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City Desk
Metro Plan Brings Big Changes
German Lopez
1 Comment · Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Metro is nearing completion of its first comprehensive plan since the late 1990s and early 2000s. Throughout the year, the nonprofit, tax-funded transit company has worked on Way to Go, a plan with short-term and long-term goals meant to revamp lines for faster, wider-ranging travel.
Cincinnati vs. The World
Cincinnati vs. The World 11.21.2012
Hannah McCartney
1 Comment · Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Oil giant BP agreed to pay $4.5 billion in for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill — the largest criminal penalty in U.S. history. WORLD -2
by German Lopez
Posted In:
Health care
at 10:18 AM |
Morning News and Stuff
Plan Cincinnati hearing tonight, fiscal cliff threatens schools, Kasich declines exchanges
City Council's Livable Communities committee is expected to hear about and likely vote tonight on the city's first master plan in more than 30 years. The plan, which CityBeat previously covered, seeks a renewed emphasis on Cincinnati's urban core through new infrastructure and transportation options. It was put together largely based on public feedback. The "fiscal cliff," which is really more of a self-induced austerity crisis from the federal government, could seriously hurt Ohio schools. Educators around the state, including Cincinnati schools, are expecting a cut of about 8 percent in federal funding. A Cincinnati Public Schools levy was recently renewed after a decade of cuts and problems at the school district. Gov. John Kasich has finally made a decision for Obamacare: The state will not run the health exchanges that are a big part of the plan. With the governor's decision, managing the health exchanges now falls to the federal government. Rob Nichols, Kasich's spokesperson, defended the governor's decision by pointing out that even if the state managed the exchanges, the federal government would always have the final say, creating an arrangement "just doesn't make sense for the state." Exchanges are subsidized, heavily regulated insurance markets that will go into effect in 2014 as part of Obamacare. They are supposed to bring down costs by offering more transparent, open competition through a fair, regulated marketplace. Cincinnati's economy is being carried largely by manufacturing, and that looks likely to continue. Business schools at the University of Cincinnati, Miami University, Xavier University and Northern Kentucky University were found to be among the nation's best, according to the Princeton Review. Still, none of the schools made the top 10 rankings for the review's 11 categories. City Council is holding a public hearing today to find out what the city should do with casino revenue. Some of the council members already have plans, but City Council wants public feedback to shape the final decision. In other council news, the Human Services Advisory committee recommended funding for 56 out of 58 programs. The two programs left out are the Over-The-Rhine Kitchen and a social education program offered by the Starfire Council of Greater Cincinnati. Cincinnati's Metro bus service will be getting a revamp in the next few years. The company released a comprehensive plan with short-term and long-term goals that focus on increasing travel speed and reach. Charter schools are where a large amount of Ohio kids are getting their education. This is despite the fact that, in general, traditional public schools perform better than charter schools, according to state standards. Food stamps for Ohio families are getting reduced by about $25 a month. The good news is the cut is lower than expected. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction released a "re-inspection report" for the Lake Erie prison owned by Corrections Corporation of America. According to the new report, CCA has come a long way and corrected many of the violations the state originally found in the private prison. The last report found the prison, which CCA bought in 2011, was riddled with problems. CityBeat looked at private prisons, their problems and the shady connections between state officials and CCA in an in-depth report. A report found more Ohioans are taking advantage of a national settlement that lets households refinance their mortgages. In total, more than 4,500 Ohioans have refinanced for $165 million in consumer relief. Still, many eligible Ohioans are not taking advantage of the opportunity. Here are pictures of a tiny octopus, fighting female robots and an orange-powered battery.
by German Lopez
Posted In:
Health care
at 12:48 PM |
Kasich Says No to State-Managed Health Exchanges
Decision means federal government will take over
Gov. John Kasich is refusing to work with Obamacare. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the governor today declined to have the state government run its health insurance exchange. With the move, the federal government will be put in charge of managing Ohio's exchange. Exchanges are subsidized, heavily regulated insurance markets that will go into effect in 2014 as part of Obamacare. They are supposed to bring down costs by offering more transparent, open competition through a fair, regulated marketplace. As part of Obamacare, states have to decide by Dec. 14 whether they'll manage the exchanges or let the federal government do it. Conservatives were quick to praise Kasich's decision. Americans for Prosperity applauded the choice in a statement. The Buckeye Institute put up a blog post calling the move "the right decision for Ohio." The Coalition Opposed to Additional Taxes and Spending (COAST) called the move the right choice. At first, the choice seems like a contradiction for conservatives. After all, they're the group that normally rails against a big federal government. Why let the federal government take over a new, major part of the health-care system? Rob Nichols, Kasich's spokesperson, justified the decision in a statement: "Ohio would have no flexibility to shape an exchange to our needs and its costs will be so high that it just doesn't make sense for the state to operate a health exchange under Obamacare." In other words, even if the state managed the exchanges, it would still have to answer to the federal government. In his letter, Kasich also stated Ohio will not give up its right to regulate the insurance market. So the federal government will have the final say on exchanges, but Kasich wants to keep the rest of the market under state regulatory control. The state will also keep control over deciding Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) eligibility. Ohio is not alone in declining to supervise exchanges. Other states have signed off on letting the federal government manage them, including Florida and Texas. Still, Republicans may want to proceed cautiously. Recent polling has shown that support for repealing Obamacare has massively dropped. That shift could reflect reality catching up to public opinion. Republicans tend to rail against Obamacare by saying it's too expensive, but a Congressional Budget Office report found repealing Obamacare would increase the deficit by $109 billion between 2013 and 2022.
by German Lopez
Posted In:
at 11:52 AM |
Metro Plan Brings Big Changes
Transit company calls for public feedback
Metro is nearing completion of its new comprehensive transit plan. Throughout the year, the nonprofit, tax-funded transit company has worked on Way to Go, a plan with short-term and long-term goals meant to revamp lines for faster, wider-ranging travel. The plan, which is the first comprehensive plan since the late 1990s and early 2000s, has a short-term part and a long-term portion. Both parts came together with a lot of community feedback gathered through on-board surveys, stop-by-stop analyses, online surveys, special event surveys and public meetings. Sallie Hilvers, spokesperson for Metro, says the plan has a lot of little changes to stops and lines, but she emphasized some key parts. In the short term, the plan will establish more crosstown connections, which will bring together different parts of Cincinnati so traveling requires fewer downtown transfers. Metro will also make a few changes to improve frequency of travel in major corridors like Montgomery Road, Reading Road and Vine Street, while shortening travel times all around. For the short term, "We don't have a lot of big changes," Hilvers says. "No routes are going away. There's no fare increase associated with this. It's simply reallocating the resources." The long-term plan has bigger, more expansive changes. The biggest part is probably the bus rapid transit system (BRT), which will allow quicker travel in major corridors by using traffic signal priority, fewer stops and special bus lanes. Stops will be getting a makeover in some areas to be more comfortable for passengers waiting for transfers. There will also be changes to improve service at current stops, add more crosstown routes and add more routes that go beyond downtown and into dense areas with lots of jobs. The long-term plan is currently unfunded, but public opinion will help establish and reshape priorities before any money is attached. Hilvers says Metro will be doing a "demonstration project" for BRT next year. In the demo, buses will "dart across" the Montgomery Road corridor, Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati and downtown. The plan will help gauge the popularity of the idea, says Hilvers: "It gives us a test to see how people like this. If they really like the concept, then we can maybe go for federal funding, etc. to go for the full-blown BRT in the future." "You just have to have a vision of where you're going," Hilvers says. "This is our vision of where we're going. We have to know from the community what it wants to ultimately support." Metro is still taking public feedback for the Way to Go until the end of the year. More information on the plan and how to provide feedback can be found at www.go-metro.com/about-metro/way-to-go.
by German Lopez
Posted In:
Anna Louise Inn
at 10:17 AM |
Morning News and Stuff
City manager gets raise despite deficit, GE food regulations, Ohio unemployment drops
Cincinnati may have a deficit estimated to be between $34 million and $40 million, but that didn't stop City Council from voting 6-2 Thursday to approve a $23,000 raise and one-time $35,000 bonus for City Manager Milton Dohoney, the highest-paid city employee. The raise brings his salary up from $232,000 to $255,000. Council members Chris Seelbach and Chris Smitherman voted against the raise. P.G. Sittenfeld also opposed the raise and bonus, but he missed the vote because he was out of town for personal reasons. If City Council balances the budget for the next year and fires someone making $58,000 or less to help do so, the raise and one-time bonus could have meant one person's job. City Council also voted 8-0 to encourage the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enforce mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) food. Alison Auciello, Ohio-based organizer for Food & Water Watch, praised the move in a statement: "Genetically engineered foods are potentially unsafe, and consumers should have the right to decide for themselves if they want to eat GE foods. It took regulation to get food processors to label ingredients and nutrition facts on labels, and now we're calling for federal lawmakers to require the labeling of GE food." Ohio's unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in October, down from 7.1 percent in September, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. The numbers were mostly positive with the amount of unemployed dropping by 10,000 and the amount of employed rising by 13,900. The civilian labor force also grew, although it was still below Oct. 2011 levels. Most gains were seen in service-providing industries, professional and business services and government. In comparison, the federal unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9 percent in October, up from 7.8 percent in September. The Anna Louise Inn won another zoning appeal yesterday. The victory upheld a conditional use permit for the Inn, which will allow Cincinnati Union Bethel, which owns the Inn, to carry on with $13 million renovations. Western & Southern has vowed to appeal the ruling. Income inequality in Ohio is wide and growing. A new study found the gap between the rich and poor is widening, with the lower and middle classes actually losing real income since the 1990s. After Thanksgiving, the Cincinnati Zoo team will be studying penguins off the coast of Chile. Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble is having no part in the good unemployment news. The company announced another round of job cuts as part of a large restructuring program. It's unclear how the cuts will impact Cincinnati. Hostess, maker of Twinkies, is going out of business. The company blamed a workers' strike for the move, but Hostess has been having problems for a long time. The company has already filed for bankruptcy twice this decade. The Ohio Board of Regents launched OhioMeansSuccess.org, a website meant to place students on a path to college and a successful career. Russia can get pretty hardcore. While herding sheep, one grandmother fended off and killed a wolf with an axe. The U.S. Navy is retiring its mine-sweeping dolphins and replacing them with robots.
by German Lopez
Posted In:
at 02:41 PM |
Ohio Income Inequality Growing
State follows nationwide trend between wealthiest and poorest
Occupy Wall Street may have been onto something. A new report from left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found Ohio's income gap — the income difference between the rich and poor — is wide and growing. Since the 1970s, the poorest 20 percent saw no change in real income, the middle 20 percent gained 21.1 percent, the top 20 percent gained 50.6 percent and the top 5 percent gained 85.1 percent. In terms of real dollars, low-income and middle-income Ohioans have actually seen their income drop since the 1990s. The drop caused a "lost decade" for Ohio's lower and middle classes, according to the report. The bottom 20 percent saw a 6.9 percent drop in real income from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, while the middle 20 percent saw a 2.9 percent drop. Real incomes for the top 20 percent and top 5 percent remained the same. The shifts have caused a startling difference in real income, which the report calculated by looking at real dollars after federal taxes and including the value of the Earned Income Tax Credit, housing subsidies and food stamps. The poorest 20 percent make on average about $20,500, and the middle 20 percent make on average about $58,100. Meanwhile, the top 5 percent make about $221,800 — 10.8 times as much as the bottom 20 percent and 3.8 times as much as the middle 20 percent. Real dollars are a measurement used to gauge the value of money and income after inflation. If a family sees its income in real dollars drop, it means income increases, if they exist, are not keeping up with inflation. The widening income gap is part of a nationwide trend. In comparison to other states, Ohio mostly did better than the national average. Ohio was not included in any of the six top 10 ranks for inequality, which ranked states for rises in inequality during different time periods. During the late 2000s, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Georgia and New York had the greatest gaps between the wealthiest and poorest. In the same time period, New Mexico, California, Georgia, Mississippi and Arizona had the biggest gaps between the wealthiest and middle. Part of the cause for the widening gap is the recent recession, but the CBPP report found that the wealthiest have seen their incomes rise again in the recession's aftermath, while middle and lower incomes have not. The report also blamed government policies — deregulation, trade liberalization, the weakening safety net, the lack of effective laws regarding collective bargaining and the declining real value of the minimum wage — and the expansion of investment incomes, which the CBPP says "primarily accrue to those at the top of the income structure." The report finished with some suggestions for states: raise minimum wage and index it for inflation, improve unemployment insurance systems, make state tax systems more progressive and strengthen safety nets. Policy Matters Ohio, which pointed to the findings in a statement, says the report warrants action. "Poor and middle-income families are seeing their income fall in real dollars and relative to higher earners," said Amy Hanauer, executive director of Policy Matters Ohio, in the statement. "When households already subsisting on less than $23,000 a year see their incomes drop, that means hunger, instability, poor school performance and worse. Ohio needs to do more to improve the lives of families in this state."
by German Lopez
Posted In:
Anna Louise Inn
at 12:28 PM |
Anna Louise Inn Wins Another Zoning Appeal
Western & Southern set to appeal for third time
The Anna Louise Inn today won another case in front of the Cincinnati Zoning Board of Appeals. The ruling upheld a Historic Conservation Board decision that gave Cincinnati Union Bethel, which owns the inn, a conditional use permit that will allow the social service agency to carry on with a planned $13 million renovation. Western & Southern in a statement given to reporters following the decision vowed to appeal the ruling. At the hearing, Western & Southern attorney Francis Barrett, who is the brother of Western & Southern CEO John Barrett, continued his argument that the Anna Louise Inn is a "high-crime area." The accusation is meant to disqualify the Inn for the conditional use permit, which requires that the building's use will not be detrimental to public health and safety or negatively affect property values in the neighborhood. During an Aug. 27 hearing, the Historic Conservation Board found no direct evidence connecting residents of the Anna Louise Inn to criminal activity in the neighborhood. Barrett also emphasized Western & Southern's stance that continuing on the current path set by the Historic Conservation Board is a waste of taxpayer money because the Inn is receiving public funds. Barrett labeled the funds "excessive expenditures." However, that argument has little bearing on whether the Inn deserves a conditional use permit, because it's not relevant to zoning laws and rules. Tim Burke, Cincinnati Union Bethel's attorney, began his defense of the Anna Louise Inn by calling the ongoing case one of the most "frustrating" of his career. He suggested Western & Southern is just continuing its attempts to delay the Inn's renovations as much as possible. Regarding the charge that the Anna Louise Inn has adverse effects on public health and safety, Burke told the Zoning Board of Appeals that the only adverse effect is on Western & Southern because "they want the property and can't get it." He claimed there is no proof that the Anna Louise Inn perpetuates crime in the area, and testimony and evidence presented in the case has proven as much. The case is only one of many in the ongoing conflict between Cincinnati Union Bethel and Western & Southern, which CityBeat previously covered in-depth ("Surrounded by Skyscrapers," issue of Aug. 15). Cincinnati Union Bethel wants to renovate the Anna Louise Inn in part with $10 million in tax credit financing from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and a $2.6 million loan funded by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that was awarded by the city. Western & Southern says it wants to use the Lytle Park area, where the Inn is located, for private economic development. The series of cases began when Judge Norbert Nadel ruled on May 27 that the Anna Louise Inn classifies as a "special assistance shelter," which requires a different kind of zoning permit than the previous classification of "transitional housing." That ruling was appealed by Cincinnati Union Bethel to the Ohio First District Court of Appeals, which held hearings on Oct. 30 and is expected to give a ruling soon.
by German Lopez
Posted In:
City Council
Women's Health
at 08:30 AM |
Morning News and Stuff
Council approves raise amid deficit, GOP versus Planned Parenthood, puppy mills regulated
It's official: Cincinnati's budget proposal will arrive Nov. 26. The budget will seek to close a deficit estimated to be between $34 million and $40 million. Part of the budget plan was revealed when the city manager's office suggested privatizing parking.Despite the deficit the city is facing, City Council pushed forward a $21,000 raise and a one-time $35,000 bonus for City Manager Milton Dohoney in a 6-3 vote. It's the first raise Dohoney is getting since 2007, but some are unhappy with the decision in light of the deficit, which could lead to job cuts. "The city manager is a good man, he is a hard worker, but to me this just feels out of touch with the economic reality that we are in right now," Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld told Fox 19. "You don't give the highest paid employee in the city a raise, a significant raise, when you're facing a potentially huge budget deficit. Plus, you know, there's a very real possibility of layoffs."Ohio Republicans are pushing forward with HB 298, a bill that cuts funds to Planned Parenthood. The organization has become a popular target for Republicans because it provides abortions, but abortion services only make up 3 percent of what Planned Parenthood offers. The move is just one of many recent moves in the Republican agenda against abortion rights. They recently advocated renewing the heartbeat bill, and Gov. John Kasich recently appointed two anti-abortion advocates to government positions.The Ohio House overwhelmingly approved a bill that will put large-scale puppy mills under more scrutiny with new state standards and yearly inspections. Animal rights activists have argued Ohio has become a haven for bad breeding practices due to lax laws and regulations. CityBeat previously covered the puppy mills issue and how it enables Ohio's dog auctions.But that's not all the Ohio legislature got done. The Ohio House passed a bill that further regulates "pill mills" — doctors, pharmacies or clinics that distribute narcotics inappropriately or for non-medical reasons — and a bill that cracks down on "cyber stalking." The Ohio Senate passed a bill that essentially lowers taxes for companies that increase payroll by 10 percent.A new study highlighted the success of some Ohio schools, including Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School in Cincinnati. The research found the schools succeeded despite high poverty and tight budgets. The study indicated some key attributes of success: principals play pivotal roles, teachers and administrators are obviously engaged and invested, school leaders provide major incentives to teachers, data is used to measure progress and teachers and administrators do not see a lack of parent or community engagement as an insurmountable barrier to success. The report also made some recommendations: establish clear transitional protocols in case a principal leaves, engage teachers, hire teachers that are on-board with the school's goals, leverage great reputations and celebrate success.Hamilton County could issue securities to raise revenue. County commissioners are currently working on ways to close a $20 million deficit. The securities idea comes from Todd Portune, the lone Democrat on the Board of Commissioners.The investigation into U Square worker payments is ongoing. A City Council committee wants to see if the workers are being paid what they are supposed to be paid. Under Ohio law, workers on city-funded projects must get a prevailing wage, which is equivalent to the wage earned by a union worker on a similar project. But City Solicitor John Curp argues developers do not have to pay prevailing wages for parts of the project that aren't getting public funding. City Manager Dohoney also argued that overzealous requirements could drive businesses out of Cincinnati.Despite the pleas of more than 500,000, it does not look like Cincinnati-based Macy's will dump Donald Trump. The billionaire has gained recognition as a big-name Republican and "birther" — someone who ignores all facts to call into question President Barack Obama's country of origin. Brian Williams, news anchor at NBC News, described Trump aptly during election night: "Donald Trump, who has driven well past the last exit to relevance and peered into something closer to irresponsible here, is tweeting tonight."Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is leading a new efforts to stop the use of synthetic drugs, including bath salts.To fill a vacancy, a new interim chair has been named at the Ohio Board of Regents: Regent Vinny Gupta. He will be replacing James Tuschman, who successfully pushed a ban on smoking in Ohio's college campuses. Gupta's term will run through March 2013.Meet the loneliest planet of them all. It's an orphan that drifted away from its parent star.
by German Lopez
Posted In:
Women's Health
at 04:03 PM |
Planned Parenthood Defunding Bill Moves Forward
Committee hearing filled with protesters, chants
One week after the major Democratic victories of Election Day, Ohio's Republican legislators are pushing HB 298, a bill that will keep federal funds from Planned Parenthood. In a Health and Aging Committee hearing at today, Ohio Republicans voted to push the bill through committee and into the Ohio House of Representatives floor. If the bill passes the Republican-controlled General Assembly and is signed by Gov. John Kasich, it will block $2 million in federal funding from Planned Parenthood and prioritize other family services. In the past few years, Planned Parenthood has become a popular target for Republicans because the organization provides abortion services. But that's not all Planned Parenthood offers; a chart released by the organization in February demonstrated abortions only make up 3 percent of its services. Another criticism leveled by Planned Parenthood supporters is the federal funding is legally barred from being used for abortions. Instead, the funding would go to other health services within Planned Parenthood, which provides general women's health services to poor and rural women. Some Democratic lawmakers say the bill shows an out-of-touch Republican Party. "For the life of me, I cannot understand why Republicans are so intent on taking away from women the right to make their own choices about their bodies," said Ohio Sen. Nina Turner in a statement. "Voters soundly rejected the foolishness of the radical right on Election Day in favor of the dignity of American women, but some lawmakers must not have heard." She added, "While Republicans rail against women making their own choices, they are cutting funding for education and critical social services that children need after they are born. They want small government, all right — small enough to fit into a woman's womb." The strong words showcase what was a loud, feisty exchange between Planned Parenthood supporters and Republican lawmakers. At the committee hearings, supporters and opponents of HB 298 testified. Some opponents cited their personal experience, including an emotional account from one woman regarding her own rape at age 13. She said she was glad young women like her can turn to Planned Parenthood for help. Ohio Rep. John Carney, a Columbus Democrat, pointed out that throughout the hearings, no health care provider testified in favor of HB 298. One doctor testified against the bill. Carney also pointed out that no tax dollars that go to Planned Parenthood pay for abortions. The bill isn't the only action Republicans have recently taken against women's health rights. Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus told The Cincinnati Enquirer about the possibility of a renewed heartbeat bill on Nov. 8. In October, Kasich appointed two anti-abortion advocates to government positions. In this week's news commentary ("Ohio Republicans Continue Anti-Abortion Agenda," issue of Nov. 14), CityBeat covered the ensuing Republican campaign against abortion rights.
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text:
Ricardo Eugene Mathews Jr.
Position: DT
Height: 6-3 Weight: 294 lbs.
Born: July 30, 1987 in Jacksonville, FL
High School: Terry Parker
College: Cincinnati (school history) (Mathews college stats)
Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 7th round (238th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 11 (6880th overall since 1950)
Output includes all games from 1920 to 2015.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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I have enjoyed the whole experience ,Practise,Qualifying Moto2 Moto3 Scott Redding was a Star !!!!! the last 4 Laps were the longest ever and Valentino delivered the goods and showed them what Racing is all about,He made me laugh He was so excited and happy yes a very good Day!!!! thank you BBC for the Coverage I wish we all could access BSB and WSB because Motorcycle Racing is the most exciting Sport ever!!!!!!!


text:
Ross-Tech VAG-COM Diagnostic Systems (VCDS)
If you own an Audi or Volkswagen you need a powerful tool that will help keep your vehicle on the road. Ross-Tech's VAG-COM Diagnostic System (VCDS) helps diagnose real problems instead of swapping out costly parts. With features found only on dealer level factory tools, VCDS surpasses the performance of aftermarket diagnostic tools and rivals factory tools for a fraction of the cost. Always know exactly how your vehicle is running instead of paying someone else to diagnose the problems, usually leaving you with a huge repair bill.
With Ross-Tech's VCDS you can:
- Gain full access to all systems in cars from 1990 through the current model year
- Scan for and clear DTC's with 13,000+ fault codes decoded into plain text
- Alter settings normally accessible only to dealerships
- Perform various country-specific modifications to your car (remove seat belt chime, enable gauge test/needle sweep, enable lap timer, operating windows and sunroof with remote, and much more)
- Code replacement modules and select options
- Diagnose real failures instead of swapping parts
- View and log live data and much more!
Which VAG-COM product will work with my car?
- All VAG-COM Professional Kits and VAG-COM HEX-USB+CAN cables support all VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda models
- VAG-COM Micro-CAN interface only supports most Volkswagens 2005 to current
Things you must have to run VCDS:
- A computer with a USB port running Microsoft Windows (VCDS also works fine on Apple and Linux computers running Windows in a virtualized environment)
- The VCDS software (you can download the latest version from the Ross-Tech's website)
- Any of the Genuine Ross-Tech VCDS Interface Adapters sold below
Things you might want with your VCDS:
- A copy of the VCDS manual to get you started
- An extension cable to extend the reach of a VCDS interface from the computer to the vehicle
- For pre-1995 cars, a 2x2 adapter to connect between the 2x2 port in older vehicles to the OBDII connector used for current generation diagnostic tools
- A Bentley repair manual which has a list of the diagnostic, troubleshooting codes and the recommended repair procedure
Europa Parts is an authorized stocking distributor of Genuine Ross-Tech's VAG-COM Diagnostic Systems for Audi, Volkswagen, Seat, and Skoda vehicles. Don't be fooled by cheap fakes, knock-offs and imitators as those can damage your car. This is the real deal, manufactured by the world's leading diagnostics solutions company. Order online today with fast and reliable international delivery!
VAG-COM Diagnostic Tool with Micro-CAN InterfaceMPN: VCUCAN
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text:
On a large, scenic estate with abundant vegetation located on the island of La Palma, stands the Hacienda San Jorge. It is an establishment with special charm, due to its traditional island architecture, and the beauty of its landscapes and natural surroundings. The Hacienda San Jorge is set amidst a cluster of low-rise constructions in the manner of a local island village, in which the typical colours, formerly used to paint house fronts, have been recovered. The most interesting feature of this Hotel, and what immediately captures visitors' eyes as they stroll along Hacienda San Jorge's delightful pathways, is the irregular layout, resulting from having preserved the original vegetation growing on the estate, and having placed the attractive buildings around the giant Ficus trees, the numerous palm trees , and several pre-existing Dragon trees.
But all of this would have been insufficient without fine gardening work, which has turned the hotel exterior into a leafy, lush oasis which captivates and enamours clients with its special charm. Enjoy your holidays on La Palma at the Hacienda San Jorge.


text:
Area veteran featured in new book
A local World War II veteran is among those featured in a new book published by the granddaughter of one of America's most iconic war heroes.
Retired Scranton Times photographer Eugene "Ike" Refice was profiled in "Portraits of Service: Looking into the Faces of Veterans," a handsomely produced collection of photographs and essays celebrating living veterans from World War II to the present.
Mr. Refice, a Fleetville resident, is included with Horst Przybilski, a former German soldier whose life Mr. Refice helped save when he was serving with the Army's 80th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge.
On the cover
Their photo, taken at one of their yearly get-togethers in Luxembourg, also serves as the book's cover, which can be seen above. Mr. Refice is on the right.
"It's just a gorgeous picture of them leaning on each other. ... They look like brothers," said Helen Patton, whose Patton Publishing published the book.
Ms. Patton's grandfather was George S. Patton, the larger-than-life World War II general who led the 7th and 3rd Armies in North Africa and Europe.
"Portraits of Service" was written and photographed by Robert H. Miller and Andrew Wakeford, who spent more than two years interviewing more than 150 vets from five wars.
Seventy vets were ultimately selected to be featured in the book, which last year was awarded a gold medal at the Independent Book Publishers Awards. Each subject is depicted with a portrait-quality photo, along with personal remembrances of their experiences serving their country. Subjects range from U.S. Rep. John Dingell and former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland to a nurse-turned-nun to a homeless man.
Met in battle
The recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Star medals and a Purple Heart, Mr. Refice first crossed paths with Mr. Przybilski on Jan. 8, 1945, a few weeks into the Battle of the Bulge, during a fierce battle between U.S. and German troops in and around a farmhouse in Dahl, Luxembourg.
Mr. Przybilski, 17 at the time and in his first day of combat, suffered a shattered hip during the battle. Mr. Refice and his squad leader, Medal of Honor recipient Day G. Turner, carried the unconscious German to an aid station. Mr. Przybilski spent the remainder of the war at a POW camp in Massachusetts.
"I didn't save Horst's life," Mr. Refice told the book's authors. "I did - or we did - what was the right thing to do. If they were bad, I didn't have to be."
Sixty years later, the two men reunited through the organization U.S. Veterans Friends, Luxembourg. Now, they meet up every June during the group's Friendship Week.
"Ike is just a beauty. And he's so humble," said Ms. Patton, who also runs the nonprofit Patton Foundation. "Ike, for me, is the quintessential veteran. He's quintessentially what 'The Greatest Generation' is all about. If you ask him about his experiences, he just says, 'I was doing my job.' He was busy being a humanitarian, being a person. He's got a huge heart."
"Portraits of Service" can be purchased for $39.95 at www.portraitsofservice.com. Ms. Patton is donating proceeds from the book's sales to veterans organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project.
Contact the writer: email@example.com, @jmcauliffeTT on Twitter"Portraits of Service: Looking into the Faces of Veterans"
Authors: Robert H. Miller and Andrew Wakeford
Publisher: Patton Publishing
Pages: 168
Price: $39.95
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The time has passed by so quickly that I forgot to post the winner of the Nancy Book Giveaway! Winner is number 13!
I cannot wait to read this book! I was fortunate to bump into her at CHA 4 years ago but I was too star struck to ask for a photo with her.
Posted by: Kimberlee | 02/08/2014 at 05:03 PM
Kimberlee please email me at: firstname.lastname@example.com with your mailing address!


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Loftware Connector Software
Product Overview
The Loftware Connector® establishes a high-speed 'connectivity bridge' between enterprise applications and the Loftware Print Server (LPS). The combination of Loftware Connector and Loftware Print Server enables enterprise applications to generate barcode and RFID smart labels across large networks of thermal-transfer printers and empowers companies to comply with current and future barcode label and RFID technology specifications regardless of their label production volumes.
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Definition: 'Pyretogenesis'
pyretogenesisType: Term
Pronunciation: pī′rĕ-tō-jen′ĕ-sis, pir′ĕ-tō-
1. Rarely used term for the origin and mode of production of fever.
The definition information for pyretogenesis is provided by Stedman's. You can search our medical dictionary here.
Stedman's, part of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, provides a comprehensive line of health-science publications for healthcare professionals and medical students.
Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.


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novis rebus studentem
Hi. I'm selling my Brompton - asking $750:
Brompton ML3, Sturmey Archer 3 speed, fenders, mudflap rear rack, pump, front and rear lights powered by a bottle-type generator. Includes spare tube, bulb, and a custom canvas travel case. Great shape - some minor scratches where the folding pedal meets the stay. This is the smallest fold of any roadworthy bike - the best for multi-modal commuting. One size on these bikes. If you're over 6', I've included a small seatpost extension that helps. Made in England. $750.
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
I'm in the celtic folk fusion band Baroque and Hungry. "Mended", our new full-length studio album, is now available for download.
Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood now available for download.
Dahon Jetstream P8 Folding Bike - 2007 - Like New - $700 -
sfbay Vintage Raleigh folding bicycle - $60 -
sfbay bike Friday,,Swift folding bikes (each) - $800 -
portland Bike Friday Llama full suspension folding bike - $1250 -
portland Air Glide bike friday - $950 -
phoenix FOLDING BIKE FRIDAY POCKET ROCKET PRO BIKE - $1400 -
Last edited by timo888; 02-24-09 at 05:42 PM.
novis rebus studentem
Last edited by timo888; 02-25-09 at 10:22 AM.
novis rebus studentem
novis rebus studentem
The PRP does collapse but I pretty much leave it unfolded unless I need to fit it in the car. As far as the train is concerned, I consider the PRP a 'full sized' bike
Strida 5.0 for $550
FOR SALE: Very gently used 2008 Strida 5.0 (Silver)folding bicycle. Includes disk brakes, fenders, metal wheels, rack, puncture resistant tubes,original owners manual, and optional carry case. Folds into a very small size in about thirty seconds. Can be carried on bus, train or other public transportation. I paid $725 and am reluctantly selling this nearly new bike only because Im a bit too big for it.
There is a Twenty on EBay, located on Long Island NY.
The person is trying to get muscle bike collectors interested. Little do they know, huh?
I'm selling my Strida 5, if anyone here is interested. Barely used at all. I have the original box and can ship.
Just today picked up an '08 Giant XTC-1 with Camelbak Blowfish, Bell Influx helmet, and Mtnair Blackburn pump all for $500. Bike is essentially pristine. Almost not a mark on it. Locally I found them priced from $850 to $1000.
Is this a good deal? It seems to be to me; but I am nnot conversant with the used bike market.
I'm going to buy a Brommie and sell it to this guy for a huge profit.
My folding bike photo essays www.dekter.net/
Saw this today on the Spokane, WA list. A WWII BSA folder.
Relax, it's a bike ride.
Two R20s on CL in San Jose CA, plus parts and "extra folding bikes"(??). Does this belong to someone here? Will you show us the Moulton when it arrives?


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Thursday, 1/17--Recovery Week 4: A Day of Rest
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Hi all,
I have been tired again today--way more tired than has made sense to me. I have had a hard time staying awake most of the day. I can;t remember being this tired in a long time.
I did get myself together this afternoon and did my exercises, went for a walk, went to WW and stayed for the meeting, then ran a few errands and did a bit of shopping. However, I am back at home now and am still tired. I am enjoying some ice on my knee again. It feels a bit swollen tonight.
I am glad that I lost 1.8 pounds this week. Last week, I gained 2.0 and the week before, I lost 2.2. I think I am truly in my maintenance mode right now and will stay there until I can get back to good cardio that raises my heart rate and works my entire body. I have at least another week before I can go to the pool--I'll have a week in the pool before I can go back to work.
I had a phone call from our HR guy today--he come to realize that I worked on the 7th when I was supposed to be on leave and that is causing them grief, especially since I qualified for extra pay for doing my presentations. I guess he will have to figure that one out.
I am still working on my application. I want to answer the questions in a way that shows off who I am and what I can do. I want this position-they hire 80 people out of the hundreds who apply. It will be tough competition. If I don't make it this year, I will try again next year. I think this is a position made for me and I am going to give it my best.
That's it for today--Tomorrow, Lady has her first follow-up at the vet. She won't get her sutures out until next week. I wonder what we will find out about the cone. She really hates it so much that I feel guilty.
Take care and enjoy the good in your world!!
Gentle hugs,
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REST....REST....REST....You know you need to let your body rest while in reovery. Use that time to work on your resume. Make it the best ever.
On your weight lose this week. Pat
1226 days ago
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I hope you and Lady both feel better soon. Congrats on the weight loss!
1226 days ago
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Sounds like you are in a see saw kind of maintenance which is at least better then a steady gain!
Sylvia, you should know major surgery takes a lot out of a person! you need adequate rest and nutrition to help you heal and recover, so be careful with what you are doing! Healing actually burns more calories, but unfortunatley, Sparks doesn't track that :P. I know I had to eat extra calories with no exercise to speak of (for me) with my hip replacement for at least the first two weeks. I was actually still eating my top of the range. Then I felt I could drop it down to a maintenance with my Fitness Tracker set to no cardio range. This tiredness could be either not enough nutrition or not enough rest.. Your body needs good fuel to recover and its not the time to worry about losing..
Take care of yourself,
{{{gentle hugs}}}
1226 days ago
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Whoo Hoo on the weight loss. I was down 1.2 for the week and I'm thankful. For the first time in many, many years I am heading into lower numbers on the scale.
Hopefully Lady won't need that cone much longer, but you sure have to protect the ear.
1227 days ago
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Posted by Kristie in award shows, celebrities, geek chic
Stellar Eyewear Styles at the SAG Awards
Award season is in full swing, and, as usual, the stars did not fail to delight us with their decadent red carpet fashions at the 17th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards last night. With everything from flowing gowns to swanky suits to impeccable eyewear, these A-listers were right on point for their big night out.
Geek chic frames certainly dominated the scene, traditional rectangular styles also showed face, and blacked out sunnies added a dramatic element to the evening. Overall, we have to say, these celebs rocked it from head to toe regardless of whether or not they went home with a SAG trophy.


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Donate Now
Canada has lost a true visionary leader with the passing of Wallace McCain," said Darrell Louise Gregersen, President and CEO of CAMH Foundation. "Perhaps known best for his business acumen, Wallace McCain's commitment to creating a stronger community through philanthropy and leadership has impacted, and will continue to impact, many lives for the better." In 2009, The McCain Building was dedicated at CAMH – the first donor named building in CAMH's history. This was a bold statement for mental health that has fundamentally changed the way patients and their families, and the broader community view mental illness and CAMH. CAMH Foundation extends sincere condolences to the entire McCain family on the loss of a husband, a father and a loving family member. Please make a donation to CAMH in memory of Wallace McCain.
You can also visit the Wallace McCain tribute page set up by the McCain family.
Charitable Number: 106932320RR0001
100 Stokes Street, 5th FloorBell Gateway BuildingToronto, ON M6J 1H4
Toll-Free: 1.800.414.0471Telephone: 416.979.6909Fax: 416.979.6910


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Available for: iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows Desktop and Windows Store.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's pastoral sojourn in England from October 1933 to April of 1935, which he initially viewed as a withdrawal from the church clashes in Germany, marked instead a new phase in his intensive participation in that struggle. London, 1933-35 provides an almost daily documentation of his deepening engagement against the placid backdrop of his two London pastorates.
Detailing Bonhoeffer's extensive contacts with German expatriates, ecumenical partners and allies, and friends and family, London: 1933-1935 impressively records both Bonhoeffer's involvement in the rapidly developing clash with the deutsche Christen and the means by which he pursued it.
The bulk of the material consists of his wide correspondence but also includes records and minutes of his congregational meetings, excerpts from the diaries of Bonhoeffer's friend and London colleague Julius Rieger, reports from international conferences from 1934, and more than twenty sermons he preached to his London congregations. The wealth of this material, says editor Keith Clements, allows us to experience a dramatic slice of this history and see the many and complex facets of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's personality.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian who lived from February 1906 - April 1945. He received broad recognition for his writings on Christianity's role in the secular world. Bonhoeffer was also famous for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, which ultimately cost him his life in a Nazi concentration camp.
This product is only available for the new 5.9 version of our apps or newer. However, if you purchase now, you will be able to download the product at no extra charge when your app is updated.
The Olive Tree team has been busy working on a major technology update to give you the best reading and studying experience possible. The Bible Study App 5.9 or 6.0 technology update is already available for our Windows Store, Android, and iOS apps. We are currently working on the 6.0 update for our Mac and Windows Desktop apps, and hope to have them released soon!×
Will 6.0 Be Available For My Device?
We are currently working on the 6.0 update for our Mac app. Please note that 6.0 will only be available to the Mac App Store for those running Mac OS X Yosemite or later.
When Is The 6.0 Update Expected?
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Will I Have To Purchase This Resource Again?
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It's our final Knock Out Knock Offs challenge and I have one last project to share with you. This month's inspiration store was Anthropologie.
Amy – Delineate Your Dwelling / Tasha – Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body / Katie – Upcyled Treasure / Brynne – The Gathered Home / Ashley – Bigger Than the Three of Us
I was inspired by this oakwood makeup brush holder.
The reviews were not too kind and maintained the sentiment that this item was something that could have been whipped up with an old chunk of wood and some drill bits. Enter old chunk of wood and some drill bits!
This particular chunk of wood is one my almost-four-year-old practiced hammering nails into. If I had a nicer chunk I would have gone for that since rustic and worn is nowhere near my personal style but hey, free is free!Since we moved, all my brushes and cosmetics have been jumbled in a broken vanity drawer. It's super non-hygienic and it was high time I got those brushes out of there. I think I brushed it off (hehe, I made a funny) because I thought our bathroom remodel (and thus a better storage situation) was on the horizon but we've been here for six months now and a bathroom remodel is nowhere near the top of our list of updates.After I gave my brushes a good cleaning, I laid them out across my wood to decide on the spacing.Then I marked where I wanted the holes to go and traced around the larger brushes to get a better sense of which drill bit to use. I love that since I was DIYing this piece I got to make a spot for my kabuki brush which I use for bronzer on a near daily basis. Most makeup brush holders don't have a place for these type of brushes.Then I went to town with all my different drill bits. While drilling, I wedged the piece of wood between my feet while wearing flip flops (which most locals where about 10-11 months out of the year). You can take a guess how that went…After I had finished, I gave the piece a quick sanding.It's great! I love how chubby it is and again, since it's a custom piece, I was able to pick only the brushes I use on a daily basis.This could be a cool print in a girly bathroom, dontcha think?I'm thinking of ways to modernize this makeup brush holder. Maybe some white paint on select sides?Or maybe since this is a tad more rustic having it around other modern pieces will give it a more eclectic feel which I could go for, too.I think this could easily work in a shared bathroom since the materials and colors are fairly neutral.Clearly, this bathroom vignette was staged outside our bathroom because our bathroom is still looking an awful lot like this:And that's before the broken door which we haven't fixed cause there's a remodel on the way….someday.
If you're looking for more Anthropologie inspired projects, hop on over to these blogs.
I seriously had the best time ever with this series and the one project a month timeline was the kind of pace I could get on board for. I was blown away by the creativity of these amazing ladies!
Here are the projects I made over the past few months:In our first month, I made a chalkboard clock inspired by West Elm. And yeah, it cost me less than $2 to make!
Next was a burlap striped table runner inspired by Zara Home.It was out of my comfort zone but I still found a way to adapt it to my style using other elements.
And last month I made an origami ring holder from air dry clay inspired by Urban Outfitters.Thanks for following along and I hope you gathered some ideas to adapt your own favorite items from commercial stores.
And again, thanks to Amy, Tasha, Katie, Brynne and Ashley. I had the best time!
If you'd like to enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Target, hop on over to DIY Candy.If you're already a Brave New Home follower, chances are you're already qualified for at least two entries!
This post may be linked to any one of these link parties.
How do you store your makeup brushes?


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AROUND TOWN: Meckwood stood out as player, teacher
If he had been born in another era, thousands of Riverside High School students wouldn't have been nearly as fluent in Spanish, nor would they have a basic understanding of the root of so many words we use in everyday conversation.
That's because Bob Meckwood , a standout baseball player at the University of Scranton in his heydey, would have left his mark in San Francisco, instead of among the youth in his Spanish and Latin classes for nearly three decades.
Meckwood, who died April 11, was arguably one of the greatest pitchers our area has ever known.
At the U of S, Meckwood won the Les Dickman Award, given to the basketball team's top player, as a junior, but really shined on the baseball diamond.
A pitcher, Meckwood led the NCAA — all schools — in strikeouts, and after graduation was signed by the San Francisco Giants and pitched in Class AAA Tacoma (Wash.), then the Giants' top farm team.
Unfortunately for Meckwood — but maybe fortunately for the area — there were just 16 major-league teams at that time, and as good as he was, there were no roles for strikeout specialists like exist today.
"If the expansion was in place, there is no doubt in my mind he would have made the majors," former
U of S teammate Ozzie Quinn said. "He threw in the 90s, good stuff and excellent changeup. He gave up very few walks. He was always around the plate."
Quinn speaks from the best experience. He was Meckwood's catcher at the
U of S, where Meckwood was selected as a Wall of Fame inductee in 1981.
In addition to his role as a teacher, Meckwood was also a successful coach, guiding Cathedral High School to a Pennsylvania Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association state title in basketball in 1968. His Riverside teams won four Lackawanna League titles.
Backcourt combo
The Holy Cross girls backcourt positions are now filled for the 2028 basketball season.
Maribeth and Al Callejas Jr. , the assistant coach for the boys team at Holy Cross and former Bishop O'Hara hoops standout, welcomed their second daughter April 12.
Brielle Callejas checked in at 21 inches and 8 pounds, 10 ounces. She has joined her older sister, Aubrie , 2, at home.
According to Al, Aubrie will be playing the point and Brielle will be the 2-guard.
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text: Bronze Frame Cork Board Item #: 122703 $29.99 $12.97 Qty: Sorry, this item is currently unavailable online. Ship to Home Keeping your notes organized has never looked more stylish! This Bronze Frame Cork Board will combines style and function into one helpful décor piece. Board measures 21.5L x 1W x 25.25H in. Crafted of wood Bronze frame finish Cork board features natural brown color Board hangs horizontally or vertically Comes ready for wall mount; no hanging hardware required Sorry, this item is currently unavailable online.


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Deutsche Bank: Gold Is Money
Deutsche Bank analysts Daniel Brebner and Xiao Fu have just released a new report saying that gold is money (via Business Insider):
While it is included in the commodities basket it is in fact a medium of exchange and one that is officially recognised (if not publically used as such). We see gold as an officially recognised form of money for one primary reason: it is widely held by most of the world's larger central banks as a component of reserves.
We would go further however, and argue that gold could be characterised as 'good' money as opposed to 'bad' money which would be represented by many of today's fiat currencies. In describing gold as such we refer to Gresham's Law – when a government overvalues one type of money and undervalues another, the undervalued money (good) will leave the country or disappear from circulation into hoards, while the overvalued money (bad) will flood into circulation.***
In our view the ideal medium of exchange must balance the paradox of representing value while having little intrinsic value itself. There are very few media which can do this. Fiat currencies physically have no use other than that which is prescribed to them by government and accepted by the public. That fiat currencies cost little to produce is of a secondary concern and we believe, quite irrelevant to the primary purpose.
Gold is neither production good nor consumption good. Jewellery we see as a form of storage or hoarding (the people of Portugal have all but exhausted their personal gold stores – hoarded in the form of jewellery – having converted them to survive the crisis). If gold did have a meaningful commercial use we believe that it would make the metal less attractive as a medium of exchange as the value of the metal in whatever market it was used in could periodically interfere with its medium-of-exchange role…
Other characteristics are important of course in fulfilling the requirements for 'good' money: indestructibility, divisibility, transportability and universal acceptability.
They are not alone …
World Bank president Robert Zoellick pointed out in 2010:
Although textbooks may view gold as the old money, markets are using gold as an alternative monetary asset today.
Former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan said in 2009:
Gold prices that jumped above $1,000 an ounce this week are signaling that investors are buying metals to hedge against declines in currencies, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said.
The gains are "strictly a monetary phenomenon," Greenspan said today at an investment conference in New York. Rising prices of precious metals and other commodities are "an indication of a very early stage of an endeavor to move away from paper currencies," he said…
"What is fascinating is the extent to which gold still holds reign over the financial system as the ultimate source of payment," Greenspan said.
And we noted in 2010:
Alan Greenspan told the Council of Foreign Relations last week:
Fiat money has no place to go but gold.
Greenspan also said that supply and demand explanations treating gold like other commodities "simply don't pan out."
Greenspan also spoke of how, during World War II, the Allies going into North Africa found gold was insisted on in the payment of bribes, and said:
If all currencies are moving up or down together, the question is: relative to what? Gold is the canary in the coal mine. It signals problems with respect to currency markets. Central banks should pay attention to it.
Former chief Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg wrote in March:
The best currency may be physical gold…
Phoenix Capital Research argues that central banks are themselves loading up on gold because they know that the entire fiat money scam will soon collapse.
Indeed, it is fiat currency – and not gold – which is in a bubble.
As Bond king Bill Gross said recently:
Gold can't be reproduced. It could certainly be taken out of the ground in an increasing rate but there's a limiting amount of gold.
And there has been an unlimited amount of paper money over the past 20 to 30 years and now – in this period of central bank expansion where it's QE1 or QE2, or whether it's the LTROs of the ECB or this potential new program … then central banks are at their leisure to basically print money.
Gold is a fixed commodity that has a considerable store of value that paper money has not….
When a central bank starts writing checks and printing money in the trillions of dollars, it's best to have something tangible that can't be reproduced, such as gold.
Forget Theory … Are People Actually Accepting Gold as Money?
But forget all the theory. Are people actually accepting gold as money?
Utah has declared gold coins to be money.
CNN reported in February:
A growing number of states are seeking shiny new currencies made of silver and gold.
Worried that the Federal Reserve and the U.S. dollar are on the brink of collapse, lawmakers from 13 states, including Minnesota, Tennessee, Iowa, South Carolina and Georgia, are seeking approval from their state governments to either issue their own alternative currency or explore it as an option.
Unlike individual communities, which are allowed to create their own currency — as long as it is easily distinguishable from U.S. dollars — the Constitution bans states from printing their own paper money or issuing their own currency. But it allows the states to make "gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts."
Financial Times reported in 2010:
Intercontinental Exchange, the US futures exchange group, has followed rival CME Group by allowing its European clearing house to accept gold bullion as collateral for transactions.
JP Morgan accepts gold bullion as collateral.
So does Donald Trump.
China is paying for oil with gold. India is probably doing so as well.
And central banks are considering allowing banks to hold gold as a risk-free, tier 1 asset.
Caveats: Be careful with unallocated accounts, accounts held by big banks, paper forms of gold and tungsten (see this, this, this and this).
Finally, note that FDR was not the only leader to confiscate gold. Gary North alleges:
When World War I broke out in 1914. The banks suspended redemption of gold for paper money. This broke their contracts, but the governments all ratified this action. Then the governments had their central banks confiscate the gold that had been stored in the vaults of the commercial banks.
Hitler, Mao and Stalin also allegedly confiscated gold.
And in the Yuan dynasty six centuries earlier – in an attempt to prop up its fiat currency and prevent runaway inflation – the Chinese government attempted to prohibit all transactions in or possession of silver or gold, which had to be turned over to the government. (China has outlawed possession of silver several times since, and has just lifted the most recent ban.)
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Deutsche Bank is terminating its storage facility of allocated physical for private clients in the Netherlands as per December 1st.
Their PMs desk has been shut down per August 22nd, formally, without prior notice; changing the amount in a PMs account into physical will end October 1st, and all allocated physical already in storage has to be cleared out before December 1st, or changed back to an unallocated PM account.
Hollandsche Bank Unie (hbu) - the only bank in the Netherlands to provide this service to private clients - was bought by DB from Abn/Amro in 2010 on instigation of EU Commissar Neelie Kroes.
Shit, I bought a fine pointing dog a couple years ago for one ounce of fine gold. So yes people accept it as a medium of exchange.
So in answer to that inane comment that "you can't eat gold" I always counter with the answer that they are correct, I cannot eat gold, but I can convert gold into something that will help feed me for a decade.
ATM - I've always found that comment to be absurd. My reply many times in the past is, "I can't eat my gold, but you can't make teeth out of paper."
I guess they didn't get the memo 5,000 years ago. Man, these guys are slow.
Federal Reserve Notes Outstanding = $1.3Trn
Total Gold Held by FED = 282Bln Ounces-------@1750/oz = $493.8Bln
FRN to Gold Held = 2.63 to 1
When we refer to our currency not being backed by anything, that is completely false, Nearly 38% of outstanding Notes are backed purely by gold. Now if gold should begin to rise rapidly and the Federal Reserve maintains some restraint on physical currency then perhaps we may see the ratio drop to 2 to 1 which if gold rises to $2400 than the ratio would get there.
Obviously physical currency is not the only thing that matters as credit far outstrips physical currency and thus the reasoning for debasement and inflation. Gold will continue to rise and asset prices will continue to lag well behind the price of gold. Fed is backed into corner of zero rates and continue to disrupt real economic growth with this policy. As the rest of the world sees the fruits of our monetary policy and act out as expected.
M3 is over 15 trillion.
The FED is backed into a corner? They CONTROL interest rates and the money supply. If they are in a corner, it is one they created.
Don't the bankers have better propaganda?
Magne13, you really believe the FED when they say they have X ounces of gold? I bet most of any physical they have left has been re-hypothecated so many times that effectively they have zero.
daily bread, i do think the fed has the gold, but i also think a lot of gold that is floating around is fake, maybe the fed is behind that as well, perhaps their whole goal was to keep real gold and pawn off fake gold. whatever the case the fed is doing all it can to keep status quo, it will lose that battle, the best trade to make is to sell treasuries and buy gold, there is no way treasuries will keep up in the long run, plus the fed and treasury continue the circle jerk ponzi scheme for long end debt. interest rates are fake and gold and silver are highly undervalued in future dollars, someone has all the real gold, just not sure who. see the central banks are all tied and the experiment is failing, so its going to get interesting
they have it mate, it is just filled with tungsten...
Nice to have, but it won't save you.
"...Be careful with unallocated accounts, accounts held by big banks..."
there is a massive swiss gold scandal brewing and it will involve other major criminal banks....the issue is theft of allocated gold....it's not just the swiss....a lot of rich folk who thought that they had gold are finding out otherwise....that gold plated tungsten was no accident....
there is a massive flow of gold to the east and it will not stop which is due in part to criminal wall street and european banksters who got caught in their thefts....this will compound shortages in the west....as john embry noted, gold flows to where work is happening - the fire economy does not work.....
gold is in severe and permanent backwardation.....the times are very dark - we are on the precipice of another dark age - except satan will pull a counterfeit miracle out of his ass to keep the charade going just a wee bit longer....but after that is the glorious light of god's son....the next 15 years are going to be very very rough....
The 10 oz. gold plated tungsten bars that has hit Europe and most recently the USA (NYC) is extremely professional replica of the real thing. So you have to ask yourself....who has the capability to produce such a bar? The equipment to produce such detail is not synoymous with the Far East. Could a sinster group do it? Or perhaps could it be a government?
The world is awash in debt and deleverging requires patience which is in short supply. Society has become hooked on instant gratification. I agree with you tony......the pain of the future will be much greater than the estacy of the past.
Exactly! Search Morgan Crucible UK and where ever the term takes you, just follow it.
They re stamp and re designate the spoils of "War". Here is where to start > http://www.morganthermalceramics.com/news-and-events/news/morgan-thermal-ceramics-offers-manufacturing-capability-and-engineering-expertise-for-fired-refractory-shapes-in-metals-market/
Who are the totalitarian assholes who have confiscated gold? Hitler, Mao, Stalin, and FDR. Think about it, and think about who the current Asshole in Chief imagines himself to be the second coming of. Now if his ass would just get polio....
I still think they go after retirement accounts first, putting money into T-bills...for our safety. When they come after our gold, they know they'll get a lot of lead first. Anyone know where I can pick up some gold-plated tugsten bars to hand to the nice IRS agents??? Manhattan maybe?
"...Gold can't be reproduced. It could certainly be taken out of the ground in an increasing rate but there's a limiting amount of gold. ..."
Gold can be created chemically in a lab. The cost to doing so is enormous, but a some point it becomes economically feasible.
Gold can be created chemically in a lab.
Um, no it cannot.
Gold can be created via nuclear synthesis, but only in utterly minute quantities, effectively costing millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars per ounce.
Gold is the byproduct of dying suns-
It can only be created in a supernova-
When the Alchemist appears--load the boat-
You mean of like...our Iraqi Oil?
First find your philosopher's stone....
get some lead to protect your gold
(just sayin)
SECRET: I've been silently collecting gold for YEARS. (Sh.. don't tell anyone)
you have emerged from your hole to reveal that you are a tru sarcastican, well done MDB
Actually, you have been taken in by an imposter.
Notice that this faux troll is NOT the original MillionDollarBonus --- he is "MillionDoIIarBonus_". Who is just a copy of "MillionDollarBonus_". Just how many of them there are I have not yet discovered.
More banks are accepting gold as collateral I read somewhere.
Deutsche Bank: Gold Is Money.
What a revelation DB,because you will need every ounce of the stuff just to stay solvent.
When Gresham's law meets Bernanke's Law
Government Policy Is Working !!! … ??????
QEs working ... It's WORKing ... IT'S W-O-R-K-I-N-G!!! ... er, oooph:
Allow me to add one of the better reasons to own PMs that the Manhattan spreadsheet jockeys probably haven't thought of (yet): civil disobedience.
If enough people peacefully opted out of their sham currency and so called democracy (democrips and rebloodlicans) . . . the whole fascist edifice would come crashing down on their heads. Freedom cannot and will not be re-born until sound, debt-free money is re-introduced.
Until then, even if Thomas Jefferson himself were to be reincarnated, he would be derided and cast aside by the Mostly-Moronic-Republic he helped to found.
it's less a question of what is money, more a question of what isn't
Gold, silver, tungsten, perhaps, but ultimately it's likely to be food.
I own a smallholding and raise chickens, ducks and geese for eggs and meat.
When the SHTF, I'll be bartering eggs and meat for soft commodities and metal but NOT for paper promises ;o)
MDB--my concern with your approach is that the zombies will so easily take your chickens, ducks, and geese, eat them in about 10 minutes, then take you away as a slave in the short term a meal in the long term. The entire survive-TEO scenario likely does not work in reality, because the zombies will so outnumber the good guys and will have no hesitation about killing and taking and raping and burning. It MAY be possible for one to survive, but likely only in a very strong community committed to self-sacrifice for the greater good, made up of former soldiers and marines with exceptional warfighting/streetfighting abilities, armed to teeth, and led by truly great men of character, strength, and vision. Some such communities may arise out of the ashes of a TEO event, but they will be few and far between and only a fortunate few will have the opportunity to be a part of one.
Tungsten bullets in good handload rounds are better than money.
I like money.
nickel is money
Utah accepts Gold as currency.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/23/utah-gold-standard-silver-currency/Utah legalizes use of gold, silver as currency
Funny thing is where the program exists no one ever mentions if it is successful. Fuck Portugal legalized drugs and that tidbit enters every legalization conversation.
So how is that Gold and Silver currency thing working out in Utah? You all bringing the slivers into seven eleven for doritos and slurpees?
I spotted this news item today, they described the guy as a "hoarder" but fuck if he wasn't a survivalist or prepper. Lot's of Gold and Guns and canned goods. And con spiracy books.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/17/13921601-7-million-in-gold-fo...$7 million in gold found in dead Nevada man's home
Lot's of Gold and Guns and canned goods. And con spiracy books.
That's probably why he's dead...
Did anybody stop to think why they ransacked his house before locating next of kin? Reasonable suspicion (of what), perhaps?
Ah, never mind . . . I lost myself. Forgot we're not allowed to ask those types of questions in post-constitutional USSA.
Love Father Jack " FEK OFF! DRINK!"
Old guy died of natural causes.
No heirs so Uncle Sam gets whatever.
He was a recluse, but it makes me wonder how many Gold and Guns posters here will wind up in the same boat.
He actually didn't do too badly, GF. Although he was said to be a 'recluse', he worked in some public admin job & just kept himself to himself (is that so bad?). He didn't have much family, just a cousin or something I believe.
He was independent, had enough stashed to see him out (I'm sure he'd like to have lived longer, wouldn't we all though..) & spent what he wanted to on what he wanted. Comapre & contrast with the likely outcomes for most people, esp. in the coming years of gouging inflation & govt. appropriation of (working persons') wealth. Not a bad boat to be in, all said & done.
Drink! Feck! Arse! Girls!
Looks like a cousin in California will inherit the goodies.
But the 'incident' makes it clear that if you ingest too much truth, you'll end up alone, and eventually dead for a month before anybody notices.
So if you know what's going on, keep it to yourself and only let on if you get a sign that you're talking to a 'friend.'
Otherwise, the cat could end up eating your corpse while she waits for the authorities to let her out.
They need to change the rules so that a transaction involving gold does not trigger a taxable event. Until then, it will be impractical to use gold / silver for all transactions. Still possible though and will likely become more popular as faith in the paper is lost.
I was wondering the other day whatever happened to "Stack Attack"?


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Booming Tourist Industry
Despite the difficulties in some regions or countries, perhaps the industry that keeps flourishing is still tourism. That is because those who can afford to travel continually are not very much affected by the changes in the economy.
If you look at hiring or job placement agencies, there are still many vacancies, like Resort Clerk Jobs, pertaining to the tourism industry. They are also looking for bartenders, masseuses, and other like positions. And aside from their salaries, most people in the tourism industry earn a lot from tips and service charges.
Thankfully, the tourism industry is helping a lot of people find jobs. Otherwise, it will really be tough to survive in these trying times.


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Opeth -- Baltimore, MD -- November 1st, 2011
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: La Crescenta, CA
Posts: 644
Wow, this is from a post on opethforum.com
This was a very good show to end the tour. Katatonia was on in terms of energy. They closed out with Without God and Murder with Anders on vocals and Jonas playing guitar. The sound quality was bad though, at least where I was standing. All I could hear most of the time was the bass and the drums, with guitars completely drowned out in the mix. I was standing very close to the front railing to the left near the merchandise stand, so I might have been in that in-between area where the amps were pointed toward the middle and the venue speakers weren't getting to me.
However, when Opeth came on, in that very same spot, everything sounded so much better. Even without the growls, there were some seroiusly heavy parts and blast-beats. All the songs worked great with Porcelain Heart perhaps being a surprise of how good it sounded live. The new Katatonia guitar player came on dressed like a "sexy waitress" to bring Mikael some beer at one point during the show, and that was funny. They closed the show with Folklore, and then came on for encore and did two Bloodbath songs (Jonas, Anders, Axe, the new Katatonia guitar player and Mikael). I think that one was called Eating or something like that, and I am not sure about the other one. The crowd went crazy.
But I don't think that the crowd deserved this treat. It was one of the most obnoxious and disrespectful crowds that I have ever been around. While I could swallow the constant shouting and screaming for Demon of the Fall and other hits in between the songs, the occasional insults referring to the "softness" of Opeth and the amount of talking during the slow parts were annoying. And now there are more slow parts than ever before. At times, like during Nepenthe, I felt like I was at a dinner party with some music playing in the background and people chatting. I don't know why these people even bother coming to shows and paying for tickets when they can do the same back home and not disrupt others.
Overall, Opeth was on, and sound quality was great, but the crowd was annoying. I am looking forward to seeing Opeth again though - I think that their new stuff works great live!
And the fact that the crowd was shitty makes me feel worse.
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QUINCY, Mass. -- Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. here will pay nearly $1 million to settle allegations that its pharmacies overcharged Medicaid programs in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Under the agreement, Massachusetts will receive about $600,000; Connecticut, about $210,000; and Rhode Island, about $150,000. Part of these payments will be used for Stop & Shop to run 200 community service programs in all three states. The programs will include detecting and preventing ...
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From At-Home Dad to Rock Star: Alan Paul Gets Big in China
Alan Paul's new memoir Big in China is the inspirational and improbable tale of a father of three who transforms his life from freelance journalist and at-home dad to rock star in China.� This unlikely journey begins when Alan's wife, Rebecca Blumenstein, gets promoted to the "Wall Street Journal's" Beijing bureau chief.� Leaving behind the leafy suburbs of Maplewood, NJ, with their children Anna, 2, Eli, 4, and Jacob, 6, Alan embraces his Asian adventure and re-invents himself.
Along with coaching his kids' soccer teams and learning Mandarin, Alan forms a band with Chinese musician Woodie Wu and gives it the ironic name, the Woodie Alan.� Less than two years later, Woodie Alan now named "Best Band in Beijing," is touring the country and performing in front of thousands.� �
Now back home in New Jersey, I recently talked with Alan about finding his passion, supporting his wife's career, working mom guilt, the role of dads in society today, and the differences between parenting in China and in America. ��
Are you living the dream?
In a way I feel like I've been living the dream ever since we moved to China.� For me it was completely unpredictable that I would find myself over there and so comfortable among Chinese people. �And then part of the dream was to form a band. �I never really had a big picture in mind of any of this stuff except for enjoying it while it was happening. �I feel like if I had actively thought to live that dream, it would never have happened.
You moved for your wife's job.� How did you feel about that?
People credit me with sacrificing for my wife's career - but it's shallow and it shows so much sexism.� I have done all this cool stuff and Becky really has been the one slogging away.
Does your wife ever resent that you have the less conventional career?� And have you ever resented her career momentum and success?
When our kids were little, it was tough.� In that era I felt like my career was stalled. �I didn't have the energy or time to chase down the writing stuff. �I was home trying to do homework with Jacob and Anna was 18 months old and she was running across the kitchen table.� During that period Becky had to work late and it could be annoying.� But overall, it's really never been an issue with us.� It's a decision that we felt worked best for our family. ��
I think that working moms can feel really guilty and I think its incumbent upon you as a husband to proceed with caution.� I really tried to protect Becky from feeling guilty or that she was missing something.� In China whenever Becky left the country, something bad seemed to happen with the kids - they would get sick, or break an arm.� I was always torn between telling her and protecting her.� I think that is what's illustrative of the double standard.� If she had been the father, no one would think the dad would feel guilty for not being there.��
Many people want to reinvent themselves and are too afraid to even try - or frankly it's just not realistic.� Are there small ways everyone can do this?
You have to be a little thoughtful about what is bugging you about your life and what you might do differently.� I was lucky in a lot of ways - but once I got to China, I had no plan.� The first step if you want to change yourself is being open to thinking outside of the box a bit.� You definitely won't get it if you're sitting around at home.� The more you do, the easier it is to make something happen.�
You actually had more childcare and household help in Beijing than at home in New Jersey.� Was that liberating?� Did it make your musical career possible?
You just have more time and you feel calmer because your house is more orderly.� It took a little while to get used to it.� In China we had an Ayi, which means auntie or nanny in China.� She is the person who cleans, cooks and takes care of the kids.� They treat the kids like the boss.� We had to adapt and our kids had to adapt to that.�
What kind of inspiration or impact do you think you are having on your kids now?
I hope that the kids get the message from my success and the roles Becky and I have played that anything is possible.� I hope that Anna looks at her mom and realizes she can be anything and if she gets married to expect something from her husband.� And I want my boys to see that it's ok to have a thriving career and be a father first.� And if you do put being a dad first it doesn't mean that nothing else is ever going to happen professionally.� I would hope that they would see for me that they are respectful towards women.� That's really important to me.
You recently wrote a piece for the WSJ online about being a "Panda Dad" - taking on the whole Chinese Tiger Mom ferocity. �What did your experience in China teach you?
I think fathers' voices have been absent in this whole thing.� Overall, I think fathers can take a little more chaos.� My feeling is that we want our kids to become independent, free thinking people and find their own way in life.� We need to give them space and let them roam.� I saw some of the tiger parenting in china and it's not so pretty.


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Simple Board Game AI
Anyone new to the Artificial Intelligence field with an interest in gaming should attempt to create a simple board game program with an AI opponent. Generally, the best part about board games are the simple rules—this means less time implementing the game, more time on the AI. Furthermore, board games can be easily rendered, without specialized knowledge of 3D engines or graphical APIs.
This article will detail some of the techniques that can be applied to simple board games.
Influence Mapping
One popular technique often used is influence mapping. Despite the fancy name, it is surprisingly simple: an array identically sized to the game board is used to store the "usefulness" of each corresponding board position—the higher the value, the more likely the agent will move there. For example, let us take the simple game of tic-tac-toe. Imagine the following board scenario:
[x][ ][ ] [ ][O][ ] [x][O][ ]
With the computer playing X, X to move, and the influence map could look something like:
[0][5][0] [9][0][0] [0][0][0]
The program would move to 2,1 (the highest value) and win the game. Note that if that opportunity wasn't there for the computer, then it would move to 1,2 and block the opponent from winning the game. Now for a small board like tic-tac-toe, an influence map is not necessary but for larger games (like Virus (15x15, 225 positions) or Pente (19x19, 361 positions)) influence maps can be indispensable to assess the large number of positions.
Yet how do you assess each position?
The term heuristics is essentially another name for 'rules', and it is these heuristics that will make or break the effectiveness of your AI agent. Firstly, you should narrow down your board game rules to a couple of heuristics that you can easily implement. For example, the rules of Pente dictate that you win if you place 5 pieces in a row, or get 5 captures. Therefore, some possible heuristics are as follows:
Now obviously, the first 3 can be reduced further, "Check for x-pieces in a row" which narrows our heuristic list down to two. So far though we have only an offensive agent. In the worst case scenario, we'd want a purely defensive agent—a purely offensive agent will be easily beaten. An additional two heuristics are required to balance our agent's AI:
We now have four heuristics that can be applied to the game in both defensive and offensive styles. As an example here is a sample Pente board with the typical influence map values after the first heuristic has been assessed. Each position on the influence map is essentially assigned the total number of pieces present across each possible line (vertical, horizontal, diagonal):
For example, 1,3 has been assigned the value '2' because there is a piece present in the horizontal line (1,5), and another present in the \-diagonal line at (2,4). Note that the /-diagonal has the highest values since there are 3 pieces in the 5-line, therefore (3,3) and (5,1) get the highest values assigned to them.
Beyond Influence Maps
You can see now how easy it is to evaluate all board positions using influence maps, although conditions can arise where there is no single best position, but a range. It is up to you how you choose between multiple positions—hone your heuristics in an attempt to reduce the number of equal positions, randomly select from the maximums, or use the influence map simply to greatly reduce the number of positions your more advanced AI must assess.
JDK Demonstration
The Generation5 JDK has three useful classes for implementing these sort of board games and agents: BoardGame, BoardGameAgent and InfluenceMap. One of the demonstrations implement the Virus game, and the applet allows the agent's influence map to be visualized as a gradient (white to yellow, yellow to green):
This article has been a very simple introduction to influence maps and heuristics.
Last Updated: 27/12/2004
Article content copyright © James Matthews, 2004.
All content copyright © 1998-2007, Generation5 unless otherwise noted.
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could I just put on slicks to keep up with road bikers? It seems where I live that's the majority of riders around here....I'm just not ready to commit to a road bike...thanks!
could I just put on slicks to keep up with road bikers? It seems where I live that's the majority of riders around here....I'm just not ready to commit to a road bike...thanks!
I have both a mountain and road bike. Even with slicks on my mountain bike, I doubt if I could "keep up" with the road bikes once the group settled into their pace. Maybe others can answer what the speed difference might be. If the road bikers were out for a recovery ride, it might not be too hard to keep up. But if they're out for a training ride, you'd likely get dropped.
I've got both a decent road bike and my commuter, an old rigid MTB with 1.25" semi slick tires. While the tires do make a big difference for on road performance, my commuter is still nowhere near as fast or efficient as my road bike.
Others covered it, but I'll reiterate. Slicks will be nice, but you will not be as fast as road bikers, period.
Yep. Thin slicks with high pressure will help, but still not the same as a road bike. I can ride my light hardtail (21 lbs) with slicks with a slow road group (and do so sometimes to hang out with a group that I would not normally ride). I could not even think of staying with my normal group rides on it. Probably 2 mph different.
Weight is an issue
Rolling resistance is a big issue, even with slicks.
Aero is a very big issue. It is hard to get into the same position on a MTB that you are in even just on the hoods on a road bike. You are just more stretched out and flatter
Power position is an issue. A road bike geo puts the body in a more efficient position to sustain power.
Not saying you should not do some road rides on your MTB, but you will be working a lot harder to sustain the same pace as the others.
Run, Bike, Run.
Also remember those bikes have bigger wheels and larger chainrings too.
If you've got a 44t big ring, you'd have to be a legend to keep up.. I spin out way too easy on the road and must look like one of those idiots who spend all their time going nowhere in the granny. USE YER GEARS YOU TW@!! (not you, them)
'06 Stumpjumper HT
- Toddorado - "I speculate that, like cats, your other bikes(s) have been out at night having unprotected bike sex"
Rigid fork, narrow slicks, lower handlebar.
You'll be fine (plus you will get a better workout than roadie friends).
You've likely got a big chainring very close to the size the middle ring on a road triple and small on a double. In terms of gearing (which is the bottom line), you're not going to be able to keep up unless you are climbing.
I found slicks on my mtb made a big difference (about 2-3mph average speed difference over 10 miles). Then I decided to offset this with rack, panniers and the obsessive need to carry enough equipment to crush my rear wheel. With a 44tooth chainring and a 48lb bike (incl. luggage) I can manage a heady 13mph average.
Roadies leave me for dust.
Buy a used road bike on Craigslist at a realistic price. If you find you really didn't want to commit, sell it for the same $ you bought it for. No/low risk.
you can keep up for the first 5 miles, but as the distance increases the better off the road bikes will be for the efficency reason in others posts. plus due to your you won't draft well in a group...
over 25 miles:
road bike with group ~19mph
road solo ~17.5
hybrid (upright but with 700x38c tires) ~16
mountian with regular knobies ~ i don't think i would ever go more than 15 miles averageing about 14 but of course i play around a little more hopping curbs and what not on the mtb)
the slicks if thin would go about the hybrid speed but like i said as the distance increases the roadie will hold its pace the mtb will drain you