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By Lisa Maria Garza
(Reuters) - A federal court heard an appeal from Planned Parenthood and other advocacy groups on Monday to a relax restrictive abortion law in Texas that has caused a dozen clinics to suspend services.
The law requires doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic where the abortion is performed in case women have complications.
Given the vast size of Texas, the requirement places an unjust burden on clinics, Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the appeal, told a three-judge panel in Louisiana.
Only four of the 12 clinics that had suspended procedures have been able to resume procedures after meeting the requirements of the laws that went into effect in late October 2013.
"It's hard to tell what the court is going to do but everything in this case has happened really quickly, so we're looking at maybe a few weeks for an opinion," said Janet Crepps, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Whole Women's Health clinic in San Antonio and Abortion Advantage in Dallas recently resumed providing abortions after their doctors gained hospital privileges. A Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin resumed services in November.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals court in Louisiana, which is hearing the current appeal, on October 31 reinstated a restriction that was blocked by a lower court, thus allowing nearly all of the state's sweeping anti-abortion law to go into effect.
The case then went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to block implementation of the law on November 4, allowing it to go into effect.
The current appeal in the circuit court is on the merits of the challenge, which was not addressed by the Supreme Court.
The law gained national headlines when Democratic state Senator Wendy Davis spoke against it in the Legislature for several hours, gaining her a nationwide following and encouraging her to announce her campaign for Texas governor.
The trend of state lawmakers passing sweeping abortion legislation rose sharply as more restrictions were enacted between 2011-2013 than in the entire previous decade, according to a report by the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that favors abortion but whose research is cited by both sides in the debate.
Twenty-two states enacted 70 abortion restrictions last year but courts have temporarily blocked similar admitting privilege regulations in Alabama, Mississippi, North Dakota and Wisconsin, the report said.
Republican lawmakers who dominate the Texas statehouse have said they are not trying to block abortion but instead regulate the procedures in a way that matches the socially conservative nature of the state.
"These are common sense, and perfectly constitutional, regulations that further the state's interest in protecting the health and safety of Texas women," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said in a statement. Abbott is the running for governor on the Republican ticket
Abortion advocates, like Whole Women's Health Chief Executive Amy Hagstrom Miller, have voiced skepticism about the state's motives.
"Nobody took away a woman's right to make the decision but if she's unable to exercise that right because of lack of access then it's actually meaningless," she said.
The lawsuit is Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Health Services v. Abbott, 13-862, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas.
(This story has been corrected to removes phrase "which is being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court" in second paragraph.)
(Reporting By Lisa Maria Garza in Dallas; Editing by Jon Herskovitz and David Gregorio)


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Remains Of Pixie Specimen Discovered
Galway| Construction workers excavating the ground for the site of a new project in western Ireland, made an astonishing discovery: the corp...
Galway| Construction workers excavating the ground for the site of a new project in western Ireland, made an astonishing discovery: the corpse of a tiny winged humanoid ressembling a fairy or pixie-like creature.
From the look of the site, it seems to have been some sort of Celtic, druidic shrine, dating from the early Neolithic period. Remains of pottery vases and food offerings were discovered, next to some gigantic broken stone monoliths, marked with mysterious inscriptions. One complete skeleton of a tiny winged humanoid, and two or three incomplete ones, laid amongst the offerings.
"It is yet unclear what kind of creature we are dealing with for now, but it is certainly unique" explains Sheamus O'Leary, a biologist at the University of Dublin and member of the research team studying the remains. "Irish litterature and oral history is filled with stories of such wonderful beings, but we had never found physical evidence of one, before. Now that we have one, we can easily see why! The bones are so delicate and fragile. They also seem to be hollow, like those of a bird. It's amazing!"
A complete set of tests is expected to be performed upon the bones in the following weeks, to determine their authenticity and the true nature of their origin.
World News Daily Report

subset: commoncrawl


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3-Wheel Midsize Scooters
List Grid
Sunrunner 3-Wheel ScooterModel: 888B-3 | Shoprider Mobility
- Perfect for maneuvering indoor and outdoors
- Large padded seat slides and swivels
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Capacity Top Speed Driving Range Heaviest Part Turning Radius 300 lbs 5 mph 25 Miles 89 lbs. 37 in
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- Highly reliable in all driving conditions
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Capacity Top Speed Driving Range Heaviest Part Turning Radius 330 lbs 9.3 mph 25 Miles 161 lbs. 50 in
* Durable * Comfortable * Dependable *
Are designed for full-time, regular use
Offer more advanced features for comfort and performance
Allow you to travel when you might not otherwise
Feature longer driving ranges and higher weight capacities than travel scooters
Travel well locally
Feature a universal accessory hitch for scooter accessories
May need a vehicle lift
Ideal for full-time use, mid-size scooters offer extra comfort features, longer-lasting batteries, and more speed. Mid-size scooters are designed for people who want to use their scooter to get around full-time.
Featuring more comfortable, padded seats than smaller scooters, you can drive your mid-size scooter around all day in comfort and style. The larger deck sizes of mid-size scooters deliver more leg and foot room. More advanced suspension systems provide a smoother ride, and the batteries last longer on a single charge in these scooters than their smaller counterparts.
The beauty of the mid-size scooters is that they can be comfortably used inside and out. For indoor use, the 3-wheel mid-size scooters maneuver well and can make sharp turns more easily than 4-wheel models. If you will be using your scooter outside more often, the 4-wheel models have more stability and drive better on sidewalks and walking trails. If you use a cane or walking aid to get around, 4-wheel scooters are recommended due to superior stability.
Many mid-size scooters disassemble into smaller, lightweight pieces that can fit into the trunk of your car. If you cannot lift the heaviest piece of your mid-size scooter, there are vehicle lifts that can do the heavy lifting for you.
You can take your mid-size scooter all around town. These scooters are perfect for long trips around the neighborhood, outdoor shopping centers, family gatherings, the grocery store, festivals, and more!


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Shift your career into overdrive! Your drive and commitment to excellence can be the key to a rewarding career with the nation's leading automotive service chain.
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Once you have filled out your application, simply drop it off at your local Ken Towery. Click Here to find a location near you. Or you can email it directly to Human Resources.


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Gov. Rick Scott, a numbers man, has finally allowed math to trump political ideology. Scott announced Wednesday that he will drop his strident opposition to the expansion of Medicaid — the government health insurance program for low-income Americans — in Florida.
Gov. Rick Scott, a numbers man, has finally allowed math to trump political ideology. Scott announced Wednesday that he will drop his strident opposition to the expansion of Medicaid — the government health insurance program for low-income Americans — in Florida.
The Legislature, which convenes its annual 60-day session March 5, ultimately will decide whether to expand eligibility for the program to cover all Floridians younger than 65 who earn up to 138 percent of the poverty rate.
That's $29,700 for a family of four. Today, coverage in Florida is limited to 100 percent of the poverty level, an income of $22,350 for a family of four.
The potential to provide insurance to more than 1 million Floridians who lack coverage is not only humane, it makes sense financially.
Previously, Scott said Florida "can't afford" Medicaid expansion.
Indeed, Scott entered politics by founding Conservatives for Patients Rights in 2009 and backing it with $5 million from his personal fortune. Scott made broadcast commercials and congressional visits in opposition to the Affordable Care Act.
On Wednesday, during his announcement, Scott said: "While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care. We will support a three-year expansion of our Medicaid program under the new health care law, as long as the federal government meets their commitment to pay 100 percent of the cost during this time."
Like Scott, others in Tallahassee will see benefits if they are willing to examine federally supported Medicaid without wearing ideological blinders. Beyond the 100 percent years of 2014 through 2016 — the federal subsidy drops to 95 percent in 2017, then tapers to 90 percent by 2020 and holds at that rate — they will find that expanded Medicaid will continue to be a better deal for state government than today's limited plan.
A November study by Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute reports that Florida would save $100 million per year after the 100 percent payment years. The reason is that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act would result in $700 million in annual savings vs. $600 million in additional costs.
That's not to mention that residents who need the health care would be better off. So would hospitals, which struggle to keep up with the flood of uninsured patients who come to their emergency rooms.
Those visits often result in costly care that could be provided less expensively, and more appropriately and quickly, in a doctor's office or clinic. Such costs are effectively shifted to hospital patients who do have insurance, compounding the coverage conundrum.
Another factor, Scott pointed out, is the federal funding that other states would receive and Florida would not if it says no to expanded Medicaid:
"Our options are either having Floridians pay to fund this program in other states, while denying health care to our citizens, or using federal funding to help some of the poorest in our state with the Medicaid program as we explore other health care reforms."
The responses from two state leaders from Polk County this week were disappointing because of their criticism.
Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
About Medicaid expansion, "I remain skeptical that that's in the best interests of the state," McKeel said.
He added that the Legislature should await a review of the House Select Committee on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, said, "It is naive at best to think that you would enroll 1 million people in three years and then decide to walk away from the program." Putnam added, "I think we all have an obligation to look beyond the window of our own time in public life and think about the long-term impact of these policies on Florida."
By contrast, Scott concluded that, "Expanding access to Medicaid services for three years is a compassionate, commonsense step forward."
Now it's the Legislature's turn to examine and follow the parallel courses of fiscal soundness and compassion.


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Four Missing Boaters Found Safe on Lake Superior
SILVER BAY, Minn. (AP) - Four people who were reported missing after a weekend boating trip on Lake Superior have been found safe.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the group left Silver Bay on Sunday afternoon heading for the North Shore. The trip was only supposed to take a few hours, so when they hadn't shown up by Monday morning someone reported their vessel overdue.
Rescue squads from Lake and St. Louis counties helped the Coast Guard search the area between Grand Marais and Duluth. The boat was found in the Apostle Islands on Monday morning.
Authorities say at least some of the boaters are from South Dakota, and the passengers included two boys, ages 12 and 11. Few other details have been released.
(Photo: Archbob, Flickr -- Good Free Photos)


text: Use mouse scroll wheel over image or pinch-to-zoom on touch devices. You can also click and drag around on image. Park it 1 1 Follow Audi R8 V10 Parked to Audi R8 by Avant Garde Wheels Vehicle Info: Audi R8 Keywords Sign up to add your own keywords More from this Garage: More from this Profile: Garage BMW Z4 & Z4M Garage BMW 3 Series Garage BMW 550i


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We have Moved...
SURPRISE! Our NEW site, CelebrateKylie.com has launched and is NOW LIVE! We had originally planned to launch on New Years Day, but due to the overwhelming positive response from our Sneak-Peek last friday, we must launch early!
Please note that the archives from this site are still transferring, and the Celebrate Kylie portfolio section will be added to weekly. All New Posts from now on will be at our new site.
But Yeah, come on over...and Celebrate our girl, Kylie Minogue!
But Yeah, come on over...and Celebrate our girl, Kylie Minogue!
HOME PAGE: http://celebratekylie.com/
SHINEONANDON BLOG PAGE: http://celebratekylie.com/blog/
CELEBRATE KYLIE PORTFOLIO PAGE: http://celebratekylie.com/home-grid-portfolio/
As always, Thank you for Shining On with US! ♥
Wishing You a Very Merry Kylie Christmas!


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The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department offers biofeedback to treat a variety of medical problems including chronic pain, muscle tension, and headaches. Biofeedback uses a simple and completely painless computer program to allow you to see how your body handles such things as muscle activity, breathing rates and temperature.
This program is for men and women of all ages who:
Biofeedback will teach you how to control body functions such as muscle tension, respiratory rate, and heart rate in order to manage your pain more effectively.
You can expect to work with a therapist who will listen to your problems and discuss your treatment goals. You will receive education regarding your specific problem and biofeedback therapy options. You will be asked to participate with a home program designed to meet your goals.
What exactly is biofeedback?
Biofeedback is a pain management tool for patients with chronic pain. It monitors certain body functions such as muscle tension, breathing rate or heart rate with simple, painless technology. Biofeedback acts as a mirror into your body; you will not feel anything from the biofeedback unit.
Do I need a prescription?
Yes, a prescription from your physician is required for therapy. Any physician who provides your care can write this prescription.
Will my insurance pay for this type of therapy?
Biofeedback for chronic pain may be covered by your insurance. Our insurance authorization clerk will assist you in determining your coverage benefits.
What should I wear?
You should wear clothing you are comfortable in which will allow you to easily move.
How long does the appointment take?
You will be asked to arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment to fill out the necessary paperwork. The evaluation will then take about 1 hour. Your follow up treatment appointments will last from 45-60 minutes.
How often do I come to therapy?
Most people with chronic pain are seen once a week for 4-6 sessions, although this may vary widely. Your therapist will be happy to discuss your treatment schedule at the time of your evaluation and will adapt your program to meet your scheduling needs.
How long will it take to reach my goals?
Each person is different and the severity of your condition can affect the length of treatment. Your therapist will be happy to discuss this question with you at the time of your evaluation.
A physician's referral is required for examination and treatment within this program.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Made in America Store's fourth annual commemoration takes place Saturday
Patriot Day (9/11) will be commemorated this Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the Made in America Store's annual 9/11 Tribute Concert and Family Day at its original, flagship location, 900 Maple St., in Elma.
This is the fourth annual 9/11 commemoration sponsored by the Made in America Store to remember those who were lost on Sept. 11 - including the first responders. It is also an event that respects the service and sacrifice of U.S. men and women in military uniform engaged in the ensuing Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and the recently ended Operation Iraqi Freedom. In fact, the local "I AM" (Iraq Afghanistan Memorial) committee will be present to share its progress to erect a monument honoring this nation's current generation of Western New York heroes at the Buffalo Naval & Military Park. The United States National Defense Force Support Command also will have an informational table.
The 9/11 tribute opens at 10 a.m. with vendor displays, including Bada-Bing dog treats and grooming products, Barrett Brothers kettle corn, and maple syrup from Baldwin Hill Farms. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure will bring live animals, including a camel and a tortoise.
At 11 a.m., three tour buses will arrive from three different midwestern states: Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. More than 200 tour buses have visited the Made in America Store since it opened in 2010.
The concert is free to the public, and food and beverage will be available for purchase from Dale's Rollin' Smoke BBQ and the store.
At 1 p.m., a veteran of the 4th Division of the U.S. Marine Corps and survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima will be honored with a cake for his service, as well as his 90th birthday. This veteran will be aboard the next Honor Flight of World War II veterans travelling to Washington, D.C., in October.
Matt Hanna, also a Marine Corps veteran, is the resident artist of the Made in America Store. Using only a chainsaw and no hand tools, he will carve an original work of art out of a single piece of wood. He is best known for carving the life-size wooden sculpture of the iconic raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima. The sculpture is located in front of the Made in America Store. Hanna's sculpture of the flag-raising on the rubble of the Twin Towers after 9/11 is on display at Jamison Fire Hall. The Jamison Fire Co. volunteer firefighters will be flying a giant American flag at the event.
Three bands will play from 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.: Diamondback and Not Quite Right will open for Ricky Lee. At 4:30 p.m., Mark Andol, founder of the Made in America Store, will deliver brief remarks and ask for a moment of silence to remember 9/11. The concert headliner, Ricky Lee, will then sing the national anthem and begin his set, which is expected to last more than one hour.
The public should bring their own lawn chairs. Coolers are welcome. Proceeds from a 50/50 raffle will be donated to the Veterans' One-stop Center of WNY, located at 1280 Main St., 2nd Floor, Buffalo.


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|Property type
- Brand new apartment with brand new furniture
- Within walking distance from the everywhere
- Near to Piazza Shopping mall
- You could use whole kind of public transportation
Reservation Detail:
After you successfully submit your reservation request, you will receive an e-mail response from the home owner or property manager, within the next 24 hours. At this point, the full details of your confirmed reservation including the address of the property and the contact details of your local host will be shared with you through e-mail.
We hope you have a pleasant stay!
*Plus compulsory or optional charges based on actual occupancy or consumption. The payment has to be made in the currency offered by the property manager, before use of conversion tool. Payments in other currencies have to be negotiated beforehand with the property manager. The currency conversion tool is provided for your convenience only and is non-binding.


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All fabric is Chez Moi, Hunky Dory
1 Layer Cake
1 Charm Pack
1 Jelly Roll
*note you will not use all of your fabric from each, you'll have plenty of fabric left over for other projects*
Styrofoam Wreath
Wonder Under
Pearl Head Pins, white and colored
White covered floral wire
5 yards Burlap Upholstery Tape (buy it next to the upholstery tacks at your fabric store)
White Glitter Fun Foam (yep, You read that right!)
Other pins, shapes, colored buttons or pins… it's up to you!
After you have wrapped your wreath set it aside.
Pick out some charm pack and layer cake pieces that you like. I used 6 layer cake pieces and 8 charm pack pieces for my flowers. I put them in stack of 2 based on color (i.e. 2 blue ones, 2 yellow ones)
Cover the back half of the pieces (you will cut your wonder under to 10×10 or 5×5) of them entirely with wonder under. Peel off the backing and press the other fabric piece to it wrong sides together. This will give you double sided fabric.
At least 3 maybe 4 wreaths if using a layer cake, charm pack and jelly roll.
Latest posts by Melissa Mortenson (see all)
- Zig Zag Skirt - March 3, 2011
- His & Hers Personalized Baby Quilts - July 9, 2010
- Spring Flowers Easter Wreath - April 1, 2010


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The origin of the mysterious hoax involving Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and the fabrication of a dead girlfriend has deep ties to Southern California.
The online publication Deadspin identified a former star high school quarterback from Palmdale as the apparent originator of the hoax, and a 22-year-old woman from Torrance whose photo was used, without her knowledge, to create the girlfriend persona.
On Thursday, reporters from around the country descended on a quiet Palmdale cul-de-sac to try to find out more about Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, who played at both Antelope Valley and Paraclete high schools.
He was identified as the person who created -- and later "killed" -- a fake online girlfriend persona that apparently fooled his friend Te'o, though some have speculated the linebacker was in on the hoax for publicity purposes.
Tuiasosopo's father, Titus, is a pastor who runs the Oasis Christian Church out of his home, as well as at a Methodist church in Palmdale, neighbors said. He also played football at the USC in the early 1990s. In fact, many other members of the family played college and pro ball, according to Deadspin.
But Ed Lalau, a cousin of Titus Tuiasosopo, said the scandal has been difficult, and surprising, for the family.
"This is all still new to me. I don't think Ronaiah would do that," Lalau said in a brief telephone interview with the Daily News. "He comes from a good family."
He added: "I just pray that we get over this. It's been a nightmare for everyone."
Ronaiah Tuiasosopo attended three high schools in three years, finishing his senior year at Paraclete, a Catholic high school in Lancaster, where he led his team to a 12-1 record.
As a sophomore at Antelope Valley High he was named all-Golden League honorable mention. A 2005 profile of him in the Daily News described him as having natural ability, a strong arm and leadership skills beyond his age.
After high school he became involved in leading the band at his father's church, and sings secular and religious songs which can be found on YouTube, according to Deadspin.
On Thursday, neighbors came out to gawk at the media circus in the neighborhood, though some expressed annoyance, including one who turned on his lawn sprinklers to chase reporters away.
Ayo Adeneye, who lives next door to the Tuiasosopo family, said he was surprised at the scandal, while his three young daughters felt overwhelmed by the media presence.
"I can say they're really good people," said Adeneye, 43. "One of them is a pastor. Sometimes they have services here. They also go to a Methodist church on 10th Street West and Avenue G."
A Torrance woman was also involved in the Te'o scandal, though unwittingly, according to Deadspin.
Photographs of the woman taken from her Facebook and Instagram accounts became the face of Lennay Kekua, Te'o's nonexistent girlfriend.
Deadspin reporters who broke the story found the woman and provided her with anonymity, calling her "Reba," yet another phony name.
Reba told Deadspin that she had no idea that her photograph had been used, but she had willingly taken her picture in December and sent it to Tuiasosopo, an acquaintance she had known from Antelope Valley High School.
Tuiasosopo contacted her on Facebook for the first time since they had graduated and asked her if she could take her photograph for his cousin. He said his cousin had been in a serious car accident, had seen her photographs and thought she was pretty.
Tuiasosopo asked Reba if she could hold up a sign scrawled with MSMK to put in a slide show created to aid his cousin's recovery. Reba made the sign and emailed the photo, Deadspin reported.
That photo became Lennay's Twitter profile picture. And then Reba began to piece things together. She Googled Lennay Kekua's name, and found the Twitter profile. She then called Tuiasosopo, who "immediately began acting weird" and told her not to worry.
The photo was removed from the @LoveMSMK Twitter account moments after the phone call.
Efforts by other reporters to find Reba -- and determine her true identity -- have been unsuccessful.
Correspondent Gerry Gittelson contributed to this report. email@example.com, 818-713-3730 ___


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Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders were a highly regarded Manchester band who deserved to have bigger success. This DVD features all known footage from the '60s, including Wayne Fontana solo and The Mindbenders performances.
Rare Music DVDs!
I'm a UK-based collector of pop & rock music on TV & video, specializing mostly in artists from the 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s. I've been collecting since 1981 & trading world-wide since 1985. Listed here are just some of my vast archives.
I'm always looking for more footage or upgrades. My email address is above.
Here's MY WANTS LIST!
Friday, 23 June 2017
WAYNE FONTANA & THE MINDBENDERS on DVD
Posted by Peter C at 22:44
Labels: 10cc, 60's BEAT & R'n'B GROUPS, Hotlegs, The Mindbenders, Wayne Fontana
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Unless you're shooting for a stylized establishment where everyone stands as they eat, you're going to need restaurant tables scattered around your eatery. Tables come in all shapes and sizes, and picking out the table that not only complements your decor, but also seats the number of people needed, is important. As with seating, restaurant tables are probably at the top of your priority list if you're moving into a new building or doing a remodel. With so many options available, make sure your money goes toward the tables you see yourself still happy with years from now.
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discounts, promotions and advice!
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June 10 Tropical Weather Update
June 10 Tropical Weather Update
WDSU Exact Weather Meteorologist Jay Gallé has the latest conditions on the tropics.
Download the WDSU Hurricane Central app for iPhone or the Android for constant hurricane updates.
Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here from your desktop computer to sign up; on our mobile website, use the drop down to the right to "Get Email Alerts."


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« December 2009 |
| April 2010 »
Stavros on 11 March 2010 in Greek Music | Permalink
Comments (2)
Excerpt from Spiritual Awakening:
"Do not forget there we are going through difficult times and much prayer is needed. You must remember the great need that people have for prayer today and the great expectation God has of us to pray. Praying for the general outrageous condition of the whole world that Christ may have pity on his creations for they are heading for destruction. Pray for his divine intervention in our outrageous time for the people are heading into general confusion, into madness, and an impasse.
God has called for us to pray for the people, who have so many problems. The poor people don't even have time to cross themselves. If we who are monks and nuns don't pray then who will? The soldier in wartime is on alert always ready with his boots on. The monk must also be on alert. How I would have loved to be a Maccabee, to withdraw to the mountains and pray constantly for the world.
We must help everyone with our prayer and not let the devil have his way with them. The devil has acquired rights. Not because God has given him permission, but because he doesn't want to violate man's free will. This is why we can help through prayer. When one is pained over the prevailing condition of the world and prays, then people can be helped, without violating free will. If you continue with the grace of God a little further we can begin to make some progress on the issue of prayer, to put into effect a certain order, to be a radar station of prayer, for the urgency of the times require it. We must organize a prayer task force. You must wage war with the komboschini (prayer rope). Pray with pain in your heart for the world. Do you know what great power such prayer has?
I am deeply hurt to see monks acting in human ways and not with prayer through God in matters which are difficult to achieve by human means. God can put everything in order. When one does good spiritual work, then, through prayer alone, one can build monasteries, equip them with all the necessary things and help the whole world. There is no need to even work, as long as one prays. A monk must try not to worry over every little difficulty, whether it is personal or affects a fellow human being, or even the general state of society, but should instead resort to prayer and send, through God, many divine powers. After all, a monk's work is precisely the work of prayer, and if any monk has not realized this, his life is without meaning. For this reason, he must know that every worry which urges him to seek human solutions to various problems, the suffering and headaches, is a result of demonic temptation. When you see yourself worried about matters which have no human solution you don't put them in God's hands, you must understand that this is a machination of the devil, to distract you from prayer, which God can send not only divine power but many divine powers, and this help will not then be simply divine help but a miracle from God. From the moment we begin to be troubled and anxious we prevent God from intervening. We tend to put our reasoning first rather than God, the divine will, so that we may deserve divine help. The devil tries by craftily misdirecting a monk's love, to limit him into a worldly love, to a human way of helping his fellow human beings, whereas the monk can move in his own space in his own field, which is to be a wireless operator of prayer, the unique service God has given him to do. All the other things a monk may do through his human efforts are of secondary importance.
Also it is better for the monk to help others with his prayer that his words. If he does not have the power to keep someone from doing evil then he should help him from afar through prayer, otherwise he may himself be harmed. A prayer from the heart has more power than a thousand words especially for someone who won't listen. Even though people say that I help those who come to here to see me, I consider my true help to people to be my reading of the Psalms for an hour and half each day. I view all else as entertainment; people come and tell me their problems and I give them some advice, some spiritual counsel. As such any help they may receive is not from me, for it is the prayer that really helps. If I could devote all my time for prayer, I think I would be helping people more. Let's say I see two hundred suffering people a day; are there only two hundred people suffering in the world? If I see no one and spend all day praying for the whole world, then I see everyone. This is why I tell people, "I prefer to talk to God about you, rather than to talk to you about God. This is better for you, but you don't understand me."
In these difficult years let us not neglect the work of prayer. Prayer is security; it is communication with God. Do you see what Abba Isaac says? God will not ask us why we did not pray, but why we did not have a relationship with Christ and allowed the devil to torment us."
Stavros on 06 March 2010 in Orthodox Christianity | Permalink
Comments (0)


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When cheaper energy isn'tBy DAVE SOLOMON
New Hampshire Union Leader
January 04. 2014 7:36PM
CONCORD - The Public Utilities Commission has approved a 9.23 cents per kwh energy supply rate for Public Service of New Hampshire, effective Jan. 1. The new rate is 0.61 of a cent higher than what PSNH charged in the second half of 2013 and likely to drive more consumers to unregulated competitors.
But as the first full year of aggressive competition for energy supply comes to an end, consumers are learning that they'd better read the fine print when signing up with alternatives to the state's regulated utilities.
Thousands of Granite State electricity customers enjoyed comparatively low prices throughout the year, but now that contracts are expiring and the cold weather has hit, some are finding that their new rates with competitive suppliers are higher than the default rates approved for PSNH, Unitil or Liberty Utilities.
Tom Shaughnessy of Manchester was shocked to open his bill last week and find that his rate with North American Power had changed from 7.29 cents to 11.49 cents per kwh.
Judging from emails and phone calls to the Union Leader, he was not alone. The biggest sticker shock came for those on monthly variable rates, some of which doubled in December as a combination of unseasonably cold weather and high prices for natural gas delivered to New England temporarily drove the wholesale price of electricity through the roof.
The average price for one megawatt hour of electricity in New England's wholesale market hovered around $40 for much of the year, but in mid-December, the price on the spot market briefly hit $1,000 at peak demand as power plants fueled by natural gas had to pay exorbitant prices for fuel, if they could get any.
The wholesale price on the spot market ranged from $175 to $200 per megawatt hour during the day on Dec. 31.
Customers with regulated utilities or on fixed contracts with unregulated competitors are largely insulated from the wild swings in the spot market. The monthly rate they pay should be high enough to generate reserves that suppliers use to get through the coldest months, when natural gas is used for heating and less is available for power plants.
Risky variable rates
Some customers, however, were attracted by low variable rates, sold to them in the warm weather months when there's plenty of pipeline capacity for natural gas and wholesale electricity prices drop. Those rates change every month, based on the average wholesale price.
Other customers have been switched over to a variable rate when their fixed-rate contract expires.
"I had a six-month guarantee at 7.29 cents," said Shaughnessy. "When that expired, I went onto a variable rate. I probably should have known that was going to happen, but I don't look at my electric bill every month and scrutinize what I'm paying."
And that's part of the problem. Regulators, consumer advocates, utility representatives and competitive suppliers all agree: If consumers want to enter the unregulated market, they have to pay more attention to the electric supply portion of their bill and understand the terms of service.
Some who contacted the Union Leader about spikes in their bill did not know whether they were on a fixed or variable rate, nor were they aware of notifications that the energy supply companies say they sent out regarding expiration dates and alternatives.
Shaughnessy was actually billed at the higher rate in November, but didn't notice the change until December. He contacted North American and was offered what North American calls its Guaranteed Savings Product, at 7.49 cents for the first month, after which the rate will be variable but is guaranteed to be below the PSNH rate through June 30.
His new rate won't take effect until the next billing cycle, which means Shaughnessy could pay a bill in January with an energy charge of 13.99 cents, North American's forecasted variable rate for the month.
"I don't want anyone else to get stuck like I did," Shaughnessy said. "I'm now stuck for at least another month, and for me it's going to be a very expensive month."
No notice required
Unregulated energy supply companies are not required by the PUC to notify customers on fixed-rate contracts that their expiration date is coming up and they will be switched over to a non-contract or variable rate, although the two largest competitive suppliers in the state - North American and ENH - say they provide such notices.
"We do not currently have such a requirement in our rules," said Amanda Noonan, director of the Consumer Affairs Division at the PUC. "I am aware that two of the main suppliers for residential customers, North American and ENH, do provide notice to their customers in advance of their term ending."
Noonan, who purchases her energy supply from a competitive supplier, said she has received such notices. Shaughnessy does not recall having received one.
North American provided the Union Leader with samples of the emails and letters it sends to customers whose contracts are about to expire. The notice explains how fluctuations in the wholesale price of natural gas are affecting electricity prices and offers customers the opportunity to lock in a fixed rate, but is not personalized with the customer's expiration date.
"Not all suppliers are putting customers on a variable rate when their contract expires," said Noonan. "It depends on the supplier." She said customers with unregulated suppliers need to ask the right questions, circle the contract expiration date on their calendar, and contact the supplier a month or two before that date to find out about alternatives.
Will Fessenden, director Media Strategy for ENH Power, said the Maine-based company purchases energy in advance for the full term of each customer's contract when that customer signs up.
"As part of our business practice, we don't offer any variable rates. All our rates are fixed for all our customers," he said.
Tiffany Eddy, a spokesman for North American Power, said that company offers both fixed and variable rates, and tries to keep consumers informed of their options.
North American and ENH have the largest number of customers in the PSNH service territory and have been marketing aggressively since 2012.
PSNH spokesman Martin Murray urged consumers to compare third-party offers for energy supply carefully with the default rate offered by the regulated utility. "I'm a Unitil customer," he said, "and I've received many letters offering to sell me power at a rate higher than my Unitil rate."
People's Power and Gas was offering very attractive variable rates early in the year, but hit customers with an 18 cents per kwh charge in December. A Londonderry customer said her electric bill went from $99 in November to $337 in December.
Confusion persists
PPG was temporarily suspended from the wholesale energy market on Dec. 24 after defaulting on its financial obligations to the independent grid operator. Its customers were transferred to the regulated utility that serves their community. Most of the 6,000 were assigned to PSNH and can now stay with the regulated utility or make another switch next month.
Resident Power, which serves as a broker for several energy supply companies, had placed customers with PPG, some of whom were guaranteed a low rate for their first two months.
"Some of those customers have called Resident Power and told us that PPG did not charge them the agreed upon introductory rate," said Bart Fromuth, president of Resident Power. "We are working with PPG to have those corrected."
A PPG customer whose bill more than tripled wrote in an email, "I was of the opinion that the PUC would have to approve an increase or at least an increase of that magnitude," illustrating the confusion that persists in the market, since the PUC has no authority to regulate rates for unregulated energy providers.
The deregulated market for electricity in New Hampshire offers opportunities for significant savings as many competitive suppliers continue to offer fixed rates lower than the regulated utilities. Variable rates in the mild weather months can be well below the fixed rates.
Customers continue to flow to competitors.
The most recent "customer migration" report provided by PSNH shows that 96,323 of the utility's 425,829 residential customers now buy energy from an unregulated energy supply company. A year ago, the number of customers who had switched companies was about 50,000.
Now that competitive energy suppliers have been aggressively marketing for more than a year and half, consumers are starting to learn how the unregulated market operates, and sometimes the lessons are painful. As with many services or products, the amount that can be saved often depends on the amount of time someone is willing to invest.
The safest option is to lock in a low rate for a specific time period and pay attention to the expiration date. The cheapest option for many customers is to buy at a variable rate nine months of the year and switch over to the regulated utility rate for December, January and February, which few people have the time or the expertise to do.
"It would take a lot of work on an individual consumer's part to make that happen," said PUC Consumer Advocate Susan Chamberlin.


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Trained more the 8000 participants since 2007 in Pictorial series of outdoor photography courses, Keith started photography since he was just 14 years old. With his never ending passion in both photography and photographic equipment, Keith joined a Japan based corporation as a regional trainer in consumer electronics and since then, he actively conducts workshops regionally and locally to both consumers and retailers. Within 12 years of his corporate career, Keith was head hunted by another Japan based camera maker as a product manager.
With his passion in training and love for photography, coupled with chances and opportunities given by his employers, Keith accumulated vast amount of experiences in Photography and Technical Know-How, and after which he decided to quit his full-time job in Olympus and went pro to set up Pictorial Photography Courses based in Singapore.
Since then Keith has participated in various camera product launches, which he was invited to be the guest speaker and photography judging in various photography competition.
With his never ending pursue of photography and technical knowledge, he has already conducted photography/product trainings for most of the camera dealers in Singapore since 2008 representing various esteem photography brands.
Currently he owns 54 cameras and a fleet of lenses purchased by himself during his different stages in photography, and it is further continued with FujiFilm's series of X-cameras. His first encounter with Fujifilm begin with the X-Pro1 in 2012 and was deeply impressed with the image quality and the ergonomics of it. "To be able to capture my intended imagination and able to recreate them is one of the key reasons why I am focusing on FujiFilm X cameras, and it is getting better with each newer Fujifilm cameras, top notch lenses and the firmware supports I am getting from them! exceeding my high expectations of a esteem camera making corporation " he said.
Keith runs the business aspects of Pictorial, and due to his nature as a perfectionist he undertakes the role of a photography instructor in Pictorial outdoor photography courses to provide the best quality photography courses available.
During many brainstorming sessions in his " sabbatical" trips to various photographic locations in Singapore and overseas, Keith realizes that the best way to teach photography to others would be to learn it in an outdoor environment, where conditions and photo opportunities are constantly changing.
Keith's personal aspiration is to keep challenging himself to think out-of-the-box by taking artistically created pictures in every shoot. He would also love to 'de-mystify' of the technical aspects of photography by making it easier for others to understand, through Pictorial photography courses.


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Important Notice regarding Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund and Underground Storage Tank Fund
The Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund and the Underground Storage Tank Fund does not consider attorney fees remediation activities or eligible project costs for funding under either of the programs. The Department has approved some attorney fees in the past when the Department believed the costs were directly related to the remediation. These types of costs will no longer be approved in future requests for funding. As a result, a portion of the application for the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund has been modified to reflect that legal fees are not an eligible cost for reimbursement.
Look for more changes to these two funds in the upcoming weeks.
To report an environmental
incident impacting NJ, call the Toll-Free 24-Hour Hotline
Contact DEP | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement & Disclaimers | Accessibility Statement
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Copyright © State of New Jersey, 1996-


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Allometrics Inc can be found at Darryl Dr 11386. The following is offered: Laboratory Equipment. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Baton Rouge there are 9 other Laboratory Equipment. An overview can be found here.


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Weekly Auctions of Exceptional Items
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- Armory Auction May 31, 2008 Saturday Sale
West Columbia, SC, United States
DoneSat, May 31, 2008 1:00 PM GMT
Armory Auction May 31, 2008 Saturday Sale
Coins, Robert Xavier Dolls, Victorian Furniture, Leather Books, with over 450 lots.
Auction Info
Auction & Auctioneer Information
Contact Auctioneer
1101 Augusta Street
West Columbia, SC 29169
United States
Ask a Question|Follow Auctioneer
Preview will be Friday May 30, 2008 From 12:00 noon until 6:00 Pm May 31, 2008 From 9:00 Am until sale time 10:00 Am
Buyer's Premium
- 15%
Terms & Conditions
1. SHIPPING OVERSIZED ITEM SHIPPING POLICY: All shipping and packing arrangements for oversized items are the responsibility of the buyer. PLEASE DO NOT BID on an oversized item if you do not have the means to ship. All buyers are strongly encouraged to get quotes from shipping companies and make arrangements prior to bidding. Oversized shipping can be very expensive, so please take that into account when bidding. Items must be picked up no later than 10 days after the auction. No refunds will be issued for failure to arrange shipping or misjudgment of shipping costs. Thanks for your interest and please bid accordingly. All shipping costs for small items will be added to your invoice after the auction. Shipping costs include insurance, which is required. In Town Buyers are welcome to pick up their items at our store location to avoid shipping costs. All lots are sent FedEx Ground, USPS priority mail or UPS ground depending on the size and value of the package and usually ships withing 3-5 business days from receipt of payment. International packages are only sent USPS Express mail, fully insured, unless other arrangements are made. Please contact us within 10 days of receiving package if there are any problems. No refunds will be issued after 30 days from sale date. 2. LOTS Accurate descriptions are provided for each individually described item in the auction on a best effort basis and are not intended to be definitive scholarly works or appraisals. Autographs, in single item lots are guaranteed authentic. If a guaranteed item is deemed "not" to be authentic by a panel of 3 competent authorities, a full refund of the purchase price and buyers premium shall be the limit of liability of the auction company and or its representatives. Returns must be preauthorized and made within 10 days. Gems and Coins are tested at the gallery for authenticity and are guaranteed to be authentic. All guarantees are void if an item has been tampered with, enhanced, altered, damaged or removed from original mounting. Lots of MORE THAN A SINGLE ITEM of any product are intended as "dealer" lot and are sold under the general terms of items in the auction" these terms are as follows: items are sold as is, where is, and the ultimate determination is the responsibility of the bidder. The placing of a bid will be taken as full agreement to all terms & conditions. The estimated values shown after each lot are the auctioneer's estimate of what each lot is likely to realize. 3.In the event that a buyer fails to comply with any of the above conditions or fails to pay for or take away any lot , Armory Auction, in addition to other remedies available to us and the seller by law, including without limitation, the right to hold the buyer liable for the total purchase price, plus reasonable attorney's fees connected therein, may, at our option, either (a) cancel the sale, retaining as liquidated damages all payments made by the buyer, or (b) resell the property at public auction without reserve, and the initial defaulting buyer will be liable for any deficiency, costs including handling charges, expenses for both sales, our commission for both sales at our regular rates, and any and all incidental damages. 4.These Conditions of Sale and the purchaser's and our respective rights and obligations hereunder are governed by the laws of the State of South Carolina. By bidding at an auction, each purchaser and bidder agrees to be bound by these Conditions of Sale. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to this agreement, or the breach, termination, or validity thereof, brought by or against Armory Auction, (but not including claims brought against the consignor by the purchaser of lots consigned hereunder) shall be resolved by the Columbia, South Carolina legal system. 5.In addition to the other remedies available to us by law, we reserve the right to impose a late charge of 2% per month of the total purchase price if payment is not made in accordance with the conditions set forth herein. 6. ABSENTEE BIDDING Absentee Bidding is used by those who cannot attend our auction due to scheduling differences or their location. Absentee bids may be left via ebaylive, our website, or at our store location. Absentee bidders agree to all terms and conditions. In terms of a tie in bidding between an absentee bidder and the house, the house will win said item at their amount bid. The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer shall be the purchaser. In the event of any dispute between bidders, the auctioneer shall have the sole and final discretion either to determine the successful bidder or to re-offer and resell the article in dispute. Even if there is a dispute with an eBay bidder, the auctioneer has final say on the article in dispute. Postage, packing, freight and insurance costs or part thereof shall be borne by the purchaser. Armory Auction takes no responsibility for lost or damaged items received through post. All Absentee Bidders are required to pay within 5 days of winning bid. If payment has not been received, the auction house has the right to deem the sale "null & void" and a non-paying bidder claim and negative feedback can be left. 7. SALES TAX South Carolina Residents (only) are required to pay a 7% Sales tax on all items purchased unless a current copy of your South Carolina Sales Tax ID is provided. 8. PAYMENT Payment may be made by money order or check that is supported by a valid banker's card (up to card maximum). We also accept credit cards MC, VISA(Through Paypal) and Paypal. A Buyers Premium of 15% will apply to all lots. We reserve the right to verify funds on personal checks. A $30 fee will apply to all returned checks. The full purchase price on all lots sold to the same buyer must be paid before removal of any of the items. 9. IDENTIFICATION - All purchasers are required to fully complete registration, including Full Name, Address, Phone, Email, and Drivers License Number. Those not willing to disclose this information cannot partake in the auction. PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL INFORMATION IS ACCURATE & TO-DATE AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION, ESPECIALLY EMAIL AND ADDRESS INFORMATION. ARMORY AUCTION INC will not be held responsible for any delays or losses due to false information provided at the time of registration. 10. AUCTIONEER: The bidding advances shall be regulated by the auctioneer and shall be at his discretion. He has the right to refuse any bids. The auctioneer reserves the right to bid on behalf of clients and vendors, but shall not be liable for errors or omissions in executing instructions to bid. The auctioneer act as agent only, and shall not be liable for any default of the purchaser or vendor. 11. DISPUTE BETWEEN BIDDERS: If any dispute arises between two or more bidders, the auctioneer may decide the same, or may immediately put the lot up for sale again, and resell to the highest bidder. The decision of the auctioneer shall be final and absolute. 12. Consignors are NOT permitted to bid on their own items. This is called "shill bidding" and is illegal by Florida Auction Law standards. By placing your item up for auction, you have agreed to sell. All consignors are paid up to 30 to 60 days after the auction. We cannot discuss payment on the day of the auction. Please advise, you can only be paid on items that we have received payment for. We do not accept consignment items on the day of the auction. 12. GENERAL TERMS & INFORMATION: FEEDBACK - PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE NEGATIVE OR NEUTRAL FEEDBACK WITHOUT CONTACTING US FIRST. If there is a problem of any kind, we are always willing to work something out. Customer satisfaction is our priority. Employees and associates of the auctioneer's are permitted to purchase lots at competitive bidding under the same terms, rules and regulations as the general public. EBAYLIVE BIDDING - If bidding live, please bid quickly, we auction approximately 50-100 lots an hour and once the lot closes on the floor, we can no longer accept bids. Once we move on to the next lot, we can not reopen a lot on ebaylive. IMPORTANT: Currently the ebaylive applet does not allow bidders to see who the highest bidder is. When we accept a bid, you will see the bid price and either Live Auction Floor bidder or Internet bidder, which could be you or another internet bidder. If you are the highest internet bidder, your bid button will be DESELECTED and you will not be able to bid. BY BIDDING, YOU ARE ENTERING A LEGAL AGREEMENT WITH ARMORY AUCTION INC AND HAVE ACCEPTED ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
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California wine grape growers and vintners have long had an alliance, albeit unholy seasonal ones at times when there were surpluses or shortages of grapes and wine.
Unfortunately, California wine grape growers learned a valuable lesson in 2006 when they woke up to the reality that the grapes they grow are in a highly competitive global wine marketplace where their grapes can be replaced by wine from some other nation.
Last season growers were coming off a huge '05 crush they knew filled winery tanks brim full. They did not expect high grape prices, but what they got was even worse, many wineries turned down California grapes and instead imported cheap, surplus wine, mostly from Australia, and sold it in the U.S. under an American appellation.
What was sold the year before as California white Zinfandel or Chardonnay became American Zin and American Chardonnay in identical containers that once said California wine. Growers contend consumers were misled.
California Association Winegrape Growers (CAWG) president Rodney Schatz of Lockeford, Calif., and Allied Grape Growers president NatDiBuduo of Fresno, Calif., say its is time for California wine grape growers to "take control of our destiny" and start telling consumers about the quality and value of California wine.
"Imports are up 200 percent in recent years. We cannot sit on our hands and wait for the market to shift in California's direction. We want to tell Americans now to choose California wine," Lockeford said at CAWG's annual meeting held during the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, Calif.
CAWG is spearheading a public relations campaign to market California wine in the U.S. CAWG has already raised about $300,000 toward its goal of $500,000 to initiate the voluntary effort.
However, Schatz and DiBuduo realize that compared to other California commodity groups' promotional efforts like California cheese and California almonds, a half million dollars is not going to go very far to promote California to U.S. consumers.
Marketing order
Schatz said CAWG's goal is eventually to create a statewide mandatory-assessment marketing order or commission to raise funds for a major California wine marketing effort.
This was the goal of an ill-fated joint winery-growers commission created in the 1980s. It fell apart after two years of acrimony between wineries and growers.
Now growers know if they want to promote California wine, it will be up to them to go it alone, said DiBuduo.
CAWG has been floating the idea of a grower-funded California wine promotion in grower meetings around California. Schatz said it has met with mixed responses.
"Many are holding on to their wallets until they see what we come up with in terms of a promotional campaign," he said.
CAWG has contracted with a communications and advertising agency to develop a generic California wine promotion campaign. Schatz said CAWG is fine-tuning the effort; however, he said he is excited about what has been put together.
"We will roll this out in a few weeks around the state, and I think everyone will be impressed," he said.
With a successful voluntary effort, CAWG hopes to take a California wine promotion funding to the next, mandatory level with a vote of all California growers.
"This is what it will take to have an effective buy California wine promotion program," said Schatz.


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Danville selectman accused of assaulting teen claims 'use of force'By JAMES A. KIMBLE
Union Leader Correspondent
April 01. 2013 4:16PM
BRENTWOOD - A Danville selectman accused of grabbing a 13-year-old boy by the back of the neck and forcing his head into a table wants to claim at trial he was legally protecting equipment used for the town's movie night under the state's "use of force" law.
Russell Harding, 35, notified the court of his defense claim roughly three months after being charged in Rockingham County Superior Court with two counts of simple assault for the Aug. 18 incident. No trial date has been set, but Harding is due to appear Tuesday in superior court for a brief hearing.
Harding allegedly assaulted the boy at Day Field in Danville on Aug. 18 just prior to the town's movie night. Defense lawyer Raymond Mello did not provide a detailed account of his client's defense in the March 26 court filing. He said in court papers that Harding was attempting to prevent what "appears to be an unlawful taking of his property or criminal mischief."
Mello cited the use-of-force law regarding property offenses (RSA 627:8) in his notice to the court.
Prosecutors have yet to respond to the defense claim but could ask a judge to bar Harding from using that theory at trial. Harding has denied any wrongdoing in the case and has refused to step down from his seat on the board of selectmen. He later informed the board he would not attend selectmen's meetings and was taking an unpaid leave.
State police charged Harding Sept. 6 after being called in by Danville police to investigate the altercation. The teenage boy's mother called Danville police Aug.19, which set off the investigation. Harding admitted during a Sept. 4 selectmen's meeting that he "made a mistake" in handling the incident.
Prosecutors have informed the court that they intend to seek Class A misdemeanors against Harding. A conviction is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
(Union Leader correspondent Jason Schreiber contributed to this report.)


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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian police said Saturday that they had detained 79 suspects linked to Filipino intruders in Borneo as they intensify an operation to flush out members of a Filipino Muslim clan who took over a village last month.
The armed clansmen have caused political havoc for Malaysia and the neighboring Philippines by trying to stake a long-dormant royal territorial claim to Malaysia's sprawling, resource-rich state of Sabah in Borneo. Most of the Filipinos eluded capture in a coastal Sabah district filled with palm oil plantations and forested hills after Malaysian forces attacked them with airstrikes and mortar fire on Tuesday.
National police chief Ismail Omar said 79 men and women, held without trial under a security law, were being investigated for their links to the gunmen.
He said they were detained outside the conflict zone but didn't give further details. The detainees are believed to be informants or food suppliers to the gunmen, but it's unclear if they were Malaysians or Filipino nationals.
Ismail said a Filipino gunman was killed early Saturday after he tried to escape a police cordon, raising the death toll in the conflict to 61.
The clansmen are led by a brother of Jamalul Kiram III, who claims to be the sultan, or hereditary ruler, of the southern, predominantly Muslim province of Sulu in the Philippines. Malaysia's government has rejected a call by Kiram for a cease-fire and urged the gunmen to surrender unconditionally.
International rights group Human Rights Watch on Saturday echoed a call by the U.N. chief to ensure the protection of civilians and for humanitarian access to help those affected by the violence.
"The situation on the ground in the conflict zone in Sabah is still quite murky, and the government of Malaysia should provide clear and accurate information on what has occurred," said Human Rights Watch's Asia deputy-director, Phil Robertson.
The New York-based group said it was concerned over the use of a new security law to detain dozens of suspects and urged the government to charge or release them.
Fifty-three gunmen and eight Malaysian policemen have died, mainly in shootouts between security forces and the Filipino group and their suspected allies. The clansmen sneaked into Sabah by sea from the nearby southern Philippines around Feb. 9.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this week called for dialogue among the parties to bring an end to the violence.
Malaysia's government has said that it made every effort to coax the Filipinos to leave and that it had to use force after the group fatally shot two policemen. Six other police officers were ambushed and killed by other Filipinos believed to be linked to the clansmen in another Sabah district. The Malaysians have killed at least 53 clansmen and their suspected allies.
The Filipinos say Sabah once belonged to their royal sultanate for more than a century and should be handed back. Malaysia has dismissed their long-dormant territorial claim to the oil-and-timber-rich state, which has been part of Malaysia for five decades.
An estimated 800,000 Filipinos, mostly Muslims from insurgency-plagued southern provinces, have settled in Sabah over the years to seek work and stability.


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Policymakers at the Federal Reserve were sharply split last month over whether to trim the U.S. central bank's massive bond-buying stimulus, although they ultimately chose not to, a top Fed official said on Friday.
The decision, by 17 top Fed officials after two days of discussion led by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, was a "close call," Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher told a group of business leaders at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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"There are straw votes taken along the way," he said, describing the Fed's regular policy-setting meetings. "At this last session, it was a close call."
Fisher's remarks are unusual because Fed policymakers typically avoid characterizing the overall tone of discussion at the policy-making table, sticking more to their personal views.
Fisher himself argued for reducing the Fed's $85-billion-a-month bond-buying program. While the purchases of mortgage-backed securities have helped the housing sector, he said, the Fed's purchases of Treasuries have not been effective.
"Those that have a different view think we should keep doing what we are doing, and now that we are in this situation -- although we didn't foresee it, we thought about it as a possibility, but without the full expectation there would be a government shutdown -- that changed the whole game," Fisher said. "We'll have to see how we resolve this, and then what we do in our next meeting."
The government shutdown was in sharp focus at the venue, where all exhibits were closed because of the federal government shutdown.
Fisher warned against allowing the shutdown to turn into a debt default, saying a default would disrupt world markets.


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Wall St. pundits have summarily exculpated Ben Bernanke from the negative effects derived from artificial interest rates and massive increase in the Fed's balance sheet. Specifically, most market commentators now claim with certainty that the central bank's unprecedented manipulation of markets has been done without creating any inflation.
This assertion is untrue in every aspect. Most importantly, the Fed's quest to boost asset prices has been accomplished by creating credit by decree. In other words, Mr. Bernanke has purchased more than $2.5 trillion worth of MBS and treasuries with newly manufactured money within the last five years alone. Therefore, there has already been $2.5 trillion worth of inflation that has been directly injected into mortgage and Treasury securities; and this number is still growing at a rate of $85 billion each month. This means the Fed is causing a tremendous amount of inflation to occur in bond prices.
Banks have taken the Fed's new money and purchased new assets including equities, MBS and treasuries, which in turn has helped push interest rates down to record lows. Bernanke's debt monetization has sent stock prices up 140 percent from their lows and sent home prices rising 10.2 percent YOY on a national basis, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Index. Inflation is very evident in stocks values and has now even caused real estate prices to jump.
This process of balance sheet expansion has caused the broad money supply M2 to rise 7 percent YOY. With real GDP growing at just 1.5-2 percent annual rate, the excess money growth is causing asset prices to rise.
But the major point here is the Fed has convinced many that re-inflating asset bubbles doesn't count as having produced any inflation. The best illustration of this point is the price of oil. Throughout the decades of the '80s and '90s the price of oil fluctuated around $30 per barrel. It started the '80s at $32 and began the new millennium at just $27 for a barrel of WTI crude. Starting in the mid-2000's, low interest rates, a falling dollar and Fed-engineered bubbles caused the oil price to eventually rise to $147 by 2008. Then, the Great Recession helped send the oil price back to $33 a barrel in early 2009. However, the Fed's quest for ever-increasing inflation has propelled the oil price back to $94 today.
This is how our central bank views inflation: keeping asset prices (in this example oil) more than 200 percent above its two-decade average doesn't count as inflation; it's just keeping asset bubbles from correcting. The same can be said about the equity market as well. Stock prices are at all-time nominal highs, which the Fed counts as a victory, and as such, Mr. Bernanke is disregarding the fact that they had previously been in an unsustainable bubble.
What's worse is the inflation debate isn't at all over. Money and interest rate manipulations courtesy of the Fed have allowed the government to amass a debt load that far outstrips its tax base. Therefore, since the tax base cannot support the amount of outstanding debt it will have to monetized in a more aggressive and permanent fashion. In other words, if you think prices are already killing the middle class and destroying your standard of living; just stay tuned, the worst is yet to come.
Michael Pento is the President and Founder of Pento Portfolio Strategies and Author of the book "The Coming Bond Market Collapse."


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15 U.S. Code § 717c - Rates and charges
All rates and charges made, demanded, or received by any natural-gas company for or in connection with the transportation or sale of natural gas subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, and all rules and regulations affecting or pertaining to such rates or charges, shall be just and reasonable, and any such rate or charge that is not just and reasonable is declared to be unlawful.
No natural-gas company shall, with respect to any transportation or sale of natural gas subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, (1) make or grant any undue preference or advantage to any person or subject any person to any undue prejudice or disadvantage, or (2) maintain any unreasonable difference in rates, charges, service, facilities, or in any other respect, either as between localities or as between classes of service.
Under such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe, every natural-gas company shall file with the Commission, within such time (not less than sixty days from June 21, 1938) and in such form as the Commission may designate, and shall keep open in convenient form and place for public inspection, schedules showing all rates and charges for any transportation or sale subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, and the classifications, practices, and regulations affecting such rates and charges, together with all contracts which in any manner affect or relate to such rates, charges, classifications, and services.
Unless the Commission otherwise orders, no change shall be made by any natural-gas company in any such rate, charge, classification, or service, or in any rule, regulation, or contract relating thereto, except after thirty days' notice to the Commission and to the public. Such notice shall be given by filing with the Commission and keeping open for public inspection new schedules stating plainly the change or changes to be made in the schedule or schedules then in force and the time when the change or changes will go into effect. The Commission, for good cause shown, may allow changes to take effect without requiring the thirty days' notice herein provided for by an order specifying the changes so to be made and the time when they shall take effect and the manner in which they shall be filed and published.
Whenever any such new schedule is filed the Commission shall have authority, either upon complaint of any State, municipality, State commission, or gas distributing company, or upon its own initiative without complaint, at once, and if it so orders, without answer or formal pleading by the natural-gas company, but upon reasonable notice, to enter upon a hearing concerning the lawfulness of such rate, charge, classification, or service; and, pending such hearing and the decision thereon, the Commission, upon filing with such schedules and delivering to the natural-gas company affected thereby a statement in writing of its reasons for such suspension, may suspend the operation of such schedule and defer the use of such rate, charge, classification, or service, but not for a longer period than five months beyond the time when it would otherwise go into effect; and after full hearings, either completed before or after the rate, charge, classification, or service goes into effect, the Commission may make such orders with reference thereto as would be proper in a proceeding initiated after it had become effective. If the proceeding has not been concluded and an order made at the expiration of the suspension period, on motion of the natural-gas company making the filing, the proposed change of rate, charge, classification, or service shall go into effect. Where increased rates or charges are thus made effective, the Commission may, by order, require the natural-gas company to furnish a bond, to be approved by the Commission, to refund any amounts ordered by the Commission, to keep accurate accounts in detail of all amounts received by reason of such increase, specifying by whom and in whose behalf such amounts were paid, and, upon completion of the hearing and decision, to order such natural-gas company to refund, with interest, the portion of such increased rates or charges by its decision found not justified. At any hearing involving a rate or charge sought to be increased, the burden of proof to show that the increased rate or charge is just and reasonable shall be upon the natural-gas company, and the Commission shall give to the hearing and decision of such questions preference over other questions pending before it and decide the same as speedily as possible.
The Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (f)(1), is Pub. L. 95–621, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3350, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 60 (§ 3301 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3301 of this title and Tables.
2005—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–58 added subsec. (f).
1962—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 87–454 inserted "or gas distributing company" after "State commission", and struck out proviso which denied authority to the Commission to suspend the rate, charge, classification, or service for the sale of natural gas for resale for industrial use only.
Pub. L. 102–104, title III, Aug. 17, 1991, 105 Stat. 531, authorized Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, pursuant to this section, to allow recovery, in advance, of expenses by natural-gas companies for research, development and demonstration activities by Gas Research Institute for projects on use of natural gas in motor vehicles and on use of natural gas to control emissions from combustion of other fuels, subject to Commission finding that benefits, including environmental benefits, to both existing and future ratepayers resulting from such activities exceed all direct costs to both existing and future ratepayers, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–486, title IV, § 408(c), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2882.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, are scheduled to take place from 7th-23rd February 2014. 98 events in 15 sports will be held of which 49 are carried out in the FIS Olympic disciplines.
The Games will be organised in two clusters: a coastal cluster for ice events in Sochi, and a mountain cluster located in the Krasnaya Polyana Mountains. The mountain cluster is home to all the FIS sports in addition to sliding sports. The concept is a very compact one with only an average distance of 4km between the mountain sub-village and the venues. There is also be a sub-media centre in the mountain cluster.
Sochi was selected as the host city in July 2007, during the 119th IOC Session held in Guatemala City. The 2014 Winter Olympics will be the first time that the Russian Federation will have hosted the Winter Games; the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. Sochi has a population of 400,000 people and is situated in Krasnodar, which is the third largest region in Russia.
For further information, visit the official website: http://www.sochi2014.com/en


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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand on Wednesday signed a free trade agreement with Taiwan in a deliberately low-key ceremony designed to demonstrate the South Pacific nation's fealty to its formal relations with mainland China.
The location of the signing ceremony at a university and the absence of senior officials from either side underscored New Zealand's interest in maintaining its increasingly important ties with Beijing. Five years ago, New Zealand became the first developed nation to sign a free trade deal with China, which has since become its largest export market.
In contrast to New Zealand, the deal was widely trumpeted in Taiwan, which is eager to break out of its China-imposed diplomatic isolation. It was Taiwan's first free trade agreement with a developed country and, from its point of view, a victory that was more political than economic. Television crews were on hand to beam the signing ceremony live to Taiwan.
Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, and the Chinese government goes out of its way to pressure other countries to give short shrift to Taiwanese attempts to expand the democratic island's international profile.
But it also seeks to assist the Taiwanese government of President Ma Ying-jeou in solidifying the island's economy as a way of promoting the interests of Ma's China-friendly Nationalist Party among an increasingly disaffected Taiwanese electorate. China-Taiwan relations have been considerably less fractious since the election of Ma in 2008.
Like most Western nations, New Zealand doesn't recognize Taiwan as an independent country. To complete the deal, New Zealand used the wording and status from the World Trade Organization, which describes Taiwan as a "separate customs territory."
The New Zealander who signed the deal was Stephen Payton, director of the Commerce and Industry Office which comes under the banner of the Wellington Employers' Chamber of Commerce. That meant he wasn't technically a government official, although he had been seconded into the role from his government job.
"We have a no surprises relationship with China," Payton said. "So yes, they are comfortable with what we are doing."
Payton said the gradual removal of tariffs from the beef, fruit and other products it exports to Taiwan would result in savings of 40 million New Zealand dollars ($31 million) in the first year and NZ$75 million after 12 years when all the tariffs expired.
Taiwan will also win some small economic gains when New Zealand tariffs on machine tools, steel plates and bicycles are removed under the deal.
Elliott Charng, who signed the agreement for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New Zealand, said the deal was a "win-win."
"I don't want to talk about the political issue here," Charng said in response to a question. "I don't know anything about China's involvement."
In Taipei, Taiwan's Foreign Minister David Lin shrugged off questions about the choice of venue, saying that Victoria University of Wellington was an "ideal site" for the ceremony because the university assisted in the feasibility study of the deal when talks began in 2011.
The agreement "will enhance interests on both sides," Lin said. "The deal was signed under the WTO framework, and it had nothing to do with mainland China."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China has no objections to trade and other types of exchanges between Taiwan and foreign countries as long as they stop short of "official relations."
"The current China-New Zealand relationship is in good shape. New Zealand's adherence to the one-China policy and proper handling of relevant issues is conducive to the sound development of the China-New Zealand relationship," Hua told reporters at a regularly scheduled briefing.
Taiwan has previously signed trade deals with its diplomatic allies, which are mostly small, impoverished countries in Africa and Latin America.
"It's a small step but has opened a window for Taiwan to raise its economic and diplomatic profiles globally," said Wu Fu-cheng, an economist with the Taiwan Institute for Economic Research.
Taiwan is also negotiating free trade deals with India and Singapore.
Enav reported from Taipei, Taiwan. Associated Press writers Annie Huang in Taipei and Christopher Bodeen in Beijing also contributed to this report.


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LANARK – Jacob Johnston has been on a postseason tear the likes of which have rarely been seen in this area.
On Wednesday, the Erie star ran into a defensive wall that was equally impressive.
The 6-foot-4 Johnston, who carried the Cardinals to their first regional championship in 8 years last week, was shut down by a stifling Eastland defense. The Cougars rolled to a 62-41 victory on Wednesday night in a Class 1A Eastland Sectional semifinal.
Next up for Eastland (28-3) is the sectional title game Friday against either Aquin or River Ridge. Those squads meet tonight.
Johnston poured in 89 total points in regional wins against Indian Creek and Paw Paw last week. He managed just nine against Eastland, on 4-for-14 shooting, a far cry from the 35 he scored in the Cardinals' 68-63 victory in the teams' first matchup Dec. 15.
"I've been getting a lot of points from the free-throw line from taking it to the hoop, and I didn't get any free throws tonight," Johnston said. "I couldn't get things to go my way. The balls weren't dropping, and I didn't play very good defense. It just wasn't a very good game for me. I give credit to Eastland. They're a really good basketball team."
The Cougars' defensive strategy centered around slowing Johnston. Their best defender, 6-3 junior Skylar Paulson, checked Johnston most of the time, but had plenty of help.
"We were always going to have pinch help on the sides so he couldn't drive," Paulson said, "and I wanted to stay tight on him so he couldn't get the 3 off. When he got into the paint, I was physical with him, and I think he got flustered. It worked out."
Whenever the Cardinals set screens to try and shake Johnston loose, another Cougar was waiting for him on the switch. The result was some forced shots by Johnston in the lane that had little chance to go in. He also picked up two fouls on charges drawn by Marshall Fink and Paulson.
"We want to play good man-to-man defense," Eastland coach Tony Dunlap said, "but we put some wrinkles in every once in a while. [Assistant] coach [Larry] Tigges and the other coaches, they put in a few wrinkles tonight, and the kids responded as a team defensively. They got after it, and really frustrated [Johnston], I thought."
Offensively, Eastland (28-3) was clicking as well, with junior guard Dalton Shaner and senior forward Ty Hartman leading the way.
The cat-quick Shaner tossed in 28 points on 13-for-19 shooting, one point shy of his season-high set Dec. 28 against Lena-Winslow. He hit his first six shots, capped by a 3-pointer to end the first quarter and give the Cougars a 20-8 lead.
"I had a few easy shots right off the bat, and I was kind of feeling it," Shaner said. "When you get those easy shots, you have that much more confidence in yourself. After I hit a few layups, I got the jump shot down. Yeah, I was definitely feeling it after the first quarter."
Hartman was a force inside, finishing several twisting and turning layups on his way to 18 points on 9-for-11 shooting. The Cougars were an efficient 28-for-49 (57 percent) from the field.
"Offensively, when I didn't screw them up, I think they did a really good job," Dunlap said. "They made that extra pass. They showed they have some quickness and can play hard, and that was fun to see."
Erie (19-14) showed some early fight, clawing to within 26-17 after an aggressive take from freshman guard Jordan Chandler with 3 minutes, 28 seconds left in the second quarter. Eastland's lead was back to 11 (31-20) by halftime, however.
Chandler (12 points) and Rhett Stover (9) were solid on offense, but off-nights from Johnston and long-range threat Connor Saad (0-for-4, all from 3-point range in the first quarter) were too much to overcome.
"Plain and simple, we knew we had to make shots," Erie coach Ryan Winckler said. "I thought we got some really nice looks early in the game that we didn't knock down, and Eastland took advantage of that. We never made them extend their defense, and they were able to throw two or three guys at Jacob. They were just a better team than us tonight."
Star of the game: Dalton Shaner, Eastland, 28 points, 4 rebounds
Key performers: Ty Hartman, Eastland, 18 points, 4 rebounds; Jordan Chandler, Erie, 12 points
Up next: 1A Eastland Sectional championship – Eastland vs. Aquin-River Ridge winner, 7:30 Friday


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UE: la FAO va en buena dirección
2 de julio de 2013, Roma, Italia - A week ago, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization member states agreed on the agency's 2014-2015 budget and a new strategic framework, objectives and work program for the next few years.
Before and during FAO's week-long biannual conference in Rome, the European Union had expressed concerns about the financial health of the organization, and asked for more transparency in its decentralization process.
Is the agency going in the right direction? Devex asked EU ambassador Laurence Argimon-Pistre, who shared her vision on the future partnership between the two bodies.
"We are those who pay the most. Of course we are always very rigorous in our approach to the management and to the costs. […] We feel that the Director-General is doing a great job," she said.
Argimon-Pistre underscored that Brussels has committed to help FAO reduce the number of stunted children by seven million before 2025, and investing €3.5 billion in the next seven years on agriculture-related programs, including €400 million for a specific program on nutrition. The EU, she added, also envisions possible increments in its funding to FAO.
Here are a few experts from our conversation with the European Union's representative at the U.N. agency two weeks ago in Rome:
FAO has undergone some major changes: A new strategic framework, new objectives, new budgeting modalities and ways of working. How are those changes impacting on the partnership between the European Union and the agency?
FAO has been a very strong and reliable partner, even when [it] was starting its reform […] and at that time it was criticized because it was not considered so efficient. Already with the Food Facility we have been able to demonstrate that FAO was efficient, that it was actually able to disburse a considerable amount of money in a very short time.
We actually helped FAO in engaging its reform and making it a success. The reform is going further because it has to. We are addressing challenges that are so big and that are changing very rapidly.
FAO has to reorganize its core functions to be as efficient as possible to address all these challenges and this is why we have the new five plus one strategic objectives. They really go in the right direction, which is exactly what we think is important and [on the ground] we have a complementary role.
Do you envision additional funding to FAO in specific countries, areas or programs?
We do. The Agenda for Change is very much country-oriented. What we are going to do is to work with those countries that are in really in difficult situations and need our help most. We expect to work very much with FAO country by country. […] It doesn't mean we're not going on working on global and regional approaches, especially in the framework of the Committee on Food Security.
We have a commitment to do more research and political work on nutrition. […] We expect FAO to be the champion on things such as nutrition [and] resilience, and to be an important regulatory and policy agency. FAO has the capacity to bring its expertise on epidemics, efficient agriculture, development of new technologies — always with this idea of sustainability.
At the FAO Council in April, during discussions on the budget, you expressed concern for FAO's deteriorating financial health. Are you still concerned about that? What is the impact on the ways in which you work with the organization?
You will not find one discussion on budget in [any] U.N. organization where the EU is not complaining about one thing or the other. It's normal because we are those who pay the most. Of course, we are always very rigorous in our approach to management and costs. It doesn't mean we are more critical of FAO than of any other [agency]. Our countries are going through crisis and very difficult times in terms of budget. […] We are maybe rigorous and strict in the definition of budgetary constraints, [but] we feel that the [FAO] Director-General is doing a great job.
Why is there an issue about the FAO's financial health?
There is no issue. The organization is doing a lot and it is actually being requested to do a lot. We are critical only on the size of the budget, which is a bit high. We have a general approach to U.N. agencies to zero nominal growth — but this is a bit above that.
Well, at the Council you talked about deteriorating financial health, increasing deficits, etc.
Yes, of course, we are always very outspoken on the budget […] There is an expression in French: 'You punish more, when you love more.' That is it. The more importance we give to FAO, the more difficult we're going to be on the use of finance.
It is true that it is not an organization that is absorbing enormous [amounts of] finance, but for us Europeans, it is an organization in which we feel we are actually investing quite a lot. We [have] put in €580 million since 2007 and we'll go on investing probably a still higher [amount] in the future. So we are obviously very strict in how the organization is dealing with its funds.
You asked for clarification on the proposed reallocation of resources for technical cooperation. Why did you ask for this?
The organization has a number of missions. One is to work with the countries on eradicating hunger and developing agriculture. Another is to monitor natural resources — and this is not only agriculture, but also fisheries and forestry. […] It has other missions too. We want to be sure that the organization is going to fulfill all [of them]. […] We want resources to be used in a way that makes sure that all these elements are going [together].
Decentralization is a big part of the FAO reform process. You asked for more rules and transparency in the management of the field offices. How do you envision the work at country level? Do you think this process could be more efficient and how can this be achieved?
We know the process, we know it is difficult, painful and we also know that [in order] to make it successful, what you need is really to make sure that you keep the best resources possible at the headquarters, otherwise you have a dichotomy. You need to have very good [distribution] of your resources [between headquarters and delegations] […] It is important that FAO thinks well about decentralization. When your resources are already limited, you really have to think in terms of putting the resources in the most strategic areas.
Are you talking about human resources?
FAO is a human resources organization in many respects. It depends very much on the expertise of the people and on [their] capacity. You have to keep strong expertise also at the headquarters [level]. It is very difficult to balance […] because the resources here at the headquarters are limited: If you put too many people on the ground, you may actually lose the basis here in terms of expertise [and] this is not [unique to] FAO.


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On Friday, Remington announced the release of the Model R-25, a modular repeating
rifle designed for big game hunters. The AR-style rifle is available in .243 Win.,
7mm-08 Remington and .308 Win. — three of today's most popular short action hunting
According to Remington, the entire rifle was designed with big game hunters in mind,
and includes the most advanced design aspects of 308 Win. Style AR rifles available
today. The R-25 features a precision-crafted 20 inch barrel with a recessed hunting
crown that's free-floated within a machined-aluminum fore-end tube. Six longitudinal
flutes forward of the gas block provide increased rigidity and weight reduction while
promoting rapid barrel cooling. Each Model R-25 is completely covered in Mossy Oak
Treestand camouflage.
The rifles come with a four-round magazine and are compatible with all aftermarket
AR 308 Win. type magazines and accessories.
MSRP is about $1,500.
These rifles will certainly have the ballistic capability to kill deer, but I wonder
how they will be received by the deer hunting community. Would you purchase one for
deer hunting?


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An Introduction to the Rapha Prestige
The Rapha Prestige is not a race; it's an unsupported, unsanctioned, and unmarshalled adventure across stunning terrain, and designed to bring out the camaraderie and suffering of road riding. The rules are simple, and the course is tough. Team members must ride and finish together.
The Route
Approximately 200km with 2,000m elevation, the Rapha Prestige Takao starts in the picturesque Si Zih Wan beach resort area of the city before heading northeastwards into Taiwan's mountain ranges. Riders will quickly find themselves in a forgotten part of the municipality where cars and even people are rarely seen. 2 major mountain passes are featured in this Prestige with several steep pitches in between. Farmlands, rock formations and gorgeous mountain vistas will take away the fatigue of climbing. A long sweeping descent and a welcomed tailwind await riders as they make their way back into the city.
Expect to be on the bike between 8-12 hours or even more. The full route will be revealed to confirmed participants 48 hours before the ride.
Rapha Bidon LG
Chamois Cream
感謝您詢問Rapha Prestige Takao有貨時我們將通知您。
US Dollars


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Timothy Zahn, John Crowley, Paul Tremblay and more sign at Harvard Book Store! Harvard Book Store is pleased to announce that Vericon X science fiction authors will be signing books in our store on the afternoon of March 20th.
Schedule of Author Signings:
1:30 – 2:15: Paul Tremblay and Greer Gilman
3:15 – 4:00: Katherine Howe and Resa Nelson
4:15 – 5:00: Timothy Zahn and John Crowley
Vericon is a science-fiction, fantasy, gaming, and anime convention featuring many events and distinguished guest speakers. It has been held annually at Harvard University since 2001. The tenth Vericon will take place on Friday-Sunday, March 19-21, 2010. The convention is sponsored by the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association (HRSFA), an undergraduate student group.
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA


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