text:
Breakfast links: Where can we live?
Time to start writing tickets for these folks. It wouldn't be OK to park your car in a travel lane, and it's not OK to do the same in a travel lane intended for other vehicles.
by David Alpert on Aug 2, 2011 9:09 am • link • report
Honestly, though, I don't see much value in this except for a bit of catharsis for frustrated cyclists. I'm pretty sure there aren't any cities that actually make a policy of permitting tanks in bike lanes for the purpose of squashing errant autos: it doesn't exactly promote lawful activity, and probably promotes antagonism between cyclists and motorists.
The bicycling fanatics at DDOT have tried to take away space that belongs to motorists. This makes bicyclists believe they can ride in those so-called bicycle lanes, but the truth of the matter is that motorists ignore DDOT, and until bicyclists learn to get out of the roadway, they're going to be hit by cars. It gives me no pleasure to say this, but it's true: the vast majority of drivers will break the laws protecting bicyclists, and as a result bicyclists will die.
It would be a wise use of our increasingly-scarce transportation dollars to turn some of those bicycle lanes back into real lanes. Not only would this improve traffic flow, It would send a message to scofflaw bicyclists that breaking traffic laws isn't rewarded, while rewarding the vast majority of motorists who follow all the rules.
I wouldn't be surprised if Amtrak is losing money on it's most popular route, DC to NYC. There are so many buses at so many different times that go straight into Manhattan all at prices cheaper than Amtrak. Throw in Wi-Fi and a bathroom (megabus and bolt-bus) and Amtrak has to do a lot more than get me there an hour faster for the price it wants to charge. If i'm looking for speed (and don't have any bags), I would probably take a plane.
@Cmc; I think the last financial statement I saw shows a small profit on the DC-NYC-Boston (aclea). Not sure if you can break that down further into just DC-NYC. I think the buses have accelerated the push for Amtrak to keep their prices up -- there is no way for the compete on the lower end.
by David Alpert on Aug 2, 2011 10:02 am • link • report
Re: Marion Barry challenger...Silly season in politics has just begun.
@Anacostiashelter: Lydia Phillips further hurts the "progressive/urbanist" cause by labeling those who don't want another shelter (14ksq ft) in Ward 8, especially where this one is going to be located, as NIMBY's.
Not cool. Not cool at all but expected from her.
According to a Pew study from a couple years back: "The Northeast Corridor has the highest passenger volume of any Amtrak route, carrying nearly 10.9 million people in 2008. The corridor's high-speed Acela Express made a profit of about $41 per passenger. But the more heavily utilized Northeast Regional, with more than twice as many riders as the Acela, lost almost $5 per passenger." (http://subsidyscope.org/transportation/direct-expenditures/amtrak/analysis/)
Acela, I think, will always have a market base, as long as there are businesses and people with expense accounts. For downtown-to-downtown service, it's much more comfortable, and arguably faster, than flying between NYC-DC, and certainly more convenient for trips to Philly.
The regional service on the NE Corridor seems to do plenty of business to get by, (at a subsidy of $5 per seat, it might be Amtrak's second-most successful line). Though I think that many of the passengers on Bolt/Mega/other buses, are typically taking advantage of a cheap option and taking more trips to NYC than they otherwise would (rather than making a lot of 1-for-1 substitutions of bus for train).
One thing that I've been impressed by is Megabus's expansion to all of the non-NE Corridor cities. In the last few months, I've taken Megabus to Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Providence, all of which replaced a car trip, and for two passengers, did so at a lower price.
Megabus and Boltbus may be drawing some business from Amtrak, but it is not showing up as fewer riders for Amtrak. The bus services and Amtrak have to be both getting new riders who otherwise might have driven a car due to high gas prices. High fuel costs (and the TSA) are hurting shorter distance airline travel as well with people taking trains and buses instead where they can.
I wonder about the long term sustainability of the really low prices for Megabus and Boltbus. How much of it is low overhead due to new hires with low salaries, new buses with deferred acquisition costs, fuel hedge contracts to lock in lower gas prices for a time, and loss leading low prices to capture market share? Would be interesting to see a breakdown of the costs and revenues for a DC to NYC curb side bus.
Since I follow a lot of technology issue, the Amtrak vs. bus issue seems quite similar to the issue of Blackberry vs. iPhone. The assumption was that Blackberry would always have a thriving market base so long as it markets its products and services to enterprise systems, business people with expense accounts, and the like... whereas iPhone was considered the everyman alternative. But Blackberry has steadily been losing market share every month for the last several years. A smartphone market that was once dominated by Blackberry is now dominated by iPhone and Android (which cropped up in a direct response to the iPhone, not the Blackberry). This is because the market for business people with expense accounts is ultimately finite, and is highly dependent on the strength of the business economy and the perceived value and security that the system provides. There are also a lot of companies now switching over to iPhone because it is less expensive to maintain, more user friendly, and importantly, more current. Unfortunately I see Amtrak headed in this direction as well, as not only more 'regular' people, but also more businesspeople, consider intercity buses for transportation instead of trains.
Both systems can benefit from a renewed demand for intercity travel. But right now the bus lines also benefit from EXISTING rail infrastructure, while not contributing anything to help rail travel.
From the report:
"Another key difference between the curbside carriers
and traditional bus lines is the absence of ticket counters...and waiting rooms at departure locations."
This holds true for curbside v. rail. Bolt/Mega make use of existing transit hubs (major Penn line stations with intracity subway/bus connections) for their business. If Amtrak is concerned about mooching, they should lobby city governments to ban curbside pickup and require Bolt/Mega to operate from--and pay licensing fees to--train stations. Bolt tickets might go up a little, but they'd subsidize Amtrak fixed/operational costs. Hopefully that could lower rail prices in turn and spur more interest in rail without damaging bus business (bus-iness?).
Yeah. Pretty much I take the bus for leisure travel, and Amtrak for business travel. Most people I know do the same thing.
It's plausible that the availability of intercity non-car transit in places that Amtrak doesn't serve (or no longer serves)access will create the initial demand by car non-dependent urban residents to justify Amtrak investement/reintroduction.
And the City Paper's spin on the latest shelter planned for Ward 8 is pretty lame. How does it make any sense to locate a women's shelter in the middle of a commercial corridor that local residents and businesses are desperately trying to revitalize? Does the City Paper know about DC laws applicable to the number of such shelters and community facilities that can be located near one another to prevent the warehousing of the poor? Or is it just way easier to write a snarky article about NIMBYs without doing additional research?
All of the cities mentioned in that post have decent Amtrak service. Providence is even on the NEC. Personally, I would drive for all of those trips, because once you're there you are stuck in an auto-dependent environment and it kind of sucks having the people you're visiting driving you everywhere.
Two roundtrip Megabus tickets to Pittsburgh: $50 total. Cost of driving, $65 in gas plus about $15 in tolls on the PA turnpike. The Providence trip was even more cost effective, as 2 roundtrip tickets ran about $120 total, while driving would have cost $140 in gas plus $35 or so in tolls, not to mention the wear and tear of putting 1,000 miles on the car.
I'm not sure how much the buses themselves will create demand for non-car dependent intercity travel, but I do think that rising gas prices have been, and will continue to bump the demand for non-car alternatives. And with moves such as ethanol subsidy cuts likely coming as part of debt reduction, I think those prices will continue to rise sooner rather than later.
Mixed-use would allow for continued economic development/a livelier street life, and create more population density in the area.
It's one of the few non-car alternatives that is literally and unquestionably cheaper than driving.
It's also a direct route, so not horribly inconvenient either if you're going from city center to city center.
We also need more Amtrak service on the NEC, and cheaper Amtrak service on the NEC. The proposal to build a second rail corridor from DC to NYC was a good one -- the demand's there for it.
From the report:
"The high rate of traffic diversion from trains in the East is partially a function of the enormous scale of Amtraks Northeast Corridor... This is not the case in the Midwest, where the Chicago to [Cincinnati, Columbus,
and Des Moines] have less-than-daily train service or no service at all. In the Chicago to Cleveland and Memphis markets, Amtrak passengers must accept arrivals or departures between...midnight and 6 a.m."
A lot of the Midwest cities HAVE Amtrak, but not necessarily Amtrak service to the same cities that the busses serve. Some cities can take train to two big cities, but can take these busses to 20 destinations.
In fact, if you mainly drive in the city, it is good for your car to go on a long roadtrip from time to time. With stop-start city driving, things build up in your engine over time, and a long roadtrip has a cleansing effect similar to a self-cleaning cycle on an oven.
With the new bus terminal going into Union Station what competition there is will get worse for Amtrak. There really isn't much direct competition though. Everyone who cares about cost takes the bus while everyone who has expense accounts takes Amtrak.
And this is Amtrak's biggest failure. It is not competitive at all price-wise except against the air shuttles. With it's huge subsidies it should be competitive against buses too. It's not.
Or if you have no need for a car at your destination. I take the bus from DC to NYC regularly and took the bus regularly between NYC and Boston. The expense of driving-- tolls as well as gas-- along with the hassle makes the bus ultra competitive.
If the distances are long, then it becomes worthwhile to fly, in which case you have a rent a car, anyway.
I'd prefer to take the train, but it's not worth the money.
I agree that Ward 8 has way too many of these types of services. Also Ward 6. In fact, it's only a short leap of logic from there to the position that all the wards of DC do too much. Which is why the suburbs should step up and provide the same level of service that the District does. And why DC should pursue policies to encourage that.
Why is that the wrong role for the NEC trains? If it takes passengers from Air/auto, thus lowering associated externalities and relieving congestion in those modes, why does it matter what the incomes/travel purposes are? Sustainability is a different question - you think all business travel will end because of teleconferencing? Or that TSA will find a way to make air travel easier?
The huge subsidies mainly go to the routes outside the NEC, where the economics are very different.
Why isn't it?
Does it require a political intervention and the requisite transfer of wealth via tax policy? No. It was a decision that didn't work out for the best but it wasn't forced on anyone.
Maybe the wealthy of every culture should reconsider self-segregation when it impacts their primary wealth asset.
AMTRAK has been mooching - so to speak - for four decades, with taxpayer subsidies keeping them afloat. Personally, I have no problem with that. But the intercity bus services are providing transportation from stops that are safer and more convenient (like Dupont) that ones favored by some bureaucrats (like L'Enfant late at night). Let the people and the market decide.
And, Ronald, if you haven't noticed that every time local governments get involved in transportation regulation (like taxi medallions), you are encouraging mischief, shakedowns, and the like. The public is damned when this stuff happens.
Actually, Bolt Bus is quite nice. Megabus runs a relatively distant second, but is still a pleasant experience, not counting traffic jams, which are equally as problematic with driving your own car.
Yes, the train is better, but it's not $50-$100 better, which is how much more money a trip costs on the train, each way.
and, if Amtrak were a business like BoltBus, there would be zero trains outside of the NEC. All right, there MIGHT be a few trains on teh West Coast. But the NEC is where the money is. It would all be NEC.
And I don't see any lights on those bikes - will they be riding after dark? I believe the law is you have to have a bell, and you have to have lights after dark. If anyone's bike should be technically street-legal and sensible, it should be the actual DDOT traffic control officers' vehicles.
Add a Comment
- In defense of "political theater" for Metro
- 495 and 95 toll prices were very high on Tuesday. Here's why that happened.
- Should a "historic gas station" keep new housing units from going up in Dupont?
- Federal employees: Please don�t quit your jobs under Trump
- A developer has agreed to build shorter and less dense than the law allows, but neighbors are still fighting it
- Where is Falls Church, exactly?
- A court just halted DC's McMillan development


text:
Okay, so it's really judges. Plural. But we want to congratulate all of the judges that have advanced and to those who have entered the judging program. All were announced at TICA's Spring 2010 Board Meeting held May 14-15, 2010.
Provisional Allbreed Judge: Theresa Kempton
Approved Allbreed Judge: Kitti Ruttan & Lynn Sherer
Mary-Lise de Landtsheer was advanced to Ring/School Instructor.
TICA has judges around the world. Congratulations to everyone!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Our EmployeeElect product portfolio offers the ultimate in flexibility and a wide range of plans to choose from, including PPOs, HSAs (consumer driven health plans) and HMOs.
Our EmployeeChoice product portfolio our only program designed to be offered with another carrier's HMO plan as well. These plans offer maximum HMO choice and flexibility for employees, EmployeeChoice, a special Anthem Blue Cross program may be the ideal solution.
Our BeneFits product portfolio is designed for employers that may be offering coverage for the first time. Anthem Blue Cross has packaged five progressive plans, including PPO plans, an HMO plan and a Lumenos Consumer Driven Health Plan into a solution that's easy to understand and easy to afford.
We offer a number of dental PPO and dental HMO plan designs to choose from, including voluntary dental options. All of our dental plans include access to the International Emergency Dental program administered by DeCare Dental.*
Our Blue View VisionSM plans provide easy-to-use flexible benefits with access to more than 50,000 providers and provider locations nationwide, including some popular retail locations.
Our basic term life, dependent life and supplemental life plans offer a wide variety of options that cover a spectrum of benefits, providing security and peace of mind.
*DeCare Dental is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross.


text:
Sympathy for the Skin
Creamy, banana custard body lotion for soft skin
Sympathy for the Skin is probably the only banana body lotion in the universe, and almost definitely the only one with real, organic mashed bananas in it. We use real bananas to moisturize and make skin softer and more flexible, even if they're a bit of a menace to mash by hand. We think you're worth it. Incredibly soothing for dry or chapped skin, we blend in vanilla pods and vanilla extract to combat redness, lemon oil to brighten, and sandalwood to tone. Smooth our nutritious cream all over your body and go absolutely bananas.
VeganThis product does not contain animal products of any kind.
Fresh ingredients
Natural ingredients
Safe synthetics


text:
The Mill Valley Art Commission invites you to join us at one of our premier events, the First Tuesday Artwalk. On the First Tuesday of every month, between 6:00 and 8:00 pm, we invite you to take a stroll through town to view exciting exhibits featuring a wide range of art by local artists. Participating venues are listed on the Art Commission page.
Click here to download the June 2014 First Tuesday ArtWalk Guide
"Machu Picchu" by Arthur Drooker Exhibited at Alain Pinel Realtors
"Romeno's Bend" by Katy Kuhn Exhibited at Mill Valley Community Center"Headlands Rocks" by Rory Earnshaw Exhibited at Mill Valley City Hall
Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.
Site Map
| Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
| Contact Us
Mill Valley City Hall: 26 Corte Madera Avenue | Mill Valley, CA 94941 | City Hall Phone: (415)388-4033 | City Hall Fax: (415)381-1736
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon; 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.; Closed Alternate Fridays
© 2016 City of Mill Valley | Webmaster | Website developed by Vision Internet


text:
In "Art Tasting with Julian Zugazagoitia," the museum's Executive Director uses the tools of Public TV to reach even further beyond the walls of that great institution.
Each of the six episodes will feature Julian and his special guest—a curator, collector, or museum official discussing matters near and dear to them before a live audience in the Atkins auditorium. Backed by plenty of detailed visual support, these free-wheeling conversations bring us new insights into familiar works, and easier access to finding the "flavors" of art that most please our palates.
In the opening episode (10/16), Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art Jan Schall comes to the table to talk sculpture–the only art form, as she tells him "so tactile we have to remind people not to touch it." Later, Bill Hall will also explain more about the strategy and mechanics that helped create the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park.
The second "Art Tasting" (10/23) focuses on the keen eye and acquisitional prowess of Alan Hirschfeld, the former Warner Brothers studio head (and close friend of Frank Sinatra) who's built a stunning Native American art collection. Morton and Estelle Sosland's efforts in building their own American Indian art collection (of which many pieces have been donated to the museum) will be profiled in the program too.
As the series continues, Julian will delve into African art and toast a glass of schnapps with Nii Quarcoopome (10/30), a curator whose time and talents are shared with the Detroit Institute of Art. Also, Shirley Helzberg explains her fascination with the storytelling and human connections she finds in African art.
In later installments, Julian will reconnect with Texas-based collectors David and Suzanne Booth, explore spirituality in art with Curator Leesa Fanning, and compare notes on the museum's history with his esteemed predecessor, Marc Wilson.
Tune in Wednesdays at 9 and tickle your taste buds with art!
Principal funding for the series has been provided by DeBruce Companies, with additional support from the Francis Family Foundation.
This is great! So helpful to those of us not art savvy who want to learn more before our visit. Makes me want to visit again soon! Bravo KCPT!


text:
At Gettysburg College, we see philosophy as a part of the well-lived life and as a bridge to all intellectual pursuits. Philosophy is not about memorizing the views of past thinkers; it involves learning to think critically about life's deepest questions, developing the skills of rational argument and graceful expression, and confronting the world's challenges in ways that lead to insight, wisdom, and engagement. Philosophy points to the world, examines questions that elude empirical research, and considers the implications of what we know about the world and the human predicament.
Our classes include a wide range of topics and approaches, and we connect with other disciplines in courses like Philosophy of Art, Ethics & Economic Life, Social & Political Philosophy, the Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Film, and the Philosophy of Science. Our work is usually interdisciplinary; this leads to team teaching with faculty from other departments and offering First-Year Seminars with philosophical themes.
Students must begin by enrolling in any 100-level philosophy course or in a First-Year Seminar taught by a member of the Philosophy faculty. Those courses require no prior experience, but completion of one of them is required for enrollment in a 200- or 300-level philosophy course. (The rare exceptions are noted in the course descriptions.)
A philosophy major consists of a minimum of nine courses in philosophy. No more than two 100-level courses may be counted toward the major. For the major, students must complete:
A philosophy minor consists of six philosophy courses in the department, including at least one 100-level course but not more than two.
Course level:
100 | 200 | 300 | 400
PHIL-101 Introduction to Philosophy
Study of selected philosophical issues that deal with such themes as knowledge, happiness, justice, death, and the nature of reality. The goals are to develop an ability to read philosophical texts with understanding and, through analysis and reflection, to form arguments regarding philosophical issues.
PHIL-103 Critical Thinking
Informal logic course designed to help students reflect on and enhance their ability to think analytically and creatively. Discussions and exercises focus on techniques characteristic of informal logic (classification of arguments, analysis and evaluation of arguments, identifying informal fallacies, etc.), as well as strategies for intuitive and creative thinking.
PHIL-105 Contemporary Moral Issues
Study of moral problems and larger philosophical questions they raise about such issues as the defensible use of violence, limits of freedom, extent of our obligations to others and to nature, rightful state authority, and the nature of duties and obligations. Selected readings focus on moral disputes as they arise in law and medicine, in international affairs, and in private moral reflection. Particular attention is given to ethical theories and to worldviews that shape positions on moral issues and guide moral decision-making.
PHIL-107 Environmental Ethics
Exploration of ethical issues that arise regarding what responsibilities human beings have to the natural world. Specific issues such as population, land use, wilderness preservation, biodiversity, and our treatment of animals are examined in light of larger philosophical questions regarding nature and human purpose, obligations to future generations, the aesthetic and religious value of nature, and the possibility of an environmental ethic.
PHIL-108 Philosophy and Food
Study of texts focusing on philosophical issues involving the production, distribution, and personal use of food. Specific topics examined include public policy and food production/distribution; diet as ethical choice; poverty and hunger; the existential/metaphysical status of breaking bread; food and consumerism; the aesthetics of diet; and the religious/cultural significance of eating with another.
PHIL-109 Wrong Science, Bad Science, Pseudoscience
Examination of three related issues: (1) the definition of science, what criteria distinguish real science from pseudoscience?, (2) the qualities of good science, what are the properties that make one theory or one research program better than another?, and (3) the relation between scientific research and the broader culture within which it is placed, what special moral responsibilities do scientists take on?
PHIL-110 Einstein and the Big Questions
Revolutionary thinkers give us new ways to view old problems. So it is with Albert Einstein who wrote not only on science, but on philosophy, politics, economics, and religion. This course looks at some of the classic problems in various parts of philosophy through traditional texts and then sees how Einstein challenged the standard positions.
PHIL-205 Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy
Study of philosophers and philosophies of ancient Greece and Rome. Emphasis is on the Pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, and Skepticism.
PHIL-206 Medieval & Renaissance European Philosophy
Study of leading thinkers in the western philosophical tradition, from the fifth to the fifteenth century. Special emphasis is on such figures as Augustine, Bonaventure, Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, and Pico della Mirandola.
PHIL-207 Early Modern European Philosophy
Study of such major figures as Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume in seventeenth- and eighteenth- century European philosophy.
PHIL-208 Kant & 19th Century European Philosophy
Study of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and selected nineteenth-century European philosophers such as Hegel and Nietzsche.
PHIL-211 Logic
Introduction to formal logic and a study of the formal uses of language, with particular reference to the nature of inference from premises to conclusion; rules for deductive inference; construction of formal proofs in sentential and predicate logic; and the nature of language.
PHIL-214 Choice, Chance, Luck, and Fate
An examination of a central issue of metaphysics: free will and the factors that may constrain or deny it. The affirmation that human beings may choose their actions, which provides the basis for moral responsibility, is set against the deterministic view that all changes in behavior, all "choices" are caused. The course considers various theories—libertarianism, compatibilisim, and "hard" and "soft" determinism; in addition, attention is given to interpretations of chance, randomness, luck, and fate as affecting human possibilities.
PHIL-218 Gender and Identity
An examination of the question of whether or not gender is an essential and defining feature of personal identity, largely socially constructed, or perhaps a more fluid and dynamic interplay between nature and culture. Readings will explore biological accounts of sexual identity, the distinction between sex and gender, the significance of gender in the history of philosophy, the influence of race and class on gender, and the contemporary theory of gender as performance.
PHIL-219 Philosophy of Peace and Nonviolence
Study of philosophical arguments about pacifism and nonviolence. Readings and films will explore the concepts and issues involved in considering peace as the absence of war between nations, peace as a social and economic goal, peace as an ethical principle, and peace as a personal ideal. Particular attention will be paid to an analysis of different ways to conceptualize peace; as eradication of conflict, dialectical tension between diverse perspectives, or harmony and consensus.
PHIL-221 Philosophy of Mind
An exploration of the nature of mind and leading theories of the relationship between mind and brain such as dualism, behaviorism, and mind/brain identity. In light of contemporary developments in neuroscience and cognitive science, topics include consciousness and subjectivity, the language of thought and other accounts of mental content, the problem of other minds, physical versus psychological accounts of personal identity, and ethical issues in contemporary neuroscience.
PHIL-222 Philosophical Perspectives on Justice
Study of the meanings and significance of justice for individuals and societies. Course examines principles and questions regarding distributive and retributive justice raised in central texts of the western philosophical tradition and uses them to analyze students' own views and engage contemporary challenges for individual, local, and global justice.
PHIL-224 Philosophy and Human Rights
Study of practical and theoretical issues of human rights and the philosophical questions they raise. Are human rights applicable to all cultures? Are women's rights human rights? Can economic rights override political rights? Are some rights more important than others? How should we understand charges of cultural relativism against the universal applicability of human rights? The course will explore methods of terror such as killing, torture, disappearance, sexual assault and forceful recruitment by oppressive governments and war zone combatants.
PHIL-225 Existentialism
Inquiry into what it means, in the view of existentialist philosophers, to "step forth" in the journey of becoming a self, a journey involving freedom, anxiety, despair, risk, choice and the possibility of inauthenticity. The writings of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky are examined as the inspiration for twentieth-century existentialism (Sartre, de Beauvoir, Beckett) as well as the phenomenological and postmodern responses to existentialism.
PHIL-226 Philosophy of Resistance
Study of the philosophy of social and political resistance as it arises from social unrest and the experience of structural violence. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between injustice and social resistance, and on systems of structural violence such as slavery, caste systems and dictatorships. Selected readings explore such issues as the nature of political and social resistance, the social conditions underlying resistance, the relationship between resistance and social change, and the paradox of violent resistance against injustice.
PHIL-227 Beyond Terrorism
A study to provide a sound knowledge of the issues of terrorism and counter terrorism, and its impact on civil society. By encouraging debate on practical and theoretical aspects of terrorism and counter terrorism, the course challenges students to develop a deeper understanding of many faces and consequences of terrorism. Students look at successful negotiations; ceasefire and peace settlements in ending terrorism. Overall this course addresses the question of how to preserve the values of civil society in the face of terrorism and counter terrorism.
PHIL-228 Imprisonment, Identity and Liberation
Philosophical examination of imprisonment and liberation of body and mind. The course explores the concept of imprisonment from Plato to the present; the philosophical and political reasons for the present criminal justice system; alternate modes of punishment; addiction and its effects on the self; and models of liberation. The class brings together students and work-release prisoners in the study of these topics and takes place at the site of a nearby community organization.
PHIL-230 Ethics
Study of major figures and schools in the Western ethical tradition. Attention is paid to selections from representative philosophers, from Plato through Rawls. Specific issues examined include the nature of rights and responsibilities, virtue, and moral obligation.
PHIL-233 Philosophy of Science
Examination of the foundations of scientific reasoning. Science draws conclusions about the working of the universe from observational evidence, but what kinds of arguments do they use to arrive at their results? Applying the theoretical views of philosophers of science to case studies in the history of science, this course examines what is meant by "the scientific method." Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or one course in any social or natural science.
PHIL-235 Philosophical Ideas in Literature
A study of the relationship of philosophy to literature and the philosophical questions which arise from reflection on selected literary and philosophical works. Readings explore themes of narrative masquerade, human identity, and the search for meaning, and debate questions of textual interpretation and the reader-text relationship.
PHIL-237 Philosophy of Religion
Study of philosophical efforts to understand and justify religious beliefs. Course examines writings of philosophers who have answered such questions as: What is Religion? What is the importance or significance of specifically religious experiences? What account can we give of the meaning of religious claims? How can we mediate between apparently conflicting religious beliefs?
PHIL-240 World Philosophy
Study of selected writings from the world's philosophical traditions. Such themes as self and world, knowledge and its limits, the meaning and purpose of life, the nature of reality and ideals of moral perfection are explored in diverse philosophical traditions.
PHIL-243 American Philosophy
Study of selected topics in colonial, early republic, nineteenth- and twentieth-century U.S. philosophy. Topics include deism, transcendentalism, pragmatism and historicism. Important secondary movements such as puritanism and evolutionism may also be considered.
PHIL-252 Social and Political Philosophy
An examination of the most influential philosophers in the history of social and political theory and an assessment of how their philosophical frameworks succeed or fail to provide guidance regarding contemporary political problems and issues.
PHIL-253 Philosophy of Technology
Exploration of the social and cultural impact of technology and the philosophical questions that technology raises. Readings will explore issues related to the autonomy of technology, virtual worlds, technology, power and knowledge, the globalization of technology, the social technologies and emergent lifeworlds, and ethics and technology. Discussion will also focus on the social construction of facts and artifacts and the technological mediation of the relationship of self to world.
PHIL-314 From Zero to Infinity: Philosophical Revolutions in Mathematics
Study of the philosophical foundations of mathematics starting with the concept of number and culminating the Godel's groundbreaking incompleteness result. Specific topics include the historical developments and mathematical and philosophical ramifications of zero, rational, irrational, imaginary, and transfinite numbers as well as an examination of the completeness of arithmetic.
PHIL-315 The Nature of Space: Philosophical Revolutions in Physics
Study of the notion of space as it has developed from Aristotle to Einstein. Particular focus will be given to relations between scientific accounts of the structure of space and the larger philosophical context in which they arose. Course cross-listed as Philosophy 315. Course does not count toward the physics major.
PHIL-316 Philosophical Revolutions in Geometry
Study of the philosophical foundations and ramifications of the historical development of geometry. Euclid's axiomatic system was held up by philosophers for centuries as the template for all thought. But the development of non-Euclidean geometry gave rise to crucial questions about the foundations of mathematics and about the nature of knowledge more broadly. Is geometry, or mathematics more broadly, a science? Why are its results exact where other sciences are not? If it is not a science, why is it indispensable for science?
PHIL-318 Ethics and Economic Life
A seminar on issues at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and economics: the explanation and evaluation of human actions and choices. Are we-as many thinkers have claimed-rational, self-interested, autonomous decision-makers? How do such factors as altruism, risk and uncertainty, discounting the future, fairness, luck, and loyalties affect our choices? How do pleasure, happiness, and well-being, and life itself serve as economic and ethical values? How can we be both moral agents and consumers, making rational, ethical choices in an uncertain world?
PHIL-320 Social Epistemology
Study of the social dimension of knowledge, collective intelligence and group decision-making and agency. Traditional epistemology has focused largely on individual knowers abstracted from social contexts. Social Epistemology focuses on knowledge as a collective enterprise and on the social creation and dissemination of knowledge. Issues of epistemic dependence and epistemic authority, testimony, peer disagreement, community standards of justification and critique, the nature and function of expertise and issues of social and moral responsibility are examined.
PHIL-328 Deliberative Democracy
Study of different conceptions of democracy and what procedures insure fair and inclusive deliberation. Students consider what constitutes the best form of government and whose vision should prevail? Emphasis is placed on the debate between liberalism and communitarianism, the role of religion in democracies, the limits of free speech, the role of dissent, the basis of human rights, and the risks entailed in open spaces. Particular focus is given to transitional and emerging democracies across the globe.
PHIL-329 Shapes of Evil
Examination of the construction of notions of evil. Using classical and contemporary texts from Western philosophy, religious thought, and literature, the course thematically engages five shapes of evil: 1) Evil and the Tragic (guilt and innocence in Greek thought); 2) Evil as Sin (the wicked will and God's role vis-a-vis evil); 3) Evil and Power; 4) The Mystique of Evil (the attraction of evil as embodied in the demonic "hero"); 5) Genocide and the Rhetoric of Evil.
PHIL-330 Language, Truth & Reality
Study of some major contemporary efforts related to traditional metaphysical issues. Topics include: Can philosophy tell us anything about the nature of our world? If so, how and what? To what extent is reality mind dependent? What is the relationship between language and reality?
PHIL-331 Emotion
A philosophical exploration of the nature and role of emotion in human life. Course examines emotionality as a human capacity, emotional response as an experience, and specific emotion types, such as anger or fear. Topics include the traditional opposition between reason and passion, between the cognitive and the emotive; the relation of emotion to morality; the possibility of "educating the emotions"; and philosophical issues related to particular emotions such as envy, jealousy, and embarrassment.
PHIL-332 Philosophy and Mysticism
Philosophical examination of mystical texts in the western tradition. In readings drawn from Jewish Christian, and Muslim traditions, students will explore the mystical understanding of God and human nature, the nature of love, the relationship between morality and mysticism, and the truth status of mystical experiences.
PHIL-334 Philosophy of Art
A study of the contentious and, at times, subversive role that the artist and artwork have played in diverse philosophical traditions. Drawing on readings from within and beyond Western aesthetics, as well as traditional and contemporary poetry, painting, and music, the course examines the threat that the persuasive power of art poses to the philosopher, the homecoming that is promised by our experience of an artwork's beauty, and the methods of resistance and critique that are opened up by artistic expression in a global and postcolonial world.
PHIL-335 Philosophy of Film
The study of film as an artifact that both illuminates philosophical problems and poses new questions for philosophers about the nature of the self and community. The course will examine how humans experience time and organize events and information through viewing film as a model of consciousness. Students will also study film to identify how culture shapes both our identity and our perception of the "Other".
PHIL-338 Philosophy of Law
Study of enduring themes of legal philosophy, such as the nature of law, law and morality, liberty, responsibility, and justice, as well as such specific issues as civil disobedience, freedom of expression, privacy, compensation, and punishment. Emphasis is placed on differing philosophical perspectives that underlie disagreements about the law and on ethical questions that arise from the practice of law.
PHIL-339 Philosophy of Music
A course that addresses philosophical questions about music, such as: What is music? What is a (particular) musical composition? How is music related to our cognitions and emotions? What is the tie between music and mathematics? What is the relation of music to moral character? Exploring such concepts as musical understanding, representation, expression, performance, and profundity, the course draws upon readings and music that span the centuries and the globe, and research from a range of disciplines.
PHIL-341 Contemporary European Philosophy
Study of contemporary European and European-influenced philosophy. Course readings may include works by Heidegger, Derrida, Foucault, the French Nietzscheans (Bataille, Blanchot, Klossowski, Haar, Deleuze), French feminists (Kristeva, Irigaray, Cixous), and critical theorists (Adorno, Horkheimer). Course explores the interrelations between philosophy and disciplines- such as literature, psychoanalysis, political theory, and cultural criticism-and the ways in which contemporary continental philosophers both take up and alter the historical traditions of philosophy.
PHIL-342 Philosophy of Chemistry
Examination of philosophical issues underlying chemistry. Does all of chemistry reduce to physics or are there purely chemical laws of nature? Does the use of models in chemistry mean that chemical explanations are true or merely useful heuristics? Is there a single method underlying chemistry from physical to organic or is it a historical accident that these fields are grouped together?
PHIL-343 From Babylonia to the Big Bang: The History and Philosophy of Cosmology
Examination of the development of views about the origin and evolution of the universe. From ancient times, humans have tried to answer the biggest of the big questions: where did it all come from? This course traces the course of the answers given from ancient mythology through contemporary models of contemporary Big Bang cosmology, focusing the interaction between advances in physical science and their philosophical ramifications.
PHIL-344 Philosophy of Place
An exploration of the concept of place (versus space) and how place matters in our lives. The course examines the meaning of particular places-home, gardens, cemeteries, battlefields (and athletic fields), prisons, sacred places, etc.-in the context of philosophical theories of place (historical and contemporary), moral geography, the representation of place, and the philosophy of architecture. These issues are studied in dialogue with the contrasting claim that the human good is independent of place.
PHIL-345 Philosophy & Christianity
Exploration of the relationship between philosophy and Christian belief. Course examines the extent to which a "Christian philosophy" is possible; epistemic, metaphysical, and normative analyses of selected Christian doctrines; and critical examination of Christian and non-Christian perspectives on whether philosophy and faith are compatible. Readings are drawn primarily from contemporary analytic and continental traditions.
PHIL-346 The Philosophy of Color
A philosophical exploration of the phenomenon of color. Our experience of color - an important aspect of our experience of the world - poses puzzling problems of metaphysics, epistemology, and aesthetics. To address these and related philosophical issues, this course draws upon multidisciplinary sources, examining: the science, natural history, and aesthetics of color; the symbolism of colors and color patterns in culture and in literature; the relation of color and emotion; and the claim of Western "chromophobia."
PHIL-366 Great Philosophers
An immersion in the life and works of a single major philosopher. The course offers a three-dimensional perspective on the writings, biography, social context, and intellectual development of a significant philosopher, including interests that cut across disciplines. It also incorporates the best of contemporary scholarship on the subject's thought and its continuing relevance. The figure chosen will vary, but exemplars are: Plato, Rousseau, Tagore, Nietzsche, Mill, Heidegger, de Beauvoir, or James.
PHIL-368 Reading (A Non-Philosopher)
An immersion in the life and works of an important thinker who, though not normally identified as a philosopher, produced a body of work with philosophical significance. The course offers a close reading of major works, in the context of biography, social milieu, and intellectual developments. The philosophical impact and continuing importance of the selected thinker will be examined also through contemporary scholarship. Exemplars include: Wollstonecraft, Darwin, Freud, Gandhi, or Einstein.
PHIL-400 Senior Seminar
The capstone course in Philosophy, in which a range of philosophical and other texts are examined through the lens of a selected theme or topic. Recent topics include: the Image, the Meaning of Life, the Seven Deadly Sins, Forgiveness, and Propaganda. This course is required for the major and is normally limited to senior majors.
PHIL-450 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements for the major or minor, graded A-F. This is an instructor-guided study of a philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum during the student's tenure. Open to philosophy students who arrange with a faculty member for supervision.
PHIL-451 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
PHIL-452 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements for the major or minor, graded A-F. This is an instructor-guided study of a philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum during the student's tenure. Open to philosophy students who arrange with a faculty member for supervision.
PHIL-453 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
PHIL-460 Individualized Study-Research
An individualized, philosophical research project that applies work from previous courses to a more advanced or specialized inquiry. An original product of philosophical scholarship is required. Open only to philosophy majors who arrange for supervision of their project with a faculty member.
PHIL-461 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
PHIL-462 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F.
PHIL-463 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor graded S/U.
PHIL-466 Senior Thesis
An individualized project of original philosophical research. Thesis writers are coached by an individual mentor, but meet as a group with the department faculty several times during the term. The resulting thesis is defended before the faculty and also given a public presentation.
PHIL-470 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F.
PHIL-471 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
PHIL-472 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F.
PHIL-473 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
PHIL-474 Summer Internship
Summer Internship graded A-F, counting in the minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.
PHIL-475 Summer Internship
Summer Internship graded S/U, counting in the minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.


text:
MICROLINE 280 Elite
Search results for drivers & software utilities or firmware
Listed below are the driver or software options for your product.
View each driver or software utility to ensure compatibility and download from this page.
Firmware updates may also be available for your product. Please select your product and preferred language to check for the latest version.
Drivers & software
Product Support
- User manuals
- Recycling
- Spare parts
- Material Safety Datasheets
- Printing guides
- Brochures


text:
Hey all,
I've just put out a new beat tape which is available as a limited edition 2 volume cassette tape pack and in digi (pay-what-you-want mp3/flac):
This tape is basically a collection of beats I've made in the last 18 months on a variety of gear (mpc, sp1200, sp303, ableton, etc).
So if you still have a tape player laying around grab the cassette version while they're still available (only 40 made - includes digital version)... Otherwise cop the digital if you like what you hear.
Saint Surly | "Abominable" 2012 | Beat Tape
Started by Saint Surly , Jun 12 2012 04:43 PM
No replies to this topic
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
Classic Medical Plan
This coverage is ideal if you're under 65 years of age and want unlimited coverage for eligible emergency medical expenses you may incur while travelling outside your home province or territory.
Summary of Insurance Coverage - Classic Medical Plan
|Maximum Sums Available
|Emergency medical and other benefits:
|Unlimited 1
|Hospital allowance:
|Emergency services (chiropractor, physiotherapist, etc.):
|Return trip destination:
|One-way Economy airfare
|Subsistence allowance:
|Physician visit to replace lost, stolen or damaged medication:
|Maximum sums available: one visit to a physician to obtain a written prescription
|Repatriation of deceased:
|Unlimited 2
|Bedside companion's travel to bedside:
|Economy airfare & $500 subsistence
|Emergency Medical Evaluation/Return to your Province or Territory or Residence
|One-way Economy airfare, or stretcher, or qualified medical attendant or air ambulance
|Emergency dental treatment:3
|$300 and/or accidental blow (emergency expenses)
|Return of vehicle:
|Reasonable costs
|Return of children:
|One-way Economy airfare & escort if necessary
|Return of one travelling companion:
|One-way Economy airfare
|Return of dog or cat:
|Return of excess baggage:
- This insurance is subject to a maximum of $20,000 if you do not have valid government health insurance plan coverage.
- Please see policy for limits on the transportation container, cremation and burial at location.
- Benefit is emergency dental expenses to repair or replace natural or permanently attached artificial teeth incurred during the trip and up to a maximum of $1500 for continued necessary treatment after returning to Canada.
Looking for more details?
Download the Classic Medical Plan Insurance Policy [PDF - 14 pages.]
Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada
® Registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under license.


text: most of these posts have given pretty good links/resources for the nutritional facts, but i just want to write because i am in the same boat. DH has an 8 yo son who grew up in almost exactly the same conditions and it blew my mind. for us, i have just forged ahead and so far the benefits have been self-evident. DS is off the charts for height and weight and the older son is small for his age (which DH has agreed is probably a result of FF and smoking). DH initially bought formula and bottles 'just in case' but later gave them to a food bank when he realized how well BFing was going (and how much easier it made his life!) as for solids, i have worked on a hybrid of purees and BLS as someone else on here mentioned. i add spices to the purees and mix them with a little bit of what im eating. the combination of surprise at how adventurous a babys taste buds could be and the fun of watching DS eat crazy new things has won over DH. his first son will not eat anything not on a kids menu and pretty much survives on PB&J. as i was feeding our LO lamb puree with taiziki sauce (my hybrid baby 'gyro') DH commented with a smile that he would never be a 'peanut butter and jelly kid'. its hard to take command and be the one coordinating meals all the time, but for us, i had to get the ball rolling and the results spoke for themselves! now daddy has fun with it too! good luck! stand your ground, and let daddy participate at a level he is comfortable with so that you save your sanity!


text:
New Social Security tampering a concern
Pay attention, West Virginians! Watch closely how Congress intends balancing the budget and who will be asked to pay the sacrifice. One-fifth of the U.S. population receives Social Security. Nearly 58 million retirees, disabled workers, spouses and children get Social Security benefits.
When you hear sequestration, the automatic across-the-board cuts to government programs to balance the budget, you should be very wary of how that will be done. The Congressional Budget Office has even proposed cutting all Social Security benefits by 15 percent as one means of balancing the budget and reducing the deficit. Social Security has nothing to do with deficit reduction, because Social Security has not contributed a dime to the deficit because it is independently funded by the payroll tax.
This discussion of balancing the budget and reducing the deficit centers on entitlements. I will have to use that word since it is the one being tossed around these days. I detest that term in relation to Social Security since those on Social Security are not receiving a handout. They worked all their lives, paying dearly from their earned wages to receive it back now.
This discussion on entitlements also seems to focus on reducing your Social Security benefit. One proposal is to use a chained CPI (Consumer Price Index) rather than the usual CPI as your cost-of-living adjustment. This would reduce your Social Security benefit over time since you would no longer be able to keep up with inflation. The COLA or Cost of Living Adjustment intended to help those on a fixed Social Security income keep pace with inflation and price changes on food, housing, and other living expenses would be greatly reduced over time using a chained CPI. Say "no" to that!
Presently, the average Social Security monthly payment is $1,162. In 2010 and 2011 there was no COLA at all for anyone receiving Social Security. In 2014, it is estimated that the COLA will increase the typical monthly payment by about $17. Not much, but for those receiving it, it is not money they can afford to lose. Today, more than 9 percent of older Americans live in poverty. If we reduce Social Security, that number will increase. Before Social Security, 35 percent of seniors lived in poverty.
Despite what you may have been told, Social Security today has a $2.7 trillion surplus and can pay out 100 percent of benefits for the next 21 years. So our job is to make Social Security strong for the next 75 years and future generations without cutting benefits. There are ways to do that by, among other ways, lifting the cap on taxable incomes. And, say no to any thoughts of privatizing Social Security. Can you imagine where the elderly, the disabled, the widows and orphans would be today after the stock market crash of 2008?
Eighty-two percent of older workers say they will likely work after retirement. Older adults are now the fastest-growing segment of the American workforce. While our young people are seeking work, our seniors are competing with them due to their growing financial need.
Tell Congress that Social Security benefits need to increase, not decrease. Removing the income cap on the $113,000 wage for Social Security to be taken from your paycheck is the first step that should be taken to strengthen Social Security. Simply applying the Social Security payroll tax to all income levels would make Social Security solvent for the next 75 years.
Do not tamper with Social Security benefits for the millions of Americans who are already receiving them. These people have no choice but to depend on these promised benefits!
David and Theresa Bruner


text:
"I am a convert to the Catholic Church and barely knew the basics about the faith. I have learned so much since I have been listening to Catholic Answers Live. Thank you for answering my questions and helping me better understand my faith."
~ Brenda, Vancouver, WA
"Between heresy and schism there is this difference, that heresy perverts dogma, while schism, by rebellion against the bishop, separates from the Church. Nevertheless there is no schism which does not trump up a heresy to justify its departure from the Church."
~ St. Jerome, (In Ep. ad Tit., iii, 10), remarking on how practically and historically, heresy and schism nearly always go hand in hand.


text:
To: Interested Parties
From: Marge Baker, People For the American Way
Re: GOP Senators Target Judicial Nominees of Color
Date: December 22, 2010
There are two important facts about Republican senators' unprecedented obstruction of judicial nominees that should not be lost in the crush of important legislation being passed by the lame duck Congress: President Obama's District Court nominees have experienced unprecedented obstruction, and every District Court nominee who faced unanimous Republican opposition in the Senate Judiciary Committee is a person of color.
While it's not uncommon for some nominees for Courts of Appeals vacancies to receive intense partisan scrutiny, nominees to the District Courts, which process the vast majority of cases, have long been granted more deference. Since 1945, only five nominees for seats on District Courts have received party line votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In President Bush's eight years in office, a single District Court nominee (Leon Holmes, a highly controversial nominee who made light of rape victims and slavery) received a party line vote in committee. In just the first two years of President Obama's term, four nominees have been subjected to unanimous GOP opposition in committee. All four of these nominees are people of color.
These nominees include:
- Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler, whose work as a judge irked business interests so much, they spent $1 million to prevent his reelection
- U.S. Magistrate Edward Chen, who has been attacked for his work fighting discrimination against Asian Americans for the American Civil Liberties Union
- Benita Pearson, whose nomination was opposed because she is a member of groups opposed to animal cruelty
- William Martinez, who was opposed for his pro-bono work with the ACLU of Colorado (including providing support for a high school student sent home for wearing an anti-Obama t-shirt)
Two of the nominees, Butler and Chen, never received a vote on the floor of the Senate. All four of these nominees would have been approved easily in any other Congress, but since President Obama took office, Republican senators have been focused on opposing his nominees and initiatives for purely political purposes.
Given the energy Republicans put into blocking these four nominees, it's also worth noting that the Circuit Court nominee they opposed most energetically is also a person of color: Goodwin Liu, who would be the only Asian American judge on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
On recent issues ranging from the nuclear security to fairness for immigrant children, Senate Republicans have shown an unprecedented willingness to play politics with important issues. Their treatment of judicial nominees show that the GOP is willing to bring the same cynicism to the federal courts, and the racial composition of the nominees they're blocking shows just how troubling the impact of those politics can be.


text:
Take advantage of our regular flights to Male. British Airways is the only scheduled UK airline to fly there non-stop.
The price you see first is the price you'll see last.
Low price finder and low initial deposits.
Online control over every detail
Fly with British Airways and enjoy award-winning service, excellent value for money and no hidden charges:
Take advantage of our regular flights to Male. British Airways is the only scheduled UK airline to fly there non-stop.
You'll be simply lost for words by the sheer beauty of the Maldives. It's everything you imagined and so much more – vivid coral reefs, pristine atolls personalised to individual tastes and attention to detail taken to another level. This ultimate beach destination sympathetically blends ultra modern design into a flawlessly natural setting, to create a paradise quite unlike any other.
Unparalleled natural beauty and extraordinary service make the Maldives a popular choice for luxury holidays and romantic getaways. But don't be mistaken, its pristine beaches and turquoise lagoons would appeal to anyone looking for an unforgettable beach break. Embrace idyllic living at its finest and be taken aback by the alluring charm and unique character of these enchanting islands. The incredible underwater world is made for diving and snorkelling, while award-winning spas and kids' facilities provide a welcome retreat for all.
The Maldives is made up of 1000 tiny islands, scattered across 26 atolls. Home to pristine beaches and turquoise lagoons, it is the lowest country in the world at only 1.5 metres above sea level. The atolls are composed of vibrant coral reefs and sand bars, with many of the resorts inhabiting their own private island. Visit Male for bustling street markets and culture, but don't get caught out by the time difference between 'Male time' and 'island time'.
There are two transport options, seaplane or speedboat. When booking your hotel or ba.com, you'll see which one applies to you. Travelling by seaplane is a breathtaking experience. See the atolls from a birdseye view and watch the bright turquoise rings fade into the depths of the Indian Ocean. Have your camera at the ready, as you often have to stow your hand luggage separately. Speedboat transfers are shorter and give you a taste of the calm waters and tranquil surroundings.
The Maldives has a tropical climate, with impressive year round temperatures. There are two seasons, the dry season from December to March and the wet season from May to November. April is often a transitional period. The average temperature in the Maldives is 30 °C, making it the ideal beach destination all year round. The sunrays are strong, even on cloudy days and the humidity can be high, so plenty of sun protection and shady breaks are recommended.
Go to the Maldives for a once in a lifetime, unforgettable holiday. Many of our hotels offer bespoke experiences, which will really add the wow factor to your trip. You only have to ask to receive exceptional personalised service. From a romantic candlelit dinner on the beach to a private picnic on a desert island. Or, sometimes it's the finer details that you remember, like rose petals in the bath or chilled champagne in your room.
Ninety nine percent of the Maldives is made up by sea, so it's no wonder that water sports like snorkelling and diving attract so many visitors. The living coral that surrounds the islands is a complex ecological system, which the Maldivians are striving to protect. It is home to an astonishing variety of species and coral gardens that are considered some of the best in the world. Recognised as a natural wonder, respect for the unique surroundings and environment is essential if we are to maintain this paradise.


text:
Careers at EICC
The links to the left will lead you to positions currently open at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges.
If you're new to the area you can learn a little more about us by following the links below.
Thank you for your interest in employment positions at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges.For more information please contact the HR department at: email@example.com
563-336-3300 or 1-800-462-3255
Learn more about our surrounding area!
- Clinton Convention & Visitors
- Jackson County Tourism
- Muscatine Convention & Visitors
- Quad Cities Convention & Visitors


text:
1Y | 5Y | 10Y | Max
Source: US. Bureau of the Census
Release: New Residential Construction
Starting with the 2005-02-16 release, the series reflects an increase in the universe of permit-issuing places from 19,000 to 20,000 places.
Suggested Citation:
US. Bureau of the Census, New Private Housing Units Authorized by Building Permits in the West Census Region [PERMITW], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PERMITW, December 11, 2016.
New Residential Construction
Updating graph.


text:
By Ray Sullivan
Five years ago next month, New Mexico legislators defeated — for the second time in two years — a bill that would have set up an electronic portal that the state declared would make public records more accessible.
The bill died because it was poorly thought out and ambiguously worded. Those flaws raised concerns about the proposed law being unconstitutional, that it could favor one vendor that resold public documents over another, and that could actually slow or limit access to public records.
Soon after, Gov. Bill Richardson announced an interim legislative committee would assess the state's intentions. He stated: "… I do not want even the appearance that state government is limiting access to any legitimate public information. … I will make state information services personnel and data, and whatever else is required, available to aid in this process. It is my goal that we can reach a consensus on a process and appropriately funding in time for the next Legislature."
Guess what? That never happened.
It never will, if the state's Taxation and Revenue Department leaders have their way.
They are ignoring the Legislature's earlier decisions and the governor's intent by saying they have administrative authority to do what they want with these records. Tax and Revenue Secretary Rick Homans has solicited a request for proposal (RFP) to find one vendor to set up and run an ePortal that would collect and sell driver and vehicle records at, purportedly, no cost to New Mexico. He has done so over strong objections from the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, the New Mexico Press Association and several private record reseller firms.
Homans and his folks did not alert FOG, NMPA or others of his plan before the RFP was issued. They tried to slip it under the radar. Only in the last few weeks was the agency forced to meet with the concerned parties; nothing was satisfactorily clarified.
Among the concerns raised is a constitutional one that resellers of public records would have to pay a higher fee than the rest of the public for the same records. That would be a clear violation of New Mexico's constitution.
Another concern was the wording of the RFP would favor a bid from one vendor in particular, and that firm would then have the advantage in possible future RFPs to establish an ePortal for other state agencies.
Ironically, Homans declares his folks chose this path because of their concerns for both our privacy and our tax dollars. They claim that since the six reseller contracts will expire soon they don't have time to ensure the public documents are being handled properly. So the best option was to choose a private vendor, who would set up the ePortal up at no cost to New Mexicans.
Wow, a free lunch! Really?
What Homans has not explained is why his agency suddenly had no time, after several years under contract with these six record vendors to ensure they were following privacy protection requirements. Nor has he explained how they will address other concerns raised in the ePortal debates earlier in this decade.
All of these concerns demand answers before decisions are made by these bureaucrats whose salaries we pay to select one vendor who will determine the speed and order of the transfer of public documents to private oversight – all at a price that cannot violate the state constitution.
If Homans and his agency insist on pushing this agenda forward without time for a thorough public discussion with concerned citizens who have included many elected legislators and the governor, they should expect a new public records storm cloud to darken Santa Fe.
Many of us believe, as we have previously declared, that an ePortal could be a good thing if set it up with a structure and process that does not shred the state constitution and, ultimately, limit public access.
Ray Sullivan has been publisher of papers in Clovis, Portales and Tucumcari since November 2000. He has lobbied on behalf of open meetings and open records with the New Mexico Press Association board of directors.


text:
Professional Accountancy (M.B.A.)
Ithaca's intensive one year M.B.A. program in professional accountancy prepares graduates to provide auditing, consulting, and income tax services for individuals, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations.
Professional accountancy candidates complete 12 graduate-level courses. Six core courses provide a solid foundation in advanced management concepts by blending theory with hands-on practice in analyses, problem solving, and decision making; four accounting courses provide advanced training in the theory and application of financial accounting and reporting, taxation, auditing, and contemporary accounting practices; and two graduate-elective accounting course allows candidates to tailor their degree to their professional goals and interests.
Registered with the New York State Education Department, Ithaca's M.B.A. program in professional accountancy enables graduates to fulfill the 150-hour educational requirement necessary to take the certified public accounting exam in New York. Of the colleges in New York State which offer graduate degrees, Ithaca College currently ranks thrid in the state, based on the percentage of students who passed all parts of the CPA exam.1
Although the M.B.A. in professional accountancy is tailored primarily to students with undergraduate accounting degrees, it is open to candidates who meet entry requirements. Please consult the program coordinator regarding eligibility.
12013 edition of Candidate Performance on the Uniform CPA Examination, prepared by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).


text:
- Home >
- Designers Sale >
- Gitman Vintage >
- All
Gitman Vintage Sale
American shirt specialist
Gitman has been making men's shirts in the US since 1948, and is famous for its quality and the wide range of different styles and fabrics available. The Gitman Vintage line consists of shirts reissued from the brand's rich archives, updated for today with impeccable construction and finishing.
- Renowned shirt manufacturer since 1948
- All production takes place in the US
- Lovingly made reissues from a rich archive


text:
Magna-Tiles® 100-Piece Set
Valtech Company • In Stock • 47927
3 years & up. These magnetic tiles teach spatial relationships, math, logic, and problem-solving through creative building! The tiles attract on all sides and in all combinations, helping children move from two-dimensional to three-dimensional creations. Unbreakable set includes square and triangular tiles in a variety of sizes.
- Tiles are constructed in bright solid colors with magnets on all sides
- The secret is the unique ability to attract even when they are flipped
- Perfect for introducing children to simple math, geometry, and science
- Magna-Tiles® are unbreakable
- All Magna-Tiles® sets are compatible
- 50 Small Squares
- 4 Large Squares
- 20 Equilateral Triangles
- 11 Right Triangles
- 15 Isosceles Triangles
100-Piece Set Includes:
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Seattle WA
8 years and Up
Great Tiles
December 8, 2014
These are the best. Grandsons love them and we have purchased so many sets - just cannot get enough.


text:
Screening your volunteers:
This page contains general links to information on volunteer screening, and links to perform quick background checks. This is not a comprehensive list and it is not a legal guide, it is only provided to show the many facets of volunteer screening and liability issues.
The most common screening tools used are:
1. Position Descriptions and Applications:
Position Descriptions are used to clearly state what you are looking for in a volunteer and what the job will involve. Have a written application with a release form that authorizes your agency to conduct record's checks, and ask for three or more references.
Nonprofit Risk Management Center:
Permission to Verify Documents - Example
Sample Disclaimer Language for Volunteer Applications:
2. Interviews:
USFSA Volunteer Interview Questions. http://www.usfsa.org/content/VolunteerInterviewQuestions.pdf
3. Reference Checks:
"Reference Checks" by John Patterson with Charles Tremper and Pam Rypkema. Article is an excerpt from their book Staff Screening Toolkit, 1st edition (NP 658.3112). http://www.energizeinc.com/art/astaf.html
University of Alabama: Reference Check Guidelines
4. Police Records Checks:
St. Charles County Sheriff
County Sheriff's Department
101 Sheriff Dierker Court
O'Fallon, MO 63366
Telephone: (636) 949-0809
St. Louis County & St. Louis City:
Bureau of Central Police Records
7900 Forsyth RM B-013
Clayton, MO
Telephone: (314)615-5317
Criminal history record checks must be obtained in person by the individual requesting the record check. A record check cost, for a criminal history record check for incidents that occurred within St. Louis County is $4.50 and a criminal history record check for incidents that occurred within the City of St. Louis is $4.50. The total cost for a City and County Record Check is $9.00.
State Criminal Check (MO):
Missouri State Highway Patrol:
Criminal Records and Identification Division
1510 East Elm Street
Post Office Box 9500
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Telephone: (573) 526-6153
Webpage: http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CRID/crimRecChk.html
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- "Personal Identifier Search" - a name-based search which will provide only "possible matches" based on your search criteria. Cost: $11
- "Fingerprint Based Search"- A search can be processed based on fingerprints and provide a "positive match" to the person in question. Cost: $20
National Criminal Check:
FBI: Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System:
Only the FBI can run a nation-wide search. An individual, however, may request their FBI record.
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/iafis.htm (about the system)
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/criminal-history-summary-checks (listing of different types of checks)
5. Motor Vehicle Records:
You can request driving records that do not contain the personal information of an individual. Non-personal information includes the driving history showing speeding tickets and other violations.
Write to:
Department of Revenue, Driver and Vehicle Services Bureau
PO Box 200
Jefferson City, MO 65105-0200
Or Go to any Department of Revenue Branch or Fee License Office and pay the correct fee.
$5.88 Driving Record
$0.50 Fax fee
Those companies that are exempt from the Federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), can access driving records with personal information.
Must submit Form 4681, Request from Record Holder with Notary signature
Submit by mail or at any Department of Revenue Branch or Fee License Office.
More information on Requesting a Driving Record:
Form 4681http://dor.mo.gov/forms/4681.pdf
6. Credit Bureau Checks:
Fair Credit Reporting Act - Employment Background Checks
7. Others:
Missouri: Family Care Safety Registry:
This registry accesses multiple databases to check for criminal background activity. With a social security number one can check to see if someone is registered with the Family Care Safety Registry.
http://www.dhss.mo.gov/FCSR/ (main page)
http://www.dhss.mo.gov/FCSR/AppsForms.html (forms)
How to Register:
A person can register by submitting a completed Worker Registration Form (formerly Child-Care or Elder-Care Worker Registration Form), a photocopy of their social security card and a $10.00 registration fee to:
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Fee Receipts Unit
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
*An individual may also register online. The $10.00 registration fee plus $1.00 processing fee will apply and is payable with a major credit card. Registration does not provide a background screening automatically to an employer. The employer must request a background screening separately by telephone, fax, mail or Internet.
Sex Offender Registries:
Missouri Statewide List:
St. Charles County
Other States: links
VineLink: Search for criminal offenders by state and custody status.
BRB Publications: Public Records by state
Court Cases:
Missouri Casenet: Use this database to see if your volunteer has been convicted for a crime, dispute, or traffic ticket in the State of Missouri. Search all Circuit Courts by Offender's name.
Professional Screening:
Here are a few examples of professional companies that can screen volunteers
US Search:
Volunteer Advantage: https://volunteer.fadv.com/pub/


text:
For as long as he can remember, Cyrus Fire has been painting and making art. Fire feels his best work comes out of a connection to his personal memories and emotions. The support of the other artists in the Cowtown Lowbrow collective, whom Fire calls his artist family, pushes him to new artistic levels.
I was sick a lot as a kid, so my mom would bring home paper and things like that from her job to keep me company. It took off from there; you're in the house and there's not a lot you could do that was constructive.
I'm part of the art collective Cowtown Lowbrow. We're having show at Memento Gallery called "Bloodlines." Since we're showing at a tattoo shop, a bloodline is something that a tattoo artist will use to put water into the tattoo machine so when they run a line on the skin they can see it, but there's no actual pigment in it. To tie that into these artists personally, [the theme] would be immediate or extended family, or even things that relate to your childhood.
My approach to the "Bloodlines" show is I didn't have the best upbringing, so I try to paint what happened. I'm trying to make the pieces fun and interesting, but at the same time be truthful. For example, I have this "Vowl" piece, the vampire owl. It represents a member of my family who betrayed me. This person was really close to me, and the owl represents a very clever, intelligent and charismatic person. They were very captivating as an individual, but they're vampiric.
Good art is like radiation. You may or may not like it, but once you've been exposed to it you're affected by it. I try to make my pieces as radioactive as possible. Hopefully if you take one home, it will hold its value because you can keep drawing inspiration from it, the same way we get it from each other [in Cowtown Lowbrow].
I started noticing that the people who were buying certain pieces have certain traits that I knew were in the pieces, but didn't know they were in those people until they bought them.
Music and dancing inspire me. I dance in front of paintings like it's a voodoo kind of thing. It's not like I'm casting a spell or anything; I just put good music on. It's more of a spiritual energy thing. Anything that allows you to feel anything deeply [inspires me]. Music brings that type of feeling to the surface.
Photo by Tim Johnson


text:
November 9, 2011 —
The Pike County Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce have formed the Pike County Economic Alliance, a collaborative working enterprise structure between the two. The project was spearheaded by the Alliance Taskforce Committee, whose members were appointed by each organization. The committee conducted an investigation of economic support organizations in comparable counties throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Drawing upon examples of other successful working alliances in these counties, the committee developed a plan that will focus on Pike County's economic stimulus.
The Economic Development Authority is principally charged with bringing new business to the county, and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce is charged with strengthening existing county business. Each organization will continue to maintain its individual mission, objectives, board of directors and committees.
A search for one executive director to head the Alliance and manage both the chamber and the EDA is underway. Job description information may be found on both the chamber's website (www.pikechamber.com [2]) and the EDA's website (www.edapikepa.org [3]).


text:
FFEAR with Ole Mathisen and Chris Washburne on JazzSet
November 25, 2011. Posted by Becca Pulliam.Add new comment | Filed under: chris washburne, FFEAR, Jazz Alive, JazzSet, Ole Mathisen, Tony Moreno
Things are not what they seem to be .. a four-piece group sounds like a larger ensemble, playing music that is a convincing illusion.
Tune in Sunday, November 27, at 6pm and/or Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30 for FFEAR on JazzSet. It's not scary, it's seductive as reed man Ole Mathisen carries us away from the familiar with microtonal harmony and layered rhythms, then brings us home, changed.
Chris Washburne plays trombone and Tony Moreno, drums, with Ole's brother Per Mathisen from Norway on bass at Miller Theater, Columbia University, New York. Recording and Surround Sound mix by Duke Markos.
Ole practices alternate fingerings to produce tones that are neither natural, flat nor sharp but somewhere in between. Three-quarter tones. But, as Chris says, these in-between pitches already live in jazz; for one example, blues singers use them liberally to tell stories and express emotion.
Ole's composition "Mirage" was commissioned by Chamber Music America's New Jazz Works, funded generously by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Listen on demand any time during the week, here.
The Return of Salsa Meets Jazz
November 3, 2008. Posted by Vincent Bochis.Add new comment | Filed under: awilda, baritone saxophonist, bleecker, bobby sanabria, camero, chris washburne, folktales, greenwich village, guest artist, impresario, Jazz Alive, jazz classics, jazz returns, larry harlow, latin jazz, le poisson rouge, Notes, ronnie cuber, section members, tin tin deo, trombonist, virtuosity
Last month, Salsa Meets Jazz returned to Greenwich Village. The show was held at Le Poisson Rouge, located at the site of the old Village Gate, at Bleecker and Thompson, where Salsa Meets Jazz originated in the 1980's.Bobby Sanabria's nineteen piece juggernaut roared through two sets. The first set included new power arrangements of Latin jazz classics "Manteca" and "Tin Tin Deo." Selections from the band's latest album Big Band Urban Folktales included trombonist Chris Washburne's composition "Pink," which Sanabria described as a song that captures the sights in the city every summer. Trumpet great John Faddis' muscular virtuosity in "Tin Tin Deo" set the bar for the ozone-piercing trumpet work of the four regular section members. The defining rhythms of legendary guest artist, conguero Candido Camero, demonstrated that he continues, at the age of 87, to be a grand master who delights in connecting with the audience. Original Village Gate impresario Art D'Lugoff, who serves as a consultant to Salsa Meets Jazz and other productions, was on hand. WBGO's Awilda Rivera was the host for the evening.
On December 1, Salsa Meets Jazz returns to Le Poisson Rouge. Latin Jazz icon Larry Harlow and his orchestra will be joined by guest artist, the renowned baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber.


text:
Understanding Workers Comp:November 18,2013
As Thanksgiving approaches people anticipate a day for turkey and stuffing, a day for football and family, a day for giving thanks. As the time of year approaches when reflection on the positive becomes prevalent, here are six employer practices in workers compensation to be thankful for:
Employers that take safety seriously. Safety may not prevent all accidents but having a safe workplace is no accident. The National Commission on Compensation Insurance, The Occupational Health and Safety Administration and many other public and private organizations, have resources to assist employers in making accident prevention part of the standard operating procedures of a business. These resources include information to assist the organization establish safety goals, train employees, perform inspections, accident investigations and take other steps to create a safe workplace. OHSA has tools on its website that assists employers in assessing the impact of occupational injuries and illnesses on their profitability. Safe workplaces have fewer accidents and fewer injuries to employees.
Employers who designate the treating health care provider to initially treat an injured employee immediately following a compensable injury. Having a medical provider chosen by the employer is beneficial to both the employee and the employer for a number of reasons. Using a medical provider that is familiar with the workplace, work stations and physical make-up of the plant gives the provider vital information for opinions on: (1) whether the mechanism of injury is consistent with the providers understanding of the job; (2) whether the injured worker is capable of going back to his or her old job without missing any time from work; and (3) any time limited light duty that may be available on site.
Employers with time limited return to work policies. Return to work policies make sense when done correctly. They limit the amount of wage replacement paid out. These policies keep employees active to some degree. They allow the injured worker to maintain relationships with co-workers and provide the worker with access through the employer to the person overseeing the claim. Many companies make the light duty time limited because they cant continue the person on light duty indefinitely.
Employers who report claims when they are aware of them. In Vermont, an employer must report a work injury within 72 hours of notice or knowledge of an injury. Additionally, the employer has 21 days from receiving notice or knowledge of an injury within which to determine whether any compensation is due. Thats not much time to obtain medical authorizations from the worker, request and receive medical records, review the records, get information from the employer and otherwise investigate the claim. The earlier the report, the more time there is to obtain the information needed to determine whether workers compensation benefits are owed.
Employers who maintain contact with injured workers when they are out of work. It is important that an employee who is out of work due to an industrial injury not lose touch with the workplace. An employee absent from work due to a work-related injury may need as much attention from the employer as the workers on the production floor. Contact with the worker, either in person or on the phone, can occur on a regular basis such as once a week. This once a week rule allows the employer to schedule a check-in to see if the injured worker needs anything. Just a quick contact saying, This is Sally from work, Im just checking to make sure the insurance carrier has contacted you, can mean a great deal.
Employers who inform employees about workers compensation procedures before an injury happens. Most people are not familiar with the workers compensation process. Sometimes the unfamiliar can be stressful and that stress can be increased when someone is hurt, in pain and has questions. Explaining the process before an injury, providing a card with contact information when an injury occurs and making sure an employee knows where to go for answers can ease the impact of a stressful situation.
Those are six simple things that employers hoping to improve their experience with workers compensation can consider. Hopefully after implementing some of them, they will be thankful, too.
John W. Valente is an attorney with Ryan Smith & Carbine in Rutland. He is the author of Understanding Workers Compensation: Managing Workplace Injuries and Lowering Costs.MORE IN World/National BusinessWASHINGTON Long-term U.S. Full StoryNEW YORK Its not just the musical Hairspray that will air live on NBC tonight. Full StoryOXON HILL, Md. Far from the Las Vegas Strip, MGM Resorts International opens its $1. Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Padma Lakshmi Wears See-Through Lingerie For Playboy, Talks Nude Modeling Past
Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi steams up the pages of Playboy in a few non-nude photos to accompany her 20 Q feature in the December issue of the magazine.
The sexy Indian talks about food, men and posing nude in the issue. She also reveals a few of the secrets behind her hit Bravo show, like how dhe's not allowed to talk with any of the contestants unless the camera is rolling. So when Playboy asks if any of the aspiring chefs on the show ever hit on her, she kind of wishes they did.
"Well, you know, everyone has a little crush on their fourth-grade teacher. It fades, she says. "But because this is a game show, the chefs are not allowed to talk to me unless it's on camera. It's an FCC thing. Honestly, I don't know a thing about these chefs while we're shooting. I don't know their last names. I don't know if they're married or gay. I don't care. But if an innocent chef tries to chat me up, a producer will walk up and say, 'Please step away from the judge.' Where's that guy in my daily life?
When it comes to food, many wonder how she can look so good despite all the food she gets to eat on the show.
"I usually gain between 10 and 15 pounds over six weeks each season. Then I spend 12 weeks working it off," she says. "But it's worth it."
Padma also says that her job has little to do with her own ability to cook, but more with her ability to taste.
"What I am is an excellent taster," she says. "I have an incredibly sensitive palate, which is why I can do what I do. If you saw me chop an onion, you would be highly unimpressed. But if I taste a dish, I can usually replicate the ingredients.
"And if I kissed you, I could probably tell what you had for lunch."
Padma hasn't done a nude shoot for the magazine, but she has done some nude modeling in the past -- particularly for legendary photographer Helmut Newton, who was obsessed with the scar on her right arm, which she got from a car accident when she was 14-years-old.
"Yes, it was [difficult posing nude for the first time]. In fact, I canceled on Helmut Newton at first," she says. "And no one ever canceled on Helmut. I got cold feet. He called to book me again six or seven weeks later. This time he said it wasn't going to be nude—just topless. He said I could put my hair in front, which I did. What he was most interested in was my scar... Beautiful girls are a dime a dozen, and everybody wants to work with a photographer like Helmut. It was the scar that made him notice me. He loved my scar, and by extension he made me think differently about myself.
"All of a sudden it was something to celebrate or at least not to be ashamed of. Everything in life shapes you."
Padma also explains why she stopped modeling, her "real boobs", and why roast chicken is the dish that every man needs to know how to cook.
Check out her full 20Q interview at Playboy.com (the site is borderline NSFW) or in the new issue, on newsstands Tuesday, November 20.


text:
Just Cause 2 ReviewBy Jake Gaskill - Posted Mar 23, 2010
Just Cause 2 gives you free reign over an insanely massive landscape and lets you engage in one outrageous action sequence after another as you attempt to overthrow a corrupt government. But does it overcome the issues of its predecessor and reach that upper echelon of truly great open-world games?
The Pros
- An incomprehensibly expansive game world
- Hundreds of varied missions and locations
- Grapple + parachute = one of the coolest game mechanics ever
The Cons
- Generic and forgettable story
- Factions are indistinguishable
- Poor vehicle handling
In Just Cause 2, Avalanche Studios has created one of the most expansive sandbox worlds seen thus far in a video game. Base-jumping from the top of a snowcapped mountain and gliding to rest on a sunny beach is something that truly needs to be seen to be believed. Sadly, the war-torn nation of Panau doesn't receive the kind of narrative support that makes other open-world games like Grand Theft Auto more than just a giant tech demo. You'll have fun for sure, but in the end, you'll most likely be left wondering what it was all for.
Jumping Off Point
The story of Just Cause 2, like its predecessor, is as generic and forgettable as they come. Series protagonist Rico Rodriguez returns to action after his boss, Tom Sheldon, goes rogue somewhere on the fictional island nation of Panau in Southeast Asia. An evil dictator named Pandak Panay (think Kim Jong-ill without the style) has taken control of the country, and is being threatened by three warring factions: the Roaches, the Ular Boys and the Reapers. While each faction has its own reason for wanting to bring down Panay's oppressive regime, in practice, all three adhere to the exact same strategies when it comes to putting those anti-government ideologies into practice.
Considering how much of the game is spent in the employ of these factions (there are only seven story missions, every other one is faction-related), it 'd be great if each one had a distinct mission type. While the missions themselves are somewhat varied, it's easy to forget who you are working for at any given time, because after a while, it all starts blending together. Even something as simple as "Group X favors theft missions, Group Y likes to blow stuff up and Group Z likes to overthrown military bases" would work, because it would distinguish your assignments and give each group its own tactical identity.
However, what the missions lack in uniqueness they make up for in quantity, as there are hundreds of them to undertake, and even more locations to discover, each one with various items and acts of chaos to complete. Chaos is what drives the story forward, so blowing up government installations (tankers, radar dishes, gas stations, etc.) raises the chaos meter, and once it's high enough, an agency mission unlocks. There are only seven story missions in the game, but it takes around 90,000 chaos points or so to unlock them, so the majority of your time (in my case just over 15 hours) will be spent doing faction missions and wreaking generalized havoc. I played through it fairly linearly, and by the end of the game I had unlocked 28 percent of the overall game. So there's no shortage of side content to take in.
The Truth is in the Grapple
Yes, unfortunately, the story and characters in Just Cause 2 are forgettable and bland. However, the game delivers in the one area that it matters most, the gameplay. The action is over-the-top and out of control in every way imaginable, and it makes for exceptional fun. And while you have access to all manner of weaponry and rocket mounted helicopters, the real stars of the show are the grapple hook and parachute. The grapple hook behaves much like what you might've seen in Batman: Arkham Asylum, only instead of attaching to gargoyles and specific ledges, you can attach to any surface in the game (airplanes, trees, boxes, etct.). It can also be used to tether enemies to combustible canisters, attach cars to the road, or pull yourself to helicopters, which you can then hijack. But in the heat of battle, it's not the most practical weapon.
When used in tandem with your parachute, the grapple hook offers you a quick and effective vehicle for traversing the expansive game map. Why drive around a mountain when you can just grapple/parachute your way up and over it? In fact, the combination is so effective that once you get the hang of it, you'll most likely avoid using terrestrial vehicles altogether. Helping with this decision is the fact that the vehicle handling is across-the-board terrible, thanks in large part to the slight delay between button input and onscreen action, which makes driving and flying one big exercise in overcompensation.
Thankfully, the grapple/parachute is one of the coolest game mechanics seen in some time, and it adds a wonderfully unique layer to the otherwise straightforward gunplay. There's an adjustment period, but a good chunk of the beginning of the game is spent using it almost exclusively, since you don't unlock the ability to fast travel to locations until a few hours into the game -- maybe longer, depending on how much time you spend off the beaten path. Fast travel is definitely necessary in a game this large, but you can only use it to travel to places you've already discovered. So even after you unlock the option to fast travel, you'll still find yourself trekking for several minutes just to get to your desired destination.
I Wanna… I Wanna Big One!
At first glance, the grapple/parachute and the stunt-focused gameplay are the strongest points of Just Cause 2, but that's doing a disservice to the real marquee act of this game, Panau itself. It's easily the biggest game world I've ever encountered, and that's not just longitudinally. Standing atop the game's highest mountain peak and gazing down at the sprawling landscape beneath is jaw dropping. I actually timed it, and it took six and a half minutes in one of the game's fastest planes to fly from one side of the map to the other (around 37 kilometers, or 23 miles). It's a staggering achievement, and affords players with a virtually limitless playground for mayhem. From sunny beaches, to blistering hot deserts to frozen mountain peaks, Panau is an absolute stunner from top to bottom.
A Pretty Just Cause
Just Cause 2 manages to deliver high-octant thrills and spills on a mind-blowing scale. It won't be remembered for its contributions to great storytelling, the vehicle controls are a bit unruly, and the factions tend to blend into each other, but in the balls-out action department, it does its job and does it well. It also introduces us to the real transportation method of the future: a grappling hook and parachute. What's an electric car again?