text:
Photographer's Note
Recent gasoline prices in the US has impacted the airline industry a lot. As of June 2008, the price of one US gallon of Gasoline costs about USD 4.00. 11 years ago when I stepped in to this country, the price was 88 cents. gas price is affecting every walks of life and changes the lifestyle of many in this country. tabloids and magazines are giving out tips to save on gas consumption. there is a 4 month wait to buy or lease hybrid vehicles. the reason I'm pointing out is having raised in India, the ideas given in the magazines are pretty much followed on a day to day basis and it still continues in India.
In the US, the airline industry is the hardest hit sector because of the raising oil price. for past several years, they have been down sizing yet, for the sake of customer conveniences, they continue to serve the way they are serving and thats been huring them quite hard. Inspite of emerging from bankruptcy, many of the airline company still struggles to show commanding profits. they tried all options of flying light with less fuel, to cutting the little perks they offer on board to reducing work force. nothing seems to helping them in big way. Southwest Airlines is the only one seems immune to the ballooning crude oil price.
On the other hand, some argue that the price of gasoline in the US is lot cheaper compared to what some of the countries are paying. I think one of the european country is paying about 12 dollars per gallon of gasoline. since I know the price in India and the US, let me show a little math.
11 years ago, the price of 1 litre in India is about 40 rupees. Given the then conversion rate of 37 rupees per one US dollar, India paid more than 1 USD per litre.
On the contrast, the US paid only 88 cents per US gallon. US Gallon is approximately 3.5 litres. which means the price of gasoline in the US is about 1/3 of what people in India paid.
Fast forward to today, I recently returned from India and I paid 54 rupees per litre, which comes to approximately 1.25 USD per litre, where as the US Gallon is costing about 4.05 USD today in Michigan. With this calculation I guess the price of gasoline in the US has levelled the price I paid in India.
So, the claim made by some of the experts seems to be true. US paid less in past years for gasoline.
For argument's sake if the price of gasoline is so cheap in the US and the commodity prices were equal or higher than the world market, then where did all the money go? The price I paid for an airplane ticket 2 or 3 years ago is not the real price then! May be that equated to the free pretzels on board?
I think, the price of gasoline few years ago changed the attitude of people of United states about the usage of this fuel. Even today, I see many cars been driven with only driver in it. had the price been kept like today over past years, we would have spent the fuel more efficiently and mass transit would have picked up matching the personal transport in the US. Places like Michigan lacks public transport and its is hard to look for an alternate travel when you want to make a difference. I can always car pool with my neighbours. Like I said earlier, the commuting habit has been injected into our blood because of the deflated price that now we struggle to cope with the reality.
Picture is taken in Northwest World Gateway (Ed McNamara terminal) in Michigan while I was waiting to board that plane.
It was a rainly day and I used my phone camera to intentionally blur the background.
Critiques | Translate
SridharRao75 (280) 2008-06-27 1:42
Hi Rajesh:
I like this pic tho I'm not too sure what the price of petrol has to do with it.
capthaddock (28790) 2008-07-27 17:28
Great note, and graphism in the abstract photo, I agree with Sridhar that the connection to the gas prices are vague, but the note helps to tie it, because after reading it, I can distinguish the outline of the plabe in the bg.
Photo Information
- Copyright: Rajesh Srinivasan (rajhema) (1873)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2008-06-23
- Categories: Daily Life
- Camera: Canon PowerShot A70, Compact Flash
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2008-06-24 14:08
- To SridharRao75: Good point. (1)
by rajhema, last updated 2008-06-27 03:24


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Oct 13, 2009
|Filing date
|Sep 27, 2005
|Priority date
|Mar 7, 2001
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Bing Chen, David Beaumont Ramsden
|Original Assignee
|At & T Intellectual Property Ii, L.P.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (9), Referenced by (4), Classifications (9), Legal Events (2)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/801,481, filed Mar. 7, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,050,400.
The present invention relates to communication networks, and in particular to using a signal with power level variations to detect packet losses in communication networks.
Packet switching networks transmit digital information between sources and destinations known as end points. The end points can be directly connected to the packet network or they may be indirectly linked through an intermediary non-packet network such as a local loop of a telephone network. When the end points are directly connected to the network, a source end point creates packets, each packet having a data portion and a routing information portion. The packets are then transmitted to an input port of the packet network. Similarly, end points that are not directly connected to a packet network transmit non-packetized data which is subsequently packetized at an input port of the packet network.
The packet network includes a plurality of interconnected nodes which receive the packets in succession; and based on the routing information within each packet, each node selects a path to another node or a network output port. As packets traverse a packet network from input ports through intermediate nodes to output ports, they may become unusable or lost. In general, congestion at network nodes is a main cause of packet loss. As buffer space is quickly used up at the nodes, an overload condition may occur, resulting in either a delay in transmission or loss of data.
From the standpoint of the destination end point, packet loss causes inaccuracies in the data signal stream received from the source end point. In some cases, when packets are dropped, the received data stream reveals a gap in the received signal, which is easy to detect. In other cases, packets may be immediately substituted for the unusable packets, concealing the packet loss. The substitute packets may be the last usable packet or a new packet may be generated according to an algorithm that uses information from the last packet and possibly the next packet to estimate the lost data by interpolation.
To improve the quality of data transmission in packet networks, techniques have been developed to identify packet loss. One technique uses packet monitoring systems connected to nodes of the packet network to transmit special packets to measure packet loss. In another technique, packet loss is detected by monitoring normal packets in the network and checking the sequence numbers of the packets to determine if any packets have been lost. These techniques require access to the packet network being evaluated and suffer from the further disadvantage that they may not identify packets lost after the point at which they are connected to the network. As a result, they may not provide a fully accurate measurement of end-to-end network performance.
The present invention provides a method for detecting total end-to-end loss of data packets in a packet network that does not require direct access to the packet network. A test signal is generated at a source indirectly coupled to the packet network. The test signal is transmitted over the packet network to a destination also indirectly coupled to the packet network. At the destination, a modified test signal is received and examined to detect irregularities and then processed to determine whether the irregularities in the recorded signal represent packet loss.
The method according to the present invention further provides that the test signal includes repeating sections, with each section including a limited number of segments. The length of each segment is arranged to equal the packet size used by the packet network. If the packet size is unknown, the length should be equal to the smallest packet size typically used. In IP networks which support voice traffic, a frame of speech, usually a 10 ms sampling, is typically encoded into the data bits of a single packet. The 10 ms time period is chosen as a trade-off between limiting the amount of in-network delay added to the call, while maximizing the data bits included in each packet. The length of the repeating section is arranged to be large enough so that packet loss concealment methods will not be able to extract the actual power level of the lost packets from the packets before and after the lost packets. The signal is also designed so that the encoded average power level of each segment is detectably different from average power levels from each of the other segments in a given section. In an implementation, the segment length is set at 10 ms and the section length is set at 40 ms.
In a particular embodiment, expected power levels for each segment in the repeating sections of the test signal are calculated. The power level of each segment is compared with its expected power level, and a difference between the two levels is obtained. If the difference is greater than a threshold, packet loss is detected. The threshold is chosen based on the fluctuations of the power levels on the network.
The source and destination end points of a telephone network, such as customer premises equipment, and the test signal may be implemented as an analog or digital signal customarily transmitted over a telephone network.
The present invention also provides a device for generating a test signal used for detecting total end-to-end loss of data packets in a packet network. The device includes a signal generator configured to generate a test signal having repeating sections of segments. The device includes a transmitter adapted to be indirectly coupled to a packet network.
Additionally, the present invention provides a device for detecting total end to end loss of data packets in a packet network. The device includes a signal receiver, a recording unit for recording test signals received by the receiver, and a processor configured to analyze the recorded test signal, to determine if packet loss occurred during transmission of the signal through the packet network and to report test signal packet loss statistics.
In accordance with the present invention, a test signal, containing repeating segments of data, is generated at a source end point and sent to a destination end point through an intermediary packet network. At the destination end point, the test signal is received, then recorded and processed to determine whether packets of data from the original signal were lost in transit in the packet network and, if so, where in the signal the packet loss occurred. During processing, a signal correlation method is used between the received signal and a small portion of the start of the original signal to find the exact starting point of the received test signal. From this start point, the power of each segment in the received test signal is calculated based on the amplitude of the signal. Based on the median power of several segments of several sections, the expected power pattern is detected. Each segment's power level is compared with the expected power level of the pattern from the start point. If the difference of the actual power and the expected power exceeds a threshold for a given segment, packet loss is deemed to have occurred at that segment.
At the Gateway 28, the signal, made up of a continuous bit stream of data, is packetized. The Gateway 28 generates packets using IP (Internet Protocol) or ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) format depending on the type of packet network 35 used for transmission. In an IP implementation, the sizes of the packet, i.e., the amount of voice/data they contain, are typically between 10 and 30 ms. From the Gateway 28, the test signal enters the packet network 35 which includes a distributed set of nodes 31 a, b, c, such as routers. Although only three nodes are shown, this is for illustrative purposes, and any number of intermediate nodes can be used in conjunction to establish a virtual path through the packet network 35.
As the packetized test signal traverses the nodes 31 a, b, c of the packet network 35, packets may be lost along the virtual path through the network to the destination local loop 45. At the output gateway 42, the packet stream is de-packetized into a digital bit stream and transmitted to a destination local switch 44. The local switch routes the reconstructed signal to the telephony interface 55 at the destination 50. At the destination 50, either signal measurement equipment 60 coupled to a DS-0 line attached to a telephone 59 or a signal measurement application running in association with a PC 58 sound card intercepts the reconstructed test signal when it reaches the telephony interface 55. The signal is immediately recorded by the PC 58 or by signal recording equipment 62. The recorded signal may be processed in real-time, concurrently with recording, or subsequently. To assist in the processing of the test signal, the PC 58 or the signal measurement equipment generates a small sample of the original source test signal in accordance with a predefined algorithm shared with the source signal generators 12, 16.
The test signal is designed to be sensitive to packet loss. Changes in the power pattern of a recorded test signal identify when a packet has been replaced. In one embodiment, a 1004 Hz tone is used as the test signal, but tones using other frequencies or speech-like signals, such as the composite source signal described in ITU-T G. 168, can also be used. More specifically, the signal is designed so that the average power level of each packet (when the signal is packetized) is different from that of adjacent packets, and the number of sequential packets is large enough that packet loss concealment techniques should not be able to extract the actual power level of the lost packet from the adjacent packets. In an IP implementation, in which packets store between 10 and 30 ms of voice data (the amount of time stored being proportional to the number of bits in the packet), the basic unit size of the test signal is equal to the smallest IP packet size in units of time, 10 ms, and the systematic power level variation is 40 ms, greater than the longest IP packet size of 30 Ms. Thus, the test signal has four distinct 10 ms segments, each having a different average power level, which is repeated for the duration of the signal.
Average Power Level
An embodiment of the signal processing method according to the present invention is shown in
Calculated Power Levels
In step 140, the expected average power level for each segment A′, B′, C′ and D′ is calculated by finding the median value of the five samples taken of each segment. The rank order of the power levels of the four segments should correspond with the rank order of the original signal's power levels. Five repetitions of the signal are used to limit the possibility that packet dropping will impact the calculation, the assumption being that packet loss will cause variation in individual power levels in either a positive or negative direction, but the median value should not be affected. The expected values are −28, −35, −25 and −15 for A′, B′, C′, and D′ respectively. In this example, the expected values differ from the original values shown in
In Table 2, several of the values vary from the expected median value, each of these values A′=−30, B′=−34 and D′=−14 may represent segments where packet loss has occurred. Using the expected power levels taken from the twenty-segment sample, starting at the beginning of the recorded signal (step 150), in step 160, the power level of each segment is compared with the segment's expected power level. If the difference is greater than a threshold level, which can be chosen as an adjustable tolerance range of, for example, 1 dB, then packet loss is deemed to have occurred at that segment, and in step 165 is counted as a lost packet.
In some cases, after a burst packet loss occurs, the recorded signal is shifted, and it must be re-aligned so that the next good packet is compared with the correct expected power level. In step 170, it is determined whether a shift has occurred; and if so, in step 175 realignment takes place. Due to the fact that the pattern repeats every four packets, or 40 ms, shifts of greater than 40 ms will only cause the signal to be realigned by 10, 20 or 30 ms to resynchronize the received signal with the expected pattern. After realignment is performed, and after a power level of a segment is compared to its expected value and no packet loss is detected, the signal is incremented to the next segment (step 190) unless the end of the recording has been reached (step 180), in which case (step 200) the total packet loss statistics for the recorded transmission are compiled in a report. The statistics include the location of each lost packet, the duration of the loss and the overall loss rate.
In the foregoing description, the method and system of the invention have been described with reference to a number of examples that are not to be considered limiting. Rather, it is to be understood and expected that variations in the principles of the method and apparatus herein disclosed may be made by one skilled in the art and it is intended that such modifications, changes, and/or substitutions are to be included within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, although an exemplary segment size of 10 ms has been used, the segment size used in the test signal can be adjusted to account for variations in packet sizes used in various packet networks. Additionally, although a four-segment repeating pattern was described, the pattern may include five or more repeating segments. The specification and the drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Nov 5, 1980
|Jul 12, 1983
|Automatic self-test system for a digital multiplexed telecommunication system
|Mar 20, 1992
|May 17, 1994
|Fujitsu Limited
|Apparatus for testing ATM channels
|Apr 9, 1993
|Dec 13, 1994
|Fujitsu Limited
|Apparatus and a method for setting a communication path
|Mar 14, 1994
|Sep 12, 1995
|At&T Ipm Corp.
|Linear prediction coefficient generation during frame erasure or packet loss
|Apr 1, 1996
|Aug 11, 1998
|Gte Laboratories Incorporated
|Method and apparatus for performance monitoring in electronic communications networks
|Oct 15, 1996
|Feb 23, 1999
|Motorola Inc.
|System and device for, and method of, detecting, characterizing, and mitigating deterministic distortion in a communications network
|Dec 24, 1998
|Apr 9, 2002
|Mci Worldcom, Inc.
|Method and system for evaluating the quality of packet-switched voice signals
|Feb 8, 2001
|Apr 22, 2003
|Worldcom, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for detecting a waveform
|Apr 22, 2003
|Feb 12, 2004
|Diener Neil R.
|System and method for management of a shared frequency band
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 13, 2007
|Jan 24, 2012
|Alcatel Lucent
|Network management system and method for performing scalable loss measurements within an access network
|May 29, 2008
|Feb 23, 2016
|Airmagnet, Inc.
|Method and apparatus of measuring and reporting data gap from within an analysis tool
|Dec 13, 2007
|Jun 25, 2009
|Alcatel Lucent
|Network Management System and Method for Performing Scalable Loss Measurements within an Access Network
|May 29, 2008
|Dec 3, 2009
|Fluke Corporation
|Method and apparatus of measuring and reporting data gap from within an analysis tool
|U.S. Classification
|370/252, 379/27.03, 370/248, 370/473, 370/242
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Mar 18, 2013
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 27, 2017
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8

subset: commoncrawl


text:
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syrian President Bashar Assad gave amnesty to 190 political prisoners Wednesday to mark the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, the official Syrian Arab News Agency said.
SANA said that the amnesty was intended to bolster national unity and that similar measures would follow.
The move came as Syria faces increasing international pressure over its policies. The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Monday to demand that Syria cooperate fully with the U.N. investigation into the assassination of a former prime minister in neighboring Lebanon.
Those covered by the amnesty include Mohammad Raadoun, head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights, and democracy activist Ali Abdullah.
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text:
I am making a car mod trying to recreate this vehicle(1973 El Camino from My Name is Earl). I am a noob at zmodeler and GTA IV, so sorry if this is a stupid question.
This is how it shows up in zmodeler:
Which is perfect.
The problem is, it turns half invisible when I try to use it in GTA IV, like this:
The car worked perfect before I added the materials to it, and it appears as though only the parts that I have added materials to are the invisible parts.
How can I fix this? Is there a certain way I have to add the materials? Thanks in advance.
Also, I accidentally posted this in the wrong forum before, can anyone tell me how to delete/close that topic?
Vehicle Modding Help
Started by midknightkruzer, Jul 25 2012 06:00 AM
1 reply to this topic
Posted 25 July 2012 - 11:12 AM
Here's info on ZM's IV materials, setting the materials up right should fix any visual bugs like what you have.
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
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text:
The benefit programs described herein, subject in some cases to employee contribution, are presently available to eligible employees. Any and all employee benefits may be changed by the College from time to time at its sole discretion. The summary contained in this handbook may not provide complete details of all the benefits. For more information, visit the Human Resources website Benefits section.
The College provides medical insurance coverage through a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) for all Full-Time employees and their family members who elect to participate. The plan, called KeyCare 300, is sponsored through Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia. The available monthly premium structures are: subscriber only, subscriber and spouse or same-sex-domestic-partner, subscriber with one dependent child, or family coverage. Vision care through the Blue View Vision Network is included in the medical plan. Additional vision coverage is available at an additional cost to the employee.
The rates are subject to change every January 1. The College pays 50% of the monthly premium if the employee earns $45,001 or more, 65% of the premium if the employee earns between $25,001 and $45,000, and 80% of the premium if the employee earns $25,000 or less. Premiums are payroll-deducted on a before-tax basis (not subject to social security, federal or state taxes).
If a husband and wife are both employed at the College and have no other dependents, each may carry subscriber-only coverage. If a husband and wife are both employed at the College and have other dependents on the plan, family coverage must be elected. The premium deducted will be based on the higher salary regardless of who pays the premium.
Employees may elect to receive services with physicians and facilities of their choice. Employees should choose physicians who participate with Anthem and are willing to accept Anthem's allowable charge. Receiving services from non-participating physicians may result in higher cost. Deductibles, co-payments and maximum out-of-pocket expenses are subject to the participation of the physician or facility. For more information on the College's policy, please visit the Benefits page and look for medical, or for item specific information visit Anthem on the web (www.anthem.com).
There is no waiting period for enrollment. New employees hired on the first day of a month are eligible to participate as of the first day. New employees hired after the first day of a month are eligible to participate as of the first day of the following month. Employees who do not make an election within 31 days of eligibility may be denied coverage until the next open enrollment period.
In the event of employment termination, the employee will be notified of his or her rights regarding medical insurance continuation and the conversion plan, under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA). Visit COBRA on the Benefits web page for more information.
The College provides dental insurance coverage for all Full-Time employees and their family members. The plan is sponsored by Delta Dental of Virginia. There are two options available, Low or High Option.
Employees may elect to receive services with dentists and facilities of their choice. Employees should choose dentists who participate with Delta and are willing to accept Delta's allowable charge and not bill customers for the remaining balance. Receiving services from non-participating dentists may result in higher cost. For more information on the College's policy, please visit the Benefits page and look for dental, or for item specific information visit Delta on the web (www.deltadentalva.com).
Enrollment and premium rates follow the same guidelines as medical coverage. (see above)
The College offers a pretax reimbursement account plan that allows employees to pay medical/dental premiums on a before-tax basis and to set aside tax-free dollars in separate accounts to pay out-of-pocket medical and/or dependent care expenses. No social security, federal or state taxes are withheld on monies designated for these accounts. Eligibility and enrollment follow the same guidelines as medical coverage. (see above)
Health care and dependent care FSA's are managed by LD&B Insurance - www.ldbinsurance.com.
There are three types of flexible spending accounts:
Medical/Dental Premiums - allows for medical/dental premiums to be deducted from pay on a before-tax basis.
Health Care - allows for reimbursement for expenses (up to $2,500 in a calendar year) that are not covered by the medical/dental plan and are incurred by the employee and qualified family members. Expenses may include deductibles, co-payments, eye care, some over-the-counter medications, and other costs beyond available coverage.
Dependent Care - allows for reimbursement for expenses (up to $5,000 in a calendar year) for dependent children age 13 and under, or adult daycare for a dependent of any age who is physically and mentally incapable of self-care. The employee will be expected to report on his/her federal income tax return and the College's reimbursement form the name, address, and social security number of the dependent's careprovider.
The College provides term life insurance coverage for Full-Time employees totaling two times the employee's annual salary with a maximum benefit of $200,000. This policy features an Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit equal to the amount of life insurance coverage with a maximum benefit of $400,000. Coverage is provided through The Standard Insurance at no cost to the employee and is maintained for the duration of full-time employment.
Participation in the plan begins one year after employment with the College. The waiting period is waived for any new employee who can show proof of coverage through the most recent employer. (not to exceed three months prior to employment at the College)
This plan provides for waiver of premium payments if the employee becomes disabled, up to age 70.
The individual insured may convert the policy within thirty-one days of termination of employment to an individual policy without showing proof of good health.
Life insurance coverage in excess of $50,000 is considered a taxable benefit for the recipient of the insurance. These taxes are withheld from the employee's paycheck semi-annually in June and December of each year. The taxable amount is determined using an IRS formula based on the amount of life insurance coverage and the age of the employee.
The College's disability policy for Full-Time employees provides sixty percent (60%) of the employee's monthly wage base to a monthly benefit maximum of $5,000. This payment may be reduced by income from other sources such as Social Security (including benefits for dependents) or Workers' Compensation. Coverage is provided through The Standard Insurance at no cost to the employee and is maintained for the duration of full-time employment.
This policy will pay the employee's 5% contribution and the College's contribution toward the individual's retirement program if the employee was participating in the retirement program at the time of disability. Disability benefits begin on the first day of the month following six consecutive months of disability.
Participation in the plan begins one year after employment with the College. The waiting period is waived for any new employee who can show proof of coverage through the most recent employer (not to exceed three months prior to employment at the College).
The College Retirement Plan is a defined contribution plan governed by Sections 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. The plan is not mandatory. For eligible employees who elect to participate in the plan and contribute five percent (5%) of their annual base salary, the College contributes up to ten percent (10%) of the employee's annual base salary. Employees who opt to contribute less than the 5% minimum are not eligible to receive the College contribution. Employees are vested immediately upon enrollment in the program. Contributions are sent to Teachers Insurance Annuity Association (TIAA).
New employees may elect to participate in the program immediately upon hire, however, the College will not begin its contribution until the end of the first year of employment. Prior service at any non-profit higher education institution immediately preceding employment at the College will count toward satisfying the one-year requirement.
To determine eligibility and for more information please visit the Benefits page and look for 403b on the web.
The College offers the Emeriti Program as a means for full-time faculty and staff to set aside savings while they are working that can be used to purchase health insurance and/or pay for healthcare expenses during their retirement years.
When an eligible employee reaches the age 40, the College will begin contributing a fixed dollar amount on a monthly basis to TIAA for the employee. The employee is NOT required to contribute his/her own money into the plan in order to receive the College's contribution. Employees are encouraged to contribute individual contributions. College contributions and earnings are a tax free benefit. Employee contributions are withheld on an after-tax basis. For more information on the Emeriti program please visit the Benefits page.
The College provides coverage for accidental death and dismemberment while traveling on College business. Coverage is immediate upon employment and is available to all Full-Time, Part-Time, and Temporary employees.
The Federal Social Security program, also known as the Old Age Survivor Dependent Insurance (OASDI), generally provides five types of benefits: (1) retirement benefits; (2) survivor's benefits; (3) disability benefits; (4) lump sum payments at death; and (5) Medicare hospital insurance. Eligibility for these benefits and the amount received are contingent upon factors such as how long the employee has worked, the employee's earnings, and the seriousness of the disability. Employees contribute a percentage of their pay through a payroll deduction to Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%). The College contributes an equal amount on behalf of employees. There is an annual cap on the maximum taxable amount of earnings for Social Security. There is no limit of taxable earnings for Medicare.
Employees are asked to provide an original valid Social Security Card to the Payroll Office to be employed at the College.
The College pays the full cost of Workers' Compensation insurance which provides all employees with financial protection in the event of a disabling injury or illness occurring on the job. Program benefits include medical expenses (hospitalization, physician costs, and prescription drug bills), income protection if unable to work, and survivor's benefits if injury or illness results in death.
Workplace injuries are to be reported to the supervisor immediately, allowing medical attention to be given promptly and ensuring proper documentation for the Workers' Compensation program. The supervisor and/or the employee must make a detailed report of a workplace injury to the Human Resources Office within one regular workday of the injury. All Workers' Compensation claims are subject to evaluation and investigation by the College and its insurance carrier.
Compensation for the first seven calendar days of absence following a Workers' Compensation injury are not covered by workers' compensation benefits. Employees may use personal sick time as available to cover the absence.
Unemployment Insurance is a joint Federal- and State-administered program and provides income to those who become temporarily unemployed through no fault of their own. The College pays the cost of this program for its employees.
Hampden-Sydney College recognizes the educational and professional development needs of its employees, spouses, and dependent children through a number of programs. To qualify, the employee must have been employed by the College as a Full-Time employee for at least one full year. The one-year waiting period does not apply to the Literacy Program or Professional Development.
Forms are available on Human Resources forms page.
Employee Education Benefits: education benefits for the employee. For more information click any of the following links:
On-Campus Tuition Remission Program
Spouse Education Benefits: An employee's spouse (male or female) may attend classes at the College. If admitted, the dependent will receive tuition remission equal to the amount of tuition not paid by a Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant, for up to eight (8) semesters of full-time study, or an equivalent part-time period. This benefit is not extended to May Term. Failure of the spouse or the College employee to apply for the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant will result in the employee being required to pay that amount to the College. The spouse may also be eligible for need-based federal or state aid, institutional need-based or merit aid and/or other off-campus scholarships. However, the combination of this financial aid coupled with tuition remission cannot exceed the Cost of Education.
The College pays the full tuition costs of these classes. Because of limited classroom space, first priority must be given to Hampden-Sydney students.
A "Spouse's Request to Attend Classes at Hampden-Sydney College" form may be obtained from the Human Resources Office; it is also available online at the HR forms page. This request must have the approval of the Registrar and the Provost and Dean of the Faculty. The request form is to be returned to the Human Resources Office at least ten (10) days prior to the beginning of the semester. The Human Resources Office will forward one copy to the Registrar's Office, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts and will maintain one copy in the employee's personnel file.
Dependent Children Education Benefits: An eligible dependent child is one who is unmarried, primarily dependent on the eligible parent for support as indicated on the eligible parent's income tax form for the previous calendar year, has not reached his or her 24th birthday, and is a blood relative, legally adopted, or stepchild of the eligible parent. If an employee leaves the employment of the College the same semester after the dependent child has begun classes (on campus, off campus, or tuition exchange), the benefit will extend through the end of that semester. Benefits are for up to eight (8) semesters of full-time study, or an equivalent part-time period, total, regardless of what program or combination of programs is used.
This benefit is not extended to May term, summer school, or any other abbreviated term/semester. Forms are available at the HR forms page .
On-Campus Tuition Remission Program
Employees may elect to purchase a personal computer (Dell only) through the College and make payments via payroll deduction. There is a 90 waiting period that must be satisfied prior to purchase. This benefit is not extended to temporary positions.
Contact the Computing Center (extension 6911) to receive information and to initiate the process.


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Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde) enjoyed a sensational 2012 as he snatched the PWA Slalom World Title from the claws of his nemesis Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / Dunkerbeck Eyewear / Chris Benz) at the final event of the year in Sylt. After re-capturing his world championship status, Albeau has now racked up an amazing twenty world titles throughout his prestigious career. An already amazing year was made even better for the Frenchman, due to a super-human effort in Luderitz, Namibia, during the Luderitz Speed Challenge as Albeau not only held on to his world speed title but he also increased it. The record now stands at an astonishing 52.05 knots over 500 metres with a maximum peak of 54.10 knots, which equates to a staggering 100.19km/h. On completion of such a memorable year we caught up with Albeau. Read the interview below.
Here we are with Antoine Albeau, PWA 2012 Slalom World Champion and windsurfing speed record holder,
PWA: Hi Antoine, how are you?
AA: "Good after the season I had it can be only good."
PWA: First of all PWA 2012 Slalom Champion, and now windsurfing speed record holder, what a season…..what are you going to do now in the winter?
AA: "I don't know really, I am getting my slalom gear soon and I will start to try it some time."
PWA: During the PWA season we saw you going really fast and always battling at the top of the pack with your speed, When did you start thinking on going to Luderitz? Did you do any type of different training for speed than for Slalom?
AA: "My training was the same for speed and slalom, I wanted to go to Luderitz, I had to go has well as I was the record holder."
PWA: What about equipment? what can you share with the PWA site followers? Can you tell as some sails/boards/combinations? did you use production and custom gear?
AA: "I was on my 5.8 and 5.4 most of the time, my sails were production sail like Anders (Bringdal (NeilPryde)), for the boards I was using my 42cm and 40cm wide RRD customs, we don't need so much gear as we want to go fast in at least 35 knots."
PWA: What about this "myth" that to go really fast you have to be big and heavy? we saw some "small" people also going fast in the channel? do you think that with the right gear everybody can go fast?
AA: "No you need to be at least a certain size, someone with 75kg will not go 50 knots I don't think so, but anyone can fight for his personal record and this is really important."
PWA: The channel looked good but when we saw the first videos we really appreciated how narrow it really was. What was your main concern about it? Was it as dangerous as it looked?
AA: "The problem is that it is not so hard to go on the canal and this is the problem, this can be very dangerous because if you take the canal and you are not able to hold the straight line you can hurt yourself badly."
PWA: The Slalom season should start in a couple of months now, are you more confident now after the title and speed record?
AA: "I I think that after my 20th world title I will have a bit less pressure but I will fight hard for the next one."
PWA: The Slalom tour in the PWA is getting more and more competitive, what was the best and also the worst moment on the tour this year?
AA: "My best moment was Alacati and Sylt, my worst was Italy when Bjorn Dunkerbeck overtook Gonzalo (Costa Hoevel (Starboard / Loft Sails)) on the finishing line and Fuerte because I had amazing speed and I had the possibility to fight for the first place but I went over the line early twice during the event."
PWA: Do you have any tips for someone who wants to start competing in the tour?
AA: "Be strong at your national events and then come and compete on the PWA."
PWA: Any hints on what sizes are you looking at for the next season?
AA: "I think will use the same size boards and sails as this year, I still need to try all my gear and I will see."
PWA: Lastly, so all of your fans can get to know you a bit better, what is your favorite move? favorite food and drink?
AA: "Favourite move I will say a big backloop at Hookipa, food can be a nice chicken curry and drinks water or natural juice."
PWA: Well, thanks Antoine for your time and we look forward to seeing you on the PWA World Tour next year.


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Give Now
House Republicans only lost one seat while Senate Republicans picked one up.
Eighteen study committees will study dozens of issues this summer and fall, including education
Citizen advocacy organizations are seeking the release of emails between a Bedford legislator and utility companies regarding a solar energy bill.
The controversial bill limits state and local governments from infringing on Hoosiers' religious practices.
The House Minority Leader is filing to change the bill's second sentence, but isn't sure he will offer the change when the bill goes to the floor next week.
State lawmakers push a bill making background checks tougher for teachers.
As the General Assembly convenes today, members look forward to seeing eye to eye on more issues.
House Republicans picked up nine seats in the 2012 elections, putting them over the 67 needed to secure a quorum-proof majority.
A bill allowing people to use force against police illegally entering their homes took a step closer to the governor's desk Thursday.
The bill originally exempted the gaming floors of gambling facilities, cigar and hookah bars, tobacco shops and social clubs.


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Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" was the director's most successful film to date at the Box Office, was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture and appeared on many critics' top ten lists for the year. Now, Anderson's has assembled quite a cast for his next film.
"The Grand Budapest Hotel," which is set to go into production next year, was already set to star Anderson mainstay Bill Murray along with Ralph Fiennes and Saoirse Ronan. Now, according to Collider, the cast has added several veterans of the director's previous films, including Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman.
Jude Law, a newcomer to the Anderson company, is also set to appear, along with "Diving Bell and the Butterfly" star Mathieu Amaric. Owen Wilson may be joining the film as well, according to the report.


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Constant internet connections on smartphones and powerful search engines such as Google allow us to access a wealth of information within seconds. But that constant fact-checking may be making us more forgetful, as we begin to rely on computers as an extension of our own brains and neglect our own memory.
Researchers found in tests that people were more likely to be able to remember facts shown to them on a computer if they thought that the information was immediately erased. Those who believed that the information had been safely stored were more likely to forget it, relying on the fact that they could simply recall it later. These results came after both groups were told to actively remember what they had seen.
Daniel Wegner, a psychology professor from Harvard University, and Adrian Ward, a senior research associate at the University of Colorado Boulder, wrote in a paper published in Scientific American: "Using Google gives people the sense that the internet has become part of their own cognitive tool set. We off-load memories to 'the cloud' just as readily as we would to a family member, friend or lover."
The scientists also conducted a test where people were asked to answer a series of trivia questions, with one group being given access to a search engine and the other group having to rely on their own knowledge. The group that were able to search for the answers were shown to have a higher opinion of their own intelligence after the tests than the other set of participants, showing that they had come to think of Google as an extension of their own brain rather than a separate entity for which they could not claim credit.


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wow! another nice one! excellent still life!
So beautiful....5/5collect
Very pretty vase and flowers. Looks great :). 5h
superb.... fav's
So beautiful! Your vases are always just as pretty as the flowers :) 5 ♥s
sooo perfect!!!!!!!! do you draw from your imagination???
Love the colors in this. Beautiful! Favs!
lovely painting ! . 5♥s


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I now know what it feels like to be chum in shark infested waters. A minnow amongst groupers, the last anchovy in a school of barracuda.......Yikes!
I can`t imagine being single anymore. I had forgotten what it is like out there in the old shark tank of life, and the agony my husband endures over this, fighting off the pawing hands of the overly indulged bar patron......Wow!
Now, I am not the hottest women in town, but, apparently as a group of friends, my husband and myself, entered unfamiliar territory, I was first drooled upon by "Indiana Jones" as he introduced himself.... To which my husband replied, * Nice to meet you, I`m Sweet Peas husband, Sponge Bob." At that point I could not hold my laughter, nearly showering my friends in a light spray of White Zinfandel.
Okay, so we have been at this particular place for 15 minutes, my husband walks off to sing a song, it`s karaoke night, and as he comes back to the table, I am again attracting one of the most unsavory characters, who appears to be beyond inebriated, cause my husband tells him to leave, and this guy is so blank you would think he had been at a Meg Ryan botox party earlier that day.
As this guy stands next to me trying to smile and tell me I am just "gregerous" , his words not mine........I tell him that someone wants him to sing and go pick out a song, his last words, "Ohh, uh yeah, uhh".....apparently they were taking request in the restroom, cause that's where he ended up.
Yeah, it`s not over folks.
Half hour into the evening, having a good time talking, a young Hispanic looking guy comes over and starts playing with my hair, and telling me, I am "bonita" over and over. And I reply "gracias", and "adios" to which he repeats, "bonita" again....and again. I say "Adios" smile and lightly turn him towards some poor girl that just walked in... I guess he wasn
t interested, as he sat on a bar stool in the middle of the room and stared at me the rest of the night...but at least he wasnt touching me.
I realize my loving husband puts up with an awful lot. And if I say I will handle it he holds his temper............I appreciate that to the utmost, as I do not like fighting. Kinda kills the fun, and so far, knock on wood, if I have to confront an overly indulged person. I try to be nice and distract them. Make them lose mental balance, not too hard when they're toasted.
I just try not to chum the shark infested waters, and cause a frenzy at feeding time.................
I have to say, God bless my single girlfriends...........you are a group of brave women to go out there in the wild world.
And if you are ever faced with the same situation, Think what "Sponge Bob" and "Sweet Pea" would do!...................
More like this:
Is that you in the Patrick Nagel inspired photograph? If so, you are gregerous...
- Joe
Hello Joe...No, the pic is boredom at 3 o'clock in the morning inspired....I just won a new camera and tried it out. lol. And yes, it is me in the pic.
Thanks for the comment...I see you noticed the spelling...imagine how the mans enunciation was after what seemed like too many Buds. :)
insomnia is a killer, huh...
I just call it...Living like a Rockstar! :)
That is the right attitude!


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" Panasonic TX-L37E30B - 37" LCD TV - HD Ready - LED "
* Prices may differ from that shown
Panasonic E30 LED TVs use IPS Alpha panel to double the response speed for a more uniform and rapid response. As next-generation of LCD TVs with LED backlight and IPS Alpha panel E30 series combines high light transmission efficiency while using less power, what means higher brightness with low power consumption. 100Hz processing and 100 cycle backlight blinking technology give clearer, sharper and more detailed picture with smooth-moving objects. E30 LED TVs are DLNA/Wireless Ready that you can enjoy TV internet content with smart VIERA Connect. Now you can also record your favourite TV programmes and films straight onto your hard disk drive via USB. The VIERA E30 LED TV series has integrated Freeview HD for a convenient, subscription free way of watching HD contents like sport, as well as your favourite soaps, dramas and documentaries in Full HD.


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Redeem your Wyndham Rewards points for rentals with Budget.
And remember—you can enjoy special discounts on daily, weekly and weekend rates every time you make an advance reservation.
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Wine and cheese have gone hand in hand for centuries. And with all the fabulous wine being produced here in the Pacific Northwest, there's nothing more fun than taking your favorite Tillamook Cheese and experimenting to find a perfect wine match. I did just that over the holidays, with some friends, and had to share our conclusions with all our fans! I'm no master sommelier, so keep in mind there are no hard and fast rules here – it's all about finding a combination which appeals to your taste buds! Here were our favorites:
My current "go to" wine is Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and clean and sometimes citrus-y, we found we really liked Tillamook Swiss Cheese with this varietal. The depth, warmth and nutty flavor of the Swiss paired well with this lighter wine.
A favorite northwest varietal is Pinot Gris. A white with more body and fruit than the Sauv Blanc, we really liked it with Tillamook Pepper Jack. The mellow Monterey Jack base with the kick of the jalapeño spiciness made a great compliment to the honey overtones in this wine.
Peppery and spicy Zinfandel was our next selection and, on this one, we were split. Some found a spicy on spicy match with Tillamook Garlic Chili Pepper Cheddar worked well. But when I drink Zinfandel, I think Italian. And when I cook Italian, that means lots of garlic so I really liked Tillamook Garlic White Cheddar with the Zin. You can't beat a bowl of pasta with marinara sauce, lots of shredded Garlic White Cheddar on top and a glass of Zinfandel. Yum!
Last but not least, being in Oregon demands that you drink some Pinot Noir. We enjoyed the richness of Tillamook Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar with the bottle we opened. The earthiness of the cheese complimented the medium body and fruit of the wine without overpowering it.
So there you have it. Just remember – wines will vary greatly in quality and consistency within their varietal category. But whatever Tillamook Cheese you choose you can count on one thing: the same great quality and consistency every time. So go get some cheese, grab a bottle of wine and ring in 2012 in style!
Happy New Year from all of us at Tillamook!
~ Susan of the Tillamook Team


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Cake Supplies, In/near Atlanta, Ga?????
Decorating By learningtocakeit Updated 20 May 2010 , 5:26pm by prterrell
Can someone please direct me to some supply stores other than cake art in lilburn? I'm trying to find some fondant and am trying to compare prices. Thanks for any help!
Other than Michaels, Hobby Lobby or Joann's that is the only one that I know of around Atlanta. I believe Nicholas Lodge has a store in Norcross but I have never been there.
there's a little one in Morrow but they don't have a lot of stuff. there's cake art i think it's in lawrenceville? you can google them. i get most of my stuff online.
I have been to Cake art and I have also been to the Nicholas Lodge retail store. He does have some supplies there but not nearly as much as Cake Art does. Nicholas Lodge does have some neat stuff though.
ISAC (Internation Sugar Art Collection) in Norcross (Nicholas Lodge's retail store)has a lot of stuff. Everything from metal cutters for flowers, patchwork cutters (every one imaginable), silicone molds and veiners, candy molds and supplies, the premium fondants, etc. You can go crazy in there. I have to try to set a budget every time I am there. It is hard though because I want one of everything!!
Cake Art (Lawrenceville) is a party store so besides any cake pan you can think of, they have party ware for birthdays, baby and bridal showers, cake drums, masonite boards, candy supplies, etc.
I second mlwideman on ISAC and Cake Art.
I use Nicholas' for all of my sugar art needs. And then Cake Art for the fun cake stuff and supplies! It's about a 50 - 60 minute drive (in between rush hours or on the weekend) one way for me to either of these shops, but well worth it!
I order all my stuff online. It costs more in gas and time to go up to the northside than it does to have things shipped.


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Has anyone ever tried spray adhesive in place of a Mannikin Prep type product
Return to Category Menu
adhesive I bought at Napa auto parts store. I will have to get the exact
number if you are interested. It is a Napa brand and it worked well.
e-mail me if you want the item number
Todd B
I have used both 3M #90 and their #77 spray adhesive with good results. You can usually buy them at bulding supplies and hardware stores for under $10.00. Martin.
Manniken Prep is nothing more than 611 spray adhesive. That's the
original Mannikin Prep...I do not know anything about the new
improved Mannikin Prep. Why pay 9 to 10 bucks for Mannikin Prep
when you can get the 611 spray adhesive for 6 or 7 bucks.
Is that a 3m product? if not who makes it if you know. Thanks for the replies.


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Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) released the following statement in remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks:
"On this anniversary of the attacks of September 11, I simply want to say thank you. Thank you to the men and women who serve our country so valiantly. Thank you for fighting to keep our country safe -- and free.
"Today we remember the men and women who died on that fateful day 11 years ago. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Our prayers continue to go to their families and loved ones.
"Our country is still under threat, and we must be vigilant. Our defense of liberty and our individual freedoms fall to every generation. I hope you'll join me with a moment of silence to thank those who fight to defend our way of life and the security of this nation. You have the thanks of a grateful nation."
Source: http://roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=fd549f17-0936-490f-b8d7-d60b9bda68fe&ContentType_id=ae7a6475-a01f-4da5-aa94-0a98973de620&Group_id=d8ddb455-1e23-48dd-addd-949f9b6a4c1f


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Oregon State wins first finals game
OMAHA, Neb. - Freshman Jorge Reyes gave Oregon State another strong pitching performance, leading the defending champion Beavers to an 11-4 win over North Carolina in Game 1 of the College World Series championship Saturday night.
Tech Bits: Slim margins for Apple TV
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Apple TV isn't going to add much to the iPod and Mac maker's riches, according to a market research company that took apart Apple Inc.'s newest gadget.
Business whirl: Thomas is Employee of the Year at QDMA
Bogart-based Quality Deer Management Association recently recognized Lindsay Thomas Jr., QDMA's director of publications, as QDMA Employee of the Year. Thomas received his award at the 2007 National Convention and Whitetail Expo in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Brief cases: New downtown pub open
Athens downtown bar owners Damon Krebs and Warren Southall opened their third bar venture - The Pub at Gameday - June 15.
Alberty: Financial planning compensation can be a bit confusing
Financial planning compensation is perceived to be a bit mysterious. Fee based, fee only, commission, project based; what does it all mean? It is important to understand how your financial planner is compensated, not just for the obvious financial reasons, but also for peace of mind.
Athens area proving fertile ground for restaurant concept expansion
Franchising represents the "wave of the future" for small establishments like the Blind Pig Tavern that are looking to grow, said Rob White, who owns the Athens bar and grill with his partner, James Pagonis.
Caldwell: Does alternative minimum tax hit you where it hurts?
Do you tend to avoid reading articles that contain the word "taxes" for fear that it will put you sleep? If so, try to overcome that initial reaction and read this column, perhaps even save it for future reference.
Business whirl: Thomas is Employee of the Year at QDMA
Permits issued in Athens-Clarke County during the week of June 10 to June 16 as reported in The Hunt Letter.
Nelson: Why can't state leaders get on track with commuter rail?
Some vision from the leaders of our state legislature sure would help with the issue of commuter rails. It seems, however, that Georgia officials have chosen to stay the course and continue worshipping the infernal combustion engine as long as the gas companies can continue making their record fortunes.
Business whirl: Thomas is Employee of the Year at QDMA
Bogart-based Quality Deer Management Association recently recognized Lindsay Thomas Jr., QDMA's director of publications, as QDMA Employee of the Year. Thomas received his award at the 2007 National Convention and Whitetail Expo in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Father-son distillers part of tradition
BARDSTOWN, Ky. - The small group of men responsible for making Kentucky bourbons think of themselves as a fraternity, where friendships seem as enduring as whiskey recipes. At some distilleries, those bonds are even tighter - connecting fathers and sons.
Streb-Gibson engagement
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Mills of Watkinsville announce the engagement of their daughter, Kristen Sheree Streb to Phillip David Gibson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Gibson of Ellijay.
Tate-Broussard engagement
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Harwell of Greenville, South Carolina announce the engagement of their daughter Brandy Elizabeth Harwell Tate to Scott Allen Broussard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Greg Broussard of Jefferson, Georgia. Mr. Broussard is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Al Ellison of Ponchatoula, Louisiana.
McClary-Duckworth marriage
Victoria Jean McClary and Gary Manning Duckworth were united in marriage August 5, 2006 at Beech Haven Baptist Church in Athens. Dr. Stewart B. Simms, Jr. officiated at the ceremony.
Tires, rims lifted from SUV
Thieves stole tires and rims valued at $3,000 from a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe while it was parked at the owner's Saxon Woods Drive residence between 11 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday, Athens-Clarke police said.
Athens man cut during robbery
Athens-Clarke police met with a man at the Athens-Regional Medical Center's emergency room Friday night who said he was attacked at knifepoint and robbed by two men in a Westchester Drive parking lot.
Woman blocked in, windshield broken
Athens-Clarke police met with a woman at the 100 block of Oak Bluff Drive who said someone threw a cinder block at her car and broke out her back window.
Teen threatened by gang members
A teenage boy was threatened with a knife at a northern Athens-Clarke County trailer park Thursday night in what Athens-Clarke police called a gang-related incident.
Burned-out light leads to drug arrests
An officer pulled over a suspicious car with a burned out tag light driving through the Jack R. Wells Homes apartment complex early Friday, and arrested the two occupants on drug charges, Athens-Clarke police said.
Thief takes clubs from truck bed
Someone stole a bag of golf clubs valued at $1,025 from the bed of a University of Georgia student's pickup truck while parked outside his apartment at The Lodge of Athens, 211 North Ave., between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Athens-Clarke police said.
Deputies feared woman had knives in purse
A Bogart woman was arrested on cocaine charges Wednesday night, after a short stand-off with Oconee County sheriff's deputies who thought she had a pair of knives in her purse.
Fire destroys Bethlehem home
A fire destroyed a house on Makinaw Drive in Bethlehem on Thursday, displacing a family of four, according to Barrow County Fire and Emergency Services.
Man stabbed in face during domestic fight
A woman stabbed her boyfriend in the nose during an argument Thursday night in her apartment at the Broadacres public housing complex, Athens-Clarke police said.
Gators AD Foley gets big raise
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, who hired basketball coach Billy Donovan and football coach Urban Meyer, is getting a big raise, agreeing to an 11-year deal worth up to $1.2 million annually with bonuses, making him the highest paid athletic director in the country, and keeping him in Gainesville until retirement age.
South Carolina reports secondary violations
CHARLESTON, S.C. - South Carolina football coaches twice contacted student athletes when they shouldn't have, part of the eight NCAA secondary violations the athletic department reported between January and June.
Waco O'Guin: Creators say Hilton spoof is certainly not X-rated
As the creators of the video spoofing heiress Paris Hilton's incarceration, we have a problem with a quote in the Athens Banner-Herald's Wednesday story headlined "Video spoofing Hilton shot at Oconee facility."
Sandy Haagen: Part-time Larry is better than no Larry
Speaking as a University of Georgia football fan, and a fan of play-by-play announcer Larry Munson as well, please let Larry know we would rather have him half the time than not at all (Story, "Munson may skip away games," Thursday).
M.R. Bachler: Countywide ordinances sometimes are not fair
As I wrote out my check and mailed in my quarterly payment for the Athens-Clarke County government's water runoff assessment, I was again reminded of why those of use who live outside the old city limits fought so hard against establishment of the unified government.
Brian P. Hall: Football camp was a great experience
On a recent Saturday, University of Georgia football coaches - in association with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes - gave a free camp for local kids involved in area football programs, and it appeared to be a great success. Chick-fil-A even catered the event, which was wonderful.
Walter Sikora: Yarbrough's Carter rant was 'just plain stupid'
Dick Yarbrough's ill-informed, right-wing tirade against President Jimmy Carter (Column, "Carter can't see himself as he is seen by others," June 2) is inexcusable. Yarbrough claimed Carter "had helped dispose of another American ally, the shah of Iran," and further claimed Carter helped create and embolden our enemies because of his "lack of leadership during the Iranian hostage crisis."
Washington: 'Grey's' Knight should have been fired instead
NEW YORK - Isaiah Washington, fired this month from "Grey's Anatomy" following the firestorm he started with a homophobic invective, hit back at the network Thursday.
Church roundup
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Musician makes the rounds to land at AthFest
Have fiddle and van, will travel.
Springfields vying for chance to welcome 'Simpsons' movie
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - With a bowling alley, a pub, a prison and a nuclear power plant just down the road, Springfield, Vt., likes to think itself a real-life version of the home of "The Simpsons."
Today in history
Today is Saturday, June 23, the 174th day of 2007. There are 191 days left in the year.
Cusack ready to thrill in '1408'
John Cusack is not big on genre films, and the only bona-fide thriller on his resume is 2003's "Identity." But when Cusack was sent the script for "1408," about a debunker of the supernatural who checks into a hotel suite where, according to myth, no one checks out alive, Cusack had to rethink his natural bias for two reasons.
Rich: The art of Southern biscuit making
They are words that every decent Southern woman hopes to hear from her mother.
A former garbage dump, Spectacle Island now considered jewel of Boston Harbor
BOSTON - Spectacle Island has a swimming beach, five miles of walking trails dotted with gazebos, and a panoramic vista from the highest point in Boston Harbor.
The Main Event: Rites of Passage kicks off summer
Local police officers, staff from the sheriff's office, prominent attorneys and members of Ebenezer Baptist Church alike will team up for some fierce flag football starting at 11 a.m. on June 30 in support of the Rites of Passage Summer 2007 Kickoff at Clarke Central High School.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) - If something you were planning to do socially doesn't come off as expected, don't waste your day brooding or moping. Find a fun person with whom to share a spur-of-the-moment activity.
Hax: Fighting may be sign of other problem
Could 'Sopranos' ending change the future of TV?
NEW YORK - My friend caught me by surprise when he asked, "What happened to Tony?"
Top five
All that and a Corvette, too
Author Man Martin has a lot on his plate. In addition to teaching English and coaching the debate team at Stephenson High School in DeKalb County, Martin is working toward his Ph.D. in creative writing at Georgia College and is busy promoting his first book, "Days of the Endless Corvette."
Celebs to spice up VH1
VH1 will add a new night of original prime-time programming later this year, using some of the seven new series it's ordering to fill that time.
Shout for joy
Sundays @ the Morton Praise Band/Outdoor Worship Service
Behind the women who love the men of 'Rescue Me'
LOS ANGELES - Tommy Gavin has issues with women. Or maybe it's the women on "Rescue Me" who have the issues.
Teen directors work together for film festival
Scholars of the auteur theory of film criticism look at movies as a reflection of the director's artistic vision.
Bleu's career is in 'High' gear
Twice along the way in the frenzy following Disney's "High School Musical," Corbin Bleu has been faced with fans who said the movie stopped them from committing suicide.
People: NBC denies Hilton interview offer
NBC News is denying reports that it has offered as much as $1 million for the first interview with Paris Hilton after her release from jail next week.
Brad Paisley talks about son, spirituality and ticks
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Is Brad Paisley joking again, or is he serious?
Woody Allen to direct L.A. opera
LOS ANGELES - Woody Allen, directing an opera? In Los Angeles?
Today in history
Today is Sunday, June 24, the 175th day of 2007. There are 190 days left in the year.
Today's best bets
State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., www.uga.edu/botgarden or (706) 542-6165:
Today's best bets
Conserving the Georgia Coast's Right Whales - 3 p.m., Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St.; with Hans Neuhauser, executive director of Georgia Environmental Policy Institute, a nonprofit organization in Athens.
Local actress to appear in Lifetime's 'Girl, Positive'
In just 18 months, actress Laura Wiggins has already compiled a resume that might make people twice her age envious.
Anna Nicole judge may be headed to TV
Judge Wapner was firm and fair, Judge Judy is tough as nails. But when Judge Larry Seidlin gets his own courtroom show, they better put a big box of tissues on the bench.
Smashing Pumpkins to open show run tonight in Asheville, N.C.
When the Smashing Pumpkins reunited after seven years for a U.S. concert series, they made a surprising choice for their first shows: The Orange Peel, a small club in Asheville, N.C., which has a capacity of 942 people.
Television: Ex-'Alias' baddie joines 'Heroes'
NBC has considerably beefed up the cast of "Heroes," adding six actors - notably former "Alias" co-star David Anders and Michael Mann regular Barry Shabaka Henley - in recurring parts for next season.
Spice Girls to reveal plans
LONDON - Talk of a Spice Girls reunion has swirled for weeks - boosted by Sporty Spice herself - and on Friday the vivacious five said they would make "an announcement to the world" next week.
Rockers Candlebox find a new audience as they reunite
When Candlebox decided to come out of retirement last year, the Seattle band was surprised not only by the size of its audiences, but by the fans themselves.
Caine: Looking for a church comes down to fit
Recently, I read of a young woman who has begun church shopping now that she's a mother with a 9-month-old son. She and her husband have regretfully given up sleeping late on Sundays and enjoying brunch with friends for the rigors of weekly sermons and hymns in order to provide their child with a "moral compass" and "spiritual literacy," and themselves "an hour of peace" apart from their busy lives.
Afghan prison may take some detainees
WASHINGTON - The U.S. is helping expand a prison in Afghanistan to take some detainees from Guantanamo Bay, while administration officials argue about whether to bring the most dangerous to the U.S. when the Cuban facility shuts down.
Ruling looms on schools factoring race
WASHINGTON - Nearly seven months have passed since the Supreme Court heard arguments about public school integration plans. A decision, it seems, is finally at hand.
Riot nearly breaks out as police question loiterers
A riot nearly broke out at an apartment complex near downtown Athens Thursday night when officers arrested a teen for trespassing and giving a false name, Athens-Clarke police said.
Wreck kills North Oconee assistant coach, injures students
An assistant basketball coach at North Oconee High School was killed and at least three North Oconee students injured in a multi-vehicle wreck Sunday evening in Oxford, Ala.
Party leaders offer support to Whitehead
ATLANTA - Congressional hopeful Jim Whitehead, now in a runoff race against a fellow Republican, said Friday he has the support of nine county GOP chairmen from the 10th Congressional District.
Titans' Tuley stunned by death of assistant
Shawn Smith lived for coaching and teaching young students at North Oconee.
Senate's energy bill a push away from oil addiction
WASHINGTON - The cars, SUVS and pickups people will buy in the years ahead are likely to use less fuel, and many will rely on ethanol or household electricity instead of gasoline.
U.S. troops sweep into enemy areas
BAQOUBA, Iraq - Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops, under cover of F-16s, fought their way into three neighborhoods of besieged Baqouba on Friday to help clear Diyala province of entrenched insurgents. To the north of the city, American helicopters killed 17 al-Qaida gunmen trying to sneak past a checkpoint.
Human Rights Watch faults judgment in Saddam's trial
NEW YORK - The trial of Saddam Hussein had "serious flaws" that fell short of international judicial standards in reaching death sentences for the former Iraqi president and two senior members of his regime, a human rights group said Friday.
Teen battles onto festival stage
Like many teenagers, Connelly Crowe observed the many bands performing on the outdoor stages at last year's AthFest and wondered, "What if ... "
American allies explore compromise with Iran
VIENNA, Austria - Key U.S. allies are debating the idea of a nuclear compromise with Iran that would call for only a partial freeze of Tehran's uranium enrichment program - a stance that could put them at odds with Washington, officials said Friday.
Flags get notice - good and bad
Athens property owner Warren Blackmon got some praise and some flak in April when he put up a Confederate Month sign and flew similar flags on a small, undeveloped strip of land on Oak Street near the North Oconee River.
NATO: Taliban incited airstrike
KABUL, Afghanistan - NATO accused Taliban fighters Friday of provoking an airstrike that reportedly killed 25 innocents, including three infants and nine women, while a Dutch general charged that insurgents executed villagers during another battle.
Atlantis opts for California sun
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth safely Friday, ending a two-week mission to deliver an addition to the international space station and bring a crew member home from the outpost.
North Korea could oblige atomic pledge
SEOUL, South Korea- North Korea indicated it was ready to promptly shut down a plutonium-producing reactor, a U.S. envoy said Friday, the latest sign the communist country may live up to its pledge to stop making nuclear weapons.
Baby girl not missing woman's
UNIONTOWN, Ohio - A baby girl found on an Ohio doorstep does not belong to a missing pregnant woman, the Wayne County Sheriff's Department said Friday.
70-year receptionist of Elberton Star dies at 84
Katherine Bryant was not only the face of the Elberton Star, to many people, she was the newspaper.
Augusta residents using free voter IDs to cash checks
ATLANTA - The state's efforts to implement voter identification rules has taken an odd twist in Augusta where election officials say free IDs are being used for more than just entering the polls.
Former Clark president dies
ATLANTA - Elias Blake Jr., a nationally known advocate for blacks in higher education and a former president of one of Atlanta's most prestigious black colleges, has died at the age of 77, his friends said.
His calls stir fans of Dogs
University of Georgia alum John Hart wasn't born a Bulldog fan, but radio announcer Larry Munson's play-by-play calls during the 1980 Georgia-Florida game stirred him, not only into a fan, but into a sportscaster as well.
Congress blocks cuts for army facility
WASHINGTON - Congress has turned back the latest attempt to cut funding for an Army school that trains military officers from Latin America and has a tainted past.
Civilian deaths prompt Afghan leader's warning
KABUL, Afghanistan - President Hamid Karzai accused NATO and U.S.-led troops Saturday of carelessly killing scores of Afghan civilians and warned that the fight against resurgent Taliban militants could fail unless foreign forces show more restraint.
Clarke-state testing gap closing for most
The number of Clarke County School District students who meet or exceed state standards has lagged well behind state averages, but that gap is closing for most students.
No exact change needed
New high-tech bus passes will make taking the bus easier and more convenient, Athens-Clarke officials say.
Group wants pen closed after oldest elephant dies
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - An animal protection group said Friday the Birmingham Zoo should shut down the pen where an elderly Asian elephant named Mona lived alone before being euthanized due to deteriorating health.
Pump fix to let Jackson ease up on watering
Jackson County residents may start watering their lawns once again, but not until next weekend.
Millions passing on bank accounts
WASHINGTON - Grandma stuffing money under the mattress isn't the only one living outside the banking system.
Officer: Suspects branded 'enemy' with no evidence
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - An Army officer with a key role in the U.S. military hearings at Guantanamo Bay says they relied on vague and incomplete intelligence and were pressured to declare detainees "enemy combatants," often without any specific evidence.
Huckaby: Athens folk enrich island workshop
When I was invited to teach at the Southeastern Writers Association annual workshop on St. Simons Island, I didn't realize there were so many Athens folks involved.
Thrill rides shut down after girl's feet cut off
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Six Flags and Cedar Fair shut down eight more thrill rides around North America on Friday after a teenage girl's feet were sliced off during a ride in Kentucky.
State's record wildfire has ceased growth
WAYCROSS - Ernest Sweat pauses by the charred pine trunk he found burning like a match two months ago, and he wonders - did he have a prayer of stopping the largest Southeastern wildfire in a century?
Sex survey finds males much more active
NEW YORK - It's a question that often prompts a boastful answer or a bashful one: How many sex partners have you had?
Shortfall has state delaying road fixes
ATLANTA - For Stephanie King, the decision to delay widening one of Athens' streets is a mixed blessing.
School accused of cover-up in student's slaying
YPSILANTI, Mich. - For two months after Laura Dickinson was found dead in her dorm room, Eastern Michigan University officials assured her parents and the public there was no sign of foul play.
Local news: Clinics will offer HIV tests Wednesday
For National HIV Testing Day on Wednesday, local public health clinics within the Northeast Health District will offer free confidential HIV testing.
State news: Police make arrest in death of man shot in front of kids
ATLANTA - A man arrested Friday in the Thursday shooting death of a man in front of his three children was on parole for an armed robbery in Atlanta, according to Clayton County police.
Kidsfest petting zoo gives children experience
KidsFest 2007 has its share of singers, magicians and face-painters, but a petting zoo Saturday gave parents and children alike an opportunity to clear up an awful lot of misconceptions about the exotic animals on display, some from throughout the world.
Thousands honor fallen firefighters
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - Fire Capt. Ken Dammand stood sharply in his dress uniform, his eyes reddening, as the families of nine dead firefighters filed past him and into a packed coliseum for their memorial service Friday.
State news: Cheney drops in on Civil War battlefield
KENNESAW - Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise two-hour visit to the Kennesaw Mountain National Battleground Park on Friday.
Body discovered in Ohio believed missing mom's
CANTON, Ohio - A massive search ended in sadness Saturday when authorities announced they found a body believed to be a pregnant woman who vanished from her home a week earlier. A police officer believed to be the father of the unborn child was arrested on two counts of murder.
King papers paying off for hometown
ATLANTA - It's been a year since Atlanta did what many thought was impossible: The city bought the Martin Luther King Jr. Collection in an eleventh-hour deal, avoiding an auction and returning more than 10,000 of the civil rights icon's personal papers and books to his hometown.
10th shows GOP still on base
If anyone wants to look at the 10th Congressional District election like a batch of tea leaves, sifting through it for clues to what will happen next November, don't bother.
Oconee GOP backs Whitehead
Congressional candidate Jim Whitehead scored a coup in opponent Paul Broun's backyard Friday when the Oconee County Republican Party voted to endorse Whitehead.
A pith helmet? That's perfect
People with money in their pockets descended on a Hill Street estate sale like ants on honey, dropping thousands of dollars to carry away pieces large and small from the possessions of the late Charles Brockman, one of Athens's best-known collectors.
N. Korea soon may shut reactor
TOKYO- North Korea could shut down its nuclear reactor within three weeks and return to disarmament talks, a U.S. envoy said Saturday. Russia, meanwhile, said disputed funds have reached a North Korean account at a Russian bank, clearing a key hurdle in negotiations.
Seven more U.S. soldiers
fall to roadside bombs
BAGHDAD - Roadside bombs killed seven American troops in Iraq on Saturday, including four in a single strike outside Baghdad, the military said, as U.S. and Iraqi troops captured two senior al-Qaida militants in northern Iraq.
Jackson divided on hospital vote
The chairman of the Jackson County Commission wants to ask voters whether the local government should fund a new hospital, but not all commissioners think a referendum is a good idea.
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Shipp: Obama should run money table in the South
If financial support translates into power and influence, the Territory of Guam would likely have more clout than Georgia in a White House occupied by President Hillary Clinton.
Editorial: Commonsense ways to address public comment
Athens-Clarke County commissioners deserve due credit for their sincere wrestling with the issue of whether and how to regulate public comment at their voting meetings.
Addressing inequality: An idea whose time has come
When pets are poisoned by imported pet food, U.S. attorneys are fired for political reasons, or student-loan providers are found to have been offering kickbacks to universities to receive "preferred lender status," Congress gears up hearings and vows quick legislative action.
Tant: True conservatives standing up to Bush
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross," vowed Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sinclair Lewis more than 70 years ago. Today's America, more and more misled by George W. Bush and his Bible-brandishing base of faux conservative followers, is indeed becoming more and more like some sort of high-tech fascist state, as the president thumbs his nose at the U.S. Constitution while the courts and the legislative branch usually show little resistance to the dictatorial mindset of the Bush/Cheney White House crew.
Water plan mustn't be anti-growth tool
Don't like the drought-related watering restrictions in your community? Outraged enough to rat out neighbors who violate watering rules? The state's water "wars" could get worse: Watch out for the initial draft of the Statewide Water Management Plan, scheduled to be unveiled June 28.
Johnson: The untold truth about Genarlow Wilson
The mainstream media is portraying Genarlow Wilson as a victim and Georgia as a backwater state by oversimplifying this case. There is more to this story than a young student getting 10 years in prison for consensual oral sex. A lot more.
It's time for parents to unplug kids' TVs
Two-thirds of parents responding to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey reported they're in control of what their kids watch on television. Kids, when asked in other studies, say their parents are kidding themselves. Only 25 percent to 40 percent of children say their parents put limits on what they watch.
Hanna: Internet demands careful readers
Almost three years ago, three San Francisco-area residents fooled us all.
What others say
The "surge" is a success.
Thompson: 'Silent Jim' Whitehead getting motor running
So now he's ready to talk.
Simmons pitched, hit his way to top honors
Alex Simmons led the way. Sure he pitched, going 8-1 with a 2.55 ERA before postseason play.
All-northeast Georgia baseball
Rogers outduels Smoltz, Braves
ATLANTA - The opponent changed. The tone of the crowd changed. Even the season changed.
Sea Devils sting Galaxy in World Bowl
FRANKFURT, Germany - Casey Bramlet threw for 347 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Hamburg Sea Devils past the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in the highest-scoring World Bowl.
Glavine is four shy of 300 victories
NEW YORK - Tom Glavine picked up his 296th victory, ending a five-start winless streak and leading the New York Mets over the Oakland Athletics 9-1 on Friday night.
Pirates edge Winward to win two games
Mike Eifel allowed just one hit in the first game of a doubleheader, and the Athens Pirates rallied to beat Winward Academy in the second game thanks to a game-tying home run by Jason Redden.
Women draw tougher road
WIMBLEDON, England - The route to the women's final at Wimbledon is filled with all sorts of obstacles.
Falcons sign free-agent Huff
FLOWERY BRANCH - Free-agent linebacker Orlando Huff, who started 13 games for the Arizona Cardinals last season, has signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
Johnson, Gordon cars fail inspection
SONOMA, Calif. - Race teams for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were restricted from practicing or qualifying Friday at the Infineon Raceway after their Chevrolets failed inspection.
Williamson takes 1-shot lead at Travelers
CROMWELL, Conn. - Jay Williamson would like to get back to playing PGA Tour events full-time. He's one day away.
Cox ties McGraw for ejections record
ATLANTA - For weeks, Bobby Cox has bit his tongue. Admittedly not looking forward to becoming baseball's Ejection King, Cox remained silent after calls that, in other instances, might have roused him from the dugout.
Giants beat Yankees in extra innings
SAN FRANCISCO - Rookie Nate Schierholtz ended San Francisco's season-long eight-game losing streak with a two-out RBI single in the 13th inning, giving the Giants a 6-5 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday.
Chipper Jones sits out again
ATLANTA - Now it's his groin.
Federer a safe bet in London
The red clay stains have presumably been washed out of Roger Federer's and Andy Roddick's laundry, but the unpleasant memories of the French Open will be tougher to erase. A championship on the slick, friendly Wimbledon grass certainly would help.
'Pacman' surrenders to Vegas authorities
LAS VEGAS - Adam "Pacman" Jones' lawyers complained Friday that the suspended NFL player's case was unfairly handled by police after Jones surrendered and posted $20,000 bail on felony charges in a strip club melee that preceded a triple shooting.
Kaltefleiter: Watson passed critical crossroards
Most professional golfers reach a certain point in their careers when they finally discover if they're cut out for their respected level of play.
Toms shoots 65 to climb to the top
CROMWELL, Conn. - David Toms shot a 5-under-par 65 Friday to move into a tie for the second-round lead at the blustery, rainy Travelers Championship.
Gordon: I'm still on Cloud 9
SONOMA, Calif. - Jeff Gordon's first race as a father hasn't started well. His team was caught cheating Friday at the Infineon Raceway and he will start 41st in today's Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Will the Hawks take another forward
ATLANTA - Joakim Noah mocks those who publish NBA mock drafts.
Tempers flare as frustration mounts
ATLANTA - The losses are mounting now, one blending right into the next. And the Braves are reaching a boiling point.
Piazza to return to catching
NEW YORK - When Mike Piazza saw Shea Stadium on the Athletics' schedule before the season, he figured he wouldn't be playing in his old home because he was going to be used exclusively as a designated hitter.
Oconee county grads fueling Pirates' summer run
After working in construction with his father for two straight summers, Tom Dimitroff was looking for a way to ease back into playing baseball last year.
Changes abound for Earnhardt Jr.
SONOMA, Calif. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. already has announced one major change in his life, moving from his late father's team to Hendrick Motorsports next season. Now it appears he's working on changing his image, too.
Hendrick concerned about momentum
SONOMA, Calif. - Team owner Rick Hendrick wasn't happy Saturday at Infineon Raceway.
Rogers outduels Smoltz, Braves
ATLANTA - The opponent changed. The tone of the crowd changed. Even the season changed.
UGA study highlights Sarbanes-Oxley
A new University of Georgia study finds that the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related rule changes of the major stock exchanges have dramatically altered the makeup of corporate boards, making them larger and more independent. The legislation also had the unintended effect of increasing director pay by more than 50 percent.
Lawmakers, feds at odds as budget cuts sink UGA lab
WASHINGTON - As the reality of budget cuts sets in, frustration is growing over the Bush administration's decision to eliminate federal funding for a University of Georgia lab that studies environmental impacts from the Savannah River nuclear complex.
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WASHINGTON ---- The comedian Stephen Colbert flew down toWashington last week to parody the nation's campaign-finance laws.But there was a flaw in his plan: The campaign-finance systemalready is a parody.
Standing on a platform outside the Federal Election Commission,Colbert boasted about how he had won the FEC's blessing to create a"super PAC" to raise unlimited funds. "I do have one federalelection law joke if you'd like to hear it," the new head ofColbert Super PAC offered.
"Knock knock," Colbert said.
"Who's there?" responded the crowd of about 200.
"Unlimited union and corporate campaign contributions."
"Unlimited union and corporate campaign contributions who?"
"That's the thing," Colbert said. "I don't think I should have to tell you."
Pretty good, as anonymous-donor jokes go. The PAC man returnedto his stump speech. "I do not accept limits on my free speech," hesaid. "But I do accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Fiftydollars or less, please, because then I don't have to keep a recordof who gave it to me."
Fifty bucks? Come on, Stephen: That's petty cash.
Colbert set out to prove how flimsy the campaign-finance limits have become since the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, and the super PAC he created is egregious enough, allowing contributions of any size. But what he proposes to do isn't nearly as abusive as what's already going on.
While Colbert's PAC has to release the names of people who givehim more than $200, the campaign-finance vehicles preferred bypeople like Karl Rove allow individuals to give millions of dollarsto elect candidates without the donors' names becoming public.
The final structure of Colbert Super PAC is so limited that, campaign-finance experts said, there was no need for him to seek permission from the FEC in the first place. And that's the trouble: The real campaign-finance abuses are more horrible than Colbert's fiction.
The Supreme Court, in five straight campaign-finance decisions,has largely wiped out the post-Watergate campaign reforms and, inthe case of corporate contributions, undone nearly a century oflaw. Adding to the anarchy, Congress has been unable to agree onlegislation requiring that donors be disclosed. For those whoviolate what's left of the law, there is little risk of punishment,because the FEC, paralyzed by a partisan split, has been unable toagree on much enforcement.
"It has long been said that the FEC is designed to fail, and now it has," says longtime campaign-finance lawyer Brett Kappel. The result of all this, Kappel said, is "a very small number of extremely wealthy people can have an extraordinary effect on elections without being identified."
Of the $5 billion or so expected to be spent on the 2012 federal elections, nearly $1 billion is likely to be of the unlimited "independent expenditure" type. The corporate cash tends to come from a small number of private businesses owned by extreme liberals or conservatives looking to elect like-minded candidates. This fuels the polarization that has brought Washington to a halt.
Colbert posed as if he were testing the limits of the law. Heoffered to give the FEC commissioners backrubs, and, on his Comedy Central show, likened them to Abercrombie & Fitch models. Hecame up with slogans suggestive of a fat-cat scam, such as: "Changeis coming and I hope a lot of large bills, too," and "It's BYOB,Bring Your Own Billions."
But when he sat at the FEC witness table, Colbert spoke no morethan a sentence before the commissioners gave him their blessing(the one controversial element of his plan, involving ComedyCentral parent Viacom's role, was resolved the night before).
Out on the street, Colbert, escorted by officers from theFederal Protective Service, walked around with an iPad equippedwith a credit-card reader.
"Anybody else got a credit card?" he asked as he swiped. "Let's charge it. You don't mind if I sign for you, right? I'll take the cash while I'm waiting. Oh, foreign money! Thank you very much."
As a "Colbert Show" producer barked orders to her cameraman("Gonzo, wide shot!"), Colbert remarked that Rove, who works forFox News while also guiding the American Crossroads super PAC,should thank him for undermining the campaign-finance system.
"I just made it perfectly above-board legal to talk about your super PAC on air and to use your corporate show to promote your super PAC in any way," he said.
Alas, when it comes to making a mockery of campaign-finance law, American Crossroads is way ahead of Colbert Nation.


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Kuranda Butterfly Farm
Cairns, Australia. 2010.
Canon EOS 400D
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
f/4.0, 1/20s, ISO 800
RAW. As is.
The Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) is Australia's largest endemic butterfly species.
Females have a wingspan reaching of up to 16 cm, males are usually a few centimeters smaller. A closely allied species, the New Guinea or Priam's Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus) reaches 19 cm and is the largest butterfly species found in Australia, but it is not endemic.
Males have a predominately black upper wing with emerald green flashes, however the female lacks the green coloring, having a plain black upper wing with white patches. The female is the larger of the two sexes. The larvae or caterpillars of this species breed on several species of pipe vine, including Aristolochia tagala and Pararistolochia deltantha. The latter species is more commonly used at altitude, with A. tagala used at sea level.
Cairns Birdwings are found southwards from Mount Webb and Cooktown to Mackay in Queensland. Its favoured habitat is primary rainforest, although the species will breed readily in a home garden if the correct larval host plants are grown. (care of Wikipedia)
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