text:
Browsing Center for Law, Economics & Financial Institutions (LEFIC) by Title
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Now showing items 3-22 of 48Next Page
Angkinand, Apanard; Wihlborg, Clas (København, 2005)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Market discipline in banking requires that explicit and implicit insurance schemes for financial sector firms are limited, and that the lack of insurance of important stakeholders is credible. This credibility cannot be achieved without transparent, predictable procedures for distress resolution for banks, including explicit rules for the liquidation of insolvent banks. We find that very few European countries have explicit procedures for dealing with problem banks. The propositions tested in this paper are that the credibility of non-insurance in European banking depends strongly on (i) the degree of coverage of deposit insurance schemes, and (2) on the existence of enforceable rules that enhance the credibility of non-insurance of groups of stakeholders.in bank. The proxy used for credibility of non-insurance in Europe is the probability of banking crisis. Finding a U-shaped relation between the probabiity of banking crisis and the coverage of explicit deposit insurance we derive the degree of coverage that minimizes the probability of crisis in Western and Eastern Europe. JEL Classification: G21; G28; F43 Keywords: Deposit Insurance; Banking Crisis; Insolvency Procedures, Market Discipline URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6798
Files in this item: 1wplefic062005.pdf (278.1Kb)
Wihlborg, Clas; Angkinand, Apanard (København, 2005)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Predetermined, operational procedures for dealing with banks in distress are conspicuously absent across the world with very few exceptions. Instead governments and regulatory authorities intervene when banks approach failure. Bail-outs of important creditors, sometimes including shareholders, and blanket guarantees for creditors become the norm. We argue that efficient incentives of banks' creditors, as well as of shareholders and managers, require predetermined rules for dealing with banks in distress, and a group of creditors that are credibly non-insured. Cross-border banking increases the need for pre-determined bank insolvency procedures that could enable banks to expand cross-border in branches. In the empirical part we show that credibility of non-insurance is maximized with a partial deposit insurance scheme, and that the coverage can be decreased if effective rule-based distress resolution procedures are implemented. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6773
Files in this item: 1wplefic082005.pdf (249.8Kb)
Kowalski, Tadeusz; Kraft, Evan; Mullineux, Andrew; Vensel, Vello; Wihlborg, Clas (København, 2003)[More information][Less information]
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6817
Files in this item: 1wplefic062003.pdf (383.4Kb)
Dietrich, J. Kimball; Wihlborg, Clas (København, 2003)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We investigate the effect of changes in capital regulation on the strictness (leniency) of loan terms using a simple model of bank capital requirements and asset quality examinations. Banks offer different levels of "leniency" in the sense of willingness to offer automatic extensions of loans in the presence of temporary payment difficulties of borrowers. Banks offering lenient (less strict) loan terms must have higher initial levels of capital and charge higher loan rates. When capital requirements are increased, both strict and lenient banks hold higher levels of initial capital and they raise loan rates. As capital requirements increase the difference between initial capital levels and between interest rates of strict and lenient banks decrease. Thus, higher capital requirements in recessions tend to reduce the interest rate premium paid for leniency. If a recession is interpreted as an increase in the required return, the interest rate premium paid for leniency is increased in recession at a given level of required capital. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6804
Files in this item: 1wplefic082003.pdf (364.4Kb)
Møllgaard, Peter (København, 2003)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Abstract: Price correlations are used to delineate the geographic market in two recent Danish electricity cases. They indicate that power generators hold temporally transitory and irregularly intermittent dominant positions. Calculation of the Lerner index reveals that they abused this position. The Danish Competition Authority decided to settle this case by agreement for reasons explained. We finally indicate how economics may be used pro-actively to achieve a better market design. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6801
Files in this item: 1wplefic022003.pdf (404.6Kb)
Cumming, Douglas J. (København, 2002)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Contracts and exits from a sample of 179 investment rounds in 132 entrepreneurial firms by 17 European venture capital (VC) funds are analyzed. The data indicate the financial contracts are quite heterogeneous in terms of both the cash flow and control rights. The use of different securities by European VC funds does not depend on the definition of venture capital, and the securities used are not functional equivalents. A normative empirical analysis of exit shows the likelihood of different types of exit vehicles (IPO, acquisition, and liquidation) and the returns to venture capital depend on not only firm specific characteristics but also the allocation of cash flow and control rights. Keywords: Venture Capital, Financial Contracting, Exit, IPO, Acquisition JEL Classification: G24, G28, G31, G32, G35 URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6825
Files in this item: 1wplefic142002.pdf (672.0Kb)
Limits on Economic Harmonization in The United States and The European UnionSweeney, Richard J. (København, 2003)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The U.S. Constitution importantly limits the degree to which the federal government can impose harmonization across member states. This paper reviews these limitations and how they have evolved substantially over time in the U.S. It also discusses some of the benefits and costs of such limitations, and argues that the EU may benefit from adopting similar limitations. Harmonization of EU tax codes is likely to be economically harmful. On theoretical grounds, tax rates are likely to be harmonized at a common rate that is higher than optimal for the EU. This suggests the benefits of constitutional provisions that make tax harmonization difficult to impose. Other types of harmonization have a less clear-cut costbenefit analysis. A federal commercial code that is uniform across member states reduces transaction and information costs, compared to leaving important code issues to member states; further, many states may keep codes for long periods that are sub-optimal compared to a given federal code. A federal code may, however, fit poorly with other institutions of member states, potentially causing large costs. Leaving codes to the states leads to competition across states, and may generate forces for change for the better. Competition also generates information about the effectiveness and costs of different commercial codes. Because any country's initial code is likely to be sub-optimal, and is likely to become less optimal over time, information on how to improve codes is valuable. Likely it is easier to learn and adapt from member states than from other countries. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6806
Files in this item: 1wplefic112003.pdf (374.9Kb)
Nielsen, Søren Bo (København, 2002)[More information][Less information]
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6805
Files in this item: 1wplefic062002.pdf (410.1Kb)
Wihlborg, Clas; Angkinand, Apanard (København, 2005)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The ambiguity in existing empirical work with respect to effects of deposit insurance schemes on banks' risk-taking can be resolved if it is recognized that absence of deposit insurance is rarely credible and that the credibility of non-insurance can be enhanced by explicit deposit insurance schemes. We show that under reasonable conditions for effects on risk-taking of creditor protection in banking, and for effects on credibility of non-insurance of explicit coverage of deposit insurance schemes, there exists a partial level of coverage that maximizes market discipline and minimizes moral hazard incentives for risk-taking in banking. Using both the occurrence of banking crises and non-performing loans in the banking sector as proxies for excessive risk-taking the results strongly support this hypothesis in industrial and emerging market economies. Policy recommendations on the country level require analyses of institutional factors affecting the credibility of non-insurance. In particular, the implementation of effective distress resolution procedures for banks would allow governments to reduce explicit deposit insurance coverage and, thereby, to strengthen market discipline. JEL Classification: G21; G28; F43 Keywords: Deposit Insurance; Banking Crisis; Insolvency Procedures, Market Discipline URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6808
Files in this item: 1wplefic102005.pdf (642.4Kb)
The case of biotechnology and pharmaceuticalsHarhoff, Dietmar; Reitzig, Markus (København, 2002)[More information][Less information]
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6809
Files in this item: 1wplefic082002.pdf (190.0Kb)
A Law and Economics Perspective on Optimal ContractingLando, Henrik (København, 2005)[More information][Less information]
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6799
Files in this item: 1wplefic072005.pdf (142.4Kb)
Vensel, Vello (København, 2004)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: In the 1990s, most of the Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) went through radical liberalization and adopted large-scale economic and political reform programs. These programs included almost complete price, trade and capital movement liberalization, macroeconomic stabilization, currency reform, and small-scale and large-scale privatization. What is the role of the development of a legal and institutional infrastructure along with these radical changes in society and the economy? The first part of this paper is based on the results of an interview study of entrepreneurs and managers in Estonia undertaken in 1998 and in Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden in 2000 in order to obtain their view of the behavior of government agencies, lawmaking procedures and the operation of law enforcement mechanisms. The second part of this paper presents summary results from interview surveys of Estonian manufacturing firms undertaken from 1994-2000. The surveys were designed to quantitatively measure the state of and changes in the Estonian business environment, focusing on the key aspects of financial contractual relationships of Estonian manufacturing firms as well as regulation and dispute resolution mechanisms. Among the observations it is noted that government regulations do not seriously affect business decisions regarding the operation, expansion or closing down of Estonian manufacturing firms. A second observation is that the Estonian court system is perceived as inadequate for resolving a substantial number of disputes and conflicts among economic agents although legislation exists. Most firms rely on mechanisms of self-enforcement when possible. Journal of Economic Literature Classification numbers: K42, K49, G18, G30 Keywords: business environment, corporate financial relationships, enterprise restructuring, corruption, law making procedures, law enforcement. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6790
Files in this item: 1wplefic042004.pdf (248.8Kb)
Lando, Henrik (København, 2004)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Does wrongful conviction lower deterrence and can this explain society's aversion to sanctioning the innocent? This paper argues that for some of the most important categories of crime such as murder, assault or robbery, the answer to both questions is no. For these categories of crime, a potential offender need not fear wrongful conviction for any particular criminal act he or she chooses not to commit. For example, if a potential offender decides not to murder another person, he or she should not fear being wrongfully convicted of it, since the person will not be dead, and there will therefore be no investigation and no trial. He of she may risk being wrongfully convicted of another crime, but that risk exists independently of his or her own actions. It may be argued that wrongful conviction lowers deterrence in more indirect ways. First, the possibility of being sanctioned for a crime one does not commit may lower the threat of being sanctioned for a crime one commits, if two sanctions are not twice as threatening as one. Second, if wrongful conviction halts further investigations that may lead to the true offender, and third, if a potential offender thinks that if he or she does not take advantage of a crime opportunity, he or she may be wrongly convicted in the event that some other person grasps the same opportunity. However, it will be argued that wrongful conviction may also increase deterrence, and the three indirect effects are in any event unlikely to be quantitatively important in the real world. An implication of the present analysis is that society's aversion to sanctioning the innocent cannot be rationalized by or reduced to a concern for deterrence. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6803
Files in this item: 1wplefic092004rev2.pdf (163.7Kb)
Economic impact of the protection of unoriginal databases in developing countries and countries in transitionRiis, Thomas (København, 2002)[More information][Less information]
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6788
Files in this item: 1wplefic032002.pdf (464.1Kb)
Evidence from Market and Accounting DataGoldberg, Lawrence G.; Sweeney, Richard J.; Wihlborg, Clas G. (København, 2005)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper discusses results and difficulties of comparing banks' performance based on publicly available data for the case of Nordea, a pan-Nordic bank created through mergers of important national banks. The objective of the performance comparison is to determine whether Nordea's unique strategy of functional intergation across four countries can be advantageous. For stock-market data, however, Nordea does not have stable betas on risk factors, as illustrated by market betas, and thus the comparables method must be used with great care. The Nordea holding company performed about as well as the comparables, both in terms of stock-market and accounting data. Nordea banks in individual countries outperformed comparable holding companies; by arithmetic, Nordea non-bank operations are not as profitable as its bank operations. In event studies, the market views Nordea's acquisitions as adding value. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6812
Files in this item: 1wplefic052005.pdf (339.2Kb)
Some Lessons from United States Constitutional HistorySweeney, Richard J. (København, 2003)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: A constitution is more likely to be accepted if it federalizes those issues that are widely seen as needing complete harmonization. A constitution is more likely to endure if the federal government does not have powers that are not vital to it but which may alienate some member states to the point that the federal government loses legitimacy. It appears vital to have trade policy at the European Union level; for euro countries, monetary policy is already federalized. It is not clear that common foreign and defense policies are needed; insisting on common foreign and defense policies may lead to conflicts within and across member states that severely weaken the Union, conceivably contributing to eventual collapse. Insisting on harmonization of commercial codes does not have the destructive potential of attempting completely to harmonize defense and foreign policies; it may, however, lead to needless conflict that helps drain the reservoir of goodwill that the European Union will need for dealing with other conflicts amongst member states. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6787
Files in this item: 1wplefic092003.pdf (442.7Kb)
Lessons from the UKMallin, Chris; Mullineux, Andy; Wihlborg, Clas (København, 2004)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: In 1992 the Cadbury Committee report on the financial aspects of corporate governance was published. The Committee had been established following the failures of a number of high profile businesses in the UK which had shaken confidence in the market. Some nine years later, in 2001, the collapse of Enron sent shockwaves through the US market. As a result of the Enron collapse and various other high profile scandals in the years since its occurrence, the US is examining its own corporate governance structures and provisions to determine how these might be improved and help avoid another Enron. The EU similarly is developing principles and legislation to improve corporate governance, and scandals such as Royal Ahold and Parmalat have helped drive further governance reforms. In this paper we detail the development of corporate governance codes in the UK and the adaptation of similar codes in the EU. We discuss the role of the financial sector in corporate governance and how principles for regulation and supervision of the financial sector complement codes of conduct and legislation in the area of corporate governance. JEL Classification numbers: G34, G28, G22, G23 Keywords: corporate governance, financial sector; institutional investors. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6789
Files in this item: 1wplefic062004.pdf (171.8Kb)
Wihlborg, Clas (København, 2004)[More information][Less information]
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6794
Files in this item: 1wplefic032004.pdf (214.2Kb)
en retsøkonomisk analyseRose, Caspar (København, 2003)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Artiklen indeholder en diskussion af Værdipapirhandelslovens forbud mod insider handel. Der redegøres for tesen om effektive markeder. Med udgangspunkt i økonomisk teori redegøres for argumenter for et forbud. Der argumenteres for at, at insiderforbudets økonomiske berettigelsen med fordel kan støttes på tesen om effektive markeder. Det er i modsætning hertil blevet gjort gældende i den nyeste børsretlige teori, at den økonomiske teori om effektive markeder ikke er et adækvat grundlag for insider reglerne, og at denne teori bør erstattes af den såkaldte Lemon-teori, formuleret af Akerlof. Artiklen gør gældende, at det ikke er uden problemer at overføre Akerlof's teori til de finansielle markeder, eftersom der ikke tages hensyn til markedets selvregulerende mekanismer, som mindsker problemet med asymmetrisk information. Artiklen afsluttes med en diskussion af de reguleringsmæssige konsekvenser som følge af valg af det økonomiske grundlag for insiderforbudet. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6793
Files in this item: 1wplefic152003.pdf (426.7Kb)
New Challenges and Opportunities for RegulatorsGoldberg, Lawrence G.; Sweeney, Richard J.; Wihlborg, Clas (København, 2005)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Nordea is the first major international bank planning to operate important host country activities in branches as the Second European banking directive envisions rather than as subsidiaries. Nordea is the result of mergers of roughly equal-size universal banks in four Nordic countries with the intention to reap economies of scale and scope by providing services in an integrated organization. Nordea has so far operated under a legal structure with subsidiaries in the host countries. When the new branch organization is implemented, EU directives specify that the home country is responsible for supervision, regulation as well as deposit insurance. Supervisors in all involved countries are challenged by this prospect and they are negotiating to obtain an acceptable division of responsibilities. We argue that the Nordea case offers an opportunity to implement the EU's vision and to develop institutional foundations for substantial market discipline in banking. In particular, distress resolution and insolvency procedures for banks must be made rule based and credible for host country authorities to accept home country control. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/6783
Files in this item: 1wplefic042005.pdf (209.7Kb)
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Now showing items 3-22 of 48Next Page


text:
1 Confirmed Dead After Mankato Standoff Shooting
NORTH MANKATO (AP) - One person is confirmed dead after a police standoff in North Mankato led to a shooting.
Police released few details about the shooting that came after a three-hour standoff at a home on the North Mankato hilltop Thursday.
Police began advising motorists at 11 a.m. that streets might be shut down for what was called a "welfare check." Within minutes, police from Mankato and North Mankato and a regional tactical response team had the home surrounded.
Assault rifles were trained on the house throughout the standoff. Just after 2 p.m., officers entered the home and multiple gunshots were heard several minutes later. An ambulance left later with a body.
North Mankato Police Chief Chris Boyer confirmed there was a death but offered little information.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Produce necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 70 diseños de 27 diseñadores freelance.
Professional and modern logo for a network of established universities offering virtual classes to graduate students for career advancement. Audience is university deans & decision makers.
University Partners
- University Partners offers students access to a network of prestigious universities and their graduate degree programs. These degrees are offered through a unique high tech delivery system that combines virtual classrooms and distance learning with the real world classroom. It is convenient and affordable.
- University Partners will be invisible to the end user. The students will be approached by the individual colleges/universities in the network where they are applying to get their degree.
- The main audience for University Partners will be the major decision makers at a university. These decision makers will be approached by University Partners and asked to become a part of this network to make their degree programs accessible to more students. Main points are: affordability, convenience, and accessibility.
- something that represents partnership
- multiple parts being intertwined to make up a whole
- Must have the words University Partners
We do not necessarily want to use the initials UP as a part of the logo mark.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
"To forgive is to set a prisoner free only to discover that the prisoner was you." Corrie Ten Boom
I'll never forget sitting in the Denver Coliseum as a fifteen year old in high school clinching my jaw and my fists. I didn't want to let go of my anger toward my biological father. The preacher seemed like he was talking directly to me and I was resisting his point with all of my might.
Although I had never met my father I knew that he had abandoned my mom as soon as he discovered she was pregnant. They had a short term relationship and I was the result.
I hated the thought of my mom being left high and dry with an unwanted pregnancy. I hated the thought that I was the unwanted pregnancy. I hated the sadness and guilt I saw in my mom's eyes when she looked at me.
You see, she had driven from Denver to Boston to have an illegal abortion when she realized there was no chance of legitimizing her not-yet-showing pregnancy. I thank God that my grandparents found out what was going on, got ahold of her in Boston and talked her into coming back to Denver to give birth to me.
It was this backdrop that fueled the fires to my hatred. But now, fifteen years later, this preacher was tampering with my bitterness. And then he went and did it. He quoted Psalm 68:5 which says of God, "He is a father to the fatherless."
In that moment I realized that I had a heavenly Father who was all I needed to take care of me. Because He (my Heavenly Father) loved me unconditionally I could forgive him (my biological father) unconditionally.
With my face streaming with tears I forced the words out of my mouth in the form of a whisper, although they felt like a shout in my soul, "Father, I forgive you." In that singular, life-altering, bitterness-eschewing moment, a rush of relief came flooding into my soul. My jaw and my fists unclinched and I wept tears of joy.
Yes, I had to forgive him in my soul a thousand more times over the next few years. Every time I felt the bile of bitterness rise in my throat when I thought of my earthly father I forgave him again. There was no way I was going to be imprisoned again by hate.
So, who do you need to forgive? Forgive them now. Remember the words of Paul in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
We forgive others because we have been forgiven by God through Christ. Because he has forgiven us we can forgive anyone for anything they have done to us.
And let's remember to spread this message of forgiveness through Christ to as many as we can so that they, too, can be set free the prison of sin and bitterness.
Forgive them now!


text:
When the moment of the dreaded penalty shoot-out arrives it must be of the greatest comfort to know that between your posts stands a goalkeeper who over the course of the previous 90 minutes, and then extra time, has been well nigh invincible. Petr Čech was that man in the 2002 final as the Czech Republic overcame France 3-1 on penalties to help erase memories of their defeat at the same stage in 2000. Čech's superb display ensured the final finished goalless, and he made two more saves in the penalty shoot-out before Jean-Alain Boumsong hit the crossbar to end French hopes.
"They had a great goalkeeper, great not only in size but also in the way he played, and that made the difference," said France coach Raymond Domenech after his side's defeat. The Plzen-born No1 subsequently underlined his senior credentials at UEFA EURO 2004™, where Čech kept five clean sheets en route to the semi-finals and was named in the All-Star Squad.
Čech joined Chelsea FC that summer and went on to win successive English league titles in his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge. He was a UEFA Champions League runner-up in 2008 when, despite saving from Cristiano Ronaldo in the deciding shoot-out, he could not repeat his penalty heroics from six years earlier. A commanding presence in the penalty area and a superb shot-stopper, he was his country's No1 throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals and UEFA EURO 2008™.
©UEFA.com 1998-2017. All rights reserved.


text:
- CARFAX 1-Owner
- Vehicle Qualifies for the CARFAX Buyback Guarantee
- No Total Loss Reported to CARFAX
- No Structural/Frame Damage Reported to CARFAX
- No Airbag Deployment Reported to CARFAX
- No Indication of an Odometer Rollback
- No Accidents / Damage Reported to CARFAX
- No Manufacturer Recalls Reported to CARFAX
Not all accidents or other issues are reported to CARFAX. The number of owners is estimated. See the full CARFAX Report for additional information and glossary of terms. 25.Jan.2012 17:41:18
- Price
- Mileage
- Trim
- Transmission
- Engine
- Exterior
- Interior
- Doors
- Certified
- Yes


text: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 IFC Aims to Promote Physical Activity Opportunities for Students With Disabilities Despite the benefits of physical activity, individuals with disabilities are not getting the same amount of activity and athletic opportunities as individuals without disabilities, says a new publication based on the proceedings of the Strategic Planning Policy Conference on Physical Activity for Students with Disabilities, which took place June 21-22. The publication promotes awareness of the importance of physical activity for people with disabilities, advocates for physical activity across the spectrum of disabilities, develops policies that are responsive to the needs of people with disabilities, and creates resources that are helpful for program development. Physical Activity and Sport for People with Disabilities also contains an integrated strategic plan for the Inclusive Fitness Coalition (IFC) to advance school-based sports and physical activity opportunities for students with disabilities. The plan includes long- and short-term goals; target audiences; and activities related to advocacy, education, community organization/program development, and legal consultation and research. IFC is a national coalition of more than 150 organizations dedicated to addressing the policy, environmental, and societal issues associated with the lack of inclusion and access to physical activity among people with disabilities. The conference proceedings were edited by APTA member Toby Long, PT, PhD, FAPTA.


text:
In the first 15 years of Taste of Chicago in Grant Park, you could drive to Taste on lower Columbus coming north from the River. Once you went under Randolph Street, you passed (to the west) 24 acres of parking lots and railroad tracks at grade and (to the west) the Daley Bi-Centennial Plaza with tennis courts and a garden that was unconnected to the downtown.
The only benefit was that there was a small parking lot for Taste vendors at the corner of Monroe and Columbus so that you could get in an out quickly. Convenient yes, beautiful, absolutely not. The site of my former parking space is now part of the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park. These photos taken on Sunday, July 3rd show the relation of the Lurie Garden, to Millennium Park and
to the downtown skyline. As Mayor Daley said on Thursday when he received the Scott Medal from Swarthmore, "Chicago is so fortunate to have business leaders who fought to 'keep the lakefront forever open, clear and free.""" Today North and South Michigan Avenue are linked to Millennium Park which is connected by the BP Bridge to Grant Park which connects to the Museum Campus and on to Northerly Island. What a great way to enjoy Chicago on foot or by bike
The Lurie Garden is located on the southeast corner of Millennium Park, right at the entrance to Taste of Chicago and the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Lurie Garden in the forefront with the Pritzker Pavillion ahead and the developing skyline at Randolph Street. The Prudential Building built in 1955 was one of the first post-Depression commercial buildings constructed in Chicago.
The base of the BP Bridge designed by Frank Gehry connects Millennium Park to the eastern portion of Grant Park
Anish Kapoor's sculpture, Cloud Gate, also known as the Bean, is undergoing final welding and is only partially visible. Here is my mom, Esther Schulman, and friend, Susie, enjoying Millennium Park after a visit to Taste. You can see my reflection and a reverse view of the Randolph Street skyline reflecting off Cloud Gate.
With the Award to Mayor Daley of the Scott Medal this week and the meeting of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta in Chicago, it is great to have the following list from the Tribune of 16 hot spots to see green in the Chicago area.
16 hot spots for seeing green
No need to travel abroad to take in outstanding gardens
By Beth Botts
Tribune staff reporter
July 3,
Looking for a way to spend a weekend beyond your own garden? The Chicago area has many attractions for garden tourists or garden enthusiasts. Because there is no central clearinghouse for information about them, we're offering our own list of favorite secret and not-so-secret gardens :
1. Chicago Botanic Garden: The 385-acre, 2-million-plant facility in north suburban Glencoe, with 23 display gardens and natural areas on and around a group of nine islands in a series of lakes, is recognized as a world-class botanic garden, with respected and widely varied plantings. A new esplanade has just opened and a railway garden runs through twig models of Chicago landmarks. The garden also hosts a number of shows for specialized plant fanciers, such as those interested in roses, bonsai, daylilies or growing fruit trees. See www.ohwow.org.
2. The Morton Arboretum: The nationally known 1,700-acre outdoor plant museum in Lisle, once the estate of Morton Salt owner Joy Morton, has just added a new half-acre maze garden, a 4-acre children's garden (due to open in September) and a new visitors center that employs many green building technologies, as well as renovated exhibit areas along the scenic roads and walking trails. It has collections of trees and shrubs from around the world and a restored prairie. See www.mortonarb.org.
3. The Gardens at Ball: The 7-acre West Chicago display and trial garden of Ball Horticultural Co., where a major wholesale breeder and grower of annuals and perennials shows off its plants, will reopen in August after a complete redesign and renovation. This year, the garden will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays in August. Call 888-800-0027.
4. Garfield Park Conservatory: The nearly 2-acre conservatory at 300 N. Central Park Ave. is the nation's largest "garden under glass," said Lisa Roberts, Chicago Park District director of conservatories, as well as a center for demonstration of urban horticulture techniques. This summer, an art installation of sculptures by Chicago artist Chris Garafalo called "Reciprocally Prickly" is installed in the conservatory's Desert House. In August, the first phase of a new 6-acre outdoor garden exemplifying urban gardening will open north of the glasshouse. The conservatory has a summer market selling plants, garden ornaments and organic produce. Call 312-746-5100 or see www.garfield-conservatory.org.
5. Lincoln Park Conservatory: The smaller of the city's two conservatories at 2391 N. Stockton Drive has elaborate formal gardens out front and an indoor collection of tropical plants, including orchids. This summer, it features an installation of cast aluminum sculptures by Carolyn Ottmer. Call 312-742-7529.
6. Chicago Flower & Garden Show: This annual 170,000-square-foot indoor flower show, held on Navy Pier in March, offers show gardens full of plants forced into bloom during late winter's grayest days, in addition to seminars, vendors and gardening and cooking demonstrations. See www.chicagoflower.com.
7. Baha'i House of Worship (above): This marvelously filigreed white temple in Wilmette is nine-sided and surrounded by nine gardens with pools. See www.us.bahai.org/how/default.htm.
8. Millennium Park (above): At Columbus Drive and Monroe Street, the spectacular new park includes a 3-acre Lurie Garden designed by well-known Seattle landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson and her firm and planted with perennials by renowned breeder, designer and author Piet Oudolf. A three-day celebration of Lurie Garden, with appearances by Oudolf and many talks, tours and performances, is taking place Friday to July 10. See www.millenniumpark.org.
9. Chicago Neighborhood Tours: These tours of city neighborhoods are sponsored by the Chicago Department of Tourism. On Aug. 20, a tour called "City in a Garden" will visit a number of Chicago greening projects and a community garden. See www.chgocitytours.com/special(underscore )interest(underscore)4.html, or call 312-742-1190.
10. "Hidden Treasures" bus tours: The Chicago Park District tours explore the city's parks, including perennial and rose gardens, Jackson and Washington Parks, through the summer.
Call 312-742-7529.
11. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (above): About an hour's drive southwest of Chicago, south of Joliet, this 20,000-acre federal reserve is a major prairie restoration project, a sight for gardeners interested in native plant landscaping. See www.fs.fed.us/mntp; or call 815-423-6370.
12. Cuneo Museum and Gardens: The 75-acre former estate of utilities magnate Samuel Insull in north suburban Vernon Hills includes formal gardens and a conservatory. See www.cuneomuseum.org.
13. Osaka Garden (above): This Japanese garden on Wooded Island behind the Museum of Science and Industry in Jackson Park on the South Side is a remnant of the 1893 Columbian Exposition that formed the park. It symbolizes Chicago's sister city relationship with the city of Osaka, Japan. See www.hydepark.org/parks/osaka2.htm.
14. Chicago Women's Park & Gardens: Located at the Clarke House museum at 1827 S. Indiana Ave., the garden commemorates significant women in Chicago's history in a garden planted in the style of the 1830s, when the house was built. See egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/home.do, and search under "Clarke House."
15. Cantigny: The 500-acre former estate of the late Chicago Tribune publisher Robert R. McCormick in west suburban Wheaton has formal gardens and an idea garden. See www.rrmtf.org/cantigny.
16. Oak Park Conservatory: This 8,000-square-foot glasshouse, with its collection of tropical plants, is located in the same suburb as the tourist-magnet Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio. See www.wrightplus.org/homestudio/homestudio.html) and many Wright-designed houses. See www.oprf.com/conservatory.


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As mentioned in This post on the PHP Magazine site, Bill Ackermann has been added to the Zend team as the new Vice President of Sales.
Zend Technologies, the PHP Company, has announced that Bill Ackermann has joined the company as Vice President of Sales. Ackermann has held senior sales positions at both emerging and mature enterprise software category leaders, including Oracle, Netscape and most recently, Metreo. At Zend, Ackermann will oversee North American and Global Alliance sales and join the executive management team.
Ackermann joins Zend at a time when the adoption of PHP by developers and enterprise organizations is rising, the company says. Zend delivers products and services for developing, deploying and managing enterprise-class PHP applications, selling them directly and in partnership with large established companies like IBM and Oracle.
Always good to have bit of new, energetic blood in an organization, especially when it comes to working in Sales.


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"Time will turn us into statues, eventually."
— Saint David Grohl, a fighter of foo
As we enter this time of the holidays in the United States, many of us become reflective on the year and take stock of our lives. For my family and I, this year has been absolutely wonderful, dreadful, fantastic, unnerving, scary, and hopeful. Why? There has been a lot of change in our lives: see my lonely post from September for more details and my farewell to my previous institution. This would also explain my dearth of blog posts, although a weird and interesting topic snuck in this November.
I am also finishing my dinosaur course here at Stockton, and that means I give my final lecture on "What I hope you have learned from dinosaurs." It struck me today that this would make an excellent little blog post as well.
One of my grandfathers was fond of asking me, "Why study dinosaurs? What's the point?" When you are asked that question enough times, you eventually develop a repertoire of answers. I don't know if these ever satisfied him, but I do hope they satisfy those willing to listen:
There are the Big Picture Reasons:
- First off, dinosaurs are just so damn cool. Those who need convincing haven't been paying much attention to the plethora of amazing discoveries that have continued at an ever-accelerating pace since the late 1800s.
- Dinosaurs put our place in the world into perspective – this is not a world meant for us, but one we have had the happy fortune to inherit from previous generations of life.
- Dinosaurs were the most successful group of terrestrial vertebrates the world has seen … and they are still among us as beautiful, feathered treasures. Oh, birds are not dinosaurs? Like the Honey Badger, the data don't care … and the support for birds as dinosaurs is as overwhelming as the data for humans as mammals.
And then there are the Practical Reasons:
- Dinosaurs are the perfect ambassadors for science – they bring scientific concepts and the nature of science to children and the public like nothing else I know.
- While the doctors and veterinarians of the world are busy saving those people and pets you love, the vertebrate paleontologists are in the trenches at the universities and colleges, teaching the next group of practitioners their anatomy. That's right – most vertebrate paleontologists are excellent anatomists. A certain Larry Witmer comes to mind …
- Want to understand why vertebrate anatomy is the way it is? Ask a vertebrate paleontologist – we have to know all that embryology and evolution stuff to inform our research and to blow your mind. =) The bottom line has always been the anatomy is the result of embryology and evolution … who better to teach that we dinosaur-o-philes? And so that I'm being fair – all vertebrate paleontologists are this excellent, not just the dinosaur ones!
Yes, you say, but we've heard these platitudes before. You spoke of hope … where is that? If dinosaurs have taught me nothing else, it is an appreciation for human life. As successful as dinosaurs were, their Encephalization Quotient (their EQ, or brain size) was never too generous. We mammals, on the other hand, have had the evolutionary fortune of inheriting a rather different brain with a typically much higher EQ. To be fair, the birdy dinosaurs around us have enlarged brains compared to their predecessors.
Why is EQ size a reason for hope? Well, EQ by itself is not, but it is what we Homo sapiens do with it that is. I am no anthropologist, but speaking in general terms, here are two things one can say about humans that cannot, so far as I know, be applied to other vertebrate animals:
- We can both anticipate the future and act on it.
- We can use imagination to bring positive things into concrete existence.
For all of their significance and success, the non-avian dinosaurs could not have anticipated their demise, nor could they have done anything to act on it. Apart from ancient aliens imbuing dinosaurs with a sense of imagination (I can imagine a particular channel of history losing all its credibility), these mighty animals could not have brought forth everything from medicine to concepts of social justice. As a species, we are certainly still working on a lot and have a long, long way to go, but have you ever stopped to think of how unbelievably special and unique it is that we can act on knowledge and create our future?
So this holiday season, and throughout the year, I hope you may reflect on the fact that whereas for non-avian dinosaurs history's lessons were inaccessible, they are very much an open book for us. If we can anticipate what the future will bring, we can act on it. If we decide to put our imagination to good use, we can create positive change in the world.
The non-avian dinosaurs could not learn from their past, but perhaps we can learn from them … and from our own ancestors.
"So have a toast and down the cup, and drink to bones that turn to dust." — Oingo Boingo (Danny Elfman's rock band)
Danny Elfman, creator of the Simpson's Theme Song, can't be wrong …
Fastovsky, D. and Weishampel, D. 2009. Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History. Cambridge University Press. 379 pp.


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House Passes Legislation to Provide Public Input in National Monument Designations
WASHINGTON - Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1459, Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments (EPIC) Act with a vote of 222-201. The Public Lands Council (PLC) and National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) applaud this action to give local governments, ranchers and other stakeholders a voice in the national monument designation process.
Introduced by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), this bill would prevent the President from making vast, unilateral special land designations without thorough public review of the potential environmental, social and economic impacts.
Under the Antiquities Act of 1906, as interpreted today, the President has the unfettered authority to make "national monument" designations. The EPIC Act would amend the Antiquities Act to require potential monument designations of 5,000 acres or more are given full review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA reviews include in-depth analysis of the impacts of a proposed action, as well as the opportunity for local government and public involvement in the decision-making process.
While intended to protect small, defined areas that are historically or scientifically unique and important, abuse of the Antiquities Act by Presidents has led to vast monument designations that are outside the original intent of the law. Large monument designations have had devastating impacts on local economies and culture due to the restrictions they place on productive uses of the land. Applying NEPA to large proposed designations would ensure that the public was made aware of those impacts and give the opportunity for input.
Currently, minor federal agency decisions regarding livestock grazing are subject NEPA analysis, but national monument designations that could encompass millions of acres are not. Brice Lee, Colorado rancher and president of PLC, said the EPIC Act would rectify this inequity.
"This legislation will help protect our members' livelihoods by preventing rash, oversized national monument designations that impose new regulations and restrictions on multiple uses such as livestock grazing," said Lee. "The Antiquities Act is being abused and utilized to subvert the role of our elected representatives in making impactful decisions on the management of our federal lands. Congress enacted this law with the best of intentions—now it must be fixed to respond to the continued abuse."
The EPIC Act would also allow a President no more than one monument designation per state, per term. While it would not require NEPA review for designations smaller than 5,000 acres, it would place a 3-year expiration date on those designations unless the designation is approved by Congress. Additionally, it would require any monument designation to be followed by a study estimating long-term management costs and potential loss in federal and state revenue. Finally, it would not allow monuments to include private property without the informed written consent of the affected private property owner.
NCBA President Bob McCan added that the negative impacts of monument designations on ranchers has unintended consequences, not just for local economies but for the environment as well.
"Grazing encourages healthy plant growth, cuts down on fuel loads that lead to catastrophic wildfires, and supplies water sources to wildlife. Keeping ranchers in business is good policy for conservation of both private and public land," the Texas cattleman said. "By preventing unilateral de facto wilderness designations by the executive branch, the EPIC Act will promote greater stability for the livestock industry. It is common sense and only fair to hold the President to the same standards that all other agencies and entities must live by when they make decisions on behalf of the federal government."
PLC and NCBA encourage the Senate to take up the bill without delay.
Contact our Media Team
Ed Frank
Senior Director
Policy Communications
Steven Johnson
Associate Director
Policy Communications


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Pen collectors, history buffs and writing enthusiasts will be among the anticipated participants in the 18th annual Ohio Pen Show, at the Crowne Plaza Dublin Hotel Nov. 9-11.
Pen collectors, history buffs and writing enthusiasts will be among the anticipated participants in the 18th annual Ohio Pen Show, at the Crowne Plaza Dublin Hotel Nov. 9-11.
Thousands of pens ranging from classic, collectible fountain pens to the latest ballpoints will be on display at the Ohio Pen Show, which organizers said is the third-largest pen show in the world.
The three-day event will offer attendees opportunities to buy or simply peruse the wealth of pens on display; workshops about calligraphy, pen repair and buying and selling pens will be featured.
"It's hard to believe this is the 18th year," said Terry Mawhorter, a Zanesville resident who created the Ohio Pen Show.
"We started out with 48 tables that first year and we're at 160 now," Mawhorter said.
Admission is $5 per day.
The first 100 people through the doors each day will receive a bottle of ink, and all attendees will be eligible for daily prizes of pens valued at $500 to $650, including a 2012 Owners Club Edition Royal Green Piston Fill 18K Nib, provided by the Bexley Pen Co. of Bexley, Ohio.
Mawhorter said the show draws both attendees and exhibitors from throughout the United States and countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany and Israel.
Among them are Deb Basel, who travels from Baltimore, Md., to offer calligraphy workshops throughout the three-day show, and Ron Zorn, who will instruct visitors about pen repair.
Another exhibit will allow collectors to find out the value of their pens.
"If somebody has an old pen, pencil or ballpoint, we're going to have a gentleman here who can offer, with paid admission, free appraisals," Mawhorter said.
One regular visitor to the Ohio Pen Show is Mike Weddle, who lives in Columbus between Hilliard and Upper Arlington.
He's been "seriously" collecting pens for 15 years, and said his collection numbers close to 200.
"I'm kind of all over the board," Weddle said. "I collect a lot of vintage pens from say, the 1940s, but I also have a lot more modern pens.
"I use fountain pens and I've got a pen in my pocket all the time. That'll be the case with almost anybody you'll see at the pen show."
Weddle, 68, said he began collecting pens because he liked the historic nature of fountain pens, but he also prefers using them to ballpoints.
Although he considers himself "old school," he said modern technologies such as the Internet have significantly boosted pen collecting as a hobby. He is a regular visitor to web-based "pen boards" that link pen aficionados, collectors and sellers.
Weddle said he's been going to the Ohio Pen Show for years and looks forward to seeing the different pens on display and meeting other pen enthusiasts.
"The show has a really good reputation for vintage pens," Weddle said. "People come from all over the country -- dealers in particular. In fact, they come from all over the world.
"I might take a pen the show to ask somebody a question about it, or to share something I've got," Weddle said.
Additional information about the Ohio Pen Show is available online at ohiopenshow.com. Included on the website is a list of exhibitors, slated activities and prizes available to attendees.


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The trip from Wanaka through the Haast Pass to the west coast was like nothing else we had seen thus far. First the road gradually traveled up a valley until we were high enough to be in forest country again. This was true rain forest and there were numbers of marked tracks and interesting sights along the road. Each was well sign-posted so if you didn't want to see everything it was easy to pick what you did want to do. We walked into the rain forest down a well-made track. This looked and smelt like the forests we knew when we were children growing up in New Zealand. We loved the moss and ferns on the ground and hanging off everything.
As the road started to descend on the other side of the Pass we came out into a little valley with a stream down the middle. There was a picnic area and camp ground here. In the foreground of this photo is a row of New Zealand Flax plants. This is quite a different plant from the flax of the northern hemisphere but because of its fibrous leaves it was given a similar name.
From here on the road got steeper and more windy. When we toured the south island of New Zealand with our parents all those years ago we remembered that Dad did not want to travel over this pass so we went further north and went over Arthur's Pass. Driving this road this time we did wonder why - but then read one of the tourist notices that said this pass was only officially opened in 1960. It was Christmas of that year that we had been here. I am sure that the road would not have been sealed back then (very little was!) and it must have been pretty hazardous after rain! Even now the only bridges were all one way and there were notices with arrows showing which direction had right of way. All the notices said that heavy traffic had to slow down to 20 km (just over 12mph).
This bridge is at a place called the "Gates of Haast".
Even when we got down to sea level most of the bridges were still one way only. One of the longest ones over a wide shingle river even had a passing place in the middle of the bridge.
More about the west coast next time.


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Establish No Contact
If your husband wants you to even consider sticking around his cheating self, then he needs to establish NO CONTACT with his affair partner and that starts right NOW. No negotiation. He makes a phone call and follows it up with a letter. He must state unequivocally that the affair was wrong and that it's over. He must make it clear that there is to be absolutely no contact going forward. Of course, there are going to be complications. My husband worked with his affair partner and it was messy (and expensive) to extricate her from our lives. The BWC has heard of affairs with sisters, sisters-in-law, kids' teachers, coaches, professors… So, let me add this: When possible, there must be NO CONTACT with the affair partner, especially by the offending (offensive!) party.
The catch is, you need to respect the No Contact agreement too. No drink-and-dial phone calls to tell her she's a bitch (on some level, she knows). No nasty e-mails. No FaceBook postings designed to be inflammatory. No snarky remarks when you run into her at the PTA meeting. Your issue is not with her, but with your husband. He's the one who made promises to you. Just hope the whole experience has been sufficiently painful for her to resolve to NEVER again get involved with a married man. Don't count on it…but hope nonetheless.


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Dr. Jeffrey and Caryn Macdonald live in the village of Shen Vlash in Albania as long-term missionaries. They are both teaching at the Resurrection Orthodox Theological Academy in Shen Vlash, near Durres. The theological academy was established in 1992 to train Albanian clergy and church workers to help restore Church life after the period of communist persecution.
Dr. Macdonald previously taught for many years at St. Herman's Seminary in Kodiak helping to prepare Native Alaskans to serve in the Church in Alaska. Dr. Macdonald studied at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary, following an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies and Archaeology at Wheaton College, in Illinois. He later completed a doctoral degree in Early Christian Studies at the Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C.
The Macdonalds have five children: Alexander 22, Anna 19, Elizabeth 14, Andrew 10, and Katherine 8. They are seeking monthly supporters to help sustain their work in Albania.


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This is the debut of the Gallardo GT3 rally car, by Lamborghini racecar builder Reiter Engineering. The video itself comes from 2008, and it's hard to think of a cooler rally-prepped car that's debuted since then.
Obviously there have been other rally Gallardos, most notably the one that won a race while on fire, but I challenge you to find a cooler, more unexpected rally car than a Lamborghini.
I can rattle off the top of my head a Cadillac Sedan deVille and a rear-wheel-drive Alfa Romeo with a midmounted Ferrari V8, but what about you?
(Hat Tip to: interrogator_chaplain!)


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There will be sold at public outcry, to highest and best bidder for cash, between the legal hours of sale, before the Appling County Courthouse, 36 South Main St., Baxley, Appling County, Georgia on the first Tuesday in November 2013 next each day thereafter until sold. The following property to wit:
All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in Land Lot 189 of the Second Land District of Appling County, Georgia containing 4.786 acres more or less, and being identified as Tract 1 on that certain survey and plat thereof by Merlin J. Tomberlin, G.R.L.S. No. 2477, dated April 29, 2003, said plat being recorded in Plat Book 18, page 51 of the deed records of Appling County and by reference incorporated herein for descriptive and all other purposes.
Said property found in the possession of David Yawn. And owning one hundred percent undivided interest. Levied on to satisfy an execution in favor of James Conine, plaintiff against David Yawn, defendant, issued from the Magistrate Court of Appling County, Georgia as the property of the defendant in Fi-Fa. Notice of Levy and sale having been given the defendant in Fi-Fa.
This the 7 day of October 2013.
10-9, 10-16, 10-23, & 10-30ch
gpn12 SHERIFF'S SALE GEORGIA, APPLING COUNTY
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Train Surfing Is Absolutely and Totally Nuts [VIDEO]
Train surfing is an extreme sport that you
really definitely shouldn't try.
It's a pastime that's popular in South Africa and documented in the short film 'Staff Riding.'
Train surfing is pretty much what you think it is -- daredevils ride on top or the sides of trains while they whiz along the tracks at breakneck speeds.
As you might imagine, there have been horrifying injuries and death, but that doesn't appear to have turned people off from train surfing.


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Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones review
From skepticism to enthusiasm
Heads up!Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
|Big sound and a compact form factor make the Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones a must-hear.
Anticipation and doubt
I recently got to spend a few days with a class of headphones I haven't had a huge amount of experience with, on-ear portables. This is a fast-growing category for a number of good reasons, mostly because of their compatibility with portable players and smartphones. And I admit to having a bit of a bias about them: I have always assumed that when it comes to this sector of the market, sound quality comes in second to form factor and device compatibility. So it was with a mixture of skepticism and anticipation that I accepted the box with the Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones for a bit of steady listening.
First peek
Unboxing the P3's was an unexpected treat. They come in a substantial box with a spring-loaded clamshell case inside. The clamshell cradles the headphones (in folded position) in cushioned comfort. Two thin, tangle-resistant four-foot cables are contained therein, one with an in-line remote switch/mic optimized for Apple® iOS® devices, and one plain one without any inline modification. The cables can be swapped out by removing the magnetic earpads to reveal the clever strain-relief/connector receptacle hidden underneath. When I placed the headphones on my head, they felt really comfortable. They had a confident clamp pressure and giving, open-weave cloth pads. It all added up to a fit that felt secure on my head without feeling hot or constricting.
Spin it up
Having given the P3s a thumbs-up for comfort, it was time to switch them on. I did the bulk of my listening in the manner I believe many buyers of these headphones will — plugged into my portable player (in my case, an iPhone®4). I like to begin my listening sessions with headphones with music that is more acoustic in nature, so I spun up singer-songwriter Meg Hutchinson's Coming Up from her album The Crossing. The definition of the flatpick on the guitar strings (two guitars, split left and right) was crisp and even without being shrill, and when her voice joined in, in the same octave as the guitar, I could see that the overall midrange experience was going to be highly "listenable." I use that term to define a listening session where there's no fatigue from overemphasized frequencies or poor waveform resolution.
When the bass joined in around 50 seconds, it was an eye-opener. I was honestly taken by surprise that such a compact driver could deliver such pleasant, authoritative bass, and I also felt that its overall voice complemented the midrange presentation to deliver a well-integrated (here's that term again) highly listenable sound that I haven't heard from other headphones in its class. It's not that the P3s are earth-shattering, or that their clarity is beyond that of an audiophile unit --- they're just way beyond most highly-portable headphones. Plus, they look 500 times cooler than most, too (a purely subjective opinion, but try them and tell me you don't think so too).
Classical music was next. I chose a contemporary piece, movement 1 of John Adams' Shaker Loops. While I found the overall image of the string orchestra a bit compressed, I could certainly pick out the positions of various instrumental voice groups with ease.
Finally, I chose a tune by alt-rock mainstay Guster: Happier, from the Lost and Gone Forever album. This is a nicely layered tune, with a lot of dynamic range and some well-defined percussive voices. The P3's delivered the impact of the bass and percussive voices with a tight, focused accuracy, and a satisfying punch. These headphones might be small, but they sure don't sound it.
Attention please
Two notes here. First, unlike most small headphones, the P3s hardly leak at all. I cranked a stadium rock number and a big band number, and asked my cubicle neighbor if he could hear anything. Nada. And while I could still hear sounds around me, they were well-dampened by the ear pad design.
Secondly, be aware that placement of these pads on your ears is fairly critical to your listening experience. A few millimeters one way or the other impacted my perception of the frequency response, so there definitely is a focused "sweet spot" coming from these drivers. Move them around as you play music, it will be very clear to you when you've found the right position. Once you've set that up, they stay in place nicely.
The bottom line
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed wearing these headphones, and just how convenient and low-impact they were. While they aren't designed for the critic who depends on everything to be evenly voiced, I found that I was thoroughly enjoying listening to my music on the P3's. And isn't that what it's all about? The Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones are a clear winner for those who like to enjoy their music while on the move.
Reader comments (3 responses)
Please share your thoughts below.
David Brown from Crutchfield
Posted on 8/10/2015
Hi Grant, these headphones are not wireless. If you're interested in a great pair of wireless headphones from B&W, check out the Bowers & Wilkins P5 wireless.
Grant Niles from Irmo, South Carolina
Posted on 8/8/2015
Because the headphones are wireless, do they require batteries?
Carlos Greene from Irmo, South Carolina
Posted on 8/8/2015
Sounds like a potent innovation


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Day: August 3, 2014
Sorry, We Will Fight A Nuclear Iran (Daniel 7-8)
As a combat veteran, my world view was profoundly impacted by my deployment to Iraq.
While the United States rid the world of a brutal dictator, the tremendous costs of the war — thousands of American lives lost, more than 10 times as many wounded and a cost estimated at $1 trillion — are stark reminders of the dangers of launching an unnecessary war as a result of shortsighted foreign policy.
As Iraq descends further into chaos, the world's attention has shifted to Iraq's neighbor Iran, as the United States and its partners sought to prevent another unnecessary war in the Middle East.
Iran, a country that has vowed to blow Israel off the map and provided weapons to the United States' enemies during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is getting alarmingly close to developing a nuclear weapon. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates described the Iranian situation as "the most significant national security problem this country has faced in the last 50 years."
Last year, the United States forced Iran to the negotiating table after the successful use of diplomacy and aggressive economic sanctions. Both sides reached a preliminary agreement for Iran to effectively freeze its nuclear program in exchange for the West gradually reducing sanctions.
While diplomats in Vienna recently were unable to reach a long-term deal, negotiations were extended until November, preserving the hope for a diplomatic solution.
The costs of failing to reach a deal are immense. A nuclear Iran represents a clear and present danger to America and its allies. If a nuclear Iran was imminent, the Obama administration would be under tremendous pressure to conduct military strikes — strikes that largely would be ineffectual without the presence of ground troops to fully eliminate Iran's nuclear program.
Critics who oppose an agreement argue that Iran cannot be trusted to keep its promises, insisting it will continue to pursue a nuclear weapon in secret.
While a history of provocative actions and defiance of the international community make one weary of trusting Iran's sincerity, critics routinely ignore that any deal would include verification of compliance. Without a deal, we are blind to everything Iran does; with a deal, its power plants and research facilities are under a microscope of cameras and inspectors.
Still, those focused on vilifying President Barack Obama are sure to insist that negotiating with Iran shows more weakness from an administration that has "emboldened our enemies." This is simply not true. Dick Cheney's foreign policy got us into the war with Iraq, and it will get us into a war with Iran just as quickly.
By isolating Iran from the world and forcing it to the negotiating table, our goal of an Iran without a nuclear weapons program is within reach.
Achieving a deal with Iran will not be easy, but it is essential. Iran has seen how the United States handles a nuclear North Korea with kid gloves while brashly invading a non-nuclear Iraq. It will not easily be dissuaded from its nuclear ambitions.
The choice Americans face is another long and costly war in the Middle East or a diplomatic resolution.
The Bush administration's go-it-alone, diplomacy-be-damned approach to foreign politics does not work, and the military bore the brunt of the costs of this shortsighted policy.
We have an opportunity to learn from the past decade's mistakes and give diplomacy a chance. Failure to do so will have dire consequences for our military, our country and the international community.
War should be an option of last resort, not the offspring of a faulty worldview.
Derrik Gay is a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and a student at Northwestern University. He is a member of the Truman National Security Project's Defense Council. He lives in Evanston.


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(VATICAN CITY) It's 2013, and it's 6:15 in the morning in Rome, but the scene puts me right back to the 2011 beatification of John Paul II. Transportation services stop well short of their destinations, unable to compete with the foot traffic streaming toward St. Peter's Square. The sun — absent the last few days in wind, chill, and rain — glints down the slightly damp basalt-cobblestone streets, and it's more cool than chilly. Cafes and trattorie that would never open this early now rush to put out their billboards, advertising take-away breakfasts. I'm starving, but I don't dare stop; I may not make it through the crowds that have already assembled, even with my press pass.
For me, at least, that's the one big difference between the 2011 beatification and now. I couldn't get within a quarter-mile of St. Peter's Square in 2011, but now the press pass gets me through five or six security barriers set up around the piazza. Tens of thousands — probably more than 100,000 — have already turned out three hours before the Inauguration Mass of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome that will officially install Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis, a ceremony that has drawn 132 national delegations at last count and representatives from most Christian ecclesial communities and other major religions.
The security barriers are holding when I take this picture of the crowd waiting at this end of Via Conciliazione, but that doesn't last long:
No sooner do I put my camera back in the bag than the cordon ruptures, and a small group of pilgrims run for the Carlo Magno colonnade that emerges from the left side of the basilica. A police officer stops me as a swarm of security personnel rushes to plug the gap, one yelling in English to the crowd, "Push back! Push back!" While I wonder for a moment why he used English instead of Italian, the policeman allows me to proceed up the same pathway as the lucky few who got away.
I'm not more than 30 meters away when I hear shouting behind me, and suddenly I'm in the middle of a Pamplona run as a major jailbreak rushes past me … led in part by nuns. I only have time to whip out my smartphone to grab a few images:
By this time, I'm close to the media center, so I decide to step out of the way of the stampede, which runs square into another security barrier. When I see a break in the rush, I move across the path quickly to a security officer, who allows me through an opening in the barrier that goes in the opposite way of the pilgrims, onto Via Sant'Uffizio and the media center. By this time it's 6:40, the end of a 25-minute trek across the square that normally takes about five minutes to complete. And the Mass is still almost three hours away.
As a journalist with temporary accreditation, I have two options for covering the Mass. The first is identical to Sunday's coverage of the Angelus — standing on the Carlo Magno braccio, four stories or so up above the square, only this time for four or five hours. The other is to watch it from the media center. Given that I don't have the kind of high-power lenses that would make ground shots look worthwhile, and that my feet and legs are already quite sore from the previous ten days of walking with 40 pounds of equipment on my back, I opt for the media center. We'll get a much better view of the Mass from here, and I can actually write during the morning. And given the size and passion of the crowds in the square, it will probably be the only oasis of calm in the area until mid-afternoon.
The Pope arrived right on time at 8:50 in the morning, not in the bullet-proof Popemobile but in the open Jeep. (How long will it take after 1981 to not pray for the Pope's safety while riding in the open? Longer than 32 years, unfortunately.) The Vatican arranged the barriers so that Francis could drive through as much of the crowd as possible. At one point, the pontiff climbed down to kiss and bless a disabled elderly man cradled by a younger man, and spent a couple of minutes conversing with the two. At another point, he stopped to kiss children held aloft by their parents.
Interestingly, the square did not fill up this morning as the Pope wended his way through the barriers. This is not a civil holiday for Rome, and the mid-week Mass along with the security and transportation restrictions may have convinced some Romans to avoid the event. The Sunday Angelus appears to have been the popular event of the pontificate's launch, which drew somewhere between 150,000 and 300,000 people by various estimates. In contrast to Sunday, the Via Conciliazione did not fill up immediately, and the back sections of the square still had some room for any late-arriving pilgrims. By the end of the service, though, the sections had completely filled in, and the crowd stretched nearly to the end of the Via Conciliazione.
After vesting in St. Peter's Basilica, the mass started at 9:40 local time. Francis' homily emphasized the centrality of service to the poor in the mission of the Catholic Church, according to the embargoed version of his prepared remarks.
Francis of Assisi demonstrated respect and love for all of God's creation, "respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live," but more to the point, "protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about." Therefore, Francis implored "all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political, and social life" to be "protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature."
Today is the Feast Day of St. Joseph, and the readings reflect his role in the Holy Family. The Pope elaborated on the lessons of St. Joseph, exhorting the audience to "protect Jesus and Mary" as Joseph did, and to "hope against hope" to believe and serve. Even his own power as pontiff, Francis explained, is ordered to service. "Jesus' three questions to Peter about love," Francis said, " are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Let us never forget that authentic power is service … [The Pope] must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked St. Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important[.]" Francis emphasized the the need for service in his mission: "Only those who serve with love are able to protect!"
The Mass ended well ahead of the predicted two-hour running time, a reflection of the simplicity demanded by Francis in the ceremony of the inauguration. Much of the crowd remained well after the pontiff returned to St. Peter's Basilica to remove his vestments and prepare to greet the dignitaries in a lengthy receiving line that began to form almost immediately. Others meandered back down Via Conciliazione and other exits, certainly back through Piazza di Resorgimento, the path I had taken to arrive, the bells of St. Peter's pealing behind them as they left. Once free of his ceremonial vestments, Francis walked with new energy to the altar of St. Peter and began to receive his guests, starting with Argentina president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
The papal transition has now been completed.
Update: Joe Biden managed to keep his soul, apparently. I saw him momentarily in a camera pan of the dignitaries.
Update II: According to Italian news network Rai, the Vatican estimates that 200,000 people attended the Mass.


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The Texas Rangers clinched their three-game home-opening series even with Yu Darvish being far from perfect.
Lance Berkman, David Murphy and Ian Kinsler homered for Texas in a 7-3 victory over Josh Hamilton and the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
Darvish (2-0) came within one out of a perfect game in his first start five days earlier at Houston, but trailed the Angels 2-0 only five batters into his 2013 debut.
After Darvish walked leadoff hitter Mike Trout, hit Erick Aybar on the foot and then walked Albert Pujols, a run scored on Hamilton's double-play grounder. Mark Trumbo's RBI single quickly made it 2-0.
Berkman's first homer with the Rangers was a two-run shot in the bottom of the first off Jered Weaver (0-1), who won 20 games last season. Murphy added a solo shot two batters later to put the Rangers ahead to stay.
Hamilton, booed throughout his return to Texas after signing a $125 million, five-year deal with the Angels last winter, had three hits. He finished 3 for 13 in the series, and is batting only .160 (4 for 25) on the season.
Neither Darvish nor Weaver made it past five innings, but that wasn't because of the runs they allowed.
Darvish threw 85 pitches over five innings, and was replaced starting the sixth because of a blister on his right ring finger that had also developed in the game against the Astros when he retired 26 consecutive batters before giving up a single.
Weaver did throw to a batter in the sixth, but strained his left elbow diving out of the way of Mitch Moreland's liner to start the inning.
While Weaver avoided being hit by the ball, he landed awkwardly on his left arm. The pitcher immediately grabbed the arm near his elbow and manager Mike Scioscia and a trainer quickly were on the field. X-rays were negative.
Mark Lowe replaced Weaver on the mound. After a sacrifice bunt by Geovany Soto, Lowe walked No. 9 hitter Leonys Martin before Kinsler's third homer of the season, a three-run liner just over the right-field wall.
Weaver allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked four.
Darvish, who had 14 strikeouts with no walks against the Astros, threw a strike on his first pitch Sunday night before four consecutive balls to Trout.
The ace from Japan retired only two of the first nine Angels he faced. The second time through the lineup, he had five strikeouts.
Darvish finished with six strikeouts, four walks and a hit batter. He gave up three runs and six hits over his five innings.
Texas went up 4-2 in the fourth when Soto, the catcher playing for the first time this season, had a leadoff double. He scored on Kinsler's single.
The Angels got that run back in the fifth when Hamilton singled and scored on a double by Trumbo.
NOTES: After opening the season with series at Cincinnati and Texas, both of Hamilton's former major league teams, the Angels play their home opener Tuesday against Oakland. Los Angeles is the first team since 2007 to open the season with three series in a row against playoff teams from the previous season. ... Soto was the last Rangers player on the opening-day roster to get in a game.


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Nice tool, but i can't change my screen to 1440x900? Some bug?
Wait a tick--does this GeDoSaTo also smooth out FFVIII's 2D backgrounds? Holy moly!
Hello, tried most of your mods and work very well, thanks for your job. But i got a problem with this mod, i have rose and wine so i chosed the raw folder and followed everything correct but when i set correctly the resolution 3xxx on launcher...game is not on full screen, its Windowed. Tried to Force some setting but i don't know what to do, can you help me?
Are you making sure that GeDoSaTo is the first thing you open? Make sure you open GeDoSaTo and THEN the FF8 launcher. It might be having an issue with the latest version of RaW - I haven't updated to the latest version to make sure HextLaunch is working properly with it. Also - make sure that the resolution is double whatever your monitor resolution is. If your monitor is not 1920x1080, you're going to have to manually change the settings to some multiple of your monitors resolution in the FF8_Launch2/GeDoSaTo.ini pulldown in 'edit settings'.--Just got an idea. With HextLaunch now being the way you launch FF8 (the FF8+.exe), you should be able to use the regular config and NOT the RaW config. I'm going to test this right now.
i tried the non raw folder but problem is the same! game launch in window mode. I can paste and copy the 2 ini file you but they are default..so i don't touch anything inside! Just saw onw thing, in you main post there is "- You will see text in the top left of the screen confirming your downsampling rate if you did everything right". well i don't get this message when i change the resolution in laucherEDIT: i tried to launch the game from steam instead shortcut ff8+..game still in windowed mode. I tryed to disable full screen in launcher option and i got this:http://i.imgur.com/mglGlgS.pngnot full screen, but larger windowed mode and there is a message on top side
Do you have multiple high resolutions avalable or just the 3xxx? If you're not using the english version , try changing the name of FF8_EN to whatever your language .exe is in the GeDoSaTo 'config' folder! Open the User Whitelist and change it there too.
already done this, but no luck, i posted a screenshot if you look previous so everything should work i think and maybe this this downsampling 2 level make the game windowed but i don't know how to fixEDIT: i don't know how..but i maked it work with the default launcher! but problems now is no music coz rose and wine mod! so i tried launch from ff8+ and i got this:http://i.imgur.com/IYn7kHF.jpghow can i remove this?
# Lines starting with "#" are ignored by GeDoSaTo and used to provide documentation# read them before changing anything!## NOTE 1: you might want to set most of these settings in game-specific setting files# if a game has a profile the settings there overwrite the defaults specified here!## NOTE 2: if you want your personal settings to persist across updates# put them into a user config file (created with the "U" button below)######################################################################################### Graphics settings# The actual rendering resolutions you want to use,# and how many Hz you want the game to think they work at.# format: renderResolution [width]x[height]@[hz]renderResolution [email protected]renderResolution [email protected]renderResolution [email protected]renderResolution [email protected]renderResolution [email protected]# The resolution you want to downsample *to*.# Should generally always be your output device pixel size and frequency.# Writing something not supported by the display here will probably cause a crash.# 0 = main monitor resolutionpresentWidth 1920presentHeight 1080presentHz 60# How many vertical traces to wait when presenting# -1 = unchanged# 0 = no vsync# 1 = standard vsync# 2 = half refresh rate (e.g. 30 on 60 Hz)# 3 = 1/3rd refresh rate, etc.presentInterval -1# The type of scaling you want to use.# bilinear: what GPUs generally do, cheap performance-wise# bicubic: higher quality, more expensive performance-wise# lanczos: higher quality and sharp, most expensive performance-wise# nearest: extremely cheap, generally ugly, but useful to upsample retro gamesscalingType bicubic# Whether to maintain the aspect ratio if different ratios between input and output# false = stretching# true = pillar/letterboxingmaintainAspectRatio false# Forces an anisotropic filtering level# 0 = no override# N = force Aniso level N on all surfaces (eg. N=16)# NOTE: this is more "brutal" than the driver-level override, and may break the graphics# in some games. Outside of special circumstances (e.g. FF13), you should rather use a # driver-level override.forceAnisoLevel 0######################################################################################### Compatibility Settings# Forces the constant reporting of the downsampling resolution in all applicable# scenarios - a small selection of games needs this to show the DS resolutionsforceAlwaysDownsamplingRes false# Emulate exact flipping behaviour# requires some extra performance/memory,# but may be important for some games to workemulateFlipBehaviour false# Restricts interception to only system dlls# might increase compatibility with 3rd-party injectors, but decrease stability interceptOnlySystemDlls false# Force disables Steam in-game overlay from getting loaded into the process# which caused some games to crash, even if it was disabled in Steam settingspreventSteamOverlay false# Loads Steam overlay earlyloadSteamOverlayEarly true# Loads D3D dlls early - may cause some games to recognize GeDoSaTo which wouldn't otherwiseloadD3DEarly true# Forces the present resolution to be set, regardless of what the game requests# usually only makes sense in conjunction with game-specific plugins# for games with resolution limitsforcePresentRes false# For games which use strange methods to query resolutions,# injecting a new one might not work. In such cases, you can try replacing an# existing resolution. E.g. "overrideWidth 800", "overrideHeight 600" to replace 800x600# 0 = override disabledoverrideWidth 0overrideHeight 0# GenericDepthPlugin options# zBufCompatibilityFlag : bypasses d3d9 Clear flags (possible values: 2/3/6/7) <-- try this first if no AO shows up# zBufClearIndex : delays the bypass by x number of iterations <-- to fix potential flickering issues (usually 1/2/3 is fine)zBufCompatibilityFlag 0zBufClearIndex 0# Override the plugin selection process to always select the given plugin# example: pluginOverride GenericDepthPluginpluginOverride None# Delays the detouring operation until the first hook call (like the old default injection)# may fix startup crashes in some games (e.g. Alan Wake)delayDetouring false######################################################################################### Windowing settings# Hides the mouse cursor, at all times# options: "true" (= hidden) and "false" (= unchanged)hideMouseCursor false# Forces borderless windowed fullscreen mode instead of fullscreen mode# options: "true" (= force borderless windowed FS) and "false" (= unchanged)forceBorderlessFullscreen true# Forces "real" fullscreen (e.g. for games which only support borderless FS)# NOTE: this can lead to alt-tab crashes, as these games may not handle focus loss correctlyforceFullscreenMode true######################################################################################### Image processing settings# Note: may or may not apply depending on the plugin used## AA# AA toggle and quality setting# 0 = off (best performance, worst IQ)# 1 = low # 2 = medium# 3 = high# 4 = ultra (worst performance, best IQ)aaQuality 0# AA type# either "smaa" or "fxaa", depending on your preferencesaaType fxaa## SSAO# Determine the type of AO used# "SAO" = Scalable Ambient Obscurance# "HBAO" = Horizon Based Ambient Occlusion# "VSSAO2" = Volumetric SSAO# "MSSAO" = Martinsh SSAO inspired by ArKano22ssaoType SAO# Enable and set the strength of the SSAO effect # (all 3 settings have the same performance impact!)# 0 = off# 1 = low# 2 = medium# 3 = highssaoStrength 3# Set SSAO scale# 1 = high quality (default)# 2 = lower quality, lower impact on performancessaoScale 2# Set SSAO Blur type# gaussian = soft, cheap# sharp = depth-dependent, more expensivessaoBlurType gaussian## DOF# Enable Depth of Field# false = off# true = onenableDoF false# Select the type of DOF effect# basic = basic pseudo-Bokeh DoF# bokeh = shaped circular Bokeh DoF - WARNING: high performance impactdofType bokeh# Bokeh Depth of Field radius# default = 1.00# higher = more blurry (e.g. 1.1)# lower = less blurry (e.g. 0.9)# note: small changes make a large differencedofBaseRadius 1.05## Post# Enable Postprocessing# false = off# true = on# For in-depth configuration, look in "assets/post.fx" or "assets/post_asmodean.fx"enablePostprocessing false# Postprocessing type# durante = basic postprocessing adapted from SweetFX (dark, local contrast)# asmodean = postprocessing by Asmodean (with tone mapping, softer)# For in-depth configuration, look in "assets/post.fx" or "assets/post_asmodean.fx"postProcessingType durante## Bloom# Enable HDR Bloom# false = off# true = on# For in-depth configuration, look in "assets/bloom.fx"enableBloom false######################################################################################### Texture settings# Dump game textures loaded using d3dx to textures\[gamename]\dump\[hash].tga# if you enable override at the same time, the overridden texture will be dumpedenableTextureDumping false# Override game textures loaded using d3dx with those from# textures\[gamename]\override\[hash].(dds|png), if availableenableTextureOverride false# Mark textures with their hash (for texture modders)# WARNING: extremely slow if a game loads many textures# (if you think a game crashed, it's probably still just loading textures)enableTextureMarking false######################################################################################### Mouse settings# you may have to play around with these a bit to get mouse input working correctly# while downsampling in some games# Modify the mouse position reported by "GetCursorPos" when downsamplingmodifyGetCursorPos false# Modify the mouse position set by "SetCursorPos" when downsamplingmodifySetCursorPos false# Intercept the WindowProc callback of the game and adjust mouse messages when downsamplinginterceptWindowProc false# Adjust the mouse position reported in peeked Windows messages when downsamplingadjustMessagePt false# Adjust the reported client rect when downsamplingmodifyGetClientRect true# Adjust the reported window rect when downsamplingmodifyGetWindowRect true######################################################################################### Internal settings# The amount of logging output for debugging purpose.# Should be set to 0 if everything works fine for performance reasons.logLevel 0# Enable shader tracking# Turn on only if you want to find a PSHash/VSHash for a game!trackShaders false# Number of seconds on-screen messages are displayed formessageSeconds 10# The maximum degree of parallelism for screenshot encoding# N = use up to N worker threads for screenshots# 0 = synchronous (no parallelism)# -1 = TheOctagon mode (stores .bmp using D3DX API, very slow, use only as a workaround)maxScreenshotParallelism 4
Yes sure! I got it working with the default launcher..but when i use the ff8+ or the hex for the add ons, always appears this Black square
Hey guys.Loving all the work that you do on here for FFVII, but I had to sign up as I cannot get this to work at all. I'm pretty sure I've followed the instructions right 3 times now, but when I launch the game Via FF8+, I have no option to select the higher resolution I set -up in the launcher settings. I don't know where I am going wrong now.Any help would be great appreciated.edit: Okay, scratch that. I enabled Anti-Aliasing, and now it's giving me the options.
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Editors' note: Questions have been raised about the accuracy of this account. See related story "Stolen Valor?" for more details.
Timothy Oliver, a Georgia boy by birth, spent years with the Special Forces in Afghanistan hunting bad guys in hideouts in the night.
Sometimes he found them.
Now, he spends his nights sleepless in a dimly lit mobile home park in Hermosa. Gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes and a limp, he smokes Marlboro reds and handles a toy gun that is a replica of the 9 mm he used to carry in Afghanistan.
He says he sees the faces of the men he hunted, the villagers he found massacred and mutilated by jihadists and the friends he lost. He takes large quantities of Valium but does not sleep.
Still, he says he would not take back the five years, three months and 34 days he spent in the military.
It started in 1998, when he enlisted and started studying at the Georgia Military Institute, training when he wasn't in school.
He finished a four-year degree in three years before the United States struck Afghanistan in October 2001.
A member of the unit commonly known as Delta Force, he said he hit the ground in Kandahar after a high-altitude jump with thousands of other specialized troops from different branches of service.
He recalls three days of intense "house-to-house urban warfare."
"It was a lot of chaos and a lot of fear," he said.
When the fighting ended and Marines arrived, he felt hopeful that a quick end to the war was possible. But he said commanders opted to fortify their position rather than advance, missing what he feels was a key opportunity to hobble the enemy early.
When Oliver was seriously injured Dec. 4, 2004, he was on his third tour in Afghanistan. He had suffered two minor injuries earlier: one from a ricochet that hit his leg and another from a bayonet that sliced his lip. The man with the bayonet he encountered early in his first tour. Believing the enemy compound they infiltrated was empty, he let his guard down. But the man appeared suddenly from behind a door and jabbed him in the face.
"He didn't come out on top of that one," he said.
That first brush with death taught him to be more cautious.
"I never failed to clear a room again," he said.
But when the injury that would end his military career came, there was little he could do to avoid it.
While traveling over land through a tight valley, the unmanned aerial vehicle used to see what was ahead of them spotted an ambush lying in wait. Oliver, the leader of his four-man team, said their training in such a situation was to exit vehicles and take cover along a valley wall. He was about 10 feet from their Humvee when it was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.
A fellow team member, who instead of leaving the Humvee had gone for its mounted machine gun, was killed instantly.
The explosion threw Oliver against the canyon wall, sprayed him with shrapnel and broke his leg in three places.
Another team member was killed in a second explosion.
"We were being attacked from the front and the rear," he said.
He saw another team member, who was trying to reload his weapon with one hand because the other one had been blown off, be overrun.
At that point, he said he did what he had been trained never to do because of the possibility of hitting an unintended target: switched his machine gun to "full auto" and sprayed.
"They were so close, I did it," he said.
Soon, air support responded to their distress call and he was airlifted to the USS Abraham Lincoln for emergency medical treatment.
The awful reality of his situation soon became apparent.
"I didn't get any of my men out, but I got out," he said.
This knowledge was to become more crippling than his injuries. Of the three teams – 12 men in all – that were ambushed, he said, four were killed and six were seriously wounded.
Furthermore, the female pilot assigned to provide air support for his team – a woman he was close to but was back at base at the time of the attack – died soon after.
After being medically discharged, he eventually moved to Southwest Colorado to be with a woman, Phebe Durand, whom he met in an Internet chat room. They're now married.
He's tried working. In 2009, he said he was the night-shift manager at Wendy's, but a violent confrontation with two employees triggered hallucinations that resulted in his being admitted for acute psychiatric care at the Crossroads Center near Mercy Regional Medical Center.
Now, Oliver mostly stays home, sometimes listening to his unit's theme song, "A Demon's Fate" by the Dutch metal band Within Temptation, on YouTube.
Sometimes he reads "The Picture," a poem he wrote:
Another long day, in this dry and desolate land
Sun's coming up so I take into my hand
a worn and battered photograph that I want to see
to remind myself again what I'm fighting to make free
The poem goes on to describe that the picture is of his loved ones, The people I care about the most; and if I die today to protect them then I'll happily join the ghosts.
At night, it's as if he already has.


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Waving GoodBye to Summer
Exif: F Number: 4.8, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/100 seconds, Flash: fired, compulsory flash mode, return light detected, ISO: 200, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 48.00 mm, Model: NIKON D7000
Uploaded on September 05, 2012
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