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A Justice Site
Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP - Archives
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: May 13, 2005
Latest Update: September 18, 2005
Is There a Minister, er Rabbi, er Buddhist in the House? Church Attendance: My World on May 19, 2005. On the Air Force Academy and the exclusion of Other religions. In response to Miko. jeanne Imaginative Activism: My World on May 18, 2005 On the Devil and Lilith. Christian Behavior and the Homeless: My World on May 17, 2005. I talk about how to get an A in this blog. jeanne To Laugh or Cry? My World on May 16, 2005 A brief analysis of why we laugh at posters like that of Condi as the leader of the armed services. Our Expectations Deceive Us: It's a Dinosaur. My World and Welcome to It on May 13, 2005 Reminds us of how even pictures are distorted to meet our expectations. Perspective is a fact of life. Scenes of Heaven and Earth "Adamu Tesfaw, a former priest in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, paints visions spiritual and secular." The Social Context of Learning: My World on May 9, 2005 Consider the two examples given in the article in terms of their lifespace impact. The rich are taught to rule. The poor are taught to work or perform. Backup. I'll include a discussion of this tomorrow in my blog. jeanne So Easy to Remain Unaware: My World on May 8, 2005 The fast track, supermom phenomenon affects us all. We have do much to do there is little discretionary time in which to think deeply about the extent to which we are observing our own value system. On religion. On gender. When Power Silences the Other: My World on May 7, 2005 The Pope continues with his plans and fires a liberal Jesuit priest who objected to the church's insistence upon the "supremacy of Catholicism." Another issue in contemporary humanity. The Trouble with Certainty in Politics, in Jusrisprudence, in Life: My World on May 6, 2005. On answerability and freedom and knowingness. Issues in Contemporary Humanity: My World on April 26, 2005. On Love 1A, and how most of us need to learn it. Issues in Contemporary Christianity: My World on April 25, 2005 On the Pope and colonization and exploitation and women's roles and social justice in face of orthodoxy and obedience. Issues in Contemporary Islam: My World on April 20, 2005 On PBS' presentation of Death of a Princess. Issues in Contemporary Humanity: My World on April 26, 2005. On Love 1A, and how most of us need to learn it. Issues in Contemporary Christianity: My World on April 25, 2005 On the Pope and colonization and exploitation and women's roles and social justice in face of orthodoxy and obedience. Issues in Contemporary Islam: My World on April 20, 2005 On PBS' presentation of Death of a Princess. Me, Too. Where's Mine? My World on April 11, 2005 For goodness' sakes please read what I'm trying to do with the grades. I can only go so fast. I know you want your grades. That's why I'm trying to build these templates to get them to you. jeanne jeanne's world on April 11, 2005Responded to Jason on Clear Channel and censorship for Pay TV. jeanne's world on April 10, 2005 More on God Is Dead - NOT and Murakami's "Little Boy" jeanne's world on April 9, 2005 On interpretation and religion. jeanne's world on April 8, 2005 Please read for continuing discussion on rappers and values and the young. jeanne jeanne's world on April 7, 2005. News about putting up grades for independent study. Don't miss it. jeanne Jeanne's daily blog I'm following Armando Garcia's suggestion and adding to my lectures a daily blog on my responses to current events and my need to tie them into our theory and discussions. First entry: April 6, 2005. Format for the file is jblog for jeanne's blog, then day, month, year with two digits each. So today's blog is jblog060405 for April 6, 2005.
Blogs as Sources
Semantic Restructuring Discovering its shape, like Habermas.org. " Semantic Restructuring is the pursuit of enlightenment, enlivenment, empowerment through the creative re-arranging of the building blocks of meaning. For a better description, Start Here. A Robert Thomas ("beau") Hayes Link from Message No. 4791 on transform_dom. The Village Gate "(formerly The Right Christians): where religious progressives gather." I discovered this site by following a link on Judge Janice Rogers Brown. I'll post more on it soon. jeanne Crooked Timber A blog by academicians. Includes a student blog. Name from: "Out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing can ever be made." Immanuel Kant [1784] .[Crooked timber is a g]roup current affairs blog which doesn't have an About page for reference but is varied and intelligent. One of the comments on John Peel's death quotes Auden:
As the poets have mournfully sung, Death takes the innocent young, The rolling-in-money, The screamingly-funny, And those who are very well hung.
The number of blogs linked to and a feature on a feature on the Technorati top blogs raises the question of how voices get lost or found in the throng? Shouldn't a successful blog be one of clear interests, whether by single or multiple author? Crooked Timber appears to be a sounding-off journal by academics. Or is it? And yet it is highly ranked by Technorati. What is unusual is the frequency of entries.
William H. Auden is one of my favorite poets and one of my heroes, so I couldn't resist quoting this. I'll locate the student blog. But Yahoo transform_dom is providing us with one. By the way, Auden was gay. Just in case someone wants to enter a discussion about the secular or religious prerogative to deny homosexuality. It's not about sex. It's about humanity. jeanne


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Medical expenses on your tax return
Your deduction for medical expenditures is limited to the amount that exceeds 10.0% (7.5% if 65 or older in 2016) of your adjusted gross income. Stated another way, you cannot deduct medical expenses until they exceed 10.0% (7.5% if 65 or older in 2016) of your adjusted gross income, and then you can only deduct the excess above that amount.
You may not deduct medical expenses that are reimbursed by your insurance policy or your health savings account. If reimbursement is received in a year later than the expense was incurred you must report the reimbursement as income if you previously deducted the amount as a medical expense.
Medical expenses are defined as the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body. This includes the costs of equipment, supplies, and diagnostic equipment needed for these purposes. Medical expenses do not include expenses that are incurred for general health, such as vitamins or a vacation.
You may deduct medical expenses paid for the care of you, your spouse, or your dependents. For medical expense purposes a child of divorced or separated parents is considered a dependent of both parents.
Deductible medical expenses include:
Artificial limbs
Capital expenses for equipment or improvements to your home
Contact lenses
Diagnostic devices such as blood glucose monitors
False teeth
Fertility enhancement procedures - with limits
Guide dogs for blind, deaf, disabled
Hearing aids
Hospital charges and service fees
Long term care contracts
Medical and hospital insurance premiums
Medical service fees from doctors, dentists, surgeons, specialists and other medical practitioners.
Medications prescribed by a doctor, including birth control pills
Nursing home
Organ donor's expenses
Oxygen Equipment and oxygen
Psychiatric and psychological treatment
Stop smoking programs
Surgical fees
Treatment at a drug or alcohol center
Travel and transportation expenses
Tubal ligation
Wages for nursing services
Weight loss expenses for obesity - with limits
Items NOT deductible include:
Baby sitting and child care
Bottled water
Diaper service
Expenses for your general health such as health club dues, household help, dancing or swimming lessons, and travel, Funeral, burial, or cremation expenses
Herbal supplements
Illegal operations or treatments
Life insurance or income protection policies
Medical insurance included in a car insurance policy
Non-prescription medicines
Nursing care for a healthy baby
Policies providing payment for the loss of life, limb, sight, etc.
Prescription drugs you purchased from another country
Surgery purely for cosmetic reasons
Teeth whitening procedures
Toothpaste, cosmetics, toiletries
Vitamins or nutritional supplements
Weight loss expenses not for the treatment of obesity or other disease
Capital Expenses
You can deduct the cost of capital equipment prescribed by your doctor. Therapeutic bedding and free standing hot tubs are examples of such equipment. In addition, you may be able to deduct a portion of the cost of prescribed capital improvements to your home. Deductions have been allowed for swimming pools, elevators, and central air conditioning equipment. The deductible amount is the excess of the cost over the increase in value of your home. For example, assume your doctor prescribes a swimming pool for therapy and the cost of the pool is $25,000. However, the pool only increases the value of the home by $15,000, you have a medical deduction in the amount of $10,000.
Medical Insurance Premiums
You can deduct premiums for insurance policies that provide medical care. These include policies that pay for hospitalization, medical and surgical fees, prescription drugs, replacement of lost or damaged contact lenses, and qualified long-term care. You cannot deduct insurance premiums paid by your employer or by making pre-tax premiums you pay as a result of a salary reduction agreement with your employer. If the premiums are included in
Box 1
of your
, they are deductible. You cannot deduct your contributions to a medical savings account.
Travel and Transportation Expenses
Travel in your personal vehicle to obtain medical care or prescriptions during the 2016 tax year is deductible at 19.0 cents a mile. In addition, you may deduct the cost of tolls or parking fees. Amounts you pay for other transportation may also be deductible. Bus, taxi, train, plane fares or ambulance services are deductible if the amounts paid are primarily to obtain medical care.
Transportation costs are deductible for a companion traveling with the patient. In addition, transportation expenses for regular visits to see a mentally ill dependent are deductible if recommended as a part of the treatment.
You may also deduct lodging not provided by a hospital or similar institution when you are away from home if the lodging is primarily for and essential for medical care, the medical care is provided by a doctor in a licensed hospital or medical facility, is not lavish or extravagant, and there is no significant element of personal pleasure while away from home. The limit on this deduction is $50 per person per night. Lodging for a person traveling with the patient will allow a deduction of up to $100 per night. Meals when away from home for medical reasons may also be deducted.
Nursing Home
You can include in medical expenses the cost of medical care in a nursing home, home for the aged, or similar institution. This includes the cost for meals and lodging if the main reason for being in the facility is to obtain medical care.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Learn more about Sociology & Anthropology at Middlebury College.
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Associate Professor of Anthropology & Sponsor
SIT Study Abroad in Cameroon
Undergraduate Research
Presentation Slides
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Learn more about International Programs & Off-Campus Study at Middlebury College.
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Watch the Presentation with the Slides (RealMedia)


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6. RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) Link to this
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
What actions, if any, has he taken to promote honest, transparent, and accountable Governments in the Pacific region?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs) Link to this
There are many areas where New Zealand's approaches to its bilateral relationships, including its development programmes, promote good governance. Fiji is the most obvious example of where I have been closely involved, following the military coup in 2006, in promoting a return to democracy. More recently, I participated in the ministerial contact group that visited Fiji and sent strong signals to Commodore Bainimarama about the need for him to meet his commitment to hold a free, fair, and open election by March 2009.
How can New Zealand have any credibility in advocating for openness and transparency in other countries if he will not explain what happened to the money in the Spencer Trust; and why will he not take the opportunity he now has in the House to explain what happened to Sir Robert Jones' $25,000 that he, Winston Peters, solicited?
As the member knows, questions must relate specifically to ministerial responsibility. As far as the question relates to that, the Minister may address it, but the Minister is not required to address anything that deals with party matters or with offices held outside the ministerial portfolio.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I respect that ruling, but there is a point here. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Peters, on behalf of New Zealand, is advocating for openness and transparency, and indeed a free media. There is a question mark about how he can do that job as a Minister when he does not practise what he preaches here in New Zealand.
No, the first part of the question, as I ruled, is in order as it relates to the Government's policy, for which the member has ministerial responsibility.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
I have been at pains to point out to Pacific countries that they must abide by the rule of law. That is important. I have also given them some examples of how that is not done. Why, for example, has Mr Hide never explained why it was so necessary to divert the New Zealand Herald from an incident on Waiheke Island, where ACT was holding a caucus retreat, to one of Richard Prebble's Wellington residences being used as an electorate office—which Mr Hide told Audrey Young about? Why did he do that?
I am not sure what relevance that has.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
It has every relevance, because it goes to the issue of transparency and honesty, and we are going to have that from Mr Hide today.
This is why the questions and the answers must relate to ministerial responsibility. The first part did; the second part did not.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am quite happy to give the answer if I can ask the question.
Please be seated; that is silly.
Does the Minister believe that it is honest, transparent, and accountable government for a Minister of the Crown not to answer questions about a $100,000 donation he or his party received from a donor who was also the major donor to his party's coalition partner, and can the Minister account for donations of—
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Every lawful explanation has been given, and the member has no right to come here, as he does, with such unclean hands on this issue and think he will get away with some little inquisition. I am sorry, but he has demonstrated over the last few years that he knows nothing of electoral law, or of any other law—
That is not a point of order. I go back to the ruling I gave before, which is that there must be ministerial responsibility. If the member wishes to frame his question so there is a clear accountability for ministerial responsibility, then that is fine, but the question cannot relate to any other role the member may have.
Supplementary question.
The Hon Bill English has not yet finished his question.
When the Minister advocates for honest, transparent, and accountable government in the Pacific, what would he say about a Minister in a Government in the Pacific who could not account for a $100,000 donation to that Minister, or for a series of donations from sectors for which he was responsible; and can he confirm whether the Mad Hatter's tea party he referred to yesterday was a meeting of the trustees of the Spencer Trust?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
I will deal with the National Party next week, but today I am going to deal with Mr Hide. As an example, I have told people around the Pacific that when one takes office space from a businessman, such as is disclosed in this correspondence, one is bound to declare it. The ACT party has taken $20,000 per year in Wellington from a senior businessman, and nowhere is there any declaration of that in anything to do with the Parliamentary Service—as by law the ACT party is required to do.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. As interesting as that answer might sound to Ministers in the Pacific, it really does not, in any way, answer the question that was asked of Mr Peters. The answer did not address the question, so he would have been better to just sit there and say nothing. The question was about what advice Mr Peters would give to Ministers who are unable to explain large donations.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
Speaking to the point of order, I say the fact is that one can, by way of analogy, demonstrate to Pacific politicians what cannot be done inside the law from the way that Mr Hide and the ACT party acted. I am saying ACT received $20,000 from a businessman, here is the evidence of that, and ACT never declared that in respect of its Wellington office.
That is the difficulty with those sorts of questions; very long bows start to be drawn.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Earlier on you ruled out questions that related to any activity that may not be directly related to the Minister's responsibilities, and now you are allowing answers about matters that have absolutely nothing to do with the Minister's responsibilities.
No, the member asked a question, he rephrased the question, and I allowed it because he had rephrased it in a way that related to ministerial responsibility. The Minister replied by way of analogy, and he has just explained that. The answer may not satisfy everyone, but it was consistent with what is required.
Can the Minister give the House two more examples of honest, open, and transparent governance?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
Without any difficulty. By way of analogy, I have made it very well known that an MP who has had, for example, a Remuera office for 9 years and never declared that on any documentation will be in trouble. Also, I point out that an MP—
Would the Minister please be seated. The question must relate to the Pacific region. If the question and the answer could be related to that, then that would be within the Standing Orders.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
Madam Speaker—[ Interruption] Oh, they will when they see the documentation, of course. That is the difference between that member and me. We are in the Pacific; New Zealand is a Pacific nation. I am giving a pathetic Pacific example: Mr Hide. The second part of my answer is that it is not honest or transparent to pay huge legal fees—like Jack Hodder's big legal fees—to get a change of member, from Donna Awatere Huata to an Asian member, and for the Asian chapter to pay for those fees. That, again, is what Mr Hide condones and has kept secret all this time.
Can the Minister tell us, in the interests of transparency, whether he can think of any other instances of weird behaviour—in the Pacific or elsewhere—that he can reveal to the House for us?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
When it comes to the issues of honesty and transparency, surely that would extend to telling the people of New Zealand who paid for ACT's thousands and thousands of dollars' worth of free telephoning at election time. I ask Mr Hide whether the name Rod Deane rings a bell.
Can I answer the question?
I have called for a supplementary question.
He actually said that I should not ask these questions—
Is this a question?
—because he would come after me—
Is this a question?
—that is it; that is actually it. That is why I should not ask questions—because he will ask whether I know Rod Deane. How can the Minister of Foreign Affairs advocate for openness and transparency when, hypothetically—
By analogy.
—by analogy, there is a Minister here who has said New Zealand First "has had no big-business backing since its inception", yet the Dominion Post has a New Zealand First deposit slip for $19,998 that shows New Zealand First has received big-business backing? I tell Mr Peters to answer that one.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
With the greatest of ease. As I told the journalists on the way to the House today, any moron who knew anything about a political party and its expenses would be able to explain the Dominion Post's big disclosure on Thursday morning. I actually read it last night, of course; I work long hours, as members know. I was very pleased to see that my description of that journalist is proving to be more correct each day. But here is the real point. It is important to note, in the interests of honesty and transparency, that prominent businessmen from the Business Roundtable—whom I am happy to name—who donated to the ACT party were known around the ACT party office as "the girls" and had to be given whatever they wanted. I ask Mr Hide whether that is true or false.
In the interests of fostering transparency and openness in the Pacific, will the Minister of Foreign Affairs declare that the $19,998 revealed in the Dominion Post today was not a donation from big business; or can the Minister not do that because it is the truth and he is a liar?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker.
Yes. The member should withdraw and apologise for the last comment. He knows that is unparliamentary.
I withdraw and apologise.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
The fact is, of course, that anyone who wanted to make an inquiry there would inquire of the party's treasurer about that fact. But, of course, no such inquiry was made. That is Mr Kitchin's style, of course, but I will tell members more about him as time goes by. In the meantime, on the subject of honesty and transparency in the Pacific, I say Mr Hide never did tell Richard Prebble that it was he who told the New Zealand Herald about Mr Prebble allegedly cheating the Parliamentary Service by claiming that his Wellington residence was an electorate office. Mr Hide did that because the New Zealand Herald was on to another story, and that was the last thing he wanted to be published when he was out at Waiheke Island at the retreat.
Are there any other examples of a failure to apply the normal standards of honesty, transparency, and accountability that he might like to highlight in his discussions with Pacific Foreign Ministers?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
I have been at particular pains to point out to Pacific States the importance of their knowing who they have got coming through their country. One example of this matter would be a totally undesirable immigrant called Peron, who was brought into the Pacific on Mr Hide's recommendation, and who was introduced to the ACT convention after Mr Hide had become the leader, with the request that those present all stand and clap him. This person has since been kicked out as a result of his promotion of utterly and totally objectionable publications—a friend of Mr Hide.
Can the Minister tell us where else the twin tests of honesty and transparency have not been met in the Pacific region?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
That is a very good question. I think it is important to stick to honesty and transparency in the Pacific, so we should point out that thousands and thousands of dollars—millions, in fact—are owed to creditors who are not being paid for a golf course development near Queenstown that Mr Hide promoted. Mr Hide turned the first sod. How appropriate was that?
Why does the Minister of Foreign Affairs not actually practise what he preaches to the rest of us; and will he declare to the House that the $19,998 was not a donation from big business, and that he was not misleading New Zealanders, but was being honest and transparent, when he said that New Zealand First "has had no big-business backing since its inception"?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
Mr Hide and a number of people in the media in this country have been going on about this matter for 2 weeks, and they have ended up with doughnuts, because they have not got any of the facts, they have not made the proper inquiries, and their understanding of the law is pathetic in the extreme. But the good news is we are not going to be deterred by that. We know what they are trying to do: get rid of us before the election, and, in fact, have a snap election now. That is what their real purpose is. I have news for them and for the journalists in the press gallery, and it is all bad.
I seek leave to table a New Zealand Herald column from 1 March in which Mr Peters is quoted as saying that New Zealand First "has had no big-business backing".
Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes, there is objection.
I seek leave to table—and I have been reading Mr Peters' speeches—a speech made by Mr Peters on 24 June 2008, in which he railed against corruption in other States.
Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes, there is objection.
I seek leave to table a speech made by the Rt Hon Winston Peters on human rights, democracy, and prosperity.
Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes, there is.
Finally, I seek leave to table a speech made by the New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, on 25 May 2005, in which he said that New Zealand First does not serve the interests of big business—
Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes, there is.
Are there any other words of advice that the Minister might impart to Foreign Ministers of other Pacific Island nations in respect of how honesty, transparency, and accountability do work and how they do not work?
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
That is a marvellous question. They do not work when an MP does not disclose that for 9 years his Remuera office has been the subject of declarable donations, or that the rent for his Wellington office space—according to a businessman and landlord—was $20,000 per year, which was never declared; or, worse still, that Mr Prebble, when his party leader, received a letter, which the New Zealand Herald knew about, about an incident at Waiheke Island, and, to divert the New Zealand Herald, Mr Prebble was potted by Rodney Hide on the question of his parliamentary residence in Wellington being an ACT office. That is dishonest in the extreme.
Would not the best way to advance openness and honesty in the Pacific be for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to take the opportunity in this House to seek leave to explain whether he sought $25,000 from Sir Robert Jones, and to explain what the Spencer Trust is and where the money went? That would actually promote honesty and transparency in the Pacific far more than the old windbag going on these drunken trips does.
No. The member knows that using such abusive language is not acceptable in this House. He will withdraw that reference, please.
I withdraw.
Thank you.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
Because the member decided to descend to that level, I will tell the House what is not being honest and transparent—anywhere in the world, in fact. At a recent parliamentary function, an MP pretended that a woman friend was his new girlfriend, introduced her to the press gallery as such, and also introduced that same person in a Koru lounge as such, when he knew, demonstrably and palpably, that that information was not correct.
Madam Speaker—[ Interruption] Point of order, Madam Speaker.
Point of order, Rodney Hide.
It was not you, Madam Speaker!
That comment was uncalled for; everyone knows I have taste and style.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I know that, Madam Speaker, and I know that my style is not yours.
What is your point of order, please? Then Gerry Brownlee, point of order.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Entertaining as that commentary from Mr Peters might have been—it almost rivalled the Alice in Wonderland story—he has no ministerial responsibility for that sort of thing. So could we get an answer from him, and could he address the question that was asked?
No. Please be seated. I have valiantly tried to define ministerial responsibility, but the questions were technically within the context of the Pacific region, so they were, in fact, answered.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
So that's the answer—to say that?
No, do not be ridiculous.
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am, after all, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I have just explained a very foreign affair that is going on right under the nose of the press gallery—
That is not sensible. Look, we are coming close to bringing this House into disrepute, so would members please calm down.
Point of order—
If it is not a point of order, the member will have a very short stay in this House.
I think I might sit down at this juncture, Madam Speaker.


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Google is so synonymous with search that when people get ready to search for something they say they're going to "Google it." Microsoft wants people to "Bing it" instead. The company's Bing search engine, a distant runner-up in search despite garnering good reviews, is kicking off a new Bing It On side-by-search challenge reminiscent of the Coke vs. Pepsi taste tests.
Microsoft claims people chose Bing nearly 2:1 over Google in an online study that it commissioned (via an independent research company called Answers Research). As part of the test, folks were shown the main search results of both Google and Bing for 10 queries of their choice, with all branding removed from both search engines. The test removed the ads and content in other parts of the page, meaning no Bing Snapshot and Social Search results or Google's Knowledge Graph. Of the near than 1,000 participants, 57.4% preferred Bing, 30.2% Google with the rest resulting in a draw. Head to Bingiton.com to try the test yourself.
Technology Live covers computers, electronics, and the Internet, with a focus on cutting-edge technology that has a real impact on your life. Our reporters and editors -- based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, and Washington – offer news and tips to help you make the most of your digital domain. More about the team
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text:
Average grade: 4.2 %
Length: 1.56 km
Altitude start: 12 m
Altitude top: 78 m
Ascent: 66 m
Maximum: 16 %
Kniepenberg rankings
Difficulty ranking world: 12856 (all)
Ranking Germany: 324 (all)
Ranking Elbufer: 1(all)
Difficulty score: 12.75 what?
Kniepenberg ratings
(rate it)
Most interesting climb on Elbuferstrasse near Lueneburg
The Kniepenberg is situated in Saxony. This climb belongs to the Elbufer.
Starting from North Germany,
the Kniepenberg ascent is 1.56 km long. Over this distance, you climb 66 heightmeters.
The average percentage thus is 4.2 %.
The maximum slope is 16 %.
Look for other sides to climb the Kniepenberg.
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Wray Mantle Robe Coat - Black
Wray Mantle Robe Coat - Black
Lined heavy coat in hand-loomed natural textured cotton featuring pockets, and inside/outside tie. Coat can we worn open or closed. Made by WRAY in a small fair-trade facility in India. Dry Clean.
Ali Golden
Inherently versatile and uniquely suited for all occasions, Ali Golden is the embodiment of the modern urban uniform. The designer's eponymous collection has always been about the process of actually making clothes. Trained in graphic design and fine arts, Ali's first garments were constructed and sewn in her spare time, as a hobby. But in 2011, she discovered that what she loved doing for fun could actually be a career and the rest is history. Everything is designed and produced in Oakland, California.
Do you have questions about this product? We're here to help!


text:
Robert Ingersoll was primarily an orator, the most famous of his time (late 18th-mid 19th Century) and one of the most successful of all time. He was known as the Great Agnostic, and people would travel great distances and pay large sums to hear him critique religion and espouse a proto-Humanist naturalistic lifestance. His speeches [Read More…]
Ingersoll's Voice: A Persuasive 'Evangelical' Humanism
October 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment


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Green Mountain Lookout
Update: April 4, 2014
Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell secure unanimous passage of Green Mountain Lookout Legislation. Watch video of Senator Murray discussing the legislation and Senate passage here:
Senator Murray video
Thanks are also due to Representatives DelBene and Larsen for their strong support.
The Green Mountain Lookout has been saved!
Update: December 14, 2012
Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell introduced legislation that would protect the Green Mountain Lookout. A joint
Press Release
issued by staff for both Senators provides additional information about the bill. The legislation is a companion piece to an identical bill Rep. Rick Larsen introduced in the House of Representatives back in June (see the update below from June 27, 2012).
Update: September 27, 2012
The campaign to save the Green Mountain Lookout received a shot in the arm with the recent ruling from US Court, Seattle District. Judge Coughenour granted a motion to alter his earlier ruling requiring the US Forest Service to remove the lookout. In his new ruling, the matter has been remanded to the Forest Service. In layman's terms, rahter than mandatory removal, this means the Forest Service is being provided the opportunity to determine, as an agency, how to proceed "in a manner not inconsistent" with the court's earlier finding that rehabilitation of the lookout violated the Wilderness Act.
Advocates are careful not to celebrate this as a toal victory - to be sure, the lookout may still come down. But the ruling at least allows the Forest Service the chance to determine on their own how to resolve the earlier violation.
You can read the court decision
Update: August 18, 2012
The US Forest Service recently filed a brief with the US Court seeking an amended judgment of the District Court ruling requiring the removal of the Green Mountain Lookout. You can read the brief
Update: June 27, 2012
Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) today introduced a bill that would save the Green Mountain Forest Fire Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Larsen's office issued a
Press Release
with details on the legislation.
In 2011, the Washington Trust included the Green Mountain Lookout in our Most Endangered Historic Properties List.
The Threat: Wilderness Watch, a hardline environmental activist group, sued the US Forest Service on the basis that work recently completed to restore the Lookout violated the Wilderness Act. On March 27th, Judge John C. Coughenour of the US District Court in Seattle ruled in favor of Wilderness Watch, ordering the US Forest Service to remove the National Register-listed structure. Caringly restored utilizing hundreds of hours of volunteer labor and placed on a repaired foundation atop Green Mountain in 2010, its removal would deprive the numerous recreation enthusiasts who hike the Green Mountain route from enjoying a significant component of our history.
The Response:
While the Wilderness Act contains a prohibition on structures and installations being located within a designated Wilderness Area, exceptions are made when the agency managing the area can demonstrate that repairs or maintenance to a historic site is a necessity for administering the Wilderness Area. In his ruling, Judge Coughenour found that there was no 'necessity' in preserving the Lookout in place - that the Wilderness Area could be managed appropriately without the presence of the Lookout, therefore ordering its removal. The Judge added that unlike other fire lookouts in designated Wilderness Areas, the Green Mountain Lookout has never been singled out as exempt from the Wilderness Act. Such an exemption is possible, but would take an act of Congress.
Our Request:
The court's decision has the potential to adversely impact how federal agencies will manage historic resources on public lands in the future. This needs to be addressed from a broader policy standpoint and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to achieve the needed consideration for historic resources. In the short term, however, we are asking you - historic preservation advocates and recreation enthusiasts alike - to write to your Congressmen and to Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, asking them to support immediate legislation exempting the Green Mountain Lookout from the Wilderness Act. Without this action, the Lookout may be removed from Green Mountain in early summer.
The Darrington Historical Society has crafted
a template letter
with this request. Please use this letter, revising it any way you see fit, and email it to members of Congress.
In addition, the Darrington Historical Society has crafted a
list of responses
to the court's decision arguing against removal of the Lookout.
For additional reference, follow this link to read the
Washington Trust's letter to Representative Rick Larsen
Brian Turner, Senior Field Officer/Attorney in the San Francisco Field Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, wrote a comprehensive summary of the lawsuit and the ruling:
Federal Court Orders Removal of Historic Fire Lookout in Washington State
A Video Blog of the last full time fire spotter stationed at the Green Mountain Lookout can be seen at:
A Former Green Mountain Lookout Tells His Story
The following are recent News Articles on the issue:
Bill would save lookout in Glacier Peak Wilderness
Influential voices line up for Green Mountain lookout
Distinguished judge makes dumb decision: Mountain lookout has to go
Judge orders removal of historic lookout in wilderness
Please join in our advocacy efforts!
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[PREVIEW: Big 12 Women] With nine starters returning from last year's squad, including young Canadian star Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia, the two-time defending Big 12 regular-season champion, is again the team to beat. It was the unanimous pick to win the conference again in a vote of the head coaches and the top ranked team, at No. 16, in the Soccer America preseason rankings.
Besides Buchanan, a starter on both Canada's senior and U-20 national
team, fellow sophomore Ashley Lawrence and senior Kate Schwindel, the team's top returning point earner with a
career-best 28 points (11 goals, 6 assists) in 2013, return for the Mountaineers.
Texas Tech, No. 22 in the Soccer America Preseason Top 20, was chosen to place second. Tom Stone's Red Raiders have earned a NCAA bid each of the past two years and combined for just two Big 12 losses over the previous two seasons. They'll again be led
by senior Jaelene Hinkle and junior Janine Beckie.
Led by Nigerian U-20 star Courtney Dike, Oklahoma State was selected third and received the other first-place nod. Nine other OSU starters are back from 2013 when the Cowgirls made their eighth NCAA Tournament
appearance. Dike, the top returning scorer in the Big 12 with 13 goals and 30 points as a freshman, was joined by teammates Allie Stephenson and Natalie Calhoun, on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Baylor and Texas were picked fourth and fifth, respectively. The Bears have earned NCAA bids in two of
the last three campaigns, while the Longhorns posted their best Big 12 finish (third) since 2007 last season. Rounding out the Big 12 poll was Kansas at No. 6, followed by TCU, Iowa State and
Buchanan and Hinkle were joined on the Soccer America Preseason
All-American Team by Texas goalie Abby Smith.


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Working on a Graphic Design major at Fresno Pacific University. I design logos, postcards, shirts... anything that needs some ink on it! I take pride in every single design and communicate throughout the project.Read More »
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Territories claimed by the Philippines
|This article does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
This article has been tagged since October 2006.
The Republic of the Philippines had claimed many lands throughout its history. These include the Spratly Islands, Sabah, Scarborough Shoal, Palmas or Miangas Island, Orchid Island, Marianas Islands and Caroline Islands.
Spratly Islands
Philippines claims 52 features in the Spratly Island Group. Among these, philippines was only able to occupy 7 islands and 2 reefs. These include Thitu (Pagasa)island (2nd largest), West York (Likas) island (3rd largest), Northeast (Parola) cay (5th largest), Nanshan (Lawak) island, Loaita (Kota) island, Flat (Patag) island, Lankiam (Panata) cay, Commodore (Rizal) reef and Irving (Balagtas) reef. Other features claimed by the Philippines were either occupied by Vietnam, China, Taiwan or Malaysia or unoccupied by any other countries. Parts of Spratly Islands group that is not claimed by the Philippines are those that are near to Vietnam. The farthest feature that they claim is Ladd Reef which is nearer to and occupied by Vietnam.
Philippines established a municipality named Kalayaan under the province of Palawan for all the features they occupied.
See Spratly Islands for more details.
The status of the territory of Sabah, previously known as North Borneo, is currently disputed between Malaysia and the Philippines. Presently, Sabah is one of the states that formed Malaysia in 1963. Despite that, the Philippines and the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu have made claims to the territory though the claim is currently dormant.
On 23 January 1878, in exchange for modern weapons with which to keep Spanish colonizers away from the Sulu Archipelago, the ruler of Sulu, Sultan Jamalul Alam, leased the territory of North Borneo to Gustavus von Overbeck, an Austrian who was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire's consul-general in Hong Kong. This was accomplished via a trading company belonging to von Overbeck's British partner Alfred Dent, and later via the British North Borneo Company. Von Overbeck procured the necessary firearms and also paid the Muslim dignitary an annual sum equivalent to 5,000 Malaysian dollars (now known as ringgit).
The key word in the agreement was "padjak," which has been translated by American, Dutch language|Dutch and Spanish linguists to mean "lease" or "arrendamiento." The agreement further states explicitly that the rights to the territory may not be transferred to a nation or another company without the sultan's express permission.
In 1906 and in 1920, the United States formally reminded Great Britain that North Borneo did not belong to the Crown and was still part of the Sultanate of Sulu. However, the British did turn Sabah into a Crown leased Colony. The Philippine Constitution of 1941 states that the national territory of the Philippines included, among other things, "all other areas which belong to the Philippines on the basis of historical rights or legal claims." Malaysia was federated in 16 September 1963. Even before Sabah was incorporated into Malaysia, the Philippines sent delegations to London reminding the British Crown that Sabah belonged to the Philippines.
Malaysia insists that Sabah is under the sovereignty of Malaysia based on the fact that under agreements that Baron von Overbeck and Alfred Dent secured with the Brunei Sultanate on 29 December 1877 and the Sulu Sultanate on 22 January 1878, the sultanate of Sulu agreed to lease Sabah to Malaysia. The British Crown renewed the lease on 15 July 1946, but finally ceded Sabah to Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Malaysia is still believed to be paying the annual rent to the Sultan of Sulu.
Malaysian control was further strengthened by two referenda: the first facilitated by the United Nations-backed Cobbold Commission, from February to April 1962 and the second before the formation of Malaysia in September 1963. Both referenda recorded 70% of Sabahan population voting for Sabah to be part of Malaysia.
Scarborough Shoal
The Scarborough Shoal or Huangyan Island (黄岩岛), more correctly described as a group of islands, atolls, and reefs then a shoal, is located in the Luzon Sea or South China Sea. The nearest landmass is Palauig town, Zambales province, Luzon Island, with only 221 kilometers. It is about 123 miles west of Subic Bay.
Both the Philippines and the People's Republic of China claim it.
The Philippines base their claim on its proximity, its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and the principle of terra nullius (which can only be valid if no one ever owned it before).
The Chinese basis for claim is that the shoal would have been first discovered by Chinese in the 13th century and historically used by Chinese fishermen.
Many Chinese fishermen were already arrested here by the Philippine Navy for using illegal fishing methods and catching of endangered sea species.
Palmas or Miangas Island
It involved a territorial dispute over the Island of Palmas (or Miangas) between the Netherlands and the United States which was heard by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
This case is one of the most highly influential precedents dealing with island territorial conflicts.
Palmas, also referred to as Miangas, is an island of little economic value or strategic location. It is two miles in length, three-quarters of a mile in width, and has a population of about 750 when the decision of the arbitrator was handed down. The island is located between Mindanao, Philippines and the northern most island, known as Nanusa, of what was the former Netherlands East Indies. In 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States and Palmas sat within the boundaries of that cession to the U.S. In 1906, the United States discovered that the Netherlands also claimed sovereignty over the island and the two parties agreed to submit to binding arbitration to resolve the dispute on January 23, 1925. The arbitrator in the case was Max Huber, a Swiss national.
The question the arbitrator was to resolve was whether the Island of Palmas (Miangas), in its entirety, was a part of the territory of the United States or the Netherlands.
The Arbitrator ruled in favor of the Netherlands' position and stated that the Netherlands' held actual title to Palmas :
For these reasons The Arbitrator in conformity with Article I of the Special Agreement of January 23rd, 1925 DECIDES that : THE ISLAND OF PALMAS (or MIANGAS) forms in its entirety a part of the Netherlands territory done at The Hague, this fourth day of April 1928 Max Huber, Arbitrator Michiels van Verduynen, Secretary-General
The first of the United State's two arguments, the United States argued that it held the island because it had received actual title through legitimate treaties from the original "discoverer" of the island, Spain. The United States argued that Spain acquired title to Palmas when Spain discovered the island and the island was terra nullius. Spain's title to the island, because it was a part of the Philippines, was then ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Paris (1898) after Spain's defeat in the Spanish-American War. The arbitrator noted that no new international law invalidated the legal transfer of territory via cession.
However, the arbitrator noted that Spain could not legally grant what it did not hold and the Treaty of Paris could not grant to the United States Palmas if Spain had no actual title to it. The arbitrator concluded that Spain held an inchoate title when Spain "discovered" Palmas. However, for a sovereign to maintain its initial title via discovery, the arbitrator said that the discoverer had to actually exercise authority, even if it were a simple an act as planting a flag on the beach. In this case, Spain did not exercise authority over the island after making an initial claim after discovery and so the United States' claim was based on relatively weak grounds.
The United States also argued that Palmas was United States territory because the island was closer to the Philippines than to Indonesia which was then held by the Netherlands East Indies. The arbitrator said there was no positive international law which favored the United State's approach of terra firma, where the nearest continent or island of considerable size gives title to the land in dispute. The arbitrator held that mere proximity was not an adequate claim to land noted that if the international community followed the proposed United States approach, it would lead to arbitrary results.
The Netherlands' primary contention was that it held actual title because the Netherlands had exercised authority on the island since 1677. The arbitrator noted that the United States had failed to show documentation proving Spanish sovereignty on the island except those documents that specifically mentioned the island's discovery. Additionally, there was no evidence that Palmas was a part of the judicial or administrative organization of the Spanish government of the Philippines. However, the Netherlands showed that the East India Company had negotiated treaties with the local princes of the island since the 17th century and had exercised sovereignty, including a requirement of Protestantism and the denial of other nationals on the island. The arbitrator pointed out that if Spain had actually exercised authority, than there would have been conflicts between the two countries but none are provided in the evidence.
Under the Palmas decision, three important rules for resolving island territorial disputes were decided:
Firstly, title based on contiguity has no standing in international law. Secondly, title by discovery is only an inchoate title. Finally, if another sovereign begins to exercise continuous and actual sovereignty, (and the arbitrator required that the claim had to be open and public and with good title), and the discoverer does not contest this claim, the claim by the sovereign that exercises authority is greater than a title based on mere discovery.
However, up to this day, several Philippine legislators claims that the island cannot be part of Indonesia today due to the fact that the ethnic group living in this island is far more related to the Sarangani people of Mindanao than any ethnic group in Indonesia. There language is also similar.
Template:Philippine territorial disputes
Original Source
|This page was adapted from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Territories claimed by the Philippines. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Wikipedia, WikiPilipinas also allows reuse of content made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike. See full WikiMedia Terms of Use.


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19 U.S. Code § 2462 - Designation of beneficiary developing countries
The President is authorized to designate countries as beneficiary developing countries for purposes of this subchapter.
The President is authorized to designate any beneficiary developing country as a least-developed beneficiary developing country for purposes of this subchapter, based on the considerations in section 2461 of this title and subsection (c) of this section.
The President may withdraw, suspend, or limit the application of the duty-free treatment accorded under this subchapter with respect to any country. In taking any action under this subsection, the President shall consider the factors set forth in section 2461 of this title and subsection (c) of this section.
The President shall, after complying with the requirements of subsection (f)(2), withdraw or suspend the designation of any country as a beneficiary developing country if, after such designation, the President determines that as the result of changed circumstances such country would be barred from designation as a beneficiary developing country under subsection (b)(2). Such country shall cease to be a beneficiary developing country on the day on which the President issues an Executive order or Presidential proclamation revoking the designation of such country under this subchapter.
The President shall, as necessary, advise the Congress on the application of section 2461 of this title and subsection (c) of this section, and the actions the President has taken to withdraw, to suspend, or to limit the application of duty-free treatment with respect to any country which has failed to adequately take the actions described in subsection (c).
If the President determines that a beneficiary developing country has become a "high income" country, as defined by the official statistics of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, then the President shall terminate the designation of such country as a beneficiary developing country for purposes of this subchapter, effective on January 1 of the second year following the year in which such determination is made.
Before the President designates any country as a beneficiary developing country under this subchapter, the President shall notify the Congress of the President's intention to make such designation, together with the considerations entering into such decision.
If the President has designated any country as a beneficiary developing country under this subchapter, the President shall not terminate such designation unless, at least 60 days before such termination, the President has notified the Congress and has notified such country of the President's intention to terminate such designation, together with the considerations entering into such decision.
A prior section 2462, Pub. L. 93–618, title V, § 502(a)–(c), (e), Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2066–2069; Pub. L. 94–455, title XVIII, § 1802, Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1763; Pub. L. 96–39, title XI, §§ 1106(g)(1), (2), 1111(a)(1), (2), July 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 312, 313, 315; Pub. L. 98–573, title V, § 503, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3019; Pub. L. 99–47, § 8(b)(2), June 11, 1985, 99 Stat. 85; Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1887(a)(5), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2923; Pub. L. 99–570, title IX, § 9002(a), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–166; Pub. L. 101–179, title III, § 301, Nov. 28, 1989, 103 Stat. 1311; Pub. L. 101–382, title I, § 131, Aug. 20, 1990, 104 Stat. 643; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13802(a), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 667; Pub. L. 103–149, § 4(b)(9), Nov. 23, 1993, 107 Stat. 1506, related to beneficiary developing countries, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 104–188.
2002—Subsec. (b)(2)(F). Pub. L. 107–210 inserted "or such country has not taken steps to support the efforts of the United States to combat terrorism" before period at end.
2000—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 106–200, § 412(a)(2), in concluding provisions substituted "(G), and (H) (to the extent described in section 2467(6)(D) of this title)" for "and (G)".
Subsec. (b)(2)(H). Pub. L. 106–200, § 412(a)(1), added subpar. (H).
1996—Subsec. (b)(2)(F). Pub. L. 104–295, amended subpar. (F) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (F) read as follows: "Such country aids or abets, by granting sanctuary from prosecution to, any individual or group which has committed an act of international terrorism."
Pub. L. 104–295, § 35(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3538, provided that:
Proc. No. 6942, Oct. 17, 1996, 61 F.R. 54719, provided in par. (5) that powers of the President granted in subsec. (f)(2) of this section to notify a country of the President's intention to terminate that country's status as a beneficiary developing country for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences were delegated to the United States Trade Representative.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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The Abbott government's plan for a repeal day of laws and regulations has thrown up a major surprise. Among the thousands of changes is a proposal to abolish the independent monitor of anti-terror laws. The decision to do so is unfathomable. Repealing the office will do nothing to liberate people from bureaucracy and red tape. In fact, it will frustrate that aim.
Australia has an independent monitor of anti-terror legislation because these laws are some of the most extraordinary ever passed by the Federal Parliament. They grant powers normally only conferred during wartime, and enable governments to question, detain and watch citizens with high levels of secrecy.
Key aspects of these laws were copied from the United Kingdom, which has had independent reviewers of its anti-terror laws since the 1970s. The idea there, as in Australia, is that exceptional laws of this kind require constant vigilance. They need to be monitored by an independent person who has access to the secret activities of government.
Sydney barrister Bret Walker, SC, was appointed Australia's independent monitor in 2011. He has delivered three reports, with a fourth on the way. He has done everything that could be asked of him, compiling meticulous, forensic examinations of Australia's anti-terror laws.
Walker's access to classified material has given him an understanding of the challenges faced by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Not surprisingly, his reports reveal him as someone aware of the dangers posed by terrorism, and the need to protect the community with anti-terror laws that are strong and effective.
Walker's reports identify a long list of problems with Australia's anti-terror laws. Some are poorly drafted, and so ineffective, or actually counterproductive. Some are not needed because they play no useful role in preventing terrorism. Others are dangerous because they undermine democratic values such as freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.
All this provides a road map that the Abbott government could have used for an anti-terror law repeal day. Walker's reports are a goldmine of information about laws that could safely be removed from the statute book as a means of freeing people from unnecessary, and even hazardous, government regulation.
One example is control orders. They can regulate almost every aspect of a person's life, ranging from where they work or live, to who they can talk to. All this can occur without a trial. The regime has only been used twice, for Jack Thomas after his convictions were quashed by a court and David Hicks on his return from Guantanamo Bay. The use of control orders in both cases was highly questionable, and none have been made since 2007.
Walker found, after studying these cases and the files of Australian government agencies, that the control order regime is "not effective, not appropriate and not necessary". He recommended that it be repealed, or at least rewritten to apply only to convicted terrorists who remain a danger to the community.
Other measures Walker found could be repealed include the controversial law that enables ASIO to detain in secret for up to a week Australian citizens not suspected of any crime. Another was preventative detention orders by which a person can be held, but not questioned, without charge for up to 14 days. Neither has ever been used.
If there is a problem with the independent monitor, it is not in Walker's work, but in the failure to act on any of his findings. The official response has, to say the least, been underwhelming. The Gillard government released Walker's most important report at 5pm on budget day last year, a time calculated to provide minimal public exposure. It then failed to respond to the report. The Abbott government has also failed to respond to any of Walker's reports.
The Abbott government says that the independent monitor should now be repealed "to reduce bureaucracy and streamline government". It also says that the experience with the monitor has "provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the optimal form that such oversight should take" and that, "with the benefit of this experience, the government considers that placing the laws in a constant or continuous state of wholesale review has not proven to be the optimal form of oversight".
This is undoubtedly true from the perspective of this and the previous government. Walker has thrown up a host of examples of where Australia's anti-terror laws overreach or are in bad shape.
Moreover, he has been able to do so with enormous credibility and authority given his expertise, independent status and access to the government's own secret information. This is not something that any government lacking the political will to tackle problems with these laws wants to hear.
George Williams is the Anthony Mason Professor of Law at the University of New South Wales.


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Press Release
Release Date: May 10, 2006
For immediate release
The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday announced the termination of the enforcement action listed below. Terminations of enforcement actions are listed on the Federal Reserve's public web site, www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/enforcement, as they occur.
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, Columbus, Ohio
Written Agreement dated February 28, 2005
Terminated May 10, 2006
Last update: May 10, 2006


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A Joyful Noise
North East Texas Choral Society members bringing music that inspires to this weekend's concert
By TERRY MATHEWS | News-Telegram Arts Editor
Apr. 30, 2007 - Walk into a rehearsal of the North East Texas Choral Society on any Monday evening and you'll immediately feel a dozen different waves of joy rushing around the room.
Joy rushes from director Carol Allen to her singers. The singers take in the happiness and send it back to the director's podium. Joy also emanates from the keyboard of Denise Grammer, pianist for the group.
During a recent rehearsal, choral society members worked on numbers for its upcoming spring concert, set for this weekend, Saturday, May 5, and Sunday, May 6.
"This year's theme is 'Climb Every Mountain,'" Allen said after a recent run through. "The theme that runs through this concert is to press on, to never give up and to be encouraged."
On the set list for the May show are inspirational songs like "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing," "Amazing Grace," "Come Thou Fount," "Danny Boy," and "Homeward Bound," an old American folk tune, not to be confused with the Simon and Garfunkel hit.
"We're also going to have a section of the performance dedicated to our men and women who serve around the world, in harm's way, to protect us," Allen said. "We have a lot of ex-military in our group, so this section is very close to our hearts."
The North East Texas Choral Society was formed in 1998. At the time, Allen was a member of the Sulphur Springs Symphony League board. The symphony's director needed a community chorus for a show he was putting together.
"At a meeting the director said, 'We need a community chorus,' and Lee Heisey looked down the table at me and said, 'Carol, when are we going to do that?'"
Heisey looked to the right person to organize a choral society.
According to information on the society's website, Allen has spent her life involved in singing and music.
She was a member of the New Jersey All-State Choir during her high school years. She toured Europe for a year and a half singing with a band. She studied music at Midwestern University in Wichita Falls. She continued to study voice after marriage and during motherhood. She's recorded an album of Christian songs and taught high school choir for two years.
No wonder the singers under her direction pay attention when she's at the podium.
Allen is the only director the society has known. She's their own Tom Landry. Cool. Calm. Collected. And totally in control of the 100 voices at her command.
"We know to follow her," said Michael Dodd, a founding member of the society. "Or else."
Dodd's favorite number in the current set list is "Bring Him Home," where the men do their version of the moving ballad from the musical "Les Misérables."
Allen says her favorite moments of any show are when the chorus "really connects" with the audience.
"We work really, really hard to break down that invisible wall between the stage and the audience," Allen said. "Our goal is to become one with the audience. If they're really motivated, they'll not only sing along with us, they'll get up in the aisles and dance."
The chorus ends each performance with the same benediction.
"When we first started, we sang, 'I Believe,'" Allen said.
"Then we did 'A Gaelic Blessing,'" said Dodd. "We sang 'The Lord Bless You and Keep You' at a funeral and we started singing it at the end of our rehearsals and our programs."
Allen said 95 percent of their entire practices end with the benediction.
"It resonates with everyone," Allen said. "It doesn't matter what denomination you are, the words hit home."
The chorus holds auditions twice a year and currently has between 75 and 100 singers on its roster.
The chorus mounts two concerts the same time every year.
"We do a show on the first weekend in May and a show on the first weekend in December," Allen said. "We also do a Cabaret, our main fundraiser, early in the year."
Allen says her goal is to sell out every performance, every time.
"What pleases us the most is when a member of the audience comes up to us after the show and says, 'I don't know what took me so long to find you, but now that I have, I won't ever miss another performance,'" said Allen. "That's why we do this."
The Northeast Texas Choral Society will present "Climb Every Mountain" on Saturday, May 5, at 7 p.m. and again on Sunday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center auditorium.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and can be purchased at area banks, the Civic Center box office or from choral society members.
For more information about purchasing tickets or the choral society, call 903-903-885-2949 or visit their website, www.netchoral.org.
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Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell get married
Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell got married on Saturday in a western-themed ceremony on their ranch in Los Angeles. And I hope they have a happy marriage and all that, but this is just confusing. Rebecca Romijn is a former Victoria's Secret and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. And Jerry O'Connell? Well he showed up to his wedding in a gray suit and sneakers. I'm not saying Rebecca Romijn has bad taste in men, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of these days she ended up married to a cardboard cutout of Scott Baio.


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Face Lightning and Lieutenant Amodar in the Coliseum! Use the crystals of defeated foes to summon them as allies in battle. The Coliseum appears in the Historia Crux (available from Chapter 2 onwards). To access this content, enter the Historia Crux and select "Coliseum-??? AF-".
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Ex-N.Y. cop arrested for anti-Semitic graffiti
A former New York policeman was arrested for allegedly spray-painting anti-Semitic graffiti in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Brooklyn. More ▸
A former New York policeman was arrested for allegedly spray-painting anti-Semitic graffiti in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Brooklyn. More ▸
The Jewish communities of Borough Park and Williamsburg in Brooklyn have accounted for two-thirds of the 10 percent increase in Jewish population in the New York area over the last decade, a UJA-Federation of New York survey reveals. More ▸
Two-thirds of Jewish population growth in the New York area has come from two largely Orthodox neighborhoods, a study found. More ▸
Oprah Winfrey made a stop at the ritual bath but didn't take the plunge. This trip to a Chabad Lubavitch mikvah in Brooklyn Heights (not the "Heights" one typically associates with Chabad) was filmed for an episode of her new series, Oprah's Next Chapter, which will premiere in January on her OWN Network, her new… More ▸
Eishes Chayil, the pseudonym used by the author of the young adult novel "Hush," has revealed her real name as Judy Brown. More ▸
Levi Aron, the Brooklyn man who is accused of killing and dismembering 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. More ▸
The parents of murdered 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky have created a memorial fund in their son's name to assist the needy. More ▸
A grand jury in New York indicted Levi Aron for the murder of 8-year old Leiby Kletzky. More ▸
Two tragedies that occurred 1,500 miles apart and in much different circumstances have united the Jewish communities in New York and Houston in shock, horror and grief. More ▸
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited the shiva house of the family of Leiby Kletzky. More ▸
SponsoredWhy you might find bacon flavors next time you go to a kosher restaurant


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Data Sheet
Cisco PS2000 4:2:0 MPEG-2
A/V Decoder and
Cisco PS2005 4:2:2 MPEG-2
A/V Decoder
Cisco Video Networking Systems are the ultimate solution for customers who need to distribute reliable, high-quality video services over a digital broadband network.
The Cisco PS2000 4:2:0 MPEG-2 Audio/Video (A/V) Decoder and Cisco PS2005 4:2:2 MPEG-2 A/V Decoder are part of the VN 2900 Video Networking System-a high-density video encoder and decoder that receives audio and video streams, performs video processing, and adapts the streams to any standards-based digital broadband network.
The Cisco PS2000 and PS2005 Decoders provide real-time MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 audio and video decoding at a sustained data rate of up to 15 Mbps, which is ideal for video courier, monitoring, and surveillance applications.
The Cisco PS2000 and PS2005 Decoders receive multiplexed audio and video streams from the system network. The audio and video streams are demultiplexed and stored in separate audio and video buffers until they are ready to be decoded based on their timestamps. The data is buffered to account for network jitter and delay, with the amount of delay adjusted based on the amount of jitter and available memory. Audio and video streams undergo separate decompression and are sent to the appropriate outputs on the module.
The Cisco PS2000 and PS2005 Decoders output composite analog video and S-Video in both NTSC and PAL formats. The decoders also output analog stereo audio through RCA connectors. All outputs are accessible from the front panels of the modules.
The Cisco PS2000 and PS2005 Decoders have a Voltage Control Oscillator (VCXO) precision-variable clock that corrects jitter caused by network variable delays. This feature ensures that audio and video frames are not dropped or duplicated in the encoded stream and is essential for the high-quality demands of broadcast and multicast network environments.
Table 1 is a summary of the Cisco PS2000 and PS2005 Decoder features and benefits.
Table 1: Cisco PS2000 and PS2005 Decoder Feature and Benefit Summary.
MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 (4:2:0 MP@ML) decoding
High-quality audio and video decoding
3:2 inverse telecine support
Optimal compression for film
Closed captioning extraction
Superior retention of closed captioning information
Figure 1: Cisco PS2000 4:2:0 MPEG-2 A/V Decoder and Cisco PS2005 4:2:2 MPEG-2 A/V Decoder
- Composite analog video (NTSC/PAL)
- S-Video
I/O Connectors
- BNC connector for composite video
- Mini-DIN connector for S-Video
Compression Standards
- Cisco PS2000: 4:2:0 MP@ML MPEG-2 (ISO-13818-2)
- Cisco PS2005: 4:2:2 MP@ML MPEG-2 (ISO-11172-2)
Data Rates
- Up to 15 Mbps
NTSC Resolutions Supported
- 720x480
- 704x480
- 544x480
- 480x480
- 352x480
- 352x240
PAL Resolutions Supported
- 720x576
- 704x576
- 544x576
- 480x576
- 352x576
- 352x288
Additional Features
- 3:2 inverse telecine support
- Closed captioning (NTSC VBI line 21)
- On-screen monitoring statistics
- Logo insertion
- Remote configuration through Cisco VN Unit Manager
- Unbalanced stereo
I/O Connectors
- Two RCA connectors
Compression Standards
- MPEG-1 Layer 2
Data Rates
- 32 kbps to 441 kbps
- Mono, stereo, dual channel, joint stereo
Sampling Rates
- 48 kHz
- 44.1 kHz
- 32 kHz
- VCXO precision-variable clock
- Upgradable in-field Flash memory
- CompactPCI compatible


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A coalition of property owners intent on protecting their Willets Point land from the $3 billion development plans of the Bloomberg administration was dealt a crushing blow last week when a judge threw out its lawsuit against the city.
The suit, brought by the Willets Point Industry and Real Estate Association, alleged that over the past 40 years city officials had refused to provide essential services to the Willets Point properties in hopes of later acquiring them cheaply.
It was dismissed by Brooklyn Federal Judge Edward Korman on the basis that the claim could not be substantiated and because he believes it is not an appropriate issue for the federal courts to be involved in. The plaintiffs are now looking at whether to appeal the decision, sending the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Michael Gerrard, the attorney for the association, said he and his clients believe the city was malicious in its denial of services.
"We were disappointed. We continue to feel that the city does not have the right to single out a single neighborhood for complete deprivation of city services in order to reduce the property values and therefore seize it by eminent domain at a rock-bottom price," Gerrard said.
The Bloomberg administration announced May 1, 2007, a $3 billion plan authorizing the city to use the power of eminent domain to seize property in Willets Point to make way for development, including a range of "residential, retail, hotel, convention center, entertainment, commercial office, community facility, open space and parking uses."
The City Council approved the plan by a vote of 42-2 Nov. 13, 2008.
Although the decision by Korman to dismiss the suit acknowledged Willets Points has no municipal sanitary sewers and its roads are "cratered with potholes," Korman ruled there are more likely explanations for the city to choose to invest in the infrastructure of some areas of the city over others than deliberately driving down property values.
For instance, the region contains no residential housing, parks or public schools, and the judge said there was no evidence that anyone lived there. At least as recently as May 2008, one resident, Joseph Ardizzone, lived in Willets Point, also known as the "Iron Triangle," a 62-acre sliver of land in the shadow of Citi Field.
"Indeed, Willets Point is not a neighborhood Mr. Rogers would recognize," the decision read. "Nor does it immediately abut any residential neighborhood."
But an April 2006 Hunter College study found there were 225 firms in Willets Point providing between 1,400 and 1,800 jobs, the majority of which were in auto-related industries.
City Law Department Counsel Michael A. Cardozo said in a statement that the department was "very pleased" by the court's decision to accept the motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
"The well-considered opinion not only discusses the enormous difficulties inherent with redeveloping the Willets Point area, but acknowledges that the city and City Council have taken the steps that are necessary to improve the area for future generations," he said.
The plaintiffs are currently awaiting the decision on a case before the state Supreme Court in Manhattan challenging the Bloomberg development plan's environmental impact statement and various approvals it received, Gerrard said.
Reach reporter Connor Adams Sheets by e-mail at csheets@cn
©2009 Community News Group
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Cleanse Pak - 14 Day Total Body Detox Description from Trace Minerals Research
Part 1 - Detox & PurifyHighlights & Benefits-Helps support healthy blood, liver, and kidney function-Minerals and ionic trace minerals help support the body's pH balance-Helps the body naturally filter out toxins and waste products-Supports healthy digestion-Helps relieve occasional constipation-Stimulates the liver-Over 72 naturally-occurring ionic trace minerals from ConcenTracePart 2 - Clean & PurgeHighlights & Benefits-Contains soluble and insoluble fibers-Contains a healthy balance of flax, chia, and hemp seeds-A blend of whole and powdered psyllium seed husk and apple fiber for maximum cleansing, bulking, and intestinal tone-10 complementary strains of friendly bacteria (flora) for healthy flora balance-Supports healthy digestion and digestive regularity-Helps relieve occasional constipation
Contains no known allergens.
Part 1 Other Ingredients: Stearic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide.Part 2 Other Ingredients: Stevia leaf extract.
Manufacturer's Directions
Part 1: Take 3 tablets daily with food or at mealtime. Take at least 1 hour before taking Cleanse Pak Part 2.Part 2: Mix entire packet with 6-8 oz of water or juice. Stir and drink immediately. Follow with a full glass of water and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Do not take less than 5 hours before bedtime for best results. Take at least 1 hour after taking Cleanse Pak Part 1.This food should be taken with at least a full glass of liquid. Taking this product without enough liquid may cause choking. Do not take this product if you have difficulty in swallowing.
Manufacturer's Disclaimer
Do not use this product if you have abdominal pain or diarrhea. Consult a health care provider prior to use if you are pregnant, nursing, have blockage of the bile ducts, acute gallbladder, inflammation, intestinal blockage or kidney stones. Discontinue use in the even of diarrhea or watery stools. Do not exceed recommended dose. Not for prolonged use.Part 1: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
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