not find anywhere else.
Coupons.com - Print Free Grocery Coupons - just plug in your zip code or any other zip code that you would like to check. The 12345 & 90210 Zip Codes are very popular.
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Target coupons - Target Printable Grocery Coupons - Remember you can stack a Target coupon with a manufacturers coupon to maximize your savings.
Walmart Coupons - Walmart Printable Coupons. Remember Walmart pays you the difference between the coupon value and the cost of the item. Overage will be applied to your basket total or given as cash.
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So gang, I'm in charge of a night meal for our family Christmas. I'm the only vegetarian, the rest of the family is not. There are already enough meals devoted to meat, with one day for my baked ziti/lasagna (which I will probably end up eating for the rest of the meals). I'm trying to think of something I can make that is vegetarian, tastes good (duh!) and is easy to make since I'll want to spend as much time as I can with my baby niece.
Any ideas? I'm tossing around Honey Beer Bread and am thinking two soups...possibly a tomato and....?
Ideas? Tried and Trues? Can't say I've made a lot of soup in my day, and the ones I have made are soups that my family would probably never try.


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SMSTS Training - CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme
- Date:
- Mon, 03 Sep 12 - Fri, 07 Sep 12
- Times:
- 09:00 - 17:00
- Duration:
- 5 days
- Delivery Schedule:
- Block
- Venue:
- Birmingham, UK
- Overview
- Objectives
- Course Agenda
- Who Should Attend?
- Assessment
- Venue
- Progression
- Accreditation
- Other Dates
This 5 day SMSTS Training course is designed for site managers, site agents and persons who are, or due to be, responsible for planning, organising, monitoring, controlling and administering groups of staff and a workforce. In order to obtain the qualification delegates MUST attend all days of their chosen course.
The SMSTS certificate is valid for 5 years, after which time candidates must sit the SMSTS Refresher course in order to renew their SMSTS certification
The SMSTS course covers all relevant legislation and other aspects which affect safe working in the building, construction and civil engineering industries. It highlights the need for risk assessment in the workplace, the implementation of the necessary control measures and adequate communication to sustain a health and safety culture among the workforce.
At the end of the SMSTS course successful candidates will be able to: -
- implement all health, safety, welfare and environmental legislation which affects them during their daily work
- implement new guidance and industry best practice
- state their duties and responsibilities with regards to health, safety, welfare and the environment
The SMSTS course will cover the following topics: -
- Site set up
- Risk Assessment
- Method Statements
- Scaffolding
- Electricity
- Excavations
- Demolition
- Confined Spaces
This course is intended for project managers, site managers and site supervisors as well as proprietors of small to medium sized companies. Client-based personnel would also benefit from attending the course.
At the end of the CITB SMSTS course, each individual has to pass an examination and present a suitable health and safety solution to a site activity which qualifies them for the Construction Site Managers Safety Certificate.
Delegates must attend all of the days, in accordance with the course programme, to achieve the necessary learning objectives to qualify for the certificate.
This certificate expires every five years. After this period certificate holders are required to sit the SMSTS two day refresher course to renew their qualification for a further five years.
West Midlands (Birmingham) (View Map)Crowne Plaza
Pendigo Way NEC
Venue Facilities
- Parking
- Wifi
- Restaurant/Bar
- Disabled Facilities
By Car
From the M42 take the exit off at junction 6. From the roundabout follow the directions for the NEC. Take the second exit on the left, South Way. Follow the route for approximately 50 metres.
By Train
A short walk from Birmingham International Airport train station.
Shuttle Bus
The hotel also provides a shuttle bus that runs regularly from the train station/airport to the hotel. This services operates between 6.00am - 10.00pm, seven days a week, and is subject to availability.


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Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson To Discuss Human Rights
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, will speak at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, as part of the Res Publica speaker series, on the topic of Human Rights and Ethical Globalization. The lecture is free and open to the public with seating on a first-come basis. Look for dinner reservation information in upcoming issues of Fortnightly. Prior to her campus visit, she will present a Res Publica lecture in downtown Los Angeles.
As President of Ireland, Robinson developed new economic, cultural, and political ties with other nations. She was the first head of state to visit both Rwanda following the 1994 genocide and Somalia following the 1992 crisis, and received the Special CARE Humanitarian Award for her efforts there.
As U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Robinson took responsibility for all U.N. human rights activities, and assumed the tasks of improving the human rights machinery of the U.N. and supervising the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.
Robinson has worked extensively in the area of human rights and especially in constitutional and European human rights law. She served on the International Commission of Jurists from 1987-1990 and on the Advisory Commission of Inter-Rights from 1984-1990. Robinson also served as Special Rapporteur to the Interregional Meeting organized by the Council of Europe in preparation for the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights.


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People that were on hand for Escondido History Center's open house on Saturday visit with each other out front of the 1888 Santa Fe train station in Grape Day Park. The mission of the history center is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the history of Escondido.
— Don Boomer / UT San Diego


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By By Patric McGuane, Director, USAG Natick, Family, Morale, Welfare & Recreation DirectorateJuly 26, 2010
Great news for the Natick Soldier Systems Center workforce- the Army Community Service Office is coming out of hiding and hosting a birthday bash to boot. If you have not seen an ACS employee for a while, or are not sure exactly what ACS can do for you, then come by and get reacquainted with your local Army Community Service team and the programs they offer. FMWR will be hosting a Birthday Party and information session entitled "What your USAG Natick ACS can do for you", at 1430 on Friday, July 30th in the Lord Community Activities Center (bldg 32). The event will feature a 15-20 minute informational briefing given to you by the Natick ACS team followed by birthday cake for everyone!
When asked about the history of the Army's ACS program, Natick's ACS Director, Kent Brickman explained, "ACS began in 1965 during the Vietnam War. In earlier years there had been other variations of volunteer lead support services for the Army community but due to the consistent turnover of the volunteer leadership the programs would regularly dissipate. Seeing that there was a need for an ongoing standardized program, the ACS became an official entity July 25, 1965."
As for the expectations for the future, Brickman continued; "the ACS office is currently in the midst of finding a new home and hiring new subject-matter-expert staff in order to bring Natick the fullest array of ACS services possible. Often, the misconception is that ACS is designed to only help Soldiers, this is simply not true. Though Soldiers and their families are one of our highest priorities, we also are equipped to help any military member of any branch-of-service or component, military retirees, dependent family members of both of those groups and absolutely the Family members of the Fallen Through the Survivor Outreach Services program(SOS).
"We will help you in times of great distress or just when you are not sure of which way to turn for assistance. Some of the services that we can assist you with are things such as: financial readiness, domestic violence advocacy, child neglect advocacy, substance abuse issues, relocation assistance (to include items which may be loaned to newly arriving Soldiers and civilian staff), resume preparation, new parent support, mobility/deployment support, providing information about local resources, welcome packets, etc..." said Brickman. "but that's not all- If we do not provide a service that you are in need of, then we will research which person or which agency may assist you in a more appropriate manner and we will then provide you with that information. ACS will then make an appointment with to provide moral support during phone calls with other family support agencies"
"I am sincerely enjoying the experience of rebuilding and re-invigorating the Natick Soldier Systems Center ACS program. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience already, and I look to forward to many great ACS advancements in the very near future. We hope to see you at the ACS birthday bash and info session on July 30 - Don't forget- there will be free cake and the pool will stay open until 9 p.m. for some late night swimming." said Brickman in closing.
The Natick ACS office is currently in the process finding a new home, but for now the team can be found in the Lord Community Activities Center. For assistance please call any of the established contact numbers: Director, Kent Brickman 508-233-4485, Relocation Program Manager, Sandy Sullivan 508-233-4933. If you're interested on visiting ACS on Facebook they are known as "Usagnatick-Acs".


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Sooner or later a democracy which is to survive has to be able to rely upon that enlargement of vision and purpose of those individuals who compose it, which means that their craving for devotion and self-sacrifice is satisfied in a democratic society on a nobler level, and with a finer recognition of the value of individual personality than is true of a national purpose of a totalitarian state under a dictator.
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More and more clearly every day, out of biology, anthropology, sociology, history, economic analysis, psychological insight, plain human decency and common sense, the necessary mandate of survival that we shall love all our neighbors as we do ourselves, is being confirmed and reaffirmed.
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