text:
Also see:
AOL/Microsoft-Hotmail Preventing Delivery of Truthout Communications [
Learning Curve
By Maya Schenwar
Illustrated by Aya Kakeda
Bitch Magazine
Winter 2008 Issue
Not long ago, homeschooling was thought of as the domain of hippie earth mothers letting their kids "do their own thing" or creationist Christians shielding their kids from monkey science and premarital sex. As recently as 1980, homeschooling was illegal in 30 states. Despite the fact that such figures as Abraham Lincoln, Margaret Atwood, Sandra Day O'Connor, and, um, Jennifer Love Hewitt were products of a home education, the practice is still often seen as strange and even detrimental.
These days, homeschooling is legal across the country, and parents are homeschooling for secular reasons as well as faith-based ones: quality of education, freedom to travel, their kids' special needs, or simply a frustration with the educational system. Most significantly, many progressive parents are taking their kids' education into their own hands to instill open-mindedness and social consciousness along with reading, science, and math.
For these parents, "unschooling" is an attractive option. In this approach to homeschooling, kids choose what they'll study and investigate their questions outside the confines of a classroom. In traditional homeschooling, parents play the role of teachers, determining the curriculum, handing out assignments, and administering tests. Unschooling parents, on the other hand, act as facilitators, guiding their kids' explorations. Even though the diy approach may appeal to progressives who identify with the anti-establishment ethos of the punk movement, homeschooling still raises tricky questions for progressive mothers.
Namely, this one: Can women trade their careers for their families without sacrificing a few of their feminist values - the very values that inspired many of them to homeschool in the first place? It's no wonder that punk feminist moms like Kim Campbell, who has homeschooled her kids for seven years, occasionally feel like walking oxymorons.
Despite her indie values, Campbell worries that her economic dependence on her husband could set a bad example for her daughter. "The first half year that we homeschooled, I had a complete identity crisis over the matter," she says. "At the time I knew that I was making a great decision, but I couldn't figure out how to square it with what I'd always considered my feminist sensibilities." For Campbell and a growing contingent of other feminist unschoolers across the country, educating their kids has also been a process of figuring out how homeschooling jibes with their feminism.
Nina Packebush, a Washington state mom of three and self-described "radical parent," started teaching her son at home because he was dyslexic and had ADHD, and his school wasn't providing the personal attention he needed. As Packebush sought out teaching resources, she discovered a gaping hole in standard history textbooks.
"I noticed that women and people of color were virtually nonexistent," Packebush says. "Don't even try to find any mention of lgbt people in history. One thing led to another, and soon I was homeschooling because I was a feminist." When her youngest child reached school age, Packebush chose to keep her out of the classroom solely because of its gender-biased curriculum.
Instead of using the standard Houghton Mifflin textbooks, Packebush provides a variety of mass-market books, like Freedom's Children, for her kids. Beyond that, she follows where her kids' interests lead; unschooling emphasizes that learning opportunities can pop up at any time. When Packebush's older daughter became interested in zine-making, it became their curriculum. Packebush even started up her own zine, The Edgy-Catin' Mama.
Sarah Schira, who maintains TheDenimJumper.com, a website for "sassy secular homeschoolers," says that simply hanging out is one of the best routes to consciousness building. "One of the strengths of homeschooling is the incredible amount of time we spend together," she says. "We listen to the news on the radio all the time, and they hear our reactions, the political discussions it raises. We talk a lot about societal institutions and the role that larger, almost invisible factors play in shaping events and free choice."
Spending an "incredible amount of time" with your kids is great when they're 8 and 10, like Schira's. But what about when they're 12 ... or 17? Can homeschoolers encourage the development of their kids' social consciousness without dictating it? It seems that the answer comes back to unschooling and the notion of parents as facilitators, not commanders-in-chief. Granted, kids will always be influenced by their parents' views, but if parents stress self-realization as a family value, kids may be more motivated to apply their lessons and grapple with important issues on their own terms.
That doesn't mean that freedom can't be a hard pill to swallow, even for a radical parent. At 18, Packebush's son Jason announced that he planned to become a porn star and asked what she'd do to stop him. "Well, I won't see your movies," she replied, biting back cries of rage. Eventually, Jason lost interest in the porn-star dream, and Packebush chalked up a couple of coolness points. "It's important to trust your kids," she says, "even if they choose something that hits you right in the guts."
As challenging and rewarding as homeschooling may be, some don't see it as real work. A slew of recent books, including Leslie Bennetts's bestseller The Feminine Mistake, argue that while stay-at-home moms, like homeschoolers, may believe they are choosing to leave the workforce, their decisions are actually influenced by insidious patriarchal forces. Many homeschooling moms counter that removing themselves from the marketplace means freeing themselves from its many sexist influences. If they have the financial means - or the ingenuity - to opt out, they'd rather live outside the workforce. Schira says that by rejecting the idea that success is all about money, she's reconceptualizing what happiness means. "I have come to recognize that I don't want the kind of life being offered by our culture," she says. "I don't want things. I don't want status. I want interdependence, harmony, new solutions to old problems."
Of course, resorting to one income brings out the five-ton mammoth in the room: most homeschoolers are women and most of their income providers are men. Packebush, who was married when she began homeschooling, says that even in her "hip, alternative, feminist marriage," she was the one doing most of the childcare and teaching. "The vast majority of the people doing homeschooling are women," she says.
Often, that's because moms want to be their family's primary teachers. But raising radical, revolutionary children isn't feminist if the mom's individuality is getting lost in the lives of her kids. It's tough for homeschooling mothers to maintain their free time. Forums for homeschoolers abound with tips for dealing with burnout. The workload can be overwhelming, and even with a "fuck money" attitude, it's natural to feel undercompensated at times. Homeschooling mothers must negotiate a fine line between protesting capitalism and becoming unpaid labor.
Considering progressive parents' efforts to break with capitalism - spending less, living alternatively, working cooperatively - it makes sense that many homeschoolers don't want their kids going anywhere near the mainstream school system. For Coleen Murphy, a New Orleans mom who was homeschooled herself, the negative social aspects of public education are a major reason she homeschools her two young boys.
"I see the school system as largely reinforcing the very worst aspects of societal norms, such as classism, racism, sexism, and good old mean-spiritedness, while limiting or removing access and opportunities to experience the best of what happens when human beings come together - acting with compassion; helping others because your help is needed, rather than to win some gold stars or other false rewards; asking questions because we want to know the answers rather than in order to display which of us knows the most how to please authority figures."
Along with the question of self-expression comes gender expression and unschooled kids are prone to ignoring (or at least toning down) the gender distinctions that rule most schools. Take Diana, a homeschooled 17-year-old from New Haven, Connecticut, who swears by Kate Bornstein's book Gender Outlaw and is very grateful to have missed out on the school social scene. "Not going to high school or middle school, I've never had that onslaught of pressure to do all sorts of pointless competitive things, like lose my virginity before I wanted to, or be sexy so men will like me, or be queer for the enjoyment of an audience," she says.
Avoiding homophobia is central to many parents' decision to homeschool. Packebush thinks queer, feminist homeschooling is on the rise because parents see it as an escape from the rampant sexism, homophobia, and transphobia of public schools. "Gender construction is one of the biggest reasons I keep my kids out of school."
Unschoolers' conceptions of gender are shaped not only by their open-minded parents, but also by their immediate environment. Having fewer kids around may mean less of a tendency to stereotype by gender or other handy labels. On the other hand, most schools also bring together individuals from different backgrounds, and although the routine clashes based on race, class, gender, and sexual orientation can make a mainstream school a shitty place to be, that diversity can also be instructive. It's easy to be color-blind when you're not exposed to racism; it's easy to "ignore" gender when you're not confronted with sexism. Getting to know a varied group of people at a young age - and seeing how discrimination impacts everyone - could build awareness of the conflicts inherent in our society.
For this reason, many feminist homeschoolers make a concerted effort to expose their kids to a diverse crowd. Though many homeschoolers roll their eyes at the most prominent pop-culture depiction of a homeschooled kid - Lindsay Lohan's character in Mean Girls - Jesse Cordes Selbin, a 19-year-old who was homeschooled for seven years, says she identifies with her. Selbin spent a considerable portion of her teens in Sweden and says interacting with a wider world helped her put the often-brutal social scene of many schools in perspective. "My parents homeschooled me so that I could get more experience in the world, not so that I could shelter myself from it."
As the feminist homeschooling movement gains momentum, mothers will increasingly be faced with tough, identity-defining questions: Does being a feminist mean you have to have a paid job? What does it mean to raise a feminist kid? Is there a feminist definition of success, and should there be? It's important to keep in mind that a homeschooling mom is many things besides a homeschooling mom - even if she can't stop talking about her kid's latest papier-m ch dinosaur. Forging these more complex identities entails recognizing all the hats they wear besides "homeschooler." Packebush is a zinester, Schira is a webmaster and writer, and so on. They're Marxists, or anarchists, or punks, or please-don't-define-me-the-reason-I-homeschool-is-to-get-away-from-this-label-slapping-bullshit human beings.
As for Kim Campbell, she's still unschooling and still fighting critics of her decision with a vengeance. When others question whether her decision to "stop working" is feminist, she responds, "Honey, you don't know from work!"


text:
Japanese gamers are crazy for Love Plus. While some of the more ludicrous stories we hear about adventures with the game, where players take the virtual girlfriends on vacations or celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, are likely cries for attention or manufactured publicity stunts, the series has remained a best seller and people are even willing to buy the system for it. So it isn't surprising to hear about Konami taking advantage of that devotion. We already knew there'd be some items that could only be unlocked by visiting certain locations, like 7-Eleven, or paying for them. We didn't know that people could pay Konami to get emails from Manaka, Rinko and Nene.
The service has been dubbed New Love Plus Girlfriend Mail and works only with the 3DS game New Love Plus. That's out tomorrow on Valentine's Day, if you're curious and happen to be in Japan. People pay ¥315 (~$4) per month to get emails on their phones and computers from their girlfriend. All players have to do is make sure they have WiFi enabled on their 3DS. Then you just upload your save data each time you play and Konami will make sure the emails sent to you by Manaka, Rinko and Nene correspond with what the two of you have been up to in New Love Plus.
As a means of getting players hooked, New Love Plus Girlfriend Mail will be free until at least February 29, 2012. Players will have to pay starting sometime in March 2012. I'm sure even a few days would be enough for fanboys (or fangirls) to decide if daily email updates from a virtual girlfriend are worth $4 a month.
New Love Plus is region-locked, like all 3DS games, so no virtual girlfriend for you unless you own a Japanese 3DS. If you do, you still might have to expend a little extra effort to get access to the New Love Plus Girlfriend Mail. Sometimes Japanese companies only allow you to pay for virtual services if you're actually living in Japan.
Read [Andriasang] Site [New Love Plus]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Jennic's ZigBee controllers boast low price
Post a comment
Jennic's JN513x family provides performance, price and power improvements over its current JN5121 family at a sub $3 price target in 100k+ units.
In addition to the new silicon, Jennic has also released a range of modules, evaluation kits, software and protocol stacks.
Improvements over the existing solution include:
- Extended range thanks to a new modem architecture that provides 97dB receive sensitivity. It also has greater tolerance to carrier offset and EVM. Transmit power is improved to +3dbm. The JN513x family delivers a 100dB link budget and is specified over the full industrial temperature range and wide supply voltage.
- Deep sleep current consumption is 400nA allowing products waiting for a user-event to consume virtually no power. For an active part of a wireless sensor network, with on-chip oscillator and protocol timers running, sleep current consumption is under 2 microA. These sleep power consumption figures, in conjunction with the tight coupling of radio, protocol hardware and software on a single-chip wireless microcontroller provide extremely long battery life.
- Memory has been increased to 192k ROM and 96k RAM allowing full exploitation of the on-chip 32-bit RISC processor for complex applications and algorithms coupled with ZigBee or other mesh protocol stacks. Variants are available with 32k, 16k or 8kB RAM for simpler, low cost applications.
- The on-chip ROM includes the IEEE802.15.4 version B media access protocol layer, provision for a range of external serial EEPROM devices, over-the-air download, hardware abstraction layers and a simple serial interface. Embedding these features in ROM free up memory space for applications and allow simple dongle products at low cost. IEEE802.15.4B and ZigBee variants of the JN513x family are available.
- Each device shipped has a unique MAC address identifier allowing the saving of external FLASH devices. A further 256 bits of one-time-programmable memory is available for customers to programmed on-chip AES security keys and other unique identifiers.
- Package and pin-out of the JN513x remains the same as the first generation JN5121, allowing upgrade of current designs to second generation with no board changes.
A family of modules provides ceramic-antenna, SMA, and UFL connector options. Standard power and high power modules are also available offering link budgets of 100dB and 119dB respectively. The standard module has demonstrated operation over 1km and the high-power module over 4km in open-space environments. Modules meet FCC, ETSI and TELEC regulations, reducing the effort needed to integrate Jennic devices into end products.
A new generation of evaluation kits is available. These provide a controller and four sensor units with a range of plug-in modules, offering power and antenna options. Users will now be able to evaluate different module types to suit their application and environment, with a range of site survey tools, including a customizable packet error rate measurement routine.
Jennic also offers a free, Integrated Developer Environment (IDE). This includes a new C compiler offering a 10 percent code density improvement.
JN513x products are now available for general sampling in a 56-pin QFN RoHS-compliant package. The JN513x product family includes the JN5139 wireless microcontroller with 192k ROM, 96k RAM at $3.50 in 100k quantities down to the JN5131 with 192k ROM, 8k RAM at $2.95 in 100k quantities.
More information is available at www.jennic.com.


text:
Comment #3 Friday, September 2, 2011 4:21 PM
Jim I have a Hobbit of making these LOL THX Thank ya Seddy!
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text:
This is Net-SNMP (previously known as "ucd-snmp").
Various tools relating to the Simple Network Management Protocol including:
An extensible agent
An SNMP library
tools to request or set information from SNMP agents
tools to generate and handle SNMP traps
a version of the unix 'netstat' command using SNMP
a Tk/perl mib browser
WWW: http://net-snmp.sourceforge.net/
No installation instructions: this port has been deleted.
The package name of this deleted port was:
distinfo: There is no distinfo for this port.
NOTE: FreshPorts displays only information on required and default dependencies. Optional dependencies are not covered.
No options to configure
Number of commits found: 56
Remove stalled Makefile.
Forgotten by: wollman
Approved by: marcus
Say hello to the new "net-mgmt" category. There are probably more
ports that belong here than the ones I have identified and moved in
this, first, pass.
Approved in principle by: marcus
Add an extra flag, WITH_INETADDRESS_HACK. Enabling this flag for build will
cause InetAddress and InetAddressType OIDs to be handled specially during
presentation. Normally they are simply displayed as hex due to being
octet-strings, but this is not how they are intended to be presented.
This allows IPv6 addresses to be presented correctly, as well as IPv4 in
emerging and existing MIBs which use the new InetAddress type.
Reviewed by: kuriyama, fenner
Tested with: snmpwalk, mbrowse
Fix parsing when "file <filename>" directive is used in snmpd.conf
without maxfilesize column.
Fix plist.
PR: ports/60423
Submitted by: leeym
Unbreak on 4-stable (actually gcc-2.95).
Reported by: krion, Mike Harding <firstname.lastname@example.com>
o Upgrade to 5.1 (bump shlib major to 6, use autoconf257).
o Add ${NET_SNMP_MIB_MODULES} which is "host smux ucd-snmp/diskio"
by default.
o Remove unused variables.
o Update various local patches around {tcp,udp}Table and
o Replace spaces with tab to make portlint happy.
o Pass --with-defaults to configure explicitly because we specify
all default values as variables.
Submitted by: Lars Thegler <firstname.lastname@example.com>
PR: ports/59086
o Add WITHOUT_PERL knob (and unbreak at unusual variable situation).
o Fix pkg-message message.
PR: ports/56716, ports/58109
Submitted by: Vivek Khera <firstname.lastname@example.com>,
Matt Peterson <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Ues USE_RC_SUBR knob.
Approved by: marcus
Upgrade to 5.0.9.
Convert to use rc.subr script.
Heads up!
Variable name in /etc/rc.conf is changed to $snmpd_enable and
$snmpd_flags. Old variables are imported for transition.
o Move perllocal.pod tweak from post-configure to post-build.
Because Makefile for perl is created at build stage. [1]
o Install freebsd5.h which I added in previous commit [2].
PR: ports/55729 [2]
Submitted by: Pat Lashley <email@example.com> [2],
kuriyama [1]
o Fix not to define "freebsd[234]" definition on freebsd5 environment.
o Fix related patch to fit freebsd5 environment.
o Implement tcp.tcpCurrEstab to return correct value.
PR: ports/54551
Submitted by: firstname.lastname@example.com
libtool uber-patch
* kill devel/libtool and move to devel/libtool13, upgrading to 1.3.5
* upgrade repo-copied devel/libtool14 to 1.4.3
* break out libltdl into its own separate port
* move to version-numbered binaries/scripts (ie: there is *no* 'libtool'
any more -- USE_LIBTOOL and USE_LIBTOOL_VER are your friends)
Approved by: portmgr (kris) - for the bsd.port.mk hooks
Tested by: bento 4-exp builds (repeatedly)
Installs perl modules.
Submitted by: tobez
PR: ports/50780
Upgrade to 5.0.8.
Partially submitted by: demon
Unbreak after __FreeBSD_version >= 500101.
Half of these ones missed yesterday while converting to USE_REINPLACE.
The other half needs perl to build.
Noticed on bento and others (full mailbox :-)
and russian/mod_ssl has USE_PERL5=yes
Notices on: bento
Upgrade to 5.0.6.
HEADS UP: After this commit, snmpd is not enabled by default.
See pkg-message for details.
* Use /etc/rc.conf variables to control snmpd invocation.
* Add some make variables to set default values.
Requested by: many people :-)
Add a patch to show enterprises.ucdavis.dskTable.dskEntry.dskPercentNode
mibs on our system.
Submitted by: Donal Diamond <email@example.com>
Upgrade to 5.0.3.
Fix enumeration after interface without address.
Submitted by: billf
PR: ports/28717
o Fix string representation of IPv6 address for libwrap's address
o Add a note that numeric address is required for snmpd in
Guided by: ume
Upgrade to 5.0.2.
Remove statvfs hack.
Fix plist.
PR: ports/39874, ports/40229
Submitted by: Edwin Groothuis <firstname.lastname@example.com>,
James Flemer <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Fix breakage on latest -current.
This breakage is caused because:
o struct statvfs is defined and statvfs() function is declared.
o statvfs() function is not yet implemented.
So detection of statvfs related is commented out until function will
be implemented.
Don't chmod to 644 directories.
Submitted by: Mark Pulford <firstname.lastname@example.com>
(1) Support IPv6 transport.
(2) Install snmpd.sh.sample and also install snmpd.sh if not exist.
(not yet completed as pkg_add case)
Requested by: ume, Katsuhisa ABE <email@example.com> (1)
Vince Valenti <email@example.com> (2)
Link with libkvm explicitly to unbreak build on 4-stable.
Reported by: many
Upgrade to 5.0.1.
Maintainer note:
I have not yet checked this major version bump enough.
Please use net/net-snmp4 port for stable environment.
And please report any problem with this version.
Upgrade to 4.2.5.
I've mistaken the treatment of --with-mib-modules configure argument
with multiple modules.
With this fix, both of host and ucd-snmp/diskio modules are activated.
Spotted by: Alexandr Listopad <email@example.com>
Upgrade to 4.2.4.
Some of our patches are integrated into original distribution.
Enable diskio mib-module by default.
kuriyama-san has been doing a much better job at maintaining this then
i've been doing. switch maintainership over to him.
Use tab instead of space.
Spotted by: portlint
Remove tkmib from installation.
This program will be provided as separated port which depends on p5-Tk and
PR: ports/19281
Fix MASTER_SITES.
PR: ports/36247
Submitted by: Kimura Fuyuki <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Make this port $PREFIX clean.
PR: ports/34551
Submitted by: Kazutoshi Kubota <email@example.com>
Return correct memory size when over 2G.
Add TCP Wrappers support.
o Add WITH_SNMP_DISKIO knob to collect diskio statistics (will turn on by
default after some period). o Support 4.x and 5.x for host/hr_disk.c. o Add
simple patch to wrap function decraration in HAVE_LPSTAT correctly.
Update 4.2.1 -> 4.2.3
First round of auto* cleanups: - USE_AUTO* -> USE_AUTO*_VER=* where required
- USE_AUTO* / *_DEPENDS=.*auto*:*/devel/auto* -> GNU_CONFIGURE where OK -
Other minor changes to fix things
Handle mbuf statistics going away temporarily around __FreeBSD_version
500021. Leave a placeholder for reporting using the new method added around
__FreeBSD_version 500024. (This fixes the build on -current.)
fix spelling error
Upgrade to 4.2.1.
Treat shlib number and libtool as our way.
Add work around not to dumps core to access host resources. Sorry for my
commit bloat...
Revert $PORTNAME change.
Oops, changing PORTNAME may affect DISTNAME...
Change port name to net-snmp. Patch to hr_swrun.c to unbreak on -current (plus
diffs in net-snmp CVS).
Upgrade to version 4.2
ucd-snmp renamed itself to net-snmp and now uses sourceforge. reflect this
change (with a repocopy) and update various references.
Servers and bandwidth provided byNew York Internet, SuperNews, and RootBSD
No vulnerabilities have been reported in the past 14 days
* - modified, not new
All vulnerabilities


text:
Chip maker Volterra Semiconductor Corp. posted a small first-quarter net loss Monday, hurt by charges and lower revenue.
The company posted a net loss of $519,000, or 2 cents per share, down from a profit of $2.5 million, or 10 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.
Excluding items, the company said it earned 3 cents per share in the latest quarter.
Revenue fell 21 percent to $18.3 million from $23 million.
Analysts, on average, were expecting breakeven per-share results on sales of $17.4 million, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters.
Volterra's president and chief executive, Jeff Staszak, said he is "pleased" with the company's financial performance despite the difficult market conditions.
Semiconductor companies have been hurt by the global downturn because it has dampened demand for the technology products that use their chips.
Volterra's shares rose 10 cents to close at $10.37.


text:
PCGen is a Java-based RPG character generator and maintenance program
that works on all platforms.
It currently is aimed at supporting as many rpgs as humanly possible.
Currently the focus is on OGL games (OGL = the Open Gaming License
crafted by Wizards of the Coast).
All datafiles are ASCII so they can be modified by users, and are
available through the pcgendm project.
make generate-plist
To install the port: cd /usr/ports/games/pcgen/ && make install cleanTo add the package: pkg install pcgen
cd /usr/ports/games/pcgen/ && make install clean
pkg install pcgen
PKGNAME: pcgen
SHA256 (pcgen6021_full.zip) = ea31b7e53d604c824190d387888cc6f29171c8de5c9d59008492d5f29bedad5f
SIZE (pcgen6021_full.zip) = 62980459
NOTE: FreshPorts displays only information on required and default dependencies. Optional dependencies are not covered.
===> The following configuration options are available for pcgen-6.02.1:
DOCS=on: Build and/or install documentation
===> Use 'make config' to modify these settings
Number of commits found: 45
- Switch to options helpers
Remove explicit dependency on javavmwrapper for ports that USE_JAVA
Revert r375084
A too sharp axe causes unpredictable damages
Reported by: amdmi3
Cleanup plist
- Add empty directory to plist
- Simplify installation
- Cosmetic fixes
- Add NO_ARCH
- Switch to PLIST_FILES/PORTDATA/PORTDOCS
Hand back my ports to the pool.
Ports require time and TLC which I no longer have.
Do not use PORTDOCS=* when all the docs are already listed in the plist
- Update to 6.02.1
- Remove workaround for filename
Convert g* to USES=zip
Remove trailing whitespaces from category games
According to the Porter's Handbook (22.214.171.124.) default options must be added to
OPTIONS_DEFINE. This policy has been implemented only recently that's why we
have many ports violating this policy.
This patch adds the default options specified in the Porter's Handbook to
OPTIONS_DEFINE where they are being used. Ports maintained by
firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com have been excluded.
Approved by: portmgr (bapt)
- Update to 6.02.00
- Upstream has some issues with the filename so add a workaround
- Use makeplist to generate plist
- Convert to staging
- Tested with poudriere
Update to the latest version of pcgen.
Change maintained to myself.
Tested with poudriere.
Approved by: jsa (previous maintainer)
Add NO_STAGE all over the place in preparation for the staging support (cat:
Decommissioning java 1.5 (EOLed since October 2009):
suppress any reference to JAVA_VERSION= 1.5+ (part2)
Now that the Java 1.3 and Java 1.4 ports are deprecated and will expire soon,
remove support for them from bsd.java.mk. As Jikes is not available in Java 1.5
or higher, remove it from bsd.java.mk too (suggested by hq@) and from the ports
which used it (only occurences were USE_JIKES=no). Support for the Blackdown VM
is also removed, as it is not available in Java 1.5 and higher.
Also remove the mapping from Java 1.1-1.4 to Java 1.5+ in bsd.java.mk to detect
old, broken ports; therefore bump the minimal value of JAVA_VERSION to 1.5.
While here, replace static values of JAVA_VERSION in files/*.in by
PR: ports/158969
Submitted by: rene
Tested on: pointyhat-west -exp
Update to 5.16.4.
Approved by: wxs (mentor), kwm (mentor)
Updated to 5.16.3 and take maintainership.
Approved by: glewis, kwm (mentor)
- Update to 5.16.2
- Remove a couple of (now) unnecessary targets
- Tweak a couple of other settings/targets
- Takeover maintainership
Submitted by: Greg Lewis <firstname.lastname@example.com>
- Switch SourceForge ports to the new File Release System: categories starting
with G
Bump portrevision due to upgrade of devel/gettext.
The affected ports are the ones with gettext as a run-dependency
according to ports/INDEX-7 (5007 of them) and the ones with USE_GETTEXT
in Makefile (29 of them).
PR: ports/124340
Submitted by: edwin@
Approved by: portmgr (pav)
- Update to 5.12.0
- Use 'exec' to launch the JVM
- Welcome X.org 7.2 \o/.
- Set X11BASE to ${LOCALBASE} for recent ${OSVERSION}.
- Bump PORTREVISION for ports intalling files in ${X11BASE}.
Update to 5.10.2
Approved by: krion@
- Update to 5.8.0 (latest release from stable branch)
- Add a FreeBSD-specific launcher shell script. It allows the user to specify
Java VM args using PCGEN_OPTS
Use ECHO_CMD to write down configuration file
Update to 5.7.15
Update to 5.7.14
Update to 5.7.13
Update to 5.7.12
- Update to 5.7.9
- Use the new features from java/javavmwrapper
- Update to 5.7.8
- Install launcher script directly in ${PREFIX}/bin [1]
- Launcher script renamed (pcgen.sh -> pcgen) [1]
Suggested by: glewis [1]
Update to version 5.7.7
- Update to 5.7.3
- Dynamic plist
- Various cosmetic and performance changes
PR: ports/68944
Submitted by: me
Approved by: glewis (mentor)
Update to 5.7.2
If you experience exceptions, please read the PR.
PR: ports/68451
Submitted by: maintainer
- Update to 5.7.1
PR: ports/66744
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <email@example.com> (maintainer)
. Fixed 'make package' (see recent bento build logs)
. Use ${DATADIR} so no more %%T%% (as %%DATADIR%% is already in PLIST_SUB)
. Use ${ECHO_MSG} instead of ${ECHO_CMD}
. Use ${INSTALL_DATA} for documentation.
. bsd.java.mk 2.0 compliant
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <firstname.lastname@example.com> (maintainer)
- Update to 5.6.0
- Remove GMGen, it will come back as a separate port soon
PR: ports/64751
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <firstname.lastname@example.com> (maintainer)
- Update to 5.5.9
PR: ports/62064
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <firstname.lastname@example.com> (maintainer)
- Update to 5.5.7
PR: ports/61632
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <email@example.com> (maintainer)
- Update to 5.5.6
PR: ports/61124
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <firstname.lastname@example.com> (maintainer)
New port: misc/pcgen (Java-based RPG character generator)
PCGen is a Java-based RPG character generator and maintenance
program that works on all platforms (Windows, Mac OS X,
Linux, BSD, etc). It currently is aimed at supporting as
many rpgs as humanly possible. Currently our focus is on
OGL games (OGL = the Open Gaming License crafted by Wizards
of the Coast).
All datafiles are ASCII so they can be modified by users,
and are available through the pcgendm project. An XML
conversion is underway.
WWW: http://pcgen.sourceforge.net
Notes from the maintainer:
PR: ports/59428
Submitted by: Herve Quiroz <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Servers and bandwidth provided byNew York Internet, SuperNews, and RootBSD
No vulnerabilities have been reported in the past 14 days
* - modified, not new
All vulnerabilities


text:
Brown Street Academy Boys & Girls Club members may not have been old enough to vote but they were old enough to know that it's important to exercise one's right to vote. That's why they hosted a Voters' Day Fair to educate both parents and students about election process and encourage their parents to vote.
The Voters' Day Fair was held last Friday at Brown Street Academy, 2029 N. 20th Street. The event was made possible through Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee's Young Leaders Community Action Fund.
At the Voters' Day Fair, parents had an opportunity to get information on where to vote and how to register for voting. There was also a carnival with family-friendly games like "Pin the Flag on the White House," election fun facts and performances.
Thanks to a gift from the Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs' Young Leaders United Community Action Fund allows children and teens who live in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood to identify and financially support ideas to put forth by their peers that will enhance the life for all of its residents, schools and businesses.
Members of Brown Street Academy Boys & Girls Club came up with the concept, prepared a proposal for it and presented it to a panel from Young Leaders United Advisory Council.
Brown Street Academy and Augusta M. LaVarnway Boys & Girls Clubs, and Neu-Life Community Resource Center received grants of $850 and $300, respectively, from the fund for their projects.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2012. For all the latest Club news, visit www.boysgirlsclubs.org, www.facebook.com/bgcmilwaukee or [email protected]


text:
A Lifelong Love of Cycling
For Rita DuPont, the Physiatry Fellowship Coordinator at OrthoCarolina, cycling has been a lifelong passion.
7 New #TheFreeWorkOut Locations
New spots in Ballantyne, Huntersville, and the University area
Plantar Fasciitis: Exercises you can do at home
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot and heel pain.
Rest to Run Better
Here are a few guidelines to ensure your body is getting the rest it needs.
Yoga Poses for Balance
Tree pose, standing pose and warrior pose are incredibly effective yoga postures to build, improve and maintain balance.
Higher Education: An In-Depth Look at OrthoCarolina's Physical Therapy Residency Program
The OrthoCarolina Residency in Orthopedic Physical Therapy combines ongoing clinical mentoring with a theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry
A Hands-Down Worthwhile Trip: OrthoCarolina Pediatric Hand Surgeon Goes to Vietnam
Dr. Julie Woodside has had to use her hands her entire life.
Soccer: Eye Injury Treatment
Andy Hylton, OrthoCarolina physician assistant and former professional soccer player says direct blows to the eyes generally result in temporary blurry vision and can result in a "black eye", but occasionally a more serious eye injury can occur.
OrthoCarolina also ranks first among Charlotte companies National program tracks corporate wellness initiatives nationwide
The Best Paddle-In Campgrounds in the Carolinas
From the cool waters of Lake Jocassee to the brackish tidal swamps out east, the Carolinas are home to a huge variety of flat water paddling experiences.
Working to the Bone: How NASCAR's Mike Hicks Rebounded from Double Injuries
"Without Bill {Heisel, PA-C, Director of OrthoCarolina Motorsports] and Ken {Breath] and their team I wouldn't be back where I am today,"
National PA Week is October 6-12
OrthoCarolina's 90 PAs help increase patient access to care
Total Hip Replacement Surgery, Anterior Approach: What to Know
Total Hip Replacement, or arthroplasty, more common than you might think -- as of 2014, there were 2.5 million Americans living with an artificial hip. 1
Why I Love Fitness…and Teaching Fitness
My desire to teach was inspired by many things... But most of all, I loved what group fitness did for me personally and I wanted to return the favor
OrthoCarolina Employee Wellness Program Ranks 23rd in the U.S.
OrthoCarolina also ranks first among Charlotte companies
National Women's Health and Fitness Day
National Women's Health and Fitness Day, held the last week in September, is an effort to bring attention to the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for women.
Spine Care - OrthoCarolina Radio
Featuring Dr. Eric Laxer from the Spine Center at OrthoCarolina. The topics discussed range from what conditions are seen and what types of patients are seen to how new technology and innovation are modernizing the field. This series is done in conjunction with Beasley Radio and K 104.7 FM.
Brachial Plexus Clinic Description and Educational Info
The OrthoCarolina Brachial Plexus team recognizes the importance of treating the entire patient and not just the affected limb.
OrthoCarolina Goes to Nicaragua
"It's a good feeling to know you're making a difference in patients and children's lives and improving the local doctors' abilities to care for the people that live there." – Dr. Patrick Hayes


text:
Cupa Rocks Tumblers
Sip on some fine spirits with a set of Cupa Rocks. These deliberately unstable crystal tumblers fit perfectly in the hand and swirl freely when set on a hard surface, speeding up the oxygenation process to uncover your liquor's underlying aroma. Plus, the edge represents an exact 2 ounce pour, an ideal measure for whiskey and brandy.


text:
I , .. 14 THE OGcY '
Ji I j " i : Ilk '
J 'I You can bank on the
j- Bank Smokery
f f as being a place of first class
ji amusement, catering only to
I t those who appreciate clean
' . ' entertainment.
I ' ' It is here where congre
' " gate the jolliest crowd in
'( townthose people known as
1 "GoodFeHows"
' , p If you're a good fellow
I b ' you're invited to join with us.
' Pocket Billiard Tables,
jj Cigars, Candies, Soft
i i Drinks, Fishing Tackle
j and Bowling in the Fall
I- and Winter.
I 2313 Wash.
- - HOWARD QODDARD, Prop.
I! The origin of billiards is unknown.
1 . As far back as 30 B. C. when Anthony
J . and Cleopatra were making them
selves notorious, billiards seems to
have been a popular pastime. (Shaps
i peare's "Anthony and Cleopatra," act
L 11, scene 5.)
Billiards was brought into this
country by the Spaniards who settled
in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565, and
since then has numbered many of our
leading men and women as its pa
trons. Many of our presidents from
George Washington's time on have
played the game in the billiard parlor
of the executive mansion.
In 1S40, J. M. Brunswick, who op
erated a small furniture repair shop
in Cincinnati, Ohio, began to manu
facture billiard tables, practically all
of which were then Imported. The
r r
r BRUNSWICK BALM
i Billiard and Bowling
I Equipments
hi For T
i I Clubs, Residences
! and Public Use
I BrunswieK
I ( Tables and Alleys
jl 1 Make Satisfied
s I Customers
'( & . x . :
i .1 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
I Jrr : . -
- -
- " " lie
Most Delightful Indoor Sport 1
Amusement ranks high among
the Better Element The
Billiard Game Is Fast
Coming Into Its Own.
Billiards 2000 Years Old
Time of Caesar and
The great American game of pocket
billinrds has had a long and interest
ing past, having passed through suc
cessive stages until today it has the
greatest following of any sport.
The modern table with felt clothes
and rubber cushions is an American
creation, having been perfected in
this country in the past 25 years.
Billiards has always been a gen
tleman's game, and still is. Although
in our own western country, until a
few years ago, the game, like every
thing else in a new country, Was
abused. Here in years past it was
I termed "pool," and the tables were
usually located in dives and saloons,
and were used for cheap gambling
. i
But with the march of civilization
things havo changed. The people
took qn the more cultured life of the
east, gambling ceased, saloons were
regulated, and to the surprise of our
eastern friends, life in the wost is
following closely the standards of the
far east.
Thus It was with pocket billiards.
Divorced from the saloons, and gam
bling being prohibited in all forms
the game has flourished. It has be
come once more the "Gentleman's
Game," and is played only for what
it was meant for, amusement pur
poses only.
Every evening one can see both our
young and old men hammering away
in one of the several high-class estab
llshments in Ogden reaping health
ful exercise and mind rest in the
enjoyable relaxation of a game of bil
liards. Along with billiards comes bowling
cleanest of all red-blooded sports
always popular since Rip Van Win
kle watched the "old Dutch" piny the
game in the Catskili mountains. Bow
ling holds forth the year round in Og
den and is a dominant factor in the
health and huskiness of our people.
business flourished. At first only the
6x12 English pocket tables were made
later the small French carom tables
were built. At this time Julius Balke
was the owner of the Great Western
Billiard Table manufactory, also lo
cated at Cincinnati. In 1S59 he was
taken into partnership with the
Brunswick people.
By 1880, H. W. Collender, a billiard
manufacturer of New York City, had
Joined what was called The Bruns-wick-Balke-Collender
This company has grown steadily
from that day to this. It has fur
nished a large part of the world's
present billiard and bowling equip
ment and has been the leading fac
tor In the development of the game
to the high position it now holds. The
history of billiards and bowling in
America Is largely a history of this
progressive firm.
For nearly a thousand years bowl-
lng has been popular in England,
Scotland, France, Germany and Hol
I land, but it appears that it first was
played in England out of doors, and,
in parts of Britain it is still played
on the turf. The Dutch founders of
' New York had their bowling green,
which is still one of the parks of the
lower part of Manhattan Island.
The old game, of course, was much
different from the modern game, and
it appears- that in the twelfth cen
tury there was no pins at all, the
players merely trying to see who
could cast round stones nearest a
mark. But in the following centuries,
the present day game was evolved.
Bowling is not a matter of strength,
although, as In golf, one can bowl as
strenuously or as gently as he pleases.
. It is a scientific game. It is like
billiards in a way. It Is the curve
one puts on the ball which really
"You never saw a bowler who had
appendicitis, rheumatism or suffered
from insomnia," declared a bowler
for the past fifteen years, who previ
ous to taking up the game suffered,
from rheumatism every winter.
The number of women bowlers is
increasing year by year.
Bowling is not only a splendid phy
sical exercise, (but it Is also among
the 'best mental recreational activi
ties. A billiard game will soothe those
wrinkles in your brain cells. If Mac
beth had. been a billiard player he
nvruiuui. nuiiivu U.UUU.L LUfcJ
"raveled sleeve of care." He would
havo called Lady Macbeth for a so
ciable game of billiards, and the two
would have forgotten all about their
troubles and the play would have
ended, differently maybe there
wouldn't have been any play. Golf
is a mental stimulant; billiards is a
mental sedative. Golf quickens the
mind; billiards rests it.
Balkllne Billiards has a new apos
tle and strange as It may appear he
comes from Australia. Anyone who
Is pessimistic as to the future of the
balk-line game In this country, will
speedily ho convinced to the contrary
after a few minutes conversation with
R B;M,e,njaram' manaEer of Cham
pion Willie Hoppe.
Coming to this country two seasons
ago in charge of Melbourne Inman,
world s champion at English billiards
Benjamin toured the country with the
famous Britisher and Willie Hoppe
It was on this tour he got an Insight
into the wonderful skill of the Am
erican champion and as soon as In
man returned home he signed with
The result -was-one of the mostsuc
cessful tours in the history of tho
. game. With Kojl Yamada as his
partner Hoppe appeared in over 200
exhibitions, the trip extending as far
as Honolulu. Hoppe's work on this
tour was phenomenal as he had a
grand average of 59 for GG.000 points.
Commenting on the feats perform
ed by the champion, Benjamin said:
"I do not think anyone knows what
Hoppe Is capablo of with the excep
tion of himself and I do not bellevo
he has by any means reached the
height of his career."
"In Connecticut after Willie had
mado a big run on his second turn at
the table, I said to him, 'why don't
you make a big run from the pot?'
"All right," rcspondod tho cham
pion, "tomorrow night I will run the
game out." The next night at Hart
ford he ran 400 points.
On another occasion the party by
catching a train at 9:20 could get an
additional match. It was 8:10 when
Hoppe was notified of this fact "You
go to the hotel and pack my things
and have a taxi waiting for me and
1 1 will make the train," said Hoppe.
Playing with wonderful speed, the
New York marvel scored his 400
points In 46 minutes and caught the
train with 9 minutes to spare.
Hoppe never let down to Yamada,
the little Jap being able to win only
a few of their games. Once Yamada
Wfic rmintr fn3t-nnH it InrtlrrvrJ on IP n
could win. He needed only a few
points and Hoppe whispered to Ben
jamin, "If he misses I will beat him."
Tho Jap missed and Hoppe ran out
with a break of 99.
There seems no limit to his possi
bilities and Manager Benjamin is con
vinced that balkline as played by
Hoppe is a more attractive game to
tho spectators than three cushion car
oms. As for Hoppe, he believes that the
1S-2 game is by far the best ever de
vised and will not pay any attention
to the other forms of play which from
time to time are being suggested.
Next season Hoppe will tour with
Charley Peterson of St. Louis,
"Chick" Wright of San Francisco, for
mer amateur champion, and Young
Jake Schaeffer. In signing up Young
Jake, Hoppe is repaying some of the
debt he owed to Wizard Jake Schaef
fer. Hoppe attributes most of his
skill to the advice he received from
the elder Schaeffer and so will take
his son under his wing.
Young Schaeffer already has shown
great skill and a season on the road
with Champion Hoppe should put him
close to the champion In the ranking
of the great billiard masters.
SMOKERY Ml
01dest in the "Game" and
Is Well Known
Howard Goddard, proprietor of the
Bank Smokery, has been in the cigar
and pocket billiard business for many
years. Established first on Twenty
fifth street, near Washington, years
ago, he has grown with the city until
at the present time he has one of the
beBt cigar, soft dr'nks" and pocket
billiard trades in Ogden.
It has been through meeting the
public more than half way and adher
ing to strictly business principles
that has enabled him to win this suc
cess. Through years of price-cutting
and other unfair competition, he is
the only one of the early pioneers who
is still left with the game, which
fact speaks for Itself of the popular
ity of the man and his business.
Speaking of the game, Mr. Goddard
said: "Yes, It is constantly getting
(better. That is, in two ways, more
of the public are catering to the game
and the moral of It 's also better.
You know once the game was abused;
that is, saloons, etc., had tables and
we all received a black eye for that
cause, but since that evil was abol
ished I think It has flourished. I think
we're running the movies now a close
race for Indoor amusement popularity."
"Yessah! Brudder Tump sho flog
ged me, and flogged me plenty! He
knocked me down and drug me around
and beat and mauled me twell muh
tongue hung out"
"What yo all gwine to do 'bout it,
sah?" i
"Do? What kin I do? De gen'le
man done disavow de whole incident!"
Read the Classified Ads. '
E. H. Herman, manager of the I
Bowling and Billiard Parlors, 2473 U
Washington avenue, known to all the
boys as "DennV" says we're going
forward In leaps and bounds. c
Nevor wns the game better in Og- j
den. Every evening in the summer
they crowd in our cool basement and
"fill" the tables. Most all of the 5
players are from the youngor set J
18 to 30 years old and a jolly, good, I
clean crowd they are. Healthy and jj
"straight" Of course, you seldom see - 5
round-shouldered billiard players. '
But these boys are here for healthy j
exercise and recreation, and they get a
it, too. 3
They come all hours of the day. S
Tho atmosphere is exceedingly cool i
and comfortablo during these hot g
days and besides if you play a close
game with a companionable partner
it adds zost to life and rests tho
nerves and body.
As for bowling, that's a game for j
tho red-blooded fellows it adds the
nerve and energy that keeps you going '
at top speed without a whimper about
fatigue. It's sure a health giver. Ever
see or hear of a bowler with appendi
citis? No. Well, take it from me :
bowlers don't have appendicitis Get
the bowling and billiard habit it's
the cleanest sport extant. i
A Clean House and a Clean
Game Well Re
warded. Baker's Billiard Room, at 2452
Grant avenue, Ogden, Is not the larg
est billiard room in Ogden, but it-is
really the best. One 5x10 carom bil
liard table, and six 510 pocket tables.
We do not conduct a "pool hall," but
a respectable billiard room, for re
spectable people. We do not allow
any intoxicating liquors nor Intoxi
cated persons in the house. Our
tables and equipment are as good as
any you can find and much better than
you can find in any public room or
club in Ogden. We work on our
tables every day, and do not allow
them to run down and get out of
shape. We solicit the patronage of
players who really know when they
get a good table and equipment.
There Is no moral reason why any
business man, professional man,
working man, or farmer should not
find a pleasure in playing at Baker's
Billiard Room.
utah mm
Skeleton of Mammoth Dino- j
saur Now in Carnegie Mu-
seum Dwarfs Others
in Size. i
Utah also can boast of a prehistoric jj
past. i
The recent discovery of a mammoth
dinosaur in the "Uintah Basin, near
Vernal, although looked upon as com- 1
praratively insignificant at the time, H
Is now stirring the pulse of the
scientific world and causing archaeo-
loglsts and geologists to sit up and
take notice. Egypt with her pyramids i
and ancient Babylon wltu her Biblical
history having nothing to present to I
attract more atention them the 1
skeleton of the Utah mastadon, which 1
is on record as being tho largest one f
ever unearthed. " i
The skelton was unearthed by ex-
cavators working under the direction 1
Billiard and Pocket Billiard Tables, I I
Repairs and Billiard Supplies. I 1
We can sell you New Tables, New Balls, ,New Cues, I I
New Cloth, New Markers everything new cheaper I I
than you can buy an old, second-hand table. We sell all
good new table set up ready for, use any place in Ogden I I
for $1 75.00, and it is better than other tables being sold in I I
this territory for $250.00. Purchasers will do well to I I
see me and get prices before buying. 1 I
2452 Grant Ave., Ogden, Utah. - I I
(j 1 ti n tSifi Sosf'T
Ogden's newest and best place 1 1
of amusement. 8
To this place the K
Because it represents what is I
best in Ogden in the line of i 1
Pocket Billiards. Tables newly I I
covered new cushions new I I
cues rooms remodeled and en I
larged new paper direct and I M
indirect lighting. jfl
Cigars, Candy and Soft Drinks R I
in Connection. I
THE C&Sr I
HARRY KORB, Prop. I I
326 25th St. I I
of E. C. LaRue, engineer and geolog
ist, connected with the government
service, a little more than a month
ago, and now reposes in the Carnegie
museum in Pittsburg, where today It
is the marvel of thousands, who enter
the museum to see the wonders of
the world representative of all ages.
The skeleton of the Utah mastadon,
according to Mrs. Robert Spangler, of
Salt Lake, who passed through the
"Smoky City" on the return from a
recent trip to New York, is of such
gigantic proportions that It dwarfs the
skelton of a similar specimen occup E.
lng a place alongside in the museum. r
The novel star-finder of a Shanghai f-
inventor has the form of a parasol, f-
When the parasol Is opened and Its
stick is pointed toward Polaris the
stars and constcillations charted upon
Its covering are found to have the
same relative positions ns in the sky H
overhead, so that finding the celestial Mj
objects is easy. H
Read the Classified Ads. R
Bowling & Billard Parlors I
Coolest in Summer I
Warmest in Winter
14 Tables 2 Bowling Alleys I
. . 1 i
Bowling and I '
Billard Parlors
Basement 2473 Wash. I '
HERMAN, Mgr. 1
xml | txt


text:
WHEN IT comes to public employee pensions, we keep running the state's credit card higher and higher.
This week, the board of CalPERS, the state's largest pension system, postponed, at least temporarily, a needed rate hike that would have driven up the state's annual pension costs by 18 percent, to $3.88 billion. That would be another $600 million hit to the state budget as the governor and the Legislature are already struggling to make up a $19.1 million shortfall.
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, a member of the CalPERS board, pushed for the postponement. At a time when the state seems on the verge of having to decimate services for the state's neediest, his short-term concerns are understandable. But this deferral of financial obligations can't go on. It's either pay now or pay more later — and public employee pension costs are already out of control.
To understand how bad the situation is at CalPERS, consider the following: For state employees, the retirement system has only 60 percent of the money its supposed to have now to help pay future retirement benefits.
That number would be even worse shape if not for the accounting change the board adopted last year that spread out recent investment losses over the next 30 years. And it would be worse if not for the pension system's inflated projections that assume a future annual 7.75 percent rate of return on investments, a goal that many experts now say is wildly optimistic.
In other words, CalPERS' numbers understate the severity of the situation. The 18 percent rate hike is desperately needed. On the other hand, the state cannot afford it. If the retirement board delays the increase, it will mean even greater rate increases in the future, pushing more pension costs onto future generations.
That's unacceptable. The system must be fixed. Yes, the system has been seriously hurt by the stock market downturns. But the fundamentals underlying the system are flawed. The benefits are simply too generous. And for too many years when investment returns were good, governments were allowed to avoid making annual payments under the fantasy that the stock market would only go up. This was a predictable disaster.
The question now is whether the state Legislature — especially the union-controlled Democratic majority — will get serious about reform.
Benefits for new workers must be reduced. Contributions from current employees to the retirement must be increased. And government agencies, including the state, must not be allowed ever again to forego annual contributions if we are lucky enough to see the day when the pension fund is once again fully funded.
Lockyer seems to want to give the state a break this year on its pension contributions. We would be more willing to accept that if we had a sense that our legislators understood the seriousness of the situation and were willing to act. Unfortunately, all we see these days is lip service and no action.


text:
Complaint Review: Kiwi Services - Kiwi Carpet Cleaning
- Kiwi Services - Kiwi Carpet Cleaning
3230 Commander Dr. '
Carrollton, Texas
- Phone: 972-934-1234
- Web:
- Category: Cleaning Services
Kiwi Services - Kiwi Carpet Cleaning Do not use Kiwi! They will take your money and run without batting an eye!!! Carrollton Texas
*Consumer Comment: If the hair is green, It's mold! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
*UPDATE EX-employee responds: A little advice
KIWI has the worst service and customer care I have ever had to deal with!!! Do Not Use KIWI!!!! They do not take care of their customers; they only take care of their pocketbook!!! I had an air duct job scheduled on July 3rd and after the first crew did not clean the air ducts properly, they scheduled a redo the last week of July, which the technician did not show up because they went to the WRONG ADDRESS!!! It doesn't stop there. A third technician was scheduled the first week of August, but he did nothing but stand around and talk! He supposedly measured the air vent for the $100 air filter that I ordered and never received! But he did not measure correctly. We are now to the fourth technician who told me that the reason I was still having mounds of dust after an over $300 faulty air duct cleaning was because the first technicians never completed the job. On top of that when he went to place the $100 air filter in it was the WRONG SIZE!!! Yet again the technician had to go to the main office to get another air filter! After the AWFUL experience I had with this company DO NOT USE KIWI!!! The customer care 'manager' (who at this time will remain nameless because I have a back bone) promised that a refund would be given to me for the air filter, being that that was Kiwi's fault. Now, she has changed her mind and has decided that customer satisfaction and business ethics mean nothing to KIWI!!!! This company is awful all around!!! DO NOT USE KIWI!!!!
Dallas, Texas
Does your business have a bad reputation?Corporate Advocacy Program™Fix it the right way.
Set the record straight:Arbitration Program
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 08/23/2007 10:01 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/kiwi-services-kiwi-carpet-cleaning/carrollton-texas-75006/kiwi-services-kiwi-carpet-cleaning-do-not-use-kiwi-they-will-take-your-money-and-run-wi-269889. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:
#1 Consumer Comment
If the hair is green, It's mold! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
AUTHOR: Roger - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, October 20, 2007POSTED: Saturday, October 20, 2007
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! COUGH! COUGH! GAG! GAG! I clean things they can't pronounce! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! It"s time for a industry remediation! HA! HA! HA! HA!
#2 UPDATE EX-employee responds
A little advice
AUTHOR: Ron - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, August 27, 2007POSTED: Monday, August 27, 2007
As far as Kiwi in general you right,. STAY AWAY FROM THEM!! They don't know how to clean carpet, ducts or upolstery. They take anyone off the street have the go get a DBD ( Doing Bussiness As ) give the a two day class, rent them some equipment and chemicals then send them to your home to work on your expensive carpet. These guys don't get much for their work. Usely around 20.00 to 30.00 per job. This is why they come in and try to sell you a lot of extra stuff and if you don't buy they rush through the job so they can get to the next one.
Take the time to read through this site and see all the customer complants about customer service but belive me this nothing compared to what I saw the three months I did work for them. I can still recall getting nasty calls from them because I wasn't doing enough "add ons" ( thats what they call it when you stick the customer with extra charges ) and not doing the jobs fast enough. They would send me text messages saying " If your not adding on get in and get out let us worry about how it looks"
I have worked in the bussniess for six years and knew what I was doing ( I am the first to omit that I still have a lot to learn ) But I couldn't stomch the way they were asking me to treat the customer. I wish all the customers would get a class action law suite against them.
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text: Hi all, I am trying to troubleshoot my RA-4 once again.... I lowered the temps I was working on down to 20c from 35c as recommended (its a machine meant solution). My problem was that my agfa paper gets stained yellow with high temp chemicals, and the blix seems to be the most problematic in terms of making the colors go crazy. Now I am stuck with low saturation prints but pure whites. Is more time on the developer at 20c going to give more saturation? Do I risk yellow stains from more time or is it just the temperature? IS the stain a fault of the blix or the developer? If I don't bleach the paper and just use another fix I wont get colors at all right? Thanks!


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CNBC's "Squawk Box" will broadcast live from Capitol Hill tomorrow. The special broadcast, "Squawk in Session: Live From The U.S. Senate" airs from 6-9amET and will be anchored by CNBC's Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Carl Quintanilla.
Their lined-up guests include: Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN).


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Samsung's next Alpha series device to feature metal body and mid-range specs
It was rumored some time ago that the Samsung Galaxy Alpha was only the first in a series of Alpha devices, all set to boast premium design as a prominent feature. According to the reputable SamMobile, they have information on the next Alpha series device to be released, the Samsung SM-A500.
The A500 will ... Read More »


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Our goal is to give you the best service possible from start to finish, and we invite you to learn more about our state-of-the-art outdoor lighting systems.
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We provide New Jersey residents in Bergen, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties with outdoor lighting designs and installations of the highest order, and we bring a creative approach to the lighting of homes and businesses.
We deliver a service from start to finish and beyond, which will meet or exceed your expectations with experience, reliability, artistic designs, and honesty. We are experts in low voltage architectural and landscape lighting and we offer any type of exterior lights including but not limited to well lights, path lights, deck lights, spot lights, bullet lights, patio lights, garden lights, or pool lights.
Make us your first call for beautiful and memorable exterior lighting. We would love to add you to our ever-growing list of satisfied customers.


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18 feminine projects for all body types. From the back cover: "Influenced by classic fairy tales and French vintage fashion, Seattle designer Kristeen Griffen-Grimes presents ethereal garments that flatter the feminine form, accomplished with seamless instruction and custom fit."You can also view all French Girl Knits.
We provide endless possibilities for you including yarn, knitting gifts, needles, kits, sale yarn, free knitting patterns, and more! Jimmy Beans Wool is Your Local Yarn Store... Online!


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Rangers third choice keeper Graeme Smith has joined newly-promoted St Johnstone. St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes is confident the best is yet to come from the 26 year old.
He told www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk: "Graeme will give us another option.
"He is frustrated at the lack of first-team involvement and hungry for success.
"His best years are ahead of him, and I am very pleased to have brought him to Perth."


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Time: April 25, 2012 from 10am to 11:30am
Location: California - Pacific TIme
Website or Map: http://thousandhomechallenge.…
Phone: 724-852-3085
Event Type: webinar
Organized By: Linda Wigington, Affordable Comfort, Inc.
Latest Activity: Apr 29, 2012
Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)
The second webinar in the Thousand Home Challenge-PG&E Energy Training Center (ETC) Spring 2012 Case Study Webinar Series. George and Ellen Beeler decided to take on the renovation of a 1940 vintage home in Petaluma, CA 14 years ago. Over that time, a 3-stage deep energy reduction (DER) project unfolded that ended up with the Beeler residence becoming the first home in California to officially meet the Thousand Home Challenge. While the first webinar in this series looks at a number of California case studies, comparing the monitored results across properties (including the Beeler home), this webinar dives into the details of the entire effort of the Beelers, including their broader commitment to living a sustainable lifestyle. George will share the many lessons he learned throughout the entire process, including what was most successful as well as what could have been done differently. He will also share his most recent experience with an electric vehicle and its effect on the home's utility bills.
© 2017 Created by Home Performance Coalition (HPC) Powered by


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SOUTH Tyneside's Lake District outdoor centre is to get a £325,000 "green" facelift.
The Thurston Outdoor Education Centre, on the east shore of Coniston Water, in the heart of the Lake District's National Park, has been awarded £243,750 in National Lottery funding
South Tyneside Council has also invested 25 per cent match funding, bringing the project total to £325,000.
Two thousand children and young people from the borough use the centre – a former Victorian rural retreat on a 43-acre site – each year for residential and day-based packages, including team working and outward-bound activities.
The money, from Sport England's improvement fund, has been awarded to sustainable projects that will help minimise a site's impact on the environment.
The investment at Thurston will include the installation of hydroelectricity, ground source heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and improved water-saving measures.
Coun Joan Atkinson, South Tyneside Council's lead member for children, young people and families, said: "We are delighted to have secured the crucial investment from Sport England.
"Thurston has played a big part in the lives of generations of young people from the borough. All of the work will ensure the centre is environmentally stable for the next 50 years.
"The wider programme of work will make Thurston more sustainable and reduce reliance and money spent on expensive carbon-based fuels.
"It will provide more opportunities for young people and residents, and also help them to learn how they can make environmentally-friendly changes in their community."
By ensuring a facility is environmentally sustainable, sports clubs can save money on their running costs.
Sport England property director, Charles Johnston, said: "We know people have a better experience of sport when they have good facilities in which to play. This investment will ensure the people of South Tyneside will be able to develop a sporting habit for life, in a first-class, environmental sports facility."
Schools, colleges or youth groups wanting further information about Thurston can call 0153 944 1218, or visit www.facebook.com/ThurstonOEC.
Twitter @shieldsgazette


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Artist description:
family time
Flash Draw Created Mar 08, 2009 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2009 puppetman.
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you have an interesting style,i really like it!=) great colors btw;)ref used?
What a gorgeous family....well done draw!!!!
amazing! I love that you are able to get a "painterly" effect.
i .ove this drawing
a lovely scene,wonderful drawing.5♥s
Verrrry good draw!!! ^-^
That is soo cute! I love it!
this is really cute! 5/5
Those look like the Canadian geese that migrate here ... it's always nice to see them with their families. :) 5 ♥s


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Her inventions have a nasty habit of going kind of haywire, sure, but Tink's so inventive that the high sheriffs at Pixie Hollow have given her the nod to make the Autumn Sceptre this time around. Every season when the blue moon is at its peak, streams of light beam through the Moonstone that's perched atop the sceptre, and the blue pixie dust that bursts out keeps all the fairies happy and healthy for the year to come. It's an honor and a big responsibility. Tinker Bell's pal Terence wants to help her out but is kinda just getting in the way, so she sends him on a wild goose chase for a sharp thingie so she can put the finishing touches on her sceptre. That does the trick, too: the sceptre looks magnificent, and the Moonstone fits on it perfectly. Tink stumbles over the compass that Terence drags in, though, and...yikes! Smash. What's left of the sceptre is scattered in pieces all over the floor. Terence was just trying to ::sniffles!:: be a good friend, but that hot-headed fairy barks at him to leave. After he slinks off, Tinker Bell stomps on the floor in frustration and...um, accidentally crushes the Moonstone.
The harvest festival is just a few days off, and the Fairy Council doesn't exactly have a backup Moonstone to grab off the shelf. Oh, but wait...! Tinker Bell hears a story about a magical mirror at Fairy Tale Theatre. It still has one wish left to grant, and it ought to be able to whip up another Moonstone. All she has to do is trek to a faraway lost island, make her way past a
The story is admittedly kind of thinly sketched, and it doesn't have the colossal, sweeping grandeur I would've expected out of a big-screen Disney adventure. That's okay, though. Too cute for words and endlessly charming, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure sets out to entrance young, wide-eyed girls with its magical world and spectacular visuals. It's definitely more of a kids' movie than a family film,
By far the best thing about Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is its breathtakingly beautiful visuals. It may not be in quite the same league as a $150 million Pixar or Dreamworks film, no, but The Lost Treasure eclipses quite a few of the other computer animated films I've caught over the past few years. I love how expressive its characters are, and the animators take care to make sure every smirk, grimace, subtle gesture, and eye movement come through to really bring them all to life. With an exceptional eye for detail, its jaw-droppingly vivid palette, and some terrific character animation, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure really is a theatrical-quality release. Sometimes the fairies themselves have kind of a shiny, plastic look to them, but otherwise, I really can't think of anything to grouse about Tinker Bell's wonderful animation, and I'm especially impressed by its inspired use of light. It's that sort of embellishment that really separates the ordinary and the extraordinary.
I have a lifelong love of animation, and I can't help but marvel at the skill and craftsmanship that have clearly gone into Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. Disney isn't settling for something chintzy or cut-rate just to squeeze a few more bucks out of parents; this puts a lot of the theatrical releases from Disney's competition to shame, really. On the story side of things, The Lost Treasure is more ordinary, and it's aimed so squarely at young girls that I don't think it'll hold all that much appeal to older viewers. Still, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is precious and sweetly charming -- it's exactly the movie it sets out to be -- and I'd grab a copy for one of my younger relatives in a heartbeat. Recommended.
Again, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure certainly doesn't look like a direct-to-video adventure. The 1.78:1 image is eye-poppingly crisp and colorful -- so richly detailed that I felt as if I could pick out each and every leaf in the Hollow, the tiniest flecks of fairy dust, and every last hair on the forest critters. The strong sense of texture and meticulous attention to detail really shine on Blu-ray, and its exceptionally striking use of light and its bright, vivid colors bowled me over as well. I really can't muster any gripes at all: the presentation on this Blu-ray disc is perfect.
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure has been encoded with AVC, and the movie and its extras are offered up on a dual layer disc.
The movie's 24-bit, six-channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is wonderful as well. The Lost Treasure's voice acting is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, balanced flawlessly in the mix with the buoyant score and all of the sound effects. Most of the action is rooted up front, reserving the surround channels largely for atmosphere and to reinforce the music. Still, there's a strong sense of directionality across the front channels, and the rears are used effectively when they do kick in, particularly a terrific split-surround effect when a catapult goes haywire. With its impressively clear and distinct instrumentation as well as its rich, full-bodied sound, the score by Joel McNeely really shines on this lossless soundtrack. The lower frequencies are kind of restrained but have enough heft to do the job, such as the bickering trolls stomping to block Tink in her tracks. Though I do wish the sound design were a little more consistently immersive, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure sounds great on Blu-ray.
This disc features Dolby Digital 5.1 dubs in French and Spanish as well. Subtitles are also offered in English (SDH), French, and Spanish.
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is a BD Live-enabled disc, although at least as I write this, there aren't any online bells and whistles to dig into quite yet.
This Blu-ray disc comes packaged in a really eye-catching embossed slipcase with glitter sprinkled onto Tinker Bell's wings. There's also a DVD tucked into the set so the kids can watch The Lost Treasure no matter where they are. Tacked onto the front of the case is an $8 discount for anyone picking up this Blu-ray disc and the high-def release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and through the end of October 2009, Disney also has a $10 off coupon.
The Final Word
Though it doesn't have the sprawling scope or quite as endearing characterization of Disney's big-screen animated adventures, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is still cute and charming. The computer animation is absolutely dazzling on Blu-ray too, so beautifully polished that it definitely doesn't look as if it dove directly to video. The extras are on the thin side, and the movie really seems to be aimed at particularly young kids. Still, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is so adorable and so gorgeously rendered that it shouldn't have any trouble winning over young, wide-eyed girls, and it's nice to see that Disney's added on a DVD so the kids can watch it in the car or at Grandma's house too. Recommended.
A Few More Screengrabs...


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Written on: 26/01/2014 by stevebrooks1 (1 review written)
the hotel a [hidden gem] was superb and marvellous value for money and a great concept.
the mix of great hotel and the show tickets makes a lovely and very enjoyable break..i would highy recommend hotel direct.com and will use the service again.
detailing the hotels location from the threatre was very helpful all in all 5*


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Golden girls
bob ford/times news Kayla Hope of Tamaqua won the Class AA long jump with a leap of 17-3.
ORWIGSBURG - One down, three to go for Tamaqua's Kayla Hope.
For teammate Amber Carroll, it's three down with one to go.
Hope and Carroll both earned individual gold medals to lead all TIMES NEWS area athletes yesterday afternoon on the first day of the District 11 Track and Field Championships held at Blue Mountain High School.
It was the first career District 11 Class AA gold medal for Hope, who will be trying to add three more golds to her collection when the District Championships resume later this afternoon.
Hope, who placed second in the long jump a year ago, leaped 17-3 for a decisive victory over Pen Argyl's Sarah Vough (15-8 1/2).
The Tamaqua junior also posted the top performance in the preliminaries of the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.35, which was a new personal best. As the top-seed, Hope will be favored in today's 200-meter finals, as well as in the 400-meter relay, where her team is also seeded first. In the triple jump, Hope is seeded second, but is just four inches shy of top-seeded Sarah Vough.
"The long jump is probably my favorite event and I've been really looking forward to it all week," stated Hope. "It was really nice to come in and get a gold right away in my first event."
"In tomorrow's triple jump, I'm just hoping to have my best jump of the season, and I definitely want to push myself in the 200," added Hope. "But I really want to get the gold in the 4x100 so I can get to States and share that experience with three of my teammates."
While Hope claimed her first District gold medal yesterday, Carroll secured her third straight gold in the 3200-meter run. After winning the event as a freshman and sophomore, Carroll posted a time of 12:12.62, which was about three seconds faster than Salisbury's Taylor Gonoude.
Carroll's time may have been a little slower than she is used to, but it's an amazing performance for someone who is just getting back into running shape after having her appendix removed.
"It's pretty exciting to three-peat, especially just coming off surgery a few weeks back," said Carroll who led from start to finish of the race. "I thought I was in control for most of the race. I felt the Salisbury girl catching up to me in the final 100 yards, so I knew I had to pick it up a little and finish strong."
Carroll also took part on Tamaqua's 3200-meter relay team (with junior classmates Cecily Kohlmeir, Dana Ansbach and Kelsey Patrick), which finished in third place behind Notre Dame of Green Pond and Bethlehem Catholic.
Carroll will attempt to add more hardware to her collection later today when she competes in the 1600-meter relay and 1600-meter run, where she is seeded second in both events.
In Class AAA, Kelecia Harris of Pleasant Valley placed second in the long jump with a leap of 16-6 . Harris, a junior who is competing in her first year of varsity track, also qualified for next week's State Championships.
"I'm just so excited, it's hard to even put it into words," beamed Harris. "I wasn't totally satisfied with my jumps because I thought I could have done a little better, but I'm definitely happy with the results."
In the Class AA shot put, Palmerton's Kelsey Hay and Lehighton freshman Gwen Remaley will be representing the TIMES NEWS area in the State Tournament.
Hay, who just missed qualifying for States a year ago, heaved a toss of 36-5 on her final attempt to secure a second-place finish, while Remaley recorded a personal best fourth-place throw of 36-2, which was just above the state qualifying standard of 36-0.
"Making it to States was definitely my top goal this year after not making it last season," noted Hay. "Prior to my last attempt, I was in third place and two inches shy of qualifying for States, so I just put everything I had into that final throw."
Remaley also added a third-place finish in the Discus for a solid start to her varsity career.
"I was disappointed that I didn't make States in the discus, but I had to put that out of my mind and start over in the shot put," stated Remaley. "I ended up throwing a personal best in the shot though, so that definitely made me feel a lot better."
Palmerton also got third-place finishes from Casey Rinfret in the long jump (15-8 ) and Sam Doherty in the pole vault (8-6).
Several area athletes also posted preliminary times that will qualify them for today's finals.
In Class AA, Tamaqua's Taylor Gerber was tied for first with Palisades' Meryah Harding in the 100-meter low hurdles (16.71), while teammate Maria Streisel posted the second-best time in the 100-meter dash (13.26, which was just behind the 13.20 posted by Notre Dame of Green Pond's Amy Kester).
Other TIMES NEWS preliminary qualifiers for today's finals include: Palmerton's Jessica Pereira (100 and 200), Lehighton's Sage Terembula (100 and 200), Palmerton's Casey Rinfret (100), Palmerton's Kristen Romano (100 low hurdles), Lehighton's Lauren Michalik (100 low hurdles), Pleasant Valley's Kelecia Harris (100 and 200) and Pleasant Valley's Kiasia Dunbar (100 low hurdles).


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LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- As it promised last June, the Disney Channel has featured a family with two lesbian moms on its sitcom, Good Luck Charlie.
The episode, which aired Sunday night, included a side plot in which preschooler Charlie has a play date with a girl named Taylor. Before meeting Taylor's parents, Charlie's father, Bob, couldn't figure out whether Taylor's mom was named Susan or Cheryl.
"Taylor has two moms!" Bob says after meeting them.
"Nothing gets past you, Bob," his wife quips.
The Disney Channel developed the storyline last year "under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisors," the network said in a statement. Miley Cyrus, a former Disney Channel star, praised the network's declared intention to "reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness".
"Is this true?!?!?! I commend Disney for making this step into the light of this generation," she tweeted at the time. "They control so much of what kids think! Life isn't bright sets & wardrobe & kids becoming superstars! This is INSPIRING."


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A local ownership consortium is stepping up to the plate in a bid to bring professional baseball back to the capital for the 2014 season.
Patrick McGarry, partner with Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Funeral Homes, confirmed Wednesday he is a member of a small group of "recognizable names" in the community that has been holding talks to raise the 30% share required by the Eastern League to relocate the Double-A Binghamton Mets to Ottawa Stadium.
Whether the group, comprised of as many as 20 members of the local business community, will be able to raise enough its share of the reported $17-million franchise purchase price — or about $5 million in capital — is another question.
The push to purchase the struggling New York Mets affiliate hit a snag, with Nolan Ryan's Ryan-Sanders Entertainment group reportedly pulling out of the deal this week.
Local ownership is believed to be another major sticking point in negotiations, as the major players were initially hoping to finalize the deal this week at the winter meetings in Nashville. Mayor Jim Watson said last week the date has been extended into the first quarter of 2013.
The presence of local owners — one of the key stipulations laid out by Eastern League president Joe McEacharn — could be something of a breakthrough in the process.
"We've done our due diligence and said we'd be interested. The numbers haven't been finalized, but we would have significant interest," said McGarry, 42, who said the group presently has about 20 partners who have each been asked to contribute.
There is one "lead person" who has been in talks with the city, though McGarry declined to identify any other partners within the group, saying members have been "keeping our names private" during the ongoing negotiations.
If local ownership is secured, it would still leave Boston-based Beacon Sports Capital Partners, the main power brokers negotiating the sale and transfer of the B-Mets, looking for an American-based majority owner to pinch hit for Nolan Ryan's aborted ownership bid.
A source close to the negotiations said Beacon has "a group of people who have indicated at one time or another that, 'If an opportunity comes your way, let us know, because we'll look at anything and everything.' "
Beacon COO Richard Billings is attending the winter meetings and was unavailable for comment.
McGarry said one of the most exciting incentives for the potential owners would be an affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays, who are aligned with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats through 2014. Binghamton Mets president Michael Urda — who has vehemently denied his team is for sale — recently extended his partnership with the New York Mets for four more years.
A swap of affiliations remains a possibility as negotiations proceed.
"I remember going to the old Lynx games and the excitement baseball generated in the community," said McGarry. "(CFL) football is going to be back, and (baseball) is more of a family-oriented venue. It's a shame to have such a beautiful ball park sitting there not being used."
-with files from Doug Hempstead
Twitter: @OttSunHelmer


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These are three of the most common Heartless from the Square Enix series Kingdom Hearts. Heartless are the main enemies of Sora and are controlled by those close to the darkness.
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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Toronto city staff want to put off the contentious debate on jets at the island airport until the next term of council, but there is a movement afoot, among those who want the prohibition to stand, to vote on the issue next month.
The deputy city manager is asking for the authority to negotiate a phased airport growth plan that caps the number of passengers, peak hour flights and daily flights. Staff want a list of requirements met before reporting back on Porter Airlines' request to lift the jet ban at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and extend the runway. That debate would not happen until next year.
Councillor Pam McConnell says there is another option, which she expects to come to the floor of council in April.
"You can say no to jets and you can still address the issue of capping, the issue of slots, the issue of the environment," said Ms. McConnell, who maintains expansion would ruin the waterfront.
There are no limits on passenger traffic at the island airport, estimated at about 2.3 million a year. Staff propose phasing in a cap of 2.7 million annual passengers. They also want to cap peak hour flights at 20 (up from 16) and daily flights at the existing 202.
John Livey, the deputy city manager, says his "road map" would match growth at the airport with transportation and community improvements in the area. It could lead to a recommendation in favour of Porter's request, he added. If approved, jets could be at the airport by 2017 or 2018.
Porter president Robert Deluce called the staff recommendations a "solid step forward" but deemed the proposed flight and passenger caps stringent. "We support caps in principle, but believe they require further discussion," he said.
The group No Jets TO said the road map is a "slippery slope" and expressed disappointment it did not highlight issues about health, safety and the environment.
National Post
• Email: firstname.lastname@example.com | Twitter: NPHallMonitor


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If you participated in the use of fireworks this July 4th, please read this message:
These are just a few of the latest reports on injuries and, sadly, even a fatality relating to fireworks. None of these people thought they would be the instigator or victim of a fireworks injury, so please don't be fooled into thinking this couldn't happen to you.
Protect yourself and your loved ones: Don't use fireworks! Don't buy fireworks! Don't leave fireworks in reach of kids! They're dangerous and illegal.
Sincerely,Ivan D. Lee, Fire Marshal
If you have leftover fireworks: Bring them to the nearest fire station for proper disposal—no questions will be asked. Never place them in the trash, which could endanger our waste haulers. Find a fire station at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=755


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Taking Stock / Meet the Taxpayer
"Finance Minister Silvan Shalom deliberately lied. Over the last couple of months, I warned again and again that there was a vast discrepancy between revenues and budget expenditure, totaling some NIS 10-15 billion. It was crystal clear that the finance minister was playing with tax refunds and payments, and that it was all a scam ahead of the elections." (Former finance minister Avraham Shochat, in an interview to Ynet on Sunday.)
True enough. It is highly likely that Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, abetted by his top officials, hoodwinked the public into believing the treasury met the government's deficit target for 2002. Accountant General Nir Gilad, who spearheaded the treasury's moves, has yet to offer convincing explanations for the yawning deficit that appeared in January 2003.
But while Shochat skewered Shalom, we couldn't help but recall a couple of columns that appeared in Ha'aretz back in January and June of 1996 called "Shochat's empty issues." Shochat has little to learn from Shalom's financial acrobatics. He knows the ropes perfectly well himself.
In February 1996, the treasury presented a huge deficit of NIS 1.5 billion for the previous month, whereas the government usually posts a surplus for January. Then, too, suspicions arose that the real reason for the January slide was that spending had been rolled over from 1995 to January 1996, to allow Shochat to claim he'd met the 1995 deficit target, which had been 3.5 percent of GDP.
Shalom's sin is graver, you may be frowning, because he pulled his trick right before national elections. But so did Shochat; he did the same before the 1996 elections. In early July, a few days after the elections, when the treasury published the data for June, it transpired that the deficit had suddenly ballooned to NIS 2.3 billion. Then, too, the accountant general was sent out there to field questions, and attributed the entire hole to one-time expenditures.
A top treasury official from Shochat's reign confirmed the whole thing last week. No, Silvan Shalom and Nir Gilad didn't invent creative accounting; we did it too, he admitted. "The only difference is that this time, the amounts in question are much bigger, because with Silvan Shalom everything is done big and blatant," he said.
There is another difference, of rather more significance, between the accounting acrobatics of 1996 and those of 2003. This time, the budget crisis is much more serious, and the price these gambits will cost is much more painful.
The year 2003 is starting with a budget that is truly a unique animal. It is a budget that all the treasury officials, all the business leaders and all the analysts agree is utterly irrelevant. Some think it missed the mark by NIS 10 billion; others think the budget is NIS 20 billion off from meeting its goals.
The problem with the 2003 budget begins with its outlay, starting from costs rolled over from last year to the defense budget conundrum (Was it really cut by NIS 6 billion? Or was that just the appearance wink-wink of a cut?)
The unknown parameter
But the biggest unknown parameter is in the revenues column: How far will actual tax collection be from predicted tax collection.
This week, Dr Avi Alter, a member of the tax reform panel headed by CPA Yair Rabinovitch, mentioned another great big hole lurking in the 2003 collection forecast - tens of thousands of high earners who routed their salaries to newly-registered companies in order to pay less National Insurance and Health Tax. Instead of gaining more tax by abolishing the ceiling on National Insurance and Health Tax, the treasury is likely to wind up with much less.
Alter estimates that particular gambit cost the treasury NIS 3.2 billion from the group of high-earners, which are its principal source of tax wealth. The logic is simple. Many of the taxpayers who set up shell companies will reduce their capital withdrawals from these companies as far as possible. They will leave as much money as possible within the companies. Many will thus reduce their tax rate from 64 to 36 percent.
Abolishing the ceiling on National Insurance and Health Tax was one of the treasury's most egregious mistakes because it inflicted long-term damage. The treasury shoved tens of thousands of its best taxpayers into the circle of tax dodgers. The chance of them renouncing their newfound practice and starting to pay full tax again is vanishingly small.
The finance minister is still waving his slogan of "taxing the rich," but the truth is the dead opposite. The wealthy have always evaded tax in Israel; but now, thanks to the treasury abolishing the cap on National Insurance and Health Tax, they've been joined by the self-employed and strongest salaried workers.
Which leaves who exactly to pay tax? It leaves the people who don't earn enough to justify registering a company, or people who can't afford to launch a company because it would impact on various benefits if they were to forgo their employment relations.
The forecast for 2003 is simple. Less people will pay more tax; collection as a whole will continue to deteriorate fast; the economic crisis will intensify; interest rates will remain high; and the herd dubbed "Israel's economic leaders" will continue to amble from one cocktail party and emergency conference to another.
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On Wednesday, the NFL came down hard on the New Orleans Saints organization, head coach Sean Payton, General Manager Mickey Loomis, and Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams for the parts they played in the "BountyGate" scandal.
Commissioner Roger Goodell was very heavy handed in dealing with those that broke the rules, and stomped upon the competitive spirit of the game, and he hasn't even gotten to the players yet. The odds seem good that those penalties will be quite stiff, as well.
However, the league can punish those guilty of the infractions all they want, but there is still going to be an empty feeling for those that were on the receiving end of the wrongdoings.
On two relatively recent occasions the NFL has punished cheaters while simultaneously providing the "victims" with reparations as an attempt to make up for the transgressions.


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On Thursday, New York's mayor, Bill de Blasio, passed his hundredth day in office, telling an audience in the Great Hall of Cooper Union, "Grass-roots politics, neighborhood politics, tells us that the people are almost always ahead of their leaders."
"A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving."
—Albert Einstein
"If you live to be one hundred, you've got it made. Very few people die past that age."
—George Burns
"When angry, count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred."
—Thomas Jefferson
"I have seen, and heard, much of Cockney impudence before now; but never expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public's face."
—John Ruskin
"The heaping together of paintings by Old Masters in museums is a catastrophe; likewise, a collection of a hundred Great Brains makes one big fathead."
—C. G. Jung
"Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back."
"Let a hundred flowers bloom."
—Mao Zedong
"A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns."
—Mario Puzo