text:
Opinion: Who Pays for the Next EU Bank Bailout?
AEI scholar Adam Lerrick on why the European Union wants taxpayers to pay for the next bank failure.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... I ... welcome back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel ... earlier this week I sat down with American Enterprise Institute scholar Adam Blair ... to talk about the EU finance ministers meeting today and tomorrow ... and the latest are really bad ideas about how to bail out the failing European banks have a listen ... from one or the euro zone finance ministers meeting ... there remains the same reason there was that which is how to find out who's going to pay for the palms of southern Europe ... this particular meeting ... is to focus on with the goal of bank resolution authority which is what do they do when this all European bank to consume trouble a nice to be ... re capitalists okay ... it how cool is paid for the bank failures in the past ... well sorta keep track is or is that ... if it doesn't do any of the well and in the first cases when you start with Ireland ... that was partially paid by the shareholders ... and in some of the bondholders ... but then was pale paid for by the Europeans who developed several Ian Grace there's been a week Apple's addition the rate banks pay by more than European taxpayers begin losses were bowls of some shareholders but basically the funds come from northern Europe ... of ... every time there's been an intervention ... where the Europeans it's not just in a national bank you'll wound up with German taxpayer funds flowing to investors in we the road in Germany do this in this politically viable for Angela Merkel ... to continue last summer and well for four years without a continuous stream of the same flight ... this takes the forms take stupid names for the fight is this a sometimes the call the fire wall sometimes the color by resolution sometimes they call a girl bonds some of the court that redemption funds for the fight is a very simple one ... how do we get the Germans to open up your wallet and pay for the mistakes of something or the open up the wall it all and eight is there a bankruptcy proceeding in Europe ... by where unsecured shareholders take the head and and see us then he goes down the wild as I fall I mean c'mon well that's what they're arguing about that ... and that so they're trying to come to resolution ... which is that there should be a set of clear rules ... where when the bank is in trouble ... first the shareholders take a hit ... in the junior bottle The Infinite senior model is taking it and finally the large deposits think that ... that's what was done in Cyprus ... that was considered a model now the Europeans are cool when it's on a model ... we don't want Nestle into that ... and in the fight this going on is ... parallel to the bank resolution ... the writing rules about Dell ... which creditors which investors take losses ... and ... the real fight is ... on you do need a central authority to ... was all failed banks ... the fight this going on as do need a central pool of money to be kept lots of emails and you don't ... get is the real fact the matter is if you're willing to follow the Balan rules which is you wipe out all the private sector creditors before taxpayer comes in ... there isn't a single major bank in Europe ... that would ever need taxpayer money ... so when the governments argue that you can't have resolution authority without this common tool funds they really are too many don't want to bail in the Bailey will depress you and I think they're a lot of viewers out there whose eyes are crossing their saying ... you know why this matter for me Europe is an immense it's been a mess for decades can be mass for decades to come to ... mean why should we sit on the side of the pond care about this while Europe is the second-largest ... economy has improved in the world ... they are huge source of ... trade for the night citizen for the rest the world ... they need to get their act together I'll ... what I really hope thinking is going to happen one of the sun score of one summit where ... you're going to have the leaders of France Italy Spain Portugal Greece there to grab this is America Luciana surgery by the ankles ... holdups and Schenker has ... been the Urals fallout over pockets ... that news is that Apple's very honest ... fifty I don't think of them in the euro zone are pockets ok and if they don't pan out in a more bank failures to come ... close ... so they're going to be the big European banks are in terrible shape ... well if you really were to look at the of most the Spanish banks even after the recalculation ... will see time banks there are in deep trouble they need more capital on the promise are they going to have caught in the yen NZ Capital watch our German taxpayers BG care here in America to ... better their prices to its Colorado Blair thank you so much for being on the show my pleasure ... more to come on Opinion Journal stated ...


text:
San Diego native stars in new Nickelodeon series
Actor Jerry Trainor was nominated last year as favorite TV sidekick in the Kids Choice Awards USA. The San Diego native is a veteran of numerous sidekick roles, most recently as Carly's protective big brother, Spencer, on iCarly. Now, however, he is co-starring in his own show.
Trainor, 36, who grew up in Scripps Ranch, is portraying Vinnie in Nickelodeon's new comedy series, "Wendell & Vinnie," premiering at 8 p.m. Feb. 16.
As a video game-loving adult who runs a pop culture memorabilia store, Vinnie unexpectedly finds himself in the role of guardian for his nephew, Wendell. Although only 12, Wendell often seems the more mature of the duo.
Trainor cut his acting teeth on school plays at the University of San Diego High School (now Cathedral Catholic) where his mother, Madelyn, taught calculus until retiring last year. His dad, Bill, is a former Navy fighter pilot who later became a San Diego public defender.
Trainor went directly from college to Hollywood, appearing in a series of roles: Crazy Steve on "Drake & Josh," a tech nerd on "Crossing Jordan," the voice of Dudley Puppy on the animated "T.U.F.F. Puppy" series, to mention only a few.
He says he knew immediately when he read Jay Kogen's "Wendell & Vinnie" script that he wanted to play the role, written with him in mind and, unlike "iCarly," taped in front of a live audience. Despite his busy schedule, Trainor says he and sister, Liz, now also working in Los Angeles as a script supervisor, will continue their visits to San Diego, both to see family and to "get away from it all."
History repeats: There was a whiff of déjà-vu when Greg Cox, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, gave the 2013 "State of the County" address this week. Among the 900 or so attendees was former Congressman Jim Bates, a county supervisor from 1974 to 1982. County clerk records show that Bates delivered the first official State of the County speech in 1977.
Now retired from public service, Bates was there with his daughter, Jennifer Bates Navarra. Born when he was a supervisor, she is now vice president of development for the ARC of San Diego, aiding people with disabilities.
Like Cox today, 36 years ago Bates had stressed the county's social services, keeping taxes in check and the need to coordinate with officials in cities throughout the county.
To this end, Cox confided that he already has spoken at length with newly elected San Diego Mayor Bob Filner about improving coordination between the city and county. They agreed to work together on several issues this year. "But Bob," interjected Cox, "I'm not going to help you plan your wedding."
This was the first "State of the County" delivered aboard the USS Midway, a longtime dream of Cox. It turned into a homecoming of sorts for county Chief Operating Officer Don Steuer. He had landed a helicopter on the Midway when he served in Operation Desert Shield.
Supervisor Dianne Jacob, the emcee, noted that Cox had wanted to make a Tom Cruise "Top Gun"-style entrance, arriving aboard the aircraft carrier in a jet fighter. Fortunately, she said, his staff talked him out of it. "Unfortunately," joked Jacob, "after the speech, he plans to go down the street to Kansas City Barbeque and sing 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' to (fellow Supervisor) Bill Horn."
Brian's song: Baritone Brian Wahlstrom, a San Diego native, takes the stage of New York's Lincoln Center in "I Sing Beijing" tonight. This kicks off a new six-city tour of the innovative opera program that combines Western opera with Mandarin Chinese modern opera.
Wahlstrom, a graduate of Rancho Bernardo High School, UC San Diego and the Manhattan School of Music, has performed leading roles in "Don Giovanni," "Summer and Smoke," "La Vida Breve" and "Godspell." Now the son of San Diegan Teresa McCune has risen to the challenge of singing lyrics in Mandarin.
Get U-T Arts & Culture on Thursdays
A San Diego insider's look at what talented artists are bringing to the stage, screen, galleries and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I have very few pictures of myself, but this is my family (Dan (husband), Roso and Sherbet).
I am currently working at Osterlin Library @ Northwestern Michigan College. I spend my time there working at the refence desk, doing some teaching and working on special projects like this year's Film Series, NMC's 1st Global Literature Reading Group, LibQUAL coordinator and anything else that might come up! Northwestern Michigan College is a Community College in Traverse City, MI. I just celebrated my 1st year at NMC and feel blessed to be able to work there. I love my job!
I also, recently, began doing some consulting at Interlochen Center for the Arts. They are currently migrating to SirsiDynix from DRA and before coming to Northern Michigan I worked in a Corporate Library where I (I was a solo librarian part of the research group) migrated the library to SirsiDynix from an excel spreadsheet. I had contacts with IT at ICA and they gave me the opportunity to help out with the project, which I am enjoying.
I completed my MLS in May 2005 @ Wayne State University in Detroit.
Outside of work, I like keeping busy too. I love living in Northern Michigan, which has a lot to offer. Dan and I enjoy being outdoors whether hiking or hanging out on the beaches of Lake Michigan (just a couple miles from my house), gardening, camping and pretty much anything having to do with the Great Outdoors. Last summer we became SCUBA certified and enjoyed scuba diving in some area lakes. Winter has its downfalls, but its beauty too. We have ski areas close by and our dogs love getting outside and walking/playing in the snow. I am also involved in a local book club and a strings (guitar, mandelin, bass) orchestra.
I had a great time at ALA and am looking forward to working on the EL project the next few months!


text:
Cloud APIs
Programmatic interfaces for Google Cloud services.Try it Free Contact sales
Automate your workflows in your language
Access Google Cloud products from your code. Cloud APIs provide similar functionality to Cloud SDK and Cloud Console, and allow you to automate your workflows by using your favorite language. Use these Cloud APIs with REST calls or client libraries in popular programming languages.
|Compute APIs
|App Engine Admin API
|Provisions and manages App Engine applications.
|OS Login API
|Associates SSH public keys with Google accounts for accessing Compute Engine instances.
|OS Config API
|Manages OS patches and configurations on Compute Engine instances.
|Compute Engine API
|Creates and runs virtual machines on Google Cloud.
|Kubernetes Engine API
|Builds and manages clusters that run container-based applications, powered by open source Kubernetes technology.
|Compute Engine Instance Group Updater API
|Updates groups of Compute Engine instances.
|Cloud Functions API
|Manages lightweight user-provided functions executed in response to events.
|Cloud Run API
|Deploy and manage user-provided container images that scale automatically based on HTTP traffic.
|Storage and database APIs
|Cloud Bigtable Admin API
|Manages your Cloud Bigtable instances, clusters, and tables.
|Cloud Bigtable Data API
|Accesses the NoSQL big data solution for storing terabytes or petabytes of schemaless data.
|Datastore API
|Accesses the schemaless NoSQL document database to provide fully managed, robust, scalable storage for your application.
|Cloud Spanner API
|Creates, deletes, modifies, and lists Cloud Spanner instances and databases. Executes transactions on data stored in Cloud Spanner databases.
|Cloud SQL Administration API
|Creates and configures Cloud SQL instances, which provide fully managed MySQL databases.
|Cloud Storage API
|Stores and retrieves potentially large, immutable data objects.
|Storage Transfer API
|Transfers data from external data sources to a Google Cloud Storage bucket or between Google Cloud Storage buckets.
|Networking APIs
|Cloud DNS API
|Configures and serves authoritative DNS records.
|Data Analytics APIs
|BigQuery API
|Creates, manages, shares, and queries data.
|BigQuery Data Transfer API
|Simplified data imports to BigQuery
|Dataflow API
|Develops and executes data processing patterns like ETL, batch computation, and continuous computation.
|Dataproc API
|Manages Hadoop-based clusters and jobs on Google Cloud Platform.
|Cloud Composer API
|Fully managed workflow orchestration service.
|Cloud Life Sciences API
|Process, analyze, and annotate genomics and biomedical data at scale using containerized workflows.
|Pub/Sub API
|Provides reliable, many-to-many, asynchronous messaging between applications.
|Cloud Healthcare API
|Standards-based APIs powering actionable healthcare insights for security and compliance-focused environments.
|Machine learning APIs
|Train high-quality custom machine learning models with minimal effort and machine learning expertise.
|Vision API
|Integrates Google Vision features, including image labeling, face, logo, and landmark detection, optical character recognition (OCR), and detection of explicit content, into applications.
|Speech-to-Text API
|Uses fast and accurate speech recognition to convert audio, either from a microphone or from a file, to text in over 80 languages and variants
|Cloud Natural Language API
|Analyzes the structure and meaning of text, including sentiment analysis, entity recognition, and text annotations.
|Cloud Translation API
|Translates text from one language to another.
|Dialogflow API
|An end-to-end development suite for conversational interfaces (e.g., chatbots, voice-powered apps and devices).
|Talent Solutions
|Brings machine learning to the job search experience.
|Management Tools APIs
|Cloud Billing API
|Retrieves Google Cloud Console billing accounts and associates them with projects.
|Cloud Billing Budget
|View, create, and manage Cloud Billing budgets programmatically at scale.
|Cloud Billing Catalog API
|Programmatic access to the entire public Google Cloud catalog consisting of billable SKUs, public pricing, and relevant metadata.
|Cloud Build API
|Builds images and artifacts in the cloud.
|Deployment Manager API
|Declares, configures, and deploys complex solutions on Google Cloud Platform.
|Cloud Runtime Configuration API
|Provides capabilities for dynamic configuration and coordination for applications running on Google Cloud.
|Cloud Scheduler API
|Fully managed enterprise-grade cron job scheduler.
|Cloud Tasks API
|Allows you to manage the execution, dispatch, and delivery of a large number of distributed tasks.
|Operations APIs
|Cloud Logging API
|Writes log entries and manages your logs, log exports, and logs-based metrics.
|Cloud Monitoring API
|Manages your Cloud Monitoring data and configurations.
|Cloud Debugger API
|Examines the call stack and variables of a running application without stopping or slowing it down.
|Error Reporting API
|Groups and counts errors from cloud services, provides read access to error groups and their associated errors.
|Cloud Trace API
|Sends and retrieves trace data from Cloud Trace. Data is generated and available by default for all App Engine applications. Data from other applications can be written to Cloud Trace for display, reporting, and analysis.
|Security and Identity APIs
|Resource Manager API
|Provides methods for creating, reading, and updating project metadata.
|Identity and Access Management API
|Manages identity and access control for Google Cloud resources, including the creation of service accounts, which you can use to authenticate to Google and make API calls.
|Cloud Data Loss Prevention
|Fully managed service designed to help you discover, classify, and protect your most sensitive data.
|Cloud Key Management Service API
|Lets you manage cryptographic keys for your cloud services the same way you do on-premises.
|Binary Authorization API
|Manages policies, attestors, and attestations in Binary Authorization.
|Cloud Asset API
|Manages the history and inventory of cloud resources.
|Managed Infrastructure APIs
|Service Management API
|Provides methods for publishing managed services and managing service configurations.
|Service Control API
|Provides control plane functionality for managed services, including access control and integration with logging and monitoring services.
|Service Consumer Management API
|Provides utilities to help managed service producers manage their relationships with their services' consumers, including the ability to create and manage tenancy units.
|Service Usage API
|Provides methods to list, enable, and disable APIs in Google Cloud projects.


text:
Use VoiceOver to navigate notifications on Mac
Notifications appear in the upper-right corner of the screen. Depending on how options are set in Notifications preferences, you receive notification banners and alerts.
Banners are visible on the screen only briefly. When you receive one, VoiceOver says the name of the app (such as Mail) and a brief description (such as your name and the subject line of the email), but the VoiceOver cursor doesn't move to the notification.
Alerts remain on the screen until you take an action. When you receive one, VoiceOver says Notification Alert while the VoiceOver cursor automatically moves to the notification; the cursor remains there until you take an action or navigate elsewhere.
Note: VO represents the VoiceOver modifier.
Navigate in a notification
Press VO-Right Arrow or VO-Left Arrow.
When you hear the action you want to take (such as Close, Reply, Snooze or Later), press VO-Space bar to select it.
You can also open the item, such as an email message, by pressing VO-Shift-Space bar anywhere in the notification.
Navigate to a notification alert
If you navigated away from an alert before taking an action, return to it by pressing VO-F1-F1 to open the Application Chooser.
Press VO-Down Arrow until you hear Notification Centre, then press VO-Space bar to select it.
Press VO-Down Arrow until you hear the notification you want to read, then press VO-Space bar to select it.
You can view pending notifications in Notifications view of Notification Centre. To open Notification Centre, press VO-M-M to jump to menu extras in the menu bar, press VO-Right Arrow until you hear Notification Centre, then press VO-Space bar.


text:
Antitrust Case Filings
Antitrust Case Filings
To filter the list of cases, select desired options from the left navigation pane.
View the list of NAICS and SIC industry codes used by the Division. To view all industry codes, visit Census.gov.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1
|Case Open Date
|Incident Date
|Case Type
|Federal Court
|Industry Code
|U.S. v. Anthracite Export Association, et al.
|November 10, 1965
|Civil Non-Merger
|Pennsylvania, Middle District
|All Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing


text:
Be informed about new events matching your search criteria: register for personalised email alerts
INTERFILMLAB - Film & Multimedia B2B Virtual Meetings
B2B meetings designed for the creative industry with particular emphasis on film & other media. The leading topic of the debate will be... See more
Subcontracting Meetings 2020 - Brokerage Event on Industrial Subcontracting - NEW DATE
Attention - New date Encouraged by the success of the previous editions of the Subcontracting Industrial Subcontracting Exhibitions, Poznań... See more
International virtual brokerage event within Ceramic Network 2020
This international brokerage event is organised in the framework of the 7th edition of CERAMIC NETWORK - the meeting point for stakeholders ... See more
DRONETECH 2020 B2B Virtual Matchmaking Event
The event is addressed to all interested in the field of drone technology i.e. unmanned aircrafts and overland vehicles. It will target a w... See more
Virtual mission NL-FR on sustainable fashion and textiles France
The Dutch Embassy in France, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Enterprise Europe Network are organizing a digital conference and mat... See more
CONECT BUSINESS FORUM 2020 is a business forum which will take place in Tunisia from the 18th to the 20th of November 2020 Strong of its ex... See more
B2B meetings during Borderline Business Forum"Small and medium enterprises. Family businesses." 19th-20th November 2020
Enterprise Europe Network Members - Science and Technology Park Poland-East in Suwalki, Lithuanian Innovation Centre, Newable Limited invite... See more
Machining Industry Meetings (Virtual international B2B meetings)
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises, in collaboration with its partners and the Enterprise Europe Network, invites you to participate in the ... See more
Brokerage Event Pollutec"Green Days" Lyon 2020
Within Pollutec Fair, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes within the Consortium Enterprise Europe Network, will or... See more
GNPI 2020 - Global Nuclear Physics Innovation (Digital Edition), Warsaw 2020 – transfer of innovative technology and knowledge in nuclear physics sectors
The nuclear physics laboratories facilities have the chance to established links with international industry and SMEs. The goal of the broke... See more
International Forum of Agricultural Robotics
The Global Organization for Agricultural Robotics organizes the 5th edition of the International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, FIRA 2020 w... See more
ITAPA Online Matchmaking 2020
International ITAPA Congress 2020 is the largest IT congress taking place in Slovak republic. In 2020 it will be its 19th edition. Years of ... See more
360 Grand Est - Edition#3 - Business Act Grand Est - European Business Convention for Economic Recovery
360 Grand Est - Edition #3 - will be devoted to the Business Act and dedicated to the economic ambition of the French Grand Est Region. The ... See more
International BtoB meetings CYCL'EAU Toulouse
On 13th and 14th January 2021, the city of Toulouse will host the 4th edition of the trade show CYCL'EAU for 2 days of exchanges devote... See more


text:
Welcome to Friendly Crystals! Our site is a Wholesale Website. To view wholesale pricing please REGISTER as a wholesaler or LOGIN to your account now.***PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE OUR NEWEST PRODUCTS***
The captcha you entered is incorrect. Please try again.
Client Testimonials
"They are consistently helpful and informed and their prices are competitive." Karen Osborne - Crystal Healer, Shaman, Teacher and Crystal Retailer "The service that we've got was incredible and beyond our expectation." Rima Asrauoi - So Green Canada "We are always so pleased to show our crystal product and can say with pride that they have been handled with love right from the start to right when they arrive to our customers." Gifts For the Soul "The customer service is exceptionally high and all of my inquiries are answered very quickly and my orders are processed and shipped in excellent time. The quality of your products is very high and your prices are very reasonable. All of these things combined are what keep us coming back to you time and again." The Stone Massage Company


text:
Theatre's production of 'As You Like It' garners Falstaff Award noms
By Kristina Kenney
University News Service
March 14, 2012
Texas State University-San Marcos' theatre program has been recognized alongside international organizations and companies for its 2011 production of As You Like It.
Playshakespeare.com released its 2011 Falstaff Award nominations and winners for Shakespeare performances from all around the world, a list that includes names like Christopher Plummer, Kevin Spacey, Samuel Mendes and the Royal Shakespeare Company alongside Texas State.
Nominees included musical theater student Christopher Fordinal for composing an original score for the production and guest designer Marketa Fantova for scenic design. The theatre program's spring 2011 production was directed by Charles Ney, professor of acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Texas State was one of only three universities to be nominated for the prestigious awards, the others including Columbia University and the University of California, Irvine. Most nominations went to major professional companies such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Old Globe, the Old Vic and the Public Theatre. Another hit show out of New York, Sleep No More, took home many awards including in the two categories where Texas State was represented.
To see the full list of nominees and winners, please visit www.playshakespeare.com/falstaff-awards. For more information, please contact John Fleming at email@example.com.


text:
With the exception of my travels through the Balkans, I have yet to visit any metropolitan area where I didn't stumble upon a pho shop. With their steaming bowls of noodles, broth, and an endless variety of add-ins, these Thai noodle soup shops have a cult like following that make them both universal and hard not to like. In grad school my favorite lunch was a steaming bowl of pho from the student union. The options were endless so I could eat there every day without repeating the same bowl of soup twice.
I had never made pho before but decided to give it a try when my craving for the hot broth covered noodles got the best of me. In browsing through recipe options I came across one in The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper. (For those of you who aren't familiar with it, The Splendid Table is my favorite radio program on NPR. I can even stream their broadcasts online meaning I can get my Lynn Rossetto Kasper fix while living overseas). I was set to give the pho recipe a try then I turned the page and saw the Cambodian twist on the soup which sounded even more intriguing. Unable to decide which version to make, I combined the best elements of both recipes to form what I present here. You can also add or substitute ingredients as your palate or pantry dictates.
The verdict? This soup is delicious but a lot more work than popping into your local pho shop. But if you don't have one in close proximity to you, make this soup. You won't be disappointed.
For the broth:
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 two inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
6 whole cloves
1 star anise
Freshly ground black pepper
7 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
For the soup:
8 ounces linguine-style rice noodles
6 ounces thinly sliced top round steak
1 1/2 cups winter squash, diced
1 cup unsweetened pineapple chunks
1 medium tomato, diced
For the table salad:
10 sprigs fresh cilantro
8 sprigs Thai or other fresh basil
8 mint sprigs
Generous handful bean sprouts
2 Serrano chiles, thinly sliced
1 large lime, cut into wedges
Add-in sauces:
Asian hot sauce
Hoisin sauce
- Place a rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler and then pre-heat the oven.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and evenly distribute the onion, garlic, ginger, cloves, star anise, and five grinds of black pepper over the baking sheet.
- Broil for 5-6 minutes until the spices are fragrant and the onions begin to brown. Scrape the mixture into a large soup pot.
- Add the broth, sugar, fish sauce, and squash to the pot. Cover the pot tightly and bring the entire mixture to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- Meanwhile, place the noodles in a large pan and cover with very hot tap water. Allow to soak for 20 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, then divide evenly between two large soup bowls.
- Thinly slice the steak into bite sized pieces. (Hint: For easier slicing, place the steak in the freezer before you begin making the soup. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes then remove it from the freezer and slice). Evenly divide the meat between the two soup bowls. The hot broth will cook it to a medium-rare
- Arrange the table salad ingredients on a medium-sized platter and place on the table.
- When the squash is tender, add the pineapple and tomatoes to the broth and stir well to combine. Cook for 1 minute to allow the broth to return to a simmer.
- Ladle the broth over the noodles and meat and serve immediately topped with the table salad and sauces of your choice.
Serves 2


text:
Steinbrenners Rob Reggie To Allay A-Rod
These are not your father's Steinbrenners. For that matter, do they appear to be their father's Steinbrenners.
In four days it will have been two years since George Steinbrenner died, and in that time his sons Hank and Hal have run their inheritance like a private vehicle for the only thing they seemed to have inherited from him: knee-jerk petulance. Their Dad grew out of its most virulent form by the time he was 60. The sons don't seem to be moving that quickly.
Christian Red of The New York Daily News reports this afternoon that the Yankees have told their Hall of Famer and Special Advisor Reggie Jackson to "stay away" from the team, from Yankee Stadium, and from other club-related activities after his inarguable comment to Sports Illustrated that Alex Rodriguez's admission of past steroid use "does cloud some of his records."
It's about the mildest form of the truth: that when combined with Rodriguez's tone-deaf personal conduct at every stage of his career and his track record of getting smaller as the stage gets bigger, his admission of PED use – at minimum while with Texas – might be enough to give the voters the excuse they almost to a man dream of, of denying him a spot in Cooperstown.
Reggie Jackson, who said none of that and referred only to the aforementioned "cloud" and some "real questions about his numbers," has now been banished, till further notice:
…according to two sources familiar with the team.
"Reggie is under punishment," said one of the sources. "He's upset."
The comments were published at an inopportune time, when the Yankees were in Boston for a pivotal four-game series against the rival Red Sox. The punishment is not an outright ban, one of the sources said, but the Bombers felt that Jackson took a shot at A-Rod that was below the belt when he said that Rodriguez's admitted performance-enhancing drug use "does cloud" A-Rod's records.
"The team doesn't need any negative publicity or aggravation, especially playing in a big market like Boston, and at Fenway," one of the sources said. "A-Rod doesn't need the aggravation."
The name Steinbrenner appears nowhere in the piece. Nor does it show up in Marc Carig's summary in The Newark Star-Ledger which adds the term "in effect suspended" and just a dollop of context:
…club officials deemed the outspoken slugger as too "high maintenance."
Of course the absence of a Steinbrennerian reference simply serves as circumstantial evidence that it originates from one of them (the bet is Hal – Hank had the presence of mind to step slowly away when he sensed he was slightly overmatched trying to do his father's job). The next best reason for conclusion-jumping here is reached by asking yourself who else would've had the power to ban the Yanks' last, best, living connection to the days George Steinbrenner resurrected the moribund franchise in the late '70s. You think General Manager Brian Cashman did this? The gnomish Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost?
Of course it could've been Trost's idea. The latter source quote noted above ("The team doesn't need any negative publicity or aggravation…") is just dense enough to be something from him. What on earth did the Yankees just get themselves besides negative publicity and aggravation by banning Reggie Jackson just as the storm-in-a-teapot over his comments to SI had faded completely from consciousness? Who on earth would have let this wet blanket land on the eve of the All-Star Game?
But even if he did dream up this chicken spit and convince Hal Steinbrenner it was salad, Trost is not likely to have given the story to The Daily News. Just two months ago he demanded that Major League Baseball actually investigate the newspaper for another story, co-authored by the impeccable Bill Madden, that the Steinbrenners were exploring selling out.
The key to the saga is the necessity of protecting Rodriguez, even at the cost of alienating and publicly humiliating Jackson, who spent only five of his 21 major league seasons in New York but is now high on the list of retired stars identified solely with the Yankees. Mr. Red of The Daily News refers to Rodriguez as the "star third baseman" and while that's what the Yankees desperately need people to think this year, and next year, and the year after that, and all the way until 2017 when his noose of a contract finally runs out, it is hardly still the case. This is a player, healthy enough to have appeared in 82 of the Yankees' first 85 games, whose On Base Plus Slugging Percentage number falls below the likes of Ryan Doumit, Adam LaRoche, and Jed Lowrie – and just ahead of Chris Davis, thought to be in danger of being relegated to a platoon at first base for Baltimore.
Other than structurally I am not comparing the two cases – throwing me out and throwing Reggie Jackson out aren't in the same universe – but we are beginning to see the outlines of a pattern of the Yankees ham-handedly overreacting in defense of their rapidly rusting former star. On Opening Day last year I finally got a clear photo from my seats of a Yankee "Coaches' Assistant" named Brett Weber. Throughout 2010 he had given hand signals from his own seat right back of home plate to Yankee players in the on-deck circle. Nearly always, this was Rodriguez, who often looked inquiringly towards Weber for some kind of data. Gradually it had dawned on me that Weber was providing Rodriguez with details about the preceding pitch: speed, location, type.
But at the opener on a frigid March day in 2011 Weber had elevated his game. He was signaling everything except time, temperature, and traffic conditions on the Cross-Bronx Expressway.
The pictures were so inconsequential that I didn't even blog about them here. I tweeted one shot and explained that Rodriguez was just getting confirmation of what he'd seen. What I thought but didn't (bother to) write, was that he's so tense that he needed confirmation from a kid in the stands with a radar gun what pitch he had just seen thrown even though he was closer to the pitch than the kid was.
But a newspaper – The Daily News, natch – published the photo two days later and I arrived at Yankee Stadium that morning as the center of attention. Major League Baseball had already instructed the Yanks to not sit Weber or anybody else in the stands. The team had already issued an explanation: namely that the Radar Gun attached to the Yankee Stadium scoreboard wasn't working that day and so Weber was telling the players something they would have ordinarily known but for a mechanical failure.
In the middle of an ad hoc "news conference" in which I insisted that it might be bizarre for a team employee to be giving an active player a kind of hand-signal play-by-play but it didn't strike me as cheating, who walks over but General Manager Cashman. I've only known him fifteen years or more and he decided to make a joke about Weber signaling for beers, and then to explain that it had all been cleared up and Weber would be back in his seat for the next day's game, and that certainly the Yankees weren't upset with me for tweeting the photo.
The hell they weren't.
Since 2001 I had served as the assistant to, and "color man" for, Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Wolff as he did the play-by-play of Old Timers' Day over the Yankee Stadium public address system. I had occasional jokes and even less occasional insight to drop in, but mostly I was there to help out Bob, who is universally revered in my industry for his skill and moreover his generosity. Just before Old Timers' Day 2011 Bob phoned me to say he had just been told by the Yankees that while he was invited back to "announce" the game, I wasn't. "They said they were going in a different direction."
I wasn't happy about it – mostly because Bob wasn't happy about it – but good grief, the Yankees once fired Babe Ruth, it's their ballclub and they can do what they want. Even as I chafed at the idea that a ten-year run was over without so much as a phone call or email from them, it still never dawned on me that there was an ulterior motive.
Then The New York Post ran a story leaked to them by the Yankees that there certainly was one. The Yankees, the 'paper' reported, were avenging themselves against me for having tweeted the Weber/Rodriguez photo.
For the last several years, political commentator Keith Olbermann has served as an in-stadium play-by-play man for the Yankees' Old-Timers' Day. But the Yankees are making a change, The Post has learned. The Yankees were not happy with Olbermann posting a photo on Twitter earlier this season of a coach signaling pitches to their batters in the on-deck circle. So they decided to bounce the liberal loudmouth and will have Bob Wolff and Suzyn Waldman provide the commentary for today's game instead.
The factual errors in the item (I had never done the play-by-play; the implication that Bob Wolff was somehow replacing me was made by somebody who knew nothing of the mechanics of Old Timers' Day) suggested this was not Cashman cashiering me, nor the exec in charge of the event, Debbie Tymon. This was further up the chain. Even President Randy Levine insisted to me that the events were unconnected, and that I was a "candidate" to return to help Bob in 2012, and that I'd hear from the club directly next time.
Not exactly. Old Timers' Day 2012 came and went without even a post-it stuck on my seat in the ballpark reading 'drop dead.'
And in retrospect this petty little exercise seems like a minor note before the publicity fiasco crescendo of the move against Reggie Jackson. Note that in both cases nothing was announced, just leaked. In both cases there is executive-level action by people who don't really know what's going on, and who wind up exacerbating a forgotten story by resurrecting it and publicly blaming on somebody else.
And in both cases the motive is to somehow defend Alex Rodriguez.
Clearly Rodriguez needs it. After the tweeted photo story broke, an American League manager took me aside to thank me for stirring up the hornet's nest. "They've been doing that for years, even in the old park," he said. "I've complained and complained and complained – nothing. And it was always done for A-Rod." The skipper added some texture to this by suggesting that the real need for a guy in the stands in a Yankee jacket giving pitch details to Rodriguez and other Yankees was that the team was notorious for flashing the wrong pitch and the wrong speed on the scoreboard (they would hardly be the only team accused of that crime and/or gamesmanship).
The sad part about all of this is that in both cases these are amazing over-reactions. The "signal" story went away within 24 hours and Brett Weber returned to his seat (although Rodriguez never again got the benefit of his technically-illegal wig-wagging). Reggie Jackson's gentle honesty about the fact that Rodriguez is a freakin' admitted steroid user resonated here in New York with all the impact of a snowball thrown into a pond and ruffled far fewer feathers than his comments about the Cooperstown worthiness of the late fan favorites Gary Carter and Kirby Puckett.
Under Steinbrenners: The Next Generation, the Yankees' front office looks like a bunch of hand-wringing clerks wearing green eyeshades, rushing to defend Alex Rodriguez. You know what George would have done? Nothing. He might've updated his infamous derision of Dave Winfield and call Rodriguez "the new Mr. May," but he would've taken the heat – not applied it to others unnecessarily.
Instead the Yankees: get another publicity nightmare; underscore the fragility of their third baseman's ego and the insanity of his five-years-to-go contract; and pull the rug out from under one of their top ambassadors (and one of their guys who actually hit his 500+ home runs without any juice).
If Hal Steinbrenner – with or without Lonn Trost – is going to run this hallowed team like a Roller Derby franchise, that other Daily News story had better be true. The Steinbrenners need to sell the club. The Yankees need to be run by some grown-ups with skin of merely ordinary thickness.
54 Comments
No speaker of truth goes unpunished.
Not easy to be the Law of Gravity in a universe of yo-yos.
Gore Vidal had it right: "The dogs bark, but the parade moves on,"
and to think i'd never imagined i could become a reggie fan. how else you gonna teach these frauds like a-rod, mcgwire and bonds a lesson? otherwise, there is no penalty for unilaterally breaking the law!
When I heard Steinbrenner got banned, I stopped my car, got out and danced a jig on the sidewalk. But I will admit that when he returned he seemed a changed man, and he soon won me over. I was glad when the Yankees won the Series one more time before he died. He'd earned it.
But his kids. Good lord. Steinbrenner, like Ned Stark, swung the axe himself, and if I didn't like how he swung it or at whom, I could respect him for doing it himself. Hal and Hank, though, they're Cersei and Jaime Lannister, respectively. And I guess that makes A-Rod Joffrey.
Well said, KO.
I grew up in NY in the 70's, when George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, Nettles, Reggie, Thurman, et al = "The Bronx Zoo" (… which is probably why I became a Mets fan). Sad to think that the current Steinbrenners are even more ridiculous, hyperbolic, and pathetic than all that.
I have been siding with Reggie on this one (though his inclusion of Gary Carter in his comments was ill-timed) but I usually take A-Rod's side. He has handled himself well in a Yankee uniform, all things considered. He wasn't the only one who used steroids, and at least he was a great player with or without them. But steroids will keep him out of the Hall of Fame. For a long, long time anyway. I'd like to see the HOF be divided into Dead Ball, Pre-Integration, Golden Age, Steroids Era, New Golden Age– the Cy Young Wing, the Babe Ruth Wing, the Willie Mays Wing, the Barry Bonds Wing and the (Bryce Harper?) Wing. Still, George Steinbrenner probably would have said something mean to the media in reply to Reggie and that would have been the end of it. If Trumbo is in the Hall of Fame someday and says something bad about a current Angel, will they blacklist him too? Too obscure?
Re: the final paragraph:
"If Hal Steinbrenner – with or without Lonn Trost – is going to run this hallowed team like a Roller Derby [sic] franchise…"
As a stylistic footnote some might find interesting, the trademark "Roller Derby" was voluntarily surrendered and terminated in 2009 by its previous owners, the Roller Derby Skate Corporation. Depending on a media outlet's particular style guide, of course, it shouldn't be necessary to capitalize the "R" and "D."
See http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=92049666&pty=CAN
Meanwhile, the stereotype of the petulant "Kansas City Bomber-style" roller derby franchise owner is dated by at least twenty or thirty years. It's a fun analogy, but nearly all the 1200+ leagues in operation today around the globe are now run as not-for-profits or as amateur skater collectives.
At any rate, keep up the good reporting –
I had just read the Reggie article in SI today, and thought that it was very well written. I have never been a fan of the man, (those homers he hit were in the 79 Series were against the Dodgers!) but he was and is a outspoken and honest man. I think the Yankees are way overboard on this one, and what they did to you stinks on ice.
Reggie Jackson is under punishment? What is this Kindergarten?
It's as I suspected all along. The Steinbrenner boys are not management material. And even if they were this is the sorry state of affairs with all management in this country. They don't own up to their own level of incompetence. They would rather take their frustration with themselves out on Mr. Jackson, who by the way is a lot more knowledgeable on the subject. They are not speaking coherently, but placing false bravado over someone who deserves to be exposed for the way he acted in the past regardless of his record now. Past actions do linger.
Reggie was just making an outright statement of truth which may be a foreboding to the actual elections to the HOF. He may have had this on his mind if asked who the next candidate(s) would be for this time or in future. The Hall of Fame weekend is coming up on July 20-23 so this fact may have even been brought up in other conversations, and could have been lingering on his mind.
Rather than just down-playing the statement and ask to keep whatever A-Rod spewed about his PED usage private, they have to blast a noted hero of the game. The Steinbrenner boys could have told A-Rod to keep the noise level to a minimum, don't mention PED usage and just play ball. But they need to coddle him and stroke his ego lest he not improve on his stats without the aid of every lackey the club has to read the pitches for him; which you cleverly pointed out innocently enough. Of course you also paid a price for it. Not fairly, I might add.
All I could say is this ball club is starting to look like a poorly run company that may have to settle for second best. I used to admire them when young but as I get a little older (not too old), it seems this club is not on the right side of anything. More infractions are being exposed and covered up.
Someone once told me that baseball is more Republican and football is more Democratic. I'm beginning to believe him.
A blog written about knee-jerk petulance by an authority on the subject. I remember the good old days when Keith would post game updates on twitter from his seat at Yankee Stadium. As a lifelong Yankee fan, now living in Texas and unable to watch most games, I always looked forward to these posts. I used to get jealous because he would sometimes go to an entire three-game series. Then there was that "frigid March day in 2011".
Keith posted that "inconsequential" photo- even though Keith has lived in NYC long enough to know that "nothing", as it pertains to the Yankees, is ever inconsequential when it comes to the media. I don't believe Keith was trying to uncover some big cheating scandal involving a team that he clearly had close ties to. He was (maybe still is) a season ticket holder. There used to be photos of him with his niece and nephew at games- Keith usually decked-out in Yankees' garb. Of course, those photos are long gone from twitter. Only a couple Yankees' photos remain on Keith's twitter (there's the one with A-Rod in the bathroom). Now most of his baseball tweets and photos are about the Mets. Yes, he took his toys to someone else's sandbox. A fair-weather fan- maybe… a sadomasochist- probably… an act of knee-jerk petulance- certainly.
The "inconsequential" photo carried by The Daily News (thanks to Keith) was of course investigated by MLB and reported on, even if for only a minute, by all the major sports new outlets and in the sports section of every city that hates the Yankees (so, like, all of them). Of course Keith lives in a bubble in NYC, so he wouldn't know that every self-proclaimed Yankee fan in the country had to hear from every fan of every other team how the Yankees were "cheaters" and had been caught red-handed. My Red Sox and Rangers friends got mileage out of that for a month- as though they needed another reason to hate the team I love.
So while there was likely no malicious intent, Keith was rewarded for the minor sh*t-storm he created by not being invited to do commentary for the Old Timer's Day game. Yeah, I get it- it was your thing and you'd been doing it for 10 years- blah, blah, blah. That was just over a year ago and Keith has taken every opportunity to take little pot-shots at the Yankees since then. I actually kept an eye on twitter this year to see if Keith would make a snide remark about the Yankees' Old Timer's Day game. Surprisingly, it came and went with no mention (unless I missed it). Not surprisingly, it did eventually come up just days later. The "Mr. October" story broke and it's almost as though Keith had been waiting, maybe even biding his time for an opportunity to bring this subject up again and talk about how he'd been wronged by the Steinbrenner brothers. Despite all the drama, no one died and the world isn't coming to an end.
The irony in all of this is that the blog was written by a guy (who I happen to like) with a history of knee-jerk petulance, about a family (the Steinbrenners) who have a history of knee-jerk petulance, who banned a former player (Reggie Jackson) who has a well-documented history of knee-jerk petulance, all stemming from a minor non-cheating scandal involving a player (Alex Rodriguez) who is without question the definition of petulant. Of course, this is all happening in a glass house that doesn't have a single piece of glass left in it.
Mr. Olbermann: I just want to say that not only did you piss-off the Yankees' front office when you posted that photo, you pissed-off and bewildered Yankee fans as well. I don't think you meant to, but I was okay with the tiny slap on the wrist punishment they gave you. You used to post photos of yourself on the field with your arms around players. You had the "gift" of 10 years of calling Old Timer's Day games. Press badge or not, you did what all Yankees' fans only day dream about. So, you get no sympathy here sir. Just because whining exists in baseball, it doesn't mean fans like it. So stop whining. Unemployment is still high, a war in Afghanistan still exists, Wall Street is still getting away with murder, and we have to choose from the lesser of two total knuckleheads this November. Really, no one gives a crap if you can't walk around Yankee Stadium like you own the place anymore.
P.S.- As for "special advisor" Reggie Jackson… while his 1st Amendment rights are protected, any business is also within it's rights to discipline an employee (or anyone who acts as a representative) for making public remarks about the business without prior approval from the business. That may not be the world you live in, but it's the world the rest of us live in. Jackson never could keep his mouth shut- everyone knows that. If Billy Martin were still alive, he'd agree with me.
This isn't easy for me to say, but I'm going to say it anyway because I happen to agree with some of Sam's comments about your petulance, knee-jerk or otherwise.
No one can argue that you are clearly still very upset at the way the Yankees unceremoniously dumped you for posting a photo on Twitter of that "Sham-Wow" look-alike hand signal guy. At the time, I thought the Yankees were being petty and unfair since the "Sham-Wow" look-alike guy was sitting in the stands in broad daylight giving hand signals to A-Rod. Absolutely anybody could have taken a picture of him and posted it on the Internet. And then you said this year, Old Timers Day came and went and you never received so much as a 'drop dead' post-it. So, your upset and hurt feelings are understandable.
But what I don't understand is why you can't see that the way you feel about your mistreatment by the Yankees is not unlike the way some of your fans feel when you've blocked them on Twitter.
And I'm not talking about the sycophants and suck-butts. Those "fans" are a dime a dozen. Nor the trolls, who purposely insult you and deserve to be blocked.
I'm talking about your true fans. The ones who, despite all of the ups and downs of being a fan of Keith Olbermann (and you have to admit there have been numerous ups and downs the past couple of years that would test even the most diehard of fans), have stuck with you through thick and thin, and in some cases have been vocal advocates. The ones who, unlike the sycophants, don't agree with you ALL the time and tweet you constructive criticism that you perceive as an insult or a slight. I happen to know that some of these fans are good people, who would never say anything to intentionally hurt or cause you distress. You have to believe that.
On Twitter today, you said something about 'criticizing the Borg and the Borg will get you.'
Why can't you see the irony in that?
Hear hear, "Rodriguez's tone-deaf personal conduct at every stage of his career…" hits the nail on the head and I couldn't have put it better myself.
Back when everyone was clamoring for sanity in free-agent signings, Scott Boras (now there's a shady character who should be unceremoniously dumped from baseball) and his poster boy A-roid opted for cynicism. If you can get $150 million dollars, why sell your soul for an additional $100 million? Shouldn't $150 million be ENOUGH ALREADY? Let's not forget the stupidity of the Rangers in engineering that deal, but that's a digression.
When Ken Griffey Jr signed with the Reds, it was at a "salary discount" in exchange for quality of life in his hometown. Even Barry Bonds, whose signing with the Giants was a record breaker in the day, was with a team he literally grew up with and loved.
Prince Fielder signed with his father's old team, even Pujols cannot be reproached for bailing out of an organization that put him in a very awkward position at the beginning of the 2011 season.
Then there's A-roid, the performance enhancers and the "Stop The Presses" contractual/monetary public announcements even during the course of a World Series game. He'll never be more than an unprincipled and narcissistic two-bit mercenary in the eyes of millions, a synthesis of everything that's been wrong with the sport for the last decade.
So Reggie, Reggie, Reggie: steer clear of that Bronx Zoo On Steroids and keep something I've always respected about you – your pride (in a good way).
I'm not the same Sam as the one who wrote the long comments. I just wrote about how I usually defend A-Rod but this time I defend Reggie. Seems to me Keith is settling an old score here. What I wish is that Keith could talk about hot topics in the game of baseball– what does he think about the All-Star selection process? What are some trades that should be made (or not made)? How does he like the Mets' chances? Are the Pirates for real? But this is his blog, not mine!
History, I adore and respect Keith. I don't always agree with him, but I shouldn't have to in order to be one of his greatest fans. It would be a shame if we have to fear disagreeing with him because we might be blocked on Twitter. Then, everyone loses.
Good ol' Keith, grinding axes…no wonder he's been fired by EVERYBODY (it seems).
This is like a Keith Olbermann cult fest up in here…do you call him "Dear Leader"…stop drinking the Kool Aid y'all…KO is a world class nutjob.
History, thanks for taking the bait and being President of a very eccentric KO themed cult.
KO crazies/true believers. You people crack me up…nutjobs. I will say I do enjoy his baseball writing, though he has a Yankees bias.
This is hilarious…I guess this is KO's fan club…the bleacher creatures…
Krazy Olbermann…
Thank you for entertaining me and taking the bait every single time….wow…guarantee you no TV station will hire KO. He'll have to start his own channel.
OMG…you don't write you spew…Olbermann is finished no matter what you say.
History…do you dress up as Keith Olbermann too?
KO got fired from Current for a good reason…he pissed off his superiors as per usual w/his out of control ego.
Do you have these rants pre-written to copy/paste? I thought KO was crazy but his cult followers make KO look sane.
When someone writes an article he/she retains the image of a user in his/her mind that how a user
can understand it. Therefore that's why this paragraph is amazing. Thanks!
I was wondering if you ever considered changing the layout of your website?
Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you
could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better.
Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or 2 pictures.
Maybe you could space it out better?
If you are going for finest contents like myself, only go to
see this site all the time since it gives feature contents,
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is excellent,
let alone the content!
I have read so many articles or reviews about the blogger lovers but this article is actually a
good article, keep it up.
Good way of telling, and nice piece of writing to take data regarding
my presentation topic, which i am going to convey in college.
I am no longer positive the place you are getting your information, but great topic. I must spend a while studying more or understanding more. Thank you for wonderful information I used to be in search of this information for my mission.
You made some first rate factors there. I regarded on the web for the problem and located most people will go together with along with your website.


text:
Fire Pump controllers for diesel – and electric driven fire-pumps are given a signal from a pressure-switch to start up the fire-pumps. There is always one control-panel per fire-pump for safety reasons.Fire Pump Controllers can be divided into diesel – and electric fire-pump controllers, and since fire-pump controllers are always specific to only one fire-pump – they're never combined. They are designed to control and monitor the fire pumps, fulfilling the requirements described by the fire-pump controller standards. Most fire-pump controllers are certified and listed by the certification authorities, like FM- Factory Mutual, UL- Underwriters Laboratories or VdS – Vertrauen durch Sicherheit etc.
The controllers are located in the fire-pump room and typically in visual contact with the fire pumps to see them operate. The fire-pump controllers monitor the operation status and in the case of fire, the controller will receive a signal from the pressure switch and start the fire-pump. If a duplex system (2 fire-pumps) is activated the duty pump will be activated as no. 1 since the pressure switch has a higher set point compared to the standby pump.
Fire controllers are wired fail-safe, and in the event of any control cable becoming loose will start the fire pumps. The controllers will typically operate the pumps in an automatic on / manual off condition. Once the fire pump has started via the controller, a facility manager will have to go to the pump house and shut down the pump manually. This is to ensure that the reason for the activation is known, and also to prevent the pump from shutting down if a sprinkler head is still in operation.


text:
Own a small business? 6 new tax breaks
Doing your taxes stinks, right? No fun at all. But take note as you brace for your 2010 return: A handful of changes in the tax code could translate into a fatter refund check. The Small Business Jobs Act, passed last September, and the historic health care reform law, passed in March, enacted hefty credits and deductions for capital investments and employee health insurance costs.
Here is a rundown of six new credits and deductions likely to affect the smallest business owners.
Health care tax credit: Small businesses that pay at least half of their employee's health coverage can get a significant tax refund.
The maximum credit goes to businesses with 10 or fewer full-time employees with annual wages that average $25,000 or less. The break phases out for firms with 25 employees or that pay average wages above $50,000.
From 2010 through 2013, the tax credit covers up to 35% of the money that a qualifying business spends on its health insurance premiums. In 2014, the top tax credit bumps up to 50%.
Tax-exempt organizations can claim 25% in the first time period and 35% after that.
The credit is available for a maximum of six years: 2010 through 2013 and for any two years after that.
Health insurance deduction for self-employed: Are you your own boss and paying for your own health insurance?
Normally, you can deduct your insurance costs from your business profits, but you can't deduct those costs from your self-employment taxes.
But in 2010, the self-employed can deduct their health insurance costs from their business profits for both taxes.
Let's say Sally, an architect, makes $50,000 in net income and pays $6,000 for health insurance.
In other tax years, Sally would pay income tax on $44,000 and self-employment tax on $50,000. But in 2010, Sally will pay income tax and self-employment taxes on $44,000.
Super-charged 'Section 179′ provision: OK, this one is a little wonky. But it's worth knowing about.
The extension of "Section 179″ of the tax code allows businesses to write off the full amount of qualifying equipment or computer software made in 2010 or 2011, up to $500,000 per business, per year.
What qualifies? Think tractors, robots, and equipment. New and used items are eligible but, sorry, buildings aren't.
Instead of having to deduct your capital expenditures slowly, the temporary change to Section 179 allows businesses to get more cash upfront.
Section 179 is specifically targeted to help small business: A business that spends more than $2 million in one year on qualifying capital will not be able to get the full benefit of the Section 179 write-off.
You can only take advantage of the full Section 179 write-off if your small business booked a profit. A Section 179 write-off can not cause your business to "make or increase a loss" for the year, explained Brosi.
Bonus depreciation extension: For 2010, there is an accelerated depreciation schedule: The point is to get cash into the hands of small businesses quickly. Unlike Section 179, you can depreciate items even if your business is in the red for the year.
Bonus depreciation covers new equipment only and can be taken in addition to a Section 179 write-off if the item is eligible for both benefits. You can depreciate "tangible property," like buildings, machinery, vehicles, furniture, and equipment, as well as "intangible property," such as patents, copyrights, and computer software. (Sorry, if you bought a plot of land, that doesn't qualify.)
Businesses that bought a qualifying item after Sept. 8 can claim 100% of its cost (so long as it is used before Jan. 1, 2012). Businesses that bought such items before Sept. 8 can claim 50% (so long as it is put into service before Jan. 1, 2013).
Depreciation on a business car or truck: Did you buy a new car, van, or truck for your business last year? Ka-ching!
For 2010, business owners who buy and use a brand new passenger vehicle will depreciate much more than usual — $11,060 for a car, and $11,160 for a light-duty truck or van. That includes an extra $8,000 bonus depreciation, on top of the usual first-year depreciation. If you buy an SUV or heavy pickup, the rules are slightly different, said Brosi.
General Business Credit: If you are one of those unlucky business owners affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax, you might get a little break in 2010.
Boiled down, if you have to calculate your taxes under both the regular tax structure and under the AMT, you pay Uncle Sam whichever one is more. If your taxes calculated normally are $10,000 and $12,000 under the AMT, you owe $12,000.
Usually, general business credits do not apply to the AMT calculation. But for 2010, deductions included in the "General Business Credit" part of the tax code are also allowable under the AMT. Applying these credits to your AMT will reduce what you owe under the AMT, explained Brosi.
There are a couple of dozen credits in this category: Some that might impact small biz include a benefit for hiring someone unemployed, the costs for starting up an employer pension plan or the costs of employer-provided child care services.
CPA firms, Accountants in Miami | Accounting Services in Miami | Accountants Miami | Certified Public Accountant in Miami | CPA in Miami | CPA Miami | Miami Accountant | Miami Accounting Firms | Miami CPA Firm | Miami CPA


text:
Abstract and Keywords
Frantz Fanon was one of the most important voices in decolonial and black liberation struggles of the mid-20th century. Writing about race and colonialism in Martinique, France, and Algeria, he articulated the importance of blackness to Western frameworks of the human. The black studies scholarship influenced by Fanon has continued in a similar vein, arguing that much of modern, Western thought either does not discuss race at all or considers race as an add-on to the larger discussion of Western subjectivity. Alternatively, Fanon and his interlocutors argue that race is the central function of the larger fields of Western philosophy and science, even if race is not mentioned at all. To make this claim, they largely point toward two tendencies in Western thought. First, Fanon and his interlocutors often examine the centrality of time and space in modern Western philosophy. Indeed, much of Western philosophy and science has implicitly and explicitly examined time as a linear trajectory that is largely monopolized by the Western European and North American white male subject; alternatively, space has been theorized as the static and nondynamic measure of the Western subject's capacity to progress. Second, Fanon and his interlocutors also critically interrogate the related discussion of mutual recognition that is assumed in much of Western thought. As such, Western thinkers have often contended that, historically, the self recognizes itself in the other, and vice versa, and that self/other relationship is the basis for concepts of subjectivity. Yet, Fanon and his interlocutors have also pointed out that the lack of recognition of black people as human or as subjects has done little to foreclose whiteness as the position overrepresented as the human. Rather than recognition, white people have historically enacted racial violence against black bodies as a central mode through which to enter into humanity. As such, time and space and the lack of recognition as outlined by Fanon and his interlocutors suggest that nonwhite bodies have always provided a crisis for Western concepts of universality and subjecthood.
Keywords: Franz Fanon, whiteness, blackness, time, space, recognition, race, black studies, communication and critical studies, cultural studies
Access to the complete content on Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter without a subscription.
Please subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.
For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can''t find the answer there, please contact us.


text:
Poll: Obama/Biden Take Eight-Point Lead
Democratic nominee Barack Obama's lead over Republican John McCain has grown after the Democratic convention, which 71 percent of Americans say they watched. Obama and his running mate Joe Biden now lead McCain and Sarah Palin 48 percent to 40 percent, according to the latest CBS News poll.
This is the first CBS News poll to include the vice presidential candidates in the horserace question.
The eight-point lead for the Democratic ticket is up from Obama's three-point lead before the convention. But there are still a significant number of voters who have yet to firmly make up their minds.
Read The Complete Poll:
Post-Democratic Convention Poll
Before the Democratic convention, McCain enjoyed a 12-point advantage with independent voters, but now Obama leads among this group 43 percent to 37 percent. Obama's lead among women has also grown to 14 points (50 percent to 36 percent), and the Democrat maintained the lead he had before the convention among voters who supported Senator Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries.
The poll shows an increase in the number of Obama voters who are enthusiastic about him. Sixty-seven percent of Obama voters say they enthusiastically support him, which is up from 48 percent who said so before the convention. About a quarter of McCain's backers are enthusiastic about him--unchanged from before the Democratic convention.
Sixty-three percent of registered voters say Obama understands their needs and problems, while just 41 percent say that about McCain. And after the Democratic convention, 58 percent of voters say Obama is "tough enough," which is up from 48 percent in early August.
Though Obama has seen his lead grow, there are still areas where he has room to improve. The latest CBS News poll shows no change in the percentage of registered voters who say Obama has prepared himself well enough for the job-- a sentiment in which McCain has held a large advantage. But fewer voters now say Obama is not prepared for the job of President than before the convention.
Although 50 percent of voters now say that Obama has made it clear what he would do as president (up from 41 percent), 44 percent still say the Democratic nominee has not made it clear.
Many people still have a lot to learn about the two VP candidates.
Views of Joe Biden run favorable by 2-to-1, with about half still undecided.
Views of Sarah Palin run favorable by 2-to-1 but among fewer people, since two-thirds still don't know enough about her to give an opinion.
Voters' reaction to the selection of a woman as vice-presidential nominee is not much different than it was nearly 25 years ago, when Walter Mondale chose Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. A quarter of voters are excited about it, and 60 percent think it's all right. Just 11 percent think it's a bad idea.
But few voters say that having Palin on the Republican ticket will change their vote much. Just 13 percent say they are more likely to vote for McCain as a result of having Palin on the ticket, while about as many (11 percent) say they are less likely to do so. Seventy-two percent say it won't make a difference in their vote.
Interestingly, Palin's selection may have the greatest effect on men. Seventeen percent of men say they are more likely to vote for McCain as a result, while just 10 percent of women say the same. Eighteen percent of Republicans say they are are more likely to vote for McCain.
Meanwhile, Obama's selection of Senator Joe Biden as his running mate also affects few voters. But in those cases where it does matter, Biden's presence has a greater net positive impact than Palin's. Fifteen percent are more likely to vote for Obama as a result of the Biden pick, while just four percent are less likely to do so. One in five independents say the choice of Biden will make them more likely to vote for Obama.
Michelle Obama has boosted her favorable ratings considerably with the convention with 41 percent of voters now having a favorable opinion of the potential first lady (up from 28 percent in August). Hillary Clinton's favorable ratings are now the highest she has enjoyed in about a decade with 52 percent of registered voters having a favorable opinion of her.
This year, it is particularly challenging to measure any "bounce" Obama might have received as a result of his convention, due to the compressed timeframe of the conventions and the emergence of Hurricane Gustav as a major news story. That said, Obama appears to have received a three-point increase in support, which is similar to the increase George W. Bush received in 2004 after his convention. John Kerry received no bounce from his convention in 2004.
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 875 adults nationwide, including 781 registered voters, interviewed by telephone August 29-31, 2008. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points; for registered voters the sampling error could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.


text:
A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
1917 - ?
Historical Period:
The 20th Century and Beyond
Francis Canavan, S.J., was for many years Professor of Government at Fordham University and edited the 4 volume Select Works of Edmund Burke for Liberty Fund.


text:
Kristoffer Nilsson
IT Architect and Nordic SAS Platform Expert
Kristoffer Nilsson has a strong passion for technology, and for using that technology to enable and grow the use of analytics in a wide variety of industries. He practices this passion in projects related to IT architecture and the SAS platform.
Whether the audience is deep technically skilled people, analysts, business users or management, Kristoffer is used to talking about topics in a comprehensible manner. One of the topics that Kristoffer is currently concerned about is real-time engagement. As businesses crave personalized experiences, tailored to fit their preferences and habits, Kristoffer emphasizes the need for really good real-time analytics to provide insights, and suitable systems to take action as a result. The challenge, however, he believes, is defining the scope of a suitable analytics platform.
Kristoffer has been at SAS since 201 working as an Infrastructure Consultant, Delivery Manager and currently as a Technical Architect in the SAS Nordic Commercial Team. He is certified as Base Programmer and Platform Administrator for SAS 9.


text:
Hardware accessories vendor, Belkin, has agreed to buy Cisco's home networking business unit, which includes the Linksys brand.
Terms of the deal, expected to close in March, were not disclosed.
Belkin plans to maintain the Linksys brand and will offer support for Linksys products as part of this deal. All valid warranties will be honoured by Belkin for current and future Linksys products.
Belkin's ultimate goal is to be the global leader in the connected home and wireless networking space and this acquisition is an important step to realising that vision, Belkin CEO, Chet Pipkin, said in a statement.
After the deal closes, Belkin aims to solidify its number two market share position in the A/NZ retail, home and small business networking market, according to the company statement.
Belkin A/NZ head of marketing, Brendan Sparks, said it will be "business as usual" in the channel and the company will continue to push both brands, including the Linksys solution, via the channel.
Belkin already has a strong presence in the Australian market, and this acquisition will help the company further strengthen the position.
"There will be no change in the go-to market" strategy, he said, adding that in the long-term, the combined brands will help tap the legacy brand of Linksys with the innovation at Belkin, combining the "best elements" from both the businesses.
Linksys has a stronger retail presence in New Zealand and the US markets and that branding will benefit the long-term Belkin strategy to solidify its position in home networking.
Five of Linksys' A/NZ employees will continue to work with the Belkin team, he said.
Linksys pioneered wireless connectivity capability around the globe and has a strong brand, claimed Pipkin, adding Belkin's WeMo home automation platform will help it grow Linksys' market presence further.
"With complementary innovation and engineering strategies in the combined organisation, Belkin will be able to create new opportunities for consumers, distribution partners and resellers, and will have the strongest retail presence in the U.S. networking marketplace," Pipkin said.
"Belkin also will have access to a large installed base that will be able to upgrade their networking environment to take advantage of new technologies in the smartphone, tablet, notebook and home automation arenas."
Linksys will also enhance Belkin's capabilities to meet the needs of the service provider space and small business users, he said.
Belkin and Cisco intend to develop a strategic relationship on a variety of initiatives including retail distribution, strategic marketing and products for the service provider market, according to the statement.
Having access to Cisco's specialised software solutions across all of Belkin's product lines will bring a more seamless user experience, and further innovation to help develop the next generation of home networking technology, the statement added.
Belkin A/NZ managing director, Ian McLean, recently told ARN that it would be making an aggressive channel play in A/NZ in a bid to capture an untapped market segment.


text:
Citizens Bank of Edmond has people and businesses personally asking the CEO to take their money.
Over Twitter.
How did a 114-year-old, single location suburban community bank get to the point of generating business over social media and compete head to head with institutions many times its size?
President and CEO Jill Castilla says the bank is thriving because she and her staff connect deeply, positively and consistently with the people, businesses, and institutions in and around Edmond and nearby Oklahoma City.
This Army vet and mother of three has kept community banking in the family. She is the 4th generation of ownership and management of the bank, founded in 1901 (before Oklahoma was even a state).
Like many banks, Citizens Bank of Edmond saw difficulty after the Great Recession. Upon returning to Edmond after stints as CFO with a community bank in Minnesota and various posts with Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, she applied the force multiplier of social media.
Leveraging it and positive messaging, Castilla and her staff have made the bank a vibrant and award-winning institution. It competes with 50 different financial institutions, yet is consistently ranked in the top five banks in the region.
Castilla was recently recognized as Woman of the Year award by the Edmond Chamber of Commerce, American Banker Top 25 Women to Watch and was named by Independent Community Bankers of America as a top social media influencer.
What did Citizens Bank of Edmond intentionally set out to do – or do differently – using social media?
I recognized early on, from my first interactions on Facebook and then Twitter, that the next interaction I had after the initial connection could go much deeper. Social Media allows a relationship to grow more quickly than even after years of being in a community. It allowed me to gain a lot of credibility, to connect with service organizations and really become a leader in the community very quickly.
Coming out of the financial crisis, I first used Social Media to optimize our search results to help shift the stories about the bank from negative to positive. From there, that was the focus: deliver positive messages, advocate for the bank, the industry and the community. So, in the beginning it was mostly me on Twitter developing relationships.
I also loved the time efficiency of having meaningful conversations while multitasking at your desk, instead of shaking hands at traditional networking events.
Social is about producing business outcomes, but it begins with developing relationships and supplying valuable content. What did Citizens Bank of Edmond do to build dialogue?
We lift other people up and offer assistance. It's similar to overhearing someone talk about banking, your community, your industry and then interjecting your perspective/assistance. If there's a way that you can help them — being very genuine in how you interact with them — you are accepted and welcomed into that world.
With most of my local Twitter community, we've gone the next step to meeting in person. It's how I met one of my greatest mentors. I've been following him for a long time and then tweeted that my New Year's resolution was to meet him. He has a huge following on Twitter, lives in my community and shares wisdom that resonates with me. His response? Let's make it happen! Now, we meet for coffee frequently, and he's become a great advocate for our bank and such a great resource for me.
I don't use Social Media as a targeting mechanism to try to get particular business. I don't promote our products and services. It's really just being part of the conversation that people start viewing you as more of an expert, or as a resource at least, for banking, and our community.
What other tools do you use besides Twitter?
While Twitter is my Social Media of choice, we utilize Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+. I also experiment with the Social Media tool du jour so that we can stay relevant and engaged with our target audience. We use Instagram for many of our photos when we do what we call "Cash Mobs", which is a way we interact with some of the small businesses. It's produced amazing results for us, including traditional media coverage.
We give money to our team to go to a particular business on a specific day. And while wearing their Citizens Bank of Edmond T-shirts, and on a prior day, coordinate with the small business so that they know that we're coming in, our staff goes in and takes pictures, and puts it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and then that business also does the same thing.
I use LinkedIn extensively to connect with peers as well as build on relationships that start via some other interaction, either on Social Media or in real life.
Twitter is the primary driver we utilize to interact with our customers and our community. It's an amazing way for us to connect with financial technology firms because many of them are early adopters of Twitter, and so they'll interact with you quite a bit. In some cases, you get to be on the leading edge of adopting a new technology because they feel like they know who you are.
I just got back from a large banking conference, and it's amazing how many vendors and bankers that I saw there that I had previously interacted with on Social Media. As a new conference attendee, having so many "friends" made it very easy to network and further deepen relationships.
How did you arrive at your content and engagement strategy?
We have a social media plan, and structure, but we have no contrived content strategy. I have never scheduled a tweet. I enjoy being in the moment and accessible so that I can have authentic engagements.
We'll talk about what's happening in town beyond the events calendar. We celebrate others – it's the whole "rising tide lifts all boats" strategy.
I think other banks can make a mistake in maybe engaging a third-party service that's going to provide generic financial information and banking information that's being broadcast by five thousand other people, and kind of generically put out there. We want our personality to shine through.
How have your social media activities influenced your company's bottom line?
I can easily say yes. I probably don't measure our success in social media like people typically track their success on social media by boasting about the number of followers or interactions. I get at least one new account per week from a relationship that originated from social media.
I consistently gain loan referrals from my interactions on Twitter and LinkedIn. It opens many doors with the prospect of millions in commercial loans for our institution. It also solidifies relationships to acquire that next loan with little to no competition. Social media has made my bank more profitable and increased our loan volume.. The possibilities to develop the pipeline through it are a gold mine.
What's the one thing people would never know about marketing a bank?
We're regulated, and that can be scary. But I think the thing that would surprise everyone is how much freedom you have to communicate via social media that don't trigger the regulatory concerns.
What is one thing your social followers don't know about you?
I love rap music. My family has rap battles at home.
What three blogs would you recommend?
Scott Williams and bigisthenewsmall.com is my favorite.
Oomphcast.com, is an Oklahoma-based marketing podcast.
Becky McCrea, at beckymccray.com and smallbizsurvival.com, talks about entrepreneurship and small business issues.
How can people connect with you?
Twitter is super easy, @JillCastilla, and via LinkedIn. Email is the most terrible way ever.
Do you know of other B2B marketers who are effectively integrating and using social media to fuel their businesses? I want to talk to them and share their story. Drop me a note at firstname.lastname@example.com or via Twitter at @RAReed.


text:
Herrmann looks to break camp as third catcher
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Catcher Chris Herrmann got his first taste of the big leagues as a September callup last season and said Friday his goal is to break to camp as the club's third catcher behind Joe Mauer and Ryan Doumit.
Herrmann, who went 1-for-18 in seven games last year, will be competing for that role along with Drew Butera, who has spent most of the last three seasons on Minnesota's roster.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire hasn't announced if he'll carry three catchers yet, but he did most of all last season due to the versatility of Mauer and Doumit and because he likes the ability to use one of those two as a designated hitter.
Herrmann, a converted outfielder, is also known for his offense, as he's a career .264/.357/.382 hitter in the Minors and hit .276 with 10 homers and 61 RBIs in 127 games with Double-A New Britain last year.
"There's always a chance, but it's not going to be handed to me," Herrmann said of making the team. "Just because I was up there last year doesn't mean I'll be up there this year. So I'm trying to find a way to work my back up there again and hopefully stay up there."
Herrmann also maintained that he's fully healthy after leaving the Arizona Fall League with a minor injury to his left shoulder.
"I tweaked my left shoulder a little bit just from swinging, so I just needed a break," Herrmann said. "I played a lot of baseball last year. So it was overuse I guess. But everything is fine now. It's at 100 percent."


text:
Nov 29, 2011
People born today will live for 68 years on average, 20 years longer than those born in 1950. By the mid-twentieth century, industrial countries had already made major strides in extending lifespans with improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and public health. After World War II, rapid gains in life expectancy in developing countries began to narrow the gap between these nations and industrial countries. Although average life expectancy worldwide continues to increase, gains have come more slowly in the last few decades. Worryingly, life expectancy has actually declined in some developing countries, while a few industrial countries have stalled or made slow progress on this important indicator of human health and well-being. For full report, visit the EPI website.


text:
● poppet (21)
Name: poppet
Age: 21
City: Moskou
I speak: EN
Build: normaal
Hair color: blond
Eye color: blauw
Appearance: blank
I like to eat popcorn and to drink beer. My hobbies: sport. My favorite music is pop. I am bisexueel and I think kind are hot. Do you want to know more about me?
My favorite position is doggy and my favorite spots are tits. What I like about men dick. Piercings: nee. Relationship: nee. Do you have a sex question for me?
I am blank. My character: nice. My zodiac is stier. What I like about me: sweet. My lifes purpose is: be happy. My motto is: smile. Do you chat a lot? ja. Do you smoke? nee. My turn-off is rudeness. Do you want to tell me something?
Pay by phone or add credits to your account.
Call :phonenr € 1,40 p.m.
Enter the code and click "Send"
Upgrade your credits with a package. (Credits usable for webcam chat)
Create a free account on webcamdivas.nl and chat with women in your area.
Benefits for webcamdivas.nl accounts.
Free account in 30 seconds
Direct contact with amateurs
Send messages to amateurs
Cam cheaper
Safe payment via your own bank
Jouw account mist nog een gebruikersnaam. Vul deze hier in.


text:
Microsoft thanks WP7 developers with cube of icons
Everyone and their dog knows that a mobile platform is dead in the water these days if it lacks third-party developer support. Why? Because consumers now expect that there be myriad applications for their selection and employment on any serious handset line.
Microsoft has been pressing hard to grow the WP7 developer pool since the phone line came out last year, and has done so with some success. At last count, there were more than 13,000 WP7 applications.
To celebrate the developers who have done all the leg work, at this year's MIX event Microsoft wallpapered a cube with the icons of thousands of apps built for the platform. Long Zheng from iStartedSomething was on hand and took pictures of the contraption. Enjoy:
As you can see, the message that Microsoft is pushing is "Thank You Developers." Indeed. WP7 would be dead in the water if not for thousands of intrepid coders who took the plunge on a new, unproven platform.
Tomorrow at MIX there will be a plethora of Windows Phone sessions which should shake free new fruit from the tree of knowledge. We will bring it to you as it comes, stay tuned.
Read next: Canadian media giant Postmedia to retrain, cut more jobs for digital-first strategy


text:
max. 3 A @ 400 V AC; max. 2 A @ 24 V DC
max. 10 A @ 400 V AC, max. 2 A @ 24 V DC
up to 0.5 kW (3 A)
up to 2.2 kW (10 A)
Simple, Comfortable, Intelligent: the proven decentralized zero-pressure accumulation (ZPA) solution is now also available for pallet conveyors.
Visualization, parameter setting and preventive maintenance: Step into the digital world of pallet conveying with the configuration software.
The Pallet Control PC 6000 enables the control of 400-volt and 24/48-volt drives, offering an integrated control concept for the entire pallet conveyor system.


text: I don't remember exactly how I first came across Random Butler's YouTube channel, besides seeing a video from it in the "Related Videos" sidebar when I was watching something else, and while I can't say I know much about YouTube's algorithm for selecting "Related Videos" I suspect the sheer number of videos on the channel helped it get in my window. Since creating his YouTube account on April 24, 2006, Butler has uploaded 1,219 videos—an average of about one a day. And while there are many YouTube users who maintain frequently updated vlogs, Butler's is the only one I've encountered that shifts the video diary's role from an emotional outlet to a creative one. Instead of focusing on the user's persona, it presents a direct record of what he sees and what goes on in his inner world. Butler has pointed his web cam at the television as he wins Zelda, and uploaded several "multimedia messages" that show views of a computer screen or out a car window, taken on a Nokia 6102. In recent months, he has been uploading fewer web cam and cell phone videos and spending more time on experiments that distort clips from games and cartoons. A favorite source has been King of the Hill. Like any diary, Butler's YouTube channel is composed of incremental fragments and best considered as a whole, but nonetheless, I'll offer a few highlights here.


text:
from Halmstad, Sweden
December 22, 1984 (age 35)
Swedish computer nerd Jonas Altberg (aka Basshunter) became an Internet phenomenon in the early 2000s with geek-friendly dance singles like "Boten Anna" (Anna Bot) and "Vi Sitter i Ventrilo och Spelar DotA" (We Sit in Ventrilo and Play DotA). Altberg began composing songs on his home computer in 1999, making them available to the general public via his website. They became a cult favorite, so much so that various clubs around Sweden started contacting Altberg with job offers. The first official Basshunter album, The Bass Machine, hit the Internet in 2004, and Altberg soon found himself entertaining offers from big-name record labels. He signed with Warner Bros. in 2006, and his sophomore album, LOL <(^^,)>, was released in September of that year. The album peaked in the Top Five in Sweden (five), Finland (four), and Denmark (three), and its lead single, "Boten Anna" (a song about an IRC bot) shot to number one on the Swedish, Dutch, and Danish charts. The follow-up single, "DotA" (a song about Warcraft III's Defense of the Ancients), didn't do quite as well, but still managed to peak in the Top Ten throughout Scandinavia. In 2009 he returned with the single "Every Morning" plus the album Bass Generation. In 2013 the archival release The Early Bedroom Sessions bundled his 2004 effort The Bass Machine with a disc of rare recordings and in the same year Calling Time, the long-awaited studio album, was released. ~ TiVo Staff, Rovi
Top Tracks
Basshunter - All I Ever Wanted (OFFICIAL VIDEO) (Ultra Music)
Basshunter DotA (Offical Video)
Basshunter - Angel In The Night (Official Video)
Basshunter - I Can Walk On Water (HQ)
Basshunter - Boten Anna (Official Video)
10. Basshunter - I Can Walk On Water


text:
- Spread the Work/Broaden the Base
- All Politics is Local
- Long-Term Relationships Trump Short-Term Votes
- Start Early and Communicate Regularly
- Practice Makes Perfect
- Teaching Technology
- Regular Reporting
As a key contact, we will contact and provide you with issue papers that detail the FJA's position on various items that are coming before the legislature. Your duty as a key contact: read these briefings and communicate our position to the legislators with whom you have a relationship. It's as simple as that!
Also, we must know where our strengths and weaknesses are. Knowledge is power! If FJA staff is to be effective, we must receive feedback from our key contacts as to the results of your contacts with legislators. Feedback forms will be provided to all key contacts for this purpose.
Keep in mind that when we notify our key contacts in the heat of session, we need for each contact to be ready, willing and able to contact the legislator immediately - time is of critical importance to the success of our key contact program.
However, the most important aspect of our program is to establish a year-round relationship with your legislator. Your connection throughout the year makes our job much easier during session.
FJA encourages members to begin to develop a relationship with a legislator or candidate by working on his or her campaign. Please contact Lynn McCartney for information on how to get involved in any manner.