text:
MILWAUKEE ELEC. RY. v. WISCONSIN R.R. COMM.(1915)
[238 U.S. 174, 175] Messrs. Henry H. Pierce, Edwin S. Mack, William J. Curtis, George P. Miller, and Arthur W. Fairchild for plaintiff in error.
Messrs. Walter Drew and Lester C. Manson, and Mr. W. C. Owen, Attorney General of Wisconsin, for defendant in error.
Mr. Daniel W. Hoan as amicus curioe.
Mr. Justice Day delivered the opinion of the court:
This suit originated in the circuit court of Dane county, Wisconsin, and was brought by the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company against the Railroad Commission of Wisconsin. The plaintiff, a street railway company, organized under the laws of Wisconsin, and authorized to conduct a street railway business in the city of Milwaukee, sought to enjoin the Railroad Commission, organized under the laws of that state of 1905, from enforcing a certain order against the company, whereby the right of the railway company to charge fares upon its railway system had been reduced below what it was contended had been previously fixed by an ordinance of the city of Milwaukee, which, it was alleged, upon acceptance, constituted an irrevocable contract between the company and the city. In the allegations of the complaint it appears that on January 2, 1900, there was granted to the plaintiff the right to operate over certain streets, and in the ordinances of that date all franchises expiring prior to December 31, 1934, were extended to that date, and all franchises which would otherwise expire subsequently to that date were made to terminate at that time.
Section 6 of the ordinance provides:
The bill sets out the acceptance of this ordinance, and thereby it is claimed the company obtained the right to [238 U.S. 174, 178] charge, until December 31, 1934, a cash fare of 5 cents, and to sell tickets in packages of twenty-five for $1, or six for 25 cents, each of which tickets should entitle the holder to use the same upon the cars between the hours mentioned in the ordinance, and to have the privileges accorded to passengers paying 5 cents fare. In November, 1906, the city of Milwaukee filed a complaint with the defendant Railroad Commission for a reduction of rates of fare, and filed a similar complaint May 13th, 1908. This proceeding resulted in the order complained of, which did not interfere with the cash fare prescribed, but provided that the company should discontinue its rate of twenty five tickets for $1, and should sell tickets in packages of thirteen for 50 cents, which tickets were ordered to be accepted in payment of fare. It is alleged that this action of the Railroad Commission impairs the obligation of the contract between the city and the company, and takes the plaintiff's property without due process of law, in violation of 10 of article 1 of the Constitution of the United States and of the 14th Amendment thereto.
On the hearing in the court of first instance, it was held that there was no contract made by the passage and acceptance of the ordinance which we have quoted, and the complaint was accordingly dismissed. Upon appeal to the supreme court of Wisconsin that judgment was affirmed (153 Wis. 592, L.R.A.--, 142 N. W. 491, Ann. Cas. 1915A, 911). The case was heard before six judges of that court. Three held that the statute upon which the plaintiff relied as conferring authority upon a municipal corporation to make the contract in question did not authorize the making of a contract which would prevent the future exercise of the authority of the state to regulate the rates of fare by legislative action. A fourth judge expressed no view upon this phase of the case, specifically holding that under the Wisconsin Constitution there was no power to delegate to municipal corporations an authority [238 U.S. 174, 179] to make irrepealable contracts respecting rates. Two of the judges dissented upon the ground that there was an irrepealable contract, valid and binding between the company and the city, which was violated by the subsequent legislation creating and empowering the Railroad Commission, and because of the action of that body in reducing the rate of fare.
In the view we take of the case it is unnecessary to pass upon the question whether the ordinance had the effect to make a contract binding between the city and the company until subsequent legislative action by the state, or to decide whether the grant of the rights and privileges as to fares was, under the Wisconsin Constitution, revocable at the will of the legislature.
Section 1862 of the Revised Statutes of 1911 provides:
The fixing of rates which may be charged by public service corporations, of the character here involved, is a legislative function of the state, and while the right to make contracts which shall prevent the state during a given period from exercising this important power has been recognized and approved by judicial decisions, it has been uniformly held in this court that the renunciation of a sovereign right of this character must be evidenced by terms so clear and unequivocal as to permit of no doubt as to their proper construction. This proposition has been so frequently declared by decisions of this court as to render unnecessary any reference to the many cases in which the doctrine has been affirmed. The principle involved was well stated by Mr. Justice Moody in Home Teleph . & Teleg. Co. v. Los Angeles, 211 U.S. 265, 273 , 53 S. L. ed. 176, 182, 29 Sup. Ct. Rep. 50:
The chief justice of Wisconsin, who delivered the opinion in which two other judges concurred, did not call in question the right of the city to make a contract with a public utility corporation, fixing the rates to be charged for a definite period, which would bind the city itself, but placed his decision upon the ground that the section in question gave no distinct authority to the city to contract away the legislative authority of the state to fix tolls [238 U.S. 174, 181] and fares by lowering them if found to be excessive; that while the term 'grant' was used, he held the grant was to be upon terms such as the municipal authorities might determine, and that this language was more appropriate to the exercise of power by the municipality than to the making of a contract between parties. The language of the section certainly lends itself to this construction, and there is nothing in specific terms conferring the right to contract by agreement between parties, much less to make such contract during its existence exclusive of any further right of the state to act upon the subject in the exercise of its legislative authority. It authorizes the grant of the use of the streets upon such terms as the proper authorities shall determine, not upon such terms as the parties in interest shall agree to.
Among cases in this court specially relied upon by the plaintiff in error is Detroit v. Detroit Citizens' Street R. Co. 184 U.S. 368 , 46 L. ed. 592, 22 Sup. Ct. Rep. 410. It was therein held, quoting constructions of the supreme court of Michigan, that the legislation involved authorized the making of a contract between the city and the street railway company, which the city undertook to abrogate by subsequent ordinances; and the fact that the legislature had not attempted to interfere with the rights of the street railway company in Detroit was stated, and the extent of its power to interfere with the rights of the street railway company expressly held not to be involved in the case. In another case relied upon by plaintiff in error, Cleveland v. Cleveland City R. Co. 194 U.S. 517 , 48 L. ed. 1102, 24 Sup. Ct. Rep. 756, it was specifically stated (p. 534) that the courts of Ohio had held that the acceptance of ordinances of the character in question constituted a binding contract, and the Ohio statute was set forth and held to expressly authorize a binding contract for the period covered by the statute. In the case of Minneapolis v. Minneapolis Street R. Co. 215 U.S. 417 , 54 L. ed. 259, 30 Sup. Ct. Rep. 118, the ordinance which was held to constitute a binding contract for the rates of fare prescribed [238 U.S. 174, 182] therein was specifically validated by an act of the legislature of Minnesota subsequently passed.
It is true that this court has repeatedly held that the discharge of the duty imposed upon it by the Constitution to make effectual the provision that no state shall pass any law impairing the obligation of a contract requires this court to determine for itself whether there is a contract, and the extent of its binding obligation; and parties are not concluded in these respects by the determination and decisions of the courts of the states. While this is so, it has been frequently held that where a statute of a state is alleged to create or authorize a contract inviolable by subsequent legislation of the state, in determining its meaning much consideration is given to the decisions of the highest court of the state. Among other cases which have asserted this principle are Freeport Water Co. v. Freeport, 180 U.S. 587 , 45 L. ed. 679, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 493, and Vicksburg v. Vicksburg Waterworks Co. 206 U.S. 496, 509 , 51 S. L. ed. 1155, 1160, 27 Sup. Ct. Rep. 762.
Both sides contend that the decisions of the supreme court of the state have decided this controversy. The plaintiff in error insists that it is governed by Linden Land Co. v. Milwaukee Electric R. & Light Co. 107 Wis. 493, 83 N. W. 851. In that case an injunction was sought by a taxpayer and owner of property abutting upon the street, to enjoin the company from accepting the franchise and the state officers from receiving the acceptance of the ordinance of 1900. The Linden Land Company and another, as taxpayers and owners of land abutting upon the street, were afterwards brought in as plaintiffs, and the court, speaking of 1862, said the city was empowered to grant the use of streets and franchises to street railway companies upon such terms as the proper authorities should determine, and that that was a broad grant of discretionary powers, and also said that in the character of suit then before it, the right to maintain it depended upon whether there had been shown any wrongful squandering or surrender of the [238 U.S. 174, 183] moneys, property, or property rights of the city, or unlawful increase of the burdens of taxation threatened by the proposed ordinance, and held that the claim that parties had offered large sums of money for the franchise privileges granted to the company, and that the company itself had offered to pay large sums of money in case the city would grant the right to charge 5 cents fare until the year 1935, did not sustain the allegation that there was a squandering of the money and rights of the city, in rejecting the offers and enacting the ordinance. We do not find in this case any decision of the question here involved, as to whether the alleged contract between the city and the company would have the effect to deny, because of the provisions granting authority to the city in 1862, the subsequent right of the legislature to fix rates binding upon the company.
The chief justice in the opinion in the present case regarded the construction of 1862 as controlled by the previous case of Manitowoc v. Manitowoc & N. Traction Co. 145 Wis. 13, 140 Am. St. Rep. 1056, 129 N. W. 925. In that case, the supreme court of Wisconsin used the following language, which is quoted with approval by the chief justice in this case:
The chief justice further pointed out that 1863, which [238 U.S. 174, 184] was in question in the Manitowoc Case, was substantially the same as 1862, involved in the present case; for while 1863 authorized consent by municipal authorities to the use of streets upon such terms and subject to such rules and regulations and the payment of such license fees as the council or board may from time to time prescribe, it was the same in effect as 1862, authorizing municipal authorities to grant the use of streets upon such terms as they shall determine, and concluded:
While it is true that the opinion of the chief justice in this case was concurred in by only two other judges of the six who sat on this appeal, in view of the decision of the same court in the Manitowoc Case, we can have no doubt that the judicial interpretation of 1862 by the highest court of the state of Wisconsin denies authority to municipal corporations to make contracts concluding the state from the future exercise of its power to fix the rates which may be charged by such public service corporations as are here involved.
In view of the weight which this court gives in deciding questions involving the construction of legislative acts to decisions of the highest courts of the states in cases of alleged contracts, and our own inability to say that this statute unequivocally grants to the municipal authorities the power to deprive the legislature of the right to exercise in the future an acknowledged function of great public importance, we reach the conclusion that the judgment of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin in this case should be affirmed.
We may observe that the contention of deprivation of property without due process of law is practically disposed [238 U.S. 174, 185] of in what we have said. For if the state might still exercise its authority to fix rates notwithstanding the so-called contracting ordinance, the exercise of such lawful power could not deprive the plaintiff of property without due process.


text: Perhaps the most eye-catching feature of this stingray is its long, whip-like tail, which may be 2.5 times as long as the body. The many thorny plates, or tubercles, on the outer parts of the body, or disc, and along the base of the tail give this species its common name, roughtail. Like other stingrays, the roughtail has one or two sharp, serrated spines, which are equipped with venom glands and covered with an integumentary sheath—a thin layer of skin. Normally gentle, when attacked by would-be predators or stepped on by unwary humans, the animal lashes its tail. The spine and its barbs pierce the integumentary sheath as they lacerate the skin of the victim, allowing venom to enter the wound. Did You Know? This stingray's tail can grow up to 2.5 times as long as its body. Diet The roughtail ray searches over sandy and muddy substrates, often burrowing into the sediment, to feed on bottom-dwelling, or benthic, invertebrates and fishes. Size This is the largest stingray in our exhibit. In the wild, this species has been reported to reach 7 feet across and weigh almost 450 pounds. Range The roughtail ray is found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean: in the eastern Atlantic from southern France to Angola, including the Mediterranean Sea, and in the western Atlantic from Maine to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and southward to Uruguay. Population Status The roughtail ray is not a threatened species. Predators Roughtail rays have few predators and are of only minor importance to commercial fisheries. The ray is marketed fresh, smoked and dried and is used for fishmeal and oil. Back to the Top

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
No barn is fireproof, but these steps can help minimize your farm's risk.
It is a horrific sight: a barn engulfed in flames with terrified horses plunging about inside. It happens time and again at farms and racetracks across the country.
Can barn fires be prevented? Yes, according to extension agents at Pennsylvania State University and other institutions. Basically, they say, no building is completely fireproof, but farm owners and managers can take certain steps to minimize the chances of a fire occurring.
Causes of Barn Fires
There is an old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. However, with barn fires there almost never is a "cure." Once flames are spotted, it is usually too late. Only if a fire is discovered in the smoldering (burning without flame) stage–which can last a minute or hours–is there a chance to effectively put it out.
Barns normally are loaded with dry, flammable materials such as bedding, hay, grain, and wood. When these materials ignite, they burn with savage intensity. Liquid fuel sources found in barns include alcohol, liniment, hoof paints, and creosote, among others.
While careless smoking and poor electrical connections are leading causes of barn fires, bacterial and chemical reactions, such as those that occur in recently baled hay, can also be culprits. A case in point involved a 2007 fire that killed seven horses at a Saddlebred stable in rural Minnesota, despite the best efforts of five fire departments. It is believed, according to news reports, that the fire originated in a load of hay that had been delivered to the barn that morning. The fire started in the afternoon.
Underlining the point that once a barn fire starts it is almost impossible to put out, a fire chief at the scene was quoted saying that 130,000 gallons of water were used to fight the flames, but the barn could not be saved. "That's the most (water) I've ever known that we've used in my 24 years of firefighting," he told the local newspaper.
While the loss of horses in this fire was devastating, it could have been worse. There were 45 horses in the barn at the time, but neighbors and farm employees were able to lead most of them to safety. A stroke of good fortune resulted from the presence of a veterinarian at the farm when the fire broke out. She was immediately able to treat horses that were injured or in shock.
Fires that erupt in a horse's box stall might be the fastest-spreading. Penn State extension agents explained the process in one of their bulletins: "Protecting a horse stall is not the same as protecting a home. The horse is standing in dry bedding material that is very flammable. Straw reaches a burning temperature of 300°F in one to five minutes, and it generates as much heat at the same rate as gasoline. All that is required to start this fire is a spark or match. It takes two to three minutes for a straw fire to burn an area 10 feet in diameter. Compare this to the size of a common horse box stall that is 10 to 12 feet square. After a fire starts in a stall and spreads to only four feet in diameter, most horses are injured. By a six-foot diameter (fire), (the horse's) lungs are seared. With an eight-foot diameter fire, the horse will start to suffocate. By 10 feet, the horse is dead. All of this occurs in two to three minutes. If a horse is to survive unharmed, he must be removed from the stall within 30 seconds."
Hence, while a quick rescue is key, fire prevention is far more effective and less costly.
Prevention Tips
There are some obvious fire prevention steps that every barn owner can take. For instance, every barn should have a strictly enforced no smoking rule. A qualified electrician should routinely (at least annually) inspect any electrical appliances installed in the barn, such as water heaters, pipe-heating tape, insect-control devices, and portable heating units. Enclose all electrical wiring in metal or PVC conduit, and disconnect and store all radios, clippers, extension cords, and similar portable electrical appliances when not in use.
As mentioned earlier, investigators believed that newly delivered hay was the source of the Minnesota fire. This is a fire source that is unique to the agricultural industry, arising from damp, incompletely cured (dried) hay. According to a pamphlet from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), heat is generated by the bacterial reaction during the curing process, which begins while the hay is on the ground prior to baling. The moist interior of the hay might smolder unnoticed for some time before the edge of the stack is reached and spontaneous combustion ensues.
According to extension agents, most barn fires that start from overheated hay occur within six weeks of baling. They also say to avoid this overheating the ideal moisture range for hay at baling time is 15-18% (with many in the industry recommending not baling hay with moisture content greater than 16.5%). Plant respiration continues after baling and generates a small amount of heat even under the best of conditions, but heat is normal and inconsequential unless it reaches very high temperatures.
Barn owners can measure the heat of baled hay by inserting a temperature probe (which is longer and will provide a more accurate reading than a thermometer) into individual bales.
Penn State extension agents say that if the temperature of the hay has reached 150°F, it likely will continue to rise. If the probe records 175-190°, that bale of hay is about to burst into flame, and you should call the fire department immediately.
They also recommend that owners stack hay bales on their sides to allow convection ventilation of warm, moist air up and out of the bale. The greener the hay, the looser it should be stacked to allow cooling and curing without danger of combustion or mildew formation. Inspect newly baled hay on a regular basis until curing is complete (typically within a few weeks).
An obvious practice aimed at preventing horse barn fires caused by hot hay is to store the hay in a shed separate from the barn.
The best way to prevent barn fires in general, say extension agents, is to minimize fuel sources. They offer farm owners the following suggestions:
- Keep grass mowed and control weeds, brush, and debris around the stable area not only to improve aesthetics but also to eliminate a frequently overlooked fuel source–dried plant material.
- Remove less-frequently used combustibles from the stable. Store all combustibles properly and be sure to provide appropriate receptacles to dispose of rags soiled with combustibles.
- Keep the barn clean and free of cobwebs, chaff, dust, and loose straw and hay, which are all easily combustible and make excellent fuel sources.
- Ignition sources include the obvious cigarettes and heaters as well as those not-so-obvious, such as machinery exhaust systems. Trucks driven into hay/bedding storage areas have been known to ignite materials in contact with the hot exhaust and catalytic converters.
- Space heaters should only be used according to manufacturers' guidelines and should not be left unattended.
- Post and enforce a no smoking policy. All smoking should be banned from the barn and immediate premises.
Don't forget to take fire prevention steps beyond barn walls. Park gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles away from the barn, and perform regular maintenance to avoid any problems with fuel or exhaust systems. If you need to refuel on-site, do so as far away from the barn as possible, as escaping gasoline vapors readily ignite.
Alert/Prevention Devices
We noted earlier that some fires smolder for varying lengths of time before erupting into flames. Thus, barns should be equipped with smoke detectors to provide early detection. But according to the HSUS, most residential and commercial smoke detectors aren't as effective in barns due to dust that clogs the mechanisms. Contact a company that specializes in optical smoke detection systems for barns. Heat detectors might be useful in conjunction with smoke detectors, particularly in enclosed spaces such as tack, feed, and utility rooms.
Once you detect a smoldering pile of hay or bedding, extinguish it immediately. This means portable, multipurpose ABC type fire extinguishers should be readily available inside the barn. In large barns extension agents advise you to place extinguishers in easily reached, visible spots every 50 feet. It should also be noted that fire extinguishers are not infallible, and you should check them regularly to ensure they are properly charged and ready for immediate use.
Lightning can also cause barn fires. Its potential as a fire source can be negated with properly installed lightning rods that serve to direct the energy from the strike through a heavy conducting cable deep into the ground. Installing lighting rods is something to be taken seriously; seek the help of an expert, and check the credentials of any installer you hire.
Finally, every facility should have a fire evacuation plan of action as well as rules aimed at preventing fires. For starters, phone numbers for the fire department and other emergency personnel should be posted where they are readily accessible. Barn personnel should be trained in how to use an extinguisher correctly. Everyone on the farm–no matter their age–should know exactly what to do if a fire breaks out. Design the plan to protect human life first and foremost.
Stall construction can facilitate easy evacuation of horses. Stall doors should open outward into the aisleway or slide open so that handlers can free horses more quickly and easily. Stall doorways to the exterior of the barn are also helpful. Latches should be easy to operate with one hand. Have halter and lead ropes available at each stall door.
There should be water sources available near the barn so the fire department can quickly access them, and approaches to the barn should be wide enough to accommodate a large fire engine.
Take-Home Message
Keys to barn fire prevention include common sense, basic farm maintenance, and reducing fuel sources. These suggestions, along with early detection devices, can help reduce the chances of a fire on your property.


text:
White Sox hope to push right offseason buttons
South Siders head into winter of uncertainty as front office plots course
CHICAGO -- Trying to predict the White Sox outlook for 2014 one day after the 2013 season is in the books stands somewhat akin to trying to guess how a television show will fare throughout a new season simply by reading its initial plot outline.
A great deal can change, including the main cast of characters, and many adjustments figure to be made on that long road to success.
"You don't know what it's going to be," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of the team's future. "We can make all the plans in the world for what you'd like to see or what's going to happen.
"Until it happens, this is what it is right now. So who you have under contract, who you have coming back, as far as younger guys we even have in the Minor Leagues, you don't know exactly how it's going to shake out."
Many questions were brought to the forefront during a forgettable 2013 campaign. Now, there are just as many questions to be answered as general manager Rick Hahn puts his reshaping plan into effect moving forward.
Will the White Sox go after front-line free agents, or will they use the open market to add strong complementary pieces? Is free agency even going to be a major option for Hahn and his staff, or will they try to change the look of this team via trades? Is there a chance the White Sox stay young, with many of their big league-ready prospects getting extended evaluation due to the team being out of contention?
Then there's the future of Paul Konerko, a consummate leader and productive staple of this organization for the past 15 years. Will he return for his 18th season, and if he does, will it be with the White Sox?
These are all calls to be made over the next few months, with one decision impacting the next.
"We've talked over a lot of different scenarios," Hahn said. "Regardless of whether you say, 'I'm targeting player A, B or C in free agency or via trade,' there's no guarantee you are going to get that player.
"You need to come up with a priority list of needs and how you want to address them and various alternatives. Until you get into the offseason and it starts unfolding, you are not going to know for certain which persons of those plans you will be able to execute on. We have fairly specific ideas about what needs to be done and how to go about addressing those needs."
Pitching stands as one area of established White Sox strength, with All-Star and American League Cy Young candidate Chris Sale sitting atop the rotation. That staff also could be used as part of these upcoming moves to bring the White Sox back into contention, not to mention developing a solid base with their higher Draft bonus pool in June and increased international spending in July.
Yes, the White Sox change of fortunes will not be an overnight quick fix.
"You never want to be in this position. It's an extraordinarily disappointing year," Hahn said. "These years are too precious and my time in this chair is going to be too short to ever feel good about a season like this. But there are some benefits to it, in terms of long term planning or long term being able to feed the farm system and build something toward sustaining a long term success.
"Right now it's disappointing, it's frustrating, but next June in the amateur Draft and next July in the international signing period, we are going to reap some benefits from this. There is at least some bit of a silver lining. That being said, I would rather win and have the lowest Draft pool around."
Arbitration eligible: Gordon Beckham, Alejandro De Aza, Brent Morel, Ramon Troncoso, David Purcey, Tyler Flowers and Dayan Viciedo (both Flowers and Viciedo depend on Super 2 cutoff).
Free agents: Konerko, Gavin Floyd.
Team options: Matt Lindstrom ($4 million, $500,000 buyout)
Rotation: Sale proved himself again as one of the best starters in baseball and a true leader of the rotation, while Jose Quintana followed up a solid rookie effort with a sophomore season moving him into the No. 2 or No. 3 slot. John Danks should come back even stronger more than one year removed from arthroscopic shoulder surgery in August 2012, while Hector Santiago gives the White Sox four talented southpaw starters or a possible hybrid bullpen/rotation option. Look for Hahn to use one of these starters as trade bait to help solidify other areas of the club, with Erik Johnson and Andre Rienzo waiting in the rotation wings.
Bullpen: Ventura would like to see closer Addison Reed continue to incorporate a third pitch, in his changeup, to make him an even more dominant relief force. Reed struggled late in the season but still has the perfect finishing demeanor. Nate Jones and Lindstrom provide a solid bridge to Reed, with the team holding a $4 million option on Lindstrom, while 2013 callups such as Jake Petricka, Daniel Webb and Charlie Leesman figure into the '14 mix. Another veteran and another left-hander would help the White Sox relief core, but much like any player on this team not named Sale or Avisail Garcia, a trade is possible involving any of the aforementioned hurlers.
Catcher: After A.J. Pierzynski held this job for eight successful seasons, the catching position stands somewhat in flux. Flowers struggled at the plate, had his season prematurely end due to shoulder surgery and might not be in the mix for '14. Josh Phegley proved he can play at the big league level and appears to be in line for the starting shot, but free agents such as Brian McCann or Jarrod Saltalamacchia would give Phegley continued time to develop and add left-handed balance to the lineup.
First base/DH: Konerko and Adam Dunn both could be back in their familiar positions, one of the two could return or neither could be there. The last scenario is unlikely, with Dunn under contract for one more season, but it will be an interesting decision for the White Sox captain and the White Sox as a team when Konerko makes his future call. Viciedo also could be moved from left field to a first base/DH combo role with Dunn if Konerko departs.
Second base: Gordon Beckham couldn't have envisioned a season so filled with injuries. But in between his fractured hamate bone, wrist problem and quad strain, Beckham built on a consistent approach at the plate started late last season. He figures to be one of the leaders on this team in '14, especially if Konerko doesn't return. Jeff Keppinger had a rough debut with the White Sox, but with two years left on his three-year, $12 million deal, he will be penciled in all over the infield with his most natural spot looking to be second.
Shortstop: Alexei Ramirez provides value to the White Sox whether with the team or as a trade chip. His defense at this position has been considered with the best in the game, although his error total skyrocketed in a tough year that began with the death of his father-in-law during Spring Training. Ramirez was the team's most consistent hitter in '13 but profiles more as a top or bottom of the order contributor, as opposed to a run producer. Beckham was used sparingly at shortstop and could return to his collegiate position if Ramirez and the two remaining years on his deal were dealt. The White Sox also were very impressed with Marcus Semien, who has the versatility to play all over the infield.
Third base: Assuming Beckham returns at second and Ramirez returns at shortstop, third base could come down to a platoon of Semien and Conor Gillaspie. The White Sox like Gillaspie's offensive approach and the defensive development he has shown, while Semien simply looks as if he belongs in the big leagues. He takes what is given to him at the plate, not trying to do too much, and has good instincts. Keppinger also fits in a reserve role here, as does Leury Garcia, who plays stellar defense across the infield and has speed to burn. His offense will dictate playing time.
Outfield: Getting Garcia in the three-way deal involving Jake Peavy could end up being the most significant move of Hahn's tenure. Garcia does everything well right now and has the potential to do five tools worth of skills great. Viciedo played through an injury-plagued season but flashed the potential of a 25-homer, 90-RBI performer the White Sox know he can be. But it's De Aza who presents the most interesting case.
De Aza hit with great authority all year and has the ability to work the count at the top of the order. But his baserunning was atrocious and his defense wasn't much better. The White Sox might try to move the arbitration eligible talent. Jordan Danks broke out with the bat upon receiving more playing time and is in the mix as a fourth outfielder at the very least. Garcia also can play center, while the White Sox have a number of their top prospects in the outfield. But they are players who won't be ready in '14.
Shin-Soo Choo would be a perfect free agent fit, especially with his consistent ability to get on base. Curtis Granderson is another attractive free agent, a hometown product who could play center field.


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text: Richie Furay is a pioneer of folk-rock and country rock music. He was a founder of Buffalo Springfield and Poco, bands whose recordings continue to influence both rock and country music today. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Furay is coauthor of "For What It's Worth: The Story of Buffalo Springfield," Today, he pastors a Calvary Chapel church in Colorado and continues to record and perform music. Married since 1967, he and his wife, Nancy, have four daughters and four grandchildren.


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Here is a Bracket Challenge league that I have started. I have posted it on facebook too so there might be more then just 643 people in.
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Material used in SKF productions
Please click on the following to read more about how we work to reduce our material use footprint.
Did you know that...?
Responsible sourcing
as part of our overall responsible sourcing approach, all major suppliers to SKF are required to achieve (or have a credible plan to achieve) ISO 140001 certification? Since 2007, energy intensive suppliers have also been required to report on energy use carbon emissions and their management of this issue.
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|John Whitaker Upton Saddle Pad
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The range of John Whitaker clothing, horse wear and riding wear are developed by riders, for riders. The range is stylish yet practicable and the products are all premium, high quality, durable products which are fit for purpose. The range includes saddles and saddlery, riding wear and horse wear. John Whitaker products combine comfort with style and ...
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Simply post your item back to us for a hassle free refund or exchange.


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From Dogbert's blog:
Sony has a line of laptops ("Vaio") which compete mainly in the high value market segments. They implemented a master password bypass which is rather sane in comparison to the rest of the bunch:
- The randomly generated master password is only stored in RAM, e.g. it's lost after the next reboot ("one time password").
- RSA is used for encrypting the password which is then converted to a human-readable form (4x4 characters/8 bytes/64 bits).
- Their customer support apparently allows for one free password generation per device which is pretty decent by the industry standard.
Dogbert claims he was able to factor the password used to encrypt the OTP key because Sony used a key lenght of 64bits. And did this using an unoptimized python implementation of a general number sieve in less than a minute.
I was not aware that such small key length was even possible for RSA (I think pycrypto will not allow anything below 1024).
With a key (D63K-XFVF-TK7H-RJKX) and a password (43878945) is it really that easy to figure out the scheme used? How should I approach the problem?
First of all, RSA works for any size modulus. 10 bits, 32 bits, 64 bits, 1 million bits. I'm having a hard time seeing exactly what the question is. You are given the key (D63K-XFVF-TK7H-RJKX). Is that key the RSA key? That key then encrypts the password (43878945)? Or is that key the result of encrypting the password with RSA? – mikeazo 2 days ago
@mikeazo: it is a challenge-response theft protection. Type the wrong password 3 times and you will be presented the 16 character challenge. You call Sony customer support, fax them a proof of purchase and based on the challenge they will give you a password. You can't brute-force it because it changes every time.
@Schwartz: of course, Dogbert disassembled the Sony Vaio BIOS and got the public key! Calculating the private key was the easy step... I was not thinking like a hardware hacker, thanks!


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Almost a year ago, I wrote a story asking whether the game industry was recession-proof . And at that point, pretty much everyone I asked was downright bullish.
Chief executives said they were confident in their companies' ability to weather the storm. Industry analysts repeated their mantra that games had historically held up well during financial downturns. And consumers told me that they'd rather give up going out to dinner than "Gears of War 2."
How's everyone feeling now?
The industry is bearing up better than most, that's for sure. But execs and analysts alike are less buoyant than they were just a year ago. Companies have shut their doors. People have been laid off. And not everyone's basking in the halo effect of the Nintendo Wii.
First, the good news: Overall revenues in the U.S. game industry topped $21 billion in 2008, up 19 percent from 2007, says the NPD Group. What's more, year-over-year sales for January were up. That's quite a feat in this dreary economy.
But even though games are faring better than, say, the auto industry, "that doesn't mean that there's not pain, and it certainly doesn't mean that there's not winners and losers," says UBS analyst Ben Schachter.
Nintendo is the big winner
The big winner, by anyone's measure, is Nintendo, maker of the hugely popular Wii game system. Since its launch in late 2006, the company has sold more than 18 million Wiis — and more than 28 million of its handheld DS systems.
Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo America, says it's "pretty clear that Nintendo is growing at a dramatically faster pace than the rest of the industry."
"If you backed out Nintendo's growth, the industry would be in a very different place today," he adds.
Despite the company's success, Nintendo cut its profit forecast by about 10 percent last month — and its Wii sales forecasts by 1 million. How come?
It's certainly not a question of consumer demand, says Fils-Aime. He cites currency fluctuations between the Japanese yen, the euro and the American dollar for the trimmed-back forecast. And the whittled Wii projections are simply due to the parent company's "reflecting conservatism based on overall difficult macroeconomic trends."
Not all companies thriving
Other companies are certainly feeling the pinch. In February, the once-mighty Midway, makers of the "Mortal Kombat" series, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection . Also last month: Square Enix announced plans to acquire Eidos, struggling publishers of the "Tomb Raider" series.
Not even Electronic Arts, makers of the "Madden" franchise, among others, was immune. In January, the company announced disappointing quarterly results as well as plans to slash 10 percent of its workforce.
What's going on? A couple of things. Game studios spend a lot of money to develop games but don't see a profit unless those games sell well. Jittery retailers, says Schachter, are opting to stock shelves with big-name games like "Call of Duty: World at War" and "Grand Theft Auto IV," which are still sure-fire hits. But in such a weak economy, retail outlets are less likely to take a chance on a smaller game that might not take off. Hence, layoffs and studio closures.
Another issue is that third-party publishers didn't initially take the Wii seriously — and were
slow to react
once it became clear that the system was serious business. "When the dominant console is the Wii and you're not on there, that's a big, big problem," he says.
Is Wii the only path to success?
Shane Kim, vice president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, doesn't agree that the Wii is the only path to success. "They have a hell of a lead in terms of hardware units, but … if the mindset is only going to be on how many hardware units you've sold … I think we're doing the industry a disservice and that's not what Microsoft's about."
(Msnbc.com is a joint Microsoft – NBC Universal venture.)
What Microsoft is about, he says, is making the Xbox 360 a platform where third-party game-makers will thrive — a not-so-subtle jab at Nintendo. Kim says that Microsoft has driven as much third-party revenue on the 360 as its other two competitors — Nintendo and Sony — combined.
Nevertheless, Microsoft has slashed jobs in its game division. Last fall, it closed Ensemble Studios, the Dallas-based group that developed the new "Halo Wars" strategy game for the Xbox 360. ACES Studio, the team responsible for the popular and long-running "Flight Simulator" PC series, also got the boot. And 30 percent of game testers lost their jobs in January when Microsoft announced its first-ever major round of layoffs.
'Finite resources'
These cuts, while regrettable, were necessary, Kim says. "In a world where we find finite resources becoming a little more finite, we had to make decisions about (the) best place to utilize those resources." And one area of heavy investment is Xbox Live.
The online service, which lets owners buy stuff and play games, boasts 17 million members and is one of Microsoft's competitive advantages. Last year, the company revamped the look and feel of Live, and added the ability to stream movies from Netflix. Over 1 million Xbox Live members activated the "Watch Instantly" feature since its rollout three months ago.
Price is also important to Microsoft's strategy. Right before the critical holiday shopping season, Microsoft cut the price of its entry-level Arcade version to $199, which Kim says helped drive strong holiday sales as well as a 33 percent increase in year-over-year sales for January.
Is a price cut in PS3's future?
By contrast, the $399 price tag for Sony's PlayStation 3 undoubtedly has something to do with its third-place status. And if customers were loath to part with four bills in better times, what about when the economy is circling the drain?
In a note to investors last week, Janco Partners' Mike Hickey predicted that the company would cut the price of the PS3 by $100 "in April or June at the latest." But in an e-mailed statement, Sony downplayed the conjecture, saying, "There are no plans for a price reduction on PS3, and anything reported on or discussed otherwise is purely rumor or speculation."
Peter Dille, Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior vice president of marketing, says the PlayStation 3 offers a better value and return on investment — particularly for families who can't afford that Disney World trip. The PS3 is a gaming device, but it's also a Blu-ray player. It's got free online connectivity and unlike the Xbox 360, a hard drive in every system.
But is the "more-for-your-money" message resonating with anyone beyond hardcore gamers and tech enthusiasts? Dille admits the company needs to "tell that story better."
"We know that price is an issue. It's the most expensive system out there, so it's incumbent on us to communicate the value of the system," he said.
© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints


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Why Scientific Integrity Policies are So Important for Government Agencies
Sadly, only about a quarter of the relevant agencies have developed scientific integrity policies as required under White House guidelines and publicly released them.
On Friday, January 6th, 2012, several experts addressed the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology about the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step® and the Obama administration's refusal to let the Food and Drug Administration lift the age restriction from the medication. The administration dismissed overwhelming scientific evidence showing Plan B's safety, and the experts whose testimonies are published by Rewire raised questions about both the process and the politics behind the decision.
See all our coverage of the Administration's 2011 Emergency Contraception Reversal here.
Good afternoon Dr. Holdren, Dr. Lander, and members of the council and thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you. I want to begin by complimenting Dr. Jane Lubchenco on her scientific integrity leadership. NOAA recently released a scientific integrity policy with many excellent and I hope effective components. But sadly, only about a quarter of the relevant agencies have developed scientific integrity policies as required under White House guidelines and publicly released them.
When Secretary Sebelius overruled the FDA regulatory decision to approve the over-the-counter sale of Plan B, she demonstrated why these policies are so critical. While the good news is that political interference in science did not occur within the FDA as has happened in the past, it did happen. It is a curious coincidence that while FDA is quite far along on what appears to be a good policy, HHS has been relatively uncommunicative and has not released any draft policy.
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In her letter to the FDA commissioner ordering her to deny approval to Plan B, Secretary Sebelius used phrases like 'based on my review' and 'my conclusion.' This is exactly the situation which scientific integrity policies are created to prevent: namely, a non-scientist, political appointee overturning a decades-long process of scientific research and review both inside and outside of the FDA. This process has been upheld by many eminent scientific societies, such as the American Medical Association, and numerous scientists.
I would like to request that OSTP ask HHS to immediately release its scientific integrity policy and open a public comment period this month. If OSTP cannot do this, Dr. Holdren should ask the president to require HHS to do so. As Dr. Holdren has rightly pointed out, those agencies that have held public comment periods greatly benefited from the over 50,000 comments submitted thus far.
Thank you.


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The Central Connecticut women's basketball team opened the season with a 57-49 overtime victory at Rhode Island on Friday evening. The Blue Devils (1-0), trailed 45-42 late in the second half, but senior Jaclyn Babe hit a three pointer with three seconds remaining that sent the game to overtime.
The Blue Devils fell behind at the 12:53 mark in the first half and trailed until senior Kirsten Daamen dropped in a short jumper to give CCSU a 41-40 lead with 2:55 remaining in the game.
Following Daamen's basket, the teams traded the lead until Babe hit the tying three with three seconds remaining.
Central took control in the overtime period with junior Jessica Babe scoring seven of her 11 points after regulation ended. After a quick score by Rhode Island's Lara Gaspar to open overtime, Jessica Babe drove to the hoop, hit her shot and drew a foul. She converted the free throw to give the Blue Devils a 48-47 lead that they did not relinquish.
In the first half, the Blue Devils built an early 10-7 lead, but Rhode Island (0-1) was able to take the lead with 12:53 remaining in the half. Rhode Island built on their 11-10 advantage and took a 20-12 lead into the third media timeout of the first half.
Following the timeout, the Central defense responded by holding the Rams scoreless for four minutes and forty seconds.
During the defensive stand, sophomore Johnna Fisher scored three times to help the Blue Devils close the gap heading into halftime. Freshman Raven Makins also contributed a jumper and Central closed the gap, but a last second layup by Rhode Island's Lara Gaspar put the Rams in front 26-20 at the end of the period.
Jaclyn Babe led the Blue Devils with 17 points. Jessica Babe was second with 11 points and also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Fisher came off the bench to contribute nine points and five rebounds, including six of Central's 20 points in the first half.
Freshman Nicole Ferguson and Makins both scored the first points of their collegiate careers in the game.
In addition to scoring late in the game, Jaclyn Babe led a defensive effort that recorded 14 steals and forced 27 total turnovers.
CCSU returns to action at Detrick Gym on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils will host Massachuttes for their home opener. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. and fans can watch for free on NECFrontRow.com.


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(Reuters) - From a family bakery to the largest American-owned company in the $30 billion U.S. baking industry, Flowers Foods Inc has risen a long way since it was founded nearly a century ago.
The acquisitive baker has plans to become even bigger.
Flowers is the preferred bidder, or "stalking horse", for the bread brands and bakeries up for grabs after the bankruptcy of one-time competitor Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies.
If its $390 million bid is successful in a court-supervised auction on February 28, Flowers will extend its lead over most of its remaining rivals in a fast-consolidating industry, where smaller players are struggling with excess capacity and low margins.
"(The acquisition) will be very advantageous to their margin structure and earnings, and will give (Flowers Foods) productive assets in markets they will be targeting for the future," said Heather Jones, an analyst at BB&T; Capital Markets.
It's a strategy the company has followed since its inception in Thomasville, Georgia in 1919 - still its headquarters today.
That first bakery made 30,000 loaves a day; Flowers now operates 44 bakeries and says about 70 percent of the U.S. population has access to its fresh products. That's nearly 220 million people.
The company, which owns the Cobblestone Mill and Nature's Own brands, has made more than 100 acquisitions since going public in 1968. Ten takeovers since 2004 have added $737 million to its top line, Flowers says in a presentation on its website.
Only Bimbo Bakeries, owner of Sara Lee and part of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo, has a bigger share of the U.S. bakery industry, which market research company First Research says generates about $30 billion in annual revenue.
But overall demand, while high, has little room to grow.
U.S. industry research company IBISWorld, in a report published in September, forecast that the U.S. bread industry would grow just 0.3 percent annually in the 10 years to 2017, compared with forecast average annual GDP growth of 1.9 percent.
Frequent promotions to win market share, as well as competition from supermarkets that have built their own bakeries, have eaten into the margins of the biggest bakeries.
The last decade in particular has borne witness to industry consolidation as companies like Flowers and Bimbo have bought established bakeries to extend their geographic reach and boost profitability without significantly increasing overheads.
Since Hostess Brands closed its baking business last year, only three commercial bakers -- Bimbo, Flowers and privately owned Pepperidge Farm -- have a U.S. market share of 5 percent or more. In 2000, the industry had eight big commercial players.
Family ties were cut when Langdon Flowers, son of co-founder William Howard Flowers, resigned his honorary directorship in 2004. He had stepped down as chairman nearly 20 years earlier.
Flowers' largest shareholders as of December 31 were investment firm T. Rowe Price Group, with a 7.1 percent stake, and mutual fund company Vanguard Group, with 4.7 percent. The company has a market capitalization of $3.83 billion.
Several Wall Street analysts commended Flowers for a 200-basis-point quarterly increase in gross margin, which stood at 47.9 percent at the end of the fourth quarter.
But some had been expecting even more.
"The lack of corresponding margin lift speaks to our broader concerns about the extent to which profitability can improve in the tough, over-competitive bread industry," Janney Capital Markets analyst Jonathan Feeney wrote on February 8.
The bankruptcy of Irving, Texas-based Hostess Brands offers the next big growth opportunity for Flowers.
Its "stalking horse" bid comprises two parts -- $360 million for 20 bakeries, 38 depots and the Wonder, Butternut, Home Pride, Merita and Nature's Pride brands; plus $30 million for the Beefsteak brand.
Flowers plans to fund the transaction with cash on hand plus debt. As of December 29, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $13.3 million and, in November, it amended and extended a $500 million loan facility.
The company declined to comment ahead of the auction.
Reaction from investors has been positive. Flowers' shares have risen 25 percent since November 20 when Hostess, crippled by a strike, announced it would liquidate its assets.
Flowers' bid excludes the snack cake business of Hostess -- home of the Twinkie -- for which a $410 million offer by private equity firms Apollo Global Management LLC and C. Dean Metropoulos & Co is the baseline bid.
This does not, however, preclude Flowers from making a counter bid -- just as others may challenge its bread offer.
Were it to acquire the Hostess brands, Flowers would gain market share, as well as manufacturing and distribution assets, in the U.S. Northeast, Midwest and Southwest.
Flowers has already moved into the Northeast with its recent acquisitions of Maine-based Lepage Bakeries and Tastykake maker Tasty Baking Co -- "a beloved part of Philadelphia culture", Flowers says on its website.
According to Information Resources Inc's Total U.S. Census Region MultiOutlet data for the year to August 5, Flowers' branded and store-brand products had a 12.4 percent share of the U.S. baking market.
The Hostess brands had a 7.1 percent share, meaning Bimbo, with 32.7 percent, would still have a bigger market share than a combined Flowers-Hostess bread company.
In the southern United States, however, Flowers and Hostess together would enjoy a 37.0 percent market share versus Bimbo's 27.5 percent. It's a far cry from a smalltown bakery in Georgia.
(Editing by Robin Paxton and Ted Kerr)


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American Milestones, The American Revolution
It began long before John Hancock inked his signature on the Declaration of Independence... but when the first shots were fired, they were heard around the world! And when the cannons' thunder faded, the world was forever changed - and a new country was about to be born! This book describes fascinating facts and fun activities your students will love! The American Milestone series are a favorite among teachers nationwide! This book includes ideas for lesson plans, hands-on activities, biographies, fascinating facts and stories. Your students will be amazed as they study the American Revolution. The American Milestone series meets national and social studies standards. This 32-page book is reproducible and educational.
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We enjoy visiting the local museums while we travel, these small towns have great museums. Kudos to the local residents for preserving your heritage and history. We find they are passionate about their towns and their collections.
This museum (according to the information from one of the staff) was gifted with a collection of sculptures, this is just one, of many, something a bit different.
I took no photos inside the museum. They do have one of the most impressive collections of Lincoln (as in President Abe Lincoln) memorabilia I believe I have ever seen. They also have a very impressive display, including videos and photos and more about the Nevada Test Site, aka Nevada National Security Site. There is no way I understood most of the display, but, it was a recent addition to the museum and was well displayed, roomy, techy.
The museum has a very nice collection of buildings, old ones, taken from locations around Nye County, dismantled in some instances log by log and rebuilt at the museum site.
One of the buildings is the Raycroft Railroad Tie Cottage, built in 1947 as a vacation cottage for Ida and Jim Raycraft. It was built from railroad ties from the Tonopah & Tidewater Rail Road (note: they don't need to use creosote on the ties in this dry climate, they just do not rot away.) Here is a room from the Raycroft cottage:
Lots of mining was done in this area, the museum has buildings and equipment that were rescued from old mines. Here is Man gaining entrance to a "Miner's Cabin". The information we were provided with during our walk around of the grounds tells us that these structures (shacks as they called them in the literature) built for housing were easy to dismantle if they wished to move it on to another mine or cheap enough to just abandon.
Inside, cook stove and some kitchen necessities:
And, in the other corner, a bed (I hear all the ewwwwwwwwwwwww's, I said them too, shudder, shudder).
Little Red Schoolhouse, in use as late as 1945, it is from Clay Camp, Amargosa.
Inside the one room school house, and yes, in that back left corner, there is a dunce hat and chair.
Some more of the unusual but, oh, so interesting, buildings would be the grain silos, two of them in fact. They were built before 1957 at the Pahrump Ranch, and are built of redwood.
We gained some appreciation and understanding of the area by visiting the Pahrump Valley Museum.
By the way if you are on FB (the blue social media site) type in the name Pahrump Valley Museum in the search engine at FB. They have a page and some neat history about the Little Red School House, arriving at the museum in 2006 and the rehab of it. They also list upcoming programs and speakers and such.


text: Strong and durable Metal Mule top-box Rear Rack *Pannier Frames (sides) Sold Separately* MM-PF-14-0123 https://metalmule.com/kawasaki-klr650-e-pannier-frames.html • Individually designed for each model of bike for exact fit with or without side pannier frames. • Allows you to fit Metal Mule top-box to your bike or to strap-on other gear. • Bolt directly to existing fixing points – no drilling or machining required. • Constructed using 18mm mild-steel tube which has a 2mm wall thickness. • Scalloped joints and TIG welding technology give frames exceptional strength. • Superb finish – shot blasted, etched primed and powder coated in matt black. • All fasteners and fitting instructions provided. • Manufactured in the UK. We recommend our Top Boxes for this Rear Rack: https://metalmule.com/by-product/top-box-only/22-litre-max-top-box.html https://metalmule.com/by-product/top-box-only/32-litre-max-top-box.html


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Alsace is my favorite region in France for a lot of reasons; it's going to be a bit difficult for me to focus this post on our two-wheeled adventures without first enthusing just a leeeetle bit about this under-explored region. To set the scene: here's Dottie and me in Strasbourg, along the canal overlooking La Petite France. A bit worse for the wear after our 7-hour plane ride and 2.5-hour train ride, but definitely happy to be there.
The entire city center of Strasbourg is a UNESCO heritage site and is full of beautiful timbered houses. Since it is home to a large university, there is a large number of cyclists.
The next two photos were taken with my camera by Dottie, and I just noticed that I am in the background of the first one.
The countryside looks like this.
Exploring it by bike on a beautiful fall day was an amazing way to spend a lazy afternoon. I had big plans for renting bikes in Colmar and embarking on a 40km ride through several villages. Between the advice of the bike rental guy and the condition of the bikes we were renting, it seemed prudent to change our itinerary, and instead we took an easy, 18km ride to the village of Eguisheim. Less time on the bike, but more time to wander, eat and taste wines like this one.


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(A studio at Adama in Mizpe Ramon)
Right now I am spending my time in Hebrew ulpan rather than the dance studio, but last year I happily spent my first few months traipsing from studio to studio. I was fortunate enough to return regularly to several teachers while funded by my Fulbright grant, including some of those mentioned in "Surveying Dance Training in Israel: A Report from the Studios." Over the course of the year, my impressions of technique styles and influences developed not only through my continued attendance but through conversations with my teachers. You will get to hear from some of these artists themselves in my podcasts and in write-ups of interviews, but for now, you can read my first impressions as a newcomer to Israeli studios.
I first wrote this post on November 6, 2007 for my own blog.
* * *
Besides attending concerts and meeting dance scholars, I am busy investigating technique classes in Tel Aviv. I am attempting to do my initial survey in a relatively methodical manner, working my way slowly from studio to studio and taking classes labeled modern (מודרני – "moderni"), contemporary (עכשווי – "achshavi"), or release (רליס – "release") before plunging into the world of Gaga, a technique developed by Ohad Naharin, or indulging myself with a ballet class.


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Charge up your Phone Fast on the go with this stylish Power Bar Charger!
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Toll Free: 866-820-1010
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The 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen Printing Company located in Berea KY delivers Custom Embroidery Companies services. From simple designs to more elaborate designs, the 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen printing can provide solutions that deliver results. We offer Screen Printing and Embroidery of T-Shirts, Polo Shirts, Sweatshirts/Hoodies, Youth Apparel, Work Wear, Embroidered Polos, Medical Wear, Sports Uniforms, Accessories and much more, using our high tech digitizing systems for corporate logos and other high-end graphic designs.
We also offer Promotional Items such as Bookmarkers, Card/Phone Holders, Clocks, Desk Tools, Magnets & Clips, Memos/Stickers, Coaster, Soup Mugs, Visors, Personal Care Kits, Metal Pens, Plastic Pens, Sports Bottles and Metal Sports Bottles Cups & Tumblers, Neon Sunglasses, LED Key Chains, Flying Discs, Beach Balls, Can Coolies, Yoyo's, Calendars, Insulated Plastic Tumblers, Insulated Plastic Mugs, and many other great Promotional Items in Berea KY as well as areas surrounding Berea KY.
The 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen Printing Company has sports uniforms and apparel with a wide variety of options to choose from and can print your logo, name, numbers or any type of text, from the simplest of designs to the most complex with graphic designers ready to assist you in finding the right options to customize your Berea KY school sports apparel.
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We use PMS (Pantone Matching System) colors and all you have to do is give us the Pantone Color from our Pantone Book and we will match the color of your ink and thread perfectly to insure the best finished product.
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Here at 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen Printing (serving the Berea KY) we pride ourselves in the timely delivery of your Embroidered Polos order no matter how demanding the timeframe. While we have no minimum order requirement for most of our Embroidered Polos products, we welcome your smallest to your largest orders. We do however offer price breaks in quantity Embroidered Polos orders of 24, 48, 72, 144, and 365 or call us for larger orders so that we can work with you to get the best possible price available on any of your Embroidered Polos needs. We offer no hidden cost at 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen printing; you will know exactly what your cost will be from the price we quoted you and 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen Printing will keep your Embroidered Polos artwork on file for the next time you are ready to print your Custom Embroidery Companies order again.
We ship Embroidered Polos orders to Berea KY daily. Our main carriers are UPS and FedEx. If there isn't a deadline on the Embroidered Polos order, we will use truck lines to save you money when shipping or delivering to you in Berea KY. When you need professional, friendly service and workmanship call 10th Planet Embroidery and Screen Printing today.
If your Embroidered Polos need is not immediate, please bookmark our site for future reference. Please call (866) 820-1010 between 8a-5p (EST) or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com for additional information regarding our services or we can immediately send you a catalog.
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The 10th Planet staff is always so helpful in helping us create a design and getting our order on time, even when we may not always allow them much time. Karen Atwood Marketing Casey County Bank
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History Lesson: Newspapers Haven't Charged For News In 180 Years
from the get-it-straight deptIt's been said here before, but Jay Rosen points us to a post at NewsFuturist that points out that newspapers haven't charged for content in 180 years. Before that, subscribers paid the full freight -- but since then, subscriptions have always been less than the cost of producing the physical paper and the cost of delivery. The actual reporting has been paid for by advertising, not subscriptions, for nearly two centuries. And there's a pretty basic economic reason for this, and it's the same one we've been making for years, but is nicely summed up here:
The price of a product in a competitive market falls to the marginal cost of creating and delivering one more unit.The thing that seems the most difficult for some to get is that last paragraph. When we talk about the reasons why it doesn't make sense to charge for the content itself, all we're pointing out is that if you do it, you'll fail. All you've done is open up an opportunity for someone else. We're not saying "information should be free." Should has nothing to do with it. It's will be free, because the economics drive it there, and as much as you don't like it, or don't like the implications of it, it doesn't change that it's what is happening. So, you either learn how to embrace it (as many are doing, quite successfully) or you die.
For printed newspapers, the marginal cost was a little more paper and ink, maybe an extra block on the delivery route. Subscription fees never accounted for the fixed costs of producing the content: the building, staff, printing press, etc. That share of costs has long been paid by advertising and diluted by economies of scale.
The same economic forces apply online. And because the marginal cost of bits is nearly zero, the appropriate price becomes too small to bother tracking. Free is the result.
In fact, the principle of marginal-cost pricing is even stronger in the Internet economy because there are very low barriers to entry and nowhere near the startup costs of print. And the marginal costs such as bandwidth and storage decline every month.
Those who ignore the rule of marginal-cost pricing and try to charge users for content in a competitive market will be undercut by more efficient competitors who stick with free. They'll also face an endless fight against piracy, because economics says the product should be free and technology makes it easy to duplicate and spread.
Filed Under: business model, charging, history, journalism, newspapers


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Dec 5, 2012: "Stem Cells are the starting point for all the tissues in your body. Your body grows them all the time. So, researchers at the Mayo Clinic thought, why not put them to work healing damaged tissues like heart muscle or bone?" Here, they're used to encourage new bone growth in a deteriorating hip joint, as an alternative to joint replacement – "a minimally invasive 45-minute procedure that poses very little risk."
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Thanks to Dennis Douda for the Mayo Clinic news Network. (See the Mayo Facebook page to track emerging treatment news.)


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President Barack Obama wrapped up a two-day Southern California Tuesday with a speech at DreamWorks Animation studio -- where he hailed the entertainment industry as a "bright spot" of the economy -- after a morning fundraiser at the home of a co-creator of the show "Friends."
The president's seventh fundraiser during his three-day West Coast trip was Tuesday morning at the home of Marta Kauffman, a co-creator of the long-running NBC comedy "Friends." Obama then traveled to Glendale -- the Marine One helicopter landed at a middle school -- to tour the DreamWorks Animation campus, meet with film industry representatives and speak on the economy.
DreamWorks Animation is headed by Jeffrey Katzenberg, who raised millions for Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. He also donated $3 million to the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action.
"I'm going to ask Jeff if maybe I can work here," Obama told the crowd gathered outside the studio. It's a great place to work, but all of you have friends and family who aren't as lucky. A lot of people are still struggling out there.
U.S. & World
"Entertainment is one of the bright spots of our economy. The difference between what we can do and other countries is enormous. This is one of America's economic engines. Not just DreamWorks, but Disney, Warner, Universal and others."
The president arrived in Los Angeles Monday after stops in Seattle and San Francisco. He attended Beverly Hills fundraisers Monday night at the homes of NBA Hall of Fame player Magic Johnson and Haim Saban of Saban Capital Group before staying overnight at the Beverly Hilton hotel.
He discussed the Affordable Care Act and an agreement on Iran's nuclear program at the fundraisers. He addressed the audience for about 20 minutes at a reception benefiting Democratic House and Senate campaign committees at Johnson's home.
"Do we want to live in a country as wealthy as we are where if somebody gets sick they lose their home, they go bankrupt? They have to weigh, can I go right now to the emergency room knowing that may mean I can't pay for my child's school tuition?" Obama told the crowd of about 160 that included Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco. "That's not the country I want to live in and that's not the county you want to live in, which means we've got to fight for it."
Actors Samuel L. Jackson and Diane Keaton and Los Angeles Clippers players J.J. Redick and Antawn Jamison also attended the event. Tickets were priced from $2,500 to $15,000 per person.
Watch: President Heckled at Immigration Speech
At the Saban fundraiser, the president addressed the recent agreement reached with Iran on that country's nuclear program. Obama said the deal will remove a "cloud that has hovered over the Middle East that had the potential and continues to have the potential of triggering a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region of the world."
Approximately 120 people attended the dinner, including Mayor Eric Garcetti and Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks. Tickets were priced at $16,200 each.
A coalition of environmental and progressive groups conducted a rally and march in Beverly Hills against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a regional trade agreement. Opponents of the partnership claim it will undermine state, local and federal laws, including those governing food safety, environmental protections, Internet freedom, workers rights, health care, drug prices and banking and finance regulations.
The Obama administration said the partnership will increase economic growth by increasing American exports, support the creation and retention of American jobs and promote innovation. The partnership includes the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Vietnam and Singapore.
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Sarath Fonseka seeking asylum
After the defeat of Presidential polls by a margin of 1.8 million votes Sri lanka governemt called back the security staff of General Sarath Fonseka. Sarath Fonseka says that this is unlawful and there are possible threats against his life.
General Sarath Fonseka is the main forrce behind the winning war against LTTE by ending 30 year LTTE terrorism from Sri lanka.
Sarath Fonseka said that he is planning to seeking for asylum from foreign countries. In this manner he mostly preferred to have political asylum in Australia. However he has not yet contacted the Australian embassy on the matter. He also said that government will make every attempt to arrest him on fake alleges and stop his leave from sri lanka.
Sarath Fonseka has owned American Green card lottery and he can consider asylum in America. Fonseka not revealed anything about asylum in America but he concentrate on going to Australia or England.


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Kinetics Database Resources
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Chemical and Biochemical Reference Data Division
Title: Addition of C3H8 to slowly reacting mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen at 480°C. Reactions of propyl radical
Journal: Trans. Faraday Soc.
Volume: 66
Year: 1970
Reference type: Journal article
Squib: 1970BAK/BAL3016
n-C3H7 + O2 → Methyloxirane + ·OH
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Aubergine rolls with spinach & ricotta
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
- Vegetarian
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal376
- fat23g
- saturates9g
- carbs23g
- sugars12g
- fibre10g
- protein20g
- salt1.3g
- 2 aubergines, cut into thin slices lengthways
Although it's technically a fruit (a berry, to be exact), the aubergine is used as a…
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 500g spinach
Used in almost every cuisine across the world, spinach is an enormously popular green vegetable…
- 250g tub ricotta
Ricotta is an Italian cheese made from whey and traditionally a by-product of…
- grating of nutmeg
One of the most useful of spices for both sweet and savoury…
- 350g jar tomato sauce
- 4 tbsp fresh breadcrumb
- 4 tbsp parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
Parmesan is a straw-coloured hard cheese with a natural yellow rind and rich, fruity flavour. It…
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with oil, then lay on a large baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 mins until tender, turning once.
Meanwhile, put the spinach in a large colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt. Cool, then squeeze out the excess water, so that it is dry. Mix with the ricotta, nutmeg and plenty of seasoning.
Dollop a spoonful of the cheesy spinach mix in the centre of each aubergine slice, fold over to make a parcel and lay, sealed-side down, in an ovenproof dish. Pour over tomato sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese, and bake for 20-25 mins until golden and piping hot.


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Style check in Rio
Clothes don't really feature very high on the scale of priorities in this city on the Atlantic coast – whenever they can, the sun-pampered Cariocas leave the house dressed in bikinis and bathing shorts. We asked some of the city's trendsetters to put a few more clothes on for us – with very cool results
Fashion designers from New York or Paris may tut about the casual, even careless style of the Cariocas, but there is a very simple reason for their distinctive look: it's simply too hot! With temperatures regularly rising above 30° C nobody wants tight-fitting clothes or bulky fabrics. Loose-fitting, airy outfits feature strongly at the fashion shows. Like the rest of the world, Brazilian fashion tastes also change yearly, but they always remain faithful to one particular credo: beach romance meets urban style – the only rule being that it must never look cheap. Many big fashion chains have opened up stores around the Sugar Loaf, but the Cariocas still love to buy their favorite pieces from local fashion designers or browse through vintage stores for fashion gems. If there's one thing that's almost as important as casual clothes for Brazilian trend-setters, it's individuality.


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Google has been threatening developers who are using alternative in-app payment mechanisms, enforcing the T&Cs which allow it to kick out anyone accepting payments which are not routed through Google.
The news comes from Reuters*, which claims to have emails from Google giving developers 30 days to switch their in-application payments to Google's own payment system, rather than using PayPal or similar. Google takes 30 per cent of such payments, compared to nothing at all for those processed by third parties.
Google Checkout has now merged with its NFC swipe-to-pay service under the umbrella term Google Wallet – and developers are now being forced to process all their in-application payments through Google just as Apple developers are obliged to do within Cupertino's walled garden.
The requirement is in the Android Marketplace Terms and Conditions, and is pretty explicit even if Google hasn't been enforcing it very vigorously:
"All fees received by Developers for Products distributed via the Market must be processed by the Market's Payment Processor."
The lack of enforcement is down to some applications predating Google's support for in-app billing, but from here on in, only applications distributed outside the
Android Marketplace Google Play are allowed to bill any way they like. Anyone using Google to distribute their product will have to cough up 30 per cent of any revenue gained.
For basic applications that's pretty simple, but things get more complicated when one thinks about an application which, for example, triggers a premium-rate SMS to vote someone out of The Big Brother house. In that instance the money isn't being paid for the product, and therefore could fall outside Google's rules, but those rules are far from clear.
It's also going to get much more complicated now that network operators are starting to adopt a standard API for billing events. The WAC recently launched such a scheme which would allow an Android (or iOS) app to trigger billing events using HTTP requests, adding the cost to the user's bill or instantly deducting it from pre-paid credit across nine network operators.
But that's assuming the likes of Google and Apple allow that to happen. ®
* It has been brought to our attention that Google is in the process of extending the Google Wallet brand to encompass
the Marketplace Google Play, which should confuse everyone including Reuters and ourselves.
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Teamwork: The Force Behind Top Workplaces
From The Hartford Courant –
It's still an employer's market out there when it comes to hiring, and the latest forecasts say that won't change in Connecticut for at least two years.
But the best companies treat their people like gold, and they do it intelligently — not just with pay and benefits, though that's part of the deal, but with strategies to make sure everyone is well trained, well directed and generally as happy as possible.
In short, they use teamwork.
And in the winners of the second annual Hartford Courant/Fox CT Top Workplaces competition, we have 50 good examples. These employers range from the global headquarters of a publicly traded health insurance giant (Aetna) to nonprofit social service providers such as The Village for Families and Children, to public schools and colleges and privately owned companies.
They are innovating even in their very existence. No one knew the true value of Virtus Investment Partners until the money management firm spun off from The Phoenix Cos. four years ago. Now Virtus is a 2-time Top Workplaces winner, and Phoenix, working to revive its old fortunes, joins the list. One of this year's top winners, Marketing Solutions, isn't a company at all in the traditional sense — it's a network of four direct-sales and marketing firms in Hartford, which work together under a cooperative structure.
"It's a lot of teamwork," said Jason Ward, who founded the first company and spun off the other three. "We all help each other kind of grow."
The list of 50 winners, in three size categories, was generated by an outside firm, based on employees' responses to 24 questions about the organizations' leadership, direction and culture. Exactly half, 25, are repeat winners from last year.
Although many industries are represented, it is not necessarily a cross-section of the Connecticut economy. Finance and Insurance, combined with health care, account for nearly half of all winners. StubHub brings California tech culture to a section of the country that's mad about sports and entertainment, with strong growth.
Again this year, there are no winners from food and traditional retail, though an auto dealership, Manchester Honda, which is known for its no-haggle pricing, is on the list. Elder-care firms fared especially well last year, and this year, several real estate and mortgage companies scored high among the winners, including William Raveis, in a repeat from last year.
It's difficult for manufacturers to compete against service companies for several reasons, but two businesses from the goods-producing sector — InCord and Joining Technologies Inc., are repeat winners from last year, and both got there by innovation and openness to new ideas from the workforce.
We name special award winners as well, based on survey answers in crucial areas. On that list, Standard Builders of Newington takes top honors for Ethics for the second straight year.
If you work for one of these organizations, congratulations. You're part of a great team. If you think your employer should be included next year, look for our call for nominations in early spring — or send an email now to email@example.com with "Top Workplaces" in the message field.
DAN HAAR, Courant columnist and Top Workplaces editor
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