text:
Setting up an Arts and Humanities Center: What and Why
Thursday, March 21, 2013
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Dr. Kerill O'Neill, Director, Center for the Arts and Humanities, Colby College will discuss the new center, how it connects to the academic departments at the College and how it engages students. A Mellon proposal to fund the new Center will be circulated in advance.
Contact firstname.lastname@example.com for a copy of the Mellon proposal.


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The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 (Black) is the best companion for all your texting, socializing and communicating needs with its long list of advanced features. Fulfilling the needs of every professional, this phone also possesses good multimedia features. Besides supporting Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS and GPRS, the BlackBerry model has a whooping 5 Megapixel camera with enabled HD video recording and integration with social networking platforms. The battery backup is impressive as well. Design and build quality Available in a compact build with a bar type body, the mobile phone weighs just 130 grams and has a dimension of 66 x 115 x 10.5 mm. The shiny black body showcases an easily accessible QWERTY keypad. The display consists of a TFT LCD Capacitive touchscreen measuring 2.8 inch in size with a VGA resolution of 640 x 480 Pixels and 16M colours for a crisp quality viewing experience. Camera Features Capture amazing shots with the 5 Megapixel camera with 4x zoom and an in-built LED flash. The camera also readily supports HD recording along with video recording in a 1280 x 720 pixels resolution. Other sophisticated features of the camera are face detection and image stabilization. Hardware Specifications Powered by a fast 1.2 GHz processor, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 operates on a BlackBerry OS v7 operating system. Consisting of a 768 MB RAM, the phone provides ample storage space with its 8 GB internal memory size. The expandable memory consists of a microSD card support up to 32 GB. With the most advanced connectivity options, the phone supports a 3G connection (14.4 Mbps HSDPA, 5.76 Mbps HSUPA) and a wireless Wi-Fi connection too for hassle free internet connectivity. Compatible with GPRS and EDGE, it also has a social networking support. The A-GPS with BlackBerry Maps feature ensures easy location tracking and the included Bluetooth v2.1, Micro USB v2 connectivity enables easy file sharing/transfer. An additional 3.5 mm audio jack is present too. Multimedia features The multimedia section consists of a music player and video player supporting all well known file formats. Also included are MP3, MIDI and Polyphonic ringtones for fun and entertainment. Socialize at a click with the integrated applications such as Facebook, Vlingo and BlackBerry Travel. Productivity Features Based on the BlackBerry OS v7 operating system, the model supports mobile internet and push mail feature for sending and receiving messages on the go. Other utilities consist of a Document Viewer and a BlackBerry Messenger application. There is also an in-built proximity sensor and a digital compass for enhanced tracking. Power Management This BlackBerry phone consists of a powerful Li-Ion, 1230 mAh battery with an impressive backup. It gives a talktime of up to 6 hrs (2G), 5 hrs (3G) and a standby time of 307 hrs (2G), 307 hrs (3G).
The images represent actual product though color of the image and product may slightly differ.

subset: commoncrawl


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By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — AHEAD of tomorrow's election for a Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the party said, yesterday, that no aspirant for the position had been endorsed by anybody or picked from any quarter.
In a statement, BoT Secretary, Senator Walid Jibrin, also warned aspirants against what it termed campaign of calumny in desperate moves to become the chairman of the board, saying that the contest was not a do-or-die affair
The fight for the BoT chairmanship started following the resignation of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on April 3, last year.
Jibrin's statement read: "I want to confirm that the preparation for the process that will led to the emergence of the PDP BoT chairman is in full gear. I will present the full list of contestants to the board to enable them decide accordingly. I want to assure that up till today nobody has been picked and no screening has taken place.
"Meanwhile, I will like to confirm to you that insinuations created in some quarters that I shall step down wes blatant lies and used by a contestant to garner cheap popularity in a desperate bid to become the BoT chairman by all means.
"I was duly elected in conformity with the provision under BoT in the party Constitution, Part Nine, Section 32, Subsection 1, under A, B, C, which specifically says that the Board of Trustees shall elect Chairman and Secretary from its members and that when elected, they will serve a period of five years and no more.
"That is to say that the position of the Secretary was declared vacant after the resignation of Governor Abdullahi Adamu and that vacancy was duly filled by authentic and legitimate election held.
"The insinuation, therefore, that I was completing a tenure for Abdullahi Adamu is dangerous and reckless and a sign of lack of full knowledge of how the party and BoT operate.
"May I cease this opportunity to advise contestants not to make the campaign a do-or-die affair and never to apply the campaign of calumny in a desperate desire to become the BoT chairman.
"We must accept that the BoT is a concern of the party that need a man of high integrity, honour and respect. He must be a man without any blemished record of any kind. He must garner respect of all Nigerians. The constitution of the party further clarifies that membership of BoT shall reflect the federal character of Nigeria. Every zone must be adequately represented especially in the case of chairman and secretary.
"Finally, I want to make it abundantly clear that I will never step down or resign my position of secretary because I was duly and unanimously elected by 98 members of the BoT and I have since been endorsed by my North Central Zonal Committee including all the governors and legislators in the zone."


text:
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Undone by the calamity of his parents' robbery, Del struggles to remake himself. But his search for grace only moves him nearer to a harrowing and murderous collision with the forces of darkness that shadow us all.
A true masterwork of haunting and spectacular vision from one of our greatest writers, Canada is a profound novel of boundaries traversed, innocence lost and reconciled, and the mysterious and consoling bonds of family. Told in spare, elegant prose, both resonant and luminous, it is destined to become a classic.


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Classification of hydrogeologic areas and hydrogeologic flow systems in the basin and range physiographic province, southwestern United States
ISBN10: 0607985992 ISBN13: 9780607985993 DDC: 551.49/0979 LCC: GB1022 Edition: (pbk.)
Two folded leaves of maps in pocket. "U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey"--T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references (p. 22-23). Also available via the Internet.
- Dewey Decimal: 551.49/0979
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- Language: eng
- Physical Description: iv, 37 p. : col. ill., col. maps ; 28 cm.
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[November 21, 2012]
Microchip Expands mTouch Sensing Portfolio With TurnkeyControllers for Multitouch, Proximity Detection and Haptic Feedback
(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 21 November 2012 Release date- 20112012 - CHANDLER, Ariz. - Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller, analog, mixed-signal and Flash-IP solutions, today announced the expansion of its mTouch Sensing Solutions portfolio, with four turnkey controllers for multitouch projected-capacitive touchscreens and touchpads, proximity detection, and haptic touch feedback.
The MTCH6301 is a turnkey projected-capacitive touch controller that makes it easy for designers to add popular multitouch and gesture interfaces-eliminating the learning curve and time of creating a design from scratch. This controller's sophisticated combination of Self and Mutual capacitive scanning for XY touchscreens and touchpads enables a host of features, including: single and dual-touch drawing, the reporting of 11 single-finger gestures and the detection of up to 10 touches. The MTCH6301 supports sensor designs with up to 13 x 18 channels and cover lenses up to 5 mm. Additionally, Microchip offers its free 'Projected Capacitive Configuration Utility' with automatic tuning, enabling fast customization for different screen sizes and top-layer thicknesses. Microchip also provides designers with the firmware library, so they can make further customizations.
The MTCH101 and MTCH112 are turnkey controllers in small packages that provide an easy way to add robust proximity detection with a range of up to 8 inches. Additionally, these low-cost controllers maximize battery life with power consumption as low as 5 microamps. The MTCH101/112 also provide advanced noise avoidance and cancelling technology, and can operate standalone or connected to any microcontroller via I2C, making it easy to add touchless operation or user detection to any design. This is particularly useful for mobile devices that must reduce 3G/4G transmission power in the presence of a user, in order to pass the FCC's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) test. Proximity detection also enables reduced system power consumption, by inducing sleep when no users are present.
The MTCH810 is the first in a family of controllers based on Microchip's license of Immersion's TouchSense haptic feedback technology. This controller enables the easy addition of haptic tactile feedback to any capacitive-touch button or slider interface. It integrates a single-channel haptic driver output with an industry-standard I2C slave interface that connects to any MCU-all in a small, 8-pin package. Designers can differentiate their products while improving the user experience by utilizing any of the 14 different haptic effects that are pre-programmed into the MTCH810 controller, such as single vibrate and double vibrate.
'We're pleased to be working with Microchip to support the increasing demand for haptic-enabled touch experiences,' said Immersion's Sr. Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Dennis Sheehan. 'By incorporating Immersion's tactile feedback technology into Microchip's touch solutions, OEMs and designers will be able to easily create more intuitive and compelling user interfaces with haptics.' Pricing & Availability The MTCH6301 projected-capacitive controller is available in 44-pin QFN and TQFP packages, and pricing starts at $1.86 each, in 10,000-unit quantities. The MTCH101/112 proximity-detection controllers start at $0.25 each, in 10,000-unit quantities. The MTCH101 is offered in a 6-pin, SOT-23 package, while the MTCH112 is packaged in the 8-pin SOIC and DFN. The MTCH810 haptic-feedback controller is available in a 3x3 mm, 8-pin DFN package, and pricing starts at $0.87 each, in 10,000-unit quantities.
All of four of these controllers are available today for sampling, and volume production is expected in December. For additional information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip's Web site at
. To purchase products mentioned in this press release, go to microchipDIRECT or contact one of Microchip's authorized distribution partners.
Follow Microchip: RSS Feed for Microchip Product News:
About Microchip Technology Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at
Note: The Microchip name and logo is a registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. mTouch is a trademark of Microchip Technology Inc. in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.
Editorial Contact: Eric Lawson 480-792-7182 firstname.lastname@example.com Reader Inquiries: 1-888-624-7435
[Editorial queries for this story should be sent to email@example.com] ((Comments on this story may be sent to email@example.com)) (c) 2012 Electronic News Publishing -
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Josh Berkus wrote: > Tom, > > >>The bigger problem here is that the SMP locking bottlenecks we are >>currently seeing are *hardware* issues (AFAICT anyway). The only way >>that futexes can offer a performance win is if they have a smarter way >>of executing the basic atomic-test-and-set sequence than we do; >>and if so, we could read their code and adopt that method without having >>to buy into any large reorganization of our code. > > > Well, initial results from Gavin/Neil's patch seem to indicate that, while > futexes do not cure the CSStorm bug, they do lessen its effects in terms of > real performance loss. I proposed weeks ago to see how the CSStorm is affected by stick each backend in one processor ( where the process was born ) using the cpu-affinity capability ( kernel 2.6 ), is this proposal completely out of mind ? Regards Gaetano Mendola
Next: From: Steinar H. Gunderson Date: 2004-10-23 11:15:30 Subject: Re: Insert performance, what should I expect? Previous: From: Gaetano Mendola Date: 2004-10-23 10:31:32 Subject: Re: Insert performance, what should I expect?


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I love that Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars are taking it back to a different musical sound with Uptown Funk!! It makes me want to dance and just be happy so here they are on the voice, just a little something to make your Monday bright!! Happy Holidays Everyone!!
Social Media Obession
- #ContestAlert Enter To Win This Amazing Giveaway goo.gl/REqcPX 1 day ago
- Just gonna leave this here -... fb.me/2dgOD42hu 4 days ago
- Had a great time with my ace @diegodowntown celebrating his feature in @WhereDC at the new… instagram.com/p/BZB7X1LFRCb/ 4 days ago
- Posted this last year and it still applies!!! - ✔✔✔♏💯💯 I keep trying to tell yall there's room for everyone to... fb.me/55T3w1GGF 6 days ago
- Yo this takes me back to Copa days and Jack and Jill, love it!! fb.me/3KA88IeBg 6 days ago
- Spotted @ChristylezBacon 🚲 biking down 14th street... heyyyy 👋🏽 6 days ago
- If you make me laugh you'll usually get a decent picture, with just a splash of awkward for… instagram.com/p/BY6sNPbF5Lu/ 1 week ago
- Let's be real, most of us would have called Dro @RoneJae back after how he was layin it down, plus he the homie & life's messy #InsecureHBO 1 week ago
- #BYETASHA, she told Lawrence about himself and kept it moving without lookin back!! #InsecureHBO twitter.com/russ_jokes/sta… 1 week ago
- Yeah you know that "perfect" facade gotta crack soon, omg that finale was so much and I'm already ready for S3!!… twitter.com/i/web/status/9… 1 week ago


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Marissa Mayer of Yahoo! may have banned her employees from working from home, but Chicagoans haven't gotten the message–just take a look around the city during regular work hours. Whether your Chicago apartment seems to resemble the size of a closet or you just need some human contact once and awhile, the Windy City's cafes have got your back. This Chicago neighborhood guide gives you the scoop on three of the best Chicago neighborhoods for telecommuters.
Wicker Park
Wicker Park is Chicago's artistic hub, and sometimes it seems like everyone works from home. Take a stroll down Milwaukee Avenue and you'll see what we mean. On an average workday, you'll see laptop-laden coffee drinkers working diligently–likely because it's hard to walk down a city block in this Chicago neighborhood without running into a coffee shop. One of the best in town is the Wormhole, especially if you like to take a work break to play Super Mario Bros. or pretend you're Marty McFly (this joint has a Delorean). To top it off, these baristas are pros at latte art, and routinely craft unbelievable coffee creations. Pull up a chair at one of the community tables, all of which are accompanied by a power strip (genius!), and join the party. Need to mix it up? Filter, Lovely, Buzz and Francesca's on Damen are all great spots to be productive.
Logan Square
It may be hipster nation (who said that's a bad thing, anyway?), but Logan Square is home to some great coffee shops. Like most areas in Chicago, this northwest side neighborhood has its own distinct community feel. Logan Square stands out because much of the area is sectioned into quiet tree-lined streets and bustling city blocks. If you're looking for a quiet place to get down to business, Rewster's Café, Ipsento and Café Mustache are perfect. Although these spots are small, they are rarely overcrowded. If you don't want to risk not being able to find a chair, New Wave Café is massive and has everything from cozy couches to actual work desks–but also has fairly loud music.
Lincoln Square
If you're looking at Chicago neighborhoods on the north side, Lincoln Square is a refined, but hip area. Coffee shops like The Grind and The Perfect Cup are, well, perfect. With bright light streaming in from outside, both of these locales will keep you awake while you chug away at your work. The Grind is fairly small, so you'll want to snag a chair early here, but The Perfect Cup is lined with tables and chairs that are perfect for one (plus a laptop, of course).


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From no compulsory redundancies among the 280,000 staff under the direct control of the Scottish government to no marketisation in the NHS (as well as free prescriptions) and the continuation of the education maintenance allowance, Scotland's divergence from Westminster appears to be increasing by the week.
While house-building in England has fallen to its lowest level since the 1920s, Scotland's supply is meeting demand under a regime that generally dictates better design standards. Equally remarkable on the social housing front, the country's local authorities are now building as many council houses annually – 1,000 – as its southern neighbour 10 times larger, following the relaxation of controls restricting borrowing.
As a senior minister with a wider portfolio than any comparable Whitehall department – chancellor, industry, energy and local government supremo rolled into one – John Swinney happily produces statistics to show how his leftish leanings have so far helped Scotland withstand the worst excesses of George Osborne's savage spending squeeze.
While Osborne began slashing last year, Swinney took a noticeably more cautious path, which has helped boost housing and other activity.
"I decided not to reduce public spending as fast as it was done in the UK," he says proudly. "What's the upshot of that? UK construction employment has fallen by about 2% over the year – construction employment in Scotland has grown by about 11%. My point is well evidenced … more people are [therefore] paying taxes, have spending power in the shops and all the rest of it, as a consequence of us taking those steps."
But payback time is finally emerging. "I've had to confront some of the consequences of that now [and am] having to reduce public spending to take account of that," Swinney confesses as he prepares an extremely tough budget this month that will finally acknowledge the reality of the Osborne axe.
For the past eight years, capital spending in Scotland has been running at around £3.5bn annually. Now he has to cut that by a third, leaving the country – as he tactfully puts it – "£1bn adrift". The seemingly unflappable Swinney displays a little uneasiness.
Officially known as cabinet secretary for finance and sustainable development in a Scottish National party (SNP) government, Swinney has two deputy ministers, covering business and energy, and local government and planning respectively.
A former strategic planner with a large Edinburgh insurer and, subsequently, a business and economic development consultant, Swinney, in his mid 40s, is proof that there is political life after leadership. He led the SNP for four years, until 2004 – replacing Alex Salmond – only to stand down for Salmond's second-coming.
As finance secretary, he is the principle link between the Scottish and UK government. He describes his relationship with the Treasury as "courteous" and "professional" and, particularly, its chief secretary – fellow Scot Danny Alexander – who he meets regularly. The ideological divide between Alexander, Liberal Democrat MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, and Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North – and happy to be labelled a social democrat – is profound. "I deal with him a lot," Swinney volunteers. "Sometimes we reach agreement, sometimes we can't [but] I find the political approach he's taking extraordinary given his political roots. Any time I looked at the Liberals in my political life they were the radical Highland party."
Now, he laments, they are partners in an ideologically-driven rightwing government, pursuing a deficit-reduction strategy hitting the weakest hardest – and, finally, forcing the Scottish executive to accept a cuts package against its better judgment.
Politicians and local councils across the border, in north-east England, might look in wonder at Scotland's ability so far to withstand the worst excesses of the Osborne/Alexander cutbacks – thanks, in part, to a relatively generous Westminster funding settlement of £28bn-plus a year. But Swinney undoubtedly speaks for many in England when he questions the Treasury's balance between slashing spending on the one hand and encouraging growth on the other. "The danger for the UK government, running the economy for the past 16 months, is that they've tipped the balance too hard in favour of consolidation when, with a modest realignment of capital spending, they could be motivating a higher level of growth," he insists.
Which takes us back to the limited options for capital spending available for Swinney to keep people in work and to encourage that growth. How can he maintain some demand in the Scottish economy? First, he insists, it's about jobs. "Take, for example, some of our approaches to public sector employment," he responds. "I've said it is going to fall over the course of the next few years, but I'm trying to sustain as much as I can because I think it's a contributor towards the economy ... to give an assurance to public sector workers, to give them a bit more confidence about their living standards and lifestyles, that the government will not go down the route of compulsory redundancies. You can opt to be redundant – voluntary severance – but you won't have that compulsion."
That is one of the subjects he has just been discussing with several council leaders at St Andrew's House, the administrative headquarters of the Scottish executive in Edinburgh. While Swinney cannot directly control Scotland's 32 councils – although they are in the fourth year of a centrally-influenced council tax "freeze" – he is encouraging them to follow suit. Collectively, Scottish councils have a 200,000-plus workforce and he is pleased to say one of them – the Scottish borders council – has taken his lead. "They've come to the same agreement with the trade unions … and got some flexibilities from them in exchange for the agreement. That's a sensible way forward."
Swinney rejects criticism surrounding what some see as the ultimate irony of Scottish home rule; namely, that the SNP government has centralist instincts at odds with local democracy. The SNP's plan for a national Scottish police service, abolishing eight forces in the process, is put forward as a case in point. The body representing councils, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, is deeply uneasy, accusing the government of riding roughshod over local democracy.
Over-centralist? "No, I don't agree with that," counters Swinney. "When we came into government in 2007 [as a minority administration initially] you had a relationship between national and local government that I would best describe as prescriptive. We pursued an approach to give local government more discretion … and in so doing we came to a 'concordat', removing many of the constraints on local authority funding."
The other contentious area is an over-enthusiasm for major road schemes – notably a big extension of the M74 motorway ploughing through the East End of Glasgow – at the expense of public transport. Similarly, plans for a new Forth Road bridge, costing £1.4bn, on which work is due to start later this year, are proving controversial, with critics arguing the money would be better spent on public transport.
That said, the Scottish government's commitment to a fully-regulated planning system – embracing a national framework for the whole country – contrasts starkly with the deregulated, market-led regime being pursued in England and now alarming groups from the National Trust to amenity societies and large councils fearful of a developer free-for-all.
Swinney's passionate advocacy of planning might be music to the ears of the National Trust. Of the Scottish system, he explains: "Essentially, it's structured around having a clear idea at national level of what is acceptable. We put that into a national planning framework – big picture stuff about what the country is going to look like, a spatial plan. It gives people a clarity – 'don't come along to this part of the country and try to build, say, a major industrial plant because it's not going to happen. Business wants certainty, whether it's a 'yes' or 'no'."
And, from Swinney's perspective, people want economic certainty. Scottish cities did not experience England's wave of urban disorder last month. Swinney finds it all unfathomable. But he adds passionately: "If I step aside from that, what am I trying to do as a government minister in Scotland? I'm trying to create a society that gives opportunity and hope to the citizens of our country and if that contributes to creating social cohesion in our communities then I think that's a job well done." He adds: "We spend a lot of our time trying to make sure that young people have the opportunity to gain access to some form of education, training and fulfilling a purpose."
But with the UK government largely determining funding, while broadly setting economic policy, it will be no easy task for Scotland to maintain a distinctly different course from a Westminster government in the years ahead.
• The Guardian's Public Services Summit Scotland is on 22 September in Edinburgh. theguardian.com/summit-scotland-2011


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D.C. Forecast: Severe thunderstorm watch issued for D.C. area
This Afternoon: Strong Storms Possible, Windy
Highs: 85-88 | Wind:{ }S 15-20/G 30
Tonight: Lingering Rain, Late Clearing
Lows: 55-62 | Rain: 80% Chance
Sunday: Sunny, Cooler, Less Humid
Highs: 74-78 | Wind: NW 5-10 mph
After a week of unrelenting humidity and tropical downpours, Saturday{ } will unfortunately offer more of the same.{ } But it will likely be the last of the sultry days for the immediate future.{ } A strong cold front from the Midwest is poised to move through the Mid-Atlantic, bringing with it the possibility of high winds, drenching rain and hail.{ } Winds from the northwest could gust up to 30 mph, as the storm ushers in cooler and much drier air for the coming days.{ } Highs Saturday will again head for the upper 80s, continuing this month's hot streak. To date, each day has been well above average as September is running six degrees above normal.{ }
Sunday however{ }will see a reversal of our recent ill fortune.{ } Look for highs in the mid 70s and dew points dropping into the 50s.{ } That pattern of refreshment should last through much of the coming week. Mostly sunny days in the 70s and low 80s - { }and{ }low humidity - { }should give us{ }a very pleasant last full week of summer.
Be alert to any severe weather warnings this afternoon, and then prepare to relax on what promises to be a more sedate and comfortable{ }Sunday!


text:
Shiawassee County 'crippled'
|By Rich Tupica
Generator shortages just one of the problems experienced outside of Tri-County region
A towering, Sleepy Hollow-esque oak in Joe and Nancy Robinson's front yard has hung over Beard Road in Shaftsburg as long as anyone can recall. Planted roughly 180 years ago, during the Andrew Jackson administration, the tree has weathered all types of severe storms until this one.
It now is cracked, essentially destroyed, its ancient branches down and rudely cleared from the roadway.
"People have been going by with their chainsaws and have been cutting it back. You couldn't get by at first," Nancy Robinson said over the hum of a nearby generator. "It was our favorite tree," her husband, Joe, added. "When we bought this house we made sure the tree was included on our property."
The Robinsons' loss of power and property damage isn't unusual in their neighborhood. Shaftsburg (also known as Woodhull Township) in Shiawassee County, was one of the areas hardest hit by the Dec. 21 ice storm, according to Thomas "TJ" Clark, director of Shiawassee County's Emergency Management Homeland Security.
Up the street from the Robinsons, near the Shaftsburg Village Market, lives Landan Dibble, 25, who lost power on Christmas night. How has he kept warm? "Right now, by chopping wood — stacking it up," he said the day after Christmas, holding his axe near a pile of freshly cut logs. "We just use stove heat." Dibble said his area is a wreck in all directions. "It dropped a bunch of lines down Beard and Shaftsburg Road. If you take any of these connecting roads to Haslett there are a lot of lines down to the ground. When you drive around, every second you see another tree that's dropped. Even today, I'm out here chopping and I still hear them dropping."
"We're keeping warm with a generator, spending $20 or $30 a day on gas — but we have everything except hot water," Sebrell said. "I've been helping anyone I know who needs help, clearing their driveways. When everything clears and we get power we'll start cleaning up yards in the neighborhoods. I've never seen anything like this and I'm 57 and have been in Michigan all but one of those years."


text:
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How many times have you seen this happen at school? The English teacher gives the class a topic to write on, and everyone comes up with something different. In fact, some of the essays are so inventive that you find it hard to believe everyone started out with the same basic theme.
This happens to children's fiction writers, too. They might draw inspiration from the same topic, but how they treat their subject matter makes all the difference.
Take Joan Lingard's "Tell the Moon to Come Out," a story of young love and of a boy's relentless search for his father through wartime Spain. Compare this with, for instance, another children's book in the war-fiction genre, Michael Cronin's "Through the Night" (see this column, April 3, 2003).
While Cronin's fast-paced narrative capitalizes on the conflict between the oppressors and the oppressed, Lingard is in no hurry to make such judgments. She takes her time to tell the story, and wartime events take a back seat to characterization and atmosphere.
Nick, the Scottish-born son of a Spaniard, has just sneaked into Civil War Spain to find his father, who returned home to fight for the Republicans against Gen. Francisco Franco. If you're new to this chapter in history, here's a quick recap: 1930s Spain was polarized between the Nationalists and the Republicans. After the Republican Popular Front won the 1936 elections, Franco and the Nationalists who supported him staged a military uprising to seize power. Both sides sought help from abroad: Franco from Hitler and Mussolini; the Republicans from France, Britain and the USSR. But, as Lingard points out, both sides ended up with blood on their hands.
She depicts a Spain divided by fear and distrust. The civil guards are the most fearful face of the repressive Franco regime, in their gray-green uniforms and patent-leather tricorn hats. Everyone dreads that knock on the door in the middle of the night announcing a visit from them; suspected dissidents are dragged out into the street and shot in the head.
As Nick journeys across Spain without any official papers, he must constantly make difficult judgment calls about whom he should trust. But Lingard never lets the grimness of war completely take over. She paints rural Spain with warmth — the rugged countryside, the searing afternoon sun that drives people home for their siestas, the highway travelers on their donkeys. It is here that Nick meets Isabel, a local girl whose father is a Civil Guard. Despite their disagreements in matters of politics, Isabel saves Nick's life and changes it forever. As they search together for his father, they meet many people along the way who help them, expecting nothing in return.
A poignant tale of a young man's seemingly impossible quest, this is also an engaging introduction to Spanish history. This isn't a brisk read in which the good guys trounce the bad guys. Instead it's a lingering look at Spain in all its easygoing vitality and color. What we get is a sense that even in wartime, there are moments — however fleeting — that allow us to experience the pleasant sensations of life acutely.
As Francisco, a friend of Nick's father, tells him: "In the war, you enjoy yourself when you can. Whenever there is a lull. You live for the hour. It sharpens life."
For teenagers 13 years and up. Available from September at Kinokuniya, Shinjuku, (03) 3354-0131.
So you're studying all about South America in geography class and you want to know what a gaucho is. You look it up in the dictionary and it says: "a cowboy from the South American pampas." OK. That helps — but you still have questions, right? It gets you conjuring up images of South American cowboys, but if only you could see one.
Now you can. The gaucho pictured in DK's Illustrated Oxford Dictionary comes wearing bombachas (bloused trousers) and a panuelo (knotted scarf), with a boldeadoras (lasso) in hand. Once you've seen this fellow for yourself, it's hard to forget him.
Want to see what a modem looks like from inside? Or get a quick look at how nuclear power is produced? Or simply learn how to tell a tawny owl from a barn owl?
The publishers of this dictionary understand that a picture is worth a thousand words. So they've packed this volume not only with 187,000 definitions of everything from an abacus to a Zulu, but they've also crammed it with 4,500 color illustrations to help you develop a vocabulary that shows not just how much you've read, but also how much you've seen.
The publishers have carefully picked words that cry out for illustration — they're usually those where just a written definition falls short. Sometimes a single word embodies an entire concept. For example, to illustrate the word "gem," a page-full of images is provided so that you can tell an emerald from a peridot, a sapphire from lapis lazuli. Where it's needed, cutaway diagrams and labeling are given to add details.
The dictionary proper is sandwiched in between a usage guide at the beginning and a reference section at the end. The usage guide helps you figure out how a word is pronounced once you look it up, find its illustration (if it has one), see how it is commonly used and learn about its etymology. (And if you don't know what etymology is, you know what to do . . .)
The reference section includes political and physical maps of the world, the flags of every country you can think of, a chart of the night sky and a map showing time zones across the world. There's more — but don't let me tell you all about it.
This isn't just a must-have for every classroom; it's also a great addition to home reference that your parents could use just as easily.


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I'm so frustrated, It would appear that 90% of cake businesses in the UK don't give a hoot about copywrite laws. There was a thread on a FB cake page yesterday where the general consensus was "Oh no-one pays attention to that".
I was only one of two dissenters who flat refuse to do themed cakes. It's almost impossible to compete when nearly everyone else is breaking the law! Don't get me wrong, I'm not softening my position. I turn cakes away. But it's not fair that everyone else is being so naughty! (Stamping my feet!)
There just doesn't seem to be any deterrent over here- people aren't held accountable, so they just crack on.
I've resolved to focus more on weddings to keep me out of the situation, but as a recently relocated business trying to establish myself, it's very slow if i have to keep turning down kids cakes etc because they want Peppa Pig and won't go for the figurine options.
Rant over. Any advise?
no advise other than to keep it up.. sorry
Im in the uk also and just starting up and due to this forum im am now very aware of this problem.
pointless reply looking at it actually but there are others taking the same view..promise
stand strong! x
When you get an inquiry, let them know that the charges and fines will be for them too, not just the baker. Ask them if the cake is worth a couple thousand dollar fine down the road. At least you put the bug in their ear. If more of us inform the clients, they will be less likely to want that cake after all.
Of course there will be clients, just like bakers, with no regard for the property of others. We can't change everyone's moral code, but we can stick to ours.


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Brooking's Falcons career ends in disappointment
Published: January 4th, 2009 | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Keith Brooking
A first-round draft pick in 1998, linebacker Keith Brooking has enjoyed a tremendous career with the Atlanta Falcons. But if it's over, it didn't end the way he wanted.
Brooking was beat by Cardinals tight end Stephen Spach on a key play late in the game during Arizona'a wild-card win over Atlanta on Saturday.
The next play that Brooking makes likely won't come for the Falcons. Brooking is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and it's questionable whether Atlanta will re-sign him. At 33, Brooking isn't as fast as he once was, and he sometimes can be a matchup liability when asked to cover a running back.
Brooking has become a fixture in Atlanta, but the question now is whether he will get to finish his career there.


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- SCU Home Page
- About SCU
- Admission
- Academics
- On Campus
- News & Info
- Alumni
Heart of the matter
I am very proud to call Santa Clara a Catholic university. The article "No simple highway" by Juan Velasco [Summer 2008 SCM] illustrates just what SCU means to the world searching for purpose, meaning, and understanding. Jesus taught us to carry out the beatitudes. His principle message was love—agape; and Jesus admonishes us sinners not to cast the stones. He'll separate the wheat from the chaff. That's where prayer takes priority.
Santa Clara's Catholicism has grown from my era, 1951-55. It has a clearer understanding of the titration of justice and mercy. Jon Sobrino, Leonardo Boff, and Gustavo Gutierrez have constantly repeated the essence of liberation theology found in the poetry of Óscar Romero: "The world does not say: Blessed are the poor. The world says: Blessed are the rich. You are worth as much as you have. But Christ says: Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, because they do not put their trust in what is so transitory. Blessed are the poor, for they know that their riches are in the One who being rich made himself poor in order to enrich us with his poverty, teaching us the Christian's true wisdom."
And now it is the Jesuit University of Central America that has opened up the heart of Santa Clara's student body. This is the true Catholicism I see at Santa Clara U. The white crosses are keeping us on the highway.THOMAS M. WHALING '55
Laguna Hills, Calif.
There's hope yet
Mike Keithley '72 has been blind since birth. I am his wife, and I read to him. I want to thank John Heath for his excellent article "Waiting for the nastiness" [in the Summer 2008 issue]. Having been an avid reader all my life, I agree with John fully! Thank God the Jesuits are still front runners in the effort toward enlightenment! There is hope with people like John Heath around.STAR KEITHLEY
Mountain View
Best mag ever
I have been receiving Santa Clara Magazine for well over a decade. However, I wanted you to know that the Summer 2008 issue is by far the finest and best written collection of articles in the years I've been reading your publication.
Though now retired, I enjoy keeping up with my past services as a director of the SCU business board. I went to Stanford (years ago), but I found serving on your board one of my most satisfying volunteer duties.
Thank you, and keep up the good work and literary scholarship.GERALD BLUM
A prisoner's dilemma
I was deeply touched by the article "For I was in prison and you visited me" in the Summer 2008 issue. The benefits that the the Chowchilla Family Express program provides to relatives or someone close to an inmate are truly amazing.
People who don't know anyone in a state prison have a tendency to stay segregated from this world. Many of us don't think about the contributions that we can make to help families stay connected during this journey. I myself had been segregated from this world until last year, when my cousin, who is in his early 40s, was incarcerated with a 30-year sentence. Since his sentencing, we have maintained constant communication through mail, and he reminds me of the positive impact that my letters have on his life.
He is at the California State Prison of Pleasant Valley in Coalinga. He has three boys, ages 19, 12, and 8, who have had a difficult time adjusting to a lifestyle that does not allow them to live with their father. This past year has brought them several challenges, which have manifested in lack of motivation to go to school and hanging around crowds potentially affiliated with gangs. Unfortunately, my cousin's ex-wife has not been successful in reaching out to resources that could provide assistance. As of July, my cousin has not seen his children in over a year, and I know that he dreams of the day that he can seem them, even if it might be through a glass window.
As I read the article, I thought of my cousin and wanted to congratulate Eric DeBode and the Chowchilla Family Express program for making many dreams come true by allowing loved ones to stay connected. You have inspired me to make an effort to visit my cousin more often and to obtain the mother's permission for my cousin's children to see their father—who loves them very deeply. My hat goes off to everyone who makes the program successful.CLAUDIA VÁSQUEZ '00
San Jose
If women should rule the world
Dee Dee Myers' thesis [in "Stand Up: Why women should rule the world," Summer 2008 SCM], that outcomes would be better if more women were in charge, was still running through my mind when I attended a funeral Mass at the Jesuit Center in Los Gatos in June. The Mass was for Gerry Phelan, S.J., who was a beginning scholastic at SCU 50 years ago when I was in my senior year and female students were only a couple years behind me.
There wasn't a single woman in the funeral program, though Gerry's sister, a member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSHJ), was present. Several of us in attendance were part of a prayer-group that included Fr. Gerry, meeting monthly for almost 20 years, and we rather expected there would be an opening in the service for us to voice our remembrances.
Like Fr. Gerry, I, too, had a relative in the RSHJ—an aunt—and when she died the funeral service was partly a Mass and mostly like an Irish wake, where we all sat around recalling all manner of stories about her.
It's high time the aging priests take a note from the aging nuns. It would only be right—fulfillment of their committed task—to educate the whole man. Blessings!ROBERT DALEY '58
Despite her nuanced claims to the contrary, Dee Dee Myers embraces matriarchy. So simple: Save the world by having women rule the world. How can Myers, educated to deal with a complex world with objectivity and tolerance, espouse such nonsense? I would have expected her to at least promote a gender-neutral "collaborative-dynamic" hierarchy.DON DELAY MBA '79
San Jose
I was disappointed in the article on Dee Dee Myers. I applauded her efforts when she tore down walls between the sexes in her advancement to White House press secretary. However, she seems intent on building those walls back up with her book, Why Women Should Rule the World. I'm sure the title is a marketing gimmick to sell books, but I think Myers may actually believe it.
Let's consider some of the negatives that might be associated with a women-controlled world:
Clearly, the above are poorly worded generalities (humorous or not), but so too are the assertions from Myers that bringing more women into the process "makes businesses more profitable" and "there would be people who would work harder to try to find common ground." Sounds like Myers has spent too much time using politicians' words and forgot how to formulate her own.CHRIS FLEISCHER '92
Cary, N.C.
Contrary to Dee Dee Myers' assumption that she was part of the first coed floor at SCU, Paul Totah '79 and I both remember that 4th floor Swig hall, where we lived, was the first truly coed floor—in 1977. The floor was populated with a 50-50 male to female ratio and it was actually a pretty mellow floor. John Privett, S.J., was the resident faculty/Jesuit. Thanks for setting the record straight.DOUG SALIN '77
San Francicso


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Isn't it always the smallest things that create the biggest irritations? Things like a dripping faucet, a creaking stair step, or Windows forcing you to send your mouse through a maze of menus just to switch audio output between the speakers and the headphones! Aren't Windows' developers smart enough to come up with a toggle switch between the two outputs? Apparently they're not. But luckily for us, Dustin Wyatt is.
Wyatt's the creator of Soundswitch, a free and simple program that lets you switch from one sound output to another by tapping a hot key or by clicking a tray icon.
Download Soundswitch at http://blog.contriving.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/soundswitch_v2.03.zip , and unzip the file into whatever directory you want. That's all there is to installation except for going into a config.ini file with a text editor to make a few changes. One is to tell Soundswitch which sound devices you want to switch between.
But first click the loudspeaker in the Windows system tray and click open the playback devices' dialog box. Right click on any of the devices listed there and make sure that both "Show Disabled Devices" and "Show Disconnected Devices" are checked.
Close the box that has those two options by clicking outside it. Now count your output devices, including disabled and disconnected, and remember the numbers of the two you want to be able to switch between. In the example here, I need to control a set of speakers in position 4 and the headphones at 5.
Add those numbers to the "Source1=" and "Source2=" lines, and that's it. You can do more by assigning hot keys to switch the sound sources and set up a bunch of controls you'll never use. Just save the .ini file, run switchsound.exe, and the icon you see to the left will appear in the system tray. Next time the family's yelling at you because your speakers are too loud, just click the icon and don your headphones. When everyone's gone, another click will bring you back into full-blast rock 'n' roll glory.
Soundswitch works with Vista and Windows 7. There's an older version for XP.


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Jude Law is doing what he can to help save to the seals.
Following the start of Canada's annual mass seal hunt -- during which the government allows hunters to kill more than 300,000 of the mammals -- the British actor has joined forces with PETA to speak out about the highly-controversial practice.
[Related: Stars and Their Environmental Causes]
In a letter written to the World Trade Organization, which is deciding whether or not to uphold a 2010 European Union ban on seal fur imports, Law makes an impassioned plea.
"I'm writing to urge the panel to uphold this ban, which is in line with the wishes of compassionate people all around the world, including the majority of European citizens," wrote the 40-year-old "Sherlock Holmes" star. "Even local sentiment is turning, and a lack of markets has led Canadian officials to seriously examine whether the slaughter should end."
As Law notes, the import of seal fur is banned in most major markets, including Europe, the United States, Taiwan, and Russia. However, the Canadian government is challenging the European ban in what PETA describes as "a last-ditch effort to try to revive the trade."
"The purpose of the WTO is to support efficient markets, not government decisions to prop up dying industries like the seal slaughter," Law pointed out. "Rather than using the WTO to prop up a dying industry, Canada should pursue a buyout of the commercial sealing industry -- a move that would help both seals and sealers. The world is watching and waiting -- please uphold the EU ban."
The WTO's final hearing to settle the dispute will be held on April 29.
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A DAUGHTER whose mother spent her last days being cared for at a hospice is continuing the fundraising work she started.
Debbie Hughes and her sister-in-law Carrie Broadbent promised Elaine Reardon they would support the Marie Curie Hospice Bradford which cared for her last year.
Mrs Reardon spent two weeks in an induced coma and was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) before being referred to the Marie Curie Hospice for rehabilitation
"We were surprised that mum was sent to the hospice as we thought it was just for people with cancer," said Mrs Hughes, of Idle.
"Mum attended the Breathe Better Group at the Day Therapy Unit in the hospice. The hospice physiotherapist was fantastic but suggested that mum would benefit from being admitted to the in patient unit of the hospice. Initially, mum spent two weeks on the ward before she was able to return home."
In September 2013, Elaine was moved back to the hospice for eight weeks.
Miss Broadbent said: "All of the staff at the hospice were brilliant, not just with mum but the whole family. From the warm welcome you receive when you arrive, we felt like all the staff would go to the ends of the earth to help.
"When Debbie and I were unable to get to the hospice someone stayed with mum, even though her shift had finished, until we arrived so mum wasn't on her own."
Mrs Reardon's grandchildren, Poppy-Lois, Brooke and Amelia, often visited the hospice and loved playing with a doll's house there. As family meant everything to her, the nurses moved the toy into her room so she could spend as much time with her grandchildren.
She died in January this year.
Miss Broadbent, who lives in Tong, said: "Elaine was trying to raise money for the hospice whilst she was staying on the ward and she kept making us promise that we would get involved too.
"Debbie and I have been fundraising through Kinder Haven nurseries where we work. The children and families at the nurseries have all been so enthusiastic about supporting Marie Curie, we've already organised wear yellow days, raffles and bun sales.
"Debbie and I have joined the Idle Fundraising Group to carry on raising funds for the hospice as it means so much to us to carry on supporting it in memory of Elaine."
The group has raised more than £1,300 since it started a little more than three months ago and this Saturday it will host its next fundraiser, a Blooming Great Tea Party at Idle Baptist Church.
The Bradford Marie Curie Hospice provides end of life care to terminally ill patients and support for their families, completely free of charge. It costs over £3.5m per year to run its Bradford hospice.
Saturday's Tea Party takes place from 1pm until 4pm at Idle Baptist Church on Bradford Road. Entry costs £3 which includes a slice of cake and cup of tea or coffee.
* To get involved, e-mail email@example.com or call (01274) 337034.


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Happy Birthday Linda!!! Love & miss you too!!!!!!
Happy Birthdat (Friday) my dear friend! I love and miss you! Hope this year finds you better!
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
~Winston Churchill~
Happy Birthday Linda!!! Love & miss you too!!!!!!
happy birthday linda i have missed our chats my friend . hope you are feeling alright hugs kim l
may your day find a little peace within you.
Happy Birthday Linda! Best wishes.
"There but for the grace of God, go I."
"... His mercy endureth for ever."
Happy Birthday, Linda. Hope you had a great day.
I may have been dealt a bad hand, but at least I'm still playing with a full deck. ( most of the time anyway).
I may be late but I still want to say hope your birthday was a happy one. Miss you . Love a d good thoughts
Happy Birthday Linda! Wishing you a most wonderful day!
Peace and Blessings
Look For The Good and Praise It!


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FETTERMAN SCORES IN UNIONTOWN RACE; Averages 99.8 Miles an Hour Capture 225-Mile Auto Classic on Speedway. MURPHY FINISHES SECOND Is Less Than Two Minutes Behind the Winner, With Sarles Third and Miller Fourth.
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September 06, 1921
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"The Hassidic Anthology," the new volume published by Scribners, and prepared by Rabbi Louis I. Newman in collaboration with Mr. Samuel Spitz, is receiving commendation from many religious leaders of different faiths.
Rev. Dr. John Hayes Holmes of the Community Church, New York, declares that it "is a wonderful book—a veritable treasure-trove!" Rabbi Stephen S. Wise says that "it is a priceless treasury of Jewish thinking and feeling."
The anthology is now off the press, but the publication date has been set for the first week in September.


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The Bay of Pigs Fiasco After Fifty YearsHistorians/History
Yoav J. Tenembaum is a lecturer at the graduate Diplomacy Studies Program, Tel Aviv University, Israel. He received his doctoral degree in Modern History from Oxford University.
Fifty years ago the Bay of Pigs fiasco marred the beginning of John Kennedy's presidency and led to a reassessment of the foreign policy decision-making process of the United States.
A CIA plan inspired, devised and approved under the former president Dwight Eisenhower, it was aimed at launching an invasion of Cuba by a group of exiles with the aim of overthrowing the regime of Fidel Castro.
The invasion took place on the 17th of April. It lasted only two days. Of the total of 1,400 exiles who took part in the botched invasion most were taken prisoners and around 100 died in battle.
The assumption behind the plan was that the Cuban population would rally round the invaders. As a result of the failed invasion, the Castro regime was actually strengthened, gaining more popular support in the face of what was seen, or portrayed to be, a foreign-led invasion of the country.
Although President Kennedy tried to do his utmost to conceal the role played by the United States, the invasion was largely seen as a US operation.
Kennedy and his close advisers were subsequently angry at the CIA for being so ill-prepared and at the military for not issuing clear warnings of the dangers entailed in the invasion plan.
Kennedy reached a conclusion with far-reaching consequences. From then on, he would never again depend exclusively on the CIA and the military in shaping US foreign and national security policy. Every aspect of US policy, no matter how directly related it might be to intelligence or military matters, would be studied in depth by his civilian national security adviser, McGeorge Bundy, and his staff at the White House.
Never again, Kennedy stressed, would the CIA and the military be the sole source of advice before an operational decision is taken.
As a result, a process already conceived by Kennedy prior to the failed invasion of Cuba was reinforced and speeded up: The White House would henceforward become the center of policy-making and the national security adviser and his staff the main assistants to the president in shaping foreign and national security policy.
His national security adviser and his staff were moved from the Executive Building, just outside the White House, to the basement of the White House, near the president and next door to the Situation Room, from which, in a sense, foreign policy would be conducted and supervised.
Furthermore, no decision would be taken without prior consultation with a variety of sources in the administration and beyond it. McGeorge Bundy as national security adviser saw as part of his role to ensure the president was furnished with every opinion on the matter under discussion, even if that opinion were the exact opposite of what he or even the president believed in.
The Bay of Pigs fiasco was more of a political than a military disaster. The image of the United States was tarnished; the reputation of its leaders was adversely affected; and the Castro regime gained much internal support and was filled with enormous self-confidence.
To be sure, Kennedy did not change his negative view of the Castro regime; indeed, the failure to topple it only reinforced his determination to try and bring about its downfall by whatever means possible.
It is in the manner by which policy would be shaped from then on that the Bay of Pigs fiasco left its deepest and most enduring legacy.
When, in October 1962, the United States discovered that the Soviet Union was placing nuclear missiles in Cuba, Kennedy faced what was to be the gravest crisis in the whole history of the Cold War. The way he and his advisers handled that crisis owed a great deal to the lessons learned from the Bay of Pigs operation.
Kennedy himself was aware, even prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 that he should not repeat the mistakes done with regard to the Bay of Pigs operation in any future crisis.
The successful outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 was a result of several reasons, a principal one being the way the Kennedy administration managed it. Had it not been for the lessons of the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis might have developed differently than it actually did, with unforeseen consequences to the world.
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By E. R. SHIPP
Published: October 8, 1981
Jack Henry Abbott, who has spent most of his life in prison and whose book, ''In the Belly of the Beast,'' has received critical acclaim, was indicted in Manhattan yesterday on charges of murdering a waiter here in July.
District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced the indictment in a news conference in his office. The charge, second-degree murder, carries a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in prison.
Under New York State law, the charge of first-degree murder is reserved for persons accused of killing a police officer or an employee of a correctional facility or for those who commit the crime while they are serving life prison terms. Killing Followed Argument
According to the police, the slaying took place around 5:30 A.M. on July 18. Mr. Abbott, the police said, was in the Bini-Bon restaurant at 72 Second Avenue, near Fifth Street, with two women when he became involved in an argument with a waiter, Richard Adan, a 22-year-old aspiring actor and playwright. The police said that the two men stepped outside and that Mr. Adan was dead of knife wounds minutes later.
Mr. Abbott fled after the slaying and was arrested Sept. 23 in Morgan City, La . According to authorities, he had been working in theoilfields of southern Louisiana.
At the time of the slaying, Mr. Abbott was living near the restaurant in a halfway house for work-release prisoners. He had been released from the Federal penitentiary in Marion, Ill., and had been scheduled to receive a full parole on Aug. 25. His book, which carried an introduction by Norman Mailer, was based on letters he had written to Mr. Mailer from 1977 to 1980; it chronicled his life behind bars since the age of 12. Mr. Abbott is 37.
At the news conference yesterday, Mr. Morgenthau ruled out the possibility that Mr. Abbott might have been defending himself in the stabbing incident. ''There was no self-defense,'' he said. ''It was intentional. Abbott stabbed Adan with a knife and killed him immediately.'' Proof of Intent Needed
To prove second-degree murder, the prosecutors must show that Mr. Abbott intended to cause the death of Mr. Adan. Manslaughter, a lesser charge that could have been brought against Mr. Abbott, requires the prosecutors to prove that a defendant intended only to cause serious physical injury to another person.
Mr. Morgenthau said he did not believe Mr. Abbott had been aided in his flight. The suspect was also facing prosecution for his escape from the halfway house, but Federal prosecutors dropped the charge yesterday in District Court in Manhattan. Mr. Abbott is currently in Federal custody, with 11 years remaining on a sentence for a bankrobbery conviction.
According to papers filed in Surrogate's Court, Mr. Adan's wife, Ricci, intends to sue Mr. Abbott for the ''wrongful death'' of her husband.


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|Posted by dmsmith at Nov 25, 2009 11:22:44 AM
Re: Morph dictionary in KJV with Strong's ?
We don't have any module that provides definition for Hebrew morphology.
The numbers you see here, TH8804, are "Thayer's" numbers. We have not been able to obtain a Thayer's lexicon.
We've talked about coming up with our own lexicon for Hebrew that is akin to Robinson's for Greek, but have not done so. We'd use the these numbers to help map to the new codes.
But for the time being, they are nothing more than an internal detail of the module that should be ignored.
In Him,
Current timezone is GMT
Sep 22, 2017 4:27:42 AM


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Teenager found dead in middle of road near Payson
I know it. I Live it. I Love it. Salt Lake City, UTJuly 14, 2013 5:28 p.m.
Being out past curfew unnecessarily places teenagers in situations which are at higher risk for danger.
Of course, I'm not assigning blame based on that. I'm only saying that with any hope this may remind some parents of that and with any more hope this may protect other children in the future.
This seems so senseless. Hit and runs are so much more common today. All the more reason why I don't want to live in the main counties surrounding Salt Lake anymore. At least in some parts of our state and country, responsibility is still the mainstream.
george of the jungle goshen, UTJuly 14, 2013 2:16 p.m.
I can only guess, Car surfing. I don't think that he was push out of a car. Someone knows and the truth will be told.
texor Round Rock, TXJuly 14, 2013 2:27 a.m.
"We need closure," Nathan Haun said."
Unfortunately for Nathan, there is closure to his mortal life and he knows what happened. But for his family, they are the ones that need closure and to know what happened.


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Boston man charged in Providence double killing
A Boston man was ordered held without bail in connection with a double murder in Providence in 2009.
Nigel Nichols was arraigned in Superior Court on Wednesday.
He's accused of fatally shooting David Thomas and Domingo Ortiz in December 2009.
Authorities said Nichols shot the men, while their car was stopped at a traffic light near the Garrahy Judicial Complex.
Authorities said the attack was unprovoked.
Nichols is also facing charges in connection with a triple murder in Dorchester in March 2009.


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The Google car
Image 2 of 2
This image provided by Google shows an artistic rendering of the company's self-driving car. The two-seater won't be sold publicly, but Google on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 said it hopes by this time next year, 100 prototypes will be on public roads. (AP Photo/Google)
Go back to reading "Google: We're building a car with no steering wheel "Copyright 2017 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Congratulations to:
#15 (out of 733) Emily R. (alternate winner)
Dallas is notoriously fashionable, as are many big cities across the country. But whether you live in a fashion mecca or in a small town, we all want to look great (and at a great price). Fortunately, many of us have become "Maxxinistas"…..savvy shoppers who find designer fashion for amazing prices at T.J.Maxx.
Seriously, if you have never stepped foot inside a T.J.Maxx, you need to quickly find your nearest store. With almost 900 stores around the country, there's bound to be one near you. I can almost see your wallet smile!
Drool over designer clothes, but think you'd never be able to afford them? Think again. Really!
Recently, I was sent out shopping, courtesy of T.J.Maxx (such a tough job!). While I have to admit that I tend to gravitate towards the amazing TOY section in the back of the store, this time I forced myself to shop for ME. What a fun treat!
Spring Fashion was everywhere…..from the bold swimsuits with a bit of bling, to the tops with ruffles and rosettes. But the first thing I noticed when I walked in the store was the amazing selection of handbags… so drastically reduced from what I've seen in the department stores. BIG names!
I quickly headed to shop for shirts, as I've quickly discovered that I only have "so many" in my closet that I'll even consider wearing for my tv segment each week. I needed a few more. Here's what I found:
Yes, that's a shirt from Max Studio at a price of only $20.00. MSRP $88.00. Quite the steal and I love the look, which can be completely casual with jeans or dressed up!
Of course, I rarely leave the store empty-handed. I did find a few other deals, including those silver grey capri pants from The Limited for just $14.99 and a couple more shirts, one from DKNY Jeans.
As usual, my trip to T.J.Maxx was a success, but I did learn an important lesson on this shopping trip…….DO NOT bring your toddler in the dressing room with you when not strapped in a stroller! It shortens your shopping trip considerably! 🙂
One winner will win a $25 T.J.Maxx Gift Card!
For your main entry…….leave a comment telling me what you'd love to shop for this Spring at T.J.Maxx. That's it!
You can earn one extra entry for each of the following:
(please leave separate comment for each)
1. Subscribe to A Frugal Friend via email or in a reader
2. Follow T.J.Maxx on Twitter
3. Follow A Frugal Friend on Twitter
4. Tweet the following as is:
Enter the @tjmaxx Gift Card Giveaway at @AFrugalFriend today http://tinyurl.com/24nrt6d
5. Like T.J.Maxx on Facebook and tell them A Frugal Friend sent you!!!
6. Like A Frugal Friend on Facebook
7. Grab my button for your site and/or Add me to your BlogRoll
Giveaway ends at midnight (central time) on Tuesday, June 1st, 2010! Valid for US residents and addresses only. I'll announce (and contact by email) the winner on this post and the winner will have 3 days to get back to me for delivery details. Limit one set of entries per household please.
(While I was provided a complimentary gift card to conduct this review, courtesy of T.J.Maxx, no other compensation was received. All remarks are the personal and honest opinions of A Frugal Friend.)


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You can search for articles in back issues of Contingencies from July/August 2000 to March/April 2009 using the search box to the right. Simply type in subject words, author's name, or article title and click search. To search for articles from May/June 2009 to the present, go to the current digital issue of the magazine and use the search function on the left of the top navigation bar.
Turning the Tables:
Pension Tables Should Reflect Improving Mortality
by Emily Kessler
(Editor's note: This is a longer, more detailed version of Emily Kessler's article in the November/December 2005 print edition of Contingencies. Table II, Projected Mortality, is corrected from what was incorrectly printed in the online and print editions of the November/December 2005 issue of Contingencies.)
The 1983 Group Annuity Mortality table (GAM-83) is probably the most common mortality table used by pension actuaries; 75 percent of the plans in a 2003 Watson Wyatt survey of actuarial assumptions and funding used GAM-83 for funding calculations. However, there are three more recently published tables that warrant consideration for use in pension valuations: the 1994 Uninsured Pensioner Mortality Table (UP-94), the 1994 Group Annuity Mortality Table (GAM-94) and the RP-2000 Mortality Table (RP-2000).
Which is the most appropriate table to use? Should actuaries be moving to these new tables, or does GAM-83 still represent a reasonable expectation for most plans? What are the consequences if plans don't use current mortality tables, and what options are open to actuaries?
The Tables
The GAM-83 table was constructed after a review of GAM-71 and insurer experience showed that GAM-71 was inadequate. When GAM-83 was developed, there weren't sufficient credible data available to construct a new table, so the developers used the same annuitant mortality experience on which GAM-71 was based. This is mortality experience from 1964 to1968.
Researchers then reviewed U.S. population statistics to determine mortality improvements from 1966 to 1975. They projected additional mortality improvements to 1983 based on 1966–1975 trends, and, according to the GAM-83 report, added a 10 percent margin for conservatism to add "a degree of safety to reserves. Since mortality experience varies by company, margins should insure that the mortality table can cover the lightest mortality experience of all companies except for truly exceptional cases."
The UP-94 table is based on uninsured pensioner experience projected to 1994. It was developed by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) to replace UP-84 after a study of 1985–1989 mortality experience of 29 retirement systems found mortality rates were between 82 percent and 86 percent of those expected under UP-84.
Similarly, the GAM-94 table is based on group annuitant experience projected to 1994. This table was developed to replace GAM-83 after a study of 1986–1990 annuitant experience showed steady declines in ratio of actual to expected (GAM-83) mortality, particularly for males.
During the development of the two tables, recent experience for uninsured pensioners was compared to recent experience for group annuitants, and no significant mortality difference was detected. Researchers compared mortality rates at ages 66–95 for group annuitants and for participants in the federal Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), uninsured plans (24 private and one state), and the Railroad Retirement System.
Researchers found that the group annuitant and uninsured pensioner rates were quite similar (the Railroad Retirement System showed higher mortality rates). Thus, the same underlying data were used for both the GAM-94 and the UP-94 tables. Both tables were constructed as follows:
The only difference between the final UP-94 and the GAM-94 tables is that the GAM-94 table includes a 7 percent margin. GAM-94 was designed for insurance reserves, which need margins for deviations in blocks of business. For an insurance company, a 5 percent margin provides a 95 percent confidence level on 3,000-life block of business. The additional 2 percent margin was added to account for variations in types of work (white-collar or blue-collar), income, and geography. Also, according to the GAM-94 report, it was felt that an additional margin would be needed as tables are adopted by state insurance commissioners and aren't changed often thereafter.
The RP-2000 table is the only table whose underlying rates are based solely on retirement plan mortality experience. It was developed by the SOA specifically for current liability calculations. The Retirement Protection Act of 1994 (RPA 94) allowed the Secretary of Treasury to promulgate a new table for current liability purposes in 2000. The SOA conducted a study of uninsured pension plan mortality to ensure that the Treasury Department would have current information available when considering updating the table. As there was no current table based on uninsured pension data (UP-94 was based partly on group annuity experience) a decision was made to conduct a separate study.
In the construction of the RP-2000 table, data were collected from private employers (those affected by current liability provisions) for plan years ending 1990 through 1994. From the data collected, rates were constructed for employees 30 to 70 years old, healthy annuitants 50 to 100, (based on a blend of retiree and beneficiary data), and disabled retirees 45 to 100. For ages below 30, rates were extended to blend with UP-94, and for ages above 100 they were projected to a value of 0.40 at age 106 for males and 115 for females, with an ultimate rate of 1.0 at age 120.
Rates were adjusted for mortality improvement from 1992 to 2000 using the data underlying Actuarial Study No. 110 and federal CSRS data. The AA scale that had been published with the UP-94 and GAM-94 reports was also published with the RP-2000 report. The committee felt that this scale was reasonably close to what was seen in Social Security trends and consistent with other groups' data. Although minor adjustments could have been made, they were not considered significant enough to justify a new scale.
To illustrate how the tables compare, Table 1 shows the change in annuity values, deferred to age 65 (immediate if over age 65) for various ages.
* Deferred annuity (to age 65) for ages below 65; immediate annuity for ages 65 and above
Female mortality rates haven't decreased; they're slightly higher in the newer tables than in GAM-83. Partly, this is due to the 10 percent margin in GAM-83 (female mortality didn't improve as much as was expected). This also reflects that GAM-83 female mortality is based on relatively little actual experience.
What does this mean for the practicing actuary? Is the GAM-83 mortality table still a reasonable mortality table for use in valuation? When considering these questions, we must look to actuarial standards of practice for guidance.
Actuarial Standard of Practice 35, Selection of Demographic and Other Noneconomic Assumptions for Measuring Pension Obligations, gives very clear, specific guidance on the selection of mortality tables, as well as other demographic assumptions. (Go to www.actuarialstandards.org to read the ASOP; the following limited excerpt in no way is intended to be a substitute for the ASOP's complete text.) Here's what ASOP 35 says:
— "the likelihood and extent of mortality improvement in the future"
— "the use of a different mortality assumption for disabled lives"
— "the use of different mortality table for different participant subgroups and beneficiaries."
We'll address mortality projection later. Let's go back to the question of whether GAM-83 is an appropriate mortality table, based on the guidance provided by ASOP 35.
First, in no way is anyone saying that GAM-83 is never an appropriate table. There are certainly circumstances in which GAM-83 will be the best choice based on the appropriate assumption universe. And there are probably circumstances in which other older, less conservative tables (GA-71, UP-84) are still appropriate.
Can it be argued that GAM-83 is the appropriate table for most plans? Consider what we know, 20 years after the publication of GAM-83:
Absolute mortality rates have changed and theyve improved (or not improved) differently for males and females; and, for each gender, differently by age. In other words, GAM-83 probably doesnt represent, for most populations, the correct level of mortality, and even if projected, probably wont reflect the right pattern of mortality. We shouldnt be surprised; GAM-83 is based on mortality experience from the 1960s projected to 1983, and on mortality improvement trends from the 1960s and 1970s, with the addition of a 10 percent margin.
We recognize that GAM-83 is prescribed for the current liability calculation. And ASOP 35 notes that, when an assumption is prescribed, the actuary is obligated to use it for the purpose for which it was prescribed (paragraphs 2.6, 3.8).
But just because a particular assumption is prescribed in one calculation, ASOP 35 doesnt say that it therefore becomes the most appropriate assumption for all the other calculations. And for good reason. Consider the following example, using the prescribed mortality for current liability and a completely hypothetical situation:
This is an exaggerated example, but drawn to make a point: We use prescribed assumptions when theyre prescribed, sometimes criticizing under our breath those who prescribed them. But just because theyve been prescribed in one circumstance doesnt make them the best assumption in another. It doesnt mean they arent, but it doesnt mean they are.
To Project or Not to Project?
It's not a question; it's part of your assumptions. Mortality table construction has changed over the past 20 years. When the GAM-83 tables were created, computing systems were limited. Tables were built with substantial margins to allow not only for variation in experience, but also because programming in a new table took significant effort. And static or generational projections were rare.
However, the construction of recent tables has reflected updates in our systems and our abilities to create individual projections. The three most recent tables reflect only mortality improvements through their creation dates (1994 for UP-94 and GAM-94, 2000 for RP-2000). This is because their creators expected users to make explicit assumptions about mortality improvement. So every time actuaries use one of these tables, they must make an explicit decision about whether and how to project mortality improvements beyond the table date. In other words, by not making projections, the actuary has made the explicit decision not to assume any future mortality improvements beyond the date of the table's creation.
In a report on choosing between UP-94 & GAR (group annuity reserving)-94, which coincided with the publication of the UP-94 and GAM-94 tables, the actuaries responsible for their creation noted:
Though the incorporation of explicit projection scales has not previously been standard practice in the valuation of retirement plans, we believe that actuaries should carefully consider using mortality trend projection if adopting a version of the UP-94 Table. The argument for use of mortality improvement trends is bolstered by the following observations:
Similarly, in its issuance of the RP-2000 report, the committee that developed the table recommended that
... in the view of the long history of improvement in non-disabled mortality rates in all of these sets of data, pension valuations should take trends in long-term mortality improvement into account. From a theoretical standpoint, the [committee] believes that the use of generational mortality improvement, as in the GAR-94 table, is an appropriate way of reflecting this improvement. In cases where it is not material or cost effective to incorporate generational mortality improvement into a calculation, the actuary should project mortality improvement on a comparable static basis.
And finally, a recent SOA-commissioned study shows the effects of not taking mortality improvement into account. The paper examined, theoretically, what would happen to a sample plan's funded status, contributions, and FAS 87 expense (among other measures) given known mortality improvements and different actuarial assumptions, which tracked or lagged actual mortality improvements to varying degrees.
The study by David F. Kays, which defined "ideal" assets as sufficient to cover actual mortality improvement, found that "periodically updating the mortality table assumption to reflect current mortality levels with or without mortality scale projections or using mortality projected beyond the valuation date may accumulate assets closer to the ideal assets. Consistently using mortality tables that are not current will eventually accumulate assets less than ideal." In particular, when considering whether assets were sufficient to cover ABO with actual mortality improvement, the study said, "the greater the mortality assumption is from the experience, the less chance assets will be large enough to cover [ABO]."
In other words, for assets to accumulate to a relatively level percentage of their ideal, the mortality assumption ought to be updated periodically, and at least projected to the valuation date by the appropriate mortality improvement scales. Tables that were projected beyond the valuation date did a better job of approximating a generational table; the ideal projection point would likely vary by plan population. But as we've already seen, in some cases the new factors showed higher mortality than existing tables. Is there really a need to project specific improvements onto the tables?
Note that none of these most recent tables—UP-94, GAM-94 and RP-2000— would be considered to reflect current mortality experience, unless there has been no improvement in mortality between their creation dates and today. We have some evidence that mortality has improved over the past 10 years. (The creators of the RP-2000 table, which was created with data gathered six years after the UP-94 data, noted that there appeared to have been an improvement in mortality in that period that tracked Projection Scale AA; i.e., their year 2000 table tracked well against the UP-94 table with six years' projection. These tables were based on two different populations, however, so this is a hypothesis, rather than a conclusion.)
If the tables are simply brought up to date — from their creation dates in 1994 and 2000, respectively, to 2005 — the ratio of the differences in annuity factors between GAM-83 and the projected tables comes much closer together for females, and widens even more for males. And if full generational improvements are reflected, then the mortality differences are much wider. Table 3II shows selected rates with improvement.
* Deferred annuity (to age 65) for ages below 65; immediate annuity for ages 65 and above
Note: for the generational annuity factor, the sample annuitant is assumed to be age X in 2005. The factor of 2.80 for a 35-year-old male is for a male who is 35 in 2005. The factor of 13.14 for a 65-year-old female is for a female who is 65 in 2005. Table II, Projected Mortality, is corrected from what was incorrectly printed in the online and print editions of the November/December 2005 issue of Contingencies.
So what should actuaries consider when projecting mortality? The committee that oversaw the UP-94 and GAM-94 tables recognized that many factors influence decisions to project mortality:
Does this mean you're always required to project mortality, and more critically, are you required to use generational mortality? Not necessarily. Each population is different. That's where your actuarial professional judgment comes in.
Food For Thought
Let's assume a pension plan has a normal retirement age of 65, unreduced early retirement at 62, and early retirement reduction factors of 5 percent per year before age 62. (The benefit paid at age 55 is 65 percent of the normal retirement benefit). The actuary currently uses 1983 GAM mortality, retirement rates of 5 percent per year before age 62, 50 percent at age 62, 5 percent at 63 and 64, and 100 percent at age 65. The weighted average retirement age is 61.8. Consider three changes to mortality: to RP-2000, to RP-2000 projected to 2025 and to RP-2000 generational, for each of three sample male participants, a 65-year-old (born in 1940), a 45-year-old (born in 1960), and a 25-year-old (born in 1980).
Do these assumptions seem reasonable? Consider what the change in mortality does to life expectancy:
Our sample plan, like many other plans, was designed to help move the war generation out of the work force to make way for the baby boomers. It has provided subsidized early-retirement benefits for anyone wishing to leave the workforce before age 62—subsidies worth as much as 30 percent at age 55. Our actuarial assumptions reflect that prior generations have, and future generations probably will, continue to take this early retirement subsidy.
A man who expects to live to 82 may reasonably be expected to retire at 62, particularly when there are generations of workers ready to take his job. But is it reasonable to expect that someone born in 1980, who with improved mortality would have a life expectancy of 87, to also retire at age 62? If improvements in life expectancy also bring improvements in health at older ages, might our disability rates at older ages (e.g., 50-plus) also decrease?
When projecting mortality, all things must be considered in balance: If mortality improves, what will happen to disability rates? Will retirement ages increase as people work longer, either out of necessity or desire? It's not all that simple. You need to use your actuarial professional judgment.
Emily Kessler is the staff fellow, retirement systems, at the SOA and acts as SOA liaison to the Academy's Pension Practice Council and Pension Committee. The views of the author are her own, and are not those of the American Academy of Actuaries, Academy, Actuarial Board of Counseling and Discipline, Actuarial Standards Board, SOA, or the actuarial profession.
American Academy of Actuaries, letter to the Department of Treasury on RP-2000, April 2001.
American Academy of Actuaries, letter to the IRS on RP-2000, December 2003.
Kays, David F., Impact of Mortality Table Projection Scales on Defined Benefit Pension Plan Valuations, Society of Actuaries, 2005.
Society of Actuaries (SOA) Group Annuity Valuation Table Task Force, 1994 Group Annuity Mortality Table and 1994 Group Annuity Reserving Table, Transactions of the SOA 1995, volume 47,865 – 919.
SOA, 1999 Annual Meeting discussion of RP-2000 table and projecting mortality.
Online at http://library.soa.org/library/record/1990-99/rsa99v25n339pd.pdf
SOA Committee on Annuities, Development of the 1983 Group Annuity Mortality Table, Transactions of the SOA 1983, volume 35, 859– 899.
SOA Committee on Retirement Systems Research and Committee on Retirement Systems Practice Education, The UP-94 and GAR-94 Tables: Issues in Choosing the Appropriate Table, Transactions of the SOA 1995, volume 47, 795 – 817.
SOA Retirement Plans Experience Committee, RP-2000 Mortality Tables, 2000.
SOA UP-94 Task Force, 1994 Uninsured Pensioner Mortality Table, Transactions of the SOA 1995, volume 47, 819 – 863.
Watson Wyatt, 2003 Survey of Actuarial Assumptions and Funding, 2004.
Contingencies (ISSN 1048-9851) is published by the American Academy of Actuaries, 1100 17th St. NW, 7th floor, Washington, DC 20036. The basic annual subscription rate is included in Academy dues. The nonmember rate is $24. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC, and at additional mailing offices. BPA circulation audited.
This article may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries.
November/December 2005
Enterprise Risk Management for Insurers: Actuarial Theory in Practice
Operational Risk: The New Frontier
Social Security Reform: What's the Best Fix?
Inside Track:
Policy Briefing:


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I lost a total of 70lbs and started lifting weights. Lost all breast tissue.
Being young and this being a major purchase and my first experience with plastic surgery, I was very nervous. I needed a breast lift along with the implants. I expressed the desire to be a large D (coming from a small B) and he explained he's give me exactly what I needed to even out my curvy body.
The day of surgery I was the only patient there, no other appointments were going on while I was in his care, I felt #1 and very comfortable. After surgery more than once a week. My recovery was absolutely painless and I was shocked. 2 weeks into my recovery I developed a small infection on one of the incisions (which is a possibilty with any surgery). Dr Flynn was on vacation with his family and left immediately to tend to me. He couldn't have handled this tender situation any better. He put me on antibiotics and saw me every few days until the infection went away.
I started to wonder if I should have went bigger. When I got sized I was a 38C and a bit disappointed. Now that I am working out again and my breast implants are starting to drop and take shape I couldn't be any happier with the size. He knew what he was talking about when he told me he'd even me out. If I had went any bigger I would loook heavier.