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For years, plans to replace or refurbish the 40-year-old Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and develop the land around it have come and gone. Frustration finally reached its peak in October, when the New York Islanders ownership announced that it would move the team to Brooklyn in 2015.
The Islanders have been the Coliseum's anchor tenant since the venue opened in 1972. When the team leaves town in three years, the arena won't have much of an identity.
Islanders owner Charles Wang proposed the Lighthouse project for the property, which would have consisted of a renovated Coliseum, a sports complex, shops, restaurants, a hotel and high-density housing. The project met with a resounding "no" from the Town of Hempstead.
Last year, Nassau County proposed a new publicly financed arena, and its plan was met with the same disapproval. This time, the "no" came from voters. As ideas continue to be proposed and get shot down, the Coliseum continues to age, and hope for the Hub's future becomes dimmer.
Now is the time for officials to finally step up and create a plan that works for everyone. We know the Islanders won't be a factor after 2015. We know that revenue will be lost when the team departs. And we know that there is, in fact, much potential for the 77 acres of land on which the Coliseum sits. What's the problem?
Politics continue to get in the way.
County Executive Ed Mangano recently announced the creation of a public-private partnership with developer Bruce Ratner — the same man who developed the Barclays Center, which lured the Islanders away. Mangano chose Ratner to develop a plan to redevelop the Hub, and detailed plans are expected to be released next year.
This time, politics must take a backseat. It has killed too many other plans. There are steps our elected officials can take to actually work in the interest of Nassau County residents to create smart and meaningful development in Uniondale.


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Business holding back investment, hiring over 'fiscal cliff' worries
Worries curtail business spending
Business spending on new plants and equipment, which led the rebound from the recent recession, has slowed significantly amid fears Congress will be unable to avoid a year-end fiscal disaster.
US business spending fell last quarter for the first time in more than a year, an indicator that businesses are increasingly worried about the future and a harbinger of additional pullbacks in investment and hiring should the outlook continue to darken. On Monday, the survey of business confidence by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts found local businesses' outlook on the national economy last month plunged to the same levels as during the recession.
"They are very concerned we will continue to have deadlock in Washington and there will be no agreement about the fiscal cliff, taxes, government spending,and so on,'' said Andre Mayer, senior vice president of research at AIM, the state's largest business group. "This is showing displeasure with both sides, the feeling that these people in Washington just can't get it together and come to grips with very pressing economic issues.''
The decline in business confidence and spending illustrates the stakes involved as the newly reelected President Obama and a still-divided Congress try to compromise on measures to reduce the deficit and boost the economy. It also has significant implications for Massachusetts, which has a high concentration of firms that sell goods and services to other companies and depends more heavily on business spending than the nation as whole.
US business spending, which was growing at 19 percent annual rate a year ago, is now shrinking at a 1.3 percent rate, according to the most recent data. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts unemployment rate has risen a half percentage point since July, to 6.5 percent.
Vincent Spinali, who runs a family manufacturing business, Prattville Machine & Tool Co., in Peabody, is postponing buying equipment and hiring workers. Congress's failure to reach a budget agreement, he said, has made it impossible for him to know how much he would pay in taxes next year and whether he will still have defense industry customers if spending is slashed.
"There are a lot of unknowns,'' Spinali said. "We're not in a position to hire, and that has a lot to do with the political mess we have right now.''
Unless Congress acts before January, Bush-era tax cuts will expire, taking some $500 billion from the pockets of consumers and businesses next year. Automatic budget cuts, part of the political deal to avoid default on US debt last year, would also go into effect, sucking another $400 billion from the economy in 2013.
These changes, dubbed the "fiscal cliff'' by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, are so severe that they could hurt an already fragile economy and lead to another recession, analysts say. The National Manufacturers Association, a lobbying group, has estimated the combination of tax increases and budget cuts could mean the loss of 6 million jobs and drive unemployment higher than 11 percent by 2014.
Many economists predict Congress will reach a compromise. But until that occurs, manufacturers, high-tech companies, venture capitalists, and other businesses are taking a wait-and-see approach. The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimates that uncertainty has added 1 percentage point to the nation's unemployment rate, which was 7.9 percent in October.
Raymond G. Torto, global chief economist at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc., in Boston, said he is hearing from commercial property brokers that it is taking longer "to get a deal done,'' because they can't get financing commitments, whether it is leasing, buying, or selling a building, because of political uncertainties. He said he sees an across-the-board slowdown in business investment, whether it is in real estate or new technology.
"Anything that can be postponed will get postponed,'' Torto said. "People are just sort of sitting on their hands, and that has implications for the economy.''
Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight, a Lexington forecasting firm, said Washington will not "let us go off the cliff,'' but he expects that a resolution will take time. He said the lame-duck Congress will probably let some tax exemptions expire and extend others, leaving the hardest decisions for the next Congress, which begins in January. Business spending, he added, would probably remain depressed before rebounding in about a year.
"It will take a while,'' Behravesh said. "There's no question that most people and businesses are just completely horrified by the lack of political leadership and the constant bickering that has been going on. It's really abysmal.''
Jack Derby of Derby Management, a Boston consulting group, estimated that more than half of his 400 clients are postponing major investments and putting off hiring because of political uncertainties.
"The amount of dollars on the balance sheets of corporate America is at unprecedented levels,'' Derby said. "But they're sitting on it because they're unsure about their expenses.''
Spinali, the Peabody machine shop owner, said he has spent about $4 million in the last three years buying automated state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment to produce components for semiconductors, medical devices, and defense-related products. He said he was already concerned that the global economic slowdown would hurt demand for semiconductors and his company's components.
Now he also has to worry about conditions at home, and when his own government will make the spending and tax decisions that could affect him and his company's 85 employees.
"Congress is so polarized,'' he said. "And it seems like we're a casualty of this war going on between the two parties.''

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK -- Three years after its inception, Punk Rock Yoga® is offering classes in New York beginning Sept. 25 at The Red Room. Punk Rock Yoga is Hatha yoga practiced in unconventional spaces such as nightclubs, self-defense training centers or biology research centers. The class features live musicians and DJs playing everything from Japanese flute to didgeridoo to experimental guitar.
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Friday, June 1, 2012
A few summer favorites
Posted by Unknown at Friday, June 01, 2012
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The Dad-O. The children's very affectionate and perfectly suited nick-name for my husband. Who needs a Daddy when you have a Dad-O! The most kind-hearted, fun-loving man who keeps this family moving forward with smiles. And thank goodness, he is always willing to put his hands in the garbage disposal.
Our beautiful saucer-eyed daughter E. She is a determined, independent, silly dancing, room-owning, salty food eating girl with an amazing ability to make anything funny.
Our adorable son, B. He is a big-hearted boy who loves to build, figure out how things work, start a conversation with anyone, dig in the dirt, and climb and jump on anything. He is always thinking of others and quick to tell you he loves you!


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What I would like to do is use macros and a nested structure such as the let's in the third example, below, and have the macros read the *b* var as set by the let's. Is there an elegant way to do this? I suppose I could roll my own nested construct to do this relying on a stack and setf, but I was wondering if there is something part of lisp that already does this. I am also curious as to why lisp behaves differently in regards to setf vs let in association to macros (but this isn't really that important)
Thanks in advance.
- Code: Select all
(defvar *b*)
(defmacro foo-mac (name)
`(format t "mac ~A: ~S~%" ,name ',*b*)
(defun foo-fun (name)
(format t "fun ~A: ~S~%" name *b*)
;;works as expected
(setf *b* 'x)
(foo-mac "setf")
(foo-fun "setf")
;;*b* isn't set for macro foo-mac, but is for function foo-fun
(let ((*b* 'b))
(foo-mac "let")
(foo-fun "let")
;;what I really want to do is set vars in a nested way, such as this:
(let ((*b* 'b1))
(foo-mac "let1")
(foo-fun "let1")
(let ((*b* 'b2))
(foo-mac "let2")
(foo-fun "let2")
(foo-mac "let1")
(foo-fun "let1")
Output, from SBCL version 1.0.19-gentoo:
- Code: Select all
mac setf: X
fun setf: X
mac let: X
fun let: B
mac let1: X
fun let1: B1
mac let2: X
fun let2: B2
mac let1: X
fun let1: B1


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Royal Scot Edinburgh Barrel Tumblers
Royal Scot Crystal are known for producing the most comprehensive selection of matching hand cut crystal in the UK today, from the very first British hand cut crystal tableware to giftware. There is a vase for all types of flowers, crystal bowls and jugs for all types of serving and decanters to all glasses for any type of drink. Visit our Royal Scot Giftware Section for inspirational gift ideas which feature lots of stunning cuts, whether that be the London Cut or Belgravia. All products of Royal Scot Crystal are supplied in luxury satin lined presentation boxes in a variety of colours or in high quality gift boxes. The company has gained an excellent reputation over the years for quality and reliability.


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Ecto-115 is a dangerous, volatile, and utterly destructive element primarily occurring in the Devoid Sector of BrikSpace. It's origins lie suffocated with tragedy and the callous destruction of a genocidal campaign, when the Gunnar-Grim destroyed the once profoundly creative race now known as the deadly Zeitgeisteskrankheit. Ecto-115 was initially the byproduct of that race's death energies, as their SuperNatural constructive powers became corrupted by their righteous fury and undying hatred. Those energies forcefully manifested in the realverse and rushed out in a massive, roiling shockwave of psychic trauma and where they touched, Ecto-115 sometimes grew. Ecto-115, then, is the crystallized essence of Corrupted Creativity and Eternal Enmity.
Physical Appearance
In its final, crystallized state, Ecto-115 often looks like a Transparent Element but can manifest in any variety of color and shape. It grows erratically, often defying logik and conforms to very few physical scientific laws in terms of its composition and behavior. Though it develops in a largely crystalline fashion, the element is highly malleable and has even been known to change its own shape in response to specific stimuli.
Ecto-115 primarily occurs in the Devoid Sector, as that is where the largest concentration of Corrupted Creativity in the BrikVerse exists, but many other cultures develop it naturally as well. It also appears frequently at important death sites. Ecto-115 is the final evolution of a substance called Ectoplasm, which is the energy that Spectral creatures release when they physically manifest in the realverse. Ectoplasm almost always releases as an invisible or glow in the dark energy that flows from the temporarily corporeal body of the creature. This effect is what creates the famous ghostly image; when the creature forces its way through the veil of death, it arrives corporeally shrouded in a womb or cocoon of ectoplasmic energies. Ectoplasm that occurs persistently in any part of real space layers upon itself, eventually becoming real and crystallizing into Ecto-115.
Ecto-115 is mildly regenerative and thus releases small quantities of Ectoplasm back into real space. This can, over truly significant periods of time, create a multiplicative effect if the element is not removed from its resting place. The ectoplasm released layers upon itself just as if it were being released from a Spectral creature and further deposits of Ecto-115 may grow.
The crystalline element can be harvested and shaped with ridiculous ease, making it an exceedingly sought after resource. Some Spectrals have been known to corporeally manifest using their own ectoplasmic reserves, or the residual energies of other manifestations, long enough to harvest and craft weapons, armor, and other items from deposits of Ecto-115. They call these items Fetters and may then use them to manifest at will with little or no energy expenditure on their part. Their limited ability to carry them from place to place (due largely to the desire to take advantage of the myriad benefits of actually being incorporeal) makes many ghosts fairly stationary beings, however.
Ecto-115 can be affected normally by SuperNatural powers if the SuperNatural in question takes the time and consideration to tune those powers into the right frequency. The most common and powerful use of such a tactic is Exorcism, which has the potential to reduce the Ecto to a pretty, inert bauble. Few ghosts in the BrikVerse have much to fear in this regard, however, as Exorcism requires a great deal of patience and the right sort of feel-good faith...something which is in short supply here. Far more common is the threat of temporary possession as Ecto-115 is highly susceptible to necromantik energies.


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Dear Dr. Don,
Continue Reading Below
I have about $1 million in about 14 stocks. I own, watch and reinvest all the dividends. However, I recently spoke with an investment professional who works at a bank, and he wants to manage these stocks for me -- at no charge. Should I let him?
Thanks, -- Barry Baffling
Dear Barry, You don't need to do this. I'm not sure what the investment professional's angle is in offering to do this for free. I'd argue against taking him up on that offer without knowing what's in it for him and how it benefits you.
There's a lot you can do on your own to keep that portfolio in good shape.
For example, a DIY investor could use a portfolio analytics package to make sure it's solidly diversified. A free two-week trial on Morningstar would give you access to its Portfolio X-Ray feature that could help you with this. Your stockbroker should have that type of package available, too.
I also suggest you pay close attention to changing tax laws regarding dividend income and capital gains. It might influence your after-tax investment earnings. The taxation of qualified dividend income is scheduled to jump to your ordinary income tax rate from the current maximum of 15%. And your marginal income tax rate could go higher if the Bush tax cuts aren't extended.
The tax rate on long-term capital gains also is scheduled to increase from the current 15% maximum, depending on your modified adjusted gross income, to 20%. This doesn't include the additional 3.8% Medicare tax for high-income earners ($200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married joint filers) on certain investment income.
I wouldn't let tax changes dictate how you invest. But it's smart to keep an eye on what the government does this year concerning taxes.
Get more news, money-saving tips and expert advice by signing up for a free Bankrate newsletter.
Bankrate's content, including the guidance of its advice-and-expert columns and this website, is intended only to assist you with financial decisions. The content is broad in scope and does not consider your personal financial situation. Bankrate recommends that you seek the advice of advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances before making any final decisions or implementing any financial strategy. Please remember that your use of this website is governed by Bankrate's Terms of Use.
Copyright 2012, Bankrate Inc.


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Jesus' promise of resurrection is alive today
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the resurrection is the key doctrine of the Christian faith. Think about it, no other faith has at its core a leader who conquers death. If Jesus did not conquer death, then faith in him means nothing. But Jesus did raise and he spoke about his death and resurrection long before he went to the cross. He tied the events that would happen directly to the Old Testament then after he rose he reminded his followers of what he had said.
Luke 24 tells us of an event after Jesus had risen. I love this event as it's full of drama and humor. Jesus appeared to some of his men who were really confused. He kept himself from being recognized by them but walked along with them. As the disciples were talking, Jesus jumped into the conversation. He asked them what they were talking about but they're blown away that anyone hadn't heard the news. So they explain that Jesus was a powerful prophet in word and deed. They told him how the religious leaders handed him over to be crucified while they had hoped that he was going to redeem Israel. "And now it's been three days since all that took place and some of our women went to the tomb this morning and didn't find his body." They told us about angels, who said he was alive – then some of our companions went and found the tomb empty, but they didn't see Jesus."
I love that narrative, I picture Jesus with a smile on his face as he hears them describe what they do not know. What they don't know is not only is Jesus alive, but he is walking with them.
Now Jesus speaks and he uses this as a teaching moment. Jesus said; "How foolish you guys are, don't you believe what the prophets spoke – that Christ had to suffer to enter his glory?"
Luke 24:27 states, "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."
Did you catch that? Jesus went back to the scriptures and showed them that this was God's plan. God's plan was to bring sinful human into a relationship with himself because sin separated humans from God. So Jesus would atone for sin by his death, he would rise from the dead to prove his sacrifice was accepted. Later he ascends into heaven so that those who trust in him may also rise to eternal life. It's a plan that continues today.
2 Corinthians 5:21 states, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Easter is when we remember Christ's resurrection but there's another promise that Jesus gave the church. Just as he spoke about the resurrection and it happened, you can take it to the bank that his other promise will happen as well. The promise? "To return in power and glory." All believers should be looking forward to that day, and be it by rapture or by death we know that his coming will be in an instant, when the dead will rise and those who are alive will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
Have you trusted in the Jesus? Is Easter the best day to you?
Pastor Rich Lammay of High Sierra Fellowship is a member of the Carson Valley Ministers' Association.