text:
Software, and getting used to Windows 8.1
Almost all of these 8-inch Windows tablets ship with a 32-bit version of Windows 8.1, bundled with a copy of Microsoft Office Home and Student (so Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote). Bay Trail is a 64-bit CPU architecture, but 64-bit drivers weren't ready at launch and this tablet only has 2GB of RAM, so 32-bit Windows it is.
Given that most entry-level laptops include an Office demo and nothing else, this software load is a pretty good value for the money, and Dell doesn't add a whole bunch of pointless extra software here. That's probably a smart move for a tablet that only comes with 32GB of storage by default—tossing on McAfee Antivirus and the standard suite of dubious value-adds is going to eat up precious usable space on a tablet that only has about 10GB of it out of the box.
I primarily use iOS and Android tablets, and there's definitely an adjustment period if that's what you're used to. Windows 8.1 is just as different from those two operating systems as Windows Phone is, and there are still areas where the tablet user experience could use some work. You're encouraged to sign in with your Microsoft account, for example, but the complex 12-character (or longer) password you'll want to protect that account is much less-than-friendly to type on a touch keyboard. It's only in your account settings that you'll find the option to assign a separate, more conventional PIN to your tablet if you want to try to balance security with ease-of-use. I found myself wanting a persistent system bar with clock, battery, and connection status somewhere on the screen, even though part of my brain knew I could see all of that with a quick swipe from the right edge of the screen.
Overall, though, once you acclimate to the gesture-heavy UI navigation and Dell's Start button placement, Windows 8.1 can work on an 8-inch tablet. The Venue's weight is light enough that landscape use feels good, and enabling the thumb keyboard makes two-handed use in landscape mode just as comfortable (I tend not to use the thumb keyboard on the iPad Mini or Nexus 7, since those tablets aren't as wide when held horizontally).
There's definitely an app gap between the Windows Store and Apple's App Store or Google Play, but at this point many of the big names are represented—Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, Kindle, Netflix, and Hulu are among the apps I use regularly, and they're all here. Some other apps (Spotify, for one) are supported by third-party apps that work well enough, though you should be wary of knockoffs. Even if you can't find a touch-enabled version of your app of choice, running full Windows 8.1 lets you use desktop apps as a last-ditch backup, a safety net not available to Windows RT.
Internals and performance
Intel's previous-generation Clover Trail chips are best thought of as a proof of concept. Yes, you can get an x86 chip and regular Windows 8 running on a tablet, and that tablet will have reasonable battery life. That said, the CPU performance was bad and the old Imagination Technologies GPU was worse. When your GPU has trouble rendering the new version of Solitaire, you know you need to do a little better.
The Bay Trail chips, as we've seen in other reviews, corrects most of these deficiencies. The Venue 8 Pro uses a quad-core Atom Z3740D and a new Intel-made GPU that's a distant relative of the HD 4000 used in Ivy Bridge chips. The result is a tablet with much-improved performance—everything about the Venue is nice and snappy, and while you won't be playing many PC games on it, it's more than good enough for anything in the Windows Store. The Venue 8 Pro also includes 2GB of DDR3L RAM, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0.
To put the tablet's performance in context, we'll compare it to a few other Windows tablets:
- The Acer Iconia W3-810 and its 1.8GHz dual-core Atom Z2760 will represent Clover Trail. Its GPU can't run the Cinebench GPU test.
- The Sony VAIO Tap 11 and its 1.5GHz dual-core Core i5-4210Y. This chip and its Intel HD Graphics 4200 represents the lowest-power Haswell CPUs that Intel offers, and they can often be found in larger, more expensive tablets.
- Microsoft's Surface 2 and its 1.7GHz Nvidia Tegra 4, to show how a reasonably fast ARM chip performs in one of the few remaining Windows RT tablets. Since the Surface 2 can't run x86 Windows apps, it can't run the Geekbench or Cinebench benchmarks.
- The Retina iPad mini and its Apple A7 chip, to serve as a point of reference for the iOS ecosystem. It can't run the Cinebench tests.
Bay Trail's architecture (which we've written more about here) is a really impressive upgrade to Clover Trail. It's nearly twice as fast in single-threaded tasks, and the two extra cores really help it pull ahead in multi-threaded tasks. A quad-core Bay Trail chip is almost competitive with a dual-core Haswell chip when all cores are being used, but Haswell is still a significantly faster architecture in single-threaded tasks. Bay Trail and Nvidia's Tegra 4 trade blows in browser benchmarks, but overall the CPU performance should be pretty similar.
Again, Bay Trail is a big step up in performance, giving you raw 3D performance roughly equivalent to what the Nvidia's Tegra 4 in Microsoft's Surface 2 offers. The GPU should also be more compatible with a wider range of 3D applications—the new GPU supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL ES 3.0, while the old one was stuck with DirectX 9 and OpenGL ES 2.0. Since the Venue 8 Pro has a 1280×800 display and the Surface 2 has a 1080p display, games will be able to run a little faster at the Venue's native display resolution even though the GPUs are roughly equal. Haswell's GPU is about twice as fast as Bay Trail's, making it a better fit for higher-end 1080p tablets.
Battery life
What's even more impressive than the performance improvements that Intel squeezed into Bay Trail is the fact that they won't kill your battery. In our standard Web browsing test, which sets screen brightness to 50 percent and loops pages continuously until the battery dies, the Venue 8 Pro managed almost 11 hours of runtime, which is right up there with the best of them.
We're currently in the process of updating our battery life tests to test more factors that drain the battery and to set all screens to a uniform brightness (the 2013 Nexus 7's screen is particularly bright, so these numbers probably sell its battery life a little short). Look for those tests to begin showing up in future reviews.
Catching up, but there's still a way to go
By most important measures, 8-inch Windows tablets are about a year or a year-and-a-half behind Android tablets. Applications for many major services exist, but they aren't always up to the versions on other tablets. Windows 8.1 still needs some work before its touch interface is quite up to speed with Android and iOS. Battery life and performance are good, but screen resolution is about a generation behind what Apple and Google are offering.
That being said, 8-inch tablets like the Venue 8 Pro stand to do for the Windows tablet ecosystem what the original Nexus 7 did for Android. They're not perfect, but unlike the first efforts, they're good enough that early adopters and enthusiasts might actually want them. Generating that basic level of interest is the first step toward success, and by this time next year we might be looking at some Windows tablets that we like as much as we like the 2013 Nexus 7 or Retina iPad mini today.
If you need Windows on a small tablet, the Venue 8 Pro is one of the few we would actually recommend. It's fast enough, attractive enough, and comfortable enough. Regular people buying their first tablet will still be served better by Android or iOS, but Dell, Intel, and Microsoft are beginning to close that gap.
The good
- Snappy performance in an attractive package
- Bright and colorful screen
- Full Windows 8.1 and basic Office 2013 software for $300
- Excellent battery life
- Case and keyboard accessories are functional, if imperfect
The bad
- A little larger and bulkier than some Android and iOS tablets
- Windows app ecosystem is still playing catch up
- Small screen makes it a middling candidate for a laptop replacement
- Few ports
- Lack of thumb rejection can be frustrating
The ugly
- 1280×800 screen lacks the crispness of the high-density displays in the 2013 Nexus 7, Retina iPad mini, and others.


text:
Thanks to Mrs. Fox who recently found the original 1911 Reading Room minutes book. Along with opening costs we now have the exact date the building was opened.
On page 40 the minutes note the room was opened to the public on Tuesday November 21st 1911 by Miss Clara Odell. The initial costs cover coal, parafin, and various publications including the Yorkshire Herald and amounted to 1 pound 7 shillings and 9 pence.
The book will be held in the village archive for safe keeping along with notes and minutes from more recent times. Excerpts from the minutes will be published throughout the year.
|Page 40 from the original Reading Room minutes

subset: commoncrawl


text: [ Youree Drive Crash Blocks Traffic By Erin McCarty September 4, 2012 Two people are sent to the hospital after a crash on Youree Drive just north of East Kings. Read More Category: Shreveport/Bossier City News Tags: crash, Youree Drive wreck Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


text:
Hunt, Irene. Up A Road Slowly. Follett Publishing Company, 1967.
Hunt, Irene. No Promises in the Wind. New York: Berkley Books, 1970.
Hunt, Irene. Lottery Rose. New York: Berkley Books, 1976.
Hunt, Irene. Trail of Apple Blossoms. Follett Publishing Company, 1968.
Hunt, Irene. William: A Novel. Scribner, 1977.
Hunt, Irene. The Everlasting Hills. Scribner, 1985.
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Hello,friend I am miss Lisa Maxwell,I am interested knowing you because i have an important issue to discuss with you,please contact me via this e-mail ( firstname.lastname@example.com )waiting for your email to send my pictures and tell you more about me, your friend, Lisa Maxwell,
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Take a Study Break!


text:
|KDE Direct Battery Tray System
|Aluminum 6061-T6, AISI 1095 Blue-Tempered HC Spring Steel
|all SAB Heli Division Goblin 630, 700, and 770 series.
|Clear anodize, mirror-polish CNC gloss Primary Base Clear hard-anodize (teflon-impregnation), mirror-polish CNC gloss Push Lock
|$98.95, $135.95 w/ Battery Tray Upgrade V2
|KDE Direct
|Available From:
|KDE Direct
I enjoy flying my Goblin 700, but if I'm honest the o-rings that keep the batteries in place can be a little frustrating some times. The o-rings wear out and need to be replaced regularly, and I sometimes find myself fighting them when trying to secure the batteries in place. Once in place, they do an excellent job of keeping the batteries where they need to be, but wouldn't it be nice if there was an easier and quicker way to get your batteries in there?
That's what Patrick Koegler at KDE Direct thought, and he proceeded to design a quick release removable battery tray for the Goblin 630/700/770. Made from high quality aluminum, and with no modifications needed to your airframe, the KDE tray system simply replaces your existing battery tray, in either the upper or lower position on the airframe (depending on which batteries you use).
The tray system arrives in a sealed zip lock style poly bag, with the removable tray in a separate bag. Extra trays are available separately. Conversely, the tray system is available without the actual tray (for those who already have the trays).
Included in the kit is the tray system itself with a single tray, all of the hardware (including bearings) for the latch mechanism, six KDE Direct labelled velcro straps, and the installation instruction sheet is available for download from KDE Direct's website.
Assembly begins by assembling the latch mechanism on the new tray. The latch rides on two bearings, and the spring is actually a piece of spring steel. I carefully added some thread lock to the screws, and made sure that none of the thread lock got into the bearings.
It was then time to remove the original battery tray out of the helicopter. I found it easier to remove the tray after removing one of the rear landing strut screws. With the tray out of the helicopter, I then removed the lower carbon doubler, and reinstalled it on to the new aluminum battery tray.
The new tray was then slid into place in the helicopter, and bolted into the side frames. Once again I used a little thread lock to secure all of the screws. I used velcro on the batteries to hold them to the tray, and you could also use some double sided tape if clearance is an issue. Each battery on the tray is also held in place with two of the KDE velcro strap.
In my particular helicopter I am using the Castle HV160 ESC. This ESC is right at the limit, size wise, to fit in the allocated area. In my existing setup, I had the battery tray in the upper location in order to accommodate the HV160. Because of the nature of the new tray, I had to install it into the lower position so that my batteries would still clear the motor (this with the carbon battery protector piece removed). With the new tray in the lower position, I was having a heck of a time getting my HV160 to fit, and after talking to Patrick I slightly modified the ESC tray as shown. Once this was done, everything else fit perfectly.
Luckily for me, I have a machinist friend, and he was able to mill out a small amount of material on the ESC tray, so that the HV160 would sit flat. Luckily for everyone else, KDE are working on an upgrade part that will replace the stock ESC tray, making this a none issue! (Sneak peek below!)
With the new tray installed, I test fitted three types of batteries. The first set were 6S 5000mah 40C Zippy packs. They fit in just fine with minimal clearance. The Zippy packs measure: Length (mm) 153, Height (mm) 51, Width (mm) 53.
The next set I tried were Sky Lipo 40C 5000mah packs. These are a little narrower than the Zippy packs, and a little taller. They also fit without any problems. Their dimensions are: Length (mm) 135.67, Width (mm) 41.65, Height (mm) 66.54.
The last set I tried were FlightPower 5000mah 6S 30C packs, which were the smallest of all the packs, and they fit with plenty of room to spare.
This is a short video showing the installation of what I've come to call the battery "cartridge". Lock and load and ready to fly!
|KDE Direct Battery Tray for the Goblin 700 (1 min 11 sec)
I'm not usually one to go for upgrades, but this battery tray system is definitely one of the more worthwhile upgrades. It's turned the chore of installing and removing the batteries from the airframe into something that I don't even think about anymore. With a few extensions on the balance plugs of the batteries, the lipos can be left installed on the trays when charging, eliminating the need to ever remove them from the tray. Anything that gets me back up in the air quicker can only be a good thing!
|Saves Time
|None Yet!
|Easy Installation
|Quality Finish and Parts
|Thread Tools
Thanks for the great review! I ordered my set earlier on the 4th of July sale over at HeliDirect before spotting this posting. And was worried frankly about my larger 5000ma packs fitting. I hated the o rings myself and had already tried the factory sliding tray battery mod. But it turned out to be pretty much just as much of a pain. So this looks promising. Again, thanks for the time you spent thoroughly explaining your results. LMH
Hey, can you post up a link for this in the RCG Goblin thread? This way the guys posting up there might not miss this?
Just so everyone knows. These trays allow a 57mm thick battery to fit. The actual space until you run into the lower pinion battery saver is just over 59.60mm, but 2mm is needed to clear the battery straps.
Mine showed up and it is impressive. The instructions also say the tray needs to be slammed into place. Not so. Mine slides easily in with the release lever clicking at the end. And with a firm push down on the release lever, it pops right out.
Thanks! Yeah, all is assembled correctly. And I see the difference in my approach. I simply press down on the lever with a little pressure as I pop the tray in. Probably would need more force if I hadn't done it that way. I just queeb a little banging a heli part that hard is all. Lol..
These trays are amazing. I ordered a couple more sliders yesterday.
|Thread Tools
|Similar Threads
|Thread Starter
|Last Post
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|Electric Heli Talk
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|May 21, 2013 08:05 PM
|KDE Trex 600 battery tray with batteries and serial plug!
|Aircraft - Electric - Batteries & Chargers (FS/W)
|May 21, 2013 03:33 AM
|KDE Direct - Goblin 630/700/770 Battery Tray V2
|Electric Heli Talk
|May 09, 2013 10:15 AM
|NIP KDE Battery Tray W/ straps for Trex V1
|Aircraft - Electric - Helis (FS/W)
|Jan 31, 2013 05:11 PM


text:
ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Cosplayer Joepool > Costume of Nightrunner (Batman)
- Most Recent Photo
- 12-05-2012
- Series
- Batman
- Character
- Nightrunner
- Year Completed:
- 2012
- Construction Difficulty:
- Normal
- Costume worn at:
- New York Comic Con 2012
About this Costume
- Construction Details:
mask and shirt patterned by me, my girlfriend sewed them together. the pants were bought at the army ranger surplus store. elbow and knee pads from the thrift store. used an existing belt and crafted the buckle and belt attachments from plastic. need to redo the shirt and mask because the pattern doesn't meet up very well and the eye holes don't match up very well.
Add a Comment


text:
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by Williams, Jacob
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by Stier, Marc
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text:
The delightful South American unrodent-like rodent" known as the chinchilla makes a playful and affectionate companion animal. Author Donna Anastasi refers to them as inquisitive, sensitive, intelligent, and active," the ideal combination of intelligence and interaction anyone would want in a small pet.
This Complete Care Made Easy title is an ideal introductory pet guide about the chinchilla, with detailed chapters on characteristics, selection of a healthy… (more)
Publisher: i5 Press (November 08, 2011)
Format: EPUB
Page count: 160 pages
File size: 10.7 MB
Protection: DRM
Language: English


text:
Vos commented Tuesday after Assembly Republicans voted to oust Kramer as majority leader amid allegations that he sexually harassed at least two women last week, one of them a GOP staff member.
Vos says he has heard from people who say they would be concerned about their safety if Kramer returns. His office says Kramer checked into a treatment facility on Saturday and he has not been available for comment.
Kramer's chief of staff did not immediately return messages seeking comment Tuesday.
Vos says he hopes Kramer does not seek re-election.


text:
Battleships and Earth's mightiest heroes have already kicked off this year's blockbuster movie season. The third installment of Men in Black opens May 25.
This is a summer of action heroes, spies, fairy tales and wimpy kids. Here are a few Hollywood blockbusters being released this summer, according to information from Fandango and The Internet Movie Database:
MEN IN BLACK III (PG-13): Will Smith, as Agent J, travels back in time to the MIB's early years of the 1960s to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history. Action/sci-fi/comedy, starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin. May 25
MOONRISE KINGDOM (PG-13): When two children fall in love and run away from their New England town, a search party tries to find them on the island. Romance/comedy, starring Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton and Frances McDormand. May 25
CHERNOBYL DIARIES (R): Six tourists hire a tour guide who takes them to the abandoned city Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. During their exploration, they discover they are not alone. Horror. May 25
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (PG-13): In a dark twist of the classic fairy tale, an evil queen orders a huntsman to kill Snow White, but he becomes her protector and mentor instead. Fantasy/action, starring Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart. June 1
PIRANHA 3DD (R): Deadly piranhas are taking a bite out of unsuspecting visitors when they make their way into a popular water park. Horror, starring Danielle Panabaker, Ving Rhames and David Hasselhoff. June 1
MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED (PG): Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are still trying to find their way back home to the New York zoo. A villainous animal control worker is hunting them, so they'll need to get through Europe by joining a traveling circus and creating a convincing act of their own. Animated comedy, starring Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith and Chris Rock. June 8
PROMETHEUS (R): A team of explorers discovers a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. They must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. Sci-fi/action, starring Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green. June 8
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED (R): Three magazine employees head out on an assignment to interview a man who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel. Comedy, starring Aubrey Plaza, Jake M. Johnson and Karan Soni. June 8
THAT'S MY BOY (R): Donny fathered a son, Todd, in his teens and raised him as a single parent until Todd's 18th birthday. After not seeing each other for years, Donny tries to reconnect with Todd right before his son's wedding. Comedy, starring Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Leighton Meester. June 15
ROCK OF AGES (PG-13): The movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages follows Drew and Sherrie as they chase their dreams and fall in love during the rock music scene of 1987. Comedy/musical, starring Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti and Alec Baldwin. June 15
BRAVE (PG): Wanting to carve her own destiny, Princess Merida defies a sacred custom of the land. When a witch grants her ill-fated wish, she must use her
archery skills to undo a curse and discover what it means to be brave. Animated/
action/adventure, starring Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson.
June 22
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER: In the film based on the popular novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, the 16th president of the United States discovers vampires are planning to take over the country, and he makes it his mission to eliminate them. Action/fantasy, starring Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper. June 22
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD (R): As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He takes a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Comedy/romance, starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley. June 22
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION: The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy, Cobra, who wipes out many of them in a sneak attack, but they also are forced to clear their operation's name when faced with government threats that jeopardize their existence. Action/thriller, starring Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson and Ray Park.
June 29
MAGIC MIKE (R): Mike, an experienced stripper, takes a younger performer called The Kid under his wing and shows him the art of making easy money. Comedy/romance, starring Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer and Olivia Munn. June 29
PEOPLE LIKE US (PG-13): When his father passes away, a young man discovers he has a sister he never knew. Tasked with delivering $150,000 of his father's fortune to her, the young man is forced to examine his perceptions about family and the choices he has made in life. Comedy/drama, starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks and Michelle Pfeiffer. June 29
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner. Action/Adventure, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Rhys Ifans. July 3
ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT: Manny, Diego and Sid embark on another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates while exploring a new world. Comedy/Animated, starring Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo. July 3
SAVAGES (R): Pot growers Ben and Chon go to war with a Mexican drug cartel to rescue their shared girlfriend. Drama/Suspense, starring Aaron Johnson, Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively. July 6
TED (R): A guy who dreamed of having a live teddy bear companion as a boy gets his wish as a grown-up, but Ted turns out to be a big pain. Comedy, starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Seth MacFarlane. July 13
THE WATCH: Suburban dads form a Neighborhood Watch group as a way to get out of their day-to-day routines and find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion. Formerly called Neighborhood Watch. Comedy/Sci-Fi, starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill. July 27
DARK KNIGHT RISES (PG-13): Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes. Action/Adventure, starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy and Morgan Freeman. July 20
STEP UP REVOLUTION (PG-13): Emily moves to Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer and falls for Sean, the leader of a dance crew. Sean's neighborhood is threatened by Emily's father's development plans, and they must find a way to save it through protest art. Drama/Romance, starring Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman and Adam G. Sevani. July 27
THE BOURNE LEGACY: The fourth installment of the Bourne franchise based on Robert Ludlum's series centers on a new CIA operative. Action/Adventure/Thriller, starring Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton. Aug. 3
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS (PG): School is out, and Greg is ready for summer, when all his plans go wrong. Now what will he do all summer? Comedy, starring Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron and Devon Bostick. Aug. 3
TOTAL RECALL: As Euromerica and New Shanghai vie for supremacy, a factory worker begins to suspect that he's a spy, though he is unaware which side he is on. Sci-Fi/Action, starring Colin Farrell, Bokeem Woodbine and Bryan Cranston. Aug. 3


text:
UNITED NATIONS, June 21 (UPI) -- Afghan forces need support in building their capacity while lawmakers need to ensure political transition takes place, a U.N. report said.
NATO said this week Afghan national security forces were in charge of operations throughout the country as the international mission shifts from a combat to an advisory role. The transition is part of a drawdown planned for next year, when Afghanistan holds elections.
U.N. special envoy for Afghanistan Jan Kubis briefed the Security Council on developments ahead of 2014. He said Afghan security forces showed an increased level of confidence on the battlefield, but still needed international support in building a comprehensive fighting force.
"It is for the international community to assist," he said in a Thursday briefing.
On the political front, Kubis said the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is ready to support "all peace and reconciliation efforts" in the country.
The Taliban this week announced a political liaison office in Doha. Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed frustration with the United States on the matter, saying he was relegated to the sidelines of the political debate.
A U.N. report submitted to the Security Council said a "legitimate succession in leadership" is needed to usher in a political transition in Afghanistan next year.
More than 1,000 civilians died as a result of fighting in Afghanistan from Jan. 1 to June 6, more than 20 percent higher than the same time last year.


text:
STARmeterSEE RANK
Up 25,309 this week
Mark Dignam (I) (1909–1989)
Mark Dignam was born on March 20, 1909 in Ealing, London, England as Cuthbert Mark Dignam. He was an actor, known for Tom Jones (1963), The Taming of the Shrew (1967) and Sink the Bismarck! (1960). He was married to Pearl Virginia Smith aka Virginia Kirby, Helen Christie and Georgia MacKinnon. He died on September 29, 1989 in London. See full bio »
Born:in Ealing, London, England, UK
Died:(age 80) in London, England, UK


text: So I did not install anything other than HBC and bootmii (I have a new wii that I purchased a few weeks ago with 4.2u) and I want to virginize my wii. My question is, do I still have to do part C of your guide? Also, I have seen on other posts and a video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWDj4sQkdMk) that say to go to IOS36 instead of IOS249. Do you know the difference and which should I follow? Thanks


text:
The Mechanic (Movie Trailer)
Subscribe to Classic Rock Q107 on
I'm a big fan of actor Jason Statham, so I'm pretty pumped to see this movie tonight!
The Mechanic, which is about an elite hit man who teaches his trade to an apprentice who has a connection to one of his previous victims.
It opens in theaters tonight. Go check it out if you're a fan of action movies!


text:
In Atlanta, Georgia, a vicious serial killer is at loose, luring victims with ease, killing them with a combination of precision and twisted brutality.
Keye Street is not happy. Formally a rising FBI star, with two university degrees and a brilliant track record in criminal profiling, she's now working for herself as a bail recovery agent. It's not exciting work, but it keeps her agency afloat. So when her friend and mentor, Lieutenant Aaron Rauser, wants her on his case, Keye is reluctant to help him out. That way, obsession lies, and she knows her demons. But when he shows her a letter he's received from the killer, Keye feels a familiar excitement. They're being played with, the snare is set, and Keye just can't resist picking up the bait....
©2011 Amanda Kyle Williams (P)2011 Headline Digital
"Williams has created one of the most realistic protagonists in crime fiction that I've had the thrill to read." (Tess Gerritsen)
"An exceptionally smart, funny and character-driven debut." (Karin Slaughter)
"This is one Street worth acquainting yourself with." (The Sun)
This is one book you need to plan for in advance. Because once you read the first few pages, you'll be glued to the book until you finish.
Williams has previously written a number of lesbian detective novels. I should mention also that more sensitive readers may be offended by the book, given the language and certain scenes. However, Williams juggles character, plot and tension--not to mention supplying plenty of twists and turns--as well as any other suspense writer you've read.
Keye Street, the protagonist, is a flawed but likeable former profiler for the FBI. Although she's of Chinese ancestry, she was adopted as a baby by a Southern couple. Keye loves the South as only someone who grew up there can.
At one point, Keye was tossed out of the FBI because she was an alcoholic. And not only that, but her marriage came to an end. Four years later she's sober, if somewhat shakily, and works at chasing down bail jumpers.
Summer in Atlanta can be about two degrees cooler than hell itself. But what really disturbs the citizens is when a serial killer begins a frightening cat and mouse game with the media.
Keye has extensive experience at profiling, but she is no longer Special Agent Street, and so hardly expects to be drawn into the case. Yet as the bodies begin to pile up, she finds herself on the hunt for the killer, drawn in by her friend, Lt. Rauser, who heads the investigation.
And the problem with giving you any more information is then I will spoil some of the surprises. And I hate, hate, hate it when other reviewers do that. So just let me just sum the book up: yes, this is one serial killer thriller that does stand out and that is worth the price.
"The Stranger you Seek"
This is the first book that I have listen to by Amanda Kyle Williams and the narration was brilliantly done accent of Anne Marie Lee felt like you were actually involved - kept me listening and ignoring my fellow commuters.
Nail bitingly good.
It is wonderful to hear the characters voices
Yes but I would be giving a spoiler if I said what it was.
This really is a great thriller with moments of humour just like real life.
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Corporate Social Responsibility and its Macroeconomic Implications
One of main concern of policy makers is pollution and hence the improvement of the environmental quality. The implementation of environment policies aims at improving life and product quality in order to replace those obtained by high polluting processes by less polluting ones. Countries having more strict environmental regulations are likely to suffer from a significant increase of their production costs. As a consequence these countries become less competitive on the international market and may lose their market share. In this context, an increasing attention was granted to the impact of environment policies on foreign trade. Our purpose in this paper is to investigate whether Corporate social responsibility introduced into Eastern European countries have led or not to a decline of exports towards the European Union (EU), and if so how much? This question is important since it is related to the preoccupation of EU new members to increase their exports and the quality of their products. Our econometric methodology based on recent developments of panel data techniques allow us to control for unobservable heterogeneity and hence to get robust empirical robust. Our results highlight a moderated impact of environmental regulations on foreign trade.
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Volume (Year): 12 (2011)
Issue (Month): 1 (March)
Pages: 172-183
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- Mark N. Harris & László Kónya & László Mátyás, 2000. "Modelling the Impact of Environmental Regulations on Bilateral Trade Flows: OECD 1990-96," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2000n11, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
- Céline CARRERE, 2003. "Revisiting the Effects of Regional Trading Agreements on trade flows with Proper Specification of the Gravity Model," Working Papers 200310, CERDI.
- Egger, Peter, 2000.
"A note on the proper econometric specification of the gravity equation,"
Economics Letters,
Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 25-31, January.
- Peter Egger, "undated". "A Note on the Proper Econometric Specification of the Gravity Equation," WIFO Working Papers 108, WIFO.
- Laszlo Matyas, 1997. "Proper Econometric Specification of the Gravity Model," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(3), pages 363-368, May.
- I-Hui Cheng & Howard J. Wall, 2005. "Controlling for heterogeneity in gravity models of trade and integration," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue Jan, pages 49-63.
- I-Hui Cheng & Howard J. Wall, 2004. "Controlling for heterogeneity in gravity models of trade and integration," Working Papers 1999-010, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
- Ghosh, Sucharita & Yamarik, Steven, 2004. "Are regional trading arrangements trade creating?: An application of extreme bounds analysis," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 369-395, July.
- Fritz Breuss & Peter Egger & Michael Pfaffermayr, 2010. "Structural funds, EU enlargement, and the redistribution of FDI in Europe," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 146(3), pages 469-494, September.
- Fritz Breuss & Peter Egger & Michael Pfaffermayr, 2003. "Structural Funds, EU Enlargement, and the Redistribution of FDI in Europe," WIFO Working Papers 195, WIFO.
- Kahn Matthew E & Yoshino Yutaka, 2004. "Testing for Pollution Havens Inside and Outside of Regional Trading Blocs," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 3(2), pages 1-32, October.
- MANTOVANI Andrea & VANCAUTEREN Mark, "undated". "The Harmonization of Technical Barriers to Trade, Innovation and Export Behavior: Theory with an Application to EU Environmental Regulations," EcoMod2003 330700094, EcoMod. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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Red Mountain Bistro- A Taste of El Paso Featured Restaurant
Another fine premier restaurant at this year's Taste of El Paso! Delicious Red Mountain Bistro stopped by the studio…culinary heaven my friends.
Red Mountain Bistro served it up this afternoon in the KISS-FM studios! Pictures say it all, so delicious! You must get your tickets to Taste of El Paso to sample these amazing foods!
– Hotel Packages Available For A Taste of El Paso –
Red Mountain Bistro will be serving up Tuscan skewers and wild boar ragout bruschetta. paired with Santa Cristo Garnacha from Spain!
Get your tickets now, seating is limited. Log on to KISS-FM's event page, just click on the link!


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Thomas Holloway, (born Sept. 22, 1800, Devonport, Devonshire—died Dec. 26, 1883, Tittenhurst, Berkshire), patent-medicine merchant and philanthropist. In 1837 he began to sell an ointment that carried his name around the world, and soon added the sale of pills to his business. Advertising played a large part in his success, and from his wealth he endowed two institutions—a sanatorium for the mentally afflicted of the lower middle class, opened in 1885, and a college for women, opened at Egham in 1886.
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Feedback from our columns brings occasional anger, sometimes bleeding into hatred. Other times it brings love, sometimes skyrocketing into offers of shacking up.
Subscriber Linda Wheeler has swung through the gamut of reactions to our columns.
"I've been reading your column for years, and I'm really not a fan," gushes Wheeler. And, just as we're crawling out to the window ledge high above Ocean Boulevard, she continues: "But after two days of reading your columns about pit bulls I absolutely adore you. Thank you so much. You can come live with me anytime."
Another convert, whose name we've lost, admitted he's sometimes enjoyed burning our columns, but now, he says, he'll read them with a new appreciation, because of our defense of pit bulls. Then he went off on a tangent about Ben Carson, a renowned neurosurgeon who has entered the political fray on the far, far right, which would indicate he could benefit from some work by one of his colleagues.
Turns out when you write about pit bulls your stuff goes all over the inner nets, which is great, because love comes flying back at you from places like Knoxville, Tenn. "Oh gosh," writes Chris Poteet. "My husband Matt and I love you!! We have had a pit since early 2007. We were browsing PetFinder online when we saw this adorable dog with a cast (he had been hit by a car) and big ears and eyes staring back at us. I said, 'Go get him tomorrow!' My God we love this sweet silly baby so much."
There were about 45 comments tagged onto our two pit bull columns, mostly vicious arguments between pro- and anti-pits. A few more reasonable comments were tucked among them, including this one from Kristy Graham: "awwwwwwwwwwwwww I love this. Having pit bulls for over 18 years I can honestly say, best dogs ever. Smart, funny, loyal, bed hogs, couch hogs, lap hogs, floor hogs. Happy and joyful. I couldn't live without one."
And, from Facebooker "Fayclis," who wrote, "Could not agree more with your column. When my son said he was getting a pit bull I was so against the idea, had nightmares and couldn't sleep at night for months. As a family we had other dogs before her, but THAT beautiful creature truly changed our lives. When she passed at just under 16 years, I believed my heart could not go on. Our family has since shared our lives with 2 others of her 'type.' Can't believe we were taken in by the hype. Lesson learned and learned well."
Among the pit detractors was commenter bigsister86, who wrote, "Unfortunately, with a pit, it's Russian roulette. You may get one that never hurts you, or you may get one that kills you or one of your family members. I'll just make that a 0 percent chance, and not own one."
K bye.
Finally, frequent correspondent Guy Rosenlof, who reads our columns even when we don't write one, writes: "I'm curious. When the P.T. runs the little insert explaining that Tim Grobaty is 'on assignment' or 'has the day off,' is that just a euphemism for: his parole officer deemed he should remain in custody temporarily?"
Contact Tim Grobaty at 562-714-2116, firstname.lastname@example.com, @grobaty on Twitter.


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Tuesday June 1, 2010
Participating restaurants are offering a three-course menu at the fixed price of either $24 or $36 per person (tax, beverages and gratuity are not included).
Don't miss this exciting opportunity to experience some of the best restaurants the desert has to offer. Restaurant Week is the perfect time to visit your favorite restaurant or try something new, as chefs prepare delicious three-course meals for your dining pleasure at a fixed price.
Restaurant Week is organized by the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Association, whose mission is to promote and advance the restaurant and hospitality industry in the Coachella Valley.


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Rifle Reloading-Final Inquiry
View Single Post
September 11, 2000, 08:22 AM
Joel Harmon
Senior Member
Join Date: April 25, 2000
Location: Omaha, NE. USA
Posts: 165
I have researched rifle reloading for .223 and I know what kind of stuff I need to buy. I am not sure of some things that were mentioned in the sources I used and I have a few questions. My reloading will be for sub-MOA accuracy but component price is also a great concern. Sorry for the long post.
What I do know:
I know I need dies, a press to hold said dies, a scale, a case trimmer, calipers, a trickler, blocks to put shells in, a funnel for the powder, a hand primer, tumbler to polish cases/media, case lube?, powder dispenser, and a bullet puller. Are there any additional tools?
I know I need powder, primers, brass, bullets.
I will be buying powder from Widener's (WCC844-mil surplus and is $11.00/lb shipped). I will be getting small rifle primers locally ($13.50/1000). I will obtain bullets from Midway (Winchester 55 grain FMJ Boat Tail $37/1000 shipped). I have not decided on brass yet (see below).
The process as I understand it:
1. Polish brass with tumbler and corn cob media (make sure primers are out).
2. Resize using a die in your press.
3. Use hand primer to put a primer in (make sure to use same pressure each time).
4. Use another die in the press to spread the top of the brass to fit the bullet.
5. Throw a designated charge onto the scale with the powder dispenser.
6. Trickle the rest of the charge into the scale pan with the trickler so it is EXACTLY the same for each charge.
7. Place charge in brass. Repeat to charge whole block of brass this way.
8. Seat bullet and crimp with press with yet another die.
What I don't know:
1. In resizing, can't I buy carbide dies for rifle that will allow me to avoid having to use the sizing lube or are carbide dies only available for pistol reloading?
2. Is there a better way to prime your brass to make it more consistent? Maybe set a stop somehow so you can press the primer only so far? I learned that if you don't use the same amount of hand pressure on the hand primer each time you could get different shooting results just from the primer not being seated the same each time.
3. When seating the bullets for my bolt action rifle I want the bullet to almost touch the lands and grooves in the barrel. I am told that this also helps accuracy. I have read descriptions of doing this but they all vary.
The most common one involves putting the bullet in the brass casing loosely without crimping and chambering this round in your bolt action. Chambering the round sets the bullet to a point where it is right on the rifling. Carefully unchamber the round and use the calipers to measure the total length of the round. Subtract a little bit from your measurement so the bullet is not on top of the lands and grooves but so that it is just behind it. You may then seat and crimp every bullet to this determined length each time thereafter. Is this even remotely correct? There isn't much info about this out there.
4. I understand that the military brass is smaller or shorter or something like that. It is also primed using a different method (boxer?). Should I buy military once fired brass or is that not a good idea? It is much cheaper than commercial once fired brass. The commercial stuff is the other one I was considering buying. In other words, does the priming system and case size of the military brass cause reloading problems? Do I need special tools or primers, etc. for the military stuff?
Please "fix me up" on these issues. Once these questions are answered I can start my reloading adventure. Please don't tell me to buy some "how to" reloading book. I will be getting a reloading manual for loading data.
Joel Harmon
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Health Professionals View Almond Harvest with ABC
Nov. 20, 2017
An international group of dietitians and nutritionists who are frequent contributors to consumer media toured the California Almond harvest in September. The group learned about the almond industry, the almond life cycle and findings from consumer market research. Participants heard about research from ABC?s Karen Lapsley, Ph.D., and nutritionists Gary Foster, Ph.D., and Robbie Burns, Ph.D., related to heart health, diabetes, weight management and phytonutrients. They learned about food safety and measures taken by growers and processors to ensure high-quality, safe almonds. Stewart & Jasper Orchards hosted a tour of their orchard and handling facility. The tour was the highlight of the event, according to the participants, who were delighted to learn how almonds get from the orchard to consumers.
U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that the majority of your fat intake be unsaturated. One serving of almonds (28g) has 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat.


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Ok, I've been working on this peice of code for about 4 days now. It still won't work. I've looked up every google peice of infortmation I could think of. What I'm trying to do is hex dump single values of another program (Google had one for hex dumping the entire program, I found it thanks to nvoight). Failing at so much as reproducing that example, I tried at least displaying a single value from my own program. And that's my current failed attempt -,-.
I'm getting the error codes (299, ReadProcessMemory or WriteProcessMemory could not be completed.) Sence I only use ReadProcessMemory, it has to be that. Error code 998 I have no idea what this error means... At all. I'll quote msdn though; (Multiply accumulate instruction used without /QMR4121, /QMViper, /QMR5400, /QMmips32, or /QMmips64)
Now, I thought I could Read my own process' memory without giving it tokens. I tried giving the debug priviledge token, but it doesn't change anything. Token granting code;
The rest is pritty simple, this is my current test program, it outputs the last error repeatdly. It also crashs after a small amount of time. I thought it would be easier to try with my own program, but it's just making things more complicated >.<.Code:HANDLE TokenHandle; LUID debugid; TOKEN_PRIVILEGES tp; LookupPrivilegeValue(NULL, "SeDebugPrivilege", &debugid); tp.Privileges[0].Luid = debugid; tp.Privileges[0].Attributes = SE_PRIVILEGE_ENABLED; AdjustTokenPrivileges(TokenHandle, FALSE, &tp, NULL, NULL, NULL);
From reading all thoes google tutorials, I actualy understand the virtual memory quite well, but accessing it seems to be a really vague subject (Or maybe I just suck at searching) I've seen tutorials for hex dumping my own program without treating my program as if I don't control it, but that's not helpful to me.Code:#include <iostream> #include <windows.h> #include <conio.h> #include <String.h> using namespace std; int* Search(int SearchValue, HANDLE op, DWORD add) { MEMORY_BASIC_INFORMATION mbi; SYSTEM_INFO sys; LPVOID lpMem; string buffer; GetSystemInfo(&sys); lpMem = sys.lpMinimumApplicationAddress; while(lpMem < sys.lpMaximumApplicationAddress) { mbi.RegionSize = 0; VirtualQueryEx(op, lpMem, &mbi, sizeof(mbi)); ReadProcessMemory(op, &add, &buffer, mbi.RegionSize, NULL); lpMem = (LPVOID)((DWORD)mbi.BaseAddress + (DWORD)mbi.RegionSize); cout << GetLastError() << endl; } return 0; } int main() { int srak = 4; HANDLE CURRENTPROCESS = GetCurrentProcess(); DWORD ProcessId; HANDLE tProc; tProc = OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE, GetCurrentProcessId()); if(!tProc) { cout << "Could not open the process o-O"; getch(); return 0; } cout << *Search(srak, tProc, ProcessId); }
-Thank you for any help -,-.


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Thanks alot for your reply. Yea if you get to talking to him ask him about compression. I'm
a little surprised with all the boss pedals but
this guy sounds very innovating with getting
tones down.
That Vox amp sounds interesting too although I won't be getting rid of my boogie any time soon!
Thanks again, great stuff!


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I could spend all day debating just what the deal is with Aubrey Dollar's obituary writer on last night's episode of "666 Park Avenue." Inspired by Gavin to let her imagination soar, Dollar's Anne writes a fanciful obit claiming the deceased was a CIA agent, and lo and behold! The very next day he's given a funeral that literally stops traffic. Pleased with herself and missing her dead mother (whose framed photo keeps her company in her cubicle), Anne writes a retraction to her mother's recent obit. No, she's not claiming it was all a mistake. Instead she randomly claims that her mother was a best-selling children's book writer. Snap! She instantly has better hair and nicer clothes. Still a crummy job writing obituaries though. Which can't be all bad, since she can afford an apartment in the Drake. (The writers of "666" are going for atmosphere, not logic, m'kay?) Impressed by her pluck, her editor gives her a plum assignment to dig deep into the mysterious KGB operative Kandinsky, whom she created for her first fictional obit. Guess what? He appears at her door, complete with the bag of torture tools she had given him in print.
I'd like to talk about how much I've always liked Aubrey Dollar, and how her guest star plot seems vaguely reminiscent of Sylvia Plath's villanelle "Mad Girl's Long Song" ("I think I made you up inside my head"), but ostensible star Jane insists that we talk about her. Oh, Jane. You and your roots are so boring, even Vanessa Williams can't resist driving like a maniac just to frighten you. That car trip comes at the end of a sympathy lunch suggested by Gavin, who wanted Jane to distract Williams' Olivia from the 10 anniversary of the death of their daughter Sasha. Olivia is gamely trying to have girl talk with Jane, asking about her sex life with Henry, but Jane is such a pill. "It's… healthy," she says. No wonder Olivia is shotgunning scotch.
Jane doesn't take too long before she's spilling out her fears about the Drake and her sanity. To be fair, the episode opened with her ankle being grabbed by ghost hands in that secret basement room, but Henry came and rescued her (far too quickly, for my tastes). "Sometimes I feel like the dead just won't stay dead," she mutters to Olivia. Then, realizing what she's said, she jams her sensibly clad foot deeper into her mouth. "Oh, Olivia! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean Sasha." Is it any wonder that Olivia almost kills them both on the way home?
Equally deadly is Henry's political storyline, especially an hour after the machinations on "The Good Wife." He's a nice guy, see, and just doesn't dream big enough! But Gavin knows all about dreams, and after a Masters of the Universe-style pep talk, he presses Henry to accost a council member at a club. Being pushy seems to agree with Henry, who lands a job from the encounter! He also has huge circle under his eyes, so maybe Jane's night terrors are starting to interfere with his REM, too.
That job isn't around too long, though, because after the council member rejects Gavin's requests for assistant in acquiring a building project in Greenpoint (theory: it's also a portal to hell, and Gavin wants to play Monopoly), Gavin shoves him down the elevator shaft. He makes up for it by requesting Henry's presence on the penthouse terrace at three a.m., telling Henry he still needs to dream bigger. Why work on a campaign when you can have a campaign? A campaign to help Gavin realize his evil dreams!
Evil is the right word for Gavin, at least according to poor dead Sasha, That rainy day wreck wasn't an accident, it turns out; she killed herself, and left Olivia a note calling her father "evil." Olivia has never told Gavin, because it might hurt his feelings. Although that's the thing about evil men: They don't really mind if people notice too often they're evil.
Oh, and Robert Buckley and his wife? They try to have sex before coitus interruptus happens courtesy of the hot blonde he's been Rear Windowing. And later, when they take Henry and Jane out dancing, there she is again! Even Henry notices how hot she is from across the way. Well, Jane told us he's healthy. We shouldn't be surprised that he uses his eyes. For Jane's sake, let's hope his big dreams don't include trading up in terms of arm candy.


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Results 1 to 5 of 10
June 13th, 2013 08:01 AM #1Senior Member
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- Jun 2013
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How important are the meaning of names to you?
My husband's late mother was called Cecily which is such a pretty name and I had always thought that it would be nice to include in one of the names of our little girl. But the meaning of the name is Blind so I just can't bring myself to use it.......
Then there is Elodie - a lovely French sounding name which is name of a Saint. But this was a saint that was beheaded at a young age in a really gruesome manner!
Am I thinking too much about the meanings of the name or do you feel the same?
June 13th, 2013 08:20 AM #3Senior Member
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- Jun 2013
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- 724
To me, it doesn't matter much. I love Cecelia/Cecilia...and don't care if it means blind. It's not like the name is going to define what kind of child you have.
I'm sure if you look hard enough, there will be a negative connotation to every name. Should people stop choosing the name "Charles" for their kids because of the killer Charles Manson? I don't think so. For every negative thing against the name, there will always be lots of positives. Think of it that way.
June 13th, 2013 08:34 AM #5Senior Member
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I think it's because my middle name is an Indian name meaning Moonlight - I loved the meaning and I loved that my parents gave it to their only daughter - it was nice when telling people that :-)
But I see your point - for every negatives, there are many positives.
June 13th, 2013 08:38 AM #7Senior Member
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- London, England
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I actually love Cecilia's meaning. It derives from a really old Roman family name meaning blind; Cecilia actually means the way of the blind, which always makes me think of kindness, guided paths and a deeper understanding of the senses. And the there's the patron saint of music.
Most saints were killed and tortured in pretty horrific ways, that's how they became saints, so unless you want to scratch all those names off... Try to focus on the positive things. Just because something bad's happened to someone shouldn't define their whole persona and history.My darling Marian Illyria Aphrodite, March 2013 & Little Bunny (a girl!) due 9th of February 2014
June 13th, 2013 08:42 AM #9Senior Member
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IMO, meaning is important when naming children, but not necessarily the meaning listed in baby name books. I think personal significance is most important. So, in your case, you like the sound of Cecily and it's a name that honors a family member. I would use it. Nameberry might say it means "blind", but to your family it means your husband's late mother and all of her wonderful qualities.
I named my daughter Maura. The meaning listed for it is something like "sea of bitterness". I don't even understand what that means. We chose it because we like it and because it honors my husband's Irish heritage and Catholic faith; it is an Irish version of the name Mary. Should everyone just stop using all versions of the name Mary because it means "bitter"? I think that would be ridiculous. It's an important and significant name to many people, so I don't think the "definition" matters at all.
Also, if using a Saint name has significance to you, don't worry about how they died. A lot of the Saints suffered horrific deaths because they were persecuted for their faith. However, it was Saint Alodia who was beheaded. The name Elodie is related to the name Alodia, but it wasn't the saint's name. She was Spanish. The name itself means "riches".


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Plans are underway and models are being sought for a series of American Girl Fashion Show® events which will be held on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29 at Stambaugh Auditorium in Youngstown. Show times are 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day. The shows, presented by the Kids' Crew of Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley, will benefit the hospital's programs and services. "Model Calls" for girls interested in modeling in the shows will take place on March 3 or March 10.
The American Girl Fashion Show® is a fun, engaging program that combines education, fashion and goodwill, creating a memorable experience for families. Matching outfits for girls and their dolls are featured as the audience enjoys the interactive and stylish showcase of historical and contemporary fashions. Audiences will delight in historical clothing, from daywear to sleepwear to special-occasion clothing that resembles what popular American Girl characters Kaya, Josefina, Addy, Rebecca, Kit, Molly and Julie might have worn.
Contemporary "My American Girl" outfits for older girls and sweet Bitty Baby fashions for little ones complete the program. Local children will serve as models and will present the fashions, while lively commentary, music and decorations will create a memorable experience for girls and their families.
The Kids' Crew is seeking local girls who are interested in modeling for the American Girl Fashion Shows ®. Models must be a size 10 or size 6x in order to wear the clothing provided by American Girl®. Tere will also be a limited number of modeling opportunities for girls of other sizes, but models must purchase their own outfit from a list of pre-approved selections.
"Model Calls" will take place on March 3 and 10 from 1 - 4 p.m. in the Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley Community Room, which is located in Building C on the hospital's Beeghly Campus, 6505 Market Street in Boardman. Girls interested in modeling must be accompanied by a parent and need to attend only one of the "Model Call" sessions. Models will be selected based upon their poise, confidence, stage presence and resemblance to an American Girl® doll. (Visit www.americangirl.com to view the dolls.)
To receive an application packet and registration materials, please call 330-746-8712 or visit www.akronchildrens.org/americangirl. Once selected, models will be required to pay a $25 registration fee, and must be available for fittings on March 31, as well as rehearsals on April 22 and April 27, in addition to their assigned show time.
The American Girl Fashion Show® events will also include refreshments, with a tea party theme, favors, door prizes, and fabulous raffles featuring American Girl merchandise. Tickets are $30 per person and can be ordered by calling 330-746-8712 or visiting www.akronchildrens.org/americangirl. Sponsorship opportunities, program book ads and VIP family tables are also available.
About American Girl
American Girl is one of the nation's top direct marketers, children's publishers, and experiential retailers. American Girl programs is proud to partner with nonprofit organizations to present Fashion Show events to raise funds for children's charities. As part of the company's ongoing commitment to "celebrate girls," American Girl Programs' events have generated millions of dollars for worthwhile causes nationwide.
Models sought for American Girl fashion show to benefit our Mahoning Valley programs
JoAnn Stock
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Microsoft's Director of Environmental Sustainability Talks Green Initiatives, Copenhagen Summit
In the past, Microsoft has had a reputation for being slow moving in the areas of green technology and energy-saving innovation. However, in the last two years, the corporation seems to have turned the tide, stepping up to the sustainability plate and implementing a number of company-wide green initiatives.
First, it hired Rob Bernard as chief environmental strategist, a position created specifically for him. It began integrating power management capabilities into its products—the latest release of Windows 7 and Microsoft Hohm include new energy tracking and management features. Partnerships were formed with the Clinton Foundation, the Carbon Disclosure Project, and the European Environmental Agency. And, most recently, Microsoft sent a 12-person delegation, led by Bernard, to the COP15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
Microsoft's director of environmental sustainability, Francois Ajenstat, has been with the company for nine years, working in various groups including Office and SQL Server. He moved to sustainability, a personal passion of his, 18 months ago. His job includes everything from working with product teams to reduce the harmful environmental impact of their customers to talking with governments and NGOs around the world about climate change, and working on Microsoft's own commitment to going green.
On the last day of the conference, Friday, I spoke with Ajenstat about how the company was received in Copenhagen and what its current environmental strategy entails.
"A lot of people join Microsoft to change the world," he said. "This is clearly an opportunity where I could go in and have a significant impact on the world by also helping change the company."
Here are a few edited highlights from our conversation:
Xconomy: Microsoft has recently put much more emphasis on sustainable technology. Why now?
Francois Ajenstat: The way that I describe how things were originally is we had a lot of what I call "well intentioned chaos"—a lot different people within the company doing great work, but not necessarily a line to a broader vision or broader strategy. Sustainability has moved to the forefront of everybody's minds, both in terms of our customers asking Microsoft how we can help, government talking to Microsoft, our employees looking for what the company was doing, shareholders. It was almost more of a whole mountain of requests coming from all directions. What we wanted to do was have a thoughtful approach that made sense based on what society needs and also based on the real capabilities that Microsoft can bring to the table.
X: What are the key components of Microsoft's environmental strategy?
FA: There are really three parts to the strategy. The first one is to use IT to improve energy efficiency. The second is to accelerate research breakthroughs. And the third is about responsible environmental leadership. A number of different studies have shown that the IT industry represents about 2 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that are emitted. And you might say that 2 percent is not a big number, it's roughly the same as the airline industry. So it's a fairly big number that we have a responsibility to act upon and drive reductions in energy use in the industry that we're a leader in. We think that IT can play a significant role in improving the energy efficiency in other industries—the other 98 percent as we like to call it—which would mean creating smarter buildings, or smarter transportation, smart grids, or even things like dematerialization—we convert something that's physical to digital. A big part of reducing requires measurement or management. You're really seeing energy efficiency and sustainability becoming a key design principle of how we think of building and delivering software to our customers.
The second pillar is around working with scientists to accelerate research, but also to help find a broader solution to climate change. We're doing that through building tools with scientists to help them do research by providing modeling capabilities so we can better understand the impacts of climate change.
And then lastly, responsible environmental leadership. This is about our own operations and how Microsoft becomes a good steward or the environment. We have set a carbon reduction goal for the company—it's a 30 percent reduction by 2012, based on 2007 levels. And that's something that we're really driving very deeply in the company, around reducing the energy use of our buildings, driving efficiency through our data centers, then reducing travel through the use of technology. It's not necessarily how much money is applied to it, but how you're changing your business practices to make sustainability a key part of the company. It really is something that permeates everything that we do.
X: What were the goals in Copenhagen, and how was the delegation received?
FA: Copenhagen was fantastic in a lot of different ways for Microsoft. The goal that we had was to demonstrate the potential that the IT industry has to help address energy and climate change challenges that the world faces—evangelizing what's possible with technology. We had a presence in a number of different panels to debate different issues. We had a booth where we demonstrated to governments and policy makers what was possible through technology, and we had a number of different tools that we used there.
X: What was Rob Bernard's experience like?
FA: He was just blown away. He thought it was actually a great event. It was amazing how people eyes lit up when they saw the tools that we were showing and what was possible, again, today, without necessarily replacing all the infrastructure that you have in a country to get the solution, but really using tools to help manage energy consumption at home to visualize the impact of environmental issues. People were blown away by both the breadth of what we were showing, but also the depth of the thinking that we have on adjusting this issue at scale.
X: How do smaller green-IT companies and partner organizations fit into your strategy?
FA: Microsoft can't be the only one driving solutions. We need to bring our whole ecosystem together. There's always going to be a role for partners within our strategy. And they're part of our thinking and that approach. Partners are key to everything that we do.
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We have several hides to tan and I was wondering if there was any equipment(stretchers) that would help to get the hides soft and pliable and have a nice shammy look to them. We have done one and it looks fine, just not real pliable. Is there an easier way than having to rub it across a table or board? Any ideas on how others do it would be helpful.
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I have found much of it depends on the tan, method, and when you start breaking the hide. If it is not a good tan you won't get the results you expected. When you get a good tan you will be surprized how easy it is.
I have used this contraption for about 14 years. I can use an edge on one spot or drag the whole beaver or otter across the top. See photos at http://www.geocities.com/lfabich/Tanningref/breaker.htm
Also I have found that working the hide by hand will do a lot. Trying to crush and bend and twist the hide while holding it between two hands. This actually can had a lot of breaking to a hide. Think of the hide as a piece of wax paper. The more you crush and twist the paper the more the paper becomes uniformly white with cracked fibers.
I also have a wood lathe that I use as a sander. I have made a 2 inch dowel about two feet long. To this I have contact cemmented a strip of heavey duty 50 grit sand paper. It works quite well on the tanned hide to thin and clean up.


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Vikings To Play Without Hutchinson and Asher Allen
The Vikings will play without starting left guard Steve Hutchinson and starting cornerback Asher Allen Saturday at Washington. Both players haven't practiced all week because of a concussion suffered against the Saints Sunday. Hutchinson and Asher Allen are listed as "out" on the injury report.
The Vikings are 2-12 and play at Washington at noon Saturday, pregame on WJON at 11am.


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SentryTurbo update 3 or 4 i have no fucking idea which update it is why am i allowed to type like this
Contact Info / Websites
- joemayo91
All 1 movie Review
Used and Abused Chris
Rated 2.5 / 5 stars
Could have been good.
You would have been better off writing your own shitty poem. I know exactly what kind of statuses this poem was based off of and it ruined it for me. The "poem" is tacky and feels like it was written by a 4th grader (if it were actually written by a 4th grader, it might have been effective.)
The only problem I had with it was the storyline, the rest could have been polished up, but it wasn't terrible.


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3. Speak up about (free!) screening.
Don't assume you'll be tested during your annual gyno exam, says Melissa Goist, M.D. STD tests are not automatically included with a Pap smear. Ask to be tested before you have sex with a new partner or if you think something is amiss. Bonus: Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans fully cover all STD screenings.
4. It's never too late.
If you already have an STD, you may think you don't need testing. Wrong. "There's no limit to the number of STDs you can have at once," says Sara Gottfried, M.D. "In fact, you're more likely to catch an infection if you already have one, because open sores can make it easier for new infections to enter the body."
5. Relax, it's the un-STD.
Anything that throws off your vagina's natural bacterial balance (sex, your period) can result in the ubercommon BV (bacterial vaginosis). Its symptoms--discharge, fishy odor, burning—mirror those of many STDs, but it's not sexually transmitted or harmful in and of itself, says Streicher. BV can, however, lower your defenses against actual STDs, so be sure to ask your doctor for treatment.
6. Consider a new shield.
Female condoms guard the vagina, vulva, and surrounding skin, so they may offer more protection than condoms against STDs spread via skin-to-skin contact. (In a WH poll, 25 percent of you said you'd be willing to try a female condom.)
7. Check your girl parts.
You might feel squeamish, but it will quickly become a monthly routine, says Hansen. All it takes is five minutes, a handheld mirror, and a flashlight. It's crucial to know your own normal so you can spot anything suspicious.


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Potluck Thanksgiving dinner
|Community Happenings
|UU Church of Belfast
|37 Miller St., Belfast
|Nov 22, 2012
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast will host its fourth annual Community Potluck Thanksgiving Dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Anyone who would like to come is invited. Attendees don't have to be a Unitarian — or any other faith. There is no charge for the dinner, no collections will be taken, and no donations will be expected. Also, no sermon will be delivered, but those who would like to stay for a nondenominational Gratitude Circle after the dinner may do so. Turkey will be provided, but those who would like to come are invited to bring a potluck offering, such as an appetizer, salad, vegetable, rolls or bread, or dessert. Vegetarian offerings are welcome. The dinner will be alcohol-free, so don't bring wine, but if you have any dietary restrictions, the church will endeavor to mark foods which might pose a problem, such as gluten items, nuts, MSG, etc.


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DETROIT – Mexico's car and truck production totaled 145,810 units in July, up 3.0% from the 141,517 vehicles made year-ago, according to Ward's data. DaimlerChrsyler's Mexican unit produces the PT Cruiser It's the third time in four months that output has outperformed like-2001 levels. January-July production is running 0.3% (1,092,492 vs. 1,089,314) ahead of year-ago output. (view related data: Mexico Production) In July, domestic production increased 41.4% to 40,195 vs. ...
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Somerset County League Division One West
Glastonbury 3, Burnham United 0
A BELOW par performance from Burnham United saw them slip to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Glastonbury on Saturday.
United went 1-0 down just before the break when they conceded from a corner, the first time stand-in 'keeper Croucher had been tested.
The first half had been an even affair right up until the goal, but Glastonbury rallied after the break and Croucher was forced into a brave save outside of his box, taking a heavy knock in the process.
He played out the rest of the game and was left helpless when Glastonbury doubled their lead in similar fashion from another corner.
Burnham had created very little throughout the 90 minutes and as they began to commit more players forward, the home side took full advantage to catch them on the break.
The third goal gave the score line a slightly flattering look, but Burnham will be hoping for a big improvement when they welcome Clevedon United on Saturday (3pm KO).


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As the national debate over how to save the Social Security system from insolvency intensifies, increasing attention is being focused on how the program harms the prospects of a secure retirement for different socioeconomic groups. Hispanics in particular are increasingly concerned. According to a July 2001 poll for the Latino Coalition and the Hispanic Business Roundtable, 47 percent of adult Hispanics are not confident that they will receive all of their Social Security benefits when they retire, while only 35 percent have $5,000 or more saved or invested for retirement.1
Today, only 5 percent of the 33 million Hispanic Americans are over the age of 65 and eligible for Social Security (compared with 12 percent of the population nationally), but this percentage will change dramatically over the next three decades.2 Having paid into Social Security over a lifetime of work, many of these Hispanic Americans will find themselves entering retirement at a time when the trustees of the Social Security fund predict the trust fund will have been exhausted (around 2038).3
As a 1998 Heritage Foundation analysis of Social Security's rate of return found, single-income Hispanic families with two children, whose wage earner was born after 1950, can expect a return of almost 4 percent on their contributions to the program. And that expected return declines for subsequent generations. Moreover, a single Hispanic male born in 1975 who earned about $17,900 in 1996 can expect a return of only 1.44 percent.4
This is troubling to Hispanic Americans, who as a group have not always found financial stability in retirement. Demographic factors, such as lower lifetime earnings and less participation in private retirement savings vehicles, mean that Hispanics have come to depend more on Social Security for income in their old age. While these demographics may change over time, the potential insolvency of the Social Security trust fund is a concern. Like other groups of Americans, Hispanics would prefer financial security and an opportunity to build wealth that they can pass on to their families. If that same single Hispanic male had invested those same payroll tax dollars in super-safe long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, for example, he would expect a return of at least 2.8 percent--almost twice what he can expect from Social Security.5
Hispanics have a growing interest in Social Security reform that increases their personal savings and retirement security but that does not put the decisions in the hands of bureaucrats whom they do not know. Establishing within Social Security a system that includes personally owned and managed retirement accounts, using a portion of one's payroll tax, would achieve those goals by creating better retirement income, increasing wealth in low- and moderate-income households, and encouraging independence from the government.
The Social Security system in America was designed in the 1930s for a vastly different and primarily industrial workforce. It was intended to provide a safety net against poverty in old age by transferring wealth from higher-income workers to lower-income workers who could not save for retirement. However, those working in less stable and part-time sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, domestic service, and seasonal employment, as well as the self-employed, were excluded from the program.6 In the decades since Social Security began, many Hispanic Americans have worked in the informal labor force and therefore were unable to contribute to Social Security. The program simply ignored many Americans who needed retirement security the most.
The Social Security system now includes most workers, and Hispanic Americans, though still a prominent group in low-wage sectors of the economy, are moving up the economic ladder more rapidly. The poverty rate for Hispanics in America is at an historical low.7 Roughly 45 percent of Hispanic households now own their own homes.8 Hispanics are starting businesses in record numbers.9 And many continue to live in Hispanic communities bound by a common language, religion, and ancestral heritage, contributing to tight-knit families. In particular, their ties to older generations are uncommonly strong. This traditional support for family and community provides an exciting opportunity for Hispanics to build wealth and invest in community development.
The Hispanic population is growing rapidly, and the percentage of Hispanics age 19 and under has surpassed the total national share of this age group among non-Hispanic whites in America.10 (See Table 1.) Hispanic Americans are also living longer; their life expectancy at birth is second only to that of Asian Americans.11 (See Table 2.) Hispanic workers, who will make up about one-quarter of the working-age population in the middle of this century, will bear enormous financial responsibility for supporting the program's benefits in the decades to come.12 As today's young Hispanic population enters the workforce and the number of Hispanics age 65 and over grows more rapidly, Hispanic Americans are finding they have a larger stake in the proposals before Congress to reform the ailing Social Security system.
When the Social Security Program began in 1935, payroll taxes were set at 2 percent of up to $3,000 in annual wages--1 percent contributed by the employee and 1 percent by the employer. Today, the combined payroll tax amounts to 12.4 percent of up to $80,400 in annual wages. The retirement portion of Social Security accounts for 10.6 percent of the payroll taxes. As these Social Security taxes have risen, Americans have had fewer dollars left over for savings.
The Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis study found that average-income Hispanic single males born after 1950 can expect no more than a 1.4 percent to 2.3 percent return on their contributions to Social Security.13 (See Table 3.) While this is better than the return for similar African-Americans born in 1960 (-0.96 percent), for example, it is dismal compared with the return for those who invest in a conservative portfolio of 50 percent equities and 50 percent U.S. Treasury bills (about 4.95 percent).14
Factors such as savings habits, familiarity with investments, and financial discipline have much to do with private savings, but data from the Federal Reserve Bank's 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances reveal a strong correlation between family income and assets, with only about 70 percent of families with income under $10,000 holding some type of asset.15 (See Table 4.) Non-whites and Hispanic Americans are far less likely than their white counterparts to hold assets.16 (See Table 5.)
Just over 30 percent of Hispanics age 65 and older receive asset income today, compared with 68 percent of their white counterparts.17 In fact, fewer than one in five Hispanics age 65 and older are covered by a public or private pension plan other than Social Security; receive annuities; or own an IRA, Keogh, or 401(k) plan.18 Absent these types of assets, the opportunities for Hispanics to pass on wealth to their heirs or to use it for community investment and redevelopment are severely limited.
There is recognition across the political spectrum that the current Social Security system is unsustainable in its current form and that some type of reform is imperative. If left unreformed, the system will be able to pay out only about two-thirds of the benefits it has promised by 2075.19 According to the federal government's own actuaries, to keep the system solvent could require payroll taxes to climb to an astonishing 20 percent of taxable payroll20 in addition to federal and state income taxes, Medicare payroll taxes, and sales taxes.
Such an approach would crowd out private retirement savings even faster and throw more Hispanic workers and retirees, like millions of other Americans, into poverty. Today, the average Hispanic senior's total annual income is just over $14,000, including almost $7,600 in Social Security payments,21 other wages, public assistance, pensions, and interest income. Clearly, reform is needed.
A September 2000 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reveals that creating a system of private retirement accounts (PRAs) would allow Americans to accrue far better benefits in retirement than would be realized through an increase in the payroll tax.22 The study, conducted by NBER economist Martin Feldstein and Harvard University Kennedy School of Government economist Jeffrey Liebman, compared the Social Security program with a 15.4 percent payroll tax rate23 to two reform options: (1) a personal retirement account (PRA) program based on a 9 percent contribution and (2) a mixed plan that includes a PRA contribution. (See Table 6.)
This important study is based on government data that include actual lifetime earnings and benefits for individuals born between 1925 and 1929. Its findings demonstrate that both of these reform options could have a significant impact--good or bad--on Hispanics' financial well-being or risk of poverty in old age. Personal retirement accounts, even with modest rates of return, have an enormous potential to boost retirement income and reduce poverty dramatically.
Private retirement accounts also have the potential to promote intergenerational wealth for all socioeconomic groups. For a 1999 NBER study, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland economist Jagadeesh Gokhale, Boston University economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff, and economists James Sefton and Martin Weale from the London-based National Institute of Economic and Social Research developed a model to examine such factors that affect intergenerational wealth inequality as skill differences, marriage, death, and progressive income taxation.
Contrary to popular belief, the authors of the 1999 NBER study found that inheritances do not propagate wealth inequality. Rather, as they explain, "Although it may seem counterintuitive, inherited wealth may be more evenly distributed than non-inherited wealth and may reduce overall wealth inequality."24 Instead, they found that Social Security is a primary factor in wealth inequality, since it "disproportionately disinherits the lifetime poor."25
The potential benefits of converting the Social Security system to a program in which Hispanics, and all workers, can participate in asset accumulation and wealth creation make the effort to reform Social Security--the traditional "third rail" of American politics--more palatable to lawmakers. The impact of their reforms would help not only seniors, but also future generations of Americans to find financial security.
More than 65 years after the Social Security program was created, and with the original program's basic structure still intact, Hispanic Americans have begun to express their strong support for reforming the federal government's retirement system. A national survey of 1,000 Hispanic adults in July 2001, conducted for the Latino Coalition and the Hispanic Business Roundtable, found that 62 percent favored voluntary personal retirement accounts when asked:
Some people have proposed changing the Social Security system so that you can voluntarily put some of the money you now pay in Social Security taxes into a personal retirement account in your own name, like an IRA or a 401(k) program, and invest it as you see fit. While the guaranteed Social Security benefits you get upon retirement would be reduced, you could potentially get higher returns on your personal account and all the money in this account would belong to you. Would you favor or oppose changing the Social Security system in this way?26
This strong support for a privatized approach is consistent with other national surveys.27
There is no reason why Hispanic workers, and all American workers, should be denied the option of diverting a portion of their payroll taxes into a personal retirement account to provide for their retirement and their family's needs in the future. Merely recycling the old approaches to Social Security reform--such as increasing the payroll tax or the retirement age--would only bring further harm to the nation's elderly. Proposals that move away from the program's outdated design toward individual ownership and choice will best meet the needs of all American workers, and their families and communities.
Policymakers therefore should carefully consider the benefits of proposals that would allow American workers to:
Divert a portion of their payroll taxes into personal retirement accounts that they control and own;
Choose their own age to retire if they can demonstrate financial security; and
Bequeath their accumulated assets to their heirs, thereby contributing to the well-being of future generations of Americans and communities.
Such reforms would enable Hispanics, and all Americans, to build their own financial security.
Rather than attempting to perpetuate an outdated Social Security system that excludes Hispanics from fully participating in the American dream, lawmakers should pursue reforms that promote private retirement savings and financial independence in old age. All Americans desire income security and seek an to opportunity to build financial stability for their families. All that is needed is political will.
Naomi Lopez Bauman is a research associate for the Hispanic Business Roundtable and a member of The Heritage Foundation's Mandate for Leadership Working Group on Social Security Reform.
1. Latino Coalition and Hispanic Business Roundtable, July 24, 2001, at http://www.hbrt.org/ surveys/010724.htm. See questions 16-20 on Social Security-related issues. The national survey of 1,000 adult Hispanics was conducted in both English and Spanish and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.
2. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Ethnic and Hispanic Branch, Population Division, Current Population Survey, March 2000, at http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hispanic/p20-535/tab01-1.txt.
3. Board of Trustees, Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds, 2001 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds, Washington, D.C. Payroll taxes to the OASDI trust fund are predicted to fall short of outlays beginning in 2016.
4. William W. Beach and Gareth G. Davis, "Social Security's Rate of Return for Hispanic Americans," Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis Report No. CDA98-02, March 27, 1998, at http://www.heritage.org/library/cda/cda98-02.html.
6. Edward D. Berkowitz, America's Welfare State: From Roosevelt to Reagan (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991), p. 25.
7. Joseph Dalaker and Bernadette D. Proctor, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports, Series P60-210, Poverty in the United States: 1999 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2000). The poverty rate for Hispanics in 1999 had fallen to 22.8 percent, which is not statistically different from the lowest rates recorded between 1972-1974 and 1976-1979.
8. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Ethnic and Hispanic Branch, Population Division, Current Population Survey, March 1999.
9. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Hispanic Economic Census: Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises 1997, No. EC97CS-4, February 2001.
10. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Ethnic and Hispanic Branch, Population Division, Current Population Survey, March 1999.
11. Frederick W. Hollmann, Tammany J. Mulder, and Jeffrey E. Kallan, "Methodology and Assumptions for the Population Projections of the United States: 1999-2100," U.S. Bureau of the Census, Population Division, Working Paper No. 38, January 13, 2000.
14. William W. Beach and Gareth G. Davis, "Social Security's Rate of Return," Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis Report No. CDA98-01, January 15, 1998, at http://www.heritage.org/library/cda/cda98-01.html.
15. Arthur B. Kennickell, Martha Starr-McCluer, and Brian J. Surette, "Recent Changes in U.S. Family Finances: Results from the 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances," Federal Reserve Bulletin, January 2000.
17. Social Security Administration, Office of Research, Evaluation and Statistics, "Income of the Population 55 or Older, 1998," Table I.3, March 2000, pp. 8, 10.
18. Derived from U.S. Bureau of the Census, "Money Income in the United States: 1999," Current Population Reports, No. P60-209 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2000), Table 12, p. 57.
19. 2001 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds.
22. Martin Feldstein and Jeffrey Liebman, "The Distributional Effects of an Investment-Based Social Security System," NBER Working Paper No. 7492, revised September 2000.
23. This is the estimated required payroll tax rate to fund the pay-as-you-go retirement component of the Social Security program. Disability and Survivors Insurance benefits are not included in this analysis.
24. Jagadeesh Gokhale, Laurence J. Kotlikoff, James Sefton, and Martin Weale, "Simulating the Transmission of Wealth Inequality via Bequests," NBER Working Paper No. 7183, June 1999, p. 2.
26. Latino Coalition and Hispanic Business Roundtable, July 24, 2001, at http://www.hbrt.org/surveys/010724.htm.
27. A poll was conducted for the Hispanic Business Round table from January 7 to January 17, 2000. The national survey of 1,000 Hispanic surname households has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent. Respondents had the option of taking the survey in Spanish. In this survey, 69 percent of respondents favored diverting a portion of payroll taxes into a personal retirement account. A January 2001 Zogby poll conducted for the Cato Institute found that 68 percent of Hispanic Americans, compared with 70 percent of all respondents, favored PRAs. Another Zogby poll conducted for the Cato Institute in 1999 also found strong support among Hispanics for PRAs.


text: It was Walk to School Day today in Georgia. I wanted to give it a try, so I sprang it on my 7-year-old at the last minute this morning. He hated the idea. "Why do we have to do that?" was among the milder of his protests. I suggested he use his scooter for the 1.5 mile trip to Jacob G. Smith Elementary. He did, and by the second block of our journey he was exhorting me to run to keep up. And he was having fun. "Can we do this every day?" he asked. About half-way to school, we met up with about 35 other Smith students and their parents for a walking school bus from Hull Park. We noticed things we never see on our drive, like chickens inside one fenced yard. We got some exercise -- more than I expected, what with the running. And we had a great time.


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• FTSE 100 up 0.2% to 6,749
• Gold down 0.62% to $1,311.10/oz
• £/$ – 1.7088
The FTSE 100 ended Friday in positive territory, adding 0.2% to close at 6,749.
Shire was the day's top performer, up 4% after announcing a £32bn takeover deal by US drugmaker AbbVie. ITV was also in demand, up 3.8%.
In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 rose 19 points to 4,335 and the German Xetra Dax lost 33 points to 9,720.
In the US on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7% to 17,100, the S&P 500 added 1% to 1,978, and the Nasdaq Composite was 1.6% higher at 4,432.
Japan's markets were closed for a public holiday. And in China, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to 2,054, and the CSI 300 added 0.1% to 2,166.
Brent spot was trading at $107.00 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $102.89. Spot gold was trading at $1,314 an ounce, silver was at $20.94 and platinum was at $1,489.
In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.7074 and against the euro at 1.2628. The dollar was trading at 0.7396 against the euro and 101.25 against the Japanese yen.
And in the UK, asking prices for properties fell by 0.8% in June, according to Rightmove, the first fall this year. The biggest falls were in the north and the East Midlands, down 1.9% each, while asking prices in London fell by 0.4%.