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Publishing in the Cutter Blog
As practically all my work these days in done through the Cutter Consortium, I have shifted most of my blogging to the Cutter Blog. You can read my posts there by clicking here.
Enjoy reading and please let me know what you think!
"Big Agile"
On January 30, 2012 12:00 pm EST, colleague and friend Hubert Smits and I will be doing a Cutter webinar entitled "Big Agile" is More than Just a Software Method. We will follow on in February with a "Big Agile" issue of the Cutter IT Journal [CITJ] for which I am the guest editor. Coming April we are likely to discuss the topic some more in the Cutter Summit.
The heart of the webinar can be summarized in the following words:
Small is beautiful in software. While big software might not be beautiful, more often than not, it's in the nature of what needs to be accomplished. This contrast between the beauty of small and the requirements of the big generates systemic tension in many software projects, organizations, and companies. Resolving this conflict is the focus of this webinar.
Discussing the webinar and the follow-on CITJ issue with various folks in the Agile, Lean and Kanban movement(s), I became painfully aware of the very many interpretation folks associate with the the term "Big Agile." Hence, I would like to say a few words on what it means to me. I am taking the very pragmatic view of a client on the subject. A VP of one department or another is chartered to implement an Agile roll-out at scale. The roll-out might not include all the teams. Nor might it include all functions within the company. The roll-out, however, affects a significant number of folks. Focusing the roll-out at the team level is not sufficient.
The typical VP that I run into under such circumstances is not an expert on software methods (and usually acknowledges it). He/she, however, is smart enough and experienced enough to understand that scale matters. He/she knows or feels intuitively that Big Agile is akin to Big Data. Data is data is data, but when it is Big Data you need to address various aspects that do not manifest themselves in dealing with ordinary amounts of data. Likewise for Agile IMHO.
We plan to make the webinar very interactive. Anne Mullaney will start with a few 'warm up' questions to enable us to 'dig' into the subject, thence turn it over to questions from the audience. We plan to take the discussion to wherever the participants might want to.
I hope you will join us whether you love, hate or indifferent to the term "Big Agile." We are expecting a lively discussion…
When Technical Debt Meets "Life"
I will have the distinct pleasure of leading a roundtable discussion on the subject in the forthcoming Cutter Summit. Here is the general direction we will jointly explore:
A technical debt assessment is often relegated to the "strictly for geeks" category. Supposedly, no sober executive wants to hear about metrics like Afferent Coupling or Distance from the Main Sequence, let alone learn and track them. Right? Wrong! In this round table discussion, Israel Gat will lead a discussion about the "life-view" that technical debt assessments reveal. Time and time again, we find technical debt readings reflect a broader truth than just the way software is produced. Here, we'll discuss the measures that you could, and perhaps should, apply to tie process, code and outcome together to create a sustainable equilibrium between development, operations and the business.
Agile 2.0 in the Cutter Summit
I will be presenting on the Agile 2.0 subject in the forthcoming Cutter Summit. The premise of my presentation is that markets nowadays are vastly different from those we used to compete in ten years ago. The changes in the markets pose new challenges to software methods. Insofar as Agile methods are concerned, we are starting to see a new generation methods. I perceive these methods as Agile 2.0.
Here is the abstract of my presentation:
Agile, the software method that was conceived as a way to cope with change, is itself dramatically changing. What we are now witnessing is the emergence of Agile 2.0.
Three rapidly converging trends are driving the emergence of Agile 2.0:
- Markets are becoming hyper-segmented;
- Markets are also becoming fleetingly transient; and
- The value chains that serve the markets are dramatically different from yesterday's value chains.
Traditionally, the Agile movement responded to change by "merging" two strands – development and testing – at the team level. Agile 2.0 extends this single-level approach by simultaneously applying Agile principles at three tiers:
- The tier at which development, testing and operations merge
- The tier at which strategy and delivery merge
- The tier at which problem and solution merge
Agile 2.0 addresses the key challenge posed by "change is changing": how to solve a problem when it is not understood well enough to produce a viable solution. Rapidly interlinked iterations at all three levels make it possible to substitute learning for planning. It's through tight feedback loops in and amongst the three levels that the pace of learning accelerates to match the speed of change.
In this presentation, Cutter Fellow and Director of Cutter's Agile practice, Israel Gat, will divulge the details you need to know about how to implement Agile 2.0 in your organization/company. You'll get a blueprint for assessing and responding to the new realities of the competitive environment — without compromising the tried and true Agile tenets.
Reflections on Due Diligence
I still remember the reception committee from the due diligence on Tideway I did for Apax Partners some seven years ago. The folks were awesome. I am fairly certain they could convince birds to fly off the tree if they chose to apply their very many talents toward this end. I really don't know whether Apax (who invested in Tideway) and BMC (who acquired Tideway at a later time) consider their investments in Tideway successful. But, take it from me: even the Royal Shakespeare Company would have been hard pressed to stage such a terrific act as the one played by Tideway for my benefit in 2004.
Click here for additional thoughts on the subject and its implications.
Flashbacks from Boulder, CO and Kent, OH
I was on some business trip to the lovely city of Boulder, CO. My gracious host took me to dinner at the Q's Restaurant in the classic Hotel Boulderado. We talked about our kids, software, soccer and classical music. And we talked about the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, CO.
According to my host, as part of their orientation, students in Boulder, CO get lectured on the need to abide by the law. He mentioned a student in his class (or maybe it was his son's class) who got a citation for driving his bicycles on the wrong pavement, or wrong direction or something like that. We laughed heartily about this episode – it seemed so trivial. And, even such triviality seemed very remote from the bliss of downtown Boulder.
This long-forgotten dinner came back to me this weekend, triggered by the videos from UC Davis. I simply could not believe that in something like ten years from the lovely dinner I had in Boulder we mutated from giving citations to students on bicycles in one gorgeous campus to pepper-spraying students in another. The dissonance between the beauty/tranquility and the brutality overwhelmed me.
As a young man I served in the paratroop corps of the Israeli army and fought in both the '67 and '73 wars. I experienced violence and brutality. They are not new to me.
Yet, this weekend I could not help recalling this classic photo of the demonstrations against the Vietnam war – the Kent State shooting:
What are we waiting for – a similar photo from a demonstration against Wall Street?!
I Never Even Spoke with Anyone from the Occupy Wall Street Movement
Full disclosure part I: a month ago, while on my way to a business meeting, I saw a few OWS folks "camping" in front of the Federal Reserve Bank on Market street in San Francisco. I did not even have the time to take a picture with my iPhone, let alone chat with someone. This is the closest I ever got to touching, or being touched, by anyone in the movement.
So, I do not even know whether folks in the movement will agree or disagree with my simple interpretation of their overarching message:
- Our financial system is badly broken.
- Rather than letting it continue with business as usual, the Federal Reserve Bank should take over the banking system.
- Many of the services provided today by banks can be provided (once the Fed takes over) through devices such as iPhone just as they do in rural India.
- Substitutes could and should be developed for the services that can't be carried out through iPhones or similar devices.
- Developing such services is no different from developing alternative sources of energy or health care services.
- Once the government puts in the appropriate policies (to encourage development of such services), a ton of entrepreneurs will jump at the opportunity.
I have no doubt that there are zillion details that I am not aware of that need to be figured out. I am a software engineer, not a banker.
But, I believe that at a very high level bullets 1-6 above capture some aspects of the message folks in the Occupy Wall Street movement are trying to get across. Hence, I am really surprised at the question I see cited so often "But what do they really want?!" IMHO they simply want a major reform of the financial system. The details for so doing are better left to experts.
Full disclosure part II: I have to admit my blood boiled today when I saw the videos from UC Davis. As I said in a tweet an hour or so ago, it starts feeling like the brutality inflicted on the Bonus Army in 1932. Tim O'Reilly goes one step further in his post in which he brings up the loaded topic of Banality of Evil.
So, I might be writing this post with some strong emotions. But, I think the thesis I pose is directionally correct.
You don't need to take my word for it. Just read Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital by Carlota Perez.


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BGJ 122 Spring 2001
Reviewer: William Connolley
In my last game at the last London Open, both my opponent and I recorded our games on a Palm using – quick plug – PilotGOne:
they seem to becoming quite common. Now David Fotland has produced the Many Faces of Go Joseki Dictionary for the palmpilot, so I can see just where I went wrong in my first corner against Jim Clare.
For those unfamiliar with Palms, they are small personal data assistant (PDA) devices with limited computing and storage abilities, but very portable. I find mine invaluable and it will be even more useful now I have MFoG. Space is limited but the program plus a dictionary of a claimed 50,000 moves takes up only 79k, which is tolerable. If you haven't got one, this article will be of little interest (I wouldn't buy one just to run MFoG) but if you have, then read on...
To get the trial version, go to:
and download the zip file in the normal way. Also as per normal, the free version is disabled and needs a key (which will cost you $20 from your credit card) to restore it to its full splendor. The disabling is rather severe: only 5–5 point joseki are usable. I think that's unwise of them: it would be better to allow a few more, so that folks can see how useful it is in looking over their own games, and get hooked.
What you get shown is a full board with available moves marked, including all the symmetric ones in all corners, for those who find it hard to turn diagrams round in their heads. Touch a move and you begin: just that corner is then displayed, with the known continuations from that move, and so on.
Joseki moves are displayed with a J; bad moves with an X (discouragingly, the 5–5 point is so marked), trick with a T and follow-up with an F. What you don't get, due to lack of space, is any other comment about the moves. One could argue that this is good, because you are forced to think for yourself, but it would make it a dangerous way to learn joseki: J/X/T/F simply doesn't capture the subtlety needed. Moves that are joseki in one whole-board position would be quite wrong in another.
It is useful, though, for analysing your games. When it's clear that you got a poor position out of a corner, you may now get to see where you went wrong.
How complete is the dictionary? I poked around a bit, played around with taisha variants, and found it good. But some variants in Ishida are absent. Just for example, from vol 3, the small knight response to the capping move answer to the small-knight approach to the star-point, (p199, Diagram 1, response 'b') is not there.
More interestingly, several variants that I 'knew' should be in were absent, but on careful study of Ishida these turned out to be rather poor moves that I should not have had in my mental dictionary at all.
There are some oddnesses: for example, in one of the taisha variants (Ishida vol 1, p74, Diagram 47) move 4 is shown as joseki, J, by MFoG. The book has: may look possible but this is a trap prepared by White.
Some joseki depend on the state of ladders (dia 46 from the same page is an example) but the program has no way to show a symbol for 'J-but-only-if-ladder-works' !
In conclusion: a nice piece of software, and worth the money (and more importantly, the Palm space) to any moderately keen player. Its limitation, the lack of a commentary, is inevitable from the space it has to be compressed into.

subset: commoncrawl


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PINEVILLE, Ky. – King Men's Golf finished the first round of the State Farm Intercollegiate, hosted by Lincoln Memorial University, in sole possession of first place in the team standings. The Tornado were paced by Richard Powell and Ross Maietta who both shot a 72 on day one, good for shares of third place overall. King featured three top-10 performances after the first round and will finish the tournament on Tuesday morning.
Leading the way for the Tornado were senior Richard Powell (Hixson, Tenn.) and Ross Maietta (Bexley, England), who matched scorecards with a pair of first round 72 turnouts. The duo currently share third place overall in the individual standings with three additional individuals, all of whom matched shooting even-par. Maietta led the field as one of four players with five birdies while Powell held a share for most successful par conversions with 14.
John Scott (Glasgow, Scotland) earned the last top-10 spot among the King starting five, shooting a one-over 73 on the first day of play. Taylor Gouge (Elizabethton, Tenn.), who won last week's King College Invitational men's division, finished tied for 25th with a four-over par, 76.
King as a team shot a 293 on the first day of the State Farm Intercollegiate, just five-over par for the course. The Tornado currently hold a four-shot advantage over second place Belmont Abbey and Lenoir Rhyne, who both shot a team score of 297. Rounding out the top five are Tusculum College (299) and host school Lincoln Memorial (301).
The final day of the tournament will conclude on Tuesday with play beginning at 9 a.m. at Wasioto Winds Country Club (Pineville, Ky.).


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Whistleblower lawsuit claims Spirit Airlines failed to meet FAA guidelines at Detroit Metro Airport
Former Spirit employee at Detroit airport claims she was fired for speaking up about safety concerns
DETROIT – A former Spirit Airlines manager has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the company she once worked for.
The allegations made in the lawsuit are alarming, and it brings to question the issue of just how safe are the planes we fly in?
Cari Hayes worked for Spirit for 12 years. She worked her way up to general manager of operations for the Detroit hub.
Hayes claims rules were being broken behind the scenes.
"All planes require wing-walkers. Sometimes we didn't have wing-walkers," Hayes said.
Hayes said when she spoke up about the problem, she was fired. She hired attorney Tom Warnicke and Wednesday they filed a $30 million lawsuit against the airlines.
The suit alleges a staffing shortage caused Spirit to fail to meet FAA guidelines.
"We just didn't have enough people to conduct a thorough search of the airplane. We were required to have a certain amount of ground time," said Hayes.
She says corners were cut and sometimes the inspections inside the planes were done in only three to four minutes, before the plane would be sent back out.
"There could be anything on the plane," she said.
The lawsuit also says upper management told Hayes to lie about the reason for flight delays. Spirit denied the claims, calling them groundless. They say safety is a top priority.
A spokesperson for Spirit sent this statement:
"She (Hayes) was responsible for customer service and had no responsibility or training for aircraft maintenance. Additionally, Spirit Airlines has no record of this former employee ever making any reports of any safety concerns during her employment at Spirit. In fact, she was terminated for numerous performance concerns, including failing to report a serious safety incident to her supervisor."
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Company Details
|Payment Type:
|T/T,Paypal,Money Gram,Western Union
|Min. Order:
|10 Piece/Pieces
|Delivery Time:
|1 Days
Model No.: BG-523
Mode: Photo/video, Photo & Video
Display Screen: 2.4"LCD
PIR Detection Range: 82ft
PIR Sensitivity: Adjustable(High/Middle/Low)
Memory Card: Up To 32GB
Image Resolution: 8MP=3264x2448, 5MP=2592x1944, 3MP=2048X1536
Video Resolution: 1920x1080p(24fps), 1280x720p(30fps), 640x480p(30f
Trigger Time: <0.5S
Security Authentication: FCC,CE,ROHS
Power Supply: 4AA Or 8×AA Recommended
Packaging: Gift box packing, 20pcs / Carton box
Productivity: 30000 pcs/ m
Brand: Boskon Guard
Transportation: Ocean,Air
Place of Origin: China
Supply Ability: 30000 pcs/ m
Certificate: FCC, CE, ROHS
HS Code: 9006300000
Port: DongGuan,ShenZhen
Night vision waterproof Game Camera, this BG-523 has photo,video or photo+video different mode, so choose the way you want to be based on your needs. At same time the number of photos or the length of the following video can be set variably via the menu.
Night vision waterproof Game Camera, this BG-523 has photo,video or photo+video different mode, so choose the way you want to be based on your needs. At same time the number of photos or the length of the following video can be set variably via the menu.
Net .W Dimension Waterproof Certifications Accept Custom Made 305g 140x108x76mm Yes FCC, CE, ROHS Yes
Net .W
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Capture and preserve the wonder of everything in stunning HD. Our durable, reliable camera" trap" records video and images you may never get in person, all in breathtaking high definition. Strong waterproof performance makes you feel free to use it.
Night vision gmae camera is easy to operate, as it reduces all kinds of using trouble which other multi-function complicated camera will meet. Three kinds texture out-looking is offered, maple leaf, earthy yellow, tree bark. Different texture out-looking would be Personalized customization when distributor need and cost. To be responsible, always 100% inspection for all customer, no matter in past or in the future.
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Over 20 patents
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Good business partner for distributor, dealer, Agency,famous brand seller.
Image Sensor: 3MP COMOS sensor, 5MP, 8MP Interpolation
Lens: F=2.0 FOV=70Auto IR-Cut Remove (at night)
Display Screen of Remote Control: 2.4[LCD
PIR detection range: 82ft
PIR Sensitivity: Adjustable (High/Middle/Low)
Memory Card: Up to 32GB
Image Resolution: 8MP=3264x2448, 5MP=2592x1944, 3MP=2048X1536
Video Resolution: 1920x1080p(24fps), 1280x720p(30fps), 640x480p(30fps)
Operation: Day/Night
Trigger Time: <0.5S
Power Supply: 4AA or 8×AA recommended
Sound Recording: Available
Mounting: Rope(<Ø10mm)/Belt/Python Lock
Operation/Storage Tem: Rope(<Ø10mm)/Belt/Python Lock
Operation Humidity: 5%-90%
Dimensions: 140x108x76mm
Weight: 305g (Without battery)
Security Authentication: FCC, CE, ROHS
Waterproof Grade: IP66
Trail Camera *1
User Manual *1
USB Cable*1
FAQ"s: Camouflage Night Vision Camera
Q: How do I view the pictures?
A: There are a number of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the wildlife game camera
View pictures on your computer. Plug the SD card in a desktop computer or laptop via the built-in SD card reader or use a USB reader if your computer doesn't have one. This method works for most tablets as well. With this method, we recommend having two SD cards per camera so you can swap them in the field.
View on the Display Screen directly
Q: Will the game cam trigger on small animals?
A: Night vision game camera detect on a combination of heat and movement,
Q: Can animals see the infrared flash on this Nigh vision game camera?
A: This is somewhat controversial. Humans can't see the flash as the nanometer spectrum is above what the human eye can detect. It's also much harder for an animal to see, but that could depend on the species of animal as different species see in different light spectrums.Looking for ideal Outdoor Animal Camera Manufacturer & supplier ? We have a wide selection at great prices to help you get creative. All the Outdoor Camera for Hunting are quality guaranteed. We are China Origin Factory of No Glow Game Camera. If you have any question, please feel free to contact us.
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Ugly Dolls Vol. 2 - SHHHHHHHH! Graphic Novel
Description: UGLY DOLLS Vol. 2 - SHHHHHHHH! This is the perfect holiday gift for the Ugly Dolls fan in your life - An adorable followup to VIZ Media's hit release of the new-first time ever comic starring the beloved UGLY DOLLS. Everything is very, very quiet. Especially the secret secrets: identities, hiding places and crushes. Plus there's a library, donuts and the silent science of ninjocity. We'd like to tell you more, but it's all very hush-hush. So get in there and read all about it! Silently, of course. This adventure includes special guest artists Chanmen, Peter Fowler and Bwana Spoons! Rated "A" for all ages (If you missed it - be sure to pick up Ugly Dolls Vol. 1 GOIN PLACES'! This was the first ever comic for the beloved UGLY DOLLS with a fun adventure as the Uglys rocket into space, travel back in time and sail the seven seas. Or at least one of them. -and coming in January - UGLY DOLLS Vol. 3-EAT DAT perfectsquare.com viz.com
Price: $6.99 to $7.99


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return to rugs
West Hollywood Rug - 3' x 12'
Availability: on backorder
Dimensions: 36"w 144"d
Assembly: none required
Freight: ships free*
A simple and elegant design hand-tufted in 100% wool, the West Hollywood Rug will complement transitional to contemporary interiors. With a color palette of rich warm earth tones in olive, gold, teal, gray and pewter, this hand crafted piece will blend seamlessly with any environment. Made in India with a canvas backing and a plush pile height of 0.625". Available in a multitude of sizes to choose from!


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- I am doing this post in bullet points because I am half asleep about to crash into my bed and sleep forever
- My lack of posting is due to me being insanely sick, it has literally been once ailment following the next. Trying to balance getting better and school work, while still trying to go out every other night is next to impossible. Thankfully, I'm starting to get a bit better.
- This week my best friend and I went to see The Gossip in concert. Officially in love with Beth Ditto, but even moreso because she came to the after party and hung around smoking and drinking with everyone. And she has amazing pink hair right now. I didn't want to sound like a complete fangirl and ask for a photo but now I really wish I had.
- I am loving floor length skirts and dresses right now.
- New necklaces! One is a whistle and the other is a piece I stole from my mother that I will likely never return because it is awesome and chunky and perfect.
- When I first saw the preview for the H&M Divided Exclusive Collection, I knew I had to get this jacket. I love it and it's studded deliciousness so much that I almost never take it off.
- This week marks the start of Toronto Fashion Week which I will be attending - I'm SO excited.


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Godwin's Loan: Republican Lawmaker Says Federal Student Loans Put Country on 'Slippery Slope' Toward Holocaust
Federal student loans are unconstitutional and put the country on a path toward a WWII-style Holocaust, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) told his constituents yesterday.
Speaking at town hall meeting, Bartlett, who is struggling to keep his seat, responded to an audience member's question about government-issued student loans by saying he perused the Constitution and couldn't find anything in there to justify "that the federal government should be involved in education."
Though he conceded that giving students loans is "certainly a good idea," he went on to express consternation at the possibility that doing something that isn't expressly in the Constitution — such as issuing federal student loans — could lead to genocide.
"If you can ignore the Constitution to do something good today, tomorrow you will be ignoring the Constitution to do something bad," Barlett said. "There are more people in our, in America today of German ancestry than any other [inaudible]. The Holocaust that occurred in Germany - how in the heck could that happen? And when you start down the wrong road, it can be a very slippery slope."
Commenting on his boss's eyebrow-raising remarks, Bartlett campaign spokesman Ted Dacey told the Washington Post the congressman "has always been a strong believer in limited government," and is a "strong supporter of making college accessible to all Americans," evidenced by the fact that he donates "a substantial portion of his salary to help underprivileged students attend college."


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Find a Caregiver
127 caregivers with Alzheimer's Disease experience found near Chualar
Alzheimer disease, the most common cause of dementia, is caused by irregular protein deposits that form plaques and tangles. The damage leads to neuron death and impairs cognitive function, affecting memory, speech, behavior, and reasoning. Symptoms of early Alzheimer include confusion, forgetfulness, vision problems, poor judgment, and mood changes. More advanced cases might involve difficulty eating, walking, and communicating. Caregivers for people with Alzheimer can help with a daily routine to promote consistency, food preparation, exercise, transportation and create a secure area to prevent wandering, among other basic needs. It is important to set up an advanced directive early on to give your loved one the opportunity to choose an advocate.


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Like the prize inside a Crackerjacks or kids' cereal box, Siri, Apple's voice-controlled digital assistant, is the raison d'être for buying an iPhone 4S, especially if you already own a 4.
A cult of personality has already arisen around Siri. Numerous bloggers have cited her snappy answers to stupid questions, such as "What are you wearing?" "Where can I hide a body?" "Open the pod bay doors," "Will you marry me?" "What are you wearing?" etc.
But I hope you aren't thinking of buying an 4S just to get a really fancy Magic 8 Ball. Siri does a lot more than wittily answer esoteric questions. She could represent the first true user interface paradigm shift since the iPhone and its capacitive touchscreen, and perhaps since the Mac and the Graphical User Interface 27 years ago.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
And like any paradigm shift, Siri will change how you behave, and introduce a whole new set of social rules of engagement.
Fun is no substitute for function. You'll quickly run out of silly Siri questions and tire of the emptiness of her clever but canned answers.
But for me, the silliness served its purpose. Dreaming up trick questions to ask her (yes, I'm already anthropomorphisizing her) taught me how to talk to Siri and find out what she can do — and what she couldn't.
This inculcation is critical because Siri's paradoxical no-touch control of a touchscreen device demands a radical interface behavior change as much as point-and-click did in a world that knew only c: prompts.
What Siri Knows And When She Knows It
First, Siri needs to connect to the Internet to work. I thought she would work on Wi-Fi, but she complained about a lack of connection when I tried. Because she's communicating with the cloud, there's a lag of two or three seconds between answer and response.
And you don't have to train Siri to understand your distinct dialect or accent, and you don't have to adapt to some weird Siri syntax — for instance, you don't have to begin your query with "Siri?" Just ask her a question like you would, say, a librarian.
Your first move with Siri on the job is not to tap on an app, but sling the iPhone up to your ear or press-and-hold the Home button, wait for Siri's PING cue, or press the talk button on an in-line mic on a set of iPhone-compatible headphones, or Bluetooth speaker earpiece, and ask your question. Siri speaks in a sweet only slightly computerized female voice, which made me feel a little sexist. I hope Apple considers adding a male alternative.
Siri performs two categories of tasks: she answers information questions, and she performs functions your basic Apple apps perform.
On the former, you can ask basic questions — the time, the weather, stock prices. Siri also can double as a calculator. She knows Wikipedia kind of stuff, except the answers don't come from Wikipedia. They come from something called WolframAlpha, a computational knowledge engine. She can find information on names and places that can be looked up in Wikipedia, such as "Who is Alexander Graham Bell?" but if you ask "Who invented the telephone?" she asks if you want to do a Web search to answer.
Siri won't open an app, but she can perform an operation within that app. For instance, she won't be able to open your email, but she can find a specific email, such as "Open up the last email from John Doe." You can ask her to set a reminder (which she will in Reminder), how to get from one place to another (from Maps), take a note (in Notes), make an appointment (in Calendar), even address, write and send an email.
Siri is a wonderful time-saver. She just takes a bit of getting used to. But Apple really needs to play Yenta and make a match between Siri and IBM's Jeopardy-winning Watson. Now that would be one smart personal assistant.
Talk To Me
One aspect of Siri, I think, has gone under if not unreported — her speech-to-text dictation capability. Unlike the numerous standalone text-to-speech apps, Siri's dictation is integrated into Apple's text apps — email, texting, Notes, Pages. There's a microphone icon on the keyboard wedged between the 123 and the space bar.
Tap the microphone and, when pinged, you speak, then hit "done." Speak one sentence or several. Siri flashes three purple dots until the server converts your dictation, which takes around five seconds, depending on how much you dictated.
Siri does have trouble with some words ("endure" always came out "indoor"), but I found her 99 percent accurate. You will have to get used to saying "period" and other punctuation as well as "new paragraph," or you'll get run on sentences and blocks of text.
So why would people use Siri on an iPhone? After all, speech-to-text capabilities on a desktop isn't exactly mainstream.
For many people, typing on a full-sized keyboard is the way most of us have created prose for more than a century. Dictation, no matter how it's portrayed in movies, is hard. It's almost like giving a speech. Except most people don't talk like they write and vice versa.
On a phone, though, text creation on a cramped touchscreen QWERTY is a dirty business. Too many accidental adjacent key taps mar the creation flow, and touch-typing is, of course, impossible.
Plus, most text creation assignments on an iPhone are short, so don't require President Obama's speaking skill. Annoyed touchscreen tappers are likely to put up with the occasional misunderstanding hiccups and learn to speak punctuation rather than tap around the symbols screens to find them.
So while dictation on a desktop hasn't caught on, on a smartphone it becomes a savior. And once our dictation muscles are developed on the iPhone, they can be transferred to the desktop, where Siri will hopefully end up.
Be Polite
Shifting from iPhone's app-centric navigation to task and voice-centric is like learning to drive on the left — re-training your iPhone interface muscles might take a while.
Given 4S' record-breaking sales, Apple's marketing muscle and the publicity Siri has already generated, though, Siri could become the most popular gal around, which may not be a good thing. If you thought people talking loudly on their phone in a restaurant or some other public environment was rude, imagine how annoying someone talking to their phone will be.
Considering how well she works, it's surprising Siri is still in beta. It'll be fascinating to watch how she grows and becomes even more knowledgeable and functional.


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In the latest of a series of reports on what the world will look like in the future for advisors and the companies with which they partner, Pershing has released Broker-Dealer of the Future II, in which it delineates six "stunning transformations" that it says BDs must experience if they wish to be successful in the future.
The 2008 Broker-Dealer of the Future I study noted that "advisory fees are the number one source of revenue for broker-dealers," and that in five years, "the proportion of revenue represented by fees may exceed 50% of a broker-dealer's total revenue."
The study warned, however, that "with the growth in fee-based business comes a perceived competitive threat," pointing out that many successful BD reps "now practice as independent, fee-only advisors. Convergence is upon us. The worlds of broker-dealers and RIAs are no longer separate and distinct."
Many independent broker-dealers have responded to that perceived competitive threat by offering to its reps RIA custody platforms that serve both as retention tools for existing reps and as attraction tools for fee-minded advisors. In its latest report, Pershing goes deeper into what leads reps to join a broker-dealer, as well as what leads them to leave a BD.
The new report is based on research conducted by FA Insight on 50 advisors affiliated with a range of broker-dealers supplemented by in-depth interviews with the leaders of six BDs: Eric Schwartz of Cambridge; Valerie Brown of Cetera; Joel Marks of First Allied; Michael Miroballi of BMO Harris, Marshall Leeds of Summit Brokerage and Seth Miller of TransAmerica. The report also uses data from the first Broker-Dealer of the Future report released by Pershing in 2008 and from the Financial Services Institute's Broker-Dealer Financial Performance Studies.
Those six transformations are recommendations for how broker-dealers can succeed in the future. They are:
- Identify ways your firm can avoid "commoditization"
- Foster organic growth of existing relationships
- Establish a sound economic model
- Avoid the winner's curse of high-cost recruitment
- Espouse advisory services
- Demonstrate stability and longevity
The report then focuses in on the first transformation, on how to avoid commoditization (Pershing will release separate points on the other markers of success throughout 2014).
In the 2012 survey, 87% of responding advisors said broker-dealers were "less than very effective at communicating the value of their offerings." The report cites Eric Schwartz, founder and chairman of Cambridge Investment Research, who argues that to avoid commoditization, "you have to know what your niche is and what you are really good at and have it very concrete so all your staff know it and stay focused on it."
So the successful Broker-Dealer of the Future is likely to provide to its affiliated reps nine distinct differentiators that are communicated by the home office and understood clearly by its reps:
- Solutions to complexity
- Scale
- Marketplace presence and brand
- Technology solutions and data integration
- Centralized resources
- Quality control, due diligence and risk management
- Financial stability
- A center of knowledge and learning
- A sense of belonging and culture
The report was based on a telephone survey of 50 advisors, reflecting a cross-section of BD affiliation types — including wirehouse, regional and independent BDs — and who had at least three years experience and $50,000 in gross revenue. That survey was conducted by FA Insight (which partners with Investment Advisor on an annual benchmarking study of advisors), which also conducted the more in-depth interviews of the leaders of the six broker-dealers. The study also included data from the Financial Services Institute's Broker-Dealer Financial Performance Studies.
Five Ways to Keep and Attract Reps
The Broker-Dealer of the Future II study also reports the findings of an FA insight study of advisors to determine what leads reps to stay at a borker-dealer, and what influences them to depart. There are five key areas where the study says BDs can "best add value outside of solely competing on price" when it comes to rep retention and recruiting.
Independence, a term advisors use to "describe their ability to control their businesses and serve clients in an objective manner."
Culture, which advisors define as sharing a set of values and goals that will help them grow their businesses, but also provides them with a sense of belonging.
Brand, which expresses the reputation of the BD in the client marketplace and within the professional community.
Passive Recruits, which the report defines as those reps that join a broker-dealer as a group, not as individuals, often as a result of a merger or acquisition.
Economics, which includes payouts but also the totality of fees, costs and compensation for affiliating with a specific broker-dealer.
All five of these areas, the report concludes, can "contribute greater net value to advisors by either increasing the total value experienced or reducing the cost of existing value."
Looked at in another way, however, these topics were given different weights when surveyed advisors were asked which factors were most important to them in deciding to either join a new BD or stay at an existing BD. Independence and brand both received 30% responses when advisors were considering joining a new BD; for remaining at an existing BD, culture was most important, at 32%, while service and support was the second leading factor in staying, cited by 28% of respondents.
Check out Lessons on Digital Disruption From Down Under on ThinkAdvisor.


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Taken from a recent press release, the datasets can be viewed as an overlay on a modern map and on top of historical maps from Place My Past's collection of maps. Pins marking family events can be viewed at the same time providing users with a visual and geospatial representation of their family tree. These datasets, are a significant addition to Place My Past's growing collection of maps and geospatial datasets which also recently added:
- Historical country boundaries for the 16th and 18th centuries
- 19th and 20th century Ordnance Survey maps of the UK
- A collection maps of Paris from the 15th to 20th centuries
- Cemeteries on the Somme battlefield
- UK battlefields
- A dataset of historic places in Albuquerque
- Stations and other points of interest from the 19th century Minneapolis Twin Cities transit system
Place My Past's collection of maps and datasets can be viewed on the site's Gallery.
Users can upload their family tree, have it plotted on a map and then view information and images about the places where their family events took place. Users can also:
Users can upload their family tree, have it plotted on a map and then view information and images about the places where their family events took place. Users can also:
- View their family's migration over time
- Collaborate with others to build up a unique picture of a family, local or global event
- Make notes and draw on their family history map with annotation tools
- Upload their own historical maps and view other users' maps, and maps from the Place My Past collection
- View visualisations of historical datasets such as boundary maps, mortality rates, population densities, historical points of interest and lots more
Place My Past is a free system with advanced features for subscribers.


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Biographies and Autobiographies
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For sports fans we have the most popular and inspiring sports Biography Books including football legends David Beckham, Messi and Thierry Henry to F1 guides, Olympic heroes Bradley Wiggins and Jessica Ennis, Britain's greatest tennis player Andy Murray and so much more.
For comedy lovers, we have everything from Mrs Brown and David Walliams to the hysterical Alan Carr and Dawn French.
With something for everyone, take a look at our variety of celebrity Biography Books with the likes of Peter Andre, Simon Cowell and Kris Jenner and our selection of popular Biographies bursting with extraordinary stories waiting to be read from Steve Jobs to the unforgettable Nelson Mandela.
When looking for Biographies refine your search by Category, Price, Author and our other suggested filters. For the Best Biographies look online at The Works today.


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Lack of title isn't necessarily an issue - just requires extra legwork with DMV and CHP (here in CA). See a better free car? email us here: email@example.com
CFlo is a sucker for minty green patina...with brown rust colorations.
Commenting Commandments:
I. Thou Shalt Not write anything your mother would not appreciate reading.
II. Thou Shalt Not post as anonymous unless you are posting from mobile and have technical issues. Use name/url when posting and pick something Urazmus B Jokin, Ben Dover. Sir Edmund Hillary Clint Eastwood...it don't matter. Just pick a nom de plume and stick with it.
III. Honor thy own links by using  description of your link
IV. Remember the formatting tricks italics and  bold
V. Thou Shalt Not commit spam.
VI. To embed images: use [image src="http://www.IMAGE_LINK.com" width="400px"/]. Limit images to no wider than 400 pixels in width. No more than one image per comment please.


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Is it religions fault that the discrimination against the GLBT exists?
Views: 1725
"the Greeks even advocating men having sex with young boys."
Mammals frequently use sexual acts as a form of dominance. Have you ever had your leg humped by a dog? Or a better question is have you ever had your leg humped by a female dog?
As I see it there are two types of behavior that are classified as homosexual. One is the sexual abuse aspect which I do not consider as exclusive to being gay. The other is being born Gay.
I would argue that most of the fear stems from religions being unable to distinguish the two groups from one another.
having sex with children is pedophilia and has nothing to do with being Gay. men having sex with children is a crime and abusive. being gay is loving being attracted to the opposite sex from birth and being in consensual relationships.
Are you saying that it is generally perceived that there are two types of homosexual behavior, or that you think there are two types?
I don't think sexual abuse should be classified under homosexuality at all. A person's sexual orientation (homo or hetero) has nothing to do with sexual abuse. It is abuse only when one person is forcing their self on another.
I think the fear stems from people thinking homosexuality is "yucky". I think the authors in the Bible who decided homosexuality was an abomination were turned-off by the idea, and thought they should condemn it officially in a book of rules.
I think it's a distinction problem and a cultural message of "ewww that's weeeird!!!" There's a hypothetical-situation meme floating around the internet (even here on Think Atheist) that asks if it's wrong for a brother and sister to secretly have sex. They use birth control, so there's no worry about reproducing a potentially genetically dysfunctional child, and no one but them will ever know. Most people insist it's wrong, but they have trouble articulating why. They come up with lots of rationalizations, but are mainly incapable of giving a good reason. It's just... wrong. It feels wrong. They don't like thinking about it. It's "gross."
People seem incapable of moving past preconceived, cultural biases. It's all about how something makes us feel. They don't ask why they feel that way. It's too uncomfortable to even consider these notions are anything but immoral. But... their feelings are simply wrong. Homosexuality is not sexual abuse. If males dominate females through a sex act, that is just as wrong as a man dominating another man or boy in a sex act. If it's non-consensual, it's wrong. Yes, sexual domination happens in nature as well, but that doesn't make it okay. That's the naturalistic fallacy. We try to be better and more considerate of others; we're trying to consciously evolve past our animalistic urges to something more enlightened and altruistic.
Catholicism, perhaps, but perhaps not all religions.
Perhaps Islam?
in general lack of education is a problem and can cause homophobia but look at pope and imams. they are ready sent you to hell just because you dont share their nelifs opinions and you allowed to promote your sexuality.
I agree with your statement that homophobia is a lack of education and I add ( fear ..... )
I think he means un-fit in the natural selection, "survival of the fittest" sense, i.e., the "fittest" is the one who is most likely to pass on his/her genetic material. He could probably have phrased it better, but I don't think any malice or prejudice was intended.
Is murder a fit trait?
No, murder is not a fit trait - it's not even a trait - it's a behavior. If you are here just to troll then I hope you do not become well fed.
but it still exist just like homosexuality which is also a behavior. Oh and murderers, like homosexuals, have traits.. You can call me a troll if I fit YOUR definition.
Since behaviors are learned, you'd need someone to teach it to you. Supposed for a moment a boy grows up in a conservative Catholic home, goes to church every Sunday, and is told that homosexuality is a sin...
How is it that they can still be gay? After all there's no one there to teach them the behavior...


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The New York Times wrote today that an Apple TV set is definitely coming in the next couple of years, and it'll have a super-simple interface that uses Siri to let you control it by simply speaking.
Based on a number of anonymous tips from inside and outside Apple, it sounds like an Apple-powered TV could be announced in about a year for sale in 2013.
It would use the voice control to let you say something like "play the latest episode of Modern Family" without having to use a cumbersome remote to navigate through a series of menus. It'd be Internet-connected, and would let you watch live TV as well as streaming options.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Clearly, it's still in the planning/designing/building phases, but it's excited to know that it's somewhere on the horizon.
Via NY Times


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1/4/13 - Completion of New Building Celebrated with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The International Agri-Center held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for a brand new exhibit building which will make its debut next month at World Ag Expo. The new 60,000-square-foot steel span exhibit building in the northeast corner of the International Agri-Center grounds will be utilized for World Ag Expo, February 12-14, and for year-round events.
Today's event was attended by International Agri-Center volunteers, board members and staff, as well as other community leaders. Guest speakers included: David Macedo , Mayor of Tulare; Pete Vander Poel III, Tulare County Board of Supervisors; Assemblywoman Connie Conway, 26th Assembly District; Jerry Sinift, Chief Executive Officer, International Agri-Center; Fred Foster, Chief Financial Officer, International Agri-Center and Ron Overracker, Structures Plus.
"Building C is ready for this year's World Ag Expo, and we are really excited about that," said Jerry Sinift, the International Agri-Center's CEO. "This is part of our continued commitment to improve our facilities for World Ag Expo and for the community to utilize for year-round events."
The International Agri-Center's show grounds are utilized for annual events such as World Ag Expo and the California Antique Farm Equipment Show, as well as for weddings, concerts, fundraisers, business meetings, trainings and community events throughout the year. The new building will seat 1,200 to 1,400 people for concerts and other large events such as car shows or fundraisers.
During World Ag Expo, the new building will be home to the same types of agricultural exhibitors who occupied the old pavilion, but in a more comfortable and modern structure. World Ag Expo exhibitors and attendees will enjoy concrete floors, permanent restrooms and more.


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Stories by Demmi [0] Series by Demmi [1] Reviews by Demmi [0] Challenges by Demmi [0] Favorite Series [0] Demmi's Favorites [1]
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|The authors own nothing. Joss, UPN, WB, etc. own Buffy, the show, the characters, the places, and the backstory. The authors own any original plots.


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A Seminar for Every Accent!
As a native of Central Florida, I grew up around a wide variety of accents. Of course, I knew plenty of people who spoke with a Southern accent, such as my great-great-uncle, Havis, who is the only man I ever let address me as "Sugar Boy"! (Somehow it didn't sound weird when he said it.) I also knew plenty of northern transplants who said things like "you guys" instead of "y'all" and who spoke of "soda" or "pop" instead of "Coke" (down here any soft drink is a "Coke"). Less often, I would run into people with a Texas accent or even a Bahamian accent.
In the next few weeks, several Accordance trainers, including myself, will be fanning out across the United States to offer seminars for folks who speak English very differently.
- Next Saturday, October 26th, I'll be at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Also on Saturday the 26th, we'll be offering a seminar at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the Boston area. (We just can't get enough GCTS!)
- On Sunday the 27th, we'll do a second seminar in the Boston area at Brandeis University.
- On Saturday, November 2, we'll be at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas.
- On Monday, November 4, we'll be at Dallas Theological Seminary in…well, you know.
For more information about each of these seminars, go to this page. To register, just send an email to seminars(at)accordancebible(dot)com and let us know you plan to attend.
As you can see, whether you talk fast or slow, with a drawl, a twang, or a broad A, Accordance has a free training seminar (or two) coming to your area. And if you're in the Charlotte area next Saturday, I look forward to meeting you. Just please don't call me "Sugar Boy"!


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Changes are in store for the Charles Fay Village assisted living facility in Morenci as low occupancy rates continue to produce revenue shortfalls.
Charles Fay Village opened in July 1999 as a 16-unit independent living facility for senior citizens. The Charles Fay Trust contributed $1.2 million to the project.
Despite a survey showing support for the facility, low occupancy soon became a concern.
A year after the opening, owner Lenawee Health Alliance began discussions about converting the building to an assisted living format due to a lack of residents.
Now, owner ProMedica is considering a change back to the independent living format in hopes of keeping the facility open.


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Property Details
City Gate
1003 189 National Avenue, Sussex, Vancouver, BC, V6A 4L8, Canada
Welcome to the Sussex by Bosa. This large east facing 1095 sqft 2 bedroom, 2 bath and den (could be used as 3rd bedroom) comes with some great high end upgrades including cork flooring throughout, Hunter Douglas Roman shades, modern light fixtures, crown moulding & baseboards plus a unique wood paneled accent wall in the living room. Kitchen is complete with stainless steel appliances, cherry wood cabinets, granite counter tops and tile back splash. The large master bedroom includes full en-suite bathroom and generously sized walk in closet. Includes 2 side by side parking and storage locker. Great concrete building with large fitness centre, lounge with pool table and bike storage. Location is prime with just minutes to the downtown core, steps to Science World park and seawall access and just a short distance to the Olympic Village with includes Urban Fare, London Drugs, pubs and great restaurants. Call today for your private showing or look for our weekend Open House.
Listing Provided By
Adam Knight 604.916.9940
- Adam Knight
- 604-916-9940
- 604-916-9940
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- VPG Realty
- #159 - 1233 Lynn Valley Road
- North Vancouver , BC


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Cigar City Cancelling Hunahpu's Day 2020 – mybeerbuzz.com
Founder, owner, author, graphic designer, CEO, CFO, webmaster, president, mechanic and janitor for mybeerbuzz.com. Producer and Co-host of the WILK Friday BeerBuzz live weekly craft beer radio show. Small craft-brewer of the craft beer news sites and one-man-band with way too many instruments to play.


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Select a condition or disease state to find tests that will help you learn more about you.
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Total Rows 26
C-Reactive Protein Cardiac (hs CRP) Useful in predicting risk for cardiovascular disease.
To screen for and monitor kidney dysfunction in those with known or suspected kidney disease. Cystatin C is a relatively small protein that is produced throughout the body by all cells that contain a nucleus and is found in a variety of body fluids, including the blood. It is produced, filtered from the blood by the kidneys, and broken down at a constant rate. This test measures the amount of cystatin C in blood to help evaluate kidney function.Cystatin C is filtered out of the blood by the glomeruli, clusters of tiny blood vessels in the kidneys that allow water, dissolved substances, and wastes to pass through their walls while retaining blood cells and larger proteins. What passes through the walls of the glomeruli forms a filtrate fluid. From this fluid, the kidneys reabsorb cystatin C, glucose, and other substances. The remaining fluid and wastes are carried to the bladder and excreted as urine. The reabsorbed cystatin C is then broken down and is not returned to the blood.
A lipid panel includes:Total cholesterol —this test measures all of the cholesterol in all the lipoprotein particles.High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) — measures the cholesterol in HDL particles; often called "good cholesterol" because it removes excess cholesterol and carries it to the liver for removal.Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) — calculates the cholesterol in LDL particles; often called "bad cholesterol" because it deposits excess cholesterol in walls of blood vessels, which can contribute to atherosclerosis. Usually, the amount of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) is calculated using the results of total cholesterol, HDL-C, and triglycerides.Triglycerides — measures all the triglycerides in all the lipoprotein particles; most is in the very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL).Very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) — calculated from triglycerides/5; this formula is based on the typical composition of VLDL particles.Non-HDL-C — calculated from total cholesterol minus HDL-C.Cholesterol/HDL ratio — calculated ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C.
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), also known as platelet activating factor Acetylhydrolase, is an inflammatory enzyme that circulates bound mainly to low density lipoproteins and has been found to be localized and enriched in atherosclerotic plaques. In multiple clinical trials, Lp-PLA2 activity has been shown to be an independent predictor of coronary heart disease and stroke in the general population. Measurement of Lp-PLA2 may be used along with traditional cardiovascular risk factor measures for identifying individuals at higher risk of cardiovascular disease events. Clinical management may include beginning or intensifying risk reduction strategies. The activity assay is an enzyme assay run on an automated chemistry platform.


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A week of turmoil for the Mexican national team ended in similar fashion as El Tri managed only a 2-2 draw with 10-man Venezuela in a friendly Tuesday night in Ciudad Juárez.
Twice, Mexico fell behind thanks to two brilliant free kicks from Venezuela's Juan Arango, only to pull level through Javier "Chicharito" Hernández and Giovani dos Santos.
New York Red Bulls midfielder and Mexico captain Rafa Márquez started for Mexico, while Philadelphia Union striker Alejandro Moreno started up top for Venezuela.
Mexico, under interim coach Efraín Flores, entered the match amid an upheaval, including the ongoing spat with 13 regulars (led by Márquez), the suspensions of stars Carlos Vela and Efraín Juárez, and the resignation on Monday night of unpopular team director Nestor de la Torre.
Despite a packed house at Estadio Benito Juárez, El Tri's fortunes didn't improve once the game started. Arango put the visitors into the lead in the seventh minute.
The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder's swerving free kick from about 25 yards out on the left side whipped over the wall and beat poorly positioned goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa at the near post.
But Venezuela's positive start took a turn for the worse in the 24th minute when Gabriel Cichero fouled Jorge Iván "Guti" Estrada, drawing his second yellow card and an early exit.
Mexico soon took advantage of their superior numbers. Chicharito evened the score in the 34th minute. A long cross sent in from the right side by Elías Hernández bounced across the goalmouth, presenting the late-arriving Manchester United star with the simplest of headers to level the score at 1-1.
But the deadlock didn't last long. In the 40th minute, Arango did it again, this time with a dipping left-footed free kick blast from 33 yards that left Ochoa flailing at air.
After the break, Mexico pressed for another equalizer, and finally got it in the 61st minute. Dos Santos collected the ball at the top of the area on the right side, drove past a defender and, from an acute angle, ripped an unstoppable shot into the far upper corner.
In the 68th minute, Columbus Crew striker Emilio Renteria replaced Moreno in the Venezuela attack, and despite providing some energy, he was unable to make a definitive impact. The match ended 2-2, leaving Mexico with even more questions than they had 90 minutes earlier.
Scoring Summary:
VEN – Arango, 7'
MEX – Hernández, 34'
VEN – Arango, 40'
MEX – Dos Santos, 61'
Mexico – Ochoa (Corona 46'); Estrada (E. Hernández 33'), Rodríguez, Dueñas (Torres Nilo) Salcido; dos Santos, Márquez, Ríos (Magallón 46'), Barrera; Orozco (Esqueda 46'), J. Hernández.
Venezuela – D. Hernández; Romero, Vizcarrondo, Perozo, Cichero; González (Rosales 72'), Lucena, Arango, Seijas (Granados 27'), Chourio; Moreno (Rentería 68').


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A memorial concert is being held for the musicians of an Iranian indie band killed in their Brooklyn home last week.
Arash and Soroush Farazmand were members of The Yellow Dogs. The brothers and their roommate were shot to death last Monday by a former member of another underground group from Iran who shot himself on the roof of the apartment building after the murders.
The concert is scheduled for Monday evening at the Brooklyn Bowl.
U.S. & World
The venue's web site says all the proceeds will go to the victims and families affected by the tragedy.
Performers include the well-known local act Nada Surf and several international bands and DJs.
Tickets are between $15 and $30.
Siavash "Obash" Karampour and Koory Mirzeai, the two surviving members of Yellow Dogs, said the shooter they called "Rafi" became a member of their circle after he was invited to join Free Keys, another underground rock band that followed Yellow Dogs' footsteps by moving from Tehran to America in 2011.
The relationship between Rafi and frequent collaborators Free Keys and Yellow Dogs quickly soured, as "personal and musical differences" led Free Keys to end the partnership, according to the statement released last week.
"It became clear very quickly that he was not a natural fit within our group of friends, and his personal views conflicted with our approach to our art and to the world," Karampour and Mirzeai said in the statement, which was drafted with the help of the band's manager, friends and a member of Free Keys. "A few months later, both bands severed ties completely with Rafi and in the 14 months since then, we've had no contact with him at all."
Police have said they believe Rafi was "despondent" over no longer being in the band when he ambushed his former friends at their East Williamsburg rowhouse with a Spanish-made assault weapon and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.


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Gesa in South Africa
Life can be humdrum or thrilling, the world, all kinds of amazing. The Lufthansa campaign #LifeChangingPlaces spotlights three individuals and the places that became their own personal paradise – changing their lives.
How much of who you are is where you've been? Meet Gesa – safari guide at Kruger National Park. She traveled here to South Africa three years ago on a vacation; an experience that left her changed forever. Watch the video and experience South Africa with Gesa.
Lufthansa's hashtag campaign pinpoints places that have marked a turning point in people's lives. For more such places and the stories of people whose lives they changed, visit:


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Independence Days
This story appears in the July 1997 issue of Business Start-Ups magazine. Subscribe »
Growing up in the nursing home business taught Philadelphia entrepreneur Irving Seldin one thing: Nursing homes left a lot to be desired. The problem wasn't that Seldin's family ran inferior homes. The problem was the concept itself. "I had an aversion to the whole institutional setting,' Seldin says. People were being treated like patients, not individuals, even when they weren't in need of real medical care.
Like most people, Seldin saw the need for alternatives. But unlike most people, he made it his business to create them. When his father decided to retire in the early 1980s, Seldin worked with him to convert one of the family's homes into a new kind of residenqce: Seniors would have access to help with daily living--transportation, meal preparation, bathing and laundry, for example--without being subjected to the loss of privacy and individual identity common to many traditional nursing homes.
When Seldin opened the Chestnut Hill Residence in 1982, he called his concept "personal care.' At the time, his was one of several fledgling ventures to enter the uncharted territory that's now known as "assisted living.' Today, assisted living represents a major growth area for entrepreneurs with the compassion and skill to tap into it. The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) estimates current industry revenues at $12 billion--and they are expected to hit $30 billion by the year 2000.
Growing Older
What makes this kind of growth possible? Simple demographics tell part of the story. Using recent Census Bureau statistics, ALFA estimates that 3.1 million Americans were over the age of 85 in 1990. By contrast, a projected 4.3 million Americans will be over 85 in 2000, and by 2010 their numbers will swell to 5.7 million.
Beyond the basic numbers is a question of attitude. Peg Thompson, co-founder of Thompson White & Associates Inc., a Huntsville, Alabama, company that manages and develops retirement and assisted living communities, describes the current cohort of older Americans as an "independent generation.' Folks who weathered the Depression and fought their way through World War II don't want to be treated like invalids--or mere numbers. Moreover, their baby boomer kids are equally adamant about wanting the best for their parents.
Before assisted living, the traditional alternatives for people who needed help with daily living were nursing homes and home care. But neither choice was ideal for a significant number of seniors, says Paul Klaassen, whose assisted living business, Fairfax, Virginia-based Sunrise Assisted Living Inc., went public in 1996 and saw $47.3 million in revenues that year. "There were far too many people in nursing homes when we started Sunrise in 1981,' remembers Klaassen. "Nursing homes are essentially [health care] institutions. We thought there wasn't any reason to be institutionalizing people simply because they had care needs.'
Home care is less institutional. "But it's expensive," says Klaassen. "You still have the expenses of maintaining a home, plus the added cost of care. And home care doesn't really address the isolation that many seniors feel.'
Assisted living, by contrast, often provides a happy solution. Though facilities vary considerably in size, style and range of services offered, the concept of assisted living remains constant from place to place. ALFA defines it as "a special combination of housing, supportive services, personalized assistance and health care designed to respond to the individual Assisted living, by contrast, often provides a happy solution. Though facilities vary considerably in size, style and range of services offered, the concept of assisted living remains constant from place to place. ALFA defines it as "a special combination of housing, supportive services, personalized assistance and health care designed to respond to the individual needs of those who need help with the activities of daily living.' This may include anything from mobility problems to memory disorders and incontinence. Assisted living residents usually have access to housekeeping, common dining facilities, round-the-clock security and assistance, as well as social activities. At an average cost of $72 per day, assisted living is also more economical than skilled nursing.
Keeping residents safe and happy is an obvious priority. But the assisted living philosophy also emphasizes respect for individual dignity and privacy. "Assisted living starts with the assumption that we are dealing with people,' says Seldin. "We're here to not only provide for their physical needs but to recognize their individuality. Even the language we use is different. The institutional model uses the word `patient' and all that it connotes. We don't call our residents `patients.' It's not just a semantic difference; it affects the way we view people, and how they view themselves.'
Business Of Caring
The appeal of assisted living is apparent--and so, in turn, is the market need. From a business perspective, however, assisted living can be as daunting as it is attractive.
This is not a business for the unskilled. In fact, skill is required at various levels--from the provision of care to the management of food services, from the nuts and bolts of real estate development to the understanding of health-care legislation. No one person is likely to possess all the skills necessary to run a facility well. But if you hope to jump into this arena, you should probably have demonstrated ability in at least one critical area, coupled with an aptitude for learning on the fly. Also, adds Thompson, "You have to know what you don't know and get the help you need.'
Meanwhile, competition is heating up. Although no one company dominates the market yet, several are expanding regionally and nationwide. "We're seeing more professional management than in the past,' says Klaassen. "Weaker models are closing.' Translation: Standards are high and climbing, both in terms of service and business savvy.
Some metropolitan areas may be approaching saturation--if not in terms of existing facilities, then certainly in terms of projects in development. Suzanne Perney, associate publisher of Briefings on Assisted Living, a monthly newsletter covering the assisted living industry, advises newcomers to look for niches in the marketplace. "You see a lot of companies developing large facilities, but I see a need for small facilities in smaller and rural communities,' Perney says. "Some operators are also specializing in areas such as Alzheimer's care.'
Getting The Word Out
Of course, taking on the care of the frail elderly--let alone those with special needs like Alzheimer's patients--isn't a casual thing. Entrepreneurs entering this field need more than raw talent; they also need compassion and a commitment to service that goes beyond the bottom line. "This is not a business for people who are solely focused on making money,' says Whitney Redding of ALFA. "It's a conscientious bunch creating this industry.'
The fact that conscientious operators succeed isn't a coincidence, either. Residents and their families want sincerity. And referral sources--such as hospitals, churches, social service agencies and clients themselves--are equally discerning. Since word-of-mouth is the primary source of new business, operators who can't win the enthusiasm of their clients and communities often find marketing tough.
Because standards are high and competition stiff, breaking into this business on a budget takes some maneuvering. Building a new, state-of-the-art facility for, say, 90 residents will set you back millions of dollars. Converting a smaller existing facility is less expensive, assuming that your market will support such a location.
Not every market will. If your community already sports several shiny new facilities, make sure your venture can differentiate itself successfully and that the available population is large enough to sustain what you're proposing.
The assisted living business is demanding, but it's also in great demand. Entrepreneurs who find their way into the industry successfully can look forward to explosive growth in a dynamic and challenging field.
For the truly committed, there are emotional rewards as well. Even after 16 years in the business, Klaassen says, "I love the openings. Families are moving in with their loved ones; there's a feeling of excitement and hope. It's a fortunate person who finds [that] their work and their faith come together in a single calling.'
Want To Know More?
Assisted Living Federation of America(ALFA) is a gold mine of information and services for aspiring assisted-living entrepreneurs. For information on membership, training and conferences, contact ALFA at (703) 691-8100 or write them at 10300 Eaton Pl., #400, Fairfax, VA 22030.
Briefings on Assisted Living is a monthly newsletter for developers and administrators in the assisted living industry. Annual subscriptions cost $187. For information, call Opus Communications at (617) 639-1872 or write them at P.O. Box 1168, Marblehead, MA 01945.
Contact Sources
Chestnut Hill Residence, 465 E. Abington Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118;
Sunrise Assisted Living, 9401 Lee Hwy., #300, Fairfax, VA 22031, (703) 273-7500;
Thompson, White & Associates, 2820 15th Ave. S.W., Huntsville, AL 35805, (205) 536-5992.SWO


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Marie-Therese Chappaz - Reserve
Marie-Thérèse Chappaz is not only the most famous woman winegrower in Switzerland she is also a very endearing, simple and genuine woman. Now a star in her own country and the must have swiss winemaker in France but practically unknown elsewhere.
Marie-Thérèse grows 14 hectares of vineyard at an altitude of between 400 and 800 metres, which are divided and spread over several villages - Fully and also Martigny, Charrat, Leytron, Saillon and Chamoson.
The majority of vineyards are cultivated in terraces supported by hand-built dry stone walls according to the centuries old tradition in the Valais. You can wander freely through the spectacular landscapes by taking the beaten pathways that join the different villages.
Since 1999 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz has opted for biodynamic agriculture. To say she was misunderstood at first is putting it mildly. But in between the wines have spoken, as have the wineyards, and those who looked down on the "little woman, what could she know" have learned otherwise.
"For me producing wines is not about making the best drink possible, by any means possible. Wine is something magical when it tells the story of a land, a terrain, a climate, a grape variety, in other words when it has an identity!"
I've been buying them for myself for years but not able to snatch enough quantity for Alpine Wines. But now, we have!
Grain Noir Marie-Therese ChappazCabernet and Merlot in Alpine purity


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Burglary report says nothing about APD steroid probe
Report raises more questions than answers
A Target 7 investigation found more questions than answers from a burglary case that brought the Albuquerque Police Department's steroid investigation to light.
Target 7 obtained the January 2012 burglary report, but it does not reveal anything about alleged steroid use among officers.
APD arrested Officer Daniel Burge in mid-December and charged him with receiving stolen property. He is accused of keeping a 70-inch flat-screen television in his house.
Police said that flat-screen belonged to the roommate of former APD officer Greg Donofrio.
According to the burglary report, burglars kicked down their door, and stole the television, but they also took Donofrio's 42-inch TV, his DVD player, and two of his APD jackets with patches.
APD Chief Ray Schultz in December confirmed there is a steroid investigation under way, but APD has not pointed its fingers directly at Burge or Donofrio.
However, investigators said they are looking at any possible connection between steroids and the burglary.
Donofrio resigned from APD one day after police arrested Burge.
A representative for the department said Donofrio is still under investigation in connection with that burglary, as well as an incident where he allowed two dueling tenants to fight it out.
Police said they have not arrested the culprits who actually broke into the apartment in the first place.


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Miami, Bali, Barcelona? That's where most people celebrate beach parties. Here are some ideas for a different experience somewhat off the beaten track.
Come on shore, it's party time! Where? Right on the beach in Máncora, a former fishing village in Peru that has turned into a hot spot for surfers complete with a rousing party every day.
Dirty sand, unruly revelers – Kuta Beach in Bali has an infamous reputation. But never fear, the tiny island of Gili Trangwan, Asia's own Ibiza, is only around 100 kilometers to the north and well known for its fantastic full-moon parties.
Most people associate parties on the Mediterranean with Barcelona, or maybe Tel Aviv. But Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, has been a well-kept secret for a long time. The parties there are every bit as spectacular as elsewhere, but without the rowdy crowds.


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Her last romance led to an overdose, but Alexa Ray Joel is back on the horse with a new beau.
The daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley is now steady with singer-songwriter Cass Dillon, according to People magazine. The pair both 24, met when Dillon played guitar on Joel's upcoming album. (To listen to her first single, "Notice Me," click here.)
There was already a family connection. Back in 2007, Dillon released the single "Christmas in Fallujah," which was written by Billy Joel. Proceeds benefited the non-profit Homes For Our Troops.
The younger Joel overdosed back in December after a traumatic breakup with her band's bass player Jimmy Riot. In next month's edition of Ladies Home Journal, Brinkley describes the difficulty she and her former husband had in helping their daughter through a traumatic breakup.
U.S. & World
"Your job as a parent is to listen. And to dole out as much love as you can. That includes tough love," said Brinkley. "I told Alexa, You got yourself worked into such a tizzy. You need to examine that, you need to seek professional advice."
"She tried to do something dramatic to prove to her boyfriend how much he hurt her," Brinkley adds. In the magazine, she said that her daughter, 24, had only taken aspirin, ruling out suicide rumors that have circulated since the incident.
Their daughter is now in therapy and focusing on a new ad campaign for Prell shampoo, a brand that Brinkley once represented.
"I've never seen her quite so radiant as she was coming home from her photo shoot for Prell," said Brinkley.


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Crickey, if only the rest of bus history was so easy to recover!bruce r wrote: I am the only third-generation Robinson who actually worked for N.E.M.Co and have full details plus many wonderful photographs of both motor vehicles and aircraft.
One photograph of an old building and "voila" we get flopsy, scuba and bruce r with first hand family knowledge of the company. May it happen forever I say. I look forward to the photos whenever you are ready.


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What can I purchase from Bertoni?
From the Bertoni.com webshop you can purchase men's fashion garments from the Bertoni brand, which we also sell in our retail stores.
The products are textile garments we design and produce ourselves, all ready for you to purchase online from our webshop.
Please note that some differences in the online assortment of products may occur from the assortment in our retail stores.
How do I make an order at Bertoni.com?
At Bertoni.com you can browse, select and purchase our products online.
To place an order, you simply need to click on the desired product, choose your desired variant (colour, size etc.) and place it in your shopping cart by clicking the "Add to cart" button. If you wish to continue shopping, you can simply go back and select more products before going to the checkout.
If you want more items, just go back and continue shopping, and then follow the same procedure. Once you click "Add to cart" the shopping cart will automatically be emphasized to you. If you are unable to locate the shopping cart, you can always navigate to it by clicking the cart symbol in the upper right corner.
When you have finished shopping, simply press the "check out" button in the shopping cart and start filling out your information in the required fields.Once you have submitted your order, you will receive a confirmation by e-mail. Check out the confirmation mail for correct information and address. Please contact our customer service if something is not correct.
How do I track my items once I have made an order on Bertoni.com?
As soon as your order has left our warehouse and is being shipped, you can trace your order. When we send you your order, you will automatically receive an email confirming your order status along with your track and trace number.
I have not received my purchase. What should I do?
If your purchase have not arrived by the delivery date, a few things may be the cause. First, you should check your e-mail to see if we have sent you explicit information on the delivery of your order, as well as your order confirmation.
If you have received your confirmation, and the expected delivery is exceeded, please contact our customer service. If you have not received an order confirmation, please contact our customer service. Something may have gone wrong in the process.
During sale periods and promotions, delivery dates may be longer than usual.
Please also make sure that our mails haven't ended up in your spam filter. We may have tried to contact you, but your email provider is blocking our mails.
Can I cancel or change my order?
It is not possible to cancel, or change your order.
In order to serve you and ship orders as quickly as possible, we prepare your order once you place it on our website.
If you change your mind, you can return your garments once you have received your order.Please navigate to our Exchange policy for further information.
There is an error in my order. What do I do?
Please contact our customer service, if you encounter any errors in your order. We will attend to your inquire as fast as possible.
Contact os here.
In which countries can I shop online?
As of now, you can shop at Bertoni.com from the following countries:
United Kingdom
Czech Republic
When will I receive my purchase?
The delivery time for orders placed Monday to Friday is 2-5 working days.
For other european countries than Denmark, the delivery time is up to 14 working days.
Orders placed on workdays before 12.00 will if all possible be packed and shipped the same day.
Orders placed on weekends or public holidays, will be taken care of the first working day.
During sale periods and promotions, the delivery time may be longer than normal.
When your order leaves our warehouse, we will send you an e-mail, which also contains your track and trace number.


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A hamster named Marvin has joined Prince William and his wife Kate's household.
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, told a 9-year-old girl about Marvin during a visit Wednesday to the new Magic Garden playground at Hampton Court Palace in London.
The schoolgirl, named only as Darcey, says Kate told her that 1-year-old Princess Charlotte likes it when Marvin's whiskers tickle her face. [[378151271, C]]
U.S. & World
There was no word on whether her 2-year-old brother Prince George likes Marvin too.
Kensington Palace officials later confirmed the account. The family also has a dog named Lupo.
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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This was a game that the Devil Rays were handing to the Jays all night, and no one in the Jays' lineup seemed remotely interested in nutting up and taking it. That's why this season is swirling around the drain.
Hopefully, in between the postgame Nerf Olympics and Tickle Fights, someone in the dressing room takes a second to look at themselves in the mirror, and ask themselves why they are accepting losses like this. To have had the opportunities the Jays had in the 10th and 11th, not to mention the entire freaking game, and to cough it up like a furball time and again...it just demonstrates that something is seriously amiss in the heads of some of this team.
The final four innings of tonight's game gave us enough grey hairs that we're heading out tomorrow to audition to be the next Glad Man.
Carl Crawford Kicked Our Ass: After this afternoon's gleeful exaltations on his absence, Crawford runs wild on the basepaths to tie the game, then hits a walk-off homer with a mangled wrist, like he was playing the Tampa Bay Dinner Theatre production of The Natural, and the Jays were invited for opening night.
And seriously: Gibby or Ernie or the ghost of Al Widmar...whoever made the decision to keep Tallet, League, and even Frasor on the bench in favour of another inning of Brian Wolfe...what were you thinking?
Monday, July 30, 2007
You have got to be joking...
Posted by Tao of Stieb at 11:22 PM
Labels: losers
1 comment:
- Jim Briggs said...
What could make it clearer to JP that this team, as managed, does not have the makeup to win a tough one? We saw it all series against the Yanks and now the Devil Rays are doing it. I can't wait for the Gibbons comment along the lines of "That's a tough lineup they've got over there. You can't make mistakes against them."
Thanks for writing about this eloquently. I can't even muster the mental strength to keep beating this dead horse.
- July 31, 2007 at 8:08 AM
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Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), the proposed Twenty-seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting gender discrimination, was passed by Congress on 22 Mar. 1972 and then forwarded to the states for ratification. Before the end of the year, the ERA was ratified by 22 states, but in several states, including North Carolina, disagreement over the amendment's implications led to many years of highly charged debate.
With North Carolina's Republican governor James E. Holshouser Jr. and Democratic lieutenant governor James B. Hunt Jr. initially voicing their approval of the ERA, several organizations were formed in the state to support or oppose the amendment. In January 1973, 1,000 ERA backers gathered at Duke University in Durham to launch North Carolinians United for ERA; Martha McKay of the North Carolina Women's Political Caucus was a major organizer of the event. Opponents in the ERA debate were led by U.S. Democratic senator Sam J. Ervin Jr., who, after being approached by conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly of Illinois, allowed Schlafly's Stop-ERA group to use his name in its mailings. Schlafly recruited Dorothy "Dot" Malone Slade of Reidsville, a member of the John Birch Society and the National Federation of Republican Women, to lead the statewide organization, North Carolinians against ERA.
After the ERA was formally introduced into the North Carolina legislature in February 1973, many proponents were surprised by the opposition's forceful arguments that outlawing gender discrimination would have detrimental consequences. Robert E. Lee, a Wake Forest University law professor, told the Senate Constitutional Amendments Committee that the simple text of the ERA would be open to interpretation by judges, inviting what he viewed as increasing court interference in public life. Perhaps most unsettling to proponents was the organized opposition from conservative women who
feared that civil society would fall into chaos if the amendment passed. While ERA supporters concentrated their efforts on lobbying the General Assembly, opponents were more successful in reaching out to North Carolina women and fueling concerns that the rights and privileges they currently enjoyed, such as maternity leave and basic courtesies, would be eliminated by the ERA. Although they may have lacked the political expertise of ERA supporters, anti-ERA activists found champions in Ervin and North Carolina Supreme Court justice Susie Marshall Sharp, a highly respected Democrat who publicly agreed with Ervin's opposition and made personal calls to legislators.
In 1973 the ERA was defeated in the State Senate by a vote of 27 to 23; it failed again in 1975. The amendment came close to passage in 1977, when Hunt became governor and it sailed through the State House by a vote of 61 to 55. This development prompted 1,500 opponents to stage a rally at Dorton Arena in Raleigh a week before the scheduled Senate vote; the gathering, at which Schlafly and Ervin spoke, was described by one observer as "a cross between a political rally and a church revival." Opponents found success in lobbying senators, and the ERA was again defeated in the Senate by a vote of 26 to 24.
In 1978, as the expiration date for the ERA neared without ratification from the required 38 states, Congress proposed an extension of the consideration period to 1982. Ervin's successor in the U.S. Senate, ERA backer Robert B. Morgan, maintained that an extension should in fairness also provide for a right to rescind, although his proposal was not accepted. Even though the extension was granted, the ERA failed again in the North Carolina legislature in 1979, 1981, and 1982 before it was ultimately rejected nationally.
Educator Resources:
Grade 8: The Twenty-Sixth Amendment & Youth Power. North Carolina Civic Education Consortium. http://database.civics.unc.edu/files/2012/05/TwentySixthAmendment2.pdf
Margaret A. Blanchard, Woman's Suffrage, the Equal Rights Amendment, Equal Pay for Equal Work, and Other Such Revolutionary Ideas (1974).
Albert Coates, By Her Own Bootstraps: A Saga of Women in North Carolina (1975).
Donald G. Mathews and Jane S. De Hart, Sex, Gender, and the Politics of ERA: A State and the Nation (1990).
Howard F. Twiggs, ed., Before and After the Equal Rights Amendment: The Current Status of Women and the Expected Effects of ERA Ratification in North Carolina (1975).
1 January 2006 | Faulkner, Ronnie W.; Vocci, Robert Blair
This article needs to be
This article needs to be updated as the fight for the ERA continues. 2 states have passed bills to ratify the ERA with only one remaining. There are legal arguments to throughout the time limit on the amendment and bills in the US Congress to remove or extend the deadline.
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