text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Feb 26, 2008
|Filing date
|May 21, 2003
|Priority date
|May 21, 2003
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Ramon A Gomez
|Original Assignee
|Broadcom Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (31), Non-Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (35), Classifications (9), Legal Events (8)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radio frequency (RF) receivers, and more particularly, to RF receivers with tracking filter banks for single conversion broadband filters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Direct-conversion, or homodyne, receivers are popular for many communications applications because of their simplicity and low power. They do not require intermediate-frequency (IF) filters, which are often costly, and need only one frequency conversion stage and one local oscillator (LO).
Direct-conversion receivers rely entirely on quadrature mixing to obtain the necessary image rejection. Single-conversion low-IF receivers for broadband communication systems, such as direct broadcast satellite (DBS), broadcast or cable television (CATV), may rely on some combination of quadrature conversion and pre-selection with tracking or switched filters.
Double-conversion receivers for these applications rely more on IF filtering for image rejection. Because the IF frequencies can be fixed, very sharp filters, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters, need to be used. However, these filters are relatively costly.
Difficulties in integrating tracking filters and in achieving the necessary degree of image rejection through quadrature balance have heretofore prevented the implementation of integrated direct-conversion receivers for broadcast television and CATV. Integrated single-conversion low-IF tuners generally do not include the tracking filters.
A typical conventional single-conversion tuner is illustrated in
As further illustrated in
Thus, each tracking filter 101 is slaved to a corresponding voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) 106 a, 106 b, 106 c, which produces the local oscillator (LO) for the first frequency conversion when that filter 101 is selected. The choice of filter 101 and VCO 106 depends on the frequency of the desired channel, and is determined by a digital command. By using matched components, such as inductors, capacitors, and voltage-variable capacitors (varactors) in the VCO 106 and filter 101, the center frequency of each filter 101 can be matched to the frequency of the corresponding VCO 106. This arrangement is illustrated in
As shown in
A secondary problem in direct-conversion tuners are the responses at the LO harmonics, as shown in the bottom graph of
The present invention is directed to integrated tracking filters for direct conversion and low-IF single conversion broadband filters that substantially obviates one or more of the problems and disadvantages of the related art.
There is provided a radio frequency (RF) tuner including a programmable tracking filter bank receiving an RF input and outputting a filtered RF signal. A mixer stage receives the filtered RF signal and outputs a first quadrature component of the filtered RF signal and a second quadrature component of the filtered RF signal. Two variable gain amplifiers receive the first and second quadrature components and output amplitude-controlled I and Q components of the filtered RF signal. In one embodiment, the programmable tracking filter bank includes a plurality of tank circuits each connected to the RF input through an impedance. Each tank circuit includes an inductor and a capacitor connected in parallel, thereby forming an LC network, and a plurality of switched capacitors in parallel with the LC network and switched in and out of the tank circuit by programmable switches. In another embodiment, the programmable tracking filter bank includes a plurality of peaked low-pass circuits each connected to the RF input through an impedance. Each peaked low-pass circuit includes a capacitor connected to ground, and a plurality of switched capacitors in parallel with the capacitor and switched in and out of the peaked low-pass circuit by programmable switches.
In another aspect there is provided a radio frequency (RF) tuner including a programmable tracking filter bank receiving a differential RF input and outputting a filtered RF differential signal. A mixer stage receives the filtered differential RF signal and outputs a first quadrature component of the filtered differential RF signal and a second quadrature component of the filtered differential RF signal. Two variable gain amplifiers receive the first and second quadrature components, and output amplitude-controlled I and Q components of the filtered differential RF signal.
In another aspect there is provided a radio frequency (RF) receiver including a tuner receiving an RF input and outputting amplitude controlled I and Q components of the RF input. A demodulator converts the I and Q components to a TV channel signal. A power detector receives the demodulated TV channel signal, and outputs a control signal to a filter control circuit. The filter control circuit controls the tuner. The tuner includes a programmable tracking filter bank receiving the RF input and outputting a filtered RF signal based on output of the filter control circuit. A mixer stage receives the filtered RF signal and outputs a first quadrature component of the filtered RF signal and a second quadrature component of the filtered RF signal. Two variable gain amplifiers receive the first and second quadrature components and output the amplitude-controlled I and Q components of the filtered RF signal.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows. Yet further features and advantages will be apparent to a person skilled in the art based on the description set forth herein or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
This invention describes techniques for implementing tunable tracking filters for RF applications, suitable for conventional integrated circuits, with minimal off-chip components. In particular, this invention discloses a technique for implementing tunable tracking filters suitable for image and LO harmonic response rejection in integrated broadband tuners.
A direct-conversion tuner 350 of the present invention is shown in
As shown in
The outputs of the mixers 302 a, 302 b are fed into low-pass filters 306 a, 306 b respectively. A typical low-pass filter 306 might have a bandwidth of 3 MHz, for the U.S. standard of 6 MHz per TV channel. The low-pass filters 306 a, 306 b output their filtered signals to variable gain amplifiers (VGAs) 308 a, 308 b. The variable gain amplifiers 308 a, 308 b are controlled by power detection circuits 310 a, 310 b respectively, arrayed in feedback loops. The VGAs 308 a, 308 b also output the I and the Q quadrature components of the TV signal.
The outputs VOUTA, VOUTB . . . VOUTN are outputted through switches S1, and are summed and outputted to the mixer stage 325 of
The inputs of the tank circuits 430 are connected to a common input through impedances 401 (e.g., inductors). This prevents interaction between the tuned circuits. This arrangement is essentially a frequency multiplexor, with one common input Vin and multiple outputs VOUTA, VOUTB, . . . VOUTN, such that each output passes a different frequency band. Generally, the tank circuits 430 are tunable over overlapping ranges covering the entire input range.
If the tank circuits 430 are being used for image-rejection, they must provide sufficient attenuation at an offset from the desired frequency equal to twice the IF frequency, for all input frequencies. If they are being used for rejection of harmonic responses, they need only provide sufficient attenuation at the unwanted harmonic of the input frequency. For instance, for a TV channel at 62 Mhz, the harmonic of primary concern is at 186 Mhz, thus, it is most important to reject input at 186 Mhz, in this case. As noted above, no filtering is necessary for frequencies greater than the maximum input frequency divided by the order of the lowest significant harmonic response. This significantly simplifies the architecture of the programmable filter bank 311.
Alternatively, each tank circuit 430 output can drive an independent amplifier or mixer stage, whose outputs will be combined to drive the subsequent stages of the tuner 350.
The number of tank circuits 430 in the filter bank 311 is determined by the total frequency range that must be covered, and by the tuning range of each tank circuit 430. The inductance L of the inductor L406 and the maximum and minimum capacitance Cmax and Cmin of the capacitor C402 that can be realized in parallel determine the tuning range of a given tank circuit 430. Cmin is determined by the parasitic capacitances on and off the chip, including printed circuit board (PCB) wiring traces, inductor parasitics, IC bond pad parasitics, and the parasitic capacitance of the integrated transistor switches (M407-M409) that are used to vary the capacitance.
Let C0 (not designated in
Thus, it is desirable that k, the proportionality factor between the switched capacitance and the parasitic capacitance of a transistor switch be large enough to connect or disconnect it from the circuit without excessive Q degradation. This requirement favors high-speed integrated circuit processes with very small parasitic capacitances for a given amount of switch conductance. Note that either bipolar or field-effect transistors may be used as switches. The long recovery time from saturated operation if bipolar transistors are used is not relevant, since the rate at which the tank circuit 430 center frequency will need to be tuned is typically quite slow.
Thus, the tracking filters 311 described herein may be used to eliminate image responses as well as responses at the harmonics of the LO frequency, which cause undesirable interference in the RF receiver. For example, in the case of a channel at 50 Mhz, the tracking filters 311 eliminate the responses at the harmonics of 50 Mhz, particularly the odd harmonics (e.g., 150 Mhz, etc.)
Further with reference to
In the case of the peaked low pass architecture, it is preferable that the impedance of integrated circuit at each tank circuit 430 output be capacitive, to facilitate a high Q frequency response with low loss and good selectivity.
Thus, as discussed above, the present invention permits centering using a baseband power detector. Furthermore, the present invention permits the use of a filter bank with switched tuning implemented on-chip. Additionally, the present invention permits filter outputs to be connected to downstream signal path with switches, or multiple filter outputs driving multiple amplifier or mixer stages, which are then combined. Thus, the present invention permits reducing the number of external components, does not require discrete varactors, and does not rely on critical component matching.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks and method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. Also, the order of method steps may be rearranged. Any such alternate boundaries are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that these functional building blocks can be implemented by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
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|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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|Citing Patent
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|Intel Corporation
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|High dynamic range time-varying integrated receiver for elimination of off-chip filters
|Oct 3, 2008
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|Semiconductor device
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|Qualcomm, Incorporated
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|Howard Melamed
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|Mar 25, 2004
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|Hisaya Kato
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|Broadcom Corporation
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|Aug 7, 2008
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|Broadcom Corporation
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|Tomoaki Kudaishi
|Semiconductor device
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|U.S. Classification
|455/307, 455/286, 333/202, 455/266, 455/179.1
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 21, 2003
Owner name: BROADCOM CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
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|Sep 16, 2011
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|Sep 16, 2011
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|Sep 28, 2015
|Surcharge for late payment
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|Feb 11, 2016
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text:
Results 1 to 5 of 5
August 25th, 2004, 05:36 PM #1
A woman in her forties went to a plastic surgeon for a face-lift.
The surgeon told her about a new procedure called "The Knob," where a small knob is placed on the back of a woman's head that can be turned to tighten up her skin and produce the effect of a brand new face lift.
Of course, she wanted and got "The Knob."
For years, the woman tightened the knob, and the effects were wonderful -- she remained young looking and vibrant.
After fifteen years, she returned to the surgeon with two problems.
"All these years, everything has been working just fine. I have turned the knob many times and always loved the results. But now I have developed two annoying problems.
First, I have these terrible bags under my eyes and the knob won't get rid of them."
The doctor looked at her closely and said, "Those are not bags, those are your breasts."
She said, "Well, I guess there is no point in asking about the goatee."~Ernie
August 25th, 2004, 05:48 PM #2
Thats a good oneOne day parasites and their ilk will be made illegal, I bet a few Lawyers will be pissed off when the day comes.
Mr. Spitzer is fetching it nearer
August 25th, 2004, 07:08 PM #3
August 25th, 2004, 10:18 PM #4
- Join Date
- January 18th, 2005
- Posts
- 3,219
Shit - thats hillarious!
August 26th, 2004, 05:45 AM #5Jorge Ramirez | E: firstname.lastname@example.com | P: 305-482-3353 |
Affiliate Management | Plans and Pricing | Managed Programs

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Adam Hills Live in the Suburbs Trailer (2006)
"The Debut Stand Up DVD from the star of ABC TV's "Spicks and Specks"" 01 January 2006 Comedy 86 mins
When Adam Hills isn't hosting ABC TV's "Spicks & Specks" he travels the world as one of its most popular and respected stand up comics. A regular at the Melbourne, Montreal and Kilkenny Comedy Festivals and a triple Perrier Award nominee at the Edinburgh Festival, Adam Hills is truly a world class comedian. Live In The Suburbs" is Adam's first ever stand up comedy DVD, recorded live at the Cardinia Cultural Centre, in the outer Melbourne suburb of Pakenham. "Live In The Suburbs" delivers an hour and a bit of Adam's best stand up material as well as a trip to the farmer's market and a catch up with the locals at Pakenham Upper.
Watch the official Adam Hills Live in the Suburbs 2006 trailer in HD below or find more Adam Hills Live in the Suburbs videos on Vidimovie.


text:
He has 4 Days to Defeat an Unknown Enemy Taken: Kill First, Ask Questions Later
Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a semi-retired CIA agent disheartened by divorce and the subsequent loss of his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). With Kim's seventeenth birthday party soon approaching, dad attempts to locate the perfect gift. Knowing that his daughter is an aspiring singer, he purchases her a fancy karaoke machine.
Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a semi-retired CIA agent disheartened by divorce and the subsequent loss of his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). With Kim's seventeenth birthday party soon approaching, dad attempts to locate the perfect gift. Knowing that his daughter is an aspiring singer, he purchases her a fancy karaoke machine.
At the party Kim adores her new present; despite that, ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) ridicules his decision. Meanwhile, Lenore's affluent new husband, Stuart (Xander Berkeley) unveils every teenage girl's dream gift: a beautiful riding horse. Dad returns home, solemnly, to drink some brews with his CIA pal, Sam (Leland Orser).
Like Bryan, Sam is slowly leaving the agency. When he feels nostalgic of spy life, Sam works as a celebrity security guard, and invites Bryan along for his latest assignment: protecting a fictional pop diva named Sheerah (Holly Valance). At the performer's concert a deranged man attempts to attack Sheerah with a knife, though Mills rescues her from certain injury, or perhaps even death.
To thank Mills for his act of courage, Sheerah offers to connect Kim with a top vocal trainer and manager � assuming that she has the chops. Finally, he has a chance to put Stuart to shame and schedules lunch with Kim the following day. Before Bryan is able to reveal his surprise, however, the seventeen year old waves a permission slip in his face. She wants to visit France alongside her girlfriend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy) and plans to stay with the latter's relatives.
Aware of how dangerous international travel can be for a teenager, Mills is reluctant to sign the form. Kim begins to storm off angrily, but he stops her realizing that Lenore had already given her approval. Bryan suspects that his ex-wife was manipulating the situation, hoping that he would refuse in an attempt to demonize him. Unwilling to give her mother this satisfaction, he signs the paper with the condition that Kim calls him before bedtime each day.
Kim does call dad shortly after arriving in Paris, though under less than ideal conditions. Four strange men have entered the girls' accommodations, and Amanda has already been beaten as the other goons search for their second victim. Mills gives his daughter clear instructions, but realizes her capture is inevitable. With only a garbled tape recording of Kim's kidnappers speaking, he deduces that they are members of the Albanian Mafia, intent upon selling his daughter into the sex trade. He must head to Europe and save Kim within 96 hours, or else never see her again.
Taken was an enormous success both in America and overseas, earning a grand total of $226 million internationally. The film earned an additional $62 million after release on DVD and Blu-ray. A sequel is currently in development.
Year: 2008
Duration: 93 minutes
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Liam Neeson
Famke Janssen
Maggie Grace
Xander Berkeley
Holly Valance
Katie Cassidy
Director: Pierre Morel
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references, and explicit language.


text:
Recent reports of increasing violent crime should not surprise anyone. According to The New American's Jan. 8 issue, the Government Accountability Office reports that in 2003 illegal aliens comprised 27 percent of the federal prison population, but 7.2 percent of the general population. A 2005 GAO study found that 55,322 illegal aliens in federal prison were arrested at average of eight times, and had committed an average of 13 crimes each.
With more illegal aliens coming every day, this translates into increased crime - something we do not need, since we have enough of the home-grown variety.
Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution states, "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; ... ."
If 12 million illegal aliens is not an invasion, what is? Plus, too many of them are career criminals and bring their predations with them.
Deborah Kauflin, who heads the Violent Crimes Institute, reported that a disproportionate share of illegal aliens are dangerous sex criminals. VCI uncovered a wave of crime to include robbery, child molestation, rape and murder, including serial murders and gang rapes. Based on VCI's numbers, from a population of 12 million illegal aliens, we now have 240,000 illegal-alien sex criminals in the United States.
A 2002 article in The Washington Post backed Deborah Kauflin's opinion that, in some foreign sectors, the "concept of rapto," meaning the abduction of a woman or girl to rape her, was "socially acceptable."
While tragic events occur, our political leaders pontificate about "guest worker" programs to disguise their plans for amnesty for illegal aliens flooding our nation. Will you hold accountable our representatives in Washington who took an oath to uphold the Constitution?
Elton T. Booth, North Augusta, S.C.


text:
Brisbane - A man was Tuesday slapped with a $803 fine for flashing his
buttocks at Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Australia last year - and
said he would do it again.
Sydney barman Liam Warriner, aged 22, pleaded guilty to one count of public
nuisance during the 85-year-old monarch's tour of the Queensland capital
Brisbane in October.
A second charge of wilful exposure was formally dropped by police prior to
his sentence.
The Brisbane Magistrates Court heard Warriner dropped his trousers and ran
alongside the queen's motorcade for 50m with an Australian flag clasped between
his buttock cheeks, Australian Associated Press reported.
He told police it was a political protest to show his contempt for the
monarch and elitist groups, the court heard.
Warmly regarded
Outside court, Warriner said he would do the same if other dignitaries
"Any self-important, self-propagating elitist, I will happily bare my
buttocks to," he said.
Tens of thousands of people turned out to welcome the queen on a 10-day tour
of Australia that took her to Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
The queen is warmly regarded in Australia, a former British colony where she
is head of state, though from time to time debate flares about whether ties to
the monarchy should be cut and the nation become a republic.
Haha well done Liam!
BHWaaaa ha ha. This article made me smile.
Australians dont feel the same way about an 'absent' monarchy like the Brits do because its all around them.. You go boy well done, echoing the sentiments of millions of Aussies no doubt
hope somebody bought him a bells
Should read, "Queen fined for peeping"
A grand gesture.


text:
Grains de kéfir de fruits à partager, possibilité d'envoi prix coûtant. Mode d'emploi disponible si nécessaire.
Send Kefir request to Isabelle:
By clicking the Inquire button above, you will send a Kefir grains request to one of our Kefir community members (Isabelle). If you don't get the response within 3-5 days, don't panic, ask someone else, even if the person is not located in the same city as you.
Kefir grains grow fairly slow, so people run out of them easily, and will not respond to you unless they have extra grains to share.
Second thing, live Kefir grains are extremely resistant, so shipping them via mail is fine. Kefir grains that I shipped during coldest days of winter, or hottest days of summer still live and are shared by many members of our Kefir community. Mind you, I wasn't even shipping dried ones, but live, real Kefir grains. Thanks, Adnan.


text:
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Designated Members
Willem J. Faber, MAI
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Stephen R. Flanagan, MAI
Desiree M. Flanary, MAI
Todd Flanders, MAI
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Matthew J. Fleenor, MAI
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Lynn Fleming, MAI
Steven C. Fleming, MAI
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Robert J. Fletcher, MAI
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Brian E. Floyd, SRA
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Allan D. Foster, MAI
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Sue Anne Foster, MAI, SRA
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William P. Fowler, MAI
Brittany Therese Fox, MAI
Mary F. Fox, MAI
Robert B. Frahme, MAI
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Brandon M. Frank, MAI
Jonathan H. Frank, MAI
Katharine A Frank, MAI
Monika Frank, SRA, AI-RRS
Albert W. Franke, III, MAI, SRA
Linda M. Frankel, SRA
Bo D. Franklin, SRA
Joseph B. Franklin, MAI
Mark A. Franklin, MAI, SRA
Rebecca R. Franklin, MAI
A. Paige Franks, MAI
Paul R. Franson, MAI
Randall A. Franz, MAI, SRA
Christofer E. Frasco, MAI
Sally Fraser, MAI
Sara A. Fraser, SRA
Michael F. Frauenthal, MAI, SRA
Scott C. Frayn, MAI
Daniel W. Frazee, MAI
Curtis L. Frazier, MAI
Robert L. Frazier, SRA
Curtis E. Freda, SRA
Kathleen Frederick, MAI
Thomas R. Frederick, SRA
Michael Fredrickson, MAI
Allison R. Free, MAI
Gary R. Free, MAI, SRA
James R (Jim) Free, MAI, SRA
Levi H. Freedman, MAI
John D. Freeman, MAI, SRA
Scott E. Freeman, MAI
Kimberly Freese, SRA
Daniel L. Freitag, SRA
Mark R. Freitag, SRA
Joseph G. Fremeau, MAI, SRA
Shelby T. French, MAI
David J. Frett, SRA
Steven L. Frey, SRPA
Kelly M. Fried, MAI
Anastasia Friedman, MAI
Jack P. Friedman, PhD, MAI, SRA
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Daniel M Fries, SRA
Julie Friess, SRA
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Kevin L. Fritch, MAI, AI-GRS
Char L. Frith, MAI
Joseph T. Fritzky, SRA
George P. Frizzell, MAI
Christopher W. Froboese, MAI
Wayne S. Froboese, MAI
Landell S. Froerer, MAI
Ronald Edward Frohm, MAI
John Frome, MAI
Michael J. Fronczak, MAI
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Julie H. Frost, MAI
Michael A. Frost, MAI
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Donald B. Fruechtl, MAI
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Daneene J. Fry, SRPA, SRA
M. David Fry, Jr, SRA
Christopher J. Frye, MAI
Linda A. Fuerbringer, SRA
Tsutomu Fujisawa, MAI
Gilbert T. Fujiyoshi, SRPA, SRA
Shane M. Fukuda, MAI
Yuji Fukuyama, MAI
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James M. Fuller, MAI
Maureen Fuller, MAI
Michael T. Fuller, SRA
Joel A. Fulmer, IV, MAI
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Jerry L. Fulwiler, MAI
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Swine flu has infected Mexico's relations with China and other countries that have canceled airline flights and halted some trade. But its most prickly neighbor – the United States – now seems like the country's most loyal friend.
Mexico is smarting from what it considers discriminatory actions by countries it had considered friendly, insisting the world should be grateful for its open and aggressive efforts to stem the spread of swine flu. The shutdown of public life cost Mexico $2.2 billion in the first 10 days after the epidemic was announced.
The government sent a plane to pick up 70 of its citizens quarantined in China. It rebuked Cuba, Ecuador, Argentina and Peru for banning flights to Mexico, saying they were acting "incongruously with our traditional ties of friendship."
France tried – and failed – to win a European Union-wide ban on flights to Mexico.
Particularly insulting for Mexico: Haiti rejected a Mexican ship last week carrying 77 tons of much-needed food aid because of swine flu fears.
All of that put the U.S. response in a very favorable light. Neither the United States nor Canada banned flights or restricted trade with Mexico. The three countries are partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement.
President Barack Obama forcefully rejected the idea of closing the border, despite arguments from conservative talk show hosts that swine flu showed immigration from Mexico was a threat.
The Obama administration cast the decision as a recognition of reality: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said sealing the border would be extremely costly and pointless since the virus was already in the United States. Obama likened the idea to "closing the barn door after the horses are out."
Even so, it was symbolically significant in Mexico, which protested when the U.S. began building a border fence under former President George W. Bush.
While Obama has also beefed up border security, he has pledged to renew efforts to push through immigration reforms that eluded the Bush administration, including extending a citizenship path for illegal immigrants. His emphasis on open borders during the swine flu outbreak could help set the tone.
"There was a very explicit recognition that the U.S. and Mexico cannot close their borders," said Andrew Selee, director of the Mexico Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center. "Maybe that tells you that Mexico is really more integrated with its neighbors to the north than the rest of Latin America."
Mexico took note. The Foreign Relations Department held a special ceremony to thank the U.S. government both for keeping the border open and for providing aid and medical expertise.
"The way in which the border between Mexico and the United States stayed not only open but alive in the past days has been exemplary," said Carlos Rico, Mexico's deputy secretary for North American relations. "The open border is something that has not been recognized enough."
Even members of the opposition leftist Democratic Revolution Party – long known for its nationalistic wariness of the United States – were impressed.
"I thought the reaction and response from the three countries – Mexico, the United States and Canada – was definitely laudable," said Alfonso Suarez de Real, a lawmaker from the party. "It contrasted with the reaction that other countries have had."
The experience added momentum to increasingly warming relations, coming on the heels of Obama's April 16 visit to Mexico and his acknowledgment that Americans share the blame for violence south of border because of drug consumption and gun trafficking. Mexico, for its part, has set aside traditional sovereignty concerns in welcoming increased U.S. border security and even U.S. training for Mexico's navy.
In contrast, relations with China have been frayed, threatening to undermine trade and investment between the two countries just as it has been picking up, said Hector Cuellar, president of the recently formed Mexico-China Chamber of Commerce.
Prominent Mexican companies have started opening operations in China in the last three years, while Mexican exports to China have jumped ninefold over the past decade to some $2 billion.
But Mexicans were angered when China banned the direct flights that leading Mexican airline Aeromexico started offering in October, and then quarantined Mexican travelers. Mexico canceled its participation at a Shanghai trade fair where it had meant to showcase its pork products – now banned in China and at least four other nations even though health experts say people can't catch swine flu from meat.
The epidemic also set back Mexico's efforts to improve ties with Cuba, which soured during the 2000-06 presidency of Vicente Fox, when Mexico voted at the U.N. in favor of monitoring human rights on the communist island.
Fox's successor, Felipe Calderon, had planned a conciliatory trip to Cuba this year. That's up in the air after Calderon said he may have to cancel because Cuba grounded flights to and from Mexico.
Mexican officials also didn't take kindly to Fidel Castro lashing out after Cuba confirmed its first swine flu case, accusing Mexico of waiting to disclose the epidemic until after Obama visited, even though Canadian and U.S. scientists did not identify the virus in Mexican patients until a week later.
In Europe for a summit Tuesday, Foreign Relations Secretary Patricia Espinosa told Cuba's foreign relations minister, Bruno Rodriguez, that such remarks "hurt bilateral relations."
Deputy Health Secretary Mauricio Hernandez said Wednesday that Mexico would support a global compensation fund for countries that suffer from epidemics, and warned that the threat of trade and travel restrictions could provoke governments to hide future outbreaks.
"We were responsible, and we ended up with trade sanctions – we were discriminated against," Hernandez said at an academic forum on swine flu. "So, the question is: What is the incentive (for countries to be open)?"


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Ruling description
On September 25, 2015, the Supreme Administrative Court issued a judgment (case file no. I FSK 578/15), in which it addressed the notion of "fixed establishment" for the purposes of VAT and the abuse of rights in connection with VAT.
The Supreme Administrative Court ruling was issued in a case involving a Polish taxpayer, which was similar to a case resolved in 2014 by the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) in the C-605/12 judgement. This is one of the first Polish court awards regarding the fixed establishment issued after the ECJ judgment.
In the case at hand, the Polish company signed a contract with a business partner from Cyprus, whereby the Company agreed to perform the whole package of services necessary for an e-commerce service to function (an internet auction service organized by the Cypriot company) targeted at Polish users. The Company submitted that the services provided to the Cypriot counterparty are subject to VAT taxation in the country where the service purchaser is seated, i.e. in Cyprus (this is in line with the basic rule for determining the place of the provision of services under Art. 28b of the VAT Act). Tax authorities ruled that the Polish business partner has a fixed establishment in Poland and that the services were therefore provided by the Polish company for the Polish fixed establishment. Consequently, the services provided by the Polish company ought to be subject to VAT taxation in Poland.
The Provincial Administrative Court agreed with the tax authority's case. Moreover, the Supreme Administrative Court dismissed the last resort appeal filed by the Polish company. The Court pointed out that although the business partner is registered in Cyprus, the entire business activity is conducted in Poland, considering that the service is to a large extent maintained and provided by the Polish company, and that it is targeted at Polish consumers. For this reason, a Cypriot taxpayer has a fixed establishment in Poland and the services provided to the Cypriot taxpayer ought to be taxed in Poland.
In the judgment on appeal, the Supreme Administrative Court also touched upon the notion of an abuse of a right in connection with VAT. The Court noted that according to a rights abuse test, if an artificial structure has not been developed due to economic or business needs and the prevalent purpose of this structure is to pay a substantially smaller tax or not to pay tax at all, a taxpayer must not benefit from the solutions/benefits available under the VAT Directive. The Supreme Administrative Court announced that in the written statement of grounds it will address in more detail the question whether the law has been abused in the case at issue.
The judgment at issue is of crucial importance for taxpayers, who – in collaboration with foreign contractors – provide or receive services to/from these contractors, especially in outsourcing models. In light of the judgment, Polish taxpayers acquiring services from foreign contractors (especially in the outsourcing model) may be found to perform their activities in the contractor's country of residence through a fixed establishment, and therefore may be subject to VAT in this country. Conversely, for taxpayers providing services to foreign contractors (as is the case in the lawsuit at stake), they run the risk of being deemed to provide services for the benefit of the contractors' fixed establishment in Poland. In such a situation, the tax authorities may make an assessment of overdue VAT and charge default interest. Special attention needs to be paid by e-commerce and electronic businesses where no substantial human or technical resources need to be involved. In those sectors, tax authorities will find it easier to deem that the contractor's assets became an overseas fixed establishment of these businesses. When assessing this risk, it will also be necessary to take into account the Supreme Administrative Court's conclusions regarding right abuse tests in light of VAT regulations.
Additionally, we note that the Supreme Administrative Court's judgment does not relate to one of the most essential issues as regards the interpretation of the term "fixed establishment". It was pointed out in ECJ judicature that a fixed establishment may be created by human and technical resources of a different taxpayer, but only if the 'first taxable person' has a comparable degree of control over these resources as it has over its own resources. This premise was not discussed in detail (at least in the oral discussion of the statement of grounds), and therefore it will be necessary to verify this issue once again after the written version of the statement of grounds is published.


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NBA Draft 2014: Players Who Will Make Surprising Rise into Round 1June 21, 2014
Workouts don't guarantee first-round selections in the 2014 NBA draft.
None of the prospects on this list has worked out for a team. But on draft night, they'll hear their names called in Round 1—to the surprise of causal fans who'll react by asking, "Who?"
PG Spencer Dinwiddie, Colorado
21 years old, 6'6", 205 pounds
Junior stats: 14.7 points, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game
Prediction: 28th overall to the Los Angeles Clippers
ESPN Los Angeles' Arash Markazi reported that Darren Collison will opt out of his contract and become a free agent this offseason. Collison averaged 11.4 points and 3.7 assists per game this year. He deserves a huge raise from the $1.9 million he would've made this season had he opted in.
Unless Los Angeles is determined to give him this raise, which is unlikely, it must draft a point guard on Thursday. Collison had too much production to risk not replacing him.
Enter Dinwiddie. He was a first-round prospect before tearing his ACL in January. And according to ESPN Los Angeles' Ramona Shelburne, he's received an invite from the Clippers to their facility.
There's a huge need for point guards in the league. And despite the fact that Dinwiddie is rated lower than Dante Exum, Marcus Smart, Elfrid Payton, Zach LaVine, Tyler Ennis, Shabazz Napier and Jordan Clarkson, all of them will likely be gone by the time Los Angeles is on the clock.
SF Damien Inglis, France
19 years old, 6'8", 240 pounds
2013-14 French League stats: 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.6 steals per game (in 15.3 minutes)
Prediction: 29th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City didn't have an answer when the San Antonio Spurs played small with Boris Diaw in Games 5 and 6 of the Western Conference Finals. In those two contests, he recorded 39 points, nine rebounds and five assists. And 15 of those points came off threes.
The Thunder's answer to Diaw and any team that tries to spread the floor against it: Inglis. The French forward's agent originally tweeted that he had withdrawn from the draft but rescinded the announcement later that day, according to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony:
Inglis has the athleticism to play the 3 in a typical Oklahoma City rotation, and he has the size to play the 4 when it plays small. He's an ideal role player due to top-notch defense and an improving three-point-shooting ability, having shot 38.7 percent from downtown this season.
PF Nikola Jokic, Serbia
19 years old, 6'11", 253 pounds
2013-2014 Adriatic League stats: 11.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game
Prediction: 30th overall to the San Antonio Spurs
Speaking of Diaw, he's a free agent. Even if he re-signs, he's 32 years old and—given how valuable he was to the Spurs' championship-run—must be replaced eventually with another point forward.
Kyle Anderson would be ideal, but after the Charlotte Hornets' Josh McRoberts opted out of his contract, it created another need for a 4, which will likely prevent Anderson from falling to No. 30. Jokic is a great plan B.
His combination of size and skills couldn't be much rarer. He averaged 0.6 threes and 2.0 assists per game this season, showing off the ability to be a larger version of Diaw.
David Daniels is a columnist at Bleacher Report. He tweets, too.


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This sleek, modern look of the CobraCo Ribbed Steel Hose Holder makes it a contemporary beauty. As a hose holder, it holds up to a 125 ft. garden hose. As a decorative container, it can store many household items such as magazines, newspapers, potted plants, and kindling. The gently contoured steel holder with a matte black finish is a compliment to any backyard or indoor decor. The unique center post guides hose for easy coiling and uncoiling. You can easily remove center post for storage of other household items. The Ribbed Steel Hose Holder will be an attractive addition to any room or backyard landscape. Accessorize your Ribbed Steel Hose Holder with our Ribbed Steel Hose Holder Lid (Model # LIDRIB-B).
- Dimensions: 18.5 in. W at widest point x 11 in. H
- Holds up to 125 ft. of a 5/8 in. Dia garden hose
- Drain holes on bottom
- Steel with a black, powder-coated finish
- Other uses: magazine and newspaper holder, firewood holder, decorative container for potted plant


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Home > News3/16
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: It is bordered by Muntinlupa City to the south, Parañaque City to the southwest, Pasay City to the west, Cainta and Taytay on the northeast and Makati City, Pateros, and Pasig City to the north.
Nearest airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Nearest seaport: Ports of Manila
Major road networks: C-5, EDSA, Philippine National Railroad, South Luzon Expressway
CLIMATE AND WEATHER: Dry season - January to April, Wet season - May to December
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: Bantayog ng Bayani, Bonifacio Global City, Camp Bagong Diwa, Dambanang Kawayan, Fort Bonifacio, Libingany ng mga Bayani, Manila American Cemetery, Museo de Sta. Ana; Shrine of St. Anne; Simboryo, The Blue Mosque; Veterans' Museum
FIESTAS AND EVENTS: Banak Fish Cone Tossing Ceremony, Boys and Girls Festival Parade, Karera ng mga Bangkang Lunday, Pagodahan, Sta. Anang Banak, Taguig City Charter Day, Taguig River Festival;
LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS: Tagalog; English
RELIGION: Islam, Roman Catholic
COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA: Globe, PLDT, Smart, Sun
Malls: Bonifacio Global City, Market Market, McKinely Hills, Serendra
Popular establishments: Mercury Drugstore; Greenwich; Jollibee; National Bookstore
Entertainment venues: Bonifacio Heights, Market Market, McKinley Hills, Serendra
BANKS: Asia United Bank; Banco De Oro; Bank of Commerce, BDO Private Bank, BPI Family Savings Bank, China Banking Corporation, China Savings Bank, Chinatrust, Duetsche Bank, Development Bank of the Philippines, EastWest Bank; Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, HSBC Savings Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, Maybank, Metrobank, Philippine Business Bank; Philippine National Bank, Philippine Savings Bank; Philippine Veterans Bank, RCBC Savings Bank, Robinsons Bank, Security Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Bank of Asia, Union Bank, United Coconut Planters Bank
UNIVERSITIES: British School Manila, Chinese International School Manila, Colegio de Sta. Ana, Enderun Colleges, Everest Academy Manila, Global city Innovative College, International School Manila, Korean International School, Leaders International Crhistian School, Maharlika Bandare Inged Integrated School, Maharlika Village Islam Madrsah, Manila Japanese School, MGC-New Life Christian Academy, Philippine Public safety College, Polytechnic University of the Philippines,St. Francis of Assisi College System, Taguig City University, Taguig National High School, Taguig Science High School, Technological University of the Philippines, The Fisher Valley College, Victory Leadership Institute
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS: British School Manila, Chinese International School Manila, International School Manila, Korean International School, Manila Japanese School
HOSPITALS: Cruz-Rabe Maternity and General Hospital, Dr. Sabili General Hospital and Health Services, Fort Bonifacio General Hospital, Holy Mary Family Hospital, Jovince Medical Hospital, Manila Naval Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center-Global City, Taguig Doctor's Hospital, Taguig City Hospital (Taguig-Pateros District Hospital)
House Rental:
Accredited facilities: Arya Residences, One Uptown Residence
Merchant partners: Healthway Medical Clinic, Inc.
Registered retirement accommodations:
Retirement franchises:
Nearest PRA satellite office: Head Office 29th Floor Citibank Tower 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City
Number of PRA retirees: 814
Investment zones: E-Square Information Technology Park
Government agencies/branch offices: Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Department of Eneergy, Department of Interior and Local Government Region 4, Deparment of Science and Technology,Energy Policy and Planning Bureau, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Food Terminal Inc., Industrial Technology Development Institute, Land Transportation Office, National Committee on Bio safty of the Philippines, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, Philippine Center for Population and Development, Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development, Philippine National Oil Company, PNOC Renewables Corporation, Philippine National Police-Special Action Force, Philippine Navy-Marines Recruitment Center, Philippine Navy - Naval Station Jose Francisco, Science and Technology Information Institute, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Technology Application and Promotion Institute
Embassies: Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Consular Offices: Paraguay, Senegal,
LINKS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taguig


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I am very glad that a lot of people have a variety of ideas and wants to share them with us . Unfortunately, because of that rapid arrival of new posts, a lot of great ideas are omitted .
Most of the posts is different from each other, so to organize that chaos I think that dividing the "IDEAS & FEATURE REQUESTS FORUM" to new categories can be greatly useful.
Not only is it easier to add posts in the forum but also allow users to finding existing ideas and express opinions about them.
How to create a post and select the appropriate title has become more important than the idea itself.
Title of the post should be just the name of the card and its type.
So I think that slightly change the tools for editing posts should encourage users to create more correct cards.
For exemple adding the button that will easily add a statistics table for cards.


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Ukrainian Conservative Republican Party
The Ukrainian Conservative Republican Party (Ukrainian: Українська консервативна республіканська партія) was a political party in Ukraine in 1992 to 2001. It was created after a split in the Ukrainian Republican Party in 1992 led by Stepan Khmara.[1] Later the party merged with the All-Ukrainian Union Fatherland, while the original Ukrainian Republican Party remained as an associate ally to Fatherland after merging with the Ukrainian People's Party Assembly.
The Ukrainian Conservative Republican Party performed poorly in the 1994 parliamentary elections winning only two parliamentary seats originally, one of which was later overtaken by the former President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk. In the 1998 parliamentary elections the party along with the Ukrainian Republican Party and the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists participated in the "National Front" electoral bloc,[2] the combination won 2,71% of the national votes[3] and 6 constituencies.[4][5] In January 2001 the "National Front" parliamentary faction had grown to 17 deputies.[4]
In December 2001 the party fully merged with the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland".[6]
The party was officially deregistered by the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice in July 2003.[7]
- ^ Virtual Politics - Faking Democracy in the Post-Soviet World, Andrew Wilson, Yale University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-300-09545-7 (page 31)
- ^ National Purpose in the World Economy: Post-Soviet States in Comparative Perspective by Rawi Abdelal, Cornell University Press, ISBN 0801489776 (page 112)
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Українська республіканська партія "Собор", Database DATA
- ^ a b State-Building: A Comparative Study of Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia by Verena Fritz, Central European University Press, 2008, ISBN 9637326995 (page 353)
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Results in consistencies, Central Election Commission of Ukraine (1998)
- ^ (in Ukrainian) У "Батьківщину" "влилася" перша партія In "Motherland" "joined" the first party, Ukrayinska Pravda (12 December 2001)
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Міністр юстиції підписав накази про вилучення ще 5 партій з Реєстру об'єднань громадян Minister of Justice signed an order removing another 5 parties with the Register of associations, Ukrainian Ministry of Justice
|This article about a political party in Ukraine is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


text: Now that my phone is rooted and running the stock .6 version of Sprint 2.1 my phone has been a pleasure to use. But I keep getting reminders weekly that there is an update available and I very carefully press cancel as I don't want to loose root and I'm very happy with the phone exactly as it is. So, can this automatic reminder be turned off? Thanks for the usual help on this............. Lisa


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I'm not an expert, I just play one on the internet.
Monday, November 09, 2009
A Warning To Potential Matheson Challengers
Specifically, he wanted to know the process for filing as a Democrat to run against Jim Matheson.
I unloaded my knowledge of how the Convention system works, as well as my limited knowledge of the FEC. I gave him some words of warning that are pertinent to anyone looking to challenge RepINO Jim Matheson:
It's Democratic Party suicide, as long as Wayne Holland is Chair.
Because speaking ill of Jim Matheson (D-IHC) is simply not allowed.
And, as long as the Wayne Holland faction rules the party, you will be in the Party Shithouse.
Which is OK. There are some cool people here. Some of them will probably buy you a drink.
And, while I think Scott McCoy stands a better chance in the convention and primary (but that's not to say my mystery person couldn't make it past Matheson), my guy stands as good a chance in the General as anyone, including Matheson.
5 comments:
Bob, a chair that didn't stand behind the most popular member of Utah's federal delegation and who happens to be the highest elected official in the Utah Democratic Party would be a chump.
I want to also remind you that it is the delegates who run the Party. We voted Holland in three times. I'm not sure when you became active in politics, Bob, but if your "Congressional" candidate is anything like your party chair candidate then I'll pass.
Matheson's vote had nothing to do with Holland, but I too was disappointed.
Elections are a numbers game. I would like to see a person who had better numbers than Matheson in his district. I might vote for that person.
Bob, every post I read from you on Utah Democratic Party leadership is negative. It's kind of sad that you have such a disrespect for the delegates who elected Holland, but every party needs a Mike Ridgway.
Maybe, you are just a lot smarter than the rest of us.
- November 09, 2009 6:43 PM
You vill follow azz you are told to vollow - or else!
Rob's new alias is an asshole.
- November 09, 2009 7:24 PM
- JM Bell said...
Jim got in - and McCain/Feingold keeps him in. Every UtDem Chair that has served since has kissed his ass. That's why there's only one Democratic member of the delegation.
Aside from that, Rob - sorry, The General, is like a lot of people who are all too happy to genuflect, to follow orders, to win at any cost even if it serves no benefit other than to kiss the asses of those to whom they kneel.
It's about who you know, not what you do.
- November 09, 2009 7:38 PM
- craig41 said...
isn't it kind of odd that democrats pass historic legislation over the weekend and the utah state democratic party has nothing to say about it?
i wonder why that is? could it be that their guy voted with the republicans twice, and has in every close, meaningful vote in recent memory? to his credit he did vote against the republican bill, which i suppose means he prefers the health care status quo, at least in voting record.
when was the last time jim stood up for democrats? even further back, when was the last time the state office stood up for a democratic platform issue when jim wasn't? the silence from the state party office on the events of, what was evidently to them just another saturday, speaks volumes. they may not be silencing opposition (non anonymously), but they certainly are selective about which democratic wins they celebrate, and it's usually the ones that jim is celebrating as well. quite a coincidence.
now on the congressman himself, national democrats don't need another lieberdem that jumps to the other side on every key vote or anytime fox news needs a sample democrat that agrees with them. utah democrats can say they have one elected democrat, but what is that getting them. it's not getting them anything that democrats were elected to the majority in congress or the white house for. he's voting against (and at times actively campaigning against) that.
but beyond the voting record it's also just bad strategy, republicans will run against him with the health care bill, cap and trade, stimulus, bail outs, immigration, and the national democratic platform regardless of how he votes on the issues. we all know that, we've all seen it before. he won't be winning over conservative voters based on his actions this weekend, he's just giving democrats less incentive to put out effort to get him reelected (for the record, chaffetz and bishop did as much as matheson to give us a democratic health care reform bill).
i would imagine jim has his fingers crossed when redistricting time comes, because if the state gop doesn't give him another lean right district he won't be able to run left fast enough to keep his seat. and if he wants to win a state wide office then he's going to need an energized base on the left, something he and the state party won't see until they start resembling in some way the liberal/progressive/left political party. we have enough 'not republican' politicians, we need democrats.
or the general is right, we should just stand behind him because he's there. and expect nothing more from the state party because we need that section of utah colored blue on the maps. the actual legislation that comes of it doesn't matter as much as the color of the map. how dare we ask for more?
- November 09, 2009 11:45 PM
- Misty Fowler said...
Dear The General - it's funny how it's all about winning, and not about what's right. Wait, no it isn't funny. It's just sad.
- November 10, 2009 10:22 AM


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Dallas police need the public's help after a deadly hit-and-run near downtown Dallas Saturday.
It happened around 2 a.m. on Cedar Springs Road and Pearl Street in Uptown.
Police said a dark sedan traveling southbound on Cedar Springs hit a young woman who was running across the street, but not in a crosswalk. She didn't survive.
The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office identified the woman as 23-year-old Rachel Spelman.
Dallas police said the driver stopped, got out, looked at Spelman on the ground and drove away.
Police are working to identify the make and model of the vehicle but said it may have damage to the front windshield and back window.
The driver was described as a black man with short curly hair, about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 2 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a gray shirt and black paints.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jearlyn Jackson in the Vehicle Crimes Unit at (214) 671-0009.
Spelman's parents Tom and Cheryl and sister Katie released the following statement to NBC5:
"We ask the Dallas community to unite around the memory of our beloved Rachel and help us not only identify those responsible for her death, but also take action to ensure no more lives are lost on Cedar Springs Road."
"We are grateful for the efforts of the Dallas Police Department, the Mayor's Office, and all those working to find justice for Rachel. Our greatest honor was being her family and we know her legacy will continue on in the lives of those she loved so selflessly."
Dallas City Councilman Philip Kingston said Cedar Springs road is "terribly designed" and he would like to see the street redone -- even though it was recently completed.
"We've created the worst possible situation, and we spent millions of dollars to do it," Kingston said.
Kingston said the street design was approved nearly a decade ago and is the last of the car-centric designs in the city.
"I'm really not opposed to digging it up and starting over," Kingston said.
There are crosswalks at either end of the busy street, but there is a long stretch of road that is full of foot and car traffic. People are regularly seen crossing the road there.
Spelman was just blocks away from her Uptown home when she was hit and killed.