text:
Could progressive wins mean Democratic losses in Midterms?
The last few months will likely be remembered as one of the most successful in recent history for progressive causes, candidates, and the people who love them.
In November, New Yorkers elected a bona-fide liberal to take charge of a city that hasn't had a Democratic mayor in 20 years. Last month, Bill Nye, known forever to a generation of millenials as "the Science Guy" seemed to put a final nail in the coffin of creationists by debating its staunchest defenders and seeming to crushthem with a combination of common sense and scientific fact. In February, Michael Sam managed to kick open America's most durable closet door by becoming the first openly gay man to acknowledge his sexuality before embarking on what is arguably viewed as America's most macho career: professional football. Just last week one of the country's most conservative governors, Jan Brewer of Arizona, vetoed a bill widely deemed to be "anti-gay" that would have allowed businesses to decline service based on religious beliefs. With victories like these, shouldn't liberals nationwide be celebrating the dawn of the United Progressive States of America?
Not so fast, because if history is any indication, things are about to get much worse for progressives before they get better.
Progressives have previously enjoyed eras of sweeping social change. The successes of the civil rights movement and the second-wave feminist movement are two recent examples. While both movements resulted in significant legal victories for oppressed groups, they resulted in significant political losses for their supporters. After signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law President Lyndon Johnson is reported to have said, "We have lost the South for a generation."
By "we" he meant his fellow Democrats and of course his prediction proved right. The GOP employed what became known as the "Southern Strategy," which involved capitalizing on southern resentment over civil rights gains made by blacks thanks to the government and Democratic politicians, in order to help elect Republican candidates. The strategy proved so effective, and divisive, that former Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman apologized for the party's implementation of the Southern Strategy during a speech before the NAACP in2005. As a testament to the strategy's lingering impact, today there is just onewhite Southern Democrat left in Congress, John Barrow of Georgia. (Black Southern Democrats tend to be concentrated in predominantly black congressional districts.)
Similarly, it was only after the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which decriminalized abortion, that the pro-life movement became a major force in American politics.
Though it had been active since the 1960s, it was only after the Roe decision that the National Right to Life Committee became officially incorporated and immersed its members in political organizing. Along with the Moral Majority, Family Research Council and other conservative and decidedly pro-life groups, the National Right to Life Committee would play a key role in helping to turn the Christian Right into a major political power that would give America the Reagan era.
Today, Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land but laws protecting reproductive rights at the state level have been weakened so much in recent years that in some states, like Texas, whether or not Roe is still the law seems virtually moot.
Drawing parallels between the abortion rights movement and the gay rights movement, legal expert Michael Klarman as saying of the impact of the Roedecision on national politics: "When the court intervenes to defend a minority position or even to resolve an issue that divides the country down the middle, its decisions can generate political backlash, especially when the losers are intensely committed, politically organized and geographically concentrated."
Despite all of this it seems progressives are unwilling to learn the lessons of history.
Was the Voting Rights Act was wrong because it is still causing political fallout for Democrats years later? Of course not.
But as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. watched supporters of civil rights rack up victories, he never paused to take victory laps ridiculing the fact that those who opposed him were losing their way of life. Instead, he tried to let the grace he and other members of the movement demonstrated speak for itself. Progressives these days could use a lot more grace.
In fact while I can only imagine how much easier social media would have made organizing during the civil rights movement (as well as potentially saving lives) there are times I shudder to think how much worse it could have made the tone of political discourse back then. I can only imagine the impact of snarky tweets sent from well-meaning progressives across the country ridiculing the intellect of Southerners in some misguided effort to apply political pressure.
Read The Full Article On The Daily Beast
More articles from The Daily Beast:
- Can Senators Get 60 Votes to Stop Sexual Assaults in the Military?
- Exclusive: Congress Probes Why Spies Got Putin's Invasion Wrong
- Wealth Report: London, Not New York, Is World's Greatest City
© 2013 Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC


text:
The Conservative Case for Unions After the Harris v. Quinn Decision
Writing for the majority, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito handed unions a sharp rebuke in Harris v. Quinn. Ruling that "partial public employees" were exempt from paying union dues, which routinely flow into Democrats' coffers, Alito invoked the "bedrock principle" of First Amendment law that "except perhaps in the rarest of circumstances, no person in this country may be compelled to subsidize speech by a third party that he or she does not wish to support."
Anxious labor activists know well that the Court has teed up a future challenge to all mandatory dues. Alito opened the door by questioning the "anomalous" Abood precedent, which lets states coerce union members into paying dues. Justice Elena Kagan, dissenting, warned that Abood "is deeply entrenched" in the law, the "foundation for not tens or hundreds, but thousands of contracts between unions and governments."
The First Amendment must not be blunted because upholding it makes a mess. But the majority's business and ideological supporters are ignoring a profound question that Kagan helped raise, however unintentionally. And the failure to reckon with that question will make the injustice of paying dues for partisan speech look like a minor detail.
The issue is simple: Why do unions exist?
Supporters of the majority in Harris have one thing right: Unions do not exist to funnel workers' dollars into a nationwide machine fueled by cronyism, corruption, and political partisanship. But this is just the beginning of an answer.
For old-school labor activists and unreconstructed Marxists, unions do in fact exist to get involved in national politics—but only insofar as they unite the workers of the world. This is because, under a Marxist view of justice, that's an essential function for unions because the power of capital is a global power that can only be fought globally.
Today's labor bosses, however, are a far cry from Eugene Debs, the four-time Socialist candidate for president jailed by Woodrow Wilson for opposing the First World War. They are happy to preside over a system where unions are political organizations first and economic ones second. The dominant goal of the current union system is the same as any political organization—increase membership so as to raise funds, and raise funds so as to push pet causes.
Ironically, Republicans share some blame for unions' transformation into an appendage of the Democratic Party. The wing of the GOP that favors corporate business over free markets has gleefully worked against union interests at every turn. Big-business Republicans have sometimes behaved as if unions have no legitimate economic reason to exist—when, in reality, unions wind up being the only way industrial workers can bargain effectively with the massive corporations that employ them. Unions exist because, without them, the path is opened wide to crony collaboration between big government and big business.
That's the fundamental insight behind a conservative case for unions. Without the balancing effect of organized labor, corporations can easily threaten political liberty by creating an economic system in which millions of citizens are effectively locked into servile, dependent labor relations.
Read The Full Article On The Daily Beast
More articles from The Daily Beast:
- How Airbnb Is Jacking Up Your Rent
- Only Eight Years of President Hillary Can Take the Supreme Court Away From Conservatives
- Team USA Lost, but Tim Howard Is a Winner
© 2014 Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC
PHOTO: Getty Images

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Miranda Lambert returning to 'The Voice' - on Team Shakira
Listen to Miranda Lambert on iHeartRadio
Miranda Lambert will once again lend her talents to NBC's "The Voice." But this time around she's not helping out husband Blake Shelton. The country star is on board as an advisor to Shakira, who'll be filling the chair left vacant by Christina Aguilera.
Miranda tells "Access Hollywood" she believes Blake is "kinda nervous about this whole situation," but adds it's good to "keep 'em on their toes." Lambert also believes it's time for the show's female coach to win. So far, singers from coach Adam Levine's team were the first and most recent winners, while Blake has coached three vocalists to victory.
Also returning as a coach is Usher, who is once again filling in for Cee Lo Green. "The Voice" will launch on NBC after the Winter Olympics, with the season six debut set for February 24th.
Photo Credit Getty Images


text:
Site Maintenance
This site is currently undergoing maintenance. Please check back soon. Thank you.
All comments, postings, and stories are property of their posters, all the rest is © 2003-2013 by me.
None of the television series, books, characters, movies, or their associated characters, settings, or concepts appearing on this site are the property of the site owner or of the various authors. These belong to their various creators and distributing agencies, and have only been borrowed for entertainment purposes. The site owner and authors are receiving no payment for the work on this site, and have borrowed these characters/situations only out of deep and reverent love for them.
Skin designed by Sally Anderson. Brushes by Miss M. Bamboo photography © 2004 ManixTT, All Rights Reserved.


text:
You Can't Make Me! Using Change Management for Process Improvement Success
Business Process Improvement drives productivity improvements, but the very nature of process improvement requires people to change. That reality, along with an ever-increasing volume of change across every industry, makes change management essential to process improvement success. Process management and change management go hand in hand.
Even the best process improvements fall flat when people resist new ways of working. Overcome resistance by incorporating Change Management into your Business Process Improvement plans. The probability of success is nearly six times higher for organizations that effectively use change management. So when you commit to business process improvement, change management must be part of your solution if you expect to realize the benefits you want. This webinar will help.
Attend this webinar to learn how to:
- Connect change management to successful process improvement
- Engage your employees in process improvement changes
- Target the source of employee resistance
- Involve leaders in change management to get sustained results
- Understand the human aspects of process improvement
Two Big Brains, One Great Webinar
You'll get insights and ideas from two experts in the fields of Change Management and Business Process Improvement. Popular author, teacher and advisor Phil Eastman II speaks on change engagement to audiences around the world. You can't train your way through the human side of change, says Phil, so attend this webinar to find out what you can do.
Lexmark helps customers transform daily workflow through process improvement. Lexmark process improvement evangelist, John McCoy, shares examples of companies that have successfully combined process improvement with change management. You'll get ideas on how you can do it, too.


text:
(Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB) It's survival of the fastest with Trials Evolution! Your favorite physics-based motorcycle racer is back in a brilliant new outdoor setting. Ride in real-time multiplayer with 2-4 players, either locally or through Xbox LIVE. Enjoy a deep, rich single player career with 50 brilliant tracks, challenging unlocks, and tricky achievements. A massive, powerful track editor lets you build the track of your dreams and easily share it with the world. Or simply download top-rated tracks from around the world, using the all-new Track Central. Customize your bike and rider with awesome gear and unique parts, enjoy unique skill games, try ghost racing, beat your Friends' scores, and more! Don't miss the madness!
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More
Click to create and send a link using your email application
Click to create and send a link using your email application


text:
WATCH: One Direction release video for 'Story Of My Life'
Listen to One Direction on iHeartRadio
The boys of One Direction are reliving their childhoods in the music video for "Story Of My Life."
Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson introduce fans to their members of their families in the new clip, by recreating photographs of their past.
The group first appears developing film in a dark room. The first photo to be recreated is of Zayn and his younger sister in his bedroom. It morphs from past to present, as the singer's real-life sister appears by his side. Niall and his older brother make an appearance, while Liam and Louis are both joined by their full families. Harry takes his solo to pay homage to his mother, singing to her as she sits on the couch in his childhood home.
"Story Of My Life" is the second single off One Direction's upcoming Midnight Memories album, out on November 25th.
Check out the video below!


text:
Elvis' Armpit-Stained Jumpsuit for Sale
(NEWSER) – Would you pay $200,000 for an old white jumpsuit with sweat stains in the armpits? No? What if said jumpsuit (and sweat) belonged to none other than the King himself? One of Elvis Presley's suits—featuring, in addition to the sweat, a bejeweled peacock and worn during his Las Vegas performances—is going up for auction tomorrow atSotheby's, where it's expected to fetch between $100,000 and $200,000, Time reports.
Read the full story on Newser.com


text:
2013: The year of power couple music videos
(Yahoo!) - Just when you thought it was safe to declare 2013 "The Year of the Twerk" thanks to Miley Cyrus, some of the world's most popular couples have decided to unleash their love in music videos for our amusement.
First there was the already much talked-about and parodied "Bound 2," featuring Kanye West and the recently graduated to MILF status Kim Kardashian. Then Beyoncé dropped "Drunk in Love," featuring her rapping hubby Jay Z, as part of her surprise music and video extravaganza last week. And now Katy Perry and John Mayer are getting into the act with Mayer's "Who You Love," featuring the real-life lovebirds, as well as other real-life couples, getting their love thing on a mechanical bull, in slow motion no less. It's as if they're saying,Kanye and Kim, your motorcycle-riding antics are, well, bull!
Just for kicks, let's put all three videos under the microscope.
John Mayer, "Who You Love"
Mayer has seen his star drop in recent years, following the lukewarm reception of his two post-throat surgery albums, so it seems as if this is a Hail Mary of sorts, of at least a Hail Katy. Heck, if you had a girlfriend as beautiful and famous as Kay Perry, wouldn't you record a duet with her and stick her in your video? Whatever the case, John and Katy, in their Western wear, come off as the most down-to-earth power couple in this trio of videos, sharing the screen with other real-life couples as the visual for this tasteful soft-rocking tune.
"We set the casting call out for real couples. So it's just so authentic," Mayer explained in an interview Tuesday morning on Good Morning America. "There's nothing scripted in that video, except maybe putting a bull in the desert."
Sadly, Mayer hinted that life in a celebrity relationship isn't all freaky motorcycle nature rides, smoky beaches, and mechanical bulls. "I had to put a video together just to see my girlfriend," Mayer joked, but we're betting there's a little bit of truth there.
Kanye West, "Bound 2"
You've got to hand it to Kanye. He might have set the bar for the most bizarre video of the year, beginning with the insanely beautiful landscape scenes of mountains, soaring eagles and horses running through water and the open plains. Then we move onto Kanye and his rapping and motorcycle-riding antics; and Kim K. with her stunning windblown (or airbrushed) good looks. Once 'Ye gets dirty on his motorbike with a topless, blonde Kim K. riding cowgirl, it's hard not to be stunned — by the beauty and the pure audacity of it all. Love him or hate him, Kanye and his baby mama got your attention. And by the way, the sample-heavy, dirty track is almost as out there as the video clip.
Beyoncé, "Drunk in Love" (featuring Jay Z)
The world's other most famous power couple let it all hang out in a black-and-white clip for this snappy jam. While it's mostly the beautiful Bey dancing with herself on the sand, looking all wet, hot and smoky in a bikini and sheer cover-up, Jay Z drops by in the last third of the video to share some knowledge about their hot-and-heavy relationship. Apparently they can go "all night." Maybe so, but their video love session isn't nearly as phantasmagorical as Kanye and Kim's. Maybe that's a good thing.
*Warning: Explicit language


text:
Here you'll find our huge selection of challenging jigsaw puzzles for adults starting around 500 pieces, including the most popular 1000 piece puzzles for adults, all the way up to the largest jigsaw puzzle in the world, 33,600 pieces!
Use the filters to the left or simply scroll down to begin viewing all pages.
Copyright © 2016, Puzzle Warehouse, All rights reserved. St. Louis Jigsaw Puzzles
Puzzle Warehouse recycles everything it can to save the environment and to keep costs and prices low.
We are Hiring! Please fill out the employment form or send your resume to email@example.com.


text:
Looking for a bargain? Visit our online outlet store, where you'll find all your favourite Australian brands at massively discounted prices.
Special Price
Regular Price:
Get into Bonds basics - a range that's anything but basic. With statement-making monochromes, logo waistbands and eye-popping prints, it's Bonds at its best. Our women's underwear range has a distinct nod to the Nineties. Cover them up or show them off - the choice is yours.
The new String Skimpy shape is skimpier at the back with cutaway sides. Inspired by the classic string bikini shape, it's designed with a soft and stretchy signature Bonds printed wideband waist elastic.
Standard Shipping is free within Australia and usually takes up to 7 business days to be delivered. Charges also apply for delivery outside of Australia. Express shipping is currently unavailable.
We will accept change of mind returns on products delivered within Australia for up to 30 days from the date of receipt, or if faulty. View returns policy
We recommend you wash your garment before you wear it. Each garment label will provide the specific material and care instructions for your guidance, so please make sure you check these.
Prefer to purchase in person? No problem, we've got you covered with real-time stock availability.


text:
Using technology developed by NASA to heal astronauts' injuries, this is the device that covers a wide 3 1/2"-diameter area using 72 LEDs to produce safe infrared heat, stimulating blood circulation, relieving swelling in joints, and loosening tight muscles. A study at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee showed the LED technology reduced painful inflammation by up to 37%. Unlike heating pads that only treat just below the skin's surface; its LED light penetrates deep into tissue for lasting relief from muscle aches. The device can be placed on the skin or 1/4" above the skin and begins to relieve pain in as few as three treatments. The lightweight, brush-shaped design is easy to move around the body, and the included strap holds it in place. Plugs into AC. 7 3/4" L x 3 1/2" W x 3 1/4" D. (5 oz.)
Lifetime Guarantee
The Wide Coverage LED Pain Reliever comes with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee. If this product ever disappoints you, for any reason, you may return your Hammacher Schlemmer purchase for exchange, credit, or refund.
Should you have any questions, we are available seven days a week (8:00 am – midnight EST). Please call 1-800-321-1484 to speak with a specialist or email us at email@example.com to receive a response within three business hours or less.
Shipping charges noted in parentheses apply in addition to our standard shipping & service.
We're sorry, but gift wrap is not available. Please call 1-800-395-7006 for Premium or Express delivery rates.
Oversized items scheduled for expedited delivery (Premium or Express) may incur additional shipping and services charges because of their unusual size. Please call 1-800-321-1484 for an estimate of S&S charges. International callers, please call 1-513-860-3397.
We're sorry, but gift wrap is not available for oversized items.
Shipped via truck and may require customer assistance upon delivery. You will be contacted to make an appointment for delivery.
We're sorry, but gift wrap and gift cards are not available.
GST still applies and will be charged upon processing. For complete shipping & service charges please call Customer Service at 1-800-321-1484.
May we recommend:
(based on 94 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Best Uses
Reviewed by 94 customers
Displaying reviews 1-10
Back to top
Previous Page | Next Page »
(52 of 52 customers found this review helpful)
Worth a Trial for Fibromyalgia Pain
By CapeCodFoodie
from Cape Cod, MA
I have tried this on a specific intense chronic deep bone/muscle/tendon tender point from fibro, which I've had for several decades. I did a two week trial, twice daily for 14 (?) minutes, per instructions, as I wanted to be sure it was worth the expense (despite the excellent HS guarantee). I'm reasonably sure that it has reduced my pain there, perhaps 75%, a very good outcome for this disorder. I am continuing to use it. One odd feature for me is that I find it somewhat painful while using, but the application pain goes away and then the fibro pain recedes.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- flag this review
(35 of 36 customers found this review helpful)
this is an excellent product
By Jillana
from Nova Scotia, Canada
This product really eases the pain in my arthritic knees. I will continue to use it regularly and when it wears out, I will purchase another one.
(27 of 27 customers found this review helpful)
Great Product!
By Hands Free - of pain!
from Barrie, ON
I regularly receive Laser Therapy for Rhumetoid Arthritis and have asked my therapist if this product will help between appointments - she said yes! This product is a great help in relieving the pain and symptoms of arthritis and any other aches or pains suffered by myself or family members. It's very effective when the skin actually touches the LEDs. I find setting a small timer helps keep the use time to 15 minute intervals - best for pain relief. It takes anywhere between 1 to 6 weeks to notice a difference, when used on a regular basis, depending on the condition it is being used for. If it's an awkward spot, consider using tensor bandages *one the handle only!* to keep the LEDs in the correct space.
(22 of 24 customers found this review helpful)
provides easy and comfortable healing
By the ex golfer
from ferndale, mi
I have torn both meniscus on my knees-this product has greatly reduced the swelling and now I can walk with out pain.
(20 of 21 customers found this review helpful)
deep heating pain relief
By Old Fashioned Engineer
from Chicago, IL
Relieves pain from aching and overused muscles immediately and aleviates muscle tightness. Relief is long-lasting.
Very effective but I have problems with
By Harold
from Cape Coral, Fl
Product is very effective but does not work in the clicked on position. You have to play with it until it comes on. I will return it for an exchange after I recover. I believe the contracts are bad. I am going to have knee surgery. I do like the product but there is a defect with it.
Hammacher Schlemmer Response: While this product has received positive feedback from other customers, it clearly did not measure up to your expectations, and for this we sincerely apologize. Please remember that we back our merchandise with a lifetime guarantee. Should you ever find that an item doesn't perform to your satisfaction, our customer service team is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-321-1484 to assist you with returning it.
(19 of 20 customers found this review helpful)
Works fine but a bit kludgey
By Mac
from Milwaukee, Wi.
I feel it does what it says it will do ... however, the design makes it difficult to keep the unit stationary for the time required.
It Really Does Work
By Irelandlover
from Madison, VA
I had my ankle fused almost 40 years ago, and suffer a lot of arthritis in that ankle now. I was skeptical at first, as not many other pain relieving methods have worked. But after 10 minutes of using it, I was able to walk with much less discomfort. I use it twice a day now, and while it doesn't make the fusion go away, it is much more bearable now. :) Give it a try! My husband also uses it on his achy knees and has had similarly good results.
(18 of 19 customers found this review helpful)
not what I expected
By Mercy
from Miami, Fl
I had a similar product also from you which I lost and it had various pulsating settings and lights This one is only one setting and hard to manipulate.
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Hammacher Schlemmer Response: At Hammacher Schlemmer, our goal is for you to be delighted with our products and our service. However, it is clear that this item fell far short of your expectations and for this you have our sincere apologies. Please remember that we back our merchandise with a lifetime guarantee. Should you ever find that an item doesn't perform to your satisfaction, our customer service team is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-321-1484 to assist you with returning it.
(16 of 18 customers found this review helpful)
Therapy in a box
By ZooGirl2
from Victoria, BC Canada
I've been dealing with a pulled hamstring for several months. This little device has helped to alleviate the discomfort. While I've only used about 4 times, I'm relatively pleased with this unit. What I really like is the overall size, it's much bigger than others on the market and if one had to do a price comparison, this one gives you the most bang for your buck. I only wish that it had a better strap so that one could strap it to your body for those times when one area needs more attention.
COPYRIGHT © 2017 HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W106147 E. 57th ST • NEW YORK, NY • 10022 • 1-800-_321-1484


text:
You have no items in your shopping cart.
Crossland Coffee
Crossland Coffee CC1 Version 1.5 Espresso MachineMove over Rancilio Silvia, the Crossland Coffee CC1 Version 1.5 espresso machine is here. And it's got credentials in spades: an innovative PID built right into the interface, thermoblock-enhanced steam and even more intuitive controls for perfecting your shot and keeping it consistently delicious. Learn More$699.00
Crossland Coffee CC1 Version 1.5 and Baratza Vario Grinder PackageThe Crossland Coffee CC1 Version 1.5 espresso machine gives you more control over your shot compared to other machines in its class. The programmable PID customizes brew temperature and pre-infusion time to ensure consistently delicious shots, while the thermoblock allows you to quickly switch between brewing and steaming. Paired with the commercial-grade Baratza Vario Burr Grinder with Metal Portaholder, this compact home espresso set-up will have you pulling shots and steaming milk like a pro. Learn More$999.00


text:
Incognito says Martin sent him threatening text
"I'm not going to give you nothing," offensive lineman
"I'm only talking about football," center
"We have a game on Monday," defensive end
On Saturday night,
"This isn't an issue about bullying," Incognito told Fox. "This is an issue of my and John's relationship. You can ask anyone in the
"All this stuff coming out, it speaks to the culture of our locker room, it speaks to culture of our closeness, it speaks to the culture of our brotherhood. The racism, the bad words, that's what I regret most, but that's a product of the environment. That's something that we use all the time."
Without Incognito and Martin,
"The pressure this has created from a media standpoint can really cause some problems," tackle
Martin, who's in counseling for emotional issues, will discuss the case late next week with a special investigator hired by the
"Since I've been here I haven't seen anything like that," said Clabo, who joined the
Incognito has long been known for out-of-bounds behavior, including a
"We were made aware of the incident and we took immediate action," coach
Philbin declined to say why he subsequently allowed Incognito to become a member of the player leadership council.
Media interest remained high Saturday, with some 75 reporters and cameramen descending on the team complex. Half a dozen TV vans camped out across the street from the entrance, monitoring comings and goings.
Adding to the commotion was a caravan of two dozen police motorcycles that pulled into the parking ramp adjacent to the practice field. They weren't on scandal watch —
Players stretched at the start of practice to the sounds of "Me Against the World" by Tupac, a song chosen for the occasion by the players. "Stuck in the game," Tupac rapped. "No one in the world loves me. ... So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out. Keep your head up and handle it."
"We don't hear anything about winning last week on a safety," cornerback
In a locker room that was already showing signs of dissension, the situation's potentially divisive.
"It can be," defensive tackle
"We're a band of brothers," Pouncey said. "We're here for one thing, and that's to play football and to win football games, and that has been our main focus since all of this has gone down."
Players have been more vocal in their support of Incognito than Martin, but Clabo said there's plenty of sympathy for both. It's uncertain whether either will play again in the
"Those guys are going through a lot right now," Clabo said. "I feel for both of them and the situation they're in. It can't be easy for either one of them. It's not fun."
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL


text:
Information from your City Offices | Public Notices | Public Announcements | Meetings/Events this Week | Things Happening Around our Community | Tip of the Month | Open City Hall
Fall 2013 Sausalito People Program Schedule
After hours inside the Sausalito Public Library
Friday, October 4th @ 7:30pm
Stephen Olsson: Global Spirit
Stephen is the president of Cultural & Educational Media, a non-profit producing films and television series designed to create understanding among different peoples, cultures, and faiths. In his talk, Stephen will present segments from his current work, including Global Spirit (now airing on Link TV and PBS) and Bridge to Iran.
Friday, October 11th @ 7:30pm
Joe Tate: Adventures with the Redlegs
Joe Tate is the former leader of the Redlegs, a pirate rock n' roll band that formed in the houseboat colony of Sausalito during the late sixties. Joe's talk will focus on his adventures and tribulations in the sixties and seventies with the Redlegs.
Southern Marin Fire Protectin District Open House is set for Sunday, October 6 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm
Come and meet the Southern Marin Fire Department, get a station tour and view the equipment. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer your questions and show you around. Educational and informational materials will be available at all stations.
For the adventurous types, pick up a fire house passport, visit all three fire stations, check out our web page and you could enter to win a movie night at the fire hour for 10 kids with popcorn.
Good luck to everyone and we look forward to meeting you.
Stations to visit: Fire Station #1 – 333 Johnson Street, Sausalito
Fire Station #4 – 309 Poplar Avenue, Mill Valley
Fire Station #9 – 308 Reed Blvd., Mill Valley
For more information, go to www.smfd.org.
Arias in the Afternoon – October 5, 2013 – 12 noon – Gabrielson Park
Arias in the Afternoon, with the San Francisco Opera Singers, returns! This 2-hour free program is sponsored by the Arques Charitable Education Trust and produced by the Sausalito Parks & Recreation Department. Come enjoy the San Francisco Opera in the beautiful and picturesque setting of Gabrielson Park.
Reserved V.I.P. tables go on sale on September 3rd; these pre-set tables will include a chilled bottle of champagne and fresh strawberries. Residents - $75; Non Residents - $85.
Parking Lot #1 Booth Temporarily Out of Service
While construction continues in the downtown area, Commuter Parking SmartCard and Resident Parking SmartCard transactions will be handled at the Sausalito Police Department. The Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project necessitates the removal of the parking booth to allow for the renovation of the adjacent sewer pump station.
All Resident and Commuter card services are available Monday through Friday according to the following schedule. This schedule is subject to change, additional hours may be added if required:
Monday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM – 1:30 AM
Friday 1:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Monday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM – 1:30 AM
Friday 1:30 PM – 8:00 PM
For more information please contact Elliott Holt at (415) 289-4116 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Public Hearing on the Rehabilitation of the Sausalito Public Fishing Pier
The City is engaged in a process to rehabilitate a damaged public pier near the Trident Restaurant to restore public access and fishing opportunities. The pier has been a part of the City as early as 1936 and has been historically used as a fishing pier. The exact date of when the pier was installed is not known, although historical photographs show the pier in existence as early as 1936. The pier was closed to public access in 2001 due to damage caused by the storm of January 11, 2001. Currently, the only remnants of the pier which remain are twenty-one pilings and the pier framing. On Nov. 7, 2007, the 901-foot Cosco Busan, headed from the Port of Oakland to South Korea, sideswiped a tower of the Bay Bridge in dense morning fog. The collision ripped a 211-foot-long gash in the side of the ship and punctured several of its fuel tanks, dumping 53,000 gallons of bunker fuel into the bay. As a part of a 2011 settlement with the owner and operating companies of the Cosco Busan cargo ship, grant monies were made available for certain projects and the City received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to repair the public pier. On June 4, 2013 the City Council accepted the Cosco-Busan settlement grant funding for and initiating project design for the rehabilitation of the pier. A condition of the grant is that the construction be completed by the end of January 2014.
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, October 16 at 6:30pm at City Hall on a request by the City for approval of a Design Review Permit and Non-Conformity Permit to rehabilitate a fishing pier for use as a public access point and for shore-based recreational fishing for both ambulatory and mobility-impaired persons at a City-owned parcel to the immediate south of the Trident restaurant along Bridgeway south of downtown. The project consists of replacing decking and railing and the extension of pilings in the same location as the existing pier, and the installation of a code-compliant ramp and staircase. The existing height of the decking will be raised by 3-1/2 feet to accommodate an anticipated increase in base flood elevation. The existing pathway which leads from the existing wooden deck to the shoreline walkway paralleling Bridgeway will be replaced with a ramp that is compliant with the California Building Code for accessibility.
Story poles were installed on October 2, 2013 which depict the width, length and height of the new pier. Note that the story poles show the tops of the new railings. A rendering of the pier will also be posted at the project site to help visual the project.
How to get involved, ask questions or view the plans: You can give Lilly Schinsing, Administrative Analyst in the Administration Department, a call or a letter: (415) 289-4134, firstname.lastname@example.com or 420 Litho Street, Sausalito, CA 94965. You can also hand deliver a letter to the Administration Department prior to the public hearing.
Boards and Commission Vacancies
The City of Sausalito continues to seek applicants interested in serving on a variety of Boards and Commissions. Over the next few months, Council may consider the following:
Business Advisory Committee
Historic Landmarks Board
Parks and Recreation Commission
Arts Commission
Business Advisory Committee
Historic Landmarks Board
Parks and Recreation Commission
Arts Commission
To find out more about these positions, visit our website . Then, when you've made your decision on where you might best serve your community, click on the "I Want To. . . .Apply For" button and fill out the Boards and Commission Form (where the application form is actually found at the bottom of the listed items in the left hand column). Please return these to email@example.com.
Housing Element Update and Study of the Marinship
The City of Sausalito will be initiating work on the updating the Housing Element and a study of the Marinship area. If you are interested in getting on the email notification lists for either of these topics please send Lilly Schinsing (email@example.com) an email specifying which notifications you'd like to receive. Email notifications will provide information on upcoming public meetings, community workshops, and other opportunities for participation and input.
Historic Preservation Regulations Update
The City of Sausalito will be initiating work on the updating the Historic Preservation Regulations. Please send Heidi Scoble (email@example.com) an email if you are interested in getting on the email notification list . Email notifications will provide information on upcoming public meetings, community workshops, and other opportunities for participation and input.
Sausalito Village – Monthly Meeting – Wednesday, October 9 at 12 noon
Sausalito Village will feature a talk by Mary Kae Krause at its monthly meeting at the Edgewater Room, Sausalito City Hall, 420 Litho Street, Sausalito, on Wednesday, October 9 at noon. Ms. Krause will review the A, B, C's and D's of Medicare; which each one covers, how to obtain these benefits, and what costs are involved. She will also review Medicare changes resulting from the Affordable Care Act. Participants are advised to bring a brown bag lunch. This program is open to the community and free of charge.
Mary Kae, Sausalito Village member, is a retired RN with over fifteen years experience working with a managed healthcare insurance company. Most recently, she has been involved in doing telephonic case management with members enrolled in that insurance policy care.
Volunteers Needed to Help with the Age-Friendly Sausalito Questionnaire
We are looking for volunteers who can give 2 or more hours during October, November or December.
Between 2000 and 2010, the population in Sausalito over the age of 55 DOUBLED! The City's Age-Friendly Sausalito Task Force has been created to address this issue by developing a strategic plan for making Sausalito an Age-Friendly City. The Task Force is following the World Health Organization[WHO]'s Guide to becoming an Age-Friendly City - one that is accessible and inclusive of ALL of its residents.
Our first step will be to assess Sausalito's current level of age-friendliness. We will do this by asking residents over the age of 55 to complete a short written questionnaire. With the help of volunteers, we want to reach as many residents over the age of 55 as possible between the months of October and December and encourage them to complete the questionnaire. We need YOUR HELP to do it.
As a volunteer, you will help spread the word to neighbors and friends about the importance of completing the questionnaire, assist in distribution of questionnaires and collection of the completed questionnaires, post fliers, address envelopes, assist at events, and more. Email Tricia at firstname.lastname@example.com to sign up.
Sausalito Village First Annual Art Show – Oct 21-Nov 18
In the Sausalito City Council Chambers
Please join us at the Opening Gala Reception on Monday, October 21, from 3:30-5:30 pm in the City Council Chambers. Join us for food, art, and music by the Nob Hill String Ensemble.
Participating artists include: Gerry Beers, Margot Biestman, Perry Biestman, Mary Lou Dauray, Sonja Frommerova, C.B. Follett, Anselm Galley, Teddie Hathaway, Bill Kirsch,
John Kouns, Rayner Needleman, Marge Benjamin Warren, Jennie Wasser, Carolyn Zaroff
Sausalito Village is mostly a volunteer organization dedicated to helping Sausalito seniors live independently at home. For further information: firstname.lastname@example.com or 331-1464.
Save the Date – October 26, 2013
The Sausalito Woman's Club is joining forces with the SMFD and Marin Emergency Medical Services to sponsor a City-wide "Hands-Free CPR" demonstration and opportunity to learn the method. It's from 11 AM-1 PM on Saturday, Oct. 26. It will be held at the Sausalito Fire Dept and is free of charge.
We'd appreciate your putting it on the City calendar so we can attract as many people as possible to take advantage of this chance to learn this important procedure.
Tree Committee:
Tree & Shrub Pruning Tips
- For most deciduous trees, the best time for major pruning is late winter to early spring because
wounds close faster.
- If you want to prune in fall, wait until trees drop their leaves and are dormant—usually October or
November. After leaf drop, you can see the tree's structure and identify disease and insect problems
more easily.
- Dormancy (especially late winter to early spring) is also a good time to prune evergreens because
vigorous spring growth will hide pruning wounds.
- One exception to the no- early fall-pruning advice is that you should remove dead, diseased, and
damaged wood as soon as possible -- for tree health and your safety.
- For most deciduous trees, the best time for major pruning is late winter to early spring because
wounds close faster.
- If you want to prune in fall, wait until trees drop their leaves and are dormant—usually October or
November. After leaf drop, you can see the tree's structure and identify disease and insect problems
more easily.
- Dormancy (especially late winter to early spring) is also a good time to prune evergreens because
vigorous spring growth will hide pruning wounds.
- One exception to the no- early fall-pruning advice is that you should remove dead, diseased, and
damaged wood as soon as possible -- for tree health and your safety.
Disaster Preparedness Committee:
Plan for Pet Disaster Needs
Prepare to Shelter Your Pet
During a Disaster
After a Disaster
If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own; and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.
It may be difficult, if not impossible, to find shelter for your animals in the midst of a disaster, so plan ahead. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL DISASTER STRIKES TO DO YOUR RESEARCH.
Have you been following the open discussion forums? Open topics of discussion on Open City Hall include:
"Recycling and Composting" (Did you know that we must meet certain State mandated recycling goals? This forum offers you the opportunity to make suggestions on how we can meet, or better, our current recycling program.)
"Have your Say" (In this forum we are inviting you to offer suggestions on how to use this new public discussion tool.) This discussion will be closing soon. Make sure you have been heard!
Click here to participate in one, or all, open discussions. We value, and look forward to, your input.
Copyright © 2003- 2013 City of Sausalito
420 Litho Street, Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 289-4100
Website Created by Vision Internet
Contact Us
Sausalito Chamber of Commerce


text:
Product Reference: 41142
The Brodit ProClip is a custom designed mounting bracket, created specifically for each vehicle's dashboard. Ideal for attaching Brodit holders or any other holder for your mobile phone or PDA or a hands free kit etc.
The ProClip is designed to be car specific and easy to install. Brodit analyse each vehicle's dashboard carefully to find convenient areas where there gaps in the dashboard. These gaps can then be used for placing the ProClip.Using the provided tool, the ProClip can be installed into a convenient location on your dashboard. The installation is quick, no dismantling of the dashboard is required and it will not damage the interior of your vehicle.
The ProClip is a blank panel allowing you to attach your holder using the screws or sticky pad provided with your phone holder. Images shown are for illustrative purposes only.
Compatible with the following vehicle:
Click here to see our full range of Brodit ProClips. If your vehicle is not listed please contact us and request the ProClip for your vehicle.


text:
Darius Rucker trying to get Bob Dylan for CMA Awards
Listen to Darius Rucker on iHeartRadio | Listen to Bob Dylan on iHeartRadio
Bob Dylan just might turn out for this fall's Country Music Association Awards.
The legendary folk-rocker is a first-time nominee at this year's event courtesy of Darius Rucker's hit "Wagon Wheel."
Dylan wrote the framework of the song back in the early '70s, and Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor finished the track three decades later.
Rucker's recent success with the tune earned it a bid for Song of the Year, which is a songwriter's award. Rucker tells CMT Radio he's talking with Dylan's people about getting Dylan to the ceremony. He says his "dream would be to get up there and sing that song with Ketch and Dylan," but he admits he doesn't know "what's gonna happen with that."
The 47th annual CMA Awards will be presented in a ceremony in Nashville on November 6th, and air on ABC.
Photo Credit Getty Images


text:
Fresh lead in jet search? 122 'potential objects'
(NEWSER) – The search for debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is facing a major obstacle in addition to bad weather: a sea full of garbage. The objects spotted in satellite images could be jet debris, but they could just as easily be some of the large quantities of the trash (think "ghost" fishing ships 50 feet long) found in even the most remote parts of the oceans, a marine debris specialist with the Ocean Conservancy tells the New York Times. This as a fourth set of satellite images—these from a French firm and revealed today by Malaysia's defense minister—show 122 "potential objects," reports NBC News. More:
- Weather conditions have improved today and the search has resumed with ships and planes from six countries—Australia, New Zealand, the US, Japan, China, and South Korea—now taking part, reports the BBC.
- As for those 122 objects, they were captured via satellite Sunday and are located in a 154-square-mile patch of the southern Indian Ocean. Australia has been tasked with checking out the new lead, but it's unclear if that can happen before dark or will instead happen tomorrow, reports the New York Times.
Read the full story on Newser.com


text:
Puny mouse threatens to delay Colorado flood recovery
Colorado Republican Rep. Cory Gardner is demanding an emergency waiver from the Endangered Species Act for a species of mouse that threatens to delay flood recovery in Colorado.
The Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse is a threatened species under the ESA, meaning that any governmental action — such as flood recovery — must first consider potential impacts on the tiny animal's habitat, even if that habitat was also destroyed in the flood that wiped out entire Colorado communities in September.
On Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent a notice to Colorado officials that the presence of the mouse in the flood zone "may cause some delay in projects undertaken in the Preble's mouse habitat."
"As part of the federal- and state-funded public works recovery program following the fall flooding in Colorado, there are many projects with the potential of harming the Preble's mouse and/or its habitat," wrote FEMA official Roger Ingram. "At this time, federal, state and local officials are working closely together to figure out the best way to make repairs, mitigate future flood damage and at the same time preserve the mouse's habitat."


text:
Most yabbies are either male or female, but some have characteristics of both, and are called 'intersexes'.
A yabby, Cherax destructorPhotographer: Alan Henderson, Source: Museum Victoria
As in humans, the most reliable character to use to distinguish male and female yabbies is the position of the reproductive openings or gonopores. To see these openings you must turn the animal upside down and inspect the base of their walking legs. Live animals don't like this much – watch the claws! There are five pairs of legs, called pereopods. The first pair are the chelae (also called claws or nippers) and the second to fifth pairs are the walking legs. The legs are attached to a narrow ridge called the sternum, the same name we give to our breastbone.
In males the gonopores are on the first hinging segment of the fifth pereopod or last pair of walking legs and are often seen as small bumps or 'pimples' (arrowed in left-hand diagram).
Look near the middle of the animal. In females the gonopores are on the bases of the third pair of pereopods, second walking legs (arrowed in right-hand diagram). It is a larger opening than in the male and looks transparent and oval-shaped. But make sure to look on the base of the legs, not on the sternum that runs down the middle of the animal's belly, because in some species that ridge may have openings as well.
It is easy to pick the sexes when the animals are reproducing, or 'in berry'. Only females carry the eggs. They carry their eggs on the appendages of the abdomen (the pleopods), and the eggs look like bunches of grapes. If you can find a female in berry, look for her genital openings on the second walking legs. Then you will know what the female genital openings look like and you can look for the same feature in non-reproductive animals.
Male FemaleIllustration: Jo Taylor / Source Museum Victoria
Fallu, R., 1994. Yabbies for Fun, Fishing and Farming. Department of Food and Agriculture: Melbourne.
Kailola, P. J., Williams, M. J., Stewart, P. C., Reichelt, R. E., McNee, A. and Grieve, C., 1993. Australian fisheries resources. Bureau of Resource Sciences, Department of Primary Industries and Energy, and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation: Canberra.
Yearsley, G. K., Last, P. R. and Ward, R. D. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. An Identification Guide to Domestic Species. CSIRO Marine Research: Hobart.
Hi there, Russel - please see above for a detailed description of how to differentiate male and female yabbies. The underside of the tail of a female is the one on the right-hand side of the illustration.
Hi Karen - Yes Robert is certainly Roberta, and what you are looking at are in fact eggs. You don't need to do anything special - just keep looking after her as per usual, but avoid any disturbances such as doing a major clean of the tank etc. If the eggs are infertile she will sort things out herself, and most probably eat them. If they are fertile you will ultimately see tiny babies clustered under her tail, which soon after will drop off and become independent.
Hi Keely - Our Live Exhibits staff would be happy to help you discover the sex of your yabbies. Perhaps you could take some pictures of the yabbies you have just purchased as email them to us via our 'Ask the Experts' enquiry service. Please also read out 'Identifications' guidelines before you submit your enquiry.
Hi Keely! We're glad your yabby is ok, and Happy Easter to you too! For specific questions for which you need a timely answer, I'll direct you again to our 'Ask the Experts' service. Whilst we do check these comments threads for questions, they are more used for facilitating dialogue between visitors.
Hi Keely, we have checked with our Live Exhibits team and they have suggested that perhaps your yabby was responding to a change in water temperature, or perhaps there were more additives in the water in the new tank, but it is great to hear that all is well with your yabby!
Hi Keely - It sounds like there is a fair bit of aggression and fighting going on with your yabbies. There can be a few reasons why they may be behaving that way:
*There may be too many yabbies for the space provided
*There may be too few hiding spots
*There may be not enough protein in the food, or food in general (ie attacking each other through desire to eat other yabbies)
It's hard for us to say exactly which (if any) of these factors may be affecting your yabbies, as we do not know all of the circumstances.
Hi Dibs, the term yabby is used for the large, native freshwater crayfish Cherax destructor. There is no special term for a juvenile yabby, they are just referred to as a juvenile yabby.
62 yabbies in a 2 cm tank – that is a lot of mouths to feed in a very small space! At the museum we keep yabbies for display as well as breeding them to feed to other animals – including our Australian Lungfish in the 600 Million Years exhibition. We work out the minimum size / maximum number of individuals by watching the animals behaviour. If our yabbies do not have enough hiding spaces within the tank they will start fighting – leading to injuries and death. So as soon as we see this we separate our population and keep the numbers low.
Hi Aaron, it is always nice to have other animals in a tank – especially for one lone yabby. The only problem you may be faced with is that yabbies are quite territorial and you need to provide 'hiding' spots for all the yabbies. If you know if your yabby is a boy or girl, it might be nice to get him or her a boyfriend/girlfriend so you could see a whole life cycle. You should not keep more than 2 or 3 adult yabbies in a tank you described, but having babies in there would be great.
Hi Jenni, eggs hatch after about 40 days of being stored under the female's tail, this amount of time can vary depending on the temperature of the water. Once hatched they spend the next couple of weeks continuing to be under her tail developing. So it can be a fair while before you have the tiny yabbies 'free swimming'.
Hi Jen, it sounds like your yabby eggs have hatched and the hatchling yabbies are currently in a stage that do not look like yabbies yet and are still attached to the females swimmerets under her tail. They will look like they have a domed shaped back for about three days and then moult again. At this point they look a bit more like a yabby but will still be attached to mum. They will remain this way for around 10 days until they moult again to look like a 'yabby'. It is at this point that they will start to move away from mum's tail and be a bit more active around the tank.
At this point when the young leave mum they will be looking for food to feed on. At the museum we try to provide small amounts of food at regular intervals. The young animals can't fit much into their bellies and so need small meals daily. Apart from that they can be looked after the same way you look after your adults.
Best of luck from the Live Exhibits team
Hi Jen, if you leave mum in the tank you will find she may nibble on some of the babies over the coming weeks. You will have a lot of young yabbies so losing a few here and there may not be too much of an issue for you. We have a tank here at the museum that is 4 foot and has held the mum and all her young successfully for the last couple of months. We provided lots of hiding spaces for the young to keep out of the clutches of their parent.
Hi Amanda. It's hard to answer if your yabby is male or female as there could be a couple of things that may change what you are looking at. My first guess is to confirm your yabby has not lost any legs – if the last pair of legs have come off the yabby maybe this is what is causing the confusion.
Hi Adam, once your yabbies leave their mothers tail refuge they can be potential prey for your fish. There are two main things you can do to help your young yabbies out. The best thing you can do is provide lots of hiding places for your young yabbies and this should help reduce the chances that fish will find them. You can also have a spare tank available and if you find your fish, and other yabbies eating your young ones when they emerge transfer them away. Otherwise, enjoy watching a food chain in progress. Once you fish have had their fill they should stop eating the young and it may be a great display tank.
Hi Kaiden, the term yabby is used for the large, native freshwater crayfish Cherax destructor. There is no special term for a juvenile yabby, they are just referred to as a juvenile yabby.
Hi Dana, the things you are looking at on the underside of your yabbies tail are most likely pleopods which are also known as swimmerets. For female yabbies these are very important as the edge of each pleopod is lined with fine hairs, or setae, to which they attach their eggs. So you are looking in the right spot if you are looking for eggs.
Hi Millie, we have checked with our Live Exhibits Team and unfortunately we do not have an answer for you. It has been suggested that the yabbies here at the museum 'wave' a claw when they are reaching out for food, so perhaps that is what they are doing.
Hi Charlie, the "wriggling suckers" sound like a common parasite to yabbies called Temnocephids, which are relatively harmless in low numbers. Other than manually removing them I can't think of any other way to get rid of them without having an effect on the yabby.
Yabbies can be territorial and can become aggressive and cannibalistic if they don't have enough space. The Australian Museum will provide you with some information on what your yabbies will require.
Courtney, thanks for your query. We have asked for some comments from our Live Exhibits team here at Melbourne Museum, and they have said the following:
Yabbies will readily fight in captivity and a dominant yabby, if given the opportunity, may slowly dismember another one over a short period of time. A female yabby will also consume her offspring if they don't have enough places to hide . When keeping yabbies together, the key is to provide as many hiding places as possible, so vulnerable individuals will always have a handy bolthole in which to escape. Some yabby keepers use thin strips of corrugated plastic, laid on top of each other, which affords a large number of cavities in a small amount of space.
While it is true that the limbs will grow back after successive moults, this process is slow. Very young yabbies may moult every week, but older yabbies may moult only once a year, depending on the food supply. Limbs don't grow back completely after a single moult, but take several moults to get to a usable size. Depending on the age of your yabby, the limbs may take a very long time to return, if ever. In the meantime, your yabby will be unable to move around under its own power, other than the occasional tail-flick.
In addition to the yabby's quality of life, there is also the question regarding pain and suffering. This subject has been widely debated for many years, and a 2005 report by Advocates for Animals, entitled 'Cephalopods and Decapod Crustaceans – Their Capacity to Experience Pain and Suffering', stated there was evidence that suggested "there is a potential to experience pain and suffering in these animals". As the yabby's carer, its fate is up to you. If you choose to euthanase, a report by the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching, entitled 'Euthanasia of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes' recommended a number of euthanasia methods but the simplest method was to place in the fridge to cool the animal down, and then to freeze.
Hi Trini,
Even though yabbies lay hundreds of eggs they may not all hatch. If you have only one female yabby, and no male, the eggs would not be fertile and the yabby most likely ate them. Yabbies often eat their young. For further information, visit the NSW Department of Primary Industry website, which provides useful information on keeping yabbies, their reproduction and their diet.
Nicholas - when a yabby loses its claws or legs, they will start growing back the next time it moults. If the yabby is young and the claw or leg is small, it may grow back completely during a single moult. Most of the time, however, three or four moults are required to fully restore the limb.
In the meantime, your yabby may need to be offered a diet that it can easily consume without the need of claws. Just to make life a bit easier for it. The more the yabby eats, and the warmer the temperature of the water (up to 26 degrees), the sooner it will moult and the quicker its claws and legs will return.
Hi Chloe,
Female yabbies produce 100 to 500 eggs per individual, depending upon their size. You can find more information about yabbies on the Department of Primary Industries website.
Hi Catherine.
We forwarded your question about Bill to Museum Victoria's animal keepers, and they provided us with the following answer:
There are a number of causes that would explain the behaviour of Bill. The most likely is that he's having trouble moulting, as this is the period when yabbies are most vulnerable and when the death rate is highest. Yabbies lose the ability to move around during the moulting process and at this time a yabby will often be seen lying on its back or its side. However, moulting should take no more than 20 minutes, so if the yabby continues to behave in this way, it may be stuck in its old skin.
Hi Megan,
The information above should be able to assist you identify the sex of your yabby. Eggs will be produced if the yabby is a female and the water temperature and other conditions allow it. If you believe your yabby is producing eggs, and there has been no contact with a male yabby, the eggs will not develop and they will most likely be eaten. In regards to the curling of the abdomen, this may indicate that the female is readying herself to reproduce. However there could be a variety of other reasons for this too.
Hi Leanne, yabbies are well adapted to feeding with only one claw and even with no claws. They use their claws to defend themselves, to capture living prey and to tear food apart. Your yabby shouldn't have too many problems feeding, other than the fact that it won't be able to tear up its food, so it will only be able to cope with smaller portions. You may want to pay extra attention to feeding it small portions, but even so there are generally enough small pieces of food in an average tank for it to get by. It will also be more vulnerable to attack from other yabbies now, so make sure there are plenty of hiding places in the tank.
When more than one yabby is held in a tank, there does tend to be aggression and the bigger yabby will almost always attack and dismember any smaller ones. We don't think the older yabby is at risk from the younger ones, even if there are a number of them.
The risk of aggressive encounters is greatly reduced by giving the yabbies places to hide, and with the right set-up a number of yabbies can live together for many years. Many yabby keepers use strips of corrugated plastic sheeting, layered on top of each other at the back of the tank, to form a kind of apartment block with dozens of small rooms that are more easily defendable by each occupant.
Hi Huseyin, We forwarded your enquiry to Museum Victoria's Live Exhibits team, the Museum's animal keepers, who responded with the following information:
A standard four foot (120cm) tank will house about eight full sized yabbies or approximately 30-35 yabbies of the size you describe. So your tank is suitable at the moment, but will need to increase in size as the yabbies do (or you'll need to downsize your yabby collection). You can keep higher numbers of yabbies together if they all have suitable hiding places.
Yabbies are basically carnivores but will feed on any organic material available. High protein pellets are better than vegetable-based varieties, as yabbies will always choose meat-based food over anything else, and they will always breed better on a higher protein diet. Special yabby pellets are available from some pet shops or directly from RBM Aquaculture (http://www.rbmaqua.com.au/).
Earthworms, brine shrimp and bloodworms are all good food items, as well as fruit and vegetables such as carrots, spinach, potatoes, peas, apple and peach. Although they do favour meat, variety is very important to them and it is also important that the food offered is fresh. Don't overfeed them as the food may go off and foul the water (it's always safer to underfeed, if anything) - one pellet per yabby every second day plus a small earthworm and a piece of fruit per yabby per week is a good guide.
Calcium is important for a strong exoskeleton, and can be provided by washed sea shells or pieces of coral from the beach, or from calcium blocks available in pet shops.
Adults or yabbies approaching adulthood can be sexed by looking underneath - males have a small projection at the bases of the fourth pair of walking legs, whereas females have a small round patch on the bases of the third pair of walking legs. In general, males are larger than females and have larger claws, with a more narrow tail, and this applies throughout their development.
Hi Amanda; we've checked with our Live Exhibits team, and they have the following response for you:
If a dominant yabby is allowed constant access to a more vulnerable one, the dominant yabby may slowly dismember it until it has no legs or nippers left. It could be a case of not enough hiding spots – in most situations any yabby can protect itself from any other as long as there are enough places to hide. If there are enough hiding places but you're still concerned, the only other option is to give them two separate tanks
Hope this helps!
Hi Rhys - we've passed your question on to our Live Exhibits team here at the Museum, and they have prepared the following response for you:
If the yabbies are in a small tank they will certainly have started fighting due to lack of space. If one of the yabbies is dominant it will rapidly pull the legs and nippers off the other yabby, and if they are evenly matched they may pull each other's legs off over a longer period of time. The first thing to do is to give them more hiding places, using PVC piping or layered strips of corrugated plastic, or some more natural arrangement. There should be at least 10 suitable places to hide within the tank. The next step is to give them a bigger tank if the extra hiding places don't do the trick.
Hi Hailey, we have checked with our Live Exhibits Team and whenever more than one yabby is present in a tank, the larger one(s) will attack the smaller one(s), even if the size difference is minimal. And once the attacks begin, they will continue until the smaller yabby(s) are in pieces. The only way to avoid this is to provide plenty of places to hide, so that the larger yabbies don't feel their territory is being encroached upon, and the smaller yabbies have a handy retreat. Hides can include empty plant pots, PVC pipes or any suitably sized object. Breeders with many yabbies place layered pieces of corrugated plastic sheeting inside the tank to provide dozens of hiding places. We hope this helps with the care of your yabbies.
Hi Lana,
Although yabbies tend to hide in crevices and holes most of the time, they will generally leave their hiding places to moult, presumably needing an open space to manoeuvre out of the old shell. Your yabby may have decided the tank needs rearranging before this task can be undertaken. Moulting takes place at irregular intervals, depending on the conditions and the amount of food available, and reduces in frequency as the yabby grows. Young yabbies may moult up to five times per year, whereas older ones will moult once every two years, and males tend to moult more often than females. There is plenty of information on the internet on sexing yabbies, including Melbourne Museum's website 'Is my yabby a boy or a girl'
Hi Emma,
In the wild, yabbies dig into the banks of a pond during winter and become inactive - you generally won't find yabbies during any month without an 'R' in it. In addition, yabbies will not feed if the water temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius, and won't grow below about 15 degrees. Room temperature is usually above 10 degrees even if unheated, so it may be that your yabby is simply slowing down and not feeding as often. If you're leaving food in the tank, the excess nutrient may explain the orange film covering the yabby's claws. The best option is to reduce the quantity of food offered and remove excess food from the tank if not eaten within a day.
Hi Pete, wild-collected yabbies, particularly adult yabbies, will constantly try to return to their original pond when translocated to an aquarium. They appear to have good memories and a surprisingly good sense of direction, and will spend much of their time trying to escape, particularly at night. Young yabbies, or yabbies produced by an aquaculture farm, tend not to show this behaviour as much. Having said that, yabbies of any type are inveterate explorers and escape artists. They will climb up air hoses, rocks, logs and any other object in the tank, and squeeze through the smallest opening to go on their way. All yabbies demonstrate this behaviour, which is why they are so widespread in the wild and why they quickly colonise any new dams under their own steam.
Hi Abby, it sounds like you gave your Yabby a bit of a shock with the warm water. Yabbies can tolerate quite warm water (up to 35C) however they often need to be acclimatised to it, by letting the water warm up slowly with the yabby in it. Your animal going on its back and kicking its legs sounds like it was quite uncomfortable.
Room temperature water is advisable and ensure your tank does not get direct sunlight that would warm it up too much. Good luck.
Hi Sarah,
Yabbies drop their claws during fights with other yabbies or when they are particularly stressed (the latter is probably the case here). The claws will most likely grow back through successive moults as the yabby sheds its skin, but this will take some time and they won't ever be as big as they were. The yabby itself will be fine, just less able to defend herself so you'll need to give her plenty of places to hide in case the other yabby decides to attack, and she will be less able to tear apart large pieces of food. The eggs should be okay as well, but she should be left alone from now on until at least the eggs have hatched and the young yabbies become independent.
Yabbies are able to spend considerable periods of time outside water, using water trapped under the carapace (the front half of the body) to keep oxygen flowing across the gills. If the conditions aren't optimum in the wild (or a tank is overcrowded or the conditions in a tank aren't right), yabbies will attempt to leave the tank or pond and move across land to find other water bodies. Before and after doing so they may expel carbon dioxide from the body in the form of bubbles that appear from under the carapace, allowing them to spend more time out of the water.
Hi Brett, Yabbies (Cherax destructor) are a species that are relatively disease free, but they are sometimes afflicted with bacteria, viruses and fungi. The issue in your case seems to be a fungus, and the best way to deal with this is to keep the yabby stress-free in an optimal environment. Handling by people and lack of hiding places in the tank are the most common causes of stress. The optimal conditions for yabbies is to keep the water at 20-26 degrees Celsius, pH at 7.5-8.5, salinity under four parts per thousand, ammonia under 0.2 parts per million, calcium over 50 parts per million and hardness over 90mg/L. Simple water testing kits available at pet shops will cover most of these parameters. Aquatic fungicides are available but many of these will also kill all invertebrates in the water, including yabbies. So the best option is to leave your yabby to itself as often as possible, and check that the water conditions are favourable.
Hi Logan,
Like all animals, the yabbies will breed whenever they're ready. If one of them is not ready to breed (usually the female), it may attack and kill the other one, so it's best not to push them. All you can do is set them up with the best conditions to breed (clean water, plenty of food, plenty of hiding places etc) and hope for the best. Make sure, too, that you have mature individuals of both sexes, otherwise you'll end up with just one yabby instead of two.
Yabbies (Cherax destructor) are a tough species and can survive in a range of conditions, but still require good water quality in captivity. Slime can be caused by poor water quality, overfeeding, or poor aeration. Full or partial water changes should occur weekly or fortnightly, and the tank should be aerated (with an air bubbler) and filtered (a range of filter types are commonly available). Too much food can cause the water to quickly foul, so clean out any uneaten food remaining on the bottom of the tank and only feed each yabby the equivalent of three yabby pellets, a worm and a 20c piece of fruit of vegetable each week. So the best option is to change the water, clean out the substrate and tank, scrub the slime off the yabbies and make sure the water stays fresh and the yabbies aren't overfed from now on.
Yabbies (Cherax destructor) do very well on their own. If there aren't enough hides in a tank to keep them apart, yabbies will fight with each other continuously, often fighting to the death. Your yabby has no need of a companion but there's no problem getting a second yabby if that's what you want, as long as there are sufficient hides in the tank for them to escape each other whenever they need to.
Hi Cleo, we checked with our experts from our live exhibits team, and they've said the following:
Yabbies only grow at water temperatures over 15oC, growth rates are best at temperatures between 22-28oC. Yabbies can be quite territorial and aggressive under certain conditions, make sure the tank is big enough to contain multiple individuals so they have adequate space. Provide gravel for them to burrow in, or plants, rocks, or PVC plastic pipes for them to hide and shelter in if you are going to keep more than one in the same tank.
Hope that helps!
We love receiving comments, but can't always respond.
I have just been browsing through my daily diary I kept at the age of 13 of my voyage on the caste felice . I sailed from Southhampton on July 31st 1968 arrivin...
To read the latest tweets from @museumsvictoria
Follow Museums Victoria on
Hello Adrian!
These items are not currently on display – as you can imagine, it is not good for things to be out all the time, so they are rotated through stor...


text:
Now that the games have been slotted into dates and the 2014 NFL schedule is set, it's time for superlatives.
What's the best game among the 256 regular-season games? What's the worst? What are the best and worst weeks of action? Who won schedule release day? Glad you asked. Here are the awards from the release of the NFL schedule on Wednesday night:
Best game: With all due respect to Seattle and San Francisco, we're not getting too many more Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning games, and there's one scheduled for Foxborough on Nov. 2. And it's not just the novelty of the two greatest quarterbacks of their generation facing off again; their teams might be the two best in the AFC. That was the case last season, and then the Broncos went on an offseason shopping spree and the Patriots added the best player to switch teams this offseason, cornerback Darrelle Revis. The regular-season game last year between the two teams was entertaining. This one should be too.
[Click here to see the full 2014 NFL schedule]
Best game, part two ... and three: Fine, we're not leaving off San Francisco vs. Seattle. The NFC West rivals are two of the best teams in football. The NFC championship game last season was a classic. And we'll see if we get some fisticuffs between Richard Sherman and Michael Crabtree. The fact that the first meeting is on Thanksgiving almost got that one top billing over Brady-Manning. The teams meet again in Week 15, and if they're both as good as we think they are, there will be enormous playoff implications on the line.
Best ... whatever, we're just adding four and five to the list of top games: Denver, Seattle and San Francisco might be the three best teams in the NFL coming into the season (yeah, New England, we see you too). Because the AFC West matches up with the NFC West this year, we get to see the Broncos against the great defenses of Seattle and San Francisco.
Complain as you might that Denver can't compete with Seattle, the rematch on Sept. 21 should be better thank the Super Bowl. Keep in mind that Denver should have Ryan Clady, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward, Emmanuel Sanders and Aqib Talib, and none of them played in that Super Bowl. Then the Broncos host the 49ers on "Sunday Night Football" Oct. 19, and it'll be fun watching Manning against that defense too.
Worst game: Cleveland at Buffalo, Nov. 30. Well, something has to rank 256th out of 256. However, this game moves up from the bottom spot if the Browns land quarterback Johnny Manziel in the draft because whatever team Manziel plays for will be must-watch football every week.
Most anticlimactic reunion: Last year, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning returning to Indianapolis to play the Colts was one of the biggest stories of the season. The two teams play again in Week 1, and the hoopla won't be the same.
The second game against a former team is never quite as exciting. Also, the game will be in Denver, and a major part of last year's Colts-Broncos game was how the fans would react to Manning. Still, it's a fun game between two AFC contenders and the reigning NFL MVP (Manning) against the most exciting young quarterback in the game (Andrew Luck).
Since this game is the "Sunday Night Football" showcase in Week 1 will give us a lot more time to hype Manning vs. Colts, but in truth it's less of a sideshow this year and just a good, entertaining football game.
Best last call: Tom Brady and the Patriots will be in Green Bay on Nov. 30, the first trip to Lambeau Field for New England since 2006, and one would assume by the next time New England visits Green Bay, Brady will be hanging out with his supermodel wife in retirement. If any market appreciates football history it's Green Bay, and the chance to see one of the all-time greats one more time will be fun. And, it should be a really entertaining game.
Worst guess: All offseason, everyone figured the Seahawks would start the season in the traditional Thursday night opener on Sept. 4 against one of two opponents: San Francisco or Denver. Both come to Seattle this season. The league threw a curveball by making Green Bay the opening night opponent. (Green Bay has to wonder why it can't have an easier opponent to start the season; the last two seasons the Packers played the 49ers in Week 1). It's a bit of a bummer. Nothing against Green Bay, but it was the third-best option for the opener. But Aaron Rodgers against Seattle's defense is still a darn good way to kick off the 2014 season.
Best addition: Saturday games are back! Years ago, once the college season was done, stray Saturday NFL games were a staple of December. They were eventually phased out, and there were no Saturday regular-season games last year. Well, we're getting a couple on Dec. 20. San Diego will play at San Francisco and Philadelphia will play at Washington. Make sure you don't schedule last-minute holiday shopping for that weekend, because the NFL is giving us something to watch on Saturdays again.
Best bet to be flexed Week 17: The league doesn't schedule a Sunday night game for Week 17 because the game with the most interesting playoff angle (or the one involving NFC East teams) gets flexed into prime time that week. It's disappointing the NFL didn't schedule 49ers-Seahawks for Week 17 because that would have probably been the one. Looking through the Week 17 games, the early guess is Cincinnati at Pittsburgh will end up closing the regular season. That game could end up determining the AFC North championship.
Best revelation: The NFL, for realizing that it could make a couple minor changes to maximize the entertainment value for fans. Extending flex scheduling by moving it up to Week 5, and allowing up to two flexed Sunday night games from Week 5 to 10, was simple and smart. Adding a couple Saturday games late in the season can't hurt. The decision to add a "cross-flex" option so games could move between CBS and Fox allowed CBS to show an all-NFC game on Thanksgiving. That allowed more options and the NFL came up with maybe the best Thanksgiving schedule in recent memory. And the league also put some effort into scheduling interesting Thursday night games, and even though that had more to do with making CBS happy, fans will benefit too. The league put a lot of thought into making the schedule the best it could be (and it's not easy, considering all 32 teams have requests and the television partners need to be satisfied too). Nice work, NFL.
Worst week: It's all relative, because a "bad" NFL week is still great, but if you need to plan a big event for a Sunday this fall, might as well make it Week 4. Two of the NFL's marquee teams, Seattle and Denver, have a bye. So do the Bengals, Cardinals, Browns and Rams.
Fine, we won't really miss the Browns. But the week starts with the Giants and Redskins on Thursday night (seriously, enough already with the NFC East prime-time games), and while Packers-Bears will be fun, the only game on Sunday between two 2013 season playoff teams is Eagles at 49ers. NBC must have grabbed Saints-Cowboys for Sunday night for the curiosity of seeing how bad New Orleans' offense could destroy Dallas (no kidding guys, we are tired of seeing mediocre NFC East teams in prime time).
New England at Kansas City on Monday night could be fun, but that doesn't save the week.
Best week: Week 7 wins it. We start the week with Jets at Patriots, which is always a solid rivalry game, and will be amped up a bit by Darrelle Revis going to New England.
The early set of games has some interesting contests: New Orleans at Detroit, Miami at Chicago, Carolina at Green Bay, Seattle at St. Louis and Cincinnati at Indianapolis. Kansas City at San Diego and Giants at Dallas anchor the late games, then there's a monster Sunday night game with San Francisco visiting Denver.
Houston at Pittsburgh isn't the best Monday night game, but it's not all that bad, and are you complaining after that Sunday slate?
- - - - - - -
Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab


text:
Historians: We've found the Holy Grail
(NEWSER) – Historians claim that a goblet long identified as belonging to the daughter of an 11th-century Spanish king has actually housed the Holy Grail—and has been sitting in a basilica in the northwestern city of León for nearly a thousand years. A three-year quest that began at a Cairo University in 2011 led medieval history lecturer Margarita Torres and art historian José Manuel Ortega del Rio to determine the jewel-adorned onyx goblet is the one Jesus Christ used at his last supper, and was contained within the "Chalice of Doña Urruca"; the two presented their theory in a book out last week called Kings of Grail.
Read the full story on Newser.com


text:
Guilty Verdict Reached In Hasan Murder Trial
(Fort Hood, TX) -- Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan is convicted of 13 counts of first degree murder. The verdict came today at the Army major's court-martial. He admittedly went on a shooting rampage at the Army post, saying he wanted to kill soldiers before they could fight in Afghanistan.


text:
From HaskellWiki
Revision as of 02:14, 15 January 2006 by NeilMitchell (Talk | contribs)
|Part of Yhc
- York Haskell Compiler
This project is by no means finished, and is not useable as a standard Haskell compiler yet.
This project is run by 3 York [ex-]students, and is not an official York Uni project.
See the official home page at http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/~ndm/yhc/ (Most of that page will be moved to the wiki over time). There is also the old haskell wiki pages, which need migrating.
1 Yhc Manual
This is the official Yhc manual, feel free to edit it!
- Introduction - how to get it, who to contact
- Using Yhc - short tutorial on yhc, yhi, yhe
- FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
- Options - command line options and environment variables
- Building - building yhc from source
- Hacking - how to hack on Yhc
- Porting - how to port Yhc to a new architecture/platform
- Runtime System - information on the runtime system
- Machine
- Heap - how the heap is laid out
- Modules
- .hbc format
- Bytecodes
- API's - API (programmer libraries) we intend to provide
- Yhc Core - similar to GHC Core, but for Yhc
- Bytecode API - Haskell API to play with .hbc files
- Compiler API - Haskell API for playing with Haskell files
- Interpreter API - C API for running .hbc files
2 Notes
These are work in progress notes etc, about things we would like to do, or are going to do soon.
3 Yhc Pages
These are all the pages within the Yhc domain
How do you do a pagelist with this new wiki software?


text:
WATCH: Justin Bieber pees in restaurant mop bucket, says 'F Bill Clinton!'
Listen to Justin Bieber on iHeartRadio
(TMZ) - Justin Bieber was caught on camera peeing into a restaurant mop bucket... and laughing like he's the king of the world.
The clip was shot in NYC earlier this year -- sources tell TMZ Bieber and his friends were leaving some nightclub, exiting through a restaurant kitchen, and Bieber decided he needed to take a leak.
But rather than go to a bathroom like a normal person, Bieber whipped out his junk and whizzed into a yellow mop bucket used to clean the restaurant's floors ... meaning whoever's job it was to mop the place up had to physically change Bieber's pee water.
Watch the clip:
And the worst part... Bieber's friends act like the restaurant should be HONORED that the singer decided to urinate there.
TMZ can't say for sure if the group was drunk, but it sure sounds like they were.
Oh yeah, at the end of the video, Bieber sprays a photo of Bill Clinton with cleaning liquid for some reason... saying, "F*** Bill Clinton!"
We don't know what Bill Clinton did to Justin Bieber...


text:
Sony Vaio PCG-FR415B Adapter (Multi-Tip)
Vaio PCG-FR415B 120W Universal Laptop AC Adapter
£45.29 inc VAT - Free Delivery
✔ In Stock Now
- Specification
- Description
- Quick search number: 2M7669
- Warranty: 1 YEAR
- Role of product in providing mains power: AC adapter , Converts mains power to low voltage DC to power a portable device
- Input voltage/Power source: UK , 230V AC and UK plug
- Max. Power: 120 W
- Weight: 344 g
- Dimensions: 152.0mm x 72.0mm x 25.0mm
The 2-Power 120W Universal Laptop adapter comes supplied with 8 tips that cover over 95% of all Laptops & Notebooks on the market. It is an extremely neat adapter with snap on tips that automatically sense and select the correct voltage for your laptop. This means it is incredibly safe and easy to use without the worry of damaging your laptop.
On top of all this it also includes a USB port to allow additional charging for Mobile Phones, MP3 players, iPod or iPhones etc.
Tip Compatibility
Tip 01 15v Sony / Panasonic / Fujitsu Siemens
Tip 02 19.5v Sony
Tip 03 15v Toshiba
Tip 04 16v IBM / Lenovo
Tip 05 18.5v Acer / Compaq-HP / Fujitsu Siemens / Toshiba
Tip 09 19.5v Dell
Tip 10 18.5v Compaq-HP
Tip 24 19v Averatec / Cleveo
Automatic Voltage Sensing Tips Includes USB Port 8 tips covering 95% of Laptops
Brand Name: This is a 2-Power branded product.


text:
(NEWSER) – Soon your nail polish could tell you if your drink contains date rape drugs. The innovative polish would work by changing color when it comes in contact with any date rape drug, so the wearer just has to discreetly dip her finger in her drink to test it for safety. The polish, called Undercover Colors, was created by four male undergraduates at North Carolina State University and is still in development. Newsy reports:
PHOTO: Shutterstock


text:
Double Jeopardy May Save Knox From Extradition
(NEWSER) – Amanda Knox has once again been found guilty of the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, but will she be sent back to Italy to serve a 28-year sentence? Legal experts say any attempts to extradite the Seattle resident are unlikely to begin until the appeals process has finished, and since she was retried after being found innocent of the same offense, the American ban on "double jeopardy" convictions could help keep her out of an Italian prison.
- If Italy does decide to extradite her, they will have to make a formal request to the State Department, where officials will consider it. But if they choose to reject the request, there could be diplomatic consequences, a lawyer specializing in extradition tells ABC. "The US often wants Italy to extradite all kinds of people, so if the US refuses to even process the case, especially a case involving violence, that could have some adverse consequences for bilateral relations," he says.
- The American review of any extradition request could, however, be quite limited in scope and will focus mainly on paperwork, another expert tells the Seattle Times. "It's not a retrial of the case, and it's not a retrial of another country's justice system."
Read the full story on Newser.com


text:
Obama Flips on Immunity for U.S. Troops in Iraq
President Obama pulled U.S. forces out of Iraq in 2011 because he couldn't get Iraq's parliament to offer U.S. soldiers immunity from Iraqi prosecution. But now Obama has promised to send in hundreds of special operations forces before securing even a simple promise that these soldiers will not be tried in Iraq's famously compromised courts for actions they are taking in defense of Baghdad.
The U.S. military and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel have opposed sending any special operations teams to Iraq until there is a written agreement from Iraq's government that they will not be prosecuted under Iraqi law. Baghdad's inability to provide that promise yet is one of many reasons why the Pentagon and the White House have been reluctant to support air strikes inside Iraq—despite lobbying from Secretary of State John Kerry and his aides for more action and efforts to persuade Iraq's government to promise such legal protections.
"We remain confident that the military advisers will have the protections they need," said Bernadette Meehan, a spokesperson for the National Security Council. "They are going to Iraq with the full support of the Iraqi government. We are working through the mechanism for assurances and we hope to [have it] resolved soon."
The debate has echoes of 2011, when then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton favored keeping more troops in Iraq past 2011 than President Obama.
According to multiple administration officials involved in the process, senior members of the State Department have argued internally that limited U.S. air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) are needed—along with more direct assistance to the Baghdad government—to push back the terrorist group.
If air strikes are going to be effective, however, they would require at least some U.S. forces to provide the intelligence on what individuals, equipment, and buildings should be targeted. At least some of the 300 special operators Obama is sending to Iraq are supposed to prepare those assessments of ISIS—as well as evaluate the Iraqi military and what kind of gaps in it U.S. assistance may address.
But for now, those units will be vulnerable to potential prosecution in an Iraqi justice system not exactly known for its evenhandedness. It's happened before. In January 2011, Pakistani authorities jailed Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor and former U.S. soldier, after he killed two individuals in Lahore. Davis ultimately escaped Pakistani justice. At the time, the Obama administration argued that Davis was covered under the same legal protections as U.S. diplomats.
In Iraq, no such diplomatic immunity is on offer for the special operations teams, according to U.S. officials briefed on the negotiations. These sources say the special operations forces being sent to Iraq would not be covered under the diplomatic immunity provided to U.S. military personnel still attached to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
Back in 2011, when the United States tried to negotiate for several thousand U.S. military personnel to stay in Iraq past the end of that year, the White House demanded Iraq's parliament approve modifications to what is known as a status of forces agreement (SOFA) that included these kinds of legal protections. This month, Colin Kahl, the senior Pentagon official in charge of Iraq policy at the time, explained why the White House insisted on Iraq's parliament approving the changes to the SOFA.
He wrote in Politico Magazine that in 2011 Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, "told U.S. negotiators that he was willing to sign an executive memorandum of understanding that included these legal protections."
But Kahl added, "For any agreement to be binding under the Iraqi constitution, it had to be approved by the Iraqi parliament. This was the judgment of every senior administration lawyer and Maliki's own legal adviser, and no senior U.S. military commander made the case that we should leave forces behind without these protections."
Read The Full Article On The Daily Beast
More articles from The Daily Beast:
- It's Time for Obama to Heed McChrystal's Call for the 'Service Year'
- God Save the United States From This Anti-Democratic Court
- Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: June 22
© 2014 Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC
PHOTO: Getty Images


text:
Boy going blind sees dream come true
(NEWSER) – Louie Corbett's dream was to see the Boston Celtics play ball—a dream made all the more urgent due to the 12-year-old's degenerative eye disease that has stolen 50% of his sight in the past year alone and will soon render him blind. This week, the New Zealand boy had his wish granted at Boston's TD Garden where he was given a standing ovation at center court, got to shoot hoops with the team, met with players in the locker room, and was given a first-row seat to see his favorite team in action, reports WCVB. "He cares about nothing else," says his mom.
New Zealand's Louis Corbett meets @RajonRondo pregame before fulfilling his "wish list" item of seeing a Celtics game pic.twitter.com/QAsuoyahKN
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 6, 2014
Read the full story on Newser.com


text:
Released soldier's parents given rare government access
A new report shows the parents of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl took part in video conferences with top government and military officials while their son was held captive by the Taliban. The "Washington Times" reports that Robert and Jani Bergdahl were given unprecedented access to secure communications. They were hooked into secure video conferences that included members of the Obama administration, intelligence officials, and the military command that runs the war in Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Idaho National Guard says the Bergdahls took part in as many as 20 video conferences a year during the five years their son was a captive in Afghanistan. The Taliban released Bergdahl last week in exchange for five Taliban commanders who'd been held at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.