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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the third time in the last four years, the Cleveland Cavaliers own the NBA Draft's top selection. There are two situations to monitor, things that could shake up the top half of the draft: the health of Kansas big man Joel Embiid and whether the Minnesota Timberwolves trade All-Star forward Kevin Love.
With the NBA draft combine in the rearview mirror, players are focusing on individual workouts. Embiid, Kansas' Andrew Wiggins and Duke's Jabari Parker showed off their skills last week. With a month before the draft, things will change over the next few weeks.
Remember, a mock draft is a prediction of what I believe will happen on draft night.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Joel Embiid, center, Kansas
The decision will likely come down to Embiid or his teammate Andrew Wiggins. Anderson Varejao is 32. Spencer Hawes is a free agent. The Cavs have passed on a few centers recently (Jonas Valanciunas, Andre Drummond and Nerlens Noel) so they can't afford to ignore the position any longer. Embiid, an athletic 7-footer, is a rare prospect with the skills to be a force on offense and defense if his back checks out. Health is the only question mark.
2. Milwaukee Bucks - Andrew Wiggins, shooting guard/small forward, Kansas
Wiggins, an electrifying athlete with the ability to help on both ends of the floor, has too much potential to pass up. His jumper and handles are still a work in progress. But a quick first step and explosiveness will make it tough for any NBA defender to keep him out of the paint. Milwaukee needs a difference-maker and Wiggins has a better chance than Jabari Parker to be that kind of talent.
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Jabari Parker, small forward, Duke
Parker, who averaged 19 points and nearly nine rebounds as a freshman at Duke, is considered the most NBA-ready prospect. He's not an elite athlete and is a terrible defender. But Parker can get buckets. He can score inside and outside.
While not a franchise changer, Parker should have no problem making an impact immediately.
4. Orlando Magic - Dante Exum, point guard, Australia
He's a wild card in this year's draft. The two biggest questions center on his NBA position and the level of competition. However, his size, length, athleticism and developing jumper make him an intriguing prospect with too much potential to pass, especially for a team that has been searching for a point guard. Pairing him with Victor Oladipo would give the Magic the most athletic backcourt in the NBA.
5. Utah Jazz - Noah Vonleh, power forward, Indiana
The Jazz landed in a really bad spot. The top players on the board play power forward or point guard, and they Jazz don't need to fill either spot. What they need is a scorer on the wing so a move up for Parker is very much in play. If they stay in this spot, Vonleh's athleticism and ability to space the floor thanks to a reliable outside shot (48 percent from three) make him a better fit than some of the other power forwards. It could be a decision based on fit as opposed to talent.
6. Boston Celtics - Marcus Smart, point guard, Oklahoma State
The Celtics will be looking at possible trades involving All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo. If they pull off a deal then Smart becomes the team's new starting point guard. If Rondo stays in Beantown, then Smart becomes a quality backup with good enough size, strength and athleticism to play the two guard. He disappointed this past season at Oklahoma State, but his toughness, leadership and competitive drive can't be overlooked.
7. Los Angeles Lakers - Julius Randle, power forward, Kentucky
After a strong freshman year, Randle looks to have the kind of game to help Los Angeles immediately.
With Kobe Bryant aging and coming off an injury-riddled season, that's exactly the kind of player L.A. needs. Defense is an afterthought, but his offensive-minded game could boost a Lakers frontcourt which could lose Pau Gasol, Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman.
8. Sacramento Kings - Dario Saric, small forward, Croatia
There is no guarantee that Saric will come over to the NBA this off-season. He decided to stay overseas last year. It turned out to be a good decision as the versatile forward led the Adriatic league in scoring (16.7 points), rebounds (9.7) and became league MVP. He's a skilled offensive player, with excellent vision, smarts and the ability to create his own shot or get one for his teammates.
9. Charlotte Hornets (from Detroit Pistons) - Nik Stauskas, shooting guard, Michigan
Last year only five teams made fewer three-pointers than the Hornets. They need shooting help in a big way, and Stauskas, who shot 44 percent from deep, would provide it. His lethal shooting stroke and versatility to play either guard spot will likely elevate him into the lottery.
10. Philadelphia 76ers (from New Orleans Pelicans) - Aaron Gordon, power forward, Arizona
He's incredibly athletic. He rebounds well. He is also a strong defender. But he doesn't have a position and can't shoot. They could put Gordon in a gym and ask him to make 500 jumpers, and it would take him a week. The 76ers had no problem trading for Nerlens Noel last summer and red-shirting him so they will have no issue drafting the raw Gordon and developing him slowly.
11. Denver Nuggets - Gary Harris, shooting guard, Michigan State
Even though he spent two seasons at Michigan State, Harris is battle-tested and coached well enough to be an impact player as a rookie. He's a terrific defender and showed during his college career that he has a reliable enough jumper to be an offensive weapon.
12. Orlando Magic (from New York Knicks) - Doug McDermott, small forward, Creighton
McDermott's high basketball IQ and scoring ability can't be argued. He was nicknamed "McBuckets" for a reason. However, he may struggle to find a position and get his shot off in the NBA. He also can't guard ... well ... anyone. Likely a shooting and scoring specialist early in his career, McDermott will only become a starter once he proves he can guard his own position.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves - Adreian Payne, power forward, Michigan State
The rumors continue to fly about the Timberwolves trading their best player, Kevin Love. If that happens, Payne would be a very good replacement. He's 23 and ready for the NBA. Payne can score inside and outside (42 percent from three this past season), stretches the floor and also rebounds well and brings toughness on defense.
14. Phoenix Suns - James Young, small forward, Kentucky
He was overshadowed this past season, but Young reminded everyone during the tournament why he was a highly regarded player coming out of high school. The sweet-shooting lefty has good size and athleticism. There's a ton of upside with this pick for the Suns.
15. Atlanta Hawks - Rodney Hood, small forward, Duke
Hood, like his teammate Parker, is pretty rough defensively. But he's a scorer. With his size and sweet shooting stroke, GM Danny Ferry gets a player with the talent to give the Hawks' second unit much-needed scoring punch. And he's a Dukie just like Ferry.
16. Chicago Bulls (from Charlotte Hornets) - Tyler Ennis, point guard, Syracuse
Derrick Rose's health is the biggest question with the Bulls. Even if he makes his return this season, the free agency situation with D.J. Augustin makes getting a new point guard priority No. 1. Never rattled, Ennis made big shots for the Orange last season and showed the ability to be a solid playmaker at the next level.
17. Boston Celtics (from Brooklyn Nets) - P.J. Hairston, shooting guard, North Carolina
After leaving the program last December following an NCAA investigation into his use of rental cars, Hairston averaged 21.8 points in the D-League. He has great size, but it's his reputation as a shooter that will appeal to the Celtics, especially since they shot 33 percent from three-point range.
18. Phoenix Suns (from Washington Wizards) - Jusuf Nurkic, center, Bosnia
The Suns have three picks in the first round. If they don't move one of them then they will likely draft a stash player. That's Nurkic, who didn't start playing basketball until 2009. He has the size and strength already. He needs polish.
19. Chicago Bulls - K.J. McDaniels, small forward, Clemson
His jumper is still developing, but McDaniels is an athletic wing defender. Given the Bulls mantra, he would fit well.
20. Toronto Raptors - Zach LaVine, point guard, UCLA
This pick is not about who LaVine is right now, it's about who he can become. He has excellent speed and athleticism, but it was Kyle Anderson who handled the point responsibilities for UCLA this past season. LaVine's jumper is still a work in progress, but 44 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc shows there is something to build on. With Kyle Lowry and Greivis Vasquez set to hit free agency, the Raps have to think about the future.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Dallas, Houston and Lakers) - Kristaps Porzingis, power forward, Latvia
A team like Oklahoma City probably won't find a guy this late to play meaningful minutes. Porzingis is an athletic and slender (6-11, 220) big who can space the floor with his outside shot. After some work on his body and offensive repertoire, Porzingis can be a frontcourt player in Oklahoma City's rotation down the road.
22. Memphis Grizzlies - Jerami Grant, small forward, Syracuse
Grant is an athletic wing. He can run and finish in transition. He can also defend as well as anyone in the class. As long as he improves his jumper, Grant should fit well in Memphis.
23. Utah Jazz (from Golden State) - Cleanthony Early, small forward, Wichita State
Is he a power forward or small forward? I don't know. But he's long and athletic. He can shoot. He can rebound. Letting him slide down the draft board would be a case of a team overthinking things. He has the look of an NBA player.
24. Charlotte Hornets (from Portland Trail Blazers) - Kyle Anderson, guard, UCLA
Anderson played point guard this past season. But he has the size (6-9, 230) of a forward. His lack of athleticism is on display every time he takes the court, especially defensively. I mean, there's a reason his nickname is "Slow-Mo."
25. Houston Rockets - Clint Capela, power forward, Switzerland
With such a talented roster and the desire to be active in free agency, the Rockets can afford to take a developmental player. Capela is long (6-11) and athletic; he does his best work in transition, which is perfect for Houston.
26. Miami Heat - Shabazz Napier, point guard, Connecticut
Mario Chalmers is set to hit free agency, and the Heat will have a decision to make there. Napier, who is coming off an excellent tournament run capped by a championship, has a little Chalmers in him.
Never afraid of the big moment, Bazz hit big shots for the Huskies and is a pesky defender. His big-game experience is something that would appeal to Miami.
27. Phoenix Suns (from Indiana Pacers) - Elfrid Payton, point guard, Louisiana Lafayette
Point is hardly an issue for the Suns, who have the NBA's Most Improved Player Goran Dragic and the talented Eric Bledsoe. However, Payton is oozing with potential and it may be too much to pass here. A stat-sheet stuffer, Payton's size (6-4, 185), scoring ability (19 points per game), athleticism and defensive prowess makes him a candidate to go much higher by the time the calendar flips to June.
28. Los Angeles Clippers - Mitch McGary, power forward, Michigan
McGary's age (21) and back problem, which popped up this fall, are two things that have led to his slide. A former lottery candidate, McGary is an energetic rebounder, who has excellent athleticism for a player his size. He can finish with either hand and does his best work near the basket.
29. Oklahoma City Thunder - Glenn Robinson III, small forward, Michigan
One of the most overlooked players in this year's class, GR3's draft stock suffered from playing out of position for the Wolverines. It didn't help that he was inconsistent as a shooter and failed to improve on his numbers. But Robinson can shoot from the outside, create his own shot and drive to the basket, finishing at the rim. The son of an NBA player, Robinson knows what it takes to be a pro.
30. San Antonio Spurs - C.J. Wilcox, shooting guard, Washington
Wilcox is a catch-and-shoot player. In other words, he's perfect for a team that values ball movement and floor spacing like San Antonio.


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Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Recent opinion polls showed Lien trailing his opposition challenger, Ko Wen-je, by 20 percent, forcing senior KMT members to promise to come out and campaign for him.
Ma, who has had troubled relations with both Lien and his father, former Vice President Lien Chan, in the past, did show up Saturday as expected, but Chu did not. The New Taipei City mayor is running for re-election but has also been touted as a top candidate to succeed Ma in 2016, just like Hau. Both men were also recently promoted to vice chairmen of the KMT.
Asked why he did not join Ma, Hau and Lien in Taipei City Saturday morning, Chu told reporters that his schedule was full with activities in his own city. Even all his three vice mayors had been mobilized to attend events across town, Chu said.
He said he wanted to concentrate on New Taipei City and improve its local employment and entertainment situations, turning it into a better place to live. While Ma and Hau could attend events in Taipei right now, Chu said he was certain there would come more opportunities for cooperation between Taipei and New Taipei later on.
He advised Lien to keep in close touch with grassroots voters in the capital and to present positive policies in order to attract more support. Once he did that, he would win the recognition of the public and could work toward closer cooperation with New Taipei City, Chu said.
At SaturdayŌĆÖs event for new migrants in Taiwan at the Taipei City Government building, Hau and Lien stood outside together to welcome Ma as he stepped out of his limousine, reports said.
Lien told reporters that the president had praised him for campaigning close to the public, including in the less well-off parts of town such as the Wanhua District. The candidate has suffered from his image of hailing from one of the countryŌĆÖs top political dynasties and of living in one of the capitalŌĆÖs most expensive apartment towers.
Lien rebutted comments by reporters suggesting that his interaction with Ma had not been natural or warm. Before the election race started, Lien had criticized the president on several occasions, lambasting his economic performance and his power struggle with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng.
Lien said his situation looked better every day and he would appear at another event with Ma on Sunday. He said he was not afraid the presidentŌĆÖs negative influence would rub off on him, but welcomed help from everybody, even from the opposition. Since starting his second term in May 2012, Ma has been followed by dismal opinion poll ratings, with his approval dipping as low as 9 percent.
Nevertheless, more bad news for his campaign emerged Saturday when it became known that two neighborhood wardens who had been expelled from the KMT for inviting Ko to speak, were planning to continue to work on behalf of the opposition candidate.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Carlos Smalls got the only touchdown for Andrews High on Aug. 29, as the Yellow Jackets lost 24-8 to St. James.
The Yellow Jackets offense ran for 252 yards and passed for 51 yards.
St. James had 96 rushing yards and 93 passings yards.
The Yellow Jackets were hurt by six turnovers.
Johnathan Grant led the Andrews ground game with 77 yards. William Lewis had 75 yards, Maleek Johnson had 48, Demontre Wright had 19, C.J. Bone had 16 and Cecil Murphy had 16,
Bone was 5-for-8 passing.
Jailyn Carrington was the leading receiver with 39 yards. Jaqwon Wright had 12 yards.
Tyreike Steele led the Andrews defense with 12 tackles. Jaqwon Wright had nine tackles, Toryan Washington had eight, Murphy and Raekwon Acosta had seven each, Demontre Wright had six, Stefone Langley had five, and Smalls had three.
Andrews (1-1) travels to Georgetown on Sept. 5.
© 2016 South Strand News an Evening Post Industries company. All Rights Reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Parental Consent Form.


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Emmy-Winning Ellen Buys Pink Diamonds For Portia
Things are looking pretty peachy for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.
First and foremost, DeGeneres won her fourth Daytime Emmy this weekend for "best talk show host," because people just love a lesbian chatter box. While Portia didn't take home a trophy, the absolutely gorgeous actress did have a bobble of her own: a pink diamond engagement ring for the gals' forthcoming gay marriage, according to People:
[DeGeneres] gave Portia de Rossi a glittering ring with pink diamonds for their upcoming wedding that will air in part on DeGeneres's talk show.
"Yes, we have set a wedding date," said DeGeneres, who walked the red carpet with de Rossi at
De Rossi wore a green satin Lanvin gown and a Neil Lane ring on her wedding finger. The ring was a marquis cut diamond set with pink diamonds.
Gawd! Being a lesbian sounds so glamorous! (Except for the vaginal bit…)
Snoodle, I've always assumed Ellen and Star Jones' pimping their wedding plans to anybody who will listen, is some sort of southern belle thing. Oh well, it will probably last as long too(though I love, love Portia Arrested Development).


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What is in this article?:
- Weather, water weave mixed bag for California cotton
- Merced County cotton
- Pest pressure "spotty"
- San Joaquin Valley cotton acreage is down this year.
- Pest pressures have been low in Central Valley cotton fields.
- High heat during July may cause decreased cotton yields.
More About:
Pest pressure "spotty"
Pest pressures have been low in Michael's cotton. Yet pest problems have not been light across the board, according to Peter Goodell, University of California IPM specialist. Goodell reports spotty insect problems throughout California cotton.
"We've seen a little more whitefly than in the past in some areas," he said. "Lygus was also a bit of a problem early in some areas."
According to Earl Williams, president and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations, Fusarium Race 4 continues as a problem for the California cotton industry.
Statewide, Williams expects the cotton crop harvest to be 7-10 days ahead of normal.
Final pink bollworm survey acreage numbers recently came out in California. This year's cotton crop could be about 280,000 acres of Pima and Upland cottons, down from about 365,000 last year, Williams says. Pima acreage accounts for about 190,000 acres, down from 225,000 acres last year.
"These numbers are less than we had hoped for, but given the water situation and continued competition from other crops including permanent plantings then we'll take what we can get," said Williams.
More stories from Western Farm Press
Parasitic wasp tapped to kill Asian Citrus Psyllid
Good agriculture and farming information is hard to find
Hahn's reinvents Central Coast wine-grape business


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Email List
Opinion, California, Columnist, Government
Porter Ranch: Could This Be A New San Bruno?
Posted Jan. 3, 2015, 7:47 am
A flood of lawsuits began within weeks after a huge, still-ongoing leak of natural gas arose in late October from a Southern California Gas Co. storage facility 1,200 feet above the Porter Ranch area in the northern reaches of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Government
New California Motor Voter Law: Don't Expect Mass Election Fraud
Posted Jan. 2, 2015, 9:01 am
California's new "motor voter" law has now taken effect, even if it's not yet in massive use, and so far the sky has not fallen.
News, California, Government
Handful Of New Laws Take Effect Today Across California
Posted Jan. 1, 2015, 12:44 pm
While everyone is out celebrating New Year's Day, Californians should take note of new laws that will take effect as of today, January 1, 2016.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Syria Refugee Vote A Roadmap To 2016 Election
Posted Dec. 7, 2015, 8:57 am
Anyone looking for a roadmap showing which of California's 53 congressional district elections will be tight next year need look no farther than how the state's House Democrats voted last month on a bill that would essentially halt a federal plan to take in tens of thousands of refugees from Syria and Iraq.
Opinion, California, Government
San Mateo Shows Likely Future Of California Voting
Posted Nov. 22, 2015, 9:29 am
At about 8:05 p.m. Nov. 3, anyone in San Mateo County who cared knew that its (almost) all-mail election was a resounding success.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Insurance Arrangement Shows PUC Hasn't Change
Posted Nov. 7, 2015, 7:46 am
State commissions, like people and corporations, rarely change unless they're given strong motivation; sometimes change has to be forced on them.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
California, Get Set For Wild Run For Governor
Posted Nov. 1, 2015, 7:21 am
Just over one year from today, Californians will be focused on helping elect the next president and picking their next U.S. senator.
News, Government, Politics
Sherman Oaks Rep. Brad Sherman Comes Out Against Obama's Iran Nuclear Deal
Posted Aug. 9, 2015, 9:41 am
Sherman Oaks Rep. Brad Sherman is the latest congressional Democrat to come out against President Barack Obama's recently negotiated nuclear deal with Iran.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Government
Latino Fears On Loss Of Clout May Be Correct
Posted Aug. 8, 2015, 9:09 am
Fear and anxiety have been in the air around California's Latino political leaders in the weeks since the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear arguments next fall in a Texas case challenging the 51-year-old legal and political doctrine of one-person, one-vote.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Electric Agency Nod A Reward For Going Along With Corruption?
Posted Aug. 2, 2015, 9:03 am
California consumers can be excused if they're beginning to wonder whether Gov. Jerry Brown cares a whit about blatantly corrupt conduct by some of his appointees to very high state offices.
Letters To The Editor, Santa Monica, Government
Letter To The Editor: Why I Applaud Iran Nuclear Deal
Posted Jul. 19, 2015, 9:43 am
Dear Editor: I am pleased to learn that both California Senators Feinstein and Boxer are supporting President Obama's Iran nuclear agreement, and encourage our fine Congressman Ted Lieu—reportedly still on the fence – to also choose peace. To those who oppose the Iran agreement, I ask, "What is the alternative?" War on 75-million people? Destabilization of the entire middle east? Unimaginable bloodshed?
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Will Prop. 47 Turn Out To Be A Fire Hazard?
Posted Jul. 19, 2015, 9:32 am
Bobby Burns couldn't have known it, but as California approaches what many experts forecast to be the worst wildfire season on record, his description of how good intentions can go awry, not always turning out as planned, might come into play here soon.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Public Says It Likes Split Roll, May Get No Vote On It
Posted Jul. 5, 2015, 7:00 am
Firm Republican opposition to tinkering of any kind with the 1978 Proposition 13 is one reason voters may get no chance next year to decide whether or not to tax commercial and industrial land and buildings more than residential property.
California, Video, Santa Monica, Film, Government
VIDEO PART 1/2: Assemblyman Richard Bloom Discuss Film Tax Legislation
Posted Apr. 2, 2015, 10:22 am
In part one of this "In the Chair" episode, editor Brenton Garen sits down with Assemblymember Richard Bloom as he discusses the film tax legislation to keep Hollywood business in California.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Bleeding Stops On One Arnold Schwarzenegger Blunder
Posted Mar. 8, 2015, 6:00 am
California has bled many millions of dollars because of the myriad blunders by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who probably should have remained a muscleman actor and never ventured into politics.
News, Santa Monica, Government
Mayor Kevin McKeown: Santa Monica Part Of Supreme Court Amicus Brief
Posted Mar. 8, 2015, 6:00 am
Santa Monica Mayor Kevin McKeown on Thursday joined 225 other Mayors in signing onto a friend-of-the-court brief urging the Supreme Court to end marriage discrimination nationwide.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
Time To Examine Conspiracy In Peevey-PUC Scandal
Posted Mar. 1, 2015, 7:54 am
California attorney general's agents wasted no time after this column in late January called for a criminal investigation of the former state Public Utilities Commission President Michael Peevey. Less than five days later, investigators executed a search warrant at Peevey's primary home in La Canada Flintridge.
Opinion, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government, Politics
Condoleezza Rice's Poll Standing: Star Power Still A Political Factor
Posted Feb. 28, 2015, 8:27 am
Condoleezza Rice, the former secretary of state in the George W. Bush administration and now a Stanford University professor, has stated very clearly she would rather attend college basketball games and help choose the college football playoff teams than be a U.S. senator.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Government, Politics
A Single Vote Really Does Count
Posted Feb. 21, 2015, 8:43 am
Barely 21 percent of eligible California voters cast ballots in last fall's election, which means about 80 percent of the eligible populace should have no complaints even if they don't like the performances of those who were elected for the next two or four years.
Opinion, California, Technology, Government, Obama
Doubling H1-B Visas Via An End Run
Posted Feb. 8, 2015, 8:22 am
Green cards for spouses – that's the latest quiet Obama Administration move to please and appease the high-tech companies in Silicon Valley and elsewhere who constantly clamor for more H1-B visas to bring in cheap, skilled foreign labor.
Opinion, California, Election, Santa Monica, Government, Politics
Governor Jerry Brown Could – But Won't – Dominate Race To Replace Boxer In Senate
Posted Jan. 31, 2015, 8:40 am
If the current large corps of potential candidates for retiring U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's job look to some like a gaggle of political pygmies, it might have something to do with the proverbial 800-pound gorilla lurking in their living room. That would be Gov. Jerry Brown, who could most likely have the job for the asking.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Government
Criminal Investigation For California Utility Regulators?
Posted Jan. 25, 2015, 9:28 am
Memo to United States Attorneys in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego: It's high time you investigate the former president and some current members and officials of the California Public Utilities Commission for things like conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
News, California, Columnist, Police Department, Government
Why Latinos Are Key As Democrats Plot 2016 Strategies
Posted Jan. 24, 2015, 9:34 am
For the last 20 years – ever since passage in 1994 of California's abortive anti-illegal immigrant Proposition 187 – Democrats here and around the nation have increasingly depended on Latino votes.
News, California, Government, Obama
Democratic Lawmakers React To President Obama's State Of The Union
Posted Jan. 21, 2015, 9:08 am
Democratic lawmakers representing California praised what President Obama said about the economy in his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, though some disagree with a variety of foreign policy issues.
Opinion, California, Santa Monica, Columnist, Government
California Red Light Camera Plague Abating A Bit
Posted Jan. 18, 2015, 9:18 am
For many California drivers, there have been few worse plagues than the red light cameras that once operated in more than 70 cities across the state.


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Computing facilities in Cambridge are provided by University Information Services (UIS), and also by individual colleges and departments. This page links to information you may need on arrival in Cambridge.
Guides to computing services
Printed leaflets for newcomers are widely distributed on arrival, and also available to download in PDF format:
Getting Started with IT @ Cambridge (for new students 2016)
How to collect your UIS Computing accounts before you arrive
IT Matters @ Cambridge (Academic, Research Staff and Visitors' Edition - 2016)
A guide to UIS computing services for staff and academic visitors
Computing Service accounts and passwords
- Applying for UIS accounts
- Your Cambridge username (CRSid)
- Collecting your passwords
- Cambridge email system (Hermes), email addresses
- Raven web authentication (access to Cambridge-restricted web resources)
- Desktop Services – open-access computer rooms (Managed Cluster Service), central file storage and backup, printing, web publishing
Other useful information
- Stay Safe Online – tips to help keep you, your email and your other data, safe and secure online
- The Cambridge online directory (Lookup) – phone and email information for individuals and Departments
- Connecting your own computer to the University network
- IT training courses (almost all free of charge to staff and students)
- UIS Service Desk (support for UIS (Academic & Infrastructure) services)
Not found what you needed?
You can also find your way around this site by using:
- the search box (see top right)
- the UIS (Academic and Infrastructure) A-Z listing
- the Topic-based information
If you still can't find what you want, please tell us about it.


text:
New Jersey Transit's senior management is holding a forum tonight at Hoboken Terminal to give straphangers a chance to comment on service provided by the agency.
The "We Are Listening" forum is on tap for 4:30 to 6 p.m. in an open-air area outside the recently reopened waiting room at the terminal.
This is one of a series of forums NJ Transit has scheduled to give commuters the opportunity to ask questions and make comments directly to operations managers and senior-level staff.
Along with quarterly customer surveys, the forums are part of the agency's "Scorecard" initiative, which aims to provide the public with a clear way to measure the agency's performance.


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FINAL: Tigers 3, Athletics 0
Ninth inning: Porcello does it. He works a perfect ninth inning to record his second straight complete-game shutout, and extends his career-high consecutive scoreless streak to 25 1/3 innings. He needed just 95 pitches to do it. Pure domination. Porcello becomes the first pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout without a strikeout or walk since Jeff Ballard on Aug. 21, 1989. Tigers 3, Athletics 0
Eighth inning: Last week, Porcello had never thrown a complete-game shutout. Now, he's on the verge of recording his second straight. Can't make this stuff up. The last time Tigers pitcher to throw back-to-back complete-game shutouts? Jack Morris in 1986. Tigers 3, A's 0
Seventh inning: Porcello has thrown just 74 pitches through seven scoreless innings. Is it possible? Could he be on the verge of tossing back-to-back complete-game shutouts? He's faced just three batters over the minimum and has needed three or fewer pitches to get seven outs tonight. He's on fire. Tigers 3, Athletics 0
Sixth inning: J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer, his 10th this year, to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. It marked his seventh home run in his last 15 games. In case you were wondering, yes, J.D. Martinez can protect Miguel Cabrera, too. Tigers 3, A's 0
Tigers-Athletics links:
-- Seventh-inning stretch: Tigers 3, Athletics 0
-- Gameday: How to watch and listen to tonight's Tigers-A's game
-- Ian Krol expected to rejoin team next week after rehab assignment
-- Victor Martinez tests soreness, remains out of starting lineup
-- Download the Detroit Tigers on MLive app for iPhone and Android.
-- Like MLive's Detroit Tigers Facebook page.


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Loudoun County Republicans receive profanity-laced bomb threatMon., Oct. 24 | 12:16 PM - Members of the Loudoun County Republican Committee Executive Committee received a profanity-laced bomb threat this morning, local GOP Chairman Will Estrada has confirmed. More
Loudoun supervisors approve ADAMS expansion plans in Ashburn business parkFri., Oct. 21 | 09:25 AM - The Board of Supervisors approved Thursday evening plans for one of the largest Muslim centers in region to expand services in an Ashburn business park.
Sterling woman arrested after attempting to poison coworkersFri., Oct. 21 | 11:33 AM - A Sterling woman was arrested today after she allegedly attempted to poison her former coworkers with a cleaning agent.
A weekend at the 2016 Middleburg Film FestivalSun., Oct. 23 | 11:56 AM - "Jackie," starring Natalie Portman, was one of the highest profile films Saturday morning at the film festival.
Tim Kaine already reaching out to GOPSun., Oct. 23 | 09:26 PM - Tim Kaine is sounding a hopeful note that a Democratic White House could work with Republicans to bridge deep divides laid bare by this bitter presidential campaign.
Manners still matter: Local cotillions teach social graces in crass timesSat., Oct. 22 | 12:30 AM - The process of learning how to interact with adults while using basic social graces are important life lessons, especially at the awkward teen years.
Smashing Walnuts cancer research foundation gives $55K grantFri., Oct. 21 | 11:08 PM - The Loudoun County-based Smashing Walnuts cancer research foundation was both the recipient and the giver of hefty checks at BlackFinn Pub in Ashburn earlier this month.
Gabby Giffords in Loudoun: 'It takes courage'Thu., Oct. 20 | 02:56 PM - Since the Sandy Hook shooting, Gabrielle Giffords has become a leading advocate for gun control, specifically making it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to obtain a gun and expanding background checks.
More NEWS
Loudoun authorities warn of jury scam
Fri., Oct. 21 | 02:20 PM
Loudoun deputies searching for hit-and-run driver, one injured
Fri., Oct. 21 | 11:42 AM
Domestic-related charges dismissed against Loudoun deputy
Fri., Oct. 21 | 08:01 AM - 1 comment
Sterling woman charged with assaulting business owner, deputies
Thu., Oct. 20 | 04:31 PM - 2 comments
Voter registration deadline in Virginia extended to Friday
Thu., Oct. 20 | 01:37 PM
Democrat's sign vandalized with white supremacist letters in Sterling
Wed., Oct. 19 | 05:17 PM - 6 comments
Ashburn Subway restaurant burglarized
Wed., Oct. 19 | 12:09 PM
100WomenStrong opens grant process
Tue., Oct. 18 | 03:46 PM
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office to hold quarterly public safety meeting Oct. 26
Tue., Oct. 18 | 12:29 PM
MORE: Five teenage suspects charged with vandalism of historic Ashburn schoolhouseThu., Oct. 20 | 02:55 PM - Five teenagers were served with juvenile petitions this week in connection with the vandalism of the historic Ashburn Colored School earlier this month, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office announced today.
Clinton vs. Trump: Debate night at the AlamoThu., Oct. 20 | 09:17 AM - "What better way to witness the insanity of the final throwdown between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton than on the big screen at the Alamo?" said Gabriel Ruzin, the theater's creative manager.
Comstock and Bennett highlight contrasts in second and final debateWed., Oct. 19 | 07:14 PM - Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, the Republican incumbent in what has become a tightly contested race for the House of Representatives' 10th Congressional District of Virginia seat, still can't escape Donald Trump.
MORE: Chair Randall says people in eastern Loudoun don't understand the westWed., Oct. 19 | 04:35 PM - Loudoun County Chairwoman Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) told a crowded ballroom that eastern Loudoun residents frequently approach her and say "idiotic things."
MORE: Loudoun deputies investigating alleged threats against GOP office in SterlingWed., Oct. 19 | 04:01 PM - Loudoun County Sheriff's Office deputies are investigating alleged threats against the Republican Campaign Headquarters on Pidgeon Hill Drive in Sterling after receiving third-party information on Oct. 16 from an unknown man, according to reports.
Lights, camera, Middleburg: Film festival arrives Thursday nightWed., Oct. 19 | 02:01 PM - Festival organizers say they're planning for somewhere around 4,000 attendees this year spread out among the four-day festival that features more than two dozen films from 10 countries.
Upcoming attendance zone changes may affect Loudoun students at 23 different schoolsTue., Oct. 18 | 08:07 PM - Loudoun County Public Schools staff recommended the board address it now to ease overcrowding at Mercer Middle School next fall.
UPDATE: Leesburg heroin dealer sold fentanyl causing one death and multiple overdosesTue., Oct. 18 | 05:07 PM - A Leesburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court for distributing heroin and fentanyl between late 2015 and February of this year.
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Re: "Movie security gives Defillo soft landing," Page A1, Feb. 6.
Do you think I could call Lambert Boissiere and get commissioned to be an unpaid deputy constable? I would certainly like to start a detail security business, too. It is time to level the playing field so all like-minded citizens can get a piece of the action!
It is amazing how blatant cronyism is in our town. Will Marlon Defillo have to suffer any consequences for his despicable treatment of the Henry Glover case? It is obvious that Mr. Boissiere and many film companies think not.
Rita Lambert
New Orleans


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int atSetComment (Af_key *aso, int commentType, char *commentText, int mode);
int atUnlock (Af_key *aso);
With the argument commentText, a default text may be given. According to the mode (see below), the user will be asked for entering the comment attribute value. When a default text is given, this will be offered for modification. With an commentText argument, the previous of the according comment attribute is taken as default text.
With the mode field, the behavior of atSetComment can be influenced. Three flags may me set:
atUnlock unlocks aso by calling af_unlock (manual page af_lock(3)). If a change intent was previously set for aso, this will be eliminated.


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She is back at the U of I this week after spending the last month overseas helping Team USA with the championship at the U20 Women's World Cup. DiBernardo is a potential All-American who says she made herself even better while playing in Japan. It was an experience she says she will never forget.
Copyright 2016 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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© Nancy MacPhee/Journal Pioneer
Firefighters on the scene of a grass fire near Three Oaks Senior High School Monday afternoon.
SUMMERSIDE — The cause of a fire that ignited a field near Three Oaks Senior High School Monday afternoon is not known and likely won't be, said Summerside's fire Chief Jim Peters.
The fire call came in just after 3 p.m. — around the same time classes had ended at the day at the nearby high school.
When firefighters had arrived on scene, the fire, which was located in a field on the Three Oaks property just behind the city's garage on Ottawa Street and close to the sports fields, had spread east across the field and toward the school. Flames, at times, were more than eight feet high.
Due to the location of the fire, which was far from city hydrants, there was a problem getting water to the area. Long lines of hose had to be dragged across the field from fire trucks parked off of Ottawa Street to the burning field.
Two pumpers, a ladder truck and rescue truck responded and 35 firefighters were on the scene of the fire.
Peters said with the high winds on Monday afternoon there was the fear the fire could spread to a nearby stand of spruce trees.
Luckily, firefighters were able to knock the fire down within minutes and physically knock out hot spots with shovels and brooms.
Peters did say he was surprised with just how dry the ground was in the area, adding the fire could have been much worse.
No one was hurt.
The fire chief said there is no logical reason why the fire would have started and would not speculate on a cause.
"I have my suspicions," added Peters.


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June 2012
"I'm just average, common too"
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
On Twitter: @Castrovince
Chris Perez said something the other day during the Tribe's short-lived stint in the national media (a product, naturally, of their annual visit to the Bronx) that rightly caught the attention of one of the astute writers over at Let's Go Tribe.
And no, it had nothing to do with LeBron, the Browns or attendance.
This is what Perez told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, when pressed to explain the Indians' ability to stay in the AL Central race despite what is currently a minus-51 run differential (second-worst in the league):
"It's been kind of weird, honestly," Perez said. "If we're ahead after five, we win. And even if we're down by one or two, it seems big. It's just one of those anomalies."
With all due respect to Perez, who remains this clubhouse's go-to guy for catch-all (and sometimes controversial) quotes, there's nothing weird or anomalous going on here. As easy as it is to be negative at a time when the Tribe has just been handed its hat by basically the worst (Astros) and the best (Yankees) baseball has to offer, roughly 46 percent of the season has been played, and certain conclusions can be drawn.
Here's one conclusion I'm willing to reach at this juncture: The Indians are a very average team in a very awful division.
Now, keep in mind, this is not necessarily a deal-breaker. Baseball, after all, is set up in such a manner that all you have to do is set your foot in the door in October and anything can happen. This year, there will be added value to a division win, in that it will grant you a first-round best-of-five with a Wild Card entry that just exhausted its best available pitcher in a one-game play-in. The winner of what is currently a sluggish Central (where a .533 winning percentage currently gives you a 2 1/2-game edge and four of five teams have a negative run differential) will have a distinct advantage over the runner-up in, say, the vastly superior AL East (where a .533 winning percentage places you 6 ½ back and four of five teams have a positive differential).
Unfortunately, the division in which they reside is the best thing these Indians have going for them these days, because these are the facts — the excruciating minutiae, to use one of our old favorite phrases here — staring them in the face:
- Dating back to May 1, Indians pitching has a 4.83 ERA, worst in the American League and better only than the 5.80 mark posted by the Rockies. (You know, the guys who regularly pitch in Colorado.)
- Tribe starters, in that timeframe, have a 4.85 ERA, fifth-worst in the game.
- Ubaldo Jimenez has been better – much better – in June, going 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA in five starts. Likewise, Justin Masterson, who has a 2-3 record and 2.06 ERA in five starts. But this has been countered, in a big way, by the drastic steps back taken by Derek Lowe (6.44 June ERA), Josh Tomlin (6.75) and the newly demoted Jeanmar Gomez. Really, at any given point this season, the Indians have basically been two-deep in the rotation, in terms of reliability. Combine that with the pedestrian assemblage in Columbus, and it's going to be awfully difficult to be counted as a contender without a rotation upgrade from the outside.
- Indians relievers not named Chris Perez, Vinnie Pestano or Joe Smith have a 5.54 ERA.
- To borrow a line from Rick Pitino, Grady Sizemore is not walking through that door. Not anytime real soon, anyway. At last check, he's still not even running.
- Carlos Santana has nine extra-base hits in his last 177 plate appearances. He's hitting .177 on the road. The Indians have so much of their future wrapped into Santana's development that his continual decline is jarring and unacceptable, particularly considering he's one of only two switch-hitters in an otherwise left-leaning lineup.
- Oh, and that lineup, you probably noticed, has a collective .624 OPS against lefties. It's hard to put together any kind of sustained winning streak when 33 percent of the league pitches with its left hand. The Indians are, famously, 5-16 when the opponent uses a left-handed starter — even when that left-handed starter breaks his ankle midway through the game.
- The Tribe's depth (or lack thereof) is such that Aaron Cunningham (.484 OPS) has survived on the roster all year. It's apples and oranges, sure (and I'm not trying to pick on Aaron Cunningham, just the lack of depth), but I'm compelled to randomly point out that Cliff Lee has a .542 OPS.
There are other negatives, and there are certainly positives not being mentioned here. But the Indians are 16th among MLB's 30 teams in runs per game and 28th in ERA. They are not a bad baseball team, but they are not a very good one, either. They are exceedingly average. And in the AL Central, to date, that's been enough. I'm not sure how long that will be the case.
The search for the Ohio Cup
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
On Twitter: @Castrovince
The quest began innocently enough. Who knew it would lead me through a seemingly endless web of hushed insiders and secret sources, deep into the bowels of the basement of Progressive Field?
It began, you see, in Dusty Baker's office before Monday's installment of the Ohio Cup — the annual Interleague series between Baker's Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians.
Wait, why am I explaining the Ohio Cup to you? Surely, you are well aware of the history and the pageantry associated with this series of stratospheric import. Now, I'm not going to suggest that the Ohio Cup is somehow commensurate with the Stanley Cup or the World Cup. Those trophies naturally have the benefit of time on their side — something the Ohio Cup, officially instituted in 2008, does not yet possess.
But if you're compiling your Cup rankings, I'd go ahead and slot the Ohio Cup somewhere in between the Stanley and, say, badmitton's coveted Ibrahim Rahimatillah Challenger Cup.
Long story short: It's a big deal.
Anyway, back to Baker's office. He was asked if this Reds-Indians series can be classified as a rivalry.
"Anytime they give a trophy away," Baker said with a smile, "it's automatically a rivalry."
That was cute. It made for a good notebook-filling quote. But it got me thinking:
Where, exactly, is the Ohio Cup, anyway?
Understand, I am, perhaps a bit begrudgingly, an Ohio Cup expert. Having covered both the Indians and Reds, I've seen it in all iterations (the "Showdown of Ohio" and the "Battle of Ohio" were forebears to the "Ohio Cup" classification). I've voted for the annual Ohio Cup MVP. I've been there when, tongue planted in cheek or otherwise, players have discussed the Cup's importance. I even once missed one of my best friend's bachelor parties to attend the Ohio Cup. My dedication to the Cup is not in question.
The thought dawned on me, however: I've never actually seen the Ohio Cup. Not in person, anyway.
I knew it existed. Or at least, once existed. I remembered, vaguely, a photo of the great Reds PR man Rob Butcher and Adam Dunn standing by the Cup, gazing in admiration at its wild wonder. Well, either that, or just smiling for the camera.
Yes, a Google search quickly confirmed, that photo was not a figment of my imagination. Here it is:
All right, so the Cup exists. But that picture dates back to 2008. Has anybody seen the Cup since?
"We don't use it anymore," a reliable Tribe front-office source informed me.
The Ohio Lottery, this source informed me, is no longer a sponsor of the Cup, and so it was placed into retirement on that great mantle in the sky.
No, no. This could not be. Next you'll tell me there's no Santa Claus. Surely, the Cup must exist.
Undaunted, I pressed for more info.
"That's news to me," an equally reliable Reds source said when told of this supposed sponsorship situation. "I was under the assumption that the Indians have it."
The Indians, you see, took five of six games from the Reds last season. The Cup is rightly theirs, for the time being. And according to this Reds source, it was delivered to the Indians this spring in Goodyear, Ariz., where the two clubs share a Spring Training home.
Now we're getting somewhere. The Cup has been spotted in Arizona. And suddenly I feel like Robert Langdon, uncovering each pivotal puzzle piece en route to uncovering the Holy Grail.
A flight to Phoenix is contemplated. Even if I can't find the Cup, I figure, I can grab dinner at Raul and Theresa's.
But just when it appears a long-distance commute will be necessary to find the Cup and assess its many mysteries (for the life of me, I can't seem to remember who won the 2009 season series), another Progressive Field insider drops the biggest bombshell of all.
"The Cup," this source says matter-of-factly, "is here!"
Allegedly, it arrived rather recently, shipped in a large metal trunk from Goodyear. It has been documented in the Indians' incoming deliveries log — the one Major League Baseball began monitoring after the Mitchell Report was released to ensure that no performance-enhancing drugs are shipped to clubhouses. (I suppose you could make the argument that the Ohio Cup is a performance-enhancer, given the competitive fire it certainly fuels… but I digress.)
My source points me toward another member of Progressive Field operations, who also must remain anonymous, for security reasons.
"I've always wanted to be an anonymous source," the anonymous source says.
He takes me to a hidden chamber of the facility (well, actually, it's not all that hidden… it's right behind the left-field wall). There, through a locked gate, I see the case, framed by a small sign with the unmistakable Ohio Cup logo, recognized worldwide.
Now, in order to protect my source, this part of the tale must remain a bit murky. Maybe I merely got a look at the case without unprecedented access to its contents, and the above photo is as close as I — or any mere pedestrian peasant — will come to holding it in my hands.
Or maybe, unconvinced that the Cup was actually inside the case and therefore unfulfilled in my quest, I prompted my secret source to let me in the delivery room. Maybe we pried open the case, which weighs about as much as, well, three Adam Dunns. Maybe we hoisted the Cup out of the case and gasped in awe at the remarkable craftsmanship that went into its production (noting, however, that the season-by-season results haven't been updated since 2010).
Unfortunately, I can't reveal which scenario is, in fact, reality. As my source, fearful of retribution from the baseball gods, said, "They tried to take the Holy Grail out of temple in 'Indiana Jones' and look what happened."
Fair enough.
But suffice to say that if I had seen, touched and smelled the rich mahogany of the Ohio Cup for myself, this would be my artist's rendering:
Perhaps now the Reds and Indians have a better appreciation of what they're playing for.
"Sometimes you gotta look yourself in the mirror and say, 'When in Rome.'"
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
On Twitter: @Castrovince
We were out to dinner in the heart of Rome. We were mere steps from the Italian Parliament, where legislators allegedly work to turn around the country's sagging economy in the midst of the euro debt crisis. We were mere miles from the Vatican, where scandal has erupted from leaked papal documents and the ousting of the Holy See's bank president. We were there in a city with two and a half thousand years' worth of history, one of the world's most-cherished, most-visited, most culturally important communes.
So naturally, we were talking about the Cleveland Indians.
But the Italians at my table – Carlo and Perry, residents of the nearby Tuscan city of Grosseto– were well-equipped for this conversation. After all, they are among the presumably few souls birthed in the Boot who not only appreciate the sport of baseball but follow it obsessively. Carlo is an Indians fan, and so Tribe games on MLB.TV are his nightly – make that late-nightly, as they usually don't start until 1 a.m. on the Italian clock – viewing. He became a Tribe fan in the mid-90s, playing an MLB video game in which the Tribe boasted the likes of Belle and Baerga and Lofton and Thome.
Perry? He's a Padres fan. "I picked them because they had never won," he tells me, "so I wanted to be a part of it when they won for the first time… It hasn't happened." Their West Coast games don't start until 5 a.m., so Perry's wife will often wake to find her husband off in another room, watching baseball on his computer.
I met these guys, both of whom are right around my age, initially through the world-connecting wonder of e-mail and then, in-person, when they visited Progressive Field a few summers back. And so it is that we were able to get together (when my wife and I cashed in some United miles to follow a certain Jersey-born rocker on his Italian tour) in the land of their birth and my ancestors, with the topic of the Indians on the table, somewhere alongside the al dente fusilli and magnificent margherita pizza.
"Do you think the Indians should trade for Carlos Quentin?" Perry asks.
"He's exactly what they need," I say, knowing the Indians are always in the market for an oft-injured player with upside, provided, of course, that the price tag is palatable.
We turn to Carlo, off at the other end of the table. His English, unlike Perry's, is not impeccable, but it is improving. But in this case, the conversation merely consists of two words.
"Carlos Quentin?" we ask.
Carlo nods aggressively.
"All right," I say. "Done deal."
I relay this story for three reasons:
1. I am absolutely bragging, to those who appreciate rock royalty and the inherent energy and enthusiasm of European audiences, that I saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in Italy (and this particular show might have been the best of the 30-some I've witnessed).
2. The pull of professional sports and the power of technology never ceases to amaze me, for this conversation and these friendships would not have been possible without either.
3. Trade season — or, at the least, the often-mindless chatter about trade season — is upon us, and the Indians, for the second straight year, are on the right side of the conversation. There will be no Cy Young winners or homegrown superstars shipped out of Cleveland this summer, as far as I can tell.
Now, Carlos Quentin? That's a tough one. If the Padres do dangle him, they'll be able to command steep prospect prices in a market starved for power, and for the Indians to fork over anything of substance for a short-term fix like Quentin, a free-agent-to-be, would be a major shift in organizational attitude, unless they truly believed they could negotiate an extension with him at season's end.
But if the Indians remain in the race, the temptation is to assume they have to aggressively target any right-handed bats that present themselves. Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Indians are batting a Major League-worst .219 off left-handed pitching, with a .633 OPS that bests only that of the Cubs. So basically, roughly 35 percent of the time, this is an absolutely horrendous offensive team.
Unfortunately, the trade market alone isn't likely to fix that, but it could present some options. Quentin is the obvious one, and he'll have no shortage of suitors if he keeps hitting like he has since coming off the DL and the Padres make him available. Alfonso Soriano, amazingly, would be a major upgrade over what the Indians are currently running out there in left, and if the Cubs are willing to eat most of the $36 million they have invested in him for 2013 and 2014 to get a deal done, well, now we're talking.
The best option, though, might be the one the Indians targeted this winter, only to fall short when they wouldn't go to a third guaranteed year — Josh Willingham. Hindsight is any sports fan's specialty, but, seriously, how good would Willingham have looked in this lineup in this first half? He has a .980 OPS and a 1.100 mark against left-handed pitchers.
When the Indians backed off of matching or exceeding the Twins' three-year, $21 million offer for Willingham, it wasn't hard to understand their reasoning. He's a 33-year-old who was coming off a career year in which he notched just two wins above replacement. But teams and situations evolve, and, mere months later, the Indians once again find themselves in the throes of what seems a winnable division, with a glaring need for power from left field and Grady Sizemore's timetable for a return to the field as murky, if not murkier, than ever. And the Twins? Well, they probably had no business bringing in a "top-flight" (hey, it was a weak market) free-agent like Willingham in the first place, and they have every reason to embrace the reality that it's time to blow it all up and start from scratch. Besides, Willingham's stock, it seems, will never be higher.
Then again, maybe the Indians' best option is not to address their most-obvious, most-discussed need. As Paul Cousineau of The DiaTribe points out in this piece, it would be completely understandable to see the Tribe instead attempt to augment what has largely been a wobbly rotation — one that, as of this writing, has a 4.52 ERA while averaging less than six innings per outing. Paul's whole post (which brings up the idea of the Indians targeting a certain stem cell-assisted prodigal son) is worth a read, but here's the central idea:
"If the Indians (or at least Shapiro) rightly think that the rotation holds the key to the season, if their young pitchers underwhelm, and if "Fausto" isn't coming back anytime soon, wouldn't it stand to reason that they may be active in looking to augment the roster, but maybe not with the "bat" that everyone seems to assume?"
Of course, the rotation is the most expensive area to augment, as last summer's Ubaldo Jimenez swap demonstrated.
Ultimately, the Indians are only to be taken seriously if the recent improved control shown by Justin Masterson and Jimenez becomes the norm and those two top-end starters perform to their potential. Eventually, if not immediately, it will take more than a 4.52 starters' ERA to remain relevant, even in the lowly AL Central, and the Indians can only go so far as those two take them.
But that still won't stop us from discussing and debating the ancillary subplots, and trade season is always an intriguing topic — even in Italy.


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WATCH: Jamie Oliver's Italian Friend Gennaro Screams Instructions For Cooking Linguine Al Vongole
by Tina Nguyen | 10:29 am, August 3rd, 2013
A long time ago, we fell in love with Gennaro Contaldo, after his appearance as Jamie Oliver's sous on Iron Chef: America. We can't exactly show you why via that appearance, but we sure as hell can present you this clip of the dramatic, loud chef at Jamie's Italian, bellowing directions for making Linguine Al Vongole. Eat your heart out, Gordon Ramsay.
WATCH: Jamie Oliver Celebrates Father's Day With His Pirate Children
WATCH: Jamie Oliver Kidnaps The Epic Meal Time Guy, Makes 'Epic Veg Time' Perversion
FOOD FEUD: Jamie Oliver To Simon Cowell 'Are You Serious' About Hiring Harley From Epic Meal Time?


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HourlyLess than 30 hrs/week
Start DateJuly 24, 2013
Concept Overview:
The project is to create the frontend User Interface for a web application to configure and manage a remote client application.
Application Architecture Overview:
The project application has been designed to operate across all devices- Desktop or Laptop PC, Tablet and Smartphones. The Frontend will use an existing Bootstrap theme that will be modified as needed to match the desired look and feel of the application. The application must work across IE9+, Firefox and Google Chrome (current versions only).
The application will primarily be built using the Python Flask framework, Twitter Bootstrap and PostreSQL. All source code for the project will be stored in a Git repository.
Developer Requirements:
-- Good English Skills
-- Ability to read software specifications (English)
-- Can communicate with project manager on Skype text chat during the US Business -- -- Hours (5am – 3pm EST – New York City Timezone)
-- Significant Experience in HTML, CSS
-- Experience in Flask and Django template development.
-- Experience using Git.
-- Must be detail oriented – no sloppy or lazy coding styles.
-- Must be able to test their own code.
-- Experience using Twitter Bootstrap
-- Must be able to test code across different browsers and devices.
Additional preferred skills of a developer:
-- Experience deploying code to live production servers
-- Understanding and experience with Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) process
-- Can provide ideas and feedback to improve overall software design.
Our Company Overview
Our company is a web application development company based in the United States. We develop applications for both external customers and our own internal projects. We use Amazon Web Services (AWS) extensively. We are currently looking to expand our development team by adding freelance developers throughout the world. Our web projects are generally developed in Django or another Python framework and use a PostgreSQL backend.
** We will not respond to any phone calls about this job or work with any company outside of the oDesk system **
About the Client
United States
Birmingham 04:42 AM
Jobs Posted
85% Hire Rate, 1 Open Job
Over $50,000
Total Spent
96 Hires, 1 Active
Avg Hourly Rate Paid
11,487 Hours


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click to enlarge
The Wizard putter is a great disc that provides great "touch" and is very versatile. For straight flying approach shots, the Wizard has a very subtle fade at the end of its flight. This allows you to go for the basket on 50-100' shots without going very far past if you miss the chains. For putts, the Wizard holds whatever line you put on it with very little fade during its drop. Whether you use it for putts, approaches, or both, the Wizard is a very consistent and accurate disc that should find its way into your bag.
The Glow Wizard improves on the original with the addition of glow-in-the-dark material, making it a great choice for night rounds. Shine on!


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Samsung XOA Business Solutions from OCM
OCM is a company of dedicated professionals who provide a complete range of software solutions and professional services to Samsung. Our company employs an experienced team of highly qualified and motivated individuals who strive to provide a high level of service. Our focus is on our strategic alliance with Samsung, ensuring every effort is made to provide client service excellence. It is this blend of expertise and motivation that is the driving force for making this alliance a success.
Samsung Integrated Device Management
By using Samsung's flexible and powerful new open platform, eXtensible Open Architecture (XOA) OCM has developed a Samsung specific user friendly embedded document output management solution. Engineering OCM's innovative web based device management software together with Samsung's XOA embedded device management technology, OCM XCM was developed and launched as an exclusive industry leading cost recovery and secure print release solution that simply offers Samsung's customers the advantages of ease-of-use, productivity and device efficiency.
Additional Information on Samsung XOA Business Solutions
Introduction to Samsung Business Solutions
Click Here to Down Load the Samsung XOA Business Solutions Brochure


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As our way of saying "thank you," you'll receive tickets to attend (along with Sixthman Alumni) exclusive World Cafe taping sessions featuring the performers scheduled on board the ship. You'll also be invited to an exclusive World Cafe Happy Hour. There will also be a Funky Friday Dance Party hosted by David Dye (for all passengers) that we hope you'll attend. Be sure to enter the code WORLDCAFE when booking your trip to receive the exclusive invitations.
Cayamo Cruise 2011 happens aboard the Norwegian Pearl, home to Freestyle Cruising, featuring world-class restaurants and lounges, pools and whirlpools, a comprehensive fitness center and luxurious spa. In addition to all the great musical performances, we'll bring you onboard activities in the spirit of the event that will be sure to keep you busy and having fun. Come spend this one-of-a-kind experience with us and create memories that will last a lifetime!
This past February, Roger LaMay joined David Dye and the World Cafe as they sailed the Caribbean on this year's Cayamo cruise. Sailing from Miami to Belize and Costa Maya, they were joined by a long list of artists including Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle and Emmy Lou Harris. Here's a video with highlights of the trip.
Watch Radio Video for a taste of Cayamo 2010: A Journey Through Song.


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Latest news from Chagrin Falls, Solon, Pepper Pike, Orange, Moreland Hills, Hunting Valley, Bainbridge, Bentleyville, Russell and South Russell
Category: News RSS
Solon is seeking names of veterans for new Memorial Park
By Joan Rusek, Sun News
June 04, 2011, 8:09AM
The City of Solon is accepting applications for inclusion of U.S. armed forces veterans' names on either the stone memorials or paver stones at the new Veterans Memorial Park. Full story »
Your HomeTown Chagrin changes location of Yoga by the Falls for this week only
By Lindsay Betz, Sun News
June 03, 2011, 1:36PM
Your HomeTown Chagrin Falls' Yoga by the Falls program will be held at Triangle Park in downtown Chagrin Falls this week only. Full story »
Solon committee recommends deer management plan which includes crossbow hunting
By Thomas Jewell, Sun News
June 03, 2011, 11:41AM
Solon's Safety and Public Properties Committee has recommended a comprehensive deer management plan that will now be forwarded to City Council for further deliberation. The 2-1 vote came June 2, with Vice Mayor Ed Kraus dissenting on the grounds of crossbow hunting being included in the proposal. Full story »
Solon Councilman Robert Pelunis eyes more bidders for sewer work
By Thomas Jewell, Sun News
June 03, 2011, 8:03AM
In voting against last month's award of a sewer billing collection contract, Solon Councilman Robert Pelunis questioned why the city didn't seek any additional proposals for the work. Full story »
Orange Art Center set for return of House and Outdoor Living Tour in Pepper Pike
By Faith Boone, Sun News
June 02, 2011, 12:30PM
Back by popular demand, the 2011 House and Outdoor Living Tour will be offered again by the Orange Art Center. Full story »
Shadow Lake in Solon hosts family fishing event June 3
By Faith Boone, Sun News
June 02, 2011, 11:05AM
Enjoy family fishing from 6-8 p.m. June 3 at Shadow Lake in South Chagrin Reservation, off Hawthorn Parkway between Richmond and Solon roads in Solon. Full story »
Chagrin Falls Police Blotter: Man threatens police over stolen car
By Sun News staff
June 02, 2011, 11:00AM
Man arrested for disorderly conduct after threatening police and yelling obscenities. Full story »
Solon Police Blotter: String of break-ins at Verizon Wireless stores
By Lindsay Betz, Sun News
June 02, 2011, 11:00AM
Sledgehammer left behind during break-in of Verizon Wireless store in Solon. Police believe thousands of dollars worth of phones to be stolen. Full story »
Two men were arrested after shooting at a fleeing car in Solon
By Thomas Jewell, Sun News
June 02, 2011, 8:06AM
Two men were arrested Memorial Day after a gunshot was fired on Solon Road. It shattered the windshield of a fleeing car whose occupants apparently threw fireworks at or near a residence of "affiliates" of the suspects in Oakwood. Full story »
Chagrin Falls cleans up employee pension regulations
By Lindsay Betz, Sun News
June 02, 2011, 7:31AM
In anticipation of changes that will be mandated should Senate Bill 5 not be repealed by voters in November, Village Council decided to change its retirement contribution policy for all employees, including police and fire workers. Full story »
Moreland Hills Police Blotter: Missing boy picked up by police
By Sun News staff
June 02, 2011, 7:07AM
Boy picked up by Shaker Heights police about two days after his father reported him missing in Moreland Hills. Full story »
Solon closes homeowner loophole for contractors on spec houses
By Thomas Jewell, Sun News
June 01, 2011, 1:15PM
With one member abstaining, the Solon Planning Commission recommended closing a loophole in the city building code where contractors can claim themselves as "homeowners" for speculative houses they are working on. Full story »
Chagrin Falls Farmers Market to kick off June 5
By Lindsay Betz, Sun News
June 01, 2011, 7:55AM
The Chagrin Falls Farmers Market will come back to the village this summer. The market will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays June 5 through Oct. 23 along North Franklin Street next to the bandstand in Triangle Park. Full story »
Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce happy to be in new Township Hall home in Chagrin Falls
By Lindsay Betz, Sun News
May 31, 2011, 11:02AM
"We have moved so many times and we wanted the opportunity to have a permanent home," said CVCC's executive director Darci Spilman. "I believe just being in Township Hall gives the Chamber more presence in town." Full story »
Solon schools summer camps begin June 13
By Joan Rusek, Sun News
May 31, 2011, 8:03AM
Sumer camps with Solon Schools Community Education begins the week of June 13. Full story »
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Branchburg Township has announced upcoming events:
Coffee with mayor scheduled for Oct. 12 rescheduled for Oct. 19
Special Election to fill the unexpired term of Senator Frank Lautenberg will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Polls will be open from 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM and polling locations are the same as regular elections.
The last day to register to vote for the General Election (to be held on November 5) is Tuesday, Oct. 15. The Somerset County Board of Elections will be open until 9:00 PM to accept new voter registrations.
Free Rabies Clinic: Oct. 12 from 9-11 a.m. in the Municipal Garage on Kenbury Road. Notice to dog owners: When renewing your dog's license in January, 2014, remember that State regulations require all dogs to have a current rabies certificate that will be valid through October, 2014, in order to be licensed. Check the current certificate and if the rabies expiration is prior to October, 2014, please take advantage of the free rabies clinic.
Branchburg Recreation presents their Annual "Pumpkin Patch" for children ages 8 years old and under on Oct. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at White Oak Park on Baird Road. Call 908-526-1300, ext. 187.
Branchburg Recreation is accepting reservations for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular on Wednesday, Dec. 11. See attached flyer for all details and registration form. Tickets are limited so order early.
Branchburg Rotary presents Basket Bingo on Friday, Oct. 25, 6–11 p.m. at Raritan Valley Community College. 20 games for $20. For more information and tickets, call Debbie at 908-685-8080.


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What's Keeping Manmohan Singh Busy?
However, with no official burden now, Manmohan Singh mostly has family members and associates coming over. He gets letters, to which he replies every day.
"I met him a few days ago and he is in the process of settling down in the new house. I will meet him again after a few days," Rashpal Malhotra, who has been associated with Manmohan Singh for nearly five decades and was even a tenant in his (Manmohan Singh's) house in Chandigarh's upscale Sector 11, told IANS.
Manmohan Singh and wife Gursharan Kaur have three daughters - Upinder Singh (51), Daman Singh (47) and Amrit Singh (41).
Eldest Upinder is a professor of history at the University of Delhi and an author. Daman is a writer while Amrit is a staff attorney at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Immigrant's Rights Project.
When he is not meeting people or replying to letters, Manmohan Singh takes out time for his only hobby - reading.
"He loves reading and now he has more time for it," another aide told IANS.
Having remained one of the most protected person in the country for a decade, Manmohan Singh still enjoys formidable security cover with 100 personnel of the elite Special Protection Group and Delhi Police deployed for his security. The SPG, which is tasked with security of the prime minister and ex-prime ministers, takes care of internal and external periphery of the house, while the Delhi Police personnel are stationed outside.
"The security around him is according to what is prescribed for a former prime minister," a senior security official said.
The first technocrat to rule the country, Manmohan Singh will remain in public and political life as he continues to be a member of the Rajya Sabha, the country's upper house of parliament. He was re-elected for a six-year term last year.
Born in Gah village of Jhelum district in what is now Pakistan's Punjab province in 1932, Manmohan Singh studied and taught at Panjab University at Chandigarh before joining the government as an economic adviser in the commerce ministry in 1971.
He held several top jobs including secretary in the finance ministry, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, governor of the Reserve Bank of India, adviser to the prime minister before he became finance minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao government in 1991. He became prime minister in 2004 when the Congress-led UPA won the general election.
By Anjali Ojha and Jaideep Sarin for IANS


text: The Sea Mammal Research Unit carries out fundamental, leading edge research on marine mammals in many different subject areas. This research is carried out worldwide with a core objective of understanding the causes and consequences of changes in populations. With ever increasing pressure on the world's oceans and it resources, marine mammals are consequently often impacted by man's marine activities. One of our main aims is to therefore determine the nature, magnitude and significance of these expanding interactions. Our research is highly integrated and can therefore be divided in many different ways . However, the broad research areas are listed below and further details of each and how they are connected can be found by following the links.


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How to Vox Frequently Asked Questions Tutorials How to Videos Widgets
Frequently Asked Questions
Rules for VOXing
- Are there rules and helpful suggestions to effective VOXing?
The Golden Rule of VOXing – VOX unto others as you would have them VOX unto you. What this means is that often times emotions can carry into your message. Try to imagine receiving the VOX yourself and how you would react to it. The point of VOXing is to mitigate a conflict or disagreement and not to inflame the situation. On the flip side, in responding to a VOX, take responsibility for the information or insight that they had sent to you and thank them for it. The though the information may be hurtful or maybe even inaccurate, be respectful with your response. We highly recommend you use the VOXtemplates provided in the QuickVOX window.
According to Dr. Bernatz, the Founder of VOXopolis, has found that the initial anonymous feedback will usually be the worst, yet individuals or organizations with integrity and the desire for continuous improvement will see a significant change over time.
Dr. Bernatz has also found from his experience as a corporate psychologist that no matter how successful an individual or organization is in their primary field, that all have some sort of "blind spot" that may be a critical flaw in their make-up. History has shown that great people and organizations have been taken down by their blind spots. Use VOXopolis to uncover yours.
Unless it's an urgent issue, it's a good rule of thumb is give yourself 24 hours so that you may have a measured and thoughtful response.
If you or your organization is in the process of developing an anonymous information process such as a survey, 360 feedback, or whistle blower mechanism, strongly consider incorporating the interactive feature of VOXopolis into your processes.
Because VOXopolis is a truly unique service, please be sure to thoroughly read the user Terms and Conditions.


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ALPENA - The residents of district No. 1 will have to decide to continue to move forward with incumbent Jeff Kowalski as it representative on the Alpena County Board of Commissioners, or take a chance with challenger Jordan Susewitz in November's general election.
Each has expressed their love for the county in which they live and want to add a perspective of the younger generation on the board.
Kowalski has had his share of ups and downs during his first two years as a commissioner. He had a pair of brushes with the law, on which he was convicted with two drunk driving incidents, including one where there was a child in the automobile. He said he has learned his lesson, is dealing with his problem and hopes the community can forgive him and give him a second chance.
"It is unfortunate that I came into these circumstances and while in office," Kowalski said. "I chose to run again because of my commitment to see through what I started and to continue on with what the reasons I ran the first time. I want to continue to serve the community the best way I can. I want a chance to carry on and have a chance to right the ship."
Susewitz is currently serving on the Alpena Planning Commission and will resign if he wins his election bid. He said he has nothing against Kowalski, but believes he can do a better job.
"I decided to run because the county needs strong leadership and I don't believe district No. 1 has had strong leadership," Susewitz said. "I think I can help take the county down the route which will help our children and grandchildren moving forward and that is why I stepped forward."
Susewitz said there are some big things on the horizon for the county, including the commissioners effort to lure unmanned aircraft manufacturing, development and training to the airport. He said there is still a lot of work to do on that project, but in order to truly make the county better, a strong focus on finance must continue, as well as working with others to cut costs.
"In the ever-changing world and the fact we have been in the same style of life for a long time we need to consider way for consolidation," Susewitz said. "Change is never fun, but we are going to have to step up to the plate and consolidate some things for not just the betterment of the county, but our friends in the city and townships as well. Really for all of northeastern Michigan."
Kowalski said how the county's budget is handled is what ultimately will determine how the county and taxpayers will fare in years to come. He said because of the unmanned aircraft project and questions concerning finance, he thinks he is better suited to serve district No. 1 than Susewitz. He said it takes time for a new commissioner to adjust to the role and believes retaining his experience is important, especially with a new treasurer coming onboard and new equalization director and emergency management coordinator just being appointed.
"Two year ago there were so many things that I didn't have a clue about and I really had no idea how things work," Kowalski said. "When you're campaigning you tend to throw out what equates to sound bites and talking points, but then you get there and there is a huge learning curve. I'm way more prepared now. I think that can only help with changes in staff we are going to experience."
Steve Schulwitz can be reached via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at 358-5689.


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Links of Interest
You are now leaving the BC Parks websitePlease note: The links below are provided for your interest only. The Ministry of Environment and BC Parks do not manage or maintain any of the following websites, nor are we responsible for any of the content contained within.
Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park
- Park Facility Operator - Kaloya Contracting Ltd. promotional website
Return to Okangan Mountain Provincial Park
Return to BC Parks Home Page


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HUNTSVILLE, AL. -- The foursome of Jim Browning, Fred Jones, Bill Wilkes and Roger Christenson and the group of Charlie Blume, Cindy Parrish, Gary Mays and Ric Patterson were the winners Friday in the John Stallworth Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament at Hampton Cove.
The first foursome won the first flight in competition held on the Highlands Course, where Don Ghareeb, Morjrorie Perlman and Tim Morrison were second, Gary Abernathy, Brian Wagoner, Walker Sanderson and Rick Wheeler third.
Richard Selvaggio, Sam Bunn, Henry Murphy and Michael Robertson won the second flight on the Highlands, with Will McAuliffe, Jay Puckett, Ken Barnett and Randy Reynolds second and Cole Kupec, Daniel Pence, Tim Simmons and Ryan Steward finishing third.
The Blue-Parish-Mays-Patterson team won the first flight on the River Course, followed by Chris Parsons, John Chapman, Mike Ivey and Jim Whittenborg. Willie Fuller, John Womack and Brad Womack were third.
Nathan McGee, Jerry Hayes, Chris George and Carl Duckett won the second flight, with Art Williams, Steve Donley, Rick Wilson, Roscoe Johnson runner-up and Brawnski Townes, Ben Blacknall, Marvin Wesley and Bernard Cooper third.
The teams were joined by celebrity partners who rotated among the teams.
Longest drive winners were Donna Lowen and Ben Whitlock. Closest to the pin winners were Deke Perkins, Cindy Parrish, Margie Perlman, Todd Krauser and a pair of celebrities, ex-Steeler John Banaszak and former Alabama basketball star Wendell Hudson.
Brawnski Towns, Alabama A&M's defensive coordinator, won the putting contest, giving him the use of a Cadillac for a year. He's the second A&M assistant to do so, with defensive line coach Ben Blacknall pulling off the feat in 2007.


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With controversies surrounding stem cell research, genetic engineering, and climate change dominating today's news headlines, the study of biology is more important than ever. The Biology program at NSC will immerse you in these global debates and give you the tools needed to address some of the compelling challenges of our time. You will have the opportunity to study biology in a wide range of contexts, ranging from evolution and the history of life on earth, to ecology, to the molecular and genetic underpinnings of biological structures, organisms and populations.
Upon graduation, you will be ready to pursue careers in fields such as biotechnology, research, health sciences, and wildlife biology. You will also have a solid foundation for graduate studies leading to career paths in pharmaceutical, medical and veterinary sciences. By combining broad academic preparation, superb science laboratories, and a range of exciting undergraduate research opportunities, our Biology program truly prepares you to pursue your highest individual and career goals.
Here are some of the places where NSC grads in Biology work and study:
Degree Details (Student Tools)


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An utterly irresistible online magazine, club and store. Let Daphne, Doris and Dulcie be your guides through this very special world where Burlesque meets Miss Marple. Join the Minx Club and be part of the global elite of Mouse to Minx followers.
Mouse to Minx Logo womens' t-shirt
MySoti is a place where designers can upload original artwork and turn it into awesome, real-life products for sale that we print and ship out to customers worldwide!


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Michigan residents could be getting a rebate check from their medical insurance companies this summer.
That's right, insurance companies will be returning money to policy holders.
Since last year, health insurance companies have been required to spend 80 to 85 percent of their premiums on medical care and quality improvement, instead of administrative costs. The measure, known as the 80/20 rule, is part of President Barack Obama's health care reform.
If an insurer fails to spend enough on medical and quality improvement costs, it's required to send a rebate check to policy holders. Insurance companies are expected to send $1.3 billion in rebates for 15.8 million Americans, according to estimates from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The report expects 144,542 Michigan residents to receive nearly $19 million in rebates, or an average of $131 per person.
More than a fifth of people who buy individual insurance are covered by insurers that spend more than 30 percent of premiums on administrative costs, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
"When we pay for health insurance, we want to know that most of what we are paying for is for health care, not advertising, executive bonuses or overhead," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote on the department's blog. "It's pretty simple: we want to get a good value for our premium dollars."
Rebates for 2011 coverage must be paid by August 1.
Not everyone will get a check sent to their home. In many cases, the money will be sent to employers who pay premiums on behalf of their employees. In any case, consumers should ultimately receive a rebate or reduction in premiums.
Customers of insurance companies that meet the 80/20 rule should receive a letter explaining why they're not receiving a rebate.
Aside from helping consumers' pocketbooks, the move has political implications as well, according to a column by Mark Halperin, senior political analyst for Time magazine.
Halperin said the Obama administration is likely to play up the rebates as an example of real benefits to the Affordable Care Act, which he said remains popular with Americans.
"All of this is of great interest to the Obama-Biden campaign team in Chicago," he wrote. "During a recent discussion with senior campaign officials about their strategy to neutralize the law's relative unpopularity, they cited the rebate checks as a stealth weapon to push public opinion back in the White House's favor."
But he said critics, who refer to the law as "Obamacare," contend that other parts of the reform would result in higher premiums.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in June on the constitutionality of the act.
Related: Halperin's Take: Why ACA Rebates Are A Big Deal
Email Melissa Anders at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter: @MelissaDAnders.


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New York Times story "Meet the Twiblings" has troubling implications
January 5, 2011 - Andrea Johnson
The New York Times has a piece this week about a well-to-do couple who, when they gave up on conceiving a child naturally, hired an egg donor and two surrogates to produce their so-called "twiblings," or babies born five days apart. The same couple and the surrogate mothers were on one of the morning news shows on Tuesday, probably to promote the story and possibly a book.
I find it troubling for a whole lot of reasons. I'm troubled not least because of how the children involved might react to their unusual origins when they grow up. It will certainly be harder to avoid the questions when the New York Times story will be online for the foreseeable future.
There's a lot of potential for exploitation here of the surrogate mothers and of the egg donor as well as of the children.
Paying for the whole shebang probably cost this couple upwards of $200,000, though the story doesn't give a dollar figure. The surrogates involved are not poor women, but neither are they as wealthy as the couple and they definitely could use the money. The egg donor, who was also paid for her tall, blonde, blue-eyed good looks and her "delightful personality" and engaging grin, put herself through a series of uncomfortable and invasive medical procedures that, among other potential side effects, could put her at greater risk for cancer someday or even of decreased fertility.
All of the women involved gave their informed consent to the procedure, but I can't help but wonder if the emotional and physical costs will take their toll at some point in the future. Even though the couple and surrogates and egg donor are on friendly terms and the surrogates will get to continue to see the children, I imagine it would be hard to have a truly equal relationship when money has exchanged hands. The two children involved are likely to have their own ideas about how they came to be and some of them might be more negative than any of the adults involved are bargaining on.
This couple has been asked a lot why they didn't simply adopt, and that thought came to my mind too. They said they were too old to be considered by many young women considering adoption and their age and health disqualified them from foreign adoption programs. They didn't want to adopt an older child from foster care because they didn't consider themselves equipped to handle the potential challenges.
Those are definitely valid considerations. I don't know that I would be capable of handling all of the needs of an older child adopted from foster care, either, and no one should adopt if they're not prepared to give their best to a child. On the other hand, any two people who have a couple hundred grand to toss around might have had an easier time adopting a child than the average couple.
Regardless of any misgivings that I or anyone else has, the genie is out of the bottle when it comes to assisted fertility methods like this one. There are thousands of children out there who have been carried by surrogate mothers or conceived in labs using donor eggs and sperm. It's not uncommon for a lab to create a child using the donor egg and sperm of a woman and man who have never met and well might hate each other if they did, but who both have the good looks and high intelligence that a particular client wants in his child. Then the resulting embryo is implanted into the womb of a surrogate unrelated to the child or the couple, a surrogate who is paid many thousands of dollars, and the child is born and sent home with the couple or the single mother or gay father who set the whole process in motion.
This is what it means to be made to order these days, to be designed as much as is currently possible with today's technology. In another 20 years they'll likely be able to create a child using even more exact specifications. Maybe they'll even be able to do away with a human womb altogether and these children will be born from artificial wombs in some scientist's laboratory.
I can't be the only one who thinks it might be a good idea to put some brakes on the fertility industry that makes this all possible. I'm also not sure it's possible to do it. Troubling is the best word I can think of for it.
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Over the course of the last several months, Union City Mayor and state Sen. Brian P. Stack has gone out of his way to emphasize that he is under attack by political bosses, political enemies and political machines. Just recently Stack sent out a letter to all Union City residents claiming unnamed people and groups are out to get him.
The Jersey Journal's Political Insider, written by Mr. Augie Torres, has also referred to Stack and his perception that unnamed people and groups are out to get him. My question to Mr. Stack is, who are these people? You are quick to make claims, but you never provide the names of those who you claim are out to get you. Are these people invisible or can we actually see them? Do they have names or do they exist only in your head?
Additionally, Stack continues to lambaste the Hudson County Political Organization, or as Mr. Torres like to call them the "HCDeadO"; yet Stack just ran unopposed on their party line and will run again with them in November.
Stack is quick to write letters to the editor anytime there is an anonymous letter to the editor which is critical of him. He warns readers to question the person's motive when they sign a letter anonymously. I believe it is now time to question Stack's motives; if he is going to accuse someone or some group of coming after him, then he should be willing to name names.
When I worked for the city of Union City I only knew one political boss; his name was Brian P. Stack. If there are other political bosses out there I wish Stack would name names so the people of Hudson County will know who is who.


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The Haywood County drug task force says it arrested three men in connection with the theft of liquid morphine from an elderly woman receiving end-of-life care.
Officers with the Unified Narcotics Investigation Team in Haywood County said they were told liquid morphine was stolen from the woman's home last week.
The task force said it also received information that known drug users and dealers had been frequenting and staying at the home.
Officers said they conducted a welfare check on the woman and during the course of the investigation seized drug paraphernalia and five guns.
Three men were arrested as part of the investigation, officers said.
James Randall Barnett, 31, is charged with felony exploitation of an elder or disabled adult and larceny and possession of stolen property.
Phillip Szostak, 23, is charged with five counts of possession of firearm by felon and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Andrew Justin Clubb, 25, is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.


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Elton John has been selected as the recipient of the inaugural BRITs Icon Award.
The BRITs are the British equivalent to the Grammy Awards and are initiating the Icon Award to honor those artists who have ascended beyond star status to a point where they are a cultural staple of British music and society. The ceremony for the Icon Award will be separate from the Brit Awards, with this year's honor being given on September 2 in central London. The ceremony will be broadcast on the ITV network later in the month. It is planned for Elton to perform some of his hits along with songs from the upcoming album, The Diving Board, as part of an intimate conversation on his career. Guest performers are also expected.
Brit Chief Executive Geoff Taylor said "The BRIT Awards has recognised many exceptional artists whose music has connected with millions of fans. A few of these artists, such as Sir Elton John, have achieved such a level of artistic creativity and originality, critical acclaim, global recognition and popular success that they deserve to be recognised as true Icons of our cultural life. With our broadcast partners ITV, our aim is to provide the ultimate tribute to these musical superheroes, which not only recognises their unique achievements but which is also spectacular entertainment."
Elton John commented "It's a tremendous honour and a real thrill for me to have my work acknowledged in this way, and I'm really looking forward to participating in what promises to be a very special occasion."