text:
Guests: Bob Shrum, Susan Page, Susan Milligan, Tomas Lopez
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, HOST: Will Mitt Romney`s flip flop?
Let`s play HARDBALL.
Good evening. I`m Michael Smerconish, in for Chris Matthews.
Leading off tonight: The individual mandate is a tax. That`s the word
according to Mitt Romney, who reversed course and contradicted his own
campaign. Romney`s shift puts him in line with his party, which hasn`t
exactly been happy with his flat-footed response.
And if the mandate is a tax, does that mean Romney raised taxes with his
health care plan in Massachusetts? According to Romney, not exactly.
We`ll get to Romney`s verbal gymnastics at the top of the program.
Meanwhile, President Obama is on a bus tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Can he make inroads among those working class voters that he needs to win
And speaking of those working class voters, how will they respond to new
reports of Romney`s extensive offshore bank accounts? Does Romney have an
image problem?
And a Florida lifeguard loses his job for trying to help save a swimmer`s
life. We`ll ask him what happened.
And finally, what went wrong at this 4th of July celebration in San Diego?
All the fireworks exploded at the same time, making for a bombastic but
brief display. We`ll figure out what happened in the "Sideshow" tonight.
We begin with Mitt Romney calling the health care mandate a tax. Former
Republican Party chair Michael Steele is an MSNBC political analyst and Bob
Shrum is a Democratic strategist.
Gentlemen, it took only a week, but Mitt Romney is now on board with other
Republicans when it comes to their attack line against the president. The
individual mandate is a tax. THat`s what Romney told CBS yesterday.
MITT ROMNEY (R-MA), FMR. GOV., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I said that I
agreed with the dissent, and the the dissent made it very clear that they
felt it was unconstitutional, but the dissent lost. It`s in the minority.
And so now the Supreme Court has spoken. There`s no way around that. You
can try and say you wish they`d have decided a different way, but they
didn`t. They concluded it was a tax. That`s what it is.
SMERCONISH: Romney contradicted his senior adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, who
on Monday told Chuck Todd the candidate believed the mandate was not a tax.
ERIC FEHRNSTROM, ROMNEY CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: The governor believes
that what we put in place in Massachusetts was a penalty and he disagrees
with the court`s ruling that the mandate was a tax. But again--
CHUCK TODD, NBC WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT/POLITICAL DIR.: So agrees with
the president-- but he agrees with the president that it is not-- and he
believes that you shouldn`t call the man-- the tax penalty a tax, you
should call it a penalty or a fee or a fine?
FEHRNSTROM: That`s correct.
SMERCONISH: Michael Steele, how can ``Obama care`` be a tax and ``Romney
care`` be a penalty?
MICHAEL STEELE, FMR. RNC CHAIR, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, well, you
know, it`s good question. And I think from the governor`s perspective,
he`s looking at it from two levels. One is what states do and how states
handle these matters and what the laws allow them to get away with or do
with respect to penalties and taxes there, and of course, the federal
And he`s drawing a bright-line distinction between the federal government
imposing a tax as defined by the Supreme Court under the court`s-- under
the government`s taxing authority versus what they passed in the state of
Massachusetts, which was a penalty. It was not deemed a tax either
legislatively or legally by the courts there. So I think that`s the
bright-line distinction that he`s drawn.
SMERCONISH: Bob--
SMERCONISH: Would Eric Fehrnstrom have said what he said without
authorization from the candidate himself? You`ve been around a lot of
campaigns at a senior level. Was he rogue at that point, or do you think
he had authorization?
STEELE: Sorry, Bob.
BOB SHRUM, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yeah, Michael. You made the best case
you could, Michael, on what I think is pretty technical ground. But look,
the candidate himself had said this before and had sort of conceded that
given what the court had done, this was now-- he was going to call it a
tax, but before it was a fine. I mean, he`s been all over the lot.
Fehrnstrom I think thought he was just following what the candidate wanted.
My guess is that Fehrnstrom, who is-- Fehrnstrom, who`s Mr. Etch-a-Sketch,
will be off TV for a while.
SHRUM: But the deeper reality here, Michael-- the deeper reality here is
this shows us not flip-flopping, it shows us how much this guy is
enthralled to the right wing. He`s on permanent probation in his own
party. If he were president and he didn`t hew to their line, he`d face a
primary in 2016.
He`s not like Ronald Reagan, who incarnated the Republican and who could
govern as president in a pragmatic way, raise taxes, negotiate to save
Social Security with Tip O`Neill, negotiate immigration reform with Ted
What this really tells us is that in this campaign, the Romney campaign,
the base calls the shots, not the candidate, and if he were president, the
same thing would be true.
SMERCONISH: Michael Steele, listen to Mitt Romney trying to explain why
the mandate in Obama`s plan is a tax increase, while the mandate that he
put in place is not.
ROMNEY: Actually, the chief justice in his opinion made it very clear that
at the state level, states have the power to put in place mandates. They
don`t need to require them to be called taxes in order for them to be
constitutional. And as a result, Massachusetts mandate was a mandate, was
a penalty, was described that way by the legislature and by me, and so it
stays as it was.
SMERCONISH: And then on MSNBC this morning, Obama spokeswoman Stephanie
Cutter hit on Romney on his tax language flip-flop.
STEPHANIE CUTTER, OBAMA DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: The difference between
the Obama administration and the president and Mitt Romney is that we`ve
been consistent. This is a penalty administered through the tax code.
Now, contrast that with Mitt Romney. It`s a tax, it`s a penalty.
I watched a PowerPoint yesterday from 2009, where Mitt Romney was walking
through his health care law, which, as you know, is almost identical to the
president`s health care law-- well, he was talking about taxing people. So
he just needs to figure out what it is on his end. We`re pretty clear on
our end.
SMERCONISH: Michael, here`s my question. What are people who at the beach
taking away from all of this? Because the three of us-- you know, we eat,
sleep and drink it. Most Americans I figure are half paying attention, if
we`re lucky. What`s the takeaway they are gleaning?
STEELE: Nothing. They`re at the beach, which should put it all in
SHRUM: Michael`s hoping that`s so!
STEELE: No, I`m not. No. Come on, Bob. You`ve been around politics long
enough to know that in the-- the 4th of July holiday, this is not something
that the American people are focused on.
This gives the-- I believe, the Romney team a window between now and the
convention to tighten the messaging up here because it is problematic, to
Bob`s point. You can make a technical argument, but when people aren`t
looking at it technically, they`re looking at the words and hearing the
words coming out of your mouth, you`ve got to ber clear and conccise. I
think this gives them the window to do that because no one`s really paying
attention to this now.
SMERCONISH: Bob, do you think this is an issue that in late October,
people will still be remembering?
SHRUM: Oh, I think this is going to get asked in the debate, and I think
Romney has to come up with a lot better answer because if it looks like a
tax, walks like a tax and is administered like a tax, the distinction is
going to seem terribly artificial.
Look, Romney`s had a tough three weeks on Bain Capital, on immigration, on
health care. And people like Bill Kristol, who`s a conservative, are
saying the campaign has to give some sense of vision and purpose beyond
trying to win this simply as a referendum, saying, If you`re tired of
Obama, vote for Romney.
I don`t think that one-dimensional approach is going to work. And I think
Michael`s absolutely right. They`re going to have to tighten up. They`re
going to have to come up with a message. They can`t just hope the economy
goes down the tubes and they win that way.
SMERCONISH: Well, listen, let`s get into that right now because there is
some thunder from the right. There were two strong attacks on Mitt Romney
today from conservative intellectual heavyweights. Take a look at what
"The Wall Street Journal" wrote in an editorial.
Quote, ``The Romney campaign thinks it can play it safe and coast to the
White House by saying the economy stinks and it`s Mr. Obama`s fault. We`re
on its email list, and the main daily message from the campaign is that
Obama isn`t working. Well, thanks, guys, but Americans already know that.
What they want to hear from the challenger is some understanding of why the
president`s policies aren`t working and how Mr. Romney`s policies will do
And then also this morning, ``Weekly Standard`` editor Bill Kristol wrote,
``It too much to ask Mitt Romney to get off autopilot and actually think
about the race that he`s running? Adopting a prevent-defense when it`s
only the second quarter and you`re not even ahead is dubious enough as a
strategy, but his campaign`s monomaniacal belief that it`s about the
economy and only economy and that they need to keep telling us stupid
voters that it`s only about the economy has gone from being an annoying tic
to a dangerous self-delusion.``
Michael Steele, is a shake-up coming? Could you see the ranks of the
campaign-- I mean, I`m thinking of the criticism from Jack Welch. I`m
thinking of the criticism from Rupert Murdoch, institutional kind of
Republican figures.
STEELE: Yeah. I think you`re on to something there, Michael. And I don`t
know what the internal machinations are at this point, but there`s a
legitimate reason, if they do shake it up, to shake it up, that they need
to get this candidate out of his comfort zone.
You know, the Romney people can come back and Romney himself can come back
and say on this issue about the health care, Look, you know, call it a tax,
call it a penalty, when I`m president, I will call it gone.
That kind of rhetoric is strong rhetoric. But then you still have to come
to the table with the message of what you will do, and that`s what Bill
Kristol, "The Wall Street Journal" and others are looking for this
candidate to put on the table.
I think-- I still have faith he will because Romney`s strategy ultimately
is not to play this out in the summer, but to play it but to play it out
when people really begin to pay attention beginning at the convention and
forward. And I think that`s ultimately the end game here.
SMERCONISH: Hey, Bob Shrum, this makes Rick Santorum look like a bit of a
soothsayer because so much of these missteps are tied to health care and
just not being able to-- and I recognize what Michael Steele said a moment
ago, drawing that bright line between ``Obama care`` and ``Romney care,``
but where substantively, they`re essentially the same, this is hard to turn
around, is it not?
SHRUM: Sure it is. And look, he never got-- Romney never got pushed very
hard in the primaries. Santorum tried to push him. But now he`s playing
in the big leagues, and he`s not doing very well.
Just a day before the health care decision, he said if he were in the White
House-- or the Obama people in the Obama White House shouldn`t sleep very
well that night. He raised expectations. He assumed the law was going to
be thrown out. You can`t do that in the middle of a campaign.
And while I think Michael`s right in a lot of what he said, I actually
think the summer is a very critical, important period when candidates get
And I think right now, Romney`s getting defined, whether it`s this
outsourcing stuff, whether it`s his offshore accounts, whether it`s Bain,
immigration reform, health care-- he`s getting defined in a way that is not
going to help him, and he`s actually going to have to climb out of a hole
by the time he gets to his convention if this keeps up.
SMERCONISH: Bob Shrum, Michael Steele, thank you, as always.
SHRUM: Thank you.
STEELE: Always.
SMERCONISH: Coming up: President Obama`s wheeling his way through Ohio and
Pennsylvania. Can he make the sale with those critical working class
voters in those states? That`s ahead.
This is HARDBALL, the place for politics.
SMERCONISH: Tomorrow`s the first Friday of July. That means new jobless
numbers will be out. The economy remains the most important issue in the
presidential race, and the unemployment rate is arguably the single biggest
driver of how Americans feel about the economy.
But get this. Americans are getting more and more optimistic that the
economy will improve. According to a new CNN poll, 6 in 10 say the economy
will be doing well by 2013, versus just 39 percent who say it will be poor.
Now, those numbers are the exact opposite of where things stood in the poll
last October.
We`ll be right back.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Governor Romney said we
should just let Detroit go bankrupt. I refused to turn my back on
communities like this one.
OBAMA: I was betting on the American worker and I was betting on American
industry. And three years later, the American auto industry is coming
roaring back!
SMERCONISH: Welcome back to HARDBALL. That was President Obama this
afternoon kicking off his two-day bus tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania.
His swing through the two battleground states is headlined ``Betting on
America``-- at face value, a nod to his successful auto industry bail-out,
but altogether not far from his campaign`s number one rallying cry these
days against Mitt Romney, the, quote ``outsourcer.``
Chris Cillizza is an MSNBC political analyst and managing editor of
Postpolitics.com. Susan Page is the Washington bureau chief for "USA
Susan, dissect that slogan.
SUSAN PAGE, "USA TODAY``: I think-- ``Betting on America``-- that means
that Mitt Romney is betting against America-- I think that`s kind of the
subtext of this slogan, that whether it comes to the auto bail-out or it
comes to having offshore-- offshoring or outsourcing jobs or the whole
Swiss bank account thing, I mean, I think that is the contrast they are
trying to draw with this slogan on this first bus tour.
SMERCONISH: Does it work? Does it make sense to you, politically
PAGE: I think it`s a powerful case to make against Mitt Romney, especially
in this part of the country, which has been hit hard, the manufacturing
sector hit hard, by jobs that did move overseas and where the auto bail-
out, which is controversial and viewed negatively in some parts of the
country, is viewed positively in places like Ohio and Pennsylvania and
SMERCONISH: The Obama campaign is doubling down on its message that
companies Mitt Romney invested in through Bain Capital shipped jobs
overseas. This ad is airing in nine battleground states, including Ohio
and Pennsylvania. Let`s watch.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a president believes matters. Mitt Romney`s
companies were pioneers in outsourcing U.S. jobs to low-wage countries. He
supports tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.
President Obama believes in insourcing. He fought to save the U.S. auto
industry and favors tax cuts for companies that bring jobs home.
Outsourcing versus insourcing-- it matters.
SMERCONISH: Obama echoed that message in Maumee (ph), Ohio today. Let`s
OBAMA: Governor Romney`s experience has been in owning companies that were
called ``pioneers of outsourcing``-- that`s not my phrase-- ``pioneers of
outsourcing.`` My experience has been in saving the American auto
SMERCONISH: It seems like they`ve adopted that narrative now, that the
focal point-- and a lot of this, I think, has to do with a story coming out
of your newspaper and some back and forth on that, but outsourcing seems to
be the tag line.
CHRIS CILLIZZA, POSTPOLITICS.COM, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: You know,
Michael, I think-- a lot of people talk about the presidential election,
that it`s decided on issues, it`s abortion or the economy or gay marriage,
whatever you want.
I actually think the-- presidential elections almost always are decided on
values, broadly defined, which is, Who is looking out for you? Who
understands your life? Who understands what you worry about? Who
understands what you hope for?
That`s why I think the ad is so fascinating and Obama`s rhetoric
fascinating because what`s the-- what`s the key in there? ``I believe.``
This is what Mitt Romney believes and this is what I believe, that in my
core, I am someone who`s looking out for the average person. In Mitt
Romney`s core, he`s a guy who`s trying to make money on the backs of the
American worker.
Again, I sjust think so much of a presidential election vote is about feel.
What do you feel like the person says or does to you? It`s-- Obama has a
very tough economic argument to make simply because the numbers aren`t
there for him to say there`s a robust recovery under way.
So what do you do in the absence of those numbers? You say, Things aren`t
perfect, but I`m the guy who gets it here. I`m the guy who gets what you
need, what you want, what you`re worried about. This other guy, he`s
worried about the 1 percent.
CILLIZZA: --that`s the argument they`re trying to make.
SMERCONISH: I think Susan might be on to something in dissecting the
messaging, when putting together the ``Betting on America`` and the claim
of Romney being the outsourcer-in-chief. You know, the principle being
that Barack Obama is betting on Americans and America, and meanwhile, his
opponent is betting on that which may take place overseas, tapping into the
narrative not only of job oursourcing but now this issue of more offshore
accounts, Susan.
Is that what you were saying?
PAGE: Yes, that is what I`m saying. To the point of what-- the point that
Chris was making, here`s the question I think a lot of voters will have.
Who stands up for me? Who can I trust to keep my interests at heart? And
that is the point that the White House is trying to make, that President
Obama has the middle class in his mind when he thinks about things.
Now, in some ways, it`s a tough message to make to these voters because
these are parts of the country that have been hit pretty hard by the
economy. Unemployment in Ohio`s been doing pretty well, but generally,
this is-- these are places where a lot of manufacturing jobs have been lost
and a lot of people have been struggling with housing, with jobs, and so
So he`s saying, as Chris was saying, Things aren`t perfect, but I`m
thinking about you. You can`t trust the other guy to be thinking about
your interests when he gets up every morning in the White House.
SMERCONISH: Well, I mean, the question is--
CILLIZZA: --can I just quickly--
SMERCONISH: Yeah. Go ahead.
CILLIZZA: --can I just quickly-- one very quick thing that i think is
fascinating. This election is made for an economic populist, someone who
says, you know, Everybody big is against you, big oil, big business, big
labor, fill in the blank. Neither of these guys is a natural populist in
any sort of -- any way, shape or form. Neither of them are Mike Huckabee.
Neither of them are Bill Clinton. Neither of them are John Edwards circa
about 1998.
They`re not in that mold. Both of them are trying to be in that mold
because they know what`s that works, but it`s not a natural fit certainly
for Mitt Romney and not even really for Barack Obama.
SMERCONISH: I was going to say that audience for the bus trip, it
might be Reagan Democrats, for lack of a better descriptor.
CILLIZZA: Yes.
SMERCONISH: But the question of course is how is it going to play
with swing voters?
And to that end, polls show that this line of attack resonates with
swing state voters. The latest Quinnipiac poll shows that Obama leads
Romney in Ohio by nine and he`s up by six in Pennsylvania. And it`s worth
noting that the unemployment rate in both of those states is lower than the
national average.
Chris, what`s the purpose of a bus trip in 2012 politics?
CILLIZZA: Sure.
I mean, some of it is just pure symbolism. Michael, I think the cake
is large by baked when it comes to what people know about President Obama
and the economy. He can move things a little bit here or there, but we
have seen all these different things have happened in the campaign and it`s
basically Obama somewhere between 47 and 49 and Romney somewhere between 45
and 48.
It`s just there`s not that many swing votes. To the extent there are,
I think what you want and do with a bus tour, and Romney did this last
week, is man of the people, someone who`s out there. He`s not flying from
place to place. He`s taking a bus. Again, it`s largely symbolic. I`m not
sure it sways.
It may sway the people who get to meet the president of the United
States in these two days or get to meet Mitt Romney on his bus tour. I`m
not sure broadly it sways an electorate that frankly has shown it cannot be
swayed by almost anything. We talked about the Supreme Court ruling on
health care just as on example. Oh, this could things.
Gallup polling, daily tracking, basically shows that where we were
last Thursday, the day of the Supreme Court ruling, is roughly where we are
today. I`m not sure any external event can really shape anything, much
less a bus tour.
SMERCONISH: Susan, I would think that Bill Clinton, even his worst
critics would have to concede, is among the best if not the best at retail
politics among the living politicians and political class.
As between the two of these fellows, Romney and Obama, who`s the
better retail politician?
PAGE: Well, one interesting thing is neither of these guys I think
really relishes this part of politics, the kind of getting on and off the
bus and speaking to a crowd, but I thought President Obama did pretty well
this afternoon.
He not only was riding the bus, he was wearing shirt sleeves, he was
standing in the sun. I thought the speech he gave this afternoon...
CILLIZZA: Sweating it up.
PAGE: ... this morning was pretty effective, but if you ask him is
this the thing you would most like to do this afternoon, I suspect he would
have said no.
SMERCONISH: Thank you, Chris Cillizza, thank you, Susan Page, as
CILLIZZA: Thanks.
PAGE: Hey, thank you.
SMERCONISH: Up next, the fireworks in San Diego, they didn`t last
long, but, man, they were cool, and now we know why. They all went off at
once. Stick around for the "Sideshow."
Remember, by the way, you can follow me on Twitter so long as you can
spell Smerconish.
This is HARDBALL, the place for politics.
SMERCONISH: Back to HARDBALL and now for the "Sideshow."
Actor Alec Baldwin has been floating the idea of running for mayor of
New York for some time now, but is he for real and does Baldwin really have
the temperament for politics? Well, actor Billy Baldwin, Alec`s younger
brother, took on the subject with CNN`s Piers Morgan.
BILLY BALDWIN, ACTOR: At one level, it`s very real. I think he`s
very committed and extremely bright and knowledgeable and I think he could
do it and he could run.
On the other hand, I`m not quite sure if he`s cut from the proper
cloth, because it requires a lot of tolerance and a lot of patience.
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": He`s temperamental. He`s
a bit hot-headed. He loves to...
BALDWIN: Let me remind you that John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are
quite the same...
MORGAN: Yes. Good point.
BALDWIN: ... and they are very successful and highly effective
SMERCONISH: All right, there you have it. I`m not sure comparing
him, by the way, to so-called hot-headed Republicans would do much help
with Baldwin at the ballot box.
He`s known as an Obama supporter and doesn`t shy away from using his
Twitter account to blast Republicans at every opportunity.
But speaking of getting heated, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie`s
YouTube channel has reached five million views and his office put together
a reel reminding us of how he got all that attention. But, really, are
these highlights or lowlights?
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Let`s start with this. I sat
here, stood here and very respectfully listened to you. If what you want
to do is put on a show and giggle every time I talk, well, then I have no
interest in answering your question.
I got sent here to do a job. I didn`t get sent here to be elected
prom king.
Get me out of the cage and let me go.
I have got to be accurate about who I`m assailing. It`s like your
money is stuck in their dead cold hands. I`m a nice guy. Ask anybody.
Well, not anybody. You should really see me when I`m pissed. I have
something better to do. I have to rearrange my sock drawer tonight.
Well, he should just write a check and shut up.
I`m the governor of New Jersey. Are you kidding? New Jersey, whether
you like it or not, you`re stuck with me.
SMERCONISH: See what I mean? Last week, Christie drew backlash for
calling a reporter stupid and an idiot at a press conference. That one
didn`t make the reel.
Moving on to the bizarre, remember when Michigan Congressman Thaddeus
McCotter was a contender in the presidential race? No, you don`t? Well,
you`re not alone. The campaign failed to pick up any steam whatsoever. As
it turns out, McCotter had a side project going while his political career
was tanking. He was writing a TV show.
According to "The Detroit News" -- quote -- "`Bumper Sticker": Made on
Motown` starred McCotter hosting a crude variety show cast with characters
bearing the nicknames of his congressional staffers, his brother and a
drunk, perverted black satanic. It features a cartoon intro and closing
snippet with an Oldsmobile careening through Detroit and knocking over the
city`s landmarks."
"The Detroit News" got the script from a former staffer who wanted to
show people how McCotter had been spending his time as elected official.
But the congressman says the project wasn`t created on taxpayer time --
quote -- "Most of my writing is done in my garage, where I can smoke."
At least he doesn`t have to worry about his reelection campaign.
McCotter recently failed to qualify for the primary ballot.
And, finally, a break from politics that`s just too explosive to pass
up. Last night, much of the country celebrated Independence Day by heading
to a fireworks display. For the crowd of onlookers in San Diego, the grand
finale came, well, a tad early.
A computer malfunction caused all the fireworks to go off at once,
making the whole shebang about 15 seconds long. According to a Coast Guard
employee, it took about 25 minutes to spread the word that the show was in
fact over. That`s even longer than the spectacle was supposed to last.
Up next: We`re learning new details about Mitt Romney`s extensive
offshore bank accounts. How`s this going to play in places like Scranton
or Milwaukee?
You`re watching HARDBALL, the place for politics.
BERTHA COOMBS, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: Hello. I`m Bertha Coombs with
your CNBC "Market Wrap."
The Dow sheds 47 points on a quiet day on Wall Street. The S&P was
off by six and the Nasdaq ends flat on the day. Private sector employers
added 176,000 jobs in June, according to payroll date firm ADP. That`s
better than the expectation of just 105,000 jobs.
Meantime, weekly jobless claims fell by 14,000 in the latest week, the
biggest decline since April. The June jobs report is due out tomorrow.
And many retailers reported weaker-than-expected June sales, but
Nordstrom`s and Saks, those high-end retailers, outperformed.
That`s it from CNBC. We`re first in business worldwide -- now back
over to HARDBALL.
SMERCONISH: Welcome back to HARDBALL.
Mitt Romney took some hits this week over photos like these of him on
a jet ski at his lakefront summer home in New Hampshire. That comes as new
questions are being raised about his offshore finances.
"Vanity Fair" reports that the Romney has assets stored in tax havens
around the world, like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. The Obama team has
a new Web ad out knocking Romney on the topic. Take a look.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not have a bank account outside of the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do not have a Swiss bank account. I don`t
have an account in the Caymans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have never heard of anyone that I know having an
overseas bank account.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wouldn`t have an overseas bank account. And I
don`t think that our next president should have an overseas bank account
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He needs to come clean about where that money is
and why it`s there.
SMERCONISH: How big of an image problem does Romney have when it
comes to his wealth?
Eugene Robinson is a columnist for "The Washington Post" and an MSNBC
political analyst. And Susan Milligan is a contributing editor for "U.S.
News and World Report."
Now, according to "Vanity Fair," Mitt Romney has several offshore
accounts about which not much is known. He has money stored in tax havens
like Bermuda, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands, where according to the
magazine, he has personal interests in at least 12 funds worth as much as
$30 million.
In his 2010 returns, Romney listed a $3 million bank account in
Eugene, smart finance, stupid politics.
EUGENE ROBINSON, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Absolutely. You read the
kicker of the column that I have written for tomorrow`s newspaper,
actually, smart finance, stupid politics.
One other thing we have learned, Michael, is step away from the marine
recreational equipment if you`re running for president.
ROBINSON: We saw that with John Kerry and we`re seeing it again with
Mitt Romney. Just don`t get on the jet ski.
SMERCONISH: You know what surprises me about the money, Eugene, is
that in my view, he`s been running for a number of years. And I`m not just
going back four years.
And it seems to me that this was all so predictable that it would
become a campaign issue. Why a decade ago didn`t he decide that all of his
investments would be onshore?
ROBINSON: I have no idea.
I mean, why didn`t you think that at some point this would become an
issue? And I think it`s possible that it`s just the mind-set. I mean,
look at what he has done in his career. He`s had a highly successful
career in international finance, in the kind of finance where moving money
through the Caymans or through Bermuda, through Switzerland to take
advantage of this or that is perfectly normal. That`s what makes you
And so I think, on some level, he`s very proud of having done all of
this. It just didn`t play very well if you`re running for president.
SMERCONISH: Susan Milligan, I should point out that his campaign
raised $100 million this month, last month, which means it`s a high
watermark for the GOP. So we certainly know that within the base, being
wealthy, being successful is not a drawback.
In fact, often in the past, it`s been an asset with everybody. Is it
different this time?
SUSAN MILLIGAN, "U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT": Yes, I think, look,
Americans don`t hate rich people. In fact, I think they...
SMERCONISH: ... want to be rich people.
MILLIGAN: ... admire and respect rich people.
And what`s different about Mitt Romney is how he made his money and
the secretive nature of his finances. I think people really respect you if
you`re like a Warren Buffett and you have built a business and people think
you created something, whereas, when you`re in venture capital, which,
granted, is a necessary part of a capitalist economy -- it absolutely is --
but you`re basically making money off of other people`s failures, as
opposed to making money off your own success.
And I think it`s hard for people to relate to that. If you actually
built a economy, built a business and took some risks of your own, that`s
something people can really respect. And you add on top of that this
labyrinthine financial structure that he has that people just can`t really
relate to, I think that that just makes it harder.
SMERCONISH: Well, the question I think is...
SMERCONISH: ... will voters look at it as sneaky? Will they look at
it as a manifestation of greed, a Gordon Gekko kind of a thing, or will
they say the tax code is fundamentally unfair to me, too, and if I had his
assets, I would be trying to park money overseas as well?
Eugene, what is your response to that?
ROBINSON: Well, I think the danger for Romney is that people will
look at this and say, gee, I -- I didn`t know you could skirt this tax or
that situation if you ran your money through Bermuda. I didn`t know --
that he`s taking advantage of shortcut and sort of ways of doing things
that other people didn`t know existed, that there are two sets of rules.
There`s a set of rules for people who are wealthy and in the know and
a set of rules for everybody else. And I think, if people look at it that
way, he may fall on the wrong side of that line. And I think that is real
trouble for him.
SMERCONISH: Susan, "The Wall Street Journal" took Romney to task
today on the issue of his nice vacation digs -- quote -- "The Obama
campaign is assailing Mr. Romney as an out-of-touch rich man, and the rich
man obliged by vacationing this week at his lakeside home with a jet ski
cameo," which Eugene mentioned at the outset.
I don`t begrudge him being on a jet ski.
MILLIGAN: Right.
SMERCONISH: My attitude -- and I`m going to talk about this later in
the program -- is, I want my president or presidential aspirants to cut
loose and be focused when they`re on the job.
MILLIGAN: Right.
SMERCONISH: How do you see the jet ski situation?
MILLIGAN: I think, look, we all -- they should take vacations. And I
think we beat up on our
presidents way too much because they need a break. And he`ll look
ridiculous if he tries doing something that isn`t natural to him. That
makes him look even less authentic.
But I do think that maybe he would have learned from John Kerry as
Eugene pointed out in 2008, not to participate in something that just
underscores what circles he runs in. It`s not that he`s wealthy. I mean,
Ted Kennedy was incredibly wealthy, but you never got the impression like
Kennedy didn`t how other people lived.
And Romney, you get the impression that he doesn`t -- not that he
doesn`t care, I don`t think that he doesn`t care. I just think he hasn`t
really been around people like that.
SMERCONISH: Gene, is this a wind surfing moment?
EUGENE ROBINSON, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: I don`t think it`s quite a
wind surfing moment. I think the wind-surfing moment was worse for Kerry
than potentially the jet-ski, the incident is for Romney. But I do think
it kind of -- you know, it`s only bad if it comes at a time when it
reinforces a sort of negative impression that may be forming. This is the
moment at which Mitt Romney is being defined in the minds of many voters.
And I think this helps that definition for the Romney campaign is not a
good way.
SMERCONISH: I think a jet-ski is much more every man. Kenny Powers
has a jet-ski. Hopefully, you don`t know who he is.
The former Labor Secretary Robert Reich had an interesting column
this week on Romney`s wealth. Here`s what he wrote:
"We`ve entered a new Gilded Age in which Mitt Romney is a perfect e
reflection. Romney looks and acts the part perfectly. Four years ago, he
paid $12 million for his fourth home, a 3,000 square-foot villa in la
Jolla, California, with vaulted ceilings, five bathrooms, a pool, a Jacuzzi
and unobstructed views from the Pacific. Romney has filed plans to tear it
down and replace it with a home four times bigger.
We`ve had wealthy presidents before, but they have been traitors to
their class. Romney`s the opposite. He wants to do everything he can to
make the super wealthy even wealthier, the poor even poorer and justifies
it all with a thinly veiled social Darwinism."
Susan, pretty harsh. I mean, come on, to say the guy -- he wants
people to even poorer? What`s your reaction?
MILLIGAN: Well, that is rather stark way of putting it. But I do
think he can get himself into trouble with not just the house, but saying
things for example, going to Nevada and saying that you know, they should
slow down the foreclosure process. That the market should be allowed to
work because then the real estate developers would come in and kind of get
things going again, which works out well if you`re a real estate developer.
It doesn`t work so well if you`re the person who lost your home, on the
backdrop of the labor stuff, of course, Romney embraced that labor law in
Ohio, the anti-labor law that was overturned by a referendum by a 2-1
margin. I think that could come back to haunt him as well.
Yes, there was a pretty stark way of putting it, but I think that
the, there`s some merit behind.
SMERCONISH: Eugene, final thought. We`ve never had a debate like
this play out against a backdrop of income disparity. I think that`s also
what sets this particular case and apart from the others that have had
wealthy candidates seeking very high office.
ROBINSON: I think it`s the income disparity and just a general
economic angst that the country is going through about the future. So,
it`s an interesting time to be having this discussion and we`ll see how it
plays out for Mitt Romney.
SMERCONISH: We will look at what you write tomorrow on the subject.
Thank you, Eugene Robinson.
Thank you, Susan Milligan.
Up next, why did a lifeguard in Florida loose his job for trying to
help save a swimmer? We`ll talk to the fire and lifeguard and find out
what happened.
This is HARDBALL, the place for politics.
SMERCONISH: President Obama`s on a three-stop swing through Ohio
today. Tomorrow, it`s on to Pennsylvania. And now, the Obama campaign has
announced the president will be back on the trail tomorrow on Tuesday.
He`ll be in Iowa -- a state where Mitt Romney`s mounting a strong
Let`s check the HARDBALL scoreboard. Latest polling out of Iowa
shows the candidates in a dead heat. Obama, 45, Romney, 44. According to
a recent "We Ask America" poll. Obama carried Iowa in 2008 by 9.5 points.
We`ll be right back.
SMERCONISH: We`re back.
The word lifeguard seems self-explanatory. Guarding lives on the
beach and in the water.
But a young man in south Florida found himself without a job this
week after responding to the call of duty. The problem: the swimmer he
helped was drowning outside the patrolled section of the beach. Swimming
at his own risk. Today, the lifeguard was offered his job back.
The question is: Will he accept it?
Tomas Lopez is here tonight to tell us his story.
Tomas, thank you for being here. What happened?
TOMAS LOPEZ, FIRED LIFEGUARD: Thanks for having me.
Like you said, there was a young man drowning outside of my
jurisdiction and I went to assist him. We assisted him and we got a chance
(ph) and I lost my job.
SMERCONISH: In other words, you see him out there, and what? He`s
flailing in the water. How far away from you?
LOPEZ: No, he was -- he was a good ways away. He was a couple
hundred yards, maybe 200, 300 yards. I have a guest yelling at me, telling
there`s someone drowning, people are trying to get your attention, go.
And, so I went.
SMERCONISH: So you bolted. Now, when you took off from your
lifeguard stand, did you make sure that you had back-up for the area you
were there to protect?
LOPEZ: I told everyone on the radio I`m going in for a rescue.
LOPEZ: And when I told them it was out of the jurisdiction, when you
tell them that, they automatically cover your water.
SMERCONISH: About how many people were in your water at the time
when you went to help the man who was drowning?
LOPEZ: About 20 through 40 around that area.
SMERCONISH: OK. So, you hustled down to where the man is in
distress. And when you get there, what did you find?
LOPEZ: By the time I was in the water, he was already being pulled
out by two guests. I then moved the board he was on top of. It was a
small buggy board. I moved that away, carried him by his arms, other guest
carried him by his legs. And we got him right on the beach as fast as
SMERCONISH: And he survived, which is good news. Last I heard he
was in a local hospital. Is that true?
LOPEZ: Yes, it is.
SMERCONISH: So was this fella swimming in a non-designated swimming
area? I mean, we`ve all been to the beach. You know, usually, they`ve got
the flags in front of the life guard stand. A fella in your position is
there to make sure people stay within the flags. Was he swimming beyond
that area?
LOPEZ: No. How the contract works for our company on the beach is
we guard from a quarter mile stretch of the beach. Anything south of that
is just an unguarded. It`s allowed to be swam in but it`s just swim at
your own risk at that point.
SMERCONISH: Is it posted that way?
LOPEZ: I believe so. We have a sign after you leave our section
saying that it is at your own risk. I`m not sure about entering in that
area, though.
SMERCONISH: I mean, the reason I`m asking you these questions is
because your former employer is getting hammered in the media. And, by the
way, I`m happy to hammer them as well. I don`t think you should have been
fired this.
But the culprit in my mind is the guy who was swimming in area at his
own risk. He shouldn`t have been swimming there. He should have been
swimming in your area and then there wouldn`t be controversy.
LOPEZ: Well, I see what you`re saying there. To my knowledge, I
believe he was living in the condo in front of that. So he went for a
swim. It was low tide. I think he got too comfortable and he just got
swept away.
SMERCONISH: So, they`ve offered you your job back. What`s your
LOPEZ: We talked and I humbly declined. I just -- I have other
plans already and I`m just going to get back in school. I`d just -- I`d
just rather not have the job anymore after everything that`s happened.
It`s not I`m upset with the company or anything. We`ve already talked
about it, it`s just -- it`s another chapter done in my life. I`m moving on
to the next one.
SMERCONISH: Have they been clear about the rules in advance of the
Had they said to you as part of your training, Tomas, if something
happens outside the area you`re here to protect, we don`t want you to
respond. Or did this all come as a shock to you?
LOPEZ: No. We were full aware.
SMERCONISH: How did they explain it to you? What do they say the
rationale was?
LOPEZ: They said somebody in your water could be at risk if you
leave to help someone in an unguarded area, which does make sense in a way.
But at the same time, we`re trained that to someone else watch your water,
another guard on duty to your watch your area while you go out.
SMERCONISH: Which you did. You make sure that you let them know.
LOPEZ: Yes. I`m positive I let them know and I told me to go back
to my tower which I didn`t listen to them.
SMERCONISH: OK. We wish you all good things. We`re glad you saved
that guy.
LOPEZ: Thank you.
SMERCONISH: OK. Tomas Lopez, thank you very much.
When we return, I have some thoughts I want to share as to why I
don`t have a problem when presidents or presidential candidates for that
matter relax when they`re on vacation. Earlier we discussed this
controversy with the jet ski photo.
You`re watching HARDBALL, the place for politics.
SMERCONISH: Let me finish tonight with this. By now, you`ve seen
this photograph of Mitt and Ann Romney on a jet ski on Lake Winnipesaukee.
It has prompted some political analysis including a piece in today`s
"Boston Globe" by Joan Vennochi. She wrote, "The last thing Mitt Romney
needs is a John Kerry moment that conjured up F. Scott Fitzgerald`s
description of the very rich: `They are different from you and me.`"
I get the sensitivity after the way the Kerry wind surfing photo was
used. And I understand that politicians need to be portrayed as the every
man. That may be why the president isn`t returning to Martha`s Vineyard
this summer. And it applies to a wealthy businessman who made his money in
private equity, at a time income disparity is of increasing concern.
But the fixation on presidential leisure has gone a bit too far. I
say let them relax in whatever way they choose. The president`s opponents
like to call attention to his golfing. Well, I want him to golf or shoot
hoops or whatever else he needs to do to maintain his mental edge.
After all, as Mark Knoller White House correspondent for CBS News
once told me, the president is the president wherever he is. And Knoller
should know, he maintains lists of literally everything the commander-in-
chief does, from bill signings, to pardons, vetoes, Air Force One flights,
Marine One trips, and vacation destinations. Knoller spends an hour at the
end of every day updating his searchable database of presidential
As of Father`s Day, President Obama had played 100 rounds of golf.
And then there`s a subject of vacations. George W. Bush spent time all or
part of 490 days at his ranch over days in Crawford, Texas, over eight
years in office. Not to mention the 187 days that he spent at Camp David,
according to Knoller.
Over the course of his eight years in office, Ronald Reagan spent
almost a year at Rancho del Cielo near Santa Barbara. Those trips were a
top down directive. In her book "Reagan: An American Story", Adriana Bosch
recounts a conversation between the Gipper and deputy chief of staff
Michael Deaver earlier in their time at the White House. Deaver entered
the Oval Office one day to find Reagan at this desk inspecting a schedule
which the president lamented didn`t include any ranch time.
Deaver told him that was because of the press being critical of
Reagan spending so much time outside of Washington. Reagan`s answer: "You
can tell me a lot of things and I`ll do them. But you`re not going to tell
me the more I get to the ranch. I`m convinced that the more often I get to
the ranch, the longer I`m going to live and I`m going to the ranch. So,
you might as well put it in there right now."
Being on vacation doesn`t mean the same thing to a president or
presidential candidate as it is to the rest of us. To have the job is to
be always plugged in and ready to take the call or make a decision. The
black briefcase containing the nuclear launch codes never more than a few
feet away from a president, which is why no one should begrudge Mitt Romney
jet skiing or the president golfing.
The health of the country is in some part a function of the physical
and mental health of its commander in chief. If jet skiing or blowing off
some steam with a couple of bogeys and a beers in the clubhouse keeps them
sharper when their red phone rings, we`re all better off for it.
Now, everybody, get in the pool.
That`s HARDBALL for now. Thank you for being with us.
"POLITICS NATION" with Al Sharpton starts right now.
Copyright 2012 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by
United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed,
transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written
permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark,
copyright or other notice from copies of the content.>
Guests: Bob Shrum, Susan Page, Susan Milligan, Tomas Lopez


text:
Dining to Living Area View
|Home has had a major make over. New metal roof, new deck, all new lower level.New Master with new private bath. New laundry room with all new appliances. Garden area , Pond. Room for the whole family. Walking distance to PGA RATED Golf Course. Beautiful beaches, Tennis court, Yacht club, and a newly enlarged Marina. This Island has it all.
|View: | View All | Exterior View | Another View of the Front of the Home | Another View of the Exterior | Kitchen | Dining Area | Dining to Living Area View | Great New Deck | Another View of the Deck | Sliders to the Outdoors | Master Bedroom | Another View of the Master | Bedroom, Office, or . . . | Sitting/Entertainment Area | PGA Rated Golf Course | Golf Club | Marina with Great Yacht Club and More | Peaceful Island Living | View Map |
|City: Hat Island
|County: Snohomish
|Age: 1991
|Beds: 3
|Baths: .175
|Sq Ft: 1,668
|Ref#: 927784 Hat Island
|School District: Mukilteo
|More Information Please
|Send to a Friend

subset: commoncrawl


text:
About the ProductA luxury chair for day-dreaming, relaxing or holding a conversation. It also has an optional footstool for even more comfort. Available in two versions, both with armrests. The chair can be supplied with a chromium five-legged or disc base.
The BrandMore about this Brand
Good design (ars) and durability (fortis) come together in Artifort, a manufacturer of some of the world's most epochal furniture. Upholsterer Jules Wagermans founded the company in Maastricht in 1890. Following World War II, Artifort shed its traditional roots to embrace the modern movement under the guidance of interior/furniture designer Kho Liang le. Collaborations with the likes of Theo Ruth (Congo chair), and Gerrit Rietveld, cemented Artifort's reputation with architects and design lovers as a manufacturer at the cutting edge of design.
Environmental Performance


text:
Akak wrote about hers, here. It's precisely how I feel.
Akak wrote about hers, here. It's precisely how I feel.
Needless to say, I felt like a domestic goddess! Yeyyyyy!!!
I'm thinking… It's only Thursday, and I feel like I've been working for at least 2 weeks non-stop! Ok, so the key word is FEEL. But yeah, work is 'fantastic´ this week! And by fantastic, I mean:
Spending 2 days, that's Monday and Wednesday climbing a certain tower. By climbing, I mean stairs. The tower has 28 floors. The lift is from the lower ground, right until the 27th floor. Unfortunately, being a contractor, my pass only allows me to go up from the first floor. That means:
I climb 24 steps up from the lobby to get to the first floor. Then:
Walked 16 steps to the door. Then,
Swipe my pass, walked another 30 steps to get to the lift. Then
In the lift, I pushed the 27 button and wait for about 30 seconds.
(The bigger lift is fine, the smaller lift is shaky, it scares me).
At the 27th floor, climb another 12 steps up..
another 12 steps up..
another 10 steps up..
AND another 8 steps up.. to get to the 28th floor!
There, I take my shoes off, pushed the intercom thingy. Wait till the 'tower' people let me in, walk 5 steps..
and CLIMB another 6 steps up..
take 2 steps…
and CLIMB another 14 steeper-than-the-rest steps up.
3 flat steps again…
and climb the FINAL three little steps up!
(Soalan quiz: Berapakah anak tangga yang perlu saya panjat utk sampai ke tingkat 28 menara itu?)
Now imagine having to do that… at least 12 times (multiply that by 2, for going down) in 6 hours!
I don't know about you guys.. but for a person who is as unfit as me, that is truly a workout.
Now imagine 2 of those 24 times (up and down), carrying a CPU among other things! Thank God HP has the 'Small Form Factor' CPUs now.. but still.. it's at least.. what… 4-5kg?
(Nak bawak badan sendiri pun dah semput!!)
Why can't they just make the lift to go right up until the 28th floor is beyond me. (I've been to 3 control towers and they're all like that).
The saddest part of all? After ALLLLLL the climbings, the thing I'm trying to fix STILL doesn't work! What's more sad than the saddest part is.. that only means I have to go there again next week!
My new business card (the company merged, changed its name, had restructuring and what nots) states my position as 'Engineer – Critical Systems'. At the moment, I'm not sure which one is more critical – The system, or me.


text:
Overlooking the beguiling waters of Punnamada Lake Alappuzha, Punnamada Resort-Best Resorts in Kerala enthralls you with comfort and luxury at a location that enlivens all your senses. The serene backwaters of the Punnamada lake spread far and wide at the edge of the resort, where boats large and small cruise gently over the waters at daybreak as you watch them with a cup of tea in hand from the sit out of your villa.
Punnamada Resort, a signature name among the resorts in Alleppey reflects the pure aura of the tradition and culture of Kerala. Punnamada provides a greater opportunity to enjoy a vacation, tucked away in the springy greens, the serene calmness of the resort that presents Kerala's heritage in a modern, amenity filled package.
Perhaps one of the best reasons for people to want to visit Punnamada resort is its idyllic location across the backwaters of Alleppey, Kerala.
Surrounded by a shroud of lush greenery, and the backwaters providing an equally ideal setting for spending some quality time with your loved ones, the resort has some of the best views of the Kerala backwaters...View More
Traditionally used for transporting spices, grains and other food products across the state, houseboats or as they are locally known as, kettuvallam's are a thing of beauty and splendour at Punnamada, Kerala.
Fit for the royalty, decked up with beautiful, traditional furniture, these houseboats let couples enjoy the calm, serene beauty of the backwaters...View More
One of the best places to enjoy some traditional Kerala cuisine is Punnamada Resort's multi-cuisine restaurant.
With some deliciously cooked meals, ambience that matches, the restaurant at Punnamada is fit for both families and couples who want to enjoy a romantic candle-light dinner with each other's company in tow...View More


text:
Inspired by the ancient cuisine of Indian kings and queens, this from Appam Restaurant's owner-chef Irene Trias bursts with exotic flavors, yet it is light, refreshing and very kind to the heart.
- Yield
- Serves 4
- 1/2 pounds fresh prawns, rinsed, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 6 whole green cardamom, crushed
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tumeric
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Place prawns in a shallow baking dish. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients together. Pour half the sauce mixture over the prawns, completely coating them. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Grill prawns over hot coals or on a wire rack in a baking pan in a preheated 350°F oven until they turn pink, about 5 minutes on each side. Brush the remaining sauce mixture onto the prawns as they cook. Serve promptly.
Those People at that Church Cookbook
The St. Francis Lutheran Church of San Francisco, California


text:
Recent Vanguard research on diversity and retirement savings concluded that African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to take loans and hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) plan accounts than whites and Asians. Still, African-Americans and Hispanics borrow "only slightly more of their retirement account balance, so members of all four groups put roughly the same amount of their assets at risk by borrowing from their retirement plan," the research study said.
The Vanguard study, "Diversity and Defined Contribution Plans: Loans and Hardship Withdrawals," also notes that a 401(k)-loan feature encourages some people to participate and save in their 401(k) plan. "Thus, employees who participate in a plan and take a loan or hardship withdrawal are likely to be better prepared for retirement than their fellow workers who don't participate and have no retirement plan savings," the report explained.
Borrowing from a 401(k) plan does pose the risk that financial resources intended for retirement could get diverted to other purposes. The researchers suggest that plan sponsors who are concerned about this risk take steps to reduce 401(k) borrowing.
"The incidence of 401(k) loans is significantly higher in plans that allow multiple loans," said Cyndy Pagliaro, a Vanguard researcher and lead author of the report, in a statement. "As a best practice, sponsors should consider limiting participants to one loan outstanding and/or other modest borrowing restrictions. This strategy appears to reduce borrowing levels across all participants and all racial and ethnic groups."
Loans from 401(k) plan accounts are generally limited to half of a participant's account balance (up to a maximum of $50,000). They must be repaid via payroll deduction, in order for the funds to be replaced.
African-Americans in the study were 55% more likely to take a loan than whites or Asians. Hispanics were about one-third more likely to take a loan. Nonetheless, the amount borrowed was only slightly higher among blacks, Hispanics and Asians than whites. Also, there were no meaningful differences in loan default rates among the groups.
Hardship withdrawals are generally limited to an employee's contributions and must typically meet certain criteria, such as certain medical expenses, foreclosure and similar criteria. Unlike loans, they do not have to be repaid and thus represent a known reduction in a participant's retirement assets.
African-Americans were almost twice as likely to take a hardship withdrawal as whites were, but they withdrew around 3.5% less of their account balance than whites and Hispanics. Hispanics were about one-third more likely to take hardships as whites, and withdrew a similar fraction of their account balance as whites.
In terms of the behavioral differences in borrowing and hardship withdrawals, the researchers noted that these may reflect factors they could not measure among the groups — such as differences in financial literacy, trust in financial institutions or restricted access to credit outside the plan.
The study looked at 2010 data for nearly 250,000 participants in seven large DC plans record-kept at Vanguard. One of the plans restricts participants to a single loan, though the others allow two or three loans at one time.
Vanguard currently manages more than $1.8 trillion in U.S. mutual fund assets.
-John Sullivan contributed to this report.


text:
A younger, leaner Dante is the star of the show in Devil May Cry 3, a prequel to the first two games in Capcom's frenzied demon-slaying series. Only it turns out that Dante is not the only son of Sparda; he has a sibling who is quite literally the evil twin...
He may be fresher faced and still mastering his deadly art, but DMC3's Dante is still one of the most efficient (not to mention stylish) killing machines that you're likely to have come across. The panache-laden combat in Devil May Cry 3 introduces four distinct styles, giving you a giddying array of options as to how you send the demonic minions back to hell.
'Gunslinger' and 'Swordmaster' focus on ranged weapons, such as Ebony and Ivory (Dante's twin pistols), and blade work respectively. 'Trickster' focuses on defensive and evasive techniques while 'Royal Guard' mimics martial arts techniques whereby the enemies' own strength is used against them.
Dante and the denizens of hell have never looked finer thanks to a new graphics engine but, more importantly, the series has lost none of its cool. Seeing Dante flick enemies skywards with his sword before juggling them in the air with twin fountains of hot lead will have you grinning from ear to ear.
1 Players
See it in action


text:
Vision III has developed patented parallax technologies that you can use to add depth and dimension to your content. Use our various lens technology to create unique and dimensional content, or use our Real Shot™ technology to create animated content that will pop off your screen!
Check out our QS3DX plugin for Adobe Premiere!


text:
Throughout a solar cycle (roughly 11 years), there are variations in the level of irradiation from the Sun, which has an impact on the chemical composition of the atmosphere and the temperatures of both the atmosphere and Earth's surface. During the last cycle, spectrometers on the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment satellite (SORCE) collected surprising data that disagrees with our expectations about how the solar cycle affects climate.
In a recent issue of Nature, Joanna Haigh and colleagues report that the largest deviation from predicted activities of the solar cycle occurred between 2004 and 2007, when the Sun's activity was in a decline. Data from the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) instrument showed a four- to six-fold larger decrease in ultraviolet irradiation, and an increase in visible irradiation, compared to predictions from a leading solar model. A second instrument on the SORCE satellite, the Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE), also observed the drastic variations in the ultraviolet region.
The wavelength of solar irradiation determines what part of the atmosphere is affected the most. Ultraviolet irradiation leads to chemical reactions that produce more ozone in the stratosphere and warm up the stratosphere and mesosphere. Irradiation in the visible wavelengths penetrates further, leading to heating of the Earth's surface, troposphere, and lower stratosphere.
The authors modeled atmospheric photochemistry and radiative transfer based on the SIM data. Their results indicate that there would have been an increase in ozone concentration below 45km in the stratosphere, while ozone concentrations would be lower above the stratosphere. The Aura-MLS satellite's ozone measurements corroborate the author's findings.
Haigh's paper does raise some doubts about empirical models for the solar cycle, which are based on factors like the number and area of sunspots. It also suggests that the impact of solar activity on surface climate is likely to be out of phase with the peaks and valleys of the 11 year cycle. However, as the authors have pointed out themselves, their data is based on one solar cycle, which could be an outlier. If this trend continues in subsequent cycles, the existing views of the solar cycle will have to be revised.
Nature, 2010. DOI: 10.1038/nature09426


text:
Disc Golf
Disc Golf
Note - The recreational destination described in this site is in its formative stage and represents the founders vision for Bella Solviva. The images and descriptions depict this first of its kind eco-resort in the Midwest. Some of the photographs & all videos were taken onsite, but most images of accommodations, activities and amenities are not of the actual property.
Come see what all the excitement is about. Click here to explore Bella Solviva's Nature Escape Club!
Many are wondering what the scoop is with Bella Solviva. Some are calling it a scam, others, perhaps you, have been trying to make reservations, or are confused with the multiple messages that have proliferated the media, the web and social media.
We feel very badly that an idea that has captured the imagination of Michigan, the nation and even...
March 24, 2016 9:00am EST: As our development cost projections have firmed up, we are pleased to announce that we are able to make substantial cuts in many of our 2016 rates! And, as many of the thousands who responded to our surveys indicated, price has been a major concern for many. As of today, we have...
January 12, 2016 10:00pm EST: Bella Solviva (and you, we're sure) is very happy to have our new reservation system live! Available here and on


text:
to Interlibrary Loan software updates, you may be prompted to change your
password when logging in to ILLiad.
This service allows Phoenix Public Library cardholders to borrow books, copies of articles and microfilm not owned by our library. Cardholders with full privileges may have up to 6 active requests at one time, including items currently checked out.
Please note: South Mountain Community College cardholders may also place interlibrary loan requests through the college ILL service.
Processing an interlibrary loan request takes a minimum of seven to eight weeks. The actual length of time depends on a number of factors:
For example, if Phoenix Public Library staff have to query twelve libraries before finding one willing to lend an item, and that library is in New York, it will take longer than if the first library asked agrees to lend it and that library happens to be in the county or state.
Books published in the past year, VHS tapes, CDs (including audiobooks) and DVDs are not available through this service.
Most items can be picked up at any Phoenix Public Library location. Microfilm can be used at Burton Barr Central Library only.
To use interlibrary loan services you must have a current Phoenix Public Library card and no accrued fees in excess of $25.
Customers who have interlibrary loan items that are 30 days or more overdue will not be able to check out or renew Phoenix Public Library materials. Further, customers who have interlibrary loan items that are 30 days or more overdue will have their interlibrary loan privileges suspended for six months.
Phoenix Public Library does not charge for interlibrary loan services and is able to fill most requests through other non-charging libraries. Some libraries, however, do charge fees of $15 or more. These costs are passed on to the borrower. Please note: We cannot accept personal or business checks.
Have more questions about Interlibrary Loan? You're not alone - some of our customers most frequently-asked questions and our answers may help.


text:
Alburg, Vermont
|This article is a stub. Help us to expand it by contributing your knowledge. For county and town page guidelines, visit U.S. County Page Content Suggestions.
Alburg is a town in Grand Isle county, Vermont. It was formed in 1781 in Vt. from Franklin county. It has used the following other name(s): Allenburg. The probate and court district for Alburg is Grand Isle. For more information, contact the town at 1 N. Main St., P.O. Box 346, Alburg 05440. On the attached map, Alburg is shown as 1 in Grand Isle county.
For information about the state of Vermont see Vermont Family History Research.


text:
LVMH PROBED: Bernard Arnault's quest for Belgian citizenship has run into another hurdle. The public prosecutor in Brussels has opened a preliminary investigation into the Belgian activities of his luxury group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which some Belgian media allege are letter-box entities. A spokesman for LVMH confirmed the launch of the probe on Friday, adding that the group had been informed by Belgian fiscal authorities in December that the inquiry would take place. This was not unusual in light of Arnault's citizenship request, he added. The Brussels prosecutor also on Friday advised against granting the French luxury tycoon citizenship on the grounds that it was not proven that he has resided in the country for at least three years, as required by Belgian law. This echoed the opinion given by the immigration office of Belgium's interior ministry last month.
"This is just one stage of the application process. It does not affect the final outcome, since a parliamentary commission will have the final say," the LVMH spokesman said. In a statement issued last month in response to Belgian media criticism, LVMH and Groupe Arnault declared themselves "surprised" by the allegations concerning their Belgian entities, adding that the businesses, some of them long-established, "have perfectly real economic activities in Belgium."
This story first appeared in the January 14, 2013 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH, has said he intends to remain a fiscal resident of France. Though he has not detailed his reasons for seeking Belgian citizenship, it is believed that Arnault is seeking to protect his empire from being broken up after his death by benefiting from more favorable Belgian inheritance tax laws.


text:
Big Sky Infinity lets you experience deep space in all its cosmic colour, as you pilot a dinky craft with dazzling firepower through the outer reaches of the galaxy, blasting alien enemies to smithereens.
The spectacular visuals are a match for anything captured by the Hubble space telescope, with glittering nebulae, clouds of radiant space dust and gigantic planets strewn across your flight path. In the background yawns the endless expanse of the wider universe, strung with twinkling stars, while in the foreground your cute craft zooms into battle against legions of evil extraterrestrials. Needless to say, a few well-aimed bursts from your laser cannon and the baddies explode in showers of light.
The sound is great, too, with a pulsing electronic score and crunchy sound effects to accompany your endeavours. There's even a hilarious voice-over to guide your efforts at the outset, reminding you that however challenging and frantic the action becomes, Big Sky Infinity is first and foremost about having fun – and on a galactic scale.
Big Sky Infinity puts you in the cockpit of a tiny craft and lets you loose on a lawless sector of space crawling with laser-toting enemies. Your job is to destroy the bad guys before you get blown to bits yourself – and your ship packs some seriously wild weaponry to aid you in your endeavours.
Swooping, soaring alien invaders aren't the only hazard, however: space is a dangerous place, and all kinds of environmental obstacles threaten to send you spinning to your doom. You'll have to master all the tools at your disposal – including a protective force field and a nifty drill bit that allows your craft to burrow through entire planets – if you want to weather the asteroid storms and return to base in one piece.
Another handy feature is the ability to upgrade your craft, strengthening its armour and increasing its firepower to enable insane new levels of destruction. Enhancements are purchased using starbits strewn throughout the various stages, and collecting them is vital if you want to overcome the growing numbers of frenzied enemies that appear as the action unfolds.
In fact, this is one of the best things about Big Sky Infinity – the deeper you penetrate into the cosmic chaos, the greater and more adrenaline-fuelled the challenges you'll face. What's more, you'll never experience the same stage twice, as enemies and environments are randomly generated every time you play – whether you're playing the main arcade mode or sampling the fast-paced pleasures of a Boss Rush. It's an inspired twist, and means the action never feels less than fantastically fresh and exciting.
Once you've countered the mayhem of an alien onslaught in Big Sky Infinity's single player mode, it's time to test yourself against the rest of the world.
In Horse Mode, friends can take turns obliterating the extraterrestrial hordes in an attempt to earn the highest score and win top place on the leader board. It's a superb way to amp up the action (and show off your skills to your friends).
If your mates don't provide enough of a challenge, you can also check the online rankings to find out how your solo scores compare to those of fellow fans across the globe. The competition is sure to be tough, and a good thing too: seeing yourself halfway down the scoreboard provides yet another superb incentive to soup up your craft, improve your shooting skills and throw yourself back into the fray!
1-2 Players
Network Features
Network Play


text:
Collection A.P.C.
Since its launch by founder Jean Touitou in 1987, the brand A.P.C., which stands for "Atelier de Production et de Création", is known for its minimalist design. Raw denim, cotton t-shirts, silk dresses and simple cuts are the main ingredients of success of the French label. In a nutshell, chic basics along with an extensive range of accessories. The Demi-Lune, Luna and Genevahandbags or the Judith sandals are among the bestsellers of the brand, constantly revisited and re-edited. As a well-respected label, A.P.C. regularly collaborates with other fashion designers such as Vanessa Seward, who founded her eponymous brand in 2015 after creating several capsule collections.
The founder of the A.P.C. brand, Jean Touitou, was born in 1951 in Tunis and arrived in Paris at the age of nine. He worked successively for Kenzo, for whom he held various positions from 1978, then for Agnès b. in 1983, launching her first shop in New York. Four years later, in 1987, he decided to found the brand A.P.C.. Faithful to his own philosophy and in contrast with current trends, the fashion designer offers minimalist creations. Invariably successful even twenty-five years later.
320 €
320 €
330 €
350 €
355 €
350 €


text:
Showing 3 of 3 wines
Dear Customer
We are having problems processing your request.
Please contact our sales office between 9 AM and 5 PM (PST) for further assistance at 1.888.859.4637.
JJ Buckley provides an opportunity for me to find fine wines in low (or no) quantity in my area. Always a great alternative to trying to find local (which is often times hard).
-Elizabeth S., April 2018


text:
| 7.3°C Belfast
Labour and the Tories are virtually neck and neck in the wake of George Osborne's Budget, according to two polls.
Research by Survation for the Mail on Sunday put Ed Miliband's party on 35%, up 1% on their rating in January.
But the Tories have surged by 4% to 34% - effectively level pegging when the margin of error is taken into account.
The shift appears to have been at the expense of Ukip and the Liberal Democrats, who were both 3% lower on 15% and 9% respectively.
The online survey of 1,000 adults was carried out on Thursday and Saturday, after the Chancellor delivered his well-received package including a major pensions and savings shake-up.
Another post-Budget poll, by YouGov for the Sunday Times, also found the Conservatives were a single point behind, on 36% to Labour's 37%. It is the smallest advantage the firm's research has shown for five months.
Labour backbencher John Mann told the newspaper Mr Miliband needed to " speak the language of voters in Bassetlaw not academics in Hampstead".
He said: "It's talking clear, simple language that people understand. It's all too clever at the moment.
"A reshuffle of his speechwriters would help."
He added: "What the Labour shadow cabinet should do is get out of its policy committees and get out onto the doorstep and listen to the experiences of Britain's people."
Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said the Labour leadership would not be doing its job properly if all it focused on was day to day polling.
"Polls go up and down, we have seen them fluctuate... what matters is how people vote," he told the BBC One Andrew Marr programme.
"We have seen under Ed Miliband's leadership the Labour party put on over a 1,000 extra councillors, importantly in the marginal seats we need to get a majority at next year's general election.
"We have put on tens of thousands of new members since May 2010 and, of course, let's not forget what people were saying in May 2010 - they were writing the party off - p eople are seriously talking about us actually winning this year and that is not what they were doing in May 2010.
"What we are focused on is actually talking to the issues that matter to people."


text:
Lincoln News
LPC Kansas City Teams Win 7 Awards from Local Apartment Association
Feb 16, 2014
The Apartment Association of Kansas City held their annual Crystal Merit Awards Ceremony Saturday, February 8th. Lincoln Property Company received a dominating seven (7) awards throughout the evening, including being named Best Company Management Team for the second consecutive year. Please see below for the full list of awards.
White Glove Award: Sheryl Kruse - Fountianview on the Plaza
Best Assistant Manager: Emily Voss - The Highlands North and South
Best Models Designed by Staff: The Highlands North and South
Best Property Newsletter: The Highlands North and South
Best Property Amenities: Fountain View on the Plaza
Best Property Website: Fountain View on the Plaza
Best Company Management Team: Lincoln Property Company


text:
Critics of sequestration complain that it is a blunderbuss approach to cutting spending. They argue that "targeted cuts" — which operate line-by-line, program-by-program — are the smart way to rein in the budget without doing harm.
But, as the Washington Post demonstrates, in practice "targeted cuts" frequently prove to be no cuts at all. Instead, they are a method through which legislators can claim to be slashing the budget while continuing to spend at the same levels as before.
Consider the $37.8 billion in "cuts" agreed to in 2011, proclaimed by President Obama as "the largest annual spending cut in our history." The Post finds that package to be "an epic kind of Washington illusion, stuffed with gimmicks that made the cuts seem far bigger — and the politicians far bolder — than they actually were."
For example, the Transportation Department took credit for "cutting" a $280 million tunnel that had been cancelled six months earlier and a $375,000 road project that had been created due to a typo on a road that didn't exist.
Meanwhile, the Census Department took a $6 billion "cut" for not conducting the 2010 census in 2011. And Congress agreed, in the spirit of shared sacrifice, to "cut" $14.6 million by not spending money on a visitors center that had already been built.
These aren't "smart" cuts, they are smart-ass ones.
Going beyond the anecdotal evidence, Post reporter David Fahrenthold analyzed the 16 largest cuts in the 2011 deal, each of which was supposed to trim at least $500 millions from the federal budget. Collectively, the 16 were to account for two-thirds of the total reduction.
In four instances, the agency involved simply stonewalled the Post, making it impossible to tell whether the cuts were real. Under these circumstances, I think we should presume they were not.
In seven of the remaining 12 cases, the Post found that the cuts had minimal or no real-world impact. Instead, they involved the kind of sleight-of-hand described in the examples cited above.
This track record obviously militates in favor of using a sequester, rather than the 2011 approach, this time around. The White House claims that things are different now because the "low-hanging fruit" from 2011 has been cut. But there are always recently expired projects, or non-existent ones, that can be claimed as cuts. Anyone who believes the government has run out of budgetary gimmicks hasn't been paying attention, and would rather not.
The real question, I think, is not whether alternatives to sequestration can be undermined, but whether sequestration can be as well. The answer is probably "yes," but not to the degree that past cuts have been.