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Arlene Nelson, who owns an organic dairy farm with her husband LaVern near Whitewater State Park, have had to dig a deeper well to try and find clean water for their cows and drinking water. She washes her hands in the tap and the reverse osmosis filter faucet at right is suppose to be for drinking water.
Brian Peterson, Star Tribune
Poison on tap
- Article by: JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY
- Star Tribune
- March 30, 2011 - 1:08 PM
Here in the heart of southeast Minnesota farm country, everyone knows you don't drink the water.
"It's just not safe," Linda Liebfried said one recent afternoon as she watched over a couple of toddlers, including her own 2-year-old daughter, at a day care center. "Every doctor will say not to drink it."
The city's water is contaminated with nitrates -- chemicals from fertilizer that have been linked to cancer and can cause a potentially lethal blood disorder in infants. In Lewiston they come from nitrogen, applied every season on the fields that butt right up to the edge of town.
At the State Capitol and in town halls across the state, there is growing urgency to confront the problem. Thousands of private wells have been found to exceed state health limits for nitrates, and some communities have spent millions on filtration systems to clean their drinking water.
After four decades of progress against pollution from factories and cities, environmentalists say, Minnesota cannot take the next step in preserving its lakes and rivers without addressing one of the last, biggest sources of pollution: agriculture.
Unless farm runoff is vastly reduced -- and soon -- environmentalists say the state may never reclaim its heritage as the land of sky-blue waters.
"There are no mechanisms to curtail the huge loading of pollution, nutrients and sediment from agricultural runoff," said Whitney Clark, executive director of the Friends of Mississippi, an advocacy group. "We have to find a new way to do that."
Agricultural groups say farmers already are doing a lot to keep the state's waters clean, and that farm pollution today is far less than it was decades ago.
More importantly, farmers say, it's easy to blame agriculture in the absence of better research to identify the source of specific problems in each of Minnesota's 81 watersheds.
"One of biggest issues is the knowledge gap," said Warren Formo, executive director of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Resources Coalition. "What are agricultural effects on water quality, and how do we sort it out?"
A critical moment
Environmentalists say Minnesota's water is much cleaner than it was decades ago, thanks to the 1972 federal Clean Water Act, better farm practices and more recent state laws.
Nonetheless, 40 percent of the state's lakes and rivers are impaired, and with nearly half of the state's land mass devoted to crops, the vast amount of chemical runoff that comes from agriculture is a major factor. Unless agriculture moves faster, they say, the $80 million a year in clean-water funds that will flow from the 2008 Legacy Amendment water could be wasted.
Because time is running out.
Earlier this month Deborah Swackhamer, a University of Minnesota water quality expert, presented the Legislature with a 150-page, 25-year plan to clean up the state's waters. One of the primary recommendations: new laws that would require farmers to adhere to limits on pollution because the voluntary guidelines they are expected to follow now are not working fast enough.
"A lot could go downhill in the next 10 years," she said.
Vulnerable region
For some agriculturally intensive parts of the state, including the area around Lewiston, that future is now.
Last year Jeff Broberg, a geologist and clean water activist who lives nearby, was shocked to find out he is already living "the poisoning of the rural landscape." Broberg tested his well after the water coming out of his tap became fizzy from nitrogen gas. The results showed 19.2 parts per million of nitrates -- more than twice the health limit set by state and federal regulations.
Now he and his wife drink bottled water -- and "my wife is insisting we move," he said.
Broberg can look out his window and see the cause. The farmer who rents his land grows corn, the state's primary crop and one that demands enormous amounts of fertilizer. To make matters worse, up on the hill there's a huge blue tank that holds manure from the 3,000-hog operation next door. Each season that manure is spread over the land, adding more nitrogen.
But he also sees below the snow-covered fields to what makes the southeast corner of the state so vulnerable to groundwater contamination: its particular geology.
Broberg's house is smack in the middle of the state's "driftless area,'' known for its beautiful deep valleys, spring-fed streams and rich farmland.
This is where, 10,000 or more years ago, the last glacier stopped -- right along a line now marked by Hwy. 52. Here, there's no glacial "drift'' -- the 500-foot layer of gravel, dirt and rock that was left behind when the ice receded and that in other parts of Minnesota protects groundwater. Here, bedrock laced with fissures and sinkholes lies close the surface. It acts as a giant sieve, so that water -- and pollutants -- percolate down through layers of rock within hours of a rainfall and into underground aquifers.
Drilling deeper
Wells in the area's shallowest aquifers, 80 to 150 feet down, have been banned since the 1980s because of health concerns. Broberg's contaminated well is at 400 feet. A new one would have to be 500 feet and would cost $35,000.
Instead, he and the farmer who works his land, Bruce Gilbeck, had a talk out in the field. Broberg gave him a primer on soil and the area geology, and they came to an agreement. Gilbeck would change his practices in a way that would reduce fertilizer applications by more than a third. Gilbeck said he was following the best recommended practices for fertilizer application. Farmers, he said, don't want to put down more than they need because it's a waste of money. Still, cutting back on fertilizer will reduce his yields, he said.
"Nitrogen is a tough subject," he added. "I have friends who are organic farmers. I joke all the time -- if everyone went organic, there would be a lot of people starving."
For Broberg's well, it's too late.
"This is not coming back," Broberg said. "There is nothing I can do for the next generation to restore this water."
Deeper wells are not always the answer. Lewiston drilled a deeper well 10 years ago, but now the lower rock has contaminated it with radium, a heavy metal that can cause cancer. The city is blending water from two wells to weaken both health risks and is debating whether to build a new filtration system. Meanwhile, many residents are spending $800 or more for filtering systems for their homes.
"We have to pay extra for Culligan," said Courtney Matzek of Lewiston, who has an infant daughter and 3-year-old son. "It's a financial burden."
Officials from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency say they can't say whether the problem of nitrate contamination is getting worse, or how much of the contamination comes from agriculture, as opposed to septic tanks or other sources.
Still, long-term measurements from around the state show that, while there have been declines in agricultural contaminants such as phosphorus and bacteria, nitrate concentrations are getting worse.
A state Department of Agriculture survey of 52,000 wells found that 10 percent exceed health limits for nitrates, and the rate is higher in agricultural areas. But the estimate could be low: About half the well owners said they never tested their wells.
Taking charge
But regulation? Even some landowners with contaminated wells are doubtful that's the answer. Two years ago, organic dairy farmers Arlene and LaVern Nelson put in a $26,000 well to protect their cows from nitrate concentrations that were nearly five times the health limit for humans.
Farmers, Arlene Nelson said, are trying to survive in an agricultural economy that rewards production over environmental stewardship. Regulations will only force the small ones out of business. The solution, she said, is to find a way they can thrive by "obeying the rules of nature instead of the rules of money."
That kind of effort is already underway in communities around the state, including the Whitewater River Watershed district, where the Nelsons farm. Last week the watershed board started regular meetings with farmers and landowners around the middle fork of the Whitewater River and Logan Creek to figure out how reduce the overload of nitrogen and sediment.
"The main issue is to get farmers to act on this so we don't have to have the Legislature put regulations on them," said Rudie Spitzer, chair of the Whitewater Watershed Board, whose jurisdiction includes the river and trout streams in Whitewater State Park. "It's coming. But if we can do the job ourselves, so much the better."
But others, including many environmentalists, are skeptical. With rising demand and skyrocketing corn prices, the 8 million acres of Minnesota devoted to corn will only increase -- as it has for the past decade.
Voluntary efforts are well and good, Broberg said.
"But I am dubious," he added.
Josephine Marcotty 612-673-7394
© 2017 Star Tribune


text:
I sent in a contact form earlier today. I'm kind of surprised there is no auto-reply set up with it to confirm receipt of the message. Anyway, spotify.com is declining my AmEx with both the front and back CVV/CVC codes (only thing I could think of). I tried last Friday and also today. I also tried both IE and FireFox. I called AmEx and they report no holds on my account and confirmed the purchase should go through.
Please let me know can be done.
If this is a standing, can you please provide an Upgrade code in the meantime so that my phone app will work until you get the issue(s) resolved?
Tom G
Solved! Go to Solution.
Christypea -
The chance of this getting fixed soon seems to be very small, given that this thread was first started back in March. I just gave up using premium.
They have finally fixed this issue! I can finally use my Amex. Thanks.
Have you tried getting a Visa and putting an Amex sticker over the Visa logo? I believe there is an exploit in Spotify's system that will allow you to use an Amex card if you select the Visa option and the sticker technique.
Honestly though I've been using Rdio without any issues.
Update, I opened a new ticket under payment methods - 350010. Also, my country profile is USA as well as my AmEx. I've tried adding the card as a payment method on every link I have found (upgrade, payment method, profile, etc).
What I'm listening to:
Hi Meredith,
I received your email and replied. I'll summarize here for anyone else following this post with similar issues.
I ran through all of the details with AmEx on the phone and everything checks out fine. I also attempted the subscription while on the phone with them and they said that no charge attempt was being made to the card, so the transaction must be failing on the site.
I'd rather not use PayPal as a work-around. If possible I'd rather have the standing issue resolved which may also help others with similar issues.
-Tom G
I have had this same problem for months. I emailed spotify support about this in December. Their response asked me if I was using a prepaid Amex card (I wasn't). I never replied to their email. I was assuming they would fix this and I wouldn't have to go through the effort of explaning everything. I will reply now and explain everything and see how it goes....
Spotify, if you are reading this, it's very easy to duplicate. Find a paying member, have them try to switch payment method to their amex card. It will be declined. Please fix this!
I'm having the same issue. Tried front and back "codes"; called AMEX.
Fails as hard as the Spotify Linux client, and Spotify seems about as active on this support forum as Google employees on their support forums. Hmmm.
My AMEX just worked on Rdio. Later, Failify.
I was also unable to pay using my American Express Platinum card.
There's definitely something broken with paying for subscriptions using American Express. HELP!
Hi everyone- Any payments related questions should be directed to our contact form.
Just scroll to the bottom of the page and select 'Contact' under 'About Us'. From there our payments team can look at your accounts individually.
What I'm listening to:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Soft Dessert rug design is a wonderful floral that will add interest to any decor. Constructed of durable nylon this 3 piece set is both beautiful and functional. Tufted in today's colorations this rug is easy to decorate around.
- 100% Nylon Pile
- Set includes: 4 ft. 11 in. x 7 ft. Area Rug, 1 ft. 7 in. x 5 ft. Runner and 1 ft. 7 in. x 2 ft. 6 in. Accent Rug
- Woven latex coated backing helps keep the rug from shifting and slipping
- Machine Tufted in Egypt
- Inherently stain, fade and wear resistant
- 1 year limited wear warranty
- Vacuum regularly and spot clean; do not dry clean
- For indoor home decor
- While UV protection treatment for fiber surfaces is not critical, it helps retain color vibrancy and maintain a new appearance longer; perfect for indoor rugs made with synthetic fibers


text:
On Day 6 of this series, I'll take a look at how Windows 8 interacts with a couple of Power-related applications: IBM Personal Communications and IBM Systems Director.
I installed IBM Personal Communications on Windows 8, and it worked as expected. Windows 8 doesn't really bring anything new to the application experience unless you have a touch-capable system, in which case it's possible to use touch to select the menu functions from the tool bar and highlight text from the 5250 emulator you wish to copy. I attempted to use Internet Explorer, which is provided with Windows 8, to access a Systems Director management server and ...
All registered users get access to premium content on POWER IT Pro for free.


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Today's mining professionals must meet the ever increasing challenges of larger, more efficient, and safer ore handling systems. New developments in technology have led to a host of different transport solutions. Design decisions are greatly influenced by these advancements, which can dramatically impact the financial requirements for new projects.
Hoist and Haul 2010 provides the most current, cutting-edge insights into these important issues.
This book is a compilation of the papers delivered at the prestigious "2010 International Conference on Hoisting and Haulage." It provides a comprehensive update of major developments and lessons learned since the last industry gathering in 2005.
From the handling of ore at the point of extraction to stockpiling on the surface, dozens of case histories document the latest trends in shaft hoisting, incline and drift hoisting, conveying, hydraulic hoisting, rail haulage, tramming, and truck haulage.
Experts involved in key mining projects throughout the world share best practices on the design of systems and components, operations, and economic and safety issues.
Hoist and Haul 2010 is essential reading for anyone in the mine hoisting and underground material transport community, including operators, engineering and construction firms, equipment vendors, consultants, academicians, and government officials.
Edited by Peter Brokenshire and Susan Andersen. Published by SME in 2010. 344 pages.


text: UPDATED: Official Search for Glasgow Ends; Volunteers Continue Efforts at Petit Jean by Gwen Moritz Posted 2/2/2008 02:27 pm Updated 5 years ago Volunteers continue searching after law enforcement turns up no sign of CDI Contractors' CFO John Glasgow, missing since Monday. Want the Full Article? Get Unlimited Archive Access for $19.95 per Year Readers must pay to access stories older than 15 days. Purchase Now Already have archive access? Login to view this article.


text:
Crystal Palace may have ended their goal drought but a mistake from Damien Delaney prevented them from strengthening their hold on a play-off berth.
Stephen Dobbie's curling drive looked to have settled a thrilling encounter, only for Chris Wood to steal a share of the spoils.
"I was disappointed with the last goal, it looks like another mistake and we've got to eradicate them really at this time of year," said Palace manager Ian Holloway.
"We need to tweak the nose of fear and stick an ice cube down the vest of terror. We ended up disappointed with that to get in front twice but to me that's an important thing to get a point again and get them [Leicester] away from us.
"I'd have preferred two more but you've got to take what you can. I was impressed with the courage of the lads, we scored two which we haven't done for a while."
Having failed to find the net in their last five, Holloway shuffled his pack with Aaron Wilbraham and Glenn Murray leading the line, but few would have predicted their first goalscorer.
Danny Gabbidon, starting only his second game since January, stole into the area midway through the first half to nod home his first Palace goal from Dobbie's free-kick.
And only the fingertips of Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel prevented Matty James from diverting Wilbraham's curling free-kick into the net.
Yet with Palace's back line equally shaky, Leicester carved open the hosts' midfield with a neat passing move before Lloyd Dyer fed Andy King.
Gabbidon then turned from saint to sinner, mistiming his lunge to present the midfielder with a straightforward finish.
Jeff Schlupp blazed over from close range before Wilbraham clattered a header against the crossbar as both sides started the second half determined to find a winner.
Dobbie soon fired Palace ahead, sweeping home from 20 yards after Murray's knock-back but defensive frailties proved costly when Delaney's stumble allowed Chris Wood to race clear after latching onto King's punt before rifling into the top corner for his ninth strike of the season.
"I think we were unlucky not to win it, I thought we were the better side," said Leicester manager Nigel Pearson. "We had to deal with a Palace side who adopted a different style, for the most part we coped with their threat and showed some resilience to come from behind on a couple of occasions."


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I have an old foes weasel ( I believe it's a 99) needs a new fork, and pretty much the entire drive train. The frame is in great shape, but is it worth dumping the money into? Would a new bike outperform it majorly?
I don't really have much more than 1000 dollars to put into biking right now.
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Thread: Should I fix up the old weasel?


text:
During his lifetime Joshua Reynolds was among the most celebrated artists in western Europe. He was a brilliant portraitist, impresario, a skilled networker and a master of spin.
Self-portrait c. 1747-8, oil on canvas, © National Portrait Gallery, London
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text:
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell: ''EA has revealed that there are no plans to patch out a Dead Space 3 exploit that allows users to circumvent the game's micro-transaction system - a practice that has been likened to stealing.
The latter sees you paying additional pounds and pennies to unlock items you can also find in-game, by scavenging for resources. This has been seized upon by a number of sites and pundits as an attempt to 'cheat' consumers of the fruits of their purchases, and the discovery of the exploit has, accordingly, been hailed as a low-key form of consumer activism.
Not everybody's as comfortable with this turn of events, however. "If you go into a baker's to buy a bun and they give you the wrong change and you walk away knowing you have been given more change than you handed over in the first place, that's theft," intellectual property expert Sara Ludlam of Lupton, Fawcett, Lee & Priestley told the BBC last week.''
Wow, they put it as nicely as possible. Still it is a choice, so it can go either way.


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WARREN DISHES ON BIG D.C. NAMES – Explains why she dodges press – Obama to Dems: Defend ACA – BOEHNER 'HELLBENT' ON PASSING IMMIGRATION BILLS – McAllister staffer resigns for video leak
By Scott Wong ( firstname.lastname@example.com or @scottwongDC)
WARREN DISHES ON BIG D.C. NAMES – POLITICO's MJ Lee has the story: "Elizabeth Warren's upcoming book chronicles many private meetings with powerful politicians such as President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Tim Geithner. The Massachusetts Democrat also describes conversations with plenty of other Washington bold-faced names, including Larry Summers; Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas); and Guy Cecil, executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Not surprisingly, not all of the officials are given flattering portrayals in the book. 'A Fighting Chance' is set to be released on Tuesday. What follows are highlights of how Warren describes her dealings with some of Washington's former and current political and policy players …
Story Continued Below
-- Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas): "Warren served with Jeb Hensarling on the Congressional Oversight Panel, a group created in 2008 to analyze how the 2008 bank bailout law was being implemented. The Texas Republican … clashed with Warren from the beginning, voting against the panel's first report to Congress. Warren writes that she walked into a meeting with Hensarling expecting to discuss what he didn't like about the COP report, but what she got from the congressman was: 'I want to know your plans for dividing up the budget.' … When she told Hensarling that the COP's work shouldn't be a 'my-party-your-party exercise,' he took a hard tone. 'Look,' he said, 'the game is shirts-and-skins.' 'Hensarling's point was obvious,' Warren writes. 'He wanted to make sure his team got its share.'"
-- Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.): "Bachus, the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, did not impress Warren. … the senator describes a meeting with the Alabama Republican prior to the 2010 midterms in which he 'spoke movingly about people who had been swindled' in the financial crisis. 'He concluded by saying that if he had more courage, he'd go after the people who did that to families. In other words, if he stood up for the families who'd been hurt, he could find himself sidelined in Congress by the leadership of his own party,' Warren writes. 'I was stunned by his use of the word courage and his small, tight smile.' At the conclusion of their meeting, Warren says Bachus said quietly to her: 'I'll go after the consumer agency, but I hope you understand, it isn't personal.'"
--Tim Geithner: "In 2010, Warren accepted Obama's request to help set up the CFPB. On her first day on the job, then-Treasury Secretary Geithner took her to lunch. As the two rode in the back of an SUV to one of Geithner's favorite dining spots, Warren told him to put on his seat belt. 'Like a naughty kid, he looked back and said, 'I don't have to.'' Geithner, Warren recalls, 'explained with obvious pride that the car was bulletproof and that the driver and his partner were both highly trained and carried big guns. 'We're safe here,' he said in a tone meant to end the conversation.''" http://politi.co/1jbYSjl "A Fighting Chance," published by Metropolitan Books, is out Tuesday: $12.99 on Kindle, $21.80 in Hardcover. http://amzn.to/1thpVC3
-- IN HER BOOK, Warren also explains why she's walled herself off from the press on Capitol Hill, writes the Boston Globe's Matt Viser: "She felt burned by a 2012 article that appeared in an online publication, The Daily Beast. She expresses her disapproval about the article even while acknowledging that the reporter quoted her accurately. 'I learned a painful lesson from that interview,' Warren writes. 'The old way of talking with the press — long conversations and lively discussions — was gone. There was a huge difference between being an 'expert' and being a 'candidate.' The game had changed.'
-- "The story began at McKay's, a diner in Quincy, where Warren sat for an interview of around 20 minutes with Daily Beast reporter Samuel Jacobs. Her campaign spokesman, Kyle Sullivan, sat by and recorded the interview. The reporter 'really seemed engaged,' she writes. 'Kyle said he thought it was a good interview. Me too.' And then, a week and a half later, she read the article. The headline was 'Warren Takes Credit for Occupy Wall Street,' and it quoted Warren saying that she 'created much of the intellectual foundation' for the nascent movement. Warren could not believe she had said such a thing. She quickly contacted Sullivan, to review their recording of the interview. He already had. Indeed, the quote was correct.
-- "'I was deeply embarrassed,' Warren writes. 'My words sounded so puffy and self-important, and they made it seem as if I were trying to take credit for a protest I wasn't even part of. I wondered if some alien had invaded my body and said something stupid while the real me was visiting a desert island.' ' I wondered if politics turned everyone into an idiot — or was it just me?' she added. 'I wanted to cover my head with a blanket and never come out.'" http://bit.ly/1iu1qww
DIPLOMATIC DEAL BUT EAST UKRAINE SEPARATISTS NOT STANDING DOWN – Reuters' Pavel Polityuk and Thomas Grove report from Kiev and Slaviansk: "Armed pro-Russian separatists were still holding public buildings in eastern Ukraine on Friday, saying they needed more assurances about their security before they comply with an international deal ordering them to disarm. The agreement, brokered by the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union in Geneva on Thursday offered the best hope to date of defusing a stand-off in Ukraine that has dragged East-West relations to their lowest level since the Cold War. … The fact any deal was reached at all came as a surprise, and it was not immediately clear what had happened behind the scenes to persuade the Kremlin, which had up to that point shown little sign of compromise, to join calls on the militias to disarm." http://reut.rs/RubzzO
PRESIDENT OBAMA said Thursday at least 8 million people had signed up for health care through the Affordable Care Act, as he called on Republicans to end their quest for repeal and implored Democrats to "forcefully defend and be proud" of the law, POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Jennifer Haberkorn report: "In remarks from the White House briefing room, Obama delivered a vigorous defense of the program, which has far exceeded enrollment expectations but remains a liability for Democrats in the midterm elections. 'I don't think we should apologize for it,' Obama said. 'I don't think we should be defensive about it. I think there is a strong, good, right story to tell. What the other side is doing and what the other side is offering would strip away protections from those families, and from hundreds of millions of people who had health insurance before the law passed.' …
-- "'I think we can agree that it is well past time to move on, as a country…The point is, this debate is and should be over. The Affordable Care Act is working. The American people don't want us re-fighting the battles of the past five years.' he said. http://politi.co/1hPLZiv
DEMS' MIDTERM STRATEGY: TRIAGE – Alex Isenstadt reports for the hometown paper: "House Democrats, battered by Koch brothers ads and facing a grim outlook for the midterms, are providing the clearest indication yet of how they plan to respond: By shoring up imperiled incumbents and only the most promising challengers, but most likely leaving some of the party's upstart hopefuls to fend for themselves. The aim of the strategy, detailed in nearly two dozen interviews with party officials and strategists, is a tacit acknowledgement of the ominous political environment Democrats are up against this year. The goal is to stop Republicans from padding their 17-seat edge and keep the party within striking distance of the majority in 2016, a presidential election year that could well be more favorable to Democrats.
-- "On Friday, House Majority PAC, a leading Democratic super PAC … will begin placing its first round of TV ad reservations, according to an outline first shared with POLITICO. Of the 24 districts the group is reserving commercial time in, 18 of them are occupied by party incumbents. The ads will begin running around Labor Day, when the midterm sprint begins in earnest. Some of the reservations are intended to prop up lawmakers long seen as vulnerable, such as Massachusetts Rep. John Tierney and Minnesota Rep. Rick Nolan. But the group says it's learned a valuable lesson from 2010, when the party waited until too late to help incumbents they believed were safe but who ended up losing. House Majority PAC will buttress several Democrats who've been favored to win, such as New York Rep. Dan Maffei and Florida Rep. Patrick Murphy." http://politi.co/1lcirid
RETIRING SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D-W.VA.) "cut a personal check for $250,000 to Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC focused on defending Democrats' majority this fall. …" report POLITICO's Burgess Everett and Tarini Parti. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) have together given an additional $200,000 to Senate Majority PAC — which was co-founded by Reid's former chief of staff Susan McCue — in the 2014 election cycle. The donations from Reid and Kaine were in the first quarter of 2014, while Boxer donated last year." http://politi.co/1lfgkG8 Finance report: http://1.usa.gov/1iw9ywF
REP. TONY CARDENAS (D-CALIF.) has stuck his nose in the ongoing Sriracha fight. He said the hot sauce maker should relocate to his San Fernando Valley district, USA Today reports. http://usat.ly/1eQdoSg
HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014, and welcome to The Huddle, where your host only made it until the 4 th inning at last night's frigid Nats game before seeking refuge in a nearby bar. It didn't end up being much of a ballgame anyway: The St. Louis Cardinals shut out the Nats 8-0. Here's hoping for warmer weather and better baseball this spring. Send tips, suggestions, comments, complaints and corrections to email@example.com. If you don't already, please follow me on Twitter @scottwongDC.
My new followers include @CitizenCivilian and @AttyImmigration.
TODAY IN CONGRESS – Both the House and Senate are out for the Easter recess. They'll return the week of April 28.
TRANSITIONS – STEPHEN BELL marks his last day as communications director for the House Republican Study Committee and Chairman Steve Scalise (R-La.). He'll start with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association on Monday. "It's been a tremendous honor and privilege to work for Congressman Scalise for nearly five years and the RSC since the start of this Congress," Bell wrote in an email to friends and colleagues. Erika McManus will be filling in for Bell on the communications side at the RSC. Last year, Bell helped the RSC navigate the tricky story that the group had barred Heritage Foundation employees from its weekly meetings in the Capitol. More on that here: http://bit.ly/1i1wXBs
BOEHNER AT VEGAS FUNDRAISER: I'M 'HELLBENT' ON GETTING IMMIGRATION DONE – Laura Meckler reports for the Wall Street Journal: "Speaker John Boehner and other senior House Republicans are telling donors and industry groups that they aim to pass immigration legislation this year, despite the reluctance of many Republicans to tackle the divisive issue before the November elections. Many lawmakers and activists have assumed the issue was off the table in an election year. But Mr. Boehner said at a Las Vegas fundraiser last month he was 'hellbent on getting this done this year,' according to two people in the room. A spokesman for Mr. Boehner didn't dispute the account but said no action is possible until President Barack Obama proves himself a trustworthy partner to Republicans.
-- "Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R., Va.), chairman of the HouseJudiciary Committee, delivered an upbeat message about legislative prospects during a recent trip to Silicon Valley, said Carl Guardino, chief executive of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, who hosted his visit. He said Mr. Goodlatte told him action in 2014 was 'entirely possible,' likely in the form of votes this summer on five to seven immigration bills." http://on.wsj.com/1kHKFi4
OBAMA CALLS CANTOR PHONE CALL 'PLEASANT' – "President Barack Obama doesn't know what House Majority Leader Eric Cantor heard during their phone call Wednesday – but it wasn't what the Republican described in a press release," writes our own Carrie Budoff Brown. 'I had a very pleasant conversation with Mr. Cantor yesterday,' Obama told reporters Thursday. 'You're always kind of surprised by the mismatch between press releases and the conversation.' The White House had said the president was just trying to wish Cantor, who is Jewish, a happy Passover. But hours later, Cantor's office issued a statement saying Obama had called him to talk about immigration but that he 'still has not learned how to effectively work with Congress to get things done.'" http://politi.co/1nfjqy8
McALLISTER STAFFER WHO LEAKED 'KISSING' VIDEO RESIGNS – Greg Hilburn reports for the Monroe (La.) News Star: "Leah Gordon, the staff member of U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister who is accused of leaking the video of the congressman's scandalous kiss, has resigned as his Monroe District Office manager. Adam Terry, McAllister's chief of staff, confirmed her resignation late Wednesday. He said Gordon wasn't fired. …McAllister, R-Swartz, has been under fire since a video was published last week showing the married congressman kissing former married staffer Melissa Peacock, who has since resigned. Last week prominent West Monroe minister Danny Chance said he has proof that it was Gordon, who also worked for former U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Ruston, who had possession of the video. Gordon also worked for state Sen. Neil Riser's campaign when he ran against McAllister last fall, but McAllister kept her on staff after winning the election." http://tnsne.ws/1hSrzph
PROGRESSIVES WILL VOTE FOR HAGAN BUT AREN'T HAPPY ABOUT IT – BuzzFeed's Kate Nocera in Durham, N.C.: "Bill Clay … a North Carolina native, has been involved in Democratic politics for decades. He volunteers on campaigns and works as a progressive activist. … Like many progressives here, Clay isn't that impressed with the state's Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, one of the most vulnerable senators in the country this year. He calls Democrats like Hagan 'corporatists' and said he worked for Hagan's primary opponent Jim Neal in 2008, though he eventually volunteered for her. 'A lot of the progressive community, people that are focused on policy, aren't enthusiastic about Kay Hagan,' Clay said. 'But a lot of them are like me. I look at it like it's a pragmatic exercise: the lesser of two evils should result in less evil.'
-- "'She's better than the alternative,' echoed Joshua Bradley, a member of the Wake County Progressive Democrats after a meeting in Raleigh. 'I'm still probably going to wake up in the fetal position in the shower sobbing after I vote for her, but I'm going to vote for her.' People like Clay and Bradley — motivated, active Democratic voters — will be essential to Hagan this fall if she is going to hold onto her Senate seat. They believe most will eventually come around to support the moderate Hagan, not because she's especially inspiring, but because Democratic-controlled Senate could hang on the outcome of Hagan's race." http://bzfd.it/1eQ8LaE
RAHM'S FREQUENT FLYER TAB -- Bill Ruthhart has the A1 lead for the Chicago Tribune: "Mayor Rahm Emanuel flew around the country more than 50 times during his first 2 1/2 years in office, mixing city business with politics and attending events that helped burnish his national profile. On at least nine of the trips, records show taxpayers covered all or part of the travel as Emanuel met with political donors or raised campaign money from wealthy business executives who helped stock a re-election fund that now tops $7 million. An additional six taxpayer-funded trips listed little or no official city business but offered Emanuel a stage, from rubbing elbows with Washington's elite at exclusive dinners to giving a commencement speech to graduates of a master's program named after former President Bill Clinton. …
-- "The documents, which detail thousands in taxpayer dollars spent on stays at luxury hotels and expensive airline tickets for Emanuel, show how the mayor has maintained his status as a national political figure frequently willing to travel to the power centers of America as he tries to sell Chicago and raise campaign contributions. All told, the mayor's office has spent at least $325,000 on travel for Emanuel, staff members and the city's Springfield lobbyists from when the mayor took office in May 2011 through the end of 2013, records show. That total doesn't include most of the city expenses for private car services on dozens of out-of-town trips that the Emanuel administration estimated at $15,000 a year." http://bit.ly/1eH0UvU
THE W.H.'S NEW GATE-CRASHER – Carol E. Lee writes on A1 of the Wall Street Journal: "There's a new guest at the White House. Unlike most people who pass through the presidential residence, he wasn't invited. But in cutthroat Washington fashion, he saw weakness and took advantage. Now he rests and plays uninhibited at the seat of power. He also has pointy ears and a bushy tail. The little red fox, who hasn't been named, turned up on the White House grounds in the weeks before the government shutdown in October. After many White House groundskeepers were furloughed, the fox settled in. Months later, the furry little conundrum has left officials who sort through some of the world's most complex challenges scratching their heads.
-- "The fox lacks the deference typically exhibited by White House guests. He tore through the White House garden when it was left unattended during the shutdown. He graduated to tripping alarms in the middle of the night, napping wherever he pleases and generally living the high life on a campus overseen by dozens of highly trained Secret Service agents. Even President Barack Obama was stunned, aides say, when he looked outside the Oval Office one morning to see the fox running down the same open-air colonnade along the Rose Garden that has been traversed by American presidents and world dignitaries for the past century." http://on.wsj.com/1gPmjln
THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER – Paul Hays was first to correctly answer that the Washington, D.C., cemetery where the most former members of the U.S. Supreme Court are buried is Rock Creek Cemetery. Justices John Marshall Harlan, Willis Van DeVanter and Stephen Johnson Field are buried there. Oak Hill has two justices and Congressional Cemetery has one. Many answered Arlington National Cemetery, but it is located in Virginia.
TODAY'S TRIVIA – A statue of this woman looks out onto Seward Square in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Who was she? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says "Sign Up." http://www.politico.com/huddle/
**A message from POWERJobs: Tap into the power of POWERJobs for the newest job opportunities in the Washington area from the area's top employers, including AARP, Boeing, Leidos Biomedical Research and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Powered by names you trust - POLITICO, WTOP, WJLA/ABC-TV, NewsChannel 8 and Federal News Radio- POWERJOBS is the ultimate career site with more than 2 million job searches and nearly 17,000 applications submitted this year so far. Connect through Facebook or LinkedIn, search jobs by industry and set up job-specific email alerts using www.POWERJobs.com, the site for Washington's top talent.**


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Blame Putin for Syria, the Toilets in Sochi Are Just a Sideshow
As a wide range of topics continue to parade through the Sochi limelight, it appears that the most important issues have slipped beneath the world's radar.
Three days in to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, one thing is abundantly clear: no matter how hard the Russian organizers and the International Olympic...
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'Get Taxi' Drivers Vow Strike Over Canceled Fee
Service stopped charging NIS 5.20 fee for ordering a cab; drivers complain of lost income.
If you're planning to use the Get Taxi cellphone application to order a cab this week in Israel, you'd best double-check whether the taxi will arrive on...
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A Harris Poll released Monday found that CBS gets little public support for dumping the four-hour TV movie The Reagans, which the TV network shifted to sister cable network Showtime in November. Plagued by conservative pundits' and politicians' loud and repeated complaints that the movie, which none of them had seen, was unfair and unbalanced, CBS backed away from its November broadcast dates, all the while claiming that it was not giving in to external pressure.
The Harris Poll found that the public overwhelmingly agreed with the statement "It is a bad precedent for a network to give in to organized lobbying to prevent the showing of a fictional television show because some people don't like its content" by 58% to 22%; 20% said "Not sure." A majority of respondents also agreed that "There have been many docudramas about other ex-presidents that have been critical; this one should have been shown as planned by CBS." That question drew support from 51% of those polled, opposition from 28%, and "Not sure" from 21%.
The Reagans, which was executive-produced by out filmmakers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan (Chicago, My Life With Judy Garland) and directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, aired November 30 on Showtime, garnering mixed reviews. The nearly three-hour cable film, which will be rebroadcast December 10, focuses on the relationship between Ronald Reagan and his second wife, Nancy, from their Hollywood courtship and marriage through Reagan's entire political career. In addition to general complaints that President Reagan was portrayed as not-too-bright, conservatives focused on a line from a pirated copy of one draft of the script that had Reagan condemning gay men with AIDS. Although Reagan did little to stem the AIDS crisis during his eight-year presidency--including not addressing it in public for years after taking office--some conservatives felt that the movie inaccurately portrayed the president as lacking compassion for people with AIDS.
It is not AIDS, however, but Alheimer's that upsets the American public in the context of The Reagans, the Harris poll found. A 43% plurality agreed that "Showing a critical story about President Reagan while he is suffering from Alzheimer's disease is in awful taste," while 38% disagreed, and 20% were unsure. Overall, 29% thought "CBS did the right thing; the show never should have been made," while 46% disagreed, and 26% were not sure.
The nationwide poll included 2,376 adults who were surveyed online by Harris Interactive between November 17 and 23.
Predictably, Republicans were less supportive of the filmmakers' rights to dramatize the Reagans' story than were Democrats and independents, the poll found. For example, only 10% of self-identified liberals, 18% of Democrats, 22% of independents, and 23% of moderates agreed that CBS did the right thing by axing the program, in contrast to the 55% of conservatives and 51% of Republicans who agree with the CBS decision to back down. (Respondents could identify both by party name and by generic political label.)


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omerchamp says
Respected sir
What difference it will make if nci in kristina in proportionate basis? Still then 30% of 4000 will be deducted from fv of nci
rooman says
@MikeLittle In this above example 4…. Why the INCI share of the investment in Liene is not deducted from Liene's NCI calculation (but from Kristine's NCI )as you did in example 3 ? Both give the same results, but i do not understand the reason.which treatement should i follow now
curiousmeerkat says
For the answer to Example 4 here, how come we didn't put the values of the NCI's into Working 2.
For example we knew that the value for Liene was proportional, and we new that at the date of acquisition the value of the shares were $1.70 so could have calculated the NCI in Kristina from that?
MikeLittle says
@curiousmeerkat, Because there's no need to – the nci in Liene is proportional – so the only goodwill is attributable to either Kristina or to Anda.
The share value in Kristina may have nothing to do with the directors' valuation of the nci – BE CAREFUL!!! The nci value is not always going to be exactly the number of nci shares multiplied by the market value of those shares
curiousmeerkat says
@MikeLittle, thank you. I thought that the value may have been a 'trick' like there tends to be in exam questions. From now on I will ignore the share price as a possible valuation of the NCI unless it explicitly states that it is.
MikeLittle says
@curiousmeerkat, ok, you're welcome 🙂
MikeLittle says
Ok, you're welcome
mizanm says
Mr Mike Little,
for example 5, i do understand the proportion of Liene's dividend to Kristina (of $40,000) and to Anda (of $8,000)..but then again, what is given to Kristina by Liene (ie dividend), it should have percentage (of 70%) to the Anda as well..that means Anda will have another div receivable from L through K at $2,800 (70% of $40k)..i need clarification on this..tq
MikeLittle says
@mizanm, No, Anda receives her 8% of Liene's dividend from her direct investment in the sub-subsidiary. Kristina receives her share of the Liene dividend too.
Ok, that deals fully with the Liene dividend
Now declare and account for the Kristina dividend payable.
cormac says
Thanks again Mr Little. Great help!
chamaandrew says
on working 1, were did the 10/15 come from i dont seem to see it in the question.
keleftheriadis says
2 questions please:
1. Why the INCI share of the investment in Liene is not deducted from Liene's NCI calculation as in example 3 but from Kristine's NCI calculation? Both give the same results, but i do not understand the reason.
2. When calculating the goodwill in Liene should we split it in 2 parts (A in L and K in L) or could we just make a combined calculation? It also gives the same results.
mizanm says
1. As for example 3, the NCI share of investment in V should be deducted in working 4A NCI (20% in D)..so it will look the same like in example 4 where the NCI share of investment in L was deducted in (30% in K)..in other words it will be deducted while doing NCI for Subsidiary…not sub-subsidiary..still the TOTAL NCI will be the same if you make it the other way around
2. Yes, we can. In BPP, the goodwill is presented in a combined calculation. So if that's followed..it will be (A in K) and (A and K in L). and yeah, the TOTAL GW at the end will be the same…either you combine..or as Mr Little's..
I hope that explains..and pls correct me if i'm wrong 🙂
pohlingn76 says
Not understand why should minus out INCI share of investment in sub- sub subsidiary $120,000 in working 4?
hamda says
would you please explain to me when calculating working 4 NCI for lianne why didn't you include the impairment as in 40% of 0.4
sodiqlawal says
@hamda, i think it is because NCI has no goodwill for Liene as you can see in working 2. So there is nothing to impair unlike Kristina where they gave an NCI goodwill of 15,000 in the question. That's how i understand it
amalone says
@sodiqlawal, its because the goodwill is valued on a proportional basis therefore the cost of the subsid and the NCI FV at DOA will always be equal resulting in no goodwill. I just remember it that if they say goodwill valued on proportional basis then there will be no NCI goodwill.
hope this makes sense 🙂
mehuljotangia38 says
Impairment on Kristina goodwill should be 14 and 3 coming to 17 ie 20% of 70k and 20% of 15k
mary Cawley says
nice stuff Mr Little keep it up..
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Euripides' views on politics, freedom of religion, education, morality,
ethics, democracy, the republic, and llamas. Especially llamas.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
It's All Thanks to Obamacare!
It was lauded and praised in the news media as the best thing to ever happen to any government ever in the history of forever.
I come here today, not to praise Obamacare, but to bury it.
That year Obamacare passed, my insurance premiums went up 280%. That's right, the brilliant plan of the "Affordable Care Act" had the nearly immediate effect of reducing the amount of money I could spend on my family by some $900 a month.
Each year since then, either my premiums have risen, or I've had to take greater economic risks with huge premiums, high co-payments, ever higher deductibles (currently $6000), and less coverage.
Thanks directly to Obamacare, I can now barely afford my "affordable care."
Today I found out that my insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, will no longer sell individual insurance plans in Maricopa County after this December. Maricopa County contains the Phoenix metropolitan area of over four million people.
United Healthcare is also dropping out of Arizona.
Yet, thanks to Obamacare, two major companies can no longer afford to sell insurance in my city.
So, thank you Barack Obama. Thank you Nancy Pelosi. Thank you Harry Reid. Under your direction and vast wisdom, you have succeeded in breaking the health insurance market for me and for millions of citizens in Arizona.
But hey, at least our illegal immigrants can still get free health care.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Sunday Sermon
What's Terrorism Got to Do With It?
But no.
Eight stabbed in a mall in St. Paul? Hey, at least the Muslim Somali refugee didn't use a gun. Then there'd be outcries for gun bans.
But no.
The Muslim immigrant from Turkey who is believed to have killed four women and a man at a Macy's in Seattle used a rifle. Well, at least it wasn't an evil "automatic" assault rifle. That might have prompted a few anti-gun outcries.
And what can you say about an inept Muslim bomber with ties to Afghanistan, who blew up a Manhattan area, wounding 29 people? Again, no one died, so the news media treated the whole incident like a traffic accident.
Islamist TerrorismWhat do these three incidents in the past weeks show us?
The perps were all Muslim.
Islam Is Not a RaceLeftists keep accusing the people in the US considered to be a "basket of deplorables," of race baiting when naming Islamist Terrorism. Can we sit back for a moment to point out, once again, that Islam is not a race?
Islam is a religion. Its mixture with government has produced precisely the danger that leftists are afraid of. Yet, instead of blaming Muslims, they blame Christians.
Progressive dogma makes absolutely no sense.
Charlotte Lives MatterInstead of focusing on real dangers and real problems, the news media have focused on attacking the one institution that helps keep the US separated from military dictatorships, namely our police forces.
Hatred of police forces isn't new. We can trace clashes with the police back a hundred years and more. The one common denominator for blaming the police is socialism. We can trace conflicts with the police by labor unions, 1960s radicals, and currently by social justice warriors who blame the police any time a black man is shot or arrested.
I was in LA during the riots after the trial acquitted the four police who beat Rodney King. Even then, the news media was out to "prove" the brutality of the police by condemning those four officers for beating up a defenseless black man.
The fact that Rodney King had tried to evade the police with a high-speed chase, was drunk and high on PCP, was tasered twice, and still resisted arrest, didn't seem to make it into the news at the time. To the media, beating Rodney King was an act of racism, not a justified take-down of a drug-crazed criminal.
Edmund Burke on Evil MenEdmund Burke, the Irish statesman who lived during the time of the American Revolutionary War wrote in a letter:
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.This famous phrase wasn't the only thing he wrote in that letter, however. How about this one:
Whilst men are linked together, they easily and speedily communicate the alarm of any evil design. They are enabled to fathom it with common counsel, and to oppose it with united strength.And this:
When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.We now live in a world full of evil. Good ideas and good people are ridiculed and suppressed in favor of a socialist narrative that pits us against each other like gladiators in a circus. We perform for the amusement of an elite class who pays lip service to one group or another in the hopes that no one will notice their rise to absolute power.
Good people everywhere must "associate," as Burke puts it, so that evil may not prevail against the good. Or, as Ben Franklin put it:
We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Random Thoughts
With the Islamist terrorist attacks this past week (i.e., random violence perpetrated by persons who may or may not be male Muslims), the news media once again has proven that, as a whole, they are incompetent at reporting anything but ideological dreck.
The media writes off a black police officer shooting an armed black man as a heinous act of police brutality and racism waged against peaceful African Americans. The Twitterfeed zombies spread the most outlandish lies about the incident. Riots and looting take place over several nights which destroys property and threatens lives.
Here's a question: When will Americans (including blacks) begin to realize just how damaging social justice politics is to the health of the people of the US?
Our country was founded on the principle that "whenever any form of government becomes destructive of [protecting the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government." We need a call to arms in the US. There is no institution that poses a greater risk to our life and liberty than the ignorant socialist government that we currently have.
What the heck's up with Hillary's eye?
The wife and I happened across a Spirit Halloween store (yes, in September). We witnessed several people bring their babies into the store and watched the poor little guys freak out over the horrific masks and images that represent Halloween these days. We saw the parents laughing at their own children.
What kind of parent would do that to a child? And does that help explain why so many children have grown up to be Hillary supporters? They're all suffering PTSD from having parents who would scare their own children to death and think it's funny.
Friday, September 16, 2016
Got Those Teaching Blues
Now that I'm in full swing into the new school year, it's much more difficult to find extra time to give a rat's patootie about politics. Except, that while working as an educator, I am surrounded by those whose ideas about education and about the government's role in our everyday lives has become so unhinged with reality that the door to reality has broken free, been snatched away by a tornado (full of sharks), and has landed in Oz.
Not even working a majority of the time in the private sector has helped as the school is constantly bombarded by federal and state regulations that prevent the very thing that we're trying to do - educate our children.
In response to the state bureaucracy, our private school has had to restructure to give into petty demands and dictatorial commands. The bureaucracy, of course, is run by people who have never taught in a classroom and is managed by ignorant and leftist ideologues.
These folks are so ignorant of reality and so certain of their abilities that they simply cannot conceive of an educational system that doesn't kowtow to their accepted dogmas.
These dogmas have seeped into every aspect of public education, from K-12 to universities, and are now being forced into the private sector.
Finding out about these state dicta, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
Have You Seen My Country Lately? Mr. Doyle has put a good amount of research into teaching about the leftist takeover of our country since the 1960s and what he calls economic fascism. Take a look at it. It's worth the read.
It's even better as an audio book, read by Doyle himself.
In the meantime, I work and work and spin my wheels and rarely get to spend some time writing this blog.
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National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Recurring EventTuesdays at noon - 12:45 p.m.
In Person
Center Studio & Boutique
United Methodist Church
1701 SE 5th St.
Grand Rapids,
See Map
Practicing yoga has been shown to improve overall health and well-being, and can help manage many symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Many MS experts note that yoga – with its emphasis on relaxation, breathing, stretching and deliberate movements – is a good choice of exercise for people living with MS. Join an MS yoga class and experience benefits such as increased self-confidence, reduced stress, improved physical health, opportunities to make new friends and more!
Most exercise classes can be adapted or modified to any level of physical ability. To do so, speak directly with the class instructor.


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Travel tips: Stay at Homeland's hotel in Washington
With views of the White House and Capitol Hill, this elegant landmark features in scenes throughout the TV series
Homeland Hotel
If the start of Homeland's season three is the highlight of your autumn, make it even better with this three-night break in Washington DC's Hay-Adams. The hotel, with its views of the White House and Capitol Hill, features in scenes throughout the series. Inside, the lavish decor includes carved plaster ceilings and ornamental fireplaces. A three-night stay costs from $495pp (£308) , with a $100 dining credit (001 800 853 6807, hayadams.com).
Disney Magic gets better
Setting sail with Mickey and the gang is special already, but with the new AquaDunk slide on the Disney Magic ship, it gets even better. The slide features a vertical drop in a clear tube that then extends over the side of the ship. Also new are…


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Tips on How to Maximize the Use of Your Security Systems
There are several schools of thought when it comes to house protection and the cost that come with it. On one hand, people consider themselves too poor to become likely targets for thieves. On the other hand, individuals know that thieves will settle for any small thing that will bring in a few bucks. Thieves are becoming less discriminating about the things they would like to pilfer, which means any old house with a modern television set or a laptop computer may be a victim.
You must prioritize your residence's security system, and one way to do this is to look for the best security devices around. Your house should be protected by things that cannot alert you of the presence of thieves. Here are some guidelines on how to use the best security systems for your residence.
Anti-Robber Systems
Alarm systems are required to truly protect a family from burglars. Some alarm systems operate by thermal or motion sensing. When somebody makes a decision to lurk around your patio, the alarm will go off. But you must know that the main weak spot of an alarm system is its incapability to discriminate between friend or foe. Some thieves count on the fact that the alarm rings so loudly that you'd rather keep it turned off than risk being called out by the neighbors.
Install a CCTV along with the alarm system so that you can't check the area without having to come down from the bedroom. A security camera can save you from a potentially lethal altercation with an intruder, and you cannot decide to call the police from your bedroom instead of running down to face off with the thief.
Appointing a Watchman
The objective of any alarm system is to keep intruders from getting close to your doors and use their lock picking capabilities. In a sense, your alarm and your camera can do the job of a human sentry. Are human guards still very important if you have cameras and alarms installed? Yes. There isn't any doubt that having automated devices can't make you feel more secure, but you should do not underestimate thieves. Your digital systems may seem fail proof but burglars can't always find a way to exploit the vulnerabilities. One good way to combine human sentries and computerized sentries is to set a watchman to watch over your monitors. This applies if you have a large house or you want to protect a building.
The writer presents an in-depth guide on car security, along with beneficial tips on improvised resources and general home security. These knowledge is important so that you'll know how to secure yourself plus your family. Check out more about this author by going to the security camera systems website.


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The Oak Ridge baseball team came into Thursday's game against Jesuit with a chip on its shoulder after facing the Marauders two days earlier and blowing a large lead to suffer a rough 9-8 loss.
On their home turf, the Trojans had something to prove and prove it they did, defeating Jesuit 11-1. The game was called in the bottom of the fifth inning on the 10-run rule.
With the win, Oak Ridge improved to 10-3 in the league standings, 17-8 overall. In their battle with the Marauders for first place in the Delta River League, Thursday's victory couldn't have come at a better time for the Trojans.
On the hot summer-like day with a rowdy cheering section and pitcher Austin Ales on the mound, Oak Ridge settled into a groove quickly. Ales did allow a few base runners on a combination of hits and errors but kept the Marauders' high-powered offense scoreless through the first three innings.
The Trojans' bats came alive in the first inning. Luke Eicher led off with a well-struck double off the left-field wall and Lance Berringer followed with an RBI single up the middle. Ales, up next, hit an outside pitch past the second basemen for an opposite-field knock and Berringer scored on a wild pitch by Jesuit pitcher Nick Viola.
After Alex Fitchett drew a free pass. Jason Ross crushed a bases-clearing, two-run triple into the right center gap. To finish off the outburst, Alec de Watteville stroked a two-out RBI hit through the hole at short. When Ales went back out to the mound he had a nice four-run cushion.
The Jesuit squad finally broke through in the top of the fourth. Joe Williams singled and Brian Celsi knocked him with a ground-out to first, but that was the last the Trojans saw of the Marauder offense.
Oak Ridge had a 7-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but remembering the previous heart-breaking loss, the Trojans looked for more.
After de Watteville singled and Eicher walked, Berringer picked up his second RBI of the day with a fielder's choice ground-out. Back-to-back walks issued to of Fitchett and Ross loaded the bases for catcher Cody Morris, who delivered the biggest hit of the game — a three-run double down the right- field line that chased everyone home.
Ales went five strong innings to earn the win. He allowed just one earned run and struck out two. Offensively for Oak Ridge, Ross was 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, a triple and two RBIs; singled in two runs; de Watteville went 2-for-3 with an RBI; and Morris was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
"We played really solid today and swung the bats real well," Trojan coach Todd Melton said. "We can beat most teams by playing solid, fundamental baseball like we did today, but when we try and get caught up in all that other stuff, that doesn't help us at all."
Oak Ridge played Monday at Pleasant Grove. See villagelife.com for game results.


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TBS Factoring Service
- Employees in region:
- 130
- Sector:
- Financial Services & Insurance
- HQ location:
- Oklahoma City, OK
Top Workplaces
'14, '15, '16
'14, '15, '16
Factoring is a transaction in which a business sells its account receivable, or invoices, to a third party commercial financial company, also known as a "factor." This is done so that the business can receive cash more quickly than it would by waiting 30 to 60 days for a customer payment. TBS's niche is transportation. Before a carrier transports/hauls a load, the factoring company makes sure the broker/shipper is creditworthy to pay the trucker's invoice. TBS purchases the invoice and advances the trucker up to 95% of the value of the invoice, less the discount.
We keep records of all payments and collect payments from the broker/shipper, so the trucker doesn't have to.
"Everything. They are taking everyone's ideas and making processes better and more efficient."
"What impresses me the most about TBS's efficiency is that everyone works as a team, meaning everyone has their hand in the product from start to finish."
"The owners care about their employees. "
"I am most impressed by the dedication of our company and everyone that works here. "
"The way they go about business is very professional."


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At this time the game servers are now available. Please note that the DDO Store and account management site at myaccount.turbine.com are not yet available as we continue to work to resolve remaining issues. We will provide another update once these services have been restored.
We have enabled a +25% Heroic & Epic XP boost to coincide with the loot boost. Enjoy!


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Bruins prepare for finale of road trip
OTTAWA – The Bruins have finished their practice at Carleton University. They are traveling to Toronto this afternoon. They will conclude their four-game road trip on Saturday against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.
Rich Peverley centered the third line. Peverley was a healthy scratch last night for the first time as a Bruin.
"Obviously you never want to be a healthy scratch," Peverley said. "But it was a coach's decision. I know I need to be a lot better. Hopefully from here on out, it will go a lot better and I can use it as motivation."
* Zdeno Chara, Andrew Ference, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand were given the day off. They went through off-ice workouts.
* Johnny Boychuk left practice early. Boychuk appeared to take a shot off the right leg. Boychuk needed help hobbling to the dressing room. The defenseman did not return to practice.
* Ryan Spooner needed some work on his left cheek. A deflected puck caught Spooner in the face. Spooner didn't mind. "Makes me look tough," Spooner said.
Today's practice lineup:
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Lane MacDermid-Ryan Spooner-Tyler Seguin
Jay Pandolfo-Rich Peverley-Jordan Caron
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton
Dennis Seidenberg-Dougie Hamilton
Aaron Johnson-Johnny Boychuk
Tuukka Rask
Anton Khudobin


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As above really, looking for a frame for a female friend... Tidy / not so tidy doesn't matter.
Colour does, although that depends, as always, on the way the wind blows
Failing that - a complete bike for up to £250 would be also good!
Contact here, or via alan_jonesATgmxDOTcoDOTuk


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If you have a baby, toddler or child with toys, you are probably really aware of the need to stay apprised of recalls. Sometimes, it's just a matter of getting a replacement part or some other quick fix for the problem that's been found with the product. Sometimes, though, the product needs to be replaced or retired.
When recalls occur, there have been hazards reported about the specific product; often the problem is just a concern for possible incidences, but often there have been serious injuries reported that are concerning enough for the CPSC and the product manufacturer to take action for consumer safety.
With all this said, if you're a busy parent like I am, it is difficult to stay current on recalls that actually might affect a member of your family.
To make it simple, I've got two pages on my site that enable you to make quick checks of products and/or just read through a list of the most recent recalls. Click here to check out all of your infants' items, and click here for a current list from the CPSC of recalls in general.
Aside from recalls, it's important to know what's going on in parenting circles. Knowing what others are going through, current topics of interest, and just news that might affect you and your family is a good thing! Join us on our "Parenting Resource" page for the news on what's happening with new treatments for various conditions, psychology research, neonatal studies, and other general parenting news.


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Court & Police
Orizzont ordered to pay civil servant €4000 in libel damages
Contentious citizenship scheme approved
The citizenship scheme approved in its third reading in Parliament, Opposition votes against.
Jurgen Balzan
12 November 2013, 12:00am
The House of Representatives today approved the controversial bill amending the Maltese Citizenship Act through which non-EU citizens will be able to buy Maltese citizenship by paying a €650,000 donation.
Following a long wait due to a 20-minute procedural suspension, as expected the Opposition voted against the Individual Investor Programme (IIP), yet the government's nine-seat majority ensured that the bill came through unstuck.
All government MPs, with the exception of foreign minister George Vella and education minister Evarist Bartolo, both abroad, voted in favour of the bill, while all 30 opposition MPs voted against.
The award of citizenship through the controversial scheme is expected to yield €30 million for the public coffers, half of which will go directly in the Budget presented on Monday and the remaining €15 million invested in a national development fund - an injection that will enable the government to limit the extent of indirect taxation in the budget but exposed the government to criticism of devaluing Maltese citizenship.
The scheme has attracted harsh criticism from many quarters, with the Green Party proposing an abrogative referendum to repeal the scheme which it said would damage Malta's reputation.
On Monday, opposition leader Simon Busuttil reiterated his promise that a PN government would not only repeal the IIP but it would also withdraw citizenship granted under the scheme.
Moreover, the PN leader hinted that the opposition would sit on the Monitoring Committee and would publish the names of those granted citizenship immediately.
Although the government is claiming this would be unconstitutional, Busuttil said the party would go ahead with its plans.
On Saturday, the government defeated all bar one of the opposition's amendments to the golden passport law, with the PN's amendments to link the scheme to long-term residency and investment all failing to be approved.
The Opposition wanted to have citizenship granted on condition of a minimum five-year residence and a minimum €5 million investment in the Maltese economy. Additionally, at least 30 days' residence in Malta would have to take place annually.
Furthermore, the PN proposed the removal of the secrecy clause, arguing that it would tarnish the country's reputation and Maltese citizens had a right to know who was being granted citizenship.
Despite home affairs minister Manuel Mallia last week claimed that the public was backing the IIP and had understood the wealth such a programme could reap, the opposition leader held that the majority of Maltese citizens were against the scheme.
Addressing Parliament on Monday, Busuttil said, "If you dare touch our citizenship, you will find the people against you and you will find the Nationalist Party standing up for the people."
The latest MaltaToday survey published on Sunday proved the latter argument correct, with the majority of respondents expressing their opposition to the IIP citizenship scheme proposed by the government.
The MaltaToday survey shows that with the exception of a slight majority of Labour voters, there is widespread opposition to the new citizenship scheme among all sectors of society.
The survey showed that an absolute majority are in principle against the sale of Maltese citizenship to foreigners. While 53% are against the sale of citizenship to foreigners willing to pay €650,000 as proposed by the government, 10% would only grant citizenship to those who make a significant investment in the country over and above the €650,000 donation. Only 26% of respondents said they wee in favour of the bill.
Jurgen Balzan joined MaltaToday in 2011, specialising in politics, foreig...
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Romina Calleja •
EUWATCH Do your caveats also apply to Austria? Or do you just predict ominous results for Malta? Will the US and other countries just select Malta and not Austria for greater scrutiny? First, Malta has not distanced itself from the EU. In fact the EU said that we were within our rights to formulate citizenship laws. Second, Malta is not on any US or other watch list. So if you must comment, please quote facts and not the usual PN lies, innuendos and mudslinging.
Manuel Scicluna •
It's not a coincidence that prostitutes and politicians both begin with the letter "p" and the aim of both species is to screw everyone in the country.
OMG - this is just not happening...... Malta just stepped over the cliff and distanced themselves from the European UNION (look up that word in capital when you have time...) and also put yourselves on the watch list of the US. What is for sale next - gold plated bananas ?? worthy of the republics new status - sigh !!
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