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The Legion of Merit is issued to members of the Armed Forces of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign nations.

The Legion of Merit is awarded to members foreign nations according to the plane of responsibility of the receiver of the award. Army Regulation 672-7 qualifies the degrees based upon the standard on the qualified rank of position of the receiver of the award:

Chief Commander is awarded to a Chief of State of Head of Government

Commander is awarded to one that is the equivalent of a U.S. military Chief of Staff or higher position but not to Chief of State

Officer is awarded to General of Flag Officer below the equivalent of a U.S. military Chief of Staff

Colonel or equivalent rank for service in assignments equivalent to those normally held by a General or Flag Officer in U.S. military service or Military Attaches

Legionnaire is awarded to recipients not included in any of the other ranks and positions

The Legion of Merit designated as Chief Commander is 2 15/16 inches in width. It is an arched White star of five points reversed with v-shaped extremities, each tipped with a Gold ball, surrounded by Crimson on a Green laurel wreath connecting at the bottom with a Gold bow-know (rosette). A Blue circle surrounded by Gold clouds is in the middle with 13 White stars set in the pattern that is on the United States Coat of Arms. On the reverse side of the medal bears the inscription "United States of America" in the center. The service ribbon is worn with a bar holding a miniature of the award in Gold.

The Legion of Merit designated as Commander is 2 1/4 inches in width. It is a White star of five reversed points, each tipped with a Gold ball, surrounded by Crimson on a Green laurel wreath connecting at the bottom with a Gold bow-know (rosette). A Blue circle surrounded by Gold clouds is in the middle with 13 White stars set in the pattern that is on the United States Coat of Arms. Arrows, crossed and pointing outwards are contained in the wreath flanked by each star point. At the top in a v-shaped angle, is a Gold laurel wreath joined to an oval ring to the 1 15/16 inch wide neck ribbon. On the reverse side of the star is enameled in White, with a Crimson border. Space is available for the recipient's name on a circle bordered by the words "Annuit Coeptis MDCCLXXXII." The words "United States of America" are on an outer scroll. The only difference between the ribbon for this and the Chief Commander is that the attachment is Silver.

The Legion of Merit designated as Officer varies from the degree of Commander only in that the width is 1 7/8 inches and the pendant is attached to the ribbon by a suspension ring. A ¾ inch wide duplication of the medal is centered on the suspension ribbon.

The Legion of Merit designated as Legionnaire varies only from the degree of Officer in that the medal duplication is not on the suspension ribbon.

The Legion of Merit ribbon for the decorations has a width of 1 3/8 inches and has three stripes. The first is a 1/16 inch in White, the center is 1 ¼ Crimson in color, and the last is a 1/16 inch White.

Chief Commander: On the service ribbon suspended from a horizontal Gold horizontal bar is a Gold replica of the decoration

Commander: Differs from the degree of commander only in that the ribbon attachment is Silver.

Officer: The suspension ribbon has a Gold duplication of the medal centered on it.

Legionnaire: No medal duplication is on the suspension ribbon.

Any person serving in the Armed Forces of the United States without regard to the degree may be awarded the Legion of Merit for extraordinarily meritorious conduct while in the discharging of their duty with outstanding services and achievements.

The act justifying the award must have been committed in an obviously outstanding way so as to have been recognized by significant persons. Execution of responsibilities typical to the grade, branch, specialty or assignment, and experience of a person is not sufficient criteria for the Legion of Merit.

For duty not associated with actual war, there must be confirmation of noteworthy accomplishment by "key individuals" in a narrower range of the station. While in times of peace, the justifying act should have a quality of an unusual requirement or of a remarkably complicated act carried out in an unexpected and obviously extraordinary way. However, the award may be validated by the accrual of outstanding meritorious services of important positions.

As early as September 1937, proposals for the establishment of a Meritorious Service Medal were made, however, no official action was taken towards its approval. The Adjutant General, in a letter to the Quartermaster General (QMG) on 24 December 1941, formally called for action to begin to formulate and design a Meritorious Service Medal in the occasion that the decoration was instituted. On 5 January 1942, the QMG gave the Assistant Chief of Staff G1 (Colonel Heard) suggested designs created by Bailey, Banks, and Biddle and the Office of the Quartermaster General.

The design referred by the QMG was approved by the Secretary of War as indicated by a letter in response to the QMG by The Assistant Chief of Staff G1 (BG Hilldring). Directions were given that action is taken to guarantee the design of the Legion of Merit (change of name) and that it would be ready for issue as soon as the legislation was taken approving its ratification into law.

On 20 July 1942, The Legion of Merit was formally confirmed by An Act of Congress (Public Law 671 - 77th Congress, Chapter 508, 2d Session) and assured that the medal "shall have suitable appurtenances and devices and not more than four degrees, and which the President, under such rules and regulations as he shall prescribe, may award to (a) personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States and of the Government of the Commonwealth Philippines and (b) personnel of the armed forces of friendly foreign nations who, since the proclamation of an emergency by the President on 8 September 1939, shall have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services."

On 5 August 1942, the War Department Bulletin No. 40 published the medal. On 29 October 1942, President Roosevelt, in Executive Order 9260 instituted the rules for the Legion of Merit and commanded the President's approval for the award. However, at the appeal of General George C. Marshall, approval authority for U.S. appointees was given to the War Department in 1943. President Eisenhower revised approval authority in Executive Order 10600 on 15 March 1955. Title 10, United States Code 1121 contains the current requirements.

The motto taken from the Great Seal of the United States "ANNUIT COEPTIS" (He [God] Has Favored Our Undertakings) along with the date of America's first decoration, the Badge of Military Merit, now recognized as the Purple Heart, "MDCCLXXXII" (1782) is on the reverse side of the medal. The design of the ribbon is the same as the Purple Heart Ribbon.


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For over 25 years, the Conover Company has been producing industry-leading assessment and training computer software, so it was only natural when they came to us to promote their products organically online through the use of informative and intuitive infographics.
"The Conover Company is a multimedia software company that targets its programs to a tough to serve population-reluctant learners. Youth and adults that for one reason or another have not found a reason to stick it out, strive and succeed. Our programs must capture their attention within the first few moments or we have lost them. This is where Perception plays a huge role in our business. They have been developing attention-getting graphics for us for over five years now and this is definitely noticed both with our customers and the learners they serve. We received an email just today from a director who told us that she loves our programs and she can not get her students off our new internet version of our software to do other things. Great job Perception. Thanks!"
Terry Schmitz
Founder/Owner – The Conover Company

subset: commoncrawl


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Director: Billy Ray
Screenwriter: Billy Ray, Adam Mazer, William Rotko
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Chris Cooper, Laura Linney, Gary Cole
Running time: 110 mins
Certificate: 12A
Based on the true story of a senior FBI agent's betrayal of his country to the Soviet Union, Breach, this cat and mouse thriller shuns generic conventions to give us an authentic and absorbing account of the events.
The narrative follows rookie FBI agent Eric O'Neill's (Philippe) undercover mission to spy on renowned FBI operative Robert Hansen (Cooper) under the guise of his office assistant. Hanssen is believed to be a mole with over two decades' worth of leaking secrets, and also a pervert with a tendency to post explicit material on the web. This is initially at odds with the devout religious man O'Neill encounters, and doubts start to arise about the accusations. But as he becomes closer to the object of suspicion, his family life takes a turn for the worse and damning evidence starts to become within reach.
Breach's prologue informs (or reminds) us of Robert Hanssen's conviction for treason in February 2001, before recreating the events that uncovered his dastardly duplicity. Crucially, this eradicates the element of whether he was guilty or not from the dramatic equation and distances us from a shared perspective with lead protagonist Eric O' Neill. However, this works in Breach's favour by allowing us to focus instead on why Hanssen might have behaved so disgracefully and also how O'Neill - who is unsure of the man's guilt at times - can uncover the crimes.
An outstanding performance by Chris Cooper as Hanssen is pivotal to heightening our interest in the unfolding narrative. Not conforming to the Hollywood conventions of the 'bad guy', the character is bathed in ambiguous complexity as a somewhat flawed human being. Cooper's restrained, non-judgmental interpretation cleverly manipulates the audience into initially sympathising with the loneliness of Hanssen's life, portraying an inner sadness of the man whose office is more like a cell and whose work has been largely unrecognised.
Then, as more revelations emerge, his somewhat sympathetic facial features take on a sinister, almost lizard-like appearance that conceals an inner malevolence. It's simply a fascinating portrayal to watch. There's also a genuine chemistry with Ryan Philippe, excellent in a less complex role, as the young agent tries to crack the seemingly impenetrable outer shell of his elder counterpart, sometimes with touches of subtle humour.
Given the intriguing nature of the story, the direction by Billy Ray is suitably unobtrusive and gives the performances time to breathe. No flashy stylised visuals intrude, nor is any overwrought score deployed. That's not to say that the film is 'stagey' by any means, as the confined spatial environment of the FBI premises is expertly used to create claustrophobia, whilst smooth editing enables the pacing of the film to move along swiftly. Genuine suspense also governs certain sequences, most notably O'Neill's attempts to copy the contents of Hanssen's Palm Pilot whilst he has momentarily left it unattended.
Although hardly the most visual and twist-ridden true story ever, the tale of Robert Hanssen's downfall is given a well-judged cinematic treatment by Breach, with two fine central performances generating the required authenticity and humanity to sustain our interest despite knowing the outcome from the start. It's not where the narrative is going, but how it journeys there.


text:
Latest industry research report on: Global Medical Bed Head Unit Market : Industry Size, Share, Research, Reviews, Analysis, Strategies, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, Forecasts
Medical Bed Head Unit Report by Material, Application, and Geography Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).
The report firstly introduced the Medical Bed Head Unit basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.
Download Sample copy of this Report at :http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1063801
The report includes six parts, dealing with:
1.) basic information;
2.) the Asia Medical Bed Head Unit Market;
3.) the North American Medical Bed Head Unit Market;
4.) the European Medical Bed Head Unit Market;
5.) market entry and investment feasibility;
6.) the report conclusion.
Table of Contents
Chapter One Medical Bed Head Unit Industry Overview
1.1 Medical Bed Head Unit Definition
1.2 Medical Bed Head Unit Classification Analysis
1.2.1 Medical Bed Head Unit Main Classification Analysis
1.2.2 Medical Bed Head Unit Main Classification Share Analysis
1.3 Medical Bed Head Unit Application Analysis
1.3.1 Medical Bed Head Unit Main Application Analysis
1.3.2 Medical Bed Head Unit Main Application Share Analysis
1.4 Medical Bed Head Unit Industry Chain Structure Analysis
1.5 Medical Bed Head Unit Industry Development Overview
1.5.1 Medical Bed Head Unit Product History Development Overview
1.5.1 Medical Bed Head Unit Product Market Development Overview
Chapter Two Medical Bed Head Unit Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis
2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis
2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis
2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis
2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend
2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis
2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis
2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis
2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend Analysis
About us
MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.
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Clint Eastwood (Libertarian)
Despite that now-infamous empty chair speech at the Republican National Convention this year, Eastwood doesn't consider himself a Republican. As the pro-gay marriage, pro-choice star explained to Ellen DeGeneres in September "Libertarian values are where the Republican party used to be . . . Libertarian means you're socially liberal, leave everybody alone, but you believe in fiscal responsibility and . . . government staying out of your life."Back to top


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Discussion in 'Odds & Ends' started by federer_nadal, Mar 29, 2005.
Please post any tennis equipment pictures here, racquets, bags, anything.
Well these aren't great took them with my phone when I was bored. I'll take good pictures of my equipment once I'm in my new house.
You can see my bag on the floor...Rackets everywhere the stringer to the left. That box I think arrived that day from TW!!!!
Some Rackets...Those are some tennis posters that I haven't put up yet.
Hey, how do you post pics i wanna post some. When does the administrator let you post private messages and emails?
gotta host it somewhere..then paste the link in between
Ok here are my various pics.
My local tennis courts, just one block away.
Stringing a racquet:
My Macs!!!
world's coolest tacchini:
world's coolest nike:
world's coolest reebok:
are those shirts from the 80's?
The reebok one still has the tag on it Gmlasam you have three macs, an ipod, and an ipod shuffle. Either you are a big fan of Apple or you are loaded. Or both
You forgot my MiniMac
one of your imac is broken, can i have it? lol! yeah, i think he's loaded. aren't you the one with guitar collections? maybe you can post your guitar, too!
Those three shirts were from the following people...
The Nike shirt was from John McEnroe...side note that I think he was thrown out of the Aussie Open in this shirt.
The Reebok shirt was worn by Michael Chang.
The Sergio Tacchini shirt was one of the first shirts that was worn by Pete Sampras when he won his first major. Great shirts...nice pics!
Gmlasam, you paint the P onto your string bed. How and why?
I sure will. I'll get a couple of my guitars out and post some this weekend.
Prince sent me a free stencil and ink kit, so I thought I'd use it until the ink runs out
When I stenciled my POGs, I feel like Sharapova when I go play tennis. My grunts almost sound like her now.
:roll: that's kinda scary... just a bit...
Separate names with a comma.


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Research Associate/Sr. Research Associate
Bookmark this Posting | Print Preview | Apply for this Job
Position Information
Position Information:
|Working Title:
|Research Associate/Sr. Research Associate
|Faculty Rank:
|To Be Determined
|Posting Number:
|About Virginia Tech:
Virginia Tech is a public land-grant university, committed to teaching and learning, research, and outreach to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world. Building on its motto of Ut Prosim (that I may serve), Virginia Tech is dedicated to InclusiveVT—serving in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence. We seek candidates who adopt and practice the Principles of Community, which are fundamental to our on-going efforts to increase access and inclusion, and to create a community that nurtures learning and growth for all of its members. Virginia Tech actively seeks a broad spectrum of candidates to join our community in preparing leaders for the world.
|Position Summary:
The Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology at Virginia Tech is seeking applicants for research staff members to support a growing body of research programs in Electronic Systems, focusing on signals intelligence, electronic warfare, and special communications. The candidate will conduct research that primarily focuses on supporting the national security community. Consequently, US citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance is required. Entry-level and mid-career individuals are sought.
The successful applicant will have technical expertise in software / firmware and analytical techniques supporting RF/wireless systems, with specific expertise in one or more of the following areas: software/cognitive radio, military radar, tactical/public safety communications, electronic warfare, digital signal processing, algorithm design, and/or satellite communications.
While this position is a general research staff member of the Center, initial project work will focus on developing and implementing DoD/prototype waveforms in software defined radios. There is a specific interest in individuals who understand the new business development process and are capable of supporting the creation of new research programs within Electronic or Information Systems. Candidates at the Sr. Research Associate level are also expected to have experience and be capable of supporting research as Principal Investigator.
Successful candidates will have relevant experience with the tools of the trade, such as: (1) low-level embedded programming; (2) FPGA development in VHDL or Verilog; (3) C++ programming; (4) software radio frameworks such as GNU Radio, REDHAWK, and X-MIDAS; (5) simulation tools such as MATLAB; (6) Linux-based development environments and tool chains; and (7) domain-specific modeling and simulation tools such as STK, NS-3, and OPNET.
|Required Qualifications:
- For the Research Associate Rank: An earned Masters degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline or a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related discipline with relevant experience.
- For the Senior Research Associate Rank: Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline or a Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related discipline and relevant experience.
- Evidence of high potential for excellence in research and development; appointments at the rank of senior research associate require demonstrated excellence in research and development;
- Experience with conducting research and development in Electronic Systems; appointments at the rank of senior research associate require experience in providing leadership to programs in these areas;
- Proficiency with the tools germane to field of research;
- Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team in executing upon research projects;
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
|Preferred Qualifications:
- Interest and/or experience in working effectively with a diverse faculty, staff and student population;
- Active security clearance at the TS/SCI level;
- Experience working in an academic environment;
- Experience conducting research programs supporting the federal government.
|Employment Conditions:
|Other (Describe Below)
|Must have a conviction check:
|Describe Other:
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
|Employment Comments:
This position may be located either in Blacksburg, VA, or in Arlington, VA, depending on the interests of the individual and the alignment with needs at both locations. Applicants are requested to state the preference on the cover letter. Position is renewable annually with the expectation of continuation assuming a satisfactory performance review and available funding.
|How to Apply for this Job:
For a complete listing of position qualifications, and to apply, please visit www.jobs.vt.edu, and search for posting #SR0160075. Review of applications will begin on 6/1/17.
|Employee Category:
|Research Faculty
|Appointment Type:
|If restricted or temporary, enter end date:
|reviewed annually
|FLSA Status:
|Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
|Tenure Status:
|Non-Tenure Track
|Academic Year or Calendar Year:
|Calendar Year
|Percent Employment:
|If part time, enter Percent Time:
|Pay Band
|Pay Range:
|Commensurate with Experience
|Hume Center
|Other - Virginia
|Location, if not Blacksburg:
|Blacksburg, VA or Arlington, VA
|Location Zip Code:
|Work Schedule:
|Job Posting Date:
|Review Begin Date:
|Job Close Date(if applicable):
|Restricted to university employees only?
|Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement:
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran status; or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees, or applicants; or any other basis protected by law.
For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact the executive director for Equity and Accessibility at 540-231-2010 or Virginia Tech, North End Center, Suite 2300 (0318), 300 Turner St. NW, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
|Reasonable Accommodation Statement:
If you are an individual with a disability and desire accommodation please contact the hiring department.
|Quick Link:
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Due to restrictions established by the federal funding agency, eligible candidates must be either a US Citizen or US Permanent Resident. Do you currently meet this requirement?
- Yes
- No
How did you first learn about this job opening?
- Chronicle of Higher Education - online
- Chronicle of Higher Education - print
- Higher Ed Jobs (www.higheredjobs.com)
- Higher Education Recruitment Consortium - HERC (www.hercjobs.org)
- Diverse Jobs (www.diversejobs.net)
- Insight Into Diversity (www.careers.insightintodiversity.com)
- Indeed (www.indeed.com)
- Roanoke Times Online (www.jobs.roanoke.com)
- Commonwealth of Virginia Jobs (www.jobs.virginia.gov)
- Virginia Tech job site (www.jobs.vt.edu)
- Job Fair (please describe below)
- Journal (please describe below)
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- Newspaper - print (please describe below)
- Professional Conference (please describe below)
- From a friend/acquaintance not associated with Virginia Tech (please name below)
- From a Virginia Tech employee/representative/recruiter (please name below)
- Veteran related event/site (please describe below)
- Virginia Employment Commission - VEC
- Other Virginia Tech affiliated website (please describe below)
- Other job board such as Simply Hired, Career Builder, etc. (please describe below)
- Other - Not listed (please describe below)
Please describe recruiting source identified in previous question (if applicable):
(Open Ended Question)
Required Documents
- Resume/Curriculum Vita
- Cover Letter
- List of References


text:
Regrettably, lost in the controversy over mercury are two other issues the Committee explored. First, in the 1980s, Congress created the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VCIP) to shield medical professionals and vaccine manufacturers from liability if an individual suffered an injury from a vaccine. The compensation fund, which currently contains over $3 Billion, was created to protect the vaccine supply and to insure that all who were injured by a vaccine received compensation in a no-fault, compassionate and easy to use manner.
The other issue we dealt with is how do we help the millions of individuals and families afflicted with this disease. Autism has no cure and it is not a life-threatening disease. That means that the autistic children of today will be the autistic adults and autistic seniors of tomorrow. Our nation is ill prepared to deal with the complex challenges posed by a generation of autistic individuals. There have been far too many stories in the media of police, firefighters, and teachers ill-prepared to cope with an autistic individual and tragedy has resulted. We need to change that. We need prominent and influential leaders to step forward and spark a national debate on autism.
That is why I introduced the "White House Conference on Autism Act of 2011" (H.R. 3489). It will require the President of the United States to convene, no later than December 31, 2012, a White House Conference on Autism charged with developing policy recommendations on ways to address the autism epidemic and its impact on Americans. I hope to see this bill signed into law before I retire from Congress at the end of this year. Although I am retiring from Congress, I am not retiring from the fight against autism, because I firmly believe as a nation we have a collective responsibility to do everything we can to not only stop the further spread of this disease but to help the millions of children, adults and families afflicted by it.
Rep. Burton (R-IN) has chaired the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 1997-2002.


text:
Soft Spark Technologies has formed from understanding the needs of the rapidly growing knowledge based economy. Having the right resources of inniovation, thought leadership, technological tools and the like we built this educational solutions platform for the new generation learners.
|Software Tools and Applications, MCA Subjects, BCA Subjects, Web programming technology, Programming Language, Hardware Training, Graphics & Multimedia
|Graphics & Multimedia
|Web Development, AutoCAD, Web Designing, Games Development, 3D Max / Maya
|Web Technologies
|Digital Marketing
|Basic Computer / Office
|MS Office, School level computer, Tally ERP 9, Basic Computer, Computer for official job
|Application / Enterprise Platform
|SAP Training
|Data Science / DBMS
|Sun Certification, Cisco certification, Microsoft Certification
Gomti Nagar


text:
Just before the Nation's Restaurant News team put the finishing touches on our first study ranking the sales of the largest non-U.S.-based brands and companies, I had coincidentally been in Paris taking note of the foodservice brands dotting the streets of the City of Light.
One that piqued my interest was Quick, a Berchem, Belgium-based quick-service chain of 475 locations and eye-catching advertisements promoting its summertime LTO — Le BBQ Beach Burger. Posters th
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text: I know there has been talk about our depth in the national media as a weakness and I simply don't agree. We have 7 guys that play significant minutes, which I admit seems like a lack of depth on the surface. However, we certainly don't seem to fade down the stretch and we haven't had a lot foul trouble this year, so where's this "weakness"? What we have more of than anyone I've watched play this year is multidimensional players. To me, that IS depth, because we have multiple guys that can do every skill (rebounding, shooting, scoring, passing, etc.) instead of needing to put in different guys when different things are needed. Our guys simply are not 1-trick ponies. Of the 7 guys we have that play every one of them show up in the top 10 of individual stats in at least 3 different categories. If you compare that to Iowa who has this "incredible depth", they have 1 guy that shows up in more than 3 categories (White). I don't know which kind of depth you'd rather have, but I'd rather have 7 guys that can actually do multiple things which makes them tougher to defend, than I would have 11 guys play that can only do one thing.


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On Oct 4, 2013, Twitter announced that its ticker symbol after it went public would be TWTR.
But some investors were so eager to own Twitter, that they started buying the ticker TWTRQ, a penny stock, apparently mistaking it for Twitter even though it hadn't yet gone public.
TWTRQ was actually Tweeter Home Entertainment Group and it traded over-the-counter. The volume and price of TWTRQ soared. At one point, it traded up over 1000% before closing on the day up 659%.
Regulators were so concerned about investors mistakenly buying the wrong company, that Tweeter actually changed its ticker symbol shortly after to THEGQ.
But that wasn't the last time investors have bought the "wrong" stock.
Just this week, after Google announced it was acquiring Nest for $3.2 billion, shares of Nestor, with the ticker (you guessed it) of NEST, soared from less than a penny to 10 cents before closing at 4 cents.
Unfortunately for those investors, the "Nest" Google was acquiring was privately owned. Nestor, which jumped, had nothing to do with the deal.
But it's not just new tickers and acquisitions that can cause mistakes.
Over the last month, there have also been jokes on social media that the recent surge in Potash shares, ticker POT, could be the case of mistaken identity with one of the popular marijuana stocks, Growlife, ticker PHOT.
Have you ever bought the wrong stock by mistake?
Read the analyst report on TWTR
Read the analyst report on POT
Read the analyst report on PHOT
Read the analyst report on GOOG
Zacks Investment Research


text:
Do you like to travel by car?
Do you like to travel by car?
"Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen." ~ Orhan Pamuk
Do you like seafood?
"In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, just as pure as you were at the age of eleven, when you stared into a mirror that reflected your heart's desire, and it showed you only the way to thwart Lord Voldemort, and not immortality or riches."
Yes I like seafood.
Do you loose the remote control daily?
Gotta The Fort
The place that keeps you in touch with reality!
No. Every other day
Do you switch tv channels while watching a show?
Live simply ~ Love generously~ Care deeply~ Speak kindly
Yes, especially during commercials.
Do you plan menus in advance?
Yes, but only when I have a special dinner.
Do you like to cook for others?
Live simply ~ Love generously~ Care deeply~ Speak kindly
Not really,
Do you have a pet?
2 dogs
Do you ever hang up on telemarketers?
"Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen." ~ Orhan Pamuk
No, I'm just telling them no (although one time a telemarketer hung up on me)
Do you have Valentine's day plans?
Dinner and movie.
Do you ever wonder why February has only 28 days in it when if they took a day off of Jan and March it would equal 30 days?


text:
Discussion in 'Disney Restaurants' started by JRoglitz, Jul 29, 2003.
Is the Plaza sit down restaurant in MK open for lunch too or just dinner?
I's pretty sure it's only open for lunch, not dinner. Here's the menu:
BTW, the sandwiches are excellent...
Log in or Sign up
to hide this advert.
I also believe it's lunch only. We wanted to eat there prior to an E-Ride night at the MK and were told the latest time we could get a PS was 5:45 on that day. The food is quite yummy and the portions are generous!
As far as I know it serves lunch and dinner - however the menu may be the same or very similar. As for not getting late PS times, that seems to be a problem experienced by many at MK and MGM especially for Aug for all restaurants - even those that definitely server dinner such as CRT and CP
I work there sometimes.....they are open from 11 till an hour or 2 before park close.....nowadays, closing time is 9:00....
they have the same menu all day, so that may be the cause of the confusion....
and my manager was saying that maybe because the park hours aren't in stone, they don't wanna let PS's be made when the park might not be open that late....
I love this place and we eat here at least twice while in the MK!
It is a fav of our too. We have eaten there for lunch and dinner a few times.
Separate names with a comma.


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Project : metiss
Section: Scientific Foundations
Keywords : probability density function , gaussian model , gaussian mixture model , Hidden Markov Model , maximum likelihood , maximum a posteriori , EM algorithm , Viterbi algorithm , beam search , classification , hypotheses testing , acoustic parameterisation .
Probabilistic approach
For more than a decade, the probabilistic approaches have been used successfully for various tasks in pattern recognition, and more particularly in speech recognition, whether it is for the recognition of isolated words, for the retranscription of continuous speech, for speaker recognition tasks or for language identification. Probabilistic models indeed make it possible to effectively account for various factors of variability occuring in the signal, while easily lending themselves to the definition of metrics between an observation and the model of a sound class (phoneme, word, speaker, etc...).
Probabilistic formalism and modeling
The probabilistic approach for the representation of an (audio) class X relies on the assumption that this class can be described by a probability density function (PDF) which associates a probability to any observation Y .
In the field of speech processing, the class X can represent a phoneme, a sequence of phonemes, a word from a vocabulary, or a particular speaker, a type of speaker, a language, .... Class X can also correspond to other types of sound objects, for example a family of sounds (word, music, applause), a sound event (a particular noise, a jingle), a sound segment with stationary statistics (on both sides of a rupture), etc.
In the case of audio signals, the observations Y are of an acoustical nature, for example vectors resulting from the analysis of the short-term spectrum of the signal (filter-bank coefficients, cepstrum coefficients, time-frequency principal components, etc.) or any other representation accounting for the information that is required for an efficient separation of the various audio classes considered.
In practice, the PDF P is not accessible to measurement. It is therefore necessary to resort to an approximation of this function, which is usually refered to as the likelihood function. This function can be expressed in the form of a parametric model and the models most used in the field of speech processing (and audio signal) are the Gaussian Model (GM), the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and the Hidden Markov Model (HMM).
In the rest of this text, we will denote as the set of parameters which define the model under consideration : a mean value and a variance for a GM, p means, variances and weights for a GMM with p Gaussian, q states, transition probabilities and , means, variances and weights for an HMM with q states the PDF of which being GMMs with p Gaussians. will denote the vector of parameters for class X , and in this case, the following notation will be used :
Choosing a particular family of models is based on a set of considerations ranging from the general structure of the data, some knowledge on the audio class making it possible to size the model (number of Gaussian p , number of states q , etc.), the speed of calculation of the likelihood function, the number of degrees of freedom of the model compared to the volume of training data available, etc.
Statistical estimation
The determination of the model parameters for a given class X is generally based on a step of statistical estimation consisting in determining the optimal value for the vector of parameters , i.e. the parameters that maximize a modeling criterion on a training set comprising observations corresponding to class X .
In some cases, the Maximum Likelihood (ML) criterion can be used :
This approach is generally satisfactory when the number of parameters to be estimated is small w.r.t. the number of training observations. However, in many applicative contexts, other estimation criteria are necessary to guarantee more robustness of the learning process with small quantities of training data. Let us mention in particular the Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) criterion :
which relies on a prior probability of vector , expressing possible knowledge on the estimated parameter distribution for the class considered. Discriminative training is another alternative to these two criteria, definitely more complex to implement than the ML and MAP criteria.
In addition to the fact that the ML criterion is only one particular case of the MAP criterion (under the assumption of uniform prior probability for ), the MAP criterion happens to be experimentally better adapted to small volumes of training data and offers better generalization capabilities of the estimated models (this is measured for example by the improvement of the classification performance and recognition on new data). Moreover, the same scheme can be used in the framework of incremental adaptation, i.e. for the refinement of the parameters of a model using new data observed for instance, in the course of use of the recognition system. In this case, the value of is given by the model before adaptation and the MAP estimate uses the new data to update the model parameters.
Whatever criterion is considered (ML or MAP), the estimate of the parameters is obtained with the EM algorithm (Expectation-Maximization), which provides a solution corresponding to a local maximum of the training criterion.
Likelihood computation and state sequence decoding
During the recognition phase, it is necessary to evaluate the likelihood function for the various class hypotheses . When the complexity of the model is high - i.e when the number of classes is large and the observations to be recognized are multidimensional - it is generally necessary to implement fast calculation algorithms to approximate the likelihood function.
In addition, when the class model are HMMs, the evaluation of the likelihood requires a decoding step to find the most probable sequence of hidden states. This is done by implementing the Viterbi algorithm, a traditional tool in the field of speech recognition.
If, moreover, the observations consist of segments belonging to different classes, chained by probabilities of transition between successive classes and without a priori knowledge of the borders between segments (which is for instance the case in a continuous speech utterance), it is necessary to call for beam-search techniques to decode a (quasi-)optimal sequence of states at the level of the whole utterance.
Bayesian decision
When the task to solve is the classification of an observation into one class among several closed-set possibilities, the decision usually relies on the maximum a posteriori rule :
where denotes the set of possible classes.
In other contexts (for instance, in speaker verification, word-spotting or sound class detection), the problem of classification can be formulated as a binary hypotheses testing problem, consisting in deciding whether the tested observation is more likely to be pertaining to the class X (denoted as hypothesis X ) or not pertaining to it (i.e. pertaining to the ``non-class'', denoted as hypothesis ). In this case, the decision consists in acceptance or rejection, respectively denoted and in the rest of this document.
This latter problem can be theoretically solved within the framework of Bayesian decision by calculating the ratio of the PDFs for the class and the non-class distributions, and comparing this ratio to a decision threshold :
where the optimal threshold R does not depend on the distribution of class X , but only of the operating conditions of the system via the ratio of the prior probabilities of the two hypotheses and the ratio of the costs of false acceptance and false rejection.
In practice, however, the Bayesian theory cannot be applied straightforwardly, because the quantities provided by the probabilistic models are not the true PDFs, but only likelihood functions which approximate the true PDFs more or less accurately, depending on the quality of the model of the class.
The rule of optimal decision must then be rewritten :
and the optimal threshold must be adjusted for class X , by modeling the behaviour of the ratio on external (development) data.
The issue of how to estimate the optimal threshold in the case of the likelihoo ratio test, can be formulated in an equivalent way as finding a normalisation of the likelihood ratio which brings back the optimal decision threshold to its theoretical value. Several transformations are now well known within the framework of speaker verification, in particular the Z-norm and the T-norm methods.


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Watch The Girl in the Cornfield online free spacemov, Best friends Heather and Corrine are on their way home around midnight with Heather's little sister Tiffany in the backseat. When Heather begins to fall asleep at the wheel she doesn't see a woman in a white dress stumbling onto the road until it's too late. After a vicious impact, they exit the car to help but the woman has vanished, leaving behind a trail of blood that disappears deep in the cornfield
Genre › Horror, Mystery
Release › 13 May / 2016
IMDB Ratings › 5.9
Duration › 1h 21min
Director by › Ryan Callaway
Written by › Amy Callaway
Country › USA
Language › English
Production › Shady Dawn Pictures
Starcast › Darlene Perez, Briana Aceti, Madeline Lupi, Tina Duong


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Please read, as this is IMPORTANT!
The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress on June 26, 2009. The goal of this law is to "establish new safeguards for disability access to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind as technology changes and the United States migrates to the next generation of Internet-based and digital communication technologies." (http://www.coataccess.org/node/32)
More information about this important legislation, including an online petition you can sign to show your support for it, can be found on the Internet. Please visit the sites listed below to learn more about this bill. More importantly, please consider contacting your Congressional representatives and asking for their support (see the link below).
COAT (Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology): www.coataccess.org
Caption Action Blog: http://captionaction2.blogspot.com
Find and contact your Congressional representatives and Senators.


text:
Monster High: New Ghoul in School
- Platform :
- Publisher :
- NAMCO Bandai Games
- Manufacturer :
- -
- Category :
- Adventure
21495 - 0 - 8154030104596
Welcome, new ghoul!
Come roam the halls of Monster High and get to know your new classmates. Join clubs, make friends and dress up in fierce fashions. But be aware, there's something strange going on at Monster High! Cleo's new amulet has been cursed by the spirit of Spookenhamen, and the student body is falling under his spell. Use your skills and savvy to help save the school and all your new classmates from the mummy's curse! Be Yourself. Be Unique. Be a Monster.


text:
Study of NanoDOX Hydrogel vs Placebo for Dehisced Surgical Wounds
This study has been withdrawn prior to enrollment.
NanoSHIFT LLC
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First Posted: March 7, 2012
Last Update Posted: March 13, 2017
United States Department of Defense
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
NanoSHIFT LLC
|Tracking Information
|First Submitted Date ICMJE
|February 24, 2012
|First Posted Date ICMJE
|March 7, 2012
|Last Update Posted Date
|March 13, 2017
|Start Date ICMJE
|May 2012
|Primary Completion Date
|August 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Current Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|The rate of 100% wound closure during the 8-week study [ Time Frame: subjects will be followed during their participation in the study for an average of 8 weeks ]
|Original Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Same as current
|Change History
|Complete list of historical versions of study NCT01547325 on ClinicalTrials.gov Archive Site
|Current Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Safety endpoint [ Time Frame: subjects will be followed during their participatoni in the study for an average of 8 weeks ]
determined by wound score, area of the wound, and the assessment of wound effluent cytokine, chemokine, protease, and patient reported pain and quality of life questionnaires
|Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Same as current
|Current Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Original Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Descriptive Information
|Brief Title ICMJE
|Study of NanoDOX Hydrogel vs Placebo for Dehisced Surgical Wounds
|Official Title ICMJE
|Double-Blind, Single-Site, Pilot Study of NanoDOX Hydrogel Versus Placebo Hydrogel for Dehisced Surgical Wounds.
|Brief Summary
|The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of NanoDOX Hydrogel versus Placebo Hydrogel on Dehisced Surgical Wounds.
|Detailed Description
|Not Provided
|Study Type ICMJE
|Study Phase
|Not Provided
|Study Design ICMJE
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Condition ICMJE
|Dehisced Surgical Wounds
|Intervention ICMJE
|Study Arms
|Publications *
|Not Provided
* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
|Recruitment Information
|Recruitment Status ICMJE
|Enrollment ICMJE
|Completion Date
|August 2013
|Primary Completion Date
|August 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Eligibility Criteria ICMJE
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers
|Contacts ICMJE
|Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
|Listed Location Countries ICMJE
|United States
|Removed Location Countries
|Administrative Information
|NCT Number ICMJE
|Other Study ID Numbers ICMJE
|Has Data Monitoring Committee
|U.S. FDA-regulated Product
|Not Provided
|IPD Sharing Statement
|Not Provided
|Responsible Party
|NanoSHIFT LLC
|Study Sponsor ICMJE
|NanoSHIFT LLC
|Collaborators ICMJE
|United States Department of Defense
|Investigators ICMJE
|Not Provided
|PRS Account
|NanoSHIFT LLC
|Verification Date
|March 2017
ICMJE Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP


text:
By creating an account you agree to the Terms of Use
Simply enter your email below and check your inbox for the promo code.
This unique collar is just the perfect amount of bling for the not-so-girly, girls. The blue and black hues will add a statement to any outfit!`


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Delhi Government
|Swarn Jayanti Shahri Rojgar Yojna – Delhi Govt.
The very first intervention of APIM into Skill Development and there has been No looking back since then! Its been a year since we started operations and developed one centre at our very own campus in Jasola and then diversified to 6 other locations to cater to the requirement. over the year.
There are already 400 students trained and placed in Retail and currently 500 are undergoing training.
Students are being trained on Retail Management as of now ,however we intend to go into other trades on the basis of our Skill sets and expertise.
The Placement record for the past Year have been with companies like CCD, Subway, Dominos, Pantaloons, Big Apple, Vishal Mega Mart.
The number of students trained in the past year have been 357 out of which 270 have already been placed with 87 in the pipeline.


text:
Getting Started – Let Us Help
Congratulations on your decision to create a SuperFuture!
To get help from a course advisor:
- Call us at 888-232-4907, Monday through Friday 9am – 6pm EST
- Email us
- Tell us more, including when you want us to contact you
Ready to Go?
If you're ready to go, click here to choose your course and start creating a SuperFuture today.
In-Person Programs?
If you are interested in in-person programs at your school or in your community, please either call us or share more so we may get back to you.


text:
Project details
Fabric 1 name: Sunbrella
Fabric 1 producer: Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC
Fabric 1 supplier: Trivantage LLC
Fabric 2 name: Vinyl, Clear
Fabric 2 producer: TMI
Fabric 2 supplier: TMI
Fabric 3 name: #10 Coil Zipper
Fabric 3 producer: YKK
Fabric 3 supplier: Trivantage LLC
Fabric 4 name: Snaps
Fabric 4 producer: Fas Snap
Fabric 4 supplier: Fas Snap
Design: Eric Sevy, Sugar House Awning Industries
Project manager: Eric Sevy, Sugar House Awning Industries
Installation: Rhett Dee, Sugar House Awning Industries
Location: Midvale, Utah
Please describe the project specifications.
We created five custom panels patterned to fit the custom roll cage of a 2015 Polaris RZR 1000. We used Sunbrella fabric for all five panels and used clear vinyl in four of the panels to be used as windows. We also incorporated #10 coil zippers to be able to roll down the windows in the enclosure panels as needed. We also utilized a combination of snaps, stacking snaps, and magnets to install the enclosure on to the machine.
What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?
Our client wanted to enclose his Polaris RZR to keep the dust out while on outings with his family. He also had a heater installed that was not efficient on colder expeditions, and needed to trap in the warm air. The client also specified the importance of the enclosure being tight to the vehicle to ensure that it would not catch the wind while traveling at high speeds.
What is unique or complex about the project?
Our client was concerned with how the enclosure would be installed. He wanted minimal snaps installed in the roll cage, so not to compromise the integrity of the roll cage. Being in the marine industry a large portion of the installs are done with snaps. Our client presented us with the unique opportunity to use a new system using a minimal amount of snaps; and instead securing the enclosure with a system of heavy duty magnets which lapped over the panels. This was a particular challenge as the magnets had to be placed before we patterned the machine so we could overlap the panels properly.
What were the results of the project?
Our client was genuinely pleased with our work and how quickly we were able to manufacture his enclosure. The enclosure we produced covered all of the requirements of our client as well as making the overall look of his machine even more impressive.
Content is submitted by the participant. IFAI is not responsible for the content descriptions of the IAA award winners.


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Environmental Enforcement Is Down, So Is Pollution
August 1, 2000
Enforcement of environmental laws is way down in the U.S., says Gregg Easterbrook, for good reason: Pollution is declining.
- In 1997 and 1998, only 36 percent of the 227 industrial facilities caught in "significant" violations of the Clean Air Act were fined, according to the Environmental Working Group.
- Several states, among them Alaska, Idaho, and Washington, are far behind in their obligation to review environmental permits.
- "Over the past five years inspections, referrals for civil or criminal prosecution, and sanctions -- including fines -- have dropped in almost every state," writes Robert Worth in the Washington Monthly.
American environmental indicators have been improving for years, says Easterbrook. In the past decade, for example, all pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act have declined nationally.
- Airborne lead concentrations fell 56 percent in the 1990s, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions decreased 39 percent, soot emissions fell 25 percent and nitrogen dioxide dropped 14 percent.
- Furthermore, ground-level ozone fell four percent, even as the consumption of gasoline, the primary cause of urban ozone, has skyrocketed.
U.S. water is cleaner as well:
- The proportion of lakes and rivers classified as "safe for fishing and swimming," about one-third in 1970, is up to about two-thirds.
- Toxic emissions declined 44 percent in the last decade, even as domestic petrochemical manufacturing rose.
Some environmental lobbies are upset at the enforcement numbers, which reflect the fact that many regulatory agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, have shifted from lawsuits and threats to "compliance assistance," in which they work with industry to help it obey rules. Once there is litigation, environmental organizations can become parties to the suit; with the cooperative approach, environmental groups are cut out of the loop.
Source: Gregg Easterbrook, "Enviros' bad math. Sunny Side Up," New Republic, June 19, 2000.
Browse more articles on Environment Issues


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Guéckédou How can you describe the smell of chlorine? Just as disinfectant? Chlorine-like? It know him any. During the last weeks in Guinea, he was so currently home to the smell of diapers my son – especially just as ambivalent: It stinks a bit, but that's life. And in this case it's about survival.
A special scent that we employees MSF currently and in Guinea, Liberia Sierra Leone apply. Before we sit down for breakfast, already smell our hands of chlorine. In each car a spray bottle is ready and when we enter the home, office or treatment center, we only show our shoe soles, which are then carefully sprayed. Then we disinfect hands again – again with chlorine
The Land Cruiser has to smell of chlorine, the clothes, especially the dishes, and actually even the salad leaves.. Once no chlorine solution came in the local health authority during my visit from the local donor. Although I had disinfected their hands in the car until three minutes before – could still smell it even, but I was nervous. Are they already showing signs of becoming crazy?
No. Hygiene and disinfection are vital principles in all Ebola projects of "Doctors Without Borders". Self-protection is the essential prerequisite of help – and chlorine is its flavor
Since the beginning of Ebola spreads in West Africa.. The first cases were announced in March in the region of Guéckédou in Guinea, where I spent three weeks in use. Hundreds of people have died here in the past few months, probably only a small part in our treatment center, most with their families in remote villages.
Deadly is mainly the ignorance
For example Faya Conde ( changed all names ). He did during his last hours not know that he had two weeks earlier on infected a Motoradstunde south at the funeral of his cousin. Unfortunately, the suspect and his wife Mariam not who took care of him, not even his brother Tamber, who washed his body the next day, and certainly not Fanta, which was nursed by Mariam.
Also Tambers woman suspected nothing when at last her husband got a fever, no longer able to get up, then got diarrhea, diarrhea after bloody messes, then did not speak. She nursed him. Shortly after, she showed all the symptoms. All they share with so many people in West Africa, the fate of a fatal ignorance.
The neighbor from Tamber finally the emergency number in Guéckédou selected. "Doctors Without Borders" has sent a team, the "safe funerals" of people performing, which are regarded as Ebola suspected cases. From the buccal mucosa of Tambers dead woman's hooded gravedigger who, as usual, carefully put a smear before she was buried two meters deep with chlorine solution Sprinkled corpse. The smear was positive. An Ebola case more in my stats.


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News & info from Burnie Maybank about economic development as well as state and local taxation in S.C.
July 17, 2017
State and Local Taxation
July 11, 2017
Link: "Homeowners don't have to let assessors in to challenge tax" from U.S. News
Link: "PROPERTY TAX POST: IS THERE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THE "DARK STORE THEORY"?" from Bloomberg BNA
State and Local Taxation
July 5, 2017
Link: "How Low Can Taxes Go? Outside Washington, Republicans Find Limits" from The New York Times Online
We've had a bit of this in SC
Link: "Bangert: Should 'Animal House' behavior kill a Purdue fraternity's tax-free status?" from Journal & Courier
State and Local Taxation
June 28, 2017
Link: "Outside Collectors for I.R.S. Are Accused of Illegal Practices" from The New York Times Online
State and Local Taxation
June 14, 2017
Time to start thinking about GASB 77
GASB 77 kicks in for the first time this year; it is likely to lead to a large page one article when local government issues its first annual financial report with GASB 77 disclosures; the article will likely lead with "County Council gives away $XXX millions of school district money"; it will likely rattle county council and egg on the tea party types so natch you don't want your incentives agreement to be on the council agenda at that meeting; local governments in SC are on a June 31st fiscal year, so their annual reports will start coming out in November, 2017 through the spring of 2018; the prudent site selection consultant needs to start worrying about this in the late fall
The article below is written by Good Jobs First; I am suspicious of this group which I suspect is funded by labor unions; they have previously identified Charleston county as a county they will report on; I will speculate they will move on after Boeing rejected the union by such an overwhelming vote
Link: "Early Tax Abatement Disclosures Under GASB 77: Incomplete, Mislabeled—and Occasionally Spectacular" from Bloomberg BNA
State and Local Taxation
June 12, 2017
Link: "NEWS: House tax review committee receiving little love" from Statehouse Report
Link: "Appraiser shortage hits both private, public sectors; Profession has been losing workforce in recent years" from SpokaneJournal.com
State and Local Taxation
June 5, 2017
Audits in Fla reveal homestead exemption abuse
Link: "Audit reveals $8.3 million in fraudulent property tax breaks" from wwsb online
State and Local Taxation
May 30, 2017
States struggle to capture sales taxes
Link: "With Online Sales Booming, States Struggle to Capture Sales Tax" from The PEW Charitable Trusts
State and Local Taxation
May 19, 2017
NY Times on school tax credits
Link: "In Some States, Donating to Private Schools Can Earn You a Profit" from The New York Times Online
Economic Development
May 17, 2017
Link: "NC gave out a record $245M in energy tax breaks. Here's who benefited." from The News & Observer
Economic Development
May 10, 2017
SC ranked 4th in Chief Executive Magazine Best & Worst States for Bossiness
Link: "CEOs: South Carolina is 4th best state for doing business" from The State
Economic Development
May 9, 2017
Ex Im Update
Link: "He Wanted to Close the Export-Import Bank. Now He May Run It." from The New York Times Online
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
May 9, 2017
Legislative Update
The Senate yesterday and the House today approved the Gas tax bill; the bill provides a variety of tax credits; regarding individual income tax relief the bill provides a motor fuel user fee rebate; an Earned Income Tax Credit; enhanced two wage earner credit; and enhanced college tuition tax credit for tax years beginning after 2017
The bill also lowers the assessment ratio from 10.5 to 9% for property owned or leased to manufacturers and utilities (not in a fee-in-lieu) in six equal and cumulative percentage installments applicable for property tax years beginning after 2017; the provision lowering the assessment ratio for business personal property was removed
The bill makes many changes to the property taxation of commercial trucks and trailers
The General Assembly yesterday passed the SC Education and Economic Development Coordinating Council; the bill goes to the Governor
The Senate yesterday amended and returned to the House the JEDA bill
Last week the House subcommittee carried over the solar property tax bill, effectively killing it for this legislative session
Thursday is the last day of the regular legislative session
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
April 27, 2017
New Online Resource: State-by-State Property Tax at a Glance
Link: "New Online Resource: State-by-State Property Tax at a Glance" from BroadwayWorld.com
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
April 26, 2017
"Legislative update, business property taxes"
The Senate took the gas tax bill up yesterday;
a large number of amendments were put up the great majority of which did not pass;
one amendment that did pass was by Senator Grooms; it provides:
Tax Relief for Businesses and Industry
1. Beginning Tax Year 2019, phases-in over 2 years a reduction in the property tax assessment
ratio from 10.5% to an effective 8.5% for manufacturing property
2. Beginning in Tax Year 2018, provides an effective property tax assessment ratio for business
personal property of 9.5%, down from 10.5% currently.
3. Note: This reduction will be fully reimbursed by the State up to $85M annually.
The Senate adjourned yesterday without giving the bill second reading but are working on it right now;
as of this minute, the Senate has still not given it second reading
State and Local Taxation
April 24, 2016
More on Dark Store Property Valuations
Link: "Tax-case ruling to have far-reaching consequences"
Link: "'Dark boxes' assessment battle comes to head: The assessment debate between Kohl's store and Howard County will be decided by the Supreme Court"
Link: "States Challenge Retailers on Dark Store Loophole for Tax Assessments" from National Real Estate Investor
Link: "Lowe's lawsuits could start chain reaction; loss of state revenue 'unconscionable'" from AL.com
State and Local Taxation
April 21, 2017
Property tax appraisals of Dark Stores
Link: "PROPERTY TAX POST: DARK STORES, PROPERTY TAX AND THE CHANGING FACE OF THE RETAIL INDUSTRY, PART ONE" from Bloomberg BNA
Economic Development
April 21, 2017
Link: "Business groups silent on Trump's Ex-Im nominee" from TheHill
Trump targets Chinese Steel, looking at Aluminum and Solar panels
Link: "Trump Targets Steel Trade, but China Will Be Tough to Contain: Global steel makers blame Chinese rivals for swamping the world with unwanted product, but closing mills there can be expensive and difficult." from The New York Times
Link: "Why China is likely to stay quiet on Trump's steel probe" from CNBC.com
Economic Development
March 29, 2017
Legislative update- Budget and Bond Bill
Senate Finance Committee voted out the state budget; According to The State newspaper,
the Committee's budget provides $10 million for the Commerce deal-closing fund used to lure companies to South Carolina, $12 million less than the House approved
The full Senate will consider the spending plan in the coming weeks, then it will send its version of the budget back to the S.C. House.
Differences between the two budget proposals must be worked out before the spending plan takes effect July 1.
The budget is not on-line yet so it's hard to tell today what other changes were made
W&M full committee voted out the Bond bill; while the committee made amendments, the bill retains $25m for Commerce
State and Local Taxation
March 29, 2017
Link: "Greenwood County assessor resigns" from Index-Journal
Economic Development
March 27, 2017
Mark Williams elected Chair of Site Selectors Guild
Link: "Mark Williams Appointed as Chair of the Prestigious Site Selectors Guild" from Soda City Buzzwire.com
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
March 21, 2017
The Tax Foundation annual issues Facts & Figures, How Does your State Compare;
they recently issued their 2017 Report; below are selected items for SC and NC;
SC does well in some areas and poor in others; the charts can be confusing – typically 1 is the state with the highest tax and 50th the lowest
Link: "The Tax Foundation annual issues Facts & Figures, How Does your State Compare" from TaxFoundation.org
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
February 20, 2017
Discussion of Solar Property Tax legislation
Link: "NEWS: Billion-dollar solar investment waiting on lawmakers" from Statehouse Report
Economic Development
February 20, 2017
Husqvarna expansion in O'burg is Honorable Mention, Deal of the Year
Link: "Economic Development Deal of the Year Honorable Mentions" from Business Facilities Online
Trump, battered in Washington, is Buoyed at Boeing event (discussion of Ex-Im)
Link: "Trump, Battered in Washington, Is Buoyed at Boeing Rally" from The New York Times
State and Local Taxation
February 20, 2017
Cities express concerns over Business License Tax Bill
Link: "South Carolina cities, firms hope to make business licensing easier, but compromise elusive" from The Post and Courier
Link: "Cities worry that they may lose millions of dollars from business licenses" from Independent Mail
Economic Development
February 16, 2017
"Organized labor suffered its biggest defeat in decades in South Carolina on Wednesday"
Link: "Boeing Workers Reject a Union in South Carolina" from The New York Times
Link: "Boeing's North Charleston workers vote against Machinists union representation" from The Post and Courier
Link: "Boeing workers maintain South's anti-unionization history" from The State
Economic Development
February 10, 2017
Trump open to Ex-Im Bank
Link: "Trump finds a government institution he likes — and it's one conservatives can't stand" from ETCNBC.com
Link: "What Will Trump Do with the Export-Import Bank?" from Fortune
Link: "Heitkamp says Trump will support the Export-Import Bank" from The Hill
Link: "Democrats: Trump open to immigration reform, Ex-Im Bank" from Politico
Economic Development
January 24, 2017
SC/NC fare well in 2017's Best Metro Areas for STEM Professionals
Charlotte- SC/NC 30th
Greenville 36th
Charleston 56th
Columbia 63d
Augusta Ga/SC 84th
Highest STEM Employment Growth- Charlotte 4th
Link: "2017's Best & Worst Metro Areas for STEM Professionals" from WalletHub
Economic Development
January 23, 2017
Port Enhancement Zone Legislation reintroduced
Link: "New route to progress? Bill could boost Port of Charleston, Orangeburg, 1-95 low-income zone" from The Post and Courier
Economic Development
January 19, 2017
Former Head of NC DOC joins Nexsen Pruet Read more here
N Chas, Chas and Cola on list of cities with best recovery since great recession See Link Below
Link: "Grapevine: North Charleston gets high marks for economic rebound" from The Post and Courier
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
January 19, 2017
Court Hearing on litigation involving Special Source Credits for Commercial -(We will be covering this topic at upcoming seminar in February)
Link: "Are city, county tax breaks for private student dorms legal?" from The State
Save the Date- Feb 17th Retail and Commercial Seminar
Retail and Commercial Project Development Seminar
Friday, February 17, 2017
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
1230 Main Street, Suite 700
Columbia, SC 29201
Economic Development
January 10, 2017
Link: "SCPA Making All the Right Moves" from Maritime Logistics Professional
Link: "Economists project another year of mixed growth for Triad, N.C." from The Winston-Salem Journal
State and Local Taxation
January 09, 2017
Nice article on former DOR Director Rick Reames (still no idea where he is going)
Link: "Revenue chief Reames restored agency's image" from The State
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
January 6, 2017
The Unions map their GASB 77 strategy
The author of this article directs Good Jobs First, which is undoubtedly financed by labor unions; the author is correct that this year, commencing in the spring, local governments will begin issuing their first financial statements under the new FASB 77; FASB 77 requires disclosure of economic development incentives granted by local government- and the disclosure has to be done on a cumulative basis, e.g., in SC, all
Link: "Disclosing the Costs of Corporate Welfare" from The American Prospect
Economic Development
January 5, 2017
Link: "Will Trump's administration spell doom for the Export-Import Bank?" from CNBC.com
Link: "S.C. business community and allies hope for brighter Ex-Im Bank future in the new year" from The Post and Courier
Link: "Renew the Job-Creating EB-5 Program to Invest in Our Future" from Stephen K. Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia SC and printed in The State
Amy Love heads to Georgia Tech
Link: "South Carolina's first innovation director leaves Commerce Department" from The Post and Courier
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
January 4, 2017
Save the date for Retail and Commercial Project Development Seminar
Put Feb 17th, 10am-2pm down on your calendar for the next much celebrated (still free) Nexsen Pruet seminar,
How SC ranks re taxation for retail and commercial
Fee- in- lieu and MCBP
Abandoned Bldg, Retail Revitalization, and Textile Revitalization Credits
Infrastructure Tax credit
Historic Preservation credits
ATI Exemption
Takings (when local government demands a "contribution" to their latest project)
Rules regarding Lobbying by Environmental Groups
Update on the Ned Sloan litigation regarding credits for student housing; and
Local Government Development Agreements-
Economic Development
December 21, 2016
Link: "http://www.nexsenpruet.com/news/burnie-maybank-unconventional-tax-whiz"
"Burnie Maybank: Unconventional Tax Whiz"
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce recently featured a profile of Nexsen Pruet member (partner) Burnie Maybank. Maybank is a two-time Director of the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
The article explores "some of the
An excerpt:
On any given day at his law office in Columbia, South Carolina, Maybank can be found serving some of South Carolina's largest companies while dressed in khakis and a shirt covered in flying ducks. Clients don't care about the unusual business attire because Maybank's legal mind and understanding of state and local tax laws
Maybank is a descendant of six former South Carolina Governors. One of them, Maybank's grandfather, is one of only 20 people to serve as Mayor (of Charleston), Governor and United States Senator.
Read more from the SC Chamber's publication, ASCEND. (pages 57-58)
Burnet R. Maybank III served as Director of the South Carolina Department of Revenue under Governors Mark Sanford David Beasley. His law practices is focused on tax credits and incentives, state and local taxation controversies, exempt organizations and charitable giving, conservation easements as well as alcohol beverage control.
Economic Development
December 21, 2016
Bike Production rolls back to U.S., including SC
Link: "Bike Production Shifts Gears and Rolls Back to the US" from Industry Week
Wash Post- Manufacturing Jobs returning to some places, including SC
Link: "Manufacturing jobs are returning to some places. But these jobs are different." from The Washington Post
State and Local Taxation | Economic Development
December 19, 2016
The article below notes in Rock Hill, "In the years since its adoption, lawyers,
Link: "Standard business licenses statewide?" from The State
State and Local Taxation
November 18, 2016
Movie Star Exodus to Canada could mean increased property tax revenue in
Link: "PROPERTY TAX POST: EXODUS TO CANADA COULD MEAN INCREASED PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN THE U.S." from Bloomberg BNA
Economic Development
November 17, 2016
SC jumps from no 36 to no 9 (Q2 2016) in Solar Installation
Link: "Solar Market Insight Report 2016 Q3" from SEIA
State and Local Taxation
November 17, 2016
SC House Tax Policy Review Committee Update
Link: "SC House Tax Policy Review Committee Update" from Nexen Pruet's Insights
Link: "SC Lawmakers Worry About Property Tax Change Impact on Homeowners" from WSPA.com
State and Local Taxation
November 16, 2016
Court of Appeals rules for County in ag-use case
The Court of Appeals reversed the ALC decision in Montgomery v. Spartanburg County Assessor; the ALC ruled that the value of the structures on a farm were included in the value of the land; this followed three other ALC decisions to the same effect. The Court of Appeals held that the value of structures (buildings, tractor sheds and the like) on a farm must be separately assessed and taxed
Some counties have already been following the holding in Montgomery, but many have not
State and Local Taxation
November 16, 2016
Court of Appeals rules for City in Business License case
The Court of Appeals today ruled in favor of the city in Olds v. City of Goose Creek. The taxpayer had argued that he should be taxed on the gain on his sales of real property, rather than the gross proceeds; he also complained the city would not provide him with water service until he paid the business license tax
The Court of Appeals ruled for the city on all accounts, noting that "the plain language of the ordinance imposes a tax on gross income" and that gross income for purposes of the business license statute, section 5-7-30 does not carry the same meaning as gross income under the SC Income Tax Act
Economic Development
November 11, 2016
Link: "South Carolinians could land jobs in Donald Trump administration" from The Post and Courier
Link: "Cities where your salary will stretch the furthest" from Forbes
Mike Eades returns to Lexington County
Link: "Eades to lead Lexington County's effort to attract jobs" from The State
Economic Development
November 10, 2016
What's in Store for EB-5 (Trump Organization used EB-5 so hopefully there will be more focus on the Program)
Link: "What's In Store for EB-5?" from National Real Estate Investor
Link: "The Year's Best Utilities Give You Much More Than Power" from Site Selection Magazine
Milken 2016 State Tech and Science Index (SC is 43d)
Link: "Massachusetts Keeps Top Rank in Milken Institute Survey of Top Tech States Moving Up: Colorado, Washington, Minnesota" from The Milken Institute's State Technology and Science Index News Room
Economic Development | State and Local Taxation
November 7, 2016
Link: "South Carolina lawmakers consider tax law changes" from The State
Link: "House panel discusses tax policy changes" from The Post and Courier
Economic Development
November 7, 2016
Link: "Why Investing In Apprenticeship Makes Good Dollars And Sense" from Forbes
Clark Gillespy named VP of Economic Development for Duke; Ghartey-
Link: "Duke Energy names new South Carolina state president" from Duke Energy News Center
More on NC's HB2
Link: "Company left millions on table when it skipped Charlotte over HB2" from The Charlotte Observer
Link: "Charlotte loses 730-job operations center over House Bill 2" from The Charlotte Observer
Link: "Learning to Prosper in a Factory Town (Greenville SC)" from MIT Technology Review
Filming cut back in NC and La when incentives cut
Link: "Curtailing of state film incentives hampers ability to compete for major productions" from The Winston-Salem Journal
Link: "City says film industry spending falls $200 million in New Orleans" from The Times-Picayune
Economic Development
October 17, 2016
Link: "China stealing U.S. jobs? In South Carolina, China is hiring" from thestar.com
Economic Development
October 12, 2016
Charlotte Real Estate Market; Impact of HB2
Link: "CREW panel: Charlotte still attractive for business, but hurdles remain" from The Charlotte Business Journal Online
Link: "EXCLUSIVE: McCrory on HB2's impact" from The Charlotte Business Journal Online
I wrote the original draft of the SC data centers incentives, which make it basically much easier to qualify than NC; alas, SC hasn't had much luck attracting large data centers
Good Jobs First quoted below appears to be a labor
Link: "Oregon and Washington offer top tax breaks to data centers, report finds" from The Oregonian/OregonLive
Link: "ViaWest Secures Tax Savings for Clients Through Nevada's New Data Center Abatement Program " from --(BUSINESS WIRE)--ViaWest
Economic Development
October 11, 2016
States will pay for aerospace jobs
Link: "As Sikorsky proves in CT, states will pay for aerospace jobs" from The CT Mirror
State and Local Taxation
October 11, 2016
How high are the cell phone taxes in your state? (SC 25th)
Link: "Wireless Tax Burdens Rise for the Second Year in a Row in 2016" from Tax Foundation Online
Economic Development
October 10, 2016
Best Places to work in Manufacturing (Chas/N Chuck- No2!!! Sp'burg No 18)
Link: "Best Places to Work in Manufacturing" from Smartasset.com
Economic Development
October 4, 2016
Link: Read More Here from The Post and Courier
How digital is your State? (SC is B-, but up from C+)
South Carolina
2016 Grade: B-
2014 Grade: C+
CIO: Keith Osman
The underlying operational model that has driven South Carolina's entire ICT strategic plan is that of shared services. Demonstrated through the release of the Statewide Strategic IT Plan (PDF) shared services and centralization of state IT services
On the flip side of state IT centralization, Gov. Nikki Haley has also opened up several traditionally single-vendor broadband and wireless operations to competition. The state's
Link: See the Results Here from Government Technology Digital Magazine
Economic Development | State and Local Taxation
September 29, 2016
Tax Foundation issues 2017 State Business Climate Index released
Link: "2017 State Business Tax Climate Index" from Tax Foundation
2017 State Business Tax Climate Index
Overall Rank Corporate Tax Rank Individual Income Tax Rank Sales Tax Rank Unemployment Insurance Tax Rank Property Tax Rank
South Carolina 37 15 41 31 37 26
1 is the best rank, 50th is the worse
SC's overall rank, and all of the tax rankings above, said one, remained unchanged versus the 2016 report; SC lost 6 places in unemployment insurance, moving from 31st in 2016 to 37th in 2017
Commentary: SC has the 37th most competitive tax code in the nation according to the 13th annual State Business Tax Climate Index, released this morning by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. The report measures how well-structured each state's tax code is by analyzing over 100 tax variables in five different tax categories: corporate, individual income, sales, property, and unemployment insurance.
This year's most competitive states include:
1. Wyoming
2. South Dakota
3. Alaska
4. Florida
5. Nevada
6. Montana
7. New Hampshire
8. Indiana
9. Utah
10. Oregon
This year's least competitive states include:
41. Louisiana
42. Maryland
43. Connecticut
44. Rhode Island
45. Ohio
46. Minnesota
47. Vermont and D.C.
48. California
49. New York
50. New Jersey
The Tax Foundation loves states which do not have one of the big 3 taxes (income,
States are penalized for overly complex, burdensome, and economically harmful tax codes and rewarded for transparent and neutral tax codes that do not distort business decisions. A state's ranking can rise or fall significantly not only because of its own
"Our goal with the State Business Tax Climate Index is to start a conversation between taxpayers and policymakers about how their states fare against the rest of the country," said Tax Foundation Policy Analyst Jared Walczak. "While there are many ways to show how much a state collects in taxes, the Index is designed to show how well states structure their tax systems, and to provide a roadmap for improvement."
The Index can also be used as a tool for identifying state tax trends. For instance, the report shows that a number of states are now opting to simplify their tax systems by consolidating individual income tax
Another trend is the tendency for states to shift away from taxes on capital. Pennsylvania, for example, has now completely phased out its capital stock tax, boosting its property tax component ranking six places, from 38th to 32nd, and improving its overall state ranking from 28th to 24th.
"Substantive state tax reform has gained a lot of momentum over the past few years," said Tax Foundation Director of State Projects Scott Drenkard. "The stagnation of our federal tax code means that policymakers are turning to state codes to boost their national and global competitiveness. The state codes are ripe for reform and it's encouraging to see so many states taking action."
Economic Development | State and Local Taxation
September 28, 2016
More on House Tax Study Committee
Link: "SC lawmakers may rethink" from The State
Link: "
Link: "#ProbeGate: SC House "Republicans" In Turmoil" from FITSNEWS
Economic Development | State and Local Taxation
September 15, 2016
Here is the skinny: SC's Individual income tax RATE (7%) is quite


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The 44-year-old patient has Hunter syndrome, which doctors hope to treat using zinc finger nucleases.
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Townswomen's Guilds
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text:
Deadly attack on protesters raises questions about Syria's stability
— With reports emerging Monday that at least one high-ranking Syrian military commander refused to participate in a bloody, predawn raid that left dozens dead in the southern border city of Daraa — the heart of Syria's weekslong civil unrest, questions are being raised about possible cracks in President Bashar al-Assad's hold over the military.
The crackdown on anti-government protesters by Syrian forces escalated in recent days as demonstrators, emboldened by weeks of protests, called for the ouster of al-Assad. The crackdown culminated with the raid in Daraa where thousands of troops reportedly stormed the city and opened fire on demonstrators. It was an attack reminiscent of the brutal rule of al-Assad's father, who once ordered the military to crush a revolt that resulted in the deaths of thousands.
"I think he's clearly going toward the security solution, which is where he could be following in the steps of his father," said Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.
CNN has not been granted access into Syria and is unable to independently verify witness accounts, which have been playing out via social networking sites and homemade videos. Reports also have been compiled by human rights organizations.
There had been hope early on that al-Assad would not use the military to quell demonstrations after signaling last week that he was open to loosening his hold on the country following five weeks of protests where demonstrators called for more freedoms and regime reform. That changed over the weekend as protesters, primarily in southern Syria, called for the fall of the regime.
The Syrian government has disputed witness accounts, saying the military was responding to "calls for help from the citizens of Daraa and their appeal to the armed forces as to intervene and put an end to the operations of killings, vandalism, and horrifying (actions) by extremist terrorist groups," the state-run news agency SANA reported, citing an official army source.
But there was at least one account that illustrated that perhaps not everybody in the military was in agreement with the order to attack Daraa. A military official, described as the second-in-command of the brigade that entered the city, was arrested after refusing to follow orders to storm the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and another opposition source. The commander has not been identified.
The top echelon of Syria's security forces are populated by al-Assad loyalists — Alawites, a religious minority that accounts for about 12% of Syria's population, and Baathists, a Sunni-dominated socialist political party. The members of the Syrian security forces — who are predominantly Sunni — are drafted, reflecting the ethnic and religious portrait of the country's 23 million residents.
Though it's unclear the extent to which the Syrian military official who refused to fire on Daraa influenced troops under his command, analysts say it is unlikely the commander will be the last should the unrest continue in Syria.
"The rank-and-file are made up of Sunnis. They are not going to fire on crowds in their own communities," said Marius Deeb, an adjunct professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. "Therefore, more defections are likely to happen."
There are also signs the attack has created some political upheaval for al-Assad with the resignations of at least two lawmakers and a mufti, a government-appointed head of clerics in Daraa, according to multiple reports from human rights and news agencies.
Up until the latest crackdown by Syrian forces, the U.S. had taken a somewhat hands-off approach to dealing with Syria out of fear of destabilizing al-Assad's government. Officials have voiced concern about possible sectarian tensions if al-Assad's government were overthrown, saying with the country's fragmented opposition it was unclear what type of government would take control.
The U.S. is now considering targeted sanctions among "a range of possible options" to pressure the Syrian government to stop attacking protesters, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday.
Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies cautioned against believing that any regime change in Syria would automatically result in a government more extreme than al-Assad's regime.
"Like every case of instability in the region, all you are certain of is that it has no experience of governing and no experience of running the politics of a country," Cordesman said.
Because Syria's opposition is fragmented — with a number of different Sunni groups representing a number of interests, Tabler said it was not a given that a group, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, would automatically come to power.
Al-Assad was viewed by many as a moderate solution to his father when he took control of the country 11 years ago. His father, Hafez al-Assad, came to power during a coup in 1970. In 1982, he ordered the military to crush an uprising against the Baathist government in the city of Hama, the fourth-largest city in Syria. Estimates put the death toll anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 people, though the exact number was never known.
But the international community has since come to view the younger al-Assad with a wary eye after he made and then broke a number of promises.
"He rules from a position of ambiguity," Tabler said. "He rules by announcing something and then not following through. This is where he is different from his father. His father was never known for making promises. But when he did, both domestically and internationally, he lived up to them."
Recently, al-Assad lifted the country's 48-year-old state of emergency and abolished the state security court, both of which were key demands of the demonstrators. The emergency law permitted the government to make preventive arrests and override constitutional and penal code statutes. The security court was a special body that prosecuted people regarded as challenging the government.
Last week, al-Assad issued a decree recognizing and regulating the right to peaceful protest. It also extended the period that security forces can hold suspects in certain crimes.
But the reforms did little to quell the protests, which have grown since demonstrators first took to the streets in mid-March. Since then, there have been a number of clashes between Syria's security forces and protesters. Human rights groups have put the death toll in the hundreds.
"The reality is that he had the opportunity early on to try reform. Instead things dragged on and on, and then the violence got very serious," Cordesman said. "The problem now for Assad and for the demonstrators is that there is no easy way out."