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With the presentation of the Obama administration's fiscal 2015 budget request last week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced his decision in a battle that had been brewing for some time: U-2 (below) versus Global Hawk. With money as tight as it is, everyone knew it was becoming too expensive to have both options for high-altitude intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) missions.
It would be easy to portray this as a contest between modernity and nostalgia, pitting a cutting-edge unmanned system against a piloted Cold War relic—Hal the computer versus an aging jet jockey with a silk scarf. Indeed, when Hagel announced his decision, he said he is opting to phase out the "50-year-old U-2 in favor of the unmanned Global Hawk" beginning in 2016 (see page 30). But that comparison is not just an oversimplification, it is the wrong way to approach the question.
Hagel was more forthright when he acknowledged this was "a close call." It surely is. The operating costs of the two fleets, for example, have been about the same.
And the U-2 does indeed have a storied place in U.S. history. Developed at the legendary Skunk Works under Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, the U-2 began collecting intelligence in 1956 on Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, China and countless other nations of interest. Its role in gathering imagery of Soviet missiles in Cuba was pivotal in the crisis of 1962.
If the U-2 of today were that same airplane, with just a black-and-white camera, Hagel's decision would make sense. But that is not the U-2 of today. The last U-2, the U-2S, rolled off Lockheed Martin's production line in the 1980s. More importantly, the key sensors—electro-optical/infrared camera, radar and signals intelligence antennas—have been upgraded in the past decade.
What is more, the U-2 has a sophisticated defensive system to protect against attack from advanced S-300 and S-400 Russian-built air-defense systems. Global Hawk has no defensive system. And while that unmanned aerial system (UAS) can fly a full day longer without landing, the U-2 can fly higher (70,000 ft.-plus compared to 55,000-60,000 ft.). That allows U-2 sensors more slant range. The U-2 can carry more payload than the Global Hawk (about 5,000 versus 3,000 lb.) and has more electrical power. Being a UAS, the Global Hawk is harder to deploy to a foreign location and operations are harder to get up and running. The UAS does not have an anti-icing system. Thus, reliability rates from the Pacific are low because Global Hawk cannot get through weather as easily.
None of this is to say the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk is not valuable. The program has its roots in a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency effort to prove that a UAS could be developed and operated inexpensively. Global Hawk was not designed to perform the U-2 mission. Rather, it was redesigned to do it once the Air Force went with the larger wing design.
In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Global Hawk was pressed into service to augment the U-2 with data collection. Momentum took over from there. The young UAS proved it could collect images and provide radar data of ground and surface targets. The Navy eventually deployed the aircraft to demonstrate its utility for monitoring shipping activities around the Persian Gulf.
Global Hawk has performed admirably for nearly 13 years, but somewhere along the line, the Pentagon leadership decided that the UAS could probably take over the U-2's role without first showing how. There is no better evidence of that issue than the fact that the top commanders (including those at the Strategic, Pacific, Central and European commands) still had the U-2 on their wish lists when Hagel made his decision. Finally, this week, the Pentagon said it would cost about $1.9 billion to upgrade the UAS to "parity" with the U-2, which is almost the full amount the Pentagon says it will save in winding down the U-2.
On balance, we believe the secretary made the wrong call. The U-2 still has the edge in capabilities. Our view is not colored by simplistic views of "old" versus "new" and it has nothing to do with manned versus unmanned. Far from it.
We are huge believers in the future of unmanned systems. The RQ-180 that this magazine revealed last December may eventually take over the U-2 role. But the history of defense programs is littered with examples of systems that have been pressed into service before they are ready. If anything, we fear the erroneous conclusions some might draw about UAS in general, should the program to stand up Global Hawk as a U-2 replacement stumble. Let's keep the U-2 for now.


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Waltham Cross Paintball Site's Listing
Paintball Broxbourne8
11 minute drive from Waltham Cross
Broxbourne is the closest Paintball site to Waltham Cross
At last, an extremely fun and safe version of Laser paintball for 8 to 15 year olds. That's right, our centre covering paintballing in Hertfordshire and London now has the most exciting addition to it's combat armoury. Low impact paintball is an experience that uses low velocity paintball guns, firing extremely fragile paintballs. It's a new event that's set to become a phenomenon for birthday parties and kids parties. We are the only centre for paintballing London and Hertfordshire to offer this form of low impact paintball. Kids paintballing has never been more safe and exciting.
Located just a short distance from the town of Broxbourne, our superb venue is easily accessible from all over the Hertfordshire as we are just off the A10.
Full details and map provided on booking.
Alternative Venues Near Waltham Cross
Paintball Hertford
Hertford is the closest Paintball site to Waltham Cross
14 minute drive from Waltham Cross
One of the UK Scenario Paintball scene's most influential paintball sites, is situated in Hatfield near London. A mere 5 miles from the M25 Junction 24, WWP is easily accessible from London, and the otuskirts, Cheshunt, St. Albans, Harlow, Welwyn Garden City, and Watford. We specialise in providing corporate entertainment and team building days, as well as stag/hen parties and birthdays. We have 65 acres of woodland with 14 fields of play including Hamburger Hill, Fort Ranger, The Village, Snake Field, Tournament Training Field and Bridge Attack. Even if there are only one or two of you, we can fit you in with others for a full day's adventure.
100 FREE Paintballs!
Paintball St Albans
22 minute drive from Waltham Cross
The largest and busiest paintball site in the South East of England, our spectacular Bricket Wood venue is conveniently located where the M1 meets the M25. This site has highly-developed game zones and guarantees an action-packed and adrenalin-fuelled day. This is a must-visit site so get down here.
100 FREE Paintballs!
Paintball Bishops Stortford
28 minute drive from Waltham Cross
This paintball battleground is set in 60 acres of dense forest and caters for as many as 100 players at a time. Compete with friends and enemies alike in harrowing game zones like Jungle Zone, The Trench and The Pen. There are plenty of bunkers, barricades and hay bales to take cover between.
100 FREE Paintballs!
Paintball Wickford
46 minute drive from Waltham Cross
An authentic military experience awaits you as you battle your way through an array of military-themed game modes on our treacherous warlike battlefield!
Indoor Paintball Docklands, Greater London
48 minute drive from Waltham Cross
A state of the art indoor paintball facility on the site of a decommissioned cold war nuclear shelter. This sci-fi themed war zone features hundreds of feet of playing area and all of it is stunningly realised to transport you from reality into a world of futuristic combat with the fate of the planet at stake.
Paintball Gravesend
48 minute drive from Waltham Cross
At our brilliant Gravesend site the action unfolds in a spectacular 30 acres of paintball battleground. You'll go head to head with your mates in exciting team games like Bunker Hill, Prisoner of War, Tank and the The General Game.
100 FREE Paintballs!
Paintball Cambridge
49 minute drive from Waltham Cross
This epic woodland venue features plenty of obstacles, bunkers, barricades and paint. Lots of paint. Compete in any of our thrilling action-packed games, like Trench, Jungle, Headquarters and Toxic. With our excellent facilities, helpful staff and exciting game zones there's something for any wannabe soldier here.
Paintball Sidcup
50 minute drive from Waltham Cross
A 10 acre site with 5 brilliant game zones to do battle over, including our exceptional attack and defend field. A woodland warzone with plenty of purpose built fortifications to navigate around while completing tactical team missions.
100 FREE Paintballs!
Paintball Woking
60 minute drive from Waltham CrossA 46 acre site with a mixture of woodland and urban game zones. There are 4 main gaming areas, including the Fortress and Killing House.
100 FREE Paintballs!
Distances and drive times have been collated using third party software.
They are approximate and meant only as a guide.

subset: commoncrawl


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HOUSTON- One thing that won't be on the ballot in Texas next week, is whether to legalize marijuana. However, a growing number of states are considering it and supporters say it gives them more momentum here in our area.
Right now, recreational marijuana is legal in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Washington D.C. It's on the ballot in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada.
"It's been a part of my life since I was a child, family members growing up in Katy farming community believe it or not," said Cara Bonin, Exectuive Director for Houston NORML. "This is a natural plant that god put on this earth."
She's paying close attention this election to how marijuana does on ballots across the country.
"I think what that is doing is bringing more awareness to the average voter here in Texas," said Bonin.
"Our members are pretty much split down the middle... some like it, some don't like it," said Ray Hunt, with the Houston Police Officers' Union who has some concerns. "You're looking at an increase of people who are driving or impaired or going to the hospital when you've had too much."
The Sheriff's Association of Texas even went a step further.
"We deal with so many people who are intoxicated or high, do we really need to legalize another method," said A.J. Louderback, Jackson County Sheriff and Legislative Director for the association.
"It's certainly a very profitable industry, a lot of money is being made in terms of increased use, it kind of depends on who you ask," said Katharine Neill, who studies drug policy for Rice University.
Neill says a lot of the data is still being collected and state laws are trying to catch up. As for how soon, it could be legal in Texas?
"I do think it will happen but 2020, 2022 I think we are talking several years in the future," said Neill.
It all depends on who controls the power in Texas. That's because, right now, it cannot go on a ballot. Passing pot has to go through state lawmakers. However, Bonin says we've already taken the first step.
"Full legalization I think will take a few more legislative sessions, I think we got a really good foot in the door with the compassionate use act and I hope we can expand that in the 2017 legislative session," said Bonin.
Here in Texas, The Compassionate Use Act allows medical marijuana to be used for some cases of epilepsy.
Neill believes we will see more marijuana bills during the next legislative session pushed for other medical reasons.


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Top Technology
Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst develops and produces mechanical and electronic key systems, lock sets, steering locks, remote control systems, telematic and tire pressure monitoring systems for the automotive industry.
Founded in 1908 in Velbert, the company first supplied lock sets to Mercedes Benz (now Daimler AG) in 1920.
Today, Huf has approx. 10,000 employees located in 14 countries worldwide. More than 720 designers and technicians working in the offices in Germany, in the USA, in Romania, India, Brazil and China are engaged in research and development.
Huf was the first company to develop components for the new car access and immobilization systems "Passive Entry" and "Keyless Go", as well as developing the "Kick Sensor".


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Radiation after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts,"
After undergoing a radical hysterectomy with the removal of lymph nodes and ligaments for cervical cancer with no evidence of spread, I am now faced with the possibility of 6 weeks of radiation therapy. This therapy has been recommended because of the position of the tumor (3 mm from the cervical wall). I am hesitant to put my body through this treatment. Can you suggest other methods/tests to closely monitor the pelvic area for recurrence of disease?
Christina S. Chu, MD, Assistant Professor of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, responds:
After radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer, some patients are at higher risk for recurrence of cancer. For example, patients with large tumors (more than 4 cm in size), positive lymph nodes, deep invasion into the tissue of the cervix, or invasion into the small blood or lymphatic vessels, may put patients at higher risk for recurrence even though there is no gross evidence of tumor present after the surgery. I do not know all of the details of your case, but I assume that your physicians are recommending additional radiation because of the closeness of the tumor to the margin of tumor removal. They are recommending radiation to try to decrease your risk of having tumor recurrence. You should be aware that patients who do not have clear evidence of tumor in their body after surgery may still develop recurrence. The only methods in routine use for detecting disease recurrence include physical examination, Pap testing of the upper vagina, CT scan, and MRI. PET scan is another promising option, but the test has not yet been fully validated to detect recurrence of cervical cancer. You must understand that it is much easier to prevent a recurrence of cancer with radiation therapy then to treat a recurrence once it occurs. Overall, radiation therapy is tolerated well, and you should have additional discussions with your gynecologic oncologist and radiation oncologist regarding your concerns.


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Earlier today, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers front offices agreed to trade 3rd year Wide Receiver Jon Baldwin to the San Francisco 49ers in return for 2nd year Wide Receiver A.J. Jenkins.
The trade came only days after yet another thoroughly disappointing pre-season performance by Baldwin, which preceded an already lackluster pre-season and training camp. This indicates that the Chiefs coaching staff and front office had believed Baldwin to be a 'bust' even more than was first thought. Baldwin has had a disappointing career since being drafted by the Scott Pioli and co. in the 1st round in 2011, but not many would have expected a trade to have been made this early in the season.
In return for dealing out Baldwin, the Chiefs acquire former 1st round (2012) wide receiver A.J. Jenkins from the 49ers. Despite only having been in the NFL for one season so far, Jenkins has also been labelled a 'bust' due to his inability to make the field during his rookie season. This makes the two young wide receivers situations very similar in that they were both highly touted players coming out of college, but have not been able to produce at an NFL level.
While this trade was quite unexpected, it is completely understandable and makes sense. What this trade means, is a fresh start for both Baldwin and Jenkins, on new teams, with a new coaching staff to work under. Though it is doubtful that either player will live up to their once high expectations, a change of scenery such as this could at least encourage a slight improvement if nothing else in their on-field performances.
For the Chiefs and 49ers, this trade was a means of simply salvaging what was once a first round talent, in return for a second chance at a player that may make an impact for their team.
A.J. Jenkins has not officially been given a set spot on the depth chart as of this moment. However it is doubtful he will be given the same spot as Baldwin had, 2nd string. By default, the 2nd string wide receiver role is now Donnie Avery's job to lose.


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Westquay has over 100 stylish shops for you to explore including Apple, Victoria's Secret and John Lewis.
Westquay offers a choice of stylish restaurants and cafes including Pizza Express, Wagamama and Handmade Burger Co.
Westquay is easily accessible and has great transport links. Here you will find all the information you need when visiting the centre.
Find out what's new at Westquay, what others are saying and what's happening in Southampton.
Westquay's quiet hour every Monday 9am - 10am
Give your outdoor dining a delicious new taste thanks to TV chef John Gregory-Smith's Middle Eastern barbecue ideas and tips
Summer 2019 is jam packed of the BEST film releases here is your official go to guide...
Game. Set. Match. Wimbledon's coming back on The Esplanade.
Discover the latest offers, discounts and competitions at Westquay.
Win a Summer of films at Showcase Cinema de Lux for the family!
Plastic hangers can be difficult to recycle help us here at Westquay to reduce waste by helping yourself to some free coat hangers at the Customer Service Desk!
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Whatever the occasion, you don't have to think twice about buying the perfect present, thanks to the Westquay Gift Card.
The Westquay Gift Card offers access to over 100 shops. Find out more here.
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To check your Westquay gift card balance online, all we need is your card number.
These are the new-season flat shoes you'll gladly ditch your heels for
Found! The best tote bag for work
Enjoy a complimentary bottle of our house wine when you buy any 4 tapas dishes from 4pm on Tuesdays
Westquay Shopping Centre, Southampton, SO15 1QF


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Outdoor Equipment Loans
Count on very competitive rates and terms from your credit union for your vehicle loans.
- Up to 100% financing
- Terms up to 60 months
- Competitive rates
- Pre-approval available
- Automatic payment option
- Optional Credit Life and Credit Disability payment protection
- Loan Calculators - How much car can you afford? Find out here!
* Annual percentage rate. Actual rates and financing vary based on credit history and term. Example: Monthly payments are approximately $29.35 per month per $1000 borrowed at 3.49% APR for a 36-month term. Limited time offer. For new model loans only.


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3901 Beaubien St Detroit MI United States 48201
Children need a hospital all their own, where they come first. They need a hospital where specialists hold their hands and pediatric experts are always ready. With more than 40 specialties, the Children's Hospital of Michigan sees more kids and trains more pediatric medical and surgical experts than any other hospital in the state. For125 years, the Children's Hospital of Michigan is the hospital where all we know and everything we do is just for them.


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If you missed out on Swedish's live knee surgery in March, we have a recap for you - but five minutes of video instead of the five hours originally streamed!
On Tuesday, March 15, 2011, surgeons from the Swedish Orthopedic Institute offered the opportunity to see a knee surgery in a way that has rarely been done before by a healthcare system. Sean Toomey, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, repaired the knee of a patient, streamed live online. The webcast was moderated by orthopedic surgeon James Crutcher, MD. The patient, identified by Dr. Toomey as a candidate for a partial knee replacement procedure, volunteered and consented to have his knee replacement surgery streamed live.
The live webcast provided a rare front row seat into advances in surgical technology, featuring new robotic-assisted technology for knee replacements. During the surgery, the video portion of the webcast was embedded below, and was accompanied by a live chat. Viewers sent questions during the procedure using the live chat features (no login or account needed) or via Twitter using hash tag #livekneesurgery and were answered by the narrating physician during the webcast. Anyone interested in learning about orthopedic options at Swedish or surgical technology were encouraged to join the web stream.
Watch the recap of Swedish's live knee surgery below. You can see the full footage here. If you'd like to sign up for a free seminar to learn more, click here.
Why a live knee surgery?
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, more than 500,000 people undergo surgery each year to have arthritic and damaged knees replaced. New technology is making recovery time shorter than ever, allowing patients to return to an active lifestyle. Swedish is home to the latest technological advancements in robotic-assisted knee surgery. This exclusive technology is currently available in Seattle only at Swedish.
The technology is designed to provide quicker recovery and better surgical results for patients with joint and knee problems. These advancements also offer younger patients the option to receive less invasive surgical knee treatments, preventing impending knee conditions from progressing or developing in later years. Drs. Toomey and Crutcher are part of an elite group of physicians in the country to perform this procedure.
Robotic-assisted knee surgery is a treatment option for some people living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis in the medial (inner), patellofemoral (top), or lateral (outer) compartments of the knee. It is a minimally invasive partial knee replacement procedure that makes it possible to precisely repair a knee with minimal blood loss and a smaller incision allowing patients to recover much faster than a traditional knee replacement.
During the surgery, the diseased portion of the knee is resurfaced, without compromising the patient's healthy bone and surrounding tissue. An implant is then secured in the joint to allow the knee to move smoothly again.


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Lil Flip - Deep In The South
Video for Deep In the South video. Off the Ahead of my Time. Directed by Jt Barnett & Lil Flip
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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The idea of raising rates that the Roane County Ambulance Department charges for transport services didn't have Commissioner Nick Forrester's support.
"I think there's others ways that we can go about bringing in revenue, rather than raising rates of our citizens," he said. "I just want to say that I'm opposed to it, and hope you'll agree with me."
Seven others did and a motion to raise the rates failed 8-7 at Monday night's commission meeting.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Roane County News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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Your garment is inspected in 8 different inspections points prior to delivery to ensure we deliver your clothes in top quality condition on a day in day out basis.
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Find out why we have some of the highest and consistent reviews on Yelp. Read what your friends and neighbors have to say about our service, Our testimonials.
We will give you $10 in free cleaning just to try us! If we are not the best and most convenient dry cleaners you have ever used we will give you a $20 gift card to our closest competitor.
This special only applies to first time, brand new customers for either pick-up and delivery service or bringing your order in over the counter.
This special must be presented at the time you drop off your order or when you order your first pick-up.
This order has no cash value and cannot be combined with any other special, promotion, coupon or cash credit.
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For your convenience Martinizing Dry Cleaning has two locations to serve you:
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2210 South Shore Center
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Monday-Friday: 07:00AM -09:00pm
Saturday: 08:00am-06:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am-06:00pm
Martinizing Dry Cleaning - Danville -located behind the Burger King
822 Hartz Way
Danville, CA 94526
Monday-Saturday: 09:00am-06:00pm
Sunday: Closed


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SOPA/PIPA Wakes Up Internet Giants To Realize They Need To Be More Engaged In DC
from the unfortunate-reality deptEarlier today it was announced that a new industry trade association representing large internet companies, called The Internet Association, is going to be launching this fall, with Google, Amazon, eBay and Facebook as the charter members. Part of the thinking behind this group stemmed from the realization of how little influence various internet companies had in DC when SOPA/PIPA came along last year -- and a concerted effort to change that.
Former Congressional staffer Michael Beckerman was officially named this morning as the organization's president. I got to meet with Beckerman last week and hear some of the details about the group. To be honest, I have very mixed feelings about all of this. I tend to believe that this group will be a force for good in supporting an open internet and related issues. Beckerman was quite frank about why this new group absolutely needs to be focused on supporting the views of the public (because unlike in some other industries, when an internet company diverges from the public interest, it's very easy for its users/customers to go elsewhere). One of the major concerns we discussed was where the interests of internet users and the large internet companies might diverge, and how this organization would deal with those situations. He was pretty adamant that if they're not doing a good job representing the public's interest as well, then the organization isn't doing its job. Hopefully that is true, but obviously it's a claim that deserves close scrutiny as this organization ramps up. Hopefully, Beckerman will model the organization on the success of organizations like CEA, who have built up a very strong reputation in recognizing that by fighting to protect consumers they do the best in the long run for the electronics companies they represent. CEA has a long history of putting consumers first on various issues (even when you could make the argument that their own members feel differently), and it's done well for itself. The Internet Association would do good to follow that lead.
So while I think that this organization is likely to be very helpful in various fights to protect the open internet, I'm a bit disappointed that the state of politics today means that something like this is even needed. And, as always, I worry about large industry players working towards efforts to maintain their position, rather than supporting actual innovation. We've certainly seen large companies who were once innovative later turn around and fight against disruption and defend the status quo. Hopefully that's not what will happen with the Internet Association. Beckerman appears to have a good grasp on the issues, so I'm encouraged by the idea that there will be an organization like this in DC, focused exclusively on internet-related issues, even as I'm disappointed that it's necessary.
One bit of advice, since I know many folks here will automatically be allergic to the idea of any sort of new DC-based trade group, even if it's likely to be fighting against groups that seek to harm the open internet: one way to hopefully avoid a bad result is to engage with this new group. Help them continue to fight the good fight by working with them, rather than automatically dismissing them. Beckerman definitely seems interested in engaging people well beyond just the companies that are members of the association (which, as I understand it, is looking for additional members), and hopefully the more he engages with people who have a personal interest in an open internet, the more he'll be able to help.
Filed Under: internet, lobbying, michael beckerman, trade groups
Companies: amazon, ebay, facebook, google, internet association


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U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Managers Ignored Complaints and Fired Non-Hispanic for Speaking Out, Federal Agency Charges
DALLAS — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced today that it has filed suit against DHL Global Forwarding for subjecting a class of Hispanic employees to national origin discrimination. The EEOC's suit also alleges that DHL Global unlawfully retaliated against a non-Hispanic employee by firing him for reporting the treatment of Hispanic employees.
The suit alleges that Hispanic employees at DHL's Dallas warehouse were constantly subjected to taunts and derogatory names such as "wetback", "beaner," "stupid Mexican" and "Puerto Rican b---h". According to the EEOC, Hispanic workers, who included persons of Mexican, Salvadoran and Puerto Rican heritage, were often ridiculed by DHL personnel with demeaning slurs which included referring to the Salvadoran worker as a "salvatrucha," a term referring to a gangster. Other workers were identified with derogatory stereotypes by being told they should be outside the facility "mowing the grass" or that their "homies" were on a television show about prison. The EEOC further asserts that harsh admonitions to bilingual employees about use of their Spanish language were motivated by prejudice, unnecessary and unrelated to the effective performance of the job duties.
DHL Global officials ignored the complaints of employees even after the discriminatory conduct was reported to management. The suit also alleges that DHL retaliated against Troy Petty, a union steward, by terminating his employment after he reported the mistreatment of Hispanic employees to DHL officials on several occasions.
National origin discrimination in the workplace, including national origin harassment, and retaliation for complaining about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit (Case No. 3:11- CV-02581-L) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The EEOC seeks injunctive relief, including the formulation of policies to prevent and correct national origin discrimination and retaliation. The suit also seeks lost wages for Petty and compensatory damages and punitive damages for all the victims of DHL Global's unlawful practices, including both actions and inactions that resulted in harm.
"What these company personnel want to explain away as just 'joking,' the EEOC has found to be mean-spirited bullying and unlawful conduct that violates the federally protected rights of these people," said Robert A. Canino, regional attorney for the EEOC's Dallas District Office. "In a state with a Hispanic population of almost 38 percent, the work force is likely going to be diverse and multicultural. DHL would have been better served by focusing on a delivery to its own warehouse of a message that promotes inclusion and mutual respect -- that's just good business."
EEOC Trial Attorney Joel Clark added, "DHL permitted management officials to harass and treat these employees differently for no other reason than because of their national origin. Worse yet, when confronted repeatedly about the discrimination, DHL responded by firing the union steward who simply tried to promote a healthy work environment by informing the company about the problem. This approach by the company displays a reckless disregard for fundamental fairness and federal law."
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


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Template:Cub Scout Monthly Themes/2009/August
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
August 2009 BSA Theme - Fun in the Sun
"Let's go outside and have fun in the sun. Plan some outdoor activities this month that will encourage dens to meet and make preparations together for your pack event. It's a great time for a pack picnic, with each den planning a game or activity. Have a Cubanapolis derby with dens preparing their vehicle and practicing maneuvers during den meetings. Stress good sportsmanship and team building during the planning stages, as well as during the actual event. Create kites in your dens and have a kite flying derby or a family picnic to show off your creations! This might be a great month to work on the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award or a Cub Scout Sports belt loop or pin.
This theme is designed to promote character development by emphasizing these core values:
- Respect. Boys learn to respect nature as they learn how to take care of it.
- Health and Fitness. Spending time outdoors is important to physical and mental well-being." - Program Helps
Character Connection:
Monthly Program Resources:
Belt Loops and Pins:
Webelos Activity Badges:
Theme-related activities:


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If you're in any way like the typical health club owner or operator, you'd probably give almost anything to learn the secret to better member retention. Believe it or not, how you sell your club's memberships and services does in fact impact your club's retention rate.
The difference between what customers expect to experience from a product or service, and what they actually experience, is what determines their level of satisfaction with that particular product or service. The same holds true for the brand new health club members with their membership. The larger the gap between what new members expect to get from their club experience and what they actually experience, the more dissatisfied they are with you and your club. Plain and simple…when people are promised one thing and receive another, it ticks them off. I know that seems like common sense, and it is, but it's really important that you train your sales staff on how to not set new members up for having unmet expectations. This is where your sales presentation, process and staff training come into play.
Motivating sales people to sell for the sheer purpose of just getting the new membership — just getting the sale and commission — it quickly leads to salespeople and even personal trainers to make unrealistic promises to prospects and members that your club just can't fulfill. It leads to staff saying and doing certain things they shouldn't be saying or doing, just to "make the sale." It leads to members being let down by unmet expectations.
Once that happens, you'll constantly have dissatisfied members on your hands and your retention rate will suffer. For this reason and this reason alone, it's critical that we motivate and teach our staff how to sell memberships and personal training in a manner that sets our members up to have an experience that's better than what they expected.
So, how do we balance our goal of selling tons of new memberships and personal training with making sure that our staff members are setting up appropriate member expectations? By teaching the sales staff to sell with purpose.
Selling with purpose is an approach to sales that gets salespeople and personal trainers focused on the needs, wants and desires of your prospects and members first when presenting, and not just thinking about getting the membership, making the sale, or getting the commission.
Selling with purpose in the health club business is about teaching staff to recognize that prospects and members can truly benefit from what we're offering, and that it's our obligation to help them see that. It's important that we never allow our staff members to forget what business we're in.
We're in the business of helping people. We're in the business of assisting people in having fun with their fitness and reaching their personal health, wellness and fitness goals. We're in the health club business — a business about other people. And the way we approach every selling situation needs to be with a focus on that other person.
We need to teach our staffs that they can easily reach all of their sales and personal finance goals if they adopt the mindset that famous speaker and sales trainer Zig Ziglar popularized: You can have anything in life you want, if you can only help enough other people get what they want. That's the key to selling with purpose and that's certainly the key to immediately impacting member retention.
Motivating and teaching your staff to sell your club's products and services with an attitude of doing it just to generate revenue will ultimately lead to many dissatisfied members, a staff like a "pack of wolves," and a member retention rate that will have you pulling your hair out.
On the other hand, teaching your staff to sell with purpose leads to an exercise floor filled with happy members who've had their expectations exceeded, a service focused staff, and a member retention rate that gets higher and higher everyday. Try it. You'll be pleasantly shocked at how well this little change can impact your entire club.
Todd Brown, CCN, CSCS is the director of personal training for the New Jersey WOW! Work Out World facilities, and can be reached via firstname.lastname@example.com or 732-390-7390 ext. 19.


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Having a Wildlife Problem?
Conflicts with wildlife usually occur when wild animals have access to areas or resources that humans would prefer they leave alone. But the possibilities for problems are as diverse as the animals and the humans themselves.
The most common problems involve animals:
- getting into crawlspaces and attics
- raiding garbage cans
- interacting with pets
- damaging plants
Why humane solutions work
PAWS' goal is to help people find humane, effective, long-term solutions to conflicts with wildlife. Humane solutions involve determining what is attracting an animal to an area and then removing or closing off access to that attractant. They may require a bit of ingenuity as well as flexibility, but these solutions tend to be more effective over the long term than simply removing the wild animal.
Trapping and relocating an animal is not as humane as you might think and is often illegal. Plus, if all you do is remove the animal without eliminating what is attracting that animal, another will come along and a similar conflict will reoccur.
Find a solution
Check out PAWS' fact sheets on different wild birds and wild mammals who are most commonly involved in conflicts. The fact sheets provide information about the animals' natural behavior, and how to avoid or address common conflicts with them.
We also have information on conflicts between pets and wildlife and effective solutions. Don't forget these wildlife dos and don'ts for quick tips on living in harmony with your wild neighbors.
Talk to a wildlife expert
If you are having a wildlife problem, and need help to determine the best course of action, contact PAWS Wildlife Center at 425.412.4040, and our experienced staff members will be happy to help you find an effective and humane approach to your problem.


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RT73 Wireless
This page describes how you can make the original Ralink RT73 (aka RT2571) drivers work. This page does not describe how to make the new from-scratch drivers written by the rt2x00 project. (For rt2x00, visit rt2x00 wiki page)
Several USB WiFi dongles use this chipset, including the Linksys WUSB54GC
Installing the driver
Download the Ralink RT73 source from here: http://www.ralinktech.com/drivers/Linux/RT73_Linux_STA_Drv18.104.22.168.tar.gz.
Unpack the driver and change directory:
tar xvf RT73_Linux_STA_Drv22.214.171.124.tar.gz cd RT73_Linux_STA_Drv22.214.171.124 cd Module
We need to use the "Makefile.6" file that shipped with the tarball since we have a 2.6 kernel (2.4 uses Makefile.4):
cp Makefile.6 Makefile
The Ralink RT73 driver ships with several Device IDs already configured. First of all, check your Device ID using lsusb.
Edit the driver file containing Device IDs:
nano rtmp_def.h
At the very bottom of the file is a section titled VID/PID
Make sure your Device ID is listed, if it is not, add it in the same format as those listed somewhere before the end marker.
For example, the Linksys WUSB54GC has Device ID 0x13b1,0x0020. The line in rtmp_def.h would look like this:
{USB_DEVICE(0x13b1,0x0020)}, /* Linksys WUSB54GC */ \
Note: Replace 0x13b1 and 0x0020 with the Device ID for your WiFi dongle.
Note: Make sure the line you add ends with a backslash \
Building The Driver
After the build is finished, copy new module to kernel tree
cp rt73.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/
Install module:
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.18-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rt73.ko
Update modules.dep:
depmod -a
Install Firmware
Now copy the RT73 firmware that shipped in the driver tarball to the appropriate location:
cp rt73.bin /lib/firmware
Copy the rt73sta.dat file from the Module directory to this location:
cp rt73sta.dat /etc/Wireless/RT73STA
The rt73sta.dat file needs to be modified with your wireless network settings. This process will be described below.
Testing The Driver
We will now test the functionality of the driver we just installed before altering the rc.conf file. This method may also be used when the WiFi dongle is used infrequently or you prefer retaining control over the entire connection process.
Note: These steps may also be thrown in a script if you prefer.
Plug your WiFi dongle into a USB port.
Make sure the device is recognized using:
You can check to make sure your system realizes its a wireless device using:
There should be a device named rausb0 near the bottom.
Bring the WiFi dongle up using:
ifconfig rausb0 up
The rausb0 device should show up now in:
Although without an IP address since we aren't associated with an Access Point(AP) yet.
You can associate the WiFi dongle with an AP using:
iwconfig rausb0 essid <your_ESSID>
Or, if you have WEP:
iwconfig rausb0 essid <your_ESSID> key <your_WEP_key>
Remember you can scan for APs using:
iwlist rausb0 scan
Finally, let the dhcpcd client get an IP address for your WiFi dongle.
dhcpcd rausb0
If everything worked you should now have network access using your WiFi dongle. If you don't, check the routes:
There should be a path to your gateway listed. If there is not, you can set one up using:
route add default gw <gateway-ip> rausb0
Non-Roaming Setup
This section is being provided as an alternative to the Setup and Boot section of the Wireless page specifically for this hardware (RT73). This method has not been tested with other devices.
Edit the rt73sta.dat file:
nano /etc/Wireless/RT73STA/rt73sta.dat
Replace placeholders in the file with your wireless network settings.
Edit /etc/rc.conf to initiate dhcp on rausb0 at bootup:
# /etc/rc.conf rausb0="dhcp" INTERFACES=(lo rausb0)


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The last few days there has been some effort bringing the development branch into a proper shape again. There is a decent number of changes and features piled up since the last release. You can see at least one obvious change in the below screenshot.
This is the right time to update existing and contribute new translations. And there's a lot of testing to do before a release can come into question. So if you would like to help out you can drop a post in this thread.
Read the update post


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I received this question from a reader: How can I enjoy eating in restaurants when the employees do not know what is in the food they serve?
This is a very good question and one we address frequently with our patients. In order to enjoy a meal in a restaurant you have to get over any shyness you may feel regarding "being different" or "special". If you try to guess whether gluten is contained in something you order, you're playing a bit of Russian roulette with your health.
Not only do you need to let your wait person know your dietary restrictions, you need to ensure that they understand that it is a serious matter and that they relate your needs to the chef. Some patients have found it easier to make up small laminated cards that state that they are gluten intolerant (or have celiac disease) and they are unable to eat wheat, rye, barley or oats (include oats since getting them uncontaminated is only possible when you buy them yourselves typically) without getting very ill. The card further states that it is critical that their food be uncontaminated by gluten via pans, frying oils, utensils, etc.
Happily, I have seen a tremendous change in restaurants over the past few years. We were in the
airport last summer and my daughter wanted Mexican food from the food court. As she described her gluten intolerance I was amazed that the employee knew exactly what gluten was plus what she could safely eat. Portland
While I can't state this definitively I can tell you that in the restaurant experiences my patients have that are less than favorable, we can usually trace it back to their "assuming" that something was safe rather than being diligent about checking.
There is nothing wrong with ensuring your good health. Discussing gluten often brings interest from either the wait person or one of your fellow diners. Many times I've gotten into discussions about gluten with someone who later found they were gluten intolerant.
And don't be surprised if the chef comes out to ensure that you are well taken care of. I find that happening quite frequently.
I hope this is helpful. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Visit us at www.RootCauseMedicalClinic.com. If you have questions or need any help, I'm here for you! Call 408-733-0400.
I look forward to hearing from you.
To your good health,
Dr Vikki Petersen, DC, CCN, CFMP
IFM Certified Practitioner
Founder of Root Cause Medical Clinic
Co-author of "The Gluten Effect"
Author of the eBook: "Gluten Intolerance – What You Don't Know May Be Killing You!"
Founder of Root Cause Medical Clinic
Co-author of "The Gluten Effect"
Author of the eBook: "Gluten Intolerance – What You Don't Know May Be Killing You!"


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Tag Archives: Ch. 5
It's Good To Live In A Two-Daily Town (Oprah Swan Song Edition)
From Friday's Boston Globe: Oprah's goodbye tour lifts WCVB From Friday's Boston Herald: Oprah Winfrey's swan song fails to lift Ch. 5 Despite the dueling headlines, though, the ledes were oddly similar. Globe lede: Oprah Winfrey's month of farewell episodes … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Ch. 5, Oprah Winfrey swan song, Oprah's goodbye tour, WCVB 4 Comments


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Hope College will present its annual Spring Student Dance Concerts on Monday and Tuesday, April 11 and 12, at the Dow Center dance studio and on Monday and Tuesday, April 17 and 18, at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland at 8 p.m.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The Student Dance Concerts are adjudicated. This year the guest adjudicator was Matthew Farmer, a 2004 Hope graduate who is co-artistic director of Rustic Groove Dance Co. and head of dance at Anderson University in Indiana. Farmer majored in theatre and minored in dance at Hope, and also holds an MFA in dance performance/choreography from the University of Michigan. His national and international performance credits include Peter Sparling Dance Company, Next Step Dance, Lehrer Dance and In The Body, and his choreography has been produced by a number of dance companies, theatres, schools and universities across the United States and Europe.
The adjudication for this spring's concert took place on Sunday and Monday, April 3 and 4, with the 28 student pieces separated into the two distinct programs. Part of adjudicator process includes an engagement of constructive dialogue with all the choreographers.
The pieces will range from solos to group works, and will incorporate the work of the Composition I students who are presenting their work after a semester of working on choreographic problems/challenges and developing basic choreographic skills.
The content of the pieces is solely up to the student choreographers, who create pieces based on their individual interest. They are responsible for music, sound, costume, prop and lighting choices with mentoring by the faculty co-coordinators Matthew Thornton and Steven Iannacone, along with technical advisor/designer Erik Alberg.
The April 11-12 concerts are among the highlights of the college's April 11-15 celebration of national Undergraduate Research Week, during which Hope is featuring the importance of student research and creative work college-wide. Additional information about the week, including the complete schedule, is available online at www.hope.edu/resources/naturweek/Home.htm
General seating for the concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The Dow Center dance studio is on the second floor of the Dow Center, located at 168 E. 13th St. on the corner of 13th Street and Columbia Avenue. The Knickerbocker Theater is located at 86 E. Eighth St.


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All-sports competition
Golden Lions fifth � Shelby High is the only Cleveland County program currently ranked in the NCHSAA�s Wells Fargo Cup all-sports competition in their classification.
Shelby is currently fifth in the 2A class with 242.5 points, close behind No. 4 Salisbury at 245. Carrboro leads the 2A with 357.5 points.
Points are awarded according to a team�s placement in their conference in a specific sport and in their state playoff competitition.
Girls Varsity Soccer
Shelby 3, Draughn 1 � The Golden Lions scored a 3-1 road win in SMAC play Friday night at Valdese.
Kricket Bridges scored a pair of goals for Shelby, getting assists from Laura Wilson and Judith Mura. Liana Stachowicz also found the net for the victors off an assist by Lisa Nanney.
The Shelby defense was paced by Reilly Redding and Mary Lee Crow.
The win lifts Shelby to 6-5-1 overall, 5-2 in conference play. The Lady Lions will host Crest Tuesday.
Varsity softball
Draughn 14, Shelby 4 � Ashley Underwood, Taylor Canipe, Leah Murphy, Ashley Thomas and Ashley Proctor had one hit each for Shelby. Canipe took the loss, yielding nine hits with one walk and two hits allowed. The Lady Golden Lions (4-6, 0-6 SMAC) host Crest on Tuesday.
Cherryville 10, Thomas Jefferson 1 � Megan Williams struck out 10 to pick up the pitching win.
Bayleigh Henley and Williams each supplied two hits with Henley scoring three runs and Williams two.
Cherryville was to play at Bessemer City Friday afternoon.
Schedule change
Two Shelby High athletic events have been postponed until Monday.
The Shelby boys tennis team will play at Draughn on Monday at 4:30. The Golden Lion JV baseball team plays at Draughn at the same time.
Middle School Baseball
Kings Mountain 14, Lincolnton 3 � The Patriots improved their record to 7-2 (6-2 in division with the five-inning win.
Daniel Bagwell handled the pitching duties in the win, striking out nine, walking one and allowing eight hits.
David Bell led the Kings Mountain attack with three hits with Alex Goff and John Harris supplying two hits apiece.
The Patriots will host North Lincoln Monday.
KMMS wins 2 � The Patriots tennis team posted a 9-0 win over Burns and a 6-3 decision versus R-S Middle this week.
KM 9, Burns 0
Singles � Skeith (KM) def. Thompson 8-2; Belcher (KM) def. Gardner 8-1; Randall (KM) def. McKee 8-1; M.Johnson (KM) def. Mosteller 8-1; K.Johnson (KM) def. Goins 8-2; Deaton (KM) def. Carpenter 8-1
Doubles � Belcher/Deaton (KM) def. MaCabe/Moery 8-0; Hunt/Corn (KM) def. Martin/Warren 8-2; Baker/Guy (KM) def. Blanton/Sterns 8-5.
Singles -- Kersey (RS) def. Skeith 8-2; Poteat (KM) def. Belcher 8-3; Randall (KM) def. Hudson 8-1; M.Johnson (KM) def. Mattox 8-4; K.Johnson (KM) def. Wilson 8-0; Deaton (KM) def. Scofield 8-3.
Kersey/Hudson (RS) def. Belcher/MJohnson 8-0; Randall/Deaton (RS) def. Poteat/Mattox 8-2; Hunt/Corn (KM) def. Wilson/Scofield 8-2
Men�s Church League Basketball
At Holly Oak Park Gym
Hopper�s Chapel 89, Washington 59
Top scorers: Hopper�s � Timi Gullate 23, Robert Wilson 12; Wasington � Tyreece Taylor 16, Donte Hopper 11
Faith Harvest 74, Macedonia 71
Top scorers: Faith � Danny Sanders 37, Dashawn Dorsey 21; Macedonia � Vonte Wilson 19, Darren Howze 13
LA/NJ 66, Shoal Creek 61
Top scorers: LA/NJ � Taye Roebuck 25, Van Clemons 16; Shoal � Andre McCullum 9


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Bay Cities Deli sandwich roll recipe
|I am looking for a recipe that comes close to the incredible sandwich roll from Bay Cities Deli, in Santa Monica, CA. I have recently moved to Miami and there is no place that comes close to Bay Cities. I am pretty confident with my breadmaking, that I believe I can recreate it with some guidance. Help Please!! Also, if anyone can take a picture and post it, maybe someone will have some ideas.


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A plea for a new party
Remember that movie "Liar Liar," where Jim Carrey plays a lawyer who is magically forced to reveal whatever he is really thinking and it turns his life upside down? Mitt Romney suffered from a "Liar Liar" moment when we got to hear what he says in the privacy of his own base.
But Democrats had their own peek-behind-the-curtain stumble a few weeks earlier, at their convention, when they pretended that their delegates voted to put references to God and Jerusalem back in their party platform. "The motion is adopted," the convention chairman, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, declared nervously on national television, even though everybody with ears could tell that the ayes failed to get a clear majority, let alone two-thirds of the vote.
These are just two examples, among many, that illustrate the slippery relationship that modern political campaigns have with the truth. What's the right reaction when we are faced with such bald-faced fibbing? Last Thanksgiving, my brother-in-law proposed a solution: We should form a new political party – the "Keeping It Real" party – that would be totally honest about its shamelessness. It wouldn't make any false promises or give any feel-good justifications. It would just tell the cold, naked truth.
Instead of claiming that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, Keeping-It-Realers would say: "Of course Saddam Hussein can't really hurt us. But let's show that jerk who's boss."
Instead of professing our concern for the deficit, even as we push for lower taxes, Keeping-It-Realers would carry signs that say: "Let's just borrow more and stick our kids with the bill" or "Americans Against Our Own Spoiled Brats!"
Keeping-It-Realers would not pretend the U.S. economy would function without undocumented workers: "That tomato isn't going to pick itself."
Of course, starting a whole new political party is no small matter. So I called Brad Blanton, founder of the Radical Honesty movement, for help.
Blanton, who describes himself as "white trash with a PhD," advocates getting rid of all forms of dishonesty, including the "No-you-don't-look-fat-honey" variety. Blanton spent 37 years as a psychoanalyst in Washington, D.C. – "the best place in the world to study lying," he said – and concluded that his patients were depressed and anxious because of all the falsehoods they had to tell just to get through the day.
"When I started coaching people to start telling the truth, and let the chips fall as they may, they had some rough going in the beginning," Blanton said. "But then they went ahead and had the conflicts they were going to have, and their depression went away."
If refusing to face the facts causes depression in our private lives, imagine what it does to our national politics. So Blanton ran for Congress, against Representative Eric Cantor in Virginia, to bring his blunt talk to the capitol.
Blanton says he never lied on the campaign trail.
"I admitted that I have been smoking marijuana for 47 years, and that I still do every once in a while and that I've been married 5 times, and I've had sex with men as well as women and that I don't really give a [bleep] what people think about it."
"How'd that work out for you?" I asked.
"A lot of people thought it was interesting," he said. "I got 25 percent of the vote."
But Cantor won anyway. Which brings me to the question: If we want more candid candidates, why don't we ever seem to elect them? One reason politicians take creative license with reality is that we don't want to hear the truth. When we go to war, we always want to believe it's about protecting liberty, rather than getting our way with military power. When it's budget time in Washington, we want be told that we can still have it all: lower taxes and less debt, without cuts to Medicaid or military. Political fiction lives on, in part, because we demand it. This election cycle, the Keeping It Real Party would not stand a chance.
Contact Stockman, a columnist for the Boston Globe, at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Monday Poison singer Bret Michaels called off his engagement to his girlfriend Kristi Gibson. "Although the couple have separated they remain great friends and are committed to jointly raising their two daughters," says the rep.
Michaels, 49, and Gibson, 41, are parents to Raine Elizabeth, 12, and Jorja Bleu, 7.
After 16-plus years together Michaels finally proposed to Gibson on Dec. 2, 2010, with the cameras rolling; the big moment aired on the finale of his VH1 show Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It.
On another note, Bret is planning to make a movie about his life.
The 80's rocker, who owns a film production company with actor Charlie Sheen, wants to put together a film to tell his story, starting from his childhood in Pittsburgh, Pa., and documenting his rise to fame with his band Poison.
"I want to tell the story," Michaels told The Columbus Dispatch. "Mostly, when you see rock movies, it has to be this over-the-top thing. I want to give people a Bret Michaels movie where they see that my life is a comedy of errors. I also want to show my fans how to get through the kind of troubles that would leave most people flat on the floor."


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The Bonobo & Congo Biodiversity Initiative (BCBI) studies and protects the bonobo in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to ensure the survival of this endangered great ape. The Salonga National Park is our primary conservation area. A World Heritage Site, the Salonga is currently the largest expanse of federally protected bonobo habitat in DRC, and it offers a chance to rebuild a self-sustaining herd of forest elephants. BCBI operates out of the Etate Research Station and Patrol Post located in the park's Watsi Kengo Sector.
Created in 1997 by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, BCBI's programs include:
In partnership with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and a team of governmental and non-governmental organizations, BCBI brings the bonobo and the Salonga National Park to the forefront of great ape and biodiversity conservation.


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About the Law Library
is to support and enhance the research and educational endeavors of the New England Law | Boston faculty, students, staff, and alumni. The law library provides an excellent accessible collection for library users. The library's collection contains all standard legal research and reference materials, most of which are on open shelving for easy access. Documents are available in printed form, electronically, and on microform.
The library is an essential and integral component in the educational life of the school; it supports the school's curriculum and fosters an atmosphere that is conducive to research and learning. The library's knowledgeable and service-oriented staff provides instruction and assistance in both on-line and traditional methods of research.
Reference Librarians, all of whom possess a J.D., MLS, or both, are available to assist you with research techniques, questions about our collection, and interlibrary loans. For assistance, please ask at the Information Desk, or dial (617) 422-7299. Reference Librarians are available Monday through Thursday until 6:00 p.m., Friday until 5:00 p.m., and Saturday until 6:00 p.m. Live chat or IM reference and email reference services are available via Ask Reference.


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Interior. Friday , November 03rd , 2017 - 18:43:35 PM
Quote from Reasons That You Should Go for Wooden Bed Frames :
Choosing the actual piece of bed for your bedroom that is made of wooden bed frames could really be a great decision. There is actually other option to take as well that is the metal frames but surely the wooden one is a better choice. It is great to really invest in something good that is said to be the 1/3 of your time spent in it, the bed.
In term of the available choices, frames of your bed that are made of wood offer various choices. There are plenty types of wood that you can consider accordingly. There are the types of wood that may be preferred due to their look while there are also the preferred types due to the price. The point is that you have a freedom to choose the type of wood for the frames of your bed freely.
Another reason that you should go for the frames made of wood for your bed instead of other types is that it has great strength. There are wood types that even come with a long guarantee of its durability. You may already know that there are old piece of furniture made of wood which could be so expensive today. That is evidence that the frames of wood will have its strength to last for a long time in its use. So, why bother looking for other options then?
Just in case that you are among those people who really concern about the environment, this type of frames of your bed is the best choice to go for. Wood is considered to be among the renewable source. It means that using it will not damage the environment as long as the renewal process of the trees and forest is always on going for all times. Thus if you are a person who wants everything to go green, this one type of frames for your bed is your best bet.
The fact that wood could last for a long time in its origin means that you do not need to do such complicated cares in order to keep its shape and appeal for a long time. Thus you have no need to worry about the wood itself even if you are not that cautious in caring for it. Even if it is damaged a bit, you can always do the repair for your wooden bed frames easily in no time.
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|Oct 10, 2013
Study: Ethanol not a major factor in reducing gas prices
|(Nanowerk News) If you have stopped at a gas station recently, there is a good chance your auto has consumed fuel with ethanol blended into it. Yet the price of gasoline is not substantially affected by the volume of its ethanol content, according to a paper co-authored by an MIT economist. The study seeks to rebut the claim, broadly aired over the past couple of years, that widespread use of ethanol has reduced the wholesale cost of gasoline by $0.89 to $1.09 per gallon.
Christopher Knittel Whatever the benefits or drawbacks of ethanol, MITs Christopher Knittel says, price issues are not among them right now.
The point of our paper is not to say that ethanol doesnt have a place in the marketplace, but its more that the facts should drive this discussion, says Knittel, the William Barton Rogers Professor of Energy and a professor of applied economics at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
The 10 percent solution?
The vast majority of ethanol sold in the United States is made from corn. It now constitutes 10 percent of U.S. gasoline, up from 3 percent in 2003.
It is another matter, however, whether that increase in ethanol content produces serious savings at the pump, as some claim. Knittel and his co-author, economist Aaron Smith of the University of California at Davis, contest such an assertion in their paper, which is forthcoming in The Energy Journal, a peer-reviewed publication in the field.
|The claim that ethanol lowers prices derives from a previous study on the issue, which Knittel and Smith believe is problematic. That prior work involves what energy economists call the crack ratio, which is effectively the price of gasoline divided by the price of oil.
|The crack ratio is something energy analysts can use to understand the relative value of gasoline compared to oil: The higher the crack ratio, the more expensive gasoline is in relative terms. If ethanol were a notably cheap component of gasoline production, its increasing presence in the fuel mix might reveal itself in the form of a decreasing crack ratio.
|So while gasoline is made primarily from oil, there are other elements that figure into the cost of refining gasoline. Thus if oil prices double, Knittel points out, gasoline prices do not necessarily double. But in general, when oil prices as the denominator of this fraction go up, the crack ratio itself falls.
|The previous work evaluated time periods when oil prices rose, and the percentage of ethanol in gasoline also rose.
|But Knittel and Smith assert that the increased proportion of ethanol in gasoline merely correlated with the declining crack ratio, and did not contribute to it in any causal sense. Instead, they think that changing oil prices drove the change in the crack ratio, and that when those prices are accounted for, the apparent effect of ethanol simply goes away, as Knittel says.
|To further illustrate that the previous study was touting a correlation, not a causal relationship, Knittel and Smith conducted what are known in economics literature as antitests of that studys model. By inserting unconnected dependent variables into the model, they found that the model also produced a strong correlation between ethanol content in gasoline and, for instance, U.S. employment figures although the latter are clearly unrelated to the composition of gasoline.
|The previous work also claimed that if ethanol production came to an immediate halt, gasoline prices would rise by 41 to 92 percent. But Knittel does not think that estimate would bear out in such a scenario.
|In the very short run, if ethanol vanished tomorrow, we would be scrambling to find fuel to cover that for a week, or less than a month, Knittel says. But certainly within a month, increases in imports would relax or reduce that price impact.
|Informing the debate
|The differing assessments of ethanols impact have garnered notice among economists and energy policy analysts. Scott Irwin, an economist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who has read the paper, calls it a convincing and compelling rebuttal to the idea that expanding ethanol content in gasoline drastically lowers prices.
|The paper dispensed once and for all with that conclusion, Irwin says. Still, he adds, there remains an open debate about the marginal effects of ethanol content in gasoline, and more empirical work on the subject would be useful.
|A case can be made that it can be a positive few cents, Irwin says, adding that reasonable arguments can be made on either side of zero regarding ethanols price impact. In either case, Irwin says, his view is that the effect is currently a small one.
|Knittel has posted, on his MIT Sloan web page, a multipart exchange between himself and Dermot Hayes, an Iowa State University economist who is a co-author of the prior work. After an initial finding that ethanol reduced gasoline prices by $0.25 per gallon, Hayes and a co-author produced follow-up studies, examining about a decade after 2000, and arrived at the figures of $0.89 and $1.09 per gallon, which gained wider public traction.
|Knittel acknowledges that policy decisions about gasoline production are driven by a complex series of political factors, and says his study is not intended to directly convey any policy preferences on his part. Still, he suggests that even ethanol backers in policy debates have reason to keep examining its value.
|Making claims about the benefits of ethanol that are overblown is only going to set up policymakers for disappointment, Knittel says.
|Source: By Peter Dizikes, MIT
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- Not getting better, Capuano lands on DL
- Guerrier exits after hit on thumb with comebacker
- Beckett meets with nerve specialist about numbness
- Dodgers see Quentin for the first time since ...
- Worth noting
LOS ANGELES -- Hanley Ramirez is as convinced as he can be that, after a three-game rehab assignment, he's healthy enough for another return to the Dodgers lineup.
Ramirez was activated to start at shortstop and bat cleanup Tuesday night, having recovered from a left hamstring strain he suffered four games after returning from right thumb surgery. He missed 28 games with the hamstring and 24 with the thumb. To make room, the Dodgers placed pitcher Chris Capuano on the disabled list with a strained lat muscle.
Ramirez said he ran at "120 percent" over the weekend and "nothing, I didn't feel anything. Maybe up here it's different. I just got to be smart."
That was the theme of Ramirez's second return, voiced as well by manager Don Mattingly.
"I talked to him about not trying to go wild," Mattingly said. "We have to try to make sure he plays under control. It's hard."
Ramirez agrees. It's hard to play under control, but he needs to try.
"I think when I'm out there, I'm always 110 percent," he said. "Going first to third, or going from second I want to score. Let's see how it goes."
Ramirez said his thumb has continued to heal and Monday night was the first time he played without need of a plastic splint or excess tape.
Not getting better, Capuano lands on DL
LOS ANGELES -- Chris Capuano was questionable to make his scheduled start on Saturday, so the Dodgers placed the left-hander on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday.
Capuano was unable to make his scheduled start on Monday and, after an MRI revealed a lat strain in his left shoulder, the Dodgers elected to place Capuano on the DL. He suffered the injury during his start on Wednesday in Anaheim, and originally thought the strain was in his triceps.
Capuano threw over the weekend during a series in Colorado, but experienced discomfort and was scratched from Monday's start.
"I think it just didn't get better," manager Don Mattingly said before Tuesday's game against the Padres. "We learned enough to make this Saturday be questionable and that was enough for us."
Stephen Fife was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday to replace Capuano in the rotation and pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball to beat the Padres for his first Major League victory. Fife is scheduled to start again on Saturday.
Capuano is 1-4 with a 5.45 ERA in eight appearances this season, including six starts. This is his second stint on the disabled list this year. Capuano previously missed two weeks with a strained left calf.
In a corresponding roster move, the Dodgers activated Hanley Ramirez from the disabled list. He started at shortstop and batted cleanup against Padres left-hander Clayton Richard. Ramirez missed 28 games with a strained left hamstring.
Guerrier exits after hit on thumb with comebacker
LOS ANGELES -- The comebacker that struck Matt Guerrier's right thumb in the fifth inning of Tuesday's 9-7 win over the Padres left the reliever's right hand swollen and the fingernail on his thumb mangled.
X-rays on Guerrier's thumb were negative and the swelling had gone down after the game.
"It hurts," Guerrier said, pointing to the thumb on his pitching hand. "It hit the nail and pushed it back a little bit. I don't know how it did, but it hit both of those spots pretty good."
Guerrier relieved starter Ted Lilly in the top of the fifth with the Dodgers trailing, 5-2. With two out and a runner on first, Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal hit a hard liner right at Guerrier, who knocked the ball down and got the out at first to end the frame.
Guerrier walked off the field and headed straight for the Dodgers' clubhouse, accompanied by head athletic trainer Sue Falsone.
After the game, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he was unsure whether Guerrier would require a stint on the disabled list.
"He's going to have some swelling," the manager said. "His nail got torn up a little bit. We'll see what goes on with that."
Beckett meets with nerve specialist about numbness
LOS ANGELES -- Injured right-hander Josh Beckett visited a nerve specialist on Monday and was diagnosed with irritation of an upper arm nerve that causes numbness in his right hand and fingers. The veteran starter will not throw for at least four weeks.
Beckett had been experiencing a numbing sensation in the fingers of his pitching hand for much of the season. Last week, Beckett said he continued to pitch because the Dodgers were short on starters earlier in the season after losing Chad Billingsley for the year and being burdened by Zack Greinke's broken left collarbone.
Beckett, on the disabled list with a left groin strain, had his throwing program shut down two weeks ago because the numbness in his fingers continued during a bullpen session. Beckett is 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA in eight starts this season.
Beckett visited Gregory Pearl in Dallas, the same surgeon who operated on Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter's right shoulder last season. Beckett is expected to return to Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.
Dodgers see Quentin for the first time since ...
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers will see Carlos Quentin in the batter's box on Tuesday for the first time since the Padres' outfielder broke Zack Greinke's left collarbone during a benches-clearing incident in San Diego on April 11. But Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he doesn't expect any retaliation.
Mattingly said he doesn't think about the incident that kept Greinke sidelined for over a month and saw Quentin suspended for eight games, except when the media brings it up.
"I don't really want to stir it back up," the manager said.
The last time the Dodgers saw Quentin at the plate, Greinke hit him with a pitch and he charged the mound. Quentin barreled into the Dodgers' $147 million starter.
Quentin didn't travel with the Padres to Dodger Stadium for a three-game series April 15-18 because he was serving his suspension. He was held out of Monday's opener because of a sore left shoulder, the result of a collision with the outfield wall on Sunday night in San Diego. Quentin started in left field Tuesday and hit cleanup against Dodgers left-hander Ted Lilly.
Mattingly said his club is going to try to get Quentin out, even if that means pitching inside, and noted Quentin led the Major Leagues in being hit by pitches each of the past two seasons.
"I don't really anticipate anything," Mattingly said. "He gets hit a lot. If he gets hit, he gets hit. I don't mean that in a bad way. But it's the way you've got to pitch him.
"And if we get somebody hit, I'm not going to look at it like, 'OK we're starting a war here.' They're going to try and get us out and pitching in is part of that. You know when somebody is throwing at somebody. It's not really that hard to figure out. So if that's going on, that's going on. I don't anticipate it. I anticipate us trying to get him out."
Greinke and Quentin have since discussed the incident, and Mattingly said he doesn't get the sense that there will be any carryover.
"I really just don't think it's that big of an issue, I really don't," Mattingly said. "Maybe I'm underscoring it or underplaying it. It just doesn't feel like an issue."
Worth noting
• Matt Kemp remains in Arizona at the Dodgers' Spring Training facility at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, rehabbing his strained right hamstring. Manager Don Mattingly said the outfielder has not had any setbacks and is progressing.
Kemp will return to Los Angeles later in the homestand and then go out for a Minor League rehab assignment, Mattingly said. Kemp is eligible to come off the disabled list on June 14, when the Dodgers are in Pittsburgh.
• Carl Crawford is also on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, and is rehabbing with the club. Mattingly said the left fielder will also need a few rehab games in the Minors before he's activated, though no timetable was given.
• Left-hander Scott Elbert was scheduled to have an MRI exam on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The reliever's surgically repaired left elbow did not respond well to pitching on consecutive days May 25-26 while rehabbing with Double-A Chattanooga, and was shut down.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes Find One of the Youngest Galaxies in the Universe
An international team led by astronomers from the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) and La Laguna University (ULL) has just released the first analysis of the observations of the Abell 2744 cluster of galaxies, a coordinated program of the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. They have discovered one of the most distant galaxies known to date, which clearly shows the potential of the multi-year Frontier Fields project. The project uses a phenomenon called "gravitational lensing" where select foreground galaxy clusters amplify the faint light from far-more-distant background objects. By combining Hubble and Spitzer data, these astrophysicists have determined the properties of this young galaxy with a better precision than previous studies of other samples at similar cosmic epochs. This galaxy, named Abell2744-Y1, is about 30 times smaller than our galaxy, the Milky Way, but is producing at least 10 times more stars. From Earth, this galaxy is seen as it was 650 million years after the big bang. It is one of the brightest galaxies discovered at such a lookback time, say researchers. This study provides new constraints on the density and properties of the galaxies in the early universe. These results are accepted for publication in the scientific journal Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters.
In addition to the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) and La Laguna University (ULL), the team is composed of researchers from France (Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie and Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon), Switzerland (Geneva University and Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne), and the United States (University of Arizona).
Distant Galaxy in Hubble Frontier Field Abell 2744
Image: NASA, ESA, J. Lotz, M. Mountain, A. Koekemoer, and the HFF Team (STScI), and N. Laporte (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias);
Science: NASA, ESA, N. Laporte and A. Streblyanska (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias and Universidad de La Laguna), B. Clement (University of Arizona), I. Perez-Fournon (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias and Universidad de La Laguna), D. Schaerer (CNRS and Observatoire de Genève), H. Atek (Observatoire de Sauverny), F. Boone (CNRS and Université de Toulouse), J.-P. Kneib (Observatoire de Sauverny and Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille), E. Egami (University of Arizona), P. Martínez-Navajas and R. Marques-Chaves (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias and Universidad de La Laguna), R. Pelló (CNRS and Université de Toulouse), and J. Richard (Observatoire de Lyon)


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Sunday, December 04, 2011
all good things must come to an endPosted by 1 less car at 7:51 PM
Dear friends of One Less Car,
All good things must come to an end, and so must we. As of January 1st, 2012, One Less Car will stop selling clothing and stickers.
I began One Less Car more than six years ago with nothing more than a home screen-printing kit and a love of bicycles. I had no idea how many people shared my love of bike riding until the orders started coming in. I will never forget the first time I saw someone walk past wearing one of my shirts. It was one of the greatest feelings of my life.
Over the years, One Less Car has connected me with an amazing community and led me to opportunities I never could have anticipated. It led to a second business, Bates Crates, which makes hardwood crates for riders who want a quality handmade portage option.
Unfortunately, it has just become too much to maintain two businesses. Both have suffered, as has the One Less Car blog. Rather than operate two businesses poorly, I have decided to devote my energies to Bates Crates. I will fill all open orders, as well as any orders placed through the end of 2011, then One Less Car will close up shop.
One Less Car clothing will live on through our partnership with Pace Sportswear, which this year came out with a line of jerseys and headwear featuring our Classic and Chain Ring logos. All of these can be ordered online at pacesportswear.com and will hopefully find their way soon to your local bike store.
I would like to thank all of our customers and supporters. I still can't believe all the places I sent shirts over the past several years. After a break, I hope to revive the One Less Car blog and reconnect with all of you there.
Cole Bates
5 comments:
- J-S said...
The message your products conveyed was very inspiring and it will live on. Thanks for everything and good luck Cole !
- Anonymous said...
I just came to order another sticker, wish I would have ordered more than one a few months back.
I like what you've done and what you have provided to the biking community. Best of luck on your future endeavors.
- SM Blogger said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Safari shirts said...
Nice video post really a helpful one!I am really impressed by the way of exploring your experience through video posting ..Thanks!
- Obat Maag said...
i like your information in on fashion ^__^


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We usually spend a month each summer in South Padre Island. No, it's not fancy – at all, it's totally laid-back and we have lots of fun with good friends from college. I've been going to South Padre for most of my life and haven't missed many summers there. I think Ben and I have missed only two or three summers that I can remember, due to weather usually. But this summer with my daughter getting ready to leave for college, we thought we should stay closer to home. So, here we are in Galveston Texas, with all the beautiful old Live Oak trees cut down from Hurricane Ike. It looks like a different island now – so bare! At least we were able to rent a really beautiful condo in a brand new building that we got for a steal. I keep waiting for them to tell me they quoted us the wrong price. Shhh! The brand new condo is actually nicer than my house with limestone floors, granite kitchens and bathrooms and frameless shower stalls – luxuries I am not used to! Being just 50 miles from Houston, Ben can commute to and from work with ease and Elisabeth has been bringing friends down. But, the beaches are really quiet here and it's just not "home" like South Padre is. It's hotter here than there for some reason, even the water is much warmer than SPI which can be cold sometimes! It's been really relaxing and peaceful and I'm trying to catch up on all my old emails. Which leads me to my point. While I'm in Galveston – trying to pretend it's South Padre where I pretend it's the South of France, I get this email from a reader about a rental apartment in Paris. Oh My God! Why do people want to torment me? Just when I'm thinking how thankful I am to vacation on Galveston Island, I have to see THIS apartment in Paris??????
The Paris rental apartment is owned and was decorated by an interior designer. Look how she dressed the santos in a cute burlap skirt.
The Paris apartment, located in an historic building in one of the better areas, the Place des Vosges, was totally redone this past year, decorated all in painted woods and creamy upholstery. It looks like a showroom for Blanc d'Ivoire. Of course it is owned by an interior decorator and it shows. So many of the rentals in France are just not nearly this cute. It's been totally updated and even has a flat screen. All I can think of is why am I in Galveston when I could be HERE???????
The main living room features restored hardwood floors and a beamed ceiling. There are two sitting areas along with a zinc topped dining table surrounded by painted French chairs. Too cute!!! Notice the child's dining chair on the far right.
The main living area again with a painted antique daybed that faces the fireplace. Besides a flat screen TV with satellite, there is wireless internet, a safe, and an ice machine. The kitchen is through the opening in the center.
Vignette across from the dining room table. I love the old station clock. You can really tell an interior designer owns this apartment, it's styled within an inch of its life!
The kitchen has been totally redone and has a charming window which overlooks an interior courtyard. There is even a washing machine in this compact kitchen. The master bedroom is through the door, and the second bedroom is reached through the master bedroom. All these rooms surround an indoor courtyard.
The painted dresser in the kitchen holds all the plates and mugs.
One of the bathrooms which overlooks the courtyard has been designed with the same elements as the kitchen for visual cohesiveness.
The master bedroom has a pretty antique iron bed. I love the blue walls and embroidered bedding. Cute lamps and a beautiful, huge mirror.
The master bedroom and the second bedroom overlook an interior courtyard. Notice that the shutters are actually just painted tin.
This must be in the second bedroom – the flooring is different. I love the plants in their burlap sacks. The books and candlesticks are antique and this entire vignette is so romantic!!!
This Paris rental is on the second floor and has 2 bedrooms and bathrooms. It is $2000/week during high season. No pets and no smoking and small children not advised due to the antiques and light fabrics!! To visit the web site, go HERE. If you go, or if you have stayed here, please let me know how it was!!!!


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Whether you like Facebook or not, it has opened a door, which cannot be closed : the entrance into a world of massive communication, massive collaboration.
Is your business affected? It should be. Having continued and comprehensive interaction with clients and, even more important, with potential clients must be good for business ?
Having continued and comprehensive interaction with your employees and partners, as well as potential employees and partners, resellers, shareholders, stakeholders, consultants can only be good for your business too.
Better still if this could extend to "friends" of these various folk too.
Even better if you could get all these people regularly mentioning your business, products, people and service.
Sounds like a whole another world, but it's coming soon and its going to change the way we do business.
... how SITEFORUM can help
Social networking for business has been our vision for quite some time now, and for good reason.
Our platform has all the components you need to achieve this new model of communication and collaboration. And to connect this with regular business processes in a way that no-one else offers today. Content, contacts, campaigns, communities and much more.
Our Social Business Suite is a one-stop shop for the social organization. Just add your strategy.
aving our product run in numerous businesses and enterprises around the world, we have seen many projects succeed and few fail. So we know a lot about how to make it work.
Chosing SITEFORUM as your provider gives you
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The good news: modest upfront investment, no technology to support and maintain, just reasonable monthly fees, more than covered by the boost to your bottom line.
This is going to change the way you do business.


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The Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Commission is seeking nature-themed art for an exhibit to be displayed at the city's Municipal Services Center this summer.
The Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Commission is seeking nature-themed art for an exhibit to be displayed at the city's Municipal Services Center this summer.
Artists from throughout central Ohio and beyond are invited to submit pieces for possible inclusion in the Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Commission's "Elusive Nature" exhibit, to be displayed at in the Concourse Gallery at the Upper Arlington Municipal Services Center from July 1 to Aug. 20.
Entries currently are being accepted and art for the exhibit can be submitted for consideration through April 19.
Approximately 30 to 50 pieces will be selected by the commission's visual arts committee for inclusion in the gallery, which has 181 linear feet and 3,500 square feet in which to install two- and three-dimensional works of art.
"This is the first time we're doing this particular theme," said Lynette Santoro-Au, Upper Arlington Cultural Arts manager. "The visual arts commission wanted to explore the theme of nature and our relationship with nature.
"Any artists are eligible," she said. "Each artist will jury their work, so they'll submit one image of their work to be proposed for this exhibit."
Entries can be submitted via email to firstname.lastname@example.com or mailed to City of Upper Arlington, Cultural Arts Division, 3600 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington, Ohio 43221.
Proposals must include the following:
* A digital image of work proposed. Digital format requirements: Baseline JPG, 960 pixels horizontal/ 960 pixels vertical, 300 dpi, image file size must be less than 1.8 MB.
* Image information, including title, medium, dimensions, and date completed.
* Contact information including: name, date, address, phone number, email, website, media.
* A resume, including a listing of previous exhibitions.
* An artist's statement and brief description of artwork.
Entrants also are asked to indicate if they are interested in providing gallery talks, lectures and/or workshops in conjunction with the exhibition. If so, they are asked to explain which types of activities they're interested in and what their involvement might be.
"Work can be in any media," Santoro-Au said. "We'll do publicity. The artists can determine whether or not a piece of work is for sale."
Additional information about the "Elusive Nature" exhibit is available at uaoh.net or by calling the Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Division at 614-583-5312.


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Provocative, troubling treatise on how large-scale cocaine smuggling has tainted all aspects of the global economy.
The incendiary title is somewhat hyperbolic. While the book contains many tips regarding the mechanics of trafficking, the first-person narrative conceals a more scholarly framework. La Repubblica journalist Rastello directs the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, a think tank devoted to the economics of criminality. The author explains that his book represents "an attempt (a hazardous one, in all honesty) to allow [traffickers] to hold the floor, without censoring them." Thus, Rastello writes from behind a composite persona of an (understandably) anonymous veteran smuggler, an Italian who's reaped both great wealth and a 22-year-prison sentence from his misdeeds. The narrator organizes the book's five chapters into "lessons" based on hard-won understandings gained as a sistemista, a logistics and transport specialist relied on by South-American cartels. The first chapter, "The Problem," provides historical context. During the 1980s, the cartels simply bribed everyone in sight, but the loyalty of corrupt officials was inevitably suspect, especially as competitive bloodshed increased. Simultaneously, an enormous new market for cocaine was developing in Europe, fueled by ruthless nationalists in league with criminals. Although cocaine producers continued using mules and other small-scale smuggling methods, they also began developing what the narrator refers to as "delivery in the dark," compartmentalizing operations so that the smuggling task became the sole responsibility of the sistemistas, "the managers of big shipments, the guys who shift immense riches, flood continents, change the planet's destiny, and then go and drink a glass of pisco or rum." The narrator asserts that his smuggling innovations "guarantee the safety of the merchandise and of the employees." Essentially, he conceals substantial loads within bulky products like tiles or granite, disguising the process by mimicking legitimate shipments to well-regarded corporations, and receiving eight-figure profits following a six-figure investment.
An entertaining narrative, roguishly told, and also a pungent explanation of prohibition's inevitable failure.