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Misleading costs the final insult on asset sales
Clayton Cosgrove
SOEs Spokesperson
20 June 2014
Misleading costs the final insult on asset sales
Today's claim by the Government that the cost of the asset sales programme was $120 million is just a lie, says Labour's SOEs spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.
"The Government and Treasury need to be straight up with the taxpayer on the costs of the asset sales which totals well over half a billion dollars. Treasury has ignored a whole series of costs and bonuses.
"National's asset sales policy was a massive failure. At the last election John Key promised Kiwis the sales would raise between $5 billion and $7 billion. They ended up well short of that because they mismanaged the sales process and drove Solid Energy into the ground.
"The Government claimed that the costs of the sales would be no more than 2 per cent of the proceeds; however it has ballooned out to well over twice what they claimed.
"In their list of costs today, Treasury has omitted to include the bonus and free share schemes which cost $80 million, the $30 million subsidy for Rio Tinto, the increases to executive salaries, the foregone dividends and the losses on the sales .
"The Government needs to come clean on what the real costs to the taxpayer are. The asset sales programme has been a massive failure and misleading people over the costs is the final slap in the face for the public."
Partial list of
omitted asset sale costs and
Bonus and Free Shares: $80m
• Bonus shares for MRP $25.0m
• Cost of Meridian incentive $33.0m
• Cost of Genesis bonus shares $22m
Foregone dividends: $147m so far
Rio Tinto subsidy: $30.0m
Bonus payment to MRP CEO, increased board and CEO salaries: At least $1 million (as supported by Bill English)
Losses on sale: $383m
• Mighty River $167m gain
• Meridian $422m loss
• Air NZ $52m gain
• Genesis $180 loss


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
The official blog of University of Missouri Skeptics, Atheists, Secular Humanists, & Agnostics
Please keep in mind that the point of the blog is not to accuse anyone of being a bad or immoral person. Also, please like our page on facebook!
The vast majority of our meat, dairy and eggs come from AFOs and CAFOs (factory farms). These systems cause the confined non-human animals considerable pain, distress and suffering.
This blog will not argue that eating meat is inherently wrong nor that killing non-human animals is inherently wrong. These as not our positions. This blog will debunk some non-religious defenses to eating meat from the factory farming system.
In 1975, Peter Singer wrote Animal Liberation which, in part, explores how and why eating non-human animal products from the factory farming system is morally wrong. We suggest reading this book if you eat meat, eggs or dairy products.
Here is part of Penn and Teller's Bullshit episode on PETA, full of straw-mans, bias, fallacies and, of course, bullshit. Our position is not the same as PETA's, but the arguments used to dismiss PETA are often the same arguments used against our position. Also, Penn and Teller's bias in favor of humans is pathetically obvious. They even think that humans can physically best chimps. Adorable.
1) "Vegetarians/vegans kill animals too!" True. Everyone inevitably will be in some way responsible for the death of other animals. The death of non-human animals is not at issue here. Rather it's the suffering.
2) "Humans are smarter than other animals." This is true in relation to most humans and most non-human animals. But certainly no one would seriously argue that all humans are smarter than all other animals. Even if that were true, it still wouldn't be a moral justification for not treating other animals ethically.
3) "We need meat to survive." Well, not exactly. Humans are omnivores and we are more than capable of eating meat substitutes and non-meat foods that provide essential nutrients. Even if this were true, it doesn't justify the system, but rather the eating of meat, which is not at issue.
4) "Not eating meat is unhealthy." False. Plenty of vegetarians are healthy. There are a plethora of options for nutrients to supplement a meat-free diet. Also, the morality of eating meat in general is not at issue.
5) "Humans are at the top of the food chain." This is the might makes right fallacy. An animal's position on the food chain should not affect whether it is treated ethically.
6) "Animals are cruel to each other in nature." This is the naturalistic fallacy. Just because something occurs in nature does not make it morally permissible for humans. Mallards gang rape females, but we don't conclude it is moral for humans to gang rape female mallards.
7) "Eating meat is natural." This is the naturalistic fallacy. Again, whether something is natural has no affect on whether or not it's moral. However, we're not saying eating meat is wrong or unnatural. The system which produces our meat is immoral (and unnatural!).
8) "Animals cannot act morally, so we cannot be expected to extend our morality to cover them." This is a form of special pleading. Babies can't act morally, but certainly we agree that babies should be free from abuse, torture and rape. Just because an agent cannot act morally does not mean it should not be treated morally.
9) "Humans are special." Certainly, humans are special. But every animal is special in some way. Those birds of paradise are amazing! This is actually the most reminiscent of a religious argument. If you believe in evolution, you know that humans are the product of completely natural processes, just as every other animal is. There's nothing supernatural about us. We have no souls, we were not created in a god's image. We are animals.
10) "Our ancestors ate meat." This is true. They also sacrificed virgins. This is not a basis for a moral claim.
11) "Animals can't suffer the way humans can." This is a red herring. The issue isn't whether other animals suffer the same way as us, but whether they can suffer at all. Not all humans can suffer to the same degree as other humans. Even if non-human animals suffer differently from humans and less than humans, this doesn't mean that the suffering they do experience can be discounted.
12) "Isn't the horror of the factory farming industry an aesthetic value rather than a moral one? It looks disgusting, but does that make it morally bad?" How it looks has nothing to do with whether it's moral or not. It's immoral because these animals have complex central nervous systems that enable them to experience substantial amounts of pain, and they actually experience great pain. So even if you think it is pretty (as some do with bullfighting) causing this kind of unnecessary suffering is immoral.
We are greatly interested in hearing feedback from the skeptic community and would love to engage in dialogue on this issue. We're sure there are other (hopefully better) defenses that we'd love to hear and address.
What would you say to the following?
– "The suffering of animals is a small price to pay compared to my satisfaction from eating meat, because I am capable of enjoying the taste and convenience of meat to a greater degree than they are capable of suffering"?
– "I just don't care about the suffering of animals. Bacon tastes good."
– "I am an omnivore as homo sapiens have always been as far as I know. I don't understand how that is a topic of humanism."
– "It's my feeling that our bodies are biologically tuned to eat meat, why not eat it?"
– "I feel like not eating meat, is denying my body the nutrients it wants."
– "Animals don't have ethics. If we were to take it to the extreme, we should stop animals from killing other animals, no?"
Just curious for your thoughts. These are real statements from friends of mine. I've responded to them already, but I'm interested in how you would address them.
The only one that would be difficult to argue is the one where the person says "I don't care about the suffering of animals," since suffering is the root of moral thought. If a person genuinely does not care, it would be pointless to make him care.
I will not offer thoughts on the others, as they appear to be naturalistic fallacies or missing the point.
I'd like to establish that Penn and Teller are magicians and performers. They intend to entertain, which they do fantastically. They do not intend to articulate actual arguments. If you'd like an example about how absurd this is, if you were to grab a Family Guy episode, analyze it, and conclude that it was full of ad hominems, fallacies, bias, etc., you'd be doing the same thing.
I didn't see them performing much magic the BS episodes, and I can't remember them stating they had no intent to articulate actual arguments. In fact, I don't know how you came to that conclusion from watching their shows. They obviously very strongly believe in the topics of their shows, they are both fellows at a libertarian think tank and often present libertarian viewpoints on an issue, they feature several "experts" on the topic, they put forth multiple viewpoints on the given topics, they start with a premise, spend the entire show "proving" it and then draw a conclusion. I'd say that sounds like they are articulating actual arguments, though doing so poorly as I pointed out. I'm wondering, do you have some kind of special information which I am not privy to that explains that Penn and Teller don't actually intend to make arguments during the episodes?
I actually find it quite absurd that you would compare my critique of BS to a critique of Family Guy. Other than the fact that the shows are intended to entertain, what else is similar about the shows, making my critique absurd?
The argument from bacon is one I hear almost every time the topic gets brought up.
"The suffering of animals is a small price to pay compared to my satisfaction from eating meat, because I am capable of enjoying the taste and convenience of meat to a greater degree than they are capable of suffering"
We don't base morality on hedonism or egoism. We think that it's dangerous to base morality on what individuals enjoy. A system based on hedonism and egoism says that Mr. Murderer can murder Ms. Jones as long as his pleasure exceeds her pain in doing so. Nobody wants that. To avoid this conclusion, caveats need to be added, then things get messy.
The claim in itself is bold. In order to make such a claim, the person making it would need to provide some kind of proof. How does this individual know the degree to which non-human animals suffer? Any evidence we do have actually suggests that the animals suffer to a much greater degree than the pleasure gained from a meal. They have complex central nervous systems, they exhibit pain avoidance behavior and signs of suffering in ways similar to humans: crying, screaming, shivering (not from cold), cowering, etc. The parts of the human brain that experience pain and emotional distress are shared by most other mammals (pigs, cows) and birds (chickens).
– "I just don't care about the suffering of animals. Bacon tastes good."
This is not a moral claim. I have no doubt many people hold to this ideal, but we're trying to show what is moral. Of course, I could make comparisons that this person would probably disagree with and then challenge him/her to explain the difference. IE: I just don't care about the suffering of slaves, cotton feels good. I just don't care about the suffering of children, these Nikes look cool. I just don't care about the suffering of women. Rape feels good. In order to show how these claims are immoral, but the original is moral, the person will need to explain why the suffering of humans matters, but the suffering of non-human animals doesn't matter.
– "I am an omnivore as homo sapiens have always been as far as I know. I don't understand how that is a topic of humanism."
Morality and ethics certainly are topics of humanism. When food causes suffering, what we eat becomes an issue of morality. Good without God, and all that jazz.
– "It's my feeling that our bodies are biologically tuned to eat meat, why not eat it?" You can eat it. Eating meat that comes from factory farms is at issue, not the eating of meat by itself.
– "I feel like not eating meat, is denying my body the nutrients it wants." It's not. This is a provable fact. It is possible that there is some kind of medical condition in which one must eat meat, but again, eating meat alone isn't at issue.
Most of us are programed to eat meat and not care about what the animals have to endure. It's not bad to eat meat. If it were not for meat, civilization would not have lasted as long. Warriors have had to eat meat during war times. Athletes no doubt need the protein in meat. Some people like meat and some don't.
"Athletes no doubt need the protein in meat." – I used to run 30 miles/week on a vegetarian diet. You need a lot of protein to be athletic, but there are plenty of non-animal protein sources. It's really B12 and iron that are harder to get without eating meat, not protein. Harder, but not difficult if you have access to any modern grocery store, by the way. Four-time Mr. Universe winner Bill Pearl was a vegetarian. NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath, Martina Navratilova (tennis player with 18 Grand Slam titles), and NBA Hall of Famer Robert Parish are all vegetarians. Perhaps my favorite example is Dave Scott, arguably the fittest man in the world, who holds the record for the most Iron Man Triathlon World Championship wins ever (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and then a 26.2-mile marathon run, back-to-back-to-back while on the clock) – he won 6 Ironmans on a vegetarian diet.
"Most of us are programed to eat meat and not care about what the animals have to endure." – Most of us are programmed to rape and not care about what the woman has to endure, too. In ancient Israel, the only "punishment" for a rapist (so long as his victim was a woman and not engaged or married) was that they were forced to marry each other. But we have bigger brains than that, and the ability to reason and overcome our urges. This is, at best, a naturalistic fallacy.
"If it were not for meat, civilization would not have lasted as long." – Arguable in the past but actually it's the opposite now. Eating meat is less efficient than eating a vegetarian diet. The environmental cost alone in raising meat for human consumption, according to Peter Singer, should be enough to persuade anyone interested in protecting the environment to go vegetarian.
"Some people like meat and some don't." – Some people like torturing animals, too. If we're arguing morality, that doesn't justify the behavior.
How to Play Jazz: I can't tell if you actually read any of the blog post. Most of the "arguments" you make were addressed in the original post and are actually fallacies. See #3, 4, 7 and 10 in the blog. Also you say that it's not bad to eat meat. The blog addresses that too: "This blog will not argue that eating meat is inherently wrong nor that killing non-human animals is inherently wrong. These as not our positions. "
I'll bite. I genuinely don't think the suffering of animals is important. For that matter, I don't think the suffering of infants is important beyond the vicarious suffering it causes other adult humans. Likewise, I think the only way that animal suffering is even remotely problematic is the vicarious suffering it causes those who are sensitive to animal suffering (and to expound on that, if we weren't around, nobody would be around to care about their suffering). However, I know many people who are prone to practice this sort of anthropomorphism of animals (i.e., attributing human characteristics like cognition and complex emotion to them) which as far as I can deduce is not based on truly rational humanistic philosophies.
I've studied developmental psychology quite a bit, and to my knowledge the highest intelligence any animals achieve (with perhaps some statistical exceptions) is less than that of a kindergartner. Frankly, my own suffering at that age was pretty inconsequential, so it's hard to empathize with lifeforms who will never develop beyond that. The line we draw even for an animal that deserves rights is pretty arbitrary (e.g., many people who don't want to eat chickens have no problem swatting a fly or squishing a spider), and many of the ones people defend can't even pass basic tests of sentience. In my mind, intelligence is clearly the metric by which rights should be conferred (and my statement about infants extends to the mentally retarded), and no animal meets that requirement for me.
I think there are certain situations where connections to lesser intelligences (be they people or animal) are reasonably important enough that rights of protection should be extended to them, but that those rights are essentially rights to protection of property and not inalienable. Essentially, the connection of one person to the animal entity (to include the distinction of personhood, which if anyone is familiar with abortion arguments, they are probably already aware of) is only important so long as a person is willing to accept the animal entity as property and be accountable to its well-being (in this way human orphans demonstrate further exceptionalism in that they will eventually develop their own personhood). While I'm sure it would be nice for those persons who are attached to animals if they could care for all the world's animals, I think they should just acknowledge that not everyone anthropomorphizes animals or can rationalize their rights, nor should they be expected to. I might even go so far as to say that ideally, a person should not care about animal rights.
At the very least, I think any particular attention to animal rights beyond the considerations for human well-being is a waste in light of the egregious human rights issues that still prevail. So I guess what I'm saying is that even -if- their suffering matters, it's so far away from a priority to me that I can't even in good conscience acknowledge it as a problem when doing so is only meaningful if it impacts the distribution of effort and resources, which I don't think it should.
Hey Jeremy,
You said, "However, I know many people who are prone to practice this sort of anthropomorphism of animals (i.e., attributing human characteristics like cognition and complex emotion to them) which as far as I can deduce is not based on truly rational humanistic philosophies."
Here's the basis for attributing the ability to suffer and feel pain in a morally significant way to non-human animals.
1. The non-human animals that are used to mass-produce meat in the CAFO system are avians and mammals.
2. Humans share relatively recent common ancestors with avians and mammals. In particular, the parts of the human brain that experience pain and some emotional suffering developed in those early common ancestors; we share many relevant parts of the brain with avians and mammals.
3. When in situations that would be painful to a human or cause a human to suffer, non-human animals exhibit similar pain/suffering-avoidance behavior.
4. The ability to experience pain and suffering has an evolutionary benefit: it encourages the animal to avoid harmful or otherwise damaging situations.
So, they have the same relevant parts of the brain, they exhibit behavior that one would expect if they were in fact feeling pain and suffering, and the ability to feel pain and suffering has an evolutionary benefit. The best explanation of these data is that the non-human animals do in fact experience pain and suffering. The conclusion is based entirely on rational inference and evolutionary biology.
However, not to commit the genetic fallacy, but you should examine the foundations of your intuitions that non-human animals suffering is either non-existent or insignificant. This tradition in our culture to deny non-human animals such moral significance traces back to Descartes, who denied that non-human animals had souls, and maintained that they were merely mindless automata. This, combined with the Christian view that humans had god-given proper dominion over the non-human animals, encouraged a cultural speciesism which regarded non-human animal suffering with apathy. Even though you are no longer a Christian, I think you still have some views about non-human animals that are a relic of your cultural past. You should carefully examine those views with a skeptical disposition, and see if your intuitions that non-human animals can't suffer, or that their suffering doesn't matter morally, wins out.
A completely secular moral view cannot appeal to god for justification. Some members of the humanist movement take it as a given that all and only humans matter morally. A skeptic should question this claim. What is it, exactly, about humans, that matter morally? If one thinks that causing a human unnecessary pain and suffering is wrong, then it is hard to see why intelligence matters. It is not due to our greater intelligence that a broken nose hurts. It is reasonable to identify unnecessary pain and suffering as at least one type of moral badness. But, due to the reasons I laid out above, we have good reasons to believe that the non-human animals raised for meat/dairy production are capable of experiencing pain and some levels of suffering. Without begging the question that humans are all that matter morally, it is rational to extend our moral consideration to those non-human animals that can suffer. In fact, attributing moral significance to avians and non-human mammals is not only based on rational naturalistic philosophy, it is demanded by it once one tears down the religiously motivated doctrine that humans are divinely placed on an exceptional pedestal.
I worry that you have either misread or wholly misunderstood the point that was being made. You continually talk about "rights." We never talk about animals having rights (nor humans for that matter). We don't believe in rights. Where do rights come from?
Where did we attribute complex emotions and human characteristics to animals?
Why is intelligence the only thing that matters? There are some people who cannot feel pain, but otherwise are fully functioning. If we have an adult human who can't feel pain, and an infant child who can feel pain, according to your maxim it would be completely okay/moral to slap the infant child in a secluded room where no one will ever know, but it wouldn't be moral to slap the human adult. Do you see any problems with this moral code?
You seem to think that you did not suffer much as a kindergartner, therefore animals cannot suffer. Were you beaten as a kindergartner? Starved? Locked in a cage in which you could barely move? Force-fed with a tube down your throat until you died? Taken away from your mother? I'm guessing not. However, if those things had happened to you, I bet you would have suffered a great deal. Maybe you weren't terribly intelligent, but you still had a complex nervous system which is more than capable of feeling pain, and great amounts of it at that.
Also, spiders and flies don't have complex central nervous systems, and there's some debate as to whether they feel pain at all. Even so, flies and spiders live their lives in their natural environment and when we squish them, they die rather quickly. If you can't see the difference between that and the system which tortures over 6 billion mammals and birds a year…well, then again, you've missed the point of the post.
Pingback: Pigs can't fly, but they can probably feel pain « The Official MU SASHA Blog, Updated Daily
My post was not necessarily intended to directly address the points made in the post, but to add an ancillary perspective. I did, however, infer that if one were to draw conclusions from these arguments, it would be that animals should be protected. I think that's how most people would interpret it even if you say not to. It becomes a question of "So what?"
Other things addressed in the more recent topic.
Another way to argue against the usual "It's the food chain" fallacy is to remind that person that food chains create food webs. There is no top and bottom of the web, which means there are no tiers of life. We may kill micro organisms everyday, but micro organisms are also killing humans every day.


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Are these privately owned clinics? If so is this one locally owned?
By MELINDA WILLIAMS
Licensing is almost completed for a "methadone clinic" that will be locating in Pulaski Mall.
Les Saltzberg, director of licensing for Virginia Department of Health and Developmental Services, said Friday, "It looks fairly likely they'll be licensed within a few weeks."
That clears the way for Pulaski Medical LLC to proceed with setting up the clinic in the mall unit formerly occupied by Pulaski Drugs and New River Valley Community Services. The company has already been advertising for employees.
Gary Gavornik of Easton, Pa. filed with VDHDS in late 2011 for a license to operate the "opioid treatment center." The clinic will dispense medications, including methadone, to persons with addictions to opiate drugs and pain medications. The goal is to wean the person off the drugs.
The town of Pulaski and Pulaski County filed objections to the clinic with VDHDS. However, since the clinic was consistent with town zoning at the time the application was filed, officials were doubtful they would be able to stop it.
The property's B-2 zoning allowed medical clinics as a "use by right" in December 2011. Since that time, council has amended the ordinance to require a "special exception," thus giving the town more control over such facilities in the future.
Pulaski Mall is owned by RAS Properties, which is owned by Robert Strenz, a former member of Pulaski's Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Are these privately owned clinics? If so is this one locally owned?
The owner of this "clinic" lives in PA. He will not be taking up residency in the Town of or County of Pulaski. So we the residence of the Town and County of Pulaski will have to suffer the rise in crime that will take place. THANK YOU STATE LEGISLATION!
Wow this is a great thing. Let's bring more drug users into one of the most pillhead towns in America. This is why people call it Pillaski. Think you have poverty and crime now. Just wait till the hard core druggies from the woodwork get to have a really cool place to get a fix in a broke little town like Pillaski. Wake up voters, there has come a time to clean house of the looney tune so-call elected officials. JOBS and really good paying JOBS would be a better idea, don't you think.
If your assertion that Pulaski is "one of the most pillhead towns in America" is true then the potential patients of this new opioid treatment program are clearly ALREADY there. Furthermore it's important to know that multiple credible studies and research reports on outpatient opioid treatment programs – like the one about to open it's doors in Pulaski – have NO affect on or a relation to increases in illegal drug and otherwise general criminal activity. The statistical facts, interestingly and importantly, actually clearly show that there is a direct correlation between new opioid treatment programs (OTPs) & a DECREASE in criminal activity, convictions and incarcerations. Property values have been proven to NOT be affected by the opening of an OTP, new incidences of HIV and HCV infections decrease, previously dysfunctional people during active addiction return to work, school & refocus on their responsibilities, families and overall health. For every $1 put into medication-assisted treatment taxpayers get an $14 return – mostly in reduced incarceration costs! There is a LOT of stigma surrounding addiction disorders and substance use disorders & even MORE stigma & misinformation surrounding medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence. Let's try to all research, focus on & raise awareness about and around the scientific, medical and/or research *facts* and data. It's important to know the truth if we truly care about addressing the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic plaguing our country in truly proven effective ways. The opening of more OTPs, like this one, is probably the single most effective and accessible thing ANY community can do to turn the tide that is taking lives and freedom at alarmingly increasing rates. We have a moral obligation to the truth and what the medical and treatment community KNOW with certainty from 45+ years of research and studies. Lives are at stake here. There's no place for stigma or even one word of misinformation.
Why this outpatient opioid treatment program is continually referred to as simply a "methadone clinic" by the media is misleading because methadone is only ONE of the potential medications their patients may incorporate into their individualized treatment plan, and the medications (plural) available for the treatment of opioid dependence, regardless of which medication is chosen & most appropriate in each individual patient's situation, are ONE part of a comprehensive treatment modality. Folks are reacting & commenting as though this is going to be a place where "drug addicts" from wide and far will flock to obtain methadone & that's it. NOTHING could be further from the truth. Individual counseling, group therapy, medical care and oversight by a physician and nursing staff, fully functional lab, patient advocacy and advisory groups & other services, approaches & opportunities that have been proven to encourage and aid in recovery from opioid use disorder are equally available, encouraged, emphasized & (in some cases, like ongoing individual counseling, group therapy & urine toxicology screens) REQUIRED in addition to adherence to an approved & proven effective pharmacological component for which there are more than 5 different medications and/or formulations to consider – methadone is ONE (proven extremely effective when administered properly) potential medication that might be used.
I noticed that you are from Tennessee. I also recently read where the citizens and town council in JOHNSON CITY were able to come up with a way to block the licensure of a similar program. IF they work as well as you indicate and do not cause an increase in crime statistics, then why do the general population argue against them coming to their town? Could it be that even though they are"misinformed" as you intimate, they are tired of witnessing auto accidents because the drivers should not be behind the wheel after they recieve their dose, or perhaps it is because they have evidence that supports the theory that quite a bit of the "dosages" are being sold on the street and not taken as prescribed because the followup is so poorly done? Believe me, I would love to see less drug use and the people be able to live productive lives, but, unfortunately, this is not the way to bring that about.
Said the one who apparently does not realize the "take home" doses were only made available in the first place due to lack of local clinic availability. Said the one concerned of people behind the wheel after dosing (which, by the way, takes about 45 minutes to take effect), would rather have
Pulaski residents travel back home from Galax or Roanoke for an hour, rather then downtown and back home in under an half hour. These are the type of logistic most people do not even consider. The fact the you think a better solution would be for these people to give it up cold turkey for you is, frankly, irrelevant.
Bud, I have witnessed many people (including family) begging to get off drugs. I have seen the destruction it has caused in their lives and their family. I do not in any way think I am better than anyone else. Nor do I agree with trading one addiction for another. ALL of us have an addiction of one type or another be it drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or food. My worry for many of these folks is this, an employer that does hire them is going to constantly be in fear of being sued by another employee if, as you say, it takes 45 minutes to become effective, and an accident occurs as a result of their sluggishness. Right now, I realize that many employers are unwilling to give them a chance not because they are trying to get clean, it is because of the liability. The person that is legitimately clean will have difficulty getting a job if they have a felony conviction as well. They are virtually trapped in a downward spiral and it all starts with the first time they want to "feel good". No, by the grace of God, I will never feel that I am better than anyone, I just made the right choices with His help.
Actually "My Two Cents", Suboxone is actually just as bad if not worse than Methadone. I know several people that take Suboxone and it is harder to come off of than Methadone. All these drugs are an alternative to opioids or drug of choice. They are just making it easier and legal to get access to. Both of these drugs are worse than pain pills or drug of choice. Please if you are considering going to this "clinic" think about it, these medications are highly addictive and do not yield much of a success rate. Do your self a favor go to a rehab or use other resources. DO NOT do this, it could change your life and not for the better either. Take some advice from someone with experience and has struggled with this for almost 7 years!
I know first hand what methadone maintenance does, I have been driving from Pulaski County to Galaxy for two years, my life is normal now, and no I don't feel like I need more, and I don't pond my belongings. Before I went to treatment I ponder all of my expensive jewelry….that I miss. I lost everything I had do to addiction to opiates. When people go to these clinics it allowed for them to actually feel normal. Alot of pointed pole do not realize the extent of this disease. Yes it may start out as a social thing in this Lil ol town that has been fighting opiate addiction for years. Imagine being 18, young and dumb, allowing yourself to fall victim to drugs. Then you find yourself addicted, body hurting because your body doesn't produce it's natural hormones anymore due to ignorance at a young age. That is the terrible cycle. Yes it may be replacing, but it is monitered. You are drug tested weekly to make sure no other substances are being . My father was an I've drug user, he has been clean himself for over a year. So take it from an addict who no longer steals, deceived, and used trickery to get high the program works if you do right by it, ofcourse there are people who abuse it.
Excuse all of my incorrect jargon, I accidentally submitted before I was able to proofread.
I'm glad you and your dad have been successful cleaning up from your addiction. Sadly those who think they are better than others (who have illegal addictions) are not willing to look into the mirror and realize they are NO different. Judging can be an addiction for many. When someone judges another without having experienced what another has been or is going through is downright wrong (IMO). Looking down one's nose at another who is simply trying to get their life back is…well….evil to me.
I grew up in Tampa. Been here almost 30 yrs. now and trust me…Pulaski's drug and crime problems are NOTHING compared to what I left behind 30 yrs. Some folks just have no clue and never will. This is a great area. One simply needs to find the GOOD and not do all they can to find what's wrong.
By the grace of God I was able to use methadone under the supervision of the Galax clinic to wean off pain medicine. Crime rates will decline and addicts get their lives back. So grateful others will be able to experience recovery now. So many in need. The cost is minimal compared to using on the street so there will be fewer crimes. Hide and watch. Also, these comments are hurtful when you are judging people and treatment options if you haven't walked in our shoes.
Well said, "Alive today." What you have just born witness to is what I see and hear from patients on a daily basis. I hope people will look at the science & facts and put aside stigma and personal biases. The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) consensus panel on 'Effective Medical Treatment of Opiate Addiction' is the most unbiased, credible & comprehensive resources/statements on this issue.and the NIH's internationally renowned, recognized & respected unbiased objective credibility can NOT be questioned. The Consensus Panel research projects from the NIH culminate in definitive findings and declarations on the subject before them, and the consensus panels we're created as a sort of "science court" on matters that have lots of disagreement & are extremely important. The Consensus Panel statements declare what all currently known & accessible science, research, facts & data say about the matter. And when it comes to the medical treatment of opioid addiction they are VERY clear that methadone is the "gold standard" and that medication assisted treatments should be expanded to increase access, covered by all gov't and private health insurance plans, fully implemented in every aspect of the criminal justice system, AND many other things. This treatment saves lives… Recovery happens; YOU are the evidence! Keep speaking out!
At first allow me to congratulate Alive Today for successfully getting off of your addiction. Now as for the Pillaski Comments, please move. Yes, there is an addiction problem in Pulaski, but look around ya, there is addiction problems everywhere!!! I know people who unlike Alive today who did not benefit from the Methadone Clinic, because they did not want to. I am proud to live in our community and I am not an addict. The problem in Pulaski is the people who can't get off their high horses and think they know what is best for everyone else.
Amen OMG….Amen!!!! I suggest those who find Pulaski to be a problem move to Ybor City in Tampa. Let's see if they survive a walk down any alley in DAYLIGHT!!
I know people who have went through their program and have since gotten their lives. back. they have been able to hold down jobs have a home a new car,provide for their families,The only thing that bothers me is its cost yet these people are safer going there instead of buying from the streets,Most people get started on these drugs innocently from injury or surgery mostly starting from a hospital or doctors office.
Pulaski does need help with drug issues (remember Donald Boysaw, & Elliott Webb), denial is why it continues to breed in the small town mentality .
Also , do not believe it is by coincidence that a person from Easton ,Pa has selected Pulaski . Money is available and the county has been too Ignorant to open such a facility and offer much needed services as well as jobs to the surrounding communities .
Wake Up Pulaski & Face Your Demons !!!!!!
The answer is the manifest presence of a holy God. Unfortunately we have many churches on every corner and many people walking around denying the power thereof complaining about an issue that can only be changed by a tangable life changing anointing from our father. It will take a dying to ourselves, loving, serving, and reaching out to the hurt and broken. Unfortunately when most realize to reach that place takes holiness, cleans hands, and a pure heart they fall into the place of judgement not understanding that people are hurting and don't wanna be where they are no more than we want them in that state. The only answer to anything is love, and a holy God working through us. To be connected to him we must plugged in. And we can do things as he did because he goes to the father. We surely are a lost people. No worse than a broken and wounded person that's battling with an addiction.God help us.
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Police are looking to track down burglars who ran off with £20,000 shoes signed by Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man, who has himself appealed for their return.
The thieves stole the orange Puma trainers - identical to those in which the Jamaican sprinter set the 100m world record in 2009 - along with a framed photo from a warehouse in Gloucester Road, Croydon.
The photo sees Bolt posing by a stopclock showing 9.58 seconds, the fastest 100m in history, after setting the time at the World Championships in Berlin.
The burglary happened between 10.30pm on April 26 and 5.45am on April 28.
Bolt took to Twitter to appeal for the burglars to return the stolen shoes after hearing the news this afternoon.
I know u love me..but please why u had to go stealing that signed Usain Bolt spikes in Croydon, England..I know u going to return it. Right?— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) May 6, 2014
Breaking News..All you had to do was just ask me for one..No need to go stealing the ppl things..Come on now.. pic.twitter.com/9kapTKbNyM— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) May 6, 2014
Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact Det Con Sheree Yates, of Croydon police, on 020 3276 2287 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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You need to be more than just a trusted resource that someone comes to when they think they have a need. Trust is implicit with some professional services for example doctors, accountants, financial advisers, lawyers, architects, engineers, etc. But does that mean that you don't need to be more for your clients? I would suggest not.
In fact, I believe that many so called "professionals" don't deserve the title of "trusted adviser" because all they do is "punch tickets" with their skill as people come to them for advice. I think this is arrogant in the extreme, and holding the people that trust you in contempt. If you think this is a strong position, you're absolutely right. I am sick of sub standard value that I pay top dollar for because I put my trust in someone to act in my best interest and then never hear from them unless I make an enquiry!
Now before I get into what I think a trusted adviser needs to be today and into the future, I want to remind you of a few fundamental truths about what your customers want, no matter what business you're in. They want:
- Excellent service and respect – at the end of the day, they're paying you for your expertise, but let's face it, there are lots of competitors out there so you had better make sure your service levels are up to scratch
- A quality outcome – if a client is using you for your services then chances are they think you know more about the situation than they do and can deliver a better outcome than they could deliver themselves. Make sure this is the case!
- Availability and access – how convenient are you making yourself so that your clients can access you and your services when it suits them? Many professionals jump onto their high horse and expect clients to fit in with their schedule. Whilst there is some merit in having discipline around your calendar, ask yourself whether you're making yourself available at the appropriate time for your target market
- Value – clients are happy to pay a premium in my experience provided that they understand where the value is. It's your responsibility, not your clients' to demonstrate where the value is in what you do. If you're not getting what you're worth right now take a good hard look at your value positioning. I'd suggest there's an upgrade required.
Now, the four things I've outlined above are universal, and while there might be more, it's a good list to get you thinking. So, let me now outline some other thoughts around what I think a "trusted adviser" needs to be these days and into the future. Keep in mind, you won't play all these roles at once, but you will need to play more than one throughout the life cycle of your client. Many professionals forget that adaptability is a core skill for business success.
Here's the list in no particular order:
- You'll need to be a disciplinarian at times – hold your clients accountable and advise them to make better decisions by showing some restraint and structure. Set some rules for your clients. They'll appreciate it!
- Motivator – people get caught up in the day to day of their lives and sometimes they need an outsider to give them a zap to snap out of mediocrity. Tune into the energy of your clients and occasionally charge them up to increase their momentum
- A role model – keep in mind that your clients look to you for advice on what they should do in certain circumstances, and how they should do it. Do you display the characteristics that are congruent with your advice?
- A strategist – sometimes your client has come to you for a different perspective, alternative solutions, or guidance on how to navigate a certain situation. Do you seriously strategise and share the process with your clients so that they can learn from you?
- An unreasonable friend – it's great to be friendly with clients, but it's important to remember that they are clients and not friends. You might need to be unreasonable at times and friends are notoriously bad at telling it like it is when they need to. I prefer to play the role of unreasonable friend, where my clients know they'll always hear what they need to rather than what I think they want to hear. And they appreciate it too!
- A sounding board – occasionally all you need to be is an ear that listens and offers another perspective for consideration. You don't have to have all the answers, but it's amazing how much your clients will appreciate the ability to pick up the phone and blow off a little steam or talk through a situation to gain clarity on what to do next. Be there for your clients.
- A connector – chances are you have a pretty solid professional network that you've built up over time. This might sound like I'm stating the obvious, however connect your client with a wider circle of influence and they'll see that your value is significantly greater than just the advice or service you provide.
- An educator – clients come to you because you know more about their situation than they do typically. You also have the knowledge to produce outcomes that they typically couldn't on their own without significant effort or investment. So, teach your clients a little about your craft. Help them understand the complexities of your profession and how you can make it easier for them to have peace of mind by working with you. It increases your value.
- A confidant – from time to time you might deal with sensitive issues with your client. Keep it confidential and act in their best interest. It builds trust and reinforces that you'll be there for them no matter what. This makes a big difference when competitors come knocking
- A visionary – take your client out of the minutia of their lives and help them see the bigger picture. You need to be able to gaze over the horizon and see a wider brighter future for your client and then help them see it too. For anyone that's been in business for a while, it's very easy to get caught up in the day to day. You need to take your clients "off the dance floor and onto the balcony" for a better view.
I could keep going, but I think it's a pretty good list to start with. As you can see, being given the title of "trusted adviser" and acting as one is quite different. If you think you'll get away with charging high fees for doing little more than providing your knowledge, you're deluding yourself.
Trusted advisers of the future know they need to be so much more and are prepared to deliver on it. Are you? What do you think?
Build massive momentum!


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The last day seems like a blur now- we left Korea yesterday morning quite early to get over to Hong Kong (the Kowloon side of the harbor), and I'm now sitting with Christian Cantrell and Flex kung-foo master Steven Webster in the MAX Greater China keynote session. MAX Korea was a fantastic conference, I was really blown away with the passion and enthusiasm of the local Korean developers- my only regret is that I only had 48 hours or so in the country before moving on to Hong Kong.
Now Hong Kong- wow, what a city. Although Seoul appeared to be very spread out with a lot of open space to be found, Hong Kong is (even to this San Francisco native) massive, with a truly daunting skyline. However, it was almost eerie how things fell in place once we checked into the hotel. Christian, being a watch afficionado, was really hoping to find a few stores that carried the Casio G-Shock watches- and not only did he find some G-Shocks, but an entire store devoted to G-Shocks right across the street from the hotel.
Now myself- I'm a video and iPod/PSP freak, and had been complaining about the lack of good sleeves/cases for my iPod video (with the larger display, I can fit most existing iPod cases – but without a full view of the screen). Whaddaya know- right next to the G-Shock store was an electronics outlet with not only some hot-off-the-production-line iPod video cases (we both picked one up), but one of the most coveted white PSPs.
We're walking back into the hotel and jetlag was starting to take it's effects- Christian noted that a snack would be great. And as soon as we rounded the corner- there was the hotel restaurant with a complementary table full of CRAZY COOL dessert foods.
As I was downing a slice of cheesecake while perusing G-Shock catalogs and playing with my new iPod case, I had the feeling that MAX Hong Kong was going to be a good one, given the luck we'd been having. Well- either that or I just ran out of luck and should be looking carefully before crossing the street.
So- that brings us back to today, where through my coffee-induced haze I'm now watching Tom Hale demo the Yahoo! Maps API on the main stage, and while scanning the audience and seeing all the faces and the excitement they're conveying I can't wait to get to my sessions ("Flash Video and Dreamweaver" today, and 'Layout with the CSS Box Model' tomorrow).
Yep- this is definitely gonna be a great show. Keep posted.


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Attention Beatmakers / Producers Everywhere!! Do YOU Want to SELL Beats Online?? Well Now You Can, Easily!
Whether you've been making beats for awhile or completely new to the hip hop beat market, the one thing that we all want to do as beat makers / producers online is to SELL Beats!
Correct me if I'm wrong...
I know when I started selling beats years ago, it was definitely a struggle. The websites out there were few and far in between, and putting together your own site was costly!
That was YEARS Ago, and Times have CHANGED!
Now there is a great tool offered at MFS that I like to call a "One Stop Beat Shop"! Before this shop came out, you had to really know coding and try to put together a shop on your own website... or put your beats on a site like Soundclick, pay them, and promote it that way!
But as times have changed, so has Soundclick, so now, unless you're one of the TOP Producers on Soundclick, don't expect many sales at all!
But with this powerful Beat Shop, you can place it just about anywhere! Want to know what it looks like?
Take a look at my beat shop below as an example:
Right now, you could literally Buy Beats from this shop above right from this ad post!
Do you see how valuable this Beat Shop is already? The fact that I can put this beat shop on this ad or other ads like this to Sell Beats online from tells you why this is valuable!
Imagine being able to create blogs out there and add this player to it?
Or creating classified ads out there that YOU can post your beat shop onto?
Or better yet, how you can create a FREE Wordpress site or Blogger site and promote YOUR Beats on the player directly and SELL BEATS?!!
Just check out how I incorporated it onto my own website as a Beat Shop for Special Promotions that I offer at different points of the year:
SPECIAL BEATS ON SALE AT Genycis.com Here
If you've checked the link above, you'll see what I mean as to how you can integrate it into many different places!
This Beat Shop tool is taking the hip hop beat selling industry by storm, and is becoming a very valuable tool to sell beats!
I've been selling beats on my site and also from this player as well, and I know You can SELL BEATS ONLINE TOO!
So you're probably wondering... does it cost $149 total? Or does it cost some outrageous price like $59 a month?
I believe it should given how valuable it is, but it's not. It's Much More affordable than that! There are two pay options and a limited free option.
You have an option that is $9.99 a month to sell beats online, which allows you the ability to Upload up to 50 of your Hip Hop Beats onto it to sell. This is a pretty good option given that Soundclick's VIP page also costs roughly $9 or $10 a month anyway! But you can't put Soundclick onto other sites the same way you can with this player!
The other option, is $19.99 a month, which although higher than the $9.99 a month option, is a better option as you can upload UNLIMITED BEATS onto the player!!
I'll tell you why the $19.99 option to sell beats online is a great option and why I'm doing this option as well (I have over 200 beats on my player if you notice above)!
I know when I started out making and selling beats online, if I only had about 30 or 40 beats showcased, it slowed my sales in that it didn't give the artists much of a variety to sift through.
This is a reason I also don't necessarily recommend the FREE option which only allows 10 beats max (and doesn't let you add your own custom voice tag to protect your beats with as well). While I'm an advocate of free things, you hae to think of this as a Business, and maximize your business and potential sales earnings as well.
With beats, and I know this from experience, the more beats you have available to your customers, the better their chance is to buy from you!
It's just like when you go buy some sneakers from Foot Locker! Could you imagine if they only had 5 pairs of kicks to buy? You'd probably leave as fast as you came!
But now if you walk into a Foot Locker and there's at least 100 different types of sneakers, you can sit there awhile, check them out, try them on, and more than likely leave with a smooth pair of kicks!
And the SAME Principle applies with Selling Beats Online! The more you offer, the more they can check through, and almost guarantees you that someone will be buying from you, AND, will return again later as you add more beats as well!
I've been using this tool and making beat sales nicely with it, and I know when you invest in it, you'll be able to do the same as well... but remember, you do still have to promote your beats on websites, classified ads, and other places, but with a Beat Shop like this, you can actually promote the SHOP itself rather than just an image leading back to your page.
And for additional tactics and skills on selling beats online, you can check into purchasing any of the following below:
How Do I Sell Beats Online - Beat Selling Guide
Sell Beats Online Like a Pro - Beat Selling Class
Are you ready to amp up your beats game and Sell Beats Online?? There are many beat makers out there that are doing so, so why shouldn't you be doing the same?!
If you are passionate about your craft and ready to sell beats online, click on the link at the bottom today. I've been making and selling beats for about 10 years now... and I don't regret any investment that I've made in enhancing my selling abilities and making the money back and lots more as a result!
Now it's YOUR turn to do the same! Pick up your Beat Shop membership today!
"I'm So Ready to Start Selling Beats Online! Lead Me To The Beat Shop!"


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VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Jeffrey M. Monforton, rector-president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit for the past six years, as bishop of Steubenville, Ohio.
The appointment was announced Tuesday at the Vatican.
Monforton, 49, succeeds Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, 63, who was named in May 2011 as bishop of Joliet, Ill.
The new bishop also served from 1998 to 2005 as priest-secretary to now-retired Cardinal Adam J. Maida, who was then archbishop of Detroit, and had most recently been pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Rochester, the Detroit Archdiocese's largest parish.
No date has been set for his episcopal ordination and installation as bishop of Steubenville.
"I am very grateful and deeply humbled for our Holy Father to entrust me with the faithful of the Steubenville Diocese," Monforton said in a statement.
"The Lord has blessed me on this Christian pilgrimage to shepherd the good people of St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Andrew faith communities, as well as to prepare the future priests and ecclesial ministers while rector at Sacred Heart Major Seminary," he added. "I've been blessed to serve Cardinal Maida as his secretary, and equally thankful for the faith Archbishop (Allen H.) Vigneron has had in me for these last three years."
Vigneron praised Monforton as "an exemplary priest and a zealous pastor."
"He will be greatly missed here, but the Lord has called him to greater responsibility for shepherding his flock," the archbishop added.
Born May 5, 1963, in Detroit, Jeffrey Monforton studied for the priesthood at Sacred Heart Seminary and at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He earned a bachelor's and licentiate in theology and a doctorate in spiritual theology from Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 25, 1994, he served as parochial vicar at the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak before becoming secretary to Maida.
He served as pastor of St. Therese of Lisieux Parish in Shelby Township from 2005 to 2006, when he was named seminary rector. During his tenure at Sacred Heart, the seminarian population grew to its largest in 38 years. The institution also began online courses and established satellite classes at parishes around the archdiocese.
In 2005 the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education named Monforton as one of the visitors for the apostolic visitation of U.S. seminaries that took place during the 2005-06 academic year.
The Diocese of Steubenville, established in 1944, has 39,000 Catholics, 58 parishes and 16 schools. It also is home to Franciscan University of Steubenville.
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Virent received a federal award of up to $4 million, subject to final contract negotiations with the U.S. Department of Energy, to develop carbon conversion efficiency of biomass to distillate products ideal for blending into existing diesel and jet fuel infrastructures. The award is part of a $13M program that the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) is using to fund projects aimed at developing upgraded processes to increase biofuel yields from non-food lignocellulosic feedstocks.
During the three year project, Virent will apply a novel fractionation and separation process coupled with its patented catalytic BioForming® technology platform to optimize conversion of carbon from lignocellulosic biomass to hydrocarbon fuels. Virent will investigate both debarked loblolly pine and corn stover as feedstocks, in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory's state-of-the-art technologies and expertise for the pretreatment of the biomass.
"We are very excited to receive this award," explains Dr. Randy Cortright, co-founder and chief technology officer at Virent. "Increasing carbon conversion efficiencies will ultimately reduce the cost of converting biomass to hydrocarbon transportation fuels and accelerate technical advancements to meet the needs of the Renewable Fuels Standards established by the EPA."


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PICK Me Up Theatre's cast for Ghost The Musical in York are raring to go after being put through their paces for a month by the young creative triumvirate of Robyn Grant, Jed Berry and Tom Marlow.
Director Robyn, 20, choreographer Jed, 18, and musical director Tom, 23, have worked together previously in their own company, NUE Music Theatre, and now Pick Me Up founder and producer Robert Readman has called on their services.
"As Robyn was still training at drama school until July 11, this show really has been a last-minute miracle, but with the company's high level of commitment and talent,everything has pulled together," says Robert.
Jed will start musical theatre training at Guildford School of Acting in September, when Lottie Henshall, who plays Molly Jensen in Ghost, will enter her third year at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. Emma Osman, who stars as Oda Mae Brown, and director Robyn will begin their second year at East 15 Acting School that month.
"All of these young performers in professional training have joined together to create a wonderful collaboration of skills and ideas, which results in a truly special show," says Robert.
As he prepares to move to Guildford, Jed says: "I feel truly honoured to say that this will be my last show before I leave to start my training, I've loved working with some of my closest friends on such a great musical".
Robyn is delighted to be in the director's seat for this summer's show.
"When I first saw Ghost The Musical, it was at the world premiere in Manchester in 2010. Who'd have thought that four years later I'd be directing my own version of the classic show here in beautiful York," she says.
"We've been incredibly lucky to have been able to get such a perfect cast together; they're truly a pleasure to work with and have taken everything I've thrown at them in their stride; even the two-hour work-outs. The sound Tom has created is extraordinary and this show is really not one to miss."
Wearing his producer's hat. Robert Readman is proud of the work of his young production team.
"I'm a huge fan of the film, so when I had the opportunity to produce the musical I leapt at the opportunity; it's such a classic love story and I couldn't think of a better team to make it come to life for me," he says. "Robyn, Jed and Tom all work so passionately and put all their heart into everything they do."
Playing opposite Lottie Henshall in Ghost's York premiere will be fellow Pick Me Up newcomer Joe Mellor as Sam Wheat, while Fraser Wilkinson and Lee West will play the villains Carl Bruner and Willie Lopez.
The cast also includes Susannah Baines, Callum Barrott, Louise Carter, Harriet Dixon, Neal Edlin, Megan Forgan, Emma Hayes, Sam Hird, James Knight, Kirsten Moore, Chris Mortimer, Claire Pulpher, Emily Ramsden, Holly Surtees-Smith, Maya Tether, Ben Williams and Kris Wright.
Ghost The Musical is a stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning 1990 film Ghost and features book and lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin and electric rock score and lyrics by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard.
The plot follows the age-old theme of love and loss as Sam and Molly are torn apart by a fatal attack; Sam becomes caught between this world and the next and enlists the help of a medium, Oda Mae Brown, on a desperate mission to warn Molly of the danger she is in.
Readman has designed the set; Alistair Penman is the technical designer and Adam Moore, the projection designer, for the special effects in a high-tech production that will run from tomorrow (Aug 8) until August 16 at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York.
Evening performances will start at 7.30pm, except Sunday, complemented by a 2.30pm matinee on both Saturdays. Tickets cost £11.50 to £15 on 01904 623568 or at pickmeuptheatre.com


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New Start-up: ValueCamp — How to learn all about the "Culture of Communication"
We just updated our latest post. Its about our latest Start-up project "ValueCamp — Learn all about the Culture of Communication". — Please read, like and share it! TX.— And if you want to get a fantastic Value iBook for free search in the Blog pos the relevant link. Or go straight to iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/de/book/real-value-communication/id910010055?mt=11
"What we need today in business are smart communicators. Beyond Facebook! Aligned with the culture of communication! Only smart communicators are able to create interaction to unify Social Technologies & Human-to-Human needs." —Andreas Weber, Founder and CEO Value Communication AG
It is not by chance that this initiative and project will start and take place in Mainz/Germany, the hometown of Johannes Gutenberg and and the hometown of the Culture of Communication. It is a line extension of our ValueAcademy work thousands of professional from 30+ countries joined already.
Today, almost everyone thinks that communication has a high value. But most of us don't know how to identify and how to use the real value of communication to optimize the business success. As digital natives, everyone uses Facebook, Twitter and many other digital platforms, however; being a smart communicator is something else beyond Facebook, which requires to be not only a digital native, but…
View original post 626 more words


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Hank will start his days as college professor in the third season of 'Californication', and he's got a student fascinated by Vampire literature.
Ed Westwick goes from Upper East Side to Los Angeles. The Chuck Bass of "Gossip Girl" is guest starring in Showtime's "Californication" which returns for a third season later this fall. His first appearance is set on the second episode of the new season.
David Duchovny's Hank Moody will hop on as a college professor and Westwick's character Balt is a student of his. Balt reportedly is very much attracted to vampire literature. According to the press release, Hank will "attempt to shape the minds of the next generation of scribes while trying to hold down a 'regular' job and keep wild child daughter Becca on the straight and narrow."
"Californication" is also plumping up with another list of guest stars such as Eva Amurri and Embeth Davidtz. The former will also play a student while the latter is Felicia Koons, the wife of the school's dean. Earlier this week, EW also reported that Rick Springfield joins the cast as himself in four episodes.


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Deep Embossed Acknowledgments
The embossed designs on these acknowledgments are made from hand-cut dies, prepared by master artisans. Embossing adds dignity and richness to the sentiment. Even with this careful craftsmanship, these acknowledgments are surprisingly affordable. Embossed cards are difficult to portray accurately on a web site. These cards are much more attractive than we are able to show. If you have any hesitation, we would be pleased to send you samples. Cards W2801-2806 are blank inside.
These five designs (W2821-2825) have the sentiments printed on the inside of the card. The sentiments are the same as those shown on cards W2801-2805, although they are centered on these cards.
Deep Embossed Special Acknowledgments
These six cards all have the Lily design embossed on the front. Cards W2841-2850 are all blank on the inside. Cards W2851-2855 have "Thank You" on the outside, just like W2850, but have the bearer, musician copy, etc., centered on the inside. Cards may be ordered in boxes of 25 or 50 or in sets of six or nine. W2851 - Bearer; W2852 - Musician; W2853 - Minister; W2854 - Flowers; W2855 - Spiritual Bouquet.
W2821 - Lilies
W2822 - Church Window
W2823 - Water and Flowers
W2824 - Rose
W2825 - Cross and Flowers
W2806 - Scroll
W2807 - Panel
W2801 - Lilies
W2802 - Church Window
W2803 - Water and Flowers
W2804 - Rose
W2805 - Cross and Flowers
W2850 - Thank You
W2841 - Bearer
W2842 - Musician
W2843 - Minister
W2844 - Flowers
W2845 - Spiritual Bouquet
Custom Embossed Acknowledgments
If you would like a combination of design and sentiment that is not shown here, please call us. We would be happy to print a custom embossed card for your funeral home.


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Bar and nightlife at Four Points Bolzano
Warm interior, lively atmosphere, soft lights and more await at B-Bar. The place to meet with friends and make new ones. Whether you're looking for a signature drink, an aperitif after work, a break during the day we have what you're looking for.


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Archinect - News 2017-08-22T01:47:41-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/107648182/nimbys-go-to-court-over-modern-home-zaha-gets-an-apology-global-warming-rages-on-news-round-up-for-august-25-2014 NIMBYs go to court over "modern" home; Zaha gets an apology; global warming rages on: News Round-Up for August 25, 2014 Amelia Taylor-Hochberg 2014-09-02T20:07:00-04:00 >2014-09-02T22:16:14-04:00
Friday, August 29:

MIT's MindRider helmet draws mental maps as you bike: The prototype is currently being used to create a mental-map and guidebook for NYC, and an upcoming Kickstarter campaign will attempt to fund the project for commercial sale.

In Beirut, a grassroots push for more grass: Lebanon's fifteen-year civil war made much of Beirut's green space inaccessible or dysfunctional. The Beirut Green Project is trying to bring at least a modicum of green space back to the city's residents.

Thursday, August 28:

Norwegian artists plan to open art academy in North Korea: Nothing's final yet, but the school is committed to its disbelief in sanctions or boycotts on art.

Alvar Aalto gets a close look from Google's Cultural Institute: Google's cameras go inside the famous Finnish architects studio, as well as a selection of his works, for a curated photo-exhibition.

Wednesday, August 27:

China considering drastic ban on coal: Chinese news outlets claim that work is underway to ban coal in Bei...

 https://archinect.com/news/article/107479148/park-city-rejects-bjarke-ingels-kimball-art-center-designs-again Park City Rejects Bjarke Ingels' Kimball Art Center Designs - Again! Alexander Walter 2014-08-26T13:10:00-04:00 >2014-09-03T22:57:55-04:00
City Hall on Thursday rejected the designs of the Kimball Art Center's expansion proposal, determining they do not meet the municipal government's strict Old Town guidelines. It was a significant setback as the not-for-profit organization attempts to press ahead with an ambitious redo of the high-profile intersection of Main Street and Heber Avenue. [...] The Kimball Art Center selected a renowned Danish architectural firm, Bjarke Ingels Group, to draft the designs.

Previously: BIG is named winner of the Kimball Art Center Transformation Project Design Competition
 https://archinect.com/news/article/37631067/big-is-named-winner-of-the-kimball-art-center-transformation-project-design-competition BIG is named winner of the Kimball Art Center Transformation Project Design Competition Archinect 2012-02-10T20:52:00-05:00 >2014-08-26T13:15:17-04:00
He plans to build an 80-foot-tall tower by stacking former railway planks at a slight spiral so that the entire structure will appear to change directions midway up, like a game of Jenga gone askew. Inside, a restaurant will sit on the building's lobby floor while a cantilevered, wooden staircase will lead visitors to the various white-cube gallery floors above.

UPDATE: Park City Rejects Bjarke Ingels' Kimball Art Center Designs - Again!
 https://archinect.com/news/article/24725010/kimball-selects-top-5-architects Kimball selects Top 5 architects Archinect 2011-10-22T00:09:00-04:00 >2012-10-12T12:54:28-04:00
The Kimball Art Center is one step closer to its expansion and restoration project. A seven-person jury has selected the Top 5 architectural firms to compete for the job.

 The five firms, which were chosen from a list of 18, are:

 BIG/Bjarke Ingles Group, New York and Copenhagen, Denmark

 Brooks and Scarpa Architects, Los Angeles

 Sparano and Mooney Architects, Salt Lake City

 Will Bruder and Partners Ltd., Phoenix

 Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, New York


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At any given time, nearly 60 kids living in Central Minnesota are in desperate need of help to manage their behavioral health or chemical dependency issues.
To help meet the increased demand for behavioral health and chemical dependency services, St. Cloud Hospital is expanding Clara's House. Clara's House is a place devoted to providing individualized and specialized treatment to youth ages 5 to 18 in an atmosphere that is warm, nurturing and supportive of their efforts to regain and maintain health. Each year, more than 300 youths find hope and healing at Clara's House.
Construction has begun to add 9,000-square feet to the existing 14,000 to accommodate more youth in the child, middle school, and adolescent programs. The addition also will provide dedicated space for the therapeutic creative arts program. Art therapy at Clara's House helps youth express their feelings after experiencing a trauma such as neglect, abuse, loss of a loved one or other devastating events.
"The new space will allow us to give these kids their own area and age-specific programming," said Theresa Lau, M.D., St. Cloud Hospital child and adolescent psychiatry. "We also will be able to enhance our art, yoga, music and pet-therapy programs which all aid in identifying children's issues and are used as tools in teaching children how to identify and manage their emotions and thoughts."
Funding for the expansion was provided by generous benefactors, with more than $1.9 million being raised. The final project will cost $2.2 million and construction is anticipated to be complete in the summer of 2012.
Mae Ellingson-Skalicky ignited the fundraising campaign with her second gift of $1 million in December. "Five years ago, I found a new purpose for my life which allowed me to join hands with CentraCare Health System and help change young lives," Ellingson-Skalicky said. "Together we built Clara's house, which is named in honor of my mother who spent her life loving and caring for children. Many children are suffering with a mental illness. Of those, a great number self medicate to ease their pain. This can enable them to become addicted to alcohol, prescription, over-the-counter or illegal drugs sold on the street. I gave this gift so we can help more kids at Clara's House."
About adolescent mental health.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), more than 35 percent of children exposed to a single traumatic event will develop serious mental health problems. Further, SAMHSA reports that studies on the brain indicate that physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in childhood can cause permanent damage to the brain and result in lasting problems such as depression, anxiety, aggression, impulsiveness, delinquency, hyperactivity and substance abuse. Suicide is the leading cause of teenage deaths in the United States.
It is the goal of Clara's House to assist youth in tapping into their resiliency to avoid a lifetime of poor decision making, difficulty with relationships, substance abuse and even death. Clara's House plays a vital role in providing a lifeline and hope for their future.
"I decided to make another $1 million contribution because of my commitment to the kids that Clara's House serves," Ellingson-Skalicky said. "Teenage suicide is rampant in Minnesota and around the nation. There is no price that can be put on the life of a child. It is time we eradicate the stigma that has been attached to the terrible disease of mental illness.
We need to do all we can to help our children recover and live happy, productive lives. I would like other community members to join me in making our children and their health our number one priority by giving a donation to Clara's House."
Facts about challenges facing Central Minnesota
• One in five children and adolescents will suffer from mental health issues –– only 20 percent will receive adequate treatment.
• Before 1999, there was not a single full-time child and adolescent psychiatrist in the 12-county area of Central Minnesota making it one of the highest need areas in the nation for these services. Today there are four psychiatrists and four advanced practice psychiatry nurses.
• The demand for services continues to be great. The waiting list for child and adolescent psychiatry appointments is three to four weeks; for child and adolescent psychology, three months; and from one to five months at Clara's House.
• In fiscal year 2010, St. Cloud Hospital spent $4.4 million more than it received in reimbursements to provide behavioral health services for children, adolescents and adults, yet the patients seeking care grew by more than 19 percent during that same period.


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"Human Nutrition" (HDFN 221CS) is taught by Melody Anacker and covers basic concepts of human nutrition and includes a personal dietary project. The three-credit course meets Core 2.0 requirements and has no pre-requisites.
"Lifespan Human Development" (HDCF 150IS) covers classic and contemporary theories, research and applications for human growth and development throughout the life cycle. The three-credit course is taught by Holly Hunts and meets Core 2.0 requirements.
"Human Response to Stress" (HDHL 410), covers the human body's biophysical reactions to stress, and includes an investigation of techniques for managing stress. The three-credit course is taught by Dawn Tarabochia. Junior standing is a prerequisite.
MSU also offers its freshman seminar, "Education, Social Issues and the Digital Age" (US 121US), online. The inter-disciplinary course emphasizes critical thinking, communication and support of ideas and intellectual development, as students discuss current issues with a focus on social media and living in the digital age. Texts include "127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place," by Aron Ralston, which is MSU's 2011 convocation summer reading book, and Plato's "Last Days of Socrates." The course fulfills three credits of MSU's University Seminar (US) core requirement.
For course descriptions as well as a complete list of online courses and programs, visit http://eu.montana.edu/online/courses/ For information, contact MSU Extended University at (406) 994-6683 or toll-free (866) 540-5660 or email email@example.com Montana State Online courses are also announced on http://www.facebook.com/MSUExtendedU.
Lesa Pribyl, (406) 994-7441, firstname.lastname@example.com


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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids review
Tablets specifically aimed at kids tend to be underpowered, under-resourced and under-specced clunkers that bear little resemblance to the repositories of tech wizardry aimed at grownups.
But as most parents already know, the little ones can be just as discerning in their choice of plaything. So Samsung has produced a new version of its Tab 3, complete with a new interface, built-in kid-friendly games and apps plus a choice of colourful covers.
Design and Android
Despite its brightly coloured livery, this is essentially the same device known as the Tab 3. It has the same internals, but comes with a rubbery case surround to protect it from low-level drops as well as an additional case which includes a carry handle that converts into a stand and a large, not very precise stylus on a string. It's a genuinely useful accessory.
You can set it to show a standard Android screen or the specially created Kids Mode, with a range of brightly coloured cards that make it easy for little fingers to find their way around. There's plenty of room for apps, videos and music too, with 8GB of memory on board plus the option to add another 32GB via a microSD card.
Features and processor
There are built-in parental controls making it easy to regulate web and Google Play access and you can set time limits for use of the device too, though there's no way to distinguish between playing and educational use for instance.
The 7-inch screen offers a so-so resolution of 1,024x600 pixels.
Not quite HD, but it still looks bright and vibrant with the kiddie apps, even if it doesn't quite do the HD biz with movies. There are two cameras on board too -- a 3 megapixel one on the back and a 1.3 megapixel version on the front, both of which can be used with the kids' apps.
The dual-core 1.2GHz processor is backed by a full 1GB Ram and it does a pretty good job of keeping most of the kids apps running at optimum speed, though it struggles a little with more advanced games. Our AnTuTu benchmark score came in pretty high for a dual-core device too -- 1,638, which puts it in the same range as the Archos 80 Titanium for example.
As a reviewer for Wired.co.uk, I regularly have tablets and phones around the house, and my six-year-old son occasionally helps me with "hands-on testing". But he's never shown a keener interest in any device more than the Tab 3 Kids, which not only gives him access to a huge range of games, but with its bright colours and dedicated interface is probably the first that he's felt that he's "owned" (sorry Samsung).
As kids' tablets go it's on the pricey side, but then it's much more capable and satisfying than most. With a half-decent camera, and software that gives a youngster the feeling that he or she owns it.
If you really need to use it yourself occasionally, you can switch to normal mode to web surf or check your emails but it's definitely too expensive, especially since you can pick up a standard Tab 3 for around £120.
- Dual-core 1.2GHz
- Operating system
- Android Jelly Bean 4.1
- Memory
- Display
- 7 inch TFT (1024x600 pixels)
- Camera
- 3 megapixel; 1.3 megapixel wide-angle
front-facing camera
- Wireless
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0,
NFC
- Ports
- MicroUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Video playback
- MP4, DivX/XviD, WMV, H.264,
H.263
- Audio playback
- MP3, WAV, eAAC+, AC3, Ogg, WAV,
FLAC
- Radio
- No
- Battery
- 4000mAh
- Size
- 188x111x10mm


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Great Ship Poor Service an honest report: Freedom of the Seas Cruise Review by Grubber
Overall Member Rating
Great Ship Poor Service an honest report
Destination: Western Caribbean
Embarkation: Miami
Getting onto the Freedom was a breeze with no wait, although the wife and myself argued who's credit card we would use for the onboard charges, the person behind the counter was laughing and said this happens alot.
The size of the ship is rather overwhelming and something to behold when you first board.
We were in our balcony suite by 1:00 on the first day and then it was off to explore the ship.
We had the early sitting for dinner, every thing was great until the food came, I ordered the steak or should I say More shoe leather either way it was disgusting. I was tempted to go and show the chef how to cook a good steak. After the first night I did not go back for the rest of the cruise. I just eat at the Windjammer every night. It's funny because we would see the people coming from the dining room to the Windjammer to get real food every night. For the price that I paid for this cruise it would have been nice to have the couch turned down in our room at night as after a long day and 2 tired kids it was a pain to have to do it ourselves. Also we did not have towels as I had to go and grab some off one of the attendants cart most days I mentioned this to the room attendant and she didn't seem to care and just argued with me. I even went to the customer service desk and complained and again they did not seem to care either.
Just a few tips. you can book tours at every port for $20.00 a person and avoid the utter chaos going on excursions thru the ship as we lost over an hour in Grand Cayman waiting for the tour to start. We hired a local in Jamaica and he was great, as he got us to the front of the lines at Dunns River Falls. It only cost $15.00 per person to get in and what does the ship charge???? In Haiti beware of the market as they really bug you to buy their wares, even though it is all the same stuff. I had quite the bidding war going on between the different vendors. While you are sitting have lunch in Labadee you can see the locals begging for food it is really quite sad.
The drinks on board will set you back $8.95 plus tax oh! but you get to keep the glass. You can buy a whole bottle of rum at the duty free for $15.00 The cruise director Cloe was good and seemed to really like the St.Patrik day celebrations. The show's were good, we took a vote and Ronn Lucas was the best show of the week. The ice skating show was good but the performers kept falling when trying to do triple spins. I guess that's why they work on a cruise ship now. On the final day when you need to settle your tips for the help all the ATM's where out of money, I guess they just want you to give the posted rates and charge it to your credit card. Even if they don't deserve it. The Freedom of the Seas was truly an awesome ship. However most of the crew we talked to wants to jump ship to the Oasis maybe this explains the poor service. I don't think that I would spend the money for a vacation for my family on Royal Caribbean again the service was that bad. The Gold Crown service they talk about was really rusty. Less
Published 04/02/09
Cabin review: 7630
Cabin was kind of on the small side the view from the balcony was great. kids were running up and down the hallway most nights
Port and Shore Excursions
Read Cruise Critic's Freedom of the Seas Review >>
Carnival; never again
Very fun and comfortable
Everything you want to know ab...
Good for the young people!
Nice Vacation of a Lifetime fo...
Time to retire Freedom of the ...
Amazing Ship!
Bermuda on Royal Caribbean Ant...
Awful customer service, intern...
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POLICE are on the hunt for car thieves after two vehicles were stolen from a commercial garage in Chard.
Sometime overnight on December 16-17 the two Vauxhall Vectras were taken from the unnamed garage.
On Wednesday (December 19) morning a silver Vectra was found just outside of Horton with its wheels removed, while later that day a blue Vectra was found in Ashill with its battery removed.
A police spokesman said: "Officers investigating this incident believe that at some point both of these cars would have been travelling together and we'd like to speak with anyone who saw them."
Those with information are asked to call police on 101 quoting the crime reference number 135736/12.


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I saw a great question on Twitter this morning from Meredith Miller that immediately made me realize that the same question is probably being asked in a lot of companies.
I think it's a great question because every company will be different, but for 99% of companies out there they probably feel safe blocking the common swear words. I'm not sure I would recommend that for a couple of reasons.
When you use the normal WordPress comment blacklist feature (under Settings -> Discussions -> Comment Blacklist) you enter either a word (or part of a word) or an IP address (or part of an IP address) and if the comment contains that string of characters then the entire comment gets marked as spam.
An easy example is the word "ass". Sure nobody wants to be called a pain in the ass, or worse, but adding it to your blacklist means that any comment using the words association, passionate, passed or assumption gets flagged as spam.
WordPress blacklists should be monitored like every other part of your blog. It should grow organically and slowly as you see spammy comments. If you plan on being very involved with your blog and receive notifications when new comments appear you can probably stay on top of the spam that way.
For a personal blog, I say let it all in and deal with it. Business is different though. Most of the time, moderating blog comments is probably pretty low on the priority scale so having some type of strategy to deal with comment spam makes sense.
Akismet is a good start. It catches a fair amount of spam, but the spammers are always battling to leave better spammy comments. I usually also recommend the WordPress plugin Cookies for Comments. It requires that the visitor attempting to leave the comment have the ability to store a cookie – which the automated comment spam bots do not.
If you just need a simple list of common spam words like viagra, xxx and online poker to get started, take a look at this WordPress comment blacklist from Vladimir's Blog, it's a good starting point.
What about YOUR blacklist? Do you include names of the top executives, ex-employees, competitors?


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Mike Myers' The Love Guru Trailer Has Arrived!
by Alex Billington
February 28, 2008
Source: AOL
After waiting months to finally discover who (and what) exactly Pitka is, it's finally time for him to be revealed. The Love Guru is Mike Myers' newest movie in which he plays Pitka, an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus. This is Myers' first original character since Austin Powers wrapped up in 2002. I'll admit this was high on my curiosity chart, but now that I've seen the trailer, it's dropped pretty much straight to the bottom. This looks exactly like Austin Powers but with longer hair and a mustache, and I mean that in a bad way - this looks downright terrible!
If I had to rank the comedies that just released new trailers, it would go: Get Smart first, Step Brothers second, and The Love Guru last. But maybe I'm being too harsh? Plus, as pretty as Jessica Alba is, she's box office poison. This summer's comedy selection isn't looking too hot so far, besides Get Smart. I'm already predicting a flop with The Love Guru.
Watch the trailer for The Love Guru:
You can also watch The Love Guru trailer in High Definition at AOL
The Love Guru is directed by Marco Schnabel, who worked as second unit director on Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Austin Powers: Goldmember and is now directing his first feature film. The script was written by both Mike Myers and Graham Gordy. The Love Guru arrives in theaters on June 20th this summer.
Follow Alex's main profile on :


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You will need:
For the "Fruit" Part:
For the "cake" Part:
1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans and line with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Butter the paper or foil and set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the apricots, cranberries, golden raisins, pineapple, and Gran Marnier; stir well and set aside. In another mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Add the chopped nuts and toss a few times.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the brown sugar, confectioner's sugar, and butter until fluffy and smooth. Blend in the egg yolks, one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla, almond extract, lemon zest, and orange zest.
4. To the butter mixture, alternately fold in the flour mixture and the fruit mixture; stir until well blended. Beat the egg whites until salt peaks begin to form. A third at a time, fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
5. Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared pans, filling them no more than 1 inch from the top. Smooth out the tops and bake about 2 hours. To see if the fruitcake is cooked through, insert a knife or skewer in the center. If the knife emerges clean, you might as well put in all the rest of your silver and clean it while you've got the chance. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, turn out, and brush the tops and sides with a little Gran Marnier. Eat warm, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Yield: Two 9x5-inch fruitcakes.
6. Note: If what you want is a fruitcake that can withstand the ravages of time better than yourself, double the Gran Marnier and add at least two cups of brandy or rum to the dried fruit. Soak for 24 hours before proceeding with recipe. (The next thing to do is decide who in the family is worthy of inheriting these durable, fruity monoliths in years to come.)