text:
Or at least he didn't a month and a half ago. And then, President Obama decided he was the single best person in the country to lead the auto task force–to assess the state of the auto industry, figure out whether letting one or both of the failing companies go under, and if not, how to bring them out of their doldrums.
Frankly, I'm unconvinced Rattner was the guy to assess and guide the auto restructuring–mostly though because he seems to have gotten picked because he's a schmoozy insider with a great talent for self-promotion. But I do appreciate this qualification of Rattner's:
"What I bring to this is the advantage of no preconceived notions. I don't come with an embedded view," Rattner said in an interview, calling the job "the most complex challenge I've ever had to deal with."
And here's another "qualification," pitched by his buddy Steven Weisman:
"He may not have had a particular history of interest in the auto industry, but he would bring the ability to ask basic questions and try to get basic answers and drive toward the agreement on a solution."
Sean McAlinden, who does know the auto industry, reports that at least Rattner has been learning quickly.
Now like I said, I'm not convinced having someone who is totally ignorant about an industry is the best person to come in and try to rescue it. But at the very least, having someone as ignorant as Rattner go through the process of learning about the auto industry may help Obama to rethink his significant preconceived notions about why the auto industry is in trouble and what to do about it.
I realized today–as I was doing a radio interview about AIG bonuses with Nancy Skinner, also in MI–how dramtically different Obama's approach to assessing and resolving the finance industry (the folks who, after all, caused many of the more urgent woes of the car companies).
Obama's first instinct in assessing the auto industry was to bring in someone who was completely ignorant of the industry, to ask questions. His inherited plan to assess and resolve the finance industry–one he reinforced though his choice of advisors–was to bring in a bunch of people who consider themselves experts, who have been immersed in this world and its crappy decisions for decades, and who have operated under the same failed assumptions as the people who screwed up our economy.
Now you might say the finance industry is more complex than the auto industry–that credit default swaps are more complex than the auto supply chain. Though you're certainly dealing with the same interlocking structure that makes "too big to fail" so dangerous. In any case, there is something to be said for a smart outsider (though hopefully one who knows a little more than shit) to actually go in and ask questions before dumping billions into the industry. If nothing else, it would force the masters of the universe to actually explain what they're doing in clear enough terms to allow a real assessment of those actions.
I know I harp on the comparison of the different treatments of the auto industry and the finance industry a lot. And yes, I am biased.
But the comparison is always instructive for the way it reveals the self-deception in Obama's treatment of the two crises. On the one hand, he decided the very best thing he could do was to send in someone who knew nothing. On the other hand he sent in only people who have been immersed in this world–many of whom have severe conflicts of interest. On the one hand, he sent in someone who may challenge the assumptions and orthodoxy of those receiving federal aid. On the other hand, he sent in only those with the same fixed ideas of what could and couldn't be done.
As a Michigander, I do, however, take solace in the possibility that the auto bailout may be more successful than the finance bailout thanks to the role of the guy who doesn't know shit.
I'll do it.
If the cruxiest piece of the problem is that we don't know how many mortgages in a given CDO are likely to default, then (along the lines of Prof. Galbraith's idea, though a bit different) wouldn't a better solution be to simply re-evaluate the current creditworthiness of every mortgagee whose mortgage has been bundled into a CDO? I mean to have the homeowners essentially go through the loan qualification process again, but for assessment purposes only and without any risk of actually losing the mortgage. Then legislate a way for the CDO to shed its bad mortgages (defined as more than X% likely to default over the next Y months) at an attractive discount (by selling to the USG or private investors, don't care which) without otherwise disrupting the CDO. And of course outlaw naked CDSes at the same time. Doing all that would chelate the risky mortgages out of the CDOs which would stabilize and boost the value of the CDOs, which would in turn both improve the banks' balance sheets (out of the red, one hopes) and also reduce the likelihood that any collateralized CDSes based on the CDOs would ever trigger. Thus greatly reducing systemic risk through de-leveraging, which should lead to a general thawing of the interbank lending freeze that's currently starving the economy.
There, done. I also clean swimming pools.
I know I harp on the comparison of the different treatments of the auto industry and the finance industry a lot. And yes, I am biased.
(Shrug) Didn't strike me as 'harping', actually. Struck me as a useful contrast. Still does; even more informative by the day.
But hell, as far as I can tell from reading Hmmmm's comments around here, s/he'd be a fine candidate.
Although, EW + bmaz + Dean Baker would be a kickass trio.
If nothing else, it would force the masters of the universe to actually explain what they're doing in clear enough terms to allow a real assessment of those actions.
"See this Big Shitpile here? We're going to keep setting piles of money on fire until it goes away."
I'm not sure there's enough money in the world for that. (Or, as one of my teachers once said, approximately: Probability says that it's possible to throw a piece of chalk through a wall, all the molecules passing through without interacting. Physics says you'll have to throw that chalk at that wall for a very long time.)
Actually I'm pretty sure Ian, Masaccio, Hugh, ew, and Bmaz all kick my ass qualitywise, but thank you very much indeed for the kind comment.
– Hmmm (who is, in fact, a he)
I got the perfect guy. Bob Lutz. He is a cranky, yet critical, thinker, is extremely bright and a fast study. He has made a life out of diving headfirst into complex, out of control and failing situations and righting them. He knows how to ask questions, demand answers and cut through bullshit. And he is already planning on retiring from GM at the end of 2009 (once the Volt is actually into it's initial production run). This would require him taking some time off out of his last few months, but I have a feeling that GM wouldn't mind if they saw the possibility of turning Maximum Bob loose on the banksters the way the money people have attacked GM. Did I mention he might be a little cranky?
Good job on with Nancy today, EW. Thanks for doing it.
I nominate Craig Fugate (local success story). Since the economy is a disaster, it seems like the new head of FEMA is the perfect choice for fixing it.
No worries on the compliment, but I think you've named a great team.
i doubt it.
obama is a banker's grandson and well-supported by (at least) investment bankers at goldman-sachs.
he deals with banks in a respectfully cautious way.
he deals with the auto industry in a "well, we must be realistic" way.
there is a difference in approach here between those i suspect the president empathizes with and those he does not empathize with.
some critics have asked – crudely/rudely of course – why should the auto workers have to give up pay advantage while the obama sec of treasury works hard to protect hyper-rich insurance industry/banking personnel from NOT receiving their BONUSES.
is it too early in the obama administration to point out that this guy – obama – was always and only a smart, rich kid with a smart campaign organization and a completely inexperienced political executive.
not unlike the previous occupant of 1600 penn – who was also a smart rich kid with a smart campaign organization but with little experience as a political executive.
the nation's future?
the (or "a") national interest?
competent leadership?
as susan gay stolberg might write, "fuck all that stuff, it's irrelevant."
hmm… comparing Bush and Obama that way…. doesn't seem… quite right.
Now, back to my online traffic school. fucking fascist CHP.
Tidbit I learned today: Obama's Chief of Staff was an investment banker.
Excellent choice, really.
Thanks for having me!! (and thanks to her, too).
Just because you know it's a protection racket doesn't mean they won't burn your house down. It's easy to bully the auto industry. It's not so easy to bully the banksters.
Kiss up, kick down. The banksters own the US now, by virtue of having lost so much that exposing it brings the whole damn thing down, and I'm not sure what can be done about it. It's not simply that the banksters employ more guys in suits; it's that they've fucked up in ways that even the bosses of Chrysler, with their awful convertibles and dog-taking-a-dump coupés, could dream of.
It beats the alternatives. And I think they really want you to not do whatever-it-was again.
true, it really does beat the alternatives. Perhaps I shouldn't complain too much. The funny thing is I got a speeding ticket for doing 70 on a California freeway. That speed will get you run over in a lot of spots here…
EPUd from prior thread:
re black funding for covert ops…France after WW2 had little to fund its covert ops that were so important for maintaining its colonies, etc,. Their answer was to enable the heroin labs in Marseille etc and rake off huge flows of drug money. That example surely set a precedent for CIA and others obtaining untraceable funding.
The Politics Of Heroin In Southeast Asia by Al McCoy; it's the primer on this.
Later, from Alaskan Airlines, Air America and 100's of other legitimate businesses and investments, the CIA long ago solved its desire for $$$ that bypasses all accounting. Even banking services. Of especial note, the drug trade yields the $$$flows especially to covert NonGovOrgs run often by those with prior experience.
btw, why would a rational spook re-invent the wheel and do it any other way?
Ultimately, it doesn't matter why Lutz is pushing the Volt, just so long as he's pushing it. But we have to wonder what the hell Lutz was thinking when he said hybrids like the Toyota Prius "make no economic sense" because of their high cost when GM has promised to roll out one new hybrid every three months for the next four years.
You can read more here.
You want Maximum Bob to handle the bankers bailout? Bwahahaha! I thought I hated bankers:)
Ok let me get his straight an industry that makes real products and sells them gets a complete novice a Bush MBA pick a good manager cab manage any company he does not need any expertise only the ability to choose good advisers.
Just how do you choose good advisers from Conmen trying to give you a snowjob without expertise in the field?
(Bush would say go with your gut, we already know how that worked)
Now then the Ponzai/Pyramid scheme people the Scientists with the Math to show that the fairy tale of higher home prices would go on forever. That there would never be a world wide economic collapse. That there was no need to keep cash in reserve to pay on their Credit Default Insurance Swaps just so long as they dropped the word insurance legally they were clear.
This Fairy Tale industry gets all the insiders, experts helping plan their bailout?
When Fairy Tales are more important than reality something is wrong.
Maximum Bob is just a guy who ignored higher gas prices for all the Bush years sure he Drove GM to Bankruptcy but he did make cool looking gas guzzlers.
Summers and Geithner helped create this mess but they never created a real product they can't even lie very well.
I'm sure the banksters' brainiacs regard themselves more as ethereal than as immaterial.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller suggests internet shouldn't exist
The New World Order goons are inventing reasons to shut it down (so that others don't shut it down).
When the Masters Of The Universe finally flush the bottom out of the market and the banking system, this is the tipoff that they will also shut down the Internet, while having laid the groundwork well in advance for you and me to swallow the lie that "the terrorists" did it – which, while accurate, will leave you assuming they are referring to guys in turbines – and not guys in three piece suits (the ACTUAL terrorists).
Uh, maybe it's because Priuses make no economic sense.
It took quite a few years for the Prius to even break small profit margins–far, far more than would be deemed acceptable under the business case models that ANY of the auto makers use. Even now, it's market is unreliable and small. And that's for Japan, which is getting subsidized health care on (thus far) ALL of its production costs. GM's costs would be much higher because, as an American business, they're expected to pay things their competitors don't.
As to why GM is introducing hybrids. Two reasons. One, CAFE requires them to make gas efficient cars for which a market doesn't exist. And two, because they don't have to do a lot of the R&D work that Toyota had to on the Prius.
You see, you've stumbled right into the whole POINT of this post–you don't know enough about the auto industry to see whether this stuff makes sense. Rattner is undoubtedly getting these same kind of simple lessons. Lutz would be getting them in Wall Street.
Let the American auto industry go bankrupt.
They will restructure with better contracts. Maybe they could use free lance workers, of which there are a lot of in the states these days. A restructure without the uaw union would be a good thing.
Get out from under the heavy industry burdening hand of the uaw.
I would imagine that the administration has already chose it's direction for the auto industry, hes the individual picked to do the investigation. The administration is pro union and will do anything to promote those unions.
"Privileged" in terms of education is different from "rich" in terms of income. I personally experience this every day. Obama always was the first but was not always the second.
Dear Acknowledged Troll, we have smacked down your point over and over again last fall. The core of it was that the auto industry affects a network of manufacturers and suppliers that is far greater than the industry itself. "Too big to fail" is real because there are real economies of scale.
I guess that because the American auto industry go under for a few months all the vehicles will be collected and disposed of. How about all of the mechanics around the country fixing used vehicles. I would think that they need parts and supplies.
I worked in commercial banking for 25 years, and during that time I managed a field audit department, then a loan operations department, and later was a commercial loan underwriter for a regional bank. Then it was bought by one of the big banks that has now received TARP funds, and the banking world I knew disappeared. Commercial loans became 'loss leaders' and all the talk was of trauches and derivatives. I was kicked down the ladder, shuffled off to a near-clerical job and thankfully they finally eliminated my job. (I wasn't going to quit–I hung on waiting for a severance package).
(I have been reading FDL and Emptywheel since 2002, and used to post as emma but hadn't been able to get logged back in on my new computer so I tried again) I have been dying to comment, and am so glad to be back.
One of my early jobs in banking was field auditor, and in addition to making regular on-site visits to our customers with asset-based loans to make sure they weren't cheating or committing fraud. I also did pre-loan audits, which meant in one or two days, I had to lear all about the company and how things worked, and determine whether they had sufficient accounting controls to provide the bank with the information needed; the amount available to them to borrow was based on a formula, such as 80% of eligible accounts receivable, so companies could cheat by not excluding ineligible accounts from the formula, or by by creating false accounts receivable, etc.
My approach was very Columbo-like. I asked a lot of questions, and the CFOs would often be insulting because they thought I must be stupid, but I wanted to know what they meant with their jargon, and I found they often used it to cover up what they didn't want me to find. Then, I would talk to the accounting clerks and bookkeepers, ask more 'dumb' questions, to make sure they were handling things the way the CFO said they were…and often that's where I discovered the fraud. The accounting clerk didn't know the big picture, and did what they were told was right by the CFO, and that's how I found most of the cheating or fraud. The person who made the entries didn't know they were participating in cheating…they had never seen the loan agreement and didn't know what accounts were eligible, etc.
So what we need is someone who doesn't go in with too many preconceived ideas, and who asks a lot of questions…and who asks the right questions, and who can talk to the minions as well as the execs…especially to the minions and find out what really went on every step of the way.
I have always believed in vertical integration of tasks. The big banks have done so much horizontal integration that everyone is just 'doing their job' without understanding how it fits into the overall process. Only the big boys know that, but they're not going to tell you. You ask them, and then you verify it by asking everyone who ever touched that transaction from beginning to end. And then we'll know what was going on and how to unwind it….and who to prosecute.
Wonderful comment.
Can we clone you about 1,000,000 times? And pronto!
That's part 1, part 2 is given a foreclosure what is the recovery rate? Pre-bubble a foreclosure was bad, but the recovery rate was still pretty good since the property could likely still be sold for around the remainder of the loan. Probably not enough to fully cover, otherwise the owner probably would have sold to avoid foreclosure, but much of it would be covered. Now that recovery rate is so low property value has to be figured into the re-application. Many people current on their mortgages couldn't qualify for the same loans today since their properties are worthless. How do you price that? If that family loses an income stream they suddenly jump from the current on mortgage to the likely foreclosure low recovery category.
Thank you–a high compliment coming from you….I always enjoy your excellent comments.
After my disillusionment with banking after the big takeover, I couldn't bring myself to work in the industry again after leaving in 2002. Since then I've been trying (not exactly successfully in the monetary sense)to eke out a living doing research, consulting, and grantwriting relating to sustainable industry, eco-industrial development, urban redevelopment, energy efficiency and alternative energy. Even though it meant paying penalties for early withdrawal from my IRA (rollover from bank IRA), I have trudged on, having decided when I left banking that I would never work for a big corporation again, and would never work on something I didn't believe in. When the crash hit my IRA, I realized I can never retire, and have to start making enough income to pay the bills without touching the IRA.
When the financial crash came (with a huge hit on my IRA), I saw the result of what I'd seen happening with the big bank that bought us. I remember in the early days of the takeover, one of the senior regional hot shots (who was probably under 30) held a meeting for all the commercial banking group and announced how the big emphasis wasn't going to be loans but Treasury products, investments, etc. In other words, if a customer just needed a commercial loan and wouldn't buy any of the other fee-generating services, they would need to go elsewhere. He then said that with all the buffet of services we could now offer (via the big bank), that this was the death knell for all the little community banks. It was all I could do not to roll my eyes, because I knew he was giving the little banks the best gift they could get…the good, local middle-market businesses who made their money by providing their goods and services, not through investments. And, a decade later, those smaller banks are thriving.
The big banks are too big to fail? No, they are too big to exist, and should be broken up. (Sell off the branch locations to the local community banks if they want them.) The repeal of Glass Steagall Act started it all. Before it passed, I remember getting at least one memo a year asking for a contribution to the bank's PAC and that was the big legislation they wanted. Although I risked the wrath of higher-ups, I refused to participate. But enough people did contribute to hire the lobbyists and elect the repubs that made it happen. And that's when our regional bank was bought by the big bank and it all went downhill from there…for us 'old' bankers, and 10 years later, the US economy.
If the government needs people who can ask the questions and find the fraud, we are out here. I would love to work on that–although with 4 cats, one of them diabetic and requiring an insulin injection every 12 hours, I'm not exactly mobile. But if I could work on it from my home office, I would like nothing better than to be part of the solution, which starts by dissecting it all.
But figuring out the status of any given mortgage is not all that hard, and by analysis we can show that in the average case the valuation isn't near-zero, it's quite high because the loan is collateralized by the house which can be foreclosed and sold. So even at worst case, a bad mortgage is still worth a goodly share of its face value, not the 15 cents on the dollar that people are talking about paying under today's new plan. Therefore the actual losses to the CDO holders are nowhere close to 100% on "toxic" mortgages. (So in a sense, I'm shocked to say I agree with Geithner that calling them "toxic" is misleading; the source of the toxicity is when failures in the mortgages are hyper-leveraged via CDS instruments.)
To show my work: Assume a mortgage with an original loan-to-value ratio of 70% (and that's high) where the real estate market has declined 30% since the loan incept (and that's a lot). That makes the market value of the house 100-30 = 70% of the original value, same as the mortgage balance. Figure in a hefty 25% discount for the post-foreclosure distressed property status, and then the actual loss to the CDO holder is only 25% of the initial mortgage face value. (Modulo some fixed costs of sale, and ignoring whatever pay-down has already happened on the mortgage.) Not even close to a 100% loss.
Of course the true value of holding a CDO is the anticipated future interest as it accrues over time, and it's true that all that is lost to the CDO holders when there's a foreclosure — but on the other hand, that balance is also picked up by some other CDO when the property is sold and the new mortgage enters the system. In terms of the whole pool, it's about a wash.
And the banking industry needs to re-learn how to make a go of it at more traditional, much lower, profit margins. As a matter of fundamental public policy and societal stability. Reinstate Glass-Steagall and let the high-wire banksters go play in their world, but isolate all that foolishness from the assets of ordinary people who require only stability and modest long-term asset growth (and richly deserve to get it).
I know enough about the auto industry to say a $40,000 Volt won't sell in a market where Honda is making a cheaper hybrid, and that the Green crowd does not trust or like Maximum Bob.
I know enough that Honda and Toyota made enough money making small fuel efficient cars because they saw the possibility that gas prices would rise one day that they could afford to make hybrids.
Ford and GM however did what with their profits during those years invest in the future tech? Get Investors rich? Give themselves raises? Just who gets payed more the CEO of GM or Toyota, how much more compared to the size of their business?
As to why GM is introducing hybrids. Two reasons. One, CAFE requires them to make gas efficient cars for which a market doesn't exist. And two, because they don't have to do a lot of the R&D work that Toyota had to on the Prius.
The market for fuel efficient cars does not exist so why is GM and Chrysler not Toyota and Honda who both make lots of fuel efficient cars asking for a government bailout? Why do they have the cash to both subsidize as you say the cost of every hybrid sold and the cash to weather the credit crunch?
Are you saying that GM and Chrysler should refuse the money Obama wants to give them to retool their factories to make greener cars because there is no market for them?
You see, you've stumbled right into the whole POINT of this post–you don't know enough about the auto industry to see whether this stuff makes sense. Rattner is undoubtedly getting these same kind of simple lessons. Lutz would be getting them in Wall Street.
The wisdom of Detroit losing market share for decades. Small cars cost to much we can't compete against Japan on labor costs well maybe they could if we had national healthcare but do the CEO's of the big three EVER say that?
There is no market for hybrids they cost to much Toyota subsidizes the cost of every Prius. How much is every Prius subsidized?
A million Priuses sold so lets say Toyota gives $100 a Prius at $100 a car thats $100 million that you are saying Toyota gave away over the years.
But Toyota makes small gas efficient cars you said that there is no market for them maybe there would be if American cars were cheaper like if we had National Healthcare?
Granted Toyota and Honda did get into the big truck market recently they don't only make small cars but the big truck market hasn't been making them money.
Nope its small cars.
However if you want to investigate allegations of slave labor and push to ban Japanese cars because of that and point out the cost savings the Japanese get from that I'm with you.
The big three did not invest their profits with an eye for the future. They push to cut labor pay and benefits rather than push for national healthcare and make them more efficient.
They complain about alleged subsidies to push new tech and create new markets for new products when they should have been bringing up slave labor Grit TV has a great piece on this. Why the big three are silent I don't know.
Of course those are the kind of details a 2 semester highschool auto mech, one semester community college Econ person who likes to read can make.
Just for information: Looks like Prius has sold about 1.2M units worldwide and ranks as Toyota's 3rd most popular vehicle. That does not seem to indicate absence of market for that car.
Also I would think that two major factors in the slowing of Prius sales late in 2008 would be (1) high anticipation of the frombacious 2010 model which is arriving very late, and (2) the Global Economic Unpleasantness which as we all know has killed new car sales dead across the board — a non-Prius-specific phenomenon.
But then again I bought one, so I'm probably biased to look at things this way.
Just how much cash has the big three burned through not making small cars or hybrids that can compete in the market vs the amount Toyota has spent on subsides for hybrids? The big three were loosing money and market share before the banking crisis.
One could argue they are subsidizing all their cars at the cost of their entire business.
I agree look at my comments @BooRadley's Oxdown on the Volt. I like the idea just not the cost.


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Adobe Releases Flash Updates For 0-Day Bugs [Updated]
- Nov 05, 2010 1:38 PM EST
- [num] Comments
Adobe has released updates to Flash Player on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Solaris and Android to address a large number of vulnerabilities. The new version for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and Solaris is 10.1.102.64. The new Android version is not yet available, but is expected by November 9.
[Correction: This entry originally gave an incorrect version number for the new version. We apologize for the error.]
The security bulletin announcing the updates describes 18 of them. One of them, CVE-2010-3654, announced a week ago, has been reported to be used in the wild in attacks against Adobe Reader and Acrobat. A fix for those products is expected the week of 11/15.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Entity within an organization that holds responsibility for the management of revenue, expenses, and investment funds. This center is controlled by a responsibility manager that works with other individuals in the organization to establish procedures and accounting practices to ensure that the necessary expense and revenue information is reported accurately. The responsibility center will also work with accountants to make sure that the organization is meeting requirements set by the Internal Revenue Service.
Use this term in a sentence


text:
Evans: Fed Should Address Low Inflation with 'Strong Accommodation'
Low inflation is a serious concern and the Federal Reserve should keep interest rates low for a long time to help address it, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said Wednesday.
"We have strong accommodation in place, and we need to leave it in place in order to do the job that it's intended to do," Mr. Evans told reporters following a speech at a conference here. He added, "I'm not quite sure why we would want to raise interest rates with a 1% inflation rate, no matter what the unemployment rate is."
The Fed is winding down its bond-buying program, which aims to spur economic growth by reducing borrowing costs, as the labor market improves. The Fed has cut its monthly bond buying in $10 billion increments from $85 billion in December to $55 billion currently. Mr. Evans said continuing to reduce purchases by $10 billion per policy meeting "seems like a reasonable pace" that would wind down the program this year.
When it comes to raising short-term interest rates, which have been anchored near zero for more than five years, Mr. Evans said it's likely the first rate hike will come in late 2015. But, he said, "if I had my druthers, I'd want more accommodation and I'd push it into 2016, just because I think we need more accommodation. I think later will be better for the economy than earlier."
The Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the Commerce Department's personal consumption expenditures price index, rose 0.9% in February from a year earlier, and was up 1.1% excluding the volatile categories of food and energy. That was the 22nd consecutive month inflation had undershot the Fed's 2% long-term target.
"We need to get it up to 2% and a modest overshoot is, I think, completely reasonable," Mr. Evans said.
Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen suggested in March that the central bank might wait roughly six months after completing its bond-buying program before beginning to raise rates. "My own view is that it's going to be at least six months," Mr. Evans said. "It could be six months if things really go well, but it could be six, it could be 16 months."
In his speech, at the annual Hyman P. Minsky Conference on the State of the U.S. and World Economies, Mr. Evans called current inflation "unacceptably low" and rebuked those who express concerns about a potential surge in price levels.
"Despite current low rates, I still often hear people say that higher inflation is just around the corner. I confess that I am somewhat exasperated by these repeated warnings given our current environment of very low inflation," he said. "Many times, the strongest concerns are expressed by folks who said the same thing back in 2009 and then in 2010 and, well, you get the picture."
Mr. Evans is not the only Fed official who's expressed concern about low inflation. Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota said Tuesday that "below-target inflation signals a significant problem in our economy" and that "low inflation in the United States tells us that resources are being wasted."
On the other hand, Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser on Tuesday said he's confident inflation will rise again and, in any case, he doesn't think there's much the Fed can do about it. "In the short run, I'm not terribly concerned," Mr. Plosser said.


text:
Protoss, on 28 September 2012 - 05:25 AM, said:
Delete stealth, thank you very much.
If Anet deletes stealth. Then why don't they just gimp everyone else for what they are too? Make Guardians not wear plate, Eles can't cast spells, rangers don't have pets etc. Stop crying and get over it already.


text:
Police are targeting criminals in the drugs trade as part of a clampdown on methamphetamine and drug trafficking.
Police national crime manager Detective Superintendent Win Van der Velde said the increased focus followed a series of operations targeting methamphetamine manufacturers and distributors in the last two months of 2009.
More than 380 staff worked on 12 operations across the country, which resulted in nearly 400 arrests for drug-related offences and the discovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine, cannabis, stolen property and property obtained as the result of criminal activity.
Police recovered a large number of firearms, thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods including vehicles, computers and electrical equipment and assets gained from criminal activity.
"In December alone, provisionally 19 clan labs were discovered and dismantled, bringing the provisional total for 2009 to 137," Mr van der Velde said.
"We know that organised crime is the driving force behind the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine.
"The work of the last few months will have disrupted organised crime networks in the illicit drugs business."
The police focus was part of a specific methamphetamine control strategy, he said.
"This is a national plan to disrupt the supply of methamphetamine, reduce methamphetamine-related crime and ensure that profits made through methamphetamine are recovered.
Police were now taking advantage of increased enforcement and legislative powers arising from the government's tougher stance against methamphetamine.
"New asset recovery legislation has strengthened our ability to divest organised criminals of the profits and assets accumulated through illegal activity and we know that a lot of those profits come from the manufacture of methamphetamine."
Last year the government announced a whole-of-government response to tackling methamphetamine. This included more stringent border control, strengthened treatment for methamphetamine addicts and increased enforcement.
'We will be maintaining this pressure over the coming months and as we move into the cannabis growing season in late autumn," Mr Van der Velde said.


text:
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Online Fashion Rewards Set to Continue Says Report
From its first faltering steps with the ill-fated boo.com in early 2000, online apparel has surged to become the second-largest e-commerce sector (after consumer electronics) globally and is forecast to grow to a $73 billion market by 2016, according to a report published Wednesday.
European tech investment bank GP Bullhound says the sector will enjoy 16% compound annual growth rates between 2012-2016 and can achieve gross margins roughly twice that of consumer electronics. The report says there has been more than $5 billion in exits over the past four years.
According to Sasha Afanasieva, the report's author and vice president at GP Bullhound, the high level of activity means there are a great number of opportunities.
"There has been a wave of investor activity, but this is not a short-term thing, it is likely to continue," she said. "We think there will be high returns for investors going forward."
The sector has seen a flurry of activity; while traffic only grew by 7% in the year to December 2012, there was 126% growth in the number of sites, resulting in a highly-fragmented sector. Such a complex picture, and the lack of a single "Amazon" dominant player, means a wealth of niche opportunities exist.
Traditional players are still slow to adopt online, the report says. Burberry Group PLC, described in the report as "one of the more advanced brands in terms of online media campaigns" only generates 6% of revenue from online. But Ms. Afanasieva said as a luxury brand its strategy had been focused on customer engagement, rather than direct sales.
Lower end U.K. retailers Debenhams PLCc and SuperGroup PLC, which owns the Superdry brand, generate about 10% of revenue from online. Not surprisingly traditional catalog plays, such as German Otto GmbH have been able to achieve far greater share, 53% of its multi-channel sales come from online, the report says.
One of the industry's problems has been the high rate of returns—when goods are purchased and then returned—which varies by market segment. The report says some 62% of online retailers currently offer customers free returns, a large cost to retailers.
It is hoped that the introduction of "virtual fitting rooms", technology that either measure customers dimensions via webcams (such as the Berlin-based upcload.com) or allow customers to see what a garment will look like in their size (such as Estonia and U.K.-based Fits.me), will result in fewer returns by reducing the number of customers who buy clothes in the wrong size and then want to return them.
However, James Christian, Labs team leader at retailer Net-a-Porter.com, appeared to pour cold water on a lot of the initiatives when speaking at the U.K. launch of the report, suggesting that they were too difficult for users. Ms. Afanasieva was more optimistic suggesting that lower-end retailers might be able persuade customers to sign up to such fitting tools and as a reward will be given free returns; those that do not use the services might be required to pay shipping and handling charges.
Key trends in the online fashion industry
GP Bullhound's report suggested 10 trends set to continue:
- Online multi-brand stores: a significant number of recent exits have been by traditional department store-style players, which raised funding at the start of or before the online fashion wave–PriceMinister and Stylife Corporation to Rakuten, Magaseek to NTT Docomo and Mecox Lane to Sina Corp;
- Cross-category / vertical specialists: attractive targets typically as bolt-on acquisitions for larger online fashion or e-commerce players, with Fab.com acquiring FashionStake, Amazon buying Quidsi and Zappos, N Brown Group buying Figleaves.com, and Kenkou Corporation acquiring Angeliebe, reaping cross-selling and logistics synergies;
- Premium / Luxury: fashion is one of the first luxury sectors migrating online, with players like Matches.com and The Real Real having strong potential exit credentials;
- Marketplaces: rapidly expanding models that have received significant investment to date are likely to make attractive acquisition targets–already some strategic investment is taking place (ASOS invested in Covetique, Condé Nast in Farfetch);
- Online data: this segment is still in early stages of development, but we see it as a very significant niche as fashion buyers and designers become more analytical in their approach;
- Pure online labels: the new wave of vertically integrated online labels such as Everlane will become highly attractive for large brand acquirers such as PPR, looking to introduce new business models into their portfolios;
- Fashion tech: with social and mobile becoming key in driving user engagement, companies that have proven technology are sought after (for instance Etsy acquisition of Mixel);
- Buyers from emerging markets: strong interest to bring in Western brands to emerging markets where consumer spending is on the increase – over 30% of online fashion M&A has been driven by Asian buyers; Japanese Rakuten, for instance, has both strengthened its domestic footprint and expanded abroad via three online fashion deals in the last twelve months;
- Traditional retailers / retail enablers: seeking to shift their business online or acquire online distribution channels–Net-A-Porter by Compagnie Financière Richemont, HauteLook by Nordstrom and Brands4Friends by Tengelmann. Traditional non-apparel retailers are likely to look into this segment for growth – we expect supermarkets and department stores to be acquisitive. Other potential acquirers could be service providers (for instance American Express investment in Warby Parker and Rent The Runway);
- Media players: with growing traction of inventory free models, such as marketplaces and fashion-specific lead generation players, media companies can gain an additional channel to monetize their existing audience (for example Condé Nast investment in Farfetch, Rent The Runway and Monoqi, Naspers' acquisition of Markafoni).


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Definition of beetroot in English:
nounchiefly British
Another term for beet (sense 2).
Example sentences
- On the living room table are three huge salad bowls and onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, sesame seeds, beetroot, celery, spinach and garlic.
- The garden provided cauliflower, tomatoes, green peppers, spinach, beetroot, carrots, onions, rap and cabbage to the local market.
- Here community volunteers grow foods such as cabbage, spinach, beetroot, onion and carrots.
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: beet·root
Definition of beetroot in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


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Mantis 7
Skull eyes bracelet
Out of stock
Unfortunately this item is out of stock
Skull eyes bracelet in blue from Mantis 7. This sapphire bracelet features textured beads connected to a mesh chain, black sapphire beads, a lobster claw fastening, and a skull pendant with sapphire eyes, and a single diamond tooth. Measures: 3"L
Designer Style ID: 14774218KBLUESAPPHIREEYESBRACELET
Farfetch ID: 10329123
- Composition:
- Gold, Other fibres
Your order will be shipped directly from the boutique to you. Farfetch ships worldwide, and you will be able to track your order at any time. The cost of shipping your order will be calculated at the checkout.
Import duties information
Delivery duties are included in the item price when shipping to all EU countries plus USA, Canada, China, Australia, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Singapore, Republic Of Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, India, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, U.A.E., Japan.This means all import duties are included in your order, so the price you see is the price you pay. You will not receive an additional duty bill from the courier to receive your shipment. If you are ordering from within your own customs zone or country, import duties will not be applicable anyway, however you may have to pay VAT or local Sales Taxes where applicable (for the UK and USA these are included at the checkout).
Delivery duties are not included in the item price when shipping to all other countries. This means you may be liable to pay import duties on receipt of your order.
Free returns pick-up
You have 14 days from receiving your order to return the item to the boutique using our free returns pick-up service. We strongly recommend that you book your free returns pick-up within 7 days of receiving your order to ensure that it arrives back to the boutique in time. Please note for standard orders we can only collect returns from the same country to which your order was delivered. For click and collect orders we can collect your return from the country your order was delivered to and also the country of the original boutique you ordered from. Click here to read our full returns policy.


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June 19, 2012, 2 a.m.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this gallery misidentified which chamber had passed the farm bill. The Senate had passed its version of the bill.
Although a number of major stories have already happened so far in 2012, the year is only half over. Here some of the biggest stories that will develop in the coming weeks and months:


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Pennsylvania PUC votes in favor of utility energy efficiency
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has voted unanimously to deny requests by PECO and FirstEnergy to decrease their investments in energy-efficiency programs.
The Energy Savings Law, which has been in effect for three years, creates utility programs to eliminate waste and reduce energy use for approximately $278 million in savings annually, and a reduction in state electric load of 3,535 gigawatt hours.
"[This law] would have withered on the vine if the two energy giants opposing us -- PECO and FirstEnergy -- had gotten their way," said George Jugovic Jr., president and CEO of PennFuture. "They wanted to stamp out the new round of energy savings goals set by the Public Utility Commission, but…energy savings [will] be preserved for electric consumers."
Increased energy efficiency means lower bills for customers and more electricity for the grid securing more reliable electric service.
For more:
- see this article
Related Articles:
New MA energy-efficiency program to save customers $9B
ComEd targets data centers for efficiency
Whopping commercial energy waste great for utilities
Utility energy-efficiency programs "good for business"


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Take a sneak peek at the new NIST.gov and let us know what you think!
(Please note: some content may not be complete on the beta site.).
U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology Invests up to $71 Million in New Manufacturing, Infrastructure Research and Development
For Immediate Release: December 15, 2009
Michael Baum
Technology Innovation Program funding focuses on advanced materials and infrastructure monitoring and repair
The U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today announced up to $71 million in funding through its Technology Innovation Program (TIP) for 20 new cost-sharing projects that will support innovative, high-risk research in new technologies that address critical national needs. The new projects will include developing unmanned, hovering aircraft for bridge inspections, a high-speed sorting system for recycling aerospace metals, and nanomaterials for advanced batteries, among other projects. The awards will be matched by other funding sources to achieve nearly $150 million in new research over the next two to five years.
"President Obama is leading an effort to drive economic growth and solve national problems by deploying a 21st Century economy," U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary Dennis Hightower said. "These new projects will develop new technology and material that will play a critical role in modernizing infrastructure and developing the manufacturing sector across the country."
TIP is a merit-based, competitive program that provides cost-shared funding for research projects by single small- or medium-sized businesses or by joint ventures that also may include institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations and national laboratories.
The 20 projects announced today were selected from a TIP competition announced on March 26, 2009, seeking projects addressing two broad areas of national interest:
The goals for this part of the competition were detailed in the white paper, "Accelerating the Incorporation of Materials Advances into Manufacturing Processes" available at www.nist.gov/tip/wp/upload/manufacturing_wp_11_5_09.pdf.
TIP's second area of focus—civil infrastructure technology—built on TIP's 2008 solicitation for new sensor technologies to improve the monitoring of large-scale civil infrastructure, including bridges or pipelines. This year's competition emphasized technologies to detect structural damage in water resource systems like water and wastewater pipelines, dams, levees and waterway locks, as well as bridges and roadways, and added a second focus on new technologies for repair and retrofit of existing structures.
The goals for this part of the competition were detailed in the white paper "Advanced Sensing Technologies and Advanced Repair Materials for the Infrastructure: Water Systems, Dams, Levees, Bridges, Roads, and Highways" available at www.nist.gov/tip/wp/upload/civil_wp_11_5_09.pdf.
Additional information on the Technology Innovation Program is available at www.nist.gov/tip.
See the full list of 2009 TIP project awards and links to additional details for each below.
As a nonregulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.
Technology Innovation Program 2009 R&D Awards:Advanced Materials in Manufacturing
Production of Low-Cost, High-Quality Metallic and Semiconducting Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Inks
Brewer Science, Inc. (Rolla, Mo.)
Functionalized Nano Graphene for Next-Generation Nano-Enhanced Products
Angstron Materials, LLC (Dayton, Ohio)
Transformational Casting Technology for Fabrication of Ultra-High Performance Lightweight Aluminum and Magnesium Nanocomposites
The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (Madison, Wis.) (Lead)
High-Speed, Continuous Manufacturing of Nano-Doped Magnesium Diboride Superconductors for Next-Generation MRI Systems
Hyper Tech Research, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio)
PRINT® Nanomanufacturing: Enabling Rationally Designed Nanoparticles for Next-Generation Therapeutics
Liquidia Technologies, Inc. (Durham, N.C.)
Silicon Nanowire Production for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries
Amprius, Inc. (Menlo Park, Calif.)
Integrated Multiscale Modeling for Development of Machinable Advanced Alloys and Corresponding Component Machining Processes
Third Wave Systems, Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.)
High Volume Production of Nanocomposite Electrode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries
A123Systems, Inc. (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Building U.S. Strategic Metals Competitiveness Through Integration of Advanced Sensor Technologies
wTe Corporation (Bedford, Mass.) (Lead)
Homogeneous Three-Dimensional Pultruded Processing of PEEK, PEI, and PPS High Temperature Thermoplastic Composite Profiles
Ebert Composites Corporation (Chula Vista, Calif.)
High-Risk, Low-Cost Carbon Nanofiber Manufacturing Process Scale-Up
eSpin Technologies, Inc. (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Development and Scale-Up of Nanocomposites with Sub-10nm Particles
Pixelligent Technologies, LLC (College Park, Md.) (Lead)
Technology Innovation Program 2009 R&D Awards:Monitoring and Retrofit of Civil Infrastructure
Civil Infrastructure Inspection and Monitoring Using Unmanned Air Vehicles
The Droid Works, Inc. dba CyPhy Works (Framingham, Mass.)
Automated Nondestructive Evaluation and Rehabilitation System (ANDERS) for Bridge Decks
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Piscataway, N.J.) (Lead)
Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing Technology For Civil Infrastructure Management
Optellios, Inc. (Newton, Pa.)
Robotic Rehabilitation of Aging Water Pipelines
Fibrwrap Construction, Inc. (Ontario, Calif.) (Lead)
A Rapid Underground Pipe Rehabilitation Technology
LMK Enterprises, Inc. (Ottawa, Ill.)
Development of a Multiscale Monitoring and Health Assessment Framework for Effective Management of Levees and Flood-Control Infrastructure Systems
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, N.Y.) (Lead)
Development of High-Toughness, Low-Viscosity Resin for Reinforcing Pothole Patching Materials
The Regents of the University of California, (UCLA) (Los Angeles, Calif.) (Lead)
Advanced Coating Technology for Infrastructure
MesoCoat, Inc. (Euclid, Ohio) (Lead)


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Costa Concordia Begins Its Final Voyage
The Costa Concordia cruise liner began its final voyage Wednesday, slowly being towed away from the tiny Italian island where it capsized more than two years ago, killing 32 people, according to the Associated Press.
The ship, now hoisted afloat by massive air chambers, will be tugged to the port of Genoa in northwest Italy, expected to arrive on Sunday, where it will be dismantled and scrapped.
The Concordia will make the 200-mile journey at about two nautical miles per hour, to reduce the stress on the ship's weakened hull.
Accompanying the tugs and Concordia are several boats monitoring for any pollution in the waters, which are home to dolphins. Nets have been attached to sides of the liner in case any remnants of the Concordia's last passenger cruise — dishware, pots and pans, bed linen, chairs and other furnishings — tumble out of the ship during towing.


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Organizational Structure
Key elements of ARC NW's organizational structure include a community advisory board, a core and affiliate membership, a management group, and participation in local and cross-center workgroups.
Community Advisory Board
The Health Promotion Research Center's Community Advisory Board is our external sounding board for ARC NW activities.
Core Members
Core members are individuals from partner organizations who are actively involved in developing program priorities and implementing program activities. List of members
Affiliate Members
Affiliate members are individuals from the community or scientific sector who are committed to the ARC NW mission and available to provide expertise, representation, or resources to projects and workgroups. List of members
Management Group
The management group consists of a subset of core members who manage administrative and process details. They are responsible for making day-to-day decisions (research decisions are made by the entire ARC NW core membership).
Workgroups are convened to focus on specific research topics, projects, or cross-center collaborations. The lifespan of each workgroup depends on available resources and community needs. Description of workgroups


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The Houston Lightning is currently looking for 05 players ready to move up to 10u this fall (pitchers and catchers especially). We are also in serach for a few STRONG 06 players for our 8u team. We are located in Spring Texas, have a private indoor facility, and a private field on siite. Please contact Jason for a try out if interested. 713-828-7519
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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Exclamation point (!)
The main use of the exclamation point is to end sentences that express:
an exclamation:
Ow! That hurt!
Hello! How are you?
direct speech that represents something shouted or spoken very loudly:
"Look up there!" she yelled.
something that the writer finds amusing:
Included on the list of banned items was "crochet hooks!"
An exclamation point can also be used in parentheses after a statement to show that the writer finds it funny or ironic:
He was upset because he had forgotten to set his DVR to record the Flintstones retrospective(!).
People tend to use a lot of exclamation points in informal writing such as emails or text messages, but you should avoid using them in formal writing.
Back to Punctuation.
You may also be interested in:


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Hey everyone,
For a while now I have been working on migrating this blog to a personal domain on a server under my control. The time has come, and I've completed the migration of this blog to the following domain:
I have transfered the content and comments from this blog to the new domain, but I'm not sure if the subscribers to this blog will also be transfered. So just to be safe, if you are subscribed to get updates from this space, make sure you go to the new domain above and re-register. This way you'll be certain to get new posts as email newsletters.
Otherwise, if you occasionally visit this blog, I wanted to let you know, that there will be no new posting on this space. I will leave it like this for a few weeks, after that I will be redirecting this domain to the new one, and deprecating it's use. For now I think I will continue to use the email addresses for this domain, so the email -if you are using it- stays as it is for now.
I hope to see you all in the new blog space.
Take care.


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The third provision that I am most concerned about is section 511, which would require the Director of National Intelligence to establish an administrative process under which he and the heads of the various intelligence agencies would have the authority to take away pension benefits from an intelligence agency employee (or a former employee) if the DNI or the agency head "determines" that the employee has knowingly violated his or her nondisclosure agreement and disclosed classified information.
I am concerned that the Director of National Intelligence himself has said that this provision would not be a significant deterrent to leaks, and that it would neither help protect sensitive national security information nor make it easier to identify and punish actual leakers. Beyond these concerns about the provision's effectiveness, I am also concerned that giving intelligence agency heads broad new authority to take away the pensions of individuals who haven't been formally convicted of any wrongdoing could pose serious problems for the due process rights of intelligence professionals, particularly when the agency heads themselves haven't told Congress how they would interpret and implement this authority. As many of my colleagues will guess, I'm especially concerned about the rights of whistleblowers who report waste, fraud and abuse to Congress or Inspectors General.
I outlined these due process concerns in more detail in the committee report that accompanied this bill, so I won't restate them all here. I will note, though, that I am particularly confused by the fact that section 511 creates a special avenue of punishment that only applies to accused leakers who have worked for an intelligence agency at some point in their careers. There are literally thousands of employees at the Departments of Defense, State and Justice, as well as the White House, who have access to sensitive national security information. I don't see a clear justification for singling out intelligence community employees with this provision, when there is no apparent evidence that these employees are responsible for a disproportionate number of leaks. And I am concerned that it will be harder to attract qualified individuals to work for intelligence agencies if Congress creates the perception that intelligence officers have fewer due process rights than other government employees.
While I have a number of smaller concerns regarding the language of these anti-leaks provisions, the issues that I have just laid out represent my central concerns, and I hope that my colleagues now have a better sense of why I oppose this bill. I would add that my view seems to be widely shared outside of Congress, and that when USA Today ran an editorial criticizing these anti-leaks provisions, they couldn't find a single senator who was willing to publicly defend them.
I know that the sponsors of this bill have worked hard on it, and I am still happy to sit down with them at any time to discuss my concerns in more detail, and help them make the major changes that I believe must be made before this authorization bill moves forward.


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Some backyards were just meant to host weddings. Case in point, this gorgeous 16 acre property complete with a lake and a home that the groom just so happened to have built. I'm pretty sure it doesn't get more romantic than that. And to top it all off, this crafty couple DIYed almost everything you see in these pretty images from Keren Sarai Photography.
All posts with Vendor
"Wedding Now"
I seriously need to be friends with this lovely Chicago bride and groom, because they. are. awesome. They took a simple slogan, "friends, food and music," and turned it into one of the most amazing days that I have ever seen. I kid you not, I have literally been blown away by the fabulousness that is this wedding. From a Beatles cover band (I can't even begin to tell you how amazing I think that is) to a circus marching band (ditto), this was one fun and uber-gorgeous soiree. ...


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By Sgt. Dianne M. CarterOctober 30, 2012
In the early hours of the morning, Soldiers and civilians walked through the doors of the Bicentennial Chapel conference room in groups of twos and threes. Within minutes the conference room was full of conversation, rising and falling like the waves of the ocean.
Everyone lined up for a hot breakfast, then took their place at the tables to eat and listen to 1st Lt. Walter Reall give a safety brief and explain the events to come.
The eight civilians and their military sponsors are here to participate in Fort Gordon's Augusta in Army Boots program sponsored by 63rd Signal Battalion (Expeditionary) and 35th Signal Brigade from Oct. 24-25.
The Augusta in Army Boots program gives civilians, leaders within their own community, a chance to wear the Army uniform and experience a day in the life of a Soldier in an up close and personal way.
In turn, these leaders become ambassadors for the Army in the Central Savannah River Area by sharing their experiences with family, friends, and co-workers. This gives the community a better understanding of the achievements and difficulties Soldiers face on a daily basis.
"Our Soldiers get a greater understanding of the people they live around and it is a mutual advantage because the leaders in the CSRA get a better understanding of the Fort Gordon community. It enriches the community as a whole," said Lt. Col. Keith A. Garwold, commander of the 63rd ESB.
The first day began with training in Combat Life Saver skills provided by Soldiers from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Medical Center that ranged from clearing an airway to treating an open chest wound.
Next was on to the floor mats for a couple of rounds with a certified Combatives Instructor. The instructor gave everyone a chance to practice basic guard positions, and then they
were taught how to put an enemy in a choke hold. The final lesson was how to do a proper arm bar hold that would have any opponent tapping out in seconds.
"This program was very intense; you have to be in check mentally, physically, and have a plan. It was not what I expected, it was more. I think it gave me a little insight into what my own son, an airborne ranger, has gone through," said Rachael Grant, a corporate manager with Verizon Wireless.
The afternoon was full of instruction on basic rifleman skills; high and low crawl, react to direct and indirect fire, and how to clear a room. These skills were later used when the participants were put to the test with a weapons cache scenario. This type of training scenario involved searching a whole village of civilians for a weapons cache, with the possibility of engaging with enemy in the area.
Steven Scott, the chief operating officer at Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center, said, "Personally, I thought it was incredible and very life changing for me in terms of understanding what soldiers must go through to prepare mentally and physically, in order to maintain safety and achieve their target."
The weapons cache scenario also pointed out how important leadership is in the field and knowing who to look for, in a cloudy, sightless situation, said Scott.


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What is a Travel Agent Familiarization Trip (FAM)? We've all heard the saying, "Knowledge is power," and that is especially true in the travel industry. The more knowledge you have about a travel product, the better equipped you are to offer the expert advice your clients appreciate. Brochures, websites, and training seminars are all useful tools. … Read the full article…
Archive for June, 2012
What is a Travel Agent Familiarization Trip (FAM)?
Written by: Melissa Rice on June 18, 2012
How to Follow-Up After a Networking Event
Written by: Michelle Bakula on June 18, 2012
How To Follow-Up After a Networking Event In the first two "how-to" videos, you learned how to find networking groups, and how to effectively use the time you spend networking. However, if there is no "follow up" after a face-to-face networking event; quite frankly, it's a waste of your time. That is why we say that… Read the full article…
How to Find Networking Groups
Written by: Michelle Bakula on June 08, 2012
How to Find Networking Groups Face-to-face networking can be one of the most effective ways to build relationships and your credibility as a small business owner. For a home-based travel agent, this type of networking should be a priority when it comes to looking at ways to meet new people and grow your contact base…. Read the full article…


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02 August 2012
The Lloyd's Franchise Board has given approval "in principle" for run-off provider R&Q to launch Syndicate 1991, underwriting business for 2013.
Read more:
Syndicate 1991
Randall & Quilter (R&Q) has announced the formation
of Syndicate 1991, following the Lloyd's Franchise
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A starting pistol was stolen from a car in Long Buckby, police have revealed.
The theft happened between 8pm on Tuesday and 8.15am on Wednesday in Brington Road. The thief broke into a parked car and stole a number of items, including the starting pistol and blank pellets.
The weapon is not dangerous but looks similar to a hand gun, police have said.
Witnesses can call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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See on Scoop.it – Primary School eLearning
"The success and popularity of Minecraft in and out of classrooms is no surprise. It's one of the best examples of the potential of learning with games because it embraces exploration, discovery, creation, collaboration, and problem-solving while allowing teachers to shepherd play toward any subject area."
Jo Blannin – Innovative Learning's insight:
Great ways to use game-making in education – I love using MineCraft with the senior primary students. It really brings maths into engineering and science!
See on blogs.kqed.org


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First introduced in 1992 by Suzuki, the GSX-R600 was all the rage with its water-cooled 4-cylinder engine. Fast forward a decade and the neo-age of the GSX-R series has come a long way both in terms of performance and styling with the 4th generation. The single triangular headlight, more powerful 600cc engine and its signature Suzuki racing blue colour scheme and it is no wonder why it is easily one of the most popular sport bikes to date.
Jason Antonucci of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada is no stranger to the two-wheel world having been riding since an early age. Having acquired this 2002 Suzuki GSX-R600 just over 6-years ago, his need for speed is without question his main motive behind its build process resulting in what is now one of the few turbocharged GSX-Rs in Canada – let alone North America.
Built by MT Motorsport, the bike's overhaul has taken some time with odds and ends added on a monthly basis. Up front is a custom gauge cluster consisting of a KOSO RX-2N multi-function digital tach with two AEM gauges (boost and wideband) on either side. Just above is a Sportech Chrome series windscreen finishing up the already sleek front-end.
From the side profile, it is evident to see that this GSX-R is far from stock thanks to the custom 8" billet swing arm extension and blue EK-520 chain. A set of flush mount turn signals clean up the limited edition OEM blue / silver fairings.
For controls, it was an easy choice in way of a set of Pazzo Racing blue adjustable levers and blue aluminum hand grips engraved with the GSX-R logo.
The stance of this juiced Suzuki is simply awesome. The front has been lowered by 2-inches for a more hunkered-down look while the rear was treated to a custom 900lb Eibach rear spring.
The heart of the beast is what hides beneath the fairing in way of a Garrett T28 turbocharger matted to a custom MT Motorsport exhaust manifold. Air is sucked into a custom intake plenum where it is fed fuel through a set of RC Engineering 450cc fuel injectors. Thanks to a MicroSquirt V3 standalone unit and a tune by MT Motorsport, this once fast GSX-R600 put down an incredible 180rwhp @ 8psi of boost!
Planting the power down is thanks to super sticky Dunlop SportMax Q2 tires, of which the rear is a 200-series mounted on a GSX-R1000 rim. Finishing off the rear is a sleek custom colour-matched fiberglass under tail complete with custom taillights and signals.
From the moment that Antonucci fires up this juiced GSX-R, it is clear that it isn't your average crotch rocket. Endless hours of customization and dedication put this Suzuki in a league of its own, making even any 1000cc sport bike weep in shame with its 180whp! Low, mean and more muscles than the man from Brussels – this boosted two-wheeler has all the right boxes checked off.
Words & Photos: Giancarlo Pawelec
The Specs
Owner: Jason Antonucci
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Vehicle: 2002 Suzuki GSX-R600
Horsepower: 180 rwhp @ 8psi
Torque: 92 ft-lbs
Club / Team Affiliation: MT Motorsport / AutoMotoFoto.net
– 2002 OEM Suzuki Blue / Silver Limited Edition Colour Scheme
– Custom Billet Aluminum Lowering Links
– 8" Billet Swing Arm Extension
– EK-520 Chain (Blue)
– Custom Colour-Matched Fiberglass Under Tail with Custom Taillights and Signals
– Front Flush-Mount Signals
– Pazzo Racing Blue Adjustable Levers
– Billet Aluminum GSX-R Hand Grips (Blue)
– MT Motorsport Custom Dash / Gauge Cluster
– KOSO RX-2N Multi-Function Digital Tach
– 6,000K HIDs
– Sportech Chrome Series Windscreen
Wheels / Tires / Brakes / Suspension
– GSX-R1000 Rear Wheel
– (F) Dunlop SportMax Q2 120/70R17
– (R) Dunlop SportMax Q2 200/50R17
– Goodrich Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines
– 2" Lowered Front
– Eibach Custom 900 lbs Rear Spring
– (4) RC Engineering 450cc Fuel Injectors
– MicroSquirt V3 Standalone Engine Management Tuned @ 8psi by MT Motorsport
– GM 3-bar Map Sensor
– OEM Suzuki Fuel Pump Assembly
– MT Motorsport Custom Intake Plenum
– GM Air Temp Sensor (in Plenum)
– GReddy Type S Blow-off Valve
– Garrett T28 Turbocharger 0.64 A/R Exhaust Housing
– MT Motorsport Custom Exhaust Manifold
– AEM Wideband Controller
– AEM Digital Boost Gauge
– TiAL 38mm External Wastegate
– 3-inch Custom Exhaust with Divorced Wastegate Dump
– GSX-R1000 Clutch Springs
– MT Motorsport Turbo Oil Scavenger Pump System
– MT Motorsport (www.mtmotorsport.ca)
– AutoMotoFoto.net
– Kingsview Home Improvements Ltd (www.kingsviewhomeimprovements.com)
Special Thanks
– Tim and Matt of MT Motorsport for building my dream bike and AMF for always supporting my vision!
[nggallery id=427]


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Speeches - (Archived) Table of Contents
| Information Date:
| Presented To:
|BEACON Biodynamics and Ergonomics Symposium University of Connecticut
| Speaker:
|Jeffress, Charles N.
| Status:
"This document was published prior to the publication of OSHA's final rule on Ergonomics Program (29 CFR 1910.900, November 14, 2000), and therefore does not necessarily address or reflect the provisions set forth in the final standard."
BEACON Biodynamics and
Ergonomics Symposium
University of Connecticut
Farmington, Conn.
October 27, 2000
Why is OSHA pushing so hard to complete its ergonomics standard this year? I want you to know that I've answered that question dozens of times since last November.
Of course, all of us gathered here today know the answer. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs are a serious, pervasive problem throughout American workplaces.
Every year 1.8 million U.S. workers experience work-related MSDs-back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, or tendinitis, for example. This includes nearly 600,000 injuries serious enough to cause workers to miss work-a full third of the most serious on-the-job injuries.
Here's another way to look at these numbers. Today, this day, more than 1,500 working Americans will suffer painful injuries related to overexertion or repetitive motion. These injuries are potentially disabling and can require long recovery periods. For example, workers need an average of 28 days to recuperate from carpal tunnel syndrome-more time than necessary for amputations or fractures.
MSDs are also very costly injuries. Direct costs of MSDs total $15 to $20 billion per year. Indirect costs increase that total to $45 to $54 billion. That's an average of $135 million per day.
But real solutions exist that can spare workers pain and pare expenses for their employers. It's time we began putting those solutions to work for everyone's benefit. No worker should take a job to earn a living only to return home disabled. And no employer should have to bear the expense associated with injuries that can be prevented.
OSHA has found substantial evidence that ergonomics programs can cut workers' compensation costs, increase productivity and decrease employee turnover. In fact, as you know, ergonomics began as an effort to streamline work processes and improve efficiency to save money.
In short, good ergonomics is good economics. It's about working smarter and safer. That's good business.
We know better than to push equipment beyond its rated capacity. That's a surefire recipe for malfunction or breakdown. So why would we want to push our people beyond their physical capacity? Obviously, we don't.
OSHA has spent 10 years studying ergonomics, and the record includes more than 14,000 studies. During this rulemaking, we have received more than 8,000 public comments and heard from more than 700 witnesses during our nine-week hearing.
The evidence is more than sufficient. It is overwhelming. Musculoskeletal disorders are related to work, and reducing repetition, excessive force, awkward postures and heavy lifting can reduce the risk of injury. The time to act is now.
In 1995, OSHA developed a draft ergonomics rule that it circulated for feedback. That draft would have required employers to examine all jobs against a set of risk factors. High-risk jobs would then need to be fixed.
The business community reacted swiftly and strongly. Business opposition led Congress to pass appropriations riders for fiscal years 1995, 96 and 98, prohibiting OSHA from even publishing an ergonomics proposal.
Business was up in arms at the prospect of having to examine every job in every workplace to determine if doing that job might result in an MSD. Trade associations and other business leaders wanted OSHA to find a better way to focus the standard, to zero in on high-risk jobs.
So we developed a new proposal in 1999 to address this concern. It asks employers with high-risk jobs-about 25 percent of general industry employers-to provide information to workers and set up an injury reporting system. Employers would only need to take action to analyze jobs when someone actually suffers an MSD.
Of course, using an injury trigger is not the most preventive approach. But it zeroes in very effectively on jobs and activities where real problems clearly exist.
OSHA's proposal also recognizes that no ergonomics program will prevent every MSD, and that different people may be affected by different risk levels. But the injury trigger flags jobs that need correction to prevent future problems. Witnesses in our hearings also pointed to the need to identify specific physical risks that led to the injury and that must be reduced to avoid additional injuries. We were encouraged to set thresholds for these risks would make it clearer to employers when a job needs fixing and when they had done enough.
The state of Washington has used a risk factor approach in its new ergonomics standard to help employers quickly determine which jobs require further analysis and possible action. Under WISHA's standard, employers would need to examine jobs that involve specific awkward postures, repetitive lifting of various weights or engaging in other high risk activities for specified periods of time. The Washington state standard requires worker education and reduction of physical risks in individual jobs to reduce injuries.
WISHA expects a 40-percent reduction in work-related MSDs through its new standard. This is based on research indicating that the lower the intensity, duration and frequency of exposure to physical risk factors at work, the lower the risk a worker will develop an MSD. Therefore, reducing the weight of objects workers must lift, limiting the time workers must work in awkward postures or cutting the number of repetitive motions workers must perform should reduce injuries. Evidence presented in comments to us and at the OSHA hearing indicated this is a promising approach.
One of OSHA's commitments in its 1999 proposal was to provide flexibility for employers in determining how to solve problems. One size does not fit all. We know it's critical in the final standard to maintain flexibility and continue a performance-oriented approach.
At the same time, our proposal was criticized for being vague about when an employer was in compliance. Employers want to know when they've done enough. They want to be sure that their response is sufficient to protect their employees. They want to be certain that their ergonomics program will meet the approval of an OSHA inspector.
Finding the balance between performance and specification is very tough to do. If we're not specific enough, we're not providing the guidance that some employers, particularly small businesses, may need. If we're too specific, our requirements won't give employers the flexibility they need to resolve the unique problems they face. It's damned if you do, and damned if you don't. But if we must tilt one way or the other, I think it's most important to maintain flexibility. And no doubt I'll hear more on this subject from speakers who follow me.
Now I want to address Work Restriction Protection. This has proven to be one of the more controversial provisions in OSHA's proposed ergonomics standard. It has generated a significant amount of public comment and crossfire during the hearing-even though earlier OSHA standards have required similar medical removal protection. And in the case of high blood lead levels, workers may be removed from jobs involving lead exposure for up to 18 months. We proposed a six-month limit for WRP.
Under WRP, employees would receive full pay and benefits for light duty work and 90 percent of net pay and benefits if they have to miss work. And WRP payments are offset by any workers' compensation that injured workers receive.
The key to preventing serious disability as a result of MSDs lies in early reporting. And more than any other OSHA standard, the ergonomics proposal depends upon individual workers coming forward promptly to report their injuries.
OSHA's experience has shown that workers may be reluctant to report problems early if doing so will cause them to miss work and lose pay. We must find a way to reassure employees that they won't be penalized for reporting injuries. This is particularly a problem for workers at smaller businesses, which often do not provide sick time. Currently, if their employer directs them to take a few days off to recover from tendinitis, workers who do so know their next paycheck will be short. So, a worker may decide instead to put up with the pain in hopes that it will just go away.
In our final standard, we need to include some strategy that encourages early reporting to reduce both the incidence and severity of MSDs. When we depend so heavily on workers to report problems, we must find a way to encourage them to do it sooner rather than later, before irreversible damage occurs.
And we are close to a final standard. I expect that our final standard will be published by the end of the year. After that, our challenge will be to provide employers with the assistance they need to implement programs that fit their workplaces.
What we must remember is that real solutions are available to fix problem jobs. And when we identify them, both employers and employees will benefit.
While ergonomics relies on a scientific approach to fit the job to the worker, it isn't necessarily exact. Sometimes it requires experimentation. But every safety and health professional can identify solutions that eliminate musculoskeletal disorders that result from a mismatch between the job and the worker.
Solutions can be simple, obvious and inexpensive. Things like adding a platform to reduce reach, padding hand tools and work surfaces, substituting a more effective tool or reducing the size of items workers must lift. These are sensible approaches that reduce risk without reinventing the factory. Often they are suggested and developed by the workers in the jobs that need to be fixed.
While we have sound science linking work and MSDs, there is clearly room for more research. The research work that panelists here are doing is important. You've focused on an issue that is in the forefront of safety and health. And your research has the potential to significantly improve lives.
How can we design the work environment and the work flow to minimize physical stress? How can we re-design common jobs that have already resulted in injury? How can we address ergonomics in other industries like construction? What solutions are in use in Europe or Japan?
Are there more objective measures of MSDs that we could rely on? What strategies prove most effective in treating various MSDs? What new interventions might be successful?
We need your contributions, and we welcome them. We want to send every worker home whole and healthy every day. Your work will guide employers and employees in finding practical solutions to common problems to prevent injuries. We appreciate your partnership in creating safer workplaces, and we look forward to working together in the future.
|Speeches - (Archived) Table of Contents


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W.Va. governor campaigns in Williamstown
September 17, 2012
WILLIAMSTOWN — While West Virginia was one of a few states to have a budget surplus during the latest recession, there was a time when the state was not so fortunate. Gov....
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text:
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Friendship Quotes
How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Now she had got a start, and she went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn't think much of it. But I never said so. I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and she said not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together. (1.7)
Aw. Huck likes Tom so much that he wants to stay with him even in Hell. Luckily for him (we guess), Miss Watson seems pretty sure that they'll end up there together.
Quote #2
"Now, we'll start this band of robbers and call it Tom Sawyer's Gang. Everybody that wants to join has got to take an oath, and write his name in blood." (2.10)
Tom has some pretty intense ideas about friendship, too—like the idea that you have to swear your loyalty to your friends in blood. Oh, and offer up your family as collateral.
Quote #3
Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn't lonesome now. I told him I warn't afraid of HIM telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothing. (8.25)
Huck may be enjoying his frolic on the island, but he's lonely. Is he glad to see Jim because he already considers Jim a friend—or is he just glad to see anyone?


text:
Preview Your Response
In The News Today
- President Obama commuted the federal sentences of 111 prisoners, nearing a total of 700 over the course of his presidency.
- BuzzFeed News exposes a secretive legal system that allows corporations to intimidate entire countries with one threat.
- Facebook has a fake news problem. Phony content is still everywhere despite the network's promise to block it 📰👀


text:
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text:
December 12, 2013
Alabama coach Nick Saban is conducting his in home visit with LB Raekwon McMillan of Hinesville, GA tonight. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer are scheduled to visit Sunday. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has had his in home visit as has Georgia coach Mark Richt. McMillan will announce his decision Monday at 12:30 PM on the NBC Sports Network.
DB Rashard Causey of Ft. Lauderdale picked up an offer from Clemson Thursday. USC was one of his earlier offers and he's had the Gamecocks and Miami at the top of his list. Some of his other offers are UCLA, Florida, West Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Florida State, NC State, Penn State and Pittsburgh.
Published August 24
Published August 23
Published August 22
Published August 22
Published August 19
Recruiting Notebook August 24th]}
Location, ST | website.com


text:
Changes Afoot At Macquarie
By Gillian Tan and Isabella Steger
Macquarie Group has appointed Sydney-based Ben Brazil as co-head of its Corporate and Asset Finance Group, or CAF, the company's lending and leasing businesses. The group also announced the appointment of Alex Harvey as chief executive officer of Macquarie Asia.
Mr. Brazil Wednesday joined current co-head Garry Farrell, who has led the businesses since 2000 and will continue to represent CAF on Macquarie's executive committee. Mr. Brazil, who has been at Macquarie since 1994, will focus on CAF's lending business while Mr. Farrell will be primarily responsible for CAF's leasing business. Mr. Brazil is also a Crown Ltd. director, alongside friend and chairman James Packer.
Macquarie Group Chief Executive Nicholas Moore said Mr. Brazil had led the growth in CAF's lending business. "This appointment recognizes his proven ability to develop a global business in uncertain economic conditions," he said in a statement.
Mr. Harvey — currently a Macquarie Capital executive director and global head of the Telecommunications, Media, Entertainment and Technology (TMET) group — joined Macquarie in 1999 and has led equity, advisory and debt transactions in Australia, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. He will relocate to Hong Kong later in February.
Mr. Moore commended Mr. Harvey's track record of leadership, and of building international businesses and client relationships. "Alex will play a key role delivering all aspects of Macquarie's business to our clients in the region [and] his appointment reflects Macquarie's commitment to providing the highest level of service to our growing client base in Asia," he said.
In 2005, under the leadership of Mr. Harvey, Macquarie listed its Macquarie Media Group Fund on the Australian Stock Exchange. MMG subsequently acquired a regional radio network in Australia, a Taiwanese broadband company and two U.S. community newspaper publishers. In 2007, MMG and Fairfax Media Ltd. jointly launched a A$1.26 billion (US$1.1 billion) breakup bid for Southern Cross Broadcasting Ltd. MMG was later renamed Southern Cross Media Group.
At 30 September 2011, Macquarie had assets under management of A$327 billion. It opened its first office in Hong Kong in 1995 and in Wednesday's statement, said one way it continues to grow its Asian activities is via niche acquisitions. According to its website, CAF engages Macquarie Bank's balance sheet to provide lending, leasing and asset management solutions. CAF manages more than $US19 billion of funded assets.
Update: This post has been updated to include Mr. Harvey's deal experience and Mr. Brazil's position as a Crown Ltd. director.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @WSJAustralia.


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For most couples, one party having an affair signals the death knell for the relationship, but Tess Stimson believes her extra-marital affair actually saved her marriage.
The twist is that Tess had a sexual relationship with another woman, a close friend who became much more during one period in her life.
And far from being upset about his wife playing away, Tess's husband was totally understanding about the fling, with the couple now claiming to be happier than ever.
The relationship developed at a time in writer Tess's life when she was feeling isolated, after moving away from Britain to Vermont, leaving her feeling cut off from her circle of friends.
"I don't think I was looking for it at all, I loved my husband, was extremely happy, I'd never looked at another man then or since. There was no need for another man, he was the perfect man," Tess explained on This Morning.
"What he couldn't do at the time, or what I felt he couldn't do, was understand what it's like to be a woman looking down the barrel of 40, getting used to all sorts of different changes in life, kids growing up, being a freelancer, all those sorts of things. And the girly chat."
Explaining how things developed with this woman, Tess continued: "We'd been at a party one night we'd all had a lot to drink and ended up kissing. The next day we put it down to a few drinks and just a laugh. It's almost on trend these days ever since Madonna and Britney [kissed at the MTV VMAs), everyone seems to be doing it."
But things moved on from just a peck when the ladies went to New York for Tess's birthday one weekend.
"We shared room to save money. She's always been a bit flirty, and say, 'That dress is knockout, you look fantastic, I'd give you one...
"It wasn't about the fact she was a woman or having an affair. I never even thought was an affair, it was an extension of our female friendship that developed in a physical way."
Explaining more about why Tess and other women sometimes develop a relationship with a friend, psychologist, Jo Hemmings said: "I think Tess explained it very well, it's the emotional intimacy she lacked, that's what she felt she was getting.
"She was in a different country working alone, she didn't have her girlfriends, and wasn't totally confident by the support of [husband] Eric.
"What this woman did was provide emotional intimacy...
"I think it's a physical manifestation of emotional intimacy she needed."
Watch the video above for much more from Tess, Jo and agony aunt Denise Robertson.
If you have been affected by any of the issues on *This Morning, check out our helplines.
More About This Morning
- Edible Christmas gifts: delicious cookies and brownie recipes
- Phil Vickery's perfect roast turkey
- This Morning December 19: Willoughfield, festive veg recipes, Text Santa
- Text Santa: find out how Clic Sargent supported the Willis family
- Phil Vickery's Christmas veg recipes
- This Morning Nativity: The shepherds visit baby Jesus
- This Morning December 17 roundup: nativity, Soapbox and Christmas cookery


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City says it has about $9 million in leftover library money from '06 bond program. Here's how it would like to spend it.
Per the Dallas Public Library Master Plan completed in 2001, the Highland Hills branch on Simpson Stuart needs to be replaced. Says the lengthy-look see, an excerpt from which follows, the built-in-1980 branch is among the smallest in the city at a mere 10,000 square feet, and that's "inadequate due to its heavy usage by patrons."
And so, for its 2006 bond program, the city included in Proposition Four — devoted entirely to library facilities — some $1 million for land acquisition and a design for the new Highland Hills branch. But no money was set aside to actually build the new branch. Same went for North Oak Cliff, Preston Royal, Park Forest and Forest Green: They'll all be replaced. One day. When there's money. But the city has the land. So there's that.
But tomorrow, the council's Arts, Culture & Libraries Committee will be told there's money left over from the 2006 bond program: $8,749,898, to be precise. It comes from myriad sources, as you'll see below; among them, it didn't cost as much to buy the new site for Preston Royal (which is now on Forest), and the city only spent $258,616 out of $2.2 mil set aside for the downtown central library.
The City Manager's Office is recommending using $6 million of that savings to go ahead and build Highland Hills — which will make Tennell Atkins happy, since it's in his district … and since he also sits on the ACL committee. Matter of fact, it was high on his to-do list way back in September, during one of the newly reformed committee's first meetings on this very subject.
And according to the briefing, the rest of the money will go toward overhauling the seventh floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library — home of the invaluable Texas/Dallas History & Archives Division. As the briefing notes, way back in '95 the Friends of the Dallas Public and the city agreed to team up to fund a central library overhaul, floor by floor; for the seventh, the Friends committed and raised $3 million, which the city has agreed to match. And now that it has it, well, match game on.
More to come tomorrow, after the briefing (which also includes that AT&T PAC coffee shop-box office). Till then, some reading follows. Check it out.
ACL LibraryFacilitiesUpdate 041612ACL LibraryFacilitiesUpdate 041612


text:
Monday, July 14th, 2014 4:14 pm
Gnarlos' Nostalgia: Wrahw Tom Lamarche
Posted by: gnarlos
Wrahw had always been one of my favorites in the early scene, with ghoulish content and psycho techy tricks, Torey and the boys involved never dissapointed. This edit has been knocking around in my head for the past few days so I really wanted to re-share it with everybody.
I cannot believe it's already 3 years old.


text:
Cuba Offers Quality Surgeries at Affordable Prices
Cuba is a leader in today's healthcare. They have developed vaccines and treatments that no other country has including Cimavax (Lung Cancer Treatment) and Niumixtumab (Brain Cancer Treatment). The heath care system in Cuba is unique in that there are no private clinics that are owned by Cubans. All of the hospitals are government owned and arbitrated to provide top quality and assure safety to all patients.
With tourism as one of the top contributions to the Cuban economy the government has made sure to guarantee safety to all of its tourists. They even have implemented extremely harsh punishments for anyone who harasses or harms a tourist.
Although American's are able to travel legally to Cuba there are no flights from the US to Cuba. Americans must fly first to one of 15 countries, the most common being either Canada or Mexico. We at PlanetHospital are able to help you with your Visa and any other approval or bookings you will need to travel to Cuba.
All of the quotes that you will find listed on this website include all hospital nights and meals provided. As safety is a primary concern for Cuban's, they prefer you to stay at the hospital until fully recovered. They also do have recovery centers and allow you to choose the recovery center of your choice.


text:
The Federal Government will Become America's Model Employer for the 21st Century.
Recruit, Retain and Honor a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People.
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OPM's Human Resources Solutions organization can help your agency answer this critically important question.
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Visit this federal site to search for our regulatory notices, proposed and final rules.
See the latest tweets on our Twitter feed, like our Facebook pages, watch our YouTube videos, and page through our Flickr photos.
If you elect a full Living Benefit, you stop paying premiums and the Government no longer pays its contributions for your Basic life coverage.
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