text:
Stop the Tax Hikes
by Paul Ryan, USA Today
Congress should act now to prevent across-the-board tax increases from hitting nearly all Americans on Jan. 1. Sustained job creation and economic growth are urgently needed — higher tax rates are not. The failure to take decisive action on this issue further heightens the uncertainty holding our economy back.
It would be a mistake to increase taxes on any American family, worker or job creator. President Obama continues to make the case for raising the top two income tax rates, and raising tax rates on capital gains and dividends. Class warfare might make for good politics, but it results in terrible economics.
Misguided efforts to "soak the rich" would impact roughly half of all small-business income, as many small businesses file as non-corporate businesses and pay individual income tax rates. The president's tax plan dampens incentives for small businesses to invest and expand, puts us at a competitive disadvantage in today's global economy, and makes it more difficult for our economy to create jobs.
There is no question that the $13.7 trillion national debt represents a dangerous anchor on the economy going forward. To address the federal government's fiscal imbalance, we need both economic growth and serious spending restraint.
Policymakers cannot continue to chase ever-higher levels of government spending with ever-higher tax rates. Increasing the government's take from the economy hinders growth and avoids the necessary spending cuts. It is critical we match opposition to tax increases with a fervent commitment to spending restraint and reform.
This contentious issue provides an opening for a conversation on pro-growth tax reforms, reorienting a simpler, more competitive tax code to raise revenue needed to meet government's priorities, while maximizing economic growth.
Altogether, Congress must get the pro-growth economic fundamentals right. Economic policies must restore the basic foundations of growth: low tax rates; sound and honest money; fair, predictable and reasonable regulations; spending restraint and government reform.
Americans reject the "new normal" of high unemployment, stagnant growth and excessive government overreach. Stopping these tax hikes is a critical first step to restoring the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation.
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is in line to become chairman of the House Budget Committee in the new Congress.


text:
What's Hot on Edmunds.com brings you the latest car news, road tests, car reviews, photos and videos from our expert team of automotive editors.
Our car news section provides you with daily updates on the latest automotive news and industry stories, including vehicle pricing debuts, recalls and auto shows. Browse our car picture and video galleries for high-resolution photos of your favorite vehicles, track tests, video reviews, dyno tests, and more! You can find detailed car reviews on every make and model in production from our expert vehicle testers. In our Tips and Advice articles, you'll get helpful guidance on a variety of topics such as car buying & selling, auto financing, driving tips, maintenance and car safety. Bookmark this page and check back daily for updates!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Super story: Michael Robinson's return
- Article by: BARRY WILNER
- Associated Press
- January 28, 2014 - 1:08 PM
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — On one of the happiest football days of his life, Michael Robinson broke down and cried.
Imagine how many tears might flow Sunday night if his Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.
Moments after the Seahawks won the NFC title against San Francisco, the eight-year veteran couldn't hold back the emotions. No, it wasn't because the 49ers were his former team, a place he spent four seasons. It wasn't because his role has been diminished in Seattle.
It was because he was even on the field at all.
"I've gotten a lot of questions about me crying and all that type of stuff," Robinson said Monday, "but it was just I had a long year, being cut, being sick, not really realizing the extent of the sickness. I didn't know that my kidneys were failing and my liver was failing. I had no idea. I just thought I was getting a bug."
Actually, he was having severe reactions to the anti-inflammatory drug Indocin last August during the preseason. Robinson got so sick the Seahawks sent him to specialists — and soon realized Robinson wouldn't be healthy for the opening of the regular season.
"I had mentioned to the doctors, 'Look man, I think I'm going to come in next week and get some fluids,' and stuff like that," Robinson recalled without emotion — this time. "And it just went all downhill from there: kidney failure, liver failure, all of it.
"I went to the hospital three separate times. Two times they sent me home and just told me to keep getting fluids. I went two weeks without eating, so I lost a lot of weight. Then, once we brought the liver specialist in and the kidney specialist in, they've seen these types of reactions before and they were all over it."
But Robinson's stint with the Seahawks was over, too — he was released on Aug. 31.
It was not an easy thing for the team to do.
"Mike is a very emotional player and gives everything he's got, so this instance in particular, when Mike was really sick at the start of the year and was unable to perform, he lost his opportunity," coach Pete Carroll said. "Probably there were moments when Michael thought he might not ever get another chance."
Robinson wasn't sure what kind of chance he would get in the first place, back in 2006 when he left Penn State as a quarterback and went to San Francisco as a running back and special-teamer. But he bulked up — he's now 240 pounds — and took to being a blocker for Frank Gore, an occasional runner and receiver, and a standout on kick teams.
He landed with the Seahawks in 2010, Carroll's first year in charge, and the next season was in the Pro Bowl. A team leader and strong presence, Robinson offered guidance to some of the younger players in Seattle.
But his reaction to the anti-inflammatory medicine seemed to end all that.
Except that Robinson recovered and got himself back in shape. And when his replacement, Derrick Coleman, got hurt in late October, the Seahawks reached out to him.
"I wrestled with it," he said of re-signing on Oct.22, "but it was easy when I looked at my relationship with the guys on the team. That's why you play this game, and I feel like a big reason why we're here is that every man in that locker room thinks the same way. We all play because of the guy next to you. You all perform because the guy next to you is counting on you. Peer accountability, the biggest thing is accountability, so that's what we try to do."
Getting Robinson back on the roster — and, perhaps more significantly, in the locker room — was an easy decision for Carroll and general manager John Schneider.
"He is a big factor on our team because we don't have that many older guys and he really stands for the old guard," Carroll said of Robinson, who turns 30 four days after the Super Bowl. "He's been a big factor on special teams as well.
"You can see the emotion come out of Michael. Then he comes back to play and he gets to play in the Super Bowl. I totally get it and respect it."
© 2018 Star Tribune


text:
Difference between revisions of "Bluez4"
m (→Pairing with bluez4: aur/bluez4 optdepends on pygobject which is replaced by python2-gobject2)
(pulseaudio bluez4 module names for AUR pulseaudio version)
|Line 358:
|Line 358:
try first:
try first:
# pactl load-module module-bluetooth-device
# pactl load-module module-bluetooth-device
If the module fails to work, do this workaround:
If the module fails to work, do this workaround:
Revision as of 20:42, 4 May 2014
Bluez4 is an older version of the Linux bluetooth stack. Information on the current version of the bluetooth stack, Bluez5, can be found in the Bluetooth article.
- 1 Installation
- 2 Pairing with bluez4
- 3 Bluez4 examples
- 3.1 Siemens S55
- 3.2 Motorola V900
- 3.3 Motorola RAZ
- 3.4 Pairing with an iPhone using bluez-simple-agent
- 3.5 Logitech mouse MX Laser / M555b
- 3.6 Headset and ALSA devices
- 3.7 Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000
- 4 Bluez4 - Troubleshooting
- 5 See also
Bluez4 can be installed from the bluez4AUR package in the AUR. Ensure that the bluetooth daemon is started:
# systemctl start bluetooth
To enable the daemon at boot use the command:
# systemctl enable bluetooth
Pairing with bluez4
The procedure on a mobile may be as follows:
- The computer sends a connect request to the mobile.
- A PIN, determined by the computer, is prompted for at the mobile
- The same key must be re-entered at the computer.
To pair with a device without using the gnome-bluez package, the bluez-simple-agent utility that comes with the bluez package can be used. This utility depends on three packages from the official repositories: python2-dbus python2-gobject2 dbus-glib.
First, scan for external devices:
$ hcitool scan
Run the script as root:
# bluez-simple-agent
The message "Agent registered" should be returned, press
Ctrl+c to quit.
Below is a basic example of pairing with a specific device. The script will ask for the passcode, enter the code and confirm with enter.
# bluez-simple-agent hci0 00:11:22:33:AA:BB
See the Examples section below for pairing examples with various devices.
Bluez4 examples
Siemens S55
- The steps under installation
$ hcitool scan
Scanning ... XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX NAME
Start the simple-agent in a second terminal:
$ su -c bluez-simple-agent
Password: Agent registered
Back to the first console:
$ obexftp -b $B -l "Address book"
# Phone ask for pin, I enter it and answer yes when asked if I want to save the device ... <file name="5F07.adr" size="78712" modified="20030101T001858" user-perm="WD" group-perm="" /> ...
$ obexftp -b 00:01:E3:6B:FF:D7 -g "Address book/5F07.adr"
Browsing 00:01:E3:6B:FF:D7 ... Channel: 5 Connecting...done Receiving "Address book/5F07.adr"... Sending "Address book"... done Disconnecting...done
$ obexftp -b 00:01:E3:6B:FF:D7 -p a
... Sending "a"... done Disconnecting...done
Motorola V900
After installing Blueman and running blueman-applet, click "find me" under connections > bluetooth in Motorola device. In blueman-applet, scan devices, find the Motorola, click "add". Click "bond" in blueman-applet, enter some PIN, enter the same PIN in Motorola when it asks. In terminal:
$ mkdir ~/bluetooth-temp $ obexfs -n XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX ~/bluetooth-temp $ cd ~/bluetooth-temp
and browse... Only audio, video, and pictures are available when you do this.
Motorola RAZ
Install obextool obexfs obexftp openobex bluez.
# lsusb
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 002 Device 002: ID 03f0:171d Hewlett-Packard Wireless (Bluetooth + WLAN) Interface [Integrated Module] Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
# hciconfig hci0 up
# hciconfig
hci0: Type: BR/EDR Bus: USB BD Address: 00:16:41:97:BA:5E ACL MTU: 1017:8 SCO MTU: 64:8 UP RUNNING RX bytes:348 acl:0 sco:0 events:11 errors:0 TX bytes:38 acl:0 sco:0 commands:11 errors:0
# hcitool dev
Devices: hci0 00:16:41:97:BA:5E
Make sure that bluetooth on your phone is enabled and your phone is visible!
# hcitool scan
Scanning ... 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D [quirxi]
# hcitool inq
Inquiring ... 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D clock offset: 0x1ee4 class: 0x522204
# l2ping 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D
Ping: 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D from 00:16:41:97:BA:5E (data size 44) ... 44 bytes from 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D id 0 time 23.94ms 44 bytes from 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D id 1 time 18.85ms 44 bytes from 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D id 2 time 30.88ms 44 bytes from 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D id 3 time 18.88ms 44 bytes from 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D id 4 time 17.88ms 44 bytes from 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D id 5 time 17.88ms 6 sent, 6 received, 0% loss
# hcitool name 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D
# hciconfig -a hci0
hci0: Type: BR/EDR Bus: USB BD Address: 00:16:41:97:BA:5E ACL MTU: 1017:8 SCO MTU: 64:8 UP RUNNING RX bytes:9740 acl:122 sco:0 events:170 errors:0 TX bytes:2920 acl:125 sco:0 commands:53 errors:0 Features: 0xff 0xff 0x8d 0xfe 0x9b 0xf9 0x00 0x80 Packet type: DM1 DM3 DM5 DH1 DH3 DH5 HV1 HV2 HV3 Link policy: Link mode: SLAVE ACCEPT Name: 'BCM2045' Class: 0x000000 Service Classes: Unspecified Device Class: Miscellaneous, HCI Version: 2.0 (0x3) Revision: 0x204a LMP Version: 2.0 (0x3) Subversion: 0x4176 Manufacturer: Broadcoml / Corporation (15)
# hcitool info 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D
Requesting information ... BD Address: 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D Device Name: [quirxi] LMP Version: 1.2 (0x2) LMP Subversion: 0x309 Manufacturer: Broadcom Corporation (15) Features: 0xff 0xfe 0x0d 0x00 0x08 0x08 0x00 0x00 <3-slot packets> <5-slot packets> <encryption> <slot offset> <timing accuracy> <role switch> <hold mode> <sniff mode> <RSSI> <channel quality> <SCO link> <HV2 packets> <HV3 packets> <A-law log> <CVSD> <power control> <transparent SCO> <AFH cap. slave> <AFH cap. master>
Edit your
/etc/bluetooth/main.conf and enter the proper class for your phone ( Class = 0x100100 ):
# Default device class. Only the major and minor device class bits are # considered. #Class = 0x000100 Class = 0x100100
# systemctl start bluetooth
:: Stopping bluetooth subsystem: pand dund rfcomm hidd bluetoothd [DONE] :: Starting bluetooth subsystem: bluetoothd
Pairing with bluez-simple-agent only has to be done once. On your Motorola phone give 0000 in as your PIN when phone asks for it!
/usr/bin/bluez-simple-agent hci0 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D
RequestPinCode (/org/bluez/10768/hci0/dev_00_1A_1B_82_9B_6D) Enter PIN Code: 0000 Release New device (/org/bluez/10768/hci0/dev_00_1A_1B_82_9B_6D)
Now you can browse the filesystem of your phone with obexftp:
obexftp -v -b 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D -B 9 -l
Connecting..\done Tried to connect for 448ms Receiving "(null)"...-<?xml version="1.0" ?> <!DOCTYPE folder-listing SYSTEM "obex-folder-listing.dtd"> <folder-listing> <parent-folder /> <folder name="audio" size="0" type="folder" modified="20101010T132323Z" user-perm="RW" /> <folder name="video" size="0" type="folder" modified="20101010T132323Z" user-perm="RW" /> <folder name="picture" size="0" type="folder" modified="20101010T132323Z" user-perm="RW" /> </folder-listing> done Disconnecting..\done
Or you can mount your phone into a directory on your computer and treat it like a normal file system:
# groupadd bluetooth # mkdir /mnt/bluetooth # chown root:bluetooth /mnt/bluetooth # chmod 775 /mnt/bluetooth # usermod -a -G bluetooth arno # obexfs -b 00:1A:1B:82:9B:6D /mnt/bluetooth/
Pairing with an iPhone using bluez-simple-agent
Assuming a bluetooth device called hci0 and an iPhone that showed up in a hcitool scan as '00:00:DE:AD:BE:EF':
# bluez-simple-agent hci0 00:00:DE:AD:BE:EF
Logitech mouse MX Laser / M555b
To quickly test the connection:
$ hidd --connect XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
For automated reconnection, use your desktop wizard to configure the bluetooth mouse. If your desktop environment doesn't includes support for this task, see the Bluetooth mouse configuration article.
Headset and ALSA devices
Referencing the bluetooth device in asound.conf
1. Scan for your device:
$ hcitool (-i optional hci#***) scan
2. Pair your headset with your device:
$ bluez-simple-agent (optional hci# ***) XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX and put in your PIN (0000 or 1234, etc)
3. Add this to your
/etc/asound.conf file:
pcm.btheadset { type plug slave { pcm { type bluetooth device XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX profile "auto" } } hint { show on description "BT Headset" } } ctl.btheadset { type bluetooth }
4. Check to see if it has been added to ALSA devices
$ aplay -L
5. Now play with aplay:
$ aplay -D btheadset /path/to/audio/file
or MPlayer:
$ mplayer -ao alsa:device=btheadset /path/to/audio/or/video/file
To find hci# for a usb dongle, type in:
$ hcitool dev
Using bluez-tools from the AUR
You can use bluez-toolsAUR from the AUR with PulseAudio to stream audio to a bluetooth headset. Find the MAC of the headset:
$ hcitool scan
Connect to the headset:
$ bt-audio -c XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
Open pulseaudio volume control:
$ pavucontrol
The headset should show up in the Configuration tab.
Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000
1. Scan for your device
$ hcitool (-i optional_hci#***) scan
Scanning ... 00:11:22:33:44:55 Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000
2. On second console run as root (do not terminate):
# bluez-simple-agent
Agent registered
3. Back on first console run:
$ bluez-simple-agent hci0 00:11:22:33:44:55
Enter PIN Code: 1234 (now enter that PIN on the keyboard and press enter) Release New device (/org/bluez/5373/hci0/dev_00_11_22_33_44_55)
$ bluez-test-device trusted 00:11:22:33:44:55
$ bluez-test-input connect 00:11:22:33:44:55
No your keyboard should work. You can terminate bluez-simple-agent on second console with
Bluez4 - Troubleshooting
$ passkey-agent --default 1234
Can't register passkey agent The name org.bluez was not provided by any .service files
$ hciconfig dev # (no listing)
Try running
hciconfig hc0 up
Sennheiser MM400 headset connection problems
If your
Sennheiser MM400 Headset immediately disconnects after connecting as
Headset Service with Blueman, try to connect it as
Audio Sink. Afterwards you can change the headset's
Audio Profile to
Telephony Duplex with a right click in Blueman.
With this option headset functionality will be available although the headset was only connected as
Audio Sink in first place and no disconnection will happen (tested with bluez 4.96-3, pulseaudio 1.1-1 and blueman 1.23-2).
My device is paired but no sound is played from it
Try to first inspect
/var/log/messages.log. If you see such messages:
Jan 12 20:08:58 localhost pulseaudio[1584]: [pulseaudio] module-bluetooth-device.c: Service not connected Jan 12 20:08:58 localhost pulseaudio[1584]: [pulseaudio] module-bluetooth-device.c: Bluetooth audio service not available
try first:
# pactl load-module module-bluetooth-device # pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover
or, if those modules cannot be found:
# pactl load-module module-bluez4-device # pactl load-module module-bluez4-discover
If the module fails to work, do this workaround:
/etc/bluetooth/audio.conf and add after [General] (on a new line)
Then restart the bluetooth daemon. Pair again your device, and you should find it in the pulseaudio settings (advanced settings for the sound)
More information on Gentoo Wiki
If after fixing this you still can't get sound, try using blueman (this is the only one that works for me), make sure that notify-osd is installed or it might show you weird error messages like this one: "Stream setup failed"
fail (/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blueman/gui/manager/ManagerDeviceMenu.py:134) fail (DBusException(dbus.String(u'Stream setup failed'),),)
See also
- Gentoo Linux Bluetooth guide
- openSUSE Bluetooth hardware compatibility list
- Accessing a Bluetooth phone (Linux Gazette)
- Bluetooth computer visibility
- Bluetooth for your mobile phone: Bluetooth pairing, data synchronization, photo download, Internet Dial-Up (tethering)
- Bluetooth pairing and applications for synchronizing phone numbers, SMS-messages, phone call entries, your calendar and time; tethering


text:
ENGLEWOOD D.J. Williams is preparing for his first start since Jan. 14 with Wesley Woodyard still hobbled by a sprained left ankle.
The Broncos (9-3) will take their seven-game winning streak to Oakland to face the reeling Raiders (3-9) on Thursday night, and theyll be without Woodyard, who didnt make the trip.
It will definitely affect the defense, star strongside linebacker Von Miller said. Hes been playing well for us, really all season. But D.J., hes ready to go. If Wood cant go, D.J. will step right in that position. Thats the same thing that Wood did for D.J. at the beginning of the year.
Woodyard won the starting weakside linebacker job in training camp with the incumbent Williams facing what turned out to be suspensions totaling nine games, and hes had a breakout year. He leads the Broncos with 97 tackles and is the only NFL player with at least three interceptions and three sacks this season.
Woodyard was walking around team headquarters without the noticeable limp he had after Sundays game, but the Broncos are concerned about him aggravating the injury in a short week, and they might decide to keep him out with a key trip to Baltimore looming Dec. 16.
Coach John Fox wouldnt tip his hand on his intentions but acknowledged it was nice to have Williams, the teams leading tackler in four of the last five seasons, as the proverbial next man up.
I feel good about all our linebacking crew: D.J., obviously getting him back, getting him more familiar as we move along in our new defensive system; Danny Trevathans played in a lot of those roles. So, we feel confident in both of those guys, Fox said.
Williams returned to Dove Valley after serving a six-game suspension for violating the leagues drug policy and was able to attend meetings while serving his three-game penalty for a drunken driving conviction. He was activated last month and has recorded a half-dozen tackles and one pass breakup in three games.
I think when he came back, he didnt seem really rusty to me, Miller said. He still was in really good shape. He looked pretty good. He had been paying attention in meetings; he was on top of everything.
Williams last start was in Denvers loss at New England in the playoffs 11 months ago.
I think D.J. will be ready to go, and hell take advantage of the opportunity, Miller said.
Slot receiver Brandon Stokley, who missed last weekends 31-23 win over the Buccaneers with an injured hip, was listed as questionable after being limited in practice again Wednesday. Stokley said his hip started bothering him a week ago, but he wasnt sure how it happened.
The NFL expanded its Thursday night schedule this year, making a lack of physical recovery a bigger issue, especially with so many of them being divisional games, which notoriously are more scrappy.
This is a combative game, no doubt. And its a tough game, whether its played any day of the week, Fox said.


text:
Classic Granola
My dad loves granola, so for his birthday I decided to make him a few batches and send it to him through the mail (since he lives several states away).
I decided on a Classic Granola recipe from Cookbook Catchall that looked delicious and I knew my dad would love because it was packed with dried fruit and nuts.
I also came across a French Chocolate Granola originally from Orangette on the Picky Apple's site that I knew I had to make. Both turned out amazing!
The classic granola was hearty and wholesome and I loved the addition of the flax seeds. The flavors were simple but very delicious.
And the chocolate granola – oh my, after snitching some, I realized I could eat the entire batch myself (sorry there is no picture of this one, I was in a rush to get it in the mail before I ate it all!).
It also had simple flavors – nothing extravagant, but that is what I loved about it. The best news is that my dad loved and devoured both batches, so I would say they were a success!
I've been eating the classic granola (yes, I saved some for myself) on yogurt with fresh fruit every morning for the past few weeks and it is the perfect breakfast. I know I will make both of these time and time again. Enjoy!
Classic Granola
- 6.5 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
- 2.5 cups unsweetened, desiccated coconut (I used basic sweetened coconut because I had it on hand)
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (or whole, chopped, slivered or a combination – I used slivered)
- 1 1/4 cups pecans (whole or chopped to the size you like)
- 1/2 cup high-quality honey
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup flax seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well to distribute oil and honey evenly. Spread a thin layer of mixture on two rimmed baking sheets (half sheet pans) lined with parchment paper (I used my silpat liners).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes stirring mixture and rotating sheets half way through until mixture is an even golden brown. Be careful to watch granola: it will quickly turn from golden to burnt and will continue to cook as it cools when you take it out of the oven. Mixture will be moist when it comes out of the oven but will crisp and clump as it cools. Keeps for 1-2 weeks.
Variations: • Substitute any of the nuts for other nuts such as cashews, walnuts or peanuts (it's nice to leave some of the nuts whole as it varies the texture) • Add additional dried fruit such as apricots or dates • Add 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract • For extra-nutty granola increase proportion of nuts
Follow @melskitchencafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens!
Recipe Source: from Cookbook Catchall


text:
A True Story from Afghanistan
Nasreen's Secret School
A True Story from Afghanistan
In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness?
Based on a true story from Afghanistan, this inspiring book will touch readers deeply as it affirms both the life-changing power of education and the healing power of love.
- Beach Lane Books |
- 40 pages |
- June 2011 |
- Grades 1 - 4


text:
Former Fleetwood Mac Guitarist Bob Weston Dead at 64
Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Weston has died at the age of 64. His body was discovered Tuesday (Jan. 3) in his London home by police after a concerned call from neighbors. The causes of death were gastric intestinal hemorrhage, cirrhosis of the liver and throat problems, an autopsy has revealed.
Weston joined Mac in 1972 and played on two albums — 'Penguin' and 'Mystery to Me,' both from '73 – before parting ways with the band when it was discovered he was having an affair with Mick Fleetwood's wife, Jenny Boyd.
Weston was sacked immediately after the discovery, and the remaining Mac members decided not to finish the tour. This led to the so-called "Bogus Fleetwood Mac" affair, in which manager Clifford Davis hired a completely new band that tried to pass themselves off as Fleetwood Mac and complete the tour. The resultant lawsuit from irate fans kept the band tangled up in court for years.
Weston went on to perform with the British singer Murray Head, an outfit called the All-Stars Band and several other musicians along with pursuing a solo career, releasing three albums over the next several decades. His website reported that he was recording more solo material as of January 2008, but that has yet to surface.
There is no word yet on when services will be held.
A post on Westwood's official website from the site's webmaster and close friend Steve Fairhead reads:
It is with great pain that I must announce that Bob Weston has died. He was found dead at home in his London flat in the evening of the 3rd January, by police making a forced entry. Local friends had become concerned at the lack of response, having not seen him for a couple of days. Cause of death has been attributed to a gastrointestinal haemorrhage. He was found in his bed/armchair [checking] in front of the TV; it is presumed he was asleep and didn't suffer…
I spoke to Bob just a few days before Xmas; we had discussed him spending Xmas with us, but he had some gigs to do in London. Instead we made plans for a visit early in the New Year. He was in fine spirits, and was involved in several new projects. He also seemed to be very fit…
My family and I have lost a dear friend; the world has lost an enormously talented musician, with unfinished business…


text:
- Parent and Family Programs
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Academic Calendar
This Calendar covers the entire academic year, broken into four terms: fall, winter, spring, and summer. The Academic Calendar provides a listing of all important dates, campus closings, holidays, and school breaks.
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Learn more about WKU's academic colleges, requirements for admission, and available majors and minors, as well as information about the Gatton Academy, Honors College, and Graduate Studies.
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This office provides a wide range of services to undergraduate students including academic advising and free tutoring. Inside The Learning Center, students can study quietly individually or in groups, and access computers and printers.
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From Denny: Usually, I post these cartoons on Saturday at The Social Poets blog - so if you don't see them here just take a hike over there for some weekend grins... Every now and then - like this rainy day - I remember to share the love on all my other blogs, enjoy!
Cartoonists have been busy this week! So much in the news to lampoon - G20 meeting and protestors, swine flu fears, new "no texting while driving" law, Iran's empty promises about nuclear weapons, the current status of job seekers in America, trying to marry off Rush with the Truth but he won't have a shotgun wedding and President Obama juggling world affairs, two wars and vying for the 2016 Olympics to come to Chicago (they lost out to Brazil, congrats Brazil! South America has never hosted the Olympics.)
Swine Flu Fears - so powerful you no longer need a handgun in America...
Sad news of recent tragic deaths due to distraction from texting while driving prompted a new federal law to prohibit it:
The latest pastime trend to find meaning in life among jobseekers:
The latest desperation among job seekers to find any or full time employment. These days big companies like Exxon only employ people for up to 32 hours so they don't have to pay them any benefits. Even the U.S. Post Office does the same; only 4% of them are full time employees:
These two cartoons talk about how much the President has on his plate:
This one depicts how the Democrats and the President are beginning to look like they are attempting to take on too much in the field of multi-tasking and starting to look ridiculous.
Well, I guess, someone has to make up the work load that President Bush and Cheney sloughed off because they went to bed early and vacationed for a month at a time on a whim. The government started grinding to a halt so I guess the Dems have to speed things up just to make up lost ground:
Then there's everyone's favorite: Iran. They always seem to have a surprise-in-a-box or so they believe themselves to be that clever.
Loved the Kooky Jar one as it sums up the world belief system about the ruthless crass leaders of Iran. You have 7th century hearts and minds in charge of nuclear energy. Are you kidding? That's like asking a three-year-old to play with matches near a gas jet.
The one of the Secretary of State says it all about how Iran continues to screw over world leaders with deception after deception after lie after lie.
The G20 meeting of world leaders and their protestors, opinion of big banks:
While the world of truth-tellers keep trying to marry off the liars in a shotgun wedding...


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More than ever people are coming together to work - in many different places and in different ways. Trumans' highly configurable collection reflects the way people exchange information and ideas in a workplace that is no longer defined by walls or even zip codes. Embodying the modernist ethic of simple elegance, Truman looks great from any angle - an important feature for furniture that's so easy to move and reconfigure. With its airy cast aluminum framework and signature ply-form seat base, Truman can be easily scaled up or down with different finishes and fabrics.
Joe Ricchio, Principal of Ricchio Design, works in a variety of design disciplines. His projects range from strategic product planning for Xerox Corporation to seating for Knoll International and award-winning accessories for Peter Pepper Products. For more than 25 years, Matt Duncan and Morphix Design have delivered award-winning designs for medical, technology and furniture clients. Matt believes that successful product design connects people and products on many levels, leveraging various disciplines, ideas, technologies and materials. Matt has been an industrial design instructor at his alma mater, Cal State Long Beach, and served as a juror for IDSA's Medical Design Excellence Awards.
Overall Width 24", Overall Height 33 1/4", Overall Depth 27 1/8"
Seat Depth 18 1/2", Seat Width 24", Seat Height 17"
Overall Width 48", Overall Height 33 1/4", Overall Depth 27 1/8", Seat Depth 18 1/2", Seat Width 48", Seat Height 17"
Overall Width 72", Overall Height 33 1/4", Overall Depth 27 1/8", Seat Depth 18 1/2", Seat Width 72", Seat Height 17"
Width 24"
Height 17"
Depth 20"
Width 48"
Height 17"
Depth 20"
Width 72"
Height 17"
Depth 20"
Overall Width 22 1/2"
Overall Height 15"
Overall Depth 19"
Overall Width 46 1/2"
Overall Height 15"
Overall Depth 19"
Upholstery: Fabric or leather over CAL. 117 approved foam
Frame: Cast Aluminum Sled Base
Platform: molded plywood, specify wood stain or painted finish
Tables: Cast Aluminum, #54 Mirror finish, specify laminate, veneer or Chroma Applied
Click thumbnail for an enlarged view.
To download image(s), click Low Res or Hi Res.


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The Phillies will activate closer Brad Lidge from the disabled list before Friday's game against the Mets, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Thursday.
To make space for Lidge, lefthander Antonio Bastardo will be optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Lidge was placed on the disabled list at the end of spring training as his recovery from off-season elbow and knee surgeries had stalled.
He combined to go 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA with four walks and eight strikeouts in eight rehab appearances between Lehigh Valley, double-A Reading and single-A Clearwater. After allowing five runs over his first two rehab appearances in 1 2/3 innings, Lidge pitched seven scoreless innings over his final six appearances.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Wednesday he wasn't sure if Lidge would be his closer immediately upon his return.
"I don't know," Manuel said. "We'll have to see where we're at with that. I'll just play it by feel. I'll talk to him first and see where he's at and how he feels."
In Lidge's absence, Ryan Madson has not fared well as closer. He is four of six in save opportunities and has a 7.00 ERA in nine games. Madson blew his second save of the season Wednesday against San Francisco.
Bastardo, who was used sparingly, pitched well. In seven games, he had a 1.69 ERA with five strikeouts and four walks. But he had options left, unlike Nelson Figueroa and David Herndon, two relievers the Phillies would have had to expose if removing them from the 25-man roster.


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Look! Pothole Gardens
These colorful pothole gardens made us smile. They were created by British artist/designer Pete Dungey. If you are lacking a yard and your city has been taking too long to fix its roads, perhaps you can plant in the streets!
The Pothole Gardens are an ongoing series Dungey's been working on to highlight the imperfections of Britain's roads. If you were to try this yourself there certainly would be some logistical concerns like dodging traffic to water, replacing smashed flowers, breaking the law, etc... maybe it is best just to be inspired by Mr. Dungey's work.
via: Inhabitat
(Images: Pete Dungey)


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This powerful sound stereo effect is perfectly complement your scenes movie, clips, presentation, animation, game, cartoon, logo, add dynamic in the trailers, teasers, and your tracks, songs, music. Created using software.
The pack contains both WAV and MP3 files.
The purchase includes: - 1 – 0:01 seconds - 2 – 0:01 seconds


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- Australian Grand Prix - Qualifying
HRT refused permission to race
- News:
'We don't want to bullshit ourselves' - Karthikeyan
- Report:
Supreme Hamilton takes pole in McLaren lock-out
- Race:
- Australian Grand Prix
- Drivers:
- Narain Karthikeyan
- |
- Pedro de la Rosa
- Teams:
HRT will not be allowed to take part in the Australian Grand Prix after failing to qualify within the 107% time.
Having not tested the car during pre-season, limited running on Friday left HRT with an uphill struggle to get any kind of performance out of the car. With Narain Karthikeyan and Pedro de la Rosa only managing 25 dry laps between them during FP3 qualifying proved to be extremely challenging and both drivers were well outside the 107% time of 1:32.214.
Following a request from HRT to still participate in the race on Sunday, the race stewards decided against waiving the ruling.
"The stewards having considered all relevant material decide not to allow both cars to take part in the race in accordance with Article 36.1 FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations," a statement read.


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In my first post I wrote about being a new member of the Great Wolf Lodge Pack. I'm also a new guest to the Great Wolf Lodge experience. Recently, my husband, eight month old son and I enjoyed our very first experience at the Wisconsin Dells Lodge.
Our family suite was wonderful! Not only did we have a king size bed, but we also had an inroom Jacuzzi, fireplace and complimentary refrigerator and coffee maker. I was also pleased that we were able to borrow a safe "Pack and Play" by calling Guest Services.
My husband and I love waterparks and we were excited to explore the Lodge's. We started at the North and South Hot Springs whirlpools. Aiden loves to "swim" in our arms and soon he was bobbing away.
Our next stop was Fort Mackenzie. Aiden is too young to splash through the 4-story interactive tree house but he did smile big when the 1,000 gallon bucket spilled over. We all enjoyed Slap Tail Pond, the Lodge's wave pool. Listen for the howl that signals big waves are coming!
While we did not experience the "thrill" rides this time, we had a lot of fun. I was pleasantly surprised by the relaxing atmosphere; it wasn't loud, overwhelming or uninviting. It was a true indoor water playland!
Next we played MagiQuest®. The interactive game is part scavenger hunt, part live action, part video game. We purchased one wand, complete with a cool armillary topper, and shared it on Aiden's behalf.
MagiQuest is quite unique. We had fun reading the quests, searching for clues, collecting coins and elevating Aiden to "High Score of the Day". I think we also underestimated how quickly we would become competitive with each other.
We enjoyed dinner at the Loose Moose Bar & Grill. We had not yet put away our MagiQuest wand and soon discovered we could make a raccoon swing from the ceiling. What a fun surprise - the wand even has powers in other areas around the Lodge!
The one souvenir I wanted from our stay was a pair of wolf ears. While a set of ears comes with a children's meal, you can purchase them a la carte. I bought three pairs!
Our visit ended much too quickly and I can definitely see why a Great Wolf Lodge visit is best for multiple nights. There was so much to do. As a Pack Member, and as a guest, I cannot wait for our next Great Wolf Lodge getaway!


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In acknowledgement of their contributions to undergraduate education, professors Bonnie Meguid, Anne Meredith, and John Michael are being honored with the University of Rochester's 2013 Goergen Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
The Goergen Awards, which recognize the distinctive teaching accomplishments and skills of faculty in Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, are named for and sponsored by alumnus, trustee, and former board chairman Robert B. Goergen and his wife, Pamela. At a reception on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the University will formally recognize this year's winners, who were nominated for the award by the chairs of their academic departments.
Bonnie Meguid, associate professor of political science
Since joining the Department of Political Science in 2002, Bonnie Meguid has won accolades from colleagues and students alike for her teaching and gained recognition for her scholarly contributions.
In a letter nominating Meguid for the 2013 Goergen Award, Richard Niemi, Don Alonzo Watson Professor of Political Science and interim chair of the department, praised her ability to inspire students to improve their understanding of the world around them.
"Bonnie shines in the classroom," writes Niemi. "She presents material with authority, bringing to the classroom a high level of expertise." Despite addressing difficult topics like nationalism and ethnicity, explains Niemi, Meguid is able to remain neutral and objective in the classroom while encouraging students to think critically for themselves. Niemi also notes Meguid's capacity to challenge students in large freshman classes through senior honors theses. She organizes classes thoroughly and thoughtfully, providing detailed outlines to help guide class discussion, spending time with teaching assistants to strengthen class recitations, and encouraging students to "listen, absorb, and ask questions rather than simply taking notes."
"What is most distinctive about Professor Meguid's teaching style and classroom experience is her passion," explains Alisa Jimenez '14 in a letter supporting Meguid's nomination for the award. "Her love for the issues she teaches makes such a difference; it makes learning so much more enjoyable."
In addition to teaching classes on comparative politics, ethnic politics, and political parties, elections and voting, Meguid supervises independent studies and senior honor theses. She also frequently serves as an undergraduate major advisor and recently served as chair of the undergraduate honors committee for the 2012-13 academic year.
Anne Merideth, senior lecturer in religion and director of undergraduate studies
Since her arrival at Rochester in 1995, Anne Merideth has been recognized for extraordinary teaching, winning the Abraham J. Karp Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1997 and 2007 and receiving the G. Graydon and Jane W. Curtis Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001. In letters supporting her nomination for the 2013 Goergen Award, colleagues and students describe Merideth's role as a trusted teacher and advisor to many undergraduates and commend her extensive contributions to the religion and classics, women's studies, and Jewish studies programs.
"Merideth is generous with her time and ideas in order to foster growth and learning in her students," writes one of her colleagues in a letter nominating Merideth for the award. "A remarkable number of her best students go on to successful advanced work and distinguished careers, which, many of them say, they would not have been able to do without her encouragement, example, mentoring, and teaching."
Merideth's commitment to students extends beyond her work in the classroom, as a frequent speaker at the Interfaith Chapel, a judge for humanities research at the Undergraduate Research Expo, and a pre-major advisor with a "heavier than normal load of advisees."
Merideth has also served as an inspiration to students and faculty in her redesign of the senior seminar required for most religion majors, which highlights the value of undergraduate research. Merideth encourages students to think of themselves as part of the scholarly community by having students present the results of their research to peers for critique, a teaching method that has been adopted by other professors. In a letter of support for Merideth's nomination, Jeremy Schott '99 wrote, "Professor Merideth prompted me to begin considering my undergraduate writing and research as an authentic academic contribution. Her teaching and mentoring continue to serve as a model in my own practice."
John Michael, professor of English and visual and cultural studies
In his 25 years at Rochester, John Michael has inspired colleagues and students with his innovative teaching and broad academic interests. "John's intelligence, intellectual generosity, and curricular vision have transformed the lives of his students," writes Rosemary Kegl, associate professor of English and chair of the department, in a letter nominating Michael for the award. "His contributions to undergraduate education have been extremely impressive and unusually extensive."
In several letters nominating Michael for the 2013 Goergen Award, colleagues outlined his efforts to improve humanities offerings beyond the English department. In his longstanding contributions to the undergraduate programs of American Studies, Art History, Visual and Cultural Studies, the Frederick Douglass Institute, and Literary Translation Studies, Michael has proved to be an invaluable teacher, mentor, and research advisor.
Among the multitude of undergraduate students who can speak to Michael's impact on their academic careers is Laurel Raymond '13, who took his English honors seminar in the spring. "He gave me the clearest picture of what it would mean to be a humanities scholar, and why such a pursuit was interesting and important," she writes. "While teaching me about the past of intellectual thought, he made me want to shape its future, and prepared me to do so."
Michael has served in a variety of administrative capacities, including director of undergraduate studies, director of graduate studies, academic advisor, and most recently as chair of the English department. Within these roles, writes Kenneth Gross, fellow professor of English, Michael has consistently invested in "the larger shape of undergraduate teaching." In a letter of support for his nomination, Gross explains that as English department chair, "one of John's steadiest aims was to make sure that we have a department of great, enthusiastic teacherssomething for which he was a model."


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After a vigorous discussion, the Maryland Racing Commission approved the first raise in 12 years for losing jockeys during Tuesday's regular monthly meeting at Laurel Park.
All losing riders -- those who finish out of the top 3 spots in a race -- will now make $75 per mount instead of a sliding scale that started at $45.
The commission debated whether $75 was a large enough increase but passed the raise with an amendment requiring the board to reassess the amount of the raise, based on available funding numbers six to 12 months after it goes into effect Jan. 1.
The $75 plan was proposed by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association by unanimous approval of its board. The MTHA discussed the possibility of a raise after the national Jockeys' Guild requested an increase at the September meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission.
"Everyone agreed the jockey fees needed to be addressed," said David Richardson, who became the MTHA's new executive secretary Tuesday, replacing Wayne Wright, who retired Monday after 37 years. "They also wanted to streamline the payouts."
Under current guidelines, which will continue through the end of this year, winning jockeys earn 10 percent of the purse, while second- and third-place riders each earn 5 percent. Jockeys who finish out of the money are paid on a sliding scale, based on race purses, from $45 (for $10,000 to $14,999 purses) to $100 (for $100,000 and up purses). And, at the end of the year, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association also pays a bonus to jockeys earning less than $100,000.
It was a fund that paid out $46,000 to 23 riders last year. The MTHA also spends $1.5 million on worker's compensation for the jockeys, making Maryland just one of four states to do so.
While the horsemen will continue to pay for worker's compensation, the end-of-year bonus will be discontinued and all out-of-the-money jockeys will earn $75 in every race, no matter what the purse money is. The increase totals $150,000 more for the jockeys.
"The way we had it set up before helped the least successful riders," breeder-trainer Katy Voss said. "Now, the biggest benefit will go to the better riders, who already, at times, are finishing in the top three. But those little guys aren't usually members of the Jockeys' Guild and the Guild is campaigning for its members."
The Jockeys' Guild, which was represented by 20 jockeys at the meeting last month along with national representative Terry Meyocks, was not represented at Tuesday's meeting. Commissioner John Franzone, however, said the Jockeys' Guild was not in favor of the $75 raise, having requested $100, to put them in line with other race tracks..
In surrounding states, Charles Town, W.Va., pays from $75 to $105 to losing jockeys; Parx Racing in Pennsylvania pays $100, as do tracks in New York. Meanwhile, Penn National and Presque Isle, both in Pennsylvania, and Delaware Park all pay $75 to losing jockeys in most of their races.
NOTES: Commissioner John McDaniel, who is working with the Maryland Jockey Club and the MTHA on a long-range plan for the racing industry that includes next year's racing dates, said he expects an agreement to be reached before next month's meeting.
"It's a complicated puzzle," McDaniel said. "We're making progress and we hope to make a formal request [for dates] at the November meeting that is a win-win for horsemen, breeders, the track and Maryland Racing."
Also, Ocean Downs sought and received approval for its 2013 summer race card that will expand from 44 to 48 days.


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Book Post: Tamas Dobozy wins Writers' Trust Prize for 'Siege 13'
Nanaimo-born writer Tamas Dobozy has brought the short story back to the centre of Canadian literature by prevailing over four novelists to win the $25,000 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for Siege 13, a collection of linked stories documenting the Soviet siege of Budapest in the closing days of the Second World War.
Little-known to Canadian readers prior to the publication of his latest book, Dobozy came to prominence this fall when Siege 13 appeared among the finalists for both the Writers' Trust prize and the Governor-General's Literary Award for Fiction, which is scheduled to be presented next week.
"Siege 13 spans continents and decades, and in doing so illustrates once again that old maxim: The short story can be both as broad and as deep as a novel," the Writers' Trust jury said in its citation. "These stories are never less than breathtaking."
Currently living in southern Ontario, where he teaches English at Wilfrid Laurier University, Dobozy won the first Fulbright Research Chair in Creative Writing at New York University in 2009 and was awarded an O. Henry Prize two years later for his story, The Restoration of the Villa Where Tibor Kallman Once Lived.
With his persistent focus on Hungarian themes and settings, Dobozy typifies the new generation of writers stretching Canadian literature into a distinctly cosmopolitan enterprise. "Home is an odd concept" for someone like him, Dobozy once told an interviewer, "because I never felt as if I fit very well into either country – Hungary or Canada.
"I think that's a metaphor for a lot of things in my writing," he added, "and maybe even for the writing itself, which flits between various genres, and which doesn't really have an easy set of allegiances or connections to other traditions of writing, but tends to borrow from all over the place."
Siege 13 prevailed over novels by authors Alix Ohlin, Linda Spalding, Rawi Hage and Tim Bowling to win this year's prize at a ceremony in Toronto Wednesday evening.
The group also honoured Ontario novelist Nino Ricci with the $25,000 Engel/Findley Award, presented annually for a body of work. The $20,000 Matt Cohen Award "in celebration of a writing life" went to children's writer Jean Little, while Paul Yee won the $20,000 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature. Alex Pugsley won the group's $10,000 Journey Prize for best Canadian short story of the year.


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Use this large 18-tooth solid pulley as an extra tuning aid for your Cyclone touring car! The extra cornering traction will help you drop lap times and give you an advantage over other racers!
The 18T pulleys give Cyclone racers an extra tuning option over the standard 16T pulleys, and allow the transmission to roll with less resistance. Adjust each end independently, or add 18T pulleys for both front and rear drive belts. Be sure to use the appropriate drive belt (see below). Fits all Cyclone touring cars. You also have the option of a solid middle pulley to allow front wheel braking #66491 Centre One-Way Pulley 18T Use with these longer drive belts: #66493 Front Belt 510 (170T) #66494 Rear Belt 189 (63T)


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An antiquated state law that has squeezed the budgets of well-meaning groups statewide could finally be on the road to repeal, and it's about time.
An antiquated state law that has squeezed the budgets of well-meaning groups statewide could finally be on the road to repeal, and it's about time.
South Carolina is one of only four states to outlaw charity raffles. Now, even longtime gambling opponents have softened their opposition to changing that centuries-old law.
Last week, a Senate panel moved forward legislation that would allow voters to address the issue during the November 2014 election. A referendum is necessary because changing the law requires an amendment to the state constitution. If approved, the new law would take effect the following year.
Under the proposal, nonprofits, including churches and schools, could hold a limited number of raffles annually. The measure also caps the cost of a ticket in any given raffle at $100 and limits the prize total to $250,000 per event.
Nonprofit groups registered through the S.C. Secretary of State's Office could hold four raffles each year. Groups raffling prizes valued at less than $500 wouldn't have to register.
The bill also bans poker-themed events, and prohibits organizers from profiting from such events.
Current law has dramatically hindered some groups already struggling to provide services during a wallet-tightening recession. Statewide, Lions Clubs have lost an estimated $500,000 a year since authorities threatened to arrest officials running a raffle at a Tega Cay club, state Lions Club President Gregg Turner told The Associated Press. In turn, Turner told 160 clubs statewide to stop all raffles, meaning fewer dollars for hearing aids and eye surgeries for those in need.
If approved, this change would rectify two glaring inconsistencies within current state law.
First, the current prohibition is not evenly enforced. One civic club could hold a raffle, raising money for a worthy cause. Local officials, business leaders and even law enforcement officers might attend. The event proceeds without a hitch. The next week, in a neighboring town, another branch of the civic group holds a similar fundraiser, and the organizers are arrested. Officials say the law is enforced only when someone complains about a raffle. That disparity is reason enough to revoke the law.
Second, the state has already staked its position with regard to any moral quandary over organized games of chance. Since January 2002, the state has operated its education lottery, generating billions of dollars in revenue – money spent by residents hoping to win prizes that sometimes reach into the hundreds of millions. For the state to operate such a cash cow while denying community groups the ability to raise money through raffles is pure hypocrisy.
This proposal is worthwhile. Residents – and especially leaders of affected groups – should continue to push for change. Then voters must do their part at the polls.


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The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria is weeks away, but could be accelerated with more support from the Obama administration, said George Netto, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee of the opposition Syrian National Council and the group's U.N. liaison.
Netto expressed gratitude for the Obama administration's diplomatic efforts on behalf of the Syrian resistance, now battling Syrian army forces in Aleppo, Damascus and other cities, and for the U.S. role in delivering medical supplies and other nonlethal aid to Syrian refugees escaping the conflict in Turkey. But Netto wondered why the United States and other international powers, which had firmly defended the citizens of Benghazi when Libyan strongman Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi threatened its population, now seem incapable of similarly defending the embattled residents of the ancient city of Aleppo, home to one of Syria's largest Christian communities.
"It's not enough for the State Department to say, 'Our hearts are with the people of Aleppo,'" he said. "It's not enough to sit by and be sympathetic." Netto called for the United States to issue a warning that the bombing of civilians in Aleppo would cross a line. Even just the threat of a no-fly zone, he said, "will go a long way to protect civilians."
Netto also argued that the United States should revisit its policy on arms shipments to the Free Syrian Army. Netto said the F.S.A. controlled enough territory within Syria, particularly near the border with Turkey, to make aid delivery feasible. He complained that U.S. opposition to military aid had discouraged Turkey and Saudi Arabia from transferring weapons to rebel fighters, essentially leaving them at the mercy of the vastly superior Syrian Army.
"This is being portrayed as a civil war between two armies, but it's not really like that," Netto said. The volunteers of the Free Syrian Army, he explained, are loosely organized and lightly armed, attempting to defend what began as a nonviolent protest against the Assad regime—and now their families, friends and neighbors—against a modern army that has shown willingness to use heavy weapons, tanks and aircraft without discrimination.
Although more than 200,000 people have fled, most of Aleppo's two million residents remain trapped in the city. Densely populated neighborhoods are being targeted in a bombardment so intense the wounded and dead are being left to lie in the streets, according to Netto. "The fear of a massacre is not exaggerated," he said.
"There is a big likelihood that the regime will drive the F.S.A. out" of Aleppo, he said, "but that is not going to change anything." Netto said the regime's escalating brutality was only eroding what support it had left among Syria's Alawite minority.
According to Netto, a member of the Syrian Orthodox Church, many Syrian Christians, who may have reluctantly supported the regime as at least a protector of religious minorities in Syria, are joining the resistance because of the Syrian army's tactics. Netto downplayed concerns that Christians and Alawites face repression or worse at the hands of the Syrian opposition. "There are Christians among the underground leaders," he said, "and there are brigades of Christians among the fighters" of the F.S.A.
He said the opposition, with the help of the United States and other Western powers, has been preparing for months to assume control of Syria if the Assad government collapses, including plans for rebuilding, economic reforms and a new constitution that will protect religious and minority rights. He said the opposition was also working on procedures for "transitional justice."
"This is very important to us; we want to avoid blind revenge," he said. "Those who committed crimes need to be punished," Netto said, but the process must be controlled and just.


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Mountain Stage
Kat Edmonson On Mountain Stage
Kat Edmonson On Mountain Stage
Kat Edmonson makes her first appearance on Mountain Stage, recorded on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown. Originally from Houston, Edmonson relocated to Austin, where her classic jazz-inspired singing soon made her one of the town's most talked about musicians.
She released her debut album Take to the Sky in 2009, which lead to gigs singing alongside such icons as Willie Nelson and recording "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Lyle Lovett. Her follow-up, Way Down Low, featured another collaboration with Lovett. Produced and engineered by studio legend Al Schmitt, it debuted at number one on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. She's backed here by guitarist Steve Elliot.
Edmonson is followed by Mountain Stage band pianist Bob Thompson, with his reworking of the George Harrison-penned Beatles tune "Here Comes the Sun."
Set List
- "Hopelessly Blue"
- "What Else Can I Do"
- "This Was The One"
- "Long Way Home"
- "It Must Be Love"
- "Lucky"
- "I Don't Know"
- "Here Comes The Sun" — Bob Thompson


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 16, 2012) – For the second time in the last three seasons the ETSU volleyball team will be playing in the Atlantic Sun Championship match. On Saturday inside Lipscomb's Allen Arena, the third-seeded Bucs will face fourth-seeded North Florida at 4 p.m. (Eastern).
The Bucs (22-12) secured their spot in the final by sweeping past Mercer in Thursday's quarterfinal, while ending Lipscomb's three-year run of tournament champion with a four-set win on Friday night.
North Florida also earned a sweep in the quarterfinal after taking down Jacksonville, and the Ospreys recorded just their third win in 16 meetings over Florida Gulf Coast with a five-set victory in Friday's second semifinal game. The Ospreys are riding an eight-match winning streak into Saturday's championship and sit 22-11 on the year.
ETSU and UNF split the season series with the Bucs winning a four-setter in Johnson City, while the Ospreys won in five last weekend in Jacksonville. Overall, the Bucs have won nine of the 13 matches in the series and five of the last six.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and live stats can be accessed by visiting AtlanticSun.org. Twitter updates will also be available by following @ETSUAthletics.
ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for "Buc Updates." Click here to sign up today!
For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball page.


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US court upholds insider trading conviction
NEW YORK (AP) — A stock trader nicknamed "the Octopussy" because he had access to so many sources of inside information was properly convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison, a federal appeals court concluded Monday.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the conviction of Zvi Goffer and two others in a case the government had once touted as the biggest insider trading prosecution in history.
In all, more than two dozen defendants were convicted, including a one-time billionaire whose hedge funds had commanded as much as $7 billion.
The Israeli-born Goffer was convicted with two others in 2011 in a conspiracy to pay bribes to two lawyers at a Manhattan law firm. The government said Goffer and others earned more than $10 million illegally.
Goffer, whose nickname is a reference to a James Bond film, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after prosecutors said he arranged to pay two attorneys nearly $100,000 in 2007 and 2008 for inside tips on mergers and acquisitions. Prosecutors said Goffer's network used prepaid cellphones to avoid detection and destroyed them after each successful tip.
His lawyers challenged his conviction and sentence on several grounds, including that wiretap evidence should have been suppressed, that jury instructions were erroneous and that Goffer was punished for refusing to plead guilty.
A three-judge panel of the Manhattan appeals court noted the novelty of using wiretaps in a securities fraud case as it rejected defense arguments that the law permitting wiretaps does not list securities fraud as an offense for which it can be used.
The government has said it made the most extensive use of wiretaps ever in the insider trading probe.
The court also rejected arguments that Goffer was treated more harshly than similarly situated white-collar criminals.
The 2nd Circuit said assuming "that some judges have chosen as a policy matter not to sentence white-collar criminals to the harshest permissible punishments, this does not entitle other white-collar criminals to lighter punishments than are reasonable."
The appeals court said Goffer orchestrated and ran a large-scale, cash-for-tips scheme to fuel an insider trading conspiracy.
"Goffer took steps to disguise his wrongdoings by distributing disposable cellphones, using fake research to cover his illegal trades and refusing to speak about sensitive topics on the telephone," the 2nd Circuit said.
It added, "Goffer's corrosive influence on the integrity of the financial markets and on the expectation of trust and confident between attorney and client required a significant punishment."


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Main Site - :: Why Won't God Heal Amputees? ::
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Naturally you were correct, and I see the angle you tried to take was even one of less confrontation. Its just one of those things we'll have to deal with. I used to go at it with my mom very often, but not so much over the past year until last weekend. All I can say is I think the tides are shifting. My fundy mother has three non-believing children.
Edit:(I know my english is terrible but I just edited some spelling Nam would give me grief about)
Couldn't think of a title.
Quote from: Nam on December 09, 2013, 03:26:39 PMCouldn't think of a title. The title you were looking for was there all the time: "In God We Trust" - your aunt and mum do, don't they?In the battle for minds and hearts, those over 75 are exempt from service and are not to be considered enemy combatants except if they put themselves up as public pundits and/or own God-TV and/or megachurches.Ec:1:17: And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. See! Arguing with them is just vexation of their spirit.
It's baffling. One would think they were conservative Republicans but they are both liberal Democrats.-Nam
Disclaimer: please do not say anything negative about my mother or aunt. Speak about the content, not the person(s).
Couldn't think of a title. Anyway, I took my mother to visit her mother's sister in the nursing home today, I mainly stayed outside but because there was too many people in the room not because I didn't want to visit, too.So, after an hour or two I went back in to get my mom so I could take her shopping (she's in a wheelchair but not bound to it, she can stand and walk periodically) for Christmas cards etc., and before we left they were talking about how since, from their perception, Biblegod is making the weather worse the "End Times" will be coming soon. I rolled my eyes. And, then my mother said something about how she hates it when activists protest against Christians placing nativity scenes in the Courthouses or other city/government property; that when people complain about that, they are wrong to do that. That I spoke out about. I said, "You believe in Separation of Church and State but only if applies to you. That's not separation! You don't want the government in your business then don't put your business into the government. It applies to all, not all except Christians!" My aunt replied, "Courthouses aren't government property." I replied, "It belongs to the county, the county has to follow the laws of the state who in turn have to follow the laws of the federal government, i.e. the Constitution."She told me I was wrong because if that were true than "In God We Trust" wouldn't be stated in Courthouses.I actually got snippy with my great aunt for the first time. My mother, not the first nor last. Anyway, I was astonished. I really was.Disclaimer: please do not say anything negative about my mother or aunt. Speak about the content, not the person(s).-Nam
Quote from: Nam on December 09, 2013, 03:26:39 PMDisclaimer: please do not say anything negative about my mother or aunt. Speak about the content, not the person(s).Interesting. You are sensitive about them. That is kind of nice, I think. The interesting part is the fact that you feel free to say anything to anyone, regardless of how it makes them feel.
Wrong. I look at it this way:
Quote from: Nam on December 22, 2013, 12:52:46 PMWrong. I look at it this way:That is[\i] one way of looking at it. And not really surprising either. Sort of self serving, don't you think?Another is people are sensitive about different things. And you want one standard for how you get to treat people and another for how they must treat you.
(ii) You are still 12 year old, naughty little Nam to her


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The Back Space Theatre
(1120 Main Ave., 259-7940)
Occupy Unmasked. (No Ebert rating.) This documentary starring the late Andrew Breitbart (Ill let that sink in) takes a different look at the Occupy Wall Street movement and who is really behind it. (Not rated, but things get pretty dicey so proceed with discretion.)
Gaslight Cinema
(102 Fifth St. Next to the railroad depot, 247-8133)
The Master. HH½ Set in the years after World War II, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays an L. Ron Hubbard-like character and Joaquin Phoenix is an alcoholic who becomes his ardent follower. Rated R.
Atlas Shrugged: Part II. (No Ebert rating.) The inevitable consequences of regulation result in a world of rampant inflation, unemployment and the devaluing of the individual. Ayn wouldve been proud of this one. Rated PG-13.
Durango Stadium 9
(Next to Durango Mall, 247-9799)
17 Girls. HHH (Wednesday only) A bunch of high school girls 17 of them make a pact to all get pregnant at the same time. The good news is, its based on a true story. Unrated.
LItaliana in Algeri. (No Ebert rating.) The Teatro Comunale di Bolognas production of Rossinis opera. Noon Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Argo. HHHH Ben Affleck yes, Ben Affleck kills as a CIA guy who conjures up a trick to get six hostages out of Iran in 1979. Also based on a true story, but with far fewer pregnant teens. (See review this page.) Rated R.
Here Comes the Boom. (No Ebert rating.) This just sounds insulting. Kevin James stars as a former high school wrestler who becomes an MMA fighter to save the music teachers job. The music teacher is played by Henry Winkler. Rated PG.
Sinister. HHH A scary one about a guy who finally figures out why everyone whos every lived in his house has been murdered. But does he realize it in time ...? Rated R.
Taken 2. HHH Liam Neeson returns as a retired spy who must rescue himself from kidnappers this time around. Rated PG-13.
Frankenweenie. HHH (In standard format and digital 3-D with surcharge.) Tim Burton morphs Frankenstein and Pet Sematary in this animated feature about a boy trying to reanimate his beloved dog. Rated PG.
Pitch Perfect. HH An all-girl college singing group takes on their rival male counterparts in yet another formulaic and predictable romp. Rated PG-13.
Hotel Transylvania. (No Ebert rating; in standard format and digital 3-D with surcharge.) An animated movie with Adam Sandler voicing Dracula as the owner of a high-end resort. Ive heard worse premises, unfortunately. Rated PG.
Looper. HHH½ In the year 2074, when the mob wants to put a hit on someone they do it right, sending a hitman back 30 years in the past to kill em at the root, so to speak. Rated PG-13.
Trouble with the Curve. HHH Clint Eastwood is an aging baseball scout and Amy Adams is his daughter who does what she can to help him stay in the biz. Rated PG-13.
Ted holteen and roger ebert


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Hadoop is a disruptive force in the traditional data management space. However, there are both good and bad sides to the disruption, as well as some ugly marketing hype fueling it.
The good side of Hadoop's disruption is in the realm of big data.
Hadoop is an open source, Java-based ecosystem of technologies that exploit many low-cost, commodity machines to process huge amounts of data in a reasonable time. The bottom line is that Hadoop works for big data, functions well at a low cost and is improving every day. A recent Forrester report called Hadoop's momentum "unstoppable."
Currently there are hundreds, even thousands, of contributors to the Hadoop community, including dozens of large companies like Microsoft, IBM, Teradata, Intel and many others. Hadoop has proven a robust way to process big data; its ecosystem of complementary technologies is growing every day.
But there's a bad side to Hadoop's disruption.
First, its very success is causing many players to jump in, which increases the confusion and pace of change in the technology. The current state of Hadoop is in radical flux. Every part of the ecosystem is undergoing both rapid acceleration experimentation.
Furthermore, parts of the ecosystem are extremely immature. When I tech edited the book, "Professional Hadoop Solutions," I saw firsthand how some newer technologies like Oozie had schemas for configuration files that were very immature and will undergo significant change as they mature.
Hadoop 2.0 only came out in 2013 with a new foundational layer called YARN. Now there is Hadoop Spark, a more general-purpose parallel computation approach that is faster than and competes with Hadoop MapReduce. It is not unrealistic to say that the technology is experiencing both extreme success and extreme churn simultaneously.
Second, there is immaturity in terms of features that increase the risk of adoption. Technologies like Facebook's Presto competes with Apache's Hive, a data warehouse infrastructure built on top of Hadoop. As with any other emerging technology, it is best to keep away from the bleeding edge of the technology to the more stable core components.
The ugly side of Hadoop's disruption is the technology overreach fueled by the marketing departments of numerous new entrants to the Hadoop/big data space. Hortonworks Inc., which focuses on the support of Hadoop and just received a $100 million investment, recently published a whitepaper titled A Modern Data Architecture with Apache Hadoop: The Journey to a Data Lake.
The paper makes the case for augmenting your current enterprise data warehouse and data management architecture with a Hadoop installation to create a "data lake." Of course, data lake is a newly minted term that basically promises a single place to store all your data where it can be analyzed by numerous applications at any time.
Basically, it's a play for "Hadoop Everywhere and Hadoop for ALL DATA." To say this is a bold statement by Hortonworks is being kind. The vision of a data lake is not a bad vision – a store-everything approach is worthwhile. However, it is wildly unrealistic to say that Hadoop can get you that today. Executing successfully on that vision is a minimum of five years out.
On the positive side, let me add that I do believe that Hadoop can achieve this vision if it continues on its current trajectory – it is just not there today. For example, the Hadoop File System is geared towards extremely large files, which a store-everything approach would not accommodate. Additionally, Hadoop's analysis features are geared to processing homogeneous data like Web logs, sensor data and clickstream data, which is at odds with the vision of storing everything including a wide variety of heterogeneous formats.
A reality check comparing Hadoop's current status for handling data management tasks (outside of its big data realm) to mature data management technologies like ETL and data warehouses can only conclude that hyperbole like the Hortonworks whitepaper is a classic case of technology overreach.
So, government IT managers should be wary of technology overreach and focus on known success areas to use the right tools for the right challenge. For right now, Hadoop successfully tackles big data.
For any other use of Hadoop at this time, your mantra is caveat emptor.
Michael C. Daconta (email@example.com or @mdaconta) is the Vice President of Advanced Technology at InCadence Strategic Solutions and the former Metadata Program Manager for the Homeland Security Department. His new book is entitled, The Great Cloud Migration: Your Roadmap to Cloud Computing, Big Data and Linked Data.
Posted by Michael C. Daconta on Apr 02, 2014 at 11:10 AM
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To learn hadoop development and succeed in getting hadoop jobs, which training base is better cloudera or hortonworks?
As a developer who has worked on "big data" projects in the defense space, I would say the first thing you should do is figure out if you actually have a big data problem. Many vendors will tell you that you do so they can sell you a Hadoop solution you may not need. Mr. Daconta is quite right on vendor glut.
If you really do have a big data problem, however, Hadoop is far more robust than Mr. Daconta suggests. Many private sector companies thrive on various elements of the Hadoop stack, and the technology has been around for quite some time. But yes, setting up and maintaining a cluster is a pain.
I would also mention that this post fails to recognize other big data use cases like streaming data (i.e. Storm and Spark Streaming) and graph data (i.e. Apache Giraph and Titan).
There are some factual errors in the post:
1) There is no "Hadoop Spark." There is Apache Spark, an open-source project started at Berkeley, which performs large-scale batch analytics by utilizing cluster memory. Mr. Daconta is correct though that Spark "competes" with MapReduce, which performs large-scale batch analytics by utilizing reads and writes on disk.
2) Facebook Presto does not compete with Apache Hive but rather with Cloudera Impala and Apache Drill, both of which run on top of Hive and are open-source Google Dremel spinoffs.
3) While I may have misunderstood Mr. Daconta's point on heterogeneous data, you can certainly accomplish that with a serialization framework like Apache Thrift, Google Protocol Buffers, Avro, or Parquet among others.
Great summary, as usual. There is great potential in Hadoop but it is not the answer to every data requirement and currently suffers from over hype and a serious lack of qualified people to deliver the current capabilities.
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ALAMEDA – Raiders coach Dennis Allen said Monday that his team this season is "closer" to being a playoff-caliber team than it was last season and that he isn't concerned about his job security.
"Listen, that's not what my job is," Allen said, when asked if he has received assurance from owner Mark Davis that he'll be retained beyond this season. "My job is to try to get this team better, get this team ready to play against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"I'm not going to talk about speculation or anything like that. I'm going to worry about winning a football game this week."
The Raiders were 3-10 at this point last season. They finished 4-12 on the heels of an 8-8 campaign in 2011, the season before Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie arrived.
The Raiders are 4-9 so far this season, with games remaining against their divisional foes – Denver Broncos (11-2), Kansas City (10-3) and San Diego Chargers (6-7).
"We're a lot closer," Allen said. "Obviously the record doesn't say so. We all recognize that, at the end of the day, this is a production business. We understand that you are what your record says you are.
"But I also know there's a lot of areas where this football team has improved. We've got to continue to improve in those areas and other areas so that we're able to win football games and not come away and be disappointed."
Allen said he and McKenzie are in lock-step with their long-term outlook for their complete rebuild of a franchise that last finished with a winning record and qualified for the playoffs in 2002.
"Reggie and I have been on the same page in everything that we've done," Allen said. "We understand what the vision is, we have a plan for what we're trying to get accomplished and we haven't varied from that, and we won't waver on that."
Running back Rashad Jennings said he and his teammates are behind Allen and the other coaches 100 percent.
"We've made a lot of strides," Jennings said. " … You have a lot of hungry guys who want to change this culture and turn this program around. The majority of the guys feel that way."
Safety Charles Woodson called the Raiders loss to the New York Jets on Sunday "embarrassing" and reflected badly on players and coaches. The Raiders were competitive in all but two of their first 12 games, but they got outplayed by the lowly Jets in a 37-27 defeat.
Allen said he hasn't spoken with McKenzie or Davis since the Jets game ended.
Davis vented about the Raiders poor play after the 10th game last season, saying he wanted to see progress. He hasn't weighed in on his team's play this season at all to date.
Wide receiver Rod Streater said there's a marked difference in this year's team, as evidenced by the Raiders having a realistic chance to win six of the nine games they lost. Last season, the Raiders got blown out five times.
"Our record might not be different," Streater said, "but as a team we're right there. … Last year that wasn't the case. I feel like everyone is all in. They believe from the start we can win these games. The attitude is much different."
— Matt McGloin will start against the Chiefs on Sunday, Allen said. McGloin has started the past four games after he relieved injured regular Terrelle Pryor.
Pryor's right knee now is fully healed. However, the starting job is McGloin's until further notice. Allen said Pryor might be used in some capacity the final three games – Pryor played one series against the Jets.
— Jennings said he finally passed all the tests required of players that suffer a concussion and he is cleared to play against the Chiefs on Sunday.
Jennings got hurt against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. He missed the Jets game while he recovered.
He said he is eager to play again. He's also hopeful of re-signing with the Raiders.
"I would love to, if I had it my way," Jennings said. "I feel I am a Raider. I feel at home here. I understand the system, I'm going to continue to grow in it, take ownership over it."
He leads the Raiders with 588 yards rushing and is tied with Darren McFadden in rushing touchdowns (4).
— Allen said the concussion suffered by defensive tackle Vance Walker appears to be more severe than the one that tight end Nick Kasa got against the Jets.
Linebacker Sio Moore (neck) is questionable for the Chiefs game as he undergoes further evaluation for the injury he suffered Sunday.
Left guard Khalif Barnes hurt a knee and an ankle against the Jets. Right offensive tackle Tony Pashos injured a foot. Both are expected to be healthy enough to play against the Chiefs.
— Streater had modest goals when he joined the Raiders in 2012 as an undrafted free agent: "Making the team, getting a jersey. That's all I wanted."
Streater since has established himself as the Raiders most consistent receiver, and he's on the verge of accomplishing something that no Raiders player has since 2005.
He has 787 yards receiving through 13 games, placing him within striking distance of becoming the Raiders first 1,000-yard receiver since Randy Moss in '05.
"There's something about that number you want to get to as a receiver to be considered one of the good ones for the year," Streater said.


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SACRAMENTO — A judge's recent preliminary ruling that California water rights fees are invalid has piqued the interest of a group suing the state over fees charged to rural landowners for fire prevention.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Raymond Cadei agreed with petitioners that fees charged by the State Water Resources Control Board disproportionately burden rights holders with funding the agency's Division of Water Rights.
"The deficiency rises out of the fact that no fees are assessed against the holders of approximately 38 percent of all water rights in California as expressed in acre-feet," Cadei wrote in his ruling, issued Sept. 6. "This evidence is sufficient to establish that holders of water rights that are not charged fees nevertheless receive a benefit from the division's regulatory activities ..."
The proposed ruling, which could be finalized at an Oct. 30 hearing, comes as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is leading a legal challenge against $150-per-structure assessments imposed in rural areas as part of the 2011-2012 budget package.
Simple majorities of the state Legislature passed the fees in an effort to raise $85 million to offset costs to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The HJTA, along with farm groups such as the California Farm Bureau Federation and California Cattlemen's Association, assert the fees amount to taxes that required a two-thirds vote.
The HJTA's class action in the Superior Court here is expected to go to trial early next year. The water lawsuit's outcome could have an impact "because it stands on the same principle – that fees have got to be reflective on the cost of service," said Jon Coupal, an attorney and the HJTA's president.
"I think it's very important," he said of the water case. "As government continues to play fast and loose with the notions of what's a fee and what's a tax, I think all these cases are going to be important. They are certainly related issues."
The fire fees are charged to more than 800,000 rural landowners in Cal Fire's coverage area.
Lawsuits against the water fees were brought several years ago by the CFBF, the Northern California Water Association and other plaintiffs. The groups asserted the fees, which are charged to some 13,000 water rights holders statewide, are an unconstitutional tax. In 2011, the California Supreme Court sent the challenges back to the lower court to hear additional arguments.
When the fees were originally imposed a decade ago, the state water board charged the greater of $100 or 3 cents per acre-foot of entitlement under a water right, the state Farm Bureau explained. In the most recent year, the fee increased to $150 plus 5 cents for each acre-foot above 10 acre-feet.
Among his findings, Cadei asserted the state water board should not have charged contractors in the Central Valley Project for the full amount of their permit rather than the proportion of water actually made available to them in a given year, and said the board had charged "arbitrary" fees to other permit holders.
David Guy, the NCWA's president, said he did not want to comment until the ruling was final. Water board spokesman George Kostyrko said the agency would not comment on pending litigation.
As with the fire fee, the state Farm Bureau urged water rights holders to pay their bills under protest by filing the appropriate form when paying the fee to the Board of Equalization. Cadei wrote that he would consider the issue of refunds at a future hearing.
CFBF president Paul Wenger said in a statement that farmers and ranchers are "willing to pay their fair share" for services, but they shouldn't have to "shoulder the full burden of programs just because that's a convenient way for a government agency to support itself."
California Farm Bureau Federation: http://cfbf.com
Northern California Water Association: http://www.norcalwater.org
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association: http://www.hjta.org
State Water Resources Control Board: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: http://www.fire.ca.gov


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Detective Nieblas
Alejandro Aguado is a comic artist and photographer from Patagonia. He began his career at the age of 16 drawing for newspaper from Comodoro Rivadavia, in the central region of Patagonia. He edited Duendes Del Sur, the first comic magazine coming from the region of Chubut. He was also editor of the magazine El Rey Tuerto and the monthly supplement El Espejo, De Los Dibujantes Del Sur.
Chiri Von Fiesta
Aguado has made comic strips and cartoons for websites, books, newspapers and magazines. Among his characters are 'Un Quijote en Patagonia' (in Crónica de Comodoro Rivadavia), 'Morocho Darguin' (with Juan Carlos Moisés in El Espejo), 'Chiri Von Fiesta' (in La Duendes, Sonaste Maneco), 'Detective Nieblas' (with Martín Colivoro in Aerosol) and 'El sr. Tierno' (in Aerosol). His work has been published in the USA, Belgium, UK, Holland, Spain and Chile. He is editor of La Duendes - Historieta, Humor y cultura en Patagonia.
Morocho Darguin