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Recently, there has been an intense debate in Europe on the TARGET2 system (Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer System 2), which is the joint gross clearing system of the eurozone.[1] The interpretation of this system and its balances has provoked divergent opinions. Some economists, most prominently Hans-Werner Sinn, have argued that TARGET2 amounts to a bailout system. Others have vehemently denied that. Jürgen Stark of the European Central Bank (ECB) even said that some commentators could lose their reputation as serious academics by claiming that TARGET2 functions as a bailout system.
Indeed, TARGET2 debits and credits have been built up since the beginning of the financial crisis. While peripheral countries accumulated TARGET2 debits, in April 2012 TARGET2 claims of the Bundesbank amounted to almost €644 billion. That is almost €8,000 per German.
But does TARGET2 really amount to an undercover bailout system for unsustainable living standards in the periphery? Let us start our analysis with a simple example of two individuals using a bank to clear their payments.
Person A sells a good or service to person B for €100. In international trade terms, A has a current account surplus while B has a current account deficit. A receives a claim or credit against the bank of €100 when the payment is made (the broken line in figure 1). B has a debt and owes the bank €100. The debt relationships are shown by solid arrows pointing in the direction of the debtor.
A now has some money saved in his bank that he may plan to use, for instance, for retirement. B has to produce something of value to be able to pay back his debt. A will finally be paid by B's production of real goods (that may maintain him at retirement).
For A it is important that the bank's loan to B is secured by a good guarantee or collateral such as a high-quality security or real estate. In the absence of collateral for B's loan, problems arise if B does not pay his debt because he dies or for other reasons. If the bank does not hold other property to make up for the bad loan, A will be left with a claim against a bankrupt bank.
Of course, if the bank has the privilege of printing (legal-tender) bank notes, the bank will not go bankrupt but can pay back A. But A will then be paid back merely in paper, a worthless claim in our scenario, because B has not produced anything and has died. So what should A buy with the newly printed paper? A's standard of living will fall at retirement as his wealth is based just on paper.
Let us now assume that A lives in Germany and B lives in Spain. Furthermore, we introduce Commerzbank as A's German bank, and Banco Santander as B's Spanish bank. In addition, we add the two national central banks and the ECB.
We again assume that A exports goods worth €100 to B. When the payment is made, A receives a claim against Commerzbank. A's bank account increases €100. B gets a €100 loan from Banco Santander (alternatively he could run down his deposit account at Banco Santander). Commerzbank gets a claim against the Bundesbank (or reduces its refinancing from it), while Banco Santander increases its refinancing with the Bank of Spain (or reduces its excess reserves).
On the level of central banks, the Bundesbank receives a credit against the ECB while the Bank of Spain gets a debit. Underlying this procedure is an import of goods to Spain that has been financed by Banco Santander creating new money in form of a loan to B. The money creation results in TARGET2 debits for the Bank of Spain and TARGET2 credits for the Bundesbank.
Let us compare the TARGET2 method with the financing of imports in a gold standard. In both systems, import surpluses may be financed by capital imports, i.e., A or Commerzbank buys a bond from B. If there is no private capital financing in a gold standard, the import must be paid by transferring gold. In contrast, in the Eurosystem, import surpluses can simply be financed by producing claims against the ECB. Instead of gold, the Bundesbank receives TARGET2 credits. While in a gold standard, the payment of imports (if not financed by private loans) is limited to the outflow of gold, there is no limit for TARGET2 credits, i.e., the import surpluses may be financed without any limit by the creation of Euro claims.
How do TARGET2 debits and credits disappear? The balances disappear if A imports from B or if B sells a bond to A or borrows from him on the private market. There is nothing to assert against financing the import surplus through private loans or bonds. TARGET2 debits, however, are not private loans but amount to public central-bank loans. Without TARGET2, someone in the Spanish economy would have had to find private investors to finance the trade deficit paying potentially high interest rates, especially if no high-quality collateral for such loans can be provided.
In this sense, the TARGET2 system indeed amounts to a bailout of an uncompetitive economy with too high prices. Thanks to this bailout mechanism, the country does not have to deregulate labor markets, and reduce government spending to adjust prices relatively but can continue its spending spree and maintain its uncompetitive internal structure.
But are the TARGET2 debits and credits really never settled? Surprisingly, there is indeed neither a limit for the TARGET2 bailouts, nor are the accounts ever settled. In contrast, in the Federal Reserve System debits are backed by gold certificates and each year balances are settled. If the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond has a debit with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the former settles its account sending gold certificates to the latter.[2]
The Eurosystem not only allows the financing of import surpluses via money creation; it also enables "capital flights." In the current situation, a default of the Greek government would bankrupt its banking system. In order to prevent losses, Greek depositors have sent and are sending their money from accounts at Greek banks to accounts of banks in Germany and other countries. Through this transfer, the Greek bank loses reserves while the German one increases its reserves. The Greek bank increases refinancing from its national central bank (i.e., receives newly created money) while the German bank can decrease it loans from the Bundesbank. The Bundesbank earns a TARGET2 credit, the Bank of Greece a TARGET2 debit. If the Greek government defaults, and the Bank of Greece default on its debits, losses mount for the ECB. Thus, the risk of a Greek default is now shared by German savers through the TARGET2 credit.
What Is the Essence of TARGET2 Balances?
TARGET2 credits ultimately represent claims of savers, while TARGET2 debits represent debts of companies, governments, and individuals. TARGET2 accounts are just a consequence of an ongoing redistribution and of bailouts. For instance, TARGET2 accounts may mirror the tragedy of the euro, i.e., the monetization of government deficits. Take the following example. A Spanish bank creates new money to buy a Spanish government bond. This allows the Spanish government to maintain its government spending and to delay reforms of the labor market. It may increase public-sector wages and unemployment benefits. The competitiveness of the Spanish economy is hampered due to too high wages resulting in a trade deficit: a Spanish minister buys a German car. In the beginning, the trade deficit may be financed by private entities, for instance, by loans from German banks to Spanish banks. Yet after some time the Spanish banks will run out of good collateral. The increasing government debts and the overindebtedness of the private sector reduce the quality of Spanish debt as collateral. At some point, private investors do not want to continue to finance Spanish banks and the Spanish trade deficit because they do not have good collateral (we are already beyond this point). Yet thanks to TARGET2 the party can continue. Spanish banks can use bad collateral (Spanish government bonds) and refinance with the Bank of Spain, which accepts Spanish government bonds as collateral for new loans. As a result of this indirect monetization of government bonds, TARGET2 debits to the ECB increase. Bad risks (collateral) are shifted to the Eurosystem and socialized. TARGET2 thereby allows to finance the trade deficit through public central bank loans.
Not only public debts may be monetized through the Eurosystem and their risk socialized through TARGET2 but also private debts. This possibility augmented importantly in February 2012, when the ECB allowed national central bank on their own risk to determine eligible collateral for central-bank loans.[3] Depending on the exact collateral rules, a Spanish bank may now loan to a Spanish company to import from Germany. The Spanish bank may take the loan to the importer as collateral for a new loan from the Bank of Spain (of course, applying a haircut). In this way, the private loan (in this case used for consumption), has been monetized. As an effect there will be also TARGET2 debits for the Bank of Spain and TARGET2 credits for the Bundesbank.
What Are the Risks Exactly for a TARGET2 Credit Country Such as Germany?
If Greece leaves the euro, it most probably will not pay its debits to ECB with gold or hard assets. The ECB will suffer a loss, and through its capital contribution 27 percent of such a loss falls on the Bundesbank. If more countries leave the euro, the loss is correspondingly higher. In the opposite case of a German exit of the euro, the Bundesbank will suffer important losses if the new German currency appreciates as the Bundesbank's main assets are now TARGET2 credits denominated in euros. Moreover, the remaining eurozone countries might resist paying for the TARGET2 credits.
But is the liquidation of TARGET2 credits a real loss? If we take our initial example of the two individuals with a clearing bank, the conclusion is straightforward. If B defaults, the bank goes bankrupt and A loses his savings. The same happens in the case of the Eurosystem. If the peripheral governments default, their banks default, their national central banks default and the ECB goes bankrupt. The Bundesbank then has a TARGET2 claim on the bankrupt ECB and goes bust too. Commerzbank loses its claims on the Bundesbank (or is not refinanced anymore) and defaults as well. Then the German saver is left with nothing but empty hands. The purpose of the visible bailouts of peripheral countries such as Greece is to maintain the illusion that no losses are to be suffered for savers in Germany and other countries.
But can the ECB or the Bundesbank really go bankrupt? Can they not always pay, just by printing more money? It is true that the ECB can always pay its bills by producing money. However, creating money does not take away the fact that the wealth is gone when the periphery defaults. It is like B not paying with real goods because he dies. A may receive new paper money from his bank, but this will not feed him through retirement. Unfortunately, as long as the European periphery remains uncompetitive relative to Germany, nothing will be produced to settle the German TARGET2 credits. Most likely, their real value is gone forever. To think that they will represent real wealth is an illusion that will be ended in one of three possible ways. The first is the already-mentioned inflation when the ECB just prints money to keep the system afloat.
Second, in the case of a peripheral default, the quality of the assets of the ECB is impaired, its capital consumed. The ECB loses options to reduce the quantity of money in circulation and defend the value of the euro. The ECB simply has no good assets to sell; they have evaporated. There is the danger that the confidence in the currency evaporates also, first on international currency markets and later internally. The value of the currency may collapse and the wealth illusion of currency holders and savers ends.
Third, another alternative is to recapitalize the ECB by transferring high-quality assets to it. The ECB can then use these assets to maintain confidence in the currency and defend its value. The recapitalization, of course, requires also an expropriation of wealth holders in Germany and other countries. After default and inflation, fiscal expropriation means an alternative end to the wealth illusion.
TARGET2, Eurobonds, European Stability Mechanism: What Is the Difference?
Eurobonds are jointly issued and guaranteed by all 17 eurozone members but have been very controversial. For instance, Eurobonds have been vehemently resisted by the German government until today. However, TARGET2 has not been resisted by the German government. TARGET2 is just the reflection of a substitute bailout. When governments issue bonds bought by their banks leading to a trade deficit, the result is a TARGET2 debit. The TARGET2 imbalances are just a sign of euros created in the periphery used to pay for goods from abroad.
The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is another substitute for Eurobonds, as the ESM may grant loans to struggling governments issuing bonds guaranteed collectively. The difference between the three is merely of degree. There is more parliamentary control for Eurobonds or the ESM. In the ESM, creditor countries have more control over bailouts than with Eurobonds. Interest rates differences are also more pronounced with the ESM than with Eurobonds. The ECB wants to shift the bailout burden from TARGET2 to the ESM. Governments prefer to hide the losses on taxpayers as long as possible and prefer the ECB to aliment deficits. However, all three devices serve as bailout systems and form a transfer union.
[1] The best short introduction and analysis of TARGET2 may be found in Stefan Homburg, "Anmerkungen zum Target-2-Streit," Wirtschaftsdienst, volume 91, numer 3 (2011): pp. 536–530. Our analysis and graphs follow Homburg's line of argumentation closely.
[2] At least these rules appear in the Federal Reserve accounting manual. It seems, though, as if the Fed has suspended settlements ultimately. See Michiel Bijlsma and Jasper Lukkezen "Target-2 of the ECB vs. Interdistrict Settlement Account of the Federal Reserve" (2012).
[3] Jens Weidmann criticized the change in collateral rules and demanded collateral for TARGET2 debits in March 2012. However, only central banks and governments could provide good collateral such as gold for TARGET2 debits. Most banks have no good collateral left. Otherwise they would have used it to refinance themselves on the private markets and not through the Eurosystem with its low collateral standards.
This article was previously published at Mises.org.


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Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by population) in England, after London and Birmingham.The city was a small manorial borough in the 13th century and a market town in the 16th century. It expanded by becoming a major production centre, including of carbonated water where it was invented in the 1760s, and trading centre (mainly with wool) for the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a major mill town during the Industrial Revolution.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Editor's note: This post has been edited from the original to reflect changes in our product.
If you want to stir up trouble, start talking about the role genetics plays in intelligence.
First there's the whole question of what you're talking about: Is intelligence measured through mathematical skills, problem solving, perceiving emotions, or a raw score from an I.Q. test?
Not to be glib but understanding intelligence – how to measure it, how to define it, and figure out what can influence it – takes some brainpower. It's complicated. There are innumerable factors that influence intelligence – a layered mix of biology and environment. Access to education, your economic wellbeing and even the prevelance of parasites in the community you live in impact IQ scores.
That said there's good evidence that a percentage of the differences in measurable intelligence, such as your IQ score, can be chalked up to genetics. While IQ tests don't take into account important life skills – things like your powers of persuasion, or your ability to build consensus and feel empathy – the tests are valuable nonetheless. At the very least your IQ score is a pretty good predictor for how well you'll do in school.
As Richard Haier, of the University of California at Irvine, said to Carl Zimmer in a Scientific American article, IQ score doesn't tell you everything about how smart someone is.
But it's like many other measurements that can be useful in the right context.
"When you go see your doctor, what's the first thing that happens? Somebody takes your blood pressure and temperature," Haier said. "So you get two numbers. No one would say blood pressure and temperature summarize everything about your health, but they are key numbers."
So as we begin a series of "Back to School" posts, we're going to take a moment to look at the genetics around this one measure of intelligence. By the way, there will be a test – actually three of them – in this series of posts.
As for measures of intelligence, recent studies estimate that in early childhood about 25-to-40 percent of individual variation in measurable intelligence can be attributed to genetics. In adults, this number increases to about 80 percent.
A study of Dutch families found that the SNP is associated with "performance IQ" (i.e. non-verbal IQ). Each A at increased subjects' performance IQ by an average of three points compared to those with no copies. The authors estimated that accounts for 3.4% of the variation in performance IQ between people.
While the association between and differences in IQ scores is significant, its overall effect is very small, a difference of just three points on average.
It's also important to note that there is no single gene that has an inordinate impact on IQ scores. Instead there are hundreds of genes that impact intelligence with a cumulative impact on IQ scores. In a recent study researchers found another variant, this one in the HMGA2 gene, that also has a small effect on IQ scores.
Although the HMGA2 gene has been associated with height, it also influences the size of the brain. Researchers also found that the C version of was also associated with a very slight increase in IQ. We wrote about this in the Blog in April.


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Most voice teachers and singers still prefer the pianistic, wonderfully gratifying arrangements of this early Italian material made by Alessandro Parisotti in the 1880s. This new edition, newly researched and engraved, includes the original Schirmer 24 plus four additional songs: Sento nel core (A. Scarlatti), O leggiadri occhi belli (anonymous), Intorno all'idol mio (Cesti), Delizie contente, che l'alma beate (Cavalli). With IPA, word for word translations, and historical information on each song and composer. A version with accompaniment CDs is also available (HL50485631).
- Softcover
- 176 pages
- Size: 12" x 9"
- Composer: Various


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- Home
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Parking Enforcement
Sound parking enforcement is important to the health, safety and economic vitality of the City. Our dedicated and productive enforcement staff is the heart of our effective parking enforcement program. A well designed enforcement effort enables the City to maximize its use of the existing parking supply.
Strategic Parking Plan Development
The City began the process of preparing a strategic plan for the Parking System in 2014. The goal of the planning process was to develop a strategy to make the Parking Fund financially solvent while simultaneously furthering economic development goals, enhancing customer service, and improving the quality of the City's parking facilities. The Parking Committee presented its final Strategic Plan to the City Council on November 13, 2017. The Strategic Plan included a variety of short and long-term recommendations to be implemented over the next several years. On December 11, 2017, the City Council approved several ordinances to begin implementation of parking reforms. Ordinances included changes to parking rates, hours of enforcement, citations, and resident permit parking near the UNH Law School. Financial components of the Strategic Plan will be brought forward as part of the upcoming Fiscal Year 2019 budget process. The Parking Committee's report, together with related documents, is available below in the "Final Report" section.
For more information about the strategic parking plan, please email Matt Walsh, Director of Redevelopment, Downtown Services & Special Projects, or call at (603) 225-8570.
Final Report:
- November 2017 Strategic Plan Presentation to City Council
- Parking Committee Report - November 13, 2017 (PDF)
- Pro Forma FY 2019-2028 (PDF)
- Revenues FY 2019-2028 (PDF)
- Expenses FY 2019-2028 (PDF)
- General Fund Cost Share FY 2019-2028 (PDF)
- Nelson Nygaard Report - November 13, 2017 (PDF)
Historical Documents:
- Nelson Nygaard Strategic Parking Plan (PDF)
- Staff Report to Parking Committee - June 27, 2016 (PDF)
- Staff Presentation to Parking Committee - June 27, 2016 (PDF)
- Parking Pro Forma - Adopted FY 2017 (PDF)
- Parking Pro Forma - Proposed FY 2017 (PDF)
- Map - Meter Geography (PDF)
- Meter & Parking Citation Losses from Complete Streets Project - July 25, 2016 (PDF)
- Parking Fund/General Fund Interrelationship - July 25, 2016 (PDF)
- Parking Committee 2016 Schedule of Meetings & Workshops (PDF)
- Presentation of Technology Recommendations - August 4, 2016 (PDF)
- Draft Capital Improvement Program (10 year) - August 4, 2016 (PDF)
- Public Forum #1 Presentation - August 18, 2016 (PDF)
- Public Forum #2 Presentation - September 8, 2016 (PDF)
- Public Forum #3 Presentation - May 23, 2017 (PDF)
David Florence
Parking Supervisor
Physical Address
35 Green Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603-225-8640Fax: 603-228-2703
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m


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Image courtesy Holly Bradley, WSU student |
PULLMAN, Wash. – A raging three-alarm fire, that Pullman Fire Chief Mike Heston is calling "suspicious," ripped through four apartment buildings under construction in the north area of Pullman early Sunday morning, July 15.
Flames could be seen throughout the Pullman area as the fire spread from one building under construction to the next in a complex called The Grove, at 1560 NE Brandi Way, just off Terre View Drive.
Firefighters managed to protect another four units under construction from any major fire damage. Two nearby apartment complexes, that were occupied — Boulder Creek and Steptoe — sustained heat damage to the vinyl siding but all the units could be used.
Heston assigned several investigators from Pullman Fire, Pullman Police and WSU Police to begin the investigation.
The first call to Whitcom, the 9-1-1 center, came in by phone at 3:16 a.m. As fire units left the north area station, they could see the flames and immediately called for a second alarm and third alarms for additional help. Pullman firefighters were aided by Whitman Rural District 12, Moscow Rural and City fire departments and the Colfax fire department.
As firefighters first approached the fire scene, just off Terre View Drive, set up equipment in defensive mode to protect occupied apartment buildings to the east and south of the structure. They also managed to save four additional apartment buildings under construction in The Grove from any major fire damage.
Firefighters had the fire under control about two hours later (5:20 am) but will have firefighters on the scene for several hours mopping up and aiding with the fire investigation.
The apartment complex is under construction by a North Carolina firm. They told firefighters that all of the units had been rented for the fall semester at Washington State University that begins Aug 19.
Heston said firefighters were told at least two fire hydrants on the property supposedly were operational but when firefighters tried to use them, there was no water available. Firefighters laid hose line from hydrants on Terre View and nearby complexes to help extinguish the fire.
The first firefighters on the scene said the fire apparently started in the middle
complex and spread to three other units that were in various stages of construction.
The fire was so hot at its height that it cracked a couple of windows at a nearby research park, roughly 200 yards away, and melted a street sign across the street.
When the fire broke out, both WSU and Pullman police officers went to nearby apartment complexes that were occupied — Boulder Creek and Steptoe — and helped with evacuations. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.
Firefighters were aided by the weather in the early Sunday morning hours. There was very little wind when the fire was at its height which helped firefighters keep blaze contained. In addition to nearby occupied apartment complexes, about 400 yards away was a standing wheat field.
Whitman Rural District 12 had one of its trucks in position in case a spark would drift northward towards the wheat field.
Construction crews told firefighters that Aug. 17 was the move in date for the new Grove apartment complex. In addition to the apartment units under construction several pieces of equipment, including a front loader, bulldozers, and a backhoe, were damaged by the heat and fire. Several vehicles parked near the rear of the main complex were also damaged by the heat.
Those on the scene could hear at least three explosions as the fire reached the gas, diesel or propane tanks on the construction equipment.
At this time there is no dollar figure on the amount of damage to the complex as construction crews were working their way through the units attempting to get an estimate of the damage.


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In this Jan. 15, 1995, file photo, San Diego Chargers' Junior Seau, right, tackles Pittsburgh Steelers Ernie Mills during the first quarter of the AFC Championship NFL football game in Pittsburgh. Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody in Philadelphia, announced Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, that the NFL and more than 4,500 former players want to settle concussion-related lawsuits for $765 million. The plaintiffs include at least 10 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with and the family of Seau, who committed suicide last year. The global settlement would fund medical exams, concussion-related compensation and medical research. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
by Jonathan Anker
(HLNtv.com) — "Just lay him down in the center of the bed and let's get ready."
My wife and I had big Saturday night plans, which — as the leisure-time-starved new parents of a 7-month-old son — meant we actually had any plans at all.
He was still too young to really move around anywhere, so I placed him in the middle of that bed and went back to getting myself ready to go.
Three minutes later came the "thud." And then the crying.
My wife and I raced back to the bed, on which our little guy was no longer lying. He had somehow managed to squirm his way off the side and, of course, we freaked out. Thank goodness I had procrastinated putting my laundry away and his fall was gently broken by a large, cushy stack of neatly folded t-shirts.
We quickly ran a number of "tests" any physician would likely have laughed at to make sure he hadn't injured his head or neck and made sure he could still move those tiny arms and legs without any obvious pain. He checked out perfectly fine and after a few minutes, our heart rates began to return to normal. Big exhale.
Our son was tiny and helpless back then. But I can't imagine my instinct to keep him safe and protect him from injury will ever be any different, whether he's 7 months old, 7 years old or 17 years old. Why would our concern for the well-being of our children ever be any different at any point in their lives?
This is why I'll never let him play tackle football.
What's changed? Now we know the toll of the hits
When, in 2012, I heard about Junior Seau's stunningly tragic suicide at just 43 years old, I couldn't help but immediately wonder what toll the game Seau loved and dominated may have played in his death. To be clear, there is absolutely no proof or even indication right now that the cumulative effect of all Seau's gridiron collisions contributed to any kind of depressive thoughts or degenerative mental condition. We don't know why he killed himself. We may never know.
But we do know it's happened in other instances. After former Chicago Bears standout Dave Duerson committed suicide in 2011, an analysis of his brain revealed he suffered from a trauma-induced disease found in at least 20 other football players who have passed away, according to the Sports Legacy Institute.
Former Philadelphia Eagle Andre Waters was 44 when he killed himself in 2006. Studies found his brain, according to Sports Illustrated, "resembled what one would expect in an 85-year-old man in the early stages of Alzheimer's."
Knowing this, and knowing how prevalent and often undiagnosed concussions are at even the lower levels of football (to say nothing of all the other serious injuries accepted as "just a part of the game" in football), why would any parent choose to enlist their child to join these ranks? To volunteer them to have their heads smacked around inside plastic cages? Children have been playing tackle football for generations, yes, but only recently have we become aware of what it's doing to them.
'You know, there are other sports out there'
Committing suicide of course would be an extreme and relatively rare outcome for football-related trauma, but how many other serious issues pop-up among football players — of any age — for having taken all these shots to the head? How many cases of depression? How many instances of memory loss or other declining cognitive functions? Or even debilitating migraines?
I'm a big-time football fan, have been since childhood. As I sit here, a small action figure of ex-Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mark Clayton stares back at me on my desk. But forgive me if I'm not racing out the door to fit my son with a helmet and shoulder pads. You know, there are other sports out there. The world needs teachers and doctors. It does not need football players.
There are no "life lesson" benefits of playing football so unique to the game that they can't be achieved through other sports. Social skills, exercise, discipline, self-esteem, learning how to deal with success and failure — all these valuable tools can be taught through football. And baseball. And tennis. Heck, even flag football — and any number of other sports children can play, which don't come with a warning label that could read "Caution: The basic tenets of this game have been linked to catastrophic injury."
Super Bowl MVP worries about his own children
And it seems even those in the sports community are starting to take a hard look at the dire price tag attached to the game's appeal.
After Seau's death, Sports Illustrated writer Jeff Pearlman tweeted, "Junior Seau dead, suicide suspected. Shocked and saddened. I'll say it now: My kids will never be allowed to play organized football. Ever"
Another concerned sports dad went on national radio a day later and echoed those same thoughts — that the game had become too risky, its consequences now too well-known to ignore. "It scares me as a dad," said two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner. Asked by sports radio host Dan Patrick if he'd prefer his own kids not play, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback admitted, "Yes, I would. Can't make that choice for them. But yeah, there's no question in my mind."
More parents seem to be reaching the same conclusion, that the best way to prevent these types of injuries is to just eliminate the risk. Because it's one thing if you lay your children in the middle of a bed and they accidentally roll off. It's another thing entirely if you place them right at the edge.
Editor's note: The NFL reached a $765 million settlement Thursday with more than 4,500 former players who had sued the league over head trauma and other debilitating injuries suffered during their careers. This opinion column was originally published in May 2012, following the suicide of former NFL star linebacker Junior Seau. It was written by Jonathan Anker, a producer with HLNtv.com and father of two boys. He is an avid football fan.


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Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish
Book 3 in the Windham series
All she wants is peace and anonymity…
Lady Sophie Windham has maneuvered a few days to herself at the ducal mansion in London before she must join her family for Christmas in Kent. Suddenly trapped by a London snowstorm, she finds herself with an abandoned baby and only the assistance of a kind, handsome stranger standing between her and complete disaster.
But Sophie's holiday is about to heat up…
With his estate in ruins, Vim Charpentier sees little to feel festive about this Christmas. His growing attraction for Sophie Windham is the only thing that warms his spirits-but when Sophie's brothers whisk her away, Vim's most painful holiday memories are reawakened.
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"Ain't a bleedin' bedamned room t'be had in all a bleedin' Lun'nun, guv!"
The innkeep raised his voice to holler over the racket created by one screaming infant. "Stables is full up too, and more bleedin' snow on the way! Beg pardon!"
He hustled away and started bellowing over the din in the common for somebody to mop the bleedin' floor. Not surprised at the lack of accommodation, Vim moved off in the interests of sparing his bleedin' ears.
Though moving wasn't easy in the crowded confines of the common.
The floor was a slick expanse of that particular type of mud created when snow, horse manure and dirt were tracked in from the semi-frozen quagmire of the inn yard, and yet it was hardly the worst feature of the crowded room. The stench rising from the floor blended with unwashed bodies, dirty wet wool, and overcooked mutton stew to offend even the lowliest nose.
Overlaying it all was the incongruous scent of cinnamon, as if a little spice would confer on the scene some sense of seasonal good cheer.
Which was not bloody likely.
Piercing the noisome air, over the cursing and muttering of stranded travelers, over the scrape of boots and the swearing of the hostlers in the yard beyond, came that sound most capable of driving Wilhelm Lucifer Charpentier to madness.
A crying baby.
Vim had noticed the little blighter when all the passengers on his stage had been told to debark here in the very heart of London, because the weather was precluding further progress on the journey south. Like benumbed sheep, they'd all stumbled into the inn, toting their belongings with them only find an assault on their ears was to be the price of thawing their toes.
The child's crying ratcheted up, from indignant to enraged. The next progression would be to inconsolable, which might last hours.
Happy bedamned holidays.
Vim knew people in London. People who would act pleased to see him, people who would smile and welcome him as an impromptu guest for the duration of the foul weather. Happy people, offering him wassail while they laughed their way through the same hopeless madrigals and selections from Handel's "Messiah."
He shifted his gaze from the scene beyond the window to the woman holding the unhappy baby a few feet away.
"I beg your pardon, madam. May I be of assistance?" He tipped his hat and had to fist his hands at his sides, so strong was the urge to pluck the offending infant from her arms. "The child appears distressed."
She bobbed a curtsey while holding the child. "I've explained to him that such a tantrum is hardly seemly and I do apologize for the noise." She focused her gaze on the child. "You are a naughty fellow, young Kit, banging your tankard and shouting down the rafters…"
She went on softly remonstrating the baby while Vim recovered from the prettiest pair of green eyes he'd ever beheld. She wasn't a pretty woman—she had a full though solemn mouth in the usual location underscored by a definite chin and a nose somewhat lacking in subtlety. Her hair was dark brown and pulled back into a positively boring bun at her nape. But those eyes…
And her voice. It was the voice of a pretty lady, soft and luminous with good breeding and gentility, though she was using it to try to gently scold the child into better behavior.
"May I?" He held out his arms, meeting those green eyes when she looked faintly puzzled. "I have some experience with children."
She passed him the child, moving close enough to Vim that he realized she was not particularly tall. She had a dignity about her though, even holding a bellowing baby.
"His mama should be right back. She just went around to the back for a moment." The lady cast a hopeful look at the door—a hopeful, anxious look
Vim took the child, who appeared distracted by the change in venue—though likely only temporarily.
"You will hush," he said to the baby, which earned him a blinking blue-eyed stare from his burden. "This good woman is tired of your fretting, as is the entire room and likely half the block. Behave your little self or we'll call the beadle to haul you off to gaol. That's better."
He put the baby to his shoulder and began to gently pat and rub the small back. "He just finished his luncheon, didn't he?"
The woman colored slightly. "I believe he did."
Still on the breast then, which was going to be a problem.
"I don't believe his mother will be returning." He said it calmly, an observation about the weather, nothing more.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Voice down, madam, lest His Highness start to fretting again, hmm?" He turned his body to provide the woman a little privacy, his larger frame effectively blocking her from the rest of the room.
"Sir, you just said you aren't sure his mother will be coming back. A trip to the necessary will hardly keep her until spring." She hissed the words, suggesting she lacked a parent's instinctive capacity for dissembling before children.
"The necessary is not in the direction of Piccadilly. She took off at as smart a pace as this footing will allow."
"You must be mistaken." Except a certain shift in the lady's expression told him the mother's behavior might not be entirely out of character.
"She's a solid young woman, blond, attired in a purple cloak?" The baby rooted on his shoulder. "I have a handkerchief in my pocket. Would you be so good as to extract it?"
Again he'd spoken calmly, babies being fiendishly perceptive even before they learned their first words. The lady was perceptive too. She stuck a hand into the pocket of his great coat and produced the hankie without further comment.
"Lay it on my shoulder."
She had to go up on her toes to do that, which meant amid all the stink and filth of the common, Vim caught a whiff of something…. lovely. A hint of late spring. Cool, sunny, sweet…pink throated roses and soft, climbing vines of honeysuckle.
She stepped back to watch him warily.
"I suspect his recent meal has left him a tad dys—" The baby burped loudly and wetly— "peptic."
"My goodness." She blinked at Vim's shoulder, where the infant was now beaming toothlessly at all he surveyed. Vim shifted the child and retrieved the handkerchief, which had protected his great coat more or less from carrying the scent of infant digestion for the rest of the day.
He hoped.
"How long do you intend to wait for his mother?" The child swung a tiny hand and caught Vim's nose.
"She was to board the Portsmouth stage." Another anxious visual sweep of the surrounds. Vim took a step back so the lady might have a view out the window. He also disengaged his proboscis from the baby's surprisingly strong grip.
"I was told the coaches are all putting up for the duration, madam. My own travel has been interrupted because of it." The baby knocked Vim's high crowned beaver straight at the woman beside them. She caught it deftly in one hand. When Vim dipped his head, she positioned the hat back where it belonged.
"That is a naughty baby," she said, eyeing the child.
"He's a boy baby. They all have more energy than they know what to do with, until they sleep like the dead, restoring themselves for their next round of mischief."
This recitation seemed to please the little fellow, for he smiled directly at Vim, a great, drooling expression of benevolence disproportionate to his tiny size.
"I think Kit likes you."
"He likes having food in his tummy and a warm place to cuddle, the same as the rest of us. You can linger here, but I honestly do not think the mother will return. Can I have your coach brought round for you?" Though the pandemonium in the yard suggested it would be far simpler to escort the lady to her conveyance.
"I only brought the gig and it's right around the corner." She reached for the baby, but Vim took half a step back. "I am happy to carry him for you."
"But he's…" She fell silent, regarding the baby gurgling contentedly on Vim's shoulder. "He does seem quite happy there."
"And I am happy to enjoy his company as well. If you'd lead the way?" He nodded toward the door to encourage her, because her eyes bore a hesitance suggesting she knew better than to allow a strange man to accompany her down the street.
"I neglected to introduce myself," Vim went on. "Wilhelm Charpentier, at your service." He left off the title as he usually did with strangers, but he did bow with the baby tucked against his chest. The child laughed, a hearty, merry baby-chuckle calculated to have Vim bobbing around the room for the pleasure of My Lord Baby until one or both of them succumbed to exhaustion.
"I'm Sophia Windham." She dipped another curtsey while Vim cast around mentally for why the Windham name sounded vaguely familiar. "I should have known Joleen was up to something when she took her valise to the necessary."
"You were occupied with a certain unhappy little gentleman. Shall we be going? I don't like the look of that sky."
She glanced out the window and got moving. It took some minutes to navigate through the crowd, then they had to pause inside the door for Miss Windham to wrap the child in a thick woolen shawl.
"My conveyance is just around that corner." She pulled on her gloves, nodding to the north, toward Mayfair. "We're not far from home but with Joleen's valise, I thought the carriage would save us effort."
She wasn't wearing a bonnet, which allowed her to wrap a knit scarf around her head in such a way that her ears and neck and some of her hair were covered. Vim was relieved to get shut of the commons, relieved to breathe the relatively fresh air of the out of doors. They hadn't gone very far when Vim stopped in his tracks.
"God in heaven. What is that?"
"Not so loud." Miss Windham turned to frown at him as the boy holding the reins darted off toward the inn. "You'll hurt Goliath's feelings. He's a very sensitive pony."
Her sensitive pony was taller at the withers than the top of Vim's head, which put the beast at a good nineteen hands. Such an animal would be able to cut through the snow without breaking a sweat, but his kind were seldom kept in the confines of Town.
"Did he escape from in front of some beer wagon?" Though escape was hardly the appropriate term. A horse that size went where he pleased, fences, stone walls, and human wishes notwithstanding.
"He did not enjoy a sanguine existence before joining our stable but he's the best of horses in bad weather. I'll take the baby." She turned to Vim as he noticed three fat, lazy snow flakes drifting down from the sky, presaging his own personal gift of more foul weather. He did not pass her the child.
"I don't see a driver, Miss Windham. How will you manage to guide the horse and hold Kit?"
"I can put the reins in one hand," she said, brow puckering. "Goliath knows the way home."
"No doubt he does." Or he knew the way to his barrel of oats. "Nonetheless, I would be more comfortable if you'd allow me to drive you. It seems we're to be treated to yet more snow, and I would not want a lady and her very young charge relying on the good offices of her horse when a gentleman was on hand to see to her safety."
It was a courteous, gentlemanly speech, calculated to reassure her and let him attend to an errand of conscience, though he'd meant what he'd said: He wanted to see her and the baby safely ensconced in a well heated home before he set about finding his own accommodations. Call it vestigial chivalry or a rare manifestation of seasonal charity, but he wasn't going to abandon her to her own devices just yet.
"It's only a few blocks, Mr. Charpentier." She gave his name the same emphasis he did, Shar-pen-tee-ay, in deference to his father's distantly Norman antecedents.
"Then you won't mind if I drive you." He tossed his haversack into the back and with his free hand, he took her elbow, guiding her over to the gig. The angle of her chin suggested she had a stubborn streak which was about to come inconveniently into evidence, but a chilly breeze came along at just the right moment—sporting more snowflakes—and her chin dipped.
"If you insist, then. I do appreciate it."
He boosted her into the gig, glancing at the sky in silent thanks. If there was one thing he did not regard as a productive use of his time, it was arguing with a strange woman in the street, while a blizzard bore down on the city and the baby in his arms grew closer to that moment when…
"My goodness." Miss Windham wrinkled her nose where she sat on the bench. "Something…"
"Not something." Vim handed her the baby. "Someone. He ate, he burped, and now he must treat us to a demonstration of the health of the other end of his digestion." He climbed into the gig and unwrapped the reins from the brake. Beside him, Miss Windham was holding the baby slightly away from her body.
"I say." She frowned at the child. "I do say. You're sure they do this regularly?"
"With appalling regularity, if you're lucky. I'd guess the boy's getting some solid food, too, which will make his situation a great deal easier if you can't locate the mother."
She didn't ask him how he came to such a conclusion, though the evidence presented to Vim's nose was unassailable. A child subsisting exclusively on mother's milk wasn't half as odoriferous as Kit had just been.
Vim flicked the reins and the chestnut behemoth in the traces moved off. "Where are we heading?"
She rattled off an address on one of the great squares of Mayfair, prompting Vim to wonder just whom he was escorting.
Sophia Windham was well spoken, but she was also driving herself around London in the dead of winter. Her clothing was well made, but not fancy enough to suggest wealth. She had the brisk competence of a housekeeper and a position in service would explain her lack of familiarity with child care, as domestics seldom married.
"You were traveling today, Mr. Charpentier?" She'd relented and was holding the child against her body, despite the baby-stink emanating from the bundle in her arms.
"Heading to the family seat for the much vaunted holidays." The family seat, such as it was, for the holidays, such as they were. His tone of voice must have given him away, for she shot him a look. He could feel her scrutinizing his profile and see her female brain choosing the most delicate way to frame an awkward question.
But she said nothing.
"What about you?" He glanced over at her. "Is London home or should you be traveling somewhere to join your family for Christmas?"
"My brothers are coming through Town later in the week. We'll journey to Kent together, assuming they all arrive safe and sound."
"How many brothers do you have?"
"I had five. Thanks to consumption and the Corsican, I now have three." Her voice hadn't wavered, hadn't revealed any particular sentiment, but she cradled the child closer.
"I am sorry for your losses."
She was quiet for a moment, while around them, the flurries were becoming a light, regular snow. She spoke just when he'd thought the topic closed. "My brother Victor died this time of year. I don't think my parents will spend another Christmas in Town for some time. We're still trying to find our balance with it."
He had no idea what to say to that. The lady fell silent as well, suggesting the admission wasn't comfortable for her either. "This is a fairly recent loss?"
She nodded. "You can turn up that alley there, it will lead to our mews two blocks up."
Not surprisingly, the alley was relatively free of snow. The neighborhood was such that droves of servants would be available to move snow, to dig out the stables, to shovel off and then sweep the walks and garden pathways.
"My father died at Christmas as well," he said as the horse trotted along. "He was not a well man in my life time. I think my mother was relieved to see him at peace." The baby fussed, which provided a distraction. "Try patting his back."
She did, gently and awkwardly.
"You aren't accustomed to children, are you?"
She paused in her attention to the child. "I am an aunt, but it's hardly a role that prepares one for…" She wrinkled her nose tellingly.
"Dealing with a baby is usually a matter of trial by fire. Is that your mews?"
The stable doors bore an emblazoned crest, something with a unicorn and a lot of vinery which again tickled the back of Vim's memory. A groom came out amid the thickening snow to slide the stable door back so Goliath and the gig could be parked right in the shed row.
Vim brought the horse to a halt and alighted, turning to take the baby from Miss Windham's arms. "You'll want to be seeing to his nappies."
She blinked at him, opened her mouth as if to say something, then drew her brows down. "His nappies?"
End of Excerpt
Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish is available in the following formats:
- Kobo UK
- Booktopia AUS
- Amazon Kindle UK
United Kingdom:
- Tantor Publishing
- Apple Books
- Audible
- Amazon Audio
- AudiobooksNow
- Books-A-Million
- Chirp
- Google Play
- Hoopla
- Kobo
- Nook Audiobooks
For those who patronize public libraries, this title has also been uploaded to Overdrive, Hoopla, Baker & Taylor, and many other library channels. You can see the full list of library distributors here.
Listen to a Snippet:
Connected Books
Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish is Book 3 in the Windham series. The full series reading order is as follows:
- Book 1: The Heir
- Book 2: The Soldier
- Book 3: Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish
- Book 4: The Virtuoso
- Book 5: Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal
- Book 6: Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight
- Book 7: Lady Eve's Indiscretion
- Book 8: Lady Jenny's Christmas Portrait
- Novella: The Ducal Gift and The Christmas Carriage
- Novella: The Windham Ducal Duet
- Novella: Windham Family Duet
Bonus Material
" "Lady Sophie Windham is left with an abandoned baby in a blizzard when Vim Charpentier steps in and helps her care for the little boy. He stays with her in her empty house when she is supposed to be with friends and after he was to have returned to his dreadful family estate. She is tired of the quiet role her family and friends expect her to fill. Naturally, they fall in love in between feedings and diaper changes, and enjoy exploring their new feelings for a few steamy days. But Vim is struggling with secret painful memories tied to Sophie's family and decides there cannot be any future for them. Burrowes continues to write outside the usual Regency box with strong characters and humor similar to Amanda Quick's. ...Readers will enjoy the romance and wonderful historical details about the baby and Christmas celebrations."
- Amy Alessio, Booklist
" 4.5 stars! Top Pick of the Month! Burrowes is an unconventional storyteller who knows exactly how to touch a reader's heart and reach deeply into the soul. She's pulled out all the stops in an extraordinary, precious, unforgettable holiday story."
- RT Book Reviews


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NetSuite Takes OOW Stage
This week Zach Nelson, CEO of NetSuite, a.k.a. Larry's other company, took over the Marc Benioff chair as guest antagonist but given the relationship between the companies the vibe was more sedate. For instance, no one went to the talk at the Lam Theater in Yerba Buena Gardens wondering if Nelson would be controversial or if he would utter the words, "We come in peace," as Benioff once had. That much was a given.
Nonetheless, Nelson served roughly the same purpose as Benioff; he was the emissary from the cloud. He functioned as a third party thought leader pointing off in a future direction that Oracle itself could not for various reasons. Nelson's direction and his talk cemented one of the key elements of cloud computing for large enterprises contemplating — what to do about the growth of increasingly expensive and hard to maintain ERP systems. In an era where data and decision-making are continuously being pushed down the chain of command conventional on premise ERP has a flexibility problem and that was the subject of Nelson's talk.
For at least the last year various vendors have been talking about their two tier strategies in which they provide a second layer of ERP support or they cooperate with other vendors to do so. Nelson used his time to describe the advantages of using a product like NetSuite in a variety of ways that demanded a second tier of ERP.
For instance, a large multi-national company might use a second tier of ERP systems to capture local or regional data, convert currencies and adhere to local regulations before rolling the results up to corporate in a more tidy bundle. The two tiers could in practice be all NetSuite but Nelson's point was to also support heterogeneous environments in which Oracle or SAP might be the corporate standard.
Finally, an question that is on lots of minds during a merger, acquisition or sale of a division is what to do about the financials. I have to confess that this is not top of mind for me but I can understand how it can be for the principals. Nelson's point is that his product, by virtue of its cloud residency, can spin up a company very quickly and enable the separation or merger as the case may be.
The two tier strategy is a happening thing and I expect that we will hear more about it over time and not just from ERP vendors. Much the same argument could be made for front office conversions. As multiple conventional CRM systems begin to age out we might see SaaS CRM vendors trying to ease the transition for their own products.
Finally, two tier provides other benefits to companies such as limiting the growth of conventional ERP and initiating a transition that will move some to the cloud eventually and away from big ERP systems. That's what Oracle can't say on its own because as much as it would like to surround SAP systems with NetSuite and eventually convert them, it would not like to see the same thing happen with, say, Microsoft ERP surrounding and ultimately ejecting Oracle from an account. NetSuite has an inside track right now because it runs a complete Oracle stack which will make conversion easier while keeping it all in the family.
Zach Nelson's talk was a success. He presented an appealing vision of ERP in the cloud and for that I think it's a lock that he'll be invited back.
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Office of the City Manager
The City Manager is the Chief Executive Officer for the City, responsible for establishing organizational goals and providing overall administrative and direction for all City departments. The Office of the City Manager coordinates, implements and evaluates all policies, procedures, protocol and programs, in accordance with City codes adopted by the Commission.
The City Manager's office also responds to general questions, requests concerns registered by residents. All information from residents is recorded and distributed to the appropriate department for response and resolution.
Our City History
Hallandale Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,113.
The area was settled in the late 1800s as a farming community in Dade County. When Broward County was created, Hallandale became part of the new county. Hallandale was the home to the first public school in region. Hallandale was incorporated as a town on May 14, 1927. By that time, there were 1,500 residents, street lights, and electricity in the community. In 1947, Hallandale was reincorporated as a city, and was allowed to annex land to the east. In August of 1999, the city officially changed its name to Hallandale Beach.
The city is known as the home of Gulfstream Park (horse racing and casino). It also has a sizable financial district, with offices for a number of banks and brokerage houses. Due to the large number of tourists who eventually retire in the city, Hallandale Beach has one of the fastest-growing populations in Broward County and in Metro Miami.
Dr. Jeremy Earle
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City Manager
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Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
Phone: (954) 457-1489Fax: (954) 457-1454
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text:
About one in 10 cancers in men and one in 33 in women in western European countries are caused by current and past alcohol consumption, according to a study released Friday.
For some types of cancer, the rates are significantly higher, it said. In 2008, for men, 44, 25 and 33 percent of upper digestive track, liver and colon cancers respectively were caused by alcohol in six of the countries examined, the study found.
The countries were Italy, Spain, Britain, Greece, Germany and Denmark. The study also showed that half of these cancer cases occurred in men who drank more than a recommended daily limit of 24 grammes of alcohol, roughly two small glasses of wine or a pint of beer.
The cancer rates for women in the same countries, along with the Netherlands and France, was 18 percent for throat, mouth and stomach, 17 percent for liver, five percent for breast and four percent for colon cancer.
Four-fifths of these cases were due to daily consumption above recommended limits, set for women at half the level of men.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has long maintained that there is a causal link between alcohol consumption and cancers, especially of the liver, colon, upper digestive tract and, for women, breast.
But few studies have tried to connect the dots across a large population between cancer rates and total alcohol consumption, or the proportion of the disease burden occurring in people who drink more than guidelines would allow.
"Our data show that many cancer cases could have been avoided if alcohol consumption is limited to two alcoholic drinks per day in men and one alcoholic drink per day in women," said Madlen Schutze, an epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam and lead author of the study.
The findings also suggest that the limits set by many national health authorities may not be stringent enough to avoid the disease, she said. "Even more cancer cases would be prevented if people reduced their alcohol intake to below recommended guidelines or stopped drinking alcohol at all," she said in a statement.
The results, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), are drawn from the so-called EPIC cancer survey of 363,000 men and women who have been tracked since the mid-1990s.
Other risk factors that might have also led to cancer — especially smoking and obesity — were taken into account, the researchers said.
Nearly 44 percent of men in Germany exceeded the 24-gramme daily limit, followed by Denmark (43.6 percent) and Britain (41.1 percent).
Among women, Germany still topped the list, with 43.5 percent of women there exceeding limit, with Denmark (41 percent) and Britain (37.7 percent) coming in second and third.
Paris, April 8, 2011 (AFP)


text:
Somali military officers say at least four soldiers and a photographer embedded with the army were killed in an attack by Islamic extremists on an army base in the town of Awdhegle, southwest of the capital.
Gen. Yusuf Rage, commander of the Somali infantry division, said that troops repelled the attack in Awdhegle, a farming town recently seized by Somalia's special forces. Eight attackers were also killed in the attack.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the assault which started with a suicide car bomb.
Residents told The Associated Press that loud explosions and bursts of gunfire were heard for nearly half an hour. They said government forces were still in control of the town.
"Al-Shabab have left after the fighting," said Yusuf Anshur, a local elder. "The situation is calm now."
Source: Associated Press


text:
Choking Prevention in Small Children
Topic Overview
Young children can easily choke on food and everyday objects. You can help prevent your child from choking by offering the right kinds of foods and watching for choking hazards.
Watching how your child eats can also help prevent choking. Teach your child to eat only in the kitchen and dining room. Be sure that your child sits down while eating and that he or she chews carefully. Don't force your child to eat when he or she isn't hungry. These practices also help your child to develop healthy eating habits.
To prevent your child from choking, use care when you select and prepare food. Do not give round, firm foods to children younger than age 4 unless the food is chopped completely.footnote 1 Foods that can be choking hazards include:
- Seeds (for example, sunflower or watermelon).
- Nuts.
- Popcorn.
- Hot dogs.
- Chunks of peanut butter.
- Raw vegetables.
- Raisins.
- Whole grapes.
- Chunks of meat or cheese.
- Hard or sticky candy.
- Chewing gum.
- Fruit chunks, such as apple chunks.
Prepare food for young children in ways that reduce their risk of choking. Learn to safely prepare:
- Fruit with skins or pits, such as apples or apricots. Remove pits and peel fruits before giving them to your child. Fruits can also be diced or cooked and mashed.
- Fish or chicken with bones. Carefully cut the meat off the bone and then into small pieces. Check meat thoroughly for any signs of bones.
- Peanut butter. A spoonful of peanut butter can block the windpipe. Peanut butter can also stick to the lining of the throat and windpipe, making a child unable to breathe. Only allow peanut butter that is spread thinly on a slice of bread or a cracker.
- Hot dogs and sausages. Slice and dice these meats. You may want to remove the skin before cutting them.
- Grapes. Peel and mash grapes before serving.
- Beans (green, string, lima, kidney, and others the size of a marble or larger). Mash before serving.
- Peas. Although peas are small individually, a child who eats more than one pea at a time may choke.
- Whole carrots. A child may break off too big a bite and choke. Cook carrots and cut them into smaller pieces, or cut raw carrots into thin slices.
Don't allow your child to eat while he or she is walking, running, riding in a car, or playing.
Toys and other objects
Teach your child not to put objects in his or her mouth. The following objects may cause choking in young children.
- Toys, such as:
- Jacks, marbles, and marble-sized balls
- Latex balloons, either uninflated or broken pieces. Balloons are easily inhaled into the windpipe.
- Those with small detachable parts, like wheels
- Household objects, such as:
- Rubber bands
- Coins
- Adhesive bandages
- Buttons
- Beads and other jewelry
- Thumbtacks and screws
- Paper clips, pen tops, and safety pins
- Clothing price tags
- Small holiday decorations
- Kitchen items, such as:
- Eggshells
- Bottle caps
- Plastic tabs from protective coverings on containers
Test small objects by passing them through a toilet-paper tube. If they fit inside, they could become lodged in the throat of a young child.
- Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Policy statement: Prevention of choking among children. Pediatrics, 125(3): 601–607. Also available online: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/3/601.full.
Other Works Consulted
- Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Policy statement: Prevention of choking among children. Pediatrics, 125(3): 601–607. Also available online: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/3/601.full.
Current as of: December 12, 2018
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Susan C. Kim, MD – Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito, MD – Family Medicine & John Pope, MD, MPH – Pediatrics
Topic Contents
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.


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Contact the L.A. County Department of Public Health http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/community/mold.htm
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Yes, Citizens who report alleged violations to the City have the option to remain anonymous. For confidentiality purposes, information of those who file a report or complaint is for internal use only.
To report graffiti on public property (sidewalks, curbs, street signs, equipment in the parks, utility poles, alleys, utility poles, etc.) or private property (residential and commercial property), call the Graffiti Removal Hotline at (626) 307-1449, send an e-mail to: firstname.lastname@example.com. or submit a request online via the GoMPK App.
To report the occurrence of an individual making graffiti, please call the Monterey Park Police Department immediately with a location and description of the individual at (626) 573-1311.
Thank you for participating in keeping the City clean. Athens Trash Services provides a FREE service to the residents of Monterey Park and will pick up and dispose of bulky item, such as appliances, furniture, etc. Anyone can contact them to schedule a pick-up at (888)336-6100. You may also submit a request online via the GoMPK App.
Property owners are required to maintain the landscaping on their commercial and residential properties. Landscaping should follow Planning Division's approved guidelines. Overgrown, dead, decayed, diseased or hazardous tree, weeds, vegetation, or debris are to be reported to the Code Enforcement Division at (626) 307-1415, or submit a request online via the GoMPK App. This includes but is no limited to any condition of vegetation overgrowth which encroaches into, over, or upon any public right-of-way including, streets, alleys, parkways and sidewalks, so as to constitute either a danger to the public safety or property or any impediment to public travel.
Some properties that are located along the freeway, belong to and are maintained by the California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans). To submit a customer service request to their Division of Maintenance, please visit online at https://csr.dot.ca.gov If you need further assistance please coll (213) 897-3656.
You may report issues with trees or vegetation growing near or touching power lines to Southern California Edison at 800-655-4555 or at sce.com.
Parking Recreational Vehicle Parking, Boat and Boat Trailer is permitted in the R-1 Zone property, subject to the following limitations:
(A) Parked in an enclosed garage; or in the side yard, rear yard or driveway. If parked on the driveway, the vehicle or item must remain out of the front yard setback and be placed so as not to obstruct the operation of the garage door for access of at least one vehicle to be parked in the garage.
(B) Parked on a hard-surfaced area such as asphalt or concrete.
(C) On the lot, parked perpendicular to the street.
(D) Cannot extend over the public sidewalk or any lawn or landscaped area.
(E) Cannot be used for temporary or permanent housing purposes longer than twenty-four (24) hours.
(F) Cannot be connected to sewer lines, water lines or electricity except temporarily for charging batteries and other temporary hook-up facilities not lasting more than twenty-four (24) hours; and provided, that all such connections must comply with applicable State law and the electrical code.
(G) Cannot be used for storage of food, materials or equipment other than those items considered to be a part of the unit for its use. (Ord. 2097 § 3, 2013)
Garbage can, solid waste container, solid waste, junk, bulky items, placed or maintained so as to be visible from neighboring properties or the public right-of-way, except for those times scheduled for collection, in accordance with this code;
Trash enclosures must be maintained in a closed manner at all times to prohibit visibility of trash container from public rights-of-way or adjacent property.
6.08.060 Containers for residential collection.
(a) To protect public health, safety, and well-being against the growth and spread of vectors, it is the duty of every person in possession, charge, or control of any residential property within the city, in or from which refuse accumulates or is produced, to keep in a suitable place and utilize the containers provided by the servicer. No other containers shall be used;
(b) If the capacity of the containers provided by the servicer is insufficient for the quantity of all refuse, recyclables and/or yard waste generated at the premises between pickups, then the residential service customer shall subscribe to such additional service as determined and required by the servicer to protect the public health, safety, and well-being against the growth and spread of vectors from such refuse, recyclables and/or yard waste;
(c) All refuse and recyclables to be collected shall be placed in the containers provided by servicer, as follows:
(1) Curbside Service;
(A) Refuse and recyclables (not including yard waste) shall be placed in the black container(s);
(B) Yard waste shall be placed in the green container(s);
(C) No such container may be placed for pickup if its contents exceed three hundred pounds;
(2) Bin Service. The occupant shall place refuse and recyclables in the bin(s) provided by the servicer;
(3) Construction and demolition debris. Except for disposal by a self hauler pursuant to Section 6.08.280, construction and demolition debris shall be placed in the debris box(es) provided by the servicer and/or the black container(s) for refuse and recyclables provided by the servicer (the black containers are subject to the three hundred pound weight limit);
(d) To minimize interference with the public rights-of-way, no person shall place a container or bulky item on a parkway for collection service earlier than twenty-four hours prior to the normal collection date as specified by the director of public works. To minimize interference with public rights-of-way, any containers not collected from or any bulky items not removed shall be removed from the public right-of-way location by midnight of the scheduled day of collection;
(e) Unless otherwise directed by the servicer, containers shall be placed for collection on the street with the wheels of each against the curb and at least one foot distance between each container. In instances where no curb exists, containers shall be placed as close to the edge of the street as practicable with the wheels toward the lot. For alley collection, containers shall be placed on the lot as close to the right-of-way line of the alley as practicable. No occupant shall move any bin or debris box placed by the servicer. (Ord. 2003 § 1, 2002)
No. The City does not allow vehicles to be parked on the lawn or unpaved surfaces, in a residential area,
Vehicles may be parked in the driveway and public street as per City parking regulations and restrictions.
Yes it is allowed, with approval from the City for a Home Occupation Permit.
Home occupations are permitted in the R-1, R-2, and R-3 Zones subject to obtaining a Home Occupation permit from the Planning Division.
Permitted Home Occupations. The following businesses are permitted with a valid Home Occupation permit:
(a) Office use;
(b) Mail ordering;
(c) Home crafts such as model making, basket weaving.
Home Occupations Prohibited. Permitted home occupations may not in any event be deemed to include the following:
(a) Auto repair;
(b) Barber shop or beauty salon;
(c) Carpentry work;
(d) Dance instructions;
(e) Funeral chapel or funeral home;
(f) Gift shop;
(g) Medical or dental offices, labs, clinics, or hospitals;
(h) Auto, boat and trailer painting;
(i) Photo studio;
(j) Private schools;
(k) Renting of equipment and/or trailers;
(l) Appliance repairs;
(m) Eating establishment;
(n) Kennel;
(o) Tailors, dressmakers, upholstery;
(p) Service uses, personal and professional;
(q) Such other uses that may generate excessive pedestrian or vehicle traffic and that may be obnoxious or a nuisance to adjacent residents such as noise, odor, or appearance as determined by the City Planner, or that violate the use limitations provided in subsection (5) of this section.
The City's allows construction, demolition work and operation of mechanically powered saw, sander, drill, grinder, lawn or garden tool or similar tool between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Construction noise made outside of the City allowed construction times can be reported to the Monterey Park Police Department (626) 573-1311,


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United States Senate Washington DC | Fine Art Photography Print
Choosing the right size for your print is equally important as chosing the print itself. The following picture gives you an idea of the print sizes in relation to your furniture.
- Ready to ship in 1-5 business days
- Inventory on the way
Unveil the grandeur of democracy with this fine art photography print capturing the stately presence of the United States Senate in Washington, DC. The distinguished architecture and patriotic symbolism make it a powerful addition to your wall art collection. Elevate your home decor with this timeless piece that pays homage to the heart of American governance—a captivating blend of history and artistry.
Prints are sold unframed and without a white boarder.
The premium quality photography prints are produced by award-winning photo labs using only the highest quality photo papers and archival inks. The result is a stunning and vibrant art print that will be a standout piece in any room. Whether you're looking to decorate your home with wall art or want to add a touch of art to your office, these prints are the perfect choice. The exceptional quality of the materials used ensures that the prints will make you and your walls happy for a lifetime to come.
Matte photo paper prints are printed on Fuji Crystal DP II photo paper (234 gsm) with a matte finish. They impress with 75 years of color brilliance. The Fuji Crystal DP II photo paper is a high quality branded paper that makes colors shine and creates strong contrasts.
Fine art photo paper prints are printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 308 fine art photo paper (308 gsm). The premium quality fine art prints are made by hand with archival pigmented inks. They impress with over 100 years of color brilliance. The Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 308 is a superior quality branded fine art paper made of 100% cotton with a smooth matte finish that emphasizes every detail.
Learn more here.
Prints are sold unframed and without a white border. Please note that the image may be cropped based on the chosen size. Refer to cropping guide for further details.
Prints are made-to-order and normally ship in 1 to 5 business days. Business days are Monday to Friday except bank holidays. Prints ship in art-secure packaging to ensure the print arrives undamaged. Smaller sizes ship flat, larger sizes ship rolled up in solid tubes. Delivery times depend on the country the print ships to. Specific delivery dates cannot be guaranteed. Please also have a look at the shipping policies for shipping costs and estimated delivery times. Returns must be made within 30 days of delivery. The buyer bears the cost for return shipping fees. Please view the refund policy for more info.
I am deeply committed to protecting our planet through sustainable practices and eco-friendly initiatives. Click here to learn more about my efforts to make a positive impact on the environment.


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2015. von Dohlen, Jerry. This polygon shapefile depicts boundaries for Land Use in the County of Humboldt, California, per the 1985 General Plan Framework. The General Plan... Humboldt County Planning and Building Department.
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2015. Armstrong, Jake H. This polygon shapefile depicts General Plan Unincorporated Area Land Use for the County of Solano, California, including areas designated for agric... Solano County Department of Information Technology.