text:
Dear Theist: Do Your Job or Find Another
You know, I get that it's a tough economy out there. Lots of people are taking jobs that aren't necessarily optimal, like working at a fast food joint, cooking meth, or making YouTube videos. And not everyone is able to choose a job that is 100% in line with his or her morals, like a vegetarian flipping burgers, an ex-DEA agent cooking meth, or a normal human being making YouTube videos.
Or like a fundamentalist Christian who is a town clerk in New York, where same-sex marriage was recently made legal.
That's right, there are people in New York who are refusing to approve the marriage licenses of same-sex couples because of "religious freedom." Here's one now!
"I love helping people . . . the Bible tells me that marriage is between a man and a woman. So I don't feel I can endorse the new law, the policy for same-sex people to be married. I don't feel it's right."
Look, I'm almost willing to overlook the fact that Bible actually defines marriage as a convenant between a man and a woman, a man and a woman and dozens of concubines, a man and several wives, a rapist and a woman, a man's brother and a woman, a man and his aunt, etc. etc., because I realize that you said "the Bible tells [you]", and who am I to interpret what an inanimate object is whispering to you late at night when no one else is around? If you believe that that's what marriage is or should be, then fine! That's what you think marriage is. Great for you.
But if you also think that the Bible tells you that you can't stamp a piece of paper because you'll be complicit in some evil deed, then you should not have a job that requires you to stamp a piece of paper. You should get a new job. Have you tried cooking meth? The Bible says literally nothing about meth. Nothing.
This is, of course, just the latest in a long line of attempts by fundamentalist Christians to not do their jobs. There are the pharmacists who refuse to fill women's prescriptions because those women may be using those prescribed drugs to not have babies. There are the doctors and nurses who refuse to perform potentially life-saving operations on women because those operations may destroy a fetus. There are the science teachers who refuse to teach science because the facts contradict their faith.
I give a talk on women's reproductive rights in which I compare these people to a vegan priest refusing to give the sacrament – if you can't do the job, then quit your job. A commenter over at The Advocate brought up another apt analogy: would these fundamentalists support a Hindu meat inspector's right to not inspect beef? What about an orthodox Jewish lifeguard who refused to touch members of the opposite sex?
I find town clerks refusing to do their jobs to be particularly vexing because they work for the US (state) government and have no idea what the first amendment means. No idea. "It is a religious freedom situation," according to the woman in the video, who is completely unaware that religious freedom is about keeping religion out of governmental duties so that the rest of us can be protected from her bigoted beliefs. If only there were a basic constitution quiz given to any applicant for any governmental job. But then, who would the GOP run for president?
Rebecca Watson
Rebecca leads a team of skeptical female activists at Skepchick.org. She travels around the world delivering entertaining talks on science, atheism, feminism, and skepticism. There is currently an asteroid orbiting the sun with her name on it. You can follow her every fascinating move on Twitter or on Google+.
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67 Comments
October 6, 2011 at 5:27 pm — Log in to Reply
I'm too lazy to look it up, but there was a case in Louisiana about a year ago involving some state official who refused to marry a mixed race couple. I believe that he lost his job as a consequence.
This case should be no different.
October 6, 2011 at 5:57 pm — Log in to Reply
What sucks about the First Amendment is that religious people actually are guaranteed special rights. You know all that whining about how gay folks want 'special rights' to do the exact same thing straight people can do? It's projection of the worst kind – the Constitution protects religious beliefs in a way that it completely ignores other things.
In prison and keeping kosher? They're going to have to accommodate you. In prison and a lifelong vegan? They don't have to do squat.
It sucks.
October 6, 2011 at 5:28 pm — Log in to Reply
Does this mean I can stop showing people where the religious books are?
October 6, 2011 at 5:31 pm — Log in to Reply
October 6, 2011 at 5:41 pm — Log in to Reply
October 6, 2011 at 5:42 pm — Log in to Reply
Thanks, Mark. Here is another link.
October 6, 2011 at 5:32 pm — Log in to Reply
Isn't there alo a bible passage here or there that says you should follow the law of the land you live in. Maybe I just made that up, probably, because it would make some kind of sense…
October 6, 2011 at 5:52 pm — Log in to Reply
cthandhs, I think you're referring to "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's". This is a quote from the parable in which Jesus explains why the religious are not above secular law, and one part of the Bible Rose Marie Belforti has evidently chosen to ignore.
October 6, 2011 at 5:40 pm — Log in to Reply
The Courage Fund's site contains the quote "I believe that there is a higher law than the law of the land". Why does this excuse for breaking the law never seem to work for Rastafarians who want to smoke marijuana?
October 7, 2011 at 6:41 pm — Log in to Reply
I once knew a fundamentalist Rastafarian. He was very strict, lived by very rigid rules for his life and yet still had to obtain marijuana illegally. His faith was very important to him (in his faith, the herb brings you "closer to God" and puts you in a more "god-like state". For him it genuinely was an important part of his religious practices, but there's no exception for that.
October 9, 2011 at 9:20 am — Log in to Reply
…and in both cases, the Rastafarian and the Christian are requesting that an exception is made for them to allow them to break the law in the name of their deity. I'm not a smoker myself but I still find it depressing that Rastafarians wanting to smoke marijuana seem to get less sympathy than Christians wanting to engage in homophobic behaviour.
October 6, 2011 at 5:44 pm — Log in to Reply
"Boy, I sure wish this law had been done differently with a referendum so that people could have voted."
Would that have changed the bible? If so, I'd like to propose a few referendums.
October 6, 2011 at 5:48 pm — Log in to Reply
You can tell how vital to democracy referendums are, because the founding fathers incorporated them so frequently into the Constitution. There are at least zero mentions of them.
October 7, 2011 at 12:56 pm — Log in to Reply
FSM damned referendums! The bane of the Republic!
October 6, 2011 at 5:47 pm — Log in to Reply
I mean, the First Amendment has the Establishment Clause keeping religion out of government, and the Free Exercise Clause, which does protect people from government intrusion into their religious practices. So there's at least some cognizable first amendment argument to be made there.
However, I really think that this one would fail, because this isn't a general law being applied to all, with a religious person seeking an exemption, it's a religious person seeking to impose on the government as an employer instead of as a lawmaker.
October 6, 2011 at 6:11 pm — Log in to Reply
Well here's one for you: in my country, civil servants who have religious objections to gay marriage can refuse to marry same sex couples. When the law that allows same-sex marriage was passed ten years ago, special exceptions where put in place to ensure that nobody would be forced to, you know, actually do their fucking job. Because not allowing an employee of the state to discriminate against teh gays is… wait for it… intolerant.
And this country is….
the Netherlands! Where discrimination against homosexuals by state employees is a legal right, stores can be barred from opening on Sundays, schools can proselytize and fire homosexual teachers, all the while receiving state funding, each law starts by pointing out our Queen rules by the grace of God, city councils can (and many do) open with a prayer and blasphemy is still illegal.
October 11, 2011 at 2:40 pm — Log in to Reply
Can Catholics refuse to marry people who have been divorced but not had a religious annulment?
October 6, 2011 at 6:31 pm — Log in to Reply
"I wish this law had been done differently with a referendum…".
And if the law had passed how would that make a difference? Is there parable about referendums?
October 11, 2011 at 2:41 pm — Log in to Reply
NY does not have much of a referendum process so it would be against the state constitution to do it that way.
October 6, 2011 at 7:28 pm — Log in to Reply
No, there shouldn't have been a referendum.
That would be similar to allowing white people to vote on whether black people should have civil rights.
There is nothing in the Constitution that says it's legal to discriminate against gays/lesbians. However, there's all sorts of stuff about separating religion from the state, guaranteeing due process, guaranteeing protection from discrimination…
If she can't do her job because of her religion, then I'm sure one of the more than 14 million unemployed people in the U.S. would love to take over for her.
October 6, 2011 at 7:46 pm — Log in to Reply
Isn't there a passage in the bible saying that if a man rapes a woman, her father must pay the rapist money and marry his daughter to him? I wonder how that fits on for size with fundamentalist christians?
Or that the bible says though shalt not kill and then not moments later says that you can kill gay men. Only men.
The bible is totally inconsistant and reminds me of a schizophrenic's bable during acute psychosis…
October 6, 2011 at 8:06 pm — Log in to Reply
I don't think a state employee would last long at the Department of Motor Vehicles if he or she thought that women shouldn't drive, or needed a permission slip from their husbands to get a driver's license.
October 6, 2011 at 8:24 pm — Log in to Reply
Rebecca Watson,
This doesn't really surprise me. She can object as much as she wants, however, no one is forcing her to accept it. The state is not going to force churches to wed homosexual couples. If she wants to insist that her rights are being violated, she might want to ask herself how she would feel if she heard someone in the south complaining about having to perform interracial marriages, using her argument. There are plenty of religious racists out there who think that interracial marriage is against God's will.
October 6, 2011 at 9:50 pm — Log in to Reply
I wonder if she stoned her children when they misbehaved.
The one and only reason Saul/Paul gives for homosexual behavior being wrong is that it is "not natural". That is exactly the same reason he says that men should have short hair and women should have long hair.
October 11, 2011 at 2:42 pm — Log in to Reply
She also likely has authority over men, a big no no in the bible.
October 6, 2011 at 10:24 pm — Log in to Reply
Wrt churches not allowing homosexual marraige: would we think that it is descrimination that a church does not marry two people who are black? How does this change if you are gay.
I don't know where I stand on the issue of forcing churches to marry homosexual people. However, if we allow them to make pick and choose what laws they will abide by (i.e.: discriminate who every they see fit) then where do we draw the line?
October 6, 2011 at 11:01 pm — Log in to Reply
I'm not suggesting we allow them to just pick and choose what laws they want to follow. If you thought I was saying that, you are mistaken.
October 7, 2011 at 12:35 am — Log in to Reply
"Before you know it, we have a whole different set of rules"
She's arguing that you shouldn't change the rules too quickly, yet the rules she follows were written 2000-3000 years ago. How much time does she need to get used to the reduced barbarity of the modern age? I'm certain she would also defend the bible's rules as tradition, saying we can't change something simply because it's been done that way for a long time.
Both arguments are invalid. My understanding of the NYC approval of same-sex marriage is that it was a collaborative effort more than a year in the making. Also this woman would have to be living under a rock to not be aware of the growing focus on SSM. The second argument is factually incorrect. If we consider the polygamous marriages in the bible, marriage has always been a flexible affair. OMOW was an assumption but only recently has it been legislated as a requirement. It's clearly discriminatory against same-sex couples, and it has to go.
October 7, 2011 at 1:50 am — Log in to Reply
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand the story, the three clerks stated they felt it was wrong. Then two of them resigned, while the third is seeking legal recourse to allow a deputy to her position to do that which she chooses not to do. While you may disagree with their decisions, tell me what exactly about them is inherently wrong? And on what basis? Belforti even wants to create a new job! Holy crap! Why aren't you excited for the new job on the market?
The point being, while it's cool and all to have an opinion, and get all up in arms about how much better yours is than others, belittling others in the search for self-worth is a pitiful means of communication. Especially when it results in sloppy self-congratulation. Valuing human life is not inherently "fundamentalist Christian". There are vegan alternatives for both members of the sacrament. However, the real issue is that you lump the three clerks in with these "fundamentalists" who are inherently stupid, as you make quite clear in your rant. Perhaps what some people have done in seeking to mesh their job description and their belief system hasn't always been the best choice. But don't reflect that hatred for misjudgement onto people who are doing their best to stay within the law and their convictions.
If you're going to make a living writing and talking down to others, you should at least learn how. And take a few minutes to get your facts straight. Thanks!
October 7, 2011 at 9:21 am — Log in to Reply
OK, I have to know: how on earth does one make the flesh of Jesus vegan?
October 7, 2011 at 10:33 am — Log in to Reply
I know we had some gluten-free "host" at communion last Sunday, so vegan doesn't seem like too much of a stretch. And vegan grape juice sounds downright trivial. I'm sure it would appall the Catholics, but they tend to get pissy about a lot of things.
October 7, 2011 at 10:55 am — Log in to Reply
I think you may have missed the point, here: the Catholic Church teaches that the bread and wine literally become the flesh and blood of Jesus. Literally. It is impossible to create a vegan version of that.
October 7, 2011 at 11:49 am
I suppose it would have to depend on your definition of veganism. Since some folks define it as not using or eating anything that comes from animals, I think a bit of bread that transubstantiated into Jesus' flesh would qualify as a loophole. Now I'm starting to get curious as to whether the Catholics have any official ruling on vegans and communion. I shall consult Google.
But as to my original point, there are numerous Protestant denominations that treat the communion elements as being mostly/purely symbolic. So if vegans can't be good Catholics, they can still be good Methodists, for example.
October 7, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Found the loophole!
"Transubstantiation is a conversion of the essence of one thing into another thing.
In the Eucharist, the substance of the bread and wine becomes the Body and Blood of Christ.
After this conversion of essence takes place, the physical properties of the bread and wine remain the same.
The Body and Blood of Christ physically appears as the original bread and wine down to the molecular level.
But Catholics believe that their essence has been changed literally to the Body and Blood of Christ."
Not that I am endorsing the view stated here, but it does look like you can simultaneously be a good vegan and a good Catholic.
October 7, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Somewhere in this there is a joke about Jesus and the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
October 13, 2011 at 9:54 pm
How dare you make fun of the Supernatural Vegans!
In addition to the animals we all know, we also do not eat mythical animals like dragons, unicorns, and yes, even Jesus.
I bet Jesus tastes like chicken…like a chicken that doesn't exist.
October 7, 2011 at 12:44 pm — Log in to Reply
Well, you can't really. But they are marketing a host for strict vegans – it's called "I Can't Believe It's Not Jesus".
October 7, 2011 at 3:45 pm — Log in to Reply
October 7, 2011 at 3:47 pm — Log in to Reply
To mangle a quote from The Vicar of Dibley, "You know the stuff that's like I Can't Believe It's Not Jesus, but is not I Can't Believe It's Not Jesus? I can't believe it's not I Can't Believe It's Not Jesus!
October 7, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Buzz, it is the second joke in this video.
And here is the butter one.
October 11, 2011 at 2:30 am
They say memory is the 2nd thing to go. I can't remember what was the 1st thing.
October 7, 2011 at 4:45 pm — Log in to Reply
Haha, thanks for the response. As blunt and critical as I'm being right now (and I'm sorry, I'm just a butthole in general, but I try to make good points), it says a lot about your willingness to discuss things openly that you approved and responded to my comment. I respect your ability to do what literally no other blogger I've commented on has done: Read and respond to criticisms. I can't think of a way to express my new-found respect for you, other than to say that that's really cool, ha.
Also, I'm not Catholic nor vegan, but as others have said, I suppose it all comes down to whether you think transubstantiation is a physical manifestation. And if so, if a person is an animal. Though, unless they're vegan for dietary reasons, I think a good Catholic who reads the bible would remember the passages where it says that animals are there to provide sustenance, among other things. So I really don't see why a Catholic would be vegan, ha. Perhaps I'm too utilitarian, though. Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with three New York clerks, but it's funny to think about.
October 9, 2011 at 6:57 pm — Log in to Reply
Upon coming back to this, as excited as I was at the time that somebody was willing to post my criticisms, it saddens me now to realize that they were completely ignored in Rebecca's response.
October 7, 2011 at 5:49 pm — Log in to Reply
Was Jesus a Vegan? I don't think he was. But assuming you listen to groups like PeTA….
October 7, 2011 at 2:31 pm — Log in to Reply
"belittling others in the search for self-worth is a pitiful means of communication…If you're going to make a living writing and talking down to others, you should at least learn how. And take a few minutes to get your facts straight."
No irony there.
October 7, 2011 at 4:27 pm — Log in to Reply
Does she not have a tone of superiority? Does she not use sloppy analogies ungrounded in reality? Does she not misrepresent the three clerks as fighting for their right to refuse service, despite explicit statements to the contrary in the article she linked? What have I said that wasn't directly warranted from what I read in her article? I would argue there's a far different tone between "and who am I to interpret what an inanimate object is whispering to you late at night" and my writing you quoted.
Side note: "Have you tried cooking meth? The Bible says literally nothing about meth. Nothing." I think this completely misses any valuable point. It's against the law. What these clerks are trying to do is both the legal thing and the right thing. This is the kind of sloppiness I'm talking about. These parts that are sloppy all seem like attempts at humor, but they're only humorous if you assume that this group of people Rebecca obviously hates are idiots.
October 8, 2011 at 1:42 pm — Log in to Reply
Any other petty style criticisms?
Anything else you want to say about tone?
It's clear you've unhappy with Rebecca's post because it doesn't express your opinions and it makes fun of the foolish, but I read her posts to find out HER opinion — and enjoy her wit.
October 8, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Of course you do, because you have the same assumption she does. But some people prefer to find fault with ideas and actions, rather than people. Also, nobody seems to disagree that she misread the article. That was my original point, with a secondary point of her misconstruing the clerks as evil people bent on imposing their beliefs on others. The rest are just things that occurred to me.
October 7, 2011 at 2:33 am — Log in to Reply
Two words: legal action.
October 7, 2011 at 4:06 am — Log in to Reply
I ranted recently on FB about danish priests who refused to wed divorcees. That's priests working for the state church, that is. If they were from some fringe ministry receiving no state money, I'd have had no issue – I'd just think they were idiots.
The priests said that they weren't preventing the couples in question from being married since they could just go to city hall. My opinion is that they should then take the priest's salary to city hall with them.
But yeah: Religious freedom is not the freedom to have a job and not do it in the name of your religion.
What I think would be helpful would be to start viewing religion as a hobby: a thing that you enjoy doing in your spare time. Comic book enthusiasts don't get special privileges, nor should Jesus-fans or Mohammed-fanciers.
October 7, 2011 at 6:25 am — Log in to Reply
What the law say about Churches refusing to marry gay couples? What about Churches refusing to marry interracial couples? In the case of the latter, what interracial couple would want to be member of a church that didn't believe in interracial marriage? It would be kind of a black guy showing up at a klan meeting and asking for a membership application (i.e. it probably doesn't happen too often – except when Dave Chappelle is involved).
With Churches who refuse to marry gay couples its probably a different story since many large denominations seem to be split internally on these sorts of issues (women in the clergy, practicing gays in the clergy, etc).
October 7, 2011 at 6:28 am — Log in to Reply
I suck at proofreading:
"It would be kind of a black guy…."
should be have been
"It would be kind of like a black guy…."
October 7, 2011 at 8:57 am — Log in to Reply
You have a moral issue about rubber stamping a piece of paper. What do you do?
A)Quit the job that requires you to do this.
B)Give it to another clerk to stamp (you can't tell me that there are NO clerks in New York would do it)
C) Get on a soap box and scream religious oppression until someone from the press shows up.
D) both A and B.
October 7, 2011 at 3:41 pm — Log in to Reply
I don't know how it works in NY, but in Mass, there are many towns where the town clerk's office consists of exactly one person, the elected town clerk, who is paid by the town, not the state or federal government.
If that town clerk refuses to do their job, then no gay couples can get married in that town, though I'm sure you could sue. It looks like you are not required to get married in your town of residence, but can apply for a marriage license at any city or town clerk's office in the state. However, that refusal clearly forces people to spend more time and money to obtain their legal rights and thus constitutes a tort and the clerk is (or should be) liable for damages. (IANAL, but it looks pretty cut and dried to me.)
If a car-less gay couple showed up at her office wanting to marry, would she transport them, at her personal expense, to another town where they could be married? Would she pay them mileage out her own pocket if they did have a car? Would she compensate them for the additional time required to do this? Would she charge her own town for the time she spent doing this? Anyone harmed by her should definitely consult a lawyer.
1) She should quit her job.
2) She should be compelled by court order to do her job, and held in contempt if she refuses.
3) She should be held personally liable for any time and expenses she causes other people by her refusal to perform lawful services required of her office.
Given option 1, I wouldn't cut her any slack at all.
October 7, 2011 at 8:58 am — Log in to Reply
I agree it is absolutely ridiculous. A state employee should not get to override the law. It is not a reasonable accommodation to infringe on another's civil rights. In regards to the Orthodox Jewish lifeguard, most Orthodox Jews I know, and I know a lot, don't really hold to this. But even in the more traditional ends of Jewish Orthodoxy, it doesn't apply to life threatening situations. I also take some issue with your title – Dear Theist. It conflates a belief in God with a zealous fundamentalism.
October 7, 2011 at 10:08 am — Log in to Reply
I went to the Youtube video and discovered that there is only one comment and it's positive. I tried to leave a comment, only to discover that it's pending approval.
I'm assuming they let in all positive comments and let in no negative comments. And they have one.
October 7, 2011 at 10:10 am — Log in to Reply
Incidentally, the comment I left was:
When you're a public officer, doing your job is not an endorsement of every state policy; it's doing your job. If it's so deeply personal to you, then quit. Don't expect special treatment.
October 7, 2011 at 5:08 pm — Log in to Reply
I left a comment, which also has not yet been approved… I'm not really expecting it to be. I don't remember the exact comment, but it had to do with public officials having to swear, or take an oath, to uphold and defend the Constitution (whether it's NY or US).
October 7, 2011 at 5:44 pm — Log in to Reply
To collatz and mcskeptic –
AFAIK, Skepchick has never banned anyone for expressing an opinion, no matter how different it might be from their's nor how stupid and unsupported by reason or facts it might be. The only reason I've ever seen anyone banned is for abusive, trollish behavior. (I imagine lots of spambots get banned on their first post, but that's another thing entirely.)
[I just had an evil thought about how to get spambots past manual approval screening, but I won't post it because I would have to smash myself over the head with a 2×4 if I did, and if I survived that and my scheme worked, I would certainly and deservedly be banned for life from every decent web site.]
October 7, 2011 at 6:26 pm — Log in to Reply
That puts them above other bloggers I've encountered. Pretty awesome. I'm kinda assuming your wording was more towards complimenting them than saying bad things about my logic. :P
And as to the spambot thing: You could always put your idea to good use by staying one step ahead of them. If you convince some internet security guru that what you claim is accurate, and that your proposed solution fixes the problem, I'm sure they'd love you. That's what security's all about. I'd suggest Gary Warner, but he's more into email spam. Who knows, maybe there'd be an overlap, though.
October 7, 2011 at 6:30 pm — Log in to Reply
I suspect mcskeptic is referring to comments on the youtube video on youtube not to commenting on Skepchick given that mcskeptic's comment follows banyan's comment concerning commenting on youtube.
October 8, 2011 at 2:53 am — Log in to Reply
On re-reading Mcskeptic's comment in context, I think you are correct.
October 8, 2011 at 2:10 am — Log in to Reply
I enjoyed reading Rebecca's post but thanks to collatz for clarifying the situation.
This sort of dilemma is not uncommon and can be overcome by reasonable people in a reasonable world.
My wife for instance is a practicing Catholic and a medic. When somebody wants an abortion, she simply refers her to to the guy across the corridor (politely, and she sorts it immediately, she doesn't kick them out or force them to make another appointment).
Contraceptives, OTOH, she hands out like jellybeans. Popes and hierarchy, she does not believe in.
October 8, 2011 at 1:44 pm — Log in to Reply
Rebecca, Rachel Maddow has a name for that. Rachel calls it the Amish Bus Driver Rule.
October 10, 2011 at 4:09 pm — Log in to Reply
Theists are quite selective about which parts of scripture they choose to impose on others. There are bible verses against usury, and yet there are Christian loan officers; there are verses against lying and greed, and yet there are Christian politicians; there are verses against divorce, and yet many churches are led by divorced ministers. Belforti would have equal scriptural basis for refusing to sign marriage licenses between Christians and non-believers. However, at no point in Paul's lecture about being "unequally yoked" did he tell Christians working for the government to refuse to approve such marriages, so she also has scriptural support for shutting up and doing her job.
October 13, 2011 at 9:46 pm — Log in to Reply
Don't most Job applications ask a question like "Is there anything that would prevent you from doing this job"
If so in this case, I'm thinking she lied on her application.
October 14, 2011 at 9:22 pm — Log in to Reply
Just found this in my online search for fundie-ridicule lulz…
Anyone want to go on and troll the "Courage Fund" fundies?
Hmmm… All this is going on at the Ithaca farmer's market which makes me think…
Didn't Thunderf00t just "out" himself as being from there?
I vote for sending him over to her stand at the market.
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That Colonel Sanders was full of big talk, bragging about his chicken being finger-lickin good. KFC is greasy goodness, sure but we dont lick our fingers for just any delicacy. Nay, we prefer to save our salivation for nobler, juicier foodstuffs. Such as ribs. Mmmm, ribs. So tender, so saucy. Were hard-pressed to come up with a meat delicacy thats more delicious or more patriotic. Yeah, thats right. Ribs are all-American fare, prepared lovingly by Joe the Plumbers and Southern-fried hockey moms all across real portions of the United States. Well be ever so proud to lick our fingers at Ribfest 2008 South Florida's largest barbecue festival and Miami-Dade Parks' annual three-day signature event. And this year Miller Lite is presenting it. Hot diggity dog!
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The fest dfood kicks off Friday and ends this Sunday at the Homestead Air Reserve Park, so come on down for cuisine by award-winning cooks who take barbecue seriously. Besides ribs, therell be competition for the best pork, brisket, chicken, and sauce, as well as damn good roasted corn, baked beans, chili, and ice cream. Wash it all down with a cold brew and some hot live music the Classic Rock All-Stars are back by popular demand, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section and country music singer Rodney Atkins will be crowd pleasers. Add that to the carnival rides, arts and crafts, classic cars, hayrides, horse shows, and Winn-Dixie family fun zone complete with petting zoo and childrens games, and youve got yourself a full day of family togetherness. Admission is 10 bucks for adults, free for little ones under 10 years of age
Sun., Nov. 9, 2008


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Marouane Fellaini given leave by Belgium to complete switch from Everton to Manchester United
Belgium have allowed midfielder Marouane Fellaini to delay linking up with the national squad so that he can complete his move to Manchester United.
The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Old Trafford across the summer, with David Moyes making multiple bids for his former player.
With the transfer window deadline looming, it's believed that a deal will be concluded later today, with talks between Everton and United "progressing" according to BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty.
United's pursuit of Fellaini has included joint bids that have included his Everton team-mate Leighton Baines.
The Independent revealed last week that the England left-back is keen on a move to Old Trafford and has asked the Goodison Park hierarchy to try and agree a deal with Manchester United, however, a move this summer is looking increasingly unlikely.
Belfast Telegraph Digital


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Interactive whiteboards are a touch screen device that displays images when it is connected to a computer monitor. This device is controlled by computer software and it makes use of an eraser and digital pen for erasing and drawing. The notes that are written on interactive whiteboard are saved on the computer. Touch screen computers/monitors have gained immense popularity as the best means of computer technology and TV viewing convenience. These are considered as an ultra modern screen that provides convenience for use.
There are a large number of uses of interactive whiteboards as these are used for making your meeting more collaborative and productive as the participants can engage in information that is being discussed or shared in the meeting. You can also make changes on the interactive whiteboard in real time when you get feedbacks from your colleagues. It also makes the entire communication process very easier as the teacher can teach their students while using interactive whiteboards and even people can view the files remotely with the help of their computers. A touch screen computer is more beneficial as compared to the regular monitor. This touch screen computer can be used along with on screen keyboards and other assisted technology. This device is used in places for speeding any process so that it can be done faster. Touch screen monitors are used in offices as it can make sharing and transferring of information very simple and quick.
The applications of interactive whiteboards include uses for phenomenal presentations in training sessions and schools. These interactive whiteboards are also used in businesses for communicating easily, making changes to your business documents and turning your meetings into collaborative and productive events. Touch screen computer /monitors are ideal for offices/workspaces where there are space constraints. It helps in preventing the work desk from being cluttered and crowded.


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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City leaders announced the Washington Capitals will host a game at 1st Mariner Arena.
Kai Jackson reports the big announcement comes as some say the arena needs to be replaced.
An NHL event may not bring hockey back to Baltimore or save the 1st Mariner Arena, but fans of the game think on both counts, it's a good start.
There was big news in Baltimore on Monday and it meant a lot at the Stackhouse Bar in Canton. Signs outside the door on Hudson Street alert patrons that while the O's and Ravens are popular, they also like their Caps.
"Hockey's…great for business," said Stackhouse Bar owner Dominic DeSantis.
That's why people are so happy about the Washington Capitals coming to Baltimore this year.
"I'm excited," said Alan Viars.
The Greater Baltimore Committee has recommended that a new arena be constructed in the city. In 2008, the estimated cost was $300 million.
The Capitals will take on the Nashville Predators in September's pre-season matchup.


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Lithium Technology Corporation Raises $3 Million in Private Placement
18 December 2006
Lithium Technology Corporation (LTC), a provider of large format lithium-ion batteries, announced that it sold 20,060 shares of Series C Preferred Stock for an aggregate of $3,009,000.
Each share of Series C Preferred Stock is convertible into 2,500 shares of company common stock. At a purchase price of $150 per share of Series C Preferred Stock, the effective purchase price for each underlying common share of company common stock is $0.06 per share. The stock has been trading below $0.03.
We are extremely pleased with this recent financing because it demonstrates the confidence that professional investors have in LTC and the markets in which we operate. We believe that our recent product and partnership announcements have proven to stakeholders that our company is progressing on all fronts, in the production as well as in the commercialization of cells and batteries to the transportation, military and renewable/stationary markets.—Amir Elbaz, executive vice president and chief financial officer
LTC manufactures the GAIA product line of large, high power hermetically sealed rechargeable lithium-ion cells and batteries.
LTC provided the li-ion battery system for the Zytek plug-in diesel electric hybrid recently shown in the UK. That battery pack has an output of 288 V and a capacity of about 2.2 kWh of energy. (Earlier post.)
December 18, 2006 in Batteries | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
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March of Dimes Honors Dr. Gail Harrison for Outstanding Work in Maternal-Fetal Nutrition
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Monday, November 9, 2009
Media ContactsTodd P. Dezen (914-997-4608)
A nutritionist whose research was instrumental in adding fruits and vegetables to the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food subsidy will receive the March of Dimes Agnes Higgins Award for outstanding achievement in the field of maternal-fetal nutrition.
Gail Harrison, Ph.D., MNS, a professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health, will receive the award today at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA) being held here.
Dr. Harrison is an internationally known scholar whose research – much of it among vulnerable populations in the U.S. and in developing countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America – has led to several important advances in maternal-fetal health. In the late 1970s and early 80s, her work proved that maternal obesity affects fetal growth. In 1983, Dr. Harrison was the lead investigator of a study in Egypt that demonstrated how the quality of a pregnant woman's diet influences the development and health of her baby and the nutrient composition of her breast milk.
More recently, as a member of an Institute of Medicine committee, Dr. Harrison conducted research that showed low-income pregnant women are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables if they receive specific food subsidies. That led to the committee's recommendation that fresh fruit and vegetable vouchers be distributed as part of the U.S. government's WIC program, which provides federal grants to states for food, health care referrals, and nutrition education. In 2008, WIC had more than 8,000,000 participants.
Dr. Harrison earned her bachelor's degree from the University of California-Santa Barbara, her master's from Cornell University, and her doctoral degree from the University of Arizona. She also served as the president of the Society for International Nutrition Research and has consulted with the World Health Organization.
Agnes Higgins was the longtime director of Canada's Montreal Diet Dispensary, a precursor of government nutrition programs for pregnant women in the United States. A pioneer in devising methods of nutritional assessment and counseling, she greatly advanced the understanding of diet as a crucial factor in healthy pregnancy and prevention of low birth weight. The award was created by the March of Dimes in her honor in 1980.
About March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs.
For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. To participate in our annual signature fundraising event, visit marchforbabies.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit peristats.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


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Graduation Recital
Presented by Seminole State College of Florida at Seminole State College of FL Concert Hall
March 21, 2017
Seminole State's Music Department presents an array of concerts and recitals throughout the year that highlight talented students and faculty as well as renowned regional and national artists. All events are free and open to the public. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start time. Location: Center for Fine and Performing Arts Concert Hall (building G) on Sanford/Lake Mary Campus Map.
Event Parking: General parking for concerts is available in Lot 9. Accessible parking is available in Lot 11, north of the Center for Fine and Performing Arts (building G).
Seminole State College of FL Concert Hall
100 Weldon Boulevard
Fine Arts Bldg. G
Sanford, FL 32773
Admission Info:
FREE & open to the public
Phone: 4077082038
Accessibility Information: Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.
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His hand slid up my left leg, pushing my black jersey dress up around my hips. My stomach fluttered and the space between my legs trembled. This is it, I thought. This is really happening. His fingers found themselves tangled between the thin strings of my thong. He kissed my neck, my chin, and then his mouth was on mine. I tasted the beer he was drinking at dinner, and when he swept my hair to the side I smelled the rosy perfume I was wearing. I hope he smelled it, too — I was wearing it for him. This was foreplay, and it was familiar — something I knew well, though it had been a long time.
His bedroom smelled like clean laundry and minty cologne, and it was dark all around except for the glow of the alarm clock. It was after midnight, my thong was at my ankles, and I kicked my heels off. I watched the numbers pop to 12:06 a.m. and did the math: sixty dollars and counting. He rolled me over onto his plush comforter and put his weight on me. I opened my legs, my dress past my navel now and his pants rubbing against me. If we kept going at this pace, I was looking at eighty dollars, maybe even a hundred.
I'm not a prostitute. I'm a single mother in the city and my babysitter charges twenty an hour. We'd had drinks and an expensive steak dinner — then he'd walked me around his charming neighborhood, holding my hand, telling me I was beautiful. I just wanted to have sex with him without going broke.
My daughter is three. Her father left when I was two months pregnant. I haven't had sex since.
My daughter is three. Her father left when I was two months pregnant. We had sex two times after she was conceived and I haven't had sex since.
I wiggled out from under him and pushed him on his back, gathering my dress high around my waist. His hands pressed my ass down on him and even through his suit pants were on I could feel he was ready. I unbuttoned his shirt slowly. He twirled a piece of my hair around his finger and the clock popped to 12:11. 12:11!
Earlier that day my best friend had texted me: "You need to fuck him tonight. If you don't fuck someone soon you're going to die." She was right. The routine of my days was getting to me. I wake up. I help my daughter go to the potty. I make her a waffle with a blueberry smiley face. I braid her hair, bring her to school, go to work, pick her up. We play. Eat dinner. Sleep. The next day starts the exact same way. I'm growing cold and bitter and robotic. I'm only thirty-one. I'm sexual. My vibrator no longer satisfies me. I crave touch and skin and smell and breath and sweat all mixed together.
He pulled my other sleeve down and undid my bra (in one try, with two fingers). He took my left breast in his mouth, causing a spray of goose-bumps to appear on my arms and "ohhhhh" to sail from my lips. The clock popped to 12:19.
"I have a child," I said.
"I know." He inched over the bed, pulling open the drawer to a small Ikea dresser. Between his fingers was a little purple square I hadn't seen in a very long time. I ripped it open for him. I guided it over his penis. My hand slid up and down, checking to see that it was on, really on — really, really on. I got pregnant when my ex-boyfriend and I didn't use a condom. He had pulled out and I had prayed — but apparently not enough.
Now I watched as this man disappeared inside me, letting him go deeper and deeper while still looking at the condom. I saw the perfect ring of plastic exactly where it was supposed to be. When he told me he was close, I told him to pull out. "Don't come in me," I said. Please don't come in me, I thought. Hail Mary, full of grace, please don't come in me.
"I have a condom on, baby," he assured me, his breath hot on my neck.
"Just don't," I said. So he came in the condom, outside of me. I lay there next to him feeling satisfied, numb, and sleepy. The clock popped to 12:36. I pulled the condom off of him and wrapped it in a piece of tissue. "I have to go," I said. "The babysitter." He hailed a cab for me and when he kissed me, his skin smelled like shaving cream. I went to bed that night feeling triumphant. I giggled in my pillow, feeling all of those wonderful sex pains again. I didn't expect to feel anything else. I went to sleep.
I woke up with a start the next morning. It was Saturday and 6:40 a.m. My daughter tugged on my arm. "Make me a waffle, mommy," she said. When I sat up and saw the beautiful little creature in her pale pink nightgown and big blue eyes (her father's eyes) staring at me in demand, a single moment of dread filled me. Was I knocked up all over again? Did the condom have a hole in it? Did he pre-come in me? When did I have my period last? Was I ovulating last night? I cooked with stiff arms. I sipped coffee and it made me ill. My daughter watched a cartoon, but it was like the volume was off. I was thinking about my ex and how in the beginning he was fine with my decision to keep our baby; we'd wondered if we should move in together. Two months and six days later, he wasn't okay with the instant-family we decided to have.
I giggled into my pillow, feeling all those wonderful sex pains again.
Now it was just my family. I was the girl on the subway with the belly swelling uncontrollably under my shirt. I was that girl — the one who would become a single mother at twenty-eight and consequently not have sex in the pink-tutu, doll-and-cupcake-filled years that followed — until now that is. And now it isn't what I thought it would be. Last night it was thrilling, today it's something different. The guy I fucked is just that — the guy I fucked. We mean nothing to each other, nothing more than a thirty-dollar steak. I thought about that all morning, that and how my daughter's father wasn't just a guy I fucked, and still he left.
The rest of the day happened in slow-motion. Paranoia set in. I called my best friend to come babysit so that I could go grocery shopping and try to get out of my head. But as I walked into the store, the past three years flashed full-frontal in no particular order: I was in the delivery room alone while friends and family and not my daughter's father hovered in the waiting room. I was pacing in the dark hallway of our apartment with a crying infant in my arms. I was late to work because my daughter wouldn't let go of my leg at day care. I was masturbating, staring out at the moon, hoping the guy next door was watching me, that someone was with me. I made the rent, bought the food, and paid the bills with a hundred dollars to spare that month. I came to and threw a few apples into the basket, two bananas, a pint of milk, those overpriced yogurt drinks my daughter likes. Then I walked back to the pharmacy to refill the prescription for my daughter's fruit-chew vitamins. But when a woman in a white jacket asked if she could help me, I asked for Plan B, unable to meet her eyes.
I know we used a condom. He pulled out with the condom on, then came. Still, I wasn't getting knocked up again. I'm never getting knocked up again. Plan B made me feel flu-ish and grumpy and like I was about to have a panic attack. Everyone assumed I was just under the weather. I welcomed the chicken soup and free babysitters, but told no one the real reason I was sick. The following week I got my period and started taking the pill. I'm still afraid that I'm that girl who can get pregnant while on birth control, even with a condom. Surely I'm the one-percent.
I don't think that feeling will ever go away. n°
|Mia Agnellois a pseudonym for a real live single mom attempting to date and not get knocked up again.


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Bendigo is a town of rich heritage and historical significance. It came to prominence during the gold rush era in Australia. Although the gold mines are now mostly gone, the town has retained an old-world charm that makes it a delight to visit again and again.
Live the gold rush era in Bendigo
Bendigo Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral is a magnificent sandstone early English Gothic cathedral featuring Italian marble, stained glass, granite and limestone. The height of the main spire is 86 metres which adds to its imposing size. The land on which the cathedral now stands was part of the Backhaus Estate left by the first priest on the Victorian GoldFields.
Vintage Talking Tram
Take a historic tour of Bendigo in a nostalgic vintage talking tram from the 1890s when trams were a part of life in this goldfield town. It's a novel way of taking in the sites of Bendigo and learning about its history. Similar to hop on and hop off buses used in major cities, the talking trams allow you to stop off and explore the sites at designated stops and then hop back on when you are ready to continue.
Central Deborah Gold Mine
The Central Deborah Gold Mine takes its name from the story of a penniless English lord who came to Bendigo to strike it rich and fell in love with a local chorus line girl, called Deborah. The lord tried in vain for years to find gold but was found dead one day with a gold nugget in his hand. Grief-stricken, Deborah refused to leave the mine until one day, she mysteriously vanished. There have been many sightings of her ghost in Bendigo since that time. You can visit the mine and learn more about the story and the gold rush period in Australia's history.
Antique Shops
Avid antique collectors and anyone looking for a special item for their house or a personal gift are advised to spend some time in Bendigo to browse the town's impressive list of antique shops. Aside from the shops, there are regular auctions where you can bid for a piece of furniture, a rare book or fine china among other things. Just witnessing an auction can also make an interesting day.
Wine was first produced in the Bendigo region when European visitors to the goldfields planted grapes here and passed on their winemaking tradition. The most popular varieties produced in Bendigo are shiraz, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc but many other grapes are also grown, including rare ones such as mataro and touriga.
Best Western has a range of motels in Bendigo, all within easy access to the local attractions and activities. You can book your Best Western Bendigo holiday online or by calling 131 779.


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At Gemvara, we believe that the jewelry you wear should be one of a kind, like you. That's why we make each piece to order, one at a time, just the way you want it. Choose pearl and rose gold or garnet and palladium: it's your choice. Mix and match gems and precious metals for a look that's exactly you. It's jewelry for all life's occasions, from an engagement or Valentine's Day to your own personal milestones and celebrations. Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to craft your round sapphire florette jewelry design with meticulous attention to detail. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. A gift of a sapphire is a pledge of trust and loyalty. This tradition makes sapphire engagement rings a perfect symbol of the promise to marry. Sapphire is the September birthstone, the 5th and 45th anniversary gem, and the zodiac gem for Virgo. Round is the classic gemstone shape because it has the most brilliance of any gemstone cut. Our wide selection of round sapphire florette jewelry by Just Like You Designs, Ji Hwang, Jessica Behzad, and other talented designers means you can find jewelry that's exactly your style. You can also shop by style, choosing our Knot, Twists & Curves, or Our Picks Collections. Gemvara's fine quality round sapphire florette jewelry is designed to be passed down for generations to come, crafted by hand in the United States.
We can help right away. Chat with a jewelry expert now!


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- How This Club Meets Up:Online Only
About This Club
We are a book publishing company.
VIP Ink Publishing's Bookshelf
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- "New Book on Heaven and Hell Makes New York Times Best Sellers News ..."
- 22/05/2012 by Daviddeevip (0 replies)
- New Book Receives Rave Reviews at Books A Mil...
- "Check out this great story on our newest authors book. New Book Re..."
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Kapil Sharma and other celebs at the music launch of a Rajasthani film
Kapil Sharma and Ravi Kissen
Kapil Sharma took out time from his busy schedule to launch the music of singer Raja Hassan's upcoming Rajasthani film.
The stand-up comic, who is known for his passion for music, offered a lot of encouragement to Raja and wished him success.
Javed Ali
Ahsaan Qureshi
Shantanu Moitra
Composers Toshi-Sharib Sabri
Surender Pal


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Congressman Andy Harris Partners with Senator Vitter to Introduce Worker Choice Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC—Yesterday, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-1) introduced "The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act" (H.R. 436) which would level the playing field for construction workers applying for federal contracts and those funded by federal dollars. The legislation currently has 55 cosponsors in the House of Representatives. Rep. Harris is partnering with Senator David Vitter from Louisiana who introduced similar legislation in the U.S. Senate last week, S. 109.
In 2009, President Obama introduced Executive Order 13502 that strengthened project labor agreements (PLAs) which favored union-based construction workers over non-union construction workers. The result has been de-facto discrimination against non-union construction workers, costlier projects, and longer completion time.
Statement from Rep. Harris:
"The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act is pro-growth, pro-taxpayer, and pro-worker choice legislation that will lower government costs by increasing the competitiveness of federal contracts, while also ensuring all construction workers have equal opportunity to find work. For too long, President Obama has preferred mandating union-based workers for federal contracts. This has increased the cost of government contracts while it discriminated against qualified workers who chose not to belong to a union. I look forward to working with my colleagues from both parties in both chambers to build support for this common-sense legislation."
Statement from Senator Vitter:
"One way to ensure that taxpayers get the most value for their dollar is to prohibit federal agencies from mandating contractors to agree to union-favoring project labor agreements in order to win a federal construction contract. President Obama has done his darndest to repay his Big Labor political debt, but we have a legislative fix - ensure bidding of the best possible construction product at the best possible price."
***For more updates from Rep. Andy Harris, follow him on Twitter: @RepAndyHarrisMD and Facebook: facebook.com/AndyHarrisMD***


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In light of the definition of "epiphanies" in the post of that name, what are some epiphanies that you have had? An epiphany is an experience that conveys an idea, a conviction. It is not merely an experience but is rather a moment of realization, usually provoked by some personal and sometimes very subtle event.
For example, I remember when I was in college, coming home from the weekend and going to my father's farm (a hobby with him, we not being farmers). He had planted some strawberries and I picked one and put it in my mouth. It was delicious, in its sweetness and tartness and texture a taste of perfection. And it flashed on my mind that this external world is somehow aligned with me. Existence is not absurd or random or meaningless, as I had been taught in some of my college courses. It had a meaning. I didn't particularly know what it was at the time, but eating that strawberry was an epiphany for me.
When I was in Estonia while it was still a part of the Soviet Union, I had an economic epiphany when I changed $20 of hard currency and received an engineer's monthly wages in rubles in return, only to go into a shop to find nothing for sale. It hit me then that free enterprise economics is far superior to a socialist command economy, nudging me away from the liberalism of my birth. I also had a political epiphany there, shaking hands with a poet who had just gotten out of a mental hospital where he had been consigned for years for writing a poem criticizing Communism. I realized then the power of writing and the utter evil of totalitarianism.
I wonder if our beliefs are shaped more by our epiphanies than abstract arguments. At any rate, now it's your turn. What are some epiphanies when the light, of various kinds, dawned on you?


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Dont Wake Me Up chords by The Hush Sound, added: April 29th, 2009
Profile History
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"Don't Wake Me Up"
Verse 1:
G# Bb
You came to me
In seamless sleep
Slipped right in
G# Bb
Behind my eye
Fm Bb
On the back of my mind
G# Bb
We swam a sea
Fm Bb
Of pretty sights and chandelier skies
G# Bb
I swore I could feel you breathe
Fm G7
It was all so real to me
G# G7 Cm
The light had slipped through the window
G# G7 Cm
The morning ripped you away oh
Fm Cm
Don't wake me up
Bb G#
I am still dreaming
Fm Cm
The story's undone
Bb G#
Unravel at the seams
Fm Cm
Don't wake me up
Bb G#
Death is misleading
Fm Cm
And when I fall asleep
Bb Cm
Sleep with a ghost
Verse 2:
I looked in the dark
The room calm and cold
The quiet hollow
I am such a haunted soul
Your ghost has gone to bed
It's all cold
Eb G7 G#
Oh you were a fire caught in a storm
Eb G7 G#
Memories like embers keep us warm
Eb G7 G#
You will leave me in the morning
Eb G7 G#
Leave me
Pre-chorus x 3


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On Wednesday, Oct. 10, Middlesex Hospital held a formal groundbreaking ceremony for its new Shoreline Medical Center in Westbrook.
When completed, the 44,000-square-foot building will house an expanded Emergency Department with 24 beds and an express care area; outpatient lab and radiology space, featuring the latest generation MRI technology and a brand new women's imaging area. There will also be a separate ambulance entrance, a paramedic station, private family consultation room and ample, free parking.


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Tough Love For The Starry-Eyed Homeowner In Us All
Tough Love For The Starry-Eyed Homeowner In Us All
By Trish Holder
Remember that scene in Moonstruck where Cher slaps Nicholas Cage across his face and yells, 'Snap out of it!'? Well, there's a lesson in that for us all, particularly when it comes to home ownership.
Here's some tough love to all those drunk with excitement over the prospect of their new home or newly renovated kitchen. It doesn't matter how great a guy (or gal) your builder or contractor is, the second your job is complete, the memory of you and the money you spent starts to fade very quickly. You'll notice that he doesn't return your calls as promptly as before. He may not return them at all if he thinks trouble lies at the other end of that call.
And there you are, staring at a stain on your ceiling that appears to be some sort of.....leak.
When Bad Things Happen to Good Homeowners
What happens, if your contractor goes belly-up right after he finishes installing your new roof, which, you subsequently discover has a leak due to improper installation? Who ya gonna call then? Ghostbusters?
No. In all likelihood you've got a big dogfight on your hands if you ever hope to hold that contractor accountable. If you enjoy the fight - go for it! You've got a case and you just might win, but it won't happen overnight and no one's paying you for the time you spend fighting the good fight. You should also know lawyers aren't exactly standing in line to help you win a case against a guy that doesn't have that much money anyway. You could always file a complaint to the licensing board. Oh, wait. He doesn't have a license anymore, or need one for that matter, because now he's joined an Alaskan fishing crew in hopes of landing a role on Deadliest Catch.
The fact is, there isn't much in place in the residential building industry to protect homeowners from contractor error or negligence. And, there are all sorts of ways a contractor can wiggle out of responsibility once those mistakes are discovered.
Homeowner education and preparedness are the best defense against these types situations. In this day and age, there's no reason to repeat the mistakes others have made, not when it comes to home construction. The Internet offers a vast library of research material. (Okay - so not all of it is as fun to read as what you'll find here at Greenspiration Home, but there is a lot of good information that will save you time and money.)
Homeowners educating other homeowners is what Greenspiration Home is all about. So, please, share your experiences with us. Every homeowner in the world has at least one precious bit advice that could save us all time, money, and tears. Let us tell your story.


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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Manchester United youngsters facing a baptism of fire
MANCHESTER UNITED may have dodged the traditionally hostile Turkish 'welcome' at the airport here last night here but Sir Alex Ferguson knows there will be no hiding place out on the pitch for his young team.
Having already qualified for the Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare, Ferguson will rest his senior stars and give some of his squad players a taste of the most intimidating atmosphere in European football.
Galatasaray have moved from their old Ali Sami Yen Stadium – where United had their 'Welcome to Hell' baptism in 1993 – to the plusher 60,000 capacity Turk Telekom Arena but the noise level has not changed.
The stadium is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the loudest in the world – with a noise level of 131 decibels recorded for the derby with Fenerbahce last year.
That apparently is louder than standing on an aircraft carrier as a military jet with an afterburner takes off 50 feet in front of you.
We didn't get the welcome from the fans because we dodged the greeting – we came underground!
United unveiled a four-year sponsorship deal with Turkish bank DenizBank yesterday but that did not deter hundreds of Turkish fans from gathering at the airport, intent on unnerving Ferguson's squad.
They were thwarted when United switched terminals after their aircraft landed, leaving Ferguson to chuckle at last night's press conference: "We didn't get the welcome from the fans because we dodged the greeting – we came underground!
"In 1993 it was incredible – quite frightening – but we have been here a few times and are now used to the Turkish fanaticism and enthusiasm so it is no issue for us."
Galatasaray, who are in with a real chance of finishing second to United, are rubbing their hands at the prospect of facing a team without Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra.
It is also bad news for United old boy Mark Hughes because it will mean those stars will be that much fresher to face his beleaguered QPR at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday.
But Ferguson, who has included eight players without any European experience in his squad of 21, insists he is not 'throwing' the game away.
He said: "We are making changes but the players need games and they are all experienced enough to handle it. We are in a great position, qualified and making sure we play with some pride, and that we are fair to the other teams in group."
It will be a significant night for Phil Jones, who will make his first appearance of the season after back and knee injuries, and for Nick Powell, who will be making his first senior start following his £8 million summer move from Crewe. Ferguson said: "It's a big day for Phil . He has done enough training to make sure his fitness is OK and I am looking forward to bringing him back.
"I'm not concerned by his injury record because he has had different types of injuries. He is still to develop physically because he is only 20 years of age, so he has plenty of time.
"A lot of the players are experienced playing in front of big crowds but it's completely different for Powell – it will be his first game at this level – his temperament will be important."
Academy graduates Davide Petrucci, Josh King, Tom Thorpe and Ryan Tunnicliffe have all been brought along for the ride and a place on the bench.


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Niger police hold opposition leader
Niger police on Monday arrested an opposition leader who had attacked the president's plans to extend his stay in office as the European Union and France stepped up criticism of planned constitutional reforms.
Marou Amadou, leader of the United Front for the Protection of Democracy (Fusad), was taken in by police after being accused of breaching state security, his colleague Ali Idrissa told Agence France-Presse.
He was taken to a prison in the capital Niamey and told that his case will be heard on Tuesday, Idrissa said.
The arrest came several days after President Mamadou Tandja won a vote on introducing a new Constitution, which would potentially allow him to rule for life, according to results from the country's electoral commission.
Amadou's party Fusad rejected the result in a statement at the weekend and called for a "general mobilisation" to topple the president.
Niger voted on Tuesday in the referendum, which faced fierce criticism both in the uranium-rich west African country and abroad.
Amadou was "arrested by plainclothes policemen near his house as he came out of a mosque where he had gone to say his morning prayers", Idrissa said.
The politician, also spokesperson for the Front for the Defence of Democracy (FDD), a coalition of parties opposed to the president's plans, was detained for several days last month after the group called on the army to join protests against the referendum.
A Dakar-based African human rights group, RADDHO, on Monday expressed its "deep concern" over the arrest of Amadou.
"It amounts to neutralising one of Niger and west Africa's most dynamic group leaders in a bid to weaken resistance against Mamadou Tandja's constitutional blow," the group said in a statement.
Tandja, meanwhile, faced more calls from abroad to return to the democratic path amid warnings his ties with foreign powers could suffer.
The EU said Niger's links to the 27-member bloc could come under strain unless the president returned the nation to "democratic norms".
"I regret that the recent holding of a referendum in Niger was outside the country's constitutional norms," said EU Development Commissioner Karel De Gucht.
"A rapid return by President Tandja to those constitutional norms would mean we don't have to open negotiations between the European Union and Niger ... and put our cooperation in danger," he added.
Former colonial power France urged Tandja to return Niger to a "democratic framework".
"We call on President Tandja to renew dialogue with all political players and make the necessary commitments so that Niger quickly returns to a constitutional and democratic framework," a French foreign ministry spokesperson said.
The electoral commission said on Friday the referendum had been approved by a vote of 92,5% in favour, but this was disputed by the opposition.
The new Constitution allows veteran soldier Tandja, in power since 1999, to remain in power for three more years beyond the December 22 end of his current mandate, and then to run for power in subsequent elections.
Under the new Constitution, legislative elections are expected to be held between now and the end of October.—Sapa-AFP.


text:
Access American Stories
by: Smithsonian Institution • 1
All Android applications categories
by: Smithsonian Institution • 1
Access American Stories is a bilingual (Spanish/English) "crowdsourced" audio experience and companion to the American Stories exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Designed to increase accessibility for visitors with low vision, the app offers everyone new ways of seeing 100 of America's most evocative historical objects through the eyes of both visitors and museum staff.
Participate by describing one of the objects on display or your experience of the exhibition. Tell us what else should be included in the show or respond to a comment in the app left by someone else.
Or simply listen to the people (staff and/or visitors) you choose as they talk about the objects and time periods from American history that most interest you, and "vote up" your favorites so they get priority in the play list for other listeners!
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text:
A transformer failure left 1,200 Georgia Power Co. customers in the Prince Avenue area without electrical power for three hours from late Monday into early Tuesday.
The outage was reported at 11:34 p.m. and affected the Prince Avenue, Hancock Avenue, Boulevard and Cleveland Avenue areas. Rick Boswell, an engineering supervisor for Georgia Power, said almost half of the company's customers had their power back within 45 minutes, and all power was restored by 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The failure involved one of the larger transformers providing power in the Athens area, Boswell said.
According to Boswell, there were just one or two businesses affected by the power outage.
- Mike D'Avria
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, December 31, 2003.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


text:
Maurizio Zamparini has described the nine clubs refusing to support either Carlo Tavecchio or Demetrio Albertini as FIGC President as 'a bunch of fools.'
The nine clubs, which include Juventus, Roma and Fiorentina, released a joint statement expressing their belief that neither candidate is suited to the post.
Speaking to reporters today, the Palermo chief made clear in no uncertain terms his opinion of the stance of the clubs involved.
"I am appalled by the statement they have made," Zamparini said. "They are a bunch of fools.
"They also tried to include me. Urbano Cairo [Torino President] and Andrea Agnelli [Juve President] telephoned me but I sent them to hell!
"This operation disgusts me, they should be ashamed. Trying to overturn a majority by using power is shameful."


text:
Once a popular meme on Reddit, Bear Grylls totally redeemed himself in the social news site's annual holiday gift exhange.
The best part of a Reddit gift exchange is that, in such an enormous community, you never know who you'll be paired up with—or what gift you'll receive. It could be a brand new laptop or a serenade from Jimmy Fallon.
For redditor Iowan, it was a personal message and gift from Bear Grylls. The star of Man vs. Wild gifted her with his DVDs, a survival kit, and a DVD labeled "PLAY ME."
"Hi Lindsay, it's Bear Grylls, and just saying congratulations on winning the Reddit Secret Santa," Grylls told her in a recorded message on the DVD.
Lindsay, who is a hunting and fishing enthusiast, was thrilled to hear from the adventurer and survival expert. As it turns out, she was already a big fan: The "gaily married" redditor said that her autographed poster of Grylls was "the first picture of a dude" she'd ever put up on the wall.
In her blog post on redditgifts, she invited Grylls to go hunting with her family this January.
"I feel like I've just won the lottery. I hunt all through the fall and winter and fish for most of the year, so it's quite possible that I will end up in a situation where the survival gear and survival skills I'm going to learn from the DVDs will actually come in handy," she wrote.
Along with her blog post, Lindsay also posted a video of herself trying out the firestarter Grylls had sent her. A jar full of urine was placed prominently in the foreground, a reference to the meme that made Grylls popular on Reddit.
Redditors commenting on the post were envious, but generally agreed that Lindsay was the perfect recipient for Grylls' gift.
"I knew he'd give his giftee his gerber knives! Looks like you were an appropriate giftee for Bear as well. 🙂 Lucky dude!" wrote ohhoe.
Pure, uncut internet. Straight to your inbox.


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CME: Futures Fall as Wholesale Prices Rise13 May 2013
US - As holidays approach, quality cuts are being sought after, pushing wholesale beef to all time highs, but live and feeder prices have shown sharp declines, according to this report by Len Steiner and Steve Meyer.
Live and feeder cattle futures declined sharply on Wednesday even as wholesale beef prices recorded new all time heighs. The nearby June live cattle contract settled at $120.2, 63 points lower than the previous close. August live cattle at $120/ cwt were down 105 points, establishing a new contract low.
Feeder cattle futures also have continued to lose ground even as lower grain prices should theoretically make them more valuable. At this point, market participants continue to show a profound lack of confidence in the beef market for later in the year and in 2014, the flip side of where they were only six months ago (remember $138 April cattle back in December).
Yesterday's action (which spilled over in overnight trading as well) indicates that the market believes the rally in boxed beef values will likely be short lived. The choice beef cutout has finally broken through the $200 level and last night it was quoted by USDA at $204.67/cwt, about $13 or 6.7 per cent higher than a year ago.
The select cutout has also gained ground but the year over year price increase has lagged the gains in choice. The select cutout closed at $190.63/cwt, up 2.5 per cent from a year ago. The big gains in the choice cutout have for the most part been driven by middle meats.
With Mother's Day weekend coming up and Memorial Day weekend three weeks from now, retailers and foodservice operators have increased their features of high quality beef cuts. The choice rib cutout currently is running 12.2 per cent above year ago levels while the loin cutout is up 11.9 per cent from a year ago.
On the other hand, the chuck cutout is up just 4 per cent while the round cutout is at the same level it was a year ago. Export business has contributed only modestly to the current rally, with items that
benefit from exports (brisket, short plates) up about 5 per cent from a year ago.
The rise in middle meat prices has helped heal packer margins in the short term and supported high cattle values. Live steer prices in some parts of the country were above $130/cwt in early May.
But what happens to middle meat prices and the overall cutout for that matter when Memorial Day features disappear and retailers once again go back to featuring less expensive proteins. Last year, the cutout help up well into June but then dropped by almost $20/cwt in July, pulling cattle down with it (see bottom chart).
Currently futures seem to be pricing a similar decline in cattle and beef values. Higher placements of heavy steers in March also have weighed on the August contract, which touched contract lows last night and was below $120/cwt in overnight trading.
Will this year be a repeat of a year ago? In part it will depend on foodservice business this summer. So far restaurant traffic has been quite poor, especially in QSR restaurants. One thing that will provide some support to the cutout this year is the improvement in the value of 50CL beef trimmings.
Fat trim accounts for about 10 per cent of the meat coming from the carcass and at this point 50CL beef is trading about 25 per cent higher than a year ago. It is likely that 50CL prices in July will be as much as 50 per cent higher than a year ago (last year 50CL dropped below 50 cents).
Finally, beef exports will remain critical. Sales to Japan have been good but other parts of Asia are not performing as well. Exports to Canada will likely remain high, as some of those extra cows slaughtered here go back in ground beef chubs.
In all, the market is pricing a summer swoon for beef prices, similar to last year but weather, exports and foodservice business remain key wild cards that could help support beef prices into the summer.
TheCattleSite News Desk


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The E-mail Whale sez:
"Sign up for the Rusty Crocodiles Newsletter!"
I have finally set up an e-mail newsletter! Stay updated on an arty world of critters and discarded objects by subscribing to my e-mail art newsletter. I will try to keep to limit updates to 2 e-mails a month or less. Your name and email won't be shared with anyone and you will always have the option of unsubscribing at any time.
There are three ways to sign up
1. The FUN form: The e-mail whale greets you here and there is much rejoicing: The Fun Rusty Crocodiles Email Subscriber
2. The not-so-fun form: There is a barebones form on the contact page on this site. It does the same thing as form #1, just less fun: The Not-So-Fun Rusty Crocodiles Email Subscriber
3. If you experience troubles with the fun, or even not-so-fun form, don't hesitate to contact me. If you give me the e-mail address you would like the newsletter sent to, I can add it directly.


text:
Results 21 to 30 of 43
Thread: surfboard wall rack
Sep 16, 2010, 01:53 AM #21
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Location
- North Wildwood ,Nj
- Posts
- 3,140
- Images
- 5
Sep 16, 2010, 02:02 AM #22Junior Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
- Posts
- 11
3 board racks could fetch $80-100. Might make some of the hardwood single board supports (more for display) from $40-50. Have to make a run to Home Depot tomorrow. Check out price of material. See what the demand for this kind of thing is in NC area..
Sep 16, 2010, 03:44 AM #23
Tried the Hawaiian gun racks & several other types of horizontal & vertical board racks. They all look bulky & detract from the beauty of the stick, IMHO.
I bot 3 sets of the plexi (light-green-tint-to-clear) surfboard racks. Now have my longboards standing up in vertical on these racks walls of my office (we have converted space, very high ceilings). Looks super sweet. People always comment on the look in positive terms.
You can get these in vert or horiz. Point being, these clear plastic racks let the board take center stage without that bulky wall hook look from metal or wood racks.
If I can figure out how to post a pic, I'll put it on this thread.
Sep 16, 2010, 02:25 PM #24
Just got the Hawaiian gun rack, Nice rack and discreet, double rack fit's two boards snug. In my living room, one of the boards is my hot girlfriends...hmmm
Sep 17, 2010, 10:04 AM #25Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2010
- Posts
- 77
Thanks for the pics using the ring screw. I didn't even think about hanging it upside down like that! I think that's the ticket. The MTB is a 6' 3" so it should definately hold i'd imagine with some dry wall plastic things you screw the screw into (it's 6 am and I completely drew a blank on what the heck they're called)
Sep 17, 2010, 10:09 AM #26
hawaiin gun rack is the hotness. I just ordered 2.
Sep 17, 2010, 12:14 PM #27
I can't think of what they are called, but...
You could try using the type that you drill a hole in the ceiling for; then you push this through and the end that goes through the ceiling springs open to form sort of a T. Then you have the pressure of the cross piece holding up the board and not just the threads of a screw.
(sucks not knowing the name of the hardware, so hopefully I explained it well enough)
Sep 17, 2010, 08:33 PM #28Junior Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Posts
- 5
Sep 21, 2010, 10:57 PM #29
Thank you guys for all the good ideas
Sep 23, 2010, 01:47 AM #30
So check it out,I just got done with a sesh a few hours ago.I usually keep my long board on the rack.As soon as I walk away,I hear a smash.Longboard is now on ground.Damaged nose.Pretty new and expensive board.The screws popped out of the wall.Total bummer man.


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Scott Shafer, voice of 'California Report'
Catching Up With Scott Shafer
Updated 5:25 pm, Wednesday, December 12, 2012
For 14 years, Scott Shafer has been the voice of "The California Report," the current affairs show produced at KQED-FM in San Francisco and carried by more than 30 public radio stations from Arcata to San Diego.
The award-winning host and correspondent has reported on everything from health care to veterans issues to gay marriage, and has no plans to leave what he considers the best job in the world - a job that allows him to "be a student forever."
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: In the suburbs of Buffalo, N.Y., in a little town called Kenmore.
Q: What did you want to be?
- The U.S. Just Got Knocked Off The Number One Spot for National ImageTaLTIME
- John O'Hurley returns to the National Dog ShowGolfTime
- The Evergrowing Perito Moreno Glacier of ArgentinaTaLTIME
- You Asked: Should I Eat Collagen Powder?TMTime
- Reba McEntire's Christmas Family TraditionsSLivingTime
- Time Inc Staff Reacts to T+L's Destination of the Year VRTaLTIME
- This Is How Countries Get Their NamesTaLTIME
- Essence Now November 21: Dry Turkey, Uninvited Guests, and Cousins Who Don't Cook on ThanksgivingEssenceTime
- Lantern Festivals of ThailandTaLTIME
- This Wes Anderson-themed Airbnb Is the Quirky Rental of Your DreamsTaLTIME
A: A bus driver. We lived across the street from a bus stop. ... One of the first words I uttered was "bus."
Q: Did you live in a political household?
A: My dad was a political junkie; I grew up watching "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press" and reading newspapers. When I was 10, my best friend and I randomly called names in the phone book and conducted presidential polls. Humphrey was ahead, if my memory serves.
Q: What was your first radio job?
A: I was a volunteer disc jockey at Cornell. I was studying horticulture and taking all these soil science classes, and I wanted something creative. I spun records - Talking Heads, the Cars, the Clash, Blondie, Elvis Costello.
Q: Did you have to work on your radio voice?
A: The first thing they did was beat my Buffalo accent out of me.
Q: How did you get out to California?
A: I took a job counseling pregnant teens about nutrition. (My degree was in nutrition science.) I was restless, I didn't know where the job was going, and my boss was generous, he let me take a day off a week to do an internship at KPFA in Berkeley. One thing led to another, and I was offered a job at a news talk station in Sacramento.
Q: What pulled you back to journalism?
A: The interviews that stick with me are not necessarily the big names; I remember the people who have gone through something extraordinary, who give you a window into a certain life you would never have otherwise had if you weren't a reporter. The mom who talked to me at their kitchen table in Riverside about capital punishment, and the kidnap, rape and murder of her son. A young widow whose husband died in Iraq. I recently went knocking on doors in a San Francisco housing project with a parole agent. Being a journalist puts you in so many worlds. We get paid to be curious.
Q: Where do you live?
A: The Mission.
Q: Neighborhood hangout?
A: A cafe down the street from KQED called Coffee Bar. Or the pool, for water polo.
Q: Have a pet?
A: Two cats, Cleo the fat calico, and Bobbio, a black and white tuxedo.
Q: What kind of car do you drive?
A: A convertible Mini Cooper.
Q: Describe your driving style?
A: I'm a good risk. Never caused an accident. Haven't had a speeding ticket since high school. But I'm not that person you honk at because they are going too slow.
Q: Favorite vacation spot?
A: My partner and I love Mexico, San Miguel de Allende and Puerto Vallarta. Love beach vacations and scuba diving.
Q: If you weren't doing this interview, what would you be doing right now?
A: Researching about the first inmate who is getting out under the new "three strikes" law voters just passed. You know, trolling the Internet.
Q: What would it surprise people to know about you?
A: I'm shy. People think that the person with the microphone thrives in the limelight, but actually I am not the life of the party. I like asking all the questions. Interviewing Terry Gross was a challenge - she kept asking all the questions!
Q: Guilty pleasure?
A: "Project Runway," Katy Perry and the Rocky Road at Bi-Rite Creamery.
The California Report airs on KQED 88.5 FM Monday through Friday at 5:50 a.m., 6:50 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. The Friday afternoon edition, a half-hour magazine, airs on KQED 88.5 FM at 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Meredith May is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com.


text:
SARASOTA, Fla. -- For the next two months you'll see giant billboard-size works of art along the bayfront near downtown Sarasota and along Riverwalk in Bradenton. They're not there for decoration, they're there to promote diversity.
The purpose of the Embracing our Differences exhibit is to promote co-existence.
Linda Carson has a look at the exhibit.


text:
WASHINGTON — The White House says Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq.
He's there to visit U.S. troops and meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Biden headed to Iraq the same week as U.S. troops handed over security in cities and urban areas to Iraqis.
The White House says Biden will reiterate the U.S. commitment to carry out President Barack Obama's plan to withdraw combat forces. He also will press Iraqi leaders to make more progress toward political reconciliation. It's his first trip to Iraq as vice president.


text:
Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Cincinnati!
Whether you currently hold an F-1 or J-1 student visa, or are planning to apply for one to come to the U.S. to study, there are several procedures that you need to follow in order to be issued your I-20 or DS 2019 form. If you hold an immigration status other than F-1 or J-1 and intend to maintain that status while you are studying, there are also certain procedures you must follow to document your immigration status with our office. Follow this guide to make your transition to UC go as smoothly as possible.
For Students Who Will Study on F-1 Visa Status
If you are outside the U.S. and intend to apply for an F-1 student visa, or if you are currently in the U.S. on F-1 status and plan to transfer to UC from an ELS language center or another school, please visit our Getting Started page for F-1 Students.
For Students Currently in the U.S. Who Will Study on a non-F-1 Status
If you are a non-immigrant visa holder (E-2, H-4, L-2, etc) you are allowed to study on that status. Please visit our Getting Started page for other visa statuses for instructions on what you will be required to do.
For Distance Learning Students Who Will Study in your Home Country
If you are admitted into one of our distance learning programs you will not be able to obtain a visa to enter the United States. Federal regulations prevent distance learning students from entering the U.S. on student visas. All you need to do is send an email to email@example.com confirming that you have been admitted to a distance learning program and that you will be studying in your home country.


text:
Artist description:
The rare times when I draw manga on RMD.... xD
Java Draw Created Aug 10, 2011 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2011 vivianton1998.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
Gorgeous draw.. lovely linre work :)
So pretty! I love the soft, pale colours, and how you shaded the background ^^
You really should draw more manga on RMD! The colors here are so soft, brilliant, lively, soothing, calming, relaxing and magical here. I love the girl's turquoise hair, amethyst-peachy dress and her expression. Simply lovely bg. 5/5 and favorites.
Just adorable!
The soft lighting and pastel colors are so pretty. This is lovely! 5 ♥s
Very pretty!
I love the softness of this draw. 5h
wow so soft and beautiful.good job.5/5.
Such a delicate and beautiful drawing ! 5/5 =A=
i love this .. so pretty and warm .. 5h


text:
Telcos asked to pay Rs 8,000 cr spectrum fee by Jan 15
The government has asked telecom operators to pay the first instalment of Rs 8,115.68 crore of one-time spectrum fee by January 15, sources said.
New Delhi: The government has asked telecom operators to pay the first instalment of Rs 8,115.68 crore of one-time spectrum fee by January 15, sources said.
"If telecom operators opt to make payment in instalments, then first instalment of all companies will be little over Rs 8,000 crore which they will have to pay by January 15," a government source said.
Sources said that the first instalment for Vodafone amounts to around Rs 2,093 crore, Airtel's Rs 1,758 crore, BSNL's Rs 1,282.98 crore and MTNL's Rs 916 crore. The same of Idea Cellular is Rs 810 crore (includes Rs 84.45 crore of Spice Communications), Aircel's Rs 584 crore (includes Rs 1.98 core of Dishnet), Loop Mobile's Rs 607 crore and for Reliance Communications' about Rs 63 crore.
When contacted Bharti Airtel and RCom declined to comment on the issue, while no immediate comment could be received from other operators.
The Director General of GSM players body COAI, Rajan Mathews said their "members are evaluating legal options and may approach court over the issue".
Initially, telecom firms were given 4.4 MHz spectrum along with licence for Rs 1,658 crore for pan-India operations and later they were entitled to get another 1.8 MHz on fulfilment of certain subscriber-base criteria.
In November, the government decided that the operators should pay for holding spectrum above 6.2 MHz retrospectively, from July 2008 to January 1, 2013.
After that, for spectrum above 4.4 MHz, they would have to pay for the remaining period of their licences based on auction held last November.
As per this decision, DoT issued demand notice to telecom operators on January 9.
The government is likely to get Rs 4,251.83 crore from retrospective charges, and Rs 18,925.82 from prospective charges for excess radiowaves held by mobile operators.
In all, around Rs 23,177 crore is expected from levy of one-time spectrum fee, sources added.
State-owned BSNL will have to pay around Rs 6,912 crore, followed by Bharti Airtel - Rs 5,201 crore, Vodafone - Rs 3,599 crore, MTNL - Rs 3,205 crore, Idea Cellular - Rs 2,113 crore (includes Rs 231.5 crore of Spice), Aircel - Rs 1,365 crore (includes Rs 14 crore of Dishnet), Loop Mobile - Rs 606 crore and Reliance Communications - Rs 173 crore.
Sources said the Department of Telecom (DoT) has tentatively fixed provisional rate for spectrum in 1800 Mhz band for Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Karnataka circles where it did not receive any bids, as also for the more efficient 900 MHz band.
Telecom operators have been asked to pay the amount in equal annual instalments for the balance number of years of licence in a manner that the last instalment is paid a year before the expiry of company's licences.
The government has given option to telecom operators who are not willing to pay the one-time fee to surrender their additional and excess spectrum.