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Category: girl's name Billie
How many names does it take to make a trend?
Well, with the number of nicknames for girls —both starbabies and civilians— coming from the boys' camp these days, it's starting to feel like a trend. Call out Charlie or Sam in a playground and no telling what gender child will come running. And if you look in the celebrity section you might also see a Johnnie, a Billie, a Lou or a Frances-called-Frankie dressed in pink.
Each of these nicknames for girls has a slightly different back story. Sam is a recent arrival, legitimizing the short form that so many Samanthas are called (anyone remember that ill-fated 80s sitcom My Sister Sam?)—but recent enough that it has never appeared on the Social Security list. Charlie, on the other hand, has been on the girls' list on and off for over a century, first from 1880 to 1951, after which it dropped off until 2005, when it reappeared. Billie has been in the Top 1000 for all but one year since 1886, reaching a high point in the 1930s, when it was in the Top 100.
So though boyish nicknames for girls feels like a new trend, it has happened before. In the unisex-oriented 60s and 70s–and even earlier– there was a fad for changing the last letter of a boyish nickname from y to i or ie, so that at that time nursery school lists were populated with girls named Andie, Randi, Ronni, Ricki, Micki, Shelli and Kelli.
But you have to go even further back to see the full flowering of this particular naming pattern. In 1930, there were enough girls with the following male nickname names to land them on the most popular list (of course some were pet forms of girls' names as well):
WILLIE (in the top 100, accounting for over 3,000 girls–maybe because Wilma, Willla, and Wilhelmina were all on the list as well that year)
Think any of them is ready for a comeback? What do you think of boys' nicknames for girls in general? Too flimsy? Too confusing?


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subset: commoncrawl


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Oregon Country Fair opens gates for 44th summer frolic
VENETA, Ore. - The Oregon Country Fair opened the gates on the 44th summer of food, music and - matrimony? - in the woods near Veneta on Friday.
"I got married this morning at the Country Fair, but don't tell my mother," said Tamera Flores. "It's a hippie elopement."
Other fairgoers noshed on the food fare, some of it only available at the fair.
Even with all there is to see, if you stay in one place for a moment, the fair fun comes to you.
"It's kind of like a nonstop party and parade, but while being very peaceful and joyful," said Chauce Coxon.
"We get to spend the night, and there's a special thing we all love," said Jonathan Hugh. "It's called a bubble party, and Sunday morning at dawn, everyone's blowing bubbles."
"Every part is beautiful, every part is amazing, everyone's happy to everyone," said Colson McBride. "It's just truly unique."


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You're going to a bachelor party and you typically eat and drink a lot less than the other guys. You'll pay your share for the guest of honor, but don't want to subsidize the others. Is there a polite way to say something in advance to avoid any awkwardness when the check arrives?
Dear Miriam,
I'm going to a bachelor party at an expensive restaurant, and I'm preparing myself for what happens when the check comes. I typically eat and drink a lot less than the other guests at such things, in part because I don't eat non-kosher meat, and vegetarian dishes usually cost less than what other people order. I'm happy to pay my share for the guest of honor, but I don't want to subsidize the other guests having a big night out. Is there anything polite I can say in advance to avoid overpaying and to avoid any awkwardness when the check arrives?
Splitting the check
Dear Splitting,
My husband and I once went out to dinner with a large group, and he and I decided to split an entree. The restaurant was expensive, and we weren't that hungry, so it seemed like an obvious choice. Then the bill came. One person divided it among the number of people at the table and told us what we owed, and we ended up paying for a huge amount of food we hadn't ordered and didn't eat. I've been wary of split bills ever since. Unless it's a fixed price menu, everything costs about the same amount or you're at dinner with a bunch of millionaires, there's no reason to share a bill equally at a dinner among friends (family meals are a different story, and one that I'm not going to try to tackle here).
Before the party, contact the person planning the bachelor party and ask what the expectations are for paying for dinner. You can explain your concern from a personal standpoint if you know the coordinator and want to put yourself out there. You could also say that you think it's more equitable to everyone if each guest pays his own share, then offer to be the one to collect the money at the end of the evening. Once you get to the party, I think it's too late to state your case or to get out of the communal expectations. However, my husband suggests that an additional option is to plan to leave dinner early and, when you leave, put your share of the bill on the table before you go plus an additional amount to go towards the honoree's dinner. (He made some other suggestions that didn't make the cut.)
Granted, at the end of a bachelor party, no one wants to do a lot of math. I'd love to see an invitation for this kind of event include a price for dinner so that guests know what they're getting into. The coordinator could pre-select what items guests can choose from and how many drinks are included and collect money in advance. The calculation could overshoot the cost a bit, and the coordinator could put the overage towards other parts of the festivities. Though this seems like charging a cover for a personal party (because it is), it's a lot more honest than having your friends stuck with an unreasonable bill when there's nothing they can do since they've already eaten.
Your other option is not to attend. If you already know that the cost is likely to be more than you're comfortable spending, decline the dinner part of the evening and meet up with the group later, or stay away from the bachelor party altogether and arrange a separate opportunity to celebrate with your friend before his big day. Attending friends' weddings has gotten increasingly expensive, and you're under no obligation to attend all of the corresponding events.
Be well,


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Verlander roughed up by White Sox in sixth inning
Right-hander allows six runs in decisive seven-run frame
CHICAGO -- Justin Verlander said before Wednesday night's game he felt like he was turning the corner on his mediocre 2014 season. He had found his missing velocity over his last two starts, and danced out of mild danger while allowing just three hits through the first five innings.
Then came the sixth inning. Chicago sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven times -- six with two outs -- to pummel the Tigers, 8-2, at U.S. Cellular Field. Detroit has dropped the first two games of the series, reducing its lead in the American League Central to two games over the Royals.
With the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth, Dayan Viciedo gave the White Sox a 2-1 lead by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play. The third out proved elusive, as a bloop single by Alejandro De Aza extended Chicago's lead to two runs. Verlander was unlucky after making a good pitch on De Aza, but took the blame for letting things spiral out of control from there by issuing a pair of free passes.
"I mean, really I felt good, just the walks. I need to limit the walks," Verlander said. "That one huge inning, I walked a few guys and gave up a couple weak hits and turned it in to a big inning myself when it shouldn't have been. But, like I said, overall stuff felt good, those big innings I need to limit those walks.
"I start trying to go a little harder and I end up losing control a little bit and that's what allowed those guys to have that extended inning."
Verlander walked the No. 9 hitter, Adrian Nieto, on five pitches, bringing Tigers manager Brad Ausmus out from the dugout. The two chatted briefly, and Ausmus elected to leave in Verlander, already at 115 pitches, to face the left-handed-hitting Adam Eaton with lefty Ian Krol ready in the bullpen. Verlander walked Eaton on six pitches to load the bases for Gordon Bekcham, who knocked a two-run single up the middle that chased Verlander from the game.
"He's our horse. I wanted him to get Eaton," Ausmus said. "And then once Eaton gets on, he's pitched well against Beckham in the past and I felt like he still had a good chance to get Beckham. But obviously not tonight.
"I definitely wanted him out there. I know he would always tell me he's good, but he looked good from the side. He didn't look like he was losing any of his stuff. I mean, he's our guy. He really is."
That's exactly what is so maddening for Verlander -- his stuff has looked goood by both his own standards and Ausmus' since he allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings on May 30 at Seattle -- but the numbers haven't been there the last two outings. Verlander allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 4.61. He's surrendered 12 earned runs over his last two starts covering 12 2/3 innings.
"I know I sound like a repeating record saying I'm knocking on the door, I'm right there, but I know I am," Verlander said. "I look at the swings guys are taking and the hits that they had, and they're not squaring up a lot of the stuff, it's just I'm putting them in situations to be able to have success with the walks. And I will get better at that."
A two-run double by Conor Gillaspie and an RBI single by Adam Dunn off Krol accounted for the final two runs of the inning. Al Alburquerque, the third pitcher of the inning, came in and recorded the final out.
Other than Jose Abreu's solo homer to left-center leading off the second, Verlander looked fairly good through the first five innings. He loaded the bases with one out in third on a hit batter and two walks, but wiggled out of the jam by retiring Gillaspie and Abreu. A nice play by Nick Castellanos in the fifth saved a run, and in all, Verlander allowed just three hits in that span.
"His stuff was great," catcher Alex Avila said. "You've got to give the White Sox credit for putting good at-bats and grinding through some at-bats there."
Verlander has worked diligently between starts to fix any mechanical flaws or quirks that were suppressing his velocity, which has returned his last three starts. Then, for whatever reason, he'll lose control just enough to let the game slip away. The trend continued Wednesday.
"I'm not happy. And, I mean, that's been the name of the game for me these past few weeks or couple weeks: consistency," Verlander said. "God, it's really frustrating. I feel like I'm right there and there's been a bunch of games where I feel like it's been right there and then a couple walks and turns in to a big inning. But the stuff is there, just execute a little bit better and repeat."
As Verlander put it, in the same way nothing seems to be going right for him, little is breaking the Tigers' way. He's allowed five earned runs in five of his last six starts and no fewer than three runs in any of those outings. Detroit, meanwhile, is 6-16 in its last 22 games.
Verlander is certainly not the sole cause of his team's overall slide, but it would certainly help if the veteran right-hander returned to some semblance of the pitcher who won the MVP and Cy Young in 2011.
"No, there's nothing in particular that concerns me with Justin that I could tell you," Ausmus said. "We've got to find a way to fix him."
Joe Popely is a an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I am not a computor friendly person---but with your walk through instructions, I was able to make alot of labels. They turned out great. Thank you


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Items where Author is "Corrochano, L. M."
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Andersen, M. R. and Salazar, M. P. and Schaap, P. J. and van de Vondervoort, P. J. I. and Culley, D. and Thykaer, J. and Frisvad, J. C. and Nielsen, K. F. and Albang, R. and Albermann, K. and Berka, R. M. and Braus, G. H. and Braus-Stromeyer, S. A. and Corrochano, L. M. and Dai, Z. and van Dijck, P. W. M. and Hofmann, G. and Lasure, L. L. and Magnuson, J. K. and Menke, H. and Meijer, M. and Meijer, S. L. and Nielsen, J. B. and Nielsen, M. L. and van Ooyen, A. J. J. and Pel, H. J. and Poulsen, L. and Samson, R. A. and Stam, H. and Tsang, Adrian and van den Brink, J. M. and Atkins, A. and Aerts, A. and Shapiro, H. and Pangilinan, J. and Salamov, A. and Lou, Y. and Lindquist, E. and Lucas, S. and Grimwood, J. and Grigoriev, I. V. and Kubicek, C. P. and Martinez, D. and van Peij, N. N. M. E. and Roubos, J. A. and Nielsen, J. and Baker, S. E. (2011) Comparative genomics of citric-acid-producing Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015 versus enzyme-producing CBS 513.88. Genome Research, 21 (6). pp. 885-897. ISSN 1088-9051


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A Rhode Island House with All-American Spirit
In a New York apartment, dining becomes an adventure when you're surrounded by de Gournay's hand-painted cobalt-blue Earlham wallpaper. Designer Christopher Maya added more drama with Benjamin Moore's Heritage Red on the woodwork. The Schorr & Dobinsky bergère is upholstered in Ralph Lauren Home's Nigel velvet. Vaughan Designs' Verbier chandelier shimmers above a 1940s Edward Wormley table.
An Italian neoclassical table serves as the bar.
A Sunny and Small Georgetown Row House


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yeah yeah so plotters are for cheaters blah blah blah
my MOM of all people wants one, and I figure I can use it to cut some stencils for my buddy's site, and we want one that is easy to use (ie- doesn't require jumping through hoops or photoshop wizardry to get the right image format) and pretty affordable. I know various models have had good and/or bad things said about them in threads here, but I don't recall a thread just for saying "oh yeah, this plotter is the bee's knees" or "oh man this plotter is SO bunk!", so like...hook a brotha up...what ones are good, what ones suck chocolate salty balls?


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A better glimpse at the "bad guys"...
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Following yesterday's revealing of the one sheet (re-posted below), a new trailer today has been launched for Marvel's The Avengers. The star-studded superhero movie opens in theaters May 4th.


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Well the Pacers are 19 games into the season.
One of the questions that I have is......
Will Danny Granger EVER step up to the plate?
This being Dannys third year he is still the most inconsistant player on this team. This should be his breakout season. All I'm seeing though is one good game usually followed by two bad. He is consistantly inconsistant.
Tonight against Phoenix he was barely visable on the court, and I know it wasn't Grant Hills defense that was shutting Danny down...it was Danny shutting Danny down. Logic should dictate that when your not scoring the ball your defending and boarding....Danny was doing neither.
His stat line was 6 points on 2 for 11 from the field...0 of 5 fom the 3 point line. 7 rebounds ....all this with the fourth most minutes on the squad tonight (28). Grant Hill went for 16 and Grants backup, Raja Bell went for 17. This is how Grangers game has been since his rookie year...just when you think he's got it....he does everything in his power to make you shake your head dumbfounded.
I sincerely believe that the Pacers should include him in any kind of a blockbuster trade that they can come up with, only because his contract will be coming up soon, as will Diogu's. Danny is as good as he's going to get, and I do nt s him EVER growing a mean streak, one that a 6 foot 9 or 10 forward should have.
Move him and get something valuable back, especially while the other teams in the league think that he's an up and coming talent.


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I have been doing research on the programming languages PHP, Python and Java. I have also looked at different frameworks like Codeigniter, CakePHP, Django and etc. Choosing what to go with that will best suit my needs has become a nightmare of sorts. (Õ_Õ)' I believe I am leaning more toward Python. The platform PyCharm based on the framework Django is what I will most likely use later on. I have mixed experience in web development already. Driving visitor traffic is yet another.
My personal purpose for learning a programming language is to expand my capabilities in order to create superb sites. It is not meant as a career, but to be used as a tool to promote and push it forward. As an example, people learn foreign languages for a variety of reasons. Not necessarily to become a linguist. These sites are not meant for personal use like family or e-commerce. I cannot afford to pay someone $5k+ to build what I would like to have. I know what some of you might say, "Why not use a content management system like that of Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, ModX and etc.?" Simple answer: they sucked. It was restrictive. Most added extra complexity where it should not have been. It is fine for a basic website like a blog. Anything else you have to hack it to-death, add extensions... "Buy a template." someone utters. So-called premium CMS specific templates are horrible to me as well. These are just my opinions of course. If you have other ideas, I am all ears?
Which language would you recommend? Why? Does it have a future? Is it well supported? Have other better ideas? Etc. Thank you gentlemen for your patience and time reading this thread! I look forward to hearing your honest answers.
I decided to go with [[B]Python[/B]. [url=http://php.net/][B]PHP[/B]](http://python.org/) is the elephant in the room. I have never been a real fan of it however. I know my questions above have been asked numerous times. Still was hoping for extra opinions before jumping in.
| Platform|Framework|• [PyCharm w/ [url=https://www.djangoproject.com/]Django](http://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/)• [PyDev w/ [url=https://www.djangoproject.com/]Django](http://pydev.org/)
There is no right or wrong here. Ultimately you should try them all and see which one fits best for you and your requirements. I've dabbled with a lot of different languages and frameworks over the years. I personally dislike php though they have a couple of very nice frameworks. I also felt uncomfortable in the Ruby/ROR ecosystem for reasons I couldn't quite put my finger on. For now, I've settled on Python/Django (and I do a little .NET and Java when I need to). You wont find much chatter about Python or its frameworks on Sitepoint though.
For web application PHP wins. It is designed for web.
good topic lets hear more posts considering the topic to gain maximum benefits from all users
Actually I would pick python + one of its web frameworks or .NET over PHP any day of the week...
Additional Frameworks• [Pylons [URL="http://www.pylonsproject.org/projects/pyramid/about"]Pyramid](http://www.pylonsproject.org/)• [Zope [url="http://bluebream.zope.org/screencasts.html"]Bluedream](http://zope.org/)• [Zope [url=http://grok.zope.org/]Grok](http://zope.org/)• Web2Py• [Pocoo [URL="http://www.pocoo.org/projects/flask/"]Flask](http://www.pocoo.org/)• Bottlepy• CherryPy• Quixote• TurboGears2○_Etc.
As Lee134 said, there is no right answer. It all depends on the project.
For example, my normal development environment is nginx/PHP/MySQL/Wordpress for server-side and HTML5/CSS/Javascript (usually with jQuery) for client-side.
However, I had a project recently where I thought node.js would perform a bit better (since the project was basically the definition of what node.js was meant to do).
Often times I'll develop desktop software, where PHP doesn't work, so I'll use C# or Flex.
On rare occasion I may need to develop for something that doesn't support C# or Flex (Flash), so I'll use Java or C++.
It's best to learn a variety of things and then deploy the one that suits the task at hand. Just picking your favorite and trying to force that to fit every project is asking for trouble.
Which language would you recommend? Why? Does it have a future? Is it well supported? Have other better ideas?
You picked a good language to use. It's a fairly clean and straightforward language (not many "gotchas"), it has a thriving community, and while Django is the name you hear the most, there's a really healthy group of all sorts of frameworks you can choose from. Python has a future, and it's fairly well supported. It's used for most of the applications running on the Gnome Desktop Environment, and has decent integration with google junk if you're writing stuff that has to work with google apps.
If you have to work with existing Java code, you can stick with python as Jython. If you're using .NET, you have IronPython. If you want to write for desktop, there's PyJamas...
One thing to keep in mind, if you happen to be outside a framework and have run across mod_python... leave immediately : ) Apache never did so well with mod_python. In general, cheap crappy hosters tend to have PHP and getting something else on there has been more of a pain, but that's only the sort of problem you get in the "pay peanuts get monkeys" area anyway. With modern frameworks like Django you get the WSGI stuff built-in. : )
If you're on LinkedIn, there are some great Python Community groups for discussion and whatnot.
That means absolutely nothing in this context.
PHP is dying, and it's been dying for a while now. With Python, ASP.NET and many other frameworks becoming stronger and stronger PHP dies a little every single day. Once people stop abusing WordPress into being a CMS PHP will suffer tremendously.
Once people stop abusing WordPress into being a CMS PHP will suffer tremendously.
Like thats going to happen any time soon (speaking as one of those people) - it works too well, too easily.
The biggest thing holding Python back on the web, IMO, is that some hosts don't really support it - either they have a fairly old version installed, or don't officially back it the way they do PHP. As an example, on bluehost you're pretty much on your own w/ regards to python - they have an old version, but good luck getting any support for it. Almost everything in cPanel there is oriented around PHP - or RoR.
My host supports all major languages that including Python. It is pretty hard not to find someone who does not anymore unless they are a small company with few choices. PHP is not the tricked out guy in a suit who has it all made. It does have several issues too. Choosing a language should not be which one is the best. Any language is good at what it does. Pick the one that fits your needs then just go with it. 2.x (2.7.2) Py. is still heavily used. 3.x I guess you could say is similar to HTML5 where not everyone is using it just yet; besides the fact that HTML5 has not been completed. Change is inevitable. Let history be the judge there.
Use the best tool for the job which you're comfortable with.
If you prefer Python over PHP, then go with Python. At the very least you'll be comfortable with the language you're working with.
A friend of mine recently tried to convince me that Erlang is the way forward for the web. I scoffed, until I saw what kind of performance they're getting on a slightly older server with a bunch of Erlang-powered sites running on it. We're talking orders of magnitude faster than any other language I've ever used (or heard about). I was very, very impressed (and envious: "my stuff doesn't do that!").
Remember, a couple of years ago everyone was talking about how Ruby (and especially Rails) was going to 'kill' PHP. Didn't really happen, did it?
Yet I'm sticking with my PHP. It's what I know, it's what I'm comfortable with, it's not going away soon (never mind what others might think, it's still the most used server-side language on the web, and the language is evolving and maturing at an incredible rate) and there's enough there for me to continue learning and improving my skills.
To sum up: choose what you feel comfortable with, not just the cool new kid on the block (just because it's the new kid) or the established, venerable language that everyone else uses (just because everyone else uses it).
Edit>Wow, I wrote a whole post without a single smiley!
Python is far from being new. Figured I would mention that for those of you out there who do not know any better.
I know
Nor was Ruby when it burst onto the scene a while back. It was first released back in 1995, around the same time as PHP.But, you know what I meant ;D
@Immerse I am giving Erlang a look now out of curiosity.
Be prepared, it's a freaky language.
% Export 'by_length' with 1 parameter (don't care of the type and name)
by_length(Lists) -> % Use 'qsort/2' and provides an anonymous function as a parameter
qsort(Lists, fun(A,B) -> A < B end).
qsort([], _)-> []; % If list is empty, return an empty list (ignore the second parameter)
qsort([Pivot|Rest], Smaller) ->
% Partition list with 'Smaller' elements in front of 'Pivot' and not-'Smaller' elements
% after 'Pivot' and sort the sublists.
qsort([X || X <- Rest, Smaller(X,Pivot)], Smaller)
++ [Pivot] ++ (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
qsort([Y || Y <- Rest, not(Smaller(Y, Pivot))], Smaller).
See, I understand nothing of what it says above. Apparently it's a quicksort algo. I edited it a bit to make it more... fun.
2.x (2.7.2) Py. is still heavily used. 3.x I guess you could say is similar to HTML5 where not everyone is using it just yet;
Nothing wrong with Python 2x stuff, but some hosts have ancient 2.2 or older... that's just nasty, and you're missing out on functions there. 2.6, 2.7... should be just fine. And if the host is running 3x there's a 2-to-3 program out there somewhere.
Re Erlang: zomg my husband has been playing around with it recently and it's like, the f*ck, no variables!? and it's not just a functional language, it's ALL FUNCTIONS zomg so a for loop is like.... zomg. A function. Heh and I thought the Haskell guys were freaky.Erlang can also be very, very, very slooooww (apparently it's fast so long as you know what its compiler likes). What's fast about it is how it deals with concurrency, and that's where people running lots of huge things on servers are looking at now.
My husband has been programming imperatively, OO, and functional (in non-functional languages) for over 15 years... and he said the other night while pouring over an Erlang how-to that it will take him a long time to learn to think in the functional way Erlang works. It's just so different.
I tried - briefly - to learn Erlang. I failed miserably.
"Briefly" is likely the reason. If strange telephone nerds can learn it, you can too (have you seen the video with the three guys calling each other on their ancient 80's phones going "Hello Joe." "Hello Mike". "Hello Mike." "Hello Robert." "Hello Joe, Hello Mike." "Hello."? It's teh awesome)
edit lawlz
That's right, now you too can own the movie that "Bjarne used whenever he wanted to get rid of unwanted guests at CS lab parties"!


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It's been a bitter pill to swallow, news that maverick filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, whose "Side Effects" opens Friday, is parting ways with the big screen.
Whether the 50-year-old Oscar winner -- who helped pour the independent film movement's foundation with 1989's "Sex, Lies and Videotape" -- sticks to his retirement plans and redirects his creative efforts toward paintings, theater and the occasional TV project remains to be seen. Whatever happens, let's just revel in the guilty pleasure nature of his "final" cinematic brush stroke, "Side Effects." A doozy of a Hitchcockian thriller with Jude Law, Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta-Jones, "Effects" is a go-for-broke valentine to '80s cinematic psychological potboilers such as "Jagged Edge" and "Fatal Attraction." What a treat to see the spirit of these nail-biters revived with such sleek skill and deep affection.
"Effects" pulls us into a twisty, topical web of intrigue entangling a psychiatrist (Jude Law) and his depressed patient (Rooney Mara).
As a director, Soderbergh is in a rascally mood, assuming the role of trickster as he pulls the proverbial rug out from under us time and again. He and recent collaborator Scott Z. Burns -- a screenwriter who also wrote Soderbergh's creepy disease bummer "Contagion" and comedy-drama "The Informant!" about a shaky whistle-blower played by Matt Damon -- dish it out as a piping hot stew. Into the mix, they toss chewy talking points about the pharmaceutical industry and psychiatry. But don't expect a somber, serious-minded film like Soderbergh's compelling "Traffic," a 2000 epic about the futile war on drugs that rightfully won him a best-director Oscar. Even though the business of psychiatry gets elbowed in the ribs, the focus here is to entertain, not enlighten. And "Effects" does that throughout, keeping us riveted even as the story goes progressively more bonkers.
As for the plot, it's a bit like summarizing "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, this past summer's big shocker of a best-seller. You can only reveal so much without turning into an outright spoiler. My advice: Read reviews afterward to avoid clues that are dropped in willy-nilly, ruining the surprises.
What can be said is that, as with his previous films, Soderbergh dresses up this one in high artistic style (love that slow zoom-in opening shot that establishes the overall tone) and has assembled a well-cast group of actors who've worked with him before.
The underappreciated Law is terrific as Jonathan Banks, an ambitious, impeccably put-together (or so he thinks) New York psychiatrist. His hotshot life goes into a tailspin when he takes on a new patient, the depressed and suicidal Emily Taylor (Mara, who starred in the American version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"). She is grappling with major issues, including the release of her convicted husband (Channing Tatum), who was imprisoned for insider trading. When the despondent Emily fails to respond to therapy and drugs, Jonathan puts her on a new antidepressant. Big trouble results. I won't say more, except that screenwriter Burns puts his shady characters through so many contortions you have to see it to believe it.
Navigating her way through these twists like a pro is Zeta-Jones as Emily's former psychiatrist. It's a melodramatic but apt assignment for the showstopping Zeta-Jones, who plays it with relish -- and a side of ham. Mara, so seething with intelligence and fury in "Tattoo," mesmerizes as Emily, while Tatum, in a small but pivotal role as the cocky husband, continues to impress. Law, meanwhile, is perfect as the confident and slick Jonathan, especially as events around him spin out of control.
Certainly, Soderbergh has made meatier fare. Yet "Effects" turns to be a fine finale, one of his most satisfying features, a crackling contemporary film noir that's performed with punch and smarts.
Steven, just in case you start reconsidering those retirement plans, realize this: There will be a lot of us sitting in the theater eagerly awaiting the curtain to rise on your next chapter in filmmaking.
'Side Effects'
3 stars
Rating: R (sexuality, nudity, violence and language)
Cast: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes


text: Retail sales are declining across the board, and gas stations receive the biggest blow. Retail sales declined by 0.5% in June, following declines in May and April as more consumers cut spending on goods and services, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported. The biggest decline in sales occurred at gas stations, which is a good


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text:
I am not starting this thread to rip Jackson, but from what I have seen the first two games Freddie is better than Jackson right now.
Freddie was extremely impressive tonight, his rebounding, defense (one-on-one, and great team defense) his ability to creat offense is very impressive, if he keeps this up he will be in the regular rotation at the expense of someone.
Fred got that huge uplifting dunk tonight when the pacers were down 6 early in the 4th.
I just love Fred's on court demeanor.


text:
By Mike Monocello, Business Solutions magazine
Retail experts share their advice on the most significant trends facing retail IT VARs in 2013.
Retail has been one of the most reliable markets for resellers and software developers historically, although the economic downturn a few years ago has affected retailers — and therefore solutions providers — in ways still being felt today. We solicited feedback from industry experts representing a variety of different technologies and viewpoints in an attempt to gain a holistic view of today's retail market and identify the areas in which you can thrive.
According to Bill Brennan, senior director of channel sales, resellers for Panasonic, "Mobility is undoubtedly a major trend shaping retail technology budgets. This ranges from mobile POS [point of sale] systems to tablets for managers and customer-assisted selling." He goes on to explain that with the rise of the tablet form factor, mobile devices have the opportunity to serve as a sales tool by providing new levels of customer service and real-time access to information, such as in-store inventory figures and current pricing and sales promotions.
While Justin Zeigler, marketing director for Datacap Systems, believes that tablets will become more prevalent in applications where a low-cost POS extension would benefit the retailer, he cautions that many of these solutions still need to evolve to integrate seamlessly into store systems to maintain accountability and reporting. Wise VARs should avoid selling such feature-lacking products and be educated enough to point out such flaws when competing for sales.
There's also a big trend in retail when it comes to video surveillance. "The use of video analytics in nontraditional surveillance applications is growing," says Steve Gorski, GM of Americas for Mobotix. "With analytics, video becomes a management tool to optimize overall operations. For example, analytics can be used to gauge staffing levels and measure the number of customers in the store at a given time, monitor dwell times and traffic flow patterns, and enhance customer service." He adds that video analytics turn video data into business intelligence and, therefore, this enables other departments, such as marketing and human resources, to benefit from a surveillance system, thereby allowing the cost to be divided across multiple departments. This is one of the biggest keys to successfully pitching today's IP-based security solutions.
Of course, you can't talk POS without talking about payments. Patrick Turiano, channel marketing manager for Merchant Warehouse, points to the overwhelming emergence of mobile commerce and alternative payment options. "We all know EMV [chip and PIN] and near-field communications [NFC] technologies will be prevalent in the coming years. These technologies, along with the insurgence of smartphones and consumer familiarity, are the catalysts for arguably the most disruptive impact in payments in the last 25 years." He continues by pointing out that large, nonpayment companies like Apple and Google are getting into the mobile payment space, along with hundreds, if not thousands, of mobile wallet, loyalty, and gift providers. "Their business models and presence will undoubtedly change the way consumers want to experience a retail checkout," Turiano says. "Consumers will be demanding mobile and loyalty-type solutions, merchants will need to be able to accept these payments [along with traditional payment types], and VARs will need to provide the solutions that allow merchants to take advantage of this paradigm shift."
"Everybody wins," says Sean Kramer, president and CEO of Element Payment Services, concerning the future of payments. "The availability of highly secure mobile readers finally allows merchant service providers to offer their differentiating services to their ISV [independent software vendor] community, and the ISVs now have a secure entry point with which to offer their services to their customers. Retailers can finally capture payments in the most natural, convenient, and secure manner possible."
So there are technology-based trends, and then there are operational- or business-based trends. One that came up often among experts was the "as a Service" model. "Solutions providers that sell a system for a lump sum and dismiss the opportunity to generate recurring revenue via Solutions as a Service programs and ongoing support/maintenance contracts are doing themselves a remarkable disservice," says Zeigler. "ISVs and VARs should be engaged in recurring revenue programs that serve to extend the life of the account, leading to more income for all parties. Additionally, ISVs and VARs should employ SaaS programs that offer account protection, while MSPs [managed services providers] should engage VARs as cooperative, variable-cost sales forces to mutually grow their respective businesses."
Finally, Dana Bargell provides some advice worth keeping top of mind. "It's easy to get caught up in things we find new, exciting, or profitable and forget about the basics," he says. "We all too often try to sell features or technologies our customers either aren't ready for or just don't want. We need to remember to listen to our customers, which builds trust and subsequently allows us to help them implement technology that is practical and fitting for their business."


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I have an old domain name that I no longer use and wonder if it's worth selling (versus let expire). What site(s) do people use to sell domain names and is it genuinely worthwhile?
thx in advance for any suggestions...
You can try flippa before it go for expiry.
I've used Flippa for complete websites but this site hasn't been updated in 3 years. The name may be the only thing worth salvaging which is why I'm asking about domain names (vs website).
sedo.com or afternic.com - I've had a little better luck on sedo, but they're virtually the same thing. I would also head over to the dnforum.com & namepros.com board. Those boards are pretty much dedicated to people buying and selling domain names.I would post your domain name there to see if you have any interest, and perhaps you can do a direct sale and save on the commission that sedo and afternic charge.
Sedo is good but you should get better rates on Flippa. You don't need to sell your website as well as your domain, many people just sell their domains on Flippa. You could also try GoDaddy auctions.
thx @domainerphd and @Siick26 -- this is the info I was looking for. I'll check them out. Thanks again
If you have an aged domain go sell at digitalpoint forum rather than flippa as listing on digitalpoint forum is free but on flippa you have to pay $9 for same.
The age of a domain doesn't matter unless you are selling it with a web site. When selling a domain name by itself it is only how useful the name itself might be to someone else that will determine whether anyone will be interested. All age benefits will be lost when the ownership changes unless it still points to the same web page.
@samran - aged domains sell on Flippa for $29 (not $9 - that is for 'new' domains)@felgall - good advice & yes, I understand about the relevancy of domain names to potential buyers. Thanks.
Try putting it up in a forum marketplace. If your domain has got PR and DA, you could fetch a good price.
thx nikhilnaik - i tried a few forums before finally settling on Flippa.


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|Something Old, Something New
Driving around an antique boat show in a brand-new Chris-Craft—ya can't beat it!
By Capt. Bill Pike — May 2003
My art production editor and staff photographer Matt Helminski and I started off that morning last August at Red's Sandwich Shop, reportedly the best spot in Salem, Massachusetts, for bacon, eggs, home fries, hot, black coffee, and toast. The day looked like it was going to be a beaut. Golden shafts of sunshine slanted through the maples outside, presaging superb meteorological conditions. Folks were already strolling towards Hawthorne Cove Marina, site of the 20th-Annual Boston Antique & Classic Boat Festival. And John McGee had just cellphoned with a jovial all's well!
"Boat's ready to go," I relayed to Helminski, grinning. He nodded, politely declining to talk with his mouth full. Chris-Craft, via one of its dealers—Bosun's Marine of nearby Mashpee on Cape Cod—had agreed to loan us a brand-new 25-foot Open Launch in which to drive around the festival. McGee, a sales guy for Bosun's, had just called to let me know what slip the Launch was parked in. He'd also asked if he, his wife Michelle, and their kids Cody and Michael could spend at least part of the day driving around with us. He was obviously psyched about the festival. But then, so was I. The prospect of using a long, lithe, two-toned bowrider to cruise the fairways of one of the most genteel antique boat shows in the world was alluring. But even more alluring was the wild juxtaposition that the adventure promised. Several vessels bearing the famous Chris-Craft logo were going to be on hand, some darn near as old as me. How cool would it be to skim past in a modern fiberglass speedster with the exact same logo?
Once our party of kids and grownups was comfortably stowed onboard, backing the Launch out of her slip proved easy enough, thanks to the bite of a Volvo Penta Duoprop drive and the quiet oomph of a 420-hp V-8. Shortly the festival began to unfold dead ahead, a bright panoply of flags and streamers, motes of sunlight glancing off varnished mahogany, and hundreds of folks crowding onto the docks, some wearing period costumes, some wearing conventional clothing, and some adding Tilley hats, belt knives, earrings, and tattoos to whatever ensemble they'd come up with. A lone bagpiper strolled amid the throng in Scottish rig, his booming tones competing manfully with the strains of what sounded like—at least from afar—a harp. After dropping Helminski off on an obliging finger pier so he could begin shooting, we continued on down the main fairway looking to confirm this rather odd observation.
Next page > Part 2: Boston Boat Festival > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
This article originally appeared in the April 2003 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.


text:
Marketing Information
Transform to notebook mode with a full QWERTY chiclet keyboard mobile dock and up to 15 hours of battery life
Admit it! You miss the touch and feel of a real QWERTY keyboard. The Transformer Pad offers you a choice to enjoy both notebook mode and tablet mode with the optional mobile dock.
The mobile dock offers a full QWERTY keyboard with touchpad and USB port, while also extending battery life to an incredible 15 hours for all day computing on the go.
General Information
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|Manufacturer Website Address
|ASUS Computer International
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|Transformer Pad Mobile Dock
|Brand Name
|Keys Layout
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Pointing Device
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Built-in Devices
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Physical Characteristics
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This product is shipped only within Canada and Warranty valid for Canada only.
Computer Valley makes every effort to provide accurate specifications, descriptions, images and price on all products that are found on www.computervalley.ca
However for complete and updated descriptions, compatibilities, specifications and actual photo we recommend our clients to consult with manufacturer's websites or simply call us for proper clarifications. Computer Valley is not responsible and will not accept returns for items purchased that are not compatible with your system. Please ensure that you have verified compatibility and actual photo with your system by visiting the manufacturer's web site prior to purchase or give us a call to make sure what you are purchasing.
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text:
Conservative pollster Frank Luntz says the National Rifle Association isn't listening to Americans, as it digs in on any new gun control measures in the wake of the Newtown shooting massacre that claimed 26 lives and the Webster firefighter shooting. He told Politico that the NRA is "out of touch."
Politico: Frank Luntz said, "The public wants guns out of the schools, not in the schools. And they are not asking for a security official or someone else. I don't think the NRA is listening. I don't think they understand most Americans would protect the Second Amendment rights and yet agree with the idea that not every human being should own a gun, not every gun should be available at anytime, anywhere, for anyone. At gun shows, you should not be able to buy something there without any kind of check whatsoever."


text:
Stiffness of the Skin and Joints in Relation to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (STIF-CTS)
Recruitment status was: Not yet recruiting
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The exact etiology of CTS remains yet unknown. A rise in carpal tunnel pressure is well documented, but why this phenomenon occurs is yet unknown in most patients. There is an absolute or relative narrowing of the carpal tunnel, which results in a compression of the median nerve.
The investigators postulate, that a stiffer flexor retinaculum (roof of carpal tunnel) will be less compliant. As a consequence of this stiffer retinaculum the pressure in the carpal tunnel will rise more quickly in stiff patients resulting in CTS-complaints.
A relation between connective tissue composition and joint stiffness is proven. This relationship possibly extends to a relation between stiffness of the skin, joint stiffness and the prevalence of CTS.
|Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Case Control
Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional
|Official Title:
|Correlation of Joint Stiffness and Stiffness of the Skin and the Prevelation of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Joint stiffness [ Time Frame: In the 1st month ]The active range of motion (elbow, wrist, knee and ankle) is measured with a standard goniometer.
- Stiffness of the skin [ Time Frame: in the 1st month ]Skinstiffness is measured with a suction cup
- Physical activities [ Time Frame: In the 1st month ]Boston Questionairre
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|May 2010
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|December 2010
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|November 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
Trigger finger
Patients with trigger fingers
Dupuytren Contracture
Patients with Dupuytren
Trauma to the hand
Patients with an acute trauma to the hand
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Non-Probability Sample
Patients presenting with complaints of:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Trigger finger
- Dupuytren contracture
- an acute trauma to the hand
Inclusion Criteria:
- Caucasian
- Carpal tunnel release OR Trigger finger OR Dupuytren OR an acute trauma to the hand
Exclusion Criteria:
- Hypo-/hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Pregnancy
- Obesity (BMI >30)
- Anatomical anomalies
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01081860
|Contact: Bo Verwer
|St Antonius Hospital
|Not yet recruiting
|Nieuwegein, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3430EM
|Contact: Bo Verwer email@example.com
|Principal Investigator:
|A.B. Mink van der Molen, dr.
|St. Antonius Hospital
|Responsible Party:
|dr. A.B. Mink van der Molen, department of plastic surgery St Antonius Hospital
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01081860 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|March 2, 2010
|Last Updated:
|April 26, 2010
Keywords provided by St. Antonius Hospital:
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Pathologic Processes
Median Neuropathy
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Nerve Compression Syndromes
Cumulative Trauma Disorders
Sprains and Strains
Wounds and Injuries
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
Posted 5 years ago
(76 items)
hi! thought i would share a photo of one of my purple clay teapots...this one has a foo dog or foo lion on the lid and it has a seal mark on the underside of the lid. the bottom of the pot also has a seal mark altho i have no idea what it says...it measures approx 6inx4in...i remember when i first saw this one...i thought 'how strange' lol i have been looking on the internet for more info about it and well....it gets kind of confusing...i can't read asian and so far i don't know if it's a newbie or if it's an oldie...i will keep looking on the internet for more info and will update my post....thanks for looking and i welcome any comments or info...love this site!


text:
You know when you taste a wine — or anything, for that matter — and it rocks your freaking world? Your palate giggles, your inner tap dancer shimmies, and all is right in the world. That's what happened to Chris Christensen the first time he tried sparkling sauvignon blanc.
It was May 2011 and Christensen, a Stanford grad and former rower had just worked his first harvest in Australia when he packed up his vine clippers and headed for Christchurch, New Zealand, a region known for mouthwatering, frizzante-style sparkling sauvignon blanc. Two sips and his thirst was quenched.
"I don't want to say peanut butter and jelly, but sauvignon blanc and bubbles were made to go together," says Christensen, the 32-year-old owner and winemaker for Sonoma's Bodkin Wines.
Christensen knew he wanted to make a California version of the refreshing bubbly. But first he needed to find grapes, and upon returning home, he noticed that the late fall rains had squashed much of the 2011 vintage.
"There wasn't much of a crop, and I didn't know where to find good fruit," he recalls.
Then a friend pointed Christensen to Lake County's prized Sandy Bin Vineyard, a 30-acre vineyard planted in 1996 by veteran grower Larry Rogers. With shade from the mountains in the mornings and warm summer nights, the grapes reach flavor maturity at their own pace.
According to Christensen, this slow, even ripening process allows the grapes to hold their "tangerine-melon-Meyer-lemon flavors" as their sugar content creeps toward pickworthy.
"It really jived with what I was looking for," Christensen says. He made 77 cases that first year, selling most of it to friends and family, including his "96-year-young" grandmother, Sarah, who lives in his native Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "First and foremost, I wanted to make a universally approachable, quaffable wine that (everyone) would enjoy," he says.
How does he get the bubbles? From carbon dioxide, a natural byproduct that occurs when yeast converts sugars to alcohol in the fermentation process. "Once the yeasts have consumed all the sugars in the juice, a small amount of more sugar and yeast is added to the wine before bottling to create a secondary fermentation, which produces the trademark effervescence we know and love," says Christensen, who makes his wines at Medlock Ames winery in Alexander Valley.
This isn't Champagne. Christensen says he isn't trying to reinvent the sparkling wheel or even attempt to take on Roederer Estates, Schramsberg or other serious California sparkling wine producers. Still, he wants to show people what sauvignon blanc is capable of.
"It is more than lemonade for adults," says Christensen, whose wines cost $15 to $32 and are available at www.bodkinwines.com and at The Wine Steward in Pleasanton. "Genetically, it's the mother of cabernet sauvignon. In this crazy night of passion in the 18th century, a cabernet franc vine and sauvignon blanc vine mated to formed cabernet sauvignon."
So he treated it like cabernet sauvignon, he says. In addition to still and sparkling versions, Christensen made a skin-fermented "orange" wine in 2011 from grapes grown on Medlock Ames' organically farmed Bell Mountain Vineyard.
The grapes were destemmed and whole-berry fermented in two half-ton bins. Two days after fermentation, the juice received its first (and only) racking of its 11-month aging, sur lies (on its sediment), in neutral oak barrels. In order to maintain the wine's nuances and textures, it was not fined or filtered.
"To me, it's like an albino red," he says. "A lot of times these orange wines oxidize and lose some of their freshness, but sauvignon blanc naturally retains its zest and freshness. I think it has great aging potential. I look forward to tasting it in five years."
And we look forward to more sparkling sauvignon blanc-induced tap dancing.
Contact Jessica Yadegaran at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @swirlgirl_jy.
winestock sf
Chris Christensen is one of 20 California winemakers pouring small-batch, artisanal wines at Winestock SF, an inaugural consumer tasting and educational wine event on July 20 and 21 in San Francisco. Take a class with Master of Wine Liz Thach, enjoy a three-course lunch and wine pairing, and sample specialty chocolates from local purveyors. Tickets start at $50. Firehouse 8, 1648 Pacific Ave., San Francisco. http://winestocksf.com. Visit Bodkin Wines at www.bodkinwines.com.


text: Tex Parte Blog has moved! Beginning on Jan. 20, you will find Tex Parte Blog posts as part of Texas Lawyer's website. Access to your favorite blogs will continue as part of ALM's digital membership. When you visit, you just need to sign in to your existing account, or register for a new membership. It's as simple as that! Visitors to Tex Parte Blog will automatically be forwarded to the new site, but you should make sure to update your bookmarks. Thank you!


text:
And, of course, the fine print:
Get free shipping on your next order when you spend over $100. The discount will be automatically applied to your purchase; no promo code required. The subtotal of your purchase must be $100.01 or greater after any promotional discounts have been applied. Additional fees such as tax or shipping and handling do not apply toward your minimum subtotal requirement of $100.01. Offer applies to standard shipping only. Certain items that require additional shipping and handling are excluded from this promotion and do not apply towards your $100.01 subtotal minimum. Offer subject to change.
Keep your essentials safely stowed and easily accessible with this foldover clutch. It's crafted with high-quality leather, screenprinted duck canvas and a sleek silver-toned zipper that's smooth as buttah. Use it for toting the basics — heck, it even has enough room for the ol' iPad.
- Sturdy leather and canvas clutch
- Screenprinted with an arrow design
- Measures 9.5" x 10.5" (7" when folded)
This product ships from the maker within 5 days, via USPS
If you're not happy with this item for any reason, you may return it for a full refund within 14 days.


text:
Boy, 17, says cyberbullying led to suicide attempt
PORTLAND, Ore. - Marcus Bielenberg knows he made a mistake.
He knows trying to take his own life was a permanent solution to a short-term problem.
"I would put a status on Facebook and someone who doesn't really like me very much would comment on it and they would start drama and it would just get worse," said Marcus. "They would start bullying me."
The 17-year-old said the cyberbullying, along with the death of his dog and some bad grades at school, led to his suicide attempt.
He said the cruel comments manifested into a fake Facebook profile that used his name and photos. The person or people behind the fake profile posted mean things about his friends, Marcus said. He tried to convince them that he wasn't the source of those comments, but his friends wouldn't believe him.
"It's acceptable to kids to do this. That they look at it as power," said Marcus' mother, Lori Bielenberg. "Look at what I can do to somebody else. I can destroy somebody or I can make somebody just with a few postings, and look at how much drama I can create in the school all with the push of a button."
West Linn High School Resource Officer Mike Francis said Oregon's new cyberbullying law isn't working.
"It didn't create any new criminal statutes, didn't provide guidance to law enforcement or (the) criminal justice community and how we're going to deal with these issues," Francis said.
The law mandates that school employees report cyberbullying incidents, but it doesn't address the people writing the mean messages.
"It's a total square peg in a round hole," said Francis. "It just doesn't work. The statutes just haven't caught up with the progression of technology."
The Pew Research Center says cyberbullying affects up to 33 percent of students between the ages of 10 and 18.
Marcus's mom and dad want other parents to know that it's not enough to tell your child to toughen up in the face of cyberbullying.
"Marcus came home two days before this happened and for 90 minutes we sat and talked, and he said 'I can't take this anymore. I can't do it,'" said Lori Bielenberg. "We tried to talk to him about that. But we didn't understand."
KATU is purposely not sharing how Marcus tried to take his own life. The suicide experts we spoke with said that can be harmful.
After eight days in a coma and three surgeries in three days, Marcus says he hopes kids pay attention to what nearly happened to him.
"If (bullying) would just stop, even if I were 40 years old, it would make me happy," Marcus said.
"If kids don't stop and look at what they're doing to each other, it's going to continue," said Lori Bielenberg. "More kids are going to do this and more kids are going to die."


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Earlier this week I wrote about the apparent dichotomy in U.S. defense spending in the durable goods vs. gross domestic product reports. It reminds me of the GDP deflator issue that I discussed last year in "Deconstructing Inflation." (I suggest reading that column in conjunction with this, and you may want to refer to the GDP figures (PDF) as well.)
The Implicit Price Deflator (on page 10, table 4, line 30 of the GDP document) show that the Bureau of Economic Analysis used a price deflator of 0.6% for the fourth quarter of 2012 and 2.7%, 1.5%, and 2.2% for quarters three, two and one, respectively. It also shows the same pattern of a sharp decline in the fourth quarter of 2011 vs. the three previous quarters -- which, incidentally, was my reason for writing about this in May.
The IPD accounts for the percentage increase in activity that may be indicative of price changes for a particular product, compared with the quantity of products sold. For example, if 1,000 televisions were sold in the third quarter at an average price of $500 each, and 1,000 TVs were sold in the fourth quarter at an average price of $550, the increase in nominal activity is $50 per television, and that would be reflected as an increase in GDP. The IPD determines how much of the $50 is reflective of an increase in consumption of TVs vs. a change in prices, also called real vs. nominal GDP. The higher the deflator, the lower real GDP, and the lower the deflator, the higher the level of real GDP.
The IPD is not a simple, objective formula that reflects price changes in a straightforward basket of goods. It is a dynamic and subjective process that reflects actions taken by producers and consumers in the real economy. That also means it is open to human interpretation and interference in each calendar quarter.
The idea that political operatives may game government agencies' economic reports is a touchy subject. I discussed this issue about a year and a half ago in the column "Understanding the Revolving Door." The reality is that the GDP report's IPD is a fudge-factor number used after all objective inputs produce a nominal GDP figure, and it can be used to manipulate the real GDP figure. If nominal GDP is low, the IPD can be reduced to ensure that some or even all of the nominal GDP is reflected as real GDP -- and, thus, perhaps fail to show that a contraction in economic activity has occurred.
This column is not about pointing out figures and making accusations, though. It is about learning to take government reports with a grain of salt, specifically the GDP report, as well as understanding what to look for and why.
A more prudent method of calculating the IPD is to apply it on a rolling four- or eight-quarter basis. In that way, investors may not necessarily assume the IPD for each quarter is accurate; instead, we can average the previous quarters in order to produce an IPD and apply it to the current quarter, and adjust the government's conclusions accordingly. In this case, if we applied this logic over the past four quarters, we would have an IPD of 1.75% instead of 0.6%, and annualized real GDP would have contracted 1.3% in the fourth quarter instead of the 0.1% reported.


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PUPILS at a Winchester school will perform as part of an award-winning dance theatre company's first ever UK tour.
Around 20 pupils from St Bede Church of England Primary School choir will set foot on stage at the Theatre Royal in Winchester on March 25, as part of Junk Ensemble's production of The Falling Song.
Set up in 2004 by identical twins Megan and Jessica Kennedy, the Irish company has a commitment to creating brave and imaginative work, and were listed as a Sunday Times Highlight in 2011. The choir, which is run by parent James McConnachie and teacher Rebecca Tiley, will sing three original songs specifically written for the hour long show, as well as perform alongside the professional dancers.
Sarah Trist, producer, said the company is thrilled to work alongside children from St Bede.
She said: "It not only adds an extra dimension to the performance, but it gives the choir an amazing opportunity to showcase their talent and work with performers from another discipline, in this case dance, in a way which encourages co-operation and a range of performance skills."
The Falling Song is about the nature of flying and falling, and is an exhilarating exploration of these concepts.
Megan Kennedy said: "The children have worked really hard and we are confident that they will do an amazing job on the night."


text: This is a classic case of "kicking the tires". As long as we have the option to match whatever offer Roy recieves, we will not waste 8mil on a center when that money can be used on a Point guard or additional wing help. If all else fails well sign a decent to good back up big using MLE money.


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Developmental Disorders in Children: A Photo Quiz
Early identification of childhood disorders is essential for achieving the best possible outcomes. This week's photo quiz tests your ability to recognize some of the possible presentations.
Podcast: Guide to the New NIH Online Directory of Genetic Tests
With genetic tests rapidly entering medical practice, and some patients even ordering them on their own, the NIH has launched a Genetic Testing Registry to help doctors interpret and follow up on these tests. In this interview, the director of the new Genetic Testing Registry tells why you need it, and what's there for your reference.
Unusual Skin Elasticity, Joint Hypermobility, Violaceous Plaques in 3 Different Patients: What's Your Diagnosis?
Digital extension; joint hypermobility; skin elasticity with keloid scars; pectus and scoliosis from skeletal flexibility and deformation; these disparate symptoms and findings point to what diagnosis?
Infant with Hypotonia, Hypogonadism, and Developmental Delay
Low muscle tone, delayed motor milestones, and failure to gain weight. The mother was 38 at the time of delivery, but nothing else is noteworthy about this 9-month-old.
Toddler With Microcephaly, Growth Delay, and Subtle Facial Changes: What Diagnosis Besides Strabismus and Developmental Delay?
A 2-year-old girl has been followed for developmental delays and slow weight gain by her pediatrician and early childhood intervention therapists. The 17-year-old, first-time mother was also a runaway and had avoided early prenatal care. More details and questions for you, here.
Aplasia Cutis Congenita With Associated Fetus Papyraceus
A baby boy born after normal vaginal delivery at 36 weeks' gestation was noted to have a distinct abdominal wall lesion. Apgar scores were 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively.
Sacral Epidermal Anomalies in an Infant
Two-month-old boy with divot in the lower back, shown here with the gluteal crease relaxed (A) and spread (B). Infant is a product of an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. Nursery stay uneventful. Subsequent feeding and growth normal. Parents report no problems with urination or defecation.
By clicking Accept, you agree to become a member of the UBM Medica Community.


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Protester who interrupted Paul Ryan's speech tells her tale
Laura Mills nearly blew it.
She is 21, from Washington D.C., and a member of the activist group Code Pink. Today, however, she is much better known as the woman who interrupted Paul Ryan's speech at the Republican National Convention and befuddled viewers worldwide. But her big moment almost didn't happen.
She was hanging outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum Wednesday when a group of angry Ron Paul supporters stormed out. She and a fellow Code Pinker, Ann Wright, asked for their credentials. The delegates obliged.
"I didn't have to do anything crazy to get in," said Mills, wearing one of the group's infamous vagina costumes outside a Tampa Hooters Thursday afternoon.
Credential in hand, Mills walked inside the building and into the security area. When she raised up her arms to be searched, her protest sash fell out. She wouldn't say where it was hidden: "That's our trick of the trade."
Surely, Millls thought, she would be caught. No one noticed.
"I was trying," she said, "not to make eye contact with any of them."
She talked her way into one of the lower levels by insisting that Wright was her grandmother and wanted to sit close to the stage. Another guard, who she described as quite friendly, escorted them to a pair of seats.
About eight minutes into Ryan's speech, the two stood up, started screaming and Mills revealed her sash: "Vagina — Can't Say it, Don't Legislate it."
They were rushed from the building seconds later. On her way out, Mills said, she apologized to the guard.
"I stopped for a second to say, 'I'm sorry I lied to you.'"
-- John Woodrow Cox, Times staff writer


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Determination is the key ingredient for all Lowriders. Be it financial obstacles or mechanical obstacles, Lowriders are forever hurdling something to make it to the finish line with their builds. Thirty-six year old Carlos Cruz of Hollywood, Florida is no stranger to dedication, and thus is no stranger to recognition, either. When he puts his mind to building a top quality show car, he succeeds. In February of 2008, his '59 Impala "The Boss" graced the fine pages of LRM and Carlos is back at it with his second attempt. As a pioneer in the Lowrider movement in the '90's, Carlos had always wanted a '64 Impala. The car is considered by many to be a seminal model in the culture, and Carlos was ever so determined to get the keys to one. Driving through Miami, he found a bright yellow 1964 Chevy Impala SS sitting in weeds almost as tall as the vehicle. After the third time passing it and numerous conversations, he and his father agreed that it would be a good investment. They placed their phone number on the windshield and waited for three weeks for the callback that finally came, and when it did, the duo quickly took ownership within days.
Since he was still in high school, Carlos had a list of priorities that superseded fixing up a vehicle, but the reminder sitting in the garage ensured that his schoolwork was done first. Whenever his homework was completed, an eager Carlos spent hours on end staring at the car and envisioning the perfect Lowrider. Finally, it was time to get started, and Carlos and his dad brought the Impala to TEC Customs in Opa Locka, Florida for the body work. Over the course of the next two years, the Chevy was completely restored; removing all of the car's rust and replacing the metal, glass, hood, trunk, and doors left this '64 looking less like it had been parked in weeds and more like it had been parked in a showroom. "Red" laid down a House of Kolor Kandy Red paint job along with a white pearl top. Carlos scoured the internet and started buying up the necessary chrome pieces and trim for when the vehicle arrived back home.
As eager as he was to drive the classic Chevy, he was just as eager to learn about it as well, taking matters into his own hands by adding the chrome and trim himself. This learning process was supervised by his father, and Carlos and his dad had a great time assembling the Chevy's details. Once he had completed his tasks, Carlos sent the Impala off to Kenny's Upholstery in Hallandale Beach, Florida, where the staff removed all the ripped and torn materials and brought the interior back to life using a combination of beige tweed and vinyl. Where most people would be satisfied with the level of completion, Carlos was not. The next step was completing the suspension.
James McHugh of McHugh's Auto Body took the Impala from streetcar to show car by adding a four-pump, four-dump CCE hydraulic setup and notching the frame for the drive shaft. Still not satisfied, Carlos had master painter Keoni Teixiera from Sunrise, Florida add three shades of House Of Kolor patterns and gold leafing that flows throughout the body and even on the new set of Dayton Wire Wheels! The top was repainted in a tan pearl and pin stripes were added to accentuate the paint.
The result of all the combined hard work was well worth the journey. As one of the longest owned custom vehicles in South Florida, Carlos has a lot to be proud of. "I want to thank my father, Jose, my good friends Martian, Keoni, Lyzette, Luis, Tom and James for helping me to bring my dream to life," Carlos tells LRM. As a member of 25th Street Riders, Carlos' Impala certainly maintains the excellence required by the fast rising club. With two exceptional builds under his belt, there is no telling what boundaries he will push with his next..
Tech Specs
"Red Passion"
Owner: Carlos Cruz
Vehicle: '64 Chevrolet Impala SS
City/State: Hollywood, Florida
Club: 25th Street Riders C.C.
Paint: "Red" from TEC Customs and Keoni Teixiera tag-teamed the design on the Impala, adding a House of Kolor Kandy Red coating with a tan pearl top along with House of Kolor Kandy Apple Red, Scarlett Kandy and Cherry Designer Pearl graphics and designs. Keoni laid out some pinstriping and gold-leafing throughout the foundation.
Engine: The stock V8 327-c.i.d. was overhauled by Leo Anaya in Hollywood, Florida. Action Plating in Hialeah, Florida chromed everything in the engine bay and an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor was added.
Interior: Kenny's Upholstery in Hallandale Beach, Florida removed the original threads and replaced them with full custom beige tweed and vinyl materials that loop through the dashboard, the entire cabin, and trunk.
Suspension: James McHugh of McHugh's Auto Body in Hollywood, Florida handled the lift, installing a full four-pump, four-dump CCE hydraulic setup. 8-inch CCE cylinders to the front and 10-inch cylinders to the rear raise the Impala. Six group 24 batteries ensure the heavy frame can pull off every move from the six-switch plate mounted on the dashboard.
Wheels: 100-spoke 13×7 Dayton Wire Wheels painted and leafed to match.
Tires: P175/70R13 Cornell rubber.


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The American Guest House, our charming Washington, DC accommodation, is located just steps away from one of Washington D.C.'s most historic and lively neighborhood's, Adams Morgan, which is hosting its 34th Annual Adams Morgan Day Festival this Sunday, September 9, 2012 from noon to 7pm. The festival boasts to be one of the longest continuously-running neighborhood festivals in D.C. All along the 18th Street corridor (between Columbia Road and Florida Avenue) you will find a vibrant multicultural street celebration with live music, local food, crafts booths, and local merchants. Additionally, opening at 10 a.m. is a special area featuring the work of local artists, which is just off 18th on Belmont Street. Make sure to come out and enjoy a unique D.C. treat!
See you there!
Kyle, Innkeeper
American Guest House in Washington DC


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A study released a few days ago by researchers at UW-Milwaukee shows that Wisconsin, long known to be among the worst in racial disparities in the criminal justice system, is in fact the worst — by a long shot.
Using 2010 census data, the study shows that 12.8 percent of the state's African-American men are now behind bars in state prison or local jails, twice the national average of 6.7 percent.
Wisconsin's rate far exceeds the 9.7-percent incarceration rate for African-American men in Oklahoma, which come in at No. 2 on the list. (It's interesting to note that at 2.1 percent, Oklahoma also has the highest rate of incarcerating white men.)
According to the report, one in eight black men in Wisconsin is now behind bars — a staggering statistic, especially given that the rate for white men is 1.24 percent, or 1 in 81 men — almost identical to the national average.
The report shows that Wisconsin also leads the nation in the rate of locking up Native American men, 7.6 percent, just ahead of South Dakota, where 7.3 percent of Native American men are behind bars.
Read more...


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This high-quality, universal condenser microphone features an exceptional price/performance ratio.Features of the MC 930 are the wide frequency response of 40 - 20,000 Hz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 71 dB. The MC 930 is suitable for miking choirs, orchestras and solo instruments. Due to the switchable pre-attenuation of 15 dB it provides excellent performance at high sound pressure levels. The switchable bass roll-off filter with 6 dB/Octave at 250 Hz compensates for proximity effects. With the WS 101 wind screen the MC 930 can be used for vocal applications and speech. The MC 930 is phantom powered (11 - 52 V) and is suitable for live applications and installations. Due to its cardioid polar pattern, the MC 930 has a high-gain-before feedback and eliminates noise from the rear. It is not only a first-class tool for studios, but also for sound contracting systems, where excellent sound and maximum gain-before-feedback is required.
Paul FattrossoSales & Product Support SpecialistPro Audio
beyerdynamic Inc. USA 56 Central Ave Farmingdale, NY 11735
Office: 613-293-3200-11
Mobile: 845-220-6231
paul @beyerdynamic-usa .com
www.delamar.de 06/2016Title: beyerdynamic MC 930 reviewAuthor: Jörg Nawra
Translated from the original German article
The black metal housing feels very luxurious and the solid weight adds to this impression. As always this manufacturer thinks of everything. The slightly flush-mounted switches are also top and lock in completely. It is practically impossible that the microphone can be turned off accidentally. Both are directly next to each other and can be operated with the fingernail. If the fingers are too big, the manufacturer has provided two circular indents on the switches which can be accessed by using a pencil.
The beyerdynamic MC 930 is not mounted with a standard microphone clamp, but with a tubular suspension with elastic straps which is known from the shotgun microphones used for films. Then it is put into a standard clamp. In this way footfall sound and impact noise are better absorbed. This is a must to use around a drum where the pedals are constantly kicked. The straps firmly hold the microphone absolutely secure, which is no surprise with a weight of 115 g.
Due to the switchable attenuation of -15 dB and the switchable low-cut filter at 250 Hz the MC 930 can be flexibly used. At first the frequency of the filter may sound a little bit high, but with an attenuation of 6 dB it is quite gentle and practically designed. It's the right choice for overhead miking.
The synchronization of the two microphones available as a MC 930 stereo set ensures precise and coherent stereo recordings.
The microphone sounds balanced with a fine resolution and low noise. This refers to both the recording of low signals and particularly punchy signals. It was striking that we needed a relatively high pre-amplification to achieve a similar level as with large diaphragm microphones. The bass sounds are precise and detailed. There are also more bass sounds as with some competitors in the similar price range. It is the impulse fidelity, which turns out very well with this model. The resolution of the highs is also very good and never appears intrusive. Cymbals sound detailed, very clear and can be listened to without the ear feeling tired. With the acoustic guitar the strokes are differentiated and the sound is also very balanced.
Conclusion: The beyerdynamic MC 930 Stereo set consists of two synchronised condenser microphones for miking the most different instruments and sound sources with a versatile and fine resolution. With the beyerdynamic MC 930 Stereo set the manufacturer presents a synchronised pair of condenser microphones with a switchable -15 dB attenuation and low-cut filter. The microphones supply a balanced sound and a fine resolution for different purposes.


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The misclassification of independent contractors will likely be one of the hottest wage and hour issues of 2012. The processes discussed below will assist in-house counsel in identifying potential high-risk contractors and reducing overall liability.
1. Identify Independent Contractors When the government conducts a misclassification audit, the Department of Labor (DOL) requests all 1099 tax forms and cash ledgers for the past three years. In-house counsel should review these documents for high risk contracts, paying particular attention to:
- All payments to individuals
- All payments to any company or entity that does not have an employee identification number (EIN)
- All recurring payments to the same entity
2. Obtain Contracts Employers need to obtain contracts for each of the entities identified above, as a written agreement is the first line of defense against misclassification claims. If no written agreement exists, then the company should determine who entered into the agreement on the company's behalf and the agreement's original terms. After determining whether any liability exists, it is strongly recommended that the parties immediately enter into a written agreement.
3. Review Contracts Contracts should not only provide a clear description of the relationship between the parties, but should also guarantee that the contractor is in compliance with all employment and immigration laws. It is recommended that contracts contain a provision that allows the company to randomly audit the contractor for compliance. The audit provision should create an explicit duty on the contractor to correct any issues revealed during the third-party audit.
The contract should also include an indemnification and duty to defend clause for any matter related to compliance with employment laws. This clause should include a duty to cooperate, stipulations that could serve as the basis for an injunction, recovery rights for lost profits and good will, a duty to pay for public relation firms when necessary, and a duty to produce all copies of records provided to a government agency. Finally, it is recommended that the contractor agree to arbitrate all employment related matters and obtain arbitration agreements from each of their employees who will perform work on the contract.
4. Examine Work Environment Even if the contract looks great, it is still important to get a sense of how work is actually performed. Some companies develop contractor surveys but, as surveys may result in the creation of evidence that could be used against the company, I recommend onsite visits.
During the visit, the company's attorney should observe the following:
- Do the contractors' employees punch a company time clock or are they listed on a schedule?
- Who assigns the contractor or its employees tasks or work?
- Does the contractor or its employees have control over how the work is performed and where it is performed?
- Is the contractor or its employees interchangeable with the company's employees – do they work side by side?
- Who supervises the contractor or its employees?
- When the contractor makes a mistake, are they disciplined or told that they are in breach of contract?
- Does the contractor or its employees participate in company meetings or training or follow company procedures?
- Who pays the contractors' expenses?
- Who owns the tools and equipment used to perform the work?
A simple test is to approach a contractor working for your company and ask: "What are you working on? Who told you to work on this? How do you know how to perform this task? If something goes wrong who do you go to? Who determines if you are doing a good job? Who do you tell if you need to leave early or will be out sick?"
If the answers to any of these questions indicate someone at the company instead of the contractor, there may be a misclassification issue.
High-risk Areas: Red Flags
The following are areas in which there are reoccurring misclassification issues:
- Temporary Employment Agencies: Often companies will retain the services of temporary employment agencies to avoid misclassification issues. However, a common technique used by the DOL is to target a temp agency and investigate its clients. If an agency is improperly paying its employees then the DOL will pursue the matter against its clients as joint employers.
- Former Employee Consultants: This violation often occurs when companies try to assist a former employee. The most common example is the retiree or former employee who is hired as a consultant to perform the same work he did while employed, but on a part-time basis.
- Seconded Consultants: Most of the time, these consultants are skilled professionals who come from large companies. Often these consultants are brought in for a specific project but are so well-liked that they are integrated into the workforce. Typically, such consultants work only for one company and are present during business hours. These consultants, even if they are skilled professionals, such as nurses, lawyers, accountants and industrial psychologists, are probably misclassified contractors.
- Sales Representatives: Sales representatives in various industries are considered and paid as independent contractors. These employees tend to have flexible schedules and little supervision; however, these factors alone are not sufficient to overcome a misclassification claim.
- Installers and Delivery/Couriers: Generally, these employees do not report to a set location. Rather, they receive assignments at home and report to various locations to perform work. Examples include cable installers, HVAC professionals, fire alarms installers, computer repair, route drivers, distributors, marketing representatives and product demonstrators.
Unfortunately, there is no easy checklist to determine whether a contractor is misclassified. The best approach is to set parameters for entering into contracts that will identify high-risk contracts within the company. Educating your business partners to notify legal prior to hiring a high-risk contractor is the best way to prevent misclassification liability.


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These awards are given to students meeting the eligibility criteria stated for each separate scholarship. Scholarships and grants do not have to be repaid. Awarding preference will be given to students who apply by the priority deadline, March 1 for the fall semester and August 2 for the spring semester. It is to be understood that all institutional scholarships and grants have funding limits, and awards may not be available to students applying late, even though they may fit the stated criteria of the award. Off-campus study opportunities can have an impact on ENC institutional scholarships and grants. Most off-campus study opportunities will make a student ineligible for institutional aid that semester, and all of these awards require a student to be full-time (12 credits or more) per semester. Awards are not prorated for less than full-time status. If you withdraw from a class after the add-drop date, you will retain your institutional status for that semester. Please see Off-Campus Study Opportunities under Academic Information and Policies for important information about how each program impacts your institutional aid.
ENC Institutional GrantsNease Grant: Awards are given to students based on evaluation of their merit and need at the time of admission. The Nease Grant is awarded to help meet financial need. This grant is re-awarded each year as long as the student maintains full-time student status each semester and maintains a 2.0 GPA. Significant change in a family's EFC could increase or decrease the grant in subsequent years. Multiple Children Family Grant: Families with more than one dependent child enrolled full-time at ENC simultaneously are eligible to receive a scholarship amounting to $700 per eligible student for the current academic year.
Grant for Children of Pastors and Missionaries: The grant for children of Nazarene pastors and missionaries is an annual grant of $5000 ($2500 each semester) offered to the dependent children of assigned senior pastors, full-time staff pastors (possessing a district license at minimum), or an evangelist, chaplain, or missionary who is commissioned by the Church of the Nazarene. The grant does not get awarded for most off-campus study opportunities. Annual grants of $1500 per year are awarded to dependent children of full-time pastors and missionaries serving other denominations. Students receiving this grant must attend full-time (at least 12 credit hours per semester).
Church of the Nazarene Grants: Several Churches of the Nazarene located in the Eastern Nazarene College educational region have established grants. These grants are available to students who are attendees of those congregations. The Office of Financial Aid will award these grants to eligible students based on the specific criteria associated with each grant.
Nazarene Student Grant: An award of $1000 is made to students who regularly attend Nazarene churches, and are enrolled at ENC full-time (at least 12 credit hours per semester).
Nazarene Church Matching Grant: ENC will match grants from Nazarene Churches up to $500 per student from Nazarene churches. It is the responsibility of the students to see that their records include demographic data for their district and church affiliation. The church must complete the Church Matching Form. Informational materials concerning this award will be sent to each pastor in the Church of the Nazarene on the Eastern Educational Region early each summer.
Nazarene District Incentives: Students from Nazarene churches located in the Eastern educational zone that have paid at least 85% of their educational budget are eligible for this grant. The scholarship will be distributed to all students from the district.
85% District payment = $5,000 90% District payment = $10,000 95% District payment = $15,000 100% District payment = $20,000 Enhanced Plan (In addition to the above awards) One half of district payments over 90% will be added to your district's scholarship pool. One half of district payments over 90% will help fund Quality of Student Life projects. It is the responsibility of students to see that their ENC records accurately indicate their district and church affiliation. Student Records s are available in the Admissions Office for incoming students and in the Registrar's Office for returning students. Informational materials concerning this award will be sent to each pastor in the Church of the Nazarene on the Eastern Educational Region early each summer. Endowed and Annually Funded Scholarships: (No application necessary) Endowed and Annually Funded Scholarships are awarded to students who meet the eligibility criteria established by each scholarship. Eligibility criteria for each scholarship may include merit and financial need. Typically, these scholarships are awarded by ENC's Scholarship Committee during the Fall semester. Students are strongly encouraged to submit the FAFSA, as many of our endowments require documented financial need.


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WASHINGTON Not since the Ginsu knife cut through an aluminum can and still sliced a tomato has America seen a pitch quite like the one President Obama delivered in the Rose Garden on Monday.
"The product is good. The health insurance that's being provided is good. It's high quality, and it's affordable," the president announced. "People can save money significant money by getting insurance that's being provided through these marketplaces."
How much would you pay for a health plan like this? Before you answer, listen to this:


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Gorgeous salon-created curls are a breeze with the new T Studio Pearl Ceramic Professional Styling Wand. Featuring a high-tech ceramic wand infused with real pearl, this patent-pending technology provides the most advanced ceramic surface for the smoothest glide on the market. Your hair is left smooth and silky with a luminous luster. This must-have styling tool offers easy-to-read digital controls and heats up to salon-standard 410o F so you get picture perfect curls that last all day. The professional curling wand has a cone shaped design offering a variety of dimensions to meet your style needs.
California Residents – Click Here for Proposition 65 Warning
Exclusive pearl ceramic coating offers more ceramic content than standard coatings making the plates smoother, harder, and longer lasting.
The ceramic coating combined with the high temperature & constant heat performance creates faster salon results.


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If Republicans in Congress lack the nerve to stand up to President Obama, or the moxie to do so effectively, all other admirable efforts could end up being for naught. The federal nanny state could be so expanded, its tentacles could become so much more deeply embedded in the fabric of American life, that it would prove almost impossible for the next administration, however well-intentioned, to extricate us from it. The fiscal and monetary crisis could become so overwhelming that the soundest policies would be too little, too late. The American military could be so weakened, and our credibility abroad so damaged, that the most determined administration taking over four years from now would find it almost impossible to restore peace and advance freedom in a world that has spun out of control.
It may be that resistance is less edifying than reform. It's perhaps true that resistance is less intellectually stimulating than devising remedies. It could well be the case that resistance is less inspiring than reviving a party or rebuilding a movement. And there may well be occasions where emergencies and the national interest will call us to work with the president. But the chief duty for Republicans over the next four years will be resistance.
Now all this talk of resistance may sound a bit negative, even mean. But as Ralph Waldo Emerson famously wrote, "There is always a certain meanness in the argument of conservatism, joined with a certain superiority in its fact."


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A Dell Dilemma
Shares of Dell (DELL) jumped 4% Monday after Goldman Sachs analyst Bill Shope upgraded the computer maker to Buy from Sell, with a $13 price target. Shope outlined three catalysts for the stock: things can only get better, upside to lowered earnings expectations and the long-shot possibility of a leveraged buyout by founder Michael Dell.
Jim Cramer speculated on Monday that the Goldman analyst must know something the rest of the investment community doesn't. After all, why would he stick his neck out if he didn't know something?...283 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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