text:
Friday, October 24, 2008
Are Jews Responsible for Financial Meltdown?
Credit derivatives is one of the most successful innovations of financial engineering over the last ten years. The current active credit derivatives market has produced an array of new products. For example, credit-default swaps are an indicator of the cost of bond "insurance" that varies with the risk of bond default. Credit default swaps are privately traded derivative contracts usually bought by bond holders from CDS issuers like AIG, Ambac, FGIC, and MBIA and other entities. Like other derivatives, CDS are not regulated by government agencies. The CDS issuers are expected (not gauranteed or back-stopped by governments) to reimburse bondholders in case the bond issuing companies or governments default. A basis point on a credit-default swap contract protecting $10 million of debt from default for five years is equivalent to $1,000 a year. The buyers of CDS do not have to be bondholders. Any one can buy a CDS to bet on the probability of default by debt issuers. Many of these derivative contracts were bought to bet that the housing bubble would pop and many homeowners would default on their mortgages. That is exactly what happened this year. Once issued, the credit default swaps are bought and sold like any other contract. These derivative contracts have produced enormous profits for Wall Street firms in the last decade. But now the Fortune magazine calls these derivatives "a $55 tillion problem".
The world of finance is not unique in the dominant role played by Jews. Other businesses including media and entertainment and professions such as medicine, law and accounting have powerful Jewish presence. American Jews are disproportionately over-represented in the US Congress, the Senate and the Supreme Court as well. US policies in all spheres are heavily influenced by the Jewish minority in the United States. The exclusive club of Nobel laureates is dominated by its Jewish members, a testament to Jewish culture of hard work, commitment and achievement. Many significant levers of power are controlled by American Jews, a constant that does not change with election winners or losers in Washington. Both Obama and McCain teams boast of powerful Jews as key policy advisers on foreign affairs, finance and national security. Robert Rubin and Dennis Ross are advising Obama. Joe Lieberman is advising McCain.
When former President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan addressed a dinner meeting of the American Jewish Congress in September 2005, his Jewish audience were described as the American business, political and social elite.
When things go wrong in any of the major US businesses or institutions, people looking for scapegoats often blame influential Jews because of the large Jewish presence in each of them. The current financial crisis is no exception.
Abraham Foxman, President of Anti-Defamation League, has written in Jerusalem Post about the recent "anti-semitic" response to the financial crisis. He writes, "It never fails. Whenever there is a financial crisis or trading scandal in the stock markets, the anti-Semites come out of the woodwork. The classic stereotype of the Jewish Shylock out to have his Christian pound of flesh dies very hard, if at all. The Jew as economic opportunist sucking the financial life-blood out of a nation or of the whole world is continually reborn".
Mr. Foxman does have a point. Stereotypes, whether Jewish or Muslim, are hard to change. The reality is that there are only three Jews on the CNN's latest top ten list of the culprits of collapse even if one argues that these three are the most important of the top ten. They are: Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, Current Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and the Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld. As some of us blame the few who made serious mistakes and happen to be Jewish, let us not forget that a large number of Jewish workers and investors on Wall Street are victims of the financial meltdown. Many Jews have lost their jobs while others are suffering major declines in their investment portfolios.
Related Links:
Jewish Lobby Blamed for Economic Crisis
The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy
The Rise of Jewish Power-Nothing Short of Astounding
Jewish Tribal review
Financial Crisis Brings Out Anti-Semites
Jews on Wall Street
Wall Street's WMDs
Credit Default Swaps
$55 Trillion Problem
10 comments:
- Logi-call said...
I have written a post on financial meltdown and its impact on employee appraisal. Hope you will read it at http://logi-call.blogspot.com/2008/11/anticipating-appraisal-at-time-of.html
- November 5, 2008 at 4:29 AM
- Riaz Haq said...
Jewish Blogging is reporting as follows:
Yes, Bernard L. Madoff is a Jew.
Bernard Madoff was arrested and charged today with allegedly running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme, according to U.S. authorities.
According to Yeshiva University, "Bernard L. Madoff, a member of the University's Board of Trustees since 1996, was elected chairman of the Board of Directors of Sy Syms School of Business in 2000. Mr. Madoff is chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, one of the nation's largest third-market dealers in New York Stock Exchange and over-the-counter securities. A Benefactor of the University, Mr. Madoff recently made a major gift to the Sy Syms School."
Forbes reports this 'UNFORTUNATE SET OF EVENTS':
"Bernard Madoff is a longstanding leader in the financial services industry," his lawyer Dan Horwitz told reporters outside a downtown Manhattan courtroom where he was charged. "We will fight to get through this unfortunate set of events."
A shaken Madoff stared at the ground as reporters peppered him with questions. He was released after posting a $10 million bond secured by his Manhattan apartment.
The SEC filed separate civil charges.
"Our complaint alleges a stunning fraud -- both in terms of scope and duration," said Scott Friestad, the SEC's deputy enforcer. "We are moving quickly and decisively to stop the scheme and protect the remaining assets for investors."
The SEC said it appeared that virtually all of the assets of his hedge fund business were missing.
Madoff had long kept the financial statements for his hedge fund business under "lock and key," according to prosecutors, and was "cryptic" about the firm.
- December 12, 2008 at 9:49 AM
- Riaz Haq said...
From: Dave Schechter
CNN Senior National Editor
To understand reaction in the Jewish community to the growing scandal around investor Bernie Madoff, it helps to know a few words of Yiddish.
Yiddish was the language of Jews in Eastern Europe, with a rich history in literature, theater and music, until that community was decimated in the Holocaust. Today Yiddish is most common in communities of Orthodox Jews.
But for most American Jews it harkens back to previous generations and life in the old country, spoken more by "alta kockers,"
though "bubbie" (grandmother) and "zaide" (grandfather) probably don't appreciate being referred to as geezers.
Madoff was a "macher" (a big shot, a mover-and-shaker) among machers.
Madoff also is - allegedly - a "gonif" (thief, embezzler). A few folks have used Yiddish words regarding parentage and body parts, but we'll skip those.
The Jewish community is "farklemt" (depressed, distraught, grieving), but it goes beyond that.
The whole thing is a "shandah" (disgrace). For those concerned with image, it's a shandah for the "goyim" (non-Jews, in front of whom Jewish community looks bad).
"Catastrophe" and "devastation" are English words being used.
"It's an atomic bomb in the world of Jewish philanthropy," Mark Charendoff, president of the Jewish Funders Network, an organization that advises wealthy Jewish donors, told the Forward, a newspaper that reports on Jewish affairs. "There's going to be fallout from this for years."
In the United States, at least one charity has closed. "It's devastating," Arthur Epstein, a major supporter of local Jewish charities, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, referring to the loss of the Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation near Boston and the programs it supported.
An American university professor e-mailed me from Jerusalem that the Madoff case is all that's being discussed in the philanthropic world in Israel, where there is fear that more than 50 organizations that Madoff supported or that invested in his firm may shut down before "Shabbat," the Sabbath that begins at sunset Friday.
That fear in the Jewish community extends from the Los Angeles to Boca Raton and Palm Beach, from New York City to Washington, D.C., to Boston and points elsewhere around the globe.
With losses ranging from tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars, the casualties include national Jewish organizations; local Jewish federations, which support programs throughout their communities; charities and foundations supporting a range of causes; hospitals and schools, from elementary through university. Published reports say that one school, Yeshiva Univ., may have lost as much as $100 million.
Untold numbers of children, students, teachers and researchers, the needy and the disabled, retirees of modest means and some of wealth will suffer anonymously.
Some victims of the alleged swindle have well-known names: Spielberg, Wiesel, Lautenberg, Zuckerman.
Gary Tobin, president of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research, which studies Jewish philanthropy, told the Forward, "The Jewish philanthropic world depends on personal relationships and personal solicitations. Many Jewish philanthropies are dependent on high-end donors in very close social and economic networks, and this guy is right in middle of them."
Writing in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, Bradley Burston recognized that at least one segment of society would find advantage in the situation.
"For the true anti-Semite, Christmas came early this year," Burston wrote. "Rich beyond human comprehension, he handles fortunes for others, buying and selling in a trading empire that skirts investment banks and other possible sources of regulation. He redefines avarice, knowingly and personally bilking charities and retirees in the most classic of con games. Even better, for those obsessed with the idea that Jews control finance, entertainment and the media, is the idea that Madoff's greed was uncontrollable enough that he targeted fellow Jews, even Holocaust survivors, some of them his own friends, as well as Israeli companies who insured Jews, including Holocaust survivors. The beauty part, for the anti-Semite: Madoff's machinations, which could have been put to use for the sake of humanity, have directly harmed Jewish welfare and charity institutions."
Now that is a shandah.
- December 18, 2008 at 11:19 AM
- Riaz Haq said...
Here's an AP report on Madoff scandal:
Some Jews fear Madoff case stokes anti-Semitism
Thursday December 25, 12:54 pm ET
By Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press Writer
Madoff scandal fits profile of `affinity fraud,' proves particularly wrenching for Jews
NEW YORK (AP) -- Of all the words that have been used to describe the Bernard L. Madoff scandal, the most emotionally charged may be "Jewish."
The disgraced investment guru is accused of orchestrating a $50 billion Ponzi scheme that preyed heavily on fellow Jews and ultimately drained the fortunes of numerous Jewish charities and institutions.
There's nothing new about con artists targeting their own kind. There's even a word for it -- affinity fraud -- and it has struck numerous religious, ethnic and professional groups.
But the allegations against Madoff are particularly wrenching for some in the Jewish community, who fear that the sensational case is fanning vicious stereotypes about Jews that go back to the Middle Ages.
The Anti-Defamation League cites a spike in anti-Semitic comments online after Madoff's Dec. 11 arrest. A columnist for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz lamented the case as "the answer to every Jew-hater's wish list."
And the American Jewish Committee's executive director, David A. Harris, wrote a letter to The New York Times criticizing what he saw as "a striking emphasis" on Madoff's faith in one of the paper's many stories about the scandal.
The case is "fodder for the bigots," Abraham H. Foxman, the ADL's national director, said in an interview this week with The Associated Press. "It's both embarrassing and it's painful."
It's difficult to describe the case in any detail without mentioning Madoff's religion. The 70-year-old money manager and former Nasdaq stock market chairman donated hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, much of it to Jewish causes. And many of the known victims of his business, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, are big names in Jewish life.
Yeshiva University, one of the nation's foremost Jewish institutions of higher education, lost $110 million; Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, lost $90 million; director Steven Spielberg's Wunderkinder Foundation acknowledged unspecified losses; and a $15 million foundation established by Holocaust survivor and writer Elie Wiesel was wiped out. Jewish federations and hospitals have lost millions and some foundations have had to close.
Madoff is charged with securities fraud and is under house arrest in his Manhattan apartment with round-the-clock security. His lawyer has said he intends to fight the charge.
The damage to the Jewish community is psychological as well as financial, said Kenneth Bandler, a spokesman for the AJC. He said his organization declined to invest with Madoff earlier this year because it was unable to decipher how Madoff was producing his renowned returns.
At Jewish organizations and synagogues, Bandler said, people ask themselves: "How could someone who is held in such high esteem in the Jewish community knowingly rip off what were supposed to be his friends, the organizations he admired and supported?"
Members of churches, minority groups and various occupations have wondered the same thing after falling victim to similarly targeted frauds. Religious-based schemes alone swept up more than 80,000 people and nearly $2 billion nationwide from 1998 to 2001, according to the most recent figures available from the North American Securities Administrators Association, an investor-protection group.
The Baptist Foundation of Arizona told investors their money would build churches while paying returns. In fact, their savings were sucked into what authorities called a $550 million Ponzi scheme in the 1980s and 1990s. Several foundation officials were sentenced to prison in 2006 and 2007.
Chicago real estate investment firm Sunrise Equities Inc. had the blessing of Muslim clerics, who said its dividends conformed with Islamic laws against earning interest. Its owner disappeared this past August, leaving 200 of his fellow Muslim immigrants with losses that could total $50 million.
Whatever the circle, affinity frauds exploit trust. Victims are approached by one of their own and "therefore there's less suspicion, there's less concern," said Joseph P. Borg, the Alabama Securities Commission's director and a former NASAA president.
Adding to the sense of betrayal in the allegations against Madoff are worries about whether they feed into centuries-old, ugly caricatures of Jews.
Since Jews served as lenders in medieval Europe, where they were barred from many other occupations, they have sometimes been portrayed as miserly, greedy and obsessed with money. In just one example, Shakespeare's Shylock, the Jewish character who demands a pound of flesh in payment for a loan in "The Merchant of Venice," has become synonymous with usury.
In his letter to the Times about a Madoff article, the AJC's Harris wrote: "Yes, he is Jewish. We get it. But was this relevant to his being arrested for cheating investors, or so key to his evolution as a businessman that it needed to be hammered home again and again?"
(Comment inserted : Yes, some criminals are muslims too. Why are they referred to as "Islamic" militants/terrorists ? Why is this relevant ? The shoe hurths when it is on the other foot.)
The Rabbinical Council of America issued a statement Wednesday underscoring that "there is no reason to believe such terrible behavior is more common among Jews" than anyone else.
Still, anti-Semitic broadsides have peppered the Internet in the wake of Madoff's arrest, some in highly visible public-comment sections of popular news sites, Foxman noted.
Some get removed by the sites' administrators or draw replies noting there are bad apples of all creeds and in all walks of life. Victims also extend to all creeds and walks of life -- banks, insurers, pension funds and even the International Olympic Committee are among those who say they've been taken by Madoff.
Still, the scandal has reverberated throughout the Jewish community. This week, representatives of about three dozen Jewish foundations met in New York City to come up with a plan to help Jewish nonprofits that lost money with Madoff, said Jeffrey Solomon, president of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies. Solomon said the foundations agreed to contribute to a pool of money that will be distributed to hard-hit organizations.
"This is a tragedy by any stretch of the imagination but within the context of $300 billion worth of donations to American charities, we shouldn't lose sight of the larger picture -- both the generosity of Americans and the effectiveness of the nonprofit system," he said.
- December 28, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Helpful to read, even in part. A continued balance of ideas will teach us that no one is an exception to being harmed financially; and we cannot assign one group, or even a nation the blame for the troubles of the world.
- July 1, 2009 at 9:00 PM
- Riaz Haq said...
Recent focus on the alleged misdeeds of Goldman Sachs that contributed to the financial melt-down have caused cries of "antisemitism" by American Jewish groups. Here's an excerpt from a recent NPR interview with Michael Kinsley who is a Jewish American:
CONAN: And you begin with the question: when, if ever, are such accusations of anti-Semitism fair?
Mr. KINSLEY: Yes. The purpose of this piece I wrote was not to accuse anyone of anti-Semitism. And in fact, I haven't heard anything that I would call anti-Semitic but to help you think through how to recognize it when you hear it and more importantly how not to recognize it when you don't hear it.
CONAN: Mm-hmm.
Mr. KINSLEY: And - because I think there's a real problem in our politics today of umbrage. People are very quick to take umbrage at things other people say. And politician use this to, I think, make bigger deals of things than they ought to.
Abe Foxman, who is the - he's the head of the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League, says that virtually any reference to Goldman Sachs alone in the context of this scandal smacks of anti-Semitism, because he says, you know, what about Morgan Stanley and other firms that aren't Jewish? I think that goes much too far.
CONAN: And indeed, there can be an inference that just as if some people say, well, we can't make any criticism of Barack Obama without being accused of being a racist, you can't make any criticism of Goldman Sachs without being accused of being an anti-Semite.
Mr. KINSLEY: Right. I think that's true.
CONAN: There is also - you say you haven't read anything that you would take as anti-Semitic. Probably the most controversial thing was a quote in - by Matt Taibbi in a much quoted article about Goldman Sachs...
Mr. KINSLEY: Right.
CONAN: ...where he said that the world's most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money - a phrase that set off alarm bells.
Mr. KINSLEY: Well, it's a heck of piece. And it's really written with brio. That passage, which has been widely quoted, comes very close to the line, because, you know, it never uses the word Jewish but it invokes a lot of images that are familiar in classic anti-Semitism: the bloodsucking monster, this -the other. And it's smothering the normal life of normal people. All of that has - Jews have been victimized - and I should add - I should mention that I am Jewish - Jews have been victimized by that kind of imagery for centuries.
- April 30, 2010 at 8:43 AM
- Riaz Haq said...
Here is an interesting analysis by Eric Margolis of the consequenes of weak US economy:
One day, the king of ancient Babylon summoned his treasury overseer and exclaimed, "I need more money to wage war on those Hittite terrorists! "I looked in the great treasure chest and it's nearly empty. There are hardly any gold coins left," he thundered.
"Oh Light of the Euphrates," groveled his terrified minister, "we are out of gold. Your wars have become too expensive."
"But I have a solution, your celestial greatness. We will quietly trim the amount of gold in our imperial gold coins to make them go further. No one will notice."
Fast forward to Washington, 2010. It's no longer called "clipping coins." Today, the name for debauching a nation's currency is called "quantitative easing(QE)," but it's still the same old fraud committed by financial flim-flam men.
Washington is flooding financial markets with $600 billion of worthless dollars, hoping a rising tide of Monopoly money will somehow lift America out of recession. The Fed's first QE effort was a fizzle.
The US government is stoking worldwide inflation in order to lower its outstanding debt by repaying creditors with depreciated dollars. The rest of the world is boiling angry at Washington.
Just before last week's G20 economic summit in South Korea, China's state credit agency publicly downgraded America's credit rating and questioned US leadership of the world's economy.
In an unprecedented, stinging rebuke, China scolded Washington for "deteriorating debt repayment capability," and predicted quantitative easing would lead to "fundamentally lowering the national solvency."
Wow! This was a real slap in the face heard around the globe. China is the largest holder of US government debt. I remember the day when New York financiers used to sneer at iffy stock or bond issues as, "Chinese paper." Now, it's "American paper." How the world has turned.
Washington has been blasting China for manipulating its currency to keep the value low – which is quite true. Embarrassingly, Germany and Brazil just accused the US of being as big a currency manipulator as China – which is also quite true.
A depreciated dollar boosts US exports and hurts nations exporting to the US. Economists call it, "beggar thy neighbor," a destructive trade practice that played a key role in the 1930's world depression.
This money flood is eroding the value of the dollar, the world's premier medium of exchange. In the past two months, the US dollar has dropped 6% against other major currencies. Frightened investors are piling into gold, now up 17% in 60 days.
The Obama administration, just "shellacked" by voters in mid-term elections, and desperate to lower unemployment, is gambling more debt shock therapy will spark the economy back to life. But massive, unsustainable debt caused the US financial meltdown in 2008.....
- December 3, 2010 at 7:14 PM
- Riaz Haq said...
Is AIPAC a WikiLeaks Op? asks Prof Juan Cole on his blog:
In 2003 Larry Franklin, the 'go-to man on Iran' at the Pentagon under undersecretary of defense for planning Douglas Feith, carried a draft confidential finding on Iran out of the building and gave it to Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman of AIPAC's Middle East Bureau. They not only were happy to receive the classified document, but they ran with it right over to the Israeli Embassy and delivered it to Naor Gilon, the embassy official with the Iran portfolio.
Rosen and Weissman, and probably AIPAC in general, were under FBI surveillance on suspicion of espionage, and that is how they were caught. The FBI field officers were astonished when Franklin came into the picture unexpectedly. Less astonished, I suspect, when Naor Gilon did.
Franklin confessed to wrongdoing, and spent some years in jail was sentenced to the 10 months he spent under house arrest; he may still work for the Pentagon! But Rosen and Weissman maintained they had done nothing illegal, since under US law for someone who is not a government employee to receive classified documents from a third party is not illegal, nor is sharing them with others once they have been received. AIPAC fired them, so they had to fight their own legal battles. The prosecution was ultimately dropped. The Neoconservatives say that the case should never have been brought, since it just criminalized the routine horse-trading in information typical of Washington.
Rosen has now launched a $20 million wrongful termination suit against AIPAC. He maintains that his action of delivering the classified document to the Israeli embassy was standard operating procedure in AIPAC, and that he did nothing out of the ordinary, and that he should not have been fired. He is also threatening to name details of this routine spying.
Rosen, ironically, was hired by Daniel Pipes' so-called 'Middle East Forum.' Pipes runs Campus Watch, which is a neo-McCarthyite attempt to intimidate US college professors into toeing the Likud Party line whenever they talk about Israel and Palestine. So it is only natural that an indicted spy for Israel, Rosen, should be on staff and energetically using dirty tricks to smear the reputations of patriotic Americans.
What Steven Rosen is alleging is that AIPAC, which arranges for millions to go to the campaigns of American politicians, is in essence a Wikileaks operation, only instead of posting the ferreted-out classified material to the Web, they channel it to the Israeli government. (Of course, the Israeli government sometimes acts as a Wikileaks as well; Seymour Hersh was told by US intelligence officials that Israel shared with the Soviets some of the intel it got from spy Jonathan Pollard.)
Whether the allegations about AIPAC routine spying are true or not, Rosen and Weissman certainly did exactly the same thing Julian Assange did, and yet they are free men.
Rep. Pete King (R-NY), who wants Eric Holder to prosecute Julian Assange of Wikileaks, hasn't objected to the cases against Rosen and Weissman being dropped, and hasn't asked for an investigation of AIPAC. One of the problems congressmen like this will have in crafting anti-Wikileaks legislation is that they may well be driving a nail into AIPAC's coffin, as well. King, who keeps accusing Americans of being terrorists, is also known as a long-time supporter of the Irish Republican Army.
You have to love hypocrisy when it is taken to this Himalyan scale. It has a kind of putrid beauty.
- December 6, 2010 at 9:39 PM
- Riaz Haq said...
Here's a NY Times report about allegations by a resigning executive of Goldman Sachs:
That question is now out in the open, exposed anew by an Op-Ed article in The New York Times on Wednesday by Greg Smith of Goldman Sachs. It could reignite public suspicion that the culture of Wall Street has swung so sharply to the short-term side of the ledger that clients have not been coming in first, or even second, but dead last.
Even bankers who disagreed with Mr. Smith's conclusions said the piece had struck a chord because it stirred up their own doubts, especially in the wake of the financial crisis. It is a sign of this anxiety that since then, one giant firm after another has publicly proclaimed it is putting clients first.
That much-advertised claim stands in sharp contrast to the world Mr. Smith depicted.
At meetings at Goldman, he wrote, "not one single minute is spent asking questions about how we can help clients," Mr. Smith wrote. "It's purely about how we can make the most possible money off of them. If you were an alien from Mars and sat in on one of these meetings, you would believe that a client's success or progress was not part of the thought process at all."
He warned, "People who care only about making money will not sustain this firm — or the trust of its clients — for very much longer."
- March 15, 2012 at 4:57 PM
When discussing Israel we need to look at the root cause of the conflict - have a look at this video The Israeli General's Son – the video Israeli does NOT want you to see was made by the son of the general who lead the 73 Israeli offensive - and later turned against Israel's foreign policy
A real eye-opener, pass this around http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TOaxAckFCuQ
- February 24, 2013 at 8:35 PM


text:
Free Trade, the Environment, and Biotech
Some of the biggest winners from North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have been the agribusiness and biotech industries. These corporations' unhealthy grip on consumers and farmers will only advance with the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA). The widespread implementation of Genetically Engineered (GE) crops throughout the Americas will likely accelerate corporate consolidation of the agriculture sector, provoke pervasive impacts on human health, and further destroy the environment, already on the brink of collapse.
A Bill of Rights for Agribusiness?
One of the most hotly contested sections to NAFTA has been Chapter 11, a virtual Bill of Rights for corporations. Chapter 11 allows corporations to sue governments for "damages" if a government law affects their profits. This undermined the sovereignty of democratically elected governments.
A Quebec law banning specific pesticides reveals how Chapter 11 clauses—which are set to be included in the FTAA—undermine environmental protection. Quebec laws ban a popular weed killer called 2,4-D that is considered a possible human carcinogen, and shown to adversely affect the immune system and reproductive functions in humans, among other impacts. But now a corporate lobbying group representing some of the makers of the pesticide are now threatening to challenge the law by suing the Canadian government under NAFTA's Chapter 11. The provincial government of Quebec and Canadian taxpayers has been given a harsh choice: face paying the corporations millions of dollars, or repeal the law. Similar cases could speed the introduction of GE crops. Several states and municipalities in the Americas—from Oregon to Mato Groso, Brazil—have passed anti-GE legislation. These statutes will no doubt come under heavy fire from corporations under the FTAA. Any expansion of Chapter 11 through the FTAA will further threaten local, state and national governments' ability to enact legislation to protect their citizens and environment.
Biopirates: on your mark, get set, go!
In the last decade, the Americas and its biodiversity have been targeted by "life science" corporations (the growing consolidation of pharmaceutical, agrichemical and seed corporations) in search of "green gold." These corporations have pillaged humankind's patrimony of traditional knowledge and biodiversity to create and patent drugs and agriculture products. The quest to develop and patent biodiversity, especially medicinal plants and crops, is threatening our food security, access to health care and the biological and cultural diversity of the Americas. The FTAA Intellectual Property Rights chapter will require that member countries allow the patenting of life forms and the extension of US Life Science patents across the continent. Member countries will be unable to restrict or deny corporations' access to biological riches.
Additional reading: Biopiracy: A New Threat to Indigenous Rights and Culture in Mexico
ADM/Cargill: Control from seed to supermarket
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Cargill together control roughly two thirds of US corn and soy exports. These two super powers have benefited from the lion's share of US government agriculture subsidies, allowing them to consolidate and expand their market share throughout the continent. ADM, for example, owns 22 percent of Maseca, Mexico's largest corn meal producer, which is now invading South and Central America. In addition, both ADM and Cargill are involved in joint ventures with life science corporations, Novartis and Monsanto, respectively, further extending their monopolistic control. ADM and Cargill have generally refused to segregate GE from non-GE crops, eliminating consumer choice and imposing GE foods on consumers.
GE food labeling
Despite the fact that independent polls in virtually every country on the planet demonstrate that people want GE foods labeled, corporations and national governments have refused to do so. With the FTAA, labeling laws will be "harmonized" to the low standards of the US—i.e., no labels for GE foods.
GE contamination
GE crops are being proposed as not only the silver bullet solution to global hunger, but also the only option for agri-economic development for the hemisphere. However, GE crops have not been adequately tested by the US Department for Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration. Impacts on the human health include, but are not limited to, allergic reactions, increased food toxicity and antibiotic resistance. As demonstrated by the genetic contamination of native corn varieties in Mexico discovered in September 2001, GE crops represent a virtual "Pandora's Box" that has already blown open. The genetic contamination of native Mexican corn varieties by genetically engineered versions was largely a result of the introduction of nonsegregated, subsidized GE corn from the United States and NAFTA.
The expansion of GE crops will accelerate environmental destruction. Aside from the environmental catastrophe of genetic contamination, GE crops are provoking more obvious environmental impacts. Greenpeace has documented the accelerated deforestation in Argentina as a result of widespread GE soy cultivation.
Centers of Origin, Mega-diverse countries
Latin America is one of the most biologically and culturally diverse regions on the planet. Dozens of crops have been developed and domesticated by Indigenous peoples over the last 10,000 years, including corn and potatoes, two of the world's most important crops. Mexico alone is the center of origin and diversity for some 112 crops, including tomatoes, beans and peppers. The introduction of Genetically Engineered crops into these regions threatens the long-term viability of not only the crop itself, but the ecosystem as whole. Additionally, 7 of the world's 12 mega-diverse countries, (Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Colombia) are found in the Americas. "Mega-diversity" countries represent the majority of the world's biodiversity and surviving Indigenous peoples, the true guardians and developers of biodiversity.
Un-kept promises, peeks at the future
"Free trade" agreements to date have been little more than code words for US business expansion across the globe. In theory, these agreements assume a level playing field between partners. However the United States has yet to follow the rules. Just recently, the US Congress approved a $70 billion agricultural subsidy for the next 10 years. This largely benefits corporate agribusiness while undermining small farmers both in the US and across the globe.
One of the most glaring attacks on food security and agribiodiversity has been US corn exports to Mexico under NAFTA. Import quotas were established under NAFTA to protect Mexico's corn producers for up to 15 years, applying high tariffs on imports exceeding those tariffs. However the quotas were lifted within three years, paving the way for millions of tons of corn to be dumped on Mexico. The corn imports in Mexico have displaced at least 500,000 farmers and is steadily eroding the genetic diversity of thousands varieties of native corn varieties. The FTAA will open up national and local markets, already vulnerable as a result of the World Bank's Structural Adjustment programs and volatile international market.
Legislative vacuum
The FTAA, while expanding the concept of "trade" to include services, excludes any mention of consumer rights, environmental protection or indigenous right In fact, the FTAA directly contradicts important international legislation designed to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and biodiversity, like International Labor Organization Convention 169 and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Unlike NAFTA, which included token environmental and labor side agreements, the FTAA completely disregards international law, while undercutting national and local legislation. Of particular importance is the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, designed to regulate the cultivation and trade of Genetically Modified Organisms.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
what is an average price to ask per hive for a pollination contract?
Printable View
what is an average price to ask per hive for a pollination contract?
American Bee Journal and Bee Culture publish this info.
Seems the last I heard was between 50 and 60 dollars.
The March Gleanings reported average of $41.40 with range of 30-55. This does not sound like much to me!
The other day the news up here said Almond growers were paying $74 per hive. They were crying for bees since they have a lot invested in many hundreds or thousands of acres in almonds. Almonds are one of the best nuts to eat. I am convinced that I should eat about 24 almonds a day for health. And remembering that every almond eaten is the result of a bee visit - its easy to understand why they are desperate for pollination.
I have also heard of thefts of hives and even honey filled frames. Its a growing problem that doesnt have a cheap or easy answer. Most hives are stolen at night, but one crook stole some hives in the middle of the day - he was caught.
--Ãøug http://home.earthlink.net/~sierradou...ures/blink.gif 2004.3.29.1.12.37 PT
And I bet every farmer that paid 74 out of desperation felt like he got gouged,and will try to line up hives earlier for next year.
STEALING HIVES? Geez....
Keep in mind, this is coming from a city boy, but why would people steal hives?
Money? Just to be a jerk?
To get $74 a hive for pollenation and then still have a hive when they are done.
Ah,but did they GET 74,or a promise for 74!You have to wonder,since every grower knows he will need bees,why were they dropped by their beekeeper?Some growers are known for'no pay or slow pay'.Just call me suspicious.
Anyway the price was up some from last year,but 54 was a more realistic price.And yes stealing is up too .I just ordered a brand from Brandnew.Pricey,but it might discourage the jerks who want to steal the rewards of someone elses hard work.
OK read this from right here on good 'ol Beesource.You can take this to the bank. http://www.beesource.com/pov/traynor/agnewsmar1804.htm
>And yes stealing is up too .I just ordered a brand from Brandnew.Pricey,but it might discourage the jerks who want to steal the rewards of someone elses hard work.
I sent mine back. They told me that it would brand the hive leaving an impression. They lied. It was no more than a wood staining kit. It might work to mark your frames, but it will not brand into the paint let alone the wood.
Now they want to only refund a part of my money.
Uh Oh.Guess I will find out since they sent it out this morning.I havent branded in years,but the old one I had from a company long out of business bolted to the end of one of those pump up gasoline torches.It got red hot and would burn a quarter inch deep in no time flat.But new wood was easier than branding through paint.
Bulleye Bill, and loggerman thanks for the input on the brandnew. I was thinking of ordering one, but will wait for your input.
Mike, Tulare Co has a ag theif program, and they gave us a national id number to brand on our equipment, and they will come and do the branding for you,(I told them we had 500 hives, and 1600 suppers to do) all free of charge, they are trying to stop the thefts of hives etc.Check out www.agcrime.net, may be in your aread also
We got 54. for almonds paided 48 hrs after the hives where placed, may not be 74, but we did get paided fast, not looking for our money
Hi Susan,glad everything worked out good in the almonds for you.54 was the average price in the Sacramento Valley this year near as I can tell.I know the contractors are planning a price increase for next year.Our bees picked up a lot on the last week of bloom and most were able to work the prunes(all 7 days of it!} before we got them out.I am going to start splitting this weekend.Will let you know what I think of the brander later.
Money? Just to be a jerk?Â
In South Africa local people used to use the brood for brewing beer. You know how that hurts when you have a couple of thousand hives on pollination and the locals decide itÂs party time.
If a job is worth doing - Then do it well
Hey Rob,I remember reading an ABJ article about that problem years ago.Sounds like some really really awful rotgut beer!
---Mike(who prefers hops instead of rotting brood in his brew)
I never tried any but it sure smelled rank. I stuck to the stuff from the vine.
If a job is worth doing - Then do it well


text:
Video: Bocar Dieng on reporting Senegal's elections
Political violence in Senegal from Committee to Protect Journalists on Vimeo.
Last week's unexpected coup d'etat in Mali somewhat overshadowed, in the international news cycle, a relatively peaceful transition of power in the neighboring democracy of Senegal. In a second-round vote, opposition leader Macky Sall on Sunday defeated his former mentor, 85-year-old incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade; and while European Union observers deplored some irregularities, they largely praised the election and the Senegalese news media for a "positive role" in informing voters.


text:
Well I know prior to today he led the league in return yards. It is safe to say, without looking, that he kept that lead.
He should make the pro bowl as a returner.
Franchise record for all purpose yards. Congrats David Wilson...
Giants fan since the early 80s
To bad there was a penalty that took away a big catch by Wilson. He may have had close to 400 total yards.
lets see him continue this kind of production
a fresh, determined wilson vs run down defenses...ooooh boy things are gonna get good. im calling it now, end of the postseason wilson will have ppl going doug martinwho?


text:
I was trying to explain to a fellow "old person" just what it is about ODD FUTURE, aka OFWGKTA, the sprawling collective of ADHD-generation horror-core/skateboard rappers that's making "the kids" around the world lose their collective pubescent shit before their show last night at the Paradise. No, no, you don't get it, I said. They're legitimately crazy.
What, they stage dive a lot?
Well, OK, when you put it that way, that doesn't sound like such a big deal. But they, like, shout lyrics like "Kill people burn shit fuck school" and "Fuck the police" while they're blunted out of their minds, and yell really loud on stage and wave towels around.
In other words it's Insane Clown Posse for teenagers who pretend like they're going to fight people on their skateboard instead of the ones who cry in the mirror about their budding man boobs.
OK, but why is this group such a total thing again? As the Phoenix's Chris Faraone pointed out in his great piece on the group's rise to fame, everyone is on their dicks, from the New York Times to Pitchfork to, well, us. Just ask the group if you don't take my word for it. They've got tons of songs about their dicks, like the appropriately titled "Bitch Suck Dick," which, if you've never seen a room full of 500 teenagers with awful b.o. shouting the same, you haven't lived. "By the way, we do punch bitches," goes one line.
After seeing their show last night, or rather, having it happen to me, and considering the near riot the group's front man Tyler, the Creator caused at a record signing for his just dropped Goblin earlier in the day, on which he unrolls lines like "I'm not a fucking role model, I'm a 19 year old fucking emotional coaster with pipe dreams." and "I'm not homophobic, faggot" it's clear that they're the most thrilling act in the business right now.
The fact that someone like me is skeptical about whether or not this is a group worth rioting over is precisely the point though. When you've got 30-somethings like myself and Phoenix music editor Michael Marotta vaguely nervous about checking out a show because we have no idea whether or not the club is going to go down in flames, you know you're doing something right.
"When was the last time you can even remember a show where you just needed to be there because you didn't know what was going to happen?" was a common question amongst our friends in attendance.
Mission accomplished for the overly-hyped crew then, who destroyed the room in a sweaty, smoky, hoarse-throated mess of an hour plus set. The way the kids were wilding out in the crowd it was like some Justin Bieber shit for future oxycontin addicts who hate their mothers.
Live hip hop always blows though, no matter how good the stuff sounds on record. There's no denying that Odd Future has got some truly captivating recorded stuff. Not much yet, mind you, but enough to keep you trolling through You Tube for a half hour, particularly the gritty, horrifying, and just maybe brilliant "Yonkers" from Tyler, the quintessential example of the type of song music blogs blog about other music blogs blogging about.
"There are a lot of OG Odd Future fans that hate this song since it got us new fans," Tyler said on stage Thursday, which is strange to consider that a song that's barely existed a year on the national conscience, if that, is already old enough to be considered the anthem of the sell out fans. This music cycle is getting too sped up to understand anymore. Still, it was the loudest crowd sing along I've ever seen in the Paradise. "I'm a fucking paradox. No I'm not."
Clever turns of phrase like that, and playing the line between insanity and knowing that you're too smart to actually be insane is a big part of their appeal. For all their misogyny, homophobia and violence, Odd Future are most certainly not dumb. They know exactly what they're doing. It's dangerous, and that's entirely the point. Or at least it seems so, all jokes aside. Although our man Evan Kenney of Bodega Girls had a few too many good one-liners to ignore over the course of the night.
"Odd Future, making skateboarders like hip hop since last Wednesday."
"Odd Future, making homophobia cool again."
Boston's Bad Rabbits were in the crowd as well, and tweeted: Yo this @ofwgkta @fucktyler show is like Bane meets Mobb Deep meets Blood for Blood meets Boston College.
Mikey Lee, boston DJ and producer Coralcola took it further:
@coralcola "This crowd is mobb deep meets blood for blood meets jersey shore"
I tweeted myself last night @lukeoneil47: "#swag #ofwgkta if I make it out of here without fighting a dude born in the 2000s ill be surprised."
"I just got in a fight with a dude who doesn't know who Bill Clinton is," Kenney responded.
Earlier on while waiting outside, Marotta tweeted: It's official, I'm finally afraid of white teenage boys.
Over all I just sort of thought it was like watching Wu Tang if they could all still jump really high. But this music isn't made for me, now is it? It's made for children seething with post-millennial anger. For people who aren't afraid to break their ankles on a skateboard, or play video games for 14 hours a day and jerk off a half dozen times before noon, or climb on top of a speaker cab on the Paradise stage when the entire crowd rushed it toward the end and wobble it around like they're ready to smash a dozen people below in a bloody mess.
It's been a while since the kids have had a band that generally makes old heads feel like they're out of the loop, and that's fucking awesome.
Is it great music? No, not really. But who needs to play songs when you're already playing upon the emotional confusion and outrage of disaffected suburban youth like a fucking instrument. Let them do their thing, there's plenty of time to be jaded about it later.


text:
Spa Sojourn $2,099 Single or $3,459, double occupancy, 4 days, 3 nights
Whether you are reconnecting with yourself or a loved one, enjoy this mini Spa vacation with three nights in a Spa suite, breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day and an $800 Spa credit to customize a treatment plan of your choice.
Credits are cumulative over the guest's stay, however unused credits are not refundable. Credits are not applicable towards the room rate, food and beverage, or retail shop purchases. Credits are not valid with any other package.


text:
LOWER KEYS: A pelican that hit power lines near Mile Marker 24 triggered an hourlong power outage Saturday, according to Keys Energy Services spokesman Julio Barroso.
At 1:56 p.m., 2,200 Keys Energy customers on Summerland, Ramrod and Torch keys lost power from an electrical fault resulting from the bird strike, Barroso said. Crews had restored power by 2:52 p.m.


text:
The Huskies, who entered the game ranked 21st in the AP poll and 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, trailed by as much as 10 in the second half but battled back, taking a 60-59 lead on a trio of free throws by Ryan Boatright with 2:23 left in the game.
But sophomore point guard Hugh Greenwood answered with a trey of his own to spark UNM's final run. The Lobos hit all four of their free throws in the final 39 seconds as part of a school record 21 of 21 performance from the charity stripe.
"I like the fight in this team," said UNM head coach Steve Alford. "I think we won this championship at the free-throw line. Obviously, it (free-throw shooting) is emphasized. But the guys have to get there first and then make them. We're making them. We set a school record tonight."
Greenwood added 12 points and seven rebounds for New Mexico (4-0). Tony Snell added 11 points and Alex Kirk scored 10 points and pulled in four rebounds. Cam Bairstow came off the bench to add eight points and six rebounds.
Shabazz Napier led Connecticut (4-1) with 23 points, including 13 straight Husky points during one second-half stretch. Boatright added 12 points and Omar Calhoun 10.
The two teams battled back and forth in the first half as neither team was able to find its shooting stroke. New Mexico shot just 8 of 24 in the half (33 %), but was flawless at the free-throw line, shooting 11 of11. UConn held and early 6-2 lead then led 23-17 the Lobos launched a 10-2 run to grab a 27-25 lead. Snell hit a 3-pointer to end the first-half as UNM took a 30-27 lead into halftime.
The Lobos opened the second half on a 9-2 run, extending the lead to 39-29 but Napier led UConn back and the Huskies took their only lead of the game at 60-59 before UNM rallied for the win.
"Any time, before Thanksgiving, you can have three wins away from your place, that's huge," Alford said. "It was great. We beat a national ranked team in the third game in four days. We showed some of our depth and I like how we guarded. We know we have a lot of weaknesses and we have to get home and work on those weaknesses over the holidays.
"But this win makes the long trip home tomorrow (Tuesday) very, very nice," said Alford.
New Mexico outrebounded UConn 30-20 and the Lobos bench outscored the Huskie reserves 18-4. The Lobos reserves – Bairstow, Adams, Jamal Fenton, Nick Banyard and Cleveland Thomas – combined to shoot 5 of 9 from the field, 8 of 8 on free throws and combined for 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 57 minutes of play. Fenton scored UNM's first four points of the game.


text:
Talking to your cancer care team about fertility before your treatment
Before you start cancer treatment, talk to your doctor or nurse about any concerns you have about your fertility. An open discussion with him or her will help you plan your cancer treatment and know what to expect.
Sometimes your cancer doctor (oncologist) may not be well-informed about fertility problems, or might seem to look at this issue as less important than saving your life with cancer treatment. But you have a right to get your questions answered, even if it means getting a second opinion or seeing a specialist. You can talk to an oncologist, surgeon, nurse, reproductive endocrinologist, or fertility specialist.
This is not a complete list of questions, but it should give you a good starting point as you begin talking with your doctor or nurse about having children.
- Will this treatment have any short- or long-term effect on my reproductive system? If so, what kind of effect and how long is it likely to last?
- Can anything be done to prevent infertility before I start cancer treatment?
- Will any of the options to preserve my fertility interfere with my cancer treatment?
- If I become infertile, what are my options for having a family, such as sperm banking, adoption, or using donor sperm?
- Should I speak with a fertility specialist before treatment?
- Once I finish treatment, how will I know if I am fertile or infertile?
- How long should I wait to try to start a pregnancy after cancer treatment?
Last Medical Review: November 6, 2013 Last Revised: November 6, 2013
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
Fertility and Men With Cancer
- Fertility and Men With Cancer
- Talking to your cancer care team about fertility before your treatment
- How cancer treatments can affect fertility in men
- Preserving fertility in men with cancer
- Preserving fertility in boys and teens with cancer
- Frequently asked questions
- Other fertility-related issues to think about
- To learn more
- References


text:
Chargers Mock Draft By Jeff Williams
The NFL Draft is almost here, and all of the mock drafters are putting their final touches on their predictions for what the Chargers will do in what has become a very important draft for the team. However, there are a couple of things that make predicting Chargers' draft picks difficult.
First, picking at #28 in the first round, it's tough to know who will be selected before the Chargers. Will Dan Williams be gone before #28? Probably. Will Ryan Matthews be gone? I think so. If the players you really want are gone when it is your turn to make your pick, do you settle for the next best player at a position of need, or do you start looking at the best player available regardless of position?
That leads to the second problem, that being AJ Smith's unpredictability. If most "experts" predict that AJ will select a nose tackle or a running back in the first round, I can almost guarantee that he will go in another direction. And that leads me to my own 2010 mock draft.
Rob has done a great with the official BOLTHYPE mock draft picks, giving us a lot of different possibilities. Here is my best guess for the Chargers draft this week:
Round 1 - S Taylor Mays, USC
-I hear he has slid down draft boards for the first round, and he can put fear into anyone running across the middle. And remember, I am guaranteeing that AJ will not pick a NT or RB in the 1st round.
Round 2 - NT Cam Thomas, North Carolina
-Cody may be available here, but I don't know that AJ Smith wants to deal with the potential problems that come with him.
Round 3 - RB Montario Hardesty, Tennessee
-Don't be surprised if the Chargers trade up for Ben Tate if he is available early in the 3rd, whoever this pick is, I expect it to be a running back.
Round 4 - LB Phillip Dillard, Nebraska
-Big and athletic, he would be a contributor on a team that may lose Dobbins and/or Siler within a year.
Round 5 - OT Sam Young, Notre Dame
-A 6'8" monster, but he never seemed to live up to his full potential. Luckily he doesn't have to in 2010.
Round 5 - RB LeGarrette Blount, Oregon
- Should probably go higher, but off the field issues may see him drop into a position of good value for the Chargers.
Round 7 - CB Bryan McCann, SMU
- Yes he is a CB, but more importantly he could be a replacement for a departing Darren Sproles (you heard it hear first!).
What is your take? Will Taylor Mays be available for the Chargers in the first round? Should they go best player available, or do should they draft strictly based on need? Leave your comments below!
April 21, 2010at 8:25 AM Posted by Jeff Williams
14 comments:
Rumor has it that Lights Out could be traded during the draft.. AJ really likes Everson Griffin or C. Dunlap in the 1st round.. 2nd round will be J. Dwyer or B. Tate.
HAHAHA!! The rational is amusing. AJ wouldn't want to deal with Cody but would deal with Blount's problems?? Why s it that every mock for Bolts, year in and year out, has at least one SC pick on it? I don't understand why locals jock SC so much. Mike Williams? We wanted him. Bush? Bust. Mays? Can't cover or INT at all, but because he is physical freak we should take him? I don't know.
Well aside from the first pick not bad. I was really high on Mays for awhile and being USC is my Alma Mater I tend to want us to get a Trojan but Mays is not the one. Yes he's big, fast, mean and scary but the dude depends on his physical attributes to do all the work. Head hunter for sure but nothing more. He will get worked in the NFL.
Mock drafts fun I guess, but like you said AJ is in predictable. All I have to say is, Blount wouldn't play for any AJ Smith team...ever. And in my opinion Hardesty would be a awesome gift in the third round. His combine performance had to open eyes. I always have faith in AJ making good pics on RBs.
I appreciate the responses so far. I see Mays as a Bob Sanders type of Safety. No one knocks Sanders for a lack of cover skills. As for Cody, I thought I might need a better explanation. Basically, I wouldn't risk it in the second, but will happily make a risky pick in the fifth. The fifth round is practically a crap shoot anyhow.
smith would never draft mays.. they get good run support and hard hitting from ellison.. they would only get a safety with good coverage that can play on passing downs.. like im not trying to sound all discouraging and mean but i just cant seem to figure out why a lot of analysts havent figured out that smith doesnt like drafting guys with obvious question marks.. whether in abilities or work ethics.
I kind of do like this mock. Everyone has their issues on way or another but this mock kind of makes sense. I love Mays as a player, except we have Weddle and Ellison in the back already. Does that mean Ellison would get moved down or possibly fight for a CB job? Blount has his own issues but the boy can run downhill. 1-2 punch with Hardesty and Blount would be nice. Kind of what the Jets want to do with LT & Greene. I think the Bolts might use a later rd pick on a QB to fill in for Whitehurst.
As for Lights Out possibly leaving? We better get some picks for THIS YEARS draft.
Trade lights out we could get good value from a guy that saw his best days on the juice
Why the hell would we pick Mays when we have only one rb that's played in the NFL and only one defensive lineman that should be a starter in the NFL. Aj smith may be unpredictable but he's not stupid
My predictions are almost exactly the same! If Mayes slips there is no way we pass on him! Expect the unexpected from AJ! He has never taken anyone that "expert" mocks selected, or even a position that the mocks had us slated to take. I see us taking neither a RB or DT in the 1st. Also, I LOVE Hardesty, the kid runs HARD and has great instincts, would be a GREAT pick in the 2nd or 3rd! You and I think alike Jeff.
Matthews is the pick if hes there, if not its cody a strong NT is the basis for what the bolts do on defense.... and what problems does he have ?? being a huge fat guy that can push the pocket like williams used to be able to do....... RB and NT with the first two picks hands down
BTW were not taking mays!! yes hes fast and strong and cant cover worth shit
- Ed said... Apr 22, 2010, 1:04:00 PM
I say again the Chargers will draft two RBs in the top 3 rounds. Sproles will not be in a Charger uniform this coming season. Sure there is alot talent in the RB position. But they are all different to some degree. Like they say you got to make sure that player fits that team & its need. Gerhart,Dwyer, or Tate will give the Chargers that one two punch to wear out any defense. Plus they are large enough to block on passing plays. Tolbert & Hestler can't get it done. The defense picks up their DT in the second Cam Thomas, CB could be picked in the 4th with Rolle. OT can picked down the line, the Chargers always developes their linemen.If they can trade Merriman or Sproles during the draft its a done deal.
- Jay said... Apr 22, 2010, 3:20:00 PM
With the 28th pick of the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft the Chargers select from Northeast Rhode Island State....haha, Hopefully there wont be too many surprises today.
Post a Comment
What's your take? Registration is not required but we encourage you guys to at least use some sort of screen name to help identify one another in discussions. Use Name/URL If You Don't Sign In Please!
This Week's Popular Posts
The rumors are going strong as stories are being published left and right in regards to the future of the San Diego Chargers in San Diego a...
Dean Spanos, Chairman of the Chargers, announced this morning that the team is relocating to Los Angeles and will begin the 2017 NFL seas...
The Chargers have a plan on where to play when they move to Los Angeles and according to reports from USA Today, as well as NBC Sports Pro ...
A bitter AFC West division rivalry sets the league afire when the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders face off in Week 5. This part...


text:
Create a free account to check out faster, store multiple shipping addresses, view and track your orders in your account, and much more.
Please enter your password to continue.
Your car's engine isn't the only thing that needs oil: With all it endures on a daily basis, your hair can use some lubrication of its own. Keep your strands revved up and protected from the elements with a small amount of this all-natural oil. The handcrafted formula lends strength and shine with a blend of botanical oils, and gives a citrusy, floral scent at the same time.
After reading other reviews, I purchased the hair oil. It does, in fact, smell like fruit loops... for about 10 seconds. Then, it turns into sort of a woodsy scent that is about the furthest thing from fruit loops. I have found that applied, even to wet hair, it weighs my hair down and causes it to look intensely greasy despite using only use a very small amount. I have been trying to like it for weeks but find that I have a nearly full bottle that I don't want to use anymore. :(1
I love a lot about this hair oil; starting with the efficiency of the product, it is certainly restorative. when I use it, you can hardly tell how damaged my ends are! (oops) the bottle is glass and the dropper is insanely convenient. THE SMELL is the best part! I immediately smelled fruit loops when I used it and every other person that I've had smell it said I couldn't have hit the nail more on the head. It's a nice change from the smells of other hair oils and it is not at all overpowering.
the only con to this product is that it is indeed OIL. you must use it while your hair is wet before stying or you will be able to feel the oil all day long.
I am so happy with this hair oil. The ingredients include only high quality oils, without any added chemicals. I love that the scent is very subtle, and that this was achieved without the synthetic fragrance that so many products have. I applied 4 drops after coming out of the shower, and then 3 more once my hair dried. My hair feels so soft, without any buildup. The dropper style of the bottle helps ensure that you're not using too much product. I live in the desert in Arizona, and between the dry heat and the hard water, my hair feels dry and beaten up most of the time. This oil is the first thing that's really made a difference!!5
I looked through all the different hair oils and wasn't sure which to buy. There weren't that many reviews for this product but the promise of a fresh citrus smell that didn't linger all day seemed good. And it's true! There's this light citrus note that I love, and it's enough that if I held my hair in my face I smell it but not so much that it's overwhelming all day.
The texture of the oil is thick and well, oily. I rub a few drops from my palm into my finger tips and rub it into the top of my scalp gently, and my hair doesn't come off as greasy. I then add a few drops to my palms, rub them together and into the rest of my hair/mostly the ends. The oil leaves my hair untangled and UNSTATIC-Y all day! I wanted to emphasize the static part, since winter destroys my hair. The oil has also protected my hair from the chlorine effects of swimming!
My hair is VERY thick and down to my mid chest, and I use the oil maybe three times a week. I still have 2/3 of a bottle left. Definitely buying again.
This oil works amazingly. I have used it a few times and my hair always feels great. The first time I used it I put way too much in and my hair was very greasy but that was my own fault. So start small it is easier to put more in. It also smells great! My boyfriend said it smells lik5
This product is great for coarse hair! It locks moisture into my locks for days and keeps them shiny. I put the product on my hair before blow drying it and again before using a straightener or curling iron. I wash my hair about every three days. I put the product on the ends of hair on the days that I do not wash it. It keeps my hair from drying out or splitting. It smells great too!5
I have fine color treated hair and had been having trouble finding a good hair oil that will mend and moisturize my split ends until I found this product! I also have naturally curly/wavy hair and use heat tools every now and then and this oil works great. LOVE that it's vegan and the packaging/bottle is nice. The only (minor) downfall I have about this is the smell. It's not necessarily bad it just smells more plant-like instead of a floraly scent and I don't get any citrusy smell either. So glad I purchased this though! Can't wait to try other Herbivore Botanicals products too :)5


text:
A step up from drunk dialing ... a narcotics dial is when you've just been released from the hospital and are experiencing excruciating pain and nausea despite the (Percocet, Delaudin, other narcotic) you received, and dial your ex while you're out of your mind and leave an incomprehensible, nonsensical message or worse yet, you actually speak to him or her and have no idea what you actually said.
After I was released from the hospital for kidney stones, in a Delaudin haze, I actually thought it would be comforting to talk to my ex, so I Narcotics Dialed him and left a rambling message. I'm not surprised that he didn't call me back.
by Missy Lou March 04, 2009


text: Re: 1st Round Game 1 - Sixers Sun Apr 20 6PM Thats alright, thats just the loss talking. I am not going to freak out over a 4 point loss in the 1st game. It sucked but its not the series. Figure how well they played and how awfull the Pistons played and it was only a 4 point game. In all fairness . Someone should point out to the Sixers coach that Miller played 45 mins and their star Igoudala played 46 mins.


text:
An Onehunga two-storey building with a net lettable area of 773.27 sq m and comprising seven tenancies is being marketed for auction at the end of this month.
The property at 130-132 Onehunga Mall is being offered by Brennan Wyllie of Barfoot & Thompson Commercial and will be sold at 1pm on Thursday, November 29, at Barfoot & Thompson's City Auction Rooms, 34 Shortland St, unless it sells prior to that date. Occupying two land sites of 318 sq m and 166 sq m, the building covers the full area with a veranda over the footpath.
"The property forms part of the established Onehunga commercial centre which comprises mainly older two storey premises," Wyllie says. "Most of these buildings were built in the 1920s and 1930s and provide ground floor retailing, upper front offices and living accommodation.
"This building is located on the western side of The Mall, just to the north of its intersection with Princes Street at the southern end of the commercial area and just north of the Police Station. It has excellent road profile with good advertising exposure and is handy to most amenities and public transport, as well as having ready access to many of Auckland's major traffic routes including the State Highway 1 and south-western motorways."
The Business 2-zoned property was originally constructed in the late 19th century and was extended in the early 1970s to cover the entire footprint of the two underlying titles when the original Queen St became the pedestrian-only Onehunga Mall.
At this time an agreement was entered into between the owner of the property and the Onehunga Borough Council (later to be absorbed into Auckland Council), that granted the building dual street frontages that it still benefits from today, with warehousing and two further shop frontages fronting this rear portion of the property.
The seven rentable areas of the building comprise three retail tenancies, one office, one warehouse and two residential properties.
Commercial tenants include Send-a-Basket Florist, Antique Fabric & Lace and Computery Stuff. The smaller of two apartments is a large 84.89 sq m configured as three bedrooms. The larger completely redecorated apartment is also configured with three bedrooms and measures 93.55 sq m.
"With the exception of the long-standing Fabric Store tenancy the building has been refurbished throughout," Wyllie says. "The other ground floor tenancies occupied by Send-a-Basket and Computery Stuff have been completely refitted and modernised. The plumbing and drainage have also been renewed with only an original portion of primary cooper piping remaining and the exterior facades of the building have been carefully repainted by JR Webb Painting Contractors in colours recommended by Resene Heritage.
"All building works were completed under one Building Consent for which Code of Compliance has been issued."
Wyllie says the building's Business 2 zone recognises traditional suburban retail areas and has a wide range of permitted activities in this zone including: care centre, community welfare, educational facility, funeral parlour, healthcare services, laboratories, industry, offices, place of assembly, premises for cultural activity, residential units in existing buildings, restaurants and cafes, retailing, warehousing and workrooms.


text:
After I moved away from Louisiana, I was so happy to be able to ignore hurricanes.
Since 1996, I haven't really cared. I live in College Station, and this is generally far enough inland for me to not really worry about it.
Then, last summer came - with these huge, powerful storms. That one that hit Texas after Katrina was terrible. It was initially forecast to come on a bee-line for us. It ended up going further East and headed up to the Jasper area. That area is approx the same distance inland - and they got nailed pretty bad. So, now that I own a home, it does make me nervous.


text:
Office of Highway Safety
2013 Motorcycle Safety Course Report
2015 South Dakota Seatbelt Use Report
The Office of Highway Safety provides public education and support for law enforcement and community efforts to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from traffic crashes.
Public education promotes highway safety practices and reduces driver error. Enforcement of traffic laws guides traffic and discourages hazardous driving. Community efforts provide focused impact by using local resources, such as law enforcement, schools, media, and safety organizations, to promote traffic safety in a community.
We invite you to learn more about traffic safety in South Dakota and encourage you to join in the efforts to make our roads a safer place to travel.


text:
I ask:
How high off the ground is it?
Should I bring a ladder?
Is it a cluster of bees on top of each other or are they inside of some cavity?
How big is the cluster?
Fruit - Orange, grapefruit, melon, watermelon?
Sports- tennis ball, softball, soccer ball, football, beach ball?
Is there an electrical outlet nearby?
Because I can't walk well, I ask - how is the access? up or down stairs or a slope?
I tell:
I charge for the that type of service -$XXX an hour.
I am a licensed, insured contractor.
I guarantee my work.


text: Saw this as a topic of discusion.. http://www.superchargertuning.com/Chevrolet/Silverado/ Voltage Stabilizer for noise to the spark plugs?? Is this really up to a 10hp gain? Fuel management chip for sensor near airbox(mafs) im assuming? up to 10% hp/tq gain? I guess the magic word is UP TO.. Kind of funny on how it says on the home page works up to 5.0liter engines but are discussing the 6.0 liter under chevy silverado.


text:
Last week, I sent in for court documents relating to Thomas Kaylor's case. I got a call a few days ago letting me know that my request had been received – and that they had found significant documents.
My first thought? "Was he convicted?"
"Yes, he was convicted."
Thank God.
I have some paperwork to fix before they'll send me the documents but I'm anxious to see what his sentence was. And I'm still curious how he ended up Stanislaus, California three years later.
This also proves to me that this is the same Thomas Kaylor that I found all the marriage, divorce and death information on. I used the SSN on his death index record to obtain the court documents so they have to be the same person.
Can't wait to get those documents!


text:
Service in German on social media
5 June 2012 | Fans and followers of KLM on Facebook and Twitter can now also contact KLM in German - 24/7.
Service in 4 languages
Do you have a question, comment, complaint or compliment for KLM? You can contact us directly through the KLM Facebook page or our Twitter account.
We do our best to respond within the hour. And if you have a request, we will try to offer you a solution within a day! Moreover, we are available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Since recently, we now also offer social media services in German. A nice addition to English, Dutch and Spanish, in which we already help our fans on Facebook and our followers on Twitter.
We are hoping to offer our 24/7 service through these social media soon in more languages soon.
Go to KLM on Facebook
Go to KLM on Twitter


text:
Willowbrook Country House offers luxury accommodation in an idyllic, private and secluded country setting amidst lush gardens in the quiet residential town of Somerset West in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Owner, Lisa will welcome you and personally make sure that your stay at Willowbrook Country House is a superb experience.
Our Somerset West location offers the advantage of being in close proximity to pristine golf courses, sandy beaches, the Cape winelands and popular towns including Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Hermanus.
D'vine Restaurant is now open. Please note that the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and will be colosed for the winter season from 1 May 2017.
Willowbrook Country House lies at the heart of the Western Cape tourism hot spots "world renowned Cape wine farms, first-class golf courses, sandy beaches, historical and picturesque towns and the bustling tourist mecca, Cape Town. Read more...


text: Every team has a strength and team identity which every opponent fears and spends more time in their weekly film room trying to exploit and combat with.. This team has as of yet had neither offense or defensively established a consistent strength or an identity this season !! One of these groups need to carry the other and lead the way into the playoffs!! I have no idea which unit can step up to the challenge as this team is an enigma right now ! Who do you guys think will step up to the challenge ?


text:
|Thu, Jan 17 2008 (17:35)
It's fun and easy!
On-line chess lessons: www.chesstrainer.comChess training software: www.chesspositiontrainer.com
Learn to play chess portal: www.chessguru.net
Learn chess: www.chessdryad.com/education/magictheater
Chess in schools: www.af4c.org
Chess in schools: www.academicchess.com
Chess in schools: www.kasparovchessfoundation.org
Chess in schools: www.chessintheschools.org
Chess in schools: chess-math.org
Free material for chess coaches: www.professorchess.com
Computer-based chess training: www.chessmentor.com
Chess training DVDs: www.polgarchess.com/products/dvds.php
Chess training software: www.schoolchess.com
And for the chess-player the success which crowns his work, the great dispeller of sorrows, is named "combination."
-Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941)


text:
(1) A platonic friend, usually female, with an inspiring online personality; (2) a woman able to disseminate useful information to peers, students, and co-workers via social networks; (3) a person responsible for tweets which improve workflows, aesthetics, and skills among their followers; (4) an instructor at Twitterversity.
(1) Geesh I feel so lucky to have dissevered a small cadre of invaluable Twitter Muses, they have so improved my art I don't know where I would be without them; (2) My Twitter Muses have make me nervous -- I am so worried about disappointing them! (3) She just edited that film's Art of book, you better believe she's a Twitter Muse.
by The Friendliest Helper Ever January 27, 2012
The vengeful act of crapping on a lover's chest while they sleep.Buy the plush


text:
Surfing is just a road trip away from New York City if you head out to Montauk!
Sponsored video brought to you by Mercedes Benz
You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.


text:
Fall Fashion: Backpacks

Straight from the shelves of Joshu + Vela (and come full circle from way back in the day) comes one the Fall's hottest trends: backpacks

You probably abandoned the backpack some time ago, back in your grade school days perhaps, at about the same time you became super self-aware and suddenly very conscious of your style choices. Something about the staple L.L.Bean bag with your initials carefully sewn into the cloth just didn't sit right with your ever-evolving (and, upon further reflection, awful) style.
All told, it was probably the right move at the time; even slinging the thing over one shoulder went out with the Fresh Prince, Full House and Family Matters. But fashion trends always tend to come full circle, on an infinite slow loop, and so in 2013 we find ourselves back to backpacks.
The trend may have resurfaced, or at least picked up steam, with the advent of nerd chic in the new NBA: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook walking into press conferences like it was the first day of school. But it's since been refined: less nylon, more leather; less multipurposed and -pocketed, more sleek khaki and military. Building a backpack today, one that fuses form and function with fashion, is less about mass market and more about quality material.
Which brings us to Joshu+Vela, crafters of some truly quality packs. Simple, durable, sophisticated, Joshu+Vela have gone to great lengths to ensure that each product is put together using only the finest materials and have taken care to keep the modern man in mind: all backpacks (crafted by hand in their San Francisco studio) are built to house your standard laptop and have enough compartments tucked away in their sleek design to carry just about anything you might need in a hurry.
As far as fashion goes, they fit right in. The trend seems to favor browns, blacks and grays, subdued colors designed to draw the attention not to the pack, but to the fashion-forward man brave enough to venture back to the schoolyard.
Check out all the offerings from Joshu + Vela (modeled by the always lovely Elena Romanova) at Joshuvela.com or see the inpsiration for their products on their Tumblr.


text:
Bad reputations die hard. Just ask Shane Warne. You get some bad press and all of a sudden people get an idea about you cemented in their heads.
Travel destinations experience the same sort of thing. Once everyone has decided that a place is dangerous, or dirty, or boring, or just not worth visiting, it can be difficult to shake the reputation.
All it takes is a story in the paper, or a few pub tales from friends, and you think you know what's going on.
You might never have been to Nairobi, but it's dangerous and you shouldn't leave your hotel at night. You've probably never set foot in Bali, but it's full of Aussie bogans watching AFL games and drinking Bintang.
Those things might not be completely true, but that's the reputation, and that's what sticks.
So it's always nice to travel around a little and find places that don't stand up to the stereotype.
Like Glasgow. I'd never been to Glasgow, despite having worked in Edinburgh for three months a few years ago, and living up near Aberdeen a few years before that. You know why? Because it's scary.
People get stabbed in Glasgow. You wear the wrong colour football jersey in the wrong part of town and you'll get yourself a serious kicking. Or maybe there'll be no reason for it at all. Glasgow is a rough city, full of grimy dock-workers and unhinged football hooligans.
At least, that's what I'd heard. From Australia, and from the rest of Scotland.
(One of the funny things about Scotland is that its own citizens do as much to perpetrate false stereotypes as ignorant foreigners. I told a Glasgow cab driver that I'd be going to Edinburgh next. He shook his head: "There's some strange, strange people in Edinburgh." Then I told my friend in Edinburgh I'd just been in Glasgow. He shook his head, too: "Wouldnae go there if you paid me.")
What I'm trying to say is that I rolled up in Glasgow a few weeks ago expecting a rough town. It didn't put me off going, this reputation, but I was prepared to find a city that would keep me on edge, where things could possibly go wrong.
First night out I took all of the cards out of my wallet, hid some emergency cash in my backpack and spent my evening sticking to well-lit streets, constantly on the lookout for the stabbing that was inevitably coming my way. Thinking back on it now I feel faintly ridiculous.
I eventually figured out that it just wasn't going to happen. Glasgow's not like that.
Suddenly I was in Mexico City, another supposedly scary place that didn't turn out to be that frightening at all. Take a few precautions, don't do anything stupid and you're fine.
I was in Bogota, where you expect the worst but often find the best. You think you'll be shot but it never happens. There's no undercurrent of violence, no menace in the air.
I was in Buenos Aires, a city that for some reason has a reputation for danger, of people being mugged in taxis and bailed up in broad daylight. Really? Never happened to me, or anyone I met there.
And then I was back in Glasgow, which is not even on the same scale as those Latin American cities.
Glasgow's not just safe, it's friendly. Really friendly. Everyone wants a chat. They want to joke around, be your friend. The city's old reputation might have been something like Chopper Reid but in reality it's more like Heath Franklin, the fun, slightly eccentric caricature.
Where you might expect violence in Glasgow, there's actually culture. There are art galleries and museums and cool restaurants and music venues. There's a gig on every night; a great place to drink on most corners.
About the biggest danger is getting soaked by the rain, or not being able to get away from a cab driver who just wants to chat for a few minutes more.
Glasgow's reputation as a hard town was probably once justified. Now, however, it's like the city's old warehouses that have been gutted and converted into artists' residences – the shell of Glasgow remains, but the rough heart is gone.
Scary? Hardly.
Which "dangerous" cities have you been to that turned out to be not so dangerous? Post a comment below.
Email: email@example.com
Instagram: instagram.com/bengroundwater


text:
Cub Scout kick-off meeting Sept. 16
Pequot Lakes Cub Scout Pack 102 will hold a kick-off pack meeting 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, at the Eagle View Elementary cafeteria. Scouting is about family, learning about outdoors, camping, leadership, interacting with the public, and Doing Your Best!
Each grade is divided into it's own den so kids are kept with children their own age. Cub Scouts is open to first through fifth graders. Each den meets once per month after school at Eagle View and the entire pack has a monthly evening meeting for scouts and families.
Attend the kick-off meeting to learn more about scouting and answer any questions that you have.


text:
When your sick and mad cause' you can't get your snot out of your nose so you get a tissue and blow as hard as you can trying to get all your snot and anger out into that tissue and repeat this proccess over and over again.
I went into a snot rage during homeroom and eventually the teacher aked what I was doing.
by btap March 12, 2009


text:
Hello everyone, Iam new to Beekeeping and have a few questions. First let me preface my interest. My neighbor has two bee hives. I sit and watch them and find them quite fascinating. I want to learn more and perhaps have a hive someday. My neighbor isnt there much as this is a seasonal home therefore it is difficult at times to communicate.
A normal day would consist of bees leaving and entering the two hives he has. A few weeks ago I noticed the hive on the left had hundreds of bees on the outside and lots flying around. Possibly swarming?? The next few days there was a large patch of bees on the bottom drawer above the opening. When i came back at 1 am on Friday it was sprinkling rain and there was a huge patch of bees on that same hive. No bees noticed on the one on the right. About 10 am the patch of bees was much smaller. The bees at the hive on the right were back to their normal activity (in and out).
Could someone please tell me what they think is going on withthe hive on the left? I have a picture but could not post it or cant find a way to post it.
Any repsonse will be appreciated. Thanks JJ


text:
Can you believe October starts tomorrow? That means two things: Halloween is upon us, and our September edition of the GeekMom Book Club is coming to a close. How did you all like reading Ready Player One? I finished it before this month even started, which means I've had a whole month to ponder over the story. It's been interesting to compare my reaction to it over time. Immediately after finishing it, I thought it was an entertaining and straight-forward story with not many discussion points due to its simple and fun nature. But as it turns out, you can make anything complicated if you think about it long enough.
Continue Reading "GeekMom Book Club — Ready Player One — Conclusion" »


text:
Trends, fashion, celebrities, events, music, and all things only Vegas
In this week's Vegas Minute, which you can see below and on our official YouTube channel, check out the European-inspired beauty of Ravella at Lake Las Vegas. Get ready for some music with Elvis Costello and the Impostors at the Palms on May 13, and Stevie Nicks at Caesars Palace on May 14. Plan your trip at http://www.lasvegas.com/. Vegas Minute produced by http://www.vegas.com.


text:
The capital markets have recovered … or have they?
The capital markets have recovered … or have they?
One year ago, pundits were talking about financial Armageddon as a real possibility. Nobody seemed to know exactly what "Armageddon" meant, and that's partly what made it so frightening. The scenarios seemed almost unimaginable: What happens when the financial markets freeze up? What happens when banks stop lending money to their customers—or even to each other? What happens when stock prices plunge by one-third and every day brings news of another massive bankruptcy, from Lehman Brothers to General Motors?
Well, now we know what happens.
In short, life goes on. Yes, the new normal is less exuberant than the old one, but at least it's not the real-life horror show we faced in late 2008. Banks are lending again and investors are buying corporate securities. A series of federal bailouts and stimulus measures have put America's banks and auto manufacturers on life support. And while the economy remains in awful shape, the decline has slowed and overall confidence has returned to the global economy.
Last year, Fortnightly's October issue predicted that utilities would lead the way out of the financial crisis, and to some degree that's exactly what they've done. Although many utilities delayed their capital-spending programs to protect their cash positions, the industry as a whole continued accessing capital markets through all but the worst days of the meltdown. "In late 2008, nobody wanted to buy the bonds of any other sector," says Eric Peiffer, a managing director with KeyBanc Capital Markets. Since that time, lending premiums have fallen dramatically, back to levels not seen for two years, since before the recession began.
That doesn't mean, however, that it's business as usual on Wall Street. Financial executives seem cautiously optimistic about the economy, but in recent conversations with Fortnightly they expressed significant doubts about the pace and strength of the recovery. To the degree a weak economy destroys industrial demand and strains consumers' pocket books, utilities will encounter greater difficulty when seeking the rate treatment necessary to support their ambitious capital spending plans.
To better understand the view from the capital markets, Fortnightly interviewed five banking executives, including: Eric Peiffer , managing director, KeyBanc Capital Markets; Andy Redinger , KeyBanc managing director and energy group segment leader; David Nastro , managing director and head of the global power and utility group at Morgan Stanley's investment banking division; Raymond S. Wood , managing director and co-head of the alternative energy group at Credit Suisse; and George Bilicic , chairman of the power, utilities and infrastructure sector at Lazard.
Spectacular Tightening
Fortnightly: What's the current status of capital market access for utilities, both in terms of debt and equity? Where are we going, after what's happened in the past year?
Peiffer, Keybanc: The capital markets improved materially by March 2009. The state of the markets today is such that just about any investment-grade issuer can access the market, and the demand for utility paper has never been stronger. It's


text: Procrastination is the assassination of your motivation. We become filled with inspiration at Gods revelation, and pledge to do things beyond imagination, until theres a hesitation, which causes the evaporation of that determination, and procrastination becomes the assassination of our motivation. Procrastination at school will be the ruination of your education. At work, procrastination may cause the termination of your occupation, resulting in the elimination of your compensation. Procrastinate on changing your oil, and youll experience the deterioration of your transportation. Procrastinate on home repairs, and youll see the dilapidation of your habitation. Procrastinate on time with your children, and youll sense the alienation of cherished family relations. So dont procrastinate, initiate!


text:
3,000 has arrived. You are one of the finest baseball players ever!
Somewhere in this thread, it would be fun to run down all of Bidge's records. There are so many obscure ones, I can't do it alone!
I'll start with the one mentioned in my sig line currently:
9th MLB player in history to hit #3,000 with one team.
He also is the all-time right-handed doubles hitter in MLB history.
27th player all-time to make it to 3,000 hits.


text:
Organic Soup Kitchen Serves 800 Christmas Meals
200 Volunteers Cooked, Served Italian Food At Veterans Memorial Building
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Hundreds of people sat down together for a Christmas meal at the Veterans Memorial Building.
Two-hundred volunteers at the Organic Soup Kitchen cooked up and served enough Italian food for 800 people.
"It makes me feel so good. It's better to give. It feels so much better to give," said volunteer Barbara Palefox.
The holiday event started at noon and goes until 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
"Every walk of life that Santa Barbara has to offer is in this building today. Sitting next to each other, breaking bread, enjoying an Italian meal," said Anthony Carroccio, the Organic Soup Kitchen executive director.
It's a time of year many people look forward to.
"It's nothing better than to be part of the community because all these people makes part of the community," said Martin Irabien.
"I wish Christmas came more than once a year. It's a time where the community actually starts looking people in the eye and reaches out to help us," said Ravell, a man who didn't want to give his last name.
The Organic Soup Kitchen served 300 seniors their meal Monday.
Volunteers started their shifts at 5 a.m. Wednesday to make sure everything was ready for four hours of food and music.


text:
He says that Acciona is planning to drastically reduce its investment in its home country and other more mature markets in favour of emerging markets. Latin America and South Africa are particular targets, he says, with the company planning to open manufacturing facilities in these regions.
Before commenting please read our rules for commenting on articles.
If you see a comment you find offensive, you can flag it as inappropriate. In the top right-hand corner of an individual comment, you will see 'flag as inappropriate'. Clicking this prompts us to review the comment. For further information see our rules for commenting on articles.


text: Set in a fantasy world rife with war, Fantasy Wars is a hex-based tactical strategy game with three interwoven campaigns and an in-depth storyline. In a world of Humans, Orcs, Dwarfs and Elven races, players will participate in castle sieges, reconnaissance operations all in sophisticated three-dimensional worlds. Experience epic real-time battles from afar or zoom in to see individual numbers in the ranks.


text:
Skip to Main Navigation | Skip to Content
Shelly Bachus, Policy Director
Administration 208
Warrensburg, MO 64093
Phone: 660-543-4730
Approval: Approved by the President on November 4, 2004.
Authority: Board of Governors Policy 2.1.050
Responsibility: All University Employees
I. Reporting
When a report is received by any supervisor, director, department chair, dean or vice president that a possible, potential or apparent violation of the "Conflict of Interest or Commitment Policy for Employees" may or has occurred and can not be resolved through the appropriate administrator, a statement shall be made detailing the possible violation, in writing, signed, dated, and submitted to the Office of General Counsel after the alleged conduct has taken place.
II. Fact Finding
If general counsel, after consultation with the appropriate senior administrator(s), determines that a possible violation of the policy has occurred, the general counsel will appoint a disinterested party/committee to investigate the facts of the statement and will notify the subject of the investigation, within 10 days, unless notification would limit the effectiveness of the investigation. The disinterested party/committee will present a copy of those relevant facts found to the general counsel who will notify the appropriate senior administrator(s) as to whether a violation has occurred.
III. Enforcement
If it is determined by the general counsel that a violation of the policy has taken place, a written finding will be presented to the appropriate senior administrator(s) for appropriate action. Action will be based on the extent of the violation and the position held by the employee. Action will be consistent with the Faculty Guide, Academic Procedures and Regulations and the Human Resourses Manual guidelines.
IV. Appeal Process
Appeals will be provided per applicable existing avenues for grievance or appeal. Allegations against the president will be reported to the Board of Governors. The president's decision, or the board's decision in a case of allegations against the president, will be final.


text:
"Rooks Revenge" Chess Tournament (State Qualifier) results:
Austin Davis, 9th grade: 3rd place
Delvin Hoskie, 9th grade: 13th place
Greyhills Academy High School Chess Club season began with (5) students wanting to learn to play the game of Chess. As the season progressed with practice and preparation, our participants gradually reduce to a (2)-member team Chess Club. Both students have been nominated for the G.A.T.E.S. (Gifted & Talented) Program at our high school. Austin Davis, has made a complete turn-around as an At-Risk student to a progressing and responsible student. Delvin Hoskie, an academically sound student, has acquired a keen interest for the game of Chess.
Follow up story–
"Fools Mate" Chess Tournament (State Qualifier) results:
Austin Davis, 9th grade (novice): 1st place
Delvin Hoskie, 9th grade (beginner): 8th place
Greyhills Academy High School Chess Club has qualified both team members to compete in the 2012 Arizona Scholastic State Chess Championships on April 20, 21 & 22, 2012 in Gilbert, Arizona. At the recent "Fools Mate" Chess Tournament (State Qualifier), Austin Davis placed 1st (trophy) and Delvin Hoskie placed 8th (medal), as well as, the Greyhills Academy High School Chess Team placing 1st (trophy). Austin preceded his 3rd place from the previous state qualifying chess tournament by winning (4.5) out of (5) games, earning him the recognition of 1st place honors. Delvin's herald performance, by winning (3) out of (5) games, showed growth and development, and helped the Chess Team in placing 1st overall.
Good luck to Greyhills Academy High School Chess Club in the State Tournament!
2012 Arizona Scholastic State Chess Championships Results
Our Greyhills Academy High School Chess Club represented our school and Chess program with pride and passion for this year's Chess Finale. Our Chess Team Members learned and gained valuable insight and experience in playing against high-rated chess players and Chess Master's. "Win or Lose", their desire to compete and to be successful, has brought a sense of accomplishment and pride to their outstanding Chess season. In the end, it is definitely a season to build on as we begin to prepare for the upcoming 2012-2013 Chess season.
I would like to express my sincerest appreciation and great admiration for the support from Greyhills Academy High School 21st CCLC Coordinator, Regina Hale and the Arizona Department of Education – 21st CCLC staff and program. I also would like to convey my gratitude to Annette Hemstreet, Greyhills Academy High School P.E./Health Teacher, for purchasing our Chess polo shirts. Last, but not least, Chris Curley, Greyhills Academy High School Parent Educator, for all public relations (Navajo Times and Navajo-Hopi Observer) pertaining to our successful Chess season.
As the Greyhills Academy High School Chess Coach, it has been an honor and privilege to have played a role in our productive Chess season ever. Thank You Austin Davis and Delvin Hoskie for making this season memorable.