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Is peanut butter healthy? Yes, says the Harvard Heart Letter
Peanut butter contains saturated fat and sodium, so how can it be considered a healthy food? That's what a reader recently asked the Harvard Heart Letter. It's a good question that gets to the heart of choosing foods that are good for health. Dr. Walter C. Willett, a nationally known nutrition expert and a member of the Heart Letter's editorial board, tackled that question as part of the newsletter's popular Ask the Doctor feature.The presence of saturated fat doesn't automatically kick a food, such as peanut butter, into the "unhealthy" camp. Olive oil, wheat germ, and even tofu—all considered to be "healthy" foods—have some saturated fat. It's the whole package of nutrients, not just one or two, that determines how good a particular food is for health, Dr. Willett says in the July 2009 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter.A typical 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter has 3.3 grams of saturated fat and 12.3 grams of unsaturated fat. That puts it up there with olive oil in terms of the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat. Dr. Willett notes that saturated fat isn't the deadly toxin it is sometimes made out to be. The body's response to saturated fat in food is to increase the amounts of both harmful LDL and protective HDL in circulation. In moderation, some saturated fat is okay. Eating a lot of it, though, promotes artery-clogging atherosclerosis, the process that underlies most cardiovascular disease.Peanut butter also gives you some fiber, some vitamins and minerals (including potassium), and other nutrients. Unsalted peanut butter has a terrific potassium-to-sodium ratio, which counters the harmful cardiovascular effects of sodium surplus. And even salted peanut butter still has about twice as much potassium as sodium.Numerous studies have shown that people who regularly include nuts or peanut butter in their diets are less likely to develop heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those who rarely eat nuts. Although it is possible that nut eaters are somehow different from, and healthier than, non-nut eaters, it is more likely that nuts themselves have a lot to do with these benefits.Read the full-length article: "Why is peanut butter 'healthy' if it has saturated fat?"
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If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.
The only mistake in life is the lesson not learned.
Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift.
There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle, or you can live as if everything is a miracle.
Try not to become a man of success but rather a man of value.
Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.
Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
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Treasures and Technology: A Guided Tour of Perkins Library
Friday, 2-3pm and 3-4pm, Perkins Library Lobby
Highlights of the Special Collections Library and selected online resources of Perkins Library. Take this opportunity for an introduction to the array of materials available to students at the Duke University Libraries, where the holdings range from ancient papyrus to the latest bestsellers.
Tales of the Uncanny
Friday, 7pm, Lilly Library (East Campus), Thomas Room
Reynolds Price, James B. Duke Professor of English, will read stories and poems to put you in the mood for Halloween. Come early for the 10th anniversary of this popular event, which has become a Duke tradition. Costumes welcome!
The Library Presents Duke Moms and Dads!
Saturday, 11am, Perkins Library Rare Book Room
First-year parent Andy Straka, award-winning author of the Frank Pavlicek mystery series, will speak on the subject of "Crime Scene DNA—Myths and Realities."
Unless otherwise specified on this page, this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.


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Nadya Suleman, the woman who gave birth to octuplets and earned the nickname Octomom, has been charged with welfare fraud, according to published reports. Authorities say she allegedly received nearly $30,000 from video and personal appearances while on public assistance. It points up a bigger question in the swirling debate over government aid: Is this an isolated case or proof of a systemic failure?
Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey said that Suleman, 38, was charged Jan. 6. The felony complaint was released Monday. Suleman had not been taken into custody but was ordered to appear for arraignment in court Friday.
She faces two counts of perjury by false application for aid and one count of aid by misrepresentation, Lacey's office said in a statement. Prosecutors plan to ask that bail be set at $25,000. If convicted, she faces a sentence of up to five years and eight months.
Background according to USAToday: Suleman, who has a total of 14 children, filed for public assistance in Lancaster, Calif., in January 2013, prosecutors said. They allege that she failed to disclose in applications and quarterly reports that she was paid for personal appearances and residual fees for videos during the first six months of last year.
Suleman, from Orange County, Calif., gave birth to octuplets in January 2009. She already had six other children, also born as a result of in-vitro fertilization. Her birth of eight babies at one time stirred debate over fertilization procedures and prompted a state medical board investigation into her fertility doctor.
According to the felony complaint, Suleman is accused of receiving $9,814 in CalFresh aid, the food aid program known elsewhere as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), without disclosing her income. She is also accused of receiving $6,667 in aid she was not entitled to from CalWORKS, the welfare program that provides cash aid and services to eligible needy California families.
So what do you think of this case of alleged welfare fraud?
Is this just one woman in a unique circumstance allegedly taking advantage of the system?
Or is it proof that America must re-examine its governmental aid programs?
Tell us in the comments.


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Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (CT) Saturday at Millikin University, Decatur, Ill.
Records: Hope (1-0), Millikin(1-0)
Radio: 92.7 FM
Online: 927thevan.com
Cory Olsen's five things to watch:
1. Starting off their first of two away games with a win would be a big step for the Hope College football team, but it won't come easily. Opponent Millikin put up 50 points versus Greenville last week, winning 50-10. Hope's numbers on offense compared well with Millikin's with both teams just over 200 yards of rushing with only five yards separating their total offensive gains of just over 400 total yards. The deciding factor will be with the defense and which team comes up with the stops.
2. Is Fluarry ready? Banged up near the end of last week's win versus North Park, Fluarry Jackson walked to the locker room with ice wrapped around his left knee. As Hope's number two runner, Fluarry adds that solid attack when teammate Shawn Jackson is taking a break. He ran the ball 12 times last Saturday for 79 yards. Hope's No. 3 runner Reggie Duncan is listed as Shawn Jackson's backup for Saturday's game, calling Fluarry's health into question.
3. Millikin could offer a challenge to Hope's secondary with 190-pound 6-1 senior wide receiver Jake Palmer. Palmer only caught four passes in their last game but he racked up 120 yards and two touchdowns with his longest catch for 49 yards. Flying Dutchmen safety Mark Karam and crew could have a rough time with Palmer, who has at least a two inch height advantage on all the starting safeties and corners.
4. Hope kept a pretty diversified offensive attack in their win versus North Park, rushing for 230 yards and passing for 180 yards. With part of their running squad on the mend, Hope will be looking to quarterback Mike Atwell to pass even more, leaning on his solid arm and decision making skills to keep the ball moving. Atwell threw 19-30 in their season opener with a gain of 176 yards.
5. This will be Hope's second consecutive game playing an opponent they've never faced before. Hope made some nice adjustments on defense last week versus North Park but still gave up 24 points. Millikin should prove to be a tougher offensive team and may give Hope some fits on defense while trying to control both the run and pass.
Follow Cory Olsen on Twitter or email him at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Eclipse is an open source IDE framework with an architecture designed for expansion and flexibility. JSDT runs in Eclipse and is added as a plug-in. JavaScript on Eclipse isn't a new concept, since there is HTML and some JavaScript support available from other plug-ins, but what distinguishes JSDT is the richness and complexity of the tools it offers that greatly enhance Web development productivity.
JSDT offers many of the same features and core design found in the Java Development Toolkit (JDT). JSDT is slated to replace the current JavaScript editor in the Web Tools Platform V3.0 release.
IDEs and JavaScript
The problem lies in the interpretation of the JavaScript language. Unlike Java™ or the C languages, JavaScript is loosely typed and difficult to model accurately. In more formal languages, efficiency of compiled code is a priority, and a limit is placed on language flexibility. JavaScript's goal is different. Various attempts to polarize developers toward a platform have led to language inconsistencies. These inconsistencies complicate things from a tooling standpoint and a development standpoint.
than a focus. Ajax toolkits take it upon themselves to make JavaScript object-oriented
— but they all do it differently. This makes generically identifying object and
class structures difficult, if not impossible. To make things worse — or
better, depending on who you ask — the language has a couple of powerful
holes programmers use to perform clever tricks that are otherwise difficult. One
example of this is wrapping major chunks of code in an
evalf(..) function, making it only valid at runtime. It's an issue
we're still struggling to model accurately in JSDT.
Present JavaScript IDEs
There is some partial JavaScript tooling available now. But many of the popular tools can't provide true context-aware content assistance because they lack a true JavaScript language-modeling mechanism. In model-less IDEs, content completion and tooling is accomplished through the use of static flat files listing available types. These types are pruned on the fly based on partial characters typed, and they typically do not pick up object members defined in the code. Content completion isn't context-sensitive because without a model, you're pretty limited on what can be done.
Without a language model, it's difficult or impossible to place code in context. Since many programming elements depend on the context of code, it's essential for tooling to establish context. IDEs that lack a model and code context also miss out on full type-resolution and validation, scope, visibility, or any of the other good validation essential for easy development.
JSDT design
Figure 1. JSDT language abstraction stack
JSDT models the JavaScript language and implied class structure in real time, which it accomplishes with a new approach. First, the basic language elements are constructed. Second, the inference engine or engines help fill in any class structure and language gaps.
The basic language model
The inference and modeling process can be thought of as an operation stack. The root of the model is the JavaScript source code. The source code is transformed into a private language model using a similar engine as the JDT for Eclipse. This pure model of the language conforms to the ECMA-3 standard.
Type and class inference
Once the JavaScript language is modeled, the next step is managing type and class inference. Many JavaScript-based toolkits (for example, Dojo, Rico, Prototype) use their own techniques to facilitate object-oriented programming in JavaScript. JSDT uses custom toolkit-aware inference engines to recognize class and type structure within toolkits. These classes and types then can be added to the language model.
Exposing the model
Finally, the private model and its inferred parts are transformed into a public language model. This public language model is available for source, refactoring, and as-you-type tools. If one of the tools wishes to change some of the JavaScript source, the change is made at the public model and translated down to the JavaScript source code.
Managing variable and member scope
Figure 2. JSDT library configuration
JSDT uses a library mechanism to manage common objects, variables, and types in a project. Libraries can be added to a project to provide object and variable sets specific to the users' target runtime environment. If two libraries exist that define conflicting members, the members are aggregated and noted in the user interface where relevant. This helps establish methods common across browsers or environments.
While the libraries' primary function is managing the runtime context of JavaScript, it also serves another important feature — handling cross-source file references. Pure JavaScript doesn't have an explicit include function. Developers have a nasty habit of spreading functions across source files. The library configuration page helps manage inter-project visibility between source files. If a project folder is marked as a source folder, all of the JavaScript in that folder is included in the global scope. Limits may be placed on folders using exclude patterns.
With the high-level design points out of the way, let's take a closer look at the features. A few of JSDT's less-visual — but essential — features include same-word highlighting, auto-closing of braces, parentheses, quotes, and auto-indention to name a few. It may suffice to say, "If a good IDE should have it, then JSDT supports it."
Content assistance
Figure 3. Content assistance
Content completion is invoked anywhere with Ctrl+Space. Figure 3 shows content assist invoked on the document object. Content completion is context-aware and based on the global scope and JavaScript model. Completion entries show the field name, field type, and the field's declaring type.
Error detection and correction
An IDE is most useful when it can actively determine code errors. The JSDT detects three major types of errors: grammar/language errors, types/fields/method visibility, and flow or logic errors. All error warning levels are individually configurable by way of the preference pages.
Figure 4. Unresolved method
JSDT attempts to resolve all fields and methods for an object. When a method can't be resolved, it's marked in error.
Figure 5. Syntax error
Syntax errors are also found and marked. Here, the
statement is missing a semicolon.
Figure 6. Flow analysis
Figure 6 demonstrates the flow analysis. Since any code after the
return statement is unreachable, it's marked in error.
Figure 7. Quick fix
Some errors have quick-fix options. In Figure 7, when the user clicked the error marker
next to the unresolved variable
formyValue, JSDT comes up with some options to correct the error.
Code formating
Source gets messy at times. It's easy-to-read, well-structured, and well-formatted code. The problem is keeping code formatted while you develop and debug. JSDT supports many as-you-type formatting features, such as configurable auto-indent and character pair-matching. These are helpful for speed of development and readability.
What can you do when the code you receive is already messy? The JSDT code formatter can go through and reformat all the messy JavaScript you encounter with a click of the mouse. The formatting engine is extensively configurable, and the configuration can be exported to share with your team.
Other JSDT features
The items above aren't the only features JSDT supports. Here's a full list of the self-explanatory (but must-have) JSDT features:
- Syntax highlighting
- Folding/line numbers
- Full outlining, showing classes, functions, and fields
- Highlight and check of matching brackets/parentheses
- Auto-complete of brackets, parentheses, and indentation
- Mark occurrence
- Comment toggle (line and block)
- Generate element JsDoc
- Surround with do, for, try/catch, while
- User-configurable completion templates
- Extract function/change function signature
- Indentation correction
- Open declaration
- Open-type hierarchy
- Open-call hierarchy
- Customizable code formating
- Full search
- Refactor/rename/move
- Breakpoint support
- Defined browser libraries with JsDoc for Firefox, Internet Explorer, and ECMA-3
- Support for user defined libraries using JsDoc + JavaScript prototype definitions
- Library image support
- Debugging support provided through the ATF Project
If you need a free Web development environment, look no further than Eclipse. With the recent addition of the JSDT, the JavaScript abilities in Eclipse surpass everything else on the market. Thanks to the rapid growth allowed by the open source project, JSDT will continue to evolve as rapidly as JavaScript.
- Read more about the ECMA-3 standard at the ECMA Web site.
- Read more about the JavaScript Development Toolkit at the Eclipse JSDT wiki.
- Read more about the Eclipse ATF Project.
- Check out the "Recommended Eclipse reading list."
- Browse all the Eclipse content on developerWorks.
- New to Eclipse? Read the developerWorks article "Get started with Eclipse Platform" to learn its origin and architecture, and how to extend Eclipse with plug-ins.
- Expand your Eclipse skills by checking out IBM developerWorks' Eclipse project resources.
- To listen to interesting interviews and discussions for software developers, check out developerWorks podcasts.
- Stay current with developerWorks' Technical events and webcasts.
- Watch and learn about IBM and open source technologies and product functions with the no-cost developerWorks On demand demos.
- Check out upcoming conferences, trade shows, webcasts, and other Events around the world that are of interest to IBM open source developers.
- Visit the developerWorks Open source zone for extensive how-to information, tools, and project updates to help you develop with open source technologies and use them with IBM's products.
Get products and technologies
- Check out the latest Eclipse technology downloads at IBM alphaWorks.
- Download Eclipse Platform and other projects from the Eclipse Foundation.
- Download IBM product evaluation versions, and get your hands on application development tools and middleware products from DB2®, Lotus®, Rational®, Tivoli®, and WebSphere®.
- Innovate your next open source development project with IBM trial software, available for download or on DVD.
- The Eclipse Platform newsgroups should be your first stop to discuss questions regarding Eclipse. (Selecting this will launch your default Usenet news reader application and open eclipse.platform.)
- The Eclipse newsgroups has many resources for people interested in using and extending Eclipse.
- Participate in developerWorks blogs and get involved in the developerWorks community.
Dig deeper into Open source on developerWorks
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Kudos to Gov. Gregoire for lower gas prices | Letters
As you know firsthand, residents on the West Coast have been paying outrageous gas price (i.e. over 50 cents more than the national average).
On June 2, I paid $4.18 a gallon at Costco (usually the cheapest price in Federal Way) when the national average for a gallon of gas was around $3.60. In addition to the turmoil in the Middle East (Egypt, Syria, Iran, etc.), one of the main reasons are gas prices skyrocketed was the decision by the oil companies to shut down around eight refineries on the West Coast for maintenance and repairs until the first of July.
The federal government (unfortunately) would not do anything to address this problem. However, fortunately for us, our governor did act. She got her Commerce Department involved and managed to open a Washington refinery early.
I don't know if she was successful — but she also urged the refineries in California to open as well. The $64,000 question is, why the big oil companies had to shut down all these refineries at the same time? Surely, they knew it would drive up the gas prices on the West Coast and their profits as well.
Whatever Governor Gregoire did, it worked. Nine days later when I gassed up at Costco, the gas price had dropped 24 cents to $3.949 and in only two weeks, it had dropped a whopping 46 cents a gallon to $3.719 and it is still dropping.
Now finally our gas prices are close to the national average – which just dropped below $3.50, although some are paying as low as $3.30 — and we have the governor to thank.
Hopefully, our Congressional representatives can learn an important lesson.
Gary Robertson, Federal Way
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text: All I hear about revolvers is how simplistic the design is and how there aren't many parts on it. Does this mean that a S&W revolver realy isn't better quality than a rossi even though there is a big price jump. I can't tell the difference between the two so should I front the money for the S&W or would I be o.k. with the rossi.


text:
International Edition
October, 25, 2016
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110th anniversary Harley-Davidsons go on presale
By Adam Tyrsett Kuo, The China Post
April 8, 2013, 12:05 am TWN
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Harley-Davidson is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, and in addition to releasing limited-edition apparel and accessories in commemoration of the occasion, the firm's 110th Anniversary Edition Motorcycles are also currently on presale in Taiwan.
Taikoo Motorcycle Limited, Taiwan Branch, Harley-Davidson's local distributor, has put the 110th Anniversary Edition Motorcycles on display at its showrooms in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung, expecting to attract up to 2,000 Harley-Davidson aficionados across the island.
Harley-Davidson's 110th Anniversary Edition Motorcycles encompass six models: the Sportster 1200 Custom, the Dyna Super Glide Custom, the Heritage Softail Classic, the Softail Fat Boy Special, the Touring Road King, the Ultra Limited and the Electra Glide, catering to Harley-Davidson enthusiasts who prefer the agile bikes of the Sportster family to the grand vehicles of the Touring family.
The vintage-hued anniversary edition motorcycles pay homage to Harley-Davidson's classics, featuring commemorative emblems with vehicle numbers on them and other unique specifications.
At over 2,310 square meters, Harley-Davidson's flagship store in Taipei is the largest in Asia, having received the Best Retail Environment Award in 2008. The Taipei flagship was visited by a host of high-level Harley-Davidson executives, including Harley-Davidson Motor Company President Matthew S. Levatich, Harley-Davidson Financial Services President Lawrence Gerard Hund and others in January.


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Arlington Times A&L Scan | Sept. 10
Garden club series starts Sept. 13
The Arlington Garden Club is launching its Turn Your Thumb Green workshops for the 2008/2009 winter season with a class on hypertufa, a quick concrete medium for making garden objects, taught by Sheryl Verral from 10 - 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 13. The garden club workshops are free to members and $3 for nonmembers on the second Saturday of each month at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club, 18513 59th Ave. NE, Arlington. For information send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com, contact Judy Ness at 360-403-0820, or visit the Arlington Garden Club Web site, www.arlingtongardenclub.org.
Marysville's Outdoor Cinema Series
The final "Popcorn in the Parks" outdoor movie will be screened in at Cedarcrest Golf Course, 7000 Grove St., in Marysville Saturday, Sept. 13. Presented by Marysville Parks and Recreation and sponsored by the Snohomish County - Camano Association of Realtors and Verizon FIOS, all are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and popcorn to enjoy classic family films under the stars. Movies begin at dusk. For movie titles contact Marysville Parks and Recreation at 360-363-8400.
Author reading at BookWorks
JoAnne Nelson will be at Marysville's BookWORKS at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 13 with her latest book, "The Witches' Little Sister," which is presented in rhyme. It imagines a little girl going to the moon on a broomstick. Based in Edmonds, the author is owner and president of SuperBooks, an educational publishing company. She will read and discuss her book at 1510 Third St., in Marysville. For information call 360-659-4997.
First aid and
CPR class
Certified instructor, Sheila Davis, of Bee Safe Education and Training will cover pediatric and adult first aid, initial assessment, barriers to contamination, bleeding, shock, injury assessments for renewing existing certification or or new certification by OSHA, WISHA, L&I and DSHS for adults and youth ages 12 and older, at the Community Room at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club, 18513 59th Ave. NE in Arlington from 6-9 p.m., Monday, Sept. 15, and again Monday, Dec. 1. The CPR class teaches the chain of survival, activation of 911, emergency response, airway obstruction and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and childhood injury prevention, information on heart attacks and strokes and AED, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16 and again Tuesday, Dec. 2. Each class costs $25. For registration call 360-403-3448 and for a complete list of classes go to www.ci.arlington.wa.us.
Volunteer for Pioneer Days
The Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum is seeking volunteers for its Pioneer Days Sept. 20. They need people to help demonstrate cow milking, butter churning, shake splitting, nail pounding and washing laundary with a wash board to illustrate some of the old skills long gone.
A hay-ride shuttle will run from downtown's new Community Day event to the museum during the three-hour celebration of the old days in the Stillaguamish Valley. To volunteer call Ruth Yost at 360-435-3852.
Arlington Community Day
Arlington Community Day is a celebration of all things Arlington, with community groups offering information and activities in the city parking lot, the Arlington Farmers Market will celebrate the fall harvest with a petting zoo. The Arlington Arts Council will launch a scarecrow contest for the season and offer prizes for a sidewalk art contest for kids and adults. There will be live entertainment in the gazebo and merchants will offer lots of good deals at the sidewalk sale along North Olympic Avenue.
Presented by the Downtown Arlington Business Association and the city of Arlington, for information call 360-403-3448.
Audition Notice
Director Judy Hendrix needs 12 men, 10 women, two boys and two girls for a dramatic holiday show, "It's a Wonderful Life," that runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 20 at Anacortes Community Theatre, on 10th and M streets, Anacortes Auditions are from 1 - 4 p.m. Sept. 13 and 6 - 9 p.m. Sept. 14. Audition materials are available at "ACT" office.
For information call 360-293-5544 or check the website at www.acttheatre.com.
Estate planning
The city of Arlington's attorney, Steve Peiffle is offering a class on estate planning. He will explain wills, powers of attorney, revocable living trusts, living wills, and when they should (and should not) be used.
He will talk about probate and whether you should try to avoid it or not,
and how to learn the difference between a sales pitch and good
information, and even how to find a good lawyer. Although this is
in a group setting, the instructor leaves plenty of time for questions
specific to your situation. The instructor has practiced estate
planning law for over 20 years. The class is from 7 - 8:30 p.m. Sept. 23 in the
Community Room at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club, at 18513 59th Ave. NE in Arlington. Class fee is $25.
For registration call 360-403-3448 and for more classes see the Web site at www.ci.arlington.wa.us.
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text:
Many years ago, I worked as an office assistant in my college dorm. One of the responsibilities was letting residents know if they had received a UPS package. Anything sent via regular mail went to the campus post office where we were all assigned a box. Since UPS couldn't deliver to the post office box, it came to the dorm where someone would get around to writing out a paper form so the student could be notified. It wasn't a particularly efficient process, but once you got past the start of the school year, there weren't too many packages to deal with.
But times have changed! The Daily Campus (of the University of Connecticut) reports that UConn's mailrooms are getting overwhelmed (Mailroom backup continues as officials search for solutions, Oct 5).
The number of packages received by the university for residential students has been increasing drastically in recent years, in large part due to the rise in online purchases, Assistant Director of Building Services Tracy, told The Daily Campus in an earlier article. As a result, there is a growing need to find long-term solutions beyond hiring more staff.
According to Cree, more than 100 student workers are involved in work related to the residential mailrooms.
In order to fix some immediate problems, plans have been made to modify existing mailrooms in the next few weeks. These alterations are intended to allow packages to be processed much more efficiently. …
In addition to these immediate changes that are to be put in place, UConn is also considering other ways to efficiently deal with the influx of packages and alter the current infrastructure to better reflect the needs of students. …
"We have been discussing the possibility of creating central locations for sorting, but also discussing distribution systems to get the packages delivered sooner," [executive director of Building Services Logan] Trimble said.
The earlier article referenced above claims that UConn is receiving 3,000 packages per day. The Business Insider article on UConn's mailroom woes notes that the school has about 31,000 students. Some of those presumably live off campus and have their Amazon sent to their apartments so we are probably looking at over 10% of on-campus students getting packages every day. I am glad my dorm assistant days are behind.


text:
Deliver protest letter to Maria Miller 13/2/12, Caxton House, London
Monday 13th Feb Come and join us in delivering Maria Miller (Minister of Disabled People) our protest letter opposing the closure of the Independent Living Fund (ILF).
Where: Caxton House, 6-12 Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9DA
When: Monday February 13th 2012
Time: Assemble: 2pm next to Caxton House
We really need your support to challenge the fact that funding through the fund, for over 20,000 disabled people with significant support needs are at risk.
This decision disregards disabled people's human rights potentially removing us from the community to the care home. We were not even consulted.
Bring people, banners and noise! Invite media friends!
For further details contact DPAC: firstname.lastname@example.com or call Hammersmith & Fulham Coalition against Community Care Cuts (HAFCAC) on 07899 752877
ILF flyer v2-1 You can download the flyer here (Word Doc)
4 Responses to "Deliver protest letter to Maria Miller 13/2/12, Caxton House, London"
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I'll come to help deliver the letter on Monday.
No more to be said.
It's a day I'm not working. I'll be there.


text:
Women comprise the majority of Accounts Payable Administrators in the United States. Individuals in this line of work make around $16.36 per hour on average. In the world of Accounts Payable Administrators, overall cash allowance can occasionally include more than $3K from bonuses and, in some exceptional cases, $5K from profit sharing, causing incomes to vary widely between $27K and $51K. Location and experience level each impact pay for this group, with the former having the largest influence. The majority of workers are highly satisfied with their job. While some workers in this profession — between a fifth and a fourth — do not have any health coverage, a fair number do receive medical benefits and more than half have dental insurance. The data for this synopsis comes from respondents who took the PayScale salary survey.
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Accounts payable (A/P) administrators (or managers) are responsible for the daily management of staff in the accounting department for a business. Their staff members can include accounts payable clerks and bookkeepers. They ensure the accuracy and timeliness of processes and payments. They are also responsible for ensuring compliance with federal and state government requirements. At times, they serve as a liaison for outside vendors, corresponding with them and responding to their inquiries.Read More...
Accounts payable managers prepare annual reporting and daily, weekly and monthly analysis and reconciliations. They may have to resolve discrepancies where they exist. They work closely with the purchasing departments, management, and the accounting departments they oversee. They typically work in an office environment on a normal Monday through Friday work week with standard business hours. They may, however, be required to work additional hours during peak accounting times, such as the end of year and tax seasons.
Accounts payable administrators may work in a wide variety of industries: They can be employed in the public or private sector, across all areas of government, as well as large and small private companies. Typically these companies require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in accounting, business, finance, or a related field for an accounts payable manager. Several years of work experience is also usually required. Aside from those requirements, accounts payable administrators need to have a strong basis and understanding of accounting concepts, an advanced aptitude in spreadsheet software and excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
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While Accounts Payable Administrators do not often become Accounts Payable Supervisors, the job pays $45K per year on average. A common career progression for an Accounts Payable Administrator is to become an Office Manager or a Staff Accountant. Compared to Accounts Payable Administrators, the first group earns $1K more on average, and the second group earns $7K more.
Survey results imply that Accounts Payable Administrators deploy a substantial tool kit of skills at work. Most notably, facility with General Ledger Accounting and Payroll Administration are correlated to pay that is significantly above average, leading to increases of 26 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Skills that seem to negatively impact pay include Quickbooks. Those educated in Accounts Payable tend to be well versed in Data Entry and Quickbooks.
Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.
For many Accounts Payable Administrators, extensive experience does not lead to significantly more money. Workers in their first five years can expect to earn $33K, but people who have been around for five to 10 years earn a noticeably bigger sum of $37K. For Accounts Payable Administrators, 10 to 20 years of experience on the job amounts to an average salary of $40K. Folks who have racked up more than 20 years in the field report incomes that aren't that much higher than less experienced individuals' earnings; the veterans make just $41K on average.
For Accounts Payable Administrators, New York provides a pay rate that is 30 percent greater than the national average. Accounts Payable Administrators will also find cushy salaries in San Jose (+18 percent), Rockford (+11 percent), Houston (+11 percent), and Los Angeles (+10 percent). The smallest paychecks in the market, 10 percent south of the national average, can be found in Sacramento. Not at the bottom but still paying below the median are employers in Atlanta and Salt Lake City (7 percent lower and 6 percent lower, respectively).
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9 posts tagged with catholic and sex.
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A Cultural History of Syphilis
How syphilis took Europe by storm during the 1490s, and the far reaching effects it's had ever since
"I am done making excuses for the pro-life movement."
How I Lost Faith In The Pro-Life Movement: "What I want to share here is how I came to this realization. And if you, reader, are one of those who opposes abortion because you believe it is murder and you want to save the lives of unborn babies, well, I hope to persuade you that the pro-life movement is not actually your ally in this, that you have been misled, and that you would be more effective in decreasing the number of abortions that occur if you were to side with pro-choice progressives. If this is you, please hear me out before shaking your head." [more inside]
Irish stew. Papal hide the pickle.
Irish PM condemns Vatican interference in sex abuse cases. Enda Kenny, the new Taoiseach of Ireland, has scathingly criticized the Vatican, citing the Cloyne Report and a recently-leaked Vatican letter intended to prevent sex abuse cases from going public, despite their public policy of reporting all abuse claims to the authorities. (Similar claims of the Vatican not reporting recent child abuse cases have also been made in the US.) Ireland's Minister for Justice has cited an extensive list of The Church's failures to comply with their policies, and is supporting legislation to make it a crime not to report child abuse claims. The Vatican's envoy was asked to report to Parliament and explain The Church's position on this matter quickly, with the implied threat that they might be forced to testify. Today, the Church, citing "surprise and disappointment at certain excessive reactions" has recalled their envoy. "(This) should be interpreted as an expression of the desire of the Holy See for serious and effective collaboration with the (Irish) Government."
Do bears still shit in the woods?
Catholic Church child sex abuse scandal reaches the top
The Pope was drawn directly into the Roman Catholic sex abuse scandal last night as news emerged of his part in a decision to send a paedophile priest for therapy. The cleric went on to reoffend and was convicted of child abuse but continues to work as a priest in Upper Bavaria. [more inside]
Mexico bans Catholics who want to investigate sex abuse
Mexican government bans American Catholics who sued Mexico City Prelate The Mexican government took the unprecedented and controversial step of banning Dave Clohessy of SNAP and Jeffrey Anderson, a lawyer specializing in abuse cases, from entering the country for five years. The men had filed a lawsuit against Mexico City Archbishop Norbeto Rivera, who they allege covered up sex abuse in his diocese.
Christianity and a piece of rubber.
The value of disobedience. [note: nytimes] "Ignoring the reactionary policies of the Vatican, some local priests and nuns quietly do what they can to save parishioners from AIDS." So: when and why do people choose to quietly disobey, rather than leave and promote change from outside their social institutions...or vice versa? Should dissenters just leave, or stay and fight? Anecdotes from Republicans and NRA members are especially welcome ;-)
No zero tolerance for ass hunting priests !!
No zero tolerance for ass hunting priests !! "...the group of cardinals and top bishops stopped short of developing a zero-tolerance plan to punish abusive priests" Attention all catholics ! Be sure to ask your priest if he has already used his one free, get out of jail for sexually assaulting an unsuspecting child card, before you send your kid to Sunday school. It baffles me how they cannot have zero tolerance for this.
Catholic Church offered solution to AIDS crisis?
Catholic Church offered solution to AIDS crisis? Though I certainly lean more left than right, I have The National Review in print an online for many years to get some balance in my media intake. I must say, they have run numerous articles online of late that I felt were well-reasoned, fair and insighful. This, however, is crap. "Many have tut-tutted the Church for opposing condoms even as an AIDS prevention tool. Some have even called the Church complicit in AIDS deaths. But, as it has turned out, condoms aren't a very good AIDS-prevention tool after all. [emphasis mine] " So now condoms are not useful for preventing AIDS. Did we miss something?
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With 26 shootings in four boroughs this weekend (none on Staten Island), the NYPD is deploying more officers to trouble spots in an effort to suppress further violence.
Police commissioner Ray Kelly directed more officers to public housing units citywide, and deployed plainclothes officers to anti-crime units during the late-night hours, when many of the shootings have taken place.
The NYPD warrants squad will step up its activity, and both stationary and mobile observation towers will be pressed into use at trouble spots.
The spasm of gun violence, which resulted in seven deaths and injuries to three people under the age of 16, jolted New Yorkers who have been frequently reminded by the Bloomberg administration of the city's plummeting crime numbers. Kelly stuck to that theme, noting that homicides are still down 24 percent year-to-date, and shooting incidents year-to-date are down 27 percent.


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Burton Police have identified the victim as Benjamin Tatro from Durand.
The second suspect was arrested early Saturday afternoon. The suspect will be held in the Genesee County Jail while the case is reviewed by the Genesee County Prosecutor's office to determine charges.
The first suspect arrested, a 23-year-old Burton man, was also arraigned Saturday, August 31 for murder charges. The Burton Police Department plans to present the prosecutor's office with a warrant request for the second suspect early next week. Police said they have arrested all the people they believe are responsible for the teen's death.
Police said Tatro was "brutally beaten" by several male subjects after an altercation at a house party he was attending on August 20 at a home in the 1400 block of Carman Street.
Tatro was taken to a hospital and died of his injuries on Wednesday, August 28, police said.


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CrossFit: New training approach is nothing fancy
Lifting tires. Jumping over boxes. Carrying bags of sand.
And if all goes to plan, the workout of your life.
"You get that burning in your lungs," said Mick Lewis. "There's no other workout like it."
Lewis owns Westsound CrossFit, a new gym in the 600 block of Bay Street specializing in CrossFit strength and conditioning workouts. CrossFit, Lewis said, is a technique-
oriented, anaerobic workout easily related to tasks individuals perform daily.
Ergo the PVC pipes, jump ropes and fireman's hoses scattered around the burgeoning gym.
"What is closer to everyday life?" Lewis asked. "Getting into a controlled, comfy workout machine at a gym, or flipping over a tire?"
A lifelong fitness buff, Lewis said he grew tired of the traditional gyms with their juice bars and television screens. Looking for something different, he tried a CrossFit workout in 2007 after a co-worker at South Kitsap Fire and Rescue, where he works as a paramedic, told him of the technique. He quickly learned that CrossFit, even without the barbells or snazzy machines, was hardcore.
"At first I was like 'what is this aerobic stuff,' " he said. "But then I tried it and it kicked the crap out of me."
Lewis may not have been the first at SKFR to get his butt kicked by CrossFit. Created in the 1970s, the workout has gained popularity in recent years among military, firemen and police officers. Like Lewis, many in fields of service find the strenuous exercise with rudimentary objects was ftting.
"Sometimes I have to pull a hose out of the back of a rig and the movement reminds me exactly of what I do here," Lewis said.
He was so taken with the exercises, he decided to start a gym. Renting out a small place on Bay Street east of Bethel Avenue, he began training, mostly for other workers at SKFR, whenever he had time. Soon though, spouses and interested members of the community were calling Lewis to see if they could check out his sessions.
"All sorts of people like it, not only firefighters," he said.
CrossFit workouts revolve around a nationally published Workout of the Day, or WOD. Ranging from running a 10k to lifting a heavy truck tire end-over-end, he said the variety in the WOD contributes to the success of the program.
"Everyday it's different," he said.
After a couple years, Lewis moved to a larger location further west on Bay Street. He now offers more regularly scheduled classes, with as many as six other trainers helping instruct.
Westsound trainer Robert Jones, who has trained with Lewis since 2007, said part of CrossFit's allure is the competition aspect. Every hourlong workout ends with a run and some squats, and the time it takes to complete the session is marked down on a big whiteboard in front of the gym.
The times put up on the whiteboard make the workout participants feel like everyone is in it together, he said, as well as adding a little competition.
"You see your time on the board and it's motivation," he said. "It makes it kind of like a club."
Lewis said classes are filling up quick. At $15 dollars a session or $125 unlimited monthly access, classes are cheaper than area gyms, he said. Though he hopes to continue to expand, he wants to be able to continue to provide 1-on-1 training for new clients.
When asked why he thinks CrossFit has enjoyed success so far in its limited time in Port Orchard, Lewis said it's because people who begin the training immediately recognize an improvement in their everyday quality of life. Flexibility, strength, dexterity; it's all related to strength and movement, he said.
"It's anything," he said. "CrossFit helps with everything from sitting up on the toilet to moving around your house. It's all movements."
Those interested in finding out more about training at Westsound CrossFit should visit www.westsoundcrossfit.com.
Robert Jones uses a length of PVC pipe to warm up for his workout at Westsound CrossFit on Bay Street.
Brett Cihon/Staff photo
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HACKENSACK — The left lane on Route 17 south near Summit Avenue remains closed following a fatal early-morning accident, according to a report on 511nj.org, the Department of Transportation's traffic website.
MyFoxNY.com is reporting a person was killed in a crash when a tractor-trailer turned on its side.
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The USA may be a bit beyond our remit of "every synagogue in the UK" but we thought we'd go and see what all the fuss was about.
We visited the Lubavitch (Chabad) Headquarters, situated at 770 Eastern Parkway, in a borough of New York City.
Reading Hebrew Congregation is a small but dedicated community of friends. They might not like Friday night services (when we went, nobody else but the rabbi and his family turned up), but on Shabbat morning there were around 40 Jewish men and women – a rather impressive proportion, given the membership of under 150.
The Oxford Jewish Congregation is a unique synagogue, and one which other English synagogues can learn from. For a start, it hosts a mix of religious denominations – we were there for an Orthodox Shabbat service, but Masorti and Liberal groups also meet under the same roof.
The oldest remaining Ashkenazi synagogue in the country is Sandys Row in the City of London.
We were told by a veteran member of the community with a gleeful smile that it was the second oldest, until the Germans destroyed Central Synagogue in Duke's Place during the war.
Hidden far below the towering buildings of the City of London is Bevis Marks, founded in 1701.
It sits as a monument to British Jewry as it once was, retaining the grandeur of generations past.
The interior has ornately carved wooden pews for the congregation, but with reserved boxes for the wardens, presidents, choir and Sir Moses Montifiore (who died in 1885).
The North Western Reform Synagogue, commonly known as "Alyth" is old by North London standards, having been founded in 1933.
Since then it has undergone a refurbishment and as a consequence the sanctuary was modern, but the stained glass windows and the 1930s brickwork helped retain the grandeur of an older synagogue.
We started our synagogue reviews almost alphabetically, which meant first stop was Alei Tzion (sorry Aberdeen), a small but growing satellite of the United Synagogue.
We walked in an hour late to find everyone else listening very seriously to the Torah being read.


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For 48 minutes the Notre Dame boys soccer team kept pace and played step-for-step with No. 1-seeded Pingry.
With the score tied 2-2, the No. 4-seeded Irish looked to be in a good position to pull the upset in the Non-Public, South A semifinal. However, as the game wore on, the Big Blue, who came in with only one loss, separated themselves in a 4-2 victory.
"Things change in a game, and you wonder if you can pull it off," Notre Dame head coach Mike Perone said. "Today it wasn't so, but I was happy with the way we played though; we had a lot of energy."
The Irish had trouble creating offensive opportunities throughout the game, but momentum swung in their favor in the 48th minute when sophomore Brian Hawkins tied the game at two goals apiece.
The play began when the Irish pushed the ball past midfield and Jake Nerwinski utilized a bicycle kick to send it toward Hawkins. After welcoming the ball, Hawkins outmuscled his defender and created enough room to get off a shot.
As Hawkins swung his foot, he directed the ball toward the opposite side of the net, beat the keeper and watched as the ball tapped off the post and into the net.
"You have Jake and Hawk upfield, and they've been our offense all year," Perone said.
"That's what has been happening (for us), Jake to Hawk or Hawk to Jake. They just know where each other are (on the field) and Hawk found the post and that's what he's been doing all year."
Amid the negativity of the loss, Nerwinski tied the school's record for goals in a season when he scored his 21st off a throw-in by Brian Vidal.
Nerwinski's goal was the only score of the first half, and Notre Dame held the lead until Pingry scored in the 45th minute. The Irish defense, led by goalkeeper Jamie Galazin, took on an onslaught of pressure from the Big Blue in the opening 40 minutes, yet managed to stifle every challenge thrown at them.
The floodgates opened in the second half as the Big Blue scored twice in the first seven minutes. Then, after Hawkins' goal, Pingry knocked in two more balls, including a sequence that Perone still can't believe happened.
"I thought we played well in the first half," Perone said. "They had some opportunities, but they didn't cash in. Later on there were some weird goals, and I still don't know how their third goal went in."
The Irish finished the season with a 10-8-2 record with Nerwinski recording 21 goals and 18 assists and Hawkins posting 15 goals and 11 assists.


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The five catchers that will enter the 2012 season perched upon the pinnacle of their team's depth chart include Matt Wieters (Baltimore), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Boston), Russell Martin (New York), Jose Molina (Tampa Bay) and J.P. Arencibia (Toronto).
Here, we will contrast the value of each starting backstop to determine which teams have a positional edge entering the season, and which squads are lacking.
The Blue Jays' representative, Arencibia, will enter his sophomore campaign with high expectations, but will encounter some stiff competition from division rivals.


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I've been covering the Syracuse University basketball program for the past 25 seasons. Actually, it's 25 and a half since I started on the beat mid-way through the 1988-89 season.
Over two-plus weeks, I'll rank the teams that I've covered. That's 1 through 26 or, more precisely, 26 through 1.
Which teams would you rank among the best in the past 25 (actually 26) years? Let us know what you think of the rankings in the comments section.
Overall record: 23-8
Conference record (finish): 11-5 (tie 3rd in Big East)
Postseason: Lost to Alabama in NCAA tournament's Sweet 16
Best player: Gerry McNamara
This was an extremely tough choice.
Hakim Warrick led Syracuse in both scoring and rebounding. Still, Gerry McNamara was Syracuse's main guy in this season. The following year, Warrick would lead Syracuse in scoring and rebounding again and, by then, Warrick had become a real force. He would be the Big East's Player of the Year in 2005.
But not in 2004. Warrick racked up some nice numbers (19.8 points, 8.6 rebounds), but McNamara scored 17.2 points per game, hoisted up 270 3-pointers and made a career-best 38.9 percent of them and led the team in assists with 118.
Unsung hero: Craig Forth
This was Craig Forth's best year in his Syracuse career. The 7-foot center, now a junior, averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in just 23 minutes per game.
Forth split time with Jeremy McNeil, but even though McNeil had the reputation of a defender/shot-blocker, Forth actually led the team in blocks with 63.
Most memorable game: BYU
In any other year, Syracuse's 57-54 win at Georgetown on Gerry McNamara's buzzer-beating 3-pointer would have been the most memorable game.
Or maybe, Syracuse's 49-46 overtime win at Pittsburgh. That was Pitt's first loss at the Petersen Events Center where the Panthers had won 40 straight games.
But this was easy. Gerry McNamara's record-setting 43-point performance against BYU in the NCAA tournament stands out in the 2003-04 campaign.
McNamara set a school record for most points in an NCAA tournament game. He hit 11 out of 17 shots from the field and 9-of-13 3-pointers. His nine threes set a school record for any game. The 43 points were the most for a Syracuse player since Bill Smith scored 47 against Lafayette in 1971.
Syracuse needed every one of McNamara's 43 points to beat BYU. The Cougars led 73-72 with less than four minutes to go in the game. Hakim Warrick put Syracuse ahead on a layup and then McNamara's ninth 3-pointer of the game gave Syracuse a 77-73 lead, which it would hold onto.
Why I ranked this team No. 9
I like this team for what it did in the year after winning the NCAA championship. The Orangemen proved that the 2003 team wasn't all just Carmelo Anthony.
In fact, Syracuse was 14-3 before Billy Edelin suddenly left the team. After losing three of the first five games following Edelin's departure, Syracuse righted itself, winning the last five games in the regular season.
Syracuse's wins over BYU and Maryland were particularly impressive. The loss to a very good Alabama team in the Sweet 16 by the score of 80-71 hardly diminishes what this team accomplished.


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For Immediate Release
February 24, 2014
Communications Office
CONCORD - Governor Maggie Hassan released the following statement today on the passing of State Representative Amy Perkins:
"Tom and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Representative Amy Perkins. It was an honor to serve with Representative Perkins in the Legislature, where she was a dedicated advocate on behalf of the Seabrook community and ably served the people of New Hampshire. Our thoughts and prayers are with Amy's husband Koko, her family and her loved ones. She will be greatly missed."


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LAPEER, MI -- It's just another game, except it's not.
That's the attitude coming from the practice fields at Lapeer East and Lapeer West high schools this week as both teams juggle mixed emotions and intense focus leading up the final meeting of a football rivalry that began in 1975.
The Panthers and Eagles will square off Friday night at Lapeer East in the MLive-Flint Journal Game of the Week in front what's sure to be a packed and rowdy crowd. The next time players from either school see each other on a football field will be as teammates, with the two schools combining into Lapeer High beginning next year.
"The emotion is there, but what we're going to try and impress upon the kids is just to take it all in stride," Lapeer West coach Mike Smith said. "It's going to be an electric atmosphere. It's going to be packed, probably even more so than the game usually is, so we want to be prepared for that. Most kids, most high schools don't get a chance to play in a game like this. It'll be a great atmosphere to play in, but you can't get caught up in everything happening around you."
Smith has spent his life in Lapeer and was at the first East vs. West game in 1975, as an eighth-grader in the stands. He later went on to play quarterback at West and then joined the football program as a coach in 1985, serving as the varsity head coach for the past 16 years.
Needless to say, he gets it.
"The game will be special, obviously, there's no getting around that," said Smith, who is also now just four wins away from surpassing Hall of Fame coach Paul Smarks as the winningest coach in Lapeer history. "We just have to make sure we're prepared and then we'll go out and play and let the chips fall where they do. You can make this game seem so big that kids might then just shut down, so it's about keeping the focus in the right place. The reality is we're just trying to win another game and go to 3-0."
Even the players at East, who have been on the losing end against West the past two seasons and have seen the Panthers go 8-2 in the rivalry over the past decade, aren't betting their season just on Friday night.
"You still approach the game the same as any other year," East team captain and four-year varsity player Kyle Rachwal said. "We've got to play like this game is just as important as last week's or next week's game. We're 2-0 and trying to compete for a conference title and this is just the third game of the season. There's going to be more people in the stands, but that's the only difference."
For the players on both sides, the week leading up to the game has been about focusing on the X's and O's and letting others do the talking.
"We try to keep everyone off social media and everything because there's always going to be people talking on both sides, trying to get everybody all hyped up," East senior Cody Kesler said. "If we can keep people away from that and away from the negative attitudes, that will help us stay focused. We want to be excited about the positive things (around the game) but that's all about what happens on the field. Everybody in Lapeer is talking about it."
Beyond its historical sentimentality, Friday's game also holds immediate significance in the Flint Metro League race and for each team's playoff chances. East and West are both 2-0. The Eagles haven't surrendered a point yet and Panthers quarterback Hunter Sharrard has performed well leading an offense with a lot of scoring power.
Sharrard has completed 18-of-34 passes for 240 yards and six touchdowns in wins over Davison and Ortonville Brandon while East's defense hardly allowed any positive yardage in shutouts of Clio and Kearsley.
Sharrard and his West teammates were loose and having fun during a non-contact portion of practice this week in the high heat. If Friday's game has brought any extra pressure or nerves, you couldn't tell.
"For people around town, the hype is probably a little bit more than we (as players) have right now," Sharrard said. "We're out here to win more than just the East game. I know people in town are getting really excited for it, probably more than normal, and it's going to be a great atmosphere Friday whether we win or East wins. But really, it's just another game."
Except it's not.
Contact Ross at email@example.com and follow him on Twitter @Maghielse.


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[Previous] | [Session 70] | [Next]
M. Trewhella, B.F. Madore, L.E. Kuchinski (IPAC, Caltech/JPL)
We have developed a new model that uses a cellular approach to calculate radiative transfer of starlight through dusty media. The model is designed to be user friendly enough to be distributed as a tool for use by the general astronomical community. Its features include treatment of scattering, absorption and far infrared emission; propagating many wavelengths simultaneously; giving 26 views of the output from different directions; and the ability to cope with arbitrary geometry.
As an example of the model's use, we have simulated the propagation of starlight through the edge-on galaxy NGC~891. As well as recovering the familiar edge-on view, we have a prediction for what the galaxy may look like if seen at other viewing angles.
If you would like more information about this abstract, please follow the link to http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/mxt/. This link was provided by the author. When you follow it, you will leave the Web site for this meeting; to return, you should use the Back comand on your browser.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: firstname.lastname@example.com
[Previous] | [Session 70] | [Next]


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Auburn, NY - A couple of weeks ago Kevin Ritchie faced a life-changing choice: accept a prosecutor's offer to plea to a lesser murder charge in the fatal stabbing of Matthew Prego or let a jury decide.
He went with the jury, rejecting a prosecutor's offer to let him plead guilty to manslaughter in return for a sentence of 29 years.
After more than a week of emotional testimony, an Auburn jury deliberated for less than a day and late Wednesday found Ritchie guilty of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing Prego in a fight last fall.
With his conviction, Ritchie now faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life plus five years post release supervision. He's scheduled to be sentenced June 3.
It was his client's decision alone to present the case to a jury, said defense attorney Rome Canzano said.
"He's disappointed at the outcome," the defense attorney said. "I'm sure there will be issues he will raise for appeal."
In his summation, Canzano asked jurors to consider his client's intent that fateful night. But it appeared the jury based its decision on other things, he said. "In my opinion, the issue really turned upon the number of wounds of the deceased, as well as, the (incriminating) statements Kevin made after he was arrested by the police," Canzano said.
"It was a long, emotional, grueling trial for all involved," he said.
Taking a case to trial is never a sure thing, said District Attorney Jon Budelmann. The case was never one of who done it, but what was the intent of the defendant when he returned to fight Prego a second time, he said.
Members of Prego's family, who had sat in the front row behind the prosecutor's desk throughout the trial, wept and collapsed on each other as the verdict was read in Judge Mark Fandrich's courtroom in the Cayuga County Courthouse, witnesses said.
Prego, 28, of Skaneateles, was picking up his girlfriend Karly Janusz from a party at 33 Case Ave., in Auburn, at 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 when he got involved in two fights with Ritchie, who was a stranger to him. Prego was stabbed eight times and collapsed on the side of the street after the second fight.
Ritchie ran away and was captured later by police.
Although witnesses testified they saw the fight, no one saw the actual stabbing. And authorities have never found the murder weapon.
In addition to second-degree murder, jurors found Ritchie guilty of two charges of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree assault for stabbing a man's hand at the party, obstructing governmental administration for eluding police and tampering with evidence for getting rid of the knife.
He was found not guilty of second-degree menacing and a charge of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly threatening people with a knife at a bonfire when he couldn't find his bowl to smoke pot. He was also found not guilty of criminal obstruction of breathing.
Ritchie, a construction worker, arrived at the home on Case Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 for a party and a bonfire there with several people, including Janusz, then 17.
In his statements to the jury, Canzano described a drunken melee, during which his client was attacked several times.
Some witnesses testified differently, saying Ritchie was asked three times to leave. He threatened people with a knife at the bonfire, they said. He fought with one man cutting that man on the hand with a knife and with Janusz, choking her, witnesses said.
By the time Prego arrived to pick up his girlfriend, Janusz was trading insults in the street with Ritchie, witnesses said. Seeing his girlfriend, blood on her face and red marks on her neck, Prego fought Ritchie.
"You never put a hand on a girl, especially my girl," Prego said, according to Budelmann.
After the fight, Ritchie left, but turned back. The defense said he wanted to retrieve his cell phone. The prosecutor said it was to lure Prego into another fight, only this time Ritchie had a knife.
No one saw the stabbing or the knife. But as Ritchie ran away, Prego, stabbed eight times, four deeply, turned to his friends and died in their arms.
Police later captured Ritchie who was hiding in a hedgerow. He told police that he had to defend himself.
Contact Charley Hannagan by phone or text at 315-470-2161, by email at email@example.com, on Facebook at Neighbors West or on Twitter @charleypost.


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island Republican Party's executive committee unanimously endorsed former Long Island congressman Rick Lazio for governor Thursday night, but former GOP Borough President Guy Molinari came out in support of Democrat-turned-Republican Steve Levy, the Suffolk County Executive.
Borough GOP chairman John Friscia said that Levy is a "non-starter" with his members.
"Rick Lazio is a real Republican," Friscia said. "As opposed to somebody who has been involved with a political machine with no life experience."
Friscia said about 20 members voted to endorse Lazio after they interviewed the candidate at The Road House in Sunnyside. State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) and Assemblyman Lou Tobacco (R-South Shore) had earlier backed Lazio.
But Molinari said that Lazio "isn't going anyplace."
"He's only raised $600,000 after all these months," said Molinari, pointing to Levy's $4.1 million war chest.
Molinari is not a member of the party's executive committee but has influence with some in the party.
As for Levy's party-switching, Molinari said, "He has a great record as a fiscal conservative. He's as conservative as any Republican in the state."
Levy ran on the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Independence lines in his successful 2007 re-election bid for Suffolk County Executive. A Democrat, on Friday he changed his party registration in order to run for governor as a Republican.
Democratic Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is expected to run for governor now that Gov. David Paterson has said he will not run.
Island Republicans Thursday night also interviewed Joseph DioGuardi, a former congressman, and David Malpass, a former Reagan and Bush administration official, who are both looking to run against U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Friscia said that both candidates were strong on fiscal issues. He said endorsements in that race and in other state and local contests will be made at meetings in April and May.


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UNDERSTANDING - The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
What's special about the DASH Diet?Research has shown that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet is a very effective eating plan to help lower blood pressure. The DASH approach encourages a high intake of fruits and vegetables (8-10 servings each day); a regular intake of low-fat and non-fat dairy foods (2-3 servings each day); and small servings of meat, poultry and fish (up to 2 servings each day).
"Boost" Your Nutrition! A diet rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium can play an important role in achieving healthy blood pressure. Eat the following foods regularly to increase the nutritional value of your diet:
Getting Started Make gradual changes
What about desserts and snacks?
What's a Serving?
Examples of 1 Serving
Grains and Grain Products (aim for 7 - 8 servings a day) 1 slice bread 3/4 cup dry cereal 1/3 cup cooked rice, pasta or beans* 1/2 cup cooked cereal*
Vegetables (aim for 4 - 5 servings a day) 1 cup raw leafy vegetables 1/2 cup raw non-leafy vegetables 1/2 cup cooked vegetables 3/4 cup vegetable juice
Fruits (aim for 4 - 5 servings a day) 1/2 cup fruit juice* 1 medium piece of fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit 2-4 Tbsp. dried fruit*
Low-fat or Fat-free Dairy (aim for 2 - 3 servings a day) 1 cup fat-free or 1% milk 1 cup calcium-fortified soy milk 1 cup non-fat or low-fat yogurt 1 oz. non-fat or low-fat cheese*
Meats, Poultry and Fish (aim for 2 or less servings a day) 3 oz. Broiled or roasted lean meat, skinless poultry or seafood Nuts, Seeds, Beans (4 - 5 servings a week) 1/3 cup cooked beans* 1/3 cup unsalted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) 2 Tbsp. Sunflower seeds or peanut butter
Added Fats, Oils and Salad Dressings (aim for 2 - 3 servings a day) 1 tsp. oil or soft margarine 1 tsp. regular mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. regular salad dressing 2 Tbsp. light salad dressing
Snacks and Sweets (aim for 5 servings a week) 1 medium fruit 1 cup low-fat yogurt 1/2 cup low-fat frozen yogurt 3/4 cup pretzels 1 Tbsp. Maple syrup, sugar, jelly or jam 3 pieces hard candy
* Serving sizes are based on DASH Diet, but modified to reflect diabetic "exchanges."


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Elvis is pretty brave... oh, but he lives in Mexico these days.
Elvis is pretty brave... oh, but he lives in Mexico these days.
Last edited by wonderlen3000; 03-31-2012 at 02:08 PM.
Having said that, I want to remind them that Dai was overscored by at least one point, he didn't get the deduction for his fall. (Yeah, Patrick deserved it too in 4CC, I don't need to be reminded of that.)
Last edited by Boeing787; 03-31-2012 at 02:14 PM.
i'm surprised elvis would find dai better as chan is the better jumper, thought elvis would go with the better jumper
I'm looking forward to the next entry of Sonia Bianchetti's blog.
Last edited by mikeko666; 03-31-2012 at 02:14 PM.
No, seriously though, I'm looking at the protocol for the Mens' free skate, and about 13 out of the Top 15 skaters attempted quads.
Perhaps it's not really about the quads anymore since Elvis might be satisfied everyone's trying them nowadays.
Last edited by aftertherain; 03-31-2012 at 02:18 PM.
I just want celebrate!
Last edited by Boeing787; 03-31-2012 at 02:30 PM.
You're awesome Patrick Chan. Congratulations on your well-deserved victory! Onwards and upwards.
Patrick can now put the experience and success of defending a Worlds title in his pocket, pulled out as he needs it next times.
He can use the booing like he used the Olympics experience. Onwards and Upwards indeed.
Gan bei.
Anyway thats irrelevant, Russia has one spot next year, boo-hoo. I feel sorry for Arthur mostly cause I dont think anyone expected Voronov to do better and he already finished ahead of Gatsi. It 's sad if they wait for the 30 year old grandpa to finish in top ten next year to bring spots back.
* i have an hour till the broadcast of ladies free here and I m trying hard not to enter the ladies thread
Last edited by seniorita; 03-31-2012 at 03:20 PM.


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STRONGSVILLE - In Strongsville, there is a rich, diverse array of Christian churches from which to choose. This is quite an asset for a town that attracts newcomers and spiritual seekers. And the Lenten, Easter season is a very special time of year that most churches celebrate.
Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).
Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days and holidays, it has changed over the years, but its purpose has always been the same: self-examination and penitence, demonstrated by self-denial, in preparation for Easter. Early church father Irenaus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) wrote of such a season in the earliest days of the church, but back then it lasted only two or three days.
Lent is mostly observed by the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Angelican denominations. Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent, or Great Lent, during the six weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Orthodox Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday (called Clean Monday) and Ash Wednesday is not observed.
The word lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for "spring," which in turn is derived from the Germanic root for "long"—referencing the fact that in the spring, the days become noticeably longer. Just as spring is the season for new and expanded life, Lent is a time of spiritual rebirth and renewal. It is a time for realigning ourselves with the God of our understanding and allowing ourselves to be transformed at depth. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline.
In most cases, a spiritual fast involves abstaining from food while focusing on prayer. This can mean refraining from snacks between meals, skipping one or two meals a day, abstaining from certain foods, or a total fast from all food for an entire day or longer. For medical reasons, some people may not be able to fast from food altogether. They may choose to abstain only from certain foods, like sugar or chocolate, or from something other than food. In truth, believers can fast from anything. Doing without something temporarily, such as television or soda, as a way of redirecting our focus from earthly things toward God, can also be considered a spiritual fast.
One may consciously choose to forego (or "fast" from) negative thoughts or behaviors that create a sense of separation from God or of one's authentic self. Some simply devote additional time to prayer, meditation, and thoughtful reflection. Regardless of the approach, the purpose is to rise up to a higher level of being – to release what no longer serves us and step into fuller expression of one's own divine potential.
Lent is thus looked at as a time for progressive growth. As we heed the guidance of the still, small voice within us, the way should be made clear. As one commits to following the steps we have outlined for ourselves, we are then transformed - renewed, restored, rejuvenated.
The following Strongsville churches are offering Lent and Easter services and events:
First Lutheran Church – 19419 Royalton Road
• Every Wednesday through April 8 - Lenten Suppers – 6:00 p.m.,
Lenten Service 7:15 p.m.
• 4/17 – Maundy Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
• 4/18 – Good Friday, 7:30 p.m.
• 4/20 – Easter Sunday, 8:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m.
St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church – 16271 Pearl Road
• Lenten fish fry every Friday through April 11 – 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the LaRocca Activity Center
• Fridays of Lent – Stations of the Cross – 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday service – 5:00 p.m.
• Palm Sunday - 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., Vigil – 5:00 p.m.
• Holy Thursday – Morning prayer – 9:00 a.m., Service - 7:00 p.m.
• Good Friday – Morning prayer – 9:00 a.m., Service – 3:00 p.m., Living Stations of the Cross - 7:00 p.m.
• Holy Saturday – Food blessing - 1:00 p.m., Easter Vigil – 8:30 p.m.
• Easter Sunday – 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. (There is no 5:00 p.m. Mass on Easter Sunday)
St. Joseph Catholic Church – 12700 Pearl Road
• Saturday service – 4:30 p.m.
• Palm Sunday - 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m.
• Holy Thursday – Morning prayer - 8:30 a.m., Mass of the Lord's Supper –
7:00 p.m.
• Good Friday – Morning prayer – 8:30 a.m., Stations of the Cross – 12:10 p.m.,
Commemoration of the Lord's Passion and Death Mass - 7:00 p.m.
• Holy Saturday – Morning prayer – 8:30 a.m., The Blessing of Easter Food –
1:00 p.m., Mass of the Vigil of Easter – 9:00 p.m.
• Easter Sunday – 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. – Renewal of Baptismal Promises
Strongsville United Church of Christ – 13740 Pearl Road
• Easter Sunday – Contemporary – 9:00 a.m., Traditional 11:00 a.m.
• Special Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner Fundraiser, Saturday - March 29, 2014
Seatings at 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Reservations: (440) 238-8192
Walk-Ins Welcome – Carryout available
Adults - $9, Ages 6-12 - $5, Under 6 years – Free
The Confirmation Class and Youth Group are holding this dinner to help cover expenses for their trip to Washington D.C. in April. Some of the sites the group is planning to visit are the Washington National Cathedral, Franciscan Monastery, Arlington National Cemetery, and Hood College
Strongsville United Methodist Church – 13500 Royalton Road
• Lenten Soup Luncheons are every Wednesday from now until April 9. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m or until all the soup is gone
• Annual Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday April 12 from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. There is an egg hunt along with many different activities
• Palm Sunday services: Traditional at 8:15 a.m. and 9:25 a.m., Contemporary at 11:05 a.m.
• Monday April 14 - a monthly Taize service - 7:30 p.m.
• Maunday Thursday - 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Good Friday service - 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday showing of the "Passion of the Christ" - 7:30 p.m.
• Easter Sunday, youth led Sunrise Service - 6:15 a.m. Traditional Services with Brass Choir - 8:15 a.m. & 9:25 a.m., Contemporary - 11:05 a.m.
Pathway Church – 21211 Drake Road
• Good Friday service – 7:00 p.m.
• Easter Sunday – 10:00 a.m.
First Baptist Church – 17444 Drake Road
• Easter Sunday 10:45 a.m.
Strongsville Bible Fellowship – 13237 Prospect Road
• Easter Sunday – 10:30 a.m.
Please let me know of any events, honors or milestones with your business, organization or family. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com and be sure to spell my last name correctly. It's Mac NOT Mc.


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Welcome to Baltimore folks! The home of the blue crab, Old Bay, Berger cookies and the most recent addition to its resume', the co-host of the 2014 Polar Vortex. According to the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore has racked up the most single digit temperature lows for the month of January since 1982. While that heart-warming statistic may not make you all warm and fuzzy inside, these money saving tips just might do the trick AND teach you a thing or two on how to save money at the same time.
Money Saving Tips to Survive Baltimore's Polar Votex:
As soon as the frigid air hits the metal of your latest and greatest accessories, they start absorbing the temperature. Fast forward a few moments and you now have a pair of ice cubes hanging from your ears instead of the dangly earring you thought you put on in the morning.
Bake anything for that matter. 375 degrees is pretty darn warm, so after you've taken your batch of mouthwatering chocolate chip cookies out of the oven, turn it off (write that down…turn it off) and leave the door open while it cools down. Heck, just using your oven often heats up your kitchen, so why not kill two birds with one stone – food and heat; multitasking at its finest.
While you may typically use your ceiling fans to cool down, running your fan on low in reverse actually pushes any warm air in the room down to your living area. Yes, running the fan in any capacity can increase your electric bill but because you are keeping it on low, the impact to your monthly bill will be minimal, if any.
This may seem like common sense, but when you are pressed for space in your living area (i.e. a Canton rowhome), a lot of times we forget about the vents that we covered up when we bought that new couch. Just do a quick walk-through of your house and make sure that nothing (furniture, towels, boxes, and pets) is covering up your vents, preventing the hot air from circulating properly. If your vents are covered, your furnace is working double (and charging double) to heat an area that will never be adequately heated.
Whether it's coffee, tea, hot chocolate or your grandmother's famous hot tottie, cozying up with a warm drink can help keep even the coldest of January days more bearable.
Putting Door Draft Dodgers™ against the bottom of your outside doors and windows may prove to be the best Polar Vortex $10.00 you'll ever spend. These extremely affordable, genius inventions will not only help keep the cold air out, but you'll also be saving on your monthly energy bills as your heating units won't have to work as hard.
And here you thought you'd never get any use out of the fuzzy socks that you got for Christmas all those years. After you call your Mom and thank her, break out a pair or two of your favorite wool or fuzzy socks. Again – two birds with one stone – bonus points with the Mom AND warm feet – the multitasking continues.
When is the last time you changed the filters in your furnace? If you can't remember, chances are it's time to change them. Even if you can remember, it can't hurt to check them and make sure they are clean and working effectively. Changing or cleaning your filters regularly will also help you increase the efficiency and life expectancy of your furnace while helping you cut energy costs.
Yep – we said it. Don't lie, you know you have, or at least want, a Snuggie®. Worst case scenario, put your robe on backwards, it's really the same thing AND costs you ZERO dollars.
Nothing is more heart-warming than sitting down on the couch and cuddling up with your 4-legged K9 or feline friend after a cold, blustery day. Trust me; if nothing else, it will put a smile on your face.
So there you have it: the official Baltimore Polar Vortex Survival Guide. We fully expect all of you to go home, take off your jewelry, break out the Snuggie® (equipped with fuzzy socks) and cuddle up on the couch with your favorite K9 or feline while eating chocolate chip cookies and enjoying a giant cup of tea. What more affordable way can you think of to stay warm, save money and eat chocolate chip cookies? Again with the multitasking…it's like you're a multitasking, money saving Czar or something.
Stay warm out there, Baltimore!
The Best Things to Buy in the Winter
Spring Forward with These 5 Energy Saving Tips
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Tags: Polar Vortex, Lower energy bill, Saving Energy
Ways to Save
The U.S. economy had been stuck at 2 percent growth for several years and throughout much of 2013. Imagine a sports car with incredible get up and go, but one that had to constantly negotiate a series of speed bumps that permit it to only travel between 30 and 40 miles per hour. To complete the analogy, that translates into sub-par economic growth and an unemployment rate still hovering around 7 percent after more than 4 years of economic recovery.
However, the outlook for 2014 is as positive as it has been for any year since the onset of the financial crisis. There are a number of relevant factors at play. The world economy is now strengthening, with accelerating growth apparent in China, parts of Europe, the U.S., and in a host of emerging nations. Accordingly, the International Monetary Fund projects that the global economy will expand 3.6 percent in 2014 after expanding closer to 3 percent in 2013.
There are other tailwinds that more specifically impact the U.S. economy. The nation now enjoys greater certainty regarding its federal budgetary and Federal Reserve monetary policies. Seemingly against all odds, the federal government recently passed a budget that guides spending into 2015. On December 18th of last year, the Federal Reserve announced that it would begin to taper its bond purchase program beginning in January. Rather than purchasing $85 billion each month in assets, the Federal Reserve will taper its purchases to $75 billion per month. Specifically, the FOMC will reduce its purchases of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities to $40 billion and $35 billion per month.
Equity investors cheered the policy announcement for at least three reasons. First, the Federal Reserve introduced language suggesting that short-term rates will remain low for many quarters to come. The announcement also reduces the level of policy uncertainty, and markets don't like uncertainty. Finally, the decision to taper implies that the Federal Reserve's forecast for U.S. economic activity has improved since its September 2013 meeting.
There's more at work than policy shifts. Gas prices have fallen, helping to increase consumer disposable spending power. Corporate performance remains solid. A majority of large U.S. corporations beat their earnings estimates during last year's third quarter. However, a materially smaller share beat their revenue estimates, implying that companies continue to aggressively manage costs to boost bottom line performance. With economic growth now accelerating both nationally and globally, corporate America may have an opportunity to rapidly expand both their respective bottom and top lines.
The stock market has simply boomed as a result of the confluence of many factors, with the S&P 500 surging nearly 30 percent in 2013. While 2014 is unlikely to generate anything close to that return, the stock market's performance has added both capital and confidence to the U.S. economy, which in turn creates a better environment for the broader market.
In general, regions of the nation enjoying the fastest recovery are those that are associated with rapidly rising populations (e.g., Texas, Florida), surges in energy production (North Dakota, Texas, Louisiana), increased industrial output (Indiana, South Carolina) and rapidly recovering housing markets (Florida, Georgia, Arizona). These regions are likely to continue to expand more rapidly in 2014.
Maryland was a willing participant in the nationwide recovery and continued to post solid economic performance numbers throughout 2013. For instance, between November 2012 and November 2013, the state added 33,500 jobs or 1.3 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The State ranked 28th in the nation with respect to year-over-year percentage job growth over that period, down from 22nd in May of 2013. Despite the dip in relative job growth, the Free State ranked ahead of Virginia. Statewide aggregate employment has now surpassed its December 2007 level, the month during which the Great Recession began.
Despite a promising outlook for the global and national economies, there is cause for concern in Maryland. Like a facemask-wearing stalker in a 1980s horror movie, the State's structural deficit refuses to permanently disappear. What was once estimated to be a $300 million surplus for FY2014 is now an $87 million deficit. The budgetary gap rises to $400 million for FY2015. It is critical that Annapolis resolve these shortfalls without further impacting the state's business climate and reputation.
Moreover, Maryland does not fully participate in many of the economic segments that are likely to drive the U.S. economy forward in 2014, including industrial and energy production. As a wealthy state, Maryland does benefit from disproportionate impetus from stock market-induced wealth effects, however. It also helps that sequestration has been relaxed a bit. The distribution, medical research and financial service intensive Baltimore metropolitan area has arguably been the healthiest economic region within Maryland of late in terms of pace of recovery.
Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore, Maryland. Basu is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's most recognizable economists, in part because of his consulting work on behalf of numerous clients, including prominent developers, bankers, brokerage houses, energy suppliers and law firms. On behalf of government agencies and non-profit organizations, Basu has written several high-profile economic development strategies, including co-authoring Baltimore City's economic growth strategy. His opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of 1st Mariner Bank.
Tags: Sage Policy Group, Maryland Economy, National Economy
Economic Outlook
One of the most frequent questions asked to our 1st Mariner Financial Advisers is regarding the choice of a Traditional or Roth IRA*.
It is complicated...
At first glance, the Roth IRA is very appealing since it offers the long term investor the ability to withdraw funds TAX FREE (after age 59 ½, a holding period of 5 years or for very specific exception situations). Investors must bear in mind that the Roth does not offer the possible tax deduction of the Traditional IRA.
In reality, it usually comes down to numbers. However enticing the idea of the Roth IRA may be, in many situations an investor is better off contributing to a Traditional IRA.
Therefore, the first step in deciding which IRA is better for you, is to determine if you are eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA. (There are strict income limits which apply to Roth IRAs.) Higher income earners have IRS-imposed limits governing their ability to make a Roth IRA contribution. For example, in 2014, individuals earning $112,000 and couples earning $178,000 begin to have their dollar amount contributions limited and ultimately phased out at higher income levels.
There are many online calculators offered that assist you in making the decision. I urge you to take the time to work through this calculation! The calculator can determine your eligibility and project the long term values of both a Traditional and Roth IRA using your age, salary, percentage contribution and expected rate of return. These values are only projections, but you owe it to yourself to complete the exercise. It is your future!
Both types of IRAs offer similar contribution amounts and investment options.
These are but a few of the many considerations in your retirement planning. For most individuals, their 401(k)s and IRAs represent the single largest part of their net worth (aside from personal residence); I urge you to seek the guidance of a financial professional in making these important decisions.
*Not insured by FDIC or any Federal Government Agency.
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