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(VATICAN CITY) With delegations from countries around the world arriving in Rome to attend the papal installation Mass tomorrow, attention has now turned to the nominal liaison for diplomacy — but for different reasons. The election of Pope Francis as pontiff puts an outsider at the head of the Roman Catholic Church, but the choice of Secretary of State will give a large indication of how far Francis will go in reforming the Curia, the bureaucracies of the Vatican. The Washington Post's Jason Horowitz reports that cardinals have urged a robust effort:
In his first days since emerging from last week's secret Sistine Chapel election as the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Pope Francis has charmed the faithful with his humility, won over the press with his warmth and made history as the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope.
But just as important, Francis has indicated an intention to reform a Vatican government that is widely acknowledged as a den of dysfunction and theater of Italian-accented turf wars. Some cardinals have even suggested that back-stabbing in the papal court helped drive Francis's predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, into retirement.
As Francis, 76, goes about staffing the Roman Curia, the bureaucracy that governs the church, the focus among Vatican officials has shifted from the election of the pope who reigns to his appointment of the secretary of state who governs. With the entrenched forces of the Curia weakened by the election's result, some cardinals are calling for the avuncular Argentine to finish the job by appointing a reformist second-in-command.
"We'll see in his appointments how serious he is about tackling this stuff," said John Thavis, a keen church observer and author of "The Vatican Diaries." "If the secretary of state is one of these same old guys, the curial cardinals are going to feel reassured."
CBS explains the importance of the position:
The Secretariat of State is arguably the second most important office in the Vatican. The secretary is responsible for both the Church's external relations with other countries, and the internal relations between the various offices of the Church. The secretary of state decides who gets to see the Pope, vets and suggests names for papal appointments at the Vatican and in Vatican embassies around the world, oversees the Vatican newspaper and press office, and generally keeps tabs on everything and anything that happens regarding the pope and the Church.
The Secretariat of State is divided into two sections: Section for General Affairs, also called the First Section and the Section for Relations with States, or the Second Section.
The First Section is run by the Substitute, a kind of vice-Secretary of State. His office is responsible for helping to write and translate papal documents and speeches and is divided into language groups. Any correspondence that comes in for the pope is dealt with by the First Section. It also handles Vatican publications and protocol.
The Second Section, or Section for Relations with States, is headed by an archbishop who has a role similar to a foreign minister or the U.S. Secretary of State. It deals with relations with other governments and the United Nations as well as working with the Congregation for Bishops in the nomination of bishops and creation of new dioceses. The Secretary for Relations with States often serves as the Vatican's representative abroad, in place of the pope or secretary of state.
During papal transitions, heads of departments offer their resignation, and usually the new Pope asks them to stay around. On Saturday, the press office confirmed that Francis had done so — but with a caveat that the positions may well be temporary. For that matter, so may be the current organizational structure, which bears more resemblance to a royal court than a modern state or corporation. Horowitz's report includes this tidbit from Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington:
Before and after the pope's election, Wuerl said, cardinals have talked about providing the pontiff with more perspective from local churches around the world through papal meetings with leaders of bishops' conferences. Other cardinals have talked of establishing a system similar to a presidential cabinet rather than a royal court. Wuerl said cardinals expressed interest in holding an annual meeting in Rome to air local issues and having department heads report to the pope and not the secretary of state.
"So you will bypass a lot of the need for what has become a thorn in the side of many today," Wuerl said. "And that is what is described as Curia engagement in the local church."
Some of my contacts here say the problem isn't corruption or malice as some media reports paint it, but inefficiency and organizational obstructions to the mission of evangelization. The Vatican, these sources say, suffer from the same problems of all entrenched bureaucracies, so reform will probably be aimed and streamlining and creating more responsive units within the Curia. To provide that kind of reform, Francis will have to appoint a cardinal familiar enough with the Vatican to understand its issues without being bound to its current structure. That will be a very delicate balance to strike, especially for those within the Curia who have every reason to worry about how reform will impact them.
In other news, Joe Biden has landed in Rome and met with the American ambassador to Italy, David Thorne, according to the pool report from Yahoo! reporter Olivier Knox. There will be no meeting between Biden and Pope Francis, however:
The VP will not have a one-on-one meeting with the Pope Tuesday — he'll attend the mass and take part in the receiving line. Your pooler is advised that the line is closed press but that Vatican TV might show some of it.
The "receiving line" does not refer to the Eucharist during Mass, but in the diplomatic greeting line afterward. In fact, Pope Francis won't distribute communion during the Mass, as the press office explained; in the interest of efficiency, 500 priests will serve as ministers of the Eucharist. This might disappoint some Americans who wondered whether Pope Francis might balk at offering communion to some pro-abortion politicians, as he advised in a joint letter while Cardinal Bergoglio in Argentina. The diplomatic reception line will take place in front of the main altar in St. Peter's Basilica, and only Vatican TV will have direct access to it.
More news from the briefing today, which focused almost entirely on the arrangements for the Mass of the Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, the more-or-less official name for tomorrow's ceremony:
- One hundred and thirty-two delegations have already arrived for the Mass tomorrow, which starts at 9:30 am local time. They are expecting more arrivals today and tonight. That includes 31 heads of state and six sovereigns, 11 heads of government (they count Biden among them), as well as many prominent political figures and "celebrities."
- The Pope had lunch with Argentina president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner today. He also met with the current Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone at 10 am this morning, to settle the last arrangements for the Mass tomorrow morning. Later, he will meet with the Jesuit General, Fr. Adolfo Nicholás.
- The press office laid out the arrangements for tomorrow's Mass — where people would be sitting. There will be around 1200 priests and seminarians, hundreds of bishops, and representatives from other religious communities — including Jewish and Muslim representatives.
- Francis will arrive in the Popemobile or the jeep (they are not sure which yet), leaving at 8:50 and driving through the square as much as possible for as many people to see him as possible.
- The Inauguration (or Initiation) of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome takes place in the very place where St. Peter met his martyrdom. Piazza San Pietro was the site of Nero's Circus at that time. Peter was buried on the site where the Basilica now stands. Fr. Thomas Rosica said, "This is holy ground."
- Thirty-three delegations from Christian churches around the world will meet with Francis on Wednesday, along with delegations from interfaith efforts.
- The press office released the papal coat of arms and motto today. It's the same coat of arms he used as cardinal in Argentina (see below).
- Motto: Miserando atque eligendo. "Having had mercy, he called him." From the Gospel of Matthew.


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Area items of interest
Couple honored for volunteerism
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Schlier have been volunteers at Lenoir Memorial Hospital for more than 10 years. He is a retired veteran of the Air Force, an active member of the Lion�s Club, and along with his wife Jane, has spent 20 years delivering food for the homebound elderly.
She also is an active member of the Neuse Quilters Guild, was a key figure in the development of the Lights of Love program at the hospital and has been president of the Volunteer Board at the hospital.
A reception was held at the Council on Aging�s Skinner Senior Center Nov. 9 to honor the couple. The agency presented them with a plaque to commemorate the honor and made a donation to the charity of their choice, The Lenoir County SPCA, in their name.
Mayor B.J. Murphy presented them with a letter recognizing and thanking them for their efforts throughout the community.
Minister publishes book
The Rev. Claude Sawyer, pastor, can add another title to his name � author. Sawyer has published his first book, �The Apple of Adam�s Eye.�
The Kinston native is an ordained minister in the United American Free Will Baptist Church in Kinston. He is a revivalist and gospel preacher and has committed his life to God�s work, with a heart for the people of God and all people in general. His ministry has spread as far southeast as St. Croix Virgin Island, and as far west as Los Angeles, speaking in conferences, conventions and retreats.
His book is a discovery of the creation of Adam and the things that went on in the Garden of Eden. It is an unfolding of revelation that speaks of the fall of man and the plan of God in sending Jesus as the second Adam to redeem man back to the place of dominion, authority and power that God had given him in the beginning. This interpretation shows Adam in a new way. As Eve was the apple of Adam�s eye, we are the apple of God�s eye.
Sawyer and his wife Betty J. Sawyer have four children and six grandchildren.
Sawyer�s book can be purchased at amazon.com or the Kinston Bible Bookstore in Vernon Park Mall.
Some fresh produce still at market
Ronnie Hanchey, a Lenoir County Farmer�s Market vendor, offers a wide variety of winter produce and will be at the market on regular days � Tuesdays and Saturdays � until his produce is gone. He�ll even tell you how to prepare it.
Included in his produce is Napa cabbage, tat soy, rutabagas, bok choy, turnips and turnip salad, broccoli, kale, purple kale, henpeck, curly mustard, and others.

subset: commoncrawl


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Column published October 9, 2012 in The Mexico Ledger
100 Years Ago
"'The Blighted Son,' at The Lyric Tuesday evening, was one of the best moving picture features ever seen in this city. The Theatre was crowded for both performances and much appreciation expressed to Manager Smith for his high-class and satisfactory program."
50 Years Ago
"John Misenhelter, 1963 Community Chest Drive Chairman has announced that chairmen have been selected for the various committees, and that things are rapidly taking shape for a successful drive. This year's fundraising will begin Monday. Misenhelter says the new chairmen are primed and ready, and expresses confidence that this year's goal of $36,820, would be attained before the drive's scheduled closing."
25 Years Ago
"A representative of the U.S. Railroad Retirement board will be at the Chicago, Missouri and Western depot in Mexico from 8:30-9:30 a.m., Oct. 15 to assist those with appointments concerning administration of the Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts. People without appointments will be assisted as time permits."
10 Years Ago
"The Mexico-Audrain County League of Women Voters held a public forum Tuesday night at Mexico High School featuring several local candidates running for office in the November election. The candidates speaking at the forum included Audrain Prosecuting Attorney candidates Jason Lamb and Randy England, 21st District State Representative candidates Steve Hobbs and Mike Groves, 18th District State Senator candidate John Cauthorn and 9th District U.S. representative candidate Keith Brekhus. The forum gave each candidate an opportunity to give timed three-minute opening statements followed by a question and answer session with questions submitted by the audience."
The Yesterday In Mexico column is published daily in The Mexico Ledger.
An expanded column is published on Fridays.
Call the circulation department (573) 581-1111 for subscription information.


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Pure18 presents Bella Beyle in video Lovely bella
Rating: 3.14
Voodoo had to pick up some important documents on CD from his coworkers younger sister. She was waiting for him to come by to get some alone time with him. She told him to come to her bedroom to get the CDs. He grabbed the documents and was about to leave when she made him stay. She wanted to show him her big delectable ass. She revealed her juicy ass to him in all its glory. She shook around those succulent ass cheeks before she got her pussy pounded from behind. She got man milk all over her pretty face.
Watch the full Video. Join Now


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TV Daily Schedule: KQED 9
Another way to search for programs is from the TV Programs A-Z Directory.
KQED 9: Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Channels 9.1 • 54.2, 25.1 | XFINITY 9 and HD 709
Schedule is subject to change. Please visit kqed.org/tv/schedules/daily for the most up-to-date info.
12:00 amCharlie Rose [#19041] (original broadcast date: 02/18/13)
* Michelle Rhee, Author of "Radical: Fighting to Put Students First."
* Designer Carolina Herrera, Composer Tom Hodge and Music Director Javier Peral discuss their collaboration.
* Mickey Edwards, Author of "The Parties Versus the People: How to Turn Republicans and Democrats into Americans" duration 56:47 STEREO TVRE
1:00 amNightly Business Report [#32054Z] duration 26:46 STEREO TVRE
1:30 amImageMakers [#1002H] Love Is Complicated AFTER THE CREDITS - Australia
Love means never having to say you're sorry ... yeah, right! We've seen it a hundred times before - boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. What all those Hollywood romantic comedies don't show you is what happens after the movie credits end. We all know it's a completely different story. Real love means having to say you're sorry over and over and over. Written and directed by Josh Lawson. Josh makes a cameo in the film as the rude passenger. Principal cast: Toby Schmitz and Robin McLeavy.
What starts out as a simple lunch date, ends with two women revealing their deepest secrets. Lynette can't help fantasizing about cheating on her husband and believes she has found the perfect solution to her dilemma. Shocked and dismayed, her best friend Gail is forced to drop a bombshell of her own, one that will change their friendship forever. Produced and directed by Laura Belsey. Principal cast: Kathleen McElfresh and Corena Chase. duration 26:56 STEREO TVPG
2:00 amAntiques Roadshow [#1707H] Myrtle Beach, Hour One In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Eric Silver visit beautiful Brookgreen Gardens to discuss early 20th-century female sculptors. Appraiser Debra Force discovers a Joseph Henry Sharp oil painting valued at $400,000, leaving the guest feeling as sunny as Myrtle Beach itself! duration 56:46 STEREO TVG
3:00 amMarket Warriors [#117H] Antiquing In Greenwich, Ny The pickers head up the Hudson River to Greenwich, New York, to the Washington County Antique Fair, where twice a year the fairgrounds are host to more than 200 vendors and thousands of shoppers. This week the pickers have a target assignment to bring back a military object, and one person's change of mind may cost that person the win. Off-screen host Mark L. Walberg observes some key finds, which include a Victorian birdcage, a WWII water bag and a German pull toy. The winning picker is determined at Quinn's Auction Galleries in Falls Church, Virginia, where their chosen items go under the hammer. duration 56:17 STEREO TVPG
4:00 amIndependent Lens [#1408] The Powerbroker: Whitney Young's Fight for Civil Rights Whitney M. Young Jr. was one of the most celebrated -- and controversial -- leaders of the civil rights era. This documentary follows his journey from segregated Kentucky to head of the National Urban League. Unique among black leaders, he took the fight directly to the powerful white elite, gaining allies in business and government, including three presidents. Young had the difficult tasks of calming the fears of white allies, relieving the doubts of fellow civil rights leaders and responding to attacks from the militant Black Power movement. duration 56:46 STEREO TVPG-VL (Secondary audio: none)
5:00 amUnderground Railroad: The William Still Story This documentary profiles William Still, one of the most important yet unheralded individuals of the Underground Railroad. It details the accounts of black abolitionists, who had everything at stake as they helped fugitives follow the North Star to Canada. duration 56:46 SRND51 TVPG
6:00 amRaggs [#130] Transport Trilby must decide what form of transportation to use to visit Grandpa Pooch. Plus, B. Max and his teddy take everyone on a rocket ship trip to the moon! duration 28:46 STEREO TVY
6:30 amCat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! [#202H] The Surprising Bean/Hear Here * Inside Out - Nick keeps trying to surprise Sally, but he just can't do it! The Cat takes them to find a real surprise in the Skippylarito Fields! Once there, Cat shows them a special bean - that suddenly moves! With a shrunken Thingamajigger, they go inside the bean and meet the moth larvae that lives there. They learn that it's really the moth that causes the bean to move. What a neat surprise indeed < br />* Hear Here - The kids hear chirping but can't find where it's coming from. If only they had better ears. Ears like an elephant? Or maybe an owl or even a fox? Not a problem when the Cat's around! He takes them to meet these animals with amazing ears. Back home the kids used what they learned from their new friends to find the sound - a teeny tiny cricket! What other great sounds are around? duration 28:46 STEREO TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
7:00 amDaniel Tiger's Neighborhood [#117H] Good Morning Daniel/Goodnight Daniel * Good Morning Daniel - It's a typical morning in the Tiger household, and Daniel has to get up for school but his playing and imagining distract him from his routine. Daniel learns that his morning routine helps him be ready in time for Trolley to take him to school.
* Goodnight Daniel - Tonight, Daniel is pretending to be Super Daniel! But after dinner, he has to follow his nighttime routine even though he would rather play. Young viewers follow Daniel as he gets ready for bed and eventually he learns that even super heroes get sleepy. duration 28:46 STEREO TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
7:30 amCaillou [#306] Caillou The Snowman Snowflakes - Caillou eagerly awaits the first snowfall of winter, and imagines himself building the biggest snowman in the world. When the snowflakes finally start to fall he rushes outside to play. He and Sarah take a close look at some snowflakes, and then go inside to make their own snowflakes out of paper. Caillou Shoots! He Scores! - Caillou wants to play hockey with Billy and the other big kids. He goes with Daddy to the store to get the equipment he needs, but he finds he just can't keep up with the big kids. After Daddy gives Caillou his old hockey sweater - which is way too big for Caillou - he tells him that if he keeps practicing he'll be really good by the time he grows into the sweater. Caillou goes to Leo's house to practice his hockey skills and dream about the future. Caillou Goes Tobogganing - Mommy can't find Caillou's toboggan for the playschool tobogganing trip and Caillou is certain he'll miss out on all the fun. Miss Martin tells him that a cardboard box slides just as well as a toboggan on snow, so he decorates a box to look just like a bobsled. Once they get to the hill his bobsled box works just as well as all the other kids' toboggans and he has a grand time after all. duration 28:55 STEREO TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
8:00 amCurious George [#604H] George and the Giant Thumb/Shutter Monkey * George and the Giant Thumb - A bored George and Allie decide to make a ginormous sculpture of Bill's sprained thumb. The duo quickly run out of clay and turn to less conventional art supplies. Peanut butter proves too sticky and shaving cream too drippy, so George and Allie use mud to finish their masterpiece. But will Bill give their art a thumbs up?
* Shutter Monkey - Betsy's "Out of Sight Shapes" entry for the photo contest is sure to win first prize--that is until George and Steve accidentally ruin her pictures. With some help from Steve, George runs around town trying to re-shoot the photographs. But finding the hidden shapes in things is hard for a little monkey! Can George snap 4 pictures of 4 shapes by 4:00 - or are Betsy's prize-winning photos out of sight for good? duration 28:46 STEREO TVY
8:30 amCat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! [#203H] Bounce/Timmy Tippy Toe * Bounce - Nick and Sally are wondering why their ball is so bouncy. Fish tells them it's because it's made from rubber, and rubber comes from trees. Cat doesn't believe him so it's time to ask the expert, Dr. Twiggles! It turns out Fish is right! And Dr. Twiggles shows them all just how rubber is made, and all the wonderful things rubber can make
* Timmy Tippy Toe - Nick and Sally are playing on a climbing frame but just can't manage to get to the top. Cat tries to show them how it's done but he can't do it either! Time to go see Timmy Tippy Toe, the Klipspringer who is an expert climber! Timmy teaches them to use their hands and their feet, and now they can reach the top of their own "mountain"! duration 28:46 STEREO TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
9:00 amSuper Why! [#147] The Swan Maiden Red really, really doesn't want her playdate with Little Boy Blue to end so she hides his horn. Super Why, Wonder Red, Princess Presto, and Alpha Pig fly into the story upon which the ballet "Swan Lake" was based, where they encounter a fair maiden who is having a similar problem with a prince! Will Super Why and his friends be able to help the Swan Maiden get her feathers back so she can return home before the sun sets? Educational Objectives: To learn strategies for ending a playdate, catch the alphabet using an alphabet net, identify the letters D,R,O, P, practice the magic of spelling, and use the power to read to change the story. duration 28:55 STEREO TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
9:30 amDinosaur Train [#213H] Dinosaur Train Submarine: Otto Opthalmosaurus/King Meets Crystal When the Pteranodon family takes the Dinosaur Train under the sea to visit their friend Elmer Elasmosaurus, they learn that the Elasmosaurus family is going away from the station to follow their food, the fish. Buddy wants to follow, but the train tunnel doesn't go that way - so the Conductor decides to take the family in a brand-new invention, the Dinosaur Train Submarine! On their journey, they meet a marine reptile called Otto Opthalmosaurus, who guides the submarine deeper than it's ever been, and even helps them find their way out of a sea cave. During a day at Troodon Town Music Festival, the Pteranodon family and King Cryolophosaurus hear a wonderful singer named Crystal Cryolophosaurus. King is very interested in becoming friends with Crystal, another dinosaur of his species, but he gets very nervous when trying to talk to her. Tiny and Buddy help King overcome his nervousness, and he and Crystal end up friends who happily sing together. duration 28:46 SRND51 TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
10:00 amClifford The Big Red Dog [#211] Cleo Gets A Cone/A Job Well Read Cleo Gets A Cone - Clifford's Big Idea: Be Kind The dogs see another dog wearing a cone collar and Cleo and Mac make assumptions about the other dog's "weakness of character" (she should have been able to stop scratching!). However, a few days later, Cleo is forced to " walk a mile in her cone" when she herself can't stop scratching - and the experience teaches her compassion. A Job Well Read - Clifford's Big Idea: Be a Good Friend Jetta volunteers to watch her baby brother Cosmo but finds him more energetic than she was expecting. With the help of her good friends Charley and Emily, she's convinced to try reading to the little guy - an activity that Cosmo really loves! duration 28:55 STEREO TVY (Secondary audio: DVI)
10:30 amClifford's Puppy Days [#121] Moving On/Fair Is Fair * Moving On - The Sidarskys are moving to a newer mouse hole around the corner. Clifford offers to help them move the big family clock when he comes back from lunch. But on the way back, he gets distracted. By the time he gets back to the laundry room, the Sidarskys have already moved, but things are chaotic because the baby can't sleep without that clock. Clifford feels bad for not being there to help, but he makes amends by moving the clock now and restoring harmony to the Sidarsky household.
* Fair is Fair - Emily Elizabeth and Nina volunteer to read to kids at the book fair, but problems arise when their replacements - Shun and Evan - don't show up in time.


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Published by: Reaves Daniels
Resolution: 1066x824px
Category: Chair, More >>
Published at: Friday, February 09 2018 18:53:57
Of course it is not only the Lazyboy that boasts of recliner functionality as there are plenty of other recliner chairs that offer the perfect way to relax at home. Reclining chairs can cost a bit more than regular chair types, though their flexibility means they are worth the extra investment. Some office chairs serve only to make office guests and customers comfortable. But then again, there are also office chairs that are designed and built for those who sit on their desks for the most part of the day and should be very comfortable and user-friendly.
Depending on your requirements, reclining chairs are available as massage chairs, regular seats, and full-featured home theater reclining chairs. The massage type recliners can have built-in heat technology and music thats synchronized to the rythym of the massage programme. These recliners will also have several pre-configured massage settings so that you can use the one you enjoy most. The massage recliner is excellent at relieving aching and sore muscles.


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Today's Meditation
Read John 13:1-17
Jesus said, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
-John 13:14-15 (NIV)
My friend from another culture would not allow me to handle his shoes as I helped him pack his clothes for traveling because in his culture doing so is demeaning. In my culture, it is not dishonorable to touch feet or footwear. Pedicurists, podiatrists, and people who repair shoes are not looked down upon. In some parts of the world, however, these and similar occupations are relegated to a special, "undesirable" group of people. Understanding this reveals the humility of Christ when he washed the disciples' feet, as well as explains the astonishment of Peter who wanted to stop him from doing so.
Even in today's world, some opportunities for service carry the same stigma that foot washing does in my friend's culture. There are still many people, places, and situations that "good" Christians avoid. Perhaps we are prevented by our concern for status and reputation. Maybe our ego or selfimage tells us that we are not right for such a humble task. But being like Jesus means disregarding ego and self.
We cannot dismiss Jesus' example by saying it was easy for him because he could do anything. Instead, we can follow his example as those who would do anything for love's sake.
Kenneth Athon
(Indiana, USA)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for your all-inclusive love and for Jesus' humility as examples of how to relate to others. Amen.
Thought for the Day: Find a way to serve someone who usually serves you.
© 2009-2018 Spencer Evening World, Inc. | Privacy Policy
No commercial reproduction without written consent.
Electronic reproduction of any kind forbidden without written consent.


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You can't beat a system you can't understand
By Sam Bari
Against my better judgment, last week I promised to tell this tale. I will probably live to regret it, especially if any members of the assemblage of would-be musicians ever find out that I resurrected their story.
When my no-name crew of erstwhile friends, myself included, entered our teenage years, significant changes began to take place in our bodies, minds, and attitudes toward life. As I understand it, this has been a human trait for some time.
Appearance, popularity, and other things that were of little consequence until this metamorphosis into pre-adulthood began, took on an importance that was just short of obsessive. And it seemed to happen overnight - to all of us.
Until then, other than being outcasts as individuals, the group didn't have much in common, but that was enough to inspire us to band together in a collective effort to survive childhood. This of course carried on into our teens, and if the truth were known, I am surprised that we were ever capable of going our separate ways as adults without expiring from the experience.
At that time, rock 'n' roll was a really big deal, and new bands were popping up all over. Anybody playing in a rock 'n' roll band was popular, and pretty much the center of attention, which was another thing that suddenly became significant. Our quests for attention bordered on needy.
Other than survival issues, music lessons were among the few things our rag-tag group had in common. Most of us took weekly lessons on a musical instrument of one kind or another. So we decided to pool our talents and start a rock 'n' roll band. The idea was to play at school functions and become popular. Unfortunately, most of us didn't play rock 'n' roll instruments, and that was a problem.
Tank Mueller, Muffin Duffy's boyfriend, played the tuba, Pookie Grossberg played violin, Kinky Boswell played clarinet, and Chilly Mac played bass drum in the school band. Louie the Lip wasn't really a musician but he knew how to twang a jaw harp and play the kazoo, which was nothing more than humming into a piece of wax paper draped over a comb.
I played the piano, and I knew three Jerry Lee Lewis tunes, which I played badly. But at least I played a legitimate rock 'n' roll instrument. Since school bands don't have pianos, because marching while playing a piano presents a whole other dilemma, I had to play a glockenspiel, the inventor of which should suffer unspeakable torture.
The glockenspiel is kind of a portable metal keyboard invented for marching purposes. It is played by hitting metal bars with a little mallet. It sounds like a kid's toy piano that can play only one note at a time. It sounds awful.
Muffin Duffy sang in the chorus, but only because her mother made her do it. She hated it. Muffin looked at us and shook her head sadly. "How can you call a group with a tuba, bass drum, clarinet, violin, kazoo and glockenspiel a rock 'n' roll band?" she asked. "You can't have a rock band without a guitar. Everybody will laugh at you." She was right. Somehow, Jerry Lee Lewis songs played on a glockenspiel didn't exactly rock.
All but Louie the Lip were discouraged. "Why do we have to be like everybody else?" the Lip asked. "We can be something new, different. You know - like the Spike Jones band."
"Spike Jones and the City Slickers" was a comedic band in the 1940s and 50s that featured an odd assortment of instruments. They specialized in parodies on popular songs punctuated with gunshots, cowbells, slide whistles and squeeze horns. Despite their antics, the members of the Spike Jones ensemble were accomplished musicians. We were not.
"If we have a really cool name and learn an original song, we can be just as famous as anybody else," the Lip argued. "Then we'll find a place to play where we'll be seen by lots of people. We'll be stars in no time," he said.
The Lip convinced us that we had nothing to lose, and for the next couple of days we tried to come up with a name. Of course, the Lip thought of the most original name of all - "The Hornsickle Stubfester Soggy Mountain Band." When he told us, we were speechless. After a few minutes Kinky Boswell asked, "Who's Hornsickle Stubfester?"
The Lip looked at Kinky as if he had two heads. "That's the point," the Lip answered. "There is no Hornsickle Stubfester. It's just a name. We want a name that sets us apart from everybody else. People will come just to see the band with this great name." All Kinky could say was, "Oh." And like most of the Lip's harebrained schemes, we bought it, and the name stuck. It even grew on us. We liked it.
The "Hornsickle Stubfester Soggy Mountain Band" was now an official entity. We didn't know a single song, but we were determined to learn one. Tune in next week and I'll tell you how the band made its mark on a system we can't understand.


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Champion Toowoomba runner preparing for new challenge
WHEN it comes to athletic achievements, Tressa Lindenberg has nothing left to prove.
But that steely drive that has taken her to the top of the Australian endurance running tree tells you she's always up for a challenge.
On March 8, Lindenberg will tackle her "biggest" sporting challenge yet when she steps into the ring at Rumours International for her boxing debut.
Lindenberg will not be jousting for a world title or huge purse against her yet to-be-named rival, but a cause close to her heart is set to benefit on the night.
Lindenberg's charity stoush will be about raising money for the Toowoomba Early Childhood Development Program at Rangeville State School.
The Education Queensland facility provides programs and support for children from six weeks to five years of age who have a suspected and/or diagnosed disability or significant developmental delays.
It is a cause Lindenberg knows plenty about after her prematurely born son Charlie benefited from it in the early years of his continuing battle against cerebral palsy.
"This will be a huge leap out of my comfort zone but I'm prepared to get in the ring and have a go for a cause that helps achieve such wonderful outcomes," Lindenberg said.
Lindenberg is the sister of Toowoomba boxing trainer and promoter Brendon Smith while her nephew Brayd Smith will fight on the March 8 card.
Lindenberg is also an eight (consecutive) time winner of the Queen of The Range, a former national 100km champion and dual Australian representative.
"People think that having grown up in a boxing family, it would be second nature to me - but it's not," Lindenberg said.
"But since I've been injured, I've been doing some cross-training, including boxercise and it is a sport so now I'm preparing to take the next step."


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Outside money is pouring into San Joaquin Valley congressional races, a potentially mixed blessing for candidates and a sure sign of more to come.
Out-of-state donors, in particular, enabled Democrat Amanda Renteria to nearly match the recent fund raising of Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, since January. Renteria this week reported raising a total of $303,468 in the first three months of the year, while Valadao reported raising $322,358.
Most of Renteria's funds came from donors living outside of California.
Particularly for a first-time challenger, posting competitive totals like these can demonstrate political viability. This, in turn, can draw in more money for all sides as campaign professionals sense a real race shaping up.
Renteria reports having $423,965 on hand as of March 31, while Valadao reports having $852,084.
"Central Valley voters are supporting Amanda because they know she can win, because they know the Valley can do better than . . . Valadao, and because everyone is concerned that he's failed to deliver on immigration reform and improving the lives of our families.," Renteria's campaign manager, Emily Nowlin, said Thursday.
Fresno resident John Hernandez is also running, albeit with little money so far, in the 21st Congressional District. The district includes all of Kings County and portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties. As yet, Hernandez has not reported any political contributions.
In the other Valley race that's captivating the national political parties, Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, reports having $1.5 million on hand, while Democrat Michael Eggman reports having $426,665. Like Renteria, Eggman is relying so far on out-of-district donors.
By contrast, none of the Republicans seeking to challenge Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, in a district that includes all or portions of Merced, Madera and Fresno counties, have more than $12,000 on hand. Costa reports having $642,539 available.
For challengers and incumbents alike, non-local political donations can yield vulnerabilities as well as the obvious benefits.
Republicans, for instance, are trying to fit Renteria's out-of-district financial support into a larger narrative that the Capitol Hill veteran and graduate of Stanford and Harvard Business School is a "Washington, D.C., insider." A GOP tally released Thursday showed less than 1 percent of Renteria's itemized individual contributions came from district residents.
"If there was any doubt that Amanda Renteria is Washington's pick for this congressional seat, look no further than the shockingly little support she's received from the community she's seeking to represent," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Tyler Q. Houlton said Thursday.
Renteria, a native of the Tulare County town of Woodlake and a graduate of the town's high school, moved back to the Valley last August.
Democrats, in turn, cite Valadao's out-of-district donors amid their own preferred attack lines. Democrats note, for instance, that the political action committee for the Kansas-based Koch Industries, whose political largesse has made it a frequent Democratic target, has now contributed $7,500 to Valadao.
"It's not surprising to see shady out-of-state billionaires padding the campaign coffers of Congressman Valadao," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Tyrone Gayle said in an email Thursday, further asserting that Valadao's alleged support for "the ultra-wealthy like the Koch Brothers was the clearest sign that he has the wrong priorities."
In a statement Thursday, the Valadao campaign countered that "Rep. Valadao is proud of the broad support for his reelection" and added that "these funds will be used to respond to attacks from the liberal and radical environmental groups that are fully funding our opponent's campaign."
Denham was publicly criticized this week by Stanislaus County Republican Central Committee member Marty Miknus for accepting a $10,000 contribution from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The Dec. 2 contribution from the Santa Barbara County based tribe to the Denham Victory Fund came after Denham backed a land-transfer bill sought by the tribe.
Denham has long raised money from tribes, with four other out-of-district tribes contributing to his campaign so far this year. The casino-operating Santa Ynez tribe, in turn, spreads its checks across state and party lines. At least seven other lawmakers who co-sponsored the tribe's land-transfer legislation have, like Denham, received Santa Ynez contributions since last summer, records show.
Neither Denham nor his spokesperson could be reached to comment Thursday.


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Traffic returns to normal on I-35
Traffic returns to normal on I-35
AMES, Iowa —
Traffic is returning to normal on Interstate 35 south of Ames Wednesday after several hours of only one lane open.
Crews pulled a Target semi truck out of the ditch south of the Huxley exits Wednesday morning.
Multiple crashes were also reported in the area.
Traffic was backed up on the interstate in the southbound lanes from near Alleman to north of the Huxley and Highway 210 exits -- around the 102 to 100 mile markers.
KCCI viewer Carrie Semprini reported on the KCCI Facebook page that it "took us an hour to get through a 9 mile stretch between Huxley and Elkhart exits."
Both lanes reopened about 2:35 p.m.
Drivers can use Highway 69 as an alternative route but it is also carrying heavy traffic.


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A new report shows Jon Gosselin demanded $10,000 – $12,000 to make a radio show appearance.
According to TMZ, the host of Tampa's MJ Morning Show said he contacted Jon's rep in the hopes of booking him to guest co-host the show for one morning. The radio show offered two first class round trip plane tickets, limo service and a "first class" hotel room.
He however received a reply from Jon's rep demanding 10 – 12k for his time. When asked why Jon was worth so much, his rep replied saying, "[Jon's] name and appearance on your show will instantly draw press … and will be a high point for the show." The rep also describes Jon as "quite funny, sharp witted and interesting."
In other news, a special episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 will air next Monday on TLC. It will show Kate Gosselin answering questions submitted by viewers.
Radaronline got a sneak peek at some of the questions Kate will be answering. They include, "Do you ever see yourself getting married
again?" and "Is there money put away for the kids' education that neither parent can touch?" Nearly 9000 questions were submitted.
We also reported that Nadya Suleman aka Octomom recently revealed her crush on Jon. Unfortunately for Nadya, the feeling is not mutual. When Jon was asked about Nadya's comments, "No way" was his reply.


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photo 1 of 254
Dong Hyun Kim
A Korean hero whose fans wait up all night to see his fights on television, Dong Hyun Kim carries a great weight on his shoulders in terms of expectations every time he steps into the Octagon. But with UFC wins over Jason Tan and Matt Brown already secured, the aggressive and exciting judo black belt nicknamed 'Stun Gun' has shown that he is more than ready to deliver on his promise - not only to himself but to his country.
TRAINING: I focused on strength and conditioning, as well as striking, my ground game and wrestling. I prepared for every possible scenario.
When and why did you start training for fighting? I started training MMA in 2004. I saw some videos of SHOOTO and UFC, and they were great. It really got my blood pumping.
What ranks and titles have you held? Fourth degree black belt in judo.
Do you have any heroes? Anderson Silva
What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It's an honor for me to fight in the UFC, the world's best fight event. And it will be a big opportunity to show my fighting talent to MMA fans around the whole world.
Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I'm in my 4th year at Yong-In University, majoring in Judo. Judo is so helpful in MMA.
What was your job before you started fighting? Judo player
Accomplishments in amateur competition? I have won some prizes in many Judo matches, and won a few tournaments in Amateur MMA, Catch wrestling, and Jujitsu in Korea.
Favorite grappling technique: Triangle choke
Favorite Striking technique: Straight punch
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I wrote here about Lewis Cass, and how he influenced American history for seven decades — the 1800s through the 1860s. Now, I have found another seven-decade man, George Boutwell.
Boutwell wasn't as influential as Cass for as long a period of time, and he never ran for president. But like Cass, Boutwell served as governor, U.S. Senator, and key member of a presidential cabinet (Cass actually served in two cabinets, but was a fringe figure in President Buchanan's).
Unlike Cass, Boutwell was a crusader. And at various times, he was heavily involved in the three issues that have dominated American history: treatment of Blacks, money and finance, and U.S. relations with the rest of the world.
Drawing heavily from a biography of Boutwell by Thomas H. Brown ( George Sewall Boutwell: Human Rights Advocate), I have compiled this partial list of Boutwell's poltical activities from 1841 until his death in 1905:
1841 — Boutwell is elected to the Massachusetts state legislature at age 23. He wins as a Democrat, having lost the previous year as a candidate of the Temperance Party.
1843 — Although he opposes slavery, Boutwell does not take a hard line against the annexation of Texas.
1844 — Boutwell loses his seat in the state legislature and a bid for the U.S. House. The defeats are mainly the result of the unpopularity in Massachusetts of James K. Polk, the Democratic presidential candidate.
1846 — Boutwell returns to the state legislature.
1850 — Boutwell becomes governor of Massachusetts as a "fusionist" candidate. His coalition of Democrats and Free Soilers is the same one that sends Charles Sumner to the Senate.
Boutwell will govern in a populist, loco-foco style. His two main causes will be the secret ballot and the reorganization of Harvard.
1853 — Boutwell's coalition dissolves, and he is defeated in an attempt to win a third term as governor.
1855 — Boutwell joins the nascent Republican Party of Massachusetts.
1860 — Boutwell supports Massachusetts man Nathaniel Banks for the Republican presidential nomination. Then, he campaigns vigorously for Abraham Lincoln.
1861 — Boutwell represents Massachusetts at the "peace convention." He owes his place to the confidence of Sumner and others that he will take a hard line against the South. Boutwell does take a hard line. He tells the Southern representatives:
The North will never consent to the separation of the South. If the South persists on the course on which she has entered, we shall march our armies to the Gulf of Mexico or you will march yours to the Great Lakes. There can be no peaceful separation.
1862 — Boutwell is selected by Lincoln and Salmon Chase to be the first Commissioner of Internal Revenue. In his second year in charge, it will collect $109 million and become the largest department in the government, exceeding the rest of the Treasury Department to which it belongs.
1862 — Boutwell is elected to the U.S. House, where he quickly becomes the leading supporter of suffrage for Blacks.
1864 — Boutwell considers supporting a more radical Republican than Lincoln for president, but ends up backing Lincoln.
1866 — Boutwell pushes hard for Black suffrage legislation and against the readmission of Confederate states that don't agree to suffrage for Blacks.
1867 — Boutwell sponsors an Army Appropriations bill, drafted by Secretary of Defense Stanton, that would limit President Johnson's authority as commander-in-chief. He becomes a leader of the movement to impeach Johnson, and helps draft impeachment articles.
1868 — He is elected chairman of the impeachment managers' committee but steps down as chairman to avoid divisions, as he is considered too radical by some.
Johnson narrowly survives the effort to remove him, but Bouwell is successful in seeing Black suffrage legislation enacted.
1869 — President Grant selects Boutwell to be Secretary of the Treasury. Henry Adams will later say that the selection of Boutwell instantly soured him on Grant. But Hugh McCulloch, Secretary of Treasury under Johnson and admired by Henry Adams, will later describe Boutwell's tenure as "conservative, judicious, and creditable to himself and the administration."
Why was Adams so sour on Boutwell? Adams wrote that Boutwell's selection meant "the total extinction of anyone resembling Henry Adams" and that "Grant had cut short the life which Adams had laid out for himself in the future." So we're talking about patronage. In addition, though, I think we're talking about snobbery. Adams was a Boston Brahmin; Boutwell was a self-made man (sort of like John Adams, Henry's great-grandfather).
1872 — Boutwell leaves Grant's cabinet to run for the U.S. Senate.
A debt hawk of the first order, Boutwell leaves the Treasury Secretary post having massively decreased the national debt. Rutherford Hayes will say that "Boutwell saved me by paying off the debt."
Boutwell pursued a balanced monetary policy and took a wait-and-see approach to specie repayment. He also helped thwart a scheme by Jay Gould and James Fisk to corner the gold market by releasing $4 million in gold.
1872 — Boutwell is elected to the U.S. Senate. He fills the un-expired term of Henry Wilson, who resigned to become Grant's running mate.
1873 — As Senator, Boutwell resumes his role as civil rights crusader. He focuses on fighting against school segregation.
1877 — Boutwell is defeated in his effort to win his own Senate term. He loses to George Hoar. Twenty years later, Hoar will be Boutwell's steadfast ally in opposing U.S. "imperialism."
1884 — Boutwell completes a term as counsel to the U.S. government in the French-American claims commission. The commission resolves issues relating to French losses during the Civil War and U.S. losses during the Franco-Mexican War, the Franco-Prussian War, and the Paris Commune uprising.
1893 — Boutwell is a leading critic of U.S. sponsorship of a revolution in Hawaii.
1895 — Boutwell is a leading critic of the Cleveland administration's handling of a boundary dispute involving Great Britain and Venezuela. He denounces those who advocate U.S. military action.
1898 — Boutwell blasts those who favor the U.S. taking control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines without the intention of making them U.S. states.
1898 — At the age of 80, Boutwell is selected to head the Anti-Imperialist League. At its peak, the League will have 500,000 members.
As a long-time Stalwart Republican, Boutwell makes an unlikely leader of the League, which consists largely of Brahmins, mugwumps, liberal Republicans, and half-breeds. Ironically, though, Henry Adams is not at all in the anti-imperialist camp.
As a leader of the anti-imperialist movement Boutwell's focus will be on the Philippines. He shuns anti-imperialist arguments that assert the undesirability of involvement with "inferior" populations, and he fears that U.S. policy is exacerbating U.S. racism.
1900 — Present in the Republican Party since its inception, and long one of its most stalwart partisans, Boutwell breaks with the GOP over its "imperialism." He supports William Jennings Bryan for president, rather than looking to a third party, as many of his allies do.
Boutwell will continue to press for independence for the Philippines until his death in 1905.


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As we all know IGNOU Examination in commencing from 1st June 2012, Here are some very good tips to prepare you to get Good grade in IGNOU Grade Card and IGNOU Results.
Main important Points to be Remember:
No more late night studying or sleepless nights!
No need for a tutor or the school counselor!
No sucking up to your math teacher to get better grades!
No more "last minute" cramming sessions the night before the exam!
No more giving up TV, surfing the net, playing video games or going out with friends!
The honest truth is, "studying hard" cannot and will not guarantee you better grades. What you need is a better SYSTEM that makes study a breeze. So you get better grades while studying LESS. Practicing "smarter" rather than "harder" study habits is the best way to get better grades and make it through colleges or universities.
Reading the course material before you go to class is a simple way to absorb, understand and remember the material with much less time and effort OVERALL than you otherwise would. Most people go to class and are hearing the content for the first time. They may not be familiar with some keywords or technical terms. They spend most of the time getting their head around all this new material as they struggle to put it into a logical order or "framework".
Once that framework is in place, they begin to actually UNDERSTAND the material being taught. When the class is over, this process is often incomplete. So how can they begin to study or reinforce what they never understood in the first place! They can't -- it takes MUCH more time to revise partially-understood material, resulting in poorer study efficiency and results.
When you briefly read the course material prior to your class, you start to become familiar with the concepts. You come across new words and terminology. You look at a few sample questions. You might even make a couple of notes of questions to ask. Then when you get into class, everything seems familiar. You're hearing everything for the second time and you begin to remember and reinforce key points. Then you leave the class with a pretty good understanding of the topic. It takes much less time to revise and review information, and you have plenty of time to read ahead of the next class! Read ahead before going to class and see how much EASIER everything becomes. Practicing this, will help you gain an "unfair advantage" over everyone else while working LESS.
How would you feel if you could know every teacher's grading system? Knowledge of it will aid your writing and make you come out top in the class because you will not only write any examination, but write with an understanding of the teacher's grading system at heart. Keep all assignments, handouts, and tests that are given back. Keep a lists of grades made in each class. You are going to need an organized notebook to do this. When you take records of these assessments, it helps you take record of your success and advancement.


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Favorite Thanksgiving side dish?
Favorite Thanksgiving side dish?
What is your favorite Thanksgiving side dish, and why?
Leave your response below:
My fav side is sweet potatoes... And let's not forget the marshmallows on top!!! Yummy!!!!
We always have a side bowl of peanuts at Thanksgiving, have done it since being a kid. Brings good luck for X-mas.
My mom's homemade stuffing!!
My favorite is stuffing!! I am from Buffalo and now live in Md but so excited to go home for thanksgiving this year to my dads home cooking, he makes the best stuffing!!
My favorite is Italian sausage dressing. I could and have and will eat it straight out if the refrigerator. I could eeet that hole casserole tray. With gravy plain, heck you could serve it up on a shoe and I'd eeet it. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!


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Relatives of a slain Gadsden toddler said the girl's killing may have been a sacrificial ritual by her father, who is charged with capital murder in the child's death.
Relatives of a slain Gadsden toddler said the girl's killing may have been a sacrificial ritual by her father, who is charged with capital murder in the child's death.
Police on Tuesday arrested Stephon Lindsay, 35, in the death of 20-month-old Maliyah Lindsay, whose body was found at the end of a dead-end road days after she was last seen by her mother.
The child's aunt, Cathy Jackson, told a Birmingham television station that Lindsay believes in satanic worship and recently bought daggers or a sword off the Internet.
Another aunt, Khadejah Thomas, told the station the man's religious practices led to the killing.
"He either had to sacrifice himself or his child, so that's what he did," said Thomas, a sister of the child's mother.
A police spokesman called the circumstances of the killing shocking and "gruesome," but declined to elaborate.
Police have not revealed a possible motive in the slaying, but they have said knives or a sword may have been used.
Lindsay on Thursday was charged with capital murder and is being held without bond in the Etowah County Detention Center. Court records did not show Friday whether he has a lawyer. Records also do not provide any detail on how the child was killed.
Police said Lindsay led them to the girl's body, which was found Tuesday near the corner of Plainview Street and Block Avenue, in a weedy area littered with debris.
Relatives last saw the child alive on March 5, when her mother told authorities the father said he was taking the girl to his sister's house for a few days.
When Thomas called Lindsay's sister on Monday to pick up Maliyah, the sister said she had not seen either of them for weeks. Thomas called Lindsay and, when he did not answer her calls, she called police.
Gadsden Police Capt. Bobby Jackson said Lindsay was arrested Tuesday night at a residence on Clayton Boulevard. Detectives interviewed him, and information from the interview led them to Maliyah's body.
An autopsy was conducted, but authorities have not released a cause of death.
The couple has another daughter, Yahriel, who is 1-month-old, but that child was not harmed.


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HBO Renews 'The Leftovers' for Season Two!
JJJ is excited! The Leftovers has officially been renewed for a second season on HBO!
"We are thrilled to bring back The Leftovers for a second season with the exceptional talents of Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta," Michael Lombardo, president of HBO programming, said in a statement (via Deadline). "It has been truly exciting to see the overwhelming response to their provocative and original storytelling. We look forward to continuing the journey as the show delves deeper into the lives of those who remain."
The series stars Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Carrie Coon, Emily Meade, Amanda Warren, Ann Dowd, Michael Gaston, Max and Charlie Carver, and Annie Q.
TELL JJJ: Are you excited for more of The Leftovers?
Posted to: Charlie Carver, Chris Zylka, Max Carver, The Leftovers


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Tropical Storm Gabrielle Forms Near Puerto Rico
An area of disturbed weather that has been lingering over the Eastern Caribbean Sea has finally become organized enough to earn the distinction of being a named tropical cyclone. The name Gabrielle was given to storm complex shortly before midnight Louisiana time last night.
With the waters of the tropical Atlantic very warm and conducive for strengthening what is the forecast for Gabrielle?
Most of the reliable tropical forecast models suggest that Gabrielle will not pose a threat to the United States coastline. The Hurricane Center's official forecast track suggest the storm will bring heavy rains to Puerto Rico and then pull northward and eventually northeastward out into open water.
The Hurricane Center is also watching two other areas of disturbed weather; one being near the Yucatan Peninsula and Bay of Campeche in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. This area of weather has been given a 20% chance of organizing into a tropical cyclone in the next two days. Meanwhile the other area of disturbed weather just to the northeast of Gabrielle's location is given only at 10% chance to strengthen.


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By Alex StewartColeman
Foundation Chair in EntrepreneurshipMarquette
University, Milwaukee, WI
In Part One
(Summer/Fall 2010 issue) we explored two of four early-stage competencies our
students need to appreciate and understand their entrepreneurial potential:
self-understanding, and awareness of the careers and development of real
entrepreneurs. In Part Two we explore the third and fourth competencies: a
sense of what venture would really work for them, and business-relevant
creativity. As in Part One, I will explain what I mean by these, why they are
critical, and how I attempt to develop them in the classroom. Here I also
consider the challenge you would face if you find in your class both students
needing work on these very preliminary competencies and others who are further
along the curve towards self-employment.
Competency Three: Knowing what would
be real and fulfilling.
The popular
business plan competition approach to teaching entrepreneurship can easily lead
to fancy-seeming exercises that have no prospect of launch. Rather, each
student should try to master a venture they really could launch before long.
Modest, even part-time ventures that are real will teach more than "high
potential" plans that are not.
Creating a
plan that is real, that has the level of detail that shows plausible potential,
takes a lot of motivation. This cannot come from class projects alone.
Moreover, the bigger opportunities for our students will not be learned in our
classrooms but rather in the markets. Our responsibility, I believe, is to help
them launch a venture that has a prospect of survival for long enough that they
can later discover their main chance once in the marketplace.
How can
this be included in the same course? It can't; that's the role of a business
plan course that comes later in a program. However, in this early course they
should start to make the venture real with a simpler exercise. I have found
that Jim Horan's (2004) One Page Business Plan book works really well (and with
practicing business owners as well as with students). However, it is as it says
only one page and therefore misses many crucial questions. For this reason, I
have written six sections (all starting with "C") to add to the five from the
book. As a result, students write a two and a half page plan with the following
sections: Vision, Mission, Customers, Competitors, Capabilities, Commitments,
Objectives, Strategies, Channels, Plans, and Capital. This additional material,
with a note on how to integrate it with Horan's material, may be downloaded
from the NACCE Web site.*
Competency Four: Business-relevant
Two closely
related myths about entrepreneurs are that (1) they succeed because of novel or
highfalutin "ideas" and (2) they are especially "creative." Perhaps there have
been a few such figures, but as generalizations these are myths that discourage
would-be entrepreneurs because they judge themselves wanting in both areas.
These myths also obscure the kind of creativity that actually is involved in
entrepreneurship. This creativity has the purpose of solving the many
challenges, large and small but generally small and operational, that vex any
venture. Therefore, exposing students to techniques for business creativity has
two benefits. It assures them that they, too, can be sufficiently creative. It
also helps with their individual venture plans and generates the kind of highly
specific concepts that help to transform their plans from vague speculations to
realistic prospects for action.
How can we
teach students business-relevant creativity? There are many approaches that
work, but all approaches, I believe, should be based on efforts to solve
business challenges. At first these can be quite general, such as "what
business is right for me?" They are best if they are definite, specific
questions that arise in the entrepreneurial process and that the students truly
care to resolve. Examples might be "which of these locations is best?" or "how
can I cut labor costs for my lawn care crews?" Creativity techniques that are
removed from this foundation in practical concerns will seem too abstract and
air-fairy for business students. With this practical foundation, students
discover that they too can be much more creative than they expected. For this
reason, the focus on developing this fourth competency is best timed after some
progress has been made on the first three competencies.
Currently I
use a number of the exercises from Thinkertoys, a book by Michael Michalko
(2006). You would need to choose which ones to use based on the tolerance of
your class for "far out" techniques. Some are very conventional; for example, a
simplified form of scenario planning. Others are based on developing intuition;
some are very close to forms of meditation. (I point out that they're also
close to forms of prayer.)
How can
this work be graded? It defeats the purpose to insist on immediate results from
each exercise. I require each student to complete the required exercises (for
which I give choices in which ones to choose), and for those that generated a
business solution, to indicate which challenges were at issue, what resolution
emerged and how. Some students generate many rather minor resolutions and some
generate one or two very large ones. Both can be valuable.
A related
assignment that I have recently tried is to have students make portraits of
themselves and their ventures using any of two different media. I suggest many
options including paint, poetry, photos, collages, songs, and so on. Was there
pushback for such a not-business project? Some, yes. Did they end up enjoying
it? Definitely. For many it was the highlight of the course. Was it worth
doing? I think so but can't say with much confidence as yet. I think this will
take time for alumni to give me their feedback.
unexpected benefit of these assignments is that the best of them will work well
in a display of student projects that can be exhibited for other students and
entrepreneurial guests. To date the only such displays we have mounted have
been in our business plan competition. However, next April (lead times for
schedules being lengthy!) we will hold our first entrepreneurship fair to
highlight student works and to offer a chance for networking and mingling with
both other students and entrepreneurs.
More advanced students in the same
this fundamentals class will have only early-stage students. Lately I have had
to accommodate some more seasoned students in the same course. You might face
the same challenge. My approach for my next iteration is to determine the level
of preparation at the outset and offer a different set of assignments to the
more experienced students. Instead of using Thinkertoys they will instead use
Business Model Creation (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010). This is not because
they cannot gain from Thinkertoys; to the contrary they can gain the most.
However, their businesses stand to gain the most of all if they can innovate
with their models for making money – the point of Osterwalder and Pigneur's
Instead of
writing a personal essay and career plan they will work on a very specific
operational plan of use to their ventures. For example, they might work on an
HR handbook or a plan for using social media for promoting their business. The
materials they use will have to be tailored to the project but would be from
the field of small business management (such as Strauss, 2008). Finally, their
media project can be more specifically business-related, such as new logos, Web
pages, or advertising jingles. Some of the less experienced students might
campaign for this option as well. If you decide to include this assignment, you
can use your judgment but my suggestion is to compromise and let them do one of
two works in such a practical fashion. My experience has been that only the
more experienced entrepreneurs are able to do meaningful work of this sort.
changes have been suggested for these more experienced students: work on a
specific operational plan instead of the self-assessment, creativity exercises
in the context of business models, and more applied artistry. As these new
changes to my teaching demonstrate, and as you no doubt know, we have to be
responsive and constantly innovate ourselves. I hope that other instructors
will have found in my two articles some ideas that can be adopted and adapted
for their particular student needs. I also hope that they will share their
experiences. I'd be glad to hear from you at firstname.lastname@example.com.
supplemental material is found at http://www.nacce.com/resource/resmgr/supplement_to_the_one_page_b.pdf
Horan, J.
2004. The One Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur. Berkeley, CA:
The One Page Business Plan Company.
M. 2006. Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques, 2nd Ed..
Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
A., & Pigneur, Y. 2010. Business Model Creation: A Handbook for
Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. New York: Wiley.
Strauss, S.
D. 2008. The Small Business Bible, 2nd Ed. New York: Wiley.
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A casino dream is shared by many in SalemBy APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
February 07. 2013 10:54PM
SALEM - Crowds poured into the grandstands at Rockingham Park Thursday night, but there wasn't a horse to be found on the track.
During a community forum held at Salem's aging racetrack, officials from Millennium Gaming offered a glimpse of the park's future should pending legislation to legalize Granite State gaming pass in Concord this year.
Several hundred citizens, many of them area business executives, sat in the audience, eager to get a closer look at the conceptual plans for a new Rockingham Park.
The state's casino bill will head before the Senate on Feb. 19.
"It's a long process in this state," longtime park president Ed Callahan said. Should the bill pass in the Senate, it would then head to the House and the state Ways and Means Committee.
"This isn't going to happen overnight by any means, but the support of Salem is very, very important," Callahan said. "We're hoping for a strong vote."
Millennium Gaming co-founder Bill Wortman said his hope is to replace Rockingham Park's main grandstand building with a 400,000-square-foot casino, restore barns and add a parking deck.
Eventually, a hotel would be added onsite . all bearing a similar design to the original architecture.
Traffic studies are being conducted first to address the estimated 10,000 or so people expected to visit the casino daily.
Wortman, who vowed to continue charitable gaming at Rockingham Park, said he believes "the landscape in Concord is really beginning to shift."
"A revitalized Rock would mean revenue and jobs," said Wortman, who has been in the gaming business for more than 35 years. "We're not just optimists; we have a long record of success in other states."
Wortman said the Meadows Racetrack, located just outside Pittsburgh, has many similarities to Rockingham Park.
Company officials showed a photograph of the Meadows Racetrack from the early 1970s, noting it looks very much like Salem's historical racetrack did in its heyday.
Built in 1964, the Meadows Racetrack is 60 years younger than 100-year-old Rockingham Park, but both had fallen on difficult times.
In 2004, casino gambling was legalized in Pennsylvania. Millennium Gaming purchased the Meadows property shortly after state legislation passed, Wortman said.
The site's horse barns were in disrepair at the time of the purchase, and in 2006 Millennium Gaming embarked on a lengthy restoration process.
Company officials are currently in the process of adding a 300-room hotel.
Wortman said it would take between 18 and 20 months to transform the Salem track in a similar manner.
"Our plan with the Rock is to still have racing, though we haven't determined exactly how," he added. "We think there's an advantage to having racing as we're the only location in the state of New Hampshire that is equipped to have racing."
Racing is held at the Meadows 220 days per year, Millennium Gaming officials said, and it's been quite successful.
The facility has also served as a venue for live entertainment, with such big-name acts as Willie Nelson performing concerts there.
Wortman said he has similar hopes for Salem, noting that the arrival of the Pennsylvania casino has been a boon for local business, preceding the arrival of many hotels and restaurants - and jobs.
Sharing conceptual drawings, Wortman said the plan is to invest over $450 million in renovating Salem's racetrack, creating 2,500 construction jobs in the process.
Once the new casino is open, it would create several thousand more jobs, Wortman said.
"When you look at a gaming facility, it's like a big city," he said.
Average pay would be $43,000 annually.
"We like to think we don't create jobs, we create careers," Wortman added. "And we like to hire local."
Callahan reminded citizens that six seats are still available on the town's newly formed Casino Advisory Committee. The deadline to apply for a spot on the committee is Feb. 20.


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If you're convinced you can't change - "once a worrier, always a worrier," you just might be surprised. What I'm about to discuss is a simple 7 step approach that has the potential to progressively help you build peace of mind.
Let's begin by exploring the concept of worrying. According to Webster, worry refers to "tormenting oneself with, or suffering from disturbing thoughts." The definition is simple to understand and even easier to place into a personal context. After all, we've been there before. It's a well-established fact that life is stressful at times - more so for some than others. Yet while an appropriate dose of healthy concern serves to protect us, worrying sometimes evolves into an overwhelming controlling factor in our lives.
An example of healthy concern is the fear generated by the possibility of your toddler running into the street. Rational responses to such a threat include appropriate supervision or ensuring your child plays in a fenced yard. Healthy concern, however, is likely to evolve into worry when reasonable measures are not taken and the threat of danger persists.
Unfortunately, the basis for transforming healthy concern into worry is not always rational or predictable. For many people, worrying is an automatic response to practically anything that has even the most remote potential to negatively affect us or the ones we love. Worrying can also be one's knee-jerk reaction to change.
And since one of the few things we can count on is life is CHANGE, one has the opportunity to worry about practically anything. Typical worries are often based upon appearances, being on time, doing what others expect, growing older, health/illness, loved-ones, money, responsibilities, success, taxes, weather,
work, etc. The problem is there are too many etceteras!
As a result, some people are virtually consumed by worry.
Rather than attempting to classify every potential worry that exists, let's begin with the basic assumption that we're all worried about something.
In order to learn to reduce or eliminate a particular worry, let's take a few moments to consider the following statement voiced by a desperate young woman: "I won't live past 50 - I know I'm going to die of cancer."
No doubt she's worried - anxious, upset and panicky. To her it's obvious her fate is sealed.
So using this example, let's proceed in a stepwise manner with our approach.
Step 1. Begin by uncovering and writing down the underlying belief. Behind every worry is a belief. When asked for hers, it was crystal clear. She immediately stated, "my mother and grandmother died of breast cancer ... I'm next in line."
Step 2. Ask yourself the question, "Is my belief trueæ is it based on fact?" When confronted with that question, she initially felt it was. Yet after a few moments it became apparent that there might be other factors that cause cancer in families. Soon she realized that just because her mother and grandmother had cancer, it wasn't a certainty that she'd die from it as well.
Step 3. Ask yourself the question, "Is my belief serving me well?" The woman's answer was obvious. Her underlying belief was nothing short of destructive.
Step 4. Ask yourself the question, "Should I accept my belief, or create a healthier one?" The rationale for this step is based upon one's answers to the questions presented in Steps 2 and 3. If you answered "no," to both, proceed to Step 5.
Step 5. Create a healthy belief and write it down. For our subject, it was time to create a healthy yet realistic belief. After pondering the issue for a few moments, she opened her journal and wrote, "I have the potential to remain healthy and prevent the development of breast cancer with proper diet, exercise, taking better care of myself, performing self breast exams and scheduling yearly mammograms." Please note: this is when a shift in thinking must occur.
Step 6. Test your new belief. Ask the previous questions, "Is my new belief based on fact, and is it serving me well?" After reading her new belief a few times, closing her eyes and contemplating its meaning, our young woman breathed a sigh of relief. She answered "yes" to both questions. Her new belief made a great deal of sense and it seemed to relieve her anxiety - at least for the moment.
Step 7. Each time the worry surfaces, immediately reread your new belief. This is where the real commitment is needed. Frankly there's more to eradicating worry than simply creating new beliefs. Practice is essential. Carry a notebook or journal, and reread your new belief whenever you begin to worry about the issue. Reviewing your new belief must take place precisely at the time when your worry is "hot." That evening, the next morning, or later in the week simply will not work!
Remember, be gentle with yourself, yet remain focused. Work on only a few worries at a time. Your process is as important as the end result. You might be asking yourself how you will know if this approach is working. The answer is straight-forward. When you stop reaching for your journal, your new belief is taking hold - Mind Over Matter!


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NBA ref Bavetta's ironman streak hits 2,633 games
Apr. 02, 2014
NEW YORK (AP) — NBA referee Dick Bavetta is working his 2,633rd consecutive game assignment, an ironman streak even longer than the one baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. compiled.
Bavetta officiated the game Wednesday between the Knicks and Nets at Madison Square Garden, extending a streak during which he has never missed an assignment since beginning his career in 1975. He chalked up his streak to good health, a good work ethic and a fear of inconveniencing someone else if he had to take a day off.
The 74-year-old Bavetta has worked 270 playoff games in 29 seasons, including 27 NBA Finals games, three All-Star games and the 1992 Olympics.
Ripken played in 2,632 consecutive games with Baltimore, when he shattered Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130.


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Unusual respite from surging health care costsJanuary 7, 2013 by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar in Medicine & Health / Health
(AP)—The government says Americans kept health care spending in check for three consecutive years.
It's an unusual respite, since health care usually surges ahead of overall economic growth.
Will the relief linger? That's not clear. It could fade if jobs come roaring back as the economy recovers.
The nation's health care tab stood at $2.7 trillion in 2011, the latest year available, nonpartisan number crunchers with the Health and Human Services Department said Monday.
That's 17.9 percent of the economy, or $8,680 for every man, woman and child, far more than any economically advanced country spends.
Still, it was the third straight year of historically low increases.
The 3.9 percent rise meant that health care costs grew in line with the overall economy, which is considered affordable.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"Unusual respite from surging health care costs" January 7, 2013 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-unusual-respite-surging-health.html


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Crawford Notch State ParkApril 19. 2011 9:33PM
6 miles of unspoiled rugged natural beauty in scenic mountain pass. Ideal for hiking, fishing and photography. Crossed by trails, some of which lead to incomparable views of Presidential Range. Dry River Campground, 30 tent sites. Scenic waterfalls. The Flume and Silver Cascades visible from highway. Arethusa Falls, one of the tallest in NH, can be reached by a short hike.
A plaque marks the site of Willey House, a stopover for wagons traveling in the late 1700's. Samuel Willey, his family, and two hired men lost their lives here in 1826 in a landslide.
Location: Route 302, Harts Location
Phone: 603-374-2272
Activities: Camping, hiking, fishing, picnicking
Amenities: Campground, picnic tables, snack bar and gift shop
Operation Schedule:
Day-Use: Year-round
Camping: Early-May to Early December
Acreage: 5,775 acres
NH State Parks Website
NH State Parks Pet Policy
Most of the land in Crawford Notch was acquired by the state of New Hampshire in 1913.
It was the result of a bill passed by the legislature in 1922, aimed at rescuing the northern region of Hart's Location from excessive timber harvest. The bill failed to include the northern, most scenic part of the notch, which the state purchased in 1912 for $62,000.
Almost 6,000 acres are included in the state park. The land extends on both sides of the highway to the summits of the mountains that border the Saco River Valley. In 1922 the Willey House clearing was leased to Donahue and Hamlin of Bartlett who built a cabin colony of peeled spruce logs for vacationers. More log buildings were added including rest rooms, a restaurant, and gift shop, but eventually the state took back the clearing for its own operations.
Increasing tourism to the White Mountains generated interest in the building of a railroad through Crawford Notch. The construction of the railroad was considered a difficult engineering feat that was thought to be impossible by many. The railroad, built by Anderson Brothers of Maine, was opened in 1857 and ran from Portland, through the notch, to Fabyans, the area where Ethan Allen had operated his inn.
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Research shows smoking one cigarette affects heart
Dr. Vincent L. Sorrell. Photo by Cliff Hollis.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (July 15, 2001) — Preliminary research has shown that smoking a single cigarette can impair the heart, causing it to have to work harder.
The research, released June 28 at the American Society of Echocardiography's 12th annual scientific sessions in Seattle, suggests that nicotine alone is not the trigger for this change in cardiac performance, as researchers did not see similar cardiac responses in participants who simply chewed nicotine gum.
The lead researcher for the project was Dr. Vincent L. Sorrell, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Other participants include lead author Dr. Firas Ghanem, a resident physician in the ECU Department of Internal Medicine, lead sonographer Christopher Mann and cardiologist Dr. Andrew Sumner, ECU assistant professor of medicine.
While physicians have long recognized that nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure, this research concludes that smoking even a single cigarette causes an abrupt change in the performance of the heart's left ventricle while the heart chamber is filling with blood. This change in cardiac function is likely the result of the 4,000 chemicals and 43 carcinogens present in tobacco smoke.
Smoking puts people at risk for cardiovascular disease by interfering with the functioning of the endothelium--the layer of cells lining the inside of arteries. Each year in the United States, approximately 53,000 deaths are attributed to cardiovascular disease caused by smoking. Cigarette smoking also nearly doubles the risk of suffering a stroke.
Sorrell said a recent ABC News special program on smoking and young women rang true to what he's heard from his patients. "Every one of these young women said, 'If you get lung cancer that requires them to remove one of your lungs, you won't be able to walk up a flight of stairs anymore. We can't do that now.' That's what I hear from my cardiology patients all the time, and that's what gave me the idea for this research," Sorrell said. "These same patients' echocardiograms and chest X-rays look entirely normal, yet they continue to complain of shortness of breath. Something has to be going on in their hearts, and shortness of breath is a common manifestation of abnormal left ventricle relaxation."
Researchers at the Brody School of Medicine studied a group of 27 healthy young individuals with no evidence of organic heart disease immediately before and after smoking one cigarette or chewing nicotine gum for 15 minutes. Using echocardiography, which provides real-time images of the heart and surrounding blood vessels, researchers measured the participants' blood flow rising through the pulmonary veins and entering the left ventricle across the mitral valve. They performed numerous recordings and measurements of cardiac performance without knowing which group the patients were in -- cigarette smokers or nicotine gum chewers.
Sorrell said the findings were a little surprising. "This study shows for the first time that smoking even one cigarette can dramatically and negatively affect the heart's performance. Poor heart performance can cause a significant loss of exercise endurance or tolerance," he said. "The most striking thing about this study is that this is happening right in front of us every day."
In Europe, research looking at exercise tolerance has shown that the key is not how well your heart pumps but how well it is able to relax, Sorrell said. Diastolic dysfunction is when the heart's relaxing phase is weak.
"Our research was the preliminary investigation to see if we could detect any change in the diastolic dysfunction between these two groups of young healthy adults," Sorrell said. "The next appropriate step is to study diastolic dysfunction in smokers who complain of shortness of breath. We need to show that this is the same thing that occurs in smokers, [and] also look
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HOUSTON (AP) — The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose this week by eight, to 1,817.
Texas-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Wednesday that 1,388 rigs were exploring for oil and 428 were searching for gas. One was listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes counted 2,000 rigs. The tally, normally released on Friday, was advanced this week because of Thanksgiving.
Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Louisiana gained five rigs, Pennsylvania gained four, Texas gained two and Alaska and New Mexico each gained one.
California lost three rigs while Arkansas, Colorado and Oklahoma each lost one. North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming were unchanged.
The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.


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UNION bosses have hailed Labour's Southampton council election victory, but business leaders are giving the city's new red dawn only a cautious welcome.
The reactions will partly boost incoming leader Richard Williams, but also hint at the challenges he faces now he is in power.
The new administration's first job when it formally takes over Southampton City Council next week will be to sit down with union bosses in a bid to hammer out a deal to finally lift the industrial action hanging over the authority for the past 12 months.
If it can't convince workers to sign up to its plans for dealing with budget cuts, it could face further disruption and a £12m bill from legal claims over the controversial pay cuts for staff forced through by the Tories last year.
However, once that huge task has been completed Labour councillors must then set about convincing commerce leaders they mean Business.
Union Unite has congratulated Cllr Williams and his team on victory in last Thursday's elections, saying the result sent a "resounding message" to the Conservatives over cuts.
Regional secretary John Rowse said: "The people of this great city have stood up and said no more can you cut our services, slash our jobs and destroy our communities.
"The campaign to rid this city of the cuts scourge was a success because working people and their unions joined forces to unseat a council leadership that was out of touch with the needs of Southampton."
Meanwhile, the reaction from business leaders to Labour has been far more measured.
Sally Lynskey, chief executive of Business Solent said wants to hear how Labour will help Southampton take its "many opportunities to earn its rightful place on the map of leading cities".
She said: "Business Solent looks forward to receiving a briefing from the new leader of the council and working in partnership with his team to continue to strive to make the city the best place to work, invest, live, study and enjoy."
Chris Treacher, managing director of Wise Catering, said he was concerned the party's 50-point manifesto was "light on business issues", and wants to see more done to encourage the "tentative signs of life coming back to the city"
He said: "The new Labour council must make sure that it listens to the views of businesses and shows that it is a party that supports economic prosperity for the city. An early test will be how the leader deals with the council pay issues."


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Photo: Associated Press
Cast in Concrete: China's Problem With Excess
A new cement plant shows why economic pickup may be temporary.
By Andrew Browne
YUQUAN, China—Just about the last thing China needs right now is another cement plant.
Unused stocks have been piling up since the massively overbuilt real-estate market cratered in 2014.
Demand will likely never fully recover; city skylines are dotted with cranes swinging idly atop half-finished apartment blocks. Alarmed, Beijing has declared that reducing overcapacity in industries like steel and cement is a national priority. There's even a slogan for it: "supply-side reform."
Yet here in the industrial northeast, Tangshan Jidong Cement, a state enterprise with domestically listed shares, has begun work on a giant 7,200-ton-a-day facility. Bulldozers have ripped a wide gash across low hills to make way for a factory that is likely to exacerbate an already epic glut of cement used to make concrete.
This project—and others like it—helps to explain why signs of an economic pickup in China this year are unlikely to last.
The rebound is supported by struggling local governments desperate for a short-term lift to growth, even if that means encouraging investment in industries linked to construction that are all in monumental surplus.
Their recklessness defies the central government's efforts to rebalance the economy toward services and consumption. Local officials are masterful at subverting edicts from mandarins in the capital. In the case of cement, new capacity must be justified by closing outdated plants, but the process is full of loopholes.
Construction of the Jidong plant in Heilongjiang province is a windfall for the local community. Restaurants are serving up platters of sizzling sausages, a local delicacy, to Jidong contractors in hard hats. A plant this size will bring prestige, tax revenue and employment.
The cement industry, however, is in despair at the new arrival. "It's totally unreasonable," laments an executive at the China Cement Association. Jidong, which reported losses of $260 million last year as cement prices plunged, didn't respond to questions.
Why would a money-losing enterprise expand capacity in a rapidly shrinking market? The association executive explains a possible rationale: The company may figure that its technologically advanced plant will become the most efficient—and lowest-cost—producer in the region, stealing market share from rivals. It may also calculate that by the time the plant is up and running, some competitors will have gone out of business.
"This is a kind of gambling," says the association executive.
The assured outcome will be further downward pressure on cement prices, and mounting financial distress across the industry. That's a familiar story in the depressed northeast, China's industrial heartland.
But Beijing must bear some of the blame as it continues to rely on bureaucratic engineering rather than market forces and sends mixed signals about its commitment to reducing industrial capacity.
Ultimately, a credit-fueled race to the bottom is the product of a political system that demands rapid growth regardless of the ups and downs of the business cycle. Communist Party legitimacy depends upon it. And although President Xi Jinping has pledged to give market forces a "decisive role," his administration has just unveiled an economic blueprint that leaves the basic logic of the system untouched.
To achieve the requisite level of GDP growth under the 13th Five-Year Plan—at least 6.5% a year—China will push semiconductors rather than steel, cloud computing over cement, clean-energy vehicles before polluting glass works. As in the past, though, the state will guide the way.
Scott Kennedy, an expert on Chinese industrial policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, warns that these new areas of focus will become just as prone to overcapacity as the old ones, adding to the problems of economies that compete against Chinese manufacturers.
"The problem will spread," says Mr. Kennedy. "What we will get is growth with volatility."
Chinese liberal reformers had been arguing for a wholesale retreat of the state from industry and more corporate bankruptcies in loss-making sectors. But state planners have largely ignored their counsel. A stock-market rout last year, as well as a currency scare, seems to have made Mr. Xi even more wary about relinquishing state control to the markets.
Meanwhile, the cement industry lurches deeper into trouble. China accounted for 57% of global production last year. In just two years, 2011 and 2012, China churned out as much cement as the U.S. in the entire 20th century.
Yet, a recent report by the European Chamber of Commerce in China said that despite efforts by the central government to reduce cement overcapacity, the measures "have so far only managed to slow down the rate at which the problem is expanding." About one quarter of China's cement capacity is idle.
The levels of waste aren't likely to shrink. As long as China clings to its old growth playbook, today's cement problem will be tomorrow's computer-chip crisis.
—Olivia Fuyao Geng contributed to this article.