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Big government in Europe? National socialism in America?
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Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 8717
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:41 am
Post subject: Big government in Europe? National socialism in America?
This man reminds me of Churchill. He saved the idiots in Europe from the gas chambers, then they voted him out of office.
Bureaucracy instead of democracy. You fools think big government has ever worked anywhere? THEY ARE STEALING OUR DEMOCRACY AROUND THE WORLD.
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Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 19922
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:04 pm
Post subject:
"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." -- Frederic Bastiat
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have -- Pres Gerald Ford
Towards those ends are federal Judges Moons and Steehs decisions that it is legal to force every one of us to purchase Obamacare. Both judges upheld the mandate under the Constitutions Commerce Clause alone on the grounds that failure to purchase health insurance, even if it doesnt qualify as economic activity, is an economic decision that has substantial effects on interstate commerce. From a consortium of law professors:
Economic decisions, [Steeh] reasoned, include decisions not to engage in economic activity. This approach would allow the Commerce Clause to cover virtually any choice of any kind. Any decision to do anything is necessarily a decision not to use the same time and effort to engage in economic activity.
Under the same reasoning, the government could force every U.S. citizen to buy any product marketed in two or more states, including a GM car or Nancy Pelosis memoirs. If we choose to spend an hour sleeping, we necessarily choose not to spend that time working or buying products. Under Judge Steehs logic, the Commerce Clause authorizes Congress to force workers to get up earlier in the morning so that they would spend more time on the job.
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Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 8717
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:23 pm
Post subject:
That is very funny! Let's say you want to spend 24 hours in bed sleeping, or 20 hours sleeping and 4 hours windsurfing, and those are the only two activities that you engage in. You are now forced to do something, or face consequences. I have just lost my freedom. We are now no better than sheep being led about by our noses, by the government.
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Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 2283
Location: Connecticut, USA
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:13 pm
Post subject:
stevenbard wrote:
That is very funny! Let's say you want to spend 24 hours in bed sleeping, or 20 hours sleeping and 4 hours windsurfing, and those are the only two activities that you engage in. You are now forced to do something, or face consequences. I have just lost my freedom. We are now no better than sheep being led about by our noses, by the government.
You assumption that freedom is unlimited and absolute from the start is incorrect, to put it mildly. Nobody in the USA was born with total and absolute freedom to act or not act as he or she wishes at all times, free of consequences.
Steven, do you actually believe that compulsory education and the real estate taxes that support it are examples of "lost freedom?" Do you believe that every law or rule governing behavior is a lost freedom? What about speed limits on residential streets?
Superlatives achieve nothing toward creating a better society. BTW, I think bulls are led around by their noses, not sheep.
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Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 8717
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:19 pm
Post subject:
No one has to be educated. It's a fact that 60% of people who leave LA public schools are brain dead.
People don't have to pay real estate taxes if they don't want to. Just don't buy it.
We have a local bum at Leo Carrillo who sleeps under the bridge there. He does nothing but collect bottles and cans, then rides his bicycle to the market to buy food. He repeats the process every day. Sometimes the lifeguards hire him to clean up trash too. He pays no taxes, has no responsibility, has no health insurance, and doesn't pay any taxes. A very nice guy living his American dream.
Perfect freedom to pursue happiness. What if he ends up in trouble for not yielding to this new national socialism?
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Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 2283
Location: Connecticut, USA
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:40 pm
Post subject:
Most who "choose" to live under a bridge are either fantastic, pink-haired trolls speaking Middle English or suffer from moderate to serious mental illness that affects their legal capacity to make a deliberative choice in the first instance.
No one is forced to succeed in elementary education, but parents are generally required by law to ensure their child's attendance, and most kids are forced to attend school by somebody, if not their own family.
You attempted to set an absolute rule about freedom that is, in fact, not absolute at all. Not even close. Your example of a guy who loves living under a bridge only proves the fragility of your argument. In order to obtain things he might want, like food of a certain quality or smokes or something, he must compromise total freedom in order to participate in society -if only to cash an occasional check or trade cash for an apple at Trancas Market. If total freedom existed he would not be forced to live under a bridge, but he could move into your place! Laws are designed to discourage him from spooning with you absent your consent.
To say that a penalty for failing to comply with a govt. edict is a loss of freedom is little more than an axiom.
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Joined: 07 Mar 1999
Posts: 15488
Location: Berkeley, California
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:34 pm
Post subject:
stevenbard--you are just as mean as a snake. Do you know this guy's story? Do you know if he is mentally ill? Is he a veteran? Do you actually think he chose thislife? Here's a few facts about homeless people that might affect someone with a heart:
A study done by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty in 2007, which states that approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year. This translates to approximately one percent of the U.S. population. Of the estimated 744,000 people who are homeless on any given night, 40 to 45 percent of them have a serious mental illness. The number of people in families that were homeless rose by 9 percent from Oct. 1, 2007, to Sept. 30, 2008. Here is just one site where you might actually learn something.
Do you really think taking some kind of care of this 1% of the country will break us? I think treating them as you would demeans our whole society.
I teach first graders that mean people suck. Think about it, sucker.
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Joined: 26 Oct 2009
Posts: 3873
Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:05 pm
Post subject:
Really? The health care plan is socialism because a homeless person may have to buy insurance? That will cut into his discretionary spending, perhaps. That could be bad for the economy.
The health care plan will allow him to apply for an exemption, if he cannot find insurance that he can afford. The plan, also will provide additional funding for public clinics, so he can utilize health service, if needed in a less costly environment than the ER (less of MY soda cans).
There is a summary on Healthcare.gov for a timeline and general provisions of the health care law.
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Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 9820
Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 5:38 am
Post subject:
Bard, are we talking about Gil?
From what I've seen, he appears to sleep in between the dense chaparral above the beach rather than under the bridge. He's got a regular spot and a routine that works for him, and it's an area that he maintains well and keeps clean of any refuse or debris. The guy lives a very simple life, and as you say, he's a nice guy. On the scheme of things, the authorities at the park have seemingly accepted him and give him a reasonable amount of space. From his comments, he contributes in some beach maintenance activities, like recyclable trash collection, and may receive some token compensation from the park.
From my contact with him, I get the impression that he might have some underlying mental health issues. While I don't believe he represents any kind of threat to the community or the state park, it's clear that he's not your average guy with a day job. To be honest, I found folks like him at most of the beaches I've frequented over the years. These homeless folks just try to fit in into the woodwork and not create a lot of waves.
Some may want to ride hard on these folks for not being model citizens, but things aren't always that simple. Gil might end up needing help from society at some point in his life, but we often need to be generous to those less capable of handling life's normal responsibilities.
Ever since Ronald Reagan, when he was the governor of California, turned out troubled folks from state hospitals to the street, we're in a position where we must learn to live with these folks in our communities. Surely not our model citizens, but what can we really do other than get along.
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Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 8717
Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:13 pm
Post subject:
The troubled people were turned out by the aclu. Yes it is Gil, and I have nothing but admiration for him, as I see him working every day, unlike so many welfare recipients with flat screen TV's., cell phones, and cars.
He is the ultimate green citizen, not a hypocrite, but a hero. C'mon all you welfare recipients, do stuff like Gil around the hood!
ps. History of the decline of Rome: "The minds of men were gradually reduced to the same level, the fire of genius was extinguished."
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Computers Are Your Way of Life
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Guided by Our Purpose
The Purpose of Delta Delta Delta shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every possible way.
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Friday 25 January
|Pithecophaga (1)
The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is the world's largest eagle, and one of the most threatened raptors. The male and female Philippine eagle are similar in appearance, possessing a creamy white belly and underwing, whilst the upperparts are a rich chocolate-brown, with a paler edge (4). The long feathers of the head and nape form a distinctive, shaggy crest and are creamy-buff in colour with black streaks (5). Philippine eagle chicks have white down, and juveniles are similar in appearance to adults but have white margins to the feathers on the back and upperwing (6). The Philippine eagle has heavy, yellow legs with large, powerful claws (5), and the large, deep bill is a bluish-grey (6).
The Philippine eagle can live to between 30 and 60 years of age (2). It feeds mainly on flying lemurs, palm civets and monkeys, hence the alternative common name of 'monkey-eating eagle'. Other prey items include rats, snakes, flying squirrels, birds and bats (6) (7). Individuals hunt from perches and slowly move downhill from perch to perch before soaring back up the hill upon reaching the bottom (6). Philippine eagle pairs have been observed hunting together; one individual acts as a decoy, drawing the attention of a group of monkeys towards it while its partner executes a surprise attack from the rear (6). Pairs build an enormous nest high in the canopy, usually on an epiphytic fern; one egg is produced between October and December, and the chick is dependent on its parents for around a year (6).
This species is endemic to the Philippines and found on parts of the larger islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (2). The Philippine eagle was once widespread throughout these islands, and although the current population is unknown it is thought to number fewer than 250 mature individuals (5).
The Philippine eagle inhabits remnant patches of primary dipterocarp forest (5) (6).
Although probably never abundant, the population of the Philippine eagle has undergone a precipitous decline, primarily as the result of habitat destruction (5). Vast tracts of tropical forests in the Philippines have been cleared for commercial development and for shifting cultivation (5). Mining activities and hunting pose further threats to the survival of this majestic bird, and the accumulation of pesticides may be responsible for a reduction in reproductive rate (5).
The Philippine eagle is protected by law in the Philippines and occurs in a number of protected areas (5); international trade and movement of this species is also restricted and controlled by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) (1) (3). The Philippine Eagle Conservation Programme (2) is working on educational campaigns, protecting and monitoring nests and a conservation breeding scheme (7); so far, two captive-bred chicks have been produced with the aim of reintroducing them to the wild (6). In addition, chicks and eggs have been taken from areas of habitat at risk in order to establish a viable captive population from which individuals can be reintroduced to the wild (2). Despite these efforts, however, should habitat loss and subsequent human settlement continue at the current rate it seems doubtful that this majestic species will ever recover.
For more information on the Philippine eagle see:
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Friday 25 January
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Hot on the heels of the Jelly Bean update for the One X, HTC and Sprint have started rolling out the Android 4.1.1 update for the EVO 4G LTE. Apart from bringing all the usual Jelly Bean goodness like enhanced notification bar, Project Butter, the update also brings Sense 4+. The latest version of Sense brings a slightly improved camera app, and toned down animations for an improved user experience.
Below is the full change-log from Sprint -:
– WiFi Authentication Improvement
– Personalized ringtones
– Calendar event description hyperlinks and calendar reminder improvements
– Addition of Sprint Connections Optimizer
– Upgrade to Android 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean) with HTC Sense 4+
– Improved Browser performance
– Face Unlock Improvement
– Application Improvements to YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Maps, and more
– Improved Camera including Auto Portrait and Sightseeing Mode capabilities
– Improved Gallery with ability to display photos and video albums according to when or where taken
– Tap and Go function to connect the phone to select Beats Audio speakers
– HTC Get Started support to allow device set up from a computer
Since Sprint is rolling out the update in batches, it might not be available to all EVO 4G LTE owners immediately. However, users can manually pull the update from Sprint's server by going to Settings -> About Phone and then selecting the Software Update option.


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(Pocket-lint) - You like reading. Everything else in your life has gone digital, so why not the books you read? But has BeBook got what it takes to challenge the Sony Reader here in the UK or the Amazon Kindle in the US? We get reading to find out.
Where the BeBook hopes to win out against the traditional paperback book and other ebook readers is in its size. Roughly the same size as the Bookeen Cybook, the BeBook measures 184 x 120 x 10mm in size with a weight of around 220 grams.
In real terms that gives you a 6-inch screen size that uses the same E-Ink technology found in other ebooks such as the Sony Reader. The display offers a resolution of 600 x 800 pixels meaning that it is fine for print, but images look like something out of a newspaper 30 years ago.
In practice the screen is incredibly easy to read text on because the contrast levels are as strong as on paper. There aren't glare issues in the sun and you don't get blasted with a blacklight either, so lessens strain on the eyes. Just like paper you will need a light on in the room rather than it coming from the device.
Underneath that 6-inch screen there are 10 numbered buttons, a menu, ok, and back button and then page forward and page backward buttons.
The layout is simple, however at times confusing. With no d-pad to quickly navigate around the menu system everything is instead navigated to by numbers. D-pads are virtually present in all electronic devices and we can't see why they haven't included one here.
Elsewhere the design features volume controls as it can do audio too, with a 3.5mm jack for your headphones and an SD card slot (supporting memory up to 4GB) for expanding beyond the 512MB of on-board memory. You'll also get a USB socket so you can transfer content to it.
Power it up and you're presented with a rather unimaginative list of folders such as Books, ebooks, Audio, Pictures, etc. It's a simple directory structure that leaves little to the imagination. It works, but it's very basic.
Select a folder and a file loads up as expected. A nice feature is that regardless of how many files/books you access, it does remember the page you were last on.
In-book you've got a couple of features such as the ability to jump to a specific page or bookmark a page for reference later. You're also able to zoom and there are three options here: small, large or landscape. It's a shame there isn't further customisation to this like being able to set the point size of the font, but it will at least let you see what is going on if you're having trouble.
When it comes to formats, the BeBook has most of them covered. It can read any non-DRM'ed PDF as well as MOBI, PRC, EPUB, LIT, TXT, FB2, DOC, HTML, RTF, DJVU, WOL, PPT, MBP, CHM, BMP, JPG, PNG, GIF, TIF, RAR, ZIP, and even MP3 files so you can listen to music while you read.
The BeBook has Mobipocket Digital Rights Management support, however the lack of non-DRM support for PDF files means you're not going to be able to access some of the latest books. BeBook hope the promise of 200,000 free books from its website (admittedly all out of copyright) will entice you.
Reading books on the device is, once you get into the book, incredibly easy. Page turns could be faster, but at least you'll get around 7000 of them from a single charge - although this number is reduced drastically when you start playing MP3 files.
While the BeBook will struggle with DRM'ed content of the latest best sellers, it is good for reading books or files from the plethora of out of copyright books available - i.e., the classics.
Where the BeBook stumbles though is price. At £50 more than the Sony Reader PRS-505 e-book, the competition is just too good to warrant opting for this over what's already on the market.


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Delicious Deals on Dining Out
Cheapism compared the five most popular chain restaurants and rated them based on value and quality. The site used various criteria, including portion sizes and kids menus, and while there was only a $5 (or 11 percent) difference between the most expensive and least expensive restaurant, that money can add up when you take into account the savings over a full year.
According to the USDA's Economic Research Service, the average person spent $1,402.67 on dining out in 2010, reports Cheapism. So, which restaurants offered the best deals for a family of four? Outback came in at fourth place with a bill of $41.44, while T.G.I. Friday's and Ruby Tuesday tied at $40. A family meal at Applebee's cost $36.74, the cheapest of the top five restaurants, however, Chili's ranked higher in value and customer reviews, so it was deemed the best value despite costing $37.85.
If you're looking for freebies, many establishments have birthday or anniversary clubs, which offer discounts and free meals to its members. They are often free to join so it's a no-brainer, if you're looking for complimentary food on your big day. Keep these tips in mind the next time you want to take the family out and you'll only be dishing out dollars for great deals.


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When it comes to perfecting your smile the cost for dental implants in Clifton Park, New York is one of the main concerns for most patients. Cost can be a tricky thing, but what many men and women find is that when oral and dental health is not addressed in a timely fashion, the problems just become worse, thus making it more expensive to address the issues. If dental implants are what you need to maintain great oral and dental health, visit David Morrison, DDS in Clifton Park, NY today. We offer patients cost effective alternatives that lead to healthy, beautiful smiles.
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Reviewed By Alan H (Detroit, MI) Reviewed for a 1981 Chevy Corvette —11/24/2007 5:01 AM
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The Federal Reserve may have cut its monthly bond-buying program from $85 billion to $35 billion, but you wouldn't know it by watching emerging-market stocks.
Earlier this year, the emerging markets tanked with the Fed's tapering. But since early February, EM stocks are up 16%, says Wasif Latif, head of global multi-assets for USAA, in a report issued Thursday.
They're up more than 6% for the year. Some key countries "have far surpassed that average, led by India's stock gains of more than 20%," he points out.
Analysis done by USAA points to the investment case for emerging markets being compelling in both the short term and over the longer term, "particularly when compared to the world's developed countries," Latif notes. "For that reason, we have an overweight allocation to EM equities relative to the benchmark, while maintaining an underweight position to U.S. stocks."
GDP growth estimates for 2014 have been reduced for EMs, the analyst note, but their pace of economic expansion "still far exceeds that of the U.S., Western Europe and Japan, and there's nothing to indicate that this trend will be changing any time soon."
Furthermore, the foundation of that economic growth keeps shifting.
"Whereas China was once content to be the factory for the world, it is now redirecting its production to meet a growing demand for goods and services at home," Latif explained. "This powerful shift in emphasis from exportation to domestic consumption results from higher living standards and is not unique to China."
As for EM companies' fundamental valuations, they are "still attractive," even after the rally over the past five months, he insists. It's true that — on a cyclically adjusted basis — the price-to-earnings ratio for EMs relative to the P/E for the Standard & Poor's 500 is well below average.
Earnings growth "has not been strong in EMs," he adds, "but this growth has been driven by fundamentals rather than by share buybacks, as seen in the United States. Profit margins are low, so there is room for improvement there, and EM companies are not as leveraged as their developed-world counterparts."
In addition, revenue growth has been "fairly decent" for those EM companies that focused on their domestic markets, and inflation remains "muted."
"In all, there's plenty to feel positive about when looking at emerging markets, and that upside could be further enhanced as economic growth picks up in developed markets," Latif concluded.
USAA is not overweight non-U.S. developed markets, nor is it overweight emerging markets based on relative valuations. Instead, it says EM investments as attractive and offering "an interesting long-term prospect for growth."
In addition, USAA's cautious view of U.S. equities "remains unchanged," he said. "we are underweight U.S. large caps and small caps. While signs point to continued recovery of the U.S. economy, valuations are no longer cheap, and profit margins are near record highs."
Check out Surprising Pick for High Safety, High Returns: Emerging Market Stocks on ThinkAdvisor.


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Brad Davis has been a professional soccer player since George W. Bush was in his first term as president and Linkin Park was the biggest thing on St. Louis rock radio, so forgive him if he's having a hard time remembering what it was like to be the new guy in camp.
Asked earlier this week at the US national team's camp at São Paulo FC's Barrafunda training ground what it was like to be a rookie at the World Cup, Davis couldn't help but laugh at the idea that even at 32 years old and more than a decade into his career, he could still be walking around Brazil with wide eyes.
"Do I feel like a rookie here?" he said with a laugh. "Not at this point. I've had a pretty long career and a pretty good career, and I'm excited to be here … I don't see myself as a rookie by any means."
Few of those familiar with the Houston Dynamo winger's impressive career could argue that. Davis has been one the steadiest players in MLS for more than a decade, helping the Dynamo to two straight MLS Cups in 2006-07 and a run of seven postseason appearances in the past eight seasons.
There's also an argument that he was snubbed for the 2011 league MVP award – Dwayne De Rosario won the nod, despite Davis' league-leading 16 assists while starting every game of the regular season – and this year he just might pass MLS greats Preki and Carlos Valderrama into third place among the league's all-time leaders in assists.
And for those who think he's relatively new to success inside the US system, think again. Davis goes all the way back to the team of American youngsters at the 2001 U-20 World Championship in Argentina, where he played alongside future stars Landon Donovan, Oguchi Onyewu and DaMarcus Beasley. Davis was still in college then – a star attraction and a second-team All-American at St. Louis University – and he scored a goal in the team's group-stage romp over Ukraine before the team was bounced in the knockout round.
While he fell largely off the international map for years after scoring the decisive kick in a penalty shootout in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, he notched two assists in seven appearances during a resurgent stretch with the national team in 2013, a prelude to his selection to Jurgen Klinsmann's 23-man roster in Brazil.
"I'd been wanting a chance to come in and play, and he gave me that opportunity," Davis said. "He gave me opportunities in the qualifiers, so he trusts in me as a player and he believes in what I can do … He's kind of brought out more of the attacking side of me, more of the freedom to go, create and attack, and that's a little bit different here from down in Houston.
"It's been a lot of fun."
The inclusion of Davis and fellow veterans Kyle Beckerman, Chris Wondolowski and Nick Rimando is also a nod to time served for the quartet of hardy MLS lifers hoping to figure into Klinsmann's plans when the Americans open group play on June 16 against Ghana in Natal (5 pm CT, ESPN/Univision).
"I think in the past it looked more like you needed to go to Europe or the Mexican league or something like that, with the past coaches, besides a select few," Davis said. "With Jurgen as the coach now, I don't think he really minds where you're playing at. Obviously where the talent in Major League Soccer is now – with 10 guys on this team from Major League Soccer – it's a testament to where the league's going and where it's gone."
Strangely enough, there was a time when Davis may not have ended up in MLS at all. He said this week that as a teenager teams in both France and Denmark scouted him, and Dutch powerhouses PSV Eindhoven and Ajax took a look around the time Davis and the US Under-20 side were playing in Argentina.
"I had opportunities to leave when I was younger, I just didn't know if personally it was the best thing for me," he said. "I loved being able to play soccer, but I loved being able to play soccer at home in the States. I believed in the league, and I believed where it was going.
"You look back and you always wonder, but for me at the time I thought it was the right situation for me to grow. I had opportunities, but I just decided to stick around."


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TESTING AND EVALUATION GRANT FOR INTEGRATED ADVANCED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (IAIMS) RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2002 PA NUMBER: PAR-02-082 (This PA has been reissued, see PAR-05-077) EXPIRATION DATE: March 15, 2005 National Library of Medicine (NLM) (http://www.nlm.nih.gov) THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION o Purpose of the PA o Research Objectives o Mechanism(s) of Support o Eligible Institutions o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators o Special Requirements o Where to Send Inquiries o Submitting an Application o Peer Review Process o Review Criteria o Award Criteria o Required Federal Citations PURPOSE OF THIS PA The National Library of Medicine provides IAIMS grants to health-related institutions and organizations that seek assistance for projects to plan, design, test and deploy systems and techniques for integrating data, information and knowledge resources into a comprehensive networked information management system that serves the organization"s clinical, research, educational and administrative needs. Integrated advanced information systems (IAIMS) are organization-wide or trans-organizational mechanisms that use computer networks to link and relate the published biomedical knowledge base with individual and institutional databases and information files, within and external to an institution. The Integrated Advanced Information Management Systems (IAIMS) program described in this Program Announcement is a substantially revised version of the NLM"s existing IAIMS program, first announced in 1982 and substantially revised in 1992. Because health-related organizations exhibit considerable variation in their approach to information management, NLM"s IAIMS program offers several options for grant support: IAIMS Planning Grants, IAIMS Pilot Study Grants, IAIMS Testing and Evaluation Grants, IAIMS Operations Grants and IAIMS Fellowships. This program announcement describes only the IAIMS Testing and Evaluation Grant. For information about other IAIMS grants, see their individual program announcements. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The Internet, advanced computing technologies, and digital information have altered the information landscape. With access to data, information and knowledge no longer time- and place- dependent, new opportunities are emerging to improve health care, education and research. To benefit from these advances, health-related organizations must (1) seamlessly integrate their own digital information resources with relevant information obtained from external sources, and (2) bring digital information to health care teams, researchers, teachers, students, patients and the general public in a way supports sound decisions and effective action. The long-term goal of NLM"s IAIMS program is a comprehensive and convenient information management system, one that brings useful, usable knowledge to action settings in health care, education and research. Particular emphasis is placed on organization-wide and trans-organizational mechanisms that enable the easy flow of information between arenas of action, such as between health care and education, or between health-related organizations, such as from a community clinic to a hospital or public health department. Since 1984, NLM has provided IAIMS grants to academic health sciences centers to build networks and organizational mechanisms for information management. In its first two decades, the emphasis of IAIMS was building organizational mechanisms and infrastructure that were largely internal to academic centers. Technological advances and widespread access to the Internet make it possible now to shift the emphasis of IAIMS from building these capabilities to using them. The IAIMS challenge for the 21st century is to involve all kinds of health-related organizations in using local and national networks to acquire, manage, and deliver knowledge in a way that binds it to effective action.[1] The fundamental activity areas of today"s IAIMS program are these: o CONTEXT-APPROPRIATE INFORMATION. People need usable, useful health information to guide their learning and decisions. Health care, education and research take place today in an information space fed by many sources of digital and printed information, some of which are not owned by an organization. Each organization must implement approaches that select the right subset of information from the available sources, and present it in the way most effective for a given problem and person. Examples of context- appropriate systems include: o systems that deliver applicable "chunks" of published knowledge into settings in which clinical decisions are being made, o systems that employ user profiles to tailor information resources or services to meet the needs of a key audience, o systems that enable the exchange of data between research databanks and clinical health records, o education modules that are delivered into workplace settings. o STANDARDS-BASED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT. Integrated access to a collection of information resources and services (one-stop shopping) has always been a core purpose of IAIMS. Effective integration of data, information and knowledge requires common syntax and semantics. Health organizations must use common vocabularies and adopt information standards that support the integration and exchange of health information. Examples of standards-based information management include: o standards-based applications that move clinical data from one proprietary system to another, o systems that use components of the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) to link library information to personal health records, o systems that employ accepted standard data definitions in transmitting claims information or other reports electronically. o DIGITAL LIBRARIES. The phrase "digital library" refers to a collection of information, data or knowledge, stored on a computer and accessible across a network to other local and distributed computers. Examples of digital libraries include collections of electronic published articles and books, electronic personal health records, multimedia curriculum materials, research databanks and data warehouses of administrative or clinical information. The complex array of activities in academic health sciences centers and health care organizations can result in poorly- integrated information resources and services. Departmental and organizational boundaries can impede the flow of usable, useful information (1) between centers of activity within a single organization (such as between 2 health professions school), or (2) among unaffiliated organizations, (such as departments at different universities or a community consortium of hospitals). Organizations must implement approaches that facilitate the use of information acquired in one arena of action, such as clinical care, by people in another arena, such as research. Information management includes such functions as: methods of stewardship that assure the availability of useful, usable, accurate information, tools that allow authorized people to use information retrospectively and prospectively, in real time, for their chosen purposes, links from the organization"s knowledge store to knowledge that is external (i.e., not owned by the organization), evaluation of the costs and benefits to users of an information resource or service. Work in any fundamental IAIMS activity area requires the adoption of efficient, effective strategies for information management. A discussion of pertinent information management issues and processes is a required component of all IAIMS applications. Applicants are encouraged to propose IAIMS projects that include more than one institution, or include organizations of different types such as hospitals, clinics, community centers and local government health departments. While more complex, such collaborative projects give desirable economies of scale, affect greater numbers of users, and take advantage of network technological advancements. IAIMS grants are not sequential grants. However, some IAIMS grants do have prerequisites. Please see the program details for each grant in the IAIMS program. Organizations may apply for more than one type of IAIMS grant at the same time, but those applications will compete against one another for funds. MECHANISM(S) OF SUPPORT This PA uses the NIH R24 award mechanism. As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project. Applicants may request up to $100,000 per year for up to two years in direct costs. All IAIMS grants support direct costs for salary, consultants, equipment and software costs, training costs, travel, supplies and other expenses appropriate to the project. Support is also provided for Facilities and Administration (F&A) costs at the organization"s negotiated rate. Consortium/subcontractual costs are treated as direct costs to the parent grant and, therefore, must be within the total direct cost cap established for this program. The IAIMS Testing & Evaluation grant is non-renewable. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the following characteristics: o For-profit or non-profit organizations o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories o Units of State and local governments o Eligible agencies of the Federal government o Domestic o Faith-based organizations INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH programs. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The purpose of the IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grant is to assist organizations that want to deploy an information resource, system or service on a limited scale in a live setting and evaluate its efficiency, effectiveness and usability. This grant can be used to test and evaluate a resource or system on a small scale, with involvement of a variety of intended users before moving to a full-scale implementation. An IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grant may also be used to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness or usability of an existing system or resource that is partially or fully deployed, preparatory to expansion or replacement of that resource. The IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grant may also be used as an IAIMS partnership grant, to support the transfer of technology or expertise from an IAIMS organization to a smaller organization. The expected result of an IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grant is a case study that summarizes the project and findings. An IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grant application should cover the following points: o Description of the resource, system or service to be tested, evaluated or transferred to a partner, o Description of the intended users and expected benefit, o Rationale for the testing, evaluation or transfer activity, o Methods of data gathering, analysis and reporting, o Timetable and milestones for the project, o How the findings will shape plans for full-scale implementation, o Expected sources of funds and support for full-scale implementation, o Plan for disseminating the resulting case study. Discussion of pertinent information management issues and processes is required. Sharing useful information about costs, benefits and effectiveness of information management strategies is fundamental to the widespread adoption of best practices. Recipients of IAIMS testing and Evaluation grant are expected to produce a written case study of their project that can be shared with peer organizations. The application must contain a plan for sharing the resulting case study with peers. WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES We encourage your inquiries concerning this PA and welcome the opportunity answer questions from potential applicants. o Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to: Valerie Florance, Ph.D. Extramural Programs National Library of Medicine Rockledge 1, Suite 301, 6705 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 594-4882 FAX: (301) 402-2952 Email: email@example.com o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to: J. Christopher Robey Extramural Programs National Library of Medicine Rockledge 1, Suite 301, 6705 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-4221 FAX: (301) 402-2952 Email: email@example.com SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: email@example.com. APPLICATION RECEIPT DATES: Applications submitted in response to this program announcement will be accepted at the standard application deadlines, which are available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm. Application deadlines are also indicated in the PHS 398 application kit. SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and five signed photocopies in one package to: Center for Scientific Review National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710 Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by or mailed on or before the receipt dates described for new grants at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm. The CSR will not accept any application in response to this PA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The CSR will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of a substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique. PEER REVIEW PROCESS Applications submitted for this PA will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines. An appropriate scientific review group convened in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures (http://www.csr.nih.gov/refrev.htm) will evaluate applications for scientific and technical merit. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will: o Receive a written critique o Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score o Receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council or board REVIEW CRITERIA The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of your application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals: o Significance o Approach o Innovation o Investigator o Environment The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria in assigning your application"s overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Your application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, you may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. (1) SIGNIFICANCE: Does your study address an important problem? If the aims of your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific knowledge? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? (2) APPROACH: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? (3) INNOVATION: Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does your project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? (4) INVESTIGATOR: Are you appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to your experience level as the principal investigator and to that of other researchers (if any)? (5) ENVIRONMENT: Does the scientific environment in which your work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, your application will also be reviewed with respect to the following: DATA SHARING: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data. BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed research. OTHER REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the general criteria outlined above, each IAIMS grant has a specific set of review criteria. Critical Review Elements for IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grants include the following: o Responsiveness to one of the stated IAIMS fundamental activity areas, o The quality of the test/evaluation or partnership plan, o Appropriateness of the chosen testing & evaluation or transfer methods, o Expertise of the participants, o Description of how the findings will be use in decision making, o Plan for disseminating the findings. While not required, the following elements are viewed as highly desirable by reviewers of IAIMS Testing and Evaluation grants: o Involvement of another organization, especially a historically black college or university, a public health department, or community-based organization, o Focus on moving information from one arena (e.g. health care) into another (e.g. research), o Focus on a system , resource or service to a new audience, such as consumers and patients, or researchers. AWARD CRITERIA Applications submitted in response to a PA will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions: o Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review o Availability of funds o Relevance to program priorities REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm. Applicants may wish to place data collected under this PA in a public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award. URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES: All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010: The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople. AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS: This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.879. Awards are made under authorization of the PHS Act, Title III, Part A, Section 301, Title IV, Part D, Subpart 2, Sections 472-476, as amended, Public Law 100-607 and administered under NIH grants policies described at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. REFERENCES [1] Next-Generation IAIMS: Binding Knowledge to Effective Practice. Florance, V. and Masys, D. Prepared under contract N01-LM 9-3523. Washington, D.C.: Association of American Medical Colleges, September 2001. The full technical report is available in PDF form at http://www.aamc.org/programs/betterhealth/iaimsinside.pdf Information about past and present recipients of IAIMS grants is available from the IAIMS Consortium at http://www.cbmi.upmc.edu/iaims/consortium/index.htm
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The candy airplanes are made out of a roll of Smarties, a couple sticks of gum, and two Life-Saver candies for the wheels. A rubber band holds all the pieces of candy together to form an airplane. (Visit Family Fun for instructions on how to assemble.)
I created and printed a special heart Valentine themed gum wrapper cover like the one shown on the Family Fun site to add to our airplanes (click on the image to see the jpg and print). I think the decorated wrapper helps the airplane look prettier for Valentine's Day. The airplane is a little tricky to assemble and is probably a project suited more for older kids, but my kids enjoyed watching me make them and they really, really had a blast playing with them! I think I'll make a few more so my son can give them to his friends for Valentine's Day.
Some of the variations of this craft show it with a little message on a banner attached to the back of the plane. Here are a few cute Valentine airplane themed sayings:
It's plane to see - I want you for my Valentine.
Up, up and away! Happy Valentine's Day!
Above all, I want you for My Valentine.
You're just plane cool!
Have a high flying Valentine's Day!
Love is in the air!
Valentine, my heart soars for you!
We started reading several Valentine's Day books last week. One of my daughter's favorite books from library included an illustration of the main character in an airplane spreading Valentine cheer. How fun is that?
Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman, illustrated by Lynne Avril Cravath. Carolrhoda Books (June 2006); ISBN 978-1575058993; 32 pages
Book Source: Copy from our local library
"Deep in the heart of Heartland,
in a house of oak and pine,
with her feathered friend named Lovebird,
lived Ruby Valentine."
Ruby Valentine spends her time counting down to Valentine's Day by making Valentines (along with some help from her pet bird, Lovebird). Cards, cookies and treats -- Ruby Valentine is the queen of Valentine's Day. She loves to spread Valentine's Day cheer by bringing Valentines to the people in a nearby town. Exhausted from all her hard work, she falls asleep and misses Valentine's Day. Lovebird helps her realize that she doesn't have to wait for the next Valentine's Day to share the love.
This book has a very sweet message that I think all kids and parents need to remember: "Saying, `I love you!' doesn't have to wait 'til Valentine's, any day will do." The story, told in rhyme, is extraordinarily cute, and the cheerful illustrations will make you want to get out your crafting supplies, create a wagon-load of valentines and throw them from an airplane, just like Ruby Valentine.
Related links:
Ruby Valentine Create Your Own Valentine Card [pdf]
Lynne Avril Cravath - Illustrator Website
Laurie Friedman Blog
Do you know of any other Valentine picture books that show an illustration of an airplane? We ran across another cute one today with an airplane - The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson, illustrated by Tricia Tusa.
I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)


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I've been finishing a few blocks that I started at the Sewing Summit. This block was from Elizabeth and Lee's paper-piecing class. I've done some foundation paper-piecing in the past, but it was really good to have a refresher. You can find the tutorial and pattern for this block here.
Another block using partial seams taught by Faith. Wow – pretty slick. This will probably become a throw pillow of sorts. The colors are my happy colors – rainbow brights. Most of them came from my stash drawers, but I pulled a few from some new FQ's.
I love a good royal blue, but usually have a really hard time finding them. I found a couple of good ones in Dear Stella's Maasai Mara collection. The same prints are also available in some good, warm grays and neutrals. I used one of them in the block at the top. (Both colorways are available from Fat Quarter Shop.)
Finally a couple of quilts that are almost finished. They went off to the quilters this week. I love the color combo on these ones – I can say that without bragging because I didn't pick the colors myself. They're for a friend's baby nursery. So stay tuned. Lots of sewing in the works here. But I need to set some of it aside to make black Harry Potter robes for Halloween. (sigh) I much prefer working with the pretty colors.


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This week in new hires, Christine Gaze joined TD Ameritrade Institutional, Robert Bernstein went to Windham Capital and Raymond James confirmed the appointment of John Carson as president of its financial board of directors. Also, Kathleen Stewart joined fi360.
TD Ameritrade Institutional Names Christine Gaze Director of Practice Management
TD Ameritrade Institutional, a division of TD Ameritrade, announced Monday that Christine Gaze (right) has been named its new director of practice management. In this role, she will be responsible for developing and executing the strategic direction of all advisor practice management and business consulting services.
Gaze has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry working in the areas of human capital development, sales strategy and wealth management. Prior to joining, she helped build the practice management consulting group for Wachovia Securities. She has also held a variety of sales and leadership roles at firms including Merrill Lynch, Prudential and AllianceBernstein. Most recently, she served as executive director at Morgan Stanley Private Bank.
Robert Bernstein Joins Windham Capital as Managing Director for Institutional Sales
Independent investment firm Windham Capital announced on April 18 the appointment of Robert Bernstein as managing director for institutional sales. He brings more than 20 years of experience to the firm.
Prior to joining Windham Capital, Bernstein served as head of business development and managing director of BNP Paribas Investment Partners in Boston. Earlier, he was head of institutional sales and managing director at AG Asset Management in Boston and a senior vice president for GE Asset Management in San Francisco.
Raymond James Names John Carson President, Confirms Executive Committee
The Raymond James Financial board of directors recently made the official announcement that it has named Morgan Keegan CEO John Carson president. The news was previously announced in January. Carson will also oversee fixed income and public finance.
The full roster of the firm's executive committee now includes Paul Reilly, CEO, Raymond James Financial; Dennis Zank, chief operating officer, Raymond James Financial and CEO, Raymond James & Associates; Jeffrey P. Julien, chief financial officer, executive vice president of finance, and treasurer, Raymond James Financial; Chet Helck, EVP, Raymond James Financial and CEO, global private client group; John Carson, president, Raymond James Financial and CEO and executive managing director, Morgan Keegan & Co.; Paul Allison, chairman, president and CEO, Raymond James Ltd.; Jeffrey E. Trocin, EVP, equity capital markets, Raymond James & Associates; Bella Loykhter Allaire, EVP, technology & operations, Raymond James & Associates; Steve Raney, president and CEO, Raymond James Bank; and Jeff Dowdle, president, asset management services and SVP, Raymond James & Associates.
fi360 Appoints Kathleen Stewart as Subject Matter Expert
fi360 announced on April 19 that Kathleen Stewart has joined as a subject matter expert. In that role, she will contribute to professional training programs on legal, regulatory and financial subjects and serve as a resource for clients and the fiduciary community. In addition, she will also track legislative and regulatory developments impacting investment fiduciaries, prepare news alerts regarding these developments, and draft comments for submission to legislative and regulatory bodies.
Prior to joining, Stewart worked as a trust and fiduciary specialist at Wells Fargo Private Bank. Earlier, she was a senior wealth counselor at Waldron Wealth Management. She began her fiduciary career as an in-house attorney for the Ayco Company, a Goldman Sachs financial advisory company.


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Vocabulary Matching 05 – Opposites
"Vocabulary Matching" series is an engaging memory matching game which adds fun to learning English. It is suitable for revision purposes. You can play this game on your own, in pairs or in small groups. Let's see who can get the most pairs at the end of the game.
How to play:
You have 10 seconds to remember the positions of the matching pairs before the game starts. Simply turn two cards over and find the correct pair. Match up all the cards as fast as you can to view the hidden picture.
Presented by: Po Leung Kuk Tin Ka Ping Millennium Primary School
Powered by: Innovative Net Learning Limited
** The project is funded by the Education Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – "Pilot Scheme on e-Learning in Schools".


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Agencies shopping for on-demand compute services will soon be able to buy unused capacity, at a discount, via a cloud marketplace.
NJVC will offer the service on its new Cloudcuity Government Marketplace via the Cloudcuity Management Portal. NJVC will use Virtustream's xChange technology, which allows government agencies, health-care providers, educational institutions and financial services companies to create a virtual cloud marketplace of approved vendors and consumers of cloud services.
NJVC will host the xChange technology on the recently unveiled Cloudcuity platform, a multi-cloud broker service for the federal government that lets agencies try, design and price an array of services from cloud providers before spending money and committing to large-scale migration. NJVC, a provider of technology services to the government, is now expanding Cloudcuity's capabilities through an alliance with Virtustream.
"Virtustream xChange will give NJVC Cloudcuity users the automated ability to compare the cost of service offerings across the Cloudcuity Management Portal," said Kevin Jackson, vice president and general manager of NJVC Cloudcuity. Federal agencies will be able to take advantage of temporary price reductions through spot pricing and arbitrage, Jackson said. In addition, NJVC will have the ability to dynamically adjust rates and apply a variety of pricing methodologies, such as fixed, variable, tiered and subscription, delivering on an important tenant of agile acquisition.
Each industry has unique requirements and standards for the cloud. For example, healthcare institutions have to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, civilian federal agencies have to adhere to the Federal Information Security Management Act, and Defense Department agencies have to comply with The DOD Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process.
As a result, it had been difficult to interconnect clouds within organizations to share capacity, applications or information. The xChangetechnology now provides this secure and compliant capability, Virtustream officials said.
The government-focused xChange will also provide supplier scoring, billing, price comparisons and workload migration, while offering a dashboard on performance and service-level agreement requirements. By employing a marketplace concept, xChange lets users respond to dynamic pricing based on availability and demand, officials said.
About the Author
Rutrell Yasin is is a freelance technology writer for GCN.
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Working with the local Code for America brigade, Baltimore's Health Department built a new contact management system that saves hundreds of hours when checking in on senior care centers during emergencies.
To better monitor veterans' mental health, especially during the pandemic, the Department of Veterans Affairs is relying on data and artificial intelligence-based analytics.
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Learn what it's really like to work here.
Starting work within a leading global organization like Cummins can be overwhelming. What will your first days on the job be like? Who will you meet? Where will you go? How will you figure out how to make your mark on the organization?
At Cummins, we answer those questions with our Orientation Program that we call "OnBoarding" to signify a new person coming on board with us. This program has been designed with you in mind and will give you a great head start in understanding the company's history, vision, mission, values, along with integral Corporate Policies.
During your OnBoarding week, you will:
- Meet other new employees from your region
- Begin to create your own personal network within the company
- Receive your computing equipment, as well as training on our critical tools and methods
- Learn about your Total Rewards benefit package and have an opportunity to ask questions of benefits administrators
- Meet senior leaders and hear their thoughts about the state of our business
Your OnBoarding facilitator and support team will guide you through the week and be available to answer any additional questions you might have.
When you return to your location of work, Site OnBoarding continues with a more local focus. Your manager will use our custom OnBoarding process to guide you through your first 90 days with the company. This ensures that you and your manager have ongoing conversations and develop a plan for obtaining the training, guidance and business experiences you need to launch a successful career at Cummins Inc.
Our OnBoarding program will demonstrate that, along with helping you achieve amazing things in your career, Cummins is also an amazing place to work.


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How to be a Reykjaviker: 8 ways to be cool in Iceland
A cool geography teacher in multicolored thermal underwear, with a beer in one hand and a ram's testicle in the other.
That's the average inhabitant of the Icelandic capital personified.
Well, sort of.
Never fear if you fall short of that image -- these tips for Reykjavik living will help you fit in with the city's small but friendly population.
1. Cultivate a hip, outdoorsy look
Because that's how almost everyone dresses in Reykjavik, from grandmas to teenage rockers.
In a country where summer temperatures rarely exceed 15C (59F), it makes sense to stock up on thermal underwear, wool gloves and waterproof jackets.
But these are only the blank canvas for the cool Reykjaviker's fashion statement.
To avoid resembling a boy scout on a polar expedition, your outerwear should be as bright as possible and worn over a T-shirt bearing the logo of the latest hot emo or death metal band.
Grandmas are excluded from the latter requirement, but cool specs are virtually obligatory for everyone, as is a beard (if you can grow one).
For the more casual, lounging-around-a-log-fire look, snag a lopapeysa, a traditional Icelandic sweater.
"They're as Icelandic as it gets," says Reykjavik blogger Auður Ösp.
"Everybody needs a lopapeysa. Or many of them -- one to fit each mood!"
The Handknitting Association of Iceland can point you toward purveyors of quality lopapeysas.
More on CNN: CNNGo in Reykjavik: Thermal pools and comfy sweaters
2. Bone up on geography
That way you'll appreciate the extraordinary, "Lord of the Rings"-like landscapes a short drive away from the Icelandic capital.
"Within 20 minutes, you're seeing volcanoes, lava fields, waterfalls," says Hawk Parelius, a tour guide for Nature Explorer.
J.R.R. Tolkien is said to have been inspired by a visit to Iceland when imagining Middle Earth.
It's a landscape that makes terms like "tectonic plates" come alive.
"We're actually growing by two centimeters a year, as the Eurasian and North American plates separate," Parelius says.
"We're taking over the world slowly but surely."
More on CNN: Inside the cold heart of an Icelandic volcano
3. Sandblast your sense of humor
Icelanders' jokes are so dry they can be hard to digest.
"Neil Armstrong practiced for the moon landing on the Langjökull glacier. Michael Jackson's been here, too."
"Have some rotten shark -- it's a delicacy."
All delivered with a face as straight as a frozen larval plain.
It's often hard to tell what's meant to be funny and what's not, but considering Icelanders respond to jokes about as expressionlessly as they tell them, it doesn't really matter.
4. Don't turn your nose up at a ram's testicle
Is there any member of the animal kingdom -- or any part of the animal -- that isn't on the menu in Iceland?
The country's traditional dishes reflect the constant threat of starvation faced by early Icelanders in a land where neither fauna nor flora are abundant.
Rams' testicles, sheep's head, puffin, whale and fermented (read "rotten") shark are all consumed, if not with relish, then at least consumed.
"Most tourists are interested in the fermented shark," says Siggi Gardarsson, of Kolaportið market in central Reykjavik.
He photographs his customers' expressions on trying the "delicacy" and posts them on his Facebook page.
"It tastes a bit like cheese, very old cheese," says Gardarsson.
More on CNN: Elf School spills secrets of Iceland's 'Hidden People'
5. Be comfortable with those old, familiar faces
Two-thirds of Icelanders live in Reykjavik -- but that's still only 200,000 people.
You're going to be passing the same people in the street again and again.
"Reykjavik is like a village trying to be a city," says Unnsteinn Stefansson, lead singer with the band Retro Stefson.
"I like that everyone knows each other -- but it's also my least favorite thing."
6. Brush up on your geothermal tub talk
In a country bubbling over with volcanic activity, it's not surprising to find a smattering of thermal pools even in urban Reykjavik.
The city's inhabitants often take a dip first thing or linger later in the day for a spot of pottaspjall -- "tub talk."
"People sit and chat about the weather or politics," says Olympic swimmer Ragga Ragnarsdóttir.
"It's normal for strangers to join in."
More on CNN: 11 of Reykjavik's coolest bars
7. Learn to say, "That's so 2007."
Insert this phrase where appropriate to indicate that something is extravagant or excessive.
It entered the Icelandic lexicon after the financial crash of 2008, when all three of the country's large, privately owned banks collapsed.
It refers to the period before the current mood of prudence and austerity took hold.
Do say, "Ólafur's new silver-plated beard trimmers are so 2007."
Don't say, "These thermals are great! I'll take a pair in every color!"
8. Relish your beer
More than most, Icelanders appreciate a nice pint -- beer was illegal in the country until 1989.
Prohibition began in 1915, but was progressively lifted for other alcoholic drinks except for "strong beer" (above 2.25%), which temperance campaigners viewed as cheap devil's brew.
Some Icelanders celebrate the lifting of the ban, on March 1, as Beer Day.
In Reykjavik and elsewhere, pubs stay open on the day until 4 a.m. for rúnturs (bar crawls).
Gull and Viking are the most common Icelandic lagers.
Gull means "gold" in Icelandic, "although I can understand that it's confusing for tourists," says Hawk Parelius.
"They're probably thinking, what's a bird got to do with beer?"


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For more information about submitting events, send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
May 8, 2022 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
An event every month that begins at 9:00 am on day 8 of the month, repeating indefinitely
Meetings discussing the regular business of the county are typically held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month and begin at 9:00 am in the Maloof Auditorium at 1300 Commerce Drive unless otherwise noted. All regular Board meetings are open to the public. All regular Board meetings are televised live on Channel 23. Commissioners also hold committee meetings, which are open to the public as well. There are currently five standing committees within the commission.


text: Bianca April 4, 2017 by AllFreeSewing Leave a Comment Author Recent Posts AllFreeSewingEditor at AllFreeSewing at AllFreeSewing.comAllFreeSewing is the ultimate resource for quick and easy sewing patterns, tutorials, and charts. You'll find dress and bag patterns, alteration guides, even instructions to help you with that pesky sewing machine. The best part? It's all absolutely free. Come and join our community! Latest posts by AllFreeSewing (see all) Trend Report: Top 10 Fall Skirts to Wear with Tights - October 20, 2020 15 Adorable Free Apron Patterns - October 17, 2020 DIY Wreath Ideas for Fall - October 15, 2020 Share and Enjoy !0Shares0 0


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Brown, Not White: School Integration and the Chicano Movement in Houston
Texas A&M University Press, Oct 26, 2005 - History - 298 pages
Strikes, boycotts, rallies, negotiations, and litigation marked the efforts of Mexican-origin community members to achieve educational opportunity and oppose discrimination in Houston schools in the early 1970s. These responses were sparked by the effort of the Houston Independent School District to circumvent a court order for desegregation by classifying Mexican American children as "white" and integrating them with African American children—leaving Anglos in segregated schools. Gaining legal recognition for Mexican Americans as a minority group became the only means for fighting this kind of discrimination.
The struggle for legal recognition not only reflected an upsurge in organizing within the community but also generated a shift in consciousness and identity. In Brown, Not White Guadalupe San Miguel, Jr., astutely traces the evolution of the community's political activism in education during the Chicano Movement era of the early 1970s.
San Miguel also identifies the important implications of this struggle for Mexican Americans and for public education. First, he demonstrates, the political mobilization in Houston underscored the emergence of a new type of grassroots ethnic leadership committed to community empowerment and to inclusiveness of diverse ideological interests within the minority community. Second, it signaled a shift in the activist community's identity from the assimilationist "Mexican American Generation" to the rising Chicano Movement with its "nationalist" ideology. Finally, it introduced Mexican American interests into educational policy making in general and into the national desegregation struggles in particular.
This important study will engage those interested in public school policy, as well as scholars of Mexican American history and the history of desegregation in America.
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Selected pages
Diversification and Differentiation in the History
Providing for the Schooling of Mexican Children
Community Activism and Identity in Houston
rumblings and early school activism 196870
Rain of Fury
All Hell Broke Loose
Simple Justice
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Ram�rez action activists activities African American Anglo argued barrio Barrios Unidos Ben Reyes boycott Cano Chicano movement civil rights committee community's Council 60 cultural Davis decision Denver Harbor desegregation discrimination El Segundo barrio elementary schools enrollment established ethnic federal Garc�a Garver Gregory Salazar Collection High School HISD HMRC Houston Chronicle Houston Post huelga schools Ibid identity immigrants increased Independent School District instance integration plan interview by author Kreneck Latin Le�n Leonel Castillo L�pez LULAC MAEC members MAEC's Magnolia Park MALDEF MAYO Mexi Mexican Ameri Mexican American community Mexican American parents Mexican American students Mexican children Mexican-origin children Mexican-origin community Mexican-origin individuals middle-class militant Northside organization pairing plan Papel Chicano percent picket political protest public schools racial rally Raza school board members school officials segregation senior high Sept social Spanish Sunbelt superintendent teachers Texas tion University of Houston youths


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Goodyear v. Brown
|Docket No.
|Op. Below
|Court of Appeals of North Carolina
Jan 11, 2011
|Jun 27, 2011
Holding: Goodyear's foreign subsidiaries were not amenable to suit in North Carolina on claims that were unrelated to any activity by them in that state.
Judgment: Reversed, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on June 27, 2011.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Academic highlight: Symposium on Goodyear and Nicastro (Amanda Frost)
- Opinion analysis: No jurisdiction over foreign companies (James Bickford)
- The last week of the Term: In Plain English (Lisa McElroy)
- Argument recap: Deciding when foreign companies can be haled into U.S. state court (Andy Zahn)
- Argument previews: When do state courts have general and specific jurisdiction? (Andy Zahn)
- A review of "state secrets" (Lyle Denniston)
Briefs and Documents
Merits briefs
- Brief for Petitioner Goodyear Luxembourg Tires, S.A., Goodyear Lastikleri, T.A.S., and Goodyear Dunlop Tires France, S.A.
- Brief for Respondent Edgar Brown and Pamila Brown, Co-Administrators of the Estate of Julian David Brown, and Karen M. Helms, Administratrix of the Estate of Matthew M. Helms.
- Reply Brief for Petitioner Goodyear Luxembourg Tires, S.A., Goodyear Lastikleri, T.A.S., and Goodyear Dunlop Tires France, S.A.
Amicus briefs
- Brief for the United States in Support of Petitioners
- Brief for the Product Liability Advisory Council in Support Petitioner
- Brief for the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the Washington Legal Foundation and the Allied Education Foundation in Support of Petitioners
- Brief for the Organization for International Investment and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers in Support of Petitioners


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Hi everyone!
At work recently I've started to notice signs of a haunting. There are often unexplained noises such as thumps and footsteps. Doors open and close at random, the smell of smoke appears at random, and many of my coworkers- including myself- feel like we're being watched. These things seem to intensify when we work after hours. There have also been two cases of a powdery, smoke like substance appearing, both times in the basement.
From talking about the subject with my coworkers, we've determined that the place we feel the presence the most is in our conference room, although I have sensed something by the washrooms in the basement.
A few coworkers and I have discussed this and I have gathered a few people who are interested in looking into it further, however it's a bit tricky since it's a public building. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to communicate with, or gather more information on, the ghost discreetly? To add to that- is there any way to investigate the ghost while ensuring that others who work in the building will be safe?
Thank you so much!


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Jessica Simpson's lunch bunch
Posted by Alisa on Sunday, April 7, 2013 / Comments: (0)
An eight months pregnant Jessica Simpson was seen with her daughter Maxwell, 11 months, and fiance Eric Johnson heading out to lunch at King's Fish House in Calabasas, California yesterday (April 6).
Angelina Jolie takes her boys to FAO Schwarz!
Posted by Alisa / Labels: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt / Comments: (0)
Oscar Winning Actress Angelina Jolie was seen taking her son Knox, 4, and Pax, 9, to FAO Schwarz in New York City on Friday (April 5).
Lily-Rose Depp: breakfast with friends
Posted by Alisa / Labels: Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis / Comments: (0)
Lily-Rose, the 13-year old daughter of Actor Johnny Depp and Actress Singer Vanessa Paradis, was seen enjoying breakfast with friends on Thursday April 4.
Halle Berry and Oliver Martinez are expecting their first child together!
Posted by Alisa / Comments: (0)
It's true! Actress Halle Berry, 46, and her fiance actor Olivier Martinez, 47, are having a baby. "I can confirm that Halle and Olivier are expecting a child," her rep confirms to PEOPLE.
Halle is already mom to daughter Nahla, 5, with ex-boyfriend model Gabriel Aubry.


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Researching a related question, I came across passages like:
You shall also make for them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; they shall extend from the hips to the thighs.—Exodus 28:42 (NJPS)
The priest shall dress in linen raiment, with linen breeches next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar.—Leviticus 6:3 (NJPS) [N.B.: Leviticus 6:10 in many English translations]
The bolded word is miknac <04370> and means (according to Strongs):
1) underwear, drawers, trousers
1a) a priestly undergarment of linen
What exactly were these garments? Were they most similar to breeches (following the NJPS translation) or closer to modern male undergarments (following the ESV)?


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Working for Green made this video of Courier Coffee. A few days ago they posted it on their site here, where they have some other video interviews, including one with Jonathan Maus of BikePortland.org
There is a shot of us delivering coffee to DoveVivi Pizza, and Navarre.
Courier Coffee T-shirts have now been printed, and are on sale. american apparel 2001 style (100% cotton) sizes xs, s, m, l. Our friends Michael Parich and BT Livermore printed these up in BT's bedroom. $20 dollars per shirt.


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Tribe handles White Sox, holds steady in playoff race
Indians beat rivals 14th straight time, maintain grip on 2nd Wild Card
CLEVELAND -- Equipment bags rested on the ground in front of each locker around the Indians' clubhouse on Wednesday night. Cleveland's players hurried to pack for their final trip of the regular season, knowing that the next four days can either bring on a long winter or the postseason.
Indians manager Terry Francona did not deem a speech necessary.
"No, I want to stay out of the way, man," Francona said. "I don't want to mess it up. They're doing just fine."
On Wednesday, Cleveland closed the home portion of its planned regular-season schedule with a 7-2 victory over the White Sox. Rookie Danny Salazar turned in a solid outing, Michael Brantley and Nick Swisher powered the offense and the Indians rolled to their team-record 14th consecutive victory over Chicago.
The win allowed the Tribe to hold its ground as one of the two teams primed to punch a ticket to the playoffs via the American League Wild Card. With four games left to play against the Twins in Minnesota, the Indians are one game behind the Rays, one game ahead of the Rangers and in possession of the second AL Wild Card spot.
Cleveland (88-70) is right where it wants to be heading into its final series.
"You've got to be excited," Indians veteran slugger Jason Giambi said. "Any time that you have control of your own destiny, that's what it's all about. We've just got to go out there and play baseball. We don't have to scoreboard watch. We don't have to do anything but go play baseball."
Right now, the Indians' confidence is soaring after improving to 17-6 in September in the wake of a 6-0 homestand that gave the team 11 wins in its past 13 games. Cleveland's 14-game winning streak against Chicago marks the first time that the Indians have won that many consecutive games over one team since doing so against the Kansas City A's in 1960.
With a 17-2 record over the White Sox this season, the Indians are one of just five teams since 1969 to pile up 17 wins in one campaign against a single opponent.
"They just outplayed us," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "Any time even when we had leads late, they just seemed to fight and kind of have the ability this year to come back late. A few walk-offs and things like that. They are kind of hitting their stride here."
The Tribe's 51 wins at home this season are its most in one season in front of the local audience since also rattling off 51 in 2007. In that season, Cleveland came within one win of reaching the World Series, but was taken down by Francona and the Red Sox. Here, six seasons later, Francona is trying to lead the Indians to their first postseason berth since that year.
In his first year at the helm in Cleveland, Francona has helped orchestrate one of the greatest year-to-year turnarounds in the franchise's long, storied history. With a 20-win improvement over last season, the Indians are tied with the 1915-16 teams for the second-largest win jump in team annals. Excluding strike-shortened years, the Tribe's record is a 24-win upgrade from 1985 to '86.
"It's very exciting to go play games that are this meaningful," Francona said. "This is as good as it gets."
The White Sox (62-96) flirted with a lead in the second inning, when Avisail Garcia drilled the first pitch he received from Salazar, sending it deep into the left-field bleacher seats for a leadoff home run. Cleveland quickly faced a 1-0 deficit, but the club wasted little time in responding.
"They've been doing an awesome job," Salazar said. "Everybody is playing hard out there, making plays, and that's good. We want to go to the postseason."
With two outs and a runner on first base in the home half of the second, Drew Stubbs pulled an offering from Chicago's Dylan Axelrod sharply up the line. Third baseman Marcus Semien could not handle the grounder, leading to a fielding error that allowed Lonnie Chisenhall to score from second base and pulling the game into a 1-1 tie.
Brantley kept his recent roll going when he followed with a run-scoring single up the middle that pushed the Indians ahead, 2-1. Brantley, who has three hits in three consecutive games for Cleveland, came through again in the fifth with a one-out double off the base of the wall in right field. Swisher took full advantage, crushing a pitch from Axelrod out to center for his 21st home run of the season.
"Right now, we're clicking, and that's outstanding," Brantley said. "We're getting big hits when we need them."
Chicago later tacked on a second run against Salazar, who struck out eight in his 5 1/3 innings, but Cleveland kept piling on to cruise to the win.
Stubbs contributed a sacrifice fly against Axelrod in the sixth to extend the Indians' lead to 5-2. In the seventh, Asdrubal Cabrera used a two-run single off reliever Jake Petricka with two outs to spread Cleveland's cushion to five runs.
Armed with that breathing room, Francona turned to sinkerballer Justin Masterson for the ninth inning, marking the pitcher's first appearance since suffering a strained left oblique on Sept. 2. The crowd rose to its feet and roared as Masterson jogged in from the bullpen for the first time since July 9, 2011, and he showed his appreciation with two strikeouts and a groundout to seal the win.
"It kind of went from our ace getting hurt to all of a sudden having a weapon," Francona said. "And we will use him."
Masterson will stay in the bullpen for now, but if the Indians can extend their run into the playoffs, he might return to the rotation.
For now, Cleveland is focused on the next four days.
And the club wants to secure more home games before the year is done.
"We better," Giambi said. "We better."


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Faces cages. So there's a few out there. But what cage? What helmet? I've had a good few face injuries from polo. Mallet to temple, tooth (so pleased my mouth was open), cheeks, jaw, and the worst being a back swing which almost took my nose off. It did rip my top lip away from my gum which was nice.
I've found it difficult sorting myself out with face protection. I've spent hours trawling through the internet in the hope of finding something. But I'm awkward. Hockey helmets don't work for me. Hurling, baseball, cricket, kayak polo etc all no good. That's mainly because of the helmets. I can't stand them. They're hot and heavy. Kayak polo seemed the best solution though. But I wasn't too sure of the cage. I certainly preferred the way they were attached without needing a chin cup! I have a beard to think about…
I've continued to use my Ekoi cycling helmet and love the lightness and air flow. I used to use a Bern but found it too heavy and bulky. The Fixcraft (baseball) cage fits it well but the bars are thick and like I said, the helmet is heavy. So all I could think of was modifying a cycling helmet. I've seen it done before but I wanted some of my own specifics. I needed lightness, comfort, visibility, air flow, and good protection of mouth and upper face. I can handle my chin being loose. The most important thing for me is eyes, nose, mouth. I also wanted the cage to sit close to my face with just enough space to take a hit without feeling the vibration.
After way too much consideration, here's what I did:
Titanium cricket cage. This is a Masuri which I got cheap off eBay. I wanted this one for it's bar positioning and lightness. I know a few players with cricket grills attached to BMX lids. They look good but I wasn't planning to fit this the 'proper' way.
I sawed a few bits off. Including the 'attachment' areas. They weren't needed as I planned to attach the grill upside down! This would alter the way the cage fits over my face.
1 x Hockey cage mount fitted to center front. To stop cage falling down.
The inside was carefully dug out and a washer fitted for strength. Then the mount bolted on with original fittings.
Couple of holes carefully planned for cable ties to hold grill sturdy and in place. Some tape around the hockey mount to keep cage in position. It's not moving anywhere that's for sure. Looks good huh? Photo filter effects also added to "keep it Cosmic". The whole thing is pretty damn light and ways a lot less than my old Bern with no cage.
Job's a good 'un. Really pleased with it.
Because this helmet is on it's last legs, I'm gonna repeat the process on a nice old road helmet with super air flow in a few months time. I held the cage over my nice Giro helmet and it would fit something like that really well.