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Is the tenant movement rejuvenated? Many housing advocates think so and point to a variety of achievements in 2007 to bolster that claim. From a renewed sense of mission at the state's housing agency, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, to vigorous legislative lobbying on a variety of bills, in housing 2007 was a year of new energy and activity that helped create a better environment for tenants in the state.
At the city level, officials expressed satisfaction with the progress in 2007 on building affordable housing, among other things. But property owners said 2007 was another costly year for people operating buildings in New York.
A Tough Year on the Streets
Amid the good news the housing crisis in the city remains acute. The city's homeless population still is at record highs and, particularly on that front, 2007 was a bad year.
"Homelessness worsened considerably this year," said Patrick Markee of the Coalition for the Homeless. "We started out the year, in February, sadly breaking the record for homeless families sleeping in New York City shelters. And that number increased during the year."
In accounting for that, Markee blamed the city's affordable housing crisis and what he considers the Bloomberg administration's policies on homelessness.
"I wish I could say that I thought the administration would change its flawed policies but they've shown themselves to be very stubborn and unwilling to revisit their policies," Markee said. The mayor, he added, needs "to address family homelessness as a housing problem as opposed to a welfare or behavioral problem."
In a statement, the homeless services department disputed Markee's assessment. "Far from having flawed policies, DHS has policies that work," a spokesperson wrote. "Street homelessness is down 15 percent in 2007 from two years ago. In November 2007 our single adult census was at its lowest November level in seven years."
Two stories stood out in 2007 as far as those policies go. First, in April, the city abandoned its Housing Stability Plus rent subsidy program. Then, in October, for the first time in decades, the city started denying shelter to some homeless families that the city said had other places to go and so, it claimed, were not, in fact, homeless. That change drew national attention after it led to instances of women and children sleeping on city streets, a sight unseen since the 1980s.
For low- and middle-income people, the rapid evaporation of affordable housing continues to make city living financially miserable. Connected, inescapably, to every other facet of life, the stress of unaffordable housing continues to weigh heavily on a huge number of New Yorkers, perhaps fueling an exodus of middle-income New Yorkers.
Achievements of 2007
Nevertheless, advocates had some reason to be satisfied, if incompletely, with some advances in 2007. They point particularly to actions by Gov. Eliot Spitzer who took office on Jan. 1, 2007.
Spitzer's naming of a new housing commissioner, Deborah VanAmerongen, was one of the first indications that in some ways, Spitzer's inaugural pledge that "everything" would change, was sincere.
In November, for example, the state housing agency said it would no longer allow owners of buildings in the Mitchell-Lama program to use a loophole that let them charge higher rents when they left the middle-income housing program. "I know Gov. Spitzer is not perfect for tenants and affordable housing advocates, but he's done a lot for tenants already just with the regulation blocking the 'unique and peculiar' loophole," said Jenny Laurie, executive director of the Metropolitan Council on Housing, said of the move.
At the same time, the state housing agency is apparently gearing up to enforce rent regulation laws, too.
In many ways, to be sure, Spitzer disappointed advocates: The New York City Housing Authority's budget remains troubled partly because the state still pays virtually nothing to operate the apartment complexes it built, a problem that has persisted since 1998 when then-Gov. George Pataki cut state subsidies.
But Spitzer did try to address the problem. In August, he signed legislation that directs public assistance to pay the same shelter allowance for people in public housing apartments as those in private apartments. That will mean about $40 million more for the cash-strapped housing authority.
Also at the state level, the rewriting of legislation dealing with the program to provide tax breaks for new housing construction in New York City was another notable housing story in 2007. The new law extending the 421-a program expands the areas where developers are required to build affordable housing in order to get the tax exemption.
A United Front
Spitzer's moves came after continued pressure from housing advocates. And their unity was an important, if largely unreported, story in housing in 2007. Starting in February, housing advocates came together under one banner, "New York is Our Home: Affordable Rent Campaign." The unity led to the largest tenant rally in the city in several years: About 10,000 people encircling Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan. The sale of Stuyvesant Town for $5.4 billion in 2006 was the largest real estate deal in the history of the United States.
"Housing First five years ago brought us all together for one plan that was broadly accepted," said Marc Greenberg of the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing. "They hung in there, spoke to all the mayoral candidates and got them to commit to the Housing First plan. It all helped to create an environment where a lot of things started to happen. And it's like this blooming forest of activities now."
Pat Coleman of New York State Tenants & Neighbors echoed such sentiments. "While we've had our ups and downs, there is a unique unity in the tenant movement now," Coleman said. "People are working really well together. There is a really clear focus on what we need to do."
Back in the Five Boroughs
In the city, the year saw a raft of new legislation that reflect renewed activism, said Ben Dulchin of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development. He cited pieces of legislation before City Council that would, if passed:
- allow tenants to sue their landlords for harassment in housing court;
- establish a right to counsel for low-income senior citizens facing eviction and foreclosure;
- increase penalties for owners operating illegal hotels;
- prohibit landlords discriminating against people based on their legal source of income.
"I think there's a lot more activism, a lot more energy," Dulchin said. "All of these efforts are a direct outgrowth of tenant and neighborhood activism that did not exist before."
Dulchin said the use of zoning policy to promote the construction of more moderate-income homes was another positive development in 2007. That approach, known as inclusionary zoning, allows developers to build buildings at a higher density than otherwise allowed if a percentage of the apartments built are set aside to be affordable.
City Hall's Tally
City officials saw 2007 more positively, perhaps, than advocates. In an e-mail, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development pointed to several achievements of note over the year:
- The city has built and preserved 65,000 units of affordable housing – a year ahead of schedule – as part of the mayor's 10-year plan to build and preserve 165,000 apartments. The $7.5 billion plan is the largest municipal housing program in the country.
- The city continues to foster environmentally friendly housing development, notably the construction of a housing complex in the South Bronx and in some of its other developments.
- The sale of Noble Drew Ali Plaza in Brownsville to former Met Mo Vaughn's company is another step toward rehabilitating the 385-unit complex.
- And the implementation of a new program to enforce the housing code will focus special efforts on 200 of the worst properties in the city each year, compelling landlords to maintain and repair the properties.
In a separate e-mail, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeless Services noted the number of single adults who are homeless has decreased by 8.5 percent. This has allowed the city to reduce the number of shelter beds for single homeless adults by 1,250 beds. Street outreach was also improved in 2007, the e-mail said, with new non-profit agencies helping more homeless people than expected. The agencies also have wireless devices allowing them to input data immediately into a citywide database, the spokesperson wrote.
Not surprisingly, the city had a more positive view than advocates of its new Advantage New York rent subsidy program.
"The Advantage New York Program is extremely flexible, providing subsidies to fit the situation of anyone who is eligible," the e-mail said. "It helps people save money, and even matches their savings, and is available for people who might just need it for a month or two or for people on a fixed income who can't work."
According to the department, the program has helped more than 1,800 families and individuals obtain permanent housing.
The Owner's View
For landlords, the year was difficult, said Frank Ricci of the Rent Stabilization Association, which has a membership representing over 25,000 property owners in the city.
"How could it be a good year for property owners?" Ricci asked rhetorically. "Water bills are up 11 percent, the cost of fuel has gone up and rent increases don't match it. Ten to twelve percent of multiple dwellings are operating at a loss."
Looking to 2008
Looking to the year ahead, housing advocates hope the Democrats can win control of the State Senate in the November elections. If that happens, the advocates hope the legislature ultimately will repeal vacancy decontrol and other loopholes in rent laws that allow landlords to jack up rents.
Helping the Democrats win is a top priority for many housing activists. "There's no other way to save the rent laws," said Michael McKee, treasure of Tenants PAC. "If people don't get their minds around that fact then nothing's going to happen legislatively. Everything's going to continue to go downhill, the affordability crisis will continue to get worse."
Every advocate interviewed for this article agreed with that view and McKee said failing to win in 2008 could mean the end of the rent laws altogether.
"I think this is the end" of rent regulation if we do not win, he said. "This is not business as usual. It's all or nothing."
Not surprisingly, landlords take a different view. Ricci said if the State Senate went Democratic, discussions there would be one-sided. "It would certainly take some of the balance out of the political debate that takes place in the legislature," he said.
Beyond the fight for the State Senate, predictions abound for 2008. City Council is seen as likely to pass the harassment legislation, sponsored by Speaker Christine Quinn.
The sub-prime mortgage crisis sweeping the country, which has yet to cause major problems in the New York housing market, probably will create more difficulties here in 2008, said Coleman of Tenants & Neighbors.
For the homeless, the year most likely will not bring glad tidings, Markee said. "The numbers of homeless are going to continue to be extraordinarily high," he said.
Joe Lamport is the assistant director of the City-Wide Task Force on Housing Court, a coalition of community housing organizations. Â


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Dr Zen Sport 2 Women s Therapeutic Diabetic Extra Depth Shoe Leather Velcro10.5 X-Wide (2E) Black Velcro US Woman|Black Black 10.5 X-Wide (2E) Black Velcro US Woman
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Palpatine's ArrestSA Mace WinduSA Palpatine (red robes)
Dude, we got that kickass Battle Arena set with them in it. What more could you want?!?
-Grievous' Bodyguards (I'm probably alone on this, but based on the shot of one in the trailer flanked by BDs and the few still photos I've seen of them with Grievous, it looks as if the current version is smaller in both height and width when compared with the photos/footage. Plus, it'd be cool to have a staff that had the glowing effect on the ends of each thing too.)
I notice that no one mentioned a carded Stas Allie or Barriss Offee in the ROTS line
Quote from: rebeltrader on May 12, 2005, 03:08 PMI notice that no one mentioned a carded Stas Allie or Barriss Offee in the ROTS line Isn't Stass Allie coming on a BARC speeder bike or something like that? Didn't we see her at C3?
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If Bedwas have been in top form of late, especially at home, they travel to Carmarthen which has been something of a bogey ground for them in recent years.
Head Coach Steve Law makes a number of changes to the side that beat Cardiff last time out.
Evergreen Deri Mattravers returns from injury to take up the No. 8 berth while Dan Preece starts at loose head prop instead of Ian George who drops to the bench.
In the backs, Law makes three changes. Ethan Davies, whose fine goal kicking paved the way for last week's win, starts at full back in place of Stuart Thomas, Dragons loanee Matthew Pewtner starts at inside centre and Josh Davies starts at scrum-half.
Bedwas chairman Mark Lewis is expecting a tough game.
"It was close between the two sides when we met on the opening day of the season," he said.
"I'd like to think we've improved considerably since then but we're taking nothing for granted."
One thing Lewis highlighted was the way this season's squad are sticking together.
"There's a really good feeling about the club at the moment and it's wonderful to see the squad gelling together off the field as well as on it."
Carmarthen will be hoping to reverse the result of their first game of the season when they lost in the closing minutes of the game due to an interception pass almost on their own line.
Steve Williams' side have trained hard throughout the week though they miss James Davies and Jason Harries who have both been selected to represent Wales in the IRB 7's series in Dubai and Port Elizabeth.
Carmarthen: 15 Christopher Banfield 14 Andrew Gareth Banfield 13 Alex John Pickersgill 12 Rheon James 11 Rhys Thomas 10 James Dixon 9 Huw John Rees, 1 Gareth Thomas 2 Richard Wilkes 3 Ian Jones (c) 4 Gavin Evans 5 Haydn Pugh 6 Aidan Laxton 7 Elis Lloyd 8 Luke Joseph.
Replacements: Andrew Beaujean, Ricky Guest, Trystan Davies, Carwyn Jones, Rory Gallagher, Connor Lloyd, William Lewis, Lloyd Chalke.
Bedwas: 15 Ethan Davies 14 Matthew John 13 Ross Wardle 12 Matthew Pewtner 11 Ryan Owen
10 Richard Powell 9 Joshua Davies, 1 Daniel Preece 2 Robert Hutcherson 3 Kristian Gay 4 James Thomas 5 Kyle Maiden 6 Simon Grainger (c) 7 Thomas Organ 8 Derrie Mattravers.
Replacements: Phillip Rees, Matthew Phelps, Ian George, Ben Roberts, Thomas Rowlands, Samuel Feehan, Stuart Thomas.


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A few weeks before taking off on Band of Horses' current tour, frontman Ben Bridwell decided to make a pilgrimage of sorts to his old haunt Seattle to meet with old friends, stop by familiar landmarks and dodge umbrellas as he "walked in the ghost of my own footsteps."
The 34-year-old singer-guitarist thought the trip might spur a songwriting rush. Instead, he came away with a lot of unexpected emotions as he revisited memories of homelessness and the early days of his band.
"You know, it's funny," Bridwell said by phone. "I get here and I'm staying at this fancy hotel and it's two blocks away from this parking lot, now a vacant parking lot, that they used to have Ryder trucks on — a rental place. And I used to actually sleep on those trucks. I'd get thrown out of the truck at 6 a.m. in my sleeping bag. It's just funny. It's two blocks away and I'm now on the balcony of this big hotel. I'm a bit reflective."
And there's plenty to reflect on since his band formed nine years ago. Band of Horses has played before audiences of tens of thousands and released four albums — the last two of which, including last fall's "Mirage Rock," debuted in the top 15 of the Billboard 200. Now based in the Charleston, S.C., area, Bridwell's married and a father of two.
Bridwell talked with The Associated Press last month about adjusting the rock 'n' roll lifestyle to family, being an overprotective dad and his band's latest tour, which began this week and included a stop Friday at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival:
AP: Did you bring your family with you to Seattle?
Bridwell: I'm here by myself. I was home for like a month and a half and tour's about to start again, but I really needed a little break to come out and look at the trees AND the forest, as it were. It's a dangerous thing, though, right? They always say you can't go back home or whatever. It's a dangerous thing, but it's at least interesting. As long as you don't put too much stock in it.
AP: You have kids now. How do you handle family while living the rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
Bridwell: It's an interesting balancing act that I think at first was really tough to try to balance. Not only the touring aspect and missing them and feeling guilty about not being there when there's a crisis or something, but even just like being home and the day-to-day want to create at all times. I want to work on music all day like a video game junky would with Black Ops or something, you know? ... It's good to be forced to step outside of your own mind and your own needs.
AP: Have your daughters shown any interest in music?
Bridwell: Yeah, man, I'm almost like afraid as a parent to show them what you're really into, like you're forcing it on them or something. I'm afraid my kids will grow up to be cheerleaders in spite of their parents being cool. So I kind of kept it to myself. But obviously I'm always playing music. As soon as they wake up, I play them something that will help them have a nice day or something. So I'm literally shoving little songs here and there without being overly dramatic about it. As far as playing in front of them, I'm just really mellow about that. And I think by doing that, it's really perked the interest of my oldest to be like, 'I want to do what daddy does. I want to be a singer.'
AP: You ever thought about taking them on tour?
Bridwell: I just don't think it's time yet honestly. I'm a worry wart, man. I don't know if it's because I have two girls (age 4 and 2) and I'm just like, 'Be careful on that balance beam that's 2 inches off the ground, you might break your ankle,' you know? I think it applies to traveling. I just worry about their safety on a bus. It's not like you're wearing a seatbelt.
AP: You'll play in front of thousands at festivals this summer, but you also play small clubs. Are those shows different?
Bridwell: In a club, you play a longer set, as opposed to a festival show where you play 40 minutes to an hour if you're lucky. (At festivals) you want to give a nice, concise overview of the band's most popular stuff. I tend to be a pleaser by nature and I want people to get the best music that we have. The most bang for your buck, really. With the club show you can tailor the set list a little more to the deep cuts, for the people that come for the more extensive review of the catalog or something. They're both really fun. I really relish the challenge of putting the set list together. I look at set lists from four years ago. If it's Baton Rouge again, I want to make sure that it's different."
Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott.


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The B-2 stealth bomber. The Patriot missile. The M1 Abrams tank. And … the Apple iPhone?
Earlier this month the Pentagon approved Apple iPhones and iPads running iOS 6 as a secure platform for use on U.S. military networks. Federal systems integrators say the decision is a big win for Apple and could spell trouble for BlackBerry -- the military's prior mobile device of choice. (The Pentagon has also approved the BlackBerry 10 smartphone, Blackberry PlayBook tablet and Samsung Galaxy S4 for military use.)
Solution providers expect a wave of new iOS applications designed for use by military personnel. "There are a zillion folks who use Apple devices," said Harry Martin, president and CEO of Intelligent Decisions, an Ashburn, Va.-based solution provider to the federal government. "It's going to be natural for them to use those devices within the B2B and military communities," he said, calling the Apple win a "game-changer."


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The district significantly reduced the number of elementary school librarians, forcing each of these highly trained professionals to cover two schools in 2013-14.
It was 9:30 a.m. sharp Wednesday when Cheryl Minotti's second-grade class filed into the Saddlewood Elementary School library to return books.
After librarian assistant Michelle Ramos scanned each child's books into a computer, she told them to carry the books to one of many tables and await her instructions.
Minutes later, Ramos told the children to put certain types of books in the middle of the table and hold onto the rest. That's when she ordered students to shelve those books they kept in their hands.
This is the first year that Saddlewood students have been asked to help shelve books. Though it is a task that will help them navigate a library, as well as learn the Dewey Decimal System, the assignment is really meant to help library staff save time.
Time for library staff is more precious than ever in Marion County elementary schools. That's because the district significantly reduced the number of elementary school librarians, forcing each of these highly trained professionals to cover two schools in 2013-14.
Each librarian must have a bachelor's degree and be state certified, like any other teacher. But unlike most teachers, they are splitting time at two schools.
Gloria Rowley serves as the librarian at both Saddlewood and Marion Oaks elementary schools. The two schools combined have 33,000 books that are checked out nearly 110,000 times during a 180-day school year.
She must keep up with two separate school library budgets, two book fair budgets, and manage two state stipends to purchase new books. She must meet different expectations from two principals, both of whom will be evaluating her performance.
And she only has two library technicians, one at each school, helping her navigate the waterfall of tasks: ordering books, repairing books, organizing book events and much more.
On top of all that, this year librarians are expected to teach more, as school districts statewide head down a new curriculum road known as Common Core State Standards.
Rowley, who was working at Marion Oaks on Wednesday, said there isn't enough time in a day for her to complete all of her tasks, even with the help of her dedicated veteran assistants.
Most every day she is at one of the schools until 5 p.m. or later trying to catch up. After all, you can't take the library home with you.
She feels like she shouldn't complain. She sees that most every classroom teacher at her two schools must teach one physical education class per week now that the district has assigned only one PE coach to each elementary school.
She also sees that music and art teachers, like librarians, are also sharing elementary schools.
But though she doesn't want to complain about her workload, she did say cutting librarians will hurt.
"The children will be affected, there is no doubt about it," Rowley said.
At Saddlewood, Minotti said, every classroom now has only one set time period per week to check out and return books. Last year, she brought students to the library several times weekly. She has many students who beg to go to library more often.
"Many of my students want to go several times a week," she said, adding the cuts are negatively affecting student reading time at home.
Today's school librarians spend their days teaching children critical thinking skills. They teach students how to evaluate research sources, once found on microfilm or in encyclopedias and now on the World Wide Web.
"What we do is very, very important," said Miriam Needham, the district's coordinator of library media services.
Though Needham said she knows that district administrators wish they didn't have to resort to these cutbacks, it will affect student learning.
"This is not just a Marion County problem, it is a national problem," Needham said. "It will be a detriment to our children."
She pointed to a Library Research Service study in Colorado, which found a link between higher student reading scores and schools with full-time librarians.
"We found that students at schools that gained or maintained an endorsed librarian to manage the library program averaged higher (state) reading scores and higher increases in those scores over time than students at schools whose library programs were run by either non-endorsed librarians or library assistants," the report concluded.
Needham noted that for years the district has been freezing open librarian positions, forcing some elementary schools to share.
Several years ago, administrators cut one of the two librarians at each of the secondary schools. In fact, one librarian currently handles the West Port High library, which serves 2,500 students.
Needham said the cuts will hurt because librarians will have half as much time teaching students.
Librarians create programs at their schools to drive reading, a critical skill necessary in FCAT testing.
Low reading levels on FCATs keep a student from passing third grade or older students from graduating.
Librarians are responsible for keeping up with a school's book collection and making sure adequate material is on the shelves.
Saddlewood Principal Jennifer Beck is thankful she has Rowley, whom she called a very dedicated librarian.
Rowley works Thursday through Wednesday at Saddlewood one week and the same days at Marion Oaks the following week. They are two of the four largest elementary schools in Marion, with a combined enrolment of 1,622.
Saddlewood is the county's largest elementary school with 872 students and Marion Oaks has 750 students, just shy of Hammett-Bowen's 765 and Sunrise's 755.
Marion Oaks Principal Gary Smallridge said he has worked with Rowley to make sure every class at his school has 40 minutes of time every week to check in and out books. That can be done on the days with or without the librarian.
During the time Rowley is at the school, teachers must sign up to receive their specific instruction.
"Do I wish we could go back like we were? Sure." Smallridge said. "But that is not the reality right now. We can only do the best that we can and Ms. Rowley has been great through it all."
Facing a $29 million budget shortfall, Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn announced in May the layoffs of 261 people, most of whom have since been offered jobs back with the district. Tomyn cut half the elementary PE coaches and librarians as well as art and music teachers.
"It's going to negatively affect our students if we are not able to restore these positions on down the line," Needham said.
Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalanews.


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After Gov. Schwarzenegger signed into law California's Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP), the Governator took a tour of electric vehicle companies in the Golden State. The new law lops $1,500 off the sticker price off an electric motorcycle for California residence, which in many cases means over 15% off the sticker price.
Taking a look at both Zero Motorcycles and Mission Motors, Gov. Schwarzenegger made endorsing comments about the two companies and how they are allowing California to take the lead in the emerging electric vehicle markets.


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Deal or No Deal – K-State StylePosted by rtmsf on October 15th, 2008
We came across a really insightful article today by Bob McClellan on Rivals that analyzed assistant coaching salaries at the top fifteen schools (by final ranking) during the 2007-08 season. Using FOIA again, McClellan discovered that there are significant inequities in what assistant coaches at several of these top public university programs are paid. After we picked our jaw up off the floor from awe at the size of these salaries for the assistants (!!!), we immediately focused in on the anomaly that McClellan made the keystone of his story – Kansas State assistant coach Dalonte Hill was paid $400,000 last season and is set to make $420,000 this year. From the article:
Hill, entering his sixth season as a college assistant, will make more money for the 2008-09 season than the entire three-man staffs at Ohio State, Washington State and Wisconsin and only $5,000 less than the staff at Texas, a survey done by Rivals.com shows. K-State released Hill's contract in May. The school paid him $400,000 in 2007-08, and it will pay him $420,000 a year – $150,000 in base salary and $270,000 in "additional compensation," defined as "television, radio, internet, promotional and other services" – for the next four years. He is entering his third year at K-State. Because private universities are not required to release salary information, it's unknown whether Hill is the highest-paid assistant in college basketball. But based on Freedom of Information requests, Hill is far and away the highest-paid assistant among public universities that finished in the top 15 in the 2008 coaches' postseason poll.
So what's the catch here? Why is Hill making literally hundreds of thousands of dollars more than his peers? Oh, that.
After three years with the [Charlotte] 49ers, Bob Huggins lured Hill to Kansas State. Hill was responsible for the recruitment of [Michael] Beasley, who stuck with his pledge to play for the Wildcats even though Huggins left for West Virginia after just one season. Hill coached Beasley in the AAU ranks, and Beasley called him "like a big brother." Beasley had committed to Charlotte while Hill was still there. When Huggins lured Hill to K-State, Beasley followed him. By then, Beasley had become the No. 1 prospect in the country.
So all of this talk got us to thinking… Beasley spent one year at K-State and it's been argued in this space before that in terms of exposure and notoriety for the program, Beasley was an absolute WIN, even though he only stuck around Manhattan, Kansas, for one season. But to echo Howie Mandel, was it a good deal for KSU to pay Dalonte Hill so much money considering the financial impact that Beasley had on the program? The answer, my friends, is a resounding yes.
There are multiple ways to measure financial impact, but let's keep this simple if we can. We're only going to consider television and NCAA Tournament revenue because we can easily measure it, although ticket and merchandise sales were both also marginally up for the 2007-08 season.
Television Revenue. It's difficult to find hard numbers on what FSN, ESPN and its family of networks pay schools per regular season basketball game, but this much we know to be true: for Big 12 football, ESPN pays $300k per game and FSN pays $150k per game. Let's halve that for basketball to $150k/$75k per game. For ESPNU, ESPN+ and the FSN Regionals, let's call it $50k per game. Using this model, in 2006-07, with new coach Bob Huggins but no Michael Beasley, K-State played on ESPN/ABC a total of seven times ($1.05M). The Wildcats played on ESPNU and the various regional channels another twenty times ($1.0M), which totals out just over $2M in television revenue in 2006-07 (note: we didn't speculate about the K-State local channel because it's unlikely to be substantive). In 2007-08, with Beasley in tow, K-State played on national television nine times ($1.35M), and the ESPNU/regionals a total of twenty-one times ($1.05M), for a net gain of $300K in television money with Beasley. (quick note: the Big 12 only participates in limited television revenue sharing, favoring instead a system that favors the teams on television more often – all but one KSU game was televised last year).
NCAA Tournament. The Big 12, like every other conference, shares NCAA Tournament revenue equally among its member institutions. In a form of institutional socialism, each school that participates in a game in the Big Dance earns a "unit" of funds available – the more games played, the more units earned (e.g., the Big 12 earned 16 units last year). The NCAA then takes a six-year average of these units and doles out the aptly-titled Basketball Fund to each league accordingly – truly a payment-for-performance system. In 2006-07, the Big 12 earned $14.3M ($1.2M per school), and with help from K-State's two units (the Beasley Effect), the Big 12 stands to earn $15.1M this year ($1.3M per school). An extra $100k may not seem like much in a vacuum, but the NCAA also provides each school with a $125k appearance fee per school per game (ostensibly for expenses), and since K-State played two games in the Dance, there's an additional $250k to go along with the prior $100k. This results in another net gain of $350k from the prior year simply because Michael Beasley was good enough to get the Wildcats into the NCAA Tournament last year.
Result. So through a simple analysis of television and NCAA Tourney revenues, we can already see a net gain of approximately $650k due to Beasley's presence. Keep in mind again that we're not even taking into account any ticket sales increases or merchandise sales increases that occurred because of the success of Beasley and his team. Nor are we considering any future residual effects – future exposure in terms of better recruiting and more television appearances as a result of Beasley – and still we've determined that, at minimum, Beasley's one-year contributions to the program were at least $250k more (and likely much more in other impacts) than Dalonte Hill's salary that season, and therefore, yes, K-State fans, you made a good deal.


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Local choir teacher Kim Stewart and student Erica Bertram will represent Kiowa County in June, as they join more than 200 Kansas students on a musical performance tour of Europe.
Local choir teacher Kim Stewart and student Erica Bertram will represent Kiowa County in June, as they join more than 200 Kansas students on a musical performance tour of Europe.
"I feel like music gives kids opportunities," said Stewart. "Most of the traveling I have done has been music related and I've been to Europe before because of my involvement in music."
Stewart, a vocal teacher at USD 474 and USD 422, will return to Europe this June as part of the Kansas Ambassadors of Music, which will take her and Bertram to seven countries in fourteen days to perform for European audiences.
Bertram and Stewart will rehearse with other Kansas students beginning on June 12 in Wichita before flying direct from Kansas City to London three days later.
Their trip will bring them to London, Paris, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany and Italy.
The group will include a band division, an orchestra division and a choral division directed by Rose Hill High School vocal instructor Charles Forsyth.
"We'll sing just about every night," said Stewart.
The tour, operated by the Denver-based Voyageurs International, is open to all high school students but requires a recommendation from a teacher, Stewart said.
The trip includes visits to local attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
Stewart said they would attend West End theater performances while in London.
She is going to see Les Miserables at Her Majesty's Theatre and Bertram will see The Phantom of the Opera at the Queen's Theatre.
"Erica's academic achievements and her commitment to music made her the perfect candidate," Stewart added.
Bertram, a senior, will attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NOSU) next year. The main campus, located just 15 miles south of the Kansas-Oklahoma border, has a reputation for a strong music program.
Kiowa County High School graduate Jordan Little is a first-year NOSU student and recently traveled to China with a campus-based choir group.
"I've already auditioned, so I am waiting to hear back," said Bertram, who auditioned for a spot in the coveted NOSU Honor Choir.
While she has been a fixture on a number of Maverick athletics teams (volleyball, basketball and track) and is a member of the Maverick Cheerleading Squad, National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bertram said music has been her first love.
"I've considered it as a major," said Bertram. "But around here there isn't a whole lot I could do with that degree. I could be a music teacher, but that's about it. I want to stay in a small town. I like it here. I'd like to continue doing music. I don't know if it will be my career but it will always be something I'll do."
Bertram said she hasn't declared a major. "I'm still working on it," she quipped.
The trip is expensive with both Bertram and Stewart raising money for more than a year to pay for it.
Bertram saved money from working at the Greensburg Municipal Pool last summer.
Stewart has been squirreling away proceeds from her side job as a local Mary Kay Cosmetics representative.
They set up tables at high school and junior high school sporting events, selling homemade bracelets.
"It's been going pretty well," said Stewart. "I've even sold another fifteen bracelets over spring break. That's been a steady source of fundraising."
They've also started an e-recycling campaign that will help fund their trip with proceeds from unwanted and recycled electronics.
Boxes located in the Kiowa County Courthouse and the Kiowa County High School can take old laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, computer monitors and unwanted e-waste.
They have contracted with a company that will recycle it and mail them a check.
"They pay for shipping so we really make 100 percent on everything that's donated," said Stewart.
Laughing, both of them say they earn good proceeds from iPhones, iPads and iPods.
"Those aren't easy to let go of," said Stewart. "But even old laptops and cell phones, GPS, digital cameras and ink jet cartridges those can all be donated and will raise us some money. We get something for everything."
"Everybody has those used ink jet cartages," added Bertram. "They probably just throw them away."
Stewart said they have already received a few old laptops and electronics in their boxes but extra expenses will keep them raising funds, likely through the spring and into the summer.
Stewart and Bertram said their trip will cost $5,500 each, which includes airfare, hotel stay, event tickets and two meals each day. They will have to pay for one of their daily meals, and other expenses such as shopping or extra events.
They both say they are "almost there."
Stewart was eventually asked to work during the trip, which took some money off of her ticket price. "This is such a neat opportunity and it is going to be so much fun," she said.


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The Houston Dynamo announced today that Saturday's match versus the Seattle Sounders, presented by Direct Energy, has sold out.
Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance of the team's next two home game, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 27 against Arabe Unido of Panama (kickoff: 7 p.m. CT) in the CONCACAF Champions League and Sept. 8 against Thierry Henry and the New York Red Bulls in a game with potential playoff implications.
Regular tickets start at $24 for 200 Level endline seats and can be purchased here, or by calling (713) 276-GOAL. Tickets may also be purchased at the stadium box office (2200 Texas St., Houston) from 9 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from noon through kickoff on Saturday.


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Michelle Hawes engaged to Jacob Messier
Doris and Donald Hawes of Warwick Ave., Warwick, announces the engagement of her daughter, Michelle Hawes, to Jacob Messier, son of Gene and Melanie Messier of Naughton Ave., Warwick. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Warwick Veteran Memorial High School Educational Resource Group.
The groom-to-be is a graduate of Toll Gate High School and Electrical Trade School. He is employed by Kent County Electrical Services.
The couple are planning a May 12, 2012 wedding.
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New York, 6 June 2012—United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched today a video spot "The Future We Want" which uses voices of Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, French actor Lambert Wilson, Brazilian football star Marta Vieira da Silva and Italian actress Laura Morante, to explain what sustainable development is to mainstream audiences.
The public service announcement will be part of the "Future We Want" campaign of the United Nations ahead of the Conference on Sustainable Development, or 'Rio+20,' to be held in Brazil on 20-22 June 2012.
The video aims at explaining the foundation of sustainable development planning, i.e., each policy and investment decision must take into equal consideration its economic, social and environmental impacts.
It has become common practice that government and private sector decision making mainly takes into account the economic gains of any policy or investment, which often leads to the neglect of the poor and overexploitation of the environment.
"For me, achieving sustainable development is not about trading economic, social, and environmental objectives off against each other," said Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator. "It is about seeing them as interconnected objectives which are best pursued together."
It has been a challenge for many political leaders, activists, researchers and spokespeople to explain what sustainable development stands for. The new spot attempts to portray the topic in a way that everybody can understand.
The video, using the hand painting and stop motion technique, was created by Italian video artist Virgilio Villoresi, under the artistic direction of Luca Cipelletti from AR.CH.IT. It is available for any broadcaster, and will be posted on YouTube, on United Nations web sites, and internet sites of partner organizations before and during the 'Rio+20' conference.
The video spot also invites the public to vote on 100 recommendations on sustainable development at http://vote.riodialogues.org. The recommendations have been put forward by a community of experts who convened online at the Rio+20 Dialogues, organized by the Government of Brazil on a social networking web site developed by UNDP. The top recommendations based on public votes will be presented to the more than 100 heads of state and government participating in Rio+20 Conference.
To see the video spot, visit http://undp.org/rio
Broadcasters can access high-quality versions of the video spot here: http://web.undp.org/broadcast/rio+20-psa/the-future-we-want/
For more information, please contact:
New York: Stanislav Saling Tel.: +1 212 906 5296, [email protected]
Geneva: Aziyadé Poltier-Mutal; Tel: +41-22-917-8368; [email protected]rg
For broadcast footage, please contact Boaz Paldi, +1 212 906 6801, [email protected]
For Rio Dialogues, contact Alberto Lizzi, +1 212 906 5332, [email protected]
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org. Follow us on twitter and facebook.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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NEW YORK (AP) — After getting bludgeoned in the financial crisis, Morgan Stanley is staking its future on the steadier, if less spectacular, business of wealth management.
In the first quarter, the strategy looked prudent: Profit and revenue soared in wealth management, even as they dipped in investment banking.
The wealth management unit generated more fees, and clients shuttled more assets to the bank. Profit margins rose and so did employees' productivity. In contrast, the company's investment banking unit brought in less revenue from trading bonds and commodities, and made less money on advising companies on mergers and acquisitions.
Overall earnings slipped 12 percent from a year earlier — to $1.2 billion, or 61 cents a share. While that beat expectations of analysts polled by FactSet, investors weren't impressed. The stock fell $1.16, or 5.4 percent, to close at $20.31 Thursday.
CEO James Gorman said the first quarter represented "solid momentum." He's been investing in the wealth management unit, emphasizing products like home loans, and steering the purchase of the rest of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, the retail brokerage it owns with Citigroup.
Analysts, however, described the first quarter almost like a holding period. They said the bank was moving toward the correct positions but were disappointed by weaknesses in the investment bank. They're also anxious for the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney deal to be completed.
Gorman, the CEO since the start of 2010, is under pressure to restore Morgan Stanley's share price and measures of profitability, including its return on equity. His direction for the bank is borne from previous losses: Risky investment banking activities slammed Morgan Stanley in the financial crisis, and regulators are phasing out some of the investment bank's old sources of revenue, like trading for its own profit.
The CEO's response has been to expand the bank's work with individual investors. That business can provide a steady source of revenue even when financial markets are volatile. It also gives the bank more earnings power and access to deposits, which helps it fund lending and other initiatives.
A big part of that plan is the retail brokerage, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Morgan Stanley is in the process of buying out Citi's remaining 35 percent stake. It has said it plans to do so by the end of this year, though it still needs Federal Reserve approval for part of the process.
The bank's different units are also being encouraged to work together. For example, the investment bank usually deals with companies and other institutional clients, helping them broker deals or trading on their behalf. But those corporate clients also have executives who would make prime customers for the wealth management unit, which advises individuals as well as small and medium-sized companies.
Thursday's results reinforced the shifting focus. The wealth management unit accounted for about 41 percent of revenue, after stripping out an accounting charge. Three years ago, when Gorman took over, it accounted for 34 percent.
Wealth management's profit margins and income tend to be more reliable and steady. Analysts said they were pleased that the wealth management unit's pre-tax profit margin was better than expected at 17 percent. That's the highest it's been since Morgan Stanley formed the joint brokerage with Citigroup, and it's been steadily rising since 2009. The investment bank's profit margin was higher, at 20 percent, but it's swung widely in recent years: 39 percent three years ago, and 12 percent two years ago.
Nomura analyst Glenn Schorr said the quarter "showed progress."
"A mixed bag at the (investment bank) isn't so bad," he wrote in a note to clients, "when wealth management is so much better (and about to be bigger)."
Barclays analyst Roger Freeman noted that the return on equity rate was down over the year — "a sign of progress yet to be made, though with important catalysts on the horizon," he wrote.
More from the earnings report:
—The economy: Executives sounded cautiously hopeful about the economy, but were far from declaring victory. In an interview with The Associated Press, Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat said that institutional investors had been more confident in January and February, then pulled back in March amid the Cyprus bank bailout and Italy's uncertain elections. It was a trend seen with clients at Goldman Sachs, which reported first-quarter earnings Tuesday.
Porat said the market's uneven performance in recent weeks is another reminder that the recovery "may not come in a straight line," even if major economies "are clearly on firmer footing than just a year ago."
—The investment bank: The drop in revenue from advising companies on deal making grabbed analysts' attention. In some ways, it's a prime time for companies to be merging or buying other companies. With interest rates low, financing is cheap. But Porat said there's still a level of worry.
"CEOs continue to be concerned about longer term earnings outlook and they're just being very cautious in deals," she said. "The level of discussion is very good but it's just not getting to the announcement stage."
Revenue fell 14 percent to $4.4 billion, after stripping out an accounting charge. Profit was down 30 percent to $1.1 billion.
—Wealth management: The revenue that each representative brings in has been steadily rising, and this quarter amounted to an annualized rate of $851,000, up from $780,000 a year ago.
Overall, revenue was up 5 percent to $3.5 billion. Profit jumped 48 percent to $597 million.
—Expenses: Like most of its peers, Morgan Stanley has been cutting back on spending, including office space, equipment and marketing. The amount the bank spent on salaries, bonuses and benefits fell 5 percent. Headcount was down 7 percent, with the bank cutting about 3,900 jobs.
—Regulations: Gorman hinted that uncertainty over new regulations would be less of a drag on results. Investors have already baked in much of the effect of the new regulations into their expectations, he said. The bank's rejiggering how it makes money has also helped. "Our growth areas are those that are unlikely to be much impacted by further regulation," he said in a call with reporters. "Our path is clearer.
—By the numbers: Earnings totaled $1.2 billion, down from $1.3 billion. Per share, those earnings amounted to 61 cents, beating the forecast of 57 cents.
Revenue was $8.5 billion, down from $8.9 billion. That beat analysts' expectations of $8.3 billion.
The earnings and revenue exclude the effect of an accounting charge related to the value of the bank's debt.


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It's June again, time for the annual tradition of LeBron James on your TV for four to seven games.
James is in the NBA Finals a fifth consecutive year, his ZIP Code notably changing, but his appearances still as common as June blossoms.
He has no chance, however, against the Golden State Warriors. None. Just listen to the Cleveland Cavaliers' critics.
James is injured. So is Kyrie Irving. And done-for the-season Kevin Love.
He can't win with the erratic Iman Shumpert. And the even more erratic J.R. Smith.
Who's their center again? Oh. Timofey Mozgov.
Oddsmakers have made Golden State a 2-1 favorite to win the series that begins Thursday, the Warriors...


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NEW YORK (AP) — Struggling photo pioneer Eastman Kodak Co. will get loans worth $830 million in a new financing package that replaces a $793 million deal.
The new package also has a longer maturity and lower fees. The offer comes from a committee of 10 institutional investors who all hold senior secured notes in Kodak.
The Rochester, N.Y., company says the funds will allow it to complete its reorganization and emerge from bankruptcy protection in the first half of next year.
The financing is subject to bankruptcy court approval and requires the company to complete the sale of its digital imaging patent portfolio for at least $500 million.
Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January after struggling to adapt to the world of digital photography.


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Galaxy Quest Model Kits
Never give up . . . never surrender!
- Two kits to bring you the Galaxy Quest toys you've always wanted.
- The N.S.E.A. Protector has a removable command ship.
- And the Vox Comm. and Ion Nebulizer have working parts (and are life-sized)!
"Galaxy Quest" is one of the greatest movies ever made. It somehow manages to celebrate and satire everything we know and love about Star Trek and sci-fi fandoms in general. The only thing really lacking was something Yogurt from "Spaceballs" knew all about: merchandising! Well, there were two kits made, and here they are. We call them Galaxy Quest Model Kits.
Kit one is the N.S.E.A. Protector. Once assembled and painted, it will sit proudly on your desk, atop a Galaxy Quest logo base. And if it ever gets damaged, it features a removable command ship (perfect for crash landings). And then there's kit two which contains the Vox Comm. and the Ion Nebulizer. Both are full-sized and have spring-loaded features (the Vox has a flip-open mouth piece and the Nebulizer has a working trigger). By Grabthar's Hammer, by the Sons of Worvan, you shall be . . . happier than a Thermian watching Earth's reruns to get your hands on these Galaxy Quest Model Kits!
Please Note: Assembled and painted ships shown in some images. You'll have to do a little DIYing to get yours to look like that.


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The Faerie Queene
Book III. The Legend of Britomartis
Canto IV
Bold Marinell of Britomart
Is throwne on the Rich Strond:
Faire Florimell of Arthure is
Long followed, but not fond.
is the antique glory now become,
That whylome wont in wemen to appeare?
Where be the brave atchievements doen by some?
Where be the batteilles, where the shield and speare,
And all the conquests which them high did reare,
That matter made for famous poets verse,
And boastfull men so oft abasht to heare?
Beene they all dead, and laide in dolefull herse?
Or doen they onely sleepe, and shall againe reverse?
If they be dead, then woe is me therefore:
But if they sleepe, O let them soone awake!
For all too long I burne with envy sore,
To heare the warlike feates which Homere spake
Of bold Penthesilee, which made a lake
Of Greekish blood so ofte in Trojan plaine;
But when I reade, how stout Debora strake
Proud Sisera, and how Camill hath slaine
The huge Orsilochus, I swell with great disdaine.
Yet these, and all that els had puissaunce,
Cannot with noble Britomart compare,
Aswell for glorie of great valiaunce,
As for pure chastitie and vertue rare,
That all her goodly deedes do well declare.
Well worthie stock, from which the branches sprong
That in late yeares so faire a blossome bare
As thee, O Queene, the matter of my song,
Whose lignage from this lady I derive along.
Who when, through speaches with the Redcrosse Knight,
She learned had th estate of Arthegall,
And in each point her selfe informd aright,
A frendly league of love perpetuall
She with him bound, and congé tooke withall.
Then he forth on his journey did proceede,
To seeke adventures which mote him befall,
And win him worship through his warlike deed,
Which alwaies of his paines he made the chiefest meed.
But Britomart kept on her former course,
Ne ever dofte her armes, but all the way
Grew pensive through that amarous discourse,
By which the Redcrosse Knight did earst display
Her lovers shape and chevalrous aray:
A thousand thoughts she fashioned in her mind,
And in her feigning fancie did pourtray
Him such as fittest she for love could find,
Wise, warlike, personable, courteous, and kind.
With such selfe-pleasing thoughts her wound she fedd,
And thought so to beguile her grievous smart;
But so her smart was much more grievous bredd,
And the deepe wound more deep engord her hart,
That nought but death her dolour mote depart.
So forth she rode without repose or rest,
Searching all lands and each remotest part,
Following the guydaunce of her blinded guest,
Till that to the seacoast at length she her addrest.
There she alighted from her light-foot beast,
And sitting downe upon the rocky shore,
Badd her old squyre unlace her lofty creast:
Tho, having vewd a while the surges hore,
That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore,
And in their raging surquedry disdaynd
That the fast earth affronted them so sore,
And their devouring covetize restraynd,
Thereat she sighed deepe, and after thus complaynd.
Huge sea of sorrow and tempestuous griefe,
Wherein my feeble barke is tossed long,
Far from the hoped haven of reliefe,
Why doe thy cruel billowes beat so strong,
And thy moyst mountaynes each on others throng,
Threatning to swallow up my fearefull lyfe?
O! doe thy cruell wrath and spightfull wrong
At length allay, and stint thy stormy stryfe,
Which in these troubled bowels raignes and rageth ryfe.
For els my feeble vessell, crazd and crackt
Through thy strong buffets and outrageous blowes,
Cannot endure, but needes it must be wrackt
On the rough rocks, or on the sandy shallowes,
The whiles that Love it steres, and Fortune rowes:
Love, my lewd pilott, hath a restlesse minde,
And Fortune, boteswaine, no assuraunce knowes,
But saile withouten starres gainst tyde and winde:
How can they other doe, sith both are bold and blinde?
Thou god of windes, that raignest in the seas,
That raignest also in the continent,
At last blow up some gentle gale of ease,
The which may bring my ship, ere it be rent,
Unto the gladsome port of her intent:
Then, when I shall my selfe in safety see,
A table, for eternall moniment
Of thy great grace, and my great jeopardee,
Great Neptune, I avow to hallow unto thee.
Then sighing softly sore, and inly deepe,
She shut up all her plaint in privy griefe;
For her great courage would not let her weepe;
Till that old Glauce gan with sharpe repriefe
Her to restraine, and give her good reliefe,
Through hope of those which Merlin had her told
Should of her name and nation be chiefe,
And fetch their being from the sacred mould
Of her immortall womb, to be in heaven enrold.
Thus as she her recomforted, she spyde
Where far away one, all in armour bright,
With hasty gallop towards her did ryde:
Her dolour soone she ceast, and on her dight
Her helmet, to her courser mounting light:
Her former sorrow into suddein wrath,
Both coosen passions of distroubled spright,
Converting, forth she beates the dusty path:
Love and despight attonce her courage kindled hath.
As when a foggy mist hath overcast
The face of heven, and the cleare ayre engroste,
The world in darkenes dwels, till that at last
The watry southwinde, from the seabord coste
Upblowing, doth disperse the vapour loste,
And poures it selfe forth in a stormy showre;
So the fayre Britomart, having discloste
Her clowdy care into a wrathfull stowre,
The mist of griefe dissolvd did into vengeance powre.
Eftsoones her goodly shield addressing fayre,
That mortall speare she in her hand did take,
And unto battaill did her selfe prepayre.
The knight, approching, sternely her bespake:
Sir knight, that doest thy voyage rashly make
By this forbidden way in my despight,
Ne doest by others death ensample take,
I read thee soone retyre, whiles thou hast might,
Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.
Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat,
She shortly thus: Fly they, that need to fly;
Wordes fearen babes: I meane not thee entreat
To passe; but maugre thee will passe or dy:
Ne lenger stayd for th other to reply,
But with sharpe speare the rest made dearly knowne.
Strongly the straunge knight ran, and sturdily
Strooke her full on the brest, that made her downe
Decline her head, and touch her crouper with her crown.
But she againe him in the shield did smite
With so fierce furie and great puissaunce,
That through his threesquare scuchin percing quite,
And through his mayled hauberque, by mischaunce
The wicked steele through his left side did glaunce:
Him so transfixed she before her bore
Beyond his croupe, the length of all her launce,
Till, sadly soucing on the sandy shore,
He tombled on an heape, and wallowd in his gore.
Like as the sacred oxe, that carelesse stands
With gilden hornes and flowry girlonds crownd,
Proud of his dying honor and deare bandes,
Whiles th altars fume with frankincense arownd,
All suddeinly with mortall stroke astownd,
Doth groveling fall, and with his streaming gore
Distaines the pillours and the holy grownd,
And the faire flowres that decked him afore:
So fell proud Marinell upon the pretious shore.
The martiall mayd stayd not him to lament,
But forward rode, and kept her ready way
Along the strond; which as she over-went,
She saw bestrowed all with rich aray
Of pearles and pretious stones of great assay,
And all the gravell mixt with golden owre;
Whereat she wondred much, but would not stay
For gold, or perles, or pretious stones an howre,
But them despised all, for all was in her powre.
Whiles thus he lay in deadly stonishment,
Tydings hereof came to his mothers eare:
His mother was the blacke-browd Cymoent,
The daughter of great Nereus, which did beare
This warlike sonne unto an earthly peare,
The famous Dumarin; who on a day
Finding the nymph a sleepe in secret wheare,
As he by chaunce did wander that same way,
Was taken with her love, and by her closely lay.
There he this knight of her begot, whom borne
She, of his father, Marinell did name,
And in a rocky cave, as wight forlorne,
Long time she fostred up, till he became
A mighty man at armes, and mickle fame
Did get through great adventures by him donne:
For never man he suffred by that same
Rich Strond to travell, whereas he did wonne,
But that he must do battail with the sea-nymphes sonne.
An hundred knights of honorable name
He had subdewd, and them his vassals made,
That through all Farie Lond his noble fame
Now blazed was, and feare did all invade,
That none durst passen through that perilous glade.
And to advaunce his name and glory more,
Her sea-god syre she dearely did perswade,
T endow her sonne with threasure and rich store,
Bove all the sonnes that were of earthly wombes ybore.
The god did graunt his daughters deare demaund,
To doen his nephew in all riches flow:
Eftsoones his heaped waves he did commaund
Out of their hollow bosome forth to throw
All the huge threasure, which the sea below
Had in his greedy gulfe devoured deepe,
And him enriched through the overthrow
And wreckes of many wretches, which did weepe
And often wayle their wealth, which he from them did keepe.
Shortly upon that shore there heaped was
Exceeding riches and all pretious things,
The spoyle of all the world, that it did pas
The wealth of th East, and pompe of Persian kings:
Gold, amber, yvorie, perles, owches, rings,
And all that els was pretious and deare,
The sea unto him voluntary brings,
That shortly he a great lord did appeare,
As was in all the lond of Faery, or else wheare.
Thereto he was a doughty dreaded knight,
Tryde often to the scath of many deare,
That none in equall armes him matchen might:
The which his mother seeing, gan to feare
Least his too haughtie hardines might reare
Some hard mishap, in hazard of his life:
Forthy she oft him counseld to forbeare
The bloody batteill, and to stirre up strife,
But after all his warre to rest his wearie knife.
And, for his more assuraunce, she inquird
One day of Proteus by his mighty spell
(For Proteus was with prophecy inspird)
Her deare sonnes destiny to her to tell,
And the sad end of her sweet Marinell.
Who, through foresight of his eternall skill,
Bad her from womankind to keepe him well:
For of a woman he should have much ill;
A virgin straunge and stout him should dismay or kill.
Forthy she gave him warning every day,
The love of women not to entertaine;
A lesson too too hard for living clay,
From love in course of nature to refraine:
Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine,
And ever from fayre ladies love did fly;
Yet many ladies fayre did oft complaine,
That they for love of him would algates dy:
Dy who so list for him, he was loves enimy.
But ah! who can deceive his destiny,
Or weene by warning to avoyd his fate?
That, when he sleepes in most security
And safest seemes, him soonest doth amate,
And findeth dew effect or soone or late.
So feeble is the powre of fleshly arme!
His mother bad him wemens love to hate,
For she of womans force did feare no harme;
So weening to have armd him, she did quite disarme.
This was that woman, this that deadly wownd,
That Proteus prophecide should him dismay,
The which his mother vainely did expownd,
To be hart-wownding love, which should assay
To bring her sonne unto his last decay.
So ticle be the termes of mortall state
And full of subtile sophismes, which doe play
With double sences, and with false debate,
T approve the unknowen purpose of eternall fate.
Too trew the famous Marinell it fownd,
Who, through late triall, on that wealthy strond
Inglorious now lies in sencelesse swownd,
Through heavy stroke of Britomartis hond.
Which when his mother deare did understond,
And heavy tidings heard, whereas she playd
Amongst her watry sisters by a pond,
Gathering sweete daffadillyes, to have made
Gay girlonds, from the sun their forheads fayr to shade,
Eftesoones both flowres and girlonds far away
Shee flong, and her faire deawy locks yrent;
To sorrow huge she turnd her former play,
And gamesome merth to grievous dreriment:
Shee threw her selfe downe on the continent,
Ne word did speake, but lay as in a swowne,
Whiles al her sisters did for her lament,
With yelling outcries, and with shrieking sowne;
And every one did teare her girlond from her crowne.
Soone as shee up out of her deadly fitt
Arose, shee bad her charett to be brought,
And all her sisters, that with her did sitt,
Bad eke attonce their charetts to be sought:
Tho, full of bitter griefe and pensife thought,
She to her wagon clombe; clombe all the rest,
And forth together went, with sorow fraught.
The waves, obedient to theyr beheast,
Them yielded ready passage, and their rage surceast.
Great Neptune stoode amazed at their sight,
Whiles on his broad rownd backe they softly slid,
And eke him selfe mournd at their mournfull plight,
Yet wist not what their wailing ment, yet did,
For great compassion of their sorow, bid
His mighty waters to them buxome bee:
Eftesoones the roaring billowes still abid,
And all the griesly monsters of the see
Stood gaping at their gate, and wondred them to see.
A teme of dolphins, raunged in aray,
Drew the smooth charett of sad Cymoent;
They were all taught by Triton to obay
To the long raynes at her commaundement:
As swifte as swallowes on the waves they went,
That their brode flaggy finnes no fome did reare,
Ne bubling rowndell they behinde them sent;
The rest of other fishes drawen weare,
Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did sheare.
Soone as they bene arrivd upon the brim
Of the Rich Strond, their charets they forlore,
And let their temed fishes softly swim
Along the margent of the fomy shore,
Least they their finnes should bruze, and surbate sore
Their tender feete upon the stony grownd:
And comming to the place, where all in gore
And cruddy blood enwallowed they fownd
The lucklesse Marinell, lying in deadly swownd;
His mother swowned thrise, and the third time
Could scarce recovered bee out of her paine;
Had she not beene devoide of mortall slime,
Shee should not then have bene relyvd againe;
But soone as life recovered had the raine,
Shee made so piteous mone and deare wayment,
That the hard rocks could scarse from tears refraine,
And all her sister nymphes with one consent
Supplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement.
Deare image of my selfe, she sayd, that is,
The wretched sonne of wretched mother borne,
Is this thine high advauncement? O! is this
Th immortall name, with which thee yet unborne
Thy gransire Nereus promist to adorne?
Now lyest thou of life and honor refte,
Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne,
Ne of thy late life memory is lefte,
Ne can thy irrevocable desteny bee wefte?
Fond Proteus, father of false prophecis!
And they more fond, that credit to thee give!
Not this the worke of womans hand ywis,
That so deepe wound through these deare members drive.
I feared love: but they that love doe live,
But they that dye doe nether love nor hate.
Nathlesse to thee thy folly I forgive,
And to my selfe and to accursed fate
The guilt I doe ascribe: deare wisedom bought too late.
O what availes it of immortall seed
To beene ybredd and never borne to dye?
Farre better I it deeme to die with speed,
Then waste in woe and waylfull miserye.
Who dyes the utmost dolor doth abye,
But who that lives is lefte to waile his losse:
So life is losse, and death felicity:
Sad life worse then glad death: and greater crosse
To see frends grave, then dead the grave self to engrosse.
But if the heavens did his dayes envie,
And my short blis maligne, yet mote they well
Thus much afford me, ere that he did die,
That the dim eies of my deare Marinell
I mote have closed, and him bed farewell,
Sith other offices for mother meet
They would not graunt
Yett, maulgre them, farewell, my sweetest sweet!
Farewell, my sweetest sonne, sith we no more shall meet!
Thus when they all had sorowed their fill,
They softly gan to search his griesly wownd:
And that they might him handle more at will,
They him disarmd, and spredding on the grownd
Their watchet mantles frindgd with silver rownd,
They softly wipt away the gelly blood
From th orifice; which having well upbownd,
They pourd in soveraine balme and nectar good,
Good both for erthly medcine and for hevenly food.
Tho, when the lilly handed Liagore
(This Liagore whilome had learned skill
In leaches craft, by great Appolloes lore,
Sith her whilome upon high Pindus hill
He loved, and at last her wombe did fill
With hevenly seed, whereof wise Pæon sprong)
Did feele his pulse, shee knew there staied still
Some litle life his feeble sprites emong;
Which to his mother told, despeyre she from her flong.
Tho up him taking in their tender hands,
They easely unto her charett beare:
Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands,
Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare,
And strowe with flowres the lamentable beare:
Then all the rest into their coches clim,
And through the brackish waves their passage shear;
Upon great Neptunes necke they softly swim,
And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him.
Deepe in the bottome of the sea, her bowre
Is built of hollow billowes heaped hye,
Like to thicke clouds that threat a stormy showre,
And vauted all within, like to the skye,
In which the gods doe dwell eternally:
There they him laide in easy couch well dight,
And sent in haste for Tryphon, to apply
Salves to his wounds, and medicines of might:
For Tryphon of sea gods the soveraine leach is hight.
The whiles the nymphes sitt all about him rownd,
Lamenting his mishap and heavy plight;
And ofte his mother, vewing his wide wownd,
Cursed the hand that did so deadly smight
Her dearest sonne, her dearest harts delight.
But none of all those curses overtooke
The warlike maide, th ensample of that might;
But fairely well shee thryvd, and well did brooke
Her noble deeds, ne her right course for ought forsooke.
Yet did false Archimage her still pursew,
To bring to passe his mischievous intent,
Now that he had her singled from the crew
Of courteous knights, the Prince and Fary gent,
Whom late in chace of beauty excellent
Shee lefte, pursewing that same foster strong;
Of whose fowle outrage they impatient,
And full of firy zele, him followed long,
To reskew her from shame, and to revenge her wrong.
Through thick and thin, through mountains and through playns,
Those two gret champions did attonce pursew
The fearefull damzell, with incessant payns:
Who from them fled, as light-foot hare from vew
Of hunter swifte and sent of howndes trew.
At last they came unto a double way,
Where, doubtfull which to take, her to reskew,
Themselves they did dispart, each to assay
Whether more happy were to win so goodly pray.
But Timias, the Princes gentle squyre,
That ladies love unto his lord forlent,
And with proud envy and indignant yre
After that wicked foster fiercely went.
So beene they three three sondry wayes ybent:
But fayrest fortune to the Prince befell;
Whose chaunce it was, that soone he did repent,
To take that way in which that damozell
Was fledd afore, affraid of him as feend of hell.
At last of her far of he gained vew:
Then gan he freshly pricke his fomy steed,
And ever as he nigher to her drew,
So evermore he did increase his speed,
And of each turning still kept wary heed:
Alowd to her he oftentimes did call,
To doe away vaine doubt and needlesse dreed:
Full myld to her he spake, and oft let fall
Many meeke wordes, to stay and comfort her withall.
But nothing might relent her hasty flight;
So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine
Was earst impressed in her gentle spright:
Like as a fearefull dove, which through the raine
Of the wide ayre her way does cut amaine,
Having farre off espyde a tassell gent,
Which after her his nimble winges doth straine,
Doubleth her hast for feare to bee forhent,
And with her pineons cleaves the liquid firmament.
With no lesse hast, and eke with no lesse dreed,
That fearefull ladie fledd from him that ment
To her no evill thought nor evill deed;
Yet former feare of being fowly shent
Carried her forward with her first intent:
And though, oft looking backward, well she vewde
Her selfe freed from that foster insolent,
And that it was a knight which now her sewde,
Yet she no lesse the knight feard then that villein rude.
His uncouth shield and straunge armes her dismayd,
Whose like in Faery Lond were seldom seene,
That fast she from him fledd, no lesse afrayd
Then of wilde beastes if she had chased beene:
Yet he her followd still with corage keene,
So long that now the golden Hesperus
Was mounted high in top of heaven sheene,
And warnd his other brethren joyeous
To light their blessed lamps in Joves eternall hous.
All suddeinly dim wox the dampish ayre,
And griesly shadowes covered heaven bright,
That now with thousand starres was decked fayre;
Which when the Prince beheld, a lothfull sight,
And that perforce, for want of lenger light,
He mote surceasse his suit, and lose the hope
Of his long labour, he gan fowly wyte
His wicked fortune, that had turnd aslope,
And cursed Night, that reft from him so goodly scope.
Tho, when her wayes he could no more descry,
But to and fro at disaventure strayd,
Like as a ship, whose lodestar suddeinly
Covered with cloudes her pilott hath dismayd,
His wearisome pursuit perforce he stayd,
And from his loftie steed dismounting low,
Did let him forage. Downe himselfe he layd
Upon the grassy ground, to sleepe a throw;
The cold earth was his couch, the hard steele his pillow.
But gentle Sleepe envyde him any rest;
In stead thereof sad sorow and disdaine
Of his hard hap did vexe his noble brest,
And thousand fancies bett his ydle brayne
With their light wings, the sights of semblants vaine;
Oft did he wish that lady faire mote bee
His Faery Queene, for whom he did complaine;
Or that his Faery Queene were such as shee;
And ever hasty Night he blamed bitterlie.
Night, thou foule mother of annoyaunce sad,
Sister of heavie Death, and nourse of Woe,
Which wast begot in heaven, but for thy bad
And brutish shape thrust downe to hell below,
Where by the grim floud of Cocytus slow
Thy dwelling is, in Herebus black hous,
(Black Herebus, thy husband, is the foe
Of all the gods) where thou ungratious
Halfe of thy dayes doest lead in horrour hideous:
What had th Eternall Maker need of thee,
The world in his continuall course to keepe,
That doest all thinges deface, ne lettest see
The beautie of his worke? Indeed, in sleepe
The slouthfull body that doth love to steep
His lustlesse limbes, and drowne his baser mind,
Doth praise thee oft, and oft from Stygian deepe
Calles thee, his goddesse in his errour blind,
And great Dame Natures handmaide chearing every kind.
But well I wote, that to an heavy hart
Thou art the roote and nourse of bitter cares,
Breeder of new, renewer of old smarts:
In stead of rest thou lendest rayling teares,
In stead of sleepe thou sendest troublous feares
And dreadfull visions, in the which alive
The dreary image of sad death appeares:
So from the wearie spirit thou doest drive
Desired rest, and men of happinesse deprive.
Under thy mantle black there hidden lye
Light-shonning thefte, and traiterous intent,
Abhorred bloodshed, and vile felony,
Shamefull deceipt, and daunger imminent,
Fowle horror, and eke hellish dreriment:
All these, I wote, in thy protection bee,
And light doe shonne, for feare of being shent:
For light ylike is lothd of them and thee,
And all that lewdnesse love doe hate the light to see.
For Day discovers all dishonest wayes,
And sheweth each thing as it is in deed:
The prayses of High God he faire displayes,
And His large bountie rightly doth areed.
Dayes dearest children be the blessed seed
Which Darknesse shall subdue and heaven win:
Truth is his daughter; he her first did breed,
Most sacred virgin, without spot of sinne.
Our life is day, but death with darknesse doth begin.
O when will Day then turne to me againe,
And bring with him his long expected light?
O Titan, hast to reare thy joyous waine:
Speed thee to spred abroad thy beames bright,
And chace away this too long lingring Night;
Chace her away, from whence she came, to hell:
She, she it is, that hath me done despight:
There let her with the damned spirits dwell,
And yield her rowme to Day, that can it governe well.
Thus did the Prince that wearie night outweare
In restlesse anguish and unquiet paine;
And earely, ere the Morrow did upreare
His deawy head out of the ocean maine,
He up arose, as halfe in great disdaine,
And clombe unto his steed. So forth he went,
With heavy looke and lumpish pace, that plaine
In him bewraid great grudge and maltalent:
His steed eke seemd t apply his steps to his intent.
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text:
Like hyenas on a wounded wildebeest, Statehouse reporters chewed on state Sen. Eric Kearney last week.
Ninety-five minutes later, the Cincinnati Democrat limped back to Ed FitzGerald. Their once-promising gubernatorial ticket was at death's doorstep.
Did it survive until today? This column, slapped on the page on Tuesday, might have missed the funeral.
If there still is a FitzGerald-Kearney ticket, it probably won't last long. The problem of Kearney's huge unpaid tax debts won't go away. Kearney's financial obligations have become FitzGerald's political liability. They constantly will get in the way of his attempts to portray Republican Gov. John Kasich's tax policies as reckless and hurtful to the middle class. Even Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio's top elected Democrat, said as much on Friday.
Just hours after Kearney hung up the phone from his get-it-all-behind-me call with reporters, the editorial board of FitzGerald's hometown newspaper, The Plain Dealer, rendered a unanimous verdict: Kearney must go.
The Washington media quickly sank its teeth into the raw hide of the Democratic ticket, signaling that national stories henceforth about the Ohio governor's race will carry some variation of this phrase: FitzGerald, who is nagged by his running mate's tax problems …
The Republican National Committee gleefully emailed around a Washington Post story headlined: "Worst rollout of the year? Ohio candidate owes $1 million in back taxes."
OK, Kearney can quibble: The total amount he, his wife and their company owe in taxes to the federal and state governments (aka taxpayers and voters) is closer to $825,000.
Kearney said he's not going anywhere — "I'm in to stay" — confident that voters not only will understand his tax debts and appreciate his efforts to pay them off, but they also will have empathy for his experience, and the FitzGerald-Kearney ticket will be even stronger.
Tellingly, FitzGerald was nowhere near the conference call. His relative silence on Kearney's tax problems guarantees that he will be asked about them at every turn. A better strategy for getting the issue behind the campaign would have been for FitzGerald and Kearney to meet the press together and answer every last question. Kearney was left to face the hyenas by himself.
Kearney and his wife publish three newspapers primarily for African-American readers in Cincinnati and Dayton. They deserve praise for keeping those valuable community assets alive and for making efforts to work through their tax problems.
But if he stays on the ticket, Kearney (and FitzGerald) will get a recurring question: Why should voters entrust management of their tax dollars to someone who can't manage to pay his own taxes?
Kearney's response: "Going through those types of challenges and trying to work out these types of obligations and payment plans and various things is something I think relates to the average Ohioan. … A lot of small-business owners across the state of Ohio will understand exactly what I'm saying, and since they will have somebody in the lieutenant governor's office who will intimately understand their concerns, they will be pleased with that."
Following that rationale, would it be logical, then, to entrust a polluter to oversee the EPA, an arsonist to be state fire marshal or a high-school dropout to be superintendent of public instruction?
Kearney still can have a political future. But it's clear now that FitzGerald did not properly vet his running mate, and it's hard to see FitzGerald in the governor's office if Kearney remains on the ticket.


text:
Forget Paris
Bloggers are looking for the straight dope on the Tour de France scandals and dancing down memory lane with 1,500 inmates in a Philippines prison.
Forget Paris: Michael Rasmussen, winner of Wednesday's stage and the overall Tour de France leader for nine straight days, was removed from the race and then bounced from Team Rabobank Thursday for lying about his whereabouts during training earlier this year, raising suspicions that he had intentionally avoided drug tests.
Expulsions and withdrawals from the Tour have become a daily occurrence—Cristian Moreni was sent home Wednesday after testing positive for testosterone, one day after favorite Alexander Vinokourov was tossed out for blood doping. Their teams have both withdrawn from competition. Last year, American Floyd Landis failed drug tests after winning the race. Cycling has been the source of so much bad PR that the International Organizing Committee is reportedly considering booting the sport from the Summer Olympics. Bloggers wonder: Can this race—and the sport itself—be saved?
"Time for the sport of cycling to take a time out," says CriticalFanatic at FanIQ."Push the reset button and call this Tour de France over. When you can't survive two consecutive days without doping and cheating news, you shouldn't be allowed to continue." Minter Dial, an American writing from Paris, is not opposed to the idea. "[I]f there were a serious action such as canceling a season, cycling could become the clarion call for all sports which have allowed, if not blindly encouraged, performance-enhancing doping. …. The magnificent riders of the past who, normally, rode via pure brute force and belong in the Tour de Fame, should not be dragged through the mud."
"Some commentators have suggested that the Tour should stop; that continuing on to Paris this year would be a travesty. I agree; as sad as it would be, finishing the race would be even worse," says Kirk McElhearn, writing from France at Kirkville. "They would do much more good by stopping the race today and confronting the problem head-on than by limping on to Paris, only to start the whole cycle again next year. … It would be a shame for cycling to turn into a mockery of itself; think professional wrestling on wheels."
"[I]n the Tour, it's not just individuals players who are taking the fall," Dan Brekke points out on Infospigot: The Chronicles. "To date, two full teams have pulled out of the race. ... Imagine the New York Yankees folding their entire season because it was discovered Jason Giambi and friends had been juicing, and you come close to the enormity of what's happening. … [W]hatever happens between now and Sunday, this Tour is a race without a champion, and a race like that is hardly a contest at all."
But die-hard cycling enthusiast C-Dogg at Riding With the Window Down begs to differ: "This is cyclings FINEST HOUR! What other sport would dethrone their #1 athlete to clean up their sport? The NFL wouldn't do it. The NBA wouldn't do it. Baseball wouldn't do it. … Amid all the controversy, this has been the most competitive tour in years and if you have to 'break a few eggs to make an omelet,' busting these bad eggs doesn't at all tarnish the image of cycling in my eyes." Shifting food metaphors, Tomdog at LAist chimes into defend the sport: "[A]theletes are tested throughout the year, if they are caught using performance enhancing drugs, they are punished. The truth is that cycling contains the most tested group of individuals on the planet … What we're seeing now is the effort to find the bad apples and throw them in the compost heap."
Why bother with all the lab work? wonders Stephen J. Dubner at Freakonomics Blog. "Is it time, perhaps, to come up with a pre-approved list of performance-enhancing agents and procedures, require the riders to accept full responsibility for whatever long-term physical and emotional damage these agents and procedures may produce, and let everyone ride on a relatively even keel without having to ban the leader every third day?"
Readmore about the Tour de France doping scandals.
Not just another remake: Inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines have become the summer's unlikeliest Internet stars. This footage of 1,500 prisoners in orange jumpsuits enthusiastically re-enacting Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video has been downloaded almost 1.5 million times, and it's easy to see why. (Human rights activists please note: According to the prison official who posted the video, the dance session was "definitely not a punishment!")
At Rational Security, "choff" applauds this novel approach to rehabilitation. "It allows for both freedom of expression and entertainment whilst repaying the monarchy in a tribute to the King Of Pop." Nate, commenting on the post, takes a global economic view and wonders, "Does this mean we can start outsourcing our music video production to Phillipine prisoners?"
Perhaps American penal institutions will take a cue from their Filipino counterparts and institute mass dance sessions. JJ Daddy-O, commenting at Daddytypes.com, hopes so: "I'm thinking mandatory ballroom dancing lessons for the Aryan Nation and the Crips might go a long way in helping them resolve their differences."
Tayster's World has a suggestion that clearly qualifies as cruel and unusual: "[I]f I ran a prison, I'd make them choreograph the entire Britney Spears video collection."


text:
Even when the generation and the solution of a CTM- C is required, the efficiency of the analysis might still be improved. The reachability ... [8] K. Trivedi and R. Geist, aquot;Decomposition in reliability analysis of fault-tolerant systems, aquot; IEEE Trans, on Rel., Dec. 1983. ... [12] U. S. Department of Defense, aquot;Reference Manual for the Ada programming language, aquot; ANSI/MIL-STD- 1815A-1983, Feb. 1983. [13] K.
|Proceedings of the Fourth International Workshop on Petri Nets and Performance Models (PNPM91), December 2-5, 1991, Melbourne, Australia
|Telecom Australia, IEEE Computer Society. Victorian Section, ACM-Sigmetrics
|IEEE Computer Society - 1991
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Council supports outer harbor stadium, NFTA says no
The Common Council is set to call on the owners of land on the Outer Harbor to grant development rights to a group wanting to build a football stadium and entertainment complex.
The Council does not control the land, however, and the state authority that does is not in favor of the project.
"We're not doing that," said Howard Zemsky, chairman of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, when asked about the Council resolution.
The authority is committed to maintaining public access of the waterfront land it controls, Zemsky said.
The Council resolution was signed by eight of nine members when it was filed on Thursday, assuring it will pass when the Council meets next week.
It calls on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the State Legislature and the NFTA to grant the development group a nine- to 12-month option on the Buffalo Outer Harbor.
"I think it's a good idea," said Majority Leader Demone A. Smith. "They said they're ready to go."
Some Council members said the idea should be given a chance and should not be rejected immediately.
"Let's look at this site and give it a proper vetting, a proper consideration," said Fillmore Council Member David A. Franczyk. "It might be a good idea but we're not going to know if people don't take it seriously."
Greater Buffalo Sports and Entertainment Complex is proposing a $1.5 billion waterfront development, which would include a 72,000-seat football stadium with a retractable roof suitable for other kinds of sporting events, retail space, a convention center and sports museum. The project was designed by HKS, which has experience developing National Football League facilities.
"If they give us an option on the land, we should be able to come back in nine to 12 months with a plan to move forward," said project spokesman Pat Freeman.
Project principals Nicholas J. Stracick and George F. Hasiotis have said that getting an option to develop the land is crucial for its success. The Council resolution does not say how much land should be included in the option, but in the past principals have said they would like an option on 167 acres.
But Zemsky, like other waterfront advocates, is not moved by the idea.
"I personally think the idea of converting the Outer Harbor to a parking lot and stadium is misguided," he said.
Rep. Brian Higgins and County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz have also expressed doubts about the project.
Skeptics raise questions about how the project will be financed, how people will get in and out of the stadium with the existing infrastructure, whether it's the highest and best use of waterfront land and whether the Bills are on board.
Three members of the Erie County Legislature also have shown support for granting an outer harbor land option to the group.
Legislator Kevin R. Hardwick, R-City of Tonawanda, has introduced a resolution supporting the project's "endeavor to obtain a nine- to 12-month land option from Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority on the Buffalo Outer Harbor."
The resolution, which is also sponsored by Chairwoman Betty Jean Grant, D-Buffalo, and Legislator Timothy R. Hogues, D-Buffalo, has been sent to the Legislature's Economic Development Committee.
News Staff Reporter Denise Jewell Gee contributed to this report.


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Jennifer Lopez is Happy for Ben Affleck!
Jennifer Lopez flashes a smile while making an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing today.
The 43-year-old entertainer chatted about running into her ex-boyfriends, Sean Combs and Ben Affleck, at the Golden Globes. Check out the video below!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Jennifer Lopez
"It [Argo] was a great movie. And, we got you know, a lot of like..they were really hard on us in the press when we dated back in the day. On movies and things like that. So it was a nice moment. It was a nice to see him [Ben] have that moment. I was really happy for him," Jennifer shared.
Jennifer Lopez – 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' Interview


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