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Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Stumbling blocks to nation's progress (Mkini)
I told him that the indicators so far are not good. On the economy, it is quite obvious that the government and the ruling elites do not display enough political will, deep economic knowledge and policy wisdom to take this country to a higher level.We have identified two crucial challenges for the economy.
First, it is quite obvious that our fixation with building mega dollars industrial parks and hubs is not working.
Malaysia's economic success cannot be solely dependent on industrial parks.What we should do is to focus on enhancing the quality of education in the country. Without a pool of highly skilled labour, it will be difficult for us to attract higher value investment into the country. Malaysia's dependence on low cost foreign labour is a major barrier for innovation.
It is an open secret that this government does not focus on the substance of a good education policy. The whole debate on the use of language has created a diversion from the real problem faced by this country.Until and unless something is being done to enhance, revamp and reorganise the curriculum and the quality of teachers in this country, Malaysia's hope of joining the ranks of high-income countries will remain a mere dream.
Since the last general election, many Malaysians and foreigners are hopeful that this country will change for the better. Many of them will be disappointed to find out that the quality of political discourse has taken yet another dip for the worse.
The opposition coalition has not performed much better either. Constant bickering and open disputes over trivial issues only helped to expose a lack of calibre in their leadership ranks.
Malaysians must make a serious choice on whether they should continue to tolerate current political antics or demand better quality politicians in the next general election.
The use of extreme racial and religious language in the ongoing Permatang Pasir by-election is an indication of what to expect in the next general election.
Race relations in the country could turn for the worse if Malaysians allow themselves to be manipulated and influenced by the propaganda and rhetoric.Less than capable and tainted politicians will continue to hide behind the race and religious curtain for survival.For those who thought that racism in Malaysia is over after the last general election, they might be disappointed.
The next general election will put Malaysian political maturity to test.Malaysians will find little fault with race and religion if we can agree that good governance and a responsible government is more important.
Mutual respect and acceptance can be nurtured once the blame game stops.The local politics is not only suffering from a devious manipulation of race and religion to score political points but also corruption and abuse of power.
Several scandals e.g. the PKFZ fiasco, thousands of custodial deaths, judicial independence, alleged collusion between the ruling government and the public institutions and others have rocked the country in recent times. Many foreign observers are surprised that many Malaysians have been remarkably resilient and tolerant towards these scandals. Many governments would not have survived even one of the scandals.
Socially, this society is at a crossroads. The ruling government is very aggressive in promoting its new slogan, '1Malaysia'. But as many as 40 percent of Malaysians are not quite sure what it really means.
The government is now considering dropping a race identification tick box from all official forms. This is merely a cosmetic move as a person's race can be easily identified from his/her name.So far, the ruling government does not show any indication that it is serious in eradicating real racial profiling, promoting equality among all Malaysians, respecting democratic rights to assembly and free speech, enhancing democracy and improving its own governance.
Other emerging countries are using the crisis to improve and correct their internal discrepancies. It does not take long for Malaysia to fall behind the pack if the government continues to focus on political contestation and neglecting everything else.
After hearing me, the foreign investor told me he had made up his mind on where to put his money and place his next bet. I hope he is still committed to Malaysia.
17 comments:
- romerz said...
They will be overcomed eventually I have no doubt. Why? Because of our population demographics.
Those who continue to impede our progress as a nation are not getting any younger and it is a matter of time before the young of this country takes over.
Of this I have no doubt when the median age is 24.6 years (2008 estimate according to WolframAlpha).
Change will come when the country is in the hands of younger and more able politicians, when I do not know but we are surely heading that way.
My only fear is how do we transit from these old racists and inept buffoons peacefully? Unless they die before the transition takes place, I worry that they will resort to violent means to stay in power!
Don't worry about progress, it will come within our lifetime even. Worry more about the transition as I do daily when I hit out at old politics.
Whilst I know what needs to be done, I'm as yet unsure how it can be achieved given the desperate people we are dealing with!
Care to give me an idea on which I can use? Thanks in advance.
The BN/UMNO animal farm will not focus on improving the quality of education in Malaysia. They send their own children abroad...that they know.
They also know that they need to keep the quality of education in M'sia low so that the people remain "katak dibawah tempurung". If Rakyat becomes too clever, the animal farm will not remain in power.
You are right. Countries with a high percentage of educated citizens have low crime rate. Look at the jails....up 70% of the jailbirds are Chinese. The country doesn't look at how to equip the less educated with skills...skills which they can use to earn a living. Good leaders will build more technical schools where the less academically-inclined folks can learn and acquire certification on brick-laying, plumbing, electrical works, etc. This will be good for all Rakyat. No....nothing for this category of Rakyat. How do they survive? They resort to crime.
The economy is in the doldrum in Malaysia and yet, the animals in Putrajaya can spend billions to do feasibility on green dam, hire PR consultants to improve the image of the police, looking into building a bridge from Melaka to Sumatra...the list goes on and on.
It is not that Najis and Moohidin have no brain. They use their brain to look into ways to line their own pockets and that of their cronies. They don't think for the Rakyat. Rakyat think they are stupid...they are not. These 2 animals think for themselves and as a result they look stupid..when in fact, they are so clever in counting what goes into their pockets.
Tell investors Malaysia is not the place to invest....tell them to go to Singapore, HK or even Thailand.
Of all the predicaments of our present scenario, the worst and most explosive are racial and religious rhetorics...and politicians and editors who played them seemed to be ignorant of the fiery consequences that would result...
RON, Kuala Lumpur
If I were the foreign investor who listened to your explanation, I would also know what to do with my money.
How many investors would the ruling government need to convince them that changes and reformation are needed? They do not need just icing on the social-economic-religious cake. If parties concerned are so gung-ho on propagating the 1M'sia concept, then they must be brave enough to 'bite the bullet' to face and solve all other pertinent and important issues so apparent in the eyes of locals and foreigners as well.
Of course,it is good that the foreign investor be committed to Malaysia, but could he? What are the pull factors? Will he be pushed to other ASEAN or Asian countries? Who will miss out on the shift of balance of the economic and financial power from the West to East and South Asia?
With this current bunch of ministers eg Nazri(who said MACC can use gun to shoot if threatened and simply accuse people before police even investigated),Muyuddin(defending Utusan for inciting a racial issue and now using govnmt property for own party use and got the guts to say he is not afraid!, defending the candidate of Permatang Pasir that he is not wrong(morally) but actually this guy(Rohaizat) has been found guilty by the Bar council and righted by the court.),Rais yatim(for giving flimsy excuses to trying to change the name of H1N1 virus to some other name).They are all old cocks and their brain cells have stagnated!So how do you expect our country to propress with them around.
Yes..! Same goes with my foreign investors...
I might also take mine else where.
As long as "both sides" are still as screwed up as ever, Malaysia will loose "big time"...!!!
Don't they know that "The World" knows & is watching....!!!
And they keep telling them .....
"Come to Malaysia lah....
Very nice place.... (I agree until....)
Investment very easy....
Can get approval easy.... (Eerrr..)
We are multi racial... (I agree)
We live in harmony.... (Mmmm...!)
Blah.. Blah.........
I've such big plans for our country. But now.......
I don't know !!!
Thats a good one...I can also use such advice for my other foreign friends.
Thumbs UP!
- red.dot said...
On your statement:
"Many foreign observers are surprised that many Malaysians have been remarkably resilient and tolerant towards these scandals. Many governments would not have survived even one of the scandals."
It's not that many Malaysians have been remarkably resilient & tolerant towards these scandals, but the rakyat's being suppressed of their very basic right!
I can understand your reason for wanting to be honest but shouldn't you try to refrain from volunteering such views. Unless they beat it out of you!
You may have cost your fellow Malaysians jobs!
Qoute from one of the blogs re the state of our country.....
when the intellectuals go down and the fools go up, they then become ministers and leaders, running and ruining the country!
Race is part and parcel of constition but there is the catedgory for chinese and indians is under 'others' , pl be advised. So pl amend the constitution and abolish this part
Khoo, we know how bad our country has become under those corrupt warlords, but at least you should have tried to trick the foreigners to invest here so that we can have at least maintain a bowl of rice everyday before those warlords take everything for themselves and cronies and soon we will dig tapioca to eat.The Penans have already started digging
I think most of the opposition supporter hated the gov so much that they are willing to make sure the current gov lose out in every field. They don't even mind malaysia lose out economically by protrating a very bad image of malaysia to the world. They don't mind the fellow malaysian suffer economically as long as they make sure they topple current gov. The worse malaysia suffer economically, the happier they are as long as bn toppled at all cost.
Khoo, as bad our current political situation is, Malaysia as a whole is still a good place to invest.
I hope you've sold your friend here the good parts about Malaysia as well and not just the ugly politics...which are not expected to change that much in the next 4-5 years!
You are an optimist and I'd like to hope that you are correct, for our children's sake. However, the signs on the walls are not pretty. I have not seen any difference in the next generation of the UMNOputras.
As for our economy, it is pathetic. What happened to the billions in the stimulus packages? Some friends in the construction and building industry told me they have not seen anything so far. Maybe they are non-UMNO. I just came back from 2 weeks in China. You can feel the pulse of the economy there by seeing the highways choked with big trucks and heavy movers. There are big infra projects everywhere. Factories I visited told me that they are seeing orders coming in. They are starting to gear up. Restaurants are full. Wait list for Mercs in Beijing is several months. China is where all the money is. I never fail to be amazed on each trip to China.
- ajoyly said...
You have put beautifully what are the problems besetting Malaysia's progress in view of the current economic recession? And how they can be overcame? The difficulty is that, there is a blockage in the form of personal or vested interest. Connected with money and which has became a permanent feature of political life in the country.
Such entrenchment is not easy to remove. Considering, it is a part of the fabric of politic. It requires a general overhaul of all aspect of Malaysian Society's infrastructures. A gargantuan task indeed! It will need intense concentration and stamina as at every turn and corner it will be met by very strong resistance.
From those who are involved in such a lifestyle. To give up would mean like losing a gold mine. Nevertheless it has to be done. Othewise, like cancer, it will kill investment and the economic life of Malaysia. To the detriment of workers in which case, thousands will lose their jobs.
Money itself is not the root of evil. It is how it's used, like bribing in order to obtain favours from people holding political offices. With both parties having vested interest in the transaction concerned, it is not easy to pin down the culprits. As both sides will be protective of each other.
The difficulty is enormous but it can be done with a strong and determined political will.
Uncle Khoo there r too many of us inthis country. Maybe chinese and indian be allowed to go back to our mother country. Opnion only ma dun get angry


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September's Books Plus Discussion
Both a British comedy of errors and a sweet love story, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand has enough to please a wide range of readers. Major Pettigrew is retired and living a quiet widow's life in a small town in Sussex. As his friendship with Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper, becomes something more, complications - both large and small, funny and serious - arise. Join us to discuss Simonson's first novel next week during our monthly Books Plus book discussion.
For more details of this and future programs, please see below.
Books Plus meets the first Sunday of each month. All are welcome. Join the discussion or simply come to listen.
2 p.m., First Sundays
September 5 -- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Discussion Leader: Sarah Bowman
"There is a great deal going on in these pages--sharply observed domestic comedy, late-life romance, culture clash, a dash of P. G. Wodehouse, and a pinch of religious fundamentalism. First novelist Simonson handles it all with great aplomb, and her Major, with his keen sense of both honor and absurdity, is the perfect lens through which to view contemporary England." -- BookList
October 3 -- Half Broke Horses: a True-life novel by Jeannette Wall
Discussion leader: Dory Lynch
"Told in a natural, offhand voice that is utterly enthralling, this is essential reading for anyone who loves good fiction - or any work about the American West." - Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
November 7 -- Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
Discussion Leader: Wendy Rubin
"In Miracle at St. Anna, James McBride, author of the bestselling memoir The Color of Water, tells a war story that, like all great tales of conflict, connects the enormous tragedy of war with the intimate stories of individual soldiers." - Paul Ford
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Chicago remodeling firms had better get ready for a call from the city: the famous Willis Tower is about to lose its distinction of being the tallest building in North America. That honor is about to be seized by the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center, which will measure 1,776 feet at completion. See full article.


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After reading the op-ed from Walter E. Williams on June 6 I felt compelled to write.
What a bunch of hooey that piece of garbage was. It makes me wonder, what ever happened to the well-to-do in America? There was a time in America when the rich were looked up to, not only for their wealth, but they were also respected for being pillars of their community. They were business leaders and philanthropists, and always acted like perfect ladies and gentlemen.
They weren't writting op-eds complaining about how unfair it is for them to have to pay taxes, when, as Williams complained, 50 percent of Americans don't pay any federal income tax. Well, genius, 50 percent of Americans don't pay any federal income tax because 50 percent of Americans are poor people. What do you want them to pay taxes with?
Included in that 50 percent number are students, disabled Americans, and seniors who have already paid their fair share. It is very misleading for them to always bring up this 50 percent argument as if poor people pay nothing, and the rich pay it all. As anyone who earns a paycheck knows, the Social Security Administration takes a cut of their earnings, as does Medicare. There is no refund check coming from them at tax time, so the rich don't pay for the poor's Social Security or Medicare anyway, do they? As a matter of fact, the Social Security Administration stops taking out Social Security taxes after you earn $106,800 anyway, so the "rich" don't pay any more than most middle class Americans.
Most people make a no-interest loan to their country each year by paying taxes that they will later get a refund for because of their choices on their W-2. I pay into Social Security and Medicare out of every check I earn, and all I ask in return, is that the money is going to be there when I retire, which is highly doubtful.
I would imagine that any one of those 50 percent of Americans that pay no federal income tax would gladly trade places with any rich person. Heck, I would gladly trade my little paycheck for your huge one, and I would feel honored to pay my fair share of income tax for the good of my country. I wonder if the rich know that all their complaining about how bad they have it just serves to make them look even more greedy, childish and self-centered than they already do?
The top tax rate under Richard M. Nixon was 70 percent, and the rich back then seemed to do just fine. It is now around 30 percent and they cry like greedy little children. This is the American system; if you don't like it, you can always leave.
James F. Gilbert


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UNIVERSITY PARK - Bill O'Brien was asked to evaluate his three quarterbacks following Saturday's Blue-White Game.
"I really have to watch the film," he said.
Now where have we heard that before?
Article Photos
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Paul Jones sets up behind lineman Nate Cadogan.
The request, as in the past, was fair enough, but O'Brien did go on to say that he felt Matt McGloin, Rob Bolden and Paul Jones "all made plays" after the PSU defense beat the offense, 77-65, in an electoral-college scoring system.
O'Brien praised each QB for learning a "system that is entirely different" and deferred comment on a current pecking order.
"We'll make a decision heading into training camp on who we're going with and who the top two are," he said.
It appears, judging from the comments on how spring practice went and based on Saturday's numbers that McGloin, the senior incumbent, remains ahead.
Quarterbacks coach Charlie Fisher said, "When Matt plays within himself, he does a good job."
Fisher felt McGloin, who went 6-of-13 for 105 yards, and a touchdown, made "one bad throw," alluding to a sideline interception that Jesse Della Valle (a candidate for someone's all-name team) returned 35 yards.
"McGloin had a very good last week of practice and was very good at times today," Fisher said.
"I feel comfortable," McGloin said. "I thought I did a good job this spring, and there's still a lot of room for improvement."
So the race is likely for No. 2. Bolden went 7-for-14 for 78 yards - one for 37 yards - but was picked off three times.
Bolden has talked of transferring before but said Saturday, "That's all in the past. I feel I'm getting better every day, and I have everything I need here."
Fisher said a couple of times that Bolden needs to become "more consistent with his decision making."
Of the three, Jones is the most exciting. He's got a rocket arm, evidenced by his ability to roll left and throw right, a difficult pass for a righthanded QB. But Jones did it several times en route to a 113-yard day on 6-for-15 passing, including a touchdown.
Jones was admittedly nervous after not playing due to academic reasons since last year's Blue-White game.
"The first half didn't go as I thought," he said.
He didn't get as many chances against the first-team defense, and Jones had several open receivers that he missed. But he also brought a vertical, stretch-the-field ability missing the last few years.
He drew the game's biggest ovation when he entered late in the first quarter.
"Some guys come alive in a game like this, and at times Paul did that," Fisher said. "He has something to him. He can scramble and improvise and he's exciting to watch. P.J. brings the place alive, and at times Rob did that."
Former defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, who recruited him, once said Jones could throw the ball 100 yards.
Jones wouldn't go that far but said Saturday he's thrown it as far as 70 "with a little wind." He said O'Brien told him the deepest chuck by one of his quarterbacks is a 72-yarder uncorked in practice by the Patriots' backup Ryan Mallett.
O'Brien said he and Jones have grown close because "we both have a unique sense of humor."
The coach said Jones "knows what he has to do to win the job" and "has gotten better every day."
Someone kidded McGloin after the game that he could be on the verge of setting an NCAA record for winning the No. 1 quarterback job.
He laughed, saying, "If I win it this year, it probably would be the third one. But all quarterbacks across the country are in battles."
Penn State's trio is, too, but it's more for No. 2.
Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Three business partners, including a former South Carolina State University board member, pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank fraud and conspiracy charges in connection with shady deals that involved stolen public money, a kickback and other crimes.
Former university board member Lancelot Wright, 47, of Lexington, along with Columbia businessman Phillip Mims, 46, and Tampa, Fla., resident Robert Anthony Williams, 57, will be sentenced on the two charges at a later date.
The charge of conspiring to steal and convert public funds is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. On the fraud count, the men each face up to 30 years behind bars and a $1 million fine.
The case is being handled by the same federal prosecutors overseeing the ongoing investigation into corruption at S.C. State. Wright resigned his post at the Orangeburg school in May 2012, citing personal reasons.
The three men pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge David Norton in downtown Charleston, but the charges were not directly connected to S.C. State but to business ventures in Columbia and Mullins.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Moore, however, said Wright has been cooperating in the prosecution of others, including another case currently assigned to Norton, who has been presiding over hearings in the S.C. State probe.
Moore would not say whether the case in question involves former S.C. State board Chairman Jonathan Pinson, who is a former business associate of Wright's, according to multiple news reports.
In January, Pinson, 42, of Simpsonville was indicted on charges that he used his influence at the university to broker a land deal in Cameron in exchange for a $100,000 Porsche Cayenne. He also was accused of steering a contract to a business associate to promote the school's 2011 homecoming concert. He has denied those allegations.
The charges lodged Wednesday stemmed from shady business deals involving the St. Andrews Medical Village in Columbia, the Village at River's Edge housing development north of Columbia, and the Softee Supreme diaper plant in Mullins, according to federal prosecutors.
In September 2007, federal prosecutors said, Wright, Williams and Mims did business together through Strategies Development Group and obtained $3.3 million bank loan to build St. Andrews Medical Village. Instead of using the loan from First Saver's Bank for the project, they used it for other purposes, causing "substantial losses" to the bank, the prosecutors said in a statement.
"Almost every one of the construction draws was misused," Moore said.
Then in 2009, prosecutors said, Wright, Williams and others worked to relocate the diaper plant from Georgia to South Carolina by getting a $1 million grant from Marion County. Wright, Williams and Mims then schemed to steal $80,000 in grant money for their own use by submitting false invoices for payments to the company Supremes LLC, the officials said.
Also in 2009, Wright and Williams invested in the Village at River's Edge and made a kickback to an unnamed municipal employee, officials said. Mims then got involved, the prosecutors said, by becoming a project manager and siphoning money from a federal construction grant for his own use.
Moore would not identify the employee who received the kickback but said he no longer works for the city of Columbia.
In addition to the trio, Pinson also served as an investor in the Village at Rivers Edge and Softee Supreme, according to multiple news reports. Rivers Edge also attracted investment money from Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, but he sold his interest days before he announced his 2010 candidacy for mayor.
The FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the State Law Enforcement Division investigated the case against Wright, Williams and Mills. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy Wicker, Mark Moore, Jane Taylor and Dewayne Pearson are prosecuting it.
Some of the evidence against the trio was obtained through court-approved wiretaps, which have played a key role in the S.C. State corruption probe.
The investigation into the dealings of former S.C. State officials and their business associates has so far snared seven people, including three with direct ties to the historically black college.
In January, Pinson, was indicted on charges for his role in the Cameron land deal. He also was accused of steering a contract to a business associate Eric Robinson, 42, to promote the school's 2011 homecoming concert.
Pinson and Robinson, of Greer, were both charged with attempting to affect interstate commerce by extortion and participating in an alleged kickback scheme in connection with the concert. They have pleaded not guilty to all counts of the indictment.
Michael Bartley, 48, the school's former police chief, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy for his role in the Cameron land deal, for which the Orangeburg resident would have received an ATV and about $30,000 in cash.
In February, Florida developer Richard Zahn pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to sell property he owns in Cameron to South Carolina State University in exchange for kickbacks to school officials.
The 44-year-old developer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. Zahn is accused of conspiring on the land deal with Bartley and Pinson. The two officials allegedly pitched the sale to other school officials in return for bribes, according to court documents.
He has not yet been sentenced.
Reach Diane Knich at 843-937-5491 and Andrew Knapp at 937-5414.
- Keywords


text: In 1844 Phelps was able to take over the management of the then-unfashionable Sadler's Wells Theatre and revolutionize the production of Shakespeare 's plays by restoring Shakespearean performances to the original text of the first folio and away from the adaptations by Colley Cibber, Nahum Tate and David Garrick that had been favored by the theatre-going public since the Restoration. Phelps staged all but four of Shakespeare's plays at Sadler's Wells , some of which (like The Winter's Tale and Measure for Measure ) hadn't been performed much in their original texts since their premieres at the Globe Theatre. Phelps' most frequently performed role was Hamlet , but he counted Macbeth ,Wolsey ,Leontes , and Bottom among his greatest achievements. He was generally considered the finest King Lear of his generation, returning to Shakespeare's version (which had been replaced on stage for over a hundred and fifty years by Tate's happy ending adaptation The History of King Lear), and staging the first production of the original version since the Restoration in 1845. (Wikipedia, under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License)


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Does WikiLeaks damage the brand image of wikis? | Opensource.com
Does WikiLeaks damage the brand image of wikis?
Over the past few weeks, the world has been consuming the newest set of revelations via WikiLeaks. The uproar caused by the release of the first set of diplomatic cables from a batch of 251,000 in WikiLeaks' possession is enough to take your breath away.
A disclaimer: in this post it is not my intention to analyze the positive or negative consequences of the actions of the WikiLeaks organization—there is plenty of that coverage, just check your favorite news reader every five minutes or so to see the latest.
Instead, I want to explore the impact that the WikiLeaks brand name is having/will have on brands closely identifying with the word "wiki", and analyze whether WikiLeaks will impact the acceptance of collaboration and transparency initiatives within corporations.
My feeling? These are potentially dangerous days for wikis, collaboration, and transparency in the corporate world.
What makes this case particularly interesting is that, according to Wikipedia (of course), as of this month the WikiLeaks website isn't even based on a wiki anymore.
One of the many dangers in brand naming is that the name you choose eventually becomes too narrow to describe what your organization does. Another danger is that as things change, your name no longer accurately reflects the organization.
The latter seems to be the case for WikiLeaks. But what makes this example rather unique is the combination of an inaccurately-branded organization with a universally-used term like "wiki."
Because of some of the controversy surrounding WikiLeaks, I could certainly see situations where risk-adverse corporate leaders might reconsider using wikis or brands with the word wiki in the name.
The organization with the biggest brand risk is the biggest wiki brand of all, Wikipedia. In fact, I found multiple pages on Wikipedia attempting to make it clear that there is no relationship between Wikipedia and WikiLeaks, which is a pretty good sign that there has been confusion.
From the page: Wikileaks is not part of Wikipedia:
The site WikiLeaks, which publicizes leaked information, is not in any way affiliated with Wikipedia or the Wikimedia Foundation. It is an entirely separate website run by people who have no connection to Wikimedia.
"Wiki" is a generic word that anyone can use; it is not a brand name. The term was already in existence prior to the advent of Wikipedia, and the Wikimedia Foundation claims no ownership of the term in any way.
Another article on Wikipedia entitled "Repercussions of the WikiLeaks cable leak" was just published yesterday and includes the following:
The controversies over the ongoing United States diplomatic cables leak by WikiLeaks are having a noticeable impact on Wikipedia and Wikimedia, due mainly to the widespread confusion between Wikipedia and WikiLeaks that has lingered since the setting up of WikiLeaks almost four years ago...
This article goes on to describe a recent example of Glenn Beck confusing WikiLeaks and Wikipedia on his show and recounts a story of fallout from the brand connection in the German Wikimedia chapter.
Outside of Wikipedia, I've only seen a few articles so far mention potential dangers that WikiLeaks represents for the acceptance of wikis, collaboration, and transparency in the corporate world.
One interesting analysis appeared in Elliott Masie's Learning Trends Newsletter just a few days ago:
The release of confidential US State Department memos, emails and reports by WikiLeaks is having a potentially chilling effect on corporate collaboration strategies. Organizations are asking if the shift towards widespread internal sharing - including collaboration sites with content, context, personal perspectives and harnessing the "wisdom of the crowds" - could backfire and end up in the public release of embarrassing information.
Apart from the national security and criminal aspects of the recent leaks, this incident is creating a huge "MOMENT" in the deployment of internal document and collaboration sharing. It can become a "teachable moment" or it can become a "contraction/restriction" moment, where concerns about information leakage, brand damage and even legal liability shut down the shift towards greater collaboration.
I think Elliott is right on.
For brand leaders, WikiLeaks may end up being an important lesson highlighting the risks of using a prominent generic term as part of your corporate brand name. Despite Wikipedia's protests that "wiki" is not a brand name, it is a major part of their brand name.
But beyond the brand lessons, I believe we are witnessing the beginnings of what may become a larger crisis for wiki-based brands as well as efforts to increase transparency and sharing within organizations.
Do you see it differently or think the dangers will pass quickly? Please share your thoughts.
8 Comments
This thought had crossed my mind too, but a little differently. Occasionally I wondered why it was called WikiLeaks--I didn't realize the site had originally been wiki-based, although I assumed there had to have been a wiki involved somewhere along the way.
I would imagine that for those who are going to assume a connection, the damage is probably done. I'm envisioning a scenario in an office where someone says, "We could use a wiki for this!" and the ignorant manager growls, "You mean like from those WikiLeaks people? We can't use their software!" Ideally Ignorant Manager then listens when Savvy Employee explains that they have nothing to do with each other. But I also know that's unfortunately not really how it always works out.
Excellent observations. I had go back and find a definition of "wiki" to make sure I understand, however. I may be your only reader who wasn't sure, but try not to assume too much about your readers. Regardless, your thoughts were compelling enough to a) get me to read them, b) look up "wiki" and c) post a comment. Good for you!
I've realized that using my own name for my consulting business put my name as brand at risk, not to mention suggest that there is only one point of view available when you get in touch with me. I'm in the process of discovering an identity than can evolve along with my experience and ability to provide value for my clients.
Thanks again for writing. It's always helpful.
Do bears eat cellphones for breakfast? Nope, and even if a bear somewhere did that, it has nothing to do with bears in general. Wiki is a technology and has nothing what so ever to do with the content published somewhere using wiki technology.
Also, like the story says: "as of this month the WikiLeaks website isn't even based on a wiki anymore".
Wikileaks has NOT published 250,000 documents as reported by some of the press. Of the 250,000 documents they obtained, they have published only about 1200 of them. And all of the documents published by them were published by the 5 partner newspapers first. If we want to limit the damage from being associated with a wiki, we can start by spreading the truth. Anyone can go to one of the mirror sites and see that there are only 1236 cables available. All of these have also been published by mainstream media. Yet no one is attacking them. This Salon.com article makes some good points:
Wikileaks started as wiki, the fact is that we (people) don't have time, knowlodge and care for it. If time they started to try make it more accessible for us, in a "news" way.
*Any file uploaded in wikileaks can be downloaded and used by ANY OF US! But good lucky reading and making sense out of 250000 cables.
*You can download as well the so called "nuclear pill"
All you need is move your ass, stop complaing and do something! :)
Seems like the masses like to be stupid and controled by the gov't... very depressing.
Wiki is NOT a brand, and no profit-based marketeer can make it so. It is a powerful technology and is part of the Internet tools that have the potential (if Corporatists and corrupt politicos don't ruin access) to finally put freedom of speech back into its necessary place to protect our fledgling, struggling representative Republic -- where major media journalists have completely FAILED!


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TRUCKEE, Calif. - Northstar announced the appointment of Nadia Guerriero to the newly created position of director of Village and Base Area Operations. Guerriero will assume responsibility for the management of all of the resort's Village and base area operations, reporting directly to Bill Rock, vice president and chief operating officer at Northstar. Guerriero will begin her new position immediately.
"Consolidating our base and Village operations under one leader will allow us to provide a seamless experience for our guests, leverage the synergy of similar departments and ensuring that guest service remains at the highest level," said Bill Rock, Northstar's chief operating officer. "Nadia has been an integral part of the Northstar team since 2007, and I'm confident her leadership will allow our Village and base area operations to continue to thrive."
In her most recent role, Guerriero served as the general manager of the Village at Northstar where she was responsible for all of the Village area operations, commercial management, development of Village programming and special events. During her tenure, Guerriero worked closely with Village tenants and homeowner groups, successfully elevating the overall guest experience in the Village at Northstar with a specific focus on service.
As Northstar's director of Village and Base Area Operations, Guerriero will oversee public safety, transportation, parking, grounds, vehicle and building maintenance, Village hosts, Village services and special events.
A graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, Guerriero began her career in athlete management and marketing, rapidly gaining responsibility for managing some of the most accomplished action sports athletes in the industry. She started at Northstar as director of events in 2007 and was promoted to Village general manager in March of 2011. Guerriero and her family reside in Reno, Nev.
Northstar fired up for Nov. 16 opening
Taking advantage of the cold temperatures, Northstar has fired up the largest snowmaking system on the North shore and is making snow in order to offer some of the best early season conditions when the resort opens Friday, Nov. 16. For the latest snow conditions, upcoming event information, and opening day updates, visit www.NorthstarCalifornia.com or Northstar's Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Northstar.


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MARTINSBURG - Break the monotony of the cold with some hot, swinging music of the 1930s and '40s.
Four performer/directors of the Apollo Civic Theatre are staging "The All Night Strut" this weekend.
The show, "The All Night Strut," is licensed by Musical Theatre International. Here, swing's the thing - and nowhere more than in this sassy musical celebration. The show carries us through the Depression, World War II and the post-war boom.
Article Photos
Submitted photo by Adam Blackstock
'Tuxedo Junction' will be among the songs performed at 'The All Night Strut' at the Apollo Civic Theatre.
The evening is filled with jazz, blues, bebop and standards that thrill, tickle the funny bone and raise the roof. Legendary songwriters like Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Cab Calloway and the Gershwins take the audience from the funky jive of Harlem to the sophisticated elegance of El Morocco and the romance of the Stage Door Canteen.
Songs include "Chattanooga Choo Choo!," "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?," "A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Minnie the Moocher," "In the Mood," "Fascinating Rhythm," "As Time Goes By" and many more.
Cast member Terri Magers said this is one show she just had to do sometime in her life.
"I actually saw Steve and Chris Steele, the two gentlemen in the show, along with Alison Shafer, the music director, perform this show at the Weinberg Center in Frederick about 19 or 20 years ago," she said. "And I have been looking for the opportunity to perform in it all these years. It is a show that, once you hear it, you don't forget it."
She said when she was young, she heard stories from her mom about growing up in Washington, D.C., with a father who was a Marine Corp Staff Sergeant during WWII.
"I took my parents to see the production in Frederick," Magers said. "The finale of Act 1 is a WWII medley which includes 'White Cliffs of Dover.' At intermission, Mom told me that near the end of the war, they believed that Washington, D.C., was going to be bombed, so Granddaddy was making arrangements for Grandmommy and their seven kids to go out west to stay with his sister. Luckily they never had to, but the line in that song, 'and Jimmy will go to sleep in his own little room again' really hit home to her. Now, I always think about that when I hear that song."
Magers performed in Frederick with the Steele brothers back in the '90s and early 2000s. Then, after 17 years of not seeing each other, she contacted Chris Steele to be in "Jekyll and Hyde" when she directed it in 2011.
In talking and reminiscing, he mentioned how much he would love to do "Strut" again.
So, she said, they decided to see if they could do it for the Apollo as a fundraiser, and the board agreed.
"Steve Steele loves the show so much, this is his fifth time of performing in it, each time with Alison (Shafer) as the music director," Magers said. "Kim Herman was not familiar with the show at all when we pulled her in, but she has done an incredible job of learning the music."
They'll have accompaniment by a three-piece combo. Besides Shafer on the grand piano, Laura Walling will play upright bass and Adam Jordan will be on drums.
The opportunity to hear these three be featured in "Beat Me, Daddy, Eight To the Bar" is worth the price of admission by itself, Magers said.
As if anything could be more fun for Valentines than this show, a USO-style swing dance is planned for Saturday in the ballroom prior to the performance. All the music in the show is from the '20s, '30s and '40s. Light refreshments and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. Music from the era will be presented by Anthony Brooks of Anthony's Designs and Special Occasions.
Steve Steele is from Jefferson, Md., and is well-known in Frederick, having performed in well over 150 productions. He performed at the Old Opera House and the Apollo back in the '80s and early '90s, and he is a regular performer at Way Off Broadway Dinner Theater in Frederick and the Washington County Playhouse in Hagerstown.
Chris Steele, from Monrovia, Md., is Steve's younger brother and was a regular in Frederick theater in the 1970s-'90s. He took a few years off, but in the last few years, had gotten back into it. Most recently, he was Edna in the Apollo's production of "Hairspray," the Pirate King in "Pirates of Penzance" last May and was Lord Savage in "Jekyll and Hyde the Musical" in September 2011.
Kim Herman is a staple in theater at the Apollo and the Old Opera House. Her most recent roles at the Apollo were Velma Von Tussle in "Hairspray," Ruth in "Pirates of Penzance," and Eva Peron in "Evita."
Magers has been performing since the early 1980s, when she started performing at the Old Opera House. Since that time, she's been on stage or stage managed more than 70 shows around Frederick, Hagerstown, Charles Town and Martinsburg, as well as in Annapolis and the Maryland Renaissance Festival. In 2010, she directed "Little Women the Musical" and has been directing ever since. At the Apollo, she directed "Jekyll and Hyde the Musical," "Pirates of Penzance," and "Hairspray."
Magers said Alison Shafer is a tremendous jazz and blues pianist, as well as one of the top music directors in the area. She is from Frederick and is a regular music director at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre. She has music-directed countless shows at the Apollo, including all those Magers directed.
Tickets for all performances are $15. Tickets are only available at the door and there will be general admission seating. The price for just the USO dance is $20, or $30 for the dance and show. The regular admission price applies for just the show that night.


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Design Management of Products with Variability and Commonality - Contribution to the Design Science by elaborating the fit needed between Product Structure, Design Process, Design Goals, and Design Organisation for Improved R&D Efficiency
Juuti, Tero
Publication type: Doctoral dissertation
Issue date: 2008-12-19
Belongs to: Tampereen teknillinen yliopisto. Julkaisu - Tampere University of Technology. Publication;789
University: Tampere University of Technology
Faculty: Faculty of Automation, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Department: Department of Production Engineering
The research objective is to find solutions for how companies manufacturing physical products are able to increase profitability and efficiency with products using variability and commonality. The focus of this research is on managing the product development of such products. This thesis serves the companies need to increase profitability and R&D efficiency to satisfy the expectations of shareholders in the stock market. The aim of this research is to provide new insight and enhance knowledge in the field of Design Management as part of Design Science. Therefore, this research has two objectives: 1) To describe the development process of Technical Systems that have variability and commonality, and 2) To describe management tasks that improve the R&D efficiency when developing a Technical System that has variability and commonality. The objectives are transformed into three research questions: 1) Which elements of a Technical System enable variability and commonality? 2) How to develop a Technical System that has variability and commonality? 3) How to improve the R&D efficiency when developing a Technical System that has variability and commonality? The research process follows the traditions of Design Science and supplements it by using the Cultural Historic Activity Theory. The data was gathered during 1999 to 2008 from the Nokia Corporation, the Finnish Maritime industry, and from the relevant, state‐of‐the‐art literature in the research field. After the analysis of theory basis, the state of the art and data from the Cases, this research provides answers. The answer to the first research question is: Technical System elements enabling variability and commonality are Standard, Configurable, One‐of‐a‐kind and Partly‐Configurable Product Structure types. The answer to the second research question is to have: 1) Design Process for each product structure type 2) The fit between Product Structure type and Design Process type, and 3) The fit between Design Process and Project Management Process This research answers to the third research question by listing actions by which the R&D efficiency can be improved. Those items are: 1) Managing the fit between Product Structure and Design Process 2) Managing the fit between Design Process and Project Management Process 3) Decreasing work effort needed for capturing ready‐made synthesis 4) Managing the designing within Force Field, and 5) Managing the distributed design activities in many organisations using different operational modes.This thesis discusses the research results, the research process, and future research topics. The conclusions are drawn upon the results and discussion. Based on the discussion and conclusion the researcher concludes that this research contributes to Design Science by elaborating the Management & Goal system and validating dependencies between design goals, the characteristics of Technical System and characteristics of Design Processes. Finally, it provides recommendations on how the management is able to increase R&D efficiency. This research describes development process for Technical Systems that have variability and commonality. It also describes management tasks that improve the R&D efficiency when developing a Technical System that has variability and commonality, and provides answers to the research questions thus fulfilling the research objectives. This research provides new insight and enhances knowledge in the field of Design Management as part of Design Science thus meeting the research aim.
Copyright: This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
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When I first stood atop Nevada's Yucca Mountain more than 16 years ago, the Energy Department was spending about $1 million a day to assess the feasibility of safely storing spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste there. A steel-toothed tunneling machine had already begun chewing its way into the ridge, and some 300 scientists were on-site studying the area's underground trickles, its porous rock, its lumbering desert tortoises, and a few reddish-black cinder cones that dotted the landscape below -- the ominous tombstones of ancient volcanic eruptions.
There, overlooking Death Valley, a massive scientific effort to dispose of the nation's hottest radioactive waste was finally under way. Today, however, the Yucca Mountain repository appears to be stone-cold dead. Not because scientists determined that the mountain could not safely contain high-level nuclear waste for 10,000 years or more, but rather because politics trumped science.
Government officials are often guilty of politicizing science. Egged on by business or religious interests, they cast doubt on the scientific evidence for a connection between tobacco and lung cancer, or between fossil fuels and climate change, or even between humans and our primate ancestors. Some scientific findings are suppressed, while others are manipulated or distorted beyond recognition. But in the case of Yucca Mountain, the reverse happened: Government officials "scientized" politics. They made decisions that were largely political but cloaked them in the garb of science.
In 2009, one of President Barack Obama's first decisions after taking office was to scale back the Yucca Mountain program and devise "a new strategy toward nuclear waste disposal." Obama told the Energy Department to withdraw its license application for Yucca Mountain, which had been submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2008.
"I think the President has come down on whether or not [Yucca Mountain] makes sense based on the science,"explained White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs in a May 7, 2009, press conference. "I think there's money in there to study particular options for how to deal with nuclear waste and do it in a way that's based on sound science."
Gibbs reiterated the emphasis on science in a briefing on February 16, 2010: "I think what has taken Yucca Mountain off the table in terms of a long-term solution for a repository for our nuclear waste is the science. The science ought to make these decisions."
In 2002 the Energy Secretary issued a formal finding of Yucca Mountain's scientific suitability, but the White House press corps didn't question Gibbs on what "science" he was talking about. Instead, most coverage focused on Obama's ties to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, an Obama supporter who was heading into a tough re-election campaign in a state where there is widespread public opposition to Yucca Mountain. With the stroke of a pen, the president leveled a mountain of research that had taken 20 years and $10 billion to build. In its place he promised only to come up with a strategy "toward" disposal.
The president later appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission of 15 experts to study the nuclear waste problem for a year and report back with recommendations. But the Commission's draft report, released on July 29, states that the commission was instructed not to render an opinion on Yucca Mountain's suitability as a repository site. The commission asked the Energy Department to provide its justification for shutting down Yucca Mountain, and science explicitly was not part of Energy's reasoning. Instead, the Energy Department claimed that because of Nevada's objections to the site, the controversy would never be resolved. Meanwhile, Obama's budget for fiscal 2012 has zeroed out the Yucca Mountain program.
Make no mistake: The scientization of Yucca Mountain began long before Obama took office -- starting in the 1980s. The Energy Department initially identified nine potential repository sites and conducted environmental assessments for each. The department then nominated five of these sites for further study and, in 1986, recommended the three highest-ranking sites for detailed characterization: Yucca Mountain, Deaf Smith County in Texas, and the Hanford Site in Washington state. Hanford and Deaf Smith County were represented, respectively, by House Majority Leader Tom Foley and Speaker of the House Jim Wright. They joined forces and flexed their political muscle to remove their states from the short list, leaving only Nevada -- a state whose representatives, including then-freshman Senator Harry Reid, had little clout. In 1987 Congress amended the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to focus solely on Yucca Mountain.
According to Senator James M. Inhofe's 2006 report to the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which called Yucca Mountain "the most studied real estate on the planet," the site was singled out because of its geohydrology, geochemistry, rock characteristics, tectonics, meteorology, costs, and socioeconomic impacts. But politics undoubtedly played a key role in the decision. In fact, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act had established a selection process for both a Western and an Eastern repository in the United States. But, in May 1986, President Ronald Reagan, facing possible midterm election losses by his party in key Eastern states, put the search for an Eastern site on hold.
It is still not completely clear whether Yucca Mountain would be a good place to bury radioactive waste. Despite the Energy Secretary's 2002 seal of approval, there are legitimate scientific concerns about the suitability of the site. An independent US Nuclear Technical Waste Review Board said it had "limited confidence" in the Energy Department's performance estimates for Yucca Mountain because of "gaps in data and basic understanding." As Gary Taubes observed in Technology Review in 2002, "By choosing Yucca Mountain as the only option for a nuclear-waste facility, Congress put the DOE in an untenable position. In effect, it sent the department out to prove that Yucca Mountain would work as a repository, rather than to do a dispassionate analysis of whether it could work or was the best possible site."
The ridiculous dance between politics and science eventually went full circle: First, Congress used politics to get the scientific answer it wanted. Two decades later, Obama leaned on science for the political result he wanted. When the music stopped, taxpayers and nuclear power plant operators found themselves right back where they started: with no waste-disposal solution in sight. Instead of being permanently stored in a geologic repository, or temporarily placed in dry-cask storage, most of the nation's high-level nuclear waste continues to pile up in spent-fuel pools that are much more densely packed than those at Fukushima Daiichi.
As the Blue Ribbon Commission has reported to Obama, experience suggests that "any attempt to force a top-down, federally mandated solution over the objections of a state or community" is likely to be expensive, time-consuming, and ultimately unsuccessful. The construction of a permanent nuclear waste repository will require not only the backing of scientists and politicians but also the consent of a host community. In an era in which science and politics are often viewed with deep suspicion, it may be that the "communitization" of both is the most promising path forward.


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For those of us that have had Ivy withdrawals, here she is in one of her dresses that she had never worn before, a gift from a friend of a friend, a custom "design your own" tutu from Tutu Pour Mon Deux.
(I bought her shoes [Wee Squeak] from Zulily- shipping took kind of long but it was a pretty good deal. I guess I get $10 for every person that makes a purchase after signing up via my link. So, check it out if that's your thing. Ivy's polka dot diaper is a Fuzzi Bunz cloth diaper- still my fave.)
A few minutes after taking that photo I found her here.
So, I think this will conclude my closets posts for now. Not really sure what else I can show you. Well, ok, here's a pic of the closet that started it all (our tiny hall closet that, um, how in the world did all of this stuff fit in there, I can't believe I am showing this to you, and it even continues around the corner, not shown in the photo...)
It's all clean now, (allllll that stuff I took out will go to the yard sale) and I found that our vacuum actually fits in there perfectly and could have been rooming in there all these years instead of loitering in my living room. Oh well.
See more of my closets this week:
Closets: Less is the new black
Closets: Little purses, I just can't quit you
Closets: a rare peek into my blog closet
Closets: Dresses that I've never worn (one I will, one I'll never)


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Sources: Detroit News, Volkswagen
quote: Solar panels make the $0.35 /kw prices look cheap by comparison. Without the massive government subsidies (i.e. the taxpayers), most people will never break even on the cost.
quote: Your post demonstrates ignorance of photovoltaic costs and related. PV panels have nearly zero costs related after the initial manufacture and installation. Figure the average output over the useful life of the panel (avg warranty 25 years) and calculate a rough total output. Now divide the cost of the intallation by that output. Even in cloudy Germany, it is going to be an order of magnitude cheaper then $0.35/kw.
quote: The Germans calculated that even with the subsidies they will come out ahead in the long run when you look at the costs related to building power plants, pipelines, coal trains
quote: Driving a Tesla would cost me about $360/year in fuel costs.


text:
The 12 Most Strangely Satisfying Videos on the Internet
If you're anything like me, you'll go to YouTube looking for obscure turn-of-the-century girl bands and find yourself, five hours later, watching 12-minute-long videos of old men shaving sheep. I'm not talking about a nude sheep fetish, I'm talking about soothing, satisfying videos showing a process -- objects being crafted, art being created, a job being done with mesmerizing precision. If you want to lower your blood pressure a bit, sit back and enjoy some of the most hypnotic and satisfying videos on the 'net.
#12. Machine Making a Chess Piece
OK, of all the weird shit I've said here and on my Twitter account, this may be one of the more surreal if taken out of context ... or used exactly in context: I am a sucker for lathes. My dad used to watch a woodworking show when I was a kid only because the host hurt himself every single episode. But once you've seen that happen so many times, you stop noticing the horrific bleeding and screaming and start noticing the beauty of the patterns in a rapidly spinning chunk of wood that is being slowly shaved down into a bedpost or a giant dildo or whatever. This is the same thing, only with metal, and judging from the hit counter, I'm not the only guy who likes watching this shit:
They're making a rook, and because I knew that going in, I had to stick around until the little castle hat part was made. And then I was sad because I realized that I don't own a metal chess set.
Oh, and here's a bonus video for my fellow lathe lovers. Enjoy while this guy takes a wooden stump and grinds it down to a perfectly smooth sphere:
Yeah, that's the shit right there.
#11. Turkish Paper Marbling
The above video is an extremely old art form called paper marbling that can be traced back as far as who gives a shit. All I know is that it's as cool as a dick with sideburns. Basically, it's a shallow pan filled with water, and paint is dripped into it. Different chemical solutions can be used to make the paint float or sink, but the end result is a floating painting that's manipulated by pulling the pigment with thin rods to weave patterns. When it's all done, a special paper is laid on top of it to soak up the paint, and you get some wicked cool shit.
This one was found on Vimeo, but I'm actually afraid to look for more examples on YouTube. Because I know for a guaranteed fact that if I start one, I'll be watching these things until someone has to stage an intervention and I have to start taking hostages in response.
#10. Guy Makes a Pewter Chair at the Beach
Pewter is a combination of soft metals that have a very low melting point. Every Dungeons & Dragons player on the face of the Earth has at least one wizard or dragon made out of it.
This guy has taken pewter and too much spare time to a whole new level, though, by going to the beach and digging a mold right there in the sand. He then builds a fire to melt the metal and pours it in:
The whole process is sped up to less than a minute and a half, but it's just mesmerizing. There's almost a zen feeling, watching him create something with his own two hands in such a short span of time, using nothing but a campfire, some sticks, and an unhealthy numbness to impending jock violence. When he pulls that chair out of the earth, there's a weird sort of victory that's hard to put into words. Like when Link finds his boomerang or that one British king dude pulled that knife thing out of a rock or something.
Now I have the Zelda theme stuck in my head.
Oh, and as long as we're on the beach, we might as well get some lunch ...
#9. Old Man Digging Up Clams
If you were to go back 20 years and tell me that one day one of my favorite things to watch would be an old man digging up clams on the beach, I would have paused my game of Final Fantasy II, drunkenly stumbled over to you, and said, "Time travel doesn't exist! What are you doing in my house? And why are you dressed like it's still the 1980s?" Then I probably would have had sex with you because I was pretty hot back then.
But at no point during all that would I have believed that this would be one of my favorite videos. Seriously, play that video and listen to how excited that guy is, not only when he finds a clam, but when he finds the air bubble hole that marks where the clam is.
Then he uses his little tube digger thingy to cut a big ol' chunk of beach out, and BAM!
He's just so happy when he spots them, letting out an excited "A-HA!" I want him to be my grandpa so bad. I would get up every Saturday and be like, "Can we go a-clammin' today, pee-paw?" And he'd be like, "Can we? Fuck your grandmother's plans, we're gonna go dig the goddamn shit out of some clams, bitch!" Then he'd open-hand slap me on the neck and cackle wildly, because that's just what clam-digging grandpas do.
#8. White Blood Cell Chasing Bacterium
Oh my God, you're so close, little neutrophil! Keep going, you're almost there!
First off, it's weird to think that these creepy blobs are everywhere in your body, crawling around and stalking any asshole that tries to break in and start some shit. But it's even weirder to think that they have enough sensory perception to target and track a fleeing entity like that at all. Second, I'm not entirely sure that it's possible to stop this video once you've started it. You know at any second, it's going to catch and eat that little piece of shit, and if you turn your head for a moment, you're going to miss it. And when it does catch it, the reward is so sweet. The way it takes just a second to stop and enjoy what it accomplished before squishing off to find more.
#7. Soap in a Microwave
Kids, don't do this at home. But if you do, you should film it and put it on YouTube because it is cool as fuck and people will love you for it. I have it on good authority that celebrities even showed up at this guy's house and shook his hand for doing this and then gave him money and became his friend.
Editor's Note: They did not. That is a bold-faced lie that John is using to make more people do this. Don't do this -- we don't know if it will mess up your microwave or cause your parents to violently beat you.
If editors interject their stupid faces in here and tell you that I'm lying, don't believe them. They get paid to lie. As proof, in case you can't watch that video, here's an animated gif I made to show you how safe and cool this is:
But I urge you to watch the video itself because it gets goddamn gigantic.


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My lover licked my left tata
by Ben Dover November 07, 2003
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Top Definition
a beautiful girl that is the most popular person ever whos cooler then everyone else and who all the guys like..
man, that girl is a tatum
by hercules January 15, 2004
The best asset of a female. Other related words would be: Boobs, breasts, titties, knockers, fun bags. A cooler word for tits which the female species does not detect, thus allowing men to say tatums in public w/o being slapped.
God Pam Anderson has huge tatums!
Look at the tatums on that bitch
Look at the tatums on that bitch
by Kevin J.C. April 03, 2006
Tata is a closing statement, such as 'bye' or 'see you'.
Tata! I'll see you later.
by thnom October 03, 2003
Used as a farewell statement, can be substituted for "good bye, caio, etc."
Oh, look at the time, I must be going. I'll be at mum's for tea an crumpets. Ta ta.
by |0| November 07, 2003
A grils name meaning Cheerful, Full Of Spirit. The name invokes imagery of beautiful, fresh-faced, athletic and creative girls who love to play beach volleyball and write poetry.
Antonym of Tatum: Heidi Montag.
Synonym of Tatum: Gabrielle Reece
Synonym of Tatum: Gabrielle Reece
by LucidLady February 05, 2010
female's breasts
She has some nice ta ta's
by Cleatus FD April 22, 2003
A Tatum is a girl who is really easy to talk to. The best use for a Tatum is to bring her along on a "date" to prevent awkward silences if you're still uncomfortable with your the girl you like. She takes all the tension or awkwardness out of the "date".
"I was super nervous about my date with Jessica, but then i brought this Tatum i met at swim class along and it went really well"
by waitzsauce December 07, 2009


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Defrag Tools: Live - //build/ 2012
- Posted: Nov 06, 2012 at 9:50AM
- 2 comments
Loading user information from Channel 9
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Right click "Save as…"
Mark Russinovich joins Larry Larsen and Andrew Richards for a live version of Defrag Tools where they take questions about troubleshooting Windows 8, the changes to the Sysinternals Tools, Driver support, VHD support, Security, and much more.
Oops, something didn't work.
posted a hour ago
but its last weeks video
wrong one uploaded ??? or whats different
It's correct - it just got reposted here as the other post was associated with //build/, and not Defrag Tools. The plan was to post the //build/ video last week and post a new episode this week, but we got too far behind schedule. The WinDBG series will return next Monday - with an episode on SOS.
Comments have been closed since this content was published more than 30 days ago, but if you'd like to continue the conversation, please create a new thread in our Forums, or Contact Us and let us know.


text: LEWISTOWN - History can be preserved in many forms, such as in museums, books, and film. One of the oldest forms of preservation is in songs, especially in folk songs. They not only preserve events of the past, but carry along with them the moods and passions of the events they portray.


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Serves 4 |
Prep Time 2 hours |
Cook Time 1 hour
1 cup organic coarsely ground corn grits (polenta)
2 1/2 cups water
1 pinch Eden Sea Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for broiling polenta slices
Chunky Mushroom Marinara
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup button mushrooms, stems removed, sliced in quarters
1/2 tsp Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce, optional
1/2 package Eden Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms
1/2 package Eden Maitake Mushrooms
25 ounces Eden Spaghetti Sauce, 1 jarEden Spaghetti Sauce - No Salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced for garnish
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add sea salt and corn, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until it starts to thicken. Reduce the flame to low and simmer 10 minutes until the polenta is done. Lightly oil a 8" baking pan. Pour the polenta into the pan and smooth out evenly to about 1/2" thick. Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or until firm.
While the polenta is chilling prepare the marinara sauce. Heat oil and sauté the garlic and onions for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and shoyu, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients for the sauce except the parsley. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until the mushrooms are very tender.
Slice the hardened polenta into rectangular slices. about 4" by 2". Lightly oil a metal baking sheet and place the polenta slices on it. Lightly brush each slice with olive oil. Place the broiler rack so that it is about 4 inches from the flame. Broil until golden and slightly browned around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the slices.
Place equal number of polenta slices on each serving plate and ladle marinara sauce over before serving. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Condiments, Good/High Fiber, Good/High Protein, Italian, Japanese Food, Main Course, Oils, Tomatoes, Vegan, Whole Grain


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Top Definition
A way of saying "How are you doing?" used by, yet again, soda-drunk jr. high kids being their usual crazy selves.
Yo Sabrina what's crackalackin?
MissCleo가 작성 2004년 07월 22일 (목)
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
The lack of having crackers
Mike: Hey Joey, do we have any more crackers?
Joey: Nah man...we crackalackin'
Joey: Nah man...we crackalackin'
tubamarine11505가 작성 2011년 05월 03일 (화)
What's going on? What's happening?
Waz crack-a-lackin ya'll?
flenster가 작성 2005년 03월 01일 (화)
A word used to describe or replace the popular phrase, "Whats up?" Can also be used to ask what is happening at the current time in someone's life.
Hey Ashley, whats crack-a-lackin'?
Lindsay Weaver가 작성 2006년 06월 24일 (토)
According to Snoop Dogg on a recent appearence on the Conan'o'Brian Show, to add preservatives to "crackin"
Everything's swell.
Everything's swell.
Conan: What exactly is "It's crack-a-lackin?
Snoop: Y'know, it's goin' down.
Conan:...that doesn't work for me.
Snoop:...everything's swell
Snoop: Y'know, it's goin' down.
Conan:...that doesn't work for me.
Snoop:...everything's swell
Tekichi가 작성 2005년 01월 03일 (월)
Coined by hip hoppers and urbanites alike, this term is often referred to as a snoopism though its origins are unknown. It's an upbeat way of asking someone how they are doing, and may cause one to crack a smile in response.
Yo, what's crackalackin'!?
How's it crackalating'?
How's it crackalating'?
3m3rson가 작성 2004년 04월 01일 (목)
to get started, or start
Lets get this thang crackalackin.
kishpeach가 작성 2009년 05월 05일 (화)


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Four members of the Stetson women's golf team will be back in action on familiar turf this weekend as the Hatters participate in the Lady Falcon Invitation, just up the road in Daytona Beach at LPGA International. The event will be contested Saturday and Sunday and hosted by Daytona State College.
Sammi Smith, Giulia Vandenberg, Ryan Ashburn and Claudia Redinger will compete as individuals and represent Stetson in a field that includes defending NCAA Division II champion Lynn and defending NJCAA national champion Daytona State. Florida Southern, another strong D2 program, will also compete in the event.
"I will see how these four play and then pick two of them to play in the Greensboro tournament," said Hatter head coach Floyd Kerr whose team will head to North Carolina next weekend for the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic. "The two selected will join Mallory Viera, Jenna Hoecker, and Alessandra Kutz who I gave exemptions to the Greensboro tournament based on all of them having top ten finishes in the Golfweek Challenge last week."
The Hatters started the season in solid fashion, placing fourth out of 12 teams at the season-opening Golfweek Program Challenge in Pawley's Island, S.C. Individually, Viera (+5, T7th), Hoecker (+7, T9th) and Kutz (+7, T9th) all placed in the event's Top 10 while Smith and Vendenberg also saw action for the Hatters.
"Our team continues to have good productive practices and everyone is working hard to improve their game and get some playing time for the fall," Kerr said. "Currently we have seven players who are playing at about the same level. This is a good thing as everyone knows we can be a really strong team this year and everyone is working hard to get us to that point.
"The Greensboro tournament will have a stronger field than the Golfweek so to have a good finish there we need to be ready to step up our game a notch."


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Windows Azure – How Do I: Hello Azure (Part 2)
- Posted: Jan 15, 2012 at 12:25PM
- 5 comments
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In this "Hello Azure Part 2" episode of How DO I series, let's package and deploy our Hello Azure application.
Key Points:
Additional Resources:
Enjoy the show.
Sanjay Jain
ISV Architect Evangelist
Microsoft Corporation
Blog: http://Blogs.msdn.com/SanjayJain
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SanjayJain369
Oops, something didn't work.
The video stalls at 4:15, only the sound goes on to the end.
Thank you @hugodevreugd: for pointing; I have fixed the video. Cheers
This was very useful. I like your short videos, gives me a chance to watch them anytime I have 5 minutes free, and is about the amount of information that I can hopefully remember the next day.
The resolution of the video is not so great, the characters are cloudy, is it a capture problem or is there anything I have to do on my side?
Thanks for the feedback @Adrian: I didn't use Zoom & Pan feature in this video, maybe that's the reason for text resolution. How is the resolution for other videos?
Mister Sanjay Jain i whant to thank you for your video tutorials.
Comments have been closed since this content was published more than 30 days ago, but if you'd like to continue the conversation, please create a new thread in our Forums, or Contact Us and let us know.


text:
Multipass Sub 3
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You could be missing out on cash you've forgotten all about. Across the south east there's $5 million in unused Go Card credit waiting to be reclaimed. Kate Leonard-Jones reports.
Sydney families left behind in surging house prices
A survey has found Sydney families on average incomes will no longer be able to afford a detached house by Christmas. Natasha Squarey reports
NSW flooding could last 'weeks' with more rain on the way
Residents in the State's Central West have been warned to prepare for what's been called "a long flood" that could last for weeks. The Lachlan River at Forbes peaked on Sunday night, with more …
Foster care system in crisis following Tiahleigh Palmer's case
More people have joined calls for Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman to step down over her handling of the Tiahleigh Palmer case. Sarah Best reports.
Clinton, Trump ready for first Presidential debate
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will face off tomorrow in the first of three Presidential debates, as the race for the White House tightens.
Royals tour refugee centre in Canada
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have toured a welcome centre for refugees on their first full day in Canada. Hundreds of well-wishers greeted the royals as they landed in Vancouver on a sea plane.
US accuses Russia of 'barbarism' in Syria conflict
The US has accused Russia of barbarism over the bombing of the Syrian city of Aleppo at an emergency sitting of the UN Security Council.
Turnbull ups pressure on Labor to support plebiscite
The Prime Minister is increasing pressure on Labor to support the same-sex marriage plebiscite as the two parties hold talks in Brisbane.
Forbes, NSW, in grip of severe flooding
The NSW town of Forbes is in the grip of a flood emergency following the heaviest September rainfall in the region since records began in 1905.
Teen stable after Ballina shark attack
A teenager has been bitten by a shark at Ballina on the NSW far north coast. He was taken to hospital after being dragged ashore by friends.


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MARTINSBURG - The West Virginia Stormwater Management and Design Guidance Manual was unveiled Wednesday during a training workshop on the manual at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center in Martinsburg.
"I've been waiting two and a half years to do this," Sherry Wilkins said before passing out DVDs of the manual to the approximately 60 workshop attendees.
She is the MS4 program coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and was the project manager for the manual.
Article Photos
Journal photo by John McVey
Sherry Wilkins, WVDEP MS4 program coordinator and Stormwater Management and Design Guidance Manual project manager, distributes DVD copies of the new manual at a training workshop for developers and planners Wednesday in Martinsburg.
MS4 stands for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. Jurisdictions are designated MS4 communities based on population and must get permits for their stormwater systems. All of Berkeley County and Martinsburg are designated MS4 communities. The county and the city are the only MS4 communities in the greater, eight-county Eastern Panhandle.
The 500-page manual is a guide on how to meet state requirements for managing stormwater runoff, especially in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Eastern Panhandle is in the Potomac River watershed, and the Potomac is a major tributary to the bay.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued dramatically reduced limits on the amount of nutrients - nitrogen and phosphorus - and sediment that can get into the bay via its tributaries as part of its bay cleanup program.
Participants came from throughout the Panhandle.
About half those taking part in the workshop represented architectural, engineering and design firms that plan residential and commercial developments.
The rest of the participants represented federal, state and local governments, such as county and municipal planning departments, military installations and state highways.
There was one developer present.
Outlined in West Virginia's Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan, or WIP II, is how the state and local jurisdictions will meet the new pollution limits imposed by the EPA in its so-called Chesapeake Bay pollution diet.
"For MS4 communities, WIP II requires them to hold the line at 2010 (quantities of pollution runoff)," Alana Hartman, Potomac Basin coordinator for the WVDEP, said Wednesday. "We are not asking for retrofitting at this time. We want to work on new development."
Presently, installing stormwater management ponds on residential and commercial development sites is the standard response to capturing and retaining runoff.
The manual shows developers and designers other ways to control stormwater runoff through installing rain gardens and pervious pavement, among other techniques and devices.
"Most people think it is more expensive to let stormwater soak in," Hartman said. "We want to educate professionals on the tips and tricks to do it inexpensively and get the best bang for the buck."
Michael Covell, Martinsburg's engineer and city planner, was looking forward to the afternoon sessions of the daylong workshop.
"There will be modeling so we can see what (Best Management Practices) we can promote to be most effective," he said before the workshop began. "Communities can show contractors what BMPs to use and how to use them."
Covell also was pleased that West Virginia had developed its own stormwater management manual, because in the past, planners had to refer to other states' manuals for guidance.
The manual was produced by the Center for Watershed Protection, headquartered in Ellicott City, Md., with $150,000 in state and federal funds.
The workshop was conducted by the Chesapeake Stormwater Partnership, which includes the CWP and the Chesapeake Stormwater Network. The workshop was sponsored by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund.
- Staff writer John McVey can be reached at 304-263-3381, ext. 128.


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The calcitonin blood test measures the level of the hormone calcitonin in the blood.
A blood sample is needed.
There is usually no special preparation needed.
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away.
Calcitonin is a hormone produced in C cells of the thyroid gland. Calcitonin helps control the building of bone.
The doctor may order a calcitonin test when you have symptoms of medullary cancer of the thyroid or MEN syndrome, or a family history of these conditions. Calcitonin may also be higher in other tumors, such as:
A normal value is less than 10 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).
Women and men can have different normal values. Sometimes, calcitonin in the blood is checked several times after you are given a shot (injection) of a special medicine.
You will need this extra test if your baseline calcitonin is normal, but your doctor suspects you have medullary cancer of the thyroid.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or may test different specimens. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
A higher-than-normal level may indicate:
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:
Bringhurst FR, Demay MB, Kronenberg HM. Hormones and disorders of mineral metabolism. In: Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, Kronenberg HM, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 28.
Marx SJ, Wells SA. Multiple endocrine neoplasia. In: Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, Kronenberg HM, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 41.
On a mission to heal body, mind and spirit


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Systemwide Events Calendar
HIPVC Park N BarkJanuary 27, 11:00am - 3:00pm
Hilo Campus, UHH Theater PArking Lot
The Hawaii Island Pre-Vet Club will be hosting a Dog/Car Wash Fundraiser on Sunday January 27, 2013 from 11:00-3:00pm. All dogs must be leashed at all times. All dogs will be washed and towel dried with light grooming and nail clipping available. Please come out and support our club reach our goals and make our activities for the semester possible.
Ticket Information
Small:$5 Medium:$7 Large: $10 Cars:$10
Event Sponsor
CAFNRM, Hilo Campus
More Information
N/A, firstname.lastname@example.com
|Sunday, January 27
|Free Commuter Cycling 101 Workshop
Whole Foods Market Kailua
|HIPVC Park N Bark
Hilo Campus, UHH Theater PArking Lot
- Highlighted dates have scheduled events.
- Select the date to view all events for that day.
Ongoing Events
- Scholarships Available!
- Lineage : A Family Tree of Printmakers
- Diversity and Equity Initiative Grants for Spring 2013
- 35th Annual Graduate Art Exhibition
- The White Rose : nonviolent resistance against the Nazi regime
- Biggest Loser Challenge Sign-Up
- Arts Exhibition: Ainu Treasures: A Living Tradition in Northern Japan


text:
Top Definition
Also know as a 'Goatee'. The Flavor Savor is named due to lingering residual left on the facial hair after oral performing sex on a woman's vagina. The taste and smell can last for hours after eating.
Timmy had female secretion lingering in his flavor savor after visiting with Penelope.
Beküldő: Ketchupaholic 2009. január 13.
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Weekly coupons handed out to your local KFC or other junk food-related restaurants.
Man, Josie scored some dope flavor savors at mickey d's! Now we're gonna get our grub on!
Beküldő: qaiser.net 2009. június 24.


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From award-winning author pete Hautman and Mary logue comes a lively mystery series. when high school student Alicia Camden suddenly disappears, the small town of bloodwater is in shock. And it's up to roni Delicata, reporter for the school's Bloodwater Pump, and her brilliant sidekick, brian bain, to figure out what's going on. with suspects all around them and suspicions high, roni and brian risk their lives—and a few groundings from their parents—to get to the bottom of things. but can they find Alicia and solve the mystery before it's too late? Full of suspense and humor, readers will love to watch the hilarious relationship between roni and brian as they save the day.
Edgar Allen Poe Awards – winner
solid marks for plotting and characterization, as well as for suspense . . . (Booklist)


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Allen Priebe Gallery
by powelc85 — last modified Apr 07, 2016 09:46 AM
The Allen Priebe Art Gallery opened in 1971 in the newly-completed Arts and Communication Center on the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh campus. The gallery is named in memory of Allen Priebe, a member of the UW Oshkosh art faculty and teacher at the Rose Swart Campus School, until his death in 1965. The gallery is located on the first floor of the Arts and Communication building, across from the Music Hall.
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Europe's Mid-Size Fintech Firms Stuck in Funding Gap
Europe's financial technology sector is having a moment.
Venture capitalists seem to be convinced that a bevy of fintech startups on the continent will succeed in reshaping how finance is done. Banks have also ramped up their efforts to fund early stage companies, with two fintech funds launched in recent months. Private equity firms including Bain Capital, Nordic Capital and HgCapital have all made large investments in the sector in Europe over the past year.
The amount invested in fintech venture deals in Europe in the first six months of the year has already more than doubled what was raised in the whole of 2013, according to figures from data provider Pitchbook. In the first two quarters of the year capital invested in fintech venture deals in Europe reached $346 million, compared to $145 million raised in all of 2013, according to Pitchbook.
So everything is peachy, right?
Not exactly. Most of that funding is going to small, early-stage start-ups or the very big and well-established companies, with little of the money making it to small and mid-sized companies approaching break- even stage, our sister publication Financial News reports.
In Europe so far this year, there have been 34 VC-backed fintech deals with the lion's share of that investment money going to the smaller companies, with 21 early stage companies raising $249 million in the first two quarters, compared to just 13 later stage venture deals raising a more modest $97 million or around $7.4 million each, according to Pitchbook. In the U.S. by contrast, later stage fintech companies get more of the VC pie, with 33 later stage companies raising around $1.1 billion or around $33 million each on average in the first two quarters.
That means that the growing number of early stage financial technology start-ups currently receiving venture capital investment might find it hard to raise the larger amounts of money needed to really scale up into successful profit making companies, practitioners say.
"London is very good in terms of private equity capital to do the substantial financially driven rounds," said Mike Laven, chief executive of cross-border payments platform The Currency Cloud, said. "In the middle when you need the skills of an early stage investor and the capital of a private equity investor there is a lack of firms."
Salvation for fintech entrepreneurs may come from private equity firms, who could start dipping down to do smaller deals than they traditionally target.
Mccreadie, a director at mid-market private equity firm ECI Partners, said that for certain types of fintech businesses, such as those where software is paid for through a subscription, ECI would look to do smaller deals. "Would we look at smaller deals if they were under a [certain] model? Yes we would. With the newer business models I think that yes private equity would go a bit smaller, they have smaller profits but will be as valuable in the long term," Mccreadie said.
Fintech entrepreneurs will be hoping that this happens sooner rather than later, otherwise they may find themselves with a growing funding gap.
Alexis Thieret, founder of fintech corporate advisory firm FTCL, summed it up: "Increasingly in European fintech there will be the need for some blurring between larger venture capital rounds and what some of the more traditional U.K. or European private equity shops look at."


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Ask anyone what strikes them most about Simola Golf & Country Estate - and sure, they'll mention its rare natural beauty, the challenge and honour of playing our Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course (one of only about 200 in the world), the elegant comfort of the Simola Hotel, Country Club & Spa, and the unique investment opportunities you'll find here.
But most of all, they'll tell you that Simola feels like home. A luxurious home, of course. But a friendly home indeed.
Welcome to Simola. Welcome to Knysna (number 4 on TripAdvisor's Top 10 Destinations in Africa in 2015). And welcome to the Garden Route (2014 Golf Destination of the Year in IAGTO's Africa, Indian Ocean, and Gulf States region).
On Sunday 24 July 2016, at the prestigious Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Gala event,
The Bachelor Finland crew and main location was based in Wilderness, but the series was filmed at[...]
Knysna Sanlam awards - Jaguar Simola Hillclimb top 3 in both 'Best tourism activity' & "Proud[...]


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In response to the letter from Jack Darin of the Sierra Club (My View: Wind energy a boon for Boone County), I just have to say that he is obviously not facing the prospect of living within an industrial wind turbine development. He touts the economic and environmental benefits of wind energy that is deployed 100 miles away, but I live here! The regulations being considered will modernize Boone County ordinances to protect residents from financial and physical harm.
I don't recall the Sierra Club presenting any evidence against the regulatory changes during two years of public hearings. Regulation changes like having setback distances from resident properties that take into account the ever growing heights of modern turbine towers are reasonable. These are not "barricades to block new business", they are protective regulations as Sierra Club should well understand.
Our outdated regulations subject residents to hazards from modern wind turbines that reach heights over 500 feet. Hazards include ice throws during winter, falling parts when a turbine catches fire and blade throws. Sorry, but tax revenue and jobs don't protect me from these hazards. No, I don't think Darin needs to be concerned about these things living a hundred miles away in a Chicago suburb, but I live here.
— Gary Fanson, Capron
Location, ST | website.com


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on December 11, 2012 - 1:00 AM
, updated December 14, 2012 at 7:57 AM
Michele Costa, the innovative performer and artist whose puppetry has become a fixture on Western New York's cultural scene, will give a free performance of Louis Moeri's beloved holiday story "Star Mother's Youngest Child" at noon Saturday in the Art Dialogue Gallery (1 Linwood Ave.).
The kid-friendly piece, set to Scandinavian music, tells the story of an old woman and a child who come together unexpectedly one eventful Christmas day. "For two unsuspecting characters," a release about the event reads, "secrets and transformations unveil themselves until both discover that of all the 'things' to give and receive, love is the most precious."
Costa's work, part of the Buffalo Infringement Festival and seen in local schools throughout the year, can range from the vaguely spooky to the heartwarming. Far from a prepackaged puppet performance, Costa's pieces are the product of her own painstaking craftsmanship, which extends beyond the puppets and is always matched with a unique setting and soundtrack designed to evoke a very particular mood.
For a required reservation, call 885-2251 by 5 p.m. today. The performance coincides with the Western New York Artist Group's "Artful Gifts" exhibition, which will remain on view through Dec. 28. Call 885-2251 or visit www.wnyag.org for more information.
– Colin Dabkowski