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Jackson Police Department Detective Eric Smith, 40, and murder suspect Jeremy Powell, 23, were both found shot to death in the JPD Headquarters in Jackson, MS, reports WLBT.
Thursday afternoon at approximately 5:40 p.m, Powell was being arrested for the murder of 20-year-old Christopher Alexander, who had been found stabbed to death on Monday.
According to Police Chief Rebecca Coleman, Smith was interviewing Powell on the third floor of JPD Headquarters when gunshots rang out through the department. When concerned officers arrived on the scene, both Smith and Powell were found dead.
See JPD press conference below:
Read more about Smith's career below:
Smith has testified in many of the most high-profile murder cases in Jackson. He testified as recently as last week in the George Affleck murder trial in the death of Diane Hearn. He also recently testified against former JPD Det. Natyyo Gray who was convicted of killing his 1-year-old daughter.
Smith has been with the department since 1995 and was assigned to the Robbery Homicide Division. He's a graduate of Callaway High School and Hinds Community College.
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The veteran detective leaves behind a wife, who is also a JPD officer, and two sons.
This story is still developing. Check in with NewsOne for updates.
Detective Eric Smith: Mississippi Cop Gunned Down In Police Headquarters [VIDEO] was originally published on newsone.com


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Show All Answers
For business licensing information, contact the Washington State Department of Licensing. Additional information is available on the Business Licensing page.
Dog licenses may be purchased or renewed online or by mailing in a completed dog license application. You must provide written proof from your veterinarian of a current rabies vaccination, spay/neuter (when applicable) and age (when applicable) to be issued a license. A serially numbered metal license tag will be issued and should be placed securely on your dog's collar.
Learn more on the Dog Licensing page.
The City of Anacortes does not require or provide licensing for cats.

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm juggling with a card game idea based on a popular fantasy universe. The game still has a long way to go yet.
But before I really invest in developing the card game I want to make sure I'm not wasting time and want to verify if I'll be able to develop the card game at all.
The game will use a tree of influence mechanism, where each player can acquire cards and can have those cards control other cards. They can even try to steal cards controlled by other players. The scope of the game is base on the nature of characters of a fantasy universe where there is a lot of back-stabbing, short-term alliances and power mongering.
After thinking about that mechanic I remember playing Illuminati by Steve Jackson. I just want to know if that mechanism is patented.


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This Is CNN's Soft Birtherism
Written by Jeremy Holden
CNN contributor and Republican consultant Alex Castellanos waded into birther conspiracies to excuse Mitt Romney's refusal to disclose his tax returns, arguing that Romney should withhold his tax returns until President Obama "releases 10 years of birth certificates."
Noting the increasing pressure for Mitt Romney to release his tax returns, The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake reported:
"Let's say Mitt Romney released 100 years of tax returns tonight," said Alex Castellanos, a Republican media consultant who advised Romney in 2008. "What do you think the odds are that the Obama campaign would say, 'Oh great Mitt. Thank you! Now we can put that behind us and move on to more substantive issues like entitlement reform!' Zero."
Added Castellanos: "I'd advise Mitt to release 10 years of tax returns when Obama releases 10 years of birth certificates."
Castellanos appeared on CNN as recently as Tuesday.
This is not CNN's first brush with on-air personalities dabbling in birtherism. In 2009, Lou Dobbs spent several months exploring what he said were "new questions" about Obama's birth certificate - a campaign that eventually contributed to CNN's decision to part ways with Dobbs.
Castellanos' nod to the birthers is also at odds with comments he previously made expressing hope that the silly birther thing was finally over.
In April 2011, after Obama released his original birth certificate, Wolf Blitzer asked Castellanos whether that would finally end the birther controversy. Castellanos responded:
You know, we certainly hope so, because there's certainly enough serious issues confronting the United States and questions about President Obama's leadership. I mean, if we're going to release a long form, it would be great to see the longer explanation of how the president wants to spend more in Washington while reducing the deficit, how he's going to stimulate the economy while taking tax money out of it, how he's going to win a war in Libya while he's trying to get out of the war in Libya. There's a lot of other things we could talk about other than something I think the president has put to bed today.
It's difficult to put the birther issue to bed when people like Alex Castellanos invoke it when it serves their political agenda.
UPDATE: As Steve Benen noted, Castellanos' comparison of the birther conspiracy to Mitt Romney's undisclosed tax returns serves to whitewash the substantive, unresolved questions surrounding the candidate:
There are a couple of angles to this to keep in mind. The first is that really are legitimate questions that voters deserve answers to, and those answers are only available in the documents Romney is inexplicably keeping secret. No one is characterizing this as some kind of procedural hurdle that must be cleared; it's about resolving lingering, relevant questions about Romney's background.
Indeed, Romney publicly gave his word, on camera, that he would "go back and look" to let us know what tax rates he paid over the last decade, and it now appears the candidate will break that commitment without explanation.


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About HandyTrac
HandyTrac principals have been innovating and creating programs for Multi Family for 30 years:
"Little Buddy" rent roll program; Clever Computer Internet Services; online key control and work order systems. More recently, HandyTrac designed the first integrated biometric identity verification for key control systems, and provides online reports, building pull, and key bitmapping. Also, HandyTrac markets and distributes the WaterSignal, LLC Leak Detection and Water Conservation program.
Why Key Control?
Premises Liability, Audit Trail
Premises security liability is the application of principles in the tort of negligence. It arises when a business is sued by an individual who was the victim of a violent crime on the property of the business and is claiming that the lack of security was a factor in allowing the crime to occur.
A claim for inadequate security is a claim that the property owner failed to provide a reasonable level of security, given the risk of crime at the property during the time of the attack.
HandyTrac Computerized Key Control Systems offer many features, including critical management reports. Reports may be accessed Online, printed directly from your printer, or processed by your PC or other electronic device.
Reports By Housing Unit
Shows all activities sorted by location for the period.
Reports By Functional Activity
Shows all activities sorted by activity code for the period, a great support for EPA reports, preventative maintenence verification etc...
Keys Out Report
Shows all keys out at the time the report was run Employee who took keys, activity code, date and time and can even be emailed to you daily..
Report By Employee
Shows all activities sorted by employee for the period.


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Tryon Palace, built in 1770 by Royal Governor William Tryon, was known at the time as one of the most beautiful buildings in America. After its use as both a Colonial and a state capitol, the palace fell into disrepair. The main building burned in 1798 and the kitchen office was...more about Tryon Palace
Real Estate, Hotels, Restaurants, Tryon Palace
Beautiful New Bern, situated along the Neuse and Trent rivers, invites visitors to enjoy water views, street art, unique shopping and dining options and charming bed and breakfast inns. Anchoring the town's love of history is Tryon Palace, the reconstructed home of 1770s British-Colonial Governor William Tryon. Walking tours or trolley tours of New Bern's architecturally rich historic districts provide great ways to learn about the three centuries of New World life in this region. In more recent history, New Bern is known as the Birthplace of Pepsi-Cola.
Visitors and residents enjoy fishing and boating on the rivers, golfing on local courses, relaxing in waterfront parks, visiting farms, hiking and camping in nearby Croatan National Forest and local art galleries and shows.
The town's rich history factors into many of its best attractions and things to do and see. And visitors often fall in love with the small-town appeal of New Bern — so much so that they make this riverfront town their homes.
History … New Bern's Greatest Attraction
Swiss settlers, first led by naturalist explorer John Lawson and Swiss Christoph von Graffenried, built their town at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent rivers in 1710. Later, Col. Thomas Pollock, a wealthy landowner took over the leadership necessary to keep people both safe and interested in maintaining useful businesses trading with other coastal cities and with England. Before the settlers came, the Tuscarora Indian lived in the area and fished the waters around their town aptly named Chattoka, the Indian word for "where the fish are taken out."
Upheaval of very long established Native American traditions began when Charles II of England created the Carolina Charter of 1660, granting vast areas called proprietorships in the New World to his eight noble advisers. Under Lord Proprietor William Craven, the area now including New Bern was explored, charted and publicized by Lawson before he brought settlers in.
From 1711 to the late 1720s, the Tuscarora, fought for their way of life. They lost their struggle to soldiers and Indians friendly to the British under Cols. John Barnwell and James Moore and were relocated to New York State. Until the late 1720s the Coree, a neighboring tribe, continued attacks and chased settlers off, leaving the city virtually uninhabited, although Pollock was selling lots from 1720 on.
Settlers dribbled in during the latter part of the decade, building the town value as a port and a political center from 1730 to 1754 when then Territorial Governor Dobbs established his New Bern residence. In 1765 Governor William Tryon saw to legislating New Bern as permanent capital of the colony, completed Tryon Palace in 1770 and enhanced a flourishing economic and cultural life in the city even though more centrally located Raleigh took the title capital in 1792. Until the abrupt decline in the mid-1830s, when Wilmington's deeper waters and railroad to Raleigh took major port business, New Bern remained the largest port and the largest settlement in southeast North Carolina.
Lumber business rebuilt New Bern's economy from the 1840s to the 1920s, as domestic building flourished throughout the colonies, barring the years of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Along with the rest of the country, the New Bern area struggled with the Great Depression, but grew again with the ever-increasing military growth along the southeast coastal waterways and new national affluence with retirement plans and family vacations. The newer directions capitalize on the rich history, fine climate, transportation, manufacturing and recreation opportunities in the area with boat builders, golf courses, cultural heritage, forest and water abundance and a favorable tax rate compared to nearly anywhere. New Bern bustles with a good variety of activities to appeal to every age group and grows every year with a keen eye on preservation of what keeps people coming back.
Historic markers point out the houses where the first elected assembly in the colonies met in defiance of the crown in 1774, where a signer of the U.S. Constitution lived and where George Washington slept — twice. Markers also point out the office of jurist William Gaston, the first chief justice of the state Supreme Court and composer of "The Old North State," the state song.
A Town of Firsts
From the colonial capitol, to the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola, New Bern is home to a pioneering spirit of firsts.
The state's first printing press was set up and the state's first book and newspaper were published here. The state's first public school opened here. The first official celebration of George Washington's birthday was held in New Bern, and it was here that the world's first practical torpedo was assembled and detonated. In the 1890s C. D. Bradham, a New Bern pharmacist, invented Brad's Drink, now known as Pepsi-Cola.
Without question, New Bern's centerpiece is Tryon Palace, the lavish Georgian brick mansion named after British Colonial Governor William Tryon. The original palace burned in 1798. It was reproduced in the 1950s from the original plans, which were found in England. It is a sumptuous showplace inside and out, and now part of a complex including the Carolina History Center.
Surrounded by Recreation
As the confluence of the Trent and Neuse Rivers, New Bern is a popular spot for watersports of all kinds. Not only can you enjoy stand-up paddle boarding at Lawson's Park and kayaking at Union Point, more avid boaters can sail and power along the city's waterfront with the help of numerous boat ramps. Traveling on down the Neuse River, many boaters enjoy fishing their way to the Intracoastal Waterway, where they can meet up with friends in nearby Beaufort, Oriental and Core Sound.
Land lovers have plenty to work with, too as New Bern's southeastern boundary is only a few miles from the Croatan National Forest, a 157,000-acre preserve sheltering deer, bear, alligator and the rare, carnivorous Venus flytrap. Canada geese and osprey are often seen along with resident great blue herons along the rivers. Gardens, both public and private, extend throughout the city and its suburbs. Summertime brings day lilies, dahlias, zinnias, black-eyed Susans and petunias. Home gardens produce tomatoes, herbs, squash, corn and other favorites. In fall chrysanthemums paint vibrant color in nearly every yard.
Commerce and Industry
Surrounding military bases like Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, one of the largest Marine Corps air stations in the world, the Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East in Havelock and Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville play a huge role in New Bern's economy. Combined with the Industrial Park and Craven 30, both located west of town on Highway 70, New Bern's local economy is well-rounded and diverse.
Tourism helps balance out New Bern's industry with numerous restaurants, hotels, retail stores and marinas that depend on seasonal visitors. Several active organizations like Swiss Bear, the New Bern Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association, are always working to promote local business and bring more tourists to the area.
A Sense of Community
From the downtown historic district to Ghent and beyond to the sister city of Trent Woods, New Bern has approximately 14 different communities and neighborhoods. While so many neighborhoods might seem like New Bern is a fractured community, many of these neighborhoods are similar in spirit. Some differences are measured by more affluent suburbs and riverfront property values, but overall the biggest differences in these neighborhoods is based on geography and architecture, particularly when looking at some of New Bern's oldest neighborhoods.
New Bern has four historic districts with homes, stores and churches dating back to the early eighteenth century. Within easy walking distance of the waterfront are more than 164 homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also nearby are several bed and breakfast inns, hotels, restaurants, banks, antiques stores and specialty shops. The historic districts also are home to many of the town's 2,000 crape myrtles — New Bern's official flower — and glorious gardens. During the spring explosion of dogwoods and azaleas, a ride through many town neighborhoods is unforgettable.
As New Bern has no public transportation system, any first-time visitor to New Bern will notice an overabundance of traffic lights on U.S. 17, the city's main thoroughfare. Drivers heading south need to catch the lights just right on Dr. M. L. King Jr. Boulevard and expect too many stops along U.S. 17. And, at the peak hours of 8 AM, noon and 5 PM, bottlenecks are inevitable around the road's intersections with Simmons Street, U.S. 70, McCarthy Boulevard and Glenburnie Road.
Entertainment, Nightlife and Annual Events
As for New Bern's nightlife, there are a few lounges, some live music in restaurants, wine bars and coffeehouses and two movie theaters, but those wishing for more need to hit town at the right time. All but a couple of taverns close by 11 p.m. and depending on the day of the week, you may still not find one open.
New Bern has good professional and amateur acting groups (including the annual Shakespeare festival), several subscription performance seasons, an annual Chamber Music festival and an annual Sunday Jazz Showcase worth the wait. The town also has wonderful festivals and shows. Mumfest, New Bern Preservation Foundation's Antique Show and Sale, the Spring Homes and Gardens Tour, Ghostwalk, Bike MS and Tryon Palace Christmas Candlelight Tours are among the favorites. Otherwise, the town's social life takes place in private homes and social clubs and at various civic and charity functions staged on an annual basis.
Make sure you're always entertained by regularly checking our events calendar.


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The City of Rockport offers every other week, curbside, single stream (i.e. you do not have to sort recyclables) residential recycling through a contract with our sanitation collection service provider, Republic Services. The day of the week your recycling is picked up depends on your service address. A map of the routes and pick up dates may be found here.
At this time the following items can be recycled:
A complete list is available by visiting the Utility Services Department page. Unfortunately, at this time glass cannot be recycled because no processing facility exists in the region.
Additionally, U.S. and State environmental regulations prohibit the collection of the following items:
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has additional information on recycling, including textiles and electronics. Please call Republic Services at (800) 640-2014 if you have further questions about the recycling program.
For more information on recycling, visit : https://www.inmyarea.com/internet/guide/recycling-disposal-of-home-gadgets-and-devices
Show All Answers
For water and wastewater service on the Live Oak Peninsula and natural gas service within Aransas County, sign up at 402 E. Laurel St., by calling 361-729-2213, Ext. 234 or using the online application listed under Utility Customer Service.
WHY IS MY GAS BILL SO HIGH??? Why is my gas bill so high? It wasn't high last month or even last year.
Because the price paid by your utility for natural gas fluctuates from month to month due to free market economic factors. The utility must purchase the natural gas commodity every day to assure a constant supply for its customers. The price it pays is market based. That is, the price your utility pays is based on supply and demand for gas in the market place. The utility bills you for that cost through the Gas Cost Adjustment (GCA) or Gas Cost Recovery (GCR).
How does the Gas Cost Adjustment (GCA) work?
The cost of natural gas changes daily. Because of these fluctuations, regulatory authorities have created the GCA factor to insure that the actual cost of gas is passed on to consumers. Since the base amount on a consumer's bill does not include the cost of gas, the GCA is used by the utility to recover the actual cost it paid for gas during a particular billing cycle. Some utilities adjust this cost factor on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annually basis. The longer adjustment periods may result in a delayed impact on the consumers' monthly bill during times of wide fluctuations in the price of natural gas.
Consumers' gas bills fluctuate monthly because of:
The amount of gas consumed in your home, and The market price paid by your utility to supply gas to you for heating your home, heating water, cooking and supplying gas to other appliances. .Who regulates the price of natural gas?
Currently, neither the Railroad Commission nor any other governmental entity regulates the price of natural gas. The price is determined by competition. The companies that supply gas to your utility compete for your utility's business.
Who makes all the profit on the cost of gas?
The only entity that is not allowed to earn a profit on the cost of gas is your utility!
Profit is earned by the royalty owners of the minerals in the ground, the companies that drill for and produce the natural gas, the plant operators that process the natural gas for residential and commercial consumption, the pipeline companies that transport the natural gas from the field to your utility, and the marketers that buy and sell the natural gas to your utility.
Are you sure the utility doesn't earn a profit on the GCA?
Yes. Each regulatory authority, whether it is the city where you are located or the Railroad Commission of Texas, has the regulatory burden to assure the consumer that the utility does not earn a profit on the GCA. The Railroad Commission of Texas has an audit staff that periodically audits all utilities to assure that only the cost of gas is passed on to the consumer, no more or less.
My bill is so high. What can I do?
Your utility has payment alternatives that are offered to assist its consumers in spreading out your payment. You will need to contact your utility to determine if you qualify for these payment alternatives.
Do I have to pay my bill?
Yes. Just like your electric bill, telephone bill, cable bill, rent or mortgage, you MUST pay for the gas you consumed. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to pay your bill. If you need assistance, contact your utility.
The day of the week your garbage is picked up depends on your service address. The 2022 calendar and route map are available by clicking this link
U.S. and State environmental regulations prohibit the collection of the following items:
• Paint
• Light bulbs (The Lowes store in Aransas Pass collects CFL bulbs in the customer service/returns area at the entrance to the store)
• Automotive fluids (most automotive repair shops and auto parts stores will collect some or all fluids – call ahead first)
• Batteries (Lowes in Aransas Pass collect rechargeable batteries)
• Plastic shopping bags (HEB and Walmart have collection bins at the entrances to their stores)
• Electronics, e.g. computers, televisions.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has additional information on recycling, including textiles and electronics.
Please call Republic Waste at (800) 640-2014 for more information.


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Thank you for taking the time to read this. Last year, I installed a car stereo head unit in my car. I did the installation myself rather than having it done professionally. I am no expert in that arena, but it did not seem too difficult. I used a wiring harness adapter to hook it up. I really don't think I crossed any wires when connecting to the adapter, but it is a possibility.
After perfect functioning of this stereo for six months, I am now experiencing intermittent flickering of the car stereo LED lights while I drive. Often times, it seems as if the lights dim when I step on the gas, and return to standard brightness when I let off of the accelerator. Sometimes it just seems random.
Has anybody else experienced this? I realize it may be hard to diagnose this problem with the given information, but any starting points to investigate would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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Computer creations are perfect by design. We put in numbers, and if all goes well we get out an exact result. If we want a line, we want it perfectly straight. If we want a circle, it should conform to the platonic ideal of a circle. From a mathematical standpoint, these perfect shapes and precisely computed numbers are ideal.
Someday, perhaps, we will have true fuzzy computation built right into our hardware. For now, it takes considerable effort to achieve just the right level of imperfection needed for simulating mistakes, or any organic processes.
I sent each of the circles shown above on a random walk. That part was easy, getting each circle to end up where it started (and close the loop) took a bit more effort. To vary the "wigglyness" of the lines, adjust the "sd" parameter in "rnorm". To change how quickly randomness tapers off, change the "4" in "i/4". Here is my code:
# Circle lengths
j = seq(0.1,1.9,.08)
par(bg = "black")
# How many dots around the circle?
dots = 1000
# Create an offkilter circle
rads = seq(0,2*pi,2*pi/dots)
for(aLength in j) {
# Pick a random color
myCol = paste("#",paste(sample(c(1:9,"A","B","C","D","E","F"),6,replace=T),collapse=""),collapse="",sep="")
# Start at length = 1, then walk.
myLength = rep(aLength,dots)
for(i in 2:dots) {
myLength[i] = myLength[(i-1)] + rnorm(1,0,sd=.005)
# Closer we are to end, faster we return to where started so circle closes
dist = aLength - myLength[i]
myLength[i] = aLength - (dist*((dots-(i/4))/(dots)))
for(i in 1:dots) {
What do your circles look like?


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- Home
- Departments
- Fire
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
The Lynchburg Fire Department began delivering EMS services in 1976. We currently provide five Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances staffed 24 hours per day and one ambulance staffed during the periods of highest demand for service. Two additional "reserve" ambulances are utilized as backup and staffed on an "as needed" basis. We provide primary EMS response for both emergency and non-emergency ambulance transportation within the City.
Our ALS medic units are equipped to provide advanced cardiac care for the cardiac patient. These units have the capability of sending 12 leads directly to the physician in the emergency room, allowing the physician to assess the patient's condition and, when needed, bypass the emergency room and be taken directly to the Cath Lab for catheterization. This reduces the door-to-balloon time, which decreases the amount of damage caused to the patient's heart. This greatly increases the quality of life the patient has after experiencing a major cardiac event.
In addition to medical treatment and ambulance transport, the department offers an aggressive medical first response program, utilizing multiple pieces of fire apparatus. All uniformed employees are trained to the minimum level of Emergency Medical Technician, and all first line responding apparatus are equipped with an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED), as well as other medical supplies. All personnel are cross-trained in fire suppression for dual roles. In stations that house ambulances, personnel rotate on a regular basis between the fire apparatus and ambulances.
In addition, our department provides medical standby services for special events such as sports events, large concerts, etc.
EMT Specialized Teams
EMS Services are also provided as part of the department's specialized Teams which include:
- Bicycle Emergency Response Team (BERT): A specially trained employee group which offers medical coverage for large events. These individuals also deliver multiple bike safety programs.
- Tactical Paramedic Response Team: This specially trained team consists of Paramedics that work with the local Police Department at critical incidents such as hostage situations, drug raids, high-risk search warrants, barricade situations and other high-risk situations.


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Ahh, how long I've waited to utter those words and actually mean them.
One of the celebrated Goodyear Blimps was flying over Wetherby this afternoon. I'm not sure what the occasion was, but one of my colleagues noticed it from the office window. I couldn't resist running out into the street to point at the sky and deliver the infamous salutation with gusto.
Getting a halfway decent photo was another thing. It was a zippy little blimp, and it kept turning away. Perhaps it was camera-shy, or spiralling out of control.


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Ecuador's thirst for oil money causes conflict among Amazonian tribes; new production creates new tension
By Nick Miroff
An oil pipeline runs through this village to a Chinese rig at the end of the road. At night, when the rig is pumping, the pipeline is too hot to touch, but villagers say that in the morning, it's a good place to dry laundry.
That is its only apparent benefit to the families here, members of the Waorani tribe, lured out of the jungle by missionaries more than a generation ago. Its members live in plank-board shacks with no running water, amid the noise and dust of the fuel trucks, road crews and oil workers.
"All of this used to be our territory," said Venancio Nihua, the son of a Waorani hunter, trying to support his seven children by raising chickens. "We don't want the oil companies to come any farther."
An unprecedented drilling push by Ecuador's government has brought new tensions to Yawepare and the country's Amazon lowlands. As the chain saws and bulldozers cut deeper into the forest, critics say the government is triggering brutal warfare between the Waorani and a smaller, breakaway tribe living in "voluntary isolation" beyond the oil frontier.
Ecuador, an OPEC member, pumps more than 500,000 barrels of crude a day, but with production falling, the country is moving to drill inside one of the world's most ecologically complex and fragile places, Yasuni National Park, an area that is also home to the tribes. The government says it needs the money to pull the country out of poverty and provide education, housing and electricity to the Waorani and other forest inhabitants who have been living on the sidelines of the oil rush for too long.
The families of Yawepare say they would like those things. If the Taromenane don't come to attack them first.
"They are watching us right now," said Nihua, who, like others here, views the reclusive Taromenane with a mix of reverence and fear. "They drink ayahuasca (a hallucinogenic brew) and can see everything," he said.
Last year, after a Waorani elder from another village, Ompore Omeway, and one of his wives, Buganey, were slain, allegedly by the Taromenane, a Waorani war party plunged into the forest to retaliate. Armed with shotguns and rifles, they hunted the Taromenane for a week, found a communal lodge and massacred about 20 people, mostly women and children. It was a devastating toll on a tribe thought to have only 150 to 300 members, ostensibly under the strict protection of the Ecuadoran government.
Two Taromenane girls who survived the attack, ages 6 and 3, were taken to the Waorani village. It was only after word of the massacre began to leak out that Ecuadoran authorities intervened, sending soldiers in helicopters. They removed the eldest girl, but the abductors have refused to release her sister.
Seven Waorani were arrested, and the videos they made of their attack are now evidence against them. Yet the origins of the violence are disputed. Fellow villagers say the Waorani don't belong in jail, arguing that they can't comprehend Ecuadoran law and that their actions were a traditional form of justice.
Deadly raids on rival clans, and on oil workers, loggers and other cowori (outsiders) have a long history here.
But the scale of the massacre, and its timing, are inflaming the fight over the government's oil push. Environmentalists and indigenous advocates say the Taromenane attacked Omeway because he failed to satisfy an impossible demand: that the oil workers stop encroaching into the nomadic tribe's territory.
In a video interview recorded nearly a year before his death, Omeway excitedly tells fellow Waorani the story of his unusual and tense encounter in the forest with Taromenane warriors. They warn him: Tell the outsiders to stay away.
They also ask for a rifle in exchange for one of their spears. Defenders of Ecuador's oil plans say the video suggests that Omeway could have been slain in retaliation for a bad trade, or for failing to provide the tools the Taromenane demanded.
"We aren't afraid of anything," the Taromenane told him, Omeway says in the video. "We'll come back to visit you, and if you have any problems with the cowori, we'll help you kill them."
Within a year of the encounter, he and his wife were ambushed along a trail near their village and struck by Taromenane spears.
Industrial presence
The pipeline running through Yawepare feeds a vast suction system that spider-webs through Ecuador's Amazon region, linking wellheads to pumping stations to storage tanks as tall as the tree canopy.
The country has South America's third-largest reserves after Venezuela and Brazil, and the United States has long been Ecuador's biggest buyer. But nearly all of Ecuador's future exports will go to China to service the country's growing debt to Beijing. Ironically, most of the Chinese oil will be sold back to the U.S.
Some of the most intensive extraction takes place along the Auca Road, in the heart of what was formerly Waorani territory. Its name, Auca, is the word once used to identify the tribe, meaning "savage" in the Quechua language of the Incas.
U.S. oil company Texaco arrived there in the 1970s, after the Ecuadoran government encouraged American missionaries to help pacify the Waorani. The period coincided with a time of intense violence among Waorani clans, and many families were relieved to escape the killing and gain protection.
Other Wao-speaking clans such as the Taromenane remained in the forest, violently resisting outside attempts to "civilize" them.
The oil and chemical spills of the Texaco era — and claims of exorbitant cancer rates as a result — led to a massive lawsuit by Ecuadoran tribes against Chevron, which acquired Texaco long after the company left Ecuador.
Ecuadoran courts rendered an $18 billion judgment against Chevron in 2011, but the company has rejected the ruling, and Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa has had little success pressuring Chevron to pay.
The damage to the Amazon and its tribal communities became a driving force behind the Yasuni ITT Initiative, a widely publicized proposal floated by Correa at the U.N. General Assembly in 2007.
If international donors would give the Ecuadoran government $3.6 billion, equivalent to half the estimated worth of the oil beneath an especially pristine section of Yasuni National Park known as the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini block, the government would leave the crude in the ground.
Otherwise Ecuador would drill. Critics likened it to a ransom on the rain forest.
The gambit failed, badly. After six years, having raised barely $100 million in pledges and donations, Correa declared that it was time for "Plan B."
A vote to drill
After Correa won a third term in March 2013, the country's National Assembly — under control of the president's party — voted to drill the ITT. The government redrew its maps of tribal territory, claiming that the Taromenane and smaller Tagaeri clans didn't live in the oil-rich areas after all.
Ecuadoran officials say it was the international community that failed to act. "The world's biggest polluting countries had only rhetoric to offer," Lorena Tapio, Ecuador's environmental minister, said in an interview, asserting that new drilling in Yasuni National Park "will not mean its destruction."
Seismic studies, which typically involve the use of dynamite, are underway, and the government has begun soliciting bids on other petroleum blocks beyond the ITT.
"Every activity generates an impact, but we are going to ensure that the impact is minimal and that the extraction is held to the highest standards, with the best systems of monitoring, enforcement and control," Tapio said.
The government will deploy surveillance drones, she said, to ensure strict environmental compliance by Petro Amazonas, its state-run oil company.
Augusto Tandazo, an energy consultant in Quito, the capital, notes that Ecuador's government is constitutionally obligated to develop its oil resources, and although parts of the Yasuni park belong to the tribes, they do not own the oil beneath it.
He laid out the case for drilling in rapid-fire fashion: Ecuador's energy consumption has nearly doubled in the past decade. The country needs to grow and invest in infrastructure, education and job creation to benefit its 14 million people. Ecuador's economy is heavily oil dependent, and without the ITT, production falls and takes Ecuador down with it.
No government would be foolish enough to allow such a thing, Tandazo said. "These environmentalists and anthropologists want to keep the tribes living in the Neolithic age, naked in the forest, like some sort of tourist postcard," he said. "It's clear that they need our help. They want tools. They want contact."
Village life
Nihua's children do homework by the light of a kerosene torch. Insects swarm through the gaps in the walls, which are bare except for multiplication tables written on the wood in black marker.
Tepa Quimontari, his mother-in-law, sits on the floor, her swollen arm in a sling. She grew up in the forest, speaks no Spanish, and is one of the few Waorani who still go mostly without clothes, wearing only a pair of tattered sweatpants. She says she is the aunt of the Taromenane girls who were kidnapped after the massacre, in which her sister was killed.
In October, she dressed in warm clothing to travel with women from other forest tribes into the Andes on a march to Quito, demanding a meeting with Correa to protest the government's drilling plans. "I rode in an elevator," she said.
Correa did not meet with the women.
Quimontari wanted to warn him that if the companies take out more oil, the forest will sink. "There won't be any animals. The rivers will die," she said. "More diseases will come."
With the pain in her hand worsening, Quimontari traveled the next day to a larger Waorani settlement, Bataburo, to see a Waorani "curandero," (medicine man), Bai Ima. She found him sitting in a ramshackle hut beside the empty new home the Ecuadoran government had given him a few weeks earlier, part of its pledge to invest more oil revenue in tribal villages.
Ima said he stays in the house at night, but prefers his dirt-floor shack during the day. As he spoke, a fire smoldered and a bright woodpecker perched beside him, tied to a stick. "It's too big," Ima said of the three-bedroom, brightly painted home. "Many families can sleep inside."
The curandero pulled out a smooth, dark stone, examining Quimontari's distended fingers, and told the old woman not to eat any fish or birds. He spit on the stone, rubbed it, then held it to his ear like a cellphone, saying he would consult other curanderos deeper in the forest.
"Don't take any pills, either," he said.
Dozens more gleaming, modern homes and a new school have been built by the government in Tiwano, another Waorani settlement nearby. But community president Ique Ima said the village is not satisfied.
"Not until they pave the streets and build us parks," he said.
The Waorani know the government doesn't want any more protests blocking oil workers from access to the wells. But they sense the government is easy prey now, and if anything, they have learned to apply the hunter-gatherer mind-set to modern oil politics, and get as much as they can.
The families in Yawepare were promised new houses too, but they are still waiting.
In the meantime, Nihua's father, Okata, built a traditional lodge of palm fronds in a clearing behind his house. He says the Taromenane have spent the night there, leaving before dawn. He wants the Waorani to live beside them in peace.
Asked if he regretted giving up a life in the forest as a younger man, Okata said he did not. The animals he hunts have retreated deeper into the jungle, fleeing the noise. But he now takes a rifle and a dog along with his blow gun and poison darts, returning with deer meat and a sack of birds. "When I go hunting, it is the same," he said. "I remember all the trails."
Dressed in running shorts and a T-shirt, he rested in a woven hammock after a night of little sleep. Even after walking for a day into the forest, he said, he could still hear the generators from the oil rigs.
Credit: The Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com; Photo captions: A child plays in oil country; President Correa begins his "Black Hand" campaign.


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Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) - Genealogists Specializing in Anabaptist
The Association of Professional Genealogists, established in 1979, is an international organization that supports professionals in genealogy-related businesses. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy and history. Members of APG agree to abide by a code of ethics in their profession.
Dr. Michael D. Lacopo of northern Indiana. Research experience involving Mennonite families, Pennsylvania Germans and Midwest/Middle Atlantic research (IN, OH, IL, MI, and PA), proficient in reading German script.
Mennonite » Professionals, Volunteers & Other Research Services
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Have we learned our lesson?
Fifty years ago this month the important book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published. This book warned about the lethal and persistent effects of the pesticide DDT. This book, while in some ways outdated, remains a classic not only for its role in inspiring environmental stewardship, but also because although DDT has been banned in the United States, as a society we still enthusiastically embrace a whole suite of chemicals that end up in our air, water, and soil (and ultimately in animals and ourselves). And we still tend to trust that they are perfectly safe.In fact, testing of pesticides and other chemicals is focused specifically on active ingredients used in certain amounts and circumstances. Many people use chemicals in ways not intended by the manufacturers, in amounts beyond recommended volumes, in combination with other chemicals, and when none are really needed in the first place. Aside from the risks of these types of applications, we further know very little about the components of this toxic soup interact with each other and the environment.
An excellent example is the American obsession with cosmetic lawn and garden chemicals. I don't want to get too soap-boxy here, but I can tell you two things. First, you can have a nice lawn (if you must) and garden without the use of any chemicals. I've done this my whole life. Second, one of the best things you can do for birds (your pets, the ecosystem, and yourself) in your area is to quit using all chemicals in your yard, because they do harm birds.
I see the effects of "safe" lawn chemicals every year on common birds. I have held emaciated robins in my hands as they had seizures and died, and looked up from their lifeless bodies to rest my gaze upon those little signs indicating an expanse of grass was sprayed with some concoction. Without direct toxicology tests, I can't honestly say lawn chemical exposure was the direct cause of these deaths. I do know that robins can't read to keep off the grass, that their symptoms are typical of exposure, and it is far too common an occurrence to not at least suspect that some combination of chemical exposure is to blame.
On this anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring, I encourage you to read or re-read this book and related material. We are in an age where enough data is available for us to be truly informed and where our actions can make a real difference. Unfortunately, we are also at a point where we are distrustful of science, and often bombarded with conflicting messages from special interest groups. I don't have a horse in this race, except my love for the natural world. Here are my recommendations:
An excellent overview of the context and impact of Silent Spring can be found at the Pop History Dig website: Power in the Pen: Silent Spring 1962. The New York Times Magazine also recently published How Silent Spring ignited the environmental movement.
The book itself, Silent Spring (Kindle edition here), as well as a new biography of Rachel Carson, On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson (Kindle here).
I also strongly recommend Our Stolen Future, which further explores synthetic chemicals in the environment.
There are many excellent sites on thee continued risk of chemicals many of us continue to use regularly. The non-profit Environmental and Human Health published a report very worth reading: Risks from Lawn Care Pesticides. The organization Beyond Pesticides has extensive information about pesticide issues, risks, and alternatives.


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With the San Antonio Spurs taking on the Los Angeles Clippers in a preseason matchup in Mexico City today, Tim Duncan was asked about his thoughts on native Mexican and Charlotte Bobcats' Eduardo Najera:
Para Tim Duncan, una de las principales estrellas de Spurs de San Antonio de la National Basketball Association (NBA), el mexicano Eduardo Nájera, de Bobcats de Charlotte, "es un jugador de mucha fuerza, duro en su forma de actuar sobre la cancha"
, por lo que le tiene respeto, comentó ayer (source jornada.unam.mx)
For those who do not speak Spanish basically Duncan gave the canned PR answers to the Mexican press saying Najera is a strong player and tough on the court.
Najera, who also attended Cornerstone Christian Academy High School in San Antonio, may be a solid player on the court and the kind of player you want to go to battle with but at times he has drawn the ire of Spurs fans.
Case in point his take down of Manu Ginobili and flagrant foul on Tony Parker:


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Employee Appraisal are we getting value for effort?
Just a comment!
Many organisations invest a lot of time, effort and emotion into their employee appraisal process and may not get value for money. There could be better ways that cost less and deliver more.
Firstly, consider the administrative effort/cost of a typical appraisal process; it goes something like this:
The HR area advises when the appraisal is due, forwards copies of the previous appraisal, details of completed and planned training and a copy of the position description to the relevant manager and employee. They might also need to remind participants of the appraisal procedures as outlined in a policy document. HR periodically checks the appraisal progress and may need to remind the manager that the appraisal has to be completed and then follow up the paperwork. Upon receiving the completed appraisal, the training and development needs are entered into a separate database, all paperwork is re-filed and finally the next appraisal date is diaried. Of course, if senior reviewers are involved or issues are raised during the appraisal there will be additional layers of administration effort. It has been estimated that a single appraisal will take two to three hours of support effort on top of the time allocated by the manager and employee.
Seems onerous doesnt it? If an outdated system is being used it is.
Whilst likely to be a little different for each organisation, most would be content if their employee review process was completed on time along with outcomes such as:
- Feedback on performance
- Individual goal setting
- Review of position descriptions
- Determining individual development plans
- Remuneration adjustment
This is not best practice but only just satisfactory. Organisations delivering less will likely also struggle with accountability, internal communication and a range of other governance issues. Improvement is only achieved through more efficient processes for all, not just HR, which in turn can assist with positive attitudinal change towards the performance review process.
Most managers now understand the importance of providing frequent and timely feedback, they know that surprises during appraisal discussions will guarantee a negative and, perhaps, unpleasant event. It would then seem logical to incorporate this informal but more frequent practice into a performance management system, substantially lessening the emphasis on annual or half yearly events.
It makes sense that as workplans, goals and objectives are continually reviewed and updated, along with training and development, that the associated feedback provides the basis for the formal appraisal. A simple and obvious concept, but the additional workload to collect and collate all this information has always been seen as prohibitive. Unless there are tangible benefits for employee, manager and organisation trying to introduce this system, using traditional methods, will meet with resistance and probably fail. It will be seen as a significant added burden that gets in the way of the real work.
So how can we reduce the support effort and deliver better results for all? When we think about it most organisations continue to use the same basic tools to manage appraisals as they did in the eighties and nineties, these are characterised by paper flying back and forth, copying, filing and re-filing. Sure there is a greater use of electronic spreadsheets and simple software databases to keep track of where things are up to and emails are now used as reminders, but these are merely peripheral improvements.
The only way to significantly improve is to reconsider the range of IT solutions. There have been massive improvements in recent years. Some organisations have been given a bonus appraisal module as an add-on to their payroll system, of course this option should be evaluated but dont be surprised if it is found wanting. There are much better specialist products now available at affordable prices.
Any software solution must greatly reduce the administrative cost of appraisals but we should also expect additional higher level corporate benefits that would simply not be possible with a traditional approach, such as:
- Completely eliminating the need for manual filing and central data entry.
- The capability to easily flex the appraisal process to suit specific employee groups and individual employees.
- An ability to set KPIs for supervisors and managers that are aligned to employee support and performance.
- Options to set measurable individual objectives that continuously and automatically update higher level business plans and governance requirements (goal alignment - my passion).
- Providing employees the opportunity to update their own training plan that then flows through to a rolling corporate training plan and history (enter data once and only once).
- Far greater analysis of performance data.
- Compatibility with other software.
Its not a fanciful or costly concept - the reality is that there are now affordable software solutions for small and large organisations to not only reduce the administrative cost of employee appraisals but to enable them to have an obvious positive effect for the whole of the organisation.
You may still think that the traditional approach is as far as your organisation needs to commit to employee feedback, if so consider whether time and money is really being saved. Apart from the obvious costs associated with administration also think about the hidden costs that occur from ineffective goal alignment, internal communication and employee development. Of course, a second best employee support system could also adversely impact on employee morale.
What do you think?
Gary Bourke


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Olympic Distance= 1.5K (0.93 miles) Swim, 40K (24.8 M) Bike, 10K (6.2 M) Run
Doing a triathlon has been on my mind for many years. The stigma associated with 'athletic' events and my general disinterest in competition has always kept me away. Also, working out training (a pool to swim in regularly) and having a decent bike for the ride has only recently been possible.
Holy shit this was hard! After a short side trip to Maryland and DC we were checking in at the start near Warsaw, Virginia on Saturday afternoon for the Naylor's Beach Triathlon. A nice kid from DC introduces himself to me cause he said I look like a (punk) rocker. Ha! After the bike and helmet check I did a short swim in the river before we headed off to find a hotel (thanks to a last minute donation/sponsorship we could afford to!) and eat Chinese food.
Up at 5am and nervous. So much to think about between all 3 events and the transitions, etc. We get there and I put my bike and running stuff in the transition area and get my swim cap and goggles ready for the swim. The crowd has a lot of the type-A dudes with shaved eye-brows whom I am generally averse to, but overall it is not that big of a deal. I'm swimming in bike shorts, which seems to be the norm. At the pre-race meeting, held at the entrance to the river, they point out the swim course. My stomach turns at the realization of just how far a mile in open water is. Seriously, staying afloat that long may be problematic. Bam! And we are off. I stay in the back so that I don't get in any of the real competitors' way. Immediately I have trouble with the navigation. Whenever I try to get into a groove of swimming I vear slightly off course. This happened numerous times. I look up and no one is around and I've swum partly out of the way. You can't see shit in the middle of the river! Well, I can see all the different colored swim caps from the other waves (I was in the first wave) as they pass me! At one point I am starting to get achy and the exit beach seems ungodly far away.
Out of the water in 53 minutes and I can't even run to the transition area where my bike is. Have to sit down to put my bike shoes on. Slightly delirious after swimming for almost twice my previous longest swim (time wise; I did this distance in a pool in 30 min). Heart rate is 178 (highest I've recorded is 194?!) when I start on the bike! Can't even stand to pedal up hill cause upper body is so weak.
Eventually I recover from the swim and start to pass people. As I start to feel strong on the bike the realization of the upcoming run hits me and I chill out a bit. The course is beautiful with lots of trees and low traffic so 25 miles go by extremely fast. Ave speed: 19.9 MPH with no drafting.
Off of the bike and I am feeling more confident. Upper body still aches, but legs feel okay. Take the first 2 miles of the run slow (maybe 10 min miles? I don't have a watch). I ran my first 10k in May and have only run a handful of times since then. Get some much needed fluids at the aid stations. On the bike part I had two water bottles, both with Sustained Energy (liquid food stuff that supplies about 500 calories), but I might not of drank enough. Pick up the pace a little and am being passed less often. Around mile 4 I catch up with a woman who had talked to me briefly when she passed me earlier. We run together for a while and she is super friendly. She had completed an iron-distance tri (2.4 mile swim, 110 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) earlier this year and was super supportive when I told her this was my first tri. I pick up the pace, mainly cause I just want to get done. Probably running 8-min miles and am passing some people. Main limitation at this point is mental. Legs are hanging on and breathing is heavy. Feels like I have a gallon of river water in my lungs. Around mile 5.2 I pass the transition area before the final out and back.
I am not super delirious at this point or even super ecstatic, mostly I am thinking, 'That swim was so damn hard!' Cross the finish line to the announcer letting everyone know I came all the way from LA. I finish the 10k with a time of 56 minutes and an elapsed time of 3 hours and 10 min. Despite the swim, I am only 5 minutes over my goal time. Overall, this was a great experience and lots of fun. Maybe it was because I was in the back of the field, but so many people were very supportive. Even cheering me on when I passed them on the bike! The combination of events is very appealing to me and I am considering doing another Olympic distance tri next month. The main limitations are the costs (registration is usually around $80, plus getting there, sleeping, etc) and having regular access to a pool before the event. So that's my story. Thanks to all of you who gave support leading up to this, gave me tips on what to expect, and convinced me that I wouldn't drown. For any of you obsessed with numbers you can see my time splits and rank here. Or click here for a picture of me you can put on a coffee mug.


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Middlebury candidates nearing petition deadline
January 18, 2007
By JOHN FLOWERS
MIDDLEBURY — Three incumbent Middlebury selectmen confirmed on Monday they intend to seek re-election to new terms in office, while there remains a decided lack of takers for other municipal and school offices that will be up for grabs on Town Meeting Day.
Candidates for local office have until the end of the day on Monday, Jan. 29, to submit signed petitions to get on the election ballot.
Middlebury Selectmen Janelle Ashley, Don Keeler and Bill Perkins announced they will all seek another three years on the board. None of the three faces any competition at this point.
Ashley is finishing out her first term on the board. She has been a quick learner, and believes she can make even more of an impact with the experience she now has under her belt.
"There's quite a learning curve," Ashley said. "I feel I now have more of a sense of what's going on."
Ashley has had a particular interest in the town's youth services and has served as the selectboard's liaison to the Middlebury Recreation Department.
"We need to fine tune the (recreation) budget and make adjustments where we need to so there is not as much of a burden on the taxpayers," Ashley said.
She also wants to keep an eye on the progress of a new Middlebury teen center that is sharing space with a senior center in the town's municipal building. Ashley wants the teen center to remain an independent organization, run by boosters, rather than become a program taken over by the town. Middlebury voters at their town meeting will decide whether to spend $30,000 to help pay the salary for a teen center coordinator. Smaller sums are scheduled to be voted by residents in surrounding communities.
"I really want to make sure the town is not put in a position where it is handed a space and the recreation department is asked to run (the teen center)," Ashley said.
Keeler is rounding out his first term after what had been a lengthy hiatus from the board. Keeler had served as a Middlebury selectman during the 1980s, and some of the same issues from that era remain unresolved.
Among them is the quest for an in-town bridge, which continues to be an elusive goal for selectmen. The new span is intended to reduce downtown Middlebury traffic by linking Main Street to Court Street over the Otter Creek, via Cross Street.
Vermont Agency of Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville said earlier this month that he will give priority to repairs of existing state infrastructure before endorsing any new construction projects like the in-town bridge. But Keeler said Middlebury needs to continue to press the issue at the state and federal levels.
"We need to get some of that traffic off of Main Street," Keeler said. "If Middlebury is to survive, we need to make it more pedestrian friendly."
Keeler's other priorities include making sure the town adequately budgets for needed road and sidewalk improvements; nurturing the new teen center effort; and making Middlebury a more affordable place in which to live.
"I enjoyed my last term very much," Keeler said. "For the most part, the board worked very well together to reach certain goals. I think we were fiscally responsible and made sure the taxpayers got the best bang for their buck."
Perkins, meanwhile, is completing his 15th consecutive year on the selectboard. He still enjoys his work on the board and wants to serve another three years.
"I have the time, which is important," Perkins said. "It gets more time consuming every year."
His top issues for the next three years include:
• Continuing the fight for a new in-town bridge, while ensuring the town's roads and sidewalks receive timely repair and maintenance.
• Working to contain property tax increases. Perkins noted that negotiated worker salaries and benefits are a big part of each year's municipal budget, and he does not begrudge raises for town staff. But he said spiraling health care costs continue to take add heft to the budget each year, forcing the board to look at other areas for cuts.
"We need to constantly exercise fiscal restraint and responsibility," Perkins said.
• Rejuvenating Middlebury's downtown to make it an even better place for shoppers. Perkins — a member of Middlebury's Downtown Improvement District Commission — believes the downtown could benefit from some new curbs and sidewalks, among other things.
"We have some great shops and few vacancies," Perkins said. "We just need to have a little 'facelift.'"
• Encouraging more town debate on "local option taxes." It's a mechanism through which Middlebury could offset a portion of its property tax burden by raising, for example, its local sales tax, according to Perkins.
"It offers an opportunity to get some help from out-of-towners," Perkins said of a local option tax.
He acknowledged that Middlebury residents voted decisively against the concept of local option taxes around 10 years ago. Still, Perkins believes that Middlebury residents may want to revisit the topic, given the mounting tax pressures they are facing.
"I'd like to see us pursue it with the public," Perkins said.
Along with the three selectboard positions, Middlebury's Town Meeting Day election ballot will offer:
• Three three-year terms on the Mary Hogan Elementary School (ID-4) board. The incumbents are Dawn Saunders, Lucy Schumer and James Wright.
• A five-year term on the Ilsley Public Library board of trustees. The current incumbent is Barbara Hooker Blodgett.
• Three vacancies for town auditor. The terms are for one, two and three years.
• A one-year term as town moderator. Gov. James Douglas has held the position for many years, and he has again taken out nomination papers for re-election.
• Two spots on the UD-3 board, which governs Middlebury Union Middle School and Middlebury Union High School. One of those positions — currently occupied by Gina Larrow — calls for a three-year term. The other is the one-year balance of a term recently vacated by incumbent William Schneider.
Two other UD-3 positions will be in play on Town Meeting Day. Bridport incumbent Leonard Barrett's three-year term expires this year, while the town of Salisbury continues to carry a spot on the board that has been unfilled for the past year.


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22 After these things kGod tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to lthe land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy1 will go over there and worship and come again to you." 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and mlaid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, n"God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and olaid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 12 He said, p"Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for qnow I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, r"The Lord will provide";2 as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."3
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, s"By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring tas the stars of heaven and uas the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess vthe gate of his4 enemies, 18 and win your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, xbecause you have obeyed my voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to yBeersheba. And Abraham lived at yBeersheba.
20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, "Behold, zMilcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 aUz his firstborn, bBuz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." 23 (cBethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
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UPDATE TO Security Alert: SQL Injection Risk
On Aug 31 we posted an alert regarding an SQL Injection Vulnerability
Further code review has revealed that the proposed code fix was incomplete.
Also, the "fix" recommended previously was somewhat complicated to implement due to the need to edit PHP files in a few places.
As such, the following fix is recommended.
ALL v1.2.x and v1.3.x STORES SHOULD INSTALL THIS SIMPLE PATCH:
a) Download and unzip the attached file (shown in the next post, below).
b) Use your FTP program to upload the file to your /includes/extra_configures/ folder
That's all.
- This one fix applies to both v1.2.x and v1.3.x
- If you've already applied the Aug 31 patch updates, you need to make an edit to them, as documented in the next post below ... and you should still install the patch file.
- If you haven't installed the Aug 31 update, you don't need to: just install the patch file below instead.
Thanks to Yuki Shida at zen-cart.jp for assistance in this discovery.


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Getting ready to remake your Spring wardrobe? There's a new fashion designer about to launch a product line: The U.S. Postal Service.
The line of apparel and accessories will fall under brand name "Rain Heat & Snow," playing off USPS' unofficial motto "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
After quarter after quarter of billion dollar losses and declining mail volume, the agency has pledged to find new ways to generate revenue. So why not fashion?
"This agreement will put the Postal Service on the cutting edge of functional fashion," said Postal Service Corporate Licensing Manager Steven Mills in a statement. "The main focus will be to produce Rain Heat & Snow apparel and accessories using technology to create 'smart apparel' -- also known as wearable electronics."
The letter carriers won't be going at it alone -- the agency is partnering with The Wahconah Group, a Cleveland-based apparel company, to launch the new line, which USPS officials hope to see in department and specialty stores in the future.
NEXT STORY: FedPoem: Blimps Over Washington


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I'm creating a turn-based game that I'd like to integrate into Facebook. Players may not necessarily be playing in real time so having a way for them to know when it's their turn is desirable.
I was initially thinking facebook notifications, but it appears that has been deprecated: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4619164/how-to-send-a-facebook-notification-through-their-api
The alternatives don't sound terribly pleasant (writing on their wall, or having the player that just finished their turn send a request)
Are there any better alternatives?


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For centuries, museums have been places folks go to see important stuff. (Museums are full of stuff.) That stuff has always been carefully chosen by experts – folks with information – in the museum. (Museums are also full of experts.) Digital technology has made information readily available to folks outside of museums. Now, not only can folks see stuff online, but they also consider themselves experts. What's a museum to do? I went to Baltimore to talk with Dr. Gary Vikan, director of the Walters Art Museum and the museum's manager of … [Read more...]
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Last week I wrote about the way Ben Roethlisberger's latest sexual assault scandal has been handled by the news media. In the piece, I pointed out that many columnists had failed to acknowledge the seriousness of the rape accusations. One of the columnists I cited in the post, The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates, responded to my criticism the next day in a piece that drew many comments:
I think I have some sense of why this whole conversation might be frustrating. Rape has a psychological element that thrives on shame. In our justice system the burden is always on the accuser, but that burden falls especially hard when there are significant disincentives to reporting the crime, and testifying about it…
He followed this post with a mea culpa entitled "Those Who Tell Don't Know":
I think the take-away, for me, is that this a post that should have stayed in my head, and off the page. We all have our musings, and the kind of conversation we might have over beers with friends. But That's very different than posting something on the Atlantic's website…
For me the salient facts are as follows: I have no idea what happened, and in such an instance, it's almost never a good idea to start publicly riffing. Rape is a serious accusation, and a kind of crime that presents a specific problem to those who like to bat these kind of things around. I'm not convinced that my contribution to the conversation—absent of any real facts—actually helps anyone, or clarifies anything
Coates' response is heartening, and speaks to his integrity as a journalist. It is an important move because media skepticism of sexual assault and rape accusations has the potential to add to rape's stigma. 60 percent of rapes are never reported and, as Coates said, "Rape has a psychological element that thrives on shame," which likely plays a role in the vast underreporting.
When someone does come forward with allegations of sexual assault and is met with either criticism or indifference from members of the media, the shame associated with rape becomes even more entrenched. What emerges is a vicious cycle that ultimately allows the majority of rapists to walk the streets without ever being charged.
I would like to thank Coates for acknowledging the shortcomings of his initial analysis. In doing so he sends the important message that trivializing rape allegations is dangerous and unethical. It is my hope that other journalists will take notice.


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Every time I watch a show like AMC's Mad Men, I think: Why can't I have a liquor cart in my office?
Yes, yes, I understand all the reasons that booze in the office is a bad idea, ranging from a lack of productivity to driving under the influence. But sometimes, after an idiot calls to rant about some insane topic while I am on deadline, a shot or two sounds really good.
But I digress.
For this year's Best of Tucson®, we decided to take a trip back to the 1960s and the era when I could have enjoyed a glass or two of bourbon at the office—but our version of the 1960s is an idealized, utopian version of the decade. As we explained on the Best of Tucson® sample ballot that we published in the spring: We're turning back the clock 50 years and returning to 1960, but we're taking equal rights for women, minorities and the LGBT community with us.
And I am extremely happy with how this 1960s-themed Best of Tucson® turned out.
Big credit goes to Michael Grimm, who has been working on all of the illustrations for the issue since March. His work is amazing, as you'll see on the following pages.
Adam Kurtz and Irene Messina also deserve serious praise for all of their hard work. Adam worked with Michael and our talented summer photo interns, Will Ferguson and Frankie Brun, to get all of the art and images contained herein just right—and he paginated this whole damn issue, to boot. Irene spent a substantial portion of a September weekend proofing the issue (and never demanded a drink from my imaginary liquor cart).
Adam Borowitz, Mari Herreras, Duane Hollis, Andrew Ling, Jim Nintzel, Gary Smathers, Nick Smith and Greg Willhite joined Irene and Adam in developing the five special pieces of art that depict some Best of Tucson® perennial winners. You'll find those works of art sprinkled throughout the issue—and I am sure you'll be impressed.
In between all of those beautiful pieces of art are tens of thousands of words, of course—and 30 different people wrote those words this year. I thank them for following all of the rules and procedures at least 80 percent of time.
I also need to give (another) shout-out to Greg Willhite and Nick Smith, who are responsible for the Internet version of the issue.
Interspersed between all that art and all those words, both in print and online, are, of course advertisements, and without them, the Tucson Weekly and the Best of Tucson® would not be possible. I sincerely thank all of the smart, discerning advertisers who decided to be a part of this wonderful issue, and the advertising staffers (led by Jill A'Hearn and Monica Akyol) who helped them: Laura Bohling, Sarah Cadrobbi, Todd Landau, Brean Marinaccio, Mayalan Molina, Stephen Myers, Alan Schultz, Ken Taub and Dave White.
Circulation manager Laura Horvath and her group of drivers get this larger-than-normal paper into the hands of the readers, and deserve recognition for all of the hard work that they do.
Finally, I have to thank the people most responsible for the success of the Best of Tucson®: You, our smart and talented readers. We received almost 1,800 eligible ballots this year—and trust me, I know it's not a trivial task to fill out a ballot with 134 categories. Yet you do, and I greatly appreciate it. I also appreciate the fact that you pick us up and read us; without you, our work has no purpose.
Finally, congratulations to all the winners and runners-up listed herein. And to everyone: Welcome to Best of Tucson® 24: 1960.


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Masterpieces Jigsaw Puzzles
Let's take a look at Masterpieces and see what their jigsaw puzzles are like. You can check out our other Puzzle Manufacturers pages to see how they are different.
Click the picture below to see the puzzle pieces blown up to "life size"
These are random cut jigsaw puzzles with fascinating piece shapes.
This American company was established in 1995. They sell games other than jigsaw puzzles but it is in the jigsaw world that they have really made their mark. The clever strapline is "Having Fun One Piece at a Time".
Masterpieces have been foremost in establishing green credentials for jigsaw puzzle manufacturing. Recycled paper and board has been used for over 10 years. In addition, all their printing uses earth friendly soy based printing inks and puzzles from the company always include a biodegradable storage bag.
"Kids Puzzles" are produced in sizes ranging from 24 to 100 pieces and adult puzzles in sizes from 300 to 2,000 pieces. The adult puzzles are often packed in novel ways including tins and packaging to look like book cases and suitcases.
Themes for puzzles include their unique College Stadium Collection, John Deere Collector Tins and the ever popular "Paws" collection – a must for dog lovers!
Recently introduced puzzles include the "Splash Animals" for which the company pledge 10% of proceeds to conservation animals partners.
The company website allows consumers to buy direct from them.
One other interesting thing: if you have ever fancied your chances as an artist for jigsaw puzzle images then the company welcome submissions – see their website page dedicated to this.
Contact details:
MasterPieces Puzzle Company
2843 W Masterpieces Drive
United States
Website: www.masterpiecesinc.com
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
The four images below are a representative selection of the jigsaw puzzles sold by Masterpieces
Keeping it together
Jigthings Limited, Herons Way, Wragg Marsh, Spalding, Lincs, PE12 6HH


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Bitcoin ATM Ringwood - Coinhub
Coinhub Bitcoin ATM in Ringwood, New Jersey
You can instantly buy bitcoin with cash at our Coinhub Bitcoin ATM Near me in Ringwood, New Jersey. Coinhub offers $25,000 per day limits and the lowest rates for Bitcoin. Bitcoin ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) are kiosks that allow a person to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies by using cash. Bitcoin cash kiosks from Coinhub are a convenient and fast way to purchase Bitcoin and receive it in minutes directly into your wallet. Coinhub Bitcoin machines are easy to use and allow buying at our btc atm to be fast and instant. You can purchase Bitcoin instantly from a Coinhub Bitcoin Machine located near you and receive it in minutes. Purchases can be done in under 2 minutes and there is no prior account needed. To purchase Bitcoin, simply walk up to any Coinhub Bitcoin ATM and verify your details. Many Coinhub Bitcoin ATMs allow you to buy and sell crypto for cash. You can buy Bitcoin using one our Bitcoin ATMs. First, locate the nearest Bitcoin ATM in your area by visiting our Coinhub Bitcoin ATM Locator. Walk up to the machine and enter your phone number. The machine will verify your phone using a code and scan the bitcoin wallet. Enter each bill one at a time to determine the amount you wish to purchase. After that, confirm the purchase by entering the bitcoin atm. The bitcoin is instantly sent to your wallet. The daily limit for buying Bitcoin is $25,000. We have Bitcoin Machines conveniently placed throughout the country in major cities! Visit a Coinhub Bitcoin ATM today.
This Coinhub Bitcoin ATM is located inside the Delta Gas Station at 1150 County Rd. 511, Ringwood NJ 07456, USA. It allows you to buy Bitcoin at this machine and other services within the following areas and nearby neighborhoods; Ringwood; Hewitt, West Milford; Tuxedo Park, Greenwood Lake, Sterling Forest; Sloatsburg, Mahwah, Hillburn, Wanaque, Warwick; Suffern, Haskell; Highland Lakes, Sloatsburg, Mahwah, Hill; Midland Park, Wortendyke, Chester; Monedon; Sussex, Monedon; Waldwick; Waldwick; Waldwick; Waldwick; West Haledon; Sussex, Monedon; Monedon; Waldwick; Waldwick; West Haledon; Monedon; Monedon; Sussex, Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; West Milford, West Milford; West Milford, Sussex; Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; Sussex, Monedon; Monedon; Monedon; Waldwick, Ridgewood; West; West; West; West; West;
Ringwood may refer to:
Albion Place, Allendale, Allwood, Arlington, Ashley Heights, Athenia, Baker Pond, Bergen Hill Neighborhood, Cragmere Park, Eastside, Eastside Park, Eleanor G Hewitt Elementary School, Fardale, Fayson Lakes, Glen Rock


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California billionaire Elon Musk took the wraps off his vision of a futuristic "Hyperloop" transport system on Monday, proposing to build a solar-powered network of crash-proof capsules that would whisk people from San Francisco to Los Angeles in half an hour.
In a blog post, Musk, the chief executive of electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc <TSLA.O> described in detail a system that, if successful, would do nothing short of revolutionizing intercity transportation. But first the plan would have to overcome questions about its safety and financing.
The Hyperloop, which Musk previously described as a cross between a Concorde, rail gun and air-hockey table, would cost an estimated $6 billion to build and construction would take 7 to 10 years. Eventually, according to the plan, it would jettison more than 7 million people a year along one of the U.S. West Coast's busiest traffic corridors.
As many as 28 passengers could ride in each pod and the system could even transport vehicles, according to the 57-page design plan.
Musk, who in the past has hinted at the hopes of building such a system, proposed the Hyperloop as an alternative to a $68 billion high-speed rail project that's a major priority of California Governor Jerry Brown. It would be safer, faster, less expensive and more convenient, Musk said in the blog post.
But not everyone is convinced the project is a good idea.
Jim Powell, a co-inventor of the bullet train and director of Maglev 2000, which develops high-speed transport systems using magnetic levitation, said the system would be highly vulnerable to a terrorist attack or accident.
"The biggest overall problem is the idea of the low pressure tube from a terrorist standpoint," he told Reuters after taking an initial look at Musk's specifications. "All a terrorist driving along the highway has to do is pull over, toss a net of explosives at it, and then everyone in the tube dies," he said.
Musk said that since the tube will be low- but not zero-pressure, standard air pumps could easily overcome an air leak. He also said the transport pods could handle variable air densities.
Musk may also have neglected to factor in a few costs. Powell said that since an extensive monitoring system would be needed to keep track of the tube's pressure, the cost of the project could double Musk's estimate, coming closer to $12 billion.
Hyperloop, detailed: http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/hyperloop
Musk, who made his name as a PayPal founding member before going on to start SpaceX and Tesla, envisions capsules departing every 30 seconds at peak times and traversing the roughly 400 miles between Los Angeles and San Francisco along an elevated tube erected along the I-5 interstate highway.
The capsules ride an air cushion blasted from "skis" beneath, propelled via a magnetic linear accelerator.
The expected half-hour travel time for Hyperloop passengers compares with current travel times of an hour and 15 minutes by jet, about 5 and a half hours by car, as well as about 2 hours and 40 minutes via California's planned high-speed rail.
Other major questions remain, notably whether the California state government will ever approve the massive project, and whether any private companies are willing to step in and build it. The design remains theoretical and has yet to be tested in the field.
Musk has said he is too busy running electric car company Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX to build the Hyperloop himself. He said the design plans were open-source, meaning others can build on them.
On Monday, however, he told reporters on a conference call he could kick off the project.
"I've come around a little bit on my thinking here," he said. "Maybe I could do the beginning bit… and then hand it over to somebody else."
He said he would be willing to put some of his personal fortune toward the project but stressed that building the Hyperloop was a low priority for him as he continues to focus primarily on SpaceX and Tesla.
He also asked the public for help to improve the design. Corporations have resorted in the past to public assistance on their products. In 2009, Netflix Inc <NFLX.O> awarded a cash prize to a team that succeeded in improving by 10 percent the accuracy of its system for movie recommendations. (Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Andrew Hay and Ken Wills)


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In the end, the problem with thinking about quitting a band is very similar to thinking about quitting a job. Once the thought gets in your head, you've already committed and it's only a matter of time before it happens. Proceed down that road with caution (especially if the band has a great drummer).
Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.
Don't forget to check out my Music 3.0 blog for tips and tricks on navigating social media and the new music business.


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Rush Limbaugh, who is the single most popular political talk show host in America, was denied an opportunity to invest tens of millions of dollars in the massive failure that is the St. Louis Rams. There are a number of lessons that can be taken away from that debacle. They include the following:
1) Liberals are so obsessive about their politics that it perverts and warps every other human impulse in their life. It's why they try to turn every famous liberal funeral into a political rally, it's why they have no qualms about spreading lies about their political opponents, and it's even why so many liberals are atheists. There is simply no room for both God and liberalism in the life of many people on the left. To people like that, the idea that one of their political enemies should even be allowed to own part of a crummy football team is too much to endure.
2) The racist double standard is alive and well. How bizarre is it that parasitic human ticks like Jesse "Hymietown" Jackson and Al "Tawana Brawley" Sharpton are still treated like their opinions should matter on race? These guys are as bad as the KKK in their own way — and at least everyone treats the Ku Klux Klan like a bad joke. Meanwhile, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are just as race-obsessed, but they're treated seriously and are making a comfortable living off of it.
Yet if Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Jeremiah Wright, or any of the other race hustlers in America who like to exploit the issue for their own gain were to want to buy into the NFL, do you think it would be controversial? Welcome to Barack Obama's "post-racial" America, where racial con artists like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are respectable, but merely being a famous conservative makes you too much of a "racist" to own part of a football team.
3) In the eyes of the NFL, the worst thing you can apparently do is be a conservative. Rush Limbaugh is apparently too controversial for the NFL. Who isn't? Keith Olbermann (who virulently hates all things conservative), dog abuser Michael Vick, and serial woman beater Lawrence Phillips. Heck, if Rae Carruth got out of jail tomorrow for conspiring to kill his girlfriend, you can almost be certain that some NFL team would take a chance on him. But a conservative who's willing to drop tens of millions of dollars to invest in a lousy NFL team during a recession? No way! That's "too controversial."
4) The mainstream media puts ideology above facts when conservatives are involved. If you ever wanted proof — well, even more proof — that the mainstream media is biased against conservatives, all you need to do is look at the transparently phony collection of racist quotes that were passed around about Rush Limbaugh.
The same mainstream media that fact-checks comedy skits about Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live didn't seem to be able to find the time to check out quotations that were dreamed up from scratch about Rush Limbaugh. With Democrats, everything gets triple-checked for accuracy and reluctantly printed in the middle of a long article on page A-18 if it's damaging. With conservatives, "Oh, we saw it on the internet, so it must be true and if it's not, we don't like Rush Limbaugh anyway" was good enough to get a phony quote on CNN.
5) Conservatives are too forgiving. If you listened to the left you'd think that conservatives were violent, easily inflamed mobs of fiendish KKK/Nazi/Taliban hybrids. Meanwhile, no one seems to be the least bit scared of offending conservatives in any way, shape, or form.
The mainstream media treats conservatives like something they scraped off the bottom of their shoe. Hollywood stars who desperately need conservatives to watch their movies openly mock conservative values and Keith Olbermann can co-host Football Night In America, while Rush Limbaugh is being told he can't even invest in the NFL. It's doesn't matter what people say about conservatives; the way we get treated tells you that we're not commanding any respect.
So here's a thought: Maybe conservatives should actually start raising a lot more hell about issues like this one. When Hollywood, the NFL, and the mainstream media conclude that conservatives aren't suckers who will still hand them money even as they're insulted, maybe the insults will stop.
Let me conclude by saying that Rush Limbaugh can take the heat. At the end of the day all this means is that he's going to be able to spend huge sums of money on something other than an NFL team. Moreover, there's nothing unusual about corporations steering clear of political controversy. That's something that everyone in this profession just has to accept.
Yet and still, it's the double standard here that grates. No matter what the situation may be, it always seems like there is one set of rules for conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and a much more lenient, convenient set of rules for liberals.
If conservatives do nothing else in the next few years — well, besides taking back Congress and defeating Barack Obama — we should insist on an end to that double standard.


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Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is abolishing the company's work-at-home policy and ordering everyone to show up at the office.
Her decision has sparked intense and often nasty debate, with Mayer usually landing on the losing end. Many women, in particular, sound betrayed after daring to expect more from such a high-profile female boss. How could she?
I understand the special brand of heartbreak brought on by women who end up acting like the male jerks they replaced. Dashed hopes sure pack a wallop. However, I don't feel this way about Mayer. This is no surprise coming from Mayer. It is an issue of arrogance, not gender, forged through the myopia of privilege.
Last July, I wrote a column about Mayer after she was hired at Yahoo. Initially, I was so excited to see this young, talented — and pregnant! — woman become the new face of a Fortune 500 company. Then I found this online clip of an interview with her for Makers, a series sponsored by PBS and AOL:
I don't think that I would consider myself a feminist. … I certainly believe in equal rights. I believe that women are just as capable, if not more so, in a lot of different dimensions. But I don't … have sort of the militant drive and … the chip on the shoulder that sometimes comes with that. And I think it's too bad, but I do think 'feminism' has become, in many ways, a more negative word. … There are amazing opportunities all over the world for women, and I think that there's more good that comes out of positive energy around that than negative energy.
Coincidentally, this same interview showed up again just this week in the outstanding PBS show titled Makers: Women Who Make America. The show was a feast of interviews with the grand dames of the feminist movement, and it aired just days after the Yahoo announcement. In this context, Mayer's comments, toward the end of the show, felt like the ultimate smackdown: My success has nothing to do with you broads, OK?
So I'm not surprised that Mayer feels no obligation to look out for the working mothers at her company. I say this as a driven but nonmilitant feminist with no chip on her shoulder, unless you count that annoying bump that shows up when my bra strap is too tight.
Yes, Mayer is a woman, but her decision to change Yahoo's policy of flexible work schedules affects men and women almost equally. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nearly as many men as women work at home. The Families and Work Institute, a nonprofit group that tracks the changing workforce, fleshes out more of the story behind the flextime statistics.
More men — 45 percent — report work-life conflict than women, at 35 percent. The institute also reports that when employees have "a high degree of work-life fit," almost two times as many want to stay in their current jobs; four times as many are "highly engaged at work," and two times as many are "in excellent health."
There are often good reasons to require some employees to be in the office all the time and most employees to be there a couple of days a week. Even in this miraculous high-tech age, there's no substitute for the spontaneous creativity of in-person, human-to-human contact. Not to mention the value of an occasional brawl. (That doesn't just happen in newsrooms, right?)
"If you want innovation, then you need interaction," John Sullivan, a professor of management at San Francisco State University, told The New York Times. "If you want productivity, then you want people working from home."
As with most things in life, balance is everything. It also helps to show you still have a heart. Even in the workplace. Especially in the workplace.
Soon after the news broke about Yahoo's upcoming new policy, news organizations also started reporting that Mayer, who is a millionaire many times over, brings her baby to her office. He stays in the nursery, which she paid to have built for him.
That Mayer can't see the message this telegraphs to her employees — that her family is more important than theirs — says nothing about her gender and everything about her willful disconnect from the real-life challenges facing not only those who work for her but also most of the rest of America. And please, don't get me started on what this says to the millions of single working mothers who live paycheck to paycheck and pray the bottom doesn't fall out of their families' lives.
Is Marissa Mayer acting like a woman? Well, she's a woman, so the answer has to be yes. How many times do I have to say this: Women are not a monolithic group.
Usually, that's a good thing. Occasionally, not so much.
Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and an essayist for Parade magazine. She is the author of two books, including …and His Lovely Wife, which chronicled the successful race of her husband, Sherrod Brown, for the U.S. Senate. To find out more about Connie Schultz (firstname.lastname@example.com) and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
Photo: Eirick Solheim/Wikimedia Commons