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CEO: Gulf crew should have done moreBy CLIFFORD KRAUSS
The New York Times | March 20,2013AP Photo
Steve Newman, president and CEO of Swiss-based Transocean Ltd., leaves Federal Court after testifying in New Orleans on Tuesday.NEW ORLEANS The chief executive of the company that owned the Deepwater Horizon oil rig acknowledged in court Tuesday that his crew should have done more to avert the 2010 oil well blowout that left 11 dead and soiled hundreds of miles of beaches along the Gulf of Mexico.
Do I wish the crew had done more? Absolutely, said Steven L. Newman, chief executive of Transocean. We acknowledged we should have done more.
Newmans measured and partial acknowledgment of accountability goes to the heart of the U.S. District Court trial, now in its fourth week, to assign responsibility for the disaster.
Newman said that while his company was responsible for a narrow slice of the drilling operations, including providing pressure tests that produced faulty readings shortly before the explosion, it was the oil company BP that has everything under its umbrella. The trial bundles suits brought by the Justice Department, several state governments, private businesses and individual claimants against BP and its contractors. Lawyers for tens of thousands of people and businesses seeking redress for damages claim that BP, Transocean and Halliburton are grossly negligent for mismanaging safety procedures.
The Justice Department is arguing that BP was grossly negligent and ultimately responsible for a series of mistakes because it designed the well, selected the contractors and managed the drilling operation. While BP has acknowledged mistakes, it says that its contractors also made serious errors that caused the well blowout and, over the past two weeks, several trial witnesses appear to have helped make its case.
Geoffrey Webster, an expert witness in marine engineering for the plaintiffs, testified earlier that Transocean had neglected to properly maintain and operate the rig and its critical blowout preventer and did not adequately train its crew.
The crew deliberately disabled the automatic functions of a gas alarm system that should have alerted the crew to hazardous gases rising from the well, Webster said. He also testified that the Transocean rig crew failed to use lines designed to divert the escaping oil over the side of the rig, using small, low-pressure tanks on the rig instead that were inadequate for the task.
Those errors, he said, contributed to allowing escaping oil to reach the rig deck and set it on fire, conclusions that had been documented in previous government reports.
Newman also acknowledged that he knew Transocean had problems assuring safety even before the Deepwater Horizon accident when four workers were killed in rig accidents in 2009. The company temporarily suspended operations and underwent a review of its safety practices. I knew that as a result of the incidents we were experiencing we needed to do something, he added.
Newman testified for more than five hours with a steady voice. But at the end of his testimony, when asked how often he thought of the men who lost their lives in the accident, he choked up and fought back tears. Every day, he answered. Because I ask myself if there isnt something more I could have done.
Another contractor-defendant, Halliburton, which had mixed the cement for the well, has also faced some embarrassing questions at the trial in recent days. Thomas Roth, a senior Halliburton executive who was in charge of cementing operations at the time of the spill, acknowledged that because of the well design and other factors, the cement placement was going to be a job that would have a low probability of success.
The trial, which started in late February, is unfolding in two phases. The first will determine whether BP and its contractors were guilty of gross negligence wanton and reckless behavior or disregard for reasonable care that is likely to cause harm or injury in causing the accident. The second phase will determine how much oil actually spilled.
Together, the determinations by District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier will decide how much BP and the others will have to pay in fines. Under the Clean Water Act, fines could range from $1,100 for every barrel spilled through simple negligence to as much as $4,300 a barrel through gross negligence. The U.S. government has estimated that about 4 million barrels of oil were spilled, meaning liabilities of as much as $4.4 billion to $17.2 billion.
BP has already pleaded guilty to 14 criminal charges, agreed to pay $4.5 billion in fines and other penalties and shaken up its management. It has also paid out roughly $9 billion in a partial settlement with businesses, individuals and local governments.
Because of its contracts with BP, Halliburton and Transocean are protected from most spill costs, aside from punitive damages, even if they are all found to have been grossly negligent. Transocean has already pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor criminal charge of violating the Clean Water Act and has agreed to pay $400 million in criminal penalties. It also agreed to $1 billion in civil settlements. Halliburton has not settled with the Justice Department and claims that it was simply following BPs instructions.MORE IN National / World BusinessNEW 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
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DD seems to have started another nursing strike today. She is 15 months old. It looks like it's because of teething. She seems to be in a lot of pain. I've never seen her so inconsolable. I tried Tylenol and Advil but neither seems to be offering her any relief.
I'm wondering how many times I should pump a day to protect my supply in case this is a nursing strike. I pump weaned about a month ago. DD nurses 4 times on weekdays and 6-7 times a day on the weekends. I returned my hospital-grade pump, but I still have a Medela PISA. Given these circumstances, how many times do you think I should pump?
DD's nursing strike at 9 months lasted 5 weeks. I don't know if I have it in me to do that again, especially after my month of freedom from the pump, but I'm not ready to wean yet. Thinking that DD might really wean this time just leaves me in tears. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEWS BRIEFS All Seasons Services, Inc., has acquired CSS Vending Company Inc. of New York. CSS is a full-line vending company that serves the metro New York City area. State agriculture and health agencies spent about $1.3 billion on food safety programs in fiscal year 1999, according to a new report from the U.S. General Accounting Office. For more information on how this money was spent, check out the GAO report, #01-177, entitled Food Safety: Overview of Federal and State Expenditures. ...
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We are Korean Moms in training dedicated to psycho-analyzing our moms, reliving horrible memories of embarrassment and dread for the benefit of the public...all the while laughing like a wheezy grandpa. Someone needs to pay for our therapy...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
#34 Saving wrapping paper
15 comments:
- Jenn said...
You are absolutely fantastic... I love this blog.
- May 13, 2008 at 3:08 PM
- moolgishin said...
Ah-hahaha this is so true. I now find myself doing it too. >.<
- May 21, 2008 at 5:13 PM
- Joyce said...
so truee hahaahahahahahaha
- June 26, 2008 at 9:13 PM
hahahah this is so true. My mom and (my dad too) has been saving all the used wrapping papers as far as i can remember and they always recycle them. They dont really care if its christmas paper or some kinda birthday paper, they always reuse the papers and they hate throwing away the used wrapping papers.
- July 21, 2008 at 9:45 PM
- .koo. said...
i just found a piece of used wrapping paper my mom made me save. it's the "cutest one ever because it's from Korea town."
- July 29, 2008 at 1:06 PM
aaai-go! lol
no way.. hysterical.
you perfectly... to a T, described my mom.
- July 31, 2008 at 11:39 PM
- Blue Floppy Hat said...
I'm Indian. This sounds just like my mother, she actually used to store wrapping paper in flat sheets under our matresses, no joke.
- August 3, 2008 at 4:04 PM
I finally realized it's sort of taboo to buy and wrap gifts for xmas for children or parents at all. "waste money"...gives me much insight now. Thanks for that. We were told not to buy presents for my beau's sister's kids last year. Now I know why. Same for her. I've read somewhere else, cash is the preferred present in Korea. No wrapping required. Well after all that pickiness - she gets nothing for Christmas. Nothing to complain about now.
- August 4, 2008 at 1:18 AM
Actually, as cheap as my parents are they didn't really do this but I do. But I think it should be commended not criticized. Wrapping paper is more than a waste of money, it's a waste of resources. With the way the environment is going, wrapping paper is killing trees uselessly. I like the gift bags that can better be reused and don't forget to save the tissue paper! Especially if you have kids, you can use the tattered pieces for art projects. I hope someday wrapping paper becomes extinct. Reusable gift boxes and gift bags are the way to go.
- August 6, 2008 at 12:59 AM
As a non-Korean who loves the culture, I applaud your blog. Thanks to a friend, I found out about it and love what I'm learning from here. Keep writing!! :)
- August 8, 2008 at 4:12 PM
- parksalot said...
my mother would wrap my textbooks in inside out, cut up, paper grocery bags. surprisingly, i liked it.
- August 10, 2008 at 3:14 AM
oh crap, it's all in the attic! (because i was tired of staring at it in the house, year-round)
is it going to be used? no...
do we keep buying more? why not?...
- August 20, 2008 at 4:41 AM
- Heather *IsaBella and Harrison's Mommy* said...
Yes, wrapping paper is a waste of money! But nowadays, with the outside of the present being a present in itself, you have to spend a fortune on the decorations or you look cheap! Cash is so good for this reason... I find myself saving wrapping paper too, but whenever my kid's open up presents, I encourage them to rip through it like animals so that I can't save anymore scraps of paper... Ahhhh...
Love always,
- October 10, 2008 at 3:43 AM
- tellos said...
Also true for Swiss mom..
- August 6, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Chiyo, I have to share with you the wrath our entire family has incurred. Our Korean mom, is the dictionary picture of your blog. Her poor daughter in law, at Christmas, was desperately trying to find ways to please her new mother in law, having already endured months of criticism about every facit of her life, home, etc. Being the techie she is, innocently googled "what korean moms like". Well, your blog popped up first, and as the entire family of half Koreans and married to half Koreans, were doubled over laughing, there she sat with a small smile, but obviously disturbed look on her face. We've now had months and months of #5, her non-Korean husband calls all the time, saying "my life is miserable,"mom's still upset about the internet at Christmas". And the latest, her son's first child- first, ultrasound found it was to be a girl, then when born, look s exactly like the blond, petite, blue eyed mother. No dark hair, no asian look, nothing like her son whatsoever...........It's going to be a long childhood for this one. Thanks for the laughs, we all hide out from her around the laptop and never mention the internet exists.
- March 25, 2010 at 11:01 AM


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Fallout: New Vegas ReviewBy Christopher Monfette - Posted Oct 18, 2010
While the story may not be as gripping, and the technical execution may not be as polished, Fallout: New Vegas is well worth the purchase for any fan of the franchise, whether you've played Fallout 3 or not.
The Pros
- More great fallout-style gameplay
- Dozens of hours of content
- A useful and robust companion system
- Captivating faction dynamics
The Cons
- Incredibly, inexcusably glitchy
- Slowly paced, underwhelming side-quests
- Lacks an emotionally gripping single-player story
As the saying goes, war never changes, and if the newest entry in the post-apocalypic series is any example, neither does Fallout.
Fallout: New Vegas isn't so much a sequel to Fallout 3 as it is an elaborate piece of DLC. It looks and plays the same as its praiseworthy predecessor, but fans looking for a wholly new, leveled-up experience will instead find a very familiar, if somewhat redressed, adventure. And it begins, as many great stories do, with a death…your own.
A Soft, Quiet "Pop" in the Midnight Desert
After a bullet tears through your skull in the middle of a mid-Mojave business transaction, you're hastily dumped into a grave -- slug still in your skull -- only to be unearthed and revived sometime later by a drifting robot. A doctor in the nearby town of Goodsprings nurses you back to health, and it's here where players will determine their physical appearance and undergo psychological testing that will determine their initial skill distribution. The skills (Strength, Intelligence, Luck, Perception, etc.) are essentially the same as in the previous game, although New Vegas brings back the Traits from Fallout 2, a selection of parameters that offer both sizeable advantages and equal disadvantages. You can choose two of these, or none, depending upon the trade-offs you're willing to make.
You'll quickly remember that you were a hired-gun courier, one of several tasked with moving some seemingly random objects from point-to-point throughout the desert, including a platinum casino chip that was stolen after your "murder." The significance of that chip, and its role in a larger conspiracy leading to the very top of the New Vegas criminal hierarchy, forms the remainder of the story; it's a kind of post-apocalyptic Scorsese film.
What (Doesn't Really) Happen in Vegas…
The game starts abruptly, however, lacking the measured process of your birth and childhood in Fallout 3's Vault 101. As a consequence, you're thrust into the desert with no real sense of purpose or connection other than to find the man who put the bullet so gingerly in your dome. Some players will no doubt appreciate this expedience while others, such as myself, will feel a lack of emotional development or discovery. There's no emerging moment. There's no point when you climb up from the darkness into a massive, sun-baked landscape with a single, emotional goal. In Fallout 3, it was finding your father. Rather, New Vegas starts with a literal bang, pats you carelessly on the backside and says, "You're on your own."
As always, the player is free to shape their moral space in the world, but at least in the first eight or ten hours of New Vegas, the lines aren't quite so black or white. Your "good" and "bad" choices aren't particularly well articulated, and the world unfolds at a much slower, sometimes clumsier, pace than in previous games. It'll take you awhile to get your bearings amongst the various players and townships; however, once you hit hour 15, you'll no doubt feel rooted in the universe and properly equipped to make your way through it.
This Pack of Rats
The world of Fallout: New Vegas is as loaded with groups and sub-groups, allegiances and shifting alliances. The New California Republic – or NCR – is a semi-benevolent military organization attempting to both restore peace in the region and hold their control of the all-important power plant, the Hoover Dam. However, this has come with the cost of some hasty, uninformed military decisions that have led to a high civilian body count and placed a heavy demand on those innocent wastelanders left to make a living off land that the NCR is rapidly annexing.
Meanwhile, an army of neo-Roman centurions known as Ceasar's Legion has been amassing strength and numbers with an eye on seizing the Dam and taking control of New Vegas and the surrounding territories. The Legion is generally a ruthless, power hungry gang of exceptionally well-trailed militiamen -- yes, garbed in full Roman regalia -- whose willingness to scorch the earth and all who live on it is only rivaled by their lust for the land itself.
Lesser groups in the wasteland consist of your usual Raiders and Fiends who'll provide "good" players with bounty missions and "bad" players with less well-intentioned tasks. More organized gangs, like the Powder Gangers (two-bit, wanna-be convicts and thugs) are eclipsed by larger, more predatory gangs like the Khans: the equivalent of a post-War biker gang, peddling drugs and stims to the strung out masses of New Vegas. Later, in Vegas proper, the gangs find themselves a bit more organized: from the 50's-inspired, slicked-back Kings, all the way into the mafia-esque nature of the elite who rule the Strip and everybody in it.
Fallout: New Vegas includes a slightly revamped Infamy system that will gain you either status or disdain with each group depending upon the quests you tackle or how many members of their gang you've left for dead in the desert. It's a unique system that will open or close sub-quests depending upon your leanings, but the game's armor system is more likely to get you into trouble than out of it.
You can collect the allied armor of any gang member you kill and wear it to help infiltrate enemy camps. It's a useful strategy when planning out your missions, but considering that there's relatively little neutral, non-allied armor in the game -- and even fewer places to purchase it -- you'll likely find yourself wearing faction armor simply for protection. The downside, of course, comes when you accidentally stumble upon a friendly faction who believes you to be their enemy and attacks, forcing you to defend yourself and gain some unintentional Infamy.
Hedging Your Bets
Also new to New Vegas (or maybe old, so to speak) is the return of the crafting system from previous chapters. In addition to the familiar work benches, campfire crafting allows players to with sufficient skill to break down and re-combine scrap objects into workable ammo, stimpaks, etc. It's a worthwhile addition for the junk collectors of the world, as well as those who generally put more value on Repair, Science and Intellect than on Guns, Lockpicking or Strength; however, if you acquire a few choice Perks throughout the game, it will hardly be necessary given the amount of equipment you'll discover in ammo boxes and lockers.
Managing your resources will ultimately be as important to your survival as finding and selecting an appropriate companion. The friend system in New Vegas is a more pronounced component than in the last chapter and incredibly helpful along your journey. In some senses, the tweaked companion mechanic, which offers an intuitive wheel of selectable commands, is the greatest success of New Vegas. My chosen counterpart -- an NCR sniper named Boone -- proved invaluable in battle and the fact that you gain the XP from your friend's kills only helps to sweeten the deal. In addition, your companions will open up deeper, more interpersonal storylines as your time with them grows, and it's entirely possible that your followers will illicit a more emotional connection than any single event in the single-player campaign.
Fear and Loathing
As with any Fallout game, the single-player storyline is secondary to the myriad of sub-quests that you'll discover as you explore the wastelands. The various gangs and groups will open and close possible missions depending upon your standing, but either way, there's a huge amount to see and do in the Mojave. That said, the quality of the writing in New Vegas – which is to say, the degree to which these stories will compel you as you play through them – is only a scant shadow of what players have come to expect from Fallout 3.
Where missions in Fallout 3 might have you protecting a besieged town only to journey underground in search of vampires, New Vegas offers a fairly unaffecting selection of fetch quests, bounties and paint-by-numbers rigmarole. The constant back-and-forth between the various factions can become politically tiring if you're simply looking to aid or thwart real, everyday folks out in the waste.
There are a few choice quests that feel close to the quality of Fallout 3, but these come later in the game, assuming you follow the general progression that the story suggests. If you like to head out wandering into the wastes and somehow avoid being overpowered by criminals and critters, you may encounter a few of these sooner rather than later.
Overall, questing in New Vegas is a lot of fun, and your inner explorer will no doubt be satisfied, but with the exception of a few choice quests, it'll mostly feel like going through the motions. While the total landmass feels smaller, the world is jam-packed with locations, but whereas almost every building in Fallout 3 featured some associated quest, here, you'll come across a large handful of structures with no real purpose aside from looting and exploration. Also, certain missions will only be added to your miscellaneous notes, not to your quest log, so managing some of the less defined goals can occasionally be a hassle.
You'll also notice as you pass through the landscape that the look of the game, while graphically identical to Fallout 3, is much less involving. Long, open stretches of painted desert present a nice-to-look-at vista, but the Mojave simply lacks the character of the sprawling ruins of Washington, DC. Also, the flat nature of the landscape occasionally highlights a persistent pop-in problem as you're moving across an empty field only to have a building appear directly in front of you. Interiors, as well, appear virtually no different than in the previous title, composed of the same ol' textures whether you're in a warehouse, factory or underground cave.
Let's Get Glitched in Vegas
Perhaps the biggest, most substantive criticism of Fallout: New Vegas is that it's glitchy. Not just annoying so, but utterly, game-breakingly glitchy. In a massive, marathon play-through (before the game's official launch), the game crashed five times in a 26 hour period, often in the middle of the action during vital moments.
Quest markers were placed in random locations totally unassociated with the active quest. Mailboxes transformed into distending, amorphous blobs that moved about the environment and were identified as Radscorpions. Townsfolk and enemies floated above the ground, often passing through each other. Key characters ran off into the wilderness for no discernable reason, directly to their deaths at the hands of the local bestiary. Several times, my character was whisked away on a train ride to The Strip when he wasn't even on the train.
These aren't small, insignificant problems, and while issues with a game as massive as this are to be expected, there's an obvious lack of quality control here for a property with the Bethesda brand stamped across the front.
You Are Now Leaving…
At the end of the day, however, this is a Fallout game, offering players a huge, populated universe to explore and dozens of hours worth of questing and leveling that'll speak to any RPG gamer.
While the story may not be as gripping, and the technical execution may not be as polished, it's well worth the purchase for any fan of the franchise, whether you've played Fallout 3 or not. While Bethesda is off developing the next Elder Scrolls title…or Fallout 4…or whatever it is they're presently creating, the Obsidian-developed Fallout: New Vegas is a worthwhile, if flawed, appetizer for the anxious masses.


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Within reason? Now how the **** we're gonna get Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams and Josh Boone?
It's obvious you're thinking of dealing Francis, Marbury, Taylor and Malik... but that would not result in three first rounders. At least indicate what trades you're assuming.
Without a trade, all we have is two picks in the 20's, which may land us Boone. The only way to move up and contend for Gay and Williams is through a trade, which probably means those lower pick will be gone. So I kinda see it impossible to be able to have three picks in the first round, especially two in the top 10.
Furthermore, there is already another thread about this subject.


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Understanding Insurance
Every summer, dangerous thunderstorms pass through the Eastern Panhandle, creating major wind events that result in a lot of trees downed on houses, cars and power lines.
Eastern Panhandle property owners have insurance claims ranging from homes that are uninhabitable to just a few shingles blown off the roof. In their aftermath, many property owners learn what their insurance policies cover and what they do not.
For example, while all insurance policies exclude damage to plants, trees and shrubs caused by wind, some insurance companies will make limited payments for the debris removal of a tree downed by wind, while other companies will not.
Another good example is insurance coverage for food spoilage due to a power interruption away from the residence premises. Some insurance companies will exclude this coverage if the power interruption is attributable to wind while other insurance companies will provide coverage no matter what caused the power interruption.
The lesson here for Eastern Panhandle property owners is that not all property policies are the same. This summer is a good time to schedule a review of all of your insurance policies with your local Eastern Panhandle insurance professional.
Many homeowners here in the lower Shenandoah Valley do not understand the difference between HO-5 and HO-3 homeowners insurance policies. As a certified financial planner practitioner, specializing in insurance, I recommend an HO-5 policy over an HO-3 policy in most situations.
The most common homeowners insurance policy, HO-3, provides comprehensive coverage for your home, meaning your home is insured for any peril that isn't specifically excluded. However, your personal property, the contents of your home – i.e., your clothes, computer and furniture – are only covered by named perils in an HO-3 policy. The takeaway here is that comprehensive coverage is better than named perils coverage.
On the other hand, with an HO-5 policy, both personal property and your home are provided with comprehensive coverage. Therefore, if you have a claim due to anything that causes damage to your personal property within your home, you wouldn't have to prove that it happened because of a named peril.
For instance, if your roof develops a water leak and your property is damaged, you do not have to prove that it happened based on a reason covered by your policy, such as hail. If the peril is not specifically excluded, you are covered.
I also recommend Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage versus Replacement Coverage or Extended Replacement Cost coverage. The difference is Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage provides the peace of mind that your home would be protected regardless of rebuilding costs. If your policy was for $100,000, but it cost $200,000 to rebuild, the insurer will pay the $200,000.
Replacement Coverage means the policy will cover the cost of rebuilding, up to the amount of the policy. So, if your policy is for $100,000, and you have a total loss, you'll get up to that much to rebuild and no more.
Extended replacement coverage means the company will cover the cost of rebuilding your house, up to a stated percentage over the amount for which it is insured. Usually, it's up to 20 percent or 30 percent above the face value of the insurance policy.
Your local Eastern Panhandle insurance professional will be able to help you decide if Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage is better for you.
Another important insurance coverage that I ask property owners to at least consider is for earthquake. This is one that Eastern Panhandle property owners are usually adamantly for or against. I recommend requesting an earthquake endorsement quote before making your final decision.
In summary, debris removal for trees downed by wind, food spoilage caused by a power interruption away from the residence premises due to wind, HO-5 homeowners insurance policies, guaranteed replacement cost coverage and earthquake coverage endorsements are just some insurance coverage topics you will want to review with your Eastern Panhandle insurance professional.
Tom Maiden is a certified financial planner practitioner, specializing in insurance, in Shepherdstown. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from West Virginia University and teaches at Shepherd University. For insurance information and safety tips, call Tom at 304-876-0822 or visit www.TomMaiden.com or www.facebook.com/InsuranceOutfitters.


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We tend to have a slightly romanticized idea of how scientists work. In our mind's eye, we have a picture of an individual, perhaps stroking his beard thoughtfully as apples rain down on him, suddenly leaping to his feet and shouting "Eureka!" Then, after a bit of quick work with some graph paper, BAM, the world has indoor plumbing.
Wikimedia Commons
Cracked, as always, salutes you, Sir Thomas Crapper.
But that's not necessarily how invention works. Aside from the fact that these scientists and inventors often work in teams, even those teams don't exist in a vacuum. They read the scientific literature, and attend conferences, and exchange correspondence with their peers, and in general absorb the thoughts and ideas of their day, thoughts and ideas that are accessible to everyone else. Indeed, it turns out that many of the biggest inventions and discoveries of all time haven't been made by a single person, but by many people, working more or less independently, in some cases barely finishing their research before they make comical sprints to the patent office, trousers hanging around their ankles.
Wikimedia Commons
Cracked also salutes this probably apocryphal story of Sir Thomas Crapper's pratfall-laden sprint to the patent office.
Here then are some of the most famous discoveries of all time and their equally famous discoverers, and also the sad people in the shadows who discovered the same things seconds too late.
Depending on your level of education, you'll recognize calculus either as the study of limits, infinitesimals, and rates of change or as a spooky, possibly magical practice performed by people with thicker glasses and thinner arms than you.
"Hey Poindexter. Calculate the area under your mom when she's crab walking at me."
Making the probably safe assumption that most of you fall into the latter category, I'll just summarize it here: Calculus is important, and it forms the bedrock for the study of physics, engineering, economics, and essentially every other damned thing we use each day.
Including your mom.
The invention of calculus is now widely credited to both Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. Newton almost certainly came upon the idea first around 1666, but he didn't tell anyone about it, because he was kind of a wierdo. Leibniz, starting in about 1673, came by the discovery himself from a slightly different angle, also developing a much better method of notation that we still use today. Leibniz then formally published his results in advance of Newton, although Newton's papers had been circulating informally for some time. Whether Leibniz saw these papers or not would cause no small amount of hair-pulling among the wider world of math groupies.
Seriously, this was really important to a lot of overly thin dudes.
You see, having the inventor of calculus hang out in the same social clubs as you was really important to these guys, and for years afterward these math groupies nearly came to blows over whose champion invented calculus first. It wasn't until decades later that everyone calmed down enough to acknowledge that they both basically invented it independently.
There's a larger point in all this, though, which will reappear in the examples to come. Although both men were certainly geniuses, this was a problem that was probably going to get solved soon anyways. Their work was based on the work of others, widely circulated among the thinkers of the day. If for some reason Newton and Leibniz had ignored math and devoted all their time and energies to wig maintenance ...
Wikimedia Commons
Well. More time.
... someone else would have probably put together calculus within a few years.
4Theory of Evolution
Evolution, the process by which species change over multiple generations, is one of the cornerstones of our understanding of biology and the natural world. (Unless you don't think that, in which case it's magic.) And as every schoolchild knows, evolution was discovered by Charles Darwin after he traveled the world and found that one island full of monkeys capable of wearing human clothes.
Darwin: "Thank you, Chuckles. When they remember me, I shall be remembering you."
Darwin wasn't quite the first to speculate that species could change over time; that idea had already been floating around among scientists for awhile. But even then it was considered a little radical, and no one could quite figure out how it worked. Even Darwin would take a couple decades after his great voyage to finally formulate the key mechanism that we now call natural selection. But finally he figured it out, and he was about to step into history when some asshole sent him an essay explaining the whole thing.
Wikimedia Commons
Alfred Russel Wallace, pictured here snaking his place in history.
That asshole was Alfred Russel Wallace, and I use the term in jest, because in reality he appears to be one of the nicest guys in the history of science. He only sent his theory to Darwin because he loved the guy so much and would allow his theory to be presented jointly with some of Darwin's notes. A few months later, when Darwin's landmark The Origin of Species was published, Wallace didn't seek any of the limelight.
Patche99z via Wikimedia Commons
Statue limelight.


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Shut down YankeeFebruary 21,2013
I submit Entergy is not lying. Is a child lying when they tell Santa they have been good, just to get what they want? In the child's mind keeping Santa happy is all that matters.
In a corporation where saying anything to appease the public is a way of life, is it any wonder that since litigation keeps the plant running and the profits coming in Entergy will say they don't want to go to court? That safety is the magic word needed to apply to anything that challenges their profit margins now? That past record is no indication of future actions? That trust is recognized as a place to hold money not a reliance on another person or entity to follow through on their word? That the need to fund a trust for future decommissioning is not relevant? That they would not challenge state authority over the plant and wield a team of lawyers who are doing just that in the procedural process at hand? That they can sit on their collective butts instead of being pro-active in the certificate renewal process and then claim the Legislature is responsible for the delay, not them?
Face value, simply put, Entergy is not a company that understands respect, honesty, integrity and truth — ideas still valued here in Vermont.
The sooner Vermont Yankee is decommissioned, the site cleaned up and Entergy out of our lives the better.
Deny a new CPG.
Shut down Vermont Yankee now and mandate Entergy pay the decommissioning and radioactive waste cleanup cost.
Al Blakey
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Abound Solar plagued by defective panels
- published_in
- Today's News
Although the failed company's financial results were redacted in the reports by the energy department, the documents make clear that the Loveland-based solar-panel maker's revenue and production levels came in lower than it had anticipated in every quarter of 2011.
Abound's highly publicized Chapter 7 bankruptcy this July resulted in the layoffs of 125 people, on top of the 280 it had laid off earlier in the year, and the closure of facilities in Larimer and Weld counties.
Its bankruptcy came amid a year of tumult and spreading uncertainty in the solar industry, but has stood out because Abound, established in 2007, had drawn down $70 million on a $400 million DOE-backed loan. The loan — supported by members of Congress from both parties — was cut off in September 2011.
Taxpayers are expected to lose $40 million to $60 million in the bankruptcy, according to the energy department. Investors, including Pat Stryker's Bohemian Cos., are also expected to lose big.
In media interviews and testimony before Congress, Abound has blamed competition from the Chinese for its failure. China's government has, in fact, supported its solar industry with tens of billions of dollars in subsidies.
But the quarterly reports, obtained by the Business Report under the Freedom of Information Act, tell a far different story.
Rather than pointing to foreign competition, the Colorado State University spin-off told the DOE that it was having big problems with equipment and its products.
These problems appeared to have plagued the company even as it drew down on its DOE loan at least once during the third quarter. The company did not draw down on the loan during either the second or fourth quarters, but its reports leave it unclear whether it might have done so in January 2011.
The reports were signed by Abound Chief Financial Officer Steve Abely; Abely did not return phone messages seeking comment. Energy department spokesman Damien LaVera declined to comment on the reports.
In the report covering the first quarter of 2011, the company wrote it had experienced a drop in production that it blamed on the reconfiguration of semiconductor tools used to make its panels.
Subsequent tests, it told the government, confirmed it had "resolved a substantial portion of (its) products' underperformance." However, the production drop-offs led to excess overhead and "unusually high yield losses," Abound said in its report to the government.
The report notes the company did not draw on the loan "pending analysis by DOE engineering of the company's 2010 budget and technical solutions to our products' underperformance for power."
The company's problems with its semiconductor systems cropped up anew in the second quarter.
Late timing of shipments compounded Abound's difficulties. Offering a measure of optimism, the company reported that its second-quarter revenue came "close" to budget and that demand and backlog for subsequent quarters had increased with both new and existing customers.
However, Abound also noted it was seeing failures in the buss bars in its solar panels. Buss bars conduct electricity. At the same time, it tried to assure the DOE that "technical solutions are understood and being implemented."
By the third quarter, Abound's production issues were still a problem, though it told the energy department it had adequate inventory to meet anticipated orders. However, those orders failed to close and the company again missed its targets. It also warned the DOE it anticipated a steep decline in the fourth quarter.
Significantly, the company noted in its report that it was forced to spend money recycling panels with defective buss bars that it had produced in 2010, the year it received the loan guarantee.
Abound said it needed to book further "warranty reserves" for panels produced that year with faulty buss bars. The company drew down an undisclosed amount on its DOE loan guarantee that quarter, according to its third-quarter report.
Abound's troubles continued in the fourth quarter, when it blamed low revenue on a "cyclical market decline." It chose to cut production due to seasonally weak demand, and it spent still more money on recycling panels with defective buss bars.
The energy department, in releasing the documents, blacked out details on the private company's revenues, production targets, loan amounts and terms of the loan agreement.
It declined to reveal those figures, it said, because doing so would harm the inactive solar panel manufacturer's "competitive interests."
Portions deleted from the documents include "sensitive commercial information," the energy department told the Business Report.
"Public disclosure of this information would cause substantial harm to the applicant's competitive interests," the energy department said in an emailed statement. "Specifically, disclosing financing information strategies would provide an unfair advantage to competitors by enabling competing power suppliers to estimate supply costs and use this information to bid against the applicant."
Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, doesn't think that makes sense.
"The applicant's out of business, so I don't understand how they could hide behind that," he said. "Maybe, at that point, it sounds like they do have something to hide because you're talking about a business that is bankrupt."
LaVera, the DOE spokesman, said releasing financial and other sensitive information could affect the interests of other companies involved in the bankruptcy or undermine the value of Abound's remaining assets, undercutting the department's efforts to recover taxpayer dollars.
Incorporated in 2007 as AVA Solar by CSU professor W.S. Sampath and two others, Abound began production in a Longmont facility in 2009. The company showed promise in its use of cadmium telluride thin films, technology that researchers still believe has potential. By 2010, it had reached $260 million in equity investment.
The company's failure now draws comparisons to Solyndra, the California solar panel manufacturer that went bankrupt after receiving $528 million from the energy department's loan-guarantee program, part of the Obama administration's stimulus package. Solyndra has been liquidated, but its parent, 360 Degree Solar Holdings, is preparing to soon exit bankruptcy court protection.
Gardner and other members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee have been investigating Abound Solar and the energy department's loan guarantee program.
Lawmakers are now trying to learn what — if anything — the energy department knew about Abound Solar's manufacturing problems before it agreed to the $400 million loan guarantee.
House Republicans have suggested that a report from an engineering firm commissioned by the energy department in October 2010 – two months before it closed on the loan guarantee with Abound in December – indicated performance problems with Abound panels.
"We need to know why they went ahead with it if they knew there were technical problems with the product," Gardner said.
"There's hundreds of people in Northern Colorado out of work," Gardner added. "We need answers for those people who are out of work."
Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck also is looking into securities fraud allegations. That probe includes exploring whether representatives of the company knew that the company's products were defective and then asked people to invest in the company without disclosing the deficiencies.
Meanwhile, Weld County, where Abound also had facilities, is seeking $1.8 million in property taxes Abound Solar failed to pay last year and part of this year.
Nearly half of the unpaid taxes would have funded St. Vrain Valley School District, Weld County Commission Chairman Sean Conway said.
"I think it's unconscionable that any company would walk away from their responsibility to pay property taxes that impact K through 12 education," he said. "This is money that's been taken out of St. Vrain School District and impacts students."
Conway, however, believes the county has positioned itself to recoup those losses through its participation in the bankruptcy court proceedings.
Abound declared bankruptcy in July. It sales had plunged from $26 million in 2010 to $22 million last year and just $1 million this year.
A recent auction to sell its property drew bidders from around the world. Proceeds are supposed to recoup a portion of taxpayers' investment in the company, though not everyone will get their money back.
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ABN Amro diaspora continues to return
ABN Amro, the Dutch lender rising from the ashes of its predecessor's ill-fated merger with Royal Bank of Scotland, has re-hired a former executive to further beef up its investment bank.
Jonathan Greenwood, who was most recently global head of insurance and head of financial institutions for the Netherlands at RBS, has been appointed as global head of financial institutions and real estate at ABN Amro.
He succeeds Rutger Schellens, who has been appointed as global head of markets at the Dutch firm, a spokesman for the bank said in an emailed statement.
In a stark contrast to RBS, where swingeing cuts to its investment bank have vastly reduced the size of its business, state-backed ABN Amro is on a hiring spree.
The lender bought back the corporate finance, sector advisory, equity capital markets, equity brokerage and capital structuring activities of RBS Netherlands in May 2012. This included 62 former RBS Netherlands employees.
RBS had acquired the Dutch firm's wholesale division as part of a consortium of buyers as the financial crisis broke in late 2007.
Following the collapse of Belgium's Fortis in 2008, which bought ABN Amro's Dutch and Belgian units as part of the deal, the Dutch government nationalised and relaunched the local operations under the ABN Amro name.
A rebuilding exercise has taken place since, with a string of former ABN Amro bankers returning to the fold.
Among the most senior bankers to return are Jan-Maarten Mulder, who previously worked for ABN Amro predecessors Fortis and MeesPierson, and former ABN Amro commodities banker Maureen DeRooij.
Mulder joined the bank as head of commodities from trading house Trafigura in September. DeRooij returned from Standard Chartered in Singapore to become country executive in Hong Kong and chief executive of large corporates and merchant banking for ABN Amro in Asia last July.
ABN Amro is attempting to win mandates in Europe as it rebuilds its team, with roles on a number of deals last year.
The bank had a slot as bookrunner on Barclays' £5.8 billion rights issue last October, as well as on a €3 billion cash call for Dutch mobile operator KPN last May. It is also advising US exchange operator IntercontinentalExchange on its acquisition of NYSE Euronext, the Amsterdam bourse operator.
Previously with ABN Amro between 1994 and 2008, Greenwood was global head of insurance and pension funds at the time of the RBS merger.
Prior to his time with ABN Amro, he was a fixed income syndicate banker with Goldman Sachs. An Oxford University graduate, he also holds an MBA from Insead.
-- Write to email@example.com and follow on Twitter @RJPartington


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Barre gears up for heritage festivalJuly 23,2013
By David Delcore
Staff Writer
BARRE — The words "closed to through traffic" sure do have a different ring when it's just for fun.
Just ask organizers of the Barre Heritage Festival and Homecoming Days who are itching to block off North Main Street from Creamery Court to City Hall Park and maybe a little beyond, to throw a popular community party that had to work around a construction zone for two straight summers. Not this year.
The "Big Dig" is done, the Granite City's main thoroughfare has never looked better, and if that isn't cause for celebration, what is?
"It's hard to have a Main Street festival when you don't have a Main Street," says Mollie Brault-Binaghi, who is enjoying her first post-Big Dig gig as director of a five-day festival that routinely attracts more than 15,000 people
The long-awaited reconstruction of North Main Street was a mild inconvenience in Brault-Binaghi's first year as festival director, and last year it forced her to shift much of the focus — not to mention the parade — off North Main Street and onto Merchants Row.
This year Brault-Binaghi says festival organizers plan to make the most of Barre's new-look North Main Street — blocking off a significant section of it first thing Saturday morning to create the walkable festival zone she envisioned three years ago.
"It's going to be great to showcase our downtown … and kind of see it in action," she says.
Nick Landry, one of Brault-Binaghi's key volunteers for each of the past three years, agrees.
"It's going to make (North) Main Street like Church Street in Burlington for the day," he says of a layout that will feature two separate stage areas — one in City Hall Park and the other across from Depot Square — and a family-friendly "Kid Zone" between Depot Square and Creamery Court.
The idea — one that seemed to work in each of the past two years and will be fully put to the test Saturday — is to encourage festival-goers to walk between the stage areas that will each feature a wide variety of live entertainment, while filling in the area between them with street vendors, sidewalk sales, a flea market and craft bazaar, and a collection of clowns and other street performers.
"That way people can really experience the whole street," Brault-Binaghi says of a festival that officially kicks off Wednesday but has arguably already begun.
Some downtown storefronts have already been decorated for the occasion, and most merchants are participating in a weeklong
"Shop local, win big!" campaign that will earn interested festival-goers a chance to win more than $2,000 in prizes including a $1,400 downtown shopping spree.
Details about the downtown promotion, like the vast list of events, entertainment and activities, and a range of volunteer opportunities, are posted at barreheritagefestival.org.
If Brault-Binaghi had to pick a word to describe this year's festival — an event that will start relatively quietly Wednesday, progressively pick up steam Thursday and Friday, and hit its stride Saturday before ending Sunday — it would be "diverse."
What else would you call a festival that is billed as a "celebration of community, culture, history and the arts"? An event where traditional fair food like fried dough, candy apples and Italian sausage will at least briefly compete Friday with a decidedly ethnic mix of foods, ranging from polenta and paella to quiche Lorraine and cock-a-leekie soup? A celebration where you can spend part of your Saturday morning feasting on an epic breakfast prepared by local Rotarians while watching teams tug a tractor-trailer truck up
Elm Street and part of your Saturday afternoon watching teams push a bathtub through an obstacle course on North Main Street while being pelted with water balloons provided to bystanders?
How's that for diverse?
"There really is a lot going on," says Brault-Binaghi. "That's the idea. We try to have a little bit of something for everyone."
Mission accomplished, and you don't need to read too far into a list of events that includes a growing fiddle contest, an antique car show, a couple of museum exhibits, and music ranging from rockabilly, country-western and Dixieland to Celtic, Scottish, Yiddish, Italian and West African.
For the second straight year, Brault-Binaghi says, Barre's Old Labor Hall on Granite Street — a historic red brick structure built by immigrant Italians — will host a fundraiser that will be a nod to those with French Canadian roots.
Proceeds from Thursday's Quebecois Dinner & Dance will be split between the labor hall and the heritage festival. Tickets are available online, at a Wednesday night concert in the park featuring Patti Casey, from downtown merchants or at the door.
According to Brault-Binaghi, it is one of the few things — vendors and sidewalk sales aside — that will actually cost money. All of the entertainment, most of the events, and children's activities are free.
"We're really trying to encourage families to come down and kind of experience the Barre community," Brault-Binaghi says.
To make the festival more accessible, Brault-Binaghi says people are encouraged to park at Spaulding High School on Ayers Street or the Vermont Granite Museum on Jones Brothers Way. Shuttle buses will be running every 15 to 20 minutes between those locations and downtown.
The museum, which is hosting the Smithsonian Institution exhibit "The Way We Worked," will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. A special exhibit, "The Emergence of the Granite City: Barre 1880-1940," will be open all day Friday and Saturday at the Vermont History Center on Washington Street.
This year's parade, which is set for Saturday at 2 p.m., will return to North Main Street, according to Brault-Binaghi, who says Saturday's festivities will conclude with a street dance in City Hall Park featuring the local rock band Native Tongue. The band, which is scheduled to perform from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m., will take a break for a fireworks display that should be easy for those at the festival to see.
"The fireworks should be really spectacular," Brault-Binaghi says of the "close proximity show" that will involve launching fireworks from the Washington Street lawn of the nearby Vermont History Center.
Fireworks aren't the only thing Brault-Binaghi says she is looking forward to seeing as the heritage festival ramps up and eventually engulfs the heart of downtown Barre throughout the day and into the night Saturday.
"One of my favorite parts is looking down the street and seeing everybody out with smiles on their faces and having a good time," she says. "I think sometimes we forget that we have that community sense here in Barre, and it's really nice to see everybody come out and celebrate that."
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I got my Sandy Koufax Baseball!
First of all, I've been on the DL for about three days with food poisoning. I am feeling better now but my stomach muscles are still sore. I think I lost five pounds but I rather take the pounds back than to go thru that. Is a good thing this did not happen the night before I got my Sandy Koufax baseball.
So my friend Lore and I met Jeff Kliewer, the Director of Development of Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation by the main office. We were scheduled to meet him at 4:30 so we could go down the field and watch batting practice standing on the field! We both were very excited for that opportunity!
When we got there Joe Torre was having his daily meeting wiht the media where they gather around with their mikes and notebooks around the dugout.
We set to checkout BP and all the view from there.
Afterwards Joe Torre came over and hand me my baseball!
Joe said that is one of the best signatures he'd seen on a baseball.
Chatting with the skipper.
Afterwards Joe said he needed go get back to work so he headed to the cage.
I got a picture with Andre:
Next I got a picture with Matt Kemp and he signed the picture I have with him from the Bluetopia movie premier.
Jorge Bahaia who was there to throw out the first pitch, came from El Salvador wtih 50 of his family and friends. Jorge and his wife Elsy have been attending a homestand since 1945 and have never missed a World Series at home or on the road. WOW! and impressive record. I had thought I had taped an interview with him but I was very sorry that it did work. I did not know that they were attending a whole homestand until I read it afterwards in Jon Weisman's blog.
if when you come back to Dodger Stadium, I would love to talk to you more about the old Dodgers that you got see play!
Jorge Bahaia showing the ceremonial baseball he was going to throw. It reads "Los Angeles Dodgers Ceremonial First Pitch Dodger Stadium 2010."
The shirt that the family and friends of the Jorge and Elsy Bahaia were sporting:
Here is part of the Bahaia family:
James Loney was signing for the Bahaia family when I told him I had something to show him.
James said "OH wow!" "You should get him to sign it." "Here let me sign it first." It is a picture of his dad and I at Fenway Park this year when I happen to see Mr. Loney before he crossed the street to get into Fenway. Lore happen to capture this picture.
Here is Jeff of the Safe At Home Foundation
Here is Lore enjoying being on field. She has more pictures that she took.
Here is my pass to watch BP on the field.
Well, it was time now to leave and go to our seats.
We ended up sitting in the family section in the Loge area.
Here is Mr. Jorge Bahaia throwing out the first pitch:
I was excited because Padilla had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning.
A friend of mine that knows I keep score had texted me that if it happened, he wanted a copy of my scoresheet. I told him "Absolutely" We did not mention what it was so we did not jinxed it.
Padilla pitched a great game giving out two hits, striking out nine and getting two hits! I love watching the "soap bubble" like Vin Scully calls that slow pitch Padilla throws.
August 4, 2010 was a very special day for me, one that I would never forget! Thank you Joe Torre, Thank you Jeff Kleiwer, thank you Safe At Home Foundation and thank you Sandy Koufax!
19 Comments
So sorry about your food poisoning. Hope you're feeling better now. On the plus side, wow on that ball! And look at you with Torre and all those cute Dodgers. Will they let you manage a game next? LOL.
Thanks Jane! Wednesday was an all around great day at the park!
Just wish this pain on my right side would go away.
Emma: WHAT A COOL EXPERIENCE!!! OMG I picture with Andre…and Loney…AND Kemp….AND TORRE!!! Congrats on all that! And a Dodger win to top it off! What could be better?
Feel better Emma ♥
Hey Emma!!!
I know, I know. Long time, no talk. You KNOW I am just SOOOOO jealous that you were on the field not too long ago. And sorry you weren't feeling good before; hope you're feeling better now. I sure would be if I was able to take the field during Dodger batting practice and got pictures with Joe, Andre, Matty, and James! What a thrill that must have been for you! And to see Padilla's game that was close to a no-hitter to boot!
Take it easy,
Food poisoning…BAD! Please feel better soon OK? Everything else here?….freaking stupid incredible! What more can a person want from the home town team? You got more in one day than some people take decades and lifetimes trying to experience. You have the key to the corporate bathroom…don't you?
Thanks! I am feeling a lot better than how I felt over the weekend!
Hey Carol!
They gave me IV fluids, a shot and an ugly liquid to drink + I got pills that I need to take in the mornings. I am feeling better though.
I hope Padilla continues with his amazing pitching! We sure needed and also for our hitters to deliver.
Dear Emma , great pictures and I am so jealous you got a Sandy Koufax baseball just kidding !. I 'm happy for you and get better .
Saludos desde España.
Me alegro de leer que estás mejor. Me hubiese gustado escribirte un comentario al final de la serie en L.A., pero más vale tarde que nunca.
Geniales las fotos. Ya me gustaría a mí, hacer algo parecido en el PETCO Park, cuando haga algún viaje desde España a San Diego, que esperemos sea en Octubre🙂
La única foto que no me gustó fue la del marcador, al final del juego, pero eso va en gustos.
Hasta pronto.
http://berkutmartin.mlblogs.com/ Padres hispanos
Emma, sorry to hear you were so sick…. but glad you are at least feeling somewhat better. The experience of getting your ball looks really amazing, you can tell from the pics that you obviously enjoyed every minute of it and the win over the Padres just topped it off….
with the Dodgers in Philadelphia for the next few days, I'm obviously hoping they lose….sorry..:-(
Phillies Outside
Wow! It sounds like you had a great time on the field. I had fun reading your piece and looking at all the pics.
Don't make me laugh My stomach can't take it. Believe me I am still in pain. I feel like an old viejita. Everything else about my baseball! yes! wonderful!!!
Hey bluedog! thanks!
El viaje the la familia de El Salvador es increible verdad? Algun dia vas a ser algo paresido. En realidad no me gusta series the quatro.
Eferyime I say Peter, I think of the movie Peter Pan. I hope the Phillies don't hit Padilla's fastballs or the soap buble curve. I know there has been two (I think) that have hit it out.
Hey Indians! Glad you enjoyed the pics. Sorry to hear about Santana. He is a kid I keep an eye on.
Hope it was not anything from one of your favorite foods joints that got you sick.
Awesome photos of your time on the grass by the Dodgers dugout before that game. Great that Joe Torre took some time out to talk with you and you got a great picture with the skipper.
I know that ball will have a special place in your collection, andhopefully you can maybe get something to house the magazines and that figurine somewhere near the ball.
Always a pleasure coming to your blog and seeing your special moments with your Boys in Blue.
Rays Renegade
Well, I don't know where it was BUT I can tell you IT WAS NOT Dodger Stadium. I had breakast at the cafeteria at work (too much food), then chicken and rice from home then my brother brought me Carl's Junior burger and fries. I know, I know… I should eat better.
Hey Matt,
Beat the Padres will you? The action pictures are curtersy of my friend Lorena. I have another one that she send me afterwards. I should have put captions on them. Like the first one "Hey Skipper! This is what you need to do to win!" Torre saying back "Is that right Emma?" You can tell I feel better, just don't make me laugh or sneeze. I had to hold my sneeze a few minutes ago.
love the pics. especially the action shots of you chatting it up with everyone. what an amazing day. once in a lifetime memories emma.
Glad you're feeling a little better now. Great post and the ball could not have gone to a better fan.
Wow. All kinds of awesome, Emma! You certainly ARE a mover and a shaker! Maybe the Dodgers will think of you when Torre's contract is up. Hehehe.
Beautiful autograph by Koufax. Hope you got a nice airproof display case to both show it off and keep it safe. Love the candid pic of you and Loney looking at the photo together.
Thanks you so much Knouff!
Joe Torre was SO nice! He is a patience man to be dealing with all the media.
So good to read you lady! I still need to get an airproof display. I like the candid picture too. I have another pic that Lorena sent where Torre is fixing my field pass. I'll include it in the next post. I thought it was nice and sweet of him to notice that my pass was not displayed correctly.
Emma – what an honor you had being on the field! And, the ball! That's something very special! The photos were great, too!
Even kinder that Torre fixed your field pass! That proves once again the class act Joe is.


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Dr. Rajiv Shah led the efforts of nearly 10,000 staff in more than 70 countries around the world to advance USAID's mission of ending extreme poverty and promoting resilient, democratic societies.
Under Dr. Shah's leadership, USAID applied innovative technologies and engaged the private sector to solve the world's most intractable development challenges. This new model of development brings together an increasingly diverse community—from large companies to local civil society groups to communities of faith—to deliver meaningful results.
Dr. Shah led President Obama's landmark Feed the Future and Power Africa initiatives and has refocused America's global health partnerships to end preventable child death. Feed the Future, alone, has improved nutrition for 12 million children and empowered more than 7 million farmers with climate-smart tools they need to grow their way out of extreme poverty. In April 2014, USAID launched the U.S. Global Development Lab to harness the expertise of the world's brightest scientists, students, and entrepreneurs. At the same time, the newly formed Private Capital Group for Development forges a more strategic relationship between private capital and development.
Dr. Shah also managed the U.S. Government's humanitarian response to catastrophic crises around the world, from the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
Through an extensive set of reforms called "USAID Forward," Dr. Shah worked with the United States Congress to transform USAID into the world's premier development Agency that prioritizes public-private partnerships, innovation, and meaningful results. He currently serves on the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as well as participates on the National Security Council.
Previously, Dr. Shah served as Undersecretary and Chief Scientist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he spent eight years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led efforts in global health, agriculture, and financial services, including the creation of the International Finance Facility for Immunization.
He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and the Wharton School of Business. He regularly appears in the media and has delivered keynote addresses before the U.S. Military Academy, the National Prayer Breakfast, and diverse audiences across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Dr. Shah was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has served as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, been named to Fortune's 40 Under 40, and has received multiple honorary degrees.
He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Shivam Mallick Shah and three children and has given up mountain climbing for family bicycle rides.
This is—without a doubt—a unique and important moment for Nepal. Thanks to a history of progress and new advances in science and technology, Nepal stands within reach of ending extreme poverty and securing a foundation for long-term economic growth. But this future is not inevitable.
Today, almost 8 million Nepalis get by on less than $1.25 a day. For them, every decision is a trade-off with potentially catastrophic consequences. Do you buy medicines for a sick parent, provide an evening meal for your children, or put a few pennies away towards a new roof or next year's school fees? These questions are an everyday reality, especially for Nepal's subsistence farmers, for whom extreme poverty is not just a statistic—but a drain on their basic human dignity
With the establishment of a formal USAID mission in Myanmar in 2012, the United States recognizes the recent reform efforts as the most significant opportunity in decades to engage with the people of Myanmar. And we are hard at work. In fact, USAID Administrator Dr. Shah is scheduled to be in Myanmar later this week to continue momentum on key issues.
Early on, the U.S. Embassy Manila's United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recognized the huge potential of Cagayan de Oro City as an economic hub in the region. In 2010, USAID's Local Implementation of National Competitiveness for Economic Growth (or LINC-EG) project assisted the City in streamlining its business permits and licensing system through the setting up of a Business One-Stop Shop.
USAID represents a chance to build partner capacities in such a way that Afghanistan will be able to join the global economy, wean itself from donor dependency, govern its population justly, and secure its own ungoverned spaces. Development, almost any way you measure it, is a good and cost-effective alternative to eventually having to deploy soldiers. Now, as the military begins to draw-down, it is more important than ever that our Afghan colleagues, the people of Afghanistan, feel secure in the knowledge that our civilian engagement will endure, and that we will support them as they enter this decade of transformation.
This morning, I want to share an overarching purpose worthy of this room that has come together to follow the teachings of Jesus: Let us work together to end extreme poverty in our lifetime. Because this is now achievable, but only if all of us—from science, business, government, and faith—come together for the poor.
We can end extreme poverty for the 1.1 billion people who live on a dollar-and-a- quarter a day.
I am delighted to be back at my alma mater to launch, on behalf of USAID, this important undertaking, the Women, Peace and Security Project that aims to increase women's participation in peacebuilding, peace negotiation and peace advocacy in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
As we all know, women play a significant role in keeping the peace in our societies. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pointed out that , "a growing body of evidence shows that women offer unique contributions to making and keeping the peace-- and that those contributions lead to better outcomes not just for women but for entire societies."
It's a pleasure for me to be back here in Rome with this particular team who, together, moved quickly and effectively to respond to the Sahel's last crisis in 2012 that affected some 18 million people—and helped to ensure that a grim situation did not take an even greater toll. Now millions of people still facing food insecurity across the region, with UN estimates of 1.2 million severely insecure and 1.5 million at risk of severe malnutrition despite good harvests in 2012 and 2013, we're reminded of the ever chronic nature of crisis in the Sahel.
With high rates of child malnutrition under even the best of circumstances, one poor harvest can push millions into severe risk. And we know that when shocks hit—droughts, floods, locusts—it is inevitably the most vulnerable populations that are the hardest hit, often without the chance to recover before new shocks strike.
Over 40 percent of Syria's population is now in need of humanitarian assistance. The scale of this challenge is unprecedented. In three years, we have seen a brutal civil war has created not only a humanitarian crisis, but has taken a country of engineers and artists; entrepreneurs and doctors; teachers and scientists; and destroyed more than three decades of capital stock in that country. The UN estimates that Syria has lost 35 years of development in just two and a half years of conflict.
Ten months ago, I visited your town and was impressed by the diligence of the Warays. Today, I have seen your most profound trait -- your unbreakable spirit. The scale of destruction of Super Typhoon Yolanda that struck on November 8 and ravaged Eastern Visayas is beyond comprehension. Following disasters such as these, the provision of basic education services is of great importance. Education helps normalize the lives of children, and helps communities stabilize. Education allows children, teachers, and parents to again hope for the future and look forward to a better tomorrow. Education can also mitigate the effects of catastrophes in the future by inculcating disaster preparedness in children and parents alike.
Over the last two years, the United States' Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has worked to develop a new regional family planning strategy for our cooperation in West Africa. This process involved extensive consultations whereby we learned from government partners, development experts, and community organizations about West Africans' goals for family planning as well as the challenges they face in bringing about this change.
USAID also took into account experiences from its past projects. We analyzed the latest data on family planning and demographics in the region as well as the many inputs it received. In the end, the final strategy is grounded in three pillars of support: 1) provision of family planning services; 2) improving commodity security to prevent stock-outs; and 3) improving the use evidence for family planning policies to expand the reach of services.
Last updated: April 15, 2016


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Moments In Time DVD
$14.99(Was $19.98)
Archeological finds become tickets to travel back in time, and our tour guide is host James Woods. Why did three-thousand French Troops die in the mountains after Emperor Napoleon failed ivasion of Russia? Did the legendary battle between Antony and Cleopatra and the Roman Octavius really happened? We find out by joining Woods on a trip into history. Anything could catapult us into the past: a button from a buried soldier's coat, a piece of the bettering worn by Captain John Smitha the first American settlement. These aircrafts become the point around which entire scenes from the past are built, and Woods offers a modern perspective and wry commentary on these featured Moments in Time.
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- Format: DVD
- Studio: Military Channel
- DVD Release Date: January 31, 2012
- Genre: Documentary
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Chad Waters is mayor of the village of Hanover because he drew a 9 of diamonds. Seriously.
Waters, who owns Golf, Etc. in Heath, was deadlocked with opponent Nicole Gieseler at 104 votes apiece after the Nov. 5 election.
State law says county boards of elections will break any ties "by lot." It even offers a few helpful suggestions: "The chairperson tossing a coin, drawing straws, picking a name written on paper out of a hat, or cutting cards."
The Licking County Board of Elections officials opted for the cards on Monday.
Someone was dispatched to the nearby Little Bear grocery to fetch a new deck. The seal was broken, the jokers removed, and the four board members each shuffled. The deck was fanned out facedown across the counter.
Waters and Gieseler drew simultaneously. Waters grabbed the 9 of diamonds; Gieseler, the 5 of spades.
It seems that Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien suffers — albeit good-naturedly — from a case of salary envy.
When County Commissioner Paula Brooks asked O'Brien during a recent budget hearing if a salary study being done in his office also looked at the salaries of city attorneys in the suburbs, he told her he thought it only considered Columbus and similar-sized cities nationwide.
Brooks said the study should look at the suburbs because O'Brien competes with them when he seeks qualified assistant prosecutors. O'Brien agreed, but he suggested that the survey should include yet one more public agency.
"After reading the paper this fall, I thought the chief legal counsel at SWACO should be included in the study," he said, drawing laughter from the room.
Dispatch stories earlier this year about a management shakeup at the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, which runs the county landfill, revealed that Michael C. Mentel, SWACO's top lawyer, makes $185,000 a year. O'Brien's own salary, as set by state law, is just north of $121,000.
Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman is reaching across the partisan aisle to court Democrats and Republicans alike. He wants one of the parties to hold its national convention here in 2016 — and he wants the $150 million to $200 million such an event would bring to the region.
Earlier this week, the mayor formed a coalition to bid on the events, which draw about 45,000 people each and garner lots of national media attention.
Lack of major hotel space was one of the main reasons the city lost out on conventions in the past, but Coleman said the city has a legitimate shot now with the opening of the Hilton Columbus Downtown.
It's been about 90 years since a national political convention was held in Ohio.
Dispatch Reporters Josh Jarman, Eric Lyttle and Lucas Sullivan contributed to this report.


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April 19, 2013 - 10:31am
The 2013 Lifetime Achievement Hall of Fame honorees at Pearl River Community College were inducted on April 18 at a gala in Hattiesburg. They are, seated from left, Louis A. Hurst Jr. of Houston, Texas; and Verlene Norton Cole of Oak Grove; standing, PRCC President Dr. WIlliam Lewis, Mickey Hudson of Ellisville, Floyd Furr of Picayune, George Dale of Clinton and L.D. Brinkman of Kerrville, Texas.
Pearl River Community College honored six outstanding alumni Thursday, April 18, with induction into the PRCC Lifetime Achievement Hall of Fame.


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Comments: I just wore this shoe in the 2013 mansfield Tough Mudder. This was the best shoe I have ever worn. It did not slip one time in 10.5 miles of mud and water. Tough mudder will take your shoe if you don't duck tape it. I did not do that bc of the faith I had in this shoe. I put them shoes through hell had it wanted more. It took me 15 mins to get my shoe off after the race. Well worth it. I do not wear this shoe on the road at all, off road only. I will never buy another off-road shoe besides the speedcross 3. 5 star shoe for sure.
From: Jordan, Van Wert, OH, USA
Comments: The Speedcross 3 is the perfect trail shoe. The upper keeps everything out but still allows your foot to breathe during the summer. The toebox in this is wider than the Sense or Wings so you don't feel as cramped yet with the speed lace it holds your foot snug. Now the grip is incredible. With the chevron lug pattern you will not be slipping even in the worst conditions. I recently used this shoe for my first 100 mile race and I got through the whole race on one pair of shoes and finished with no blisters after being on my feet for 27 hours. This really is the perfect trail running shoe.
From: Sean, Boise, ID, United States
Comments: I've never left feedback on shoes before, mostly because I'm never completely happy with a pair. However, I wanted to comment on the Salomon Speedcross 3. First, I discovered that I enjoyed the Salomon brand by trying on a different model at a non-running store recently. I tried them on thinking there was no way I would like them. But, I did. So, I then decided to order other models of Salomon shoes from RW, so I could decide which model was best for me. Reading previous reviews on the web, I would have thought that the Speedcross 3 was a no go compared to other models. However, out of the 3 models of Salomons that I have tried; the Speedcross 3 defenitly has the best fit. They hold my heel in place, which most shoes do not. And, even though the toe box is snugger than other models, it really doesn't matter because the material works with your foot. Across the board the brand is very comfortable, but the Speedcross 3 is really designed well - It hugs your foot. The original reason I thought I wouldn't like the brand is because I'm probably doing the reverse of what a lot of people have done: I'm leaving minimal footwear and going to good, solid, functional trail shoes.
From: Ken, Somerset, NJ, United States
Comments: I'm unfortunately very disappointed with my brief experience with the Speedcross 3. I order them from RW and as usual the experience with RW was flawless. The shoes arrived and I picked them up in NY, I was over on a business trip. I came home, tried the shoes on they felt great, walking around the house/yard etc. I decided to go for a short trail run on a re-purposed rail line, so flat, crushed gravel, and soft. The first run a short 10k resulted in a dime sized blister under my right arch. I've never ever blistered before from anything so it was a surprise. I chalked it up to new shoes. The next run a 12k on the same trail grew the blister in size. Its now the size of a quarter, and a new one started on my left arch. It turned out the zig zag on the arch side of the Speedcross 3 is not only large, but rubs. Google it, this is apparently common. So I'm planning on returning them and heading over to another trail shoe as my foot now aches pretty badly. Unfortunate because they styling is top notch, but I guess pretty and functional don't always mix. I'll return to my Cascadias for this weekends long hills run.
From: Ron, Ottawa, ON, Canada


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Miriam K. DuquetApril 02,2013
Miriam K. Duquet
Miriam K. Duquet
BARRE Miriam Kerrigan Duquet, 82, of New York, N.Y., died March 30, 2013, at Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Home in Berlin, Vt., with her daughter and son by her side.
Miriam was born Nov. 30, 1930, in New York, where she grew up, married Jean Paul Duquet and moved to Montreal, Miami, back to Montreal, and then lived in Barre, Vt., with her daughter, Diane, and family.
Miriam is survived by her daughter, Diane, and her husband, John (Barre, Vt.); her son Marc and his wife, Sophie (St. Therese, Canada); her brother Edward and his wife, Jeannette (New Jersey); her grandson Alexandre, granddaughter Chloe, grandson Sean, step-granddaughter Lauren; and other nieces and nephews. Miriam was predeceased by her husband, Jean-Paul, her son JP, her parents and two brothers.
Miriam truly loved spending time with family, debating world issues, crossword puzzles, Pavarotti, traveling, Barbra Streisand, enjoyed old movies, television and grocery shopping.
There will be no calling hours. A private celebration of her life will be held by family at a later date.
The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the staff of Woodridge Nursing Home, especially the Maplegrove Wing, Amy Brewer APRN, Dr. Anthony Williams, the staff of Central Vermont Home Health, and the Council on Aging.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Woodridge Maple Grove Unit Wing can be made to P.O. Box 550, Barre, VT 05641; or to the American Diabetes Association, Vermont Chapter, 1 Kennedy Drive L8, South Burlington, VT 05403-7165.
Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com.MORE IN ObituariesPaul N. Sourdiff
BURLINGTON Paul Nelson Sourdiff, 92, passed away on Dec. Full StoryBrian Vachon
Brian Vachon, 75, of Middlesex, died after a short illness on December 9 at... Full StoryDylan Baker
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Manziel is scheduled to fly to Jacksonville on Tuesday and will visit with the Jaguars on Wednesday, along with the four other quarterbacks, according ESPN.com. Two of the club's other top options with the No. 3 overall pick, Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson and Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack, also are due to arrive Tuesday, according to NFL.com. On Wednesday, UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr will visit the Jaguars as well.
Manziel completed a visit with the Oakland Raiders on Monday and is slated to meet with the Houston Texans, who own the first overall pick, later this month, ESPN.com reported. Manziel visited with the New England Patriots last month and also met with Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer following his pro day on March 27.
---Representatives from the NFL Players Association met with league officials and club personnel on Tuesday with talks geared toward improving the workplace environment in the NFL.
The three-hour meeting focused exclusively on that topic, which became a necessary focus after a league investigation into the Miami Dolphins. Multiple players, including Richie Incognito, were found guilty of harassing teammate Jonathan Martin in what became a hotly debated and well-publicized magnification of locker room culture.
George Atallah, assistant executive director of external affairs, issued a statement, saying "Discussions between owners and players about a professional workplace were positive. We will continue to work together to set the highest workplace standards for everyone in the business of football."
---Washington Redskins defensive end Brandon Moore was suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2014 regular season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, the league announced Tuesday.
Moore is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games. He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2013, signing with the San Diego Chargers. Moore spent time on the practice squads of the Chargers and Denver Broncos before signing with the Chiefs after the season. The Chiefs released Moore in March and the Redskins claimed him off waivers.
The Redskins also announced that the team signed free-agent punter Blake Clingan to an undisclosed contract.
---New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick's past compelled a group at Change.org to start a petition to prevent him from attending training camp at SUNY Cortland.
"If we welcome Vick onto our campus, we are complicit in his crimes," the petition reads. "We are sending the message that, for money and publicity, we will turn a blind eye to the horrors of dogfighting."
The petition had nearly 2,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning and is addressed to the school president Erik J. Bitterbaum. Vick pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge in 2007 and served 19 months in prison. He signed with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent last month to compete with Geno Smith.
---The Buffalo Bills added some depth on the defensive line by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with free agent Jarius Wynn, the team announced Tuesday.
Wynn, 27, played in 15 games (five with San Diego and 10 with Dallas) during the 2013 season and had 11 tackles and 2.0 sacks. He has appeared in 58 career games and totaled 45 tackles and 8.5 sacks in stints with the Packers (2009-11), Tennessee Titans (2012), San Diego Chargers (2013) and Dallas Cowboys (2013).
---Second-year quarterback Mike Glennon plans to push veteran Josh McCown for the starting job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014.
Glennon started 13 games as a rookie and had 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions after replacing Josh Freeman atop the Tampa Bay depth chart. When coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik were fired at the end of the season, Glennon expected competition. It came in the form of journeyman McCown, who played well in spot starter duty with the Chicago Bears during Jay Cutler's absence for groin and ankle injuries.
---The Atlanta Falcons signed safety Dwight Lowery and cornerback Josh Wilson, the team announced Tuesday.
Lowery (5-foot-11, 212 pounds) was originally selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 3, 2011. He has played in 68 career games, including 41 starts while totaling 217 tackles with 10 interceptions, three sacks and 45 passes defensed. In 2013, he started three games and posted six tackles with one fumble recovery before being placed on injured reserve and later released.
Wilson (5-9, 188) was originally selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has played in 102 career games with 81 starts while totaling 399 tackles, 14 interceptions, 11 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles, five sacks and 71 passes defensed. Last season for the Washington Redskins, Wilson started all 16 games and posted a career-high 93 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception, and seven passes defensed.
---The Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday re-signed wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, whom the club had tendered as a restricted free agent for 2014.
Sanzenbacher stood to make $1.4 million under the terms of the team's tender, but terms of the deal weren't announced. Sanzenbacher (5-foot-11, 184 pounds) is a fourth-year NFL player. Sanzenbacher first joined the Bengals late in 2012, and he saw his first Cincinnati action last season, playing in 10 games with one start and catching six passes for 61 yards.
---Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson put on a show the Nittany Lions pro day Tuesday.
Robinson, the No. 34 overall prospect in the NFLDraftScout.com rankings and seventh-ranked receiver, showed Tuesday much-improved burst and the kind of explosiveness some scouts expected at what proved to be a marginal workout at the Scouting Combine.
With a 4.47 time in the 40, 42-inch vertical and 6.53 three-cone at State College, Robinson vastly improved his athletic results from Indy: 4.60, 39-inch vertical, 7.00 three-cone. He also added four inches to his broad jump (131 inches Tuesday).
---The Minnesota Vikings signed former Houston Texans wide receiver Lestar Jean, the team announced Tuesday.


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Create Buckhannon announces events
Members of Create Buckhannon announced Thursday a variety of activities scheduled in the next month.
The West Virginia Wesleyan College Honors Program will present "The Civil War and American Art." The presentation and a lecture by Dr. Eleanor Jones Harvey, the senior curator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, will begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Hyma Auditorium in the Christopher Hall of Science on the college campus. Harvey's presentation will be followed by a book signing.
Representatives of the Main Street Arts Festival in Buckhannon are gearing up for the festival's third year. This year, the festival will take place at Jawbone park in conjunction with the local Farmers Market chili cook-off event. So far, the organization reports that 15 artists have signed up for the Sept. 21 festival. Artist applications are still being accepted. The original entry fee has been waived. Artists who need a tent or tables should coordinate their needs with the Main Street Arts Cooperative.
To learn more or find out how to get involved, call the Main Street Arts Cooperative at 304-473-1444 or e-mail email@example.com.
C.J. Rylands, a member of the Main Street Arts Cooperative and organizer of the festival, said the organization received a $2,000 grant from the Governor's Community Participation Grant Program. The organization is currently brainstorming ideas for how to use the money. Rylands said that the grant was awarded for the purchase of art supplies.
City Recorder and Create Buckhannon member Rich Clemens announced that Create Buckhannon has submitted a request to the Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board, asking permission to install, maintain and fund additional Little Free Libraries in the public parks of Buckhannon. Those parks would include the Riverwalk trail at West Virginia Wesleyan College. The request has not yet been approved.
The Little Free Library is a small box stationed outside of the Upshur County Convention and Visitors Bureau on East Main Street. It is designed to be a place for the public to share books, magazines or other reading materials free of charge. Community members can pick up a free book without the worry of late fees. They can keep the book or return it, as they desire. Community members also can donate books simply by placing them inside the Little Free Library.
Create Buckhannon also is considering placing these libraries at county schools, allowing each school to decorate its own library. This project also is not yet approved.
Contact Melissa Toothman by email at email@example.com.


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"Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters." – Abraham Lincoln
In his column Feb. 15, Northwest Herald Editor Jason Schaumburg said: "We're about a month away from the March 18 primary election, and if you're a Democratic voter in McHenry County, you have no real reason to pull a Democratic ballot."
Mr. Schaumburg's point seems to be that we should only care about the more widely publicized contests at the top of the ballot.
I disagree. The Republican choices for countywide office and governor are interesting, but Democrats and Independents have more important issues at stake in McHenry County.
Our goal is better local government, not preserving the broken system that lets the next set of Republican insiders slide into office. We must stop accepting primary elections with poor turnout as the ugly face of inevitability. If we are committed to the uniquely American idea of democracy, we must be equally committed to the hard work that makes it real. One-party rule is phony democracy. Let's end it.
That's why Democrats and Independents have every reason to pull a Democratic ballot. Give yourself a chance to vote for candidates you actually agree with, rather than the lesser of four evils. There's a hotly contested Democratic primary for the 14th Congressional District. Are you content to leave that choice up to the voters in Gurnee and Oswego? If you want to have a say, vote Democratic.
There are other fine Democratic candidates on the primary ballot for county and state offices, and they deserve to know you appreciate their commitment. The best way to show your support is to vote for them in the Democratic primary, even if they are running unopposed.
Why is that important? It's because potential Democratic candidates often decide not to run because they think voters are apathetic. Potential donors and volunteers disappear when the primary turnout disappoints, while Democratic and Independent voters stay home because they think there are no choices on the ballot. It's a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma.
Local news organizations are also part of the problem. The "Election Central" coverage in this newspaper ignores the mostly Democratic candidates running uncontested in the primary. If I were a new voter looking for information on local elections, I'd be left with the impression that only Republicans run for office in McHenry County. That further depresses turnout among Democrats and Independents.
And yes, the Democratic Party is also part of the problem. State politics is a mess full of special interests, bullies and political cowards. Many citizens have stopped voting because they think nothing in Springfield will ever change, no matter who is in power. But we know we can fix McHenry County, so let's focus on what we can do, not what we can't.
If you are a Democrat who votes in Republican primaries, please try to break that bad habit March 18. If you are a Democrat who would like to hold public office, you owe it to yourself to get involved. If you see an office with no Democratic candidates on your primary ballot, you can be slated by the Democratic Party to run in the November general election.
There's also an important referendum on the ballot that all voters should care about. We have a chance to decide whether the County Board chairman should be a new, independent position, directly elected by the citizens, or continues to be elected by the County Board's 24 members.
Real change always starts from the grassroots, by people who care enough to make a difference. It's not enough to believe. You must act.
"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for, at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them," Paul Wellstone said.
Building a healthy democracy in McHenry County won't happen overnight. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't start today. Vote to give McHenry County a choice. Vote in the Democratic primary March 18.
• Michael Bissett is chairman of the Democratic Party of McHenry County.