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OSLO, Norway, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Critics of the European Union expressed bewilderment that the bloc won the Nobel Peace Prize, though supporters praised its role in regional peace.
President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz said the announcement Friday was a great honor for the bloc.
"The values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and the respect for human rights are absolutely fundamental to the European Union," Schulz said in a statement. "These fundamental values underpin all of the European Union's activities both internally and in our external policies."
Following two world wars that divided much of Europe and the world, the Nobel committee said it awarded the European Union with the prize for its unifying role during the last six decades.
The International Crisis Group, a conflict watchdog that has its headquarters in Brussels, said the European Union has showed great leadership despite "tremendous day-to-day strain."
"The EU has been above all else one of the greatest conflict resolution mechanisms ever devised," the organization said in a statement.
The BBC reports that praise wasn't universal, however. The Nobel committee mentioned the European debt crisis but not failed diplomatic efforts over the course of its history since its development after World War II.


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October 16th, 2018 at 10:40 AM
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subset: commoncrawl


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On the off chance you weren't convinced by welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre's "come at me bro" challenge to Carlos Condit in regard to his previously obliterated knee, then perhaps this segment that Ultimate Insider recently ran documenting GSP's lengthy recovery from surgery will finally put your worries to rest. Unless you're a Condit fan of course, in which case you might piss yourself when you see GSP drag one of his training partners behind him like a World's Strongest Man in a bus-pulling competition.
In the video, St. Pierre discusses how his injury actually helped reignite a long quelled flame within him, as well as how his training partners, coaches, and team of doctors all but completely removed the mere memory of the surgery he underwent some months ago. But according to "Rush," the biggest lesson he took away from the recovery process was that "elth is the most important thing in the world. You can ave welt, evryting, money, but you don't ave elth, it's useless."
Spoken like a true champion.


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Skip to comments.Feinstein Holds Hearings on Gun and Magazine Ban
Posted on 03/08/2013 9:12:57 PM PST by neverdem
On Wednesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who has been advocating banning one sort of gun or another for over 30 years, held Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on her new gun and magazine ban legislation, S. 150, the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2013."(PDF)
Among those testifying in support of the bill were John Walsh, the U.S. Attorney for Colorado, representing the Obama Department of Justice, Milwaukee police chief Edward Flynn, and Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter. Testifying against the bill were former U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.), Fordham University law professor and longtime Second Amendment scholar Nicholas Johnson, and attorney and constitutional scholar David Hardy.
Feinstein insisted on holding her own hearings because hearings held a month ago by Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) didn't produce enough support for her bill. In the earlier hearings, NRA Executive Vice-President Wayne LaPierre, University of Denver law professor David Kopel, and attorney Gayle Trotter spoke against banning "assault weapons" and magazines that hold 11 or more rounds, and also against criminalizing private sales, gifts and trades of firearms. Sen. Feinstein and most of her supporters at this hearing demonstrated ignorance, hypocrisy, and bad behavior from start to finish, and never offered evidence to support the restrictions they advocated.
Incredibly, Sen. Feinstein began the hearings with a video showing an after-market device that helps a person pull a semi-automatic rifle trigger faster, citing the existence of the contraption as a reason to ban the rifles themselves. That would be akin to banning automobiles because someone might soup them up to make them go faster. Tellingly, Feinstein proposes to ban the guns themselves, as well as the device.
After Walsh and Flynn advocated the gun and magazine bans, and "universal" background checks, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) asked both of them if they knew how many murders are committed with rifles of any type, and how many prosecutions they had undertaken of criminals who failed background checks when illegally trying to buy guns from dealers.
Easy questions, one would think, but Walsh fumbled his answers like a third-string running back playing his first game of the season in an ice storm, saying that he didn't know for sure about rifle murders and that his prosecutions had numbered zero.
Flynn then interrupted Sen. Graham to say that prosecuting criminals who illegally try to buy guns was irrelevant. The chief's attempts to cut Sen. Graham off were so disrespectful that Sen. Feinstein herself intervened, banging the gavel and insisting on civility during the proceedings. By stark contrast, Sen. Graham did the people of South Carolina proud, by distinguishing himself with truly remarkable restraint. And for the record, Sen. Graham noted, rifles of any type are used in only about 2.5 percent of murders, half the percentage accounted for by murders with bare hands.
Prosecutor Walsh may not have had much to say about prosecutions, but he had quite a bit to say about banning guns, and it didn't help Feinstein's cause. Asked by the committee's ranking Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), whether S. 150 would be constitutional, Walsh said that it would be constitutional only if the guns that are banned are not common, are "dangerous and unusual," and are not relevant to the right of self-defense. Of course, the firearms that would be banned by S. 150 are common, and are not "dangerous and unusual" in the sense in which that term has been used historically in the law. And it should go without saying that magazines that hold 11 or more rounds and firearms designed to use them are certainly relevant to self-defense.
Walsh had even more to say about banning guns when Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) asked him to explain what makes a gun an "assault weapon." According to Walsh, any rifle that has a "very high" rate of fire and that uses a "very high-capacity" magazine is an "assault weapon." Assuming that Walsh thinks semi-automatic rifles have "very high" rates of fire, and that any magazine that holds 11 or more rounds is "very high-capacity," his description might fit with S. 150's ban on detachable magazine semi-automatic rifles that have any "characteristic that can function as a grip"--in other words, all of them. It wouldn't, however, explain S. 150's proposed ban on almost every semi-automatic shotgun, some handguns, and various fixed-magazine rifles.
Sen. Cornyn expressed doubt that S. 150 would reduce crime, for at least two reasons. First, as he pointed out, the congressionally mandated study of Feinstein's 1994 ban determined that "The evidence is not strong enough for us to conclude that there was any meaningful effect [of the ban on crime]; i.e., that the effect was different from zero." Second, he noted that "out of 76,000 denied background checks, the FBI referred to the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco, Firearms, a verdict or plea was reached in 13 cases," a track record he described as "abysmal."
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) disputed Walsh's claim that Feinstein's 1994 ban had not been sufficiently evaluated--a claim that put Walsh at odds with Feinstein, who claims that studies show that the 1994 ban reduced crime. Sen. Cruz said, "The Department of Justice has funded at least three studies, on whether that bill had any positive effect. In 1999, the DOJ had concluded that the Assault Weapons Ban, quote, 'Failed to reduce the average number of victims-per-gun incident, or multiple gunshot wound victims.' In 2004, the [National] Institute for Justice concluded that the Assault Weapons Ban produced, quote, 'No discernible reduction in the lethality and injuriousness of gun violence.' And then, in 1997, the [congressionally mandated study by the Urban Institute] likewise concluded that there was no evidence to say any meaningful effect different from zero.' Are you aware of any empirical data to the contrary? We have three studies concluded from the Department of Justice that the prior ban had no effect."
Smart enough to realize that he had been cornered, Walsh simply contradicted the clear evidence, claiming "there's certainly enough evidence that assault weapons are used disproportionately in attacks with multiple victims and victims with multiple wounds." In fact, however, the Urban Institute study stated just the opposite--that under the ban, researchers "were unable to detect any reduction to date in two types of gun murders that are thought to be closely associated with assault weapons, those with multiple victims in a single incident and those producing multiple bullet wounds per victim."
Prof. Johnson explained in considerable detail why S. 150's definitions of "assault weapon" are "unsustainable under the lowest level of constitutional review [and] fail even to meet the rudimentary, rational basis requirement." Attorney David Hardy focused on explaining the difference between fully automatic rifles used by the military and semi-automatic rifles that S. 150 would ban, explained that rifles like the AR-15 are not particularly powerful, and showed how S. 150 would ban guns that are functionally identical to guns that would not be banned.
Former Rep. Adams summarized the findings of the congressionally mandated study of Feinstein's 1994 ban, saying that "the banned weapons, and magazines were never involved in more than a modest fraction of all gun murders" and summarized a follow up study's conclusions, saying that "assault weapons were used in a particularly small percentage of gun crimes, and that assailants fired less than four shots on average, a number well within the 10 round magazine limit imposed by the ban." She also cited the success of measures she had sponsored in the Florida Legislature to prevent the purchase of firearms by those whose mental illness might create a risk of violence, and concluded "It is not time for feel-good legislation, so you can say you did something, but it is time for a true discussion on the culture of violence, and how to prevent more violent crime."
Then, to the regret of every civil human being in the room, came Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Durbin began with a disrespectful attack on Prof. Johnson. After calling the Second Amendment "a suicide pact," and saying--with apparent reference to commonly owned firearms like the AR-15--that "what has become common in America is unacceptable in a civilized country," Durbin repeatedly refused to let Professor Johnson answer the questions thrown at him, and then falsely claimed that AR-15s and similar firearms had been "excluded by [the Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v.] Heller."
Eventually, Durbin allowed Professor Johnson to respond, at which point Johnson politely and articulately handed Durbin his hat, concluding, "If you go before the Supreme Court with what is ultimately a piece of legislation that really just generates more demand for the very type of gun that you're trying to ban, ultimately you're going to have the same failure that you had [with the 1994 ban]."
Then, in the most despicable comment of the day, low even by anti-gun zealots' often subterranean standards, Durbin went after Rep. Adams.
After Rep. Adams acknowledged that her husband--a fellow law enforcement officer--had died in the line of duty, Durbin sarcastically said, "I'm sure you'll now support the universal background check to keep the guns out of the hands of criminals, won't you?"
In days gone by, such a heartless attack wouldn't have been tolerated by fellow senators. But Rep. Adams displayed the cool head that served her well both in law enforcement and in politics, looking Durbin straight in the eyes and saying, "No, sir."
Some comic relief would have been welcome at that point, but Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), the comedian-turned-politician, instead made a few comments pretending to respect Minnesota's firearm traditions, then listed several shootings in which semi-automatic rifles or magazines larger than 10 rounds were used, and said he doubted that anyone needed the same kinds of firearms and magazines for self-defense. Franken had apparently missed the comments of Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) earlier in day; Sen. Lee had cited statistics showing that in nearly half of defensive firearm uses, there are two or more attackers, and in nearly 25 percent, there are three or more attackers.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) challenged Professor Johnson's assessment of S. 150's constitutionality, saying that legal challenges to the 1994 "assault weapons" ban had been unsuccessful and that "the courts have a responsibility to deem constitutional, to presume constitutional, valid acts of the legislature."
Professor Johnson disagreed, pointing out that under the Supreme Court's decision in Heller, declaring the Second Amendment to protect a fundamental, individual right to keep and bear all bearable arms for defensive purposes, for gun-ban legislation to survive "requires something far more than simply rational basis. That is, it's not an automatic deference to whatever the legislature does, because now, what we're talking about is a constitutional right."
The next attack on that right at the federal level is scheduled for next week, when the Senate Judiciary Committee will meet again--this time to mark up several pieces of gun-related legislation including S. 150 and a bill criminalizing private firearm transfers.
Take action now to block those bills. Please contact your elected officials, and respectfully urge them to protect our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. To identify and contact your legislators in Washington, D.C., you can use the "Write Your Reps" feature at www.NRAILA.org, or you can reach your member of Congress by phone at 202-224-3121.
Feinstein: Veterans May Have PTSD And Should Not Be Exempt From Assault Weapons Ban (video) March 8
Feinstein is as dumb as ever.
More emotion versus fact.
The facts, statistics, truth, and logic are on our side. One would think that would be enough but they are determined to win this battle with lies, emotions, and raw political power. While a quick decisive victory would be best for us, if we are unable to that, we need to keep the manufacturers in overtime keeping up with demand. As Jim Cramer would say, "buy buy buy". I'll do my part tomorrow at the local gun show. I can't wait to see what my next gun will be.
I'll say.
Subparagraph (A) reads that the ban "shall not apply to the importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State"
That would include the President, Vice-President, the Cabinet, both houses of Congress, State Legislatures, Governors, EPA, FDA, FCC, DMV, ...
So, among the people who'd still be allowed any of these weapons they could want for themselves are the very people who've been telling us how evil these weapons are and "have no place in a civilized society". The rest of us would be forbidden. Fancy that.
The Panopticon State - Where the government can see, it can send a drone. (Mark Steyn)
Senate panel approves bill targeting 'straw purchases' of guns
Rise of the Nuclear Greens - Some environmentalists see atomic energy as the answer to global warming.
Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
They Call The Printed AK Magazine The Feinstein
My senator, Durbin is. It's embarassing. I apologize for him. I wrote him a nasty-gram. Doubt if he'll even see it. I tried. Ugh.
I doubt it. Boehner told Reid in effect you first. Reid won't expose his rats in the general election for a bill that can't pass the House, where the vast majority of the GOP members' predominant concern is being primaried from the right.
She's trying to "infringe".
Anyone who owns a gun that she wants banned has "standing" due to possible or imminent injury.
They don't care about statistic, truth or fundamental rights affirmed by our Constitution. What they care about is power and control. They lie and say they do this for the 'children' the 'downtrodden' whatever the victim-du-jour is. They really don't care about any of that.
Diane Feinstein abhors the 'gun violence' she manufactures solely as a means to control you. Yet, in some not to distant future, she or someone just like her would dutifully kneel you beside a ditch and blow your brains out with the very same guns they want to ban now. All because you don't 'think' like she does.
They are tyrants, we are not going to remove them through peaceful elections I'm afraid.
Their minimum takeaway from this debacle is to get "Universal Checks." If they are lucky, the RINOs will go along with a magazine ban - whatever the ooga-booga round limit turns out to be.
Buried deep within this Universal Checks Bill will be a clause that won't be seen - until passed. That clause will say that the checks won't be effective unless a registry for all weapons is establish, and it will enact that.
Universal Checks = Registration = Confiscation. I will not comply with any. I'll give my guns away first.
Cleaning up this town!
She appears to have her finger on the trigger. That's wrong.
Old picture. (Just FYI.)
"AR-15s and similar firearms had been "excluded by [the Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v.] Heller." "
An unwise claim. Ban supporters are foolish to go there - but are welcome to.
Heller noted that a ban on M16s is grossly unconstitutional.
Just another example of DiFi's motto, "guns for me but not for thee".
Put your wife to work buying guns back home in Idaho! :)
I hear they're expecting 20,000 at the Del Mar gun show this weekend (vs 12K normally). No thanks. Think I'll stay home and do some reloading...
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The cleanup of miles of New Jersey shorefront ripped apart by Superstorm Sandy has just begun, but New York City moved closer to resuming its normal frenetic pace by getting back its vital subways.
The decision to reopen undamaged parts of the nation's largest transit system Thursday came as the region struggled to recover from a storm that killed more than 70 people and left more than 5 million without power.
Two of the region's main airports opened Wednesday and officials promised that the third, LaGuardia Airport, would return to service Thursday. Actors and eager audiences brought darkened Broadway theaters back to life. And New Yorkers packed on to buses that returned for the first time to city streets since the storm, joining a throng of gridlocked traffic that navigated the city without working stop lights.
Across the region, people stricken by the storm pulled together, in some cases providing comfort to those left homeless, in others offering hot showers and electrical outlets for charging cellphones to those without power.
The spirit of can-do partnership extended even to politicians, who at least made the appearance of putting their differences aside to focus together on Sandy.
"We are here for you," President Barack Obama said in Brigantine, N.J., touring a ravaged shore. "We are not going to tolerate red tape. We are not going to tolerate bureaucracy."
Obama joined Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who had been one of the most vocal supporters of Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, to tour the ravaged coast. But the two men spoke only of helping those harmed by the storm.
That was already beginning Wednesday, when masses of people walked shoulder-to-shoulder across the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan for work, reversing the escape scenes from the Sept. 11 terror attack and the blackout of 2003. They reached an island, where many people took the lack of power and water and transportation as a personal challenge.
On Third Avenue, people gathered like refugees around a campfire. But instead of crackling flames, their warmth came from more advanced technology: a power strip that had been offered to charge cellphones.
At a fire hydrant on West 16th Street, 9-year-old Shiyin Ge and her brother, 12-year-old Shiyuan Ge, stood in line to fill up buckets of water. But unlike the adults, the two kids held plastic Halloween candy pails painted with grinning jack-o-lanterns.
"There's no water in our house," said Shiyin Ge, who had planned to dress up as a ladybug for Halloween.
After suffering the worst disaster in its 108-year-old history, the subways were to roll again — at least some of them. More than a dozen of the lines would offer some service, but none below Manhattan's 34th Street, a line of demarcation in the city separating the hardest-hit residents from those who escaped the brunt.
Downtown Manhattan, which includes the city's financial district, Sept. 11 memorial and other tourist sites, was still mostly an urban landscape of shuttered bodegas and boarded-up restaurants, where people roamed in search of food, power and a hot shower.
To get there from Brooklyn or Queens, commuters who would normally zoom beneath the East River in tunnels that flooded will have to take shuttle buses, adding to the enormous stress already being placed on gridlocked Manhattan streets.
"We are going to need some patience and tolerance," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.
The airports and subways weren't the only transportation systems returning to the region. Suburban trains started running for the first time on Wednesday, and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor was to take commuters from city to city for on Friday for the first time since the storm.
From West Virginia to the Jersey Shore, the storm's damage was still being felt, and seen.
In New Jersey, signs of the good life that had defined wealthy shorefront enclaves like Bayhead and Mantoloking lay scattered and broken: $3,000 barbecue grills buried beneath the sand and hot tubs cracked and filled with seawater. Nearly all the homes were seriously damaged, and many had entirely disappeared.
"This," said Harry Typaldos, who owns the Grenville Inn in Mantoloking, "I just can't comprehend."
Most of the state's mass transit systems remained shut down, leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters braving clogged highways and quarter-mile lines at gas stations. Atlantic City's casinos remained closed. Christie postponed Halloween until Monday, saying trick-or-treating wasn't safe in towns with flooded and darkened streets, fallen trees and downed power lines.
Farther north in Hoboken, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, nearly 20,000 residents remained stranded in their homes, amid accusations that officials have been slow to deliver food and water. One man blew up an air mattress and floated to City Hall, demanding to know why supplies hadn't gotten out. At least one-fourth of the city's residents are flooded and 90 percent are without power.
The outages forced many gas stations across the state to close, resulting in long lines of people looking to fuel cars and backup generators. Darryl Jameson of Toms River waited more than hour to get fuel.
"The messed up part is these people who are blocking the roadway as they try to cut in line," he said. "No one likes waiting, man, but it's something you have to do."
On New York's Long Island, bulldozers scooped sand off streets and tow trucks hauled away destroyed cars, while residents tried to find a way to their homes to restart their lives. Joanne and Richard Kalb used a rowboat to reach their home in Mastic Beach, filled with 3 feet of water.
Her husband, exasperated by the futility of their effort, posted a sign on a telephone pole, asking drivers to slow down: "Slow please no wake."
Snow drifts as high as 5 feet piled up in West Virginia, where the former Hurricane Sandy merged with two winter weather systems as it went inland. Heavy snow collapsed parts of an apartment complex, a grocery store, a hardwood plant and three homes. The sixth person killed in the state was a candidate for the state House of Delegates, John Rose Sr., who was struck by a falling tree limb. His name will remain on the ballot on Election Day.
A few more inches might fall in West Virginia, but meteorologists said Sandy's days are numbered. The National Weather Service said Wednesday that the last remnants of the storm are in the Appalachian Mountains, and will be gone by the end of the week.
This story was updated at 6 a.m.


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There seem to be a fair amount of clergy active on this forum, posters and moderators. Is there any reason not to have a section of the forum wherein only members of the clergy were permitted to respond? I may be in a unique situation but I know that it would be an immense help.
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Exciting news this afternoon as we've just received word of a Topman project called We ♡ the White Tee.
With a roster of designers which includes big names Henry Holland, Philip Lim, as well as Richard Chai, Juun J Topman are really keeping on their toes as far as getting new design talent in is concerned. They've also got LFW MAN designers JW Anderson and Christopher Shannon in on the act as well as the Topman Design team so we're looking forward to seeing it when it hits stores on May 28th.
Click image to start gallery


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The word 'Low-Data-Bandwidth' is found in Blog
The world is changing fast and so is the communication. In the growing business world, communication is most essential element for the growth in each sector. International call traffic exceeded 500 billion minutes in year 2013, 2014 and 2015 successively, showing the growth in use of Voice communication in today's world. With the help of call forwarding and in


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 15th Feb 2007 14:59 UTC, submitted by lucasvr
"GoboLinux is a unique distribution in many ways. It's built from scratch following the Linux From Scratch procedure and uses custom boot scripts, personalized directory structure, and a simple yet comprehensive source-based dependency-resolving package management system. GoboLinux is perhaps best known for its alternate filesystem hierarchy. Unlike Linux's traditional Filesystem hierarchy, where a program has bits and pieces scattered in several places like /etc, /usr/bin, and /usr/share, each program gets its own directory tree under GoboLinux."
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by cipri on Thu 15th Feb 2007 16:24 UTC


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I feel a tadbit isolated over here and think we need to start a Northern Lights Couch Corner.
Do I have any FaithWriter's kin over here in Northern California? Specifically around Sacramento?
Our Southern Porch kinfolk are w o n d e r f u l....I'm just feeling a bit lonesome and reeeeeeeally look forward to meeting you, if you infact exist!


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One Book | One Community — Lecture | Discussion
Modern Jewish literature first emerged as part of a radical rejection of traditional Jewish life in the 19th century. As in A Day of Small Beginnings, however, contemporary Jewish literature has maintained a deep interest in Jewish history, texts, and language. Dr. Todd Hasak-Lowy, an adjunct member of the Spertus faculty, explored this tension in American Jewish writing today.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011


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WASHINGTON (AP) — For weeks, Republican Party elders fretted that the presidential race was slipping through Mitt Romney's fingers. The handwringing — for the moment — has stopped.
The GOP nominee's strong head-to-head showing against President Barack Obama in their first debate earned Romney praise from some of his harshest critics and frequent doubters, maybe even too much.
"This was one of the best debate performances in my life," radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh gushed before getting his dates a bit confused. "I know people are saying, 'In the last 20 years? That would take us back to 1980.' And Reagan was awesome. But this was awesome from start to finish."
Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol seemed to declare detente with Romney's campaign after weeks of urging the Republican to revamp his strategy.
"Mitt Romney stood and delivered the best debate performance by a Republican presidential candidate in more than two decades," Kristol said of Romney's Wednesday night performance. "Romney spoke crisply about the next four years as well as the last four years, was detailed in clarifying the choice of paths ahead, and seemed more comfortable, more energetic and even more presidential than the incumbent."
Kristol also asked a question probably on the minds of many in the GOP: "Can his campaign turn a very good debate into a true inflection point in the presidential race?"
For months, GOP critics have complained openly about the state of Romney's campaign. They griped that Romney hadn't responded aggressively enough to Obama attacks. They questioned his focus on fundraising in the homestretch and complained that he wasn't detailing his proposals for on-the-fence voters. They also grumbled that Romney seemed more interested in winning the news cycle than in executing a broader winning strategy.
Some political professionals openly blamed his campaign leadership for sagging poll numbers amid a sour economy that should be dooming the president's re-election bid.
Those worries have faded in the aftermath of a debate for which Romney spent parts or all of at least eight days preparing.
He had rebuttals ready for Obama's criticism and braced for the expected charges. He had fresh catchy rhetoric — "trickle-down government," for example — to criticize Obama for government spending and didn't take tough language personally.
Romney didn't go off-script, as he did in the primaries when he challenged one former rival to a $10,000 bet during a debate. Physically, Romney seemed rested compared to a weary-looking Obama, and he didn't let his rival determine the agenda.
"This was the first time you saw Romney frame the debate on his terms. Many of us have been wondering: Why has this been taking so long?" said Keith Appell, a Republican consultant who advises outside conservative groups.
Even Romney's former GOP rivals lavished him with praise.
"Romney rocked it!" tweeted former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, the same candidate who at one point called Romney the worst Republican in the country to face Obama.
"For the first time, Romney did a very good job of linking this horrible economy to Barack Obama's policies," said Hogan Gidley, a Republican strategist and former Santorum aide. "Up until then, Obama has done a very good job of linking it all to George Bush. Romney said, 'Not so fast. These are your policies; this has been the slowest recovery and this is your fault.'"
Still, for all the enthusiasm for Romney's performance, Republicans characterized it as a good day but not necessarily a game-changer. They are mindful that a month is a long time in politics and said that Romney needs to work hard to capitalize on any boost he may have gotten out of it. They also were keenly aware that Romney and Obama will meet twice more on the debate stage before Nov. 6.
"I did not think we'd have a home run debate in the first debate," said Nick Ryan, another former Santorum adviser. "If we didn't get a home run, we certainly got a triple."
The question now likely on the minds of many: Can Romney do it two more times — and really change the trajectory of a race polls show is close?


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Posted at 7:36 AM
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), a job-creating agency, leads Federal efforts to promote the growth and global competitiveness of America's minority business community. This summary includes a small portion of our overall accomplishments during the first three years of the Obama Administration.
Jobs Created
3-Year Growth: 20%
At the onset of the Obama Administration, the United States economy was losing 750,000 jobs per month and had endured eight straight months of declining employment. Despite this challenging economic environment, in FY2011 MBDA supported the creation of 5,787 new jobs by assisting minority-owned businesses in obtaining access to nearly $4 billion in contracts and capital — exceeding last year's record level. During the first three years of the Obama Administration, MBDA facilitated a total of over 16,300 new jobs — an increase of 20% over the prior 3-year period.
Clients Served
3-Year Growth: 36%
MBDA directly served more than 17,400 minority-owned businesses and indirectly served thousands more through business workshops and online tools. This represents a 36% increase in clients served over the prior 3-year period.in the history of the Agency.
Contracts and Capital
3-Year Growth: 101%
In FY2011, MBDA assisted minority-owned businesses in obtaining $3.9 billion in contracts and capital. For the 3-year period of the Obama Administration, MBDA assisted minority-owned firms in obtaining $10.9 billion, a 101% increase over the prior 3-year period and the highest 3-year performance in the history of the Agency.
Return on Investment
3-Year Growth: 86%
Between 2009 and 2011, MBDA achieved a Return on taxpayer Investment (ROI) between 102x and 130x. This represents an 86% increase in ROI from the prior 3-year period and the highest performance level in the history of the Agency.
Increasing Exports of Minority-Owned Firms
Today, the importance of minority-owned businesses as a key component of U.S. international trade has never been greater. Minority-owned firms have the most favorable export attributes of any sector of the U.S. economy and represent the future of export growth. They are:
- twice as likely to export their products and services;
- six times more likely to transact business in a language other than English;
- three times more likely to generate 100% of their revenues from exporting;
- more likely to have international operations than non-minority owned firms; and
- substantial contributors to exports in manufacturing, retail trade, technology, and educational services.
Redesigned MBDA Business Center Program
In 2011, MBDA successfully launched a redesigned MBDA Business Center program. The new nationally focused program combined the traditional Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC) and Minority Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) programs into one. Significant changes include an increase in funding and the elimination of geographic borders, allowing business centers to provide services to minority-owned businesses anywhere in the Nation. Additional changes include longer funding terms, reduced paperwork burdens, the addition of merger, acquisition, joint venture and strategic partnering support, and enhanced export services.
First Federal Procurement Center
The Federal Procurement Center in Washington, DC is the first specialty business center in the Nation that assists minority-owned firms in competing for and winning Federal government contracts. Specialty services offered by the FPC include identification of Federal procurement opportunities, facilitation of relationships between minority-owned businesses and Federal program managers, research on Federal agency contracting trends, information on Federal regulations and contracting requirements, and linking minority-owned businesses with other companies to develop teaming arrangements.
Annual Performance Report
Download Performance Highlights pdf 581KB | Fiscal Year 2011 pdf 7MB


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A knowledge of German is essential for students interested in a
traditional liberal arts education, and in contemporary cultural,
political, and economic developments in Europe and Eastern Europe.
German is spoken in four countries with unique cultural, political, and
economic traditions: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
German-speaking scholars have played a leading role in shaping our
modern fields of inquiry, including music, art history, literature,
philosophy, religion, the natural and social sciences. Since the fall of
the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany. As the largest trading
partner in Europe, Germany will continue to play a leading role in
European and world affairs. Queens College students with majors and
minors in German have gone on to pursue professional and academic
careers in art, literature, philosophy and music as well as business,
law, government service, and medicine.
The major in German requires 33 credits beyond German 203 or its
equivalent. The minor in German combines the study of German literature
with one particular discipline outside the German Program. The
department's program in German is designed to appeal to a wide range of
interests and to prepare students for a variety of professions. The
minor in German requires 15 credits beyond German 203 or its equivalent.
Join our mailing list! Send your request to: email@example.com
German Undergraduate Coordinator:
Christa Spreizer
Queens Hall 330D


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When Bill Clinton was President, the economy was big news. And rightly so; the 90s, like the 80s, were a time of robust economic growth here in the U.S. What's odd is that positive news coverage of the economy, which ended with the stock market decline that began in 2000 and the recession that began early in 2001, has never really resumed. The story of the American economy's superb performance since roughly 2002 remains largely untold or, at least, unappreciated.
The administration has tried to get the word out, of course; today it posted this excellent State of the Economy Overview. The report is replete with statistics and charts; here are a few that I found interesting.
Job creation: the economy has created more than 7 million payroll jobs since August 2003 (the self-employed, a growing segment of the economy, are not included). Click to enlarge:
In some respects, the current expansion is more impressive than that of the 1990s. Wage growth has been stronger. This is demonstrated in several ways; this chart shows real after-tax income per person:
I think most people know that over the past year, the U.S. has had the best combination of economic growth and low unemployment of any major industrialized country; this graph shows it well:
This one is interesting, too. While federal tax receipts are at a record high, they are not, as a percentage of GDP. On the contrary, the negative trend that was well underway during the Clinton years has been reversed:
Check out the whole analysis; there is much more. When the history of the Bush administration is written, its unsurpassed stewardship of our economy during what started out as very difficult times (recession and 9/11) will, I hope, get the credit it deserves.
UPDATE: The Dow reached an all-time high today.
To comment on this post, go here.
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ISSUE: FDA has received multiple reports of adverse events associated with the use of Fruta Planta, including several cardiac events and one death. FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that Fruta Planta contains sibutramine, a controlled substance that was withdrawn from the market in October 2010 for safety reasons. The product poses a threat to consumers because sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias or stroke. Fruta Planta may also interact in life threatening ways with other medications a consumer may be taking.
BACKGROUND: Fruta Planta is promoted and sold on various websites, such as www.frutaplanta.com, as a dietary supplement for weight loss.
RECOMMENDATION: Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away. Consumers who have experienced any negative side effects should consult a health care professional as soon as possible.
Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
- Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm
- Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.


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Want to increase your chances for acting employment across the country? Every year, regional combined auditions, attended by hundreds of theater companies and job generators such as theme parks and production companies, give actors, dancers, designers, and other theater professionals and students the opportunity to strut their stuff. You might have to take a road trip, but here are five of the biggest and best combined auditions for performers serious about advancing their careers.
For more information regarding audition dates, application deadlines, entry fees, eligibility requirements, and audition tips, visit each organization's website.
MidWest Theatre Auditions
Where: Webster University, St. Louis, Mo. (home to the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis)
Who can audition: Equity and non-Equity actors are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Performers who wish to be considered for musicals can sing a song, but all auditioners must prepare at least one non-musical piece. Optional dance auditions are also held each day. Designers, technicians, and stage managers can schedule interviews as well.
Why it's worth the trip: About 50 summer stock companies, year-round theaters, and graduate programs, such as Arena Stage (Washington, D.C.), Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre (Arrow Rock, Mo.), Carnegie Mellon School of Drama (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Kentucky Shakespeare Festival (Louisville, Ky.), and Utah Shakespeare Festival (Cedar City, Utah) attend, offering professional positions and internships.
New England Theatre Conference
Where: Natick, Mass.
Who can audition: Auditions are open to non-Equity members and Equity membership candidates; Equity members are not eligible to apply. Applicants must be college students or adults 18 or over. Producers are interested in seeing young performers as well as mature, adult talent with professional experience and/or experience in community or summer theaters, for both seasonal and job-in employment. Companies also interview musical directors, designers, and applicants for technical and staff positions.
Why it's worth the trip: Theaters who participate in New England's oldest and largest combined auditions offer both job-in and full-season employment, as well as apprentice and intern positions and Equity membership candidacy programs. An average of 50 companies are represented at these auditions annually. Casting companies and professional theater training companies and conservatories are also represented.
Southeastern Theatre Conference
Where: Locations vary; 2012 auditions were held in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga. (Auditions are held each spring and fall.)
Who can audition: To be eligible to audition as a professional, performers must be 19 or older, must not be enrolled in school, and must have had a minimum of two paid professional theater jobs since completing their training. Dancer auditions are held separately at the spring auditions. Students, including design and tech candidates, are able to qualify for their own spring and fall sessions to audition for undergraduate and graduate programs. Students and adults can also attend professional screening auditions in their state to qualify for spring professional auditions, if they do not meet the criteria.
Why it's worth the trip: SETC conducts one of the country's largest and longest-running combined auditions. More than 30 professional theaters attend fall auditions to see about 200 actors, and the spring auditions host more than 90 companies, who audition more than 800 actors. SETC's Professional Auditions draw stock and repertory companies, cruise lines, outdoor festivals, children's theater companies, touring companies, theme parks, and more that offer professional summer and/or full-time positions.
Where: New York City
Who can audition: Auditions are restricted to non-Equity actors, singers, and dancers. Performers must be at least 18 years old.
Why it's worth the trip: Applicants are screened to match the needs of the attending companies, the majority of which tend to cast for musical theater. In 2011, at least 700 participants were seen by more than 30 companies, including Hersheypark, Ivoryton Playhouse, New London Barn Playhouse, Surflight Theatre, and RWS & Associates. Eighty-five percent of auditioning actors received callbacks. The auditions are taped, so theaters are able to review auditions as needed and companies that did not attend can see the talent. Actors can also get a copy of their audition tape, to use for future submissions. Also, your headshot and résumé will be posted in a searchable online database that StrawHat member theaters use to cast their seasons. StrawHat also provides audition advice, an online bulletin board for questions and networking, and access to information about its member theaters.
Unified Professional Theatre Auditions
Where: Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, Tenn.
Who can audition: Preprofessional auditions are available for students who will be graduating from an undergrad program, and regular auditions are for more experienced performers. Equity and non-Equity performers will be seen. Production personnel with an undergraduate theater degree can also schedule interviews. All applicants must be available for work year-round.
Why it's worth the trip: Companies that register to attend UPTA are required to offer either paid year-round employment, paid job-in employment, or paid internships. Between 80 and 100 theaters, theme parks, and cruise lines from across the U.S. attend each year. Past participants have included Busch Gardens, Clemmons/Dewing Casting, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Texas Shakespeare Festival, and Dollywood Entertainment.
Daniel Lehman is a staff writer for Back Stage. Follow him on Twitter: @byDanLehman


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RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - The Hokies continued their recent dominance of the Dudley Award Wednesday night at their yearly banquet in Richmond. Running Back David Wilson took home the award, given to the best Division I college football player in the state of Virginia.
Wilson became the 10th Virginia Tech player to win the award in the last 13 seasons.
Wilson won the award over William & Mary running back Jonathan Grimes and UVA running back Perry Jones.
Washington & Lee quarterback Charlie Westfal won the Willie Lanier award given to the top VA player in Division II, III and the NAIA. Mills Godwin product Travis Lane of Hampden-Sydney finished second and Devan Sproles of Emory & Henry finished third.
Among the other award winners:
Offensive Back: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
Offensive Lineman: Blake DeChristopher, RT, Virginia Tech
Wide Receiver: Tre Gray, WR, Richmond
Defensive Lineman: Matt Conrath, DT, Virginia
Linebacker: Steve Greer, LB, Virginia
Defensive Back: Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia
Special Teams: Jonathan Grimes, RB/KR, William & Mary
Offensive Back: Travis Lane, QB, Hampden-Sydney College
Offensive Lineman: Ben Rogers, C, Hampden-Sydney College
Wide Receiver: Kyle Vance, WR, Hampden-Sydney College
Defensive Lineman: Joe Pricone, DE, Randolph-Macon College
Linebacker: Devan Sproles, LB, Emory & Henry College
Defensive Back: Derek Britt, DB, Christopher Newport
Special Teams: William Rudd, K/P, Virginia State
Copyright 2011 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.


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Once you are admitted to Atlantic Cape Community College, you may register for classes. You can do so Online, by mail, by fax or in person. Check the academic calendar for registration dates and times. If you are registering for credit classes, check the registration checklist to make sure you have all the necessary information.
Program of Study
Check here to see which programs of study are offered here at Atlantic Cape.
Enrollment Verification
Atlantic Cape Community College, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), will release specific information concerning a student (or former student) only with the signature of the student, a court order or a subpoena, a power of attorney authorized by the student, or upon the request of the executor of the student's estate.
Enrollment verifications must be requested each semester that the student is registered for classes. To request enrollment verification, you can download and print the form, or come to the Enrollment Services Office, Building J, Mays Landing campus and complete the request in person. Please provide all information requested on the form.
Senior Adults Gaining Education & Stimulation (SAGES) may register in person for credit courses on the last day of registration for the semester on a space-available basis. (This is the only day you can register, in person with SAGES card). SAGES may register at any of the three campus locations: Mays Landing, Atlantic City, or Cape May County. No mail registrations will be accepted. Courses in Nursing, Culinary Arts or Baking/Pastry, or class registrations submitted prior to the designated date are not eligible for a SAGES waiver.
Overload Authorization ListIf a course you need to register for is full and you need overload permission, click here.
View your WebAdvisor account for more information and follow the instructions to use Online registration.
By Mail
Mail your registration form with payment to:
Enrollment Services Office
Atlantic Cape Community College
5100 Black Horse Pike
Mays Landing, NJ 08330-2699
By Fax
Fax your registration form with credit card information to (609) 343-4914.
Register in person at one of Atlantic Cape's locations during the published registration dates in the academic calendar:
- Mays Landing campus, 5100 Black Horse Pike, J Building, Mays Landing
- Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City Center, 1535 Bacharach Blvd., Atlantic City
- Cape May County campus, 341 Court House-South Dennis Rd., Cape May Court House
Questions? E-mail email@example.com or call Enrollment Services, (609) 343-5005 or (609) 463-4774, ext. 5005 or 625-1111, ext. 5005


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December 19. 2012 9:31PM
Minister with Newtown ties keeps his eyes on students
By MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent
KEENE - Trinity Lutheran Church interim pastor Robert Schipul - who has ties to Newtown, Conn. - was preparing to lead the parish school in its annual Christmas Pageant Wednesday night. But like religious leaders across the country, he is keeping a close eye on his flock and ensuring he is ministering to the special needs of his parishioners in the wake of the horrific Newtown school massacre.
Students of Trinity Christian School in Keene have discussed the tragedy with their teachers at grade-appropriate levels, he said.
"It's been hard," Schipul said. "We have a school here with 125 students. It's affected them and they are having their Christmas pageant tonight. I'm going to make some references tonight in my homily in the children's program and it will be part of my Christmas Eve message, also."
For the pastor who graduated from Newtown High School in 1959 and helped found Newtown's Lutheran parish, Christ the King Lutheran Church, the shooting has hit close to home.
Schipul and his wife, Sandra, met through their church in Newtown. Sandra is also a Newton High School graduate. While the couple no longer has family in the Newtown area, they return to the town at least once a year for high school reunions.
The Schipuls live in Cohasset, Mass., but have been living in Keene three days a week for the past two years. Schipul is a retired Lutheran pastor who agreed to fill in as the Keene church is between pastors.
chipul likens the Newton shooting and its effect on people across the country to Sept. 11 and Columbine.
"We've all been part of 9/11.We were close to that. When Columbine happened that was farther away, so we had a different relationship," Schipul said. "But if you are watching TV and you are seeing people you went to high school with being interviewed it brings it home. . You feel it much stronger than if you have no connections at all and it's been heartening watching people draw together."
While Schipul has no plans to go to Newtown, he knows the Lutheran church there has held funerals for children killed in the shootings and the New England District of the Lutheran Church has sent three pastors from Danbury, Hartford and Manchester, Conn., to minister to the people of Newtown.
It's not just the victims' families, it's the surviving teachers and students and the first responders who have said they would never talk about what they saw that day.
"They went in and they had to view the students that had been shot and they had to minister to their parents," he said.
Schipul said the country needs to address the issues surrounding gun control and services and care for the mentally ill. Those issues are already being talked about, he said, what is not being discussed is the spiritual needs of the country.
"The one that no one is talking about is family," Schipul said. "There is a question that needs to be addressed that in a society there needs to be moral teaching. The schools are saying it's hard for them to teach morals. It needs to come from the families and the church and that's going to be our challenge cause it's been a little lacking."
- - - - - - - -
Meghan Pierce may be reached at


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Centerpiece Ideas from Scarlet & Violet
These photographs from British flower shop Scarlet & Violet offer a few unconventional but easily doable ideas for building "effortlessly chic" centerpieces for a dining table, mantel, or buffet...
- Stacks of dishes create height and loosen up an arrangement of roses.
- A task lamp spotlights a group of flowers tucked inside candelabras and vases.
- For a casual look, group arrangements on a chair seat and side table.
- It's hard to go wrong with white flowers, greens, and just a few white knick-knacks.
- When you're using matching urns, soften the formality by mixing up flowers and heights.
Photos: Scarlet & Violet


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Rusting Snowmobiles, Creepy Dolls, and a Giant Cabbage: Welcome to Mukluk Land
Atlas Obscura on Slate is a blog about the world's hidden wonders. Like us on Facebook, Tumblr, or follow us on Twitter @atlasobscura.
Mukluk Land, located three miles west of Tok in the Alaska Interior, is a theme park with no apparent theme. "Stuff from Alaska" is about as close as it gets.
The park, which touts itself as "Alaska's most unique destination," offers a junkyard full of rusting snowmobiles, a mini-golf course, a giant cabbage, and a vintage red-and-white vehicle known as "Santa's Rocket Ship." Inside a wooden cabin you'll find skee-ball, whack-a-mole, an impressive collection of beer cans, and a ceiling plastered with flattened cereal boxes.
And then there are the dolls. A log cabin houses hundreds of them -- in rows on the floor, seated on shelves, stuffed side-by-side into open suitcases, and crammed into a red plastic convertible. All face a window through which you can peer into the room. Entering the cabin is forbidden, a fact brought home by the open bear trap on the floor.
Once you're done perusing the park, pose for a photo in front of its main attraction: the giant mukluk. The big red boot, festooned with white pompoms, is suspended at head height from the front gate. On the way to the gate you'll pass a wide-eyed mannequin in an outhouse -- don't worry, that's where he lives.
Unfortunately, Mukluk Land is closed for the season, but it will reopen in June 2014. Adjust your travel plans accordingly.
More delightful yet confounding places:
View Alaska Hwy in a larger map


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Boulder, CO - Two geoscientists and a GSA staff member will receive the Geological Society of America Distinguished Service Award for 2007. They are: Nancy L. Carlson, Geological Society of America; Yildirim Dilek, Miami University; and Robert C. Thomas, University of Montana Western. The awards will be given at the GSA Annual Meeting in Denver, CO, at the Presidential Address and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, 27 October 2007.
The Geological Society of America Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals for exceptional service to the Society. The three 2007 awardees have made outstanding contributions in a variety of areas.
Nancy L. Carlson, Technical Program Manager, Geological Society of America, is recognized for her outstanding support of technical program development at GSA meetings. For more than 17 years she has assisted individual geoscientists with abstract submissions and supported the Joint Technical Program Committee and Technical Program chairs in organizing and scheduling scientific sessions for GSA's annual meeting, Section meetings, and a variety of specialty meetings.
Yildirim Dilek, Professor of Geology, Miami University, has made significant contributions to GSA's thriving publications program as co-editor and editor of the Geological Society of America Bulletin, editor of three GSA books, and currently as Books Acquisition Editor. He has also served as president of the Society's International Division and organized numerous scientific meetings and symposia. Dilek holds a B.S. degree in geological engineering from the University of Istanbul, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in geology from the University of California-Davis.
Robert C. Thomas, Professor of Geology, University of Montana Western, is recognized for his contributions to GSA's education and public outreach efforts. Since 1995, he has led eight GeoVenture trips for the Society, providing scientists and non-scientists alike with enriching learning experiences related to fundamental earth processes. Thomas earned a B.A. degree in geology at Humboldt State University, an M.S. from the University of Montana, and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington.
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with 20,700 members representing academia, government, and industry in more than 90 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, GSA also fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues and supports all levels of earth science education.
Contact Information for Interviews:
Nancy Carlson
Geological Society of America
Yildirim Dilek
Miami University
Robert C. Thomas
University of Montana Western
Photos may be downloaded from the GSA Web site at www.geosociety.org/news/pr/07-38.htm.


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Portable Hot Tubs & Spas
Hot Tubs, Spas and Accessories
Portable Hot Tubs and Portable Spas are soft on the inside, where it counts, so they are extremely comfortable. Your body will feel good all over, from both the massaging waters and the sheer softness of the surroundings. Sitting in your own easy to use, portable hot tub is like sitting in your own easy chair surrounded by millions of massaging bubbles. We offer some of the easiest to use portable hot tubs available. No costly plumbing and wiring to worry about - just plug it in, inflate your hot tub, fill with water, and you are ready to enjoy the extreme relaxation a hot tub can offer. Add any number of spa accessories to complete your own backyard paradise.
Read more about the advantages of Portable Hot Tubs and Spas in this informative article.
Read more about the importance of using Spa Covers and Hot Tub Covers in this informative article.
Visit our Blog to find helpful tips on Swimming Pool and Spa Equipment, Maintenance, and Safety.
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Last Updated: 05/04/2018 02:16 PM - ID:1118


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The show: "The Tempest" at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Mass. in the Berkshires, starring Olympia Dukakis.
Didn't we just see "The Tempest?": Several times, if you count Hartford Stage's stylish production and Julie Taymor's less-than-enchanting film and another much better film version of a Stratford, Canada production starring Christopher Plummer.
And this production?: Like Helen Mirren in the Taymor film, Olympia Dukakis does a gender switch, turning the leading character, Propero, into Prospera.
Doesn't that muddy the paternal point of view?: Ah, but other perspectives...


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"Where is the shared prosperity?" West wondered out loud before the student journalists, blaming the media for failing to get the word out about poverty in America and saying that major media outlets had devoted a mere 0.2 percent of their coverage to poverty in this year's election.
The unemployment rate among 20- to 24-year-olds is estimated at 12.5 to 14 percent, which likely explains why many Hofstra students –– and young people in general –– see job creation as the No. 1 issue in this year's presidential election.
Thomas Uddo, 24, of Ronkonkoma, in Suffolk County, is a student in Hofstra's graduate journalism program and the managing editor of Long Island Report. He said jobs –– or, rather, the paucity of them –– is weighing heavily on students, many of whom have taken out tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to finance their educations –– money they must begin to repay six months after graduation.
Jobs are "huge," said Uddo, adding that he knows a number of young people who have taken $40,000 to $50,000 in student loans. "Finding a way to pay that back is tough."
Despite a trying job market, Uddo said he believes many young people will vote for President Obama. "A lot of younger kids are going to stick with what they know," he said. "They know Obama."
In 2008, Obama captured 66 percent of the youth vote, according to the Pew Research Center, but with unemployment remaining stubbornly high for young people, recent polls show Obama's support among 20-somethings slipping.
It remains to be seen whether voter turnout among young people will reach the historic levels seen in 2008, when an estimated 24 million Americans ages 18 to 29 –– or more than 50 percent of eligible voters in that age bracket –– cast their ballots in the presidential election, many for the first time. Indications are that enthusiasm for presidential politics has waned to a degree among the young.
"I don't think it's as big as 2008," said Uddo, referring to this year's presidential election. "2008 was revolutionary."


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Exposure among amphibians and other vertebrate animals to Monsanto's Roundup herbicide has been shown, for the very first time, to actually induce physical changes to the shapes of these animals' bodies. Published in the journal Ecological Applications, the new study reveals once again the incredible hormone-altering power of Roundup, and how even minute exposure to this highly-toxic chemical brew can have disastrous health consequences.
In their natural environment, tadpoles, which are just amphibians in the larval stage of their life cycle, have a natural ability to detect the presence of predators and respond accordingly. In order to avoid insect predators, for instance, tadpoles can actually develop deeper or longer tails in order to swim away from them faster, which helps ensure their survival (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10862727).
But it appears as though Roundup, which has already been shown in other studies to be highly pervasive throughout the environment (http://www.naturalnews.com/033699_Roundup_pollution.html), induces these very same physical changes. And when exposed to both Roundup and natural predators, tadpoles will develop grossly large tails that are much larger than normal, which is likely the result of both the tadpoles' detection of Roundup, and Roundup's ability to chemically-induce hormonal changes.
"What shocked us was that the Roundup induced the same changes," said Rick Relyea, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh's (Pitt) Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and director of Pitt's Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology, referring to changes in the tadpoles' tails that caused them to actually become twice as large as normal.
"This discovery highlights the fact that pesticides […] can have unintended consequences for species that are not the pesticides' target. [W]e are learning that [pesticides and herbicides] can have a wide range of surprising effects by altering how hormones work in the bodies of animals."
For his study, Relyea examined how tadpoles living in water tanks respond to varying exposures of Roundup, as well as to predators. And his findings revealed that Roundup visibly alters tadpoles' stress hormones, which appears to coincide with an earlier study that revealed Roundup-induced hormonal changes in humans (http://www.naturalnews.com/035135_Roundup_herbicide_testosterone.html).
Meanwhile, more than a dozen Argentinian farmers have filed a lawsuit against Monsanto, creator of Roundup, and several tobacco companies for allegedly knowingly poisoning them with Roundup and other pesticide and herbicide chemicals. According to the filing, Monsanto's pesticides and herbicides caused the farmers' children to be born with "devastating birth defects" (http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/04/10/45469.htm).
Sources for this article include:


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- Lowest Auto Refinance Rates 2018 Near Greenville CA
- Best Place To Refinance Auto Loan With Bad Credit Greenville, CA
- Best Auto Refinance Companies Close to 95947
- Refinance Car With Bad Credit And Late Payments Greenville
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- Auto Refinance Bad Credit High Mileage
Lowest Auto Refinance Rates 2018 Near Greenville CA
Auto loan refinancing is the process of replacing your car, truck, or motorcycle loan with a new one of better terms for you. Refinancing your vehicle may help you lower your monthly payment, decrease your total finance charges that you pay over the life of your loan, or remove someone from your loan.
Use this auto loan refinancing calculator to see how much you could potentially save with auto refinancing. Simply plug in the details of your current auto loan and a replacement loan in the first box and press "Calculate." Try multiple interest rates (APRs) and term lengths in the "New Loan" section to see how different replacement loans may benefit you.
Best Place To Refinance Auto Loan With Bad Credit Greenville, CA
When you refinance a car, you replace your current car loan with a new one of different terms. In practice, auto refinancing is the process of paying off your current car loan with a new one, usually from a new lender. This process can have varying outcomes for car owners. So, before refinancing, make sure you understand your motivations for refinancing and the outcomes you are seeking.
Most people refinance to save money. But this goal can take multiple forms. Some wish to lower their monthly payments. Others want to reduce their interest rates or adjust their loan term lengths. Still, others have more personal reasons to refinance, such as removing co-signers from their loans. No matter what is motivating you to consider refinancing your car, it is important that you understand the possible outcomes of refinancing a car.
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Car Refinance Rates in Cabazon California Riverside County 92230 USA
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Best Auto Refinance Companies Close to 95947
If you can borrow at a lower interest rate, it might make sense to refinance. That lower rate (assuming all other things are equal) means you'll pay less for your car after you take interest costs into account. Because the interest rate is also part of your monthly payment calculation, your required payment should decrease. As a result, you'll have slightly better cash flow each month.
If you can replace your existing loan with the same loan at a lower rate, it's best to refinance as soon as possible. Most auto loans are amortizing loans, which means you pay a fixed monthly payment with interest costs built into the payment.
Refinance Car With Bad Credit And Late Payments Greenville
You'll pay down your debt over time, but most of your interest cost is paid at the beginning of the loan – so get that rate down sooner than later to start cutting costs.
An amortization table can show you how much you'll save.
Get the car loan refinancing answers you're looking for so you can move toward your goals with confidence.
An auto refinance loan is a secured loan used to pay the existing balance on a current car loan. The car is used as collateral for the new refinanced loan. The refinanced car loan has a fixed interest rate and fixed monthly payments for a set period of time.
Refinancing your loan may be an easy way to lower your monthly payments to get a little extra money in your monthly budget. The process is much easier than when you first signed for your car loan. Here are the terms. You still have to make copies of your important documents (paystub, phone bill, etc.), but this time you can do it all either online or through the mail.
Auto Refinance Calculator
Even if you just save $10 per month, that's $120 a year and if you have 60 months to go, that would be $600 total. For about two hours worth of work, that's not bad.
So that being said, you are still asking how I refinance my car loan. Well you will need to apply to a couple of banks or finance companies like RoadLoans. We are able to check your credit and give you a decision immediately. Usually you have to fill out an application for 5-10 minutes and if approved, you will get an offer in seconds. The only information you need ahead of time is the mileage and the VIN number of your vehicle.
An auto refinance calculator can be used to estimate what refinancing a car may mean for your situation and what you might save. It enables you to enter the loan balance, monthly payment and APR of your current loan, and compare it to the refinanced amount, loan term and APR of a potential new loan, to estimate how monthly car payments and total interest payments will change.
Should I Refinance My Car in 95947?
When it comes to auto financing in general, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends shopping around for the best deal. When you apply for refinancing, you'll typically have to provide the lender with some personal information in order to find out if you qualify, and, if you do, what kind of rate they might offer. You can read more about that in our article "How do I refinance my car?"
When interest rates drop, refinancing your car loan could save you thousands of dollars.
Refinance Car Loan With Bad Credit And Behind On Payments
Say you bought a new car two years ago and there were a few dings on your credit. You might have been charged 9 percent on a five-year loan for a $23, 000 car. Your payments are probably about $525 a month.
Now let's say your credit has improved, and so have interest rates on car loans. You could now refinance the balance of your car loan at 3 percent and lower your payments to about $445 a month for the remaining three years. That's a savings of $80 a month and $2, 880 over the life of the loan.
It only takes about 15 minutes to fill out an application for auto loan refinancing, and you can do the whole process online.
Most people don't realize how easy it is to refinance a car loan and how much money they can save by doing so.
Refinance Car Bad Credit in Plumas County
If you bought a car like this two years ago and your credit has improved, you could save nearly $3, 000 by refinancing at a lower interest rate.
It only takes about 15 minutes to fill out an application for auto loan refinancing, and you can do the whole process online.
Most people don't realize how easy it is to refinance a car loan and how much money they can save by doing so.
Refinance Auto Loan Bad Credit Upside Down
Some finance companies see consumers with bad credit as a risky investment. Many of the banks and finance companies have either stopped making these loans or gone completely out of business. So while many people on the news see this as a good thing and banks are getting what they deserve, there is a large amount of people who now cannot get a loan. Outdated information. "People on the news" seeing subprime lending take a hit and "getting what they deserve" is subjective and no longer accurate. Also, there are banks that are starting to get back into the subprime lending market again.
Best Way To Refinance Auto Loan in Greenville for 2018
Auto refinancing with bad credit is really much easier than you might imagine. Auto refinancing is in no way as complicated as refinancing a home mortgage. There are no inspections and no appraisals. Your loan amount is determined based on the amount you still owe on your auto loan and not the actual value of your vehicle. So, even if you have just recently purchased the vehicle, it might still be worth your time to investigate auto refinancing. With bad credit or good credit, the process is still the same. One way to get started is to search online for lenders who specialize in auto loans for people with bad credit.
Auto Refinance Bad Credit High Mileage
You may not be aware that when you purchase a vehicle with bad credit, you are in most cases given an interest rate much higher than what would have been given to a car buyer with good credit. Most car dealerships act as middlemen; qualifying loans for private lenders. These private lenders want to carry only the very best credit risks. To even consider taking on buyers with poor credit, these lenders expect to be compensated for the additional risk. That compensation comes from charging higher interest rates to buyers with poor credit than those with good credit. The result is that the lender will ultimately collect more on the loan.
Refinancing can be an excellent money-saving strategy when you finance a car and did not receive favorable terms. The interest rate you are able to qualify for is largely determined by your credit score, so when you finance a car when you have less than perfect credit, it's likely that you received an APR that was higher than average.
Luckily, there's such a thing as a refinance. When you refinance a car loan, it means you are replacing your current loan with a newer one with different terms, usually with a different lender. Even though many people haven't explored this option, it's a valuable tool that can often help a borrower out.


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posted by David Adams on Fri 21st May 2010 15:15 UTC
To commemorate Pac Man's 30 year anniversary, Google has not only made a Pac Man-themed Google logo, but it's playable, and shockingly included the Pac Man theme music, which startled, but ultimately delighted, my officemates and me this morning. If you press the insert coin button, Ms. Pac Man joins the party. I do hope, however, that Google refrains from including theme music on its homepage in the future.


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(The First 18 Months) - by Peter Gorman
May '91
When Operation Green Merchant first broke 18 months ago, no one was sure of where it was going or what the extent of it would be. Now we know that its ostensible aim was to shut down this country's burgeoning indoor marijuana-cultivation industry; that during its execution the government decimated several of the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution; that one magazine was put out of business and another thrown into financial straits; that several garden-supply stores and businesses were seized by the government without their owners being charged with criminal activity; and that more than 100,000 American citizens -- whose only connection with the operation was the purchase of gardening equipment -- came under federal investigation.
Green Merchant was designed to link the sources of information regarding indoor marijuana cultivation -- HIGH TIMES and 'Sinsemilla Tips -- with indoor growers in a criminal conspiracy. The connection of the two was thought to be that the gardening centers advertised in both magazines.
The logistics of the operation were these: during a two-year period beginning in late '87, the DEA sent agents to 81 stores and mail-order houses specializing in indoor-gardening supplies, asking for information regarding the growing of marijuana. While most of the store owners refused to have anything to do with the agents once they made their blatantly illegal requests, a handful responded positively , and a few of those apparently even provided seeds to the undercover agents.
Those few positive responses provided the DEA with the legal leverage it needed to subpoena UPS shipping records from a number of those stores. An investigation of a portion of the names provided by those records turned up a number of illegal indoor-marijuana growers.
For the DEA, the link had been made: They now had proof that some of the consumers who purchased indoor-gardening supplies from the stores and mail-order houses which advertised in HIGH TIMES and 'Sinsemilla Tips' were indeed using gardening equipment to illegally produce marijuana. The stage was set for the Operation to go public.
Main Objectives
The government succeeded in shutting down 'Sinsemilla Tips'. Tom Alexander, whose Full Moon garden-supply store was seized during the early stages of Green Merchant -- without him being charged of anything -- was unable to continue publishing after all his advertisers either went out of business or were threatened with charges if they continued advertising with him.
HIGH TIMES continues to publish despite the loss of revenue from those same advertisers. But once it became apparent that HT would not fold, and in fact sales were increasing, a federal investigation was launched in New Orleans which attempted to make HT a co-conspirator with both the Seed Bank and the indoor growers. That investigation was dropped some months ago when the government failed to get an indictment.
On June 24, 1990, Nevil Schoenmakers, who legally operated the Seed Bank (another HIGH TIMES advertiser) in Holland, was arrested by the Australian authorities at the behest of the US government while visiting family in Perth. A 44-count indictment was lodged in New Orleans, charging him with the sale of marijuana seeds to undercover agents and indoor growers in the New Orleans area in 1989. He has been detained awaiting the results of an extradition hearing -- while not charged with anything -- in Australia since June.
Incidental Casualties
George Warren owned six Northern Lights garden centers in New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. On October 24, 1989, he was visited in his flagship store by a man who asked about purchasing lights and hydroponic systems. During the course of the conversation the man, who turned out to be a DEA agent, inquired about acquiring marijuana seeds. Warren told the man he wasn't in that business; the man persisted, and Warren told him there were probably magazines he could look into for that kind of information, then excused himself to answer a phone call in his office. The man followed him into the office and passed him a note asking for 200 seeds. Warren asked the man to leave the store.
The following day, the agent returned and made a small purchase, again sought seeds and was again informed that he couldn't get them there.
The next day, nine DEA, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms and local-authority agents arrived at Warren's main store armed with a warrant for business records, grow lights, hydroponic systems and other inventory that might be used to grow marijuana. That same day, the process was repeated at each of Warren's stores; by evening he'd lost inventory valued at nearly $200,000. Warren himself, however, has never been arrested in connection with the seizures, and continues to fight for the return of his inventory.
Reached recently at home, Warren was furious. "My feeling is that if I've done anything wrong, arrest me. If not, give me back my merchandise. There's nothing illegal about lights. What are they going to do with them anyway?"
"Sell them at auction," he was told.
"Wait a minute," he replied.
"You mean they confiscate my merchandise because they think someone will grow pot with it, and then they sell it to someone else?"
"That's how it works."
The owner of a large West Coast mail-order gardening-supply center tells a similar story. On October 26, 1989, the DEA and state police arrived at his warehouse with warrants for business records and computers. They padlocked the warehouse and began forfeiture proceedings for the nearly $1 million worth of inventory, the warehouse itself and the property it was located on.
The owner, who asked to remain anonymous, was also never arrested. Ten months later, the prosecuter in the forfeiture case gave the owner's lawyer a list of 20 misdemeanors, which he said he would prosecute if the man continued to fight the forfeit. The choice was simple: Fight and lose thousands of dollars in legal fees -- as well as risk one year in jail for each count he might be convicted on -- or give up the fight and walk away. His lawyer advised him to walk away, suggesting that of 20 counts it wasn't unlikely that he could lose at least one of them, and conviction on even a single count would mean losing the forfeiture case anyway. The man took his lawyer's advise and walked.
While not all prosecutors are willing to go to such lengths to seize property, the federal and civil laws regarding forfeiture certainly make it appealing for them to do so in cases where the forfeited items are of value. In federal cases, the agencies involved receive 75 percent of the monies eventually generated through the auction of forfeited goods; the remaining 25 percent is divided between the prosecutor's office and any local agencies involved in the seizure. Civil forfeiture cases divide ALL the monies between the prosecutor's office and the local authorities involved.
Dan Viets, a defense attorney who has won a number of Green Merchant cases, says that while "the idea of forfeiture is not new, the idea of giving the money to the police and prosecutors is. Forfeiture is an abuse. A lot of people don't really understand that it's going on."
Forfeiture doesn't just affect businesses. One of Viets' clients, a former law-enforcement officer, stands to lose his whole farm because 37 marijuana plants were found growing on it. Another of his cases involved a couple found with four pot plants, who have had their 11 acre farm forfeited as a result. Viets is optimistic about both cases.
"A lot of people don't fight forfeiture because they don't think they can win," he says. "But even though the burden of proof is not very high of the state's part, they still have to prove that the forfeited items were at least probably derived from the monies generated by illegal activity. And that's not always easy."
The horror of the prosecution of Green Merchant case's wasn't limited to forfeiture: One couple had their parental rights terminated for growing pot at home; several school teachers and at least one nurse lost their state licenses; others simply got caught up in the legal system, and found that trying to extricate themselves nearly ruined them.
Tom and Sara Williams were visited because their names were on the one of the confiscated store mailing-lists. When the DEA arrived they tore the Williams' house apart, eventually finding seven plants. Though their case was later reduced from felony possession of an illegal substance to a guilty plea on one misdemeanor, paraphernalia-possession (the warrant was faulty), the Williams' had to spend nearly $7,000 in bonds and legal fees.
The list goes on. There are hundreds of horror stories which came out -- and are still coming out -- of Green Merchant: People whose lives were disrupted or destroyed by the government in an attempt to shut down two magazines and a seed house.
While the obvious targets of the Operation were HIGH TIMES, 'Sinsemilla Tips' the Seed Bank, store owners, small-time growers and the thousands of people who were investigated, the real victim of Green Merchant has been the Bill of Rights.
The right of free speech is a cornerstone of our republic. History is full of people that spoke out advocating illegal positions in an effort to change the laws governing them -- from Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience' to 'The Abolition Papers', from Freedom Marches to abortion rights. What 'Sinsemilla Tips' did, and what HIGH TIMES does -- advocate the legalization of marijuana -- is no different than what others have done throughout American history. The right to print what we choose to print is supposed to be inviolate.
The right to privacy is supposed to be protected as well. Yet the investigation of thousands of people -- based solely on their having purchased legal equipment from legal businesses which just happened to advertise, among other places, in pro-marijuana magazines -- has been continually defended by the Justice Department as necessary to their effort in the War on Drugs, despite its obvious constitutional infringement.
The rights to privacy were further compromised by the thousands of warrantless searches made in that investigation. While many people allowed those consent searches to be performed, others were intimidated into them. To date, dozens of government cases have been dropped as a result of those unlawful entries.
Perhaps the rights most abused in the execution of Operation Green Merchant involve personal property and the right to be innocent until proven guilty. The use of forfeiture during the government's prosecution of the Operation has absolutely shredded these basic rights. That store owners could have their businesses seized by federal agents, without there being enough evidence to charge those owners with any criminal activity whatsoever; is a terrifying concept; that people found to be growing marijuana in the privacy of their homes could have those homes seized by government agents before they were ever brought to trial is unconscionable. And yet this was one of the recurring themes of Green Merchant: confiscate property; threaten charges which would bankrupt the defendant to defend; and then make an offer to withdraw the charges if they agree not to fight the forfeiture.
Net Results
The government not only denies ever trying to put either HIGH TIMES or 'Sinsemilla Tips' out of business by gutting their advertising, it has defended the actions of the federal, state and local authorities in every phase of Green Merchant as integral to the success of the War on Drugs. Terrance W. Burke, the Acting Deputy Administrator of the DEA, suggests that "there is no such thing as a casual or innocent drug user of illegal substances. Users are a major factor in the drug-trafficking problem, and they are going to be held accountable."
Steve Hager, HT's Editor-in-Chief finds fault with that argument. "The whole reason we told people to grow their own pot was to get rid of the criminal element. We said, if you want this -- to eat it, to smoke it, whatever -- that's your God-given right, and we'll tell you how to grow it. Don't give your money to the narcotic traffickers. Don't support the criminal drug trade."
Marijuana is illegal today not because it's unsafe to drive while high, or because some religious and temperance groups think it's the devil's weed; it's still illegal only because the big boys haven't yet seen their way clear to corner the market once it does become legal. But you can bet they are working on that; both marijuana for smoking and hemp for its thousands of commercial uses -- from plastics to pulp, paper to pesticides, from food to fuel, fiber to pharmaceuticals -- are just too valuable to be kept of the market forever. It's just a question of working out the details -- among which is ridding the marketplace of as many independent growers and as much information as possible. That part of the plan went into effect on Black Thursday -- October 26, 1989.
In the final analysis, Operation Green Merchant has done nothing but ruin the lives of thousands, destroy the Bill of Rights, obfuscate the potential commercial and medical uses of hemp/marijuana by continuing to demonize it, raise the price of pot and invite the criminals to take charge of its production.
Way to go boys...
The Numbers
During a two-week period beginning on October 26, 1989, the DEA raided gardening centers and private homes in 46 states. The results of that first phase of Green Merchant -- released on November 9, 1989 -- were:
o 377 arrests of private citizens for marijuana cultivation;
o 42,677 marijuana plants seized (the Justice Department counts un-sprouted seeds in soil as marijuana plants);
o 875 pounds of packaged marijuana seized;
o 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine seized;
o 5 pounds of mushrooms seized;
o 280 indoor grow-sites seized;
o 19 stores and warehouses seized;
o 11 store owners arrested (8 store owners had their businesses seized without being charged of any criminal activity);
o $7,318,000 in total assets seized.
o 19 stores closed down: 7 stores forfeited, 11 currently under forfeiture litigation, 1 store no explanation;
o 16 store owners arrested;
o $9,208,928 in total assets seized.
(No new statistics on either quantities of packaged marijuana or other illegal substances seized.)
The Operation was far from over. During the past 18 months the DEA has continued its Green Merchant investigations. The most recent figures -- released by the Justice Department on February 1, 1991 -- are:
o 443 arrests of private citizens for marijuana cultivation;
o 50,794 marijuana plants seized (including un-sprouted seeds in soil);
o 358 indoor grow-sites seized
Of all the arrests made in Green Merchant thus far, only two people had illegal substances other than marijuana in their homes; one man with 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and another with 5 pounds of mushrooms. Indeed indoor pot-growers don't appear to be supporting the criminal drug trade.


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Muse Research Receptor v1.3 Update Now Available
Multi-output support turns Receptor into a powerful sampler
Receptor has established itself as an unparalleled live performance instrument, excelling in running various virtual instruments. Now with the multi-output support enhancements, Receptor becomes a remarkably powerful sampler, allowing you to assign a virtual instrument\'s output channels to separate audio channel strips in Receptor. In turn, you can add separate VST effects to these outputs, and assign these outputs to any of the 10 physical outputs found in Receptor.
Parallel Effects processing now possible in Receptor
In addition to allowing separate output assignments for multiple output plug-ins in Receptor, Version 1.3 software also allows you to assign the audio outputs of a stereo output plug-in to multiple audio channels, allowing you to create massively parallel effects matrices, and assign these to different physical outputs. This allows you to take a drum beat from a plug-in such as BFD or RMX and send the output to two different channel strips, one that has no effects on it for monitoring via the headphones, and another with compression and reverb for sending to a digital mixer via the ADAT or S/PDIF outputs for front of house mixing.
Summary of new features for Version 1.3 software:
There are a variety of features that come with this upgrade, in addition to several refinements to the Receptor host software:
- Support for multiple output plug-ins with the ability to assign various plug-in outputs to separate audio mixer channels inside Receptor.
- New keyboard short cuts to facilitate faster operation with a keyboard or via Receptor Remote which allows complete control of Receptor from a computer.
- Direct display of MIDI CC order and assignments for easier integration with MIDI controllers.
- Support for mono plug-ins, automatically \"stereo-izing\" them for use with Receptor\'s effects and mixing architecture.
- Support for registration of various plug-ins such from East West, Native Instruments, Garritan, etc., allowing you to purchase these plug-ins from your local retailer and install them on Receptor.
- Support for new plug-ins such as FXpansion\'s BFD, BFD Lite, and the 8-bit and XFL expander kits; G-MEDIA\'s Minimonsta:Melohman and Oddity; General Vibe\'s Vector Sector, Native Instrument\'s Absynth 3, Guitar Rig, Guitar Combos, and Kontakt; East West Symphonic Libraries, Spectrasonics Atmosphere, Trilogy, Stylus and Stylus RMX, and Garritan\'s Personal Orchestra.
Version 1.3 is just the beginning
Receptor was designed from the beginning to easily network with Macs or PCs, through which you can edit and control a plug-in\'s GUI, upgrade software and add new features. Version 1.3 software is the third release of software since the introduction of Receptor, and is available free to all Receptor customers by visiting Plugorama.
Watch out for version 1.4 in the next few weeks, featuring the highly anticipated UNIWIRE technology that allows audio, MIDI and remote control to be performed on Receptor using only a single Ethernet cable!