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WKU News
The Bowling Green Daily News: Tools of excellence on view
- Author: Laurel Wilson; The Bowling Green Daily News
- Author: Saturday, September 22nd, 2012
Sara Mearns, a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet, goes through about 250 pairs of pointe shoes every season.
Now, the public can see one of those pairs on display at the "Instruments of American Excellence" collection, which opened Friday at Western Kentucky University's Kentucky Museum.
The permanent exhibit has been two years in the making and contains 150 items that Americans have used to achieve success in fields such as science, politics, music, dance, sports, journalism, manufacturing and more.
Several people who donated items to the collection attended the exhibit's opening, including Mearns, who spoke at the ceremony.
Mearns gives a lot of her used pointe shoes to the company to sell in the gift shop, so she didn't realize a pair had been donated to the exhibit until she got a letter in the mail thanking her for her contribution.
"It makes me speechless to think I'm part of something like this," Mearns said. "It's mind-blowing and such an honor."
She hopes when people see her pointe shoes in the exhibit, they are inspired to watch a ballet performance, which isn't as popular as other art forms, she said.
"It should be growing," Mearns said of ballet. "It should be out there in the light, and I hope that this makes it better."
The exhibit is something truly unique for a university to create, WKU President Gary Ransdell said. The objects in the exhibit tell the story of American ingenuity and achievement because they show how extraordinary things have been created with ordinary items.
"You know, sometimes greatness can be achieved with the simplest of instruments or tools if you've got the mind and the heart and the spirit to put those tools to work, and that's what we're about today with the opening of this exhibit," Ransdell said.
Dan Murph, who had no prior affiliation with WKU, approached Ransdell two years ago with the idea for the exhibit.
"The idea was simple," Murph said. "It was to collect the ordinary means by which Americans have achieved extraordinary things – the actual tools or instruments that have helped change the course of our nation's history."
Seeing the actual tool someone used to achieve success makes it real, Murph said.
The collection will continue to grow, and Ransdell hopes eventually some items can be part of a traveling exhibit, he said.
"What we can build this to in the future is unlimited," Ransdell said.
The exhibit includes items that belonged to Madeline Albright, Daniel Boone, former President Jimmy Carter, Tony Hawk, Helen Keller, Liza Minnelli and many more.
Pieces of Kentucky history are featured, including a lathe that was used to create Louisville Slugger bats from the 1890s through the early 20th century.
Rick Redman, vice president for corporate communications at Hillerich and Bradsby, the company that makes Louisville Slugger bats, attended the ceremony. He said the company is honored and humbled to be part of the exhibit, because the family owned business is part of the American ingenuity the exhibit is celebrating.
"Our company is fortunate to be a great American success story," Redman said.
Several WKU graduates and faculty members have items in the exhibit.
Tim Broekema, an associate professor of photojournalism and a WKU graduate, donated some of his photography tools to the collection. Broekema was a picture editor for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal when the editorial staff received the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for its coverage of a bus crash in Carrollton.
In the exhibit, Broekema's negative loupe, pica pole and proportion wheel are on display. Before the age of digital photos, those items were used to select and size images.
Broekema said it's a really fun museum to walk through, because the objects on display all meant something to somebody.
"It's great to be part of this history," he said.
Steve Huskey, an associate biology professor at WKU, donated the skeleton of a piranha he used for part of his research that looked at how hard piranhas can bite. National Geographic funded the project and featured it on an episode of the Naked Science series on the National Geographic channel, which aired in spring 2011, Huskey said.
Looking around at the exhibit Friday, Huskey said he wondered what an object of his was doing among the collection.
"There's some very influential stuff here," Huskey said. "It's quite humbling actually."
— The Kentucky Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $5 for adults, with discounted rates for children, students, seniors and groups.
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text: Dr. King gives an address to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He discusses his recent conviction for marching in Albany, the economic status of the Negro, racial issues, communism, the church, and the practice of nonviolent resistance. He states that the church is the most segregated institution in America. Dr. King also states that racial issues are a national problem and that the goal of the Negro is freedom.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kendall-Whittier Library will be closed Sep. 24 - Oct. 7 for library improvements
For more than 70 years, the staff at the Skiatook Library have proudly offered library service to the community.
We have recently added public faxing and wireless printing.
The Skiatook Library opened in 1940 and was originally funded by the Works Progress Administration. The City of Skiatook took over operation in 1953 until The Tulsa City-County Library began management in July, 1962. It was housed in a 1,500 sq. ft. storefront on Skiatook's main street, at 110 East Rogers Boulevard. When a larger building, formerly a feed store at 228 East Rogers, became available in 1976 it was remodeled to accommodate the library and an additional community meeting room.
In 1981, The Tulsa-City County Library purchased a larger building along main street at 316 E Rogers Boulevard. The 5,400 square foot building, formerly a laundromat and car agency before that, was remodeled by Olsen-Coffey Architects and became Skiatook Library's permanent home.
A renovation began in 2001 which was funded through a 1998 bond issue. This brought new shelving, floor covering and furniture for the building. These renovations created better use of space and an inviting atmosphere for customers.
Skiatook Library has 9 PCs and 3 laptops available to customers-including two tables wired for charging devices. The computers have access to the Internet and Microsoft Office Suite. Customers can also access electronic databases to which the library subscribes. These databases give customers access to live tutoring for students of all ages, job coaching and resume assistance, online language learning and much more.
Wi-Fi service is also available to customers free of charge. Other services the library provides are programming for all ages and the use of a meeting room for non-profit groups.
Branch Manager History
Billie Shehi 1962-1988
Anna Mae Henderson August 1988-December 1988
Sandra Hebermehl 1988-1989
Sondra Otto 1989-1995
Bobbie Crumb 1995-1999
Leslie Jones 1999-2002
Mark Carlson 2002-2008
Jennifer Armistead 2008-2011
Buddy Ingalls 2011-2012
Michelle Beckes 2012-present


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Internationally renowned Indian musician and composer Ravi Shakar died yesterday in San Diego at the age of 92, following a year in which he had grappled with heart and upper respiratory illnesses. Shankar was a virtuosic sitar player who began touring the United States in the mid-1950s and is widely credited with helping to popularize Indian music in the West. (Read Ravi Shankar's full obituary.)
Shankar had deep connections to CIIS and to the Institute's founding family, the Chaudhuris. Haridas and Bina Chaudhuri arrived in San Francisco in 1951 and quickly established themselves as intellectual and cultural beacons in the city. They gained a reputation within India as a good connection in the Bay Area, and received and hosted many visitors from India including spiritual teachers and artists. In the late 1960s and beyond, the Chaudhuris became key members of the growing local Indian community in the Bay Area. Shankar and many of his fellow touring Indian musicians become close with the Chaudhuris over the years.
Shankar visited the Institute many times, and in May 1987 he was invited to play a concert in conjunction with a fundraising gala organized by Board Member Zeppelin Wong. He returned in an official capacity in 1989, when the Institute awarded him an honorary doctorate of philosophy.
Over the next week, we hope to update this post with more information about Shankar's long connection to CIIS, its founders, and its community.


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L & I's Little Corner
Name: Lars (6 months) & Ida (3)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Color Inspiration: The color palettes in the books "Peter's Chair" by Ezra Jack Keats, "The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd, and "A Good Day" by Kevin Henkes all speak to me for a kids' room.
Tip for Using Color: If you love an item or a color, it will look good and feel inviting to you. I mean if you LOVE it love it. If you need an item, don't just get the first thing you see that "sort of" works with a scheme. That usually ends up being a waste of money. If you slowly fill a room with objects you love, then you will truly love the room and the colors will work together automatically.
Colors Used: The wall color is Sea Glass by Martha Stewart for Home Depot. It looks sort of minty in artificial light and is bluer in daylight. If I were to do it again I'd cut the saturation by 50%. Other colors that stand out to me are red, white, yellow, royal blue.
Thanks for your colorful entry Eliza and good luck!
What's at stake? Bragging rights AND $1000 worth of prizes from P'kolino!


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Principal Organisers: Soren Asmussen (Aarhus University, Denmark), Jose Blanchet (Columbia University, USA), Sergey Foss (Heriot-Watt)and Peter Glynn (Stanford University, USA).
Workshop Theme
This workshop is one of five workshops that will run as part of the Stochastic Processes in Communications Sciences programme taking place from 11 January to 2 July 2010. This three day workshop is paired with a second related workshop on Statistics of Networks that is scheduled for Thursday 24 June and Friday 25 June. Interested participants are encouraged to attend both workshops.
Monte Carlo simulation is playing an increasingly important role in the design and analysis of communications systems and protocols, as networks and communications infrastructure become more complex and the performance requirements more demanding. In many settings, performance requirements involve meeting quality-of-service levels for which the associated computation involves, either explicitly or implicitly, the computation of a rare event probability. Consequently, the workshop will bring together leading researchers in rare-event simulation to present new developments having the potential to significantly expand the applicability of these ideas in the communications setting.
The first two days of this event are being offered in conjunction with the 8th RESIM conference, a bi-annual meeting focused on this important area.
The third day will discuss a broader set of simulation-based algorithms that touch on the state-of-the-art in simulation, with the goal of stimulating new research directions for the communications sciences. The programme concludes on Wednesday evening of the 23 June with a garden party and "hog roast" in conjunction with Statistics of Networks participants.


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Greencastle, Ind., September 29, 2012 — Washington University in St. Louis had the advantage in total offense but committed four turnovers in a 17-14 loss at DePauw University on Saturday afternoon at Blackstock Stadium in Greencastle, Ind.
Washington University, which dropped its overall record to 1-4 heading into the bye week, has committed 13 turnovers in the four losses this season. DePauw picks up its first win of the season and improves to 1-3.
Special teams would play a huge role in the fourth quarter as Washington U. entered the final quarter with a deficit of 17-7. The Bears blocked a punt by DePauw that resulted in great field position at the 39-yard line. Two plays into the drive, backup quarterbackJohn O'Connor connected with senior wide receiver Drew Sexton for a 38-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-14.
DePauw's Eric Malm missed a 44-yard field goal with 2:25 left to give Washington U. one last chance to tie. O'Connor was picked off by JD Robinson with under two minutes to play to seal the victory for DePauw. O'Connor, who came into the contest for starting quarterback Dan Burkett in the second quarter, was 9-of-20 for 123 yards and a touchdown and was picked off three times.
Sexton had a career game for Washington U. with seven receptions for a career-high 121 yards and a touchdown. Junior wide receiver Mike McGovern added three catches for 49 yards, and had a career-high 188 yards of total offense.
Washington U.'s defense struggled in the opening quarter allowing 112 yards of total offense to the Tigers. On DePauw's second possession, quarterback Justin Murray capped an 11-play, 90 yard drive with a two-yard TD run to make it 7-0 with 1:27 left in the first quarter. Nikko Sansone had a 42-yard reception that got the Tigers deep into WUSTL territory.
Penalties played a huge role in the game for both sides in the opening half, and cost DePauw midway through the second quarter after a pass interference call that kept a drive alive for the Bears. Two plays later, Burkett connected with sophomore wide receiver Tim Bartholomew for a 38-yard touchdown down the right side to make it 7-7 with 6:10 left before half.
DePauw answered back with a touchdown of its own following a three-yard run by Armani Cato to make it 14-7 just before halftime. Pre-season All-American Taylor Wagner's 52-yard kickoff return gave the Tigers great field possession to start the drive at the WUSTL 43-yard line.
With O'Connor under center for the Bears, he guided them on a drive to the DePauw 30-yard line with less than a minute to play before half after a 27-yard pass completion to Sexton. Two plays later, O'Connor was picked off in the end zone after throwing into double coverage. Washington U. outgained DePauw 193-149 in the opening half of play, but was hampered by a pair of turnovers.
DePauw added a 32-yard field goal by Malm on its first possession of the third quarter to extend the lead to 17-7. After Washington U. punted for the fourth time on the day, the Bears' defense came up with a big play after junior defensive back Andrew Skalman picked off Murray on the DePauw 28-yard line. The interception for Skalman was his conference-best third of the season.
Washington U. would drive to the DePauw 11-yard line on the ensuing drive, but senior Eric Chalifour's 27-yard field goal was no good. The Bears have kicked just one field goal (1-for-4) this season in five games played.
The Bears' defense held DePauw to 277 yards of total offense, its second-straight contest limiting the opponent less than 300 yards. Sophomore defensive back Cody Deterding and sophomore linebackerFade Oluokun each had 11 tackles in the loss. Deterding's 11 stops were a career-best, after entering the contest with 11 tackles in the first four games. Freshman defensive lineman Jonathan Cohen added five tackles, including three for a loss.
Murray finished the day 22-of-31 for 213 yards and an interception, while Sansone hauled in five catches for 69 yards. Paul Simon and Cody Crook led the DePauw defensive unit with seven tackles each.
Washington U. returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 13, at home against No. 17 ranked Wabash College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Francis Field.
Bear Notebook: The two teams met for the first time since 1986 … DePauw leads the all-time series with Washington University, 9-1 … The victory was the first for DePauw interim coach Scott Srnka … Three of Washington U.'s four losses this season have been by six or less points.


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This is for you Virex
Thanxs, for clearing things up, i appreciate it. I was a tad bit upset. But it's all good now. This is for you Virex
I told you all, Mainland05 never lies. So the truth was told, he is not-guilty!!
Page created in 0.061 seconds with 18 queries.


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SOURCE: Class Act Sports, LLC
February 01, 2013 12:09 ET
MIAMI, FL--(Marketwire - Feb 1, 2013) - Before the NFL season even started, Ray Rice had a good feeling about the Ravens ending up in the Super Bowl. While at Jason Taylor's Foundation Event in February 2012, the running back told Class Act Sports:
"Let's get it done, Baltimore! We'll get them back next year," he said, referring to the Ravens' heartbreaking 23-20 loss to the Patriots. "We definitely have the talent. We've been there, we've scratched the surface. But the Ravens, we are going to be strong for the next few years to come."
And a year later, the Ravens find themselves in this weekend's Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers after a 28-13 win over the Patriots in this year's AFC Championship game.
ClassActSports.com caught up with Rice, a New Rochelle native and former standout at Rutgers University while covering Taylor's annual fundraiser event, which has raised over $2 million since its inception for children's programs and scholarships.
Rice, who has become one of the best backs in the league, had nine touchdowns on the ground and rushed for 1,143 yards this season, and talked about what having a guy like Ray Lewis as a teammate means to him. This was prior to Lewis announcing that this would be his last season.
"The thing about the game of football is that the relationships that you build while you are playing not only last while you are playing but last a lifetime. [Ray Lewis] became not only my mentor, but that father figure that I didn't get to have growing up. That's what he has been to me. You take football out of it, me and Ray Lewis are going to be tight," Rice told Class Act Sports exclusively.
Class Act Sports was founded in 2009 by Jared Ginsberg aiming to surpass typical websites by designing a brand of coverage, which goes above and beyond the industry standards. Class Act Sports also joined forces with former NFL safety Victor Green, who spent nine of his eleven years in the league with the New York Jets. The company promotes charitable work that current and retired athletes do to help children, families and communities in need. In its three years, Class Act Sports has worked with athletes such as Miles Austin, Joe Namath, Julius Erving, Jonathan Ogden, and Clark Gillies. For more information on this or any of the other events Class Act Sports covers, visit ClassActSports.com.
Jared Ginsberg
Class Act Sports
Jared Ginsberg
Class Act Sports
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Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life SYNOPSIS
Ayn Rand was born in 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Defying the death warrant of the Soviet Union, she came to America as a temporary visitor in 1926 but remained for the rest of her life. Later, she would also defy the cultural and political views of contemporary America in such best-selling novels as THE FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Her unique philosophy, Objectivism, challenged the cultural tradition of 2,500 years . . .
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AYN RAND: A SENSE OF LIFE | Cast & Crew Bios
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AWARDS Accolades & Nominations
January 19, 1999: "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" won a Golden Satellite Award for Best Documentary Film. The award was given by the International Press Academy at the…
At the 70th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" was honored with an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Documentary Feature.
"In a loving—but not fawning—documentary look at this fascinating figure of 20th-century intellectual life, director Michael Paxton has created an exhaustive and definitive history of a challenging subject."
"The film, narrated by Sharon Gless, is an expertly assembled collection of news films, interviews with various people and television clips showing Rand being interviewed by people such…
"...Paxton makes "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life" a testament to the woman. In explaining the person behind the great novels, the film conveys her sense of life…nike shoes
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"Details a fascinating life with skill and intelligence....an admirable job of humanizing a previously forbidding subject."
"Engrossing... A Hymn to an Original Thinker"


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D.L. Barrett & Sons Planemakers
Meet the young (he's just 18) and skilled hands behind a near-perfect tool.
By Christopher Schwarz
Pages: 66-69
From the February 2009 issue #174
Buy this issue now
While modern carpenters might show off at the jobsite by driving up in a fully loaded pickup truck, the 19th-century cabinetmaker did the same thing when he pulled out his plow plane from his tool box.
Plow planes were usually the most expensive tool in an early woodworker's tool kit. While all the other tools in the woodworker's chest might be iron or beech, the plow plane could be made from an exotic wood, be highly decorated and use complex adjustment mechanisms. In fact, sometimes a particularly fancy plow plane would be presented to an employee as a retirement gift.
To me, it's amazing that all this effort went into a tool that really did only one thing: cut grooves.
Because plow planes were some of the fanciest tools made, they also are one of the most collectible today.
Unlike a number of tool collectors I know, I don't have a full-blown plow-plane obsession. Ebony screw-arm plows with ivory tips and silver fittings are beautiful and ingenious, but I've always thought that their flashy details somehow diminish them because they make them too nice to use – like a table saw with a solid gold top.
In my work, I've always used metal-bodied plow planes, though they eject shavings into your hands, are cold and seem heavier than their wooden cousins. The overriding advantage of the metal plows, however, is that their fences are easier to keep parallel to the tool's skate than a typical wooden screw-arm plow plane.
As a result, what I've always wanted is a wooden-bodied plow that has a robust and easy-to-adjust fence. My search ended last year when I judged a toolmaking contest put
Meet the young (he's just 18) and skilled hands behind a near-perfect tool. on by the WoodCentral.com web site and sponsored by Lee Valley Tools.
For that contest, we judged more than 60 tools that had been brought into Lee Valley's board room in Ottawa, Ontario. The moment I walked into that room my eyes locked onto a beech-bodied plow plane with ebony arms and a simple metal fence-locking mechanism.
From the February 2009 issue #174
Buy this issue now


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Weather Guard 306-3 PACK RAT White Steel Standard Drawer Unit, 48" x 20" x 9.5"
List Price: $1,074.10
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Part Number: 306-3 UPC: 783965014175 Weight: 179
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• Height: 8-7/8"
• Width: 20"
• Length: 48"
• No. of Compartments: 2
• No. of Dividers: 13
Weatherguard 307-3 Features:
• Low-profile provides concealed and secure storage for heavy items without greatly reducing truck bed area
• Reinforced construction allows material to be loaded on top of the unit
• Drawer compartments are approximately 9-3/4" wide and can be divided
• ONE-TOUCH Latch System allows easy, one-hand operation
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Designed for heavy loads, WEATHER GUARD PACK RAT Drawer Units were also designed with modular shelving applications in mind. Have your equipment waiting for you as soon as you open the door. These heavy-duty pull-out drawer units can be mounted inside the side or rear doors. They offer easy access to hundreds of pounds of tools and supplies while leaving floor space open for hauling materials or moving in and out of the vehicle.


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WILMINGTON, Mass. — Every time No. 2 overall draft pick Tyler Seguin sits out a game, many in the Bruins' fan base react as though head coach Claude Julien is holding back a modern-day Phil Esposito from taking the league by storm.
Those that have watched the rookie's play more closely, however, know that there have been long stretches of games where he has looked less than engaged and seems unsure of taking contact in the course of a game. Earlier this season, Seguin even admitted that working hard in the corners and grinding out scoring chances in front of the net are not things he's used to doing from his time in junior hockey.
Seguin has been a healthy scratch in three of the Bruins' last five games in favor of Daniel Paille getting back in the lineup. And one of those games Seguin played the Bruins were down to just 12 available forwards because of Patrice Bergeron's personal absence.
Here unfiltered are Julien's comments today when asked by TheBruinsBlog.net where Seguin fits in on this team right now:
"He's part of our hockey. I think right now, and [general manager] Peter [Chiarelli's] explained that before, just because he's a first-round pick, doesn't mean he doesn't have to go through the growing process of a young player. There's times where we made some trades, and [we've] brought in some experienced guys right now.
"To me, he's definitely a player that belongs more on a top-three line than he does on the fourth. And there's some times you've seen him on the fourth line because I think he needs to play to at least not go stale. And so does the other guy that's sitting out at times, which is Paille.
"We're heading towards the playoffs, you certainly want some experienced guys to be there. But at the same time, I think we've been a pretty healthy club so far that hasn't allowed for certain players to go into the lineup consistently. I guess I would chalk that up to circumstances, I would chalk that up more to growing into a good pro. You've seen him come out certain games and really play well. And then after a while it tapers off a little bit. So it's just part of growing into a good pro.
"I keep saying it over and over again, and I've told him so many times, I know he's going to be a great player in this league. I think the report on him at the beginning of the draft was that he was going to be a great player. But I don't think he had the same opportunity as the guy that was drafted before him [Edmonton's Taylor Hall] to play Memorial Cups and World Championships, so he maybe lacks that experience right now. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll catch up in regards to the type of player that everybody expects him to be and will be that in the future."
So while it probably won't please the masses enough, you can expect to see Seguin in the lineup, but only occasionally to prevent him from going "stale." As far as playing a major role in the Bruins' offense, Seguin ranks behind Boston's other top-nine forwards in the coaching staff's view at this stage of his development based mostly on experience and consistency than even skill.
Although it's hard to argue with the reasons for Seguin's limited role with the Bruins, it's quite debatable if the Bruins made the right decision in keeping Seguin around rather than utilizing their ability to send him back to his junior team. I wrote as far back as July that they were going to have to retain his services this season both because of the predicted impact he could have on the offense, and also because the marketing arm of this club had found its young exciting face to use in promoting the team just a couple months after the worst collapse in playoff history. They proved that with t-shirt sales and ad campaigns that featured the kid before he'd even pulled on an official NHL sweater.
There's no doubt the hockey people also saw a chance to add a youngster with the type of NHL skill set the team previously lacked, and even better work him in slowly in a complementary role on the second or third line. However, for reasons the people paid to predict these things failed to foresee, Seguin regressed from the fast start of rookie camp and the rookie games to the point where he couldn't be trusted to play on a top-three line, let alone get power-play time.
It's impossible to know right now if a year racking up minutes and points in the OHL this season would've been better than a year in a bit role on the NHL roster. Players that have gone on to greatness or obscurity have been handled both ways throughout the years, whether it's Joe Thornton's part-time start to his career or Steve Stamkos' second-half logging of major minutes playing out the string with a bad Tampa Bay squad.
The answers to questions about the Bruins' handling of Seguin won't be revealed for years to come. The answer to any queries about his present however are easy: the Bruins still have high hopes for his future but don't see him as much of a help for the present.


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McGraw-Hill Cos. tumbled the most in 25 years as the parent of Standard & Poor's said it expects to be sued by the U.S. over inflated mortgage-bond rankings that helped ignite the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
McGraw-Hill fell 13.8 percent to $50.30 in New York trading, the most since the stock market crash in October 1987. The Justice Department and state prosecutors may file lawsuits this week against the largest ratings firm over its grades of certain collateralized debt obligations bundled during the housing boom, two people familiar with the matter said.
Ratings firms have faced criticism from U.S. lawmakers over how they granted top grades to securities that packaged home loans from the riskiest borrowers, leading to a credit seizure that sent the world's largest economy into its longest recession since 1933 as defaults soared and values plummeted. The Justice Department will sue under a statute enacted in 1989 to stabilize and reform the savings and loan industry, S&P said.
"It's a new use of this statute," Claire Hill, a law professor at the University of Minnesota who has written about the ratings firms, said in a telephone interview yesterday from Minneapolis. "This is not a line to my knowledge that has been taken before."
S&P described the Justice Department strategy based on the S&L statute as "questionable," saying in a statement it's "an attempt to end run well-established legal precedent."
Moody's Falls
A Justice Department lawsuit "would be entirely without factual or legal merit," S&P said. "It would disregard the central facts that S&P reviewed the same subprime mortgage data as the rest of the market -- including U.S. Government officials who in 2007 publicly stated that problems in the subprime market appeared to be contained -- and that every CDO that DOJ has cited to us also independently received the same rating from another rating agency."
Adora Andy, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, declined to comment.
Analysts at New York-based S&P, Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings, majority-owned by Fimalac SA of Paris, were pressured to give their stamp of approval to complex investments in a "race to the bottom" to win lucrative business from Wall Street banks, the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said in an April 2011 report.
Banks create collateralized debt obligations by bundling bonds or loans into securities of varying risk and return. They pay ratings firms for the grades, which investors may use to meet regulatory requirements.
Moody's Corp., owner of the second-largest ratings provider, fell 10.7 percent yesterday to $49.45.
Commission Report
The credit-grading business was targeted by lawmakers in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act after the collapse of top-ranked mortgage-backed securities contributed to $2.1 trillion in losses at the world's largest banks. Reports from the Senate panel, along with the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, cited failures of the companies as a reason for the financial crisis.
"Credit rating agencies erroneously rated mortgage-backed securities and their derivatives as safe investments," the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission said in its 2011 report.
While the 18-month recession ended in June 2009, with the global economy contracting 2.4 percent that year, the U.S. has yet to recover 3.23 million of the 8.74 million jobs that were lost. The unemployment rate last month was 7.9 percent, compared with 5 percent in January 2008.
S&P, in its statement yesterday, cited court rulings that have dismissed challenges to the opinions of ratings firms. The company also said it planned to fight any lawsuits.
"If DOJ does bring suit, we will vigorously defend our Company against such meritless litigation," the company said.
Illinois Lawsuit
Attorneys general from at least two U.S. states have filed claims against S&P challenging its method of rating mortgage- backed securities.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan accused the ratings firm of putting profitability before accuracy.
"S&P ignored the increasing risks posed by mortgage-backed securities, instead giving the investment pools ratings that were favorable to its investment bank client base," Madigan said in a January 2012 statement announcing the filing.
In a Nov. 7 decision, Cook County, Illinois, Circuit Court Judge Mary Anne Mason rejected defense arguments that ratings firms' opinions were protected by constitutional guarantees of free speech. A status conference is scheduled for March 26.
Australian Judge
In 2009, then-Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray sued S&P, Moody's and Fitch at the U.S. court in Columbus, accusing the firms of issuing faulty ratings that caused five public employee pension funds on whose behalf he sued to buy money- losing investments.
U.S. District Judge James L. Graham threw out the case in September 2011, ruling the ratings were "predictive opinions," and that absent specific allegations of intent to defraud, the firms could not be held liable.
A Cincinnati-based federal appeals court unanimously upheld that decision in December.
Cordray was appointed by President Barack Obama in January 2012 as director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington.
In November, an Australian judge ruled S&P misled investors by giving its highest credit grade to securities whose value plunged during the global financial crisis.
S&P was "misleading and deceptive" in its rating of two structured debt issues in 2006, Federal Court Justice Jayne Jagot said in her ruling released Nov. 5 in Sydney.
Copyright 2014 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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The Republican-controlled Michigan Senate voted Wednesday to restrict and regulate abortion practices, including requiring a health professional to screen patients to ensure they aren't being forced to end pregnancies.
The Republican-controlled Michigan Senate voted Wednesday to restrict and regulate abortion practices, including requiring a health professional to screen patients to ensure they aren't being forced to end pregnancies.
The measures previously approved by the GOP-led House were approved by a 27-10 vote, mostly along party lines. The legislation returns to the House for its final review of changes before going to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.
The bill package also enacts regulations related to the disposal of fetal remains. It additionally requires private medical offices to be licensed as freestanding surgical outpatient facilities if they perform at least 120 abortions annually and undergo annual state inspections.
Another key provision requires a physician to perform a mandatory physical examination before prescribing drugs that would cause a medically induced abortion, and prohibits the use of telemedicine, or a web-based camera for that exam.
The legislation drew a litany of failed amendments from Democratic Sen. Rebekah Warren, who described it as "dangerous and punitive." Warren's changes included one making the coercion language neutral so criminal penalties also could apply to someone forcing a woman to carry her pregnancy to its full term, and another requiring a man seeking a vasectomy to be examined by a physician to determine that it's medically necessary.
"Women in Michigan, I hope you're paying attention — today, the sky has fallen," said Warren of Ann Arbor, who spent several years working for a nonprofit women's reproductive health clinic. "This is a shameless back-door attempt to shut down women's reproductive health clinics in the state."
Supporters viewed the measures as commonsense reforms that keep women safe.
"This bill requires abortion clinics in Michigan be licensed and inspected just like we license junkyards, casinos, dentists' offices, tattoo parlors and everything else," said Republican Sen. Rick Jones of Grand Ledge. "This bill is a pro-woman bill."
The legislation had been stripped of some contentious aspects as it moved through the legislative process. Most recently, a requirement was removed that required a physician to maintain at least $1 million worth of liability coverage if he or she performed at least six abortions per month and met certain other conditions regarding liability or professional disciplinary sanctions. Earlier, lawmakers didn't take up a companion bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The changes haven't pacified many Democrats and other critics, who say the measures are confusing, contradictory and already covered by state laws not being enforced.
Democratic state Sen. Coleman Young II, son of Detroit's late fiery mayor, said the bills have "nothing to do with women" and added his stance was shaped by his family history. The senator was a boy when his mother filed a paternity suit against then-Mayor Coleman Young, and the mayor began paying child support and set up a trust fund for his son after tests confirmed paternity.
Sen. Young, who was born Joel Loving and changed his name around the time of his father's death in 1997, said his mother refused suggestions by some that she should have an abortion.
"My mother told me this was a decision she made, but would she make that decision for another woman? Absolutely not," he said. "I don't think the government should be making decisions about women for their body."
Jones said the legislation "won't stop abortions in the state of Michigan, but it will make them a heck of a lot safer."
The measures were supported by Right to Life of Michigan and the Michigan Catholic Conference. They were renounced by Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan.


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Watch The ::God Is Imaginary Videos On YouTube ::
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A number of churches that previously sponsored Boy Scout troops have said they plan to sever ties to the organization following its decision to lift a longtime national ban on admitting openly gay Scouts. Openly gay adults will still be barred from leadership roles in the organization. "I think I can say with pretty strong accuracy that the vast majority of Southern Baptists are very disappointed in the latest change in policy ... deeply disappointed," Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee, told ABCNews.com. Page said that the Southern Baptist Convention -- the largest Protestant denomination in the United States -- would be holding its national meeting in two weeks, after which it would likely recommend that its 47,000 U.S. churches pull away from the Boy Scouts of America. From there, it is up to each individual church to decide what to do, said Page. About 70 percent of all local Boy Scout troops are supported by religious groups, according to the Boy Scouts of America, and the Southern Baptist Convention currently sponsors "hundreds of troops, probably thousands," Page said.
"I want to have a prominent faith component that will be weaved in every fiber of the program," said Stemberger, an Orlando attorney. "But at the same time, we are not going to become religious and churchy. This is not another church program. This is going to be a masculine outdoor program to raise young men."Boys, ages 5-17, may come from every religious background, but adult leaders in the program will adhere to a standard statement of Christian faith and values. The membership policy will focus on sexual purity rather than orientation. Gay youth and adults can participate, but they cannot "flaunt" their sexuality, Stemberger said in July.
Jeff Rayno, 51, a field researcher from Pooler, Ga., said he'd like to lead a troop in the new organization. His son Daniel, 14, is a Boy Scout, and Rayno, who believes that homosexuality is a sin, didn't want him to be exposed to gays or discussion about sexuality through the program.
"I'm very excited that we can be starting a new thing that's historical in nature that will be talked about years from now as being a cultural shift," he said. "People are drawing somewhat of a line in the sand, saying that we have something that we believe in, we have a right to associate with people that think the same way that we do."
After this, an organization will form for straights "scouts" that are blind but want to be able to carry and use firearms outside of Iowa.
"I think I can say with pretty strong accuracy that the vast majority of Southern Baptists are very disappointed in the latest change in policy ... deeply disappointed," Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee, told ABCNews.com.
With so many bigots abandoning ship, maybe it won't be long until the BSA becomes sane enough to stop discriminating against atheists as well.


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WITCHING HOUR: John Galliano and Eva Green made a fittingly theatrical entrance Wednesday night at the Opera Garnier in Paris for the launch of Midnight Poison, the latest scent from Dior. Green didn't swing in on a rope as she does in the commercial that Wong Kar Wai directed for the fragrance. (Flying seems to be her forte lately — Green plays a witch in her next film, "The Golden Compass.") But Green, in a sparkling gown, nevertheless created quite a stir as she entered the room on the arm of Galliano before sitting down for dinner at a long, inky black table. "I hope you fall under the same spell I did," Galliano purred.
CASTING CALL: Miuccia Prada continues to surprise with her casting for the fast-growing Miu Miu brand. Laetitia Casta, the French model and actress, will be in the advertising campaign for fall-winter, a Miu Miu spokesman confirmed Wednesday. Lindsay Lohan is the face of the current Miu Miu spots. Kim Basinger, Camilla Belle, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore and Chloë Sevigny have also fronted the brand.
BOY CRAZY: She's been married 35 years and has a 31-year-old son, but now Josie Natori is thinking about men in a way she's never done before — as a business and design opportunity. She's launching the Natori Men's Homewear Collection at Saks Fifth Avenue in September. It will include fleece, pajamas, boxers, robes and knit loungewear. "I always thought about women and never about men. It's a learning thing, but it's also a fun thing," Natori, chief executive officer of the Natori Co., said at a lunch Wednesday at Philippe on East 60th Street. "I'm excited to be able to please a lot of my friends and family." Her husband, Ken, is particularly excited. "He's finally got something from me that he can give to his friends."
INSPIRATIONAL GEMS: In celebration of its 35th anniversary, jewelry company Carolee has chosen several notable women for a new initiative. Beyoncé Knowles and her mother, Tina; Deborah Norville; Lynda Carter; Mena Suvari, and Amanda Beard have been selected to put their personal quotes on Words to Live By, a collection of five limited edition sterling silver bangles. The Knowleses' bracelet is stamped with "Love Will Conquer All" and Carter's says "Wonder-Believe-Create." All profits from the bangles, which cost $100 each and are part of the firm's Sterling Sentiments line, will benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The bracelets will be on sale throughout the fall starting at Bloomingdale's in September. "We wanted a diverse group of women who would speak to the wide range of Carolee customers," said Karen O'Brien, Carolee's vice president of worldwide marketing. "They all have great words to live by. These women will have great life stories to share with you." A print advertising campaign will bow in October magazines.


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Immigration reform isn't just an issue of social justice, it's one of moral importance, and the time to communicate ideas and gain support is now, a Gainesville activist said Monday night at a discussion hosted by the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
Immigration reform isn't just an issue of social justice, it's one of moral importance, and the time to communicate ideas and gain support is now, a Gainesville activist said Monday night at a discussion hosted by the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
In light of the recent immigration legislation floating through Congress, Richard MacMaster, 77, and roughly 20 people gathered at the Emmanuel Mennonite Church at 1236 NW 18th Ave. to share their views on national and state level immigration reform, as well as the local immigrant and migrant farmworker justice movement.
"These were things that were off the table before," MacMaster said, referring to the attention immigration reform has received because of the nonpartisan bill four senators, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, drafted that calls for an increase in the number of visas available to high-skilled foreign workers, "and this is a historic moment. These are very exciting times."
Throughout the night, six activists addressed the small crowd.
They introduced their organizations' ideas, their work, their visions of what could be. They stressed the importance of vocalizing issues. Some asked for donations. Others asked for guidance. All asked for support.
Erin Conlin, a 33-year-old University of Florida graduate student, began with an introduction of immigration history. In Florida, they were viewed as "the invisible," she said. Plastic postcards showcasing Florida's glory as an up-and-coming agriculture power neglected one thing: the workers who made it happen.
Rommy Torrico, 23, strode out to the floor next. A representative from the Collier County Neighborhood Stories Project — an initiative dedicated to documenting immigrant detention and deportation — Torrico emphasized the necessity of undocumented immigrants understanding their rights.
"We're trying to launch this initiative into an organization," the UF graduate said. "We could use any and all help. We're selling posters for $7."
Candy Herrera, another UF graduate involved with the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, brought up the issue of school tuition. She said she wants to fight to keep in-state residence status from being altered. Kids whose parents aren't documented citizens could be at risk.
"This is my home, spiritually," she said. "I want to continue this push."
MacMaster, whose wife, Eve MacMaster, is a pastor at the church, clutched his cane and shuffled to the front after the speakers finished.
"We hope you might be able to implement these ideas," he said. "Really, we wanted to get your ideas."
"You're talking about lives," he said. "How do you deal with something like that? We see horrible things happen. We see families split apart."
Sam Trickey, 72, felt this comment strike a personal chord.
"Ask them about family values," he said. "What kind of family value is it to do that kind of disruption?"
Trickey's been working in social justice for farm workers since the 1960s. He's a member of the National Farm Worker Ministry.
"We need a community," he continued. "If you have a community, take one and see what you can do.
"It's about the idea of getting these stories to people."


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Tea stencil - help!
I'm planning to clip a teapot and a tea cup into my pony's rump when he gets clipped on the 23rd (clipping = shaving, it's done in winter on horses under a heavy workload, or who just sweat a lot, to make it easier to cool them out properly after a workout. Don't worry, clipped horses get to wear extra warm blankets to replace the hair they lose!). But I can't seem to find a decent pice of clip art (no pun intended) that I can blow up to use as a stencil for clipping. everything either looks odd once it's blown up (i'm needing to blow it up to about 10″×10″), or it's just the wrong shape for a round pony butt.
Does anyone know of any decent teaware clip art, ideally with fairly curvy shapes that would flatter a round pony butt?
That will be awesome. Please post pictures when it is done!
No tea cup but here is a pot http://papercraftinspirations.themakingspot.com/sites/papercraftinspirations.themakingspot.com/files/inline_images/pin98.bonus_template.jpg
thanks! I think that'll work out nicely!
and don't worry, there will most definitely be pictures :D
How did it turn out?
I'll post pictures when it's done on Friday :)
You're going to have a giant My Little Pony when you are finished!!! I don't know why, but I am squeeeing like a child over this. :)
and he's not really THAT giant, haha. He is technically a pony as he is only a hair over 14hh, and the cap between pony and horse height is 14.2hh. I just wish he had more white on him so I could make him a real MLP and dye his white rainbow! sadly, he's only got a few small white spots, not enough to bother dying. So he gets "cutie marks" instead! :)
He loves playing dress up, and he loves DAVIDs Tea (especially when I give him a bag to play with, haha)
i bought the fly bonnet (hat) at a tack store, I have no idea how to knit/crochet actually (and if I did, Java would have a LOT more crazy coloured fly bonnets than he does already! haha!)
Sadly, my mini clippers crapped out on me, and the big ones were just TOO big for the detail work, so I wasn't able to get his teapot and teacup to work :( So he's sporting a (wonky) shamrock on one side and a heart on the other <3
Can we still see? I want to know what a pattern clipped into a pony looks like!
it's nothing fancy, but I'll share a few pictures, gimme a sec.


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Published 13 June 2014
David James Snr, David James Jnr and Stephen Hewes, operating as National Tarmac, cold called victims at their homes offering to resurface their driveways. While referring to fictional contracts with well-known companies and local councils, the three used what appeared to be professional marketing literature and a website to dupe customers into agreeing to work.
The Vale of Glamorgan Council led the prosecution on behalf of a number of other local authorities in Wales including Newport, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr and Rhondda Cynon Taff.
Principal Trading Standards Officer for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Christina Roberts-Kinsey, said afterwards: "Victims of the scam paid up to £1100 for resurfacing work which was often done in an hour or less and following which repairs and remedial work were always necessary.
When customers questioned the men or raised concerns about the quality of the work they met with intimidation and aggressive demands for immediate payment. Following the work to his driveway one victim had to pay £3500 to have the surface repaired and re-laid.
The Council will not tolerate any fraudulent activity in the Vale and had no hesitation in leading the prosecution against these rogue traders."
During sentencing the judge at Cardiff Crown Court pointed out that a chartered surveyor had inspected nine of the victims' driveways and described the work as inadequate and poor.
When sentencing them to prison terms the judge told David James Jnr and Stephen Hewes "it is clear this was a well thought out, fraudulent arrangement and you took money for worthless services. You are experienced having work in similar roles for several years and so you both knew what you were doing. An immediate custodial sentence is therefore justified."
Following the prosecution, Cllr Neil Moore, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: "Our Trading Standards officers work exceptionally hard to bring fraudulent traders such as these men to justice.
This was a sophisticated con that preyed on vulnerable people. The strong action of the Vale of Glamorgan Council sends a clear signal that we will use our full enforcement powers to stop rogue traders operating in the Vale.
Vale of Glamorgan Council, Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry CF63 4RU.(01446) firstname.lastname@example.com


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home | metro santa cruz index | features | santa cruz | feature story
Zip, Zip, Hooray : Breezing down to L.A. could be a low-carbon proposition if high-speed rail becomes a reality.
State Propositions
Prop. 1A California High Speed Rail Bond
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: Yes
It's time to stop talking about climate change and start doing something about it. The $10 billion bond on the November ballot will help build the first leg of the long-awaited California High Speed Rail, from San Francisco to Los Angeles. We know it's not going to be a panacea for global warming and high gas prices, and we've heard the opponents argue it's a boondoggle that will break the state's bank. But it's time to put our money where our mouth is. California's bullet train could lead the way to other smart transportation alternatives across the nation. Plus, it's just cool.
Prop. 2 The California Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: Yes
Who doesn't cringe at the horrific footage of drooling, bleary-eyed, immobilized factory farm animals? Proposition 2 would allow us to have happy animals and eat them, too.
The act makes it a misdemeanor for California farmers to tether or confine their livestock in any way that prevents them from doing basic low-impact aerobics moves--lying down, standing up, fully extending limbs and turning around freely. This of course would eliminate common farming practices such as battery-caging chickens and keeping calves and pregnant sows in small crates, which produce maximum yield for minimum overhead--and often prevent some animals from ever walking. One serious downside to this proposition is that it would hurt California egg farmers. That's why poultry producers have mounted the greatest outcry against passage, arguing the conversion will be too expensive and markets will be flooded with unsafe eggs from Mexico. However, the act would not go into full effect until Jan. 1, 2015, giving farmers time to adjust their facilities and practices.
Beyond the logistics, this is just the way the wind is blowing these days. Florida, Arizona, Colorado and Oregon already have similar legislation, and universities, restaurants and grocery stores are increasingly demanding products from animals living relatively normal lives. Criminy, even Burger King is giving preference to cruelty-free critters.
Best vote yes and usher in a new age of happy meals.
Prop. 3 Children's Hospital Bond Act
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: Yes
It's pathetic that the state of California must resort to this in order to provide care for dying children. The fact that we must take on this debt, with the state already deep in the red, is a genuine shame, and almost too much to bear. But it's the right thing to do.
Prop. 3 would authorize the issuance of roughly $1 billion in bonds for hospitals that treat children with life-threatening illnesses. Money from Prop. 3 bonds would pay for buildings, equipment and similar capital expenses at five UC hospitals and eight nonprofit hospitals. All of the money is earmarked to improve and expand access to child health care. The vote comes only four years after passage of a similar $750 million bond. Since that time, as you may have heard, the costs of doing any kind of business in this industry have skyrocketed. Supporters say these institutions can barely cover their operating expenses much less pay for necessary capital improvements.
California is already $120 billion in the hole from outstanding general-obligation bonds alone. We've sold bonds to pay for infrastructure like highways and water treatment systems, and even to pay off older debt. This is no way to run a state. This is no way to finance things like children's hospitals. Let this serve as more evidence that the state and the nation need comprehensive health care reform. But don't let sick kids pay for our leaders' failures.
Prop. 4 Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor's Pregnancy
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: No
Don't be surprised if you're hit by a wave of déjà vu in the voting booth--the parental notification proposition is baaack. If passed, this would amend the state constitution to require notification of a minor girl's parents or legal guardian that she is planning to have an abortion, and a 48-hour waiting period following notification. The fresh coat of paint over this twice-rejected proposal recasts it as "Sarah's Law," "Sarah" being a 15-year-old Texan who died in 1994 following a botched abortion. It's been widely reported that "Sarah" was actually in a common-law marriage, would not have been considered a minor and therefore would not have been helped by Prop. 4, not to mention that she, erhm, would have been in the wrong state. No matter.
Proponents say this year's model has more options, including the possibility that a judge waive notification if the girl demonstrates enough maturity or the abortion is in her best interest. To blow your own mind, try imagining an underage girl going through the trauma of an unwanted pregnancy, who can't turn to the adults in her life but will stand up in a courtroom of strangers to fight to have an abortion. It's like trying to comprehend infinity.
The spin on Sarah's story is that older men prey on underage girls and then cart them off to an abortion clinic to cover up their sexual crimes. It's all very Law & Order, but the simple truth is this is just a cynical ploy. Bury Proposition 4 alongside its similarly disingenuous predecessors.
Prop. 5 The Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: Yes
Proposition 5 would provide much-needed reforms to the state's criminal justice and drug rehabilitation systems. An expansion of Prop. 36, the 2000 initiative that established a drug treatment diversion program for nonviolent drug offenders, Prop. 5 would funnel more money into that program. It would also refine sentencing and parole guidelines.Instead of wasting taxpayers' money on incarceration and excessive parole sentencing, Prop. 5 establishes a three-track system that takes into account offenders' criminal, substance abuse and treatment histories. The initiative also drops possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana from a misdemeanor to an infraction (like a speeding ticket) and directs the $100 fine from the infraction to fund drug treatment programs for juvenile substance abusers. Additional reforms include expanded treatment for juvenile drug offenders and oversight committees to track the effectiveness of the programs.
Due to savings from decreased incarceration and parole costs, plus the money saved from decreasing the need to build more prisons, the net cost of the $460 million-per-year-program could well be neutral.
The cycles of substance abuse and criminal recidivism can only be broken through realistic, comprehensive drug treatment programs that emphasize rehabilitation and make incarceration the very last resort. Prop. 5 is a vital piece of the vast reform needed in our state's broken criminal justice system.
Prop. 6 Police and Law Enforcement Funding
Metro recommends: No
State Proposition 6--fundamentally a lock-'em-up initiative originated by married SoCal state representatives George and Sharon Runner--has won the endorsements of numerous police and sheriff's organizations. Given spreading statewide gang problems, which it's designed to address, we can see why. But the proposed law, informally known as "The Safe Neighborhoods Act," has a serious economic--not to mention moral--downside.
Prop. 6 will add up to 10 years to the prison sentences of previously convicted felons who are caught carrying weapons, as well as gang offenders picked up for violent crimes. It also adds five years' annual registration for gang members following prison discharge and increased sentences for meth makers and dealers and witness tamperers.
Perhaps proving that its sponsors are hard-core law 'n' order zealots, Prop. 6's draconian language applies to repeat graffiti violators.
In addition to being Neanderthal in its approach to crime-prevention, the proposal is a budget-buster. The state budget analyst's office calculates its immediate costs at $365 million a year ($465 million a year by 2013) and points out that it will require, over time, prison construction and upgrade costs of an additional $500 million.
Deeper questions exist about the very root of the program; namely, the practice of authorities' assigning "gang enhancements" to youth offences, thus increasing sentences. Mistakes have frequently been made, and once law enforcement personnel have labeled someone a gang member, it's virtually impossible for that person to get off the list.
For these reasons, we join several state labor unions and taxpayers' groups, and even firefighters' groups, in opposing Proposition 6.
Prop. 7 Renewable Energy Generation
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: No
Prop. 7 tries to accomplish the noble and essential goal of securing more renewable energy for California, but its approach and unclear wording could ultimately undermine growth of clean energy sources.
Currently, the state obtains about 11 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, geothermal and biomass, with the goal of increasing that to 20 percent by 2017. Prop. 7 would accelerate the schedule and raise the bar by requiring all utilities to generate 20 percent of power from renewable sources by 2010 and 50 percent by 2025.
Despite this apparently pro-green mission, Prop. 7 is opposed by most major environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters, for three key reasons.
First, the measure seeks to fast-track the government approval process of new clean energy plants, which could lessen oversight and weaken environmental protections.
Second, increases on consumers' bills from renewable energy would be capped at 3 percent annually, while the bill fails to require a similar price cap for energy obtained from fossil fuels.
Finally, small-scale renewable utility companies that produce less than 30 megawatts could have more difficulty operating if this bill passes. That would lessen or eliminate community control over energy policies.
While the measure may be well-intentioned, its potential unintended consequences outweigh its possible benefits.
Although renewable energy policies need to be enacted on state and local levels, a flawed ballot measure is not the way to accomplish those goals.
Prop. 8 Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: No
On March 11, 2004, San Francisco's City Hall rang with laughter and tears in the surge of emotion uncorked when Mayor Gavin Newsom made same-sex marriage a legal reality. Later that day, the state Supreme Court ordered the city to cease and desist in its unilateral display of tolerance and love. But two months later, on May 15, that same Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on gay marriage, and California became one of two states in the nation to reject the bigotry that has denied gay couples this fundamental human right. (The other is Massachusetts.) On paper Prop. 8 is an issue of semantics. When it was first submitted, it came titled as the "California Marriage Protection Act," implying that the very institution of marriage would be hurt should same-sex couples be allowed to wed.
Prop. 8's title was sensibly changed by Attorney General Jerry Brown to "Limit on Marriage"--and then, after the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in May of this year, changed again, to "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry."
Prop. 8's conservative supporters, including the Mormon Church--which has called on its members to funnel millions into the campaign from around the globe--are at issue with the very simple language in the new title.
Supporters of Prop. 8 try to argue that same-sex couples already have the same domestic partnership rights of married couples in California. Hence, the only thing they're concerned about, they say, is whether same-sex couples get to say they're "married."
It's important to remember that the definitions of words change constantly. Remember when "gay" meant happy? For "marriage," those societal changes have already taken effect, and it's time to allow the definition to change accordingly.
By seeking to amend the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California, proponents of Prop. 8 are not "protecting" marriage. They aren't "defending" marriage. There is nothing to be lost in the institution of marriage by expanding its definition to include same-sex couples.
Prop. 9 Criminal Justice System; Victims' Rights; Parole
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: No
Prop. 9 does not define what victims' rights it professes to protect, except perhaps their right to see convicts locked up forever. In fact Prop. 9 has nothing whatsoever to do with victims' rights. It deals only with convicts' rights--by decimating them.
The main purpose of this at-best-misguided scheme is to deny convicts the right to petition for parole every five years--parole hearings would come only after 15 years. This is allegedly being done to save victims the cost of attending a slew of parole hearings.
This draconian measure is being driven by a cadre of supporters--including the powerful prison guards union--that has been working for years to make California law the most punitive on earth. Because of their past successes, our prisons are already overcrowded to crisis proportions, mostly with nonviolent offenders.
California runs the third-largest prison system in the world. The United States, home to 5 percent of the world's population, is home to 25 percent of the world's prison population. Besides being immoral, this is impractical. We have plenty of evidence to prove that incarceration, a crude anti-crime tool, does not work.
The international organization Human Rights Watch has been deeply critical of U.S. prison policies, stating that "the extraordinary rate of incarceration in the United States wreaks havoc on individuals, families and communities, and saps the strength of the nation as a whole."
In addition to being an assault on fairness and due process, this measure would cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.
Prop. 10 Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds
Metro Santa Cruz Recommends: No
California needs a dynamic, comprehensive and fully funded clean-green renewable energy and fuels program aimed at eliminating carbon emissions.
This ain't it.
This proposition springs from the mind of T. Boone Pickens, the lifelong oil mogul and corporate raider. Having recently had an epiphany regarding the danger of carbon emissions and the efficacy of alternative fuels, he has essentially come up with a plan to sell us some.
Pickens wants California taxpayers to pony up so firms and individuals can buy or lease carbon-emitting natural gas-burning vehicles (hybrids need not apply), thus enormously expanding the market for guess-who's natural gas company. In a nod, he also includes cash payments in his plan for hydrogen and electric cars.
Pickens sank close to $4 million into Prop. 10 through his own Clean Energy Fuels Corporation. He has at least two additional backers, most notable for their utter obscurity.
A corporate raider's slick trick to pick California's green clean? That's what every state newspaper editorial board weighing in thus far believes. The plan has also been nixed by a remarkably wide range of strange bedfellows: the Sierra Club and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association; the Consumer Federation of California and the California Chamber of Commerce; the California Tax Reform Association and the California Nurses Association.
Prop. 11 Redistricting
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: Yes
When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger championed redistricting reform back in 2003, it was easy to see it is a cynical ploy to wrest control of the state legislature from the Democratic Party. Back then, Schwarzenegger was a polarizing, partisan figure. He's changed a bit since then, and yet he is still dead set on seeing this done.
The governor put up nearly $2.5 million of his own money to get this measure on the ballot, arguing--as he always has--that it is a root cause of the very real polarization that often paralyzes Sacramento. This time, we believe him. So does former state Treasurer Steve Westly, who ran against Schwarzenegger in 2006 and co-chairs the "Yes on 11" effort. Former Gov. Gray Davis, former Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, former Santa Cruz Assemblyman Fred Keeley and Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates (all Democrats) have endorsed the measure, along with AARP, the League of Women Voters and California Common Cause. In the short term it may in fact hurt Democratic lawmakers. In the long term, it's good for California.
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Prop. 12 Veteran's Bond Act
Metro Santa Cruz recommends: Yes
Since 1922, in 26 elections, California voters have approved $8.4 billion in bonds for low-cost loans to veterans through the Cal-Vet fund. All of that money has been repaid.
Here's how it works: The state authorizes the sale of bonds to raise the money--in this case, $900 million. That money is made available for veterans to apply for low-interest home loans. As they pay off their houses, the debt is retired.
This bond will allow 3,600 California veterans to buy houses.Our service men and women put their own lives on hold to serve the country and are currently about the only Americans doing anything that smacks of self-directed sacrifice. They should be able to relax in a room or two they can call their own once that service is done.
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Behold, our vegetarian eatings from yesterday:
tomato and fresh, homemade mozzarella with basil pesto from coastal provisions in southern shores
tomato basil soup, also from coastal provisions
mussel and watercress chowder, coastal provisions, featured in the previous day's 'chowder cook-off' (which we took part of. great fun!)
our mom's absolutely scrumptious homemade cheesecake
vegetable samosas from red parrot
green tofu with curry and rice, also from red parrot
kimchi soup from red parrot (do not eat this. it is imposter kimchi soup. kimchi soup does NOT contain baby corn, green beans, or asparagus).
happy eating, friends!
the senoritas


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We all enjoy fun cat photos, and we know those funny furballs enjoy getting themselves tucked into tight spots and tiny cardboard boxes. We came across several on BlazePress and of course are always adding cat photo pins to our board on Pinterest.
more cute pics here or follow our Cat board on Pinterest