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MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fiskars, a leading global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors, is donating 115,000 Preschool Scissors to Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to be distributed to Club art rooms, study spaces, and to Club members nationwide this holiday season. The scissors donation, with a total retail value of approximately $226,000, kicks off a national partnership between Fiskars and BGCA to support arts programming in Clubs.
"Fiskars has worked closely with the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County over the past several years and we look forward to supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of America on a national level through the holiday season and into 2013," said Fiskars President Paul Tonnesen. "We're excited to join Boys & Girls Clubs of America in their efforts to encourage youth across the country and give them the tools needed to achieve their goals."
During 2013, Fiskars classroom scissors packaging will feature the partnership with BGCA. The partnership includes a $115,000 donation to support arts programming in Clubs, and will offer art projects and a monthly contest to Clubs nationwide. The contest will recognize Club members for their exemplary art projects with a $500 scholarship for the individual winner and $500 for their corresponding Club. Together, Fiskars and BGCA are helping foster creativity through the arts and enabling youth to develop skills they need to achieve great futures.
"Boys & Girls Clubs of America is deeply thankful for Fiskars' support," said Kimberly Boyd, vice president, Program and Youth Development Services, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Our Clubs are seeking to enhance creative educational opportunities for youth and provide access to tools and resources. Through Fiskars' donation and partnership around arts programming, we are able to provide an engaging learning environment and meet the needs of the young people we serve."
To make a contribution to Boys & Girls Clubs of America or to locate a Club near you, visit greatfutures.org.
Fiskars Corporation is a leading global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors. The world famous Orange-Handled Scissors are a registered trademark of Fiskars Corporation. The group has a strong portfolio of trusted international brands including: Fiskars, the World's #1 Scissors Brand, Iittala and Gerber. Founded in 1649, Fiskars has over 360 years of product quality excellence and is Finland's oldest company. Please visit www.fiskars.com and www.facebook.com/fiskars.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, some 4,000 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native American lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.


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Modified Mustangs & FordsFeatured Vehicles
1970 Ford Torino GT - Ouch!
Darryl Manalo got more than he bargained for on his road trip to Dearborn
Road trips are always filled with adventure. That's why Hollywood makes movies about them. Maybe it's the freedom of the open road or the excitement of a journey, but there is always a good story or two when you return.
This holds true for Darryl Manalo of Tacoma, Washington. He took his eye-catching '70 Torino GT convertible on a trek to Ford's 100th Year Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan. He started out from Washington excited about his trip to this once-in-a-lifetime event. Little did Darryl know this was the beginning of heartache for him and his convertible.
Darryl relates, "I lost my water pump, so I stopped in Billings, {{{Montana}}}, for a replacement. It probably should have taken about an hour to replace, but after all the people that stopped to look at the car and ask what kind of car it was, it ended up taking two hours." You can tell a great car owner when he is still sharing his knowledge of Fords with others, even though his day isn't going that great. Back on the road, he made it to Dearborn in one piece. But that was only the beginning.
"Once in Dearborn, my car received its first parking lot door-ding," Darryl tells us. But Darryl had a great time at the Celebration taking in all the beautiful cars and making the most of his trip. Then it was time for the trek home. everything was well until...
"It was a driver's worst nightmare. Just west of Gillette, Wyoming, a hailstorm hit hard. It wasn't pea-size [hail], but more like tennis-ball size. All I could do was sit there. There was no place to hide. The hail went through my top in two spots," Darryl said. He made it home in one piece, a little worse for wear, but with a good road-trip story to tell.
This Bright Atlantic Blue '70 Torino GT is equipped with Budnik Wheels wrapped in Goodyear F1 245/45ZR17 in the front, and F1 275/40ZR18s out back to give it the aggressive stance you see. Darryl added hideaway headlights, a front spoiler, and intermittent windshield wipers. Under the hood you will find a 351 Cleveland 2V with a Mallory Unilite distributor, a Pertronix coil, and a K&N air filter. Back of that is a C4 transmission and a Ford 9-inch rear with a 3.00:1 center section. The black interior is set off with tweed and vinyl seats reupholstered by Karr Upholstery and matching door panels redone by Darryl himself. We were impressed with the Restomod treatment he did on the trunk of this '70. it adds a finished look to the car.
This car has many options including the much-desired ribbon tachometer, console, floor shift, light package, power top, and the GT package. one option Darryl is very proud of is his glove box. It is signed by Bill Shenk, the designer of the '70-'71 Torino. Tunes are handled by a Kenwood receiver, a 400-watt MTX amp that feeds 10-inch subs, and a pair of six-inch speakers in the doors.
Even though it was a tough trip, the damage can be repaired, and the road-trip memories will always stay with him.

subset: commoncrawl


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We wholesale, manufacture, export these felt hair clip from Nepal made by wool and it handmade felt products of Nepal. We use swish dye and azo free in the colors which have no any reaction. We sell these all kinds of felt hair clip in wholesale prices. These items are very popular in the world. Beautiful felt clip. Since the product is entirely handmade; No two are alike hence there can be slight variation in the given color and size.


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GANGTOK, Sikkim (India) -- The Dalai Lama will visit Sikkim on 20 April this year. The Dalai Lama will visit the state for a week-long period.
According to information received here, the Dalai Lama will visit several monasteries in Sikkim and will give spiritual discourse during his stay here. The state government's department of ecclesiastical affairs will take care of the spiritual leader's visit here, it is learnt.
The news of Dalai Lama's visit has created excitement among his followers and the public in general here. Although he has visited the state in the past but his forthcoming visit will be his first after the relative normalisation of relations between India and China and the recognition of Sikkim as part of India by the Chinese government.
Senior officials of the state government here said that massive arrangements are being made to facilitate the visit. Officials said apart from tight security for the spiritual leader and his entourage, large-scale arrangements are being made to accommodate thousands of his followers who will visit Sikkim during the Dalai Lama's visit.
The state government here has formed a core group of senior government officials and others to look after the arrangements. Since its formation, the group has reportedly held regular meetings in this connection. The supreme head of Gelugpa sect of Vajrayana Buddhism with its seat in Tibetan capital Lhasa, the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile runs a number of organisations in Sikkim. Prime among them is the popular hotel Tibet at Gangtok.
The Dalai Lama's government has also deputed a Tibetan welfare officer at Gangtok to look after the affairs of Tibetans living in Sikkim and nearby regions.
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|2012-03-18, 22:29
|Link #21961
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Noctis Labyrinthus
Age: 27
Another Topic, in light of recent invents regarding Tsukune's current transformation into a vampire which he did at his own will, I think that Touhou Fuhai did more than just teach Tsukune how to use youjutsu, but to also control his Shinso powers and transformation?
Thoughts anyone?
|2012-03-19, 00:57
|Link #21963
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 32
Personally I doubt it, due to the fact that:
1.) The training only lasted for a single month, and I'm quite sure that Tsukune had a required a lot of knowledge about youjutsu techniques and how to properly control them, if he was to stand a chance against Akua.
2.) Tohou Fuhai isin't a vampire and dosen't have the blood of a Shinso in his veins, so while he might have given Tsukune some general tips of how to contol his youkai energy, since I belive that youjutsu techniques require that their user has a precise control over it.
3.) I belive that taking complete control over his vampire blood, is something only Tsukune can do, and while others might give him some pointers on how to achive that, ultimately it's something that only Tsukune can do - although after chapter 51 I belive that Tsukune is pretty close to finding the anwser that will allow him to control the vampire blood that Moka injected into him.
So, overall I belive that Tsukune's current form is something that Tohou Fuhai is only partially responsible for, since after he is the one that made Tsukune undergo the human modifcation ritual, which caused Tsukune to become less human and gave him the oportunity to take control over his vampire blood, but apart from that I don't think that he has thought Tsukune anything else, that wasn't required for Tsukune to properly use youjutsu techniques.
|2012-03-19, 02:28
|Link #21964
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Moe Land
Age: 38
Iam now leaning towards Mizore/Kurumu VS Akuha rather than Gyokuo.
|2012-03-19, 04:56
|Link #21965
I am a Boxer
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Where hot girls are fighting!
mmm..actually, i don't think it...Tsukune Shinso powers..are probably unstable..because for me..to control this powers..you have to do training...and to be able to control the Shinso powers in once month i think is really hard..if not impossible.
Touhou Fuhai, make Tsukune body able to use his Vampire powers...Tsukune is powerful because in his veins runs the Shinso blood, and because is Moka that turned Tsukune into a vampire,Moka..the daughter of Akasha..and we all know that Akasha was powerful...probably more powerful of other vampires...
For me..if Tsukune want to use his Shinso powers..and be able to control it..he has to do training with Moka..they have to do training together...because they are connected, this, would be good not only for Tsukeune.., but also for Moka...and is true that Tsukune now is a vampire..but, is also true that he was a human..surely this will affect in the end in Tsukune...for use his full powers(Shinso.)
|2012-03-19, 06:25
|Link #21966
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 32
|2012-03-19, 14:02
|Link #21967
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Anyway, I doubt he learned anything on that matter from Fuhai, but he'd best learn quickly, especially if Chris38's theory of Moka becoming exiled from mainstream vampire society comes true, she'll need all the protection she can get, and Tsukune must rise to the task, for both their sakes.
|2012-03-19, 16:09
|Link #21968
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Noctis Labyrinthus
Age: 27
What I meant was that Touhou could have taught Tsukune how to control the Shinso power to not only make him stronger, but also so that the Shinso power wouldn't go out of control to awaken Alucard.
|2012-03-20, 22:43
|Link #21969
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Moe Land
Age: 38
Kurumu RPG sprites
|2012-03-24, 16:57
|Link #21970
Kurumu's chosen one
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hawaii
Hi all, I'm new here, I discovered this manga thru watching the anime on Netflix, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Anyways I've got a question, I've ordered some books online and some figures, but I was wondering if there's a site that sells t-shirts? I've tried google but no such luck.
|2012-03-25, 01:10
|Link #21972
Senior Member
I don't think there are any t-shirts of it at all now that I think about it... short of taking an image off the net and getting a local print shop do one for you, as that's the only other alternative for that.
|2012-03-28, 12:28
|Link #21974
Kurumu's chosen one
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hawaii
So I just finished reading the whole manga and had a few questions and thoughts. I definitely feel like kurumu has raised her game, and could be on equal ground with moka for tsukunes love. I think gyokuro has a plan for tsukune and moka since they both have the shinso blood, and I think ultimately one of them dies. Where does kokoas allegiance stand in all this? Does she join fairy tale and fights against her friends? Also funniest moment for me would have to be when the fake tsukune grabbed kokoas breast lol.
|2012-03-28, 12:43
|Link #21975
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Noctis Labyrinthus
Age: 27
As for Kokoa, shes on Tsukune's side trying to help rescue her sister, but I'm sure she will have her protests against what her mother Gyokuro is doing and why she is doing it.
Last edited by Tachibana; 2012-03-28 at 16:00.
|2012-03-28, 23:29
|Link #21976
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 32
As for the paring disscusion, I agree with Shinso Tsukune that he is going to end up with Moka - after all, she is the one who is responisble for Tsukune staying in the Academy, so the other girls would have never met Tsukune if he hasn't met and fallen in love with Moka first - and while he still cares for the other girls, I think it's a "plationic" care, in other words that he cares about them, becuase they are his friends.
Furthermore, Tsukune and Moka are connected by something more then just their feelings for each other, since they are also connected by the Shinso blood they both have (which, in my opinion, is definitely having a influence on their relationship) - and unlike the other girls, Tsukune also shares a destiny with Moka as well - after all, so far we haven't heard any prophecies that connect Tsukune with the other girls.
|2012-03-29, 16:29
|Link #21977
Chicken or Beef?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle
Age: 36
|2012-03-29, 21:43
|Link #21978
Awe of She
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Orlando
~Plane touches down in Seattle, Washington~
Moka: Hnn... *at the top of the stairs leading down from the plane.* "What a dreary place..."
Tsukune: "Well, it seems that this region is known for this type of weather..."
Moka: "..." *proceeds down the steps* "And our arrangemnts are settled?"
Tsukune: "That's what Kahula-san said." *sees an old-style Rolls Royce sitting off in the distance* "...could that be them?"
Moka: *turns to look* "...no, that is not our ride."
(The car drives up and the back window cracks a bit)
Person: "Well well well, I never thought that we'd be paid a visit by a Shuzen vampire. What do you heathens want on this side of the world?"
Moka: "...whoever you are, get your facts straight first. I am not a Shuzen."
Person: "Nonsense. The stench of a Shuzen is unmistakeable, especially over here."
Moka: *snarls* "Keep that up and you'll have much more to worry about than my 'scent', you lowgrade fang baby."
Person: *chuckles darkly* "Oh, and the personality to match. I do not know who or why you are here but I simply MUST advise you to get back on that plane and leave. I'll pretend that I never saw your kind here."
Moka: *icily* "...so that's who you are. You tried to hide that accent but I can pick it up." *gives an evil smirk* "A Volturi lackey. Yes, I have heard of your kind as well... Unsufferable, snobbish, and full of themselves."
Person: "You best watch what you say, you mongrel! None who have defied the Volturi have LIVED!"
Moka: "...except the Shuzen clan, am I not correct?"
Person: "I see that words are useless against one such as you..."
Moka: *eyes flash* "Oh yes, they are VERY useless!" *her aura blasts out, rocking the car* "If the Volturi wish to make an enemy of ME, they will soon find themselves wallowing in their own blood, stripped and naked of all they hold dear... With naught a prayer and a stake buried in their hearts!"
Person: !!! "Who the hell?! There was not-!"
Moka: "I assure you, there is record of me in your pitiful information. You just didn't read between the lines enough."
Person: "...you'll call down the wrath of the Volturi upon you!"
Moka: *grins* "Then let them come!"
Tsukune: *frozen to the spot, watching Moka slowly turning into something that she wasn't before* ... Was this how she was raised...? So ... warlike...?
(The car pulls away in a hurry)
Tsukune: "...ano....Moka-san...?"
Moka: ... *taking deep breaths* "Yes... Tsukune?"
Tsukune: What was that about? Who was that, and why were you threatening them like that? I've never seen you act like this before?
Moka: *almost looks apologetic* "...The Volturi have been a long-standing enemy of my father and family. Even Mother moved away from Europe to get away from their meddling ways. Disgusting pure-breds..."
Tsukune: "...I didn't think that vampires were like them. I mean, you're so different."
Moka: *gives a small smile* "But this is how some vampires are. You must get used to dealing with them; you are bound to see them appear from time to time now that you are technically one as well." *shakes her head as she laughs* "Even so, Akuha-neesan is amazing. To predict their actions to this extent..."
Tsukune: ???
Moka: "Prepare yourself, Tsukune. Our real reason wasn't to come to wage war against this Olympia Coven of the Cullens, but to lure out the Volturi." *gives a frightfully dark smile*
Hnnn *re-reads everything* ... dunno how it turned up like this, but hey, whatever...XD
|2012-03-29, 23:18
|Link #21980
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 32
Regarding the open ending, well I would feel a little cheated, if Ikeda ended it like that, since relationships are a pretty important part of this manga, so I don't think that Ikeda should leave that matter without a conclusion... while a harem ending, was already suggested in chapter 23 of the Second Season, and both Tsukune and Moka waren't especially happy about this solution.
And on the matter of Kurumu dying if her love isin't reciprocated, well personally I'm not buying it - I know it kind of fits with the general discription of the Succubus race, but on the other hand, up till now Tsukune hadn't been concentrating much on reciprocating Kurumu's feelings torword him - I mean she has witnessed Tsukune "confessing" his love to Moka two times now - the first one occured in the first season where Tsukune asked Inner Moka to stay with him forever, after the mess with Mako, and the second one occured when Tsukune has been within the Rosario, and confessed to the "memory" of Outer Moka. And let's not mention chapter 17 of the Second Season, which has been another "heartbreaking moment" for Kurumu.
Now, don't tell me that after (acidentially) treating her to something like this, Tsukune is actually reciporating her feelings, since in my opinion he's actually doing the oposite of that...
|action, comedy, ecchi, harem, monogamy, romance, shounen, supernatural, tsumoka romance, vampire
|Thread Tools


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Forget About Winter With a CSL Sofa
Feb 13, 2013, 03:00 ET
LONDON, February 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Heavy snow falls, strong winds and blizzard conditions have been sweeping the country lately, proving Britain is truly in the grip of an unforgiving winter. Sadly, no one has any control over the freezing weather or the ensuing chaos on the roads, train lines and towns of the UK. But, there is one place you can guarantee everything runs smoothly, warmly and with the maximum of comfort and that is inside your own home.
So, while the Met Office is busy handing out weather warnings for certain parts of the country and the outside world feels a chill and bitter place, take the opportunity to ensure your home is as cold-proof as possible. Forget about winter while you are inside keeping warm and cosy.
But, what is the perfect living room without comfy and attractive seating for your family? This is the ideal time of year to curl up on a beautiful new sofa, which you can try out in person at your nearest fabric sofa store. If you pop into a CSL shop, not only will you get a hot cup of tea and an all-round warm reception, but the chance to feel for yourself the soft, warm, sumptuous sofas that are the hallmark of quality.
Whether it is classic cotton or luxurious velour, there is a sensational range of fabrics in the colour, pattern and texture of your dreams, just waiting for you at CSL.
Add to this CSL's great prices - including up to four years interest-free credit - and it is clear customers are constantly rewarded with fantastic savings. Spreading the cost has never been so easy. Make this cold snap the time to say au revoir to that tired old sofa and instead welcome a comfortable, stylish and inspiring centrepiece for your home, at a reassuringly affordable price.
Check out our YouTube page for some great videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/cslsofas.
For more information on the full range of sofas, please visit: http://www.csl-sofas.co.uk or walk into one of our sofa stores:
Croydon Sofa Store,
Unit A, 226 Purley Way,
Sophie Spencer
SOURCE CSL (http://www.csl-sofas.co.uk/)


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Trisha Meili was out jogging in Central Park on April 19, 1989, when she was bound, gagged, raped and beaten nearly to death, a chilling crime to which five teenage boys confessed after hours of interrogation by New York City police.
Whether those confessions, which helped send them to prison before their convictions were overturned in 2002, were coerced by investigators is at the heart of an unresolved $250 million lawsuit that has served as an ugly reminder of questions about race and the justice system that have haunted the so-called "Central Park Jogger" case for almost 24 years.
The civil litigation in Manhattan federal court had inched forward in relative obscurity until a new documentary from filmmaker Ken Burns, "The Central Park Five," now playing in New York theaters, thrust the case back into the spotlight.
The five, now all adults, maintain they were exhausted and confused when they admitted to the crime and that investigators knew the admissions were likely false. Each recanted soon after, and another man confessed years later.
City lawyers, refusing to settle the case, argue the arrests, interrogations and prosecutions were done by the book.
"There was no wrongdoing or malice on the part of the prosecutors or the detectives who conducted the investigation," said Celeste Koeleveld, the city's executive assistant corporation counsel for public safety. "On the contrary, they did solid police work."
The film portrays the five - Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise and Yusef Salaam, all black or Hispanic and between 14 and 16 years old at the time - as victims themselves, wrongly accused of raping a white woman and then demonized in a city rife with racial tension.
"They don't want to have to say how they got these confessions," said attorney Jonathan Moore. "If our clients were white and the victim black, this case would have settled a long time ago."
The stakes for both sides go beyond the millions of dollars the men are seeking.
For the city, settling the case could be seen as an admission of wrongdoing. A jury verdict in its favor, meanwhile, would be vindication for a department that has defended its conduct in the case for years.
For the five, the case marks a final chance for a jury to declare them innocent, more than two decades after they were found guilty.
From the start, the rape of a 28-year-old white woman in the park drew intense media coverage and led to the term "wilding" to describe gangs of youths terrorizing random passersby.
The five were convicted in 1990 based on the confessions, delivered after interrogations that in some cases lasted overnight.
Twelve years later, Matias Reyes, a murderer and serial rapist who had attacked a woman in the park two days before Meili's assault, confessed to the crime, and DNA testing tied him to the rape.
In a 2002 report recommending the convictions be vacated, prosecutor Nancy Ryan concluded that the boys' confessions contained "troubling discrepancies" and that Reyes' description of the attack matched the crime scene.
A judge vacated the convictions. By then, however, the boys had already been released after serving sentences ranging from five years to 13 years.
If it goes to trial, the case will again ask a jury to decide what really happened on that April night, this time in light of Reyes' confession.
The New York Police Department maintains the boys could have been involved.
In 2002, NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly appointed a panel to produce its own report, which concluded that the boys likely attacked Meili before Reyes did.
Former prosecutor Michael Armstrong, who co-authored the report, said Ryan erred in dismissing the boys' confessions entirely.
"It seems impossible to say that they weren't there at all, because they knew too much," he said in an interview.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said in an email that the report is the "most reliable review of the case out there."
But Sarah Burns, Ken Burns' daughter, who wrote a book on the case, said the report was intended as political cover.
"As far as I can tell, the only people who claim the five had something to do with it have an investment in that outcome," she said.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said the belief that the boys are guilty is pervasive among the dozens of police officers who have been deposed.
"They protect each other," said Jane Fisher-Byrialsen, a lawyer for the five. "It's always like this."
Even if the jury is convinced that Reyes alone committed the crime, the case could turn on the answer to a different question: did investigators coerce confessions they knew were probably false?
That's because in order to prove constitutional violations, it isn't enough to demonstrate innocence. The plaintiffs must also show officers committed deliberate misconduct.
"As a matter of law, this isn't about innocence or guilt," said Koeleveld, the city lawyer.
The city points out that a judge accepted the confessions after reviewing the interrogations during a long pretrial hearing, as did two separate juries.
But Moore, the plaintiffs' lawyer, said if the boys were innocent, it defies logic that they would have offered detailed confessions if police had not told them what to say.
"It's very simple: If Reyes acted alone, by definition everything in these confessions is false," he said. "Those falsehoods had to come from somewhere."
The city has noted the plaintiffs could seek redress under a state law that allows wrongfully convicted defendants to file for compensation in the Court of Claims. Proving misconduct is not necessary; only a showing of unjust imprisonment is needed.
While the burden of proof is lower, the potential damages are correspondingly smaller, and the plaintiffs' lawyers say the injustice goes beyond a simple mistake.
With so much riding on the outcome, both sides have dug in their heels. A trial is unlikely to begin before late next year.
The film itself is a subject of dispute, after the city subpoenaed Burns for outtakes featuring interviews with the five, a request he is fighting.
Meanwhile, Burns and the five have been attending screening of the film, reminding audiences that the case is far from over.
"We just want, I think, what everyone here wants, to have a big period at the end of this story," Burns told an audience in Harlem. "It's not just good for the Central Park Five - it's good for the families, it's good for the city of New York."
(Editing by Paul Thomasch and Xavier Briand)


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Police say teens wanted to break into school
MILFORD -- Three teens have been charged with attempting to break into Orchard Hills School.
One, Tyler Bamberg, 18, of Claudia Place, was carrying a BB gun and a smoking pipe with marijuana residue in it, police said. The three suspects were found on the roof of the elementary school early Saturday morning.
Bamberg and two 16 year-olds were charged with criminal attempt to commit second-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and trespassing. The older man was also charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds and possession of drug paraphenalia.
The younger suspects were released to their parents and Bamberg is scheduled to appear Feb. 13 in Superior Court.


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Looking for some fun, affordable ways to bring the outdoors inside this spring on those rainy days? Or ways to explore habitats and insects more closely for science homeschooling lessons? Here are some great learning-based toys we can offer you that can do just that!
1. Root Vue Farm Set
This farm set is a wonderful way to observe the way plants grow! It comes with an acrylic viewing window that allows you to see the roots as they grow, a light shield to keep them growing healthily, a water basin and drainage reservoir, 3 packets of seeds, 8 grow-mix wafers, and a 16-page booklet with instructions and experiments! (Item #31325, $34.95)
2. Farmer's Garden
You can use this micro-farm to grow your own crops! Watch fruits and vegetables grow as you cultivate them–tasty treats like green and red peppers, green beans, strawberries, or lettuce! (Item #141179, $24.95)
3. Strange Plant Collection
This collection of plants your children can grow is certainly out of the ordinary! Four seed packs come with this kit–seeds for space plants, eyeball plants, brain plants, and pitcher plants!–to provide your children with fun botanical oddities. (Item #00367, $24.95)
4. Sprout and Grow Window
This planter comes with see-through paneling, soil, pea and bean seeds, and a step-by-step guide, all allowing your children to watch the pea and bean seeds as they grow into something we can eat! Yum! (Item #24260, $19.95)
5. Insect Lore Ladybug Land
This fun habitat for ladybugs will allow your children to watch as ladybugs go through their life cycle! It comes with built in magnifying lenses to help children see the ladybugs better and an instruction guide! (Item #86390, $19.95)
6. Butterfly Glamour Garden
Set your dome terrarium up and plant your seeds, and then decorate it with stickers, jewels, marbles, pink gravel, and more! The plants that will grow will attract butterflies and hummingbirds with their rainbow-colored foliage and sweet scents, and comes complete with a butterfly that will call your garden home! (Item #141178, $24.95)
7. Butterfly Garden Set
For something a little more simple, try this butterfly garden set to observe 5 caterpillars transform into five butterflies! Included is a mesh habitat, feeding kit, care instructions, butterfly facts, and a coupon for live butterfly culture. (Item #17142, $19.95)
8. Antworks
A new twist on the old ant habitat! Antworks has been tested in zero gravity–how cool! It comes with the container and a non-toxic blue gel that will make it easy for children to observe ants digging a network of tunnels. (Item #22081, $19.95)


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Add a minor to your degree!
Check out what it takes to add a minor onto your degree. Florida Tech offers a list of minors that will fit well with many undergraduate programs.
Get ready for this fun fact!
Founded in 1958 by visionary physicist Jerome P. Keuper to educate area professionals working on the U.S. space program, Florida Institute of Technology got its start with an initial donation of 37 cents!
Discover more distinguishing facts with the Florida Tech Factcard!
Get an Interdisciplinary Science Degree for the Military
Create an Individualized Program for Becoming a Military Officer
The interdisciplinary science major is a broad individualized program with courses selected from a variety of electives in science, engineering and non-technical fields (such as business, arts and humanities).
This program gives students a broad scientific knowledge to earn a science degree for the military, while also providing the practical military skills, confidence and experience required for succeeding as an officer in the U.S. Army
Gain Practical Experience
Because the interdisciplinary science program is flexible, it caters to the individual student's needs while still emphasizing broad training in science. Students who wish to earn a science degree for the military benefit from a program that is aligned with the Panther ROTC Battalion to become well-rounded, well-trained U.S. military officers.
Interdisciplinary science students may expect small classes and to learn from professors who are passionate about research and guiding students in tight-knit faculty-student collaboration. First year students begin customizing their education right away, choosing from a variety of physical/life science and technical electives, as well as an eight-course ROTC sequence in military science, which covers everything from basic rifle marksmanship to platoon tactics and military history.
As a senior, you have opportunities with advanced studies in the field(s) culminating in the capstone seminar, for which you will research, write and present a substantial paper focused on a topic of your choosing. A graduate with a science degree for the military has a well-rounded appreciation of science and its place in society, and has acquired specific tools for his or her military career.
Build Professional Relationships
Beyond the classroom, those seeking a science degree for the military build leadership and professional experience through exciting internships and participation in ROTC competitions and leadership camps, Student Government and over 100 other campus-wide student organizations.


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My entry for the Valentine's Day competition. My sonnet...
The Hound and other poems by Jessica
- by Jess221b
- Rating:
- Published: 22 Jun 2016
- Updated: 22 Jun 2016
- Status: In Progress
this is a poetry anthology I started in my English class. My poems are pretty random and mostly G-rated but there is one that might be pushing that rating a little, so I'm just putting a warning about that here. If you don't like death/Implied suicide, don't read the poem titled 'The Fall'.
Now let's do this poetry thing!
Now let's do this poetry thing!
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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The Bachelor
Ken Smith 10/30/2012 3:50:31 AMThose are some big trees..what's all that blue in the background?? :-) Nice comp on this, Lb Jr!! #1495369
Jack Gaskin 10/31/2012 8:21:11 AMWonder what it would be like if one of these blew over
GREAT NATURE CAPTURE love the play of Light & Shadow.
Jack #10397205
Shot of The Bachelor, and The Three Graces in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park. f/13, 1/40sec, iso 400, 24mm Focal Length, Lens Canon 24-105 F/4L.
Exif: F Number: 13, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/40 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 400, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 24.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 7D
Uploaded on 10/29/2012 9:19:37 AM
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Michael Frazier. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
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Rosalyn Jeans slowly tapped out the syllables in her first name as she beat the drum in front of her simultaneously with each syllable.
Former Beach Boys drummer Eddie Tuduri works with Chris White as he conducts The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP) workshop at SRVS. Tuduri started the percussion-based organization to help people with disabilities.
(Daily News/Lance Murphey)
SRVS instructor Debbie Maddox smiled broadly and led the small group gathered around Jeans in a round of enthusiastic applause.
The Rhythmic Arts Project, or TRAP, is a curriculum that uses rhythm to teach basic life skills and reading, writing and arithmetic to people with various disabilities of all ages. Participants build confidence and independence through identifying their right and left hands, reading quarter notes, following patterns in rhythm and colors and creating their own patterns using percussion instruments.
"If you don't see those visual aids, and you don't see the numbers or the colors, and you are just looking at a picture of people and a lot of drums, the misconception is that it is a drum circle or a drum program or a music program … but that's really not what we do," explained Eddie Tuduri, the founder and director of TRAP, who is in Memphis visiting SRVS to help train TRAP teachers. SRVS was formerly known as Shelby Residential and Vocational Services.
Tuduri, a professional drummer who has played with The Beach Boys, Delaney Bramlett, Bobby Whitlock, Dobie Gray, Rick Nelson, Charlie Rich and others, is motivated by personal experience.
In September 1997, Tuduri was body surfing in Santa Barbara, Calif., when a wave slammed him against the ocean floor, breaking his neck. Physicians at Saint Francis hospital in Santa Barbara fused three cervical vertebrae and merged Tuduri's neck with four screws and metal plate.
While temporarily paralyzed and recovering at The Rehabilitation Institute at Santa Barbara, Tuduri asked for some drum sticks and other percussion instruments and began tapping out some rhythms on the side of his bed.
Former Beach Boys drummer Eddie Tuduri works with LaQuita Mimms as he conducts The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP) workshop at SRVS. Tuduri started the percussion-based organization to help people with disabilities, after a pair of drumsticks helped facilitate Tuduri's own rehabilitation after breaking his neck.
"I thought, yeah, I've still got it," he recalled. "I still have soul and rhythm, and that made me feel good. And then, other people in the room started joining in."
Oscar, the ward aide, began tapping out a beat on the food tray. Edith, a patient with a spinal cord injury, rolled in and was given a cowbell. Oscar, who had recently had a stroke and was recovering from pancreatic cancer, blood clots, diabetes and a motorcycle accident, also was given a drumstick and a cowbell. And in that moment, the TRAP concept was born.
"I knew immediately, I had something really powerful if for nothing else, we felt alive," Tuduri said.
During his recovery, Tuduri worked with recreational, speech, developmental and rehabilitation therapists to help frame the TRAP curriculum and use rhythm to improve social integration, speech and memory, and other intellectual and developmental goals. The program has been used in California, New York, Tennessee, Nova Scotia, and in far-flung places like Turkey, Syria, Ecuador and Bulgaria.
Tuduri still logs onto Facebook daily to check on the safety of the Jesuit priests and Catholic nuns who use the TRAP curriculum to teach the disabled on a ranch in Syria. Despite the daily bombings and unrest, they still haven't stopped using the program.
Irfa Karmali, a behavior analyst and clinical coordinator at SRVS, is working on a research project to collect empirical evidence to show the TRAP curriculum is effective at teaching the disabled verbal and motor skills in addition to improving auditory perception.
–Eddie Tuduri Founder, The Rhythmic Arts Project
She says she's already seen a huge improvement in SRVS clients who participle in TRAP. The curriculum helps fill in basic life skills needed for independent living and confidence, Karmali said. SRVS plans to train leaders from other Mid-South organizations who want to implement the TRAP curriculum.
As the SRVS participants finished tapping out the syllables in their names, Tuduri suggested that that the instructor, Maddox, let the group relax a little and play their percussion instruments in a freestyle stop-and-go fashion for a few minutes.
"Go!" said Maddox as the group began pounding on their drums. "Stop! Now, Go! Josie," she said, as a participant began slowly tapping out a solo on her drum. By the time the circle got to Lee, a gentleman who is deaf and uses signing to communicate, broad smiles were found all around.
"I see it (the program) having a life of its own," Tuduri said. "I think my part in this is to shepherd the curriculum. It works because we've spent so many years working on the curriculum."
Copyright 1995 -
by The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved


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SARSar1p-like members of the Ras-family of small GTPases
|SMART accession number:
|Yeast SAR1 is an essential gene required for transport of secretory proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.
|Interpro abstract (IPR006687):
Small GTPases form an independent superfamily within the larger class of regulatory GTP hydrolases. This superfamily contains proteins that control a vast number of important processes and possess a common, structurally preserved GTP-binding domain [(PUBMED:2122258), (PUBMED:1898771)]. Sequence comparisons of small G proteins from various species have revealed that they are conserved in primary structures at the level of 30-55% similarity [(PUBMED:2029511)].
Crystallographic analysis of various small G proteins revealed the presence of a 20 kDa catalytic domain that is unique for the whole superfamily [(PUBMED:1898771), (PUBMED:2196171)]. The domain is built of five alpha helices (A1-A5), six beta-strands (B1-B6) and five polypeptide loops (G1-G5). A structural comparison of the GTP- and GDP-bound form, allows one to distinguish two functional loop regions: switch I and switch II that surround the gamma-phosphate group of the nucleotide. The G1 loop (also called the P-loop) that connects the B1 strand and the A1 helix is responsible for the binding of the phosphate groups. The G3 loop provides residues for Mg(2+) and phosphate binding and is located at the N terminus of the A2 helix. The G1 and G3 loops are sequentially similar to Walker A and Walker B boxes that are found in other nucleotide binding motifs. The G2 loop connects the A1 helix and the B2 strand and contains a conserved Thr residue responsible for Mg(2+) binding. The guanine base is recognised by the G4 and G5 loops. The consensus sequence NKXD of the G4 loop contains Lys and Asp residues directly interacting with the nucleotide. Part of the G5 loop located between B6 and A5 acts as a recognition site for the guanine base [(PUBMED:11995995)].
The small GTPase superfamily can be divided into at least 8 different families, including:
The SAR1 [(PUBMED:1396601), (PUBMED:8138575)] protein, first identified in budding yeast, is a 21 kDa GTP- binding protein involved in vesicular transport between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi [(PUBMED:8262187)]. It is a GTP-binding protein that takes part in the formation of secretory vesicles by binding to an ER type II membrane protein, Sec12p [(PUBMED:1396601)]. It is evolutionary conserved and seems to be present in all eukaryotes.
SAR1 is generally included in the RAS 'superfamily' of small GTP-binding proteins, but it is only slightly related to other RAS proteins. It also differs from RAS proteins in that it lacks cysteine residues at the C terminus and is therefore not subject to prenylation. SAR1 is slightly related to ARFs.
|GO process:
|intracellular protein transport (GO:0006886)
|GO component:
|intracellular (GO:0005622)
|GO function:
|GTP binding (GO:0005525)
|Family alignment:
There are 687 SAR domains in 687 proteins in SMART's nrdb database.
Click on the following links for more information.
- Evolution (species in which this domain is found)
- Cellular role (predicted cellular role)
- Literature (relevant references for this domain)
- Structure (3D structures containing this domain)
- Links (links to other resources describing this domain)


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"Years ago, I threw myself headlong into into mothering. It was the most frighteningly wonderful thing I have ever done or will ever do. And the reward? Four unique adults who made their way confidently out of my nest just as this little one stepped in." Read the rest
In this week's Home Planet column for the Spokesman-Review, I wrote about watching my granddaughter learn to walk. I raised four children so watching babies crawl and learn to put one foot in front of another is nothing new. But this time, perhaps it's because as the grandmother I have the freedom to step back and observe while her parents do the hard work, I noticed that as she began to take her first steps she never once looked at her feet. She was completely focused on where she wanted to go.
There's a lesson for all of us in that, I think. It's so easy to keep our eyes on our feet and never once look up to see where we are, where we've been and where we're headed.
Now, in my third life, I'm taking baby steps again. I've packed everything I have learned from growing up, navigating a marriage, raising a family, building a career and living an ordinary life in an extraordinarily complicated world. I've got a lot of experience and a little wisdom and I still have the curiosity of a child.
I'm ready to step back out into the world and see a few things.


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Conflict to Cooperation: Collaborative Management of Federal Lands in Michigan
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2018
How Bail Works in Michigan and Recommendations for Reform
Research has also revealed that the majority of jail inmates are legally innocent but are being detained because they cannot afford to bail out before and during their trial. This imposes large costs on local governments but provides no clear public safety benefit. Finally and most importantly, states with misguided pretrial release policies may infringe on defendants' liberty interests, opening themselves up to litigation and the risk of an injustice. For these reasons, stakeholders and practitioners in Michigan should work to understand the purpose of bail and implement the best pretrial practices for respecting individual rights and public resources.
This report explains in detail how the bail process works and provides recommendations for reforming it in a way that benefits criminal defendants, the court system and taxpayers. … more
Proposal 2 of 2018: An Explainer and Key Arguments
Roads in Michigan: Quality, Funding and Recommendations
Choices & Voices: A Survey of Michigan Charter School Parents
The survey asks parents questions concerning their satisfaction with charter schools, why they chose to leave their district-run school, difficulties they may have faced enrolling in a charter school and ideas for improvements, among others. The goal of this survey is to better inform policymakers about the on-the-ground experience parents have with charter schools, so that they might pursue policies that improve Michigan's charter schools.
View PDF … more
What's Wrong With Michigan's No-Fault Automobile Insurance
On Oct. 1, 1973, Michigan joined a growing number of states in adopting a "no-fault" automobile insurance law, which has remained in tack ever since. This policy brief outlines the variety of problems plaguing Michigan's auto insurance laws and explains why these issues are leading to the most expensive car insurance premiums in the nation.
The brief also describes several reform ideas for how to fix Michigan's no-fault insurance system. These reforms would maintain the no-fault approach to car insurance, but would put downward pressure on premiums, a benefit that would be enjoyed by all Michigan drivers. … more
A Survey of Michigan Parents Who Use School Choice
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2017
This is the 15th edition of the Mackinac Center's annual school privatization survey. We ask every school district in the state if they outsource one of the three main noninstructional services — custodial, transportation and food services. The results from this year's survey show that 71.5 percent of school districts contract out for at least one of these services. … more
How School Funding Works in Michigan
This publication presents a brief overview of some of the key components of Michigan's school funding system, if it can be called that. The goal is to provide a general understanding of how tax dollars reach schools and what they are intended for. … more
How to Stop the 'Dues Skim' of Federal Home Health Care and Child Care Funding
United States taxpayers currently spend $545 billion annually on the federal government's Medicaid program. This money is meant to aid the disabled and vulnerable and to support low-income families. However, millions of these dollars are being redirected before they ever reach the people they are meant to support.
About $41.5 billion of Medicaid funds are sent to states through the Home and Community-Based Services "waiver" program.This waiver allows those eligible for Medicaid — individuals suffering from a disability, illness or other affliction — to use these funds to pay for in-home care, as opposed to enrolling in an institution. These in-home services are often provided by family members or friends, or other local, independent providers. Medicaid payments are sent directly to these providers on behalf of their Medicaid-eligible "client."
… more
This Isn't Working: How Michigan's Licensing Laws Hurt Workers and Consumers
The Declaration of Independence lists the "pursuit of happiness" as one of Americans' "unalienable rights." For most, this includes the ability to pursue a vocation of their choice. But occupational licensure laws stand in the way of many people trying to exercise this right. For too many people, the right to pursue their dreams has been halted by governments that require them to jump through hoops, pay fees and meet other often arbitrary and inconsistent requirements.
This report gathers data on every occupational license in Michigan. It describes the impact and costs of licensure laws, as documented in the empirical research that has been conducted on this issue. It explains how and why licensing requirements are typically created, but also outlines some of the fundamental problems with a broad licensing regime. Finally, it compares Michigan's licensing requirements to those of other states and makes recommendations for how the state could reform occupational licensure for the benefit of job-seekers and entrepreneurs and for the state's economy as a whole. … more
Cigarette Taxes and Smuggling: A 2016 Update
Since 2008 the Mackinac Center for Public Policy — and more recently in conjunction with the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation — has worked to estimate the degree to which cigarettes are smuggled into and out of American states. Our research, and that of other scholars too, suggests that smuggling is a rampant problem, particularly in states with high cigarette excise taxes.
Unintended and unforeseen consequences are a frequent problem in public policy. Few politicians realize when they vote for higher excise taxes that doing so may dramatically increase cigarette-related crime, such as smuggling. These crimes not only deprive local and state governments of tax revenues, they also tend to descend into violence, which produces all sorts of unnecessary damage. Policymakers should take these realities into consideration when contemplating how much to tax cigarettes.
This report analyzes the relationship between cigarette tax rates and cigarette smuggling rates. It relies on the same statistical model used in our previous studies, but uses the latest available data from 2014. New York State once again claims the highest smuggling rate in the nation. In fact, according to our analysis, New Yorkers consume more smuggled cigarettes than they do legally taxed ones. New York state has the highest excise tax rate on cigarettes in the country at $4.35 per pack and New York City adds another $1.50 tax. Arizona, Washington state, New Mexico and Minnesota round out the top five states for percentage of in-bound smuggling. Michigan ranks 12th, down two positions. … more
Problems With Estimating the Union Wage Premium
The "union wage premium" — the amount a union worker makes in wages and salary above a similar nonunion worker — is often used to highlight the potential value of joining a union. Unions claim that if workers unionize, their wages will increase, because allegedly the average union worker makes more than the average nonunion worker. If this were universally true, it seems like a compelling argument for enrolling in a union. However, the decline in union membership rates over the last several decades shows that an increasing number of workers have not been persuaded to join existing unions or organize new ones, suggesting that they are not convinced that becoming a union member will automatically boost their pay.
Some still maintain that union members earn significantly more, on average, than nonunion workers: the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations union says that "union workers' wages are 27 percent higher than their nonunion counterparts" and the U.S. Secretary of Labor claims that union workers make $950 per week compared to nonunion workers' $750 per week. But these statistics are based on a relatively simplistic view of the data. As this paper will demonstrate, there are significant challenges to using official government data to estimate the size of the union wage premium. … more
An Analysis of State-Funded Tourism Promotion
An Evaluation of Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund
After a tough political battle to establish the program and after making a number of compromises, the 21st Century Jobs Fund was created. The program was to be funded from 2006 to 2015, and in the 2013-14 legislative session, under a new governor and Legislature, it was extended until 2019 and provided with $75 million in continued annual funding.
After ten years of existence, this program has received little attention and its effectiveness has never been measured. All government programs should be reviewed regularly, and it is time for a close look at the 21st Century Jobs Fund. … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2016
This is the 14th edition of the Mackinac Center's annual school privatization survey. We ask every school district in the state if they outsource one of the three main noninstructional services — custodial, transportation and food services. The results from this year's survey show that 70 percent of school districts contract out for at least one of these services. … more
Worker's Choice
Freeing unions and workers from forced representation
A Survey of Michigan's Private Education Sector
According to data collected by the state, Michigan has 601 private schools that enroll about 113,000 students — about 7 percent of all students in the state. All but 14 of Michigan's 84 counties have at least one private school operating within their boundaries. Despite the fact that private schools in Michigan are widespread, there is very little publicly available information about them. In response to this need, the Mackinac Center, with the help of the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools, conducted a survey of private school administrators from all across the state. … more
School Spending and Student Achievement in Michigan: What's the Relationship?
Does Michigan devote enough money to primary and secondary education? Do school districts receive enough revenue to ensure the vast majority of enrolled students graduate college or career ready? How much does it cost to provide a quality educational experience? These are the types of questions for which the Michigan Legislature recently paid nearly $400,000 to obtain some answers.
These answers would clearly be helpful to policymakers who determine how many tax dollars to allocate to schools. But these concerns about the adequate level of school funding are based in part on the common assumption that spending more on K-12 schools will generate better academic outcomes. A more fundamental question that policymakers might want to answer before determining the appropriate level of funding for schools is: What is the relationship between school spending and student achievement in Michigan?
That is the question this paper attempts to answer.
To read a response to a critique of this study, click here. … more
Civil Forfeiture in Michigan: A Review and Recommendations for Reforms
The problem is with civil forfeiture.
Civil forfeiture occurs outside of the criminal justice system and does not require a conviction of a crime. This has led to instances of abuse in Michigan, which has among the lowest-rated forfeiture laws in the United States. The Mackinac Center believes property should only be transferred from citizens to the government after a criminal conviction is secured.
This study explains how civil forfeiture works, how it differs from criminal forfeiture and what reforms state policymakers should consider in order to protect the rights of Michigan residents. … more
Bringing Financial Transparency to Michigan's Public Sector Unions
Worker's Choice: Freeing Unions and Workers from Forced Representation
Unionization for the 21st Century: Solutions for the Ailing Labor Movement
Overcriminalizing the Wolverine State: A Primer and Possible Reforms for Michigan
At present, Michigan's vast, disorganized criminal law inherently places the Wolverine State's residents at risk of unintentionally violating a growing array of regulatory crimes that are difficult to discover and understand. The complexity of administrating such a criminal code threatens to divert scarce resources away from the enforcement of serious violent and property crimes. This study analyzes the size and scope of Michigan's criminal law and makes policy recommendations aimed at curbing this "overcriminalization." … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2014
Making Michigan Right-to-Work: Implementation Problems in Public Schools
Approximately 75 percent of districts with contracts subject to the right-to-work law removed language that would require employees to financially support a union as a condition of employment. Both legal and policy questions are raised by the remaining 25 percent of districts, which kept mandatory dues language in one way or another, despite having a contract that took effect or was modified after the law's effective date.
The study describes five issues with these contracts. Twenty-three contracts made no apparent changes and kept mandatory dues language. Eight districts created a separate agreement to require mandatory dues payment. Fifteen contracts were ratified before they would be subject to the right-to-work law, but then didn't take effect until much later. Five contracts made only the mandatory dues language immediately effective, while delaying the rest of the contract. Finally, at least six districts have modified parts of their contract without making the rest of it compliant with the right-to-work law. … more
Proposal 1 of 2014: Summary and Assessment
On Aug. 5 Michigan voters will be asked to approve or reject Proposal 1, which would modify the state's personal property tax. The legislation that would go into effect if Proposal 1 were approved by voters creates three new exemptions for certain businesses that are currently subject to the personal property tax; it does not eliminate the personal property tax. Commercial and industrial businesses with less than $80,000 of personal property will be exempt, and, eventually, all manufacturing personal property will be exempt. These exemptions amount to an estimated $600 million tax cut when fully implemented.
The package of bills includes a mechanism for reimbursing local government units for the revenue lost from these new exemptions. The state would set aside a portion of the statewide Use tax revenue, and use this revenue to reimburse local governments. It is estimated that local governments will be reimbursed for the entirety of the revenue lost due to the personal property tax cuts.
The state would also levy a new, but relatively small, tax on manufacturing personal property that qualifies for one of the exemptions described above, except the small parcel exemption. The state estimates this to raise $117.5 million, making the overall net tax cut of the legislation package worth about $500 million. … more
Roadblocks to Reform?: A Review of Union Contracts in Michigan Schools
Some districts negotiated with their unions to add language stating that if circumstances changed, pages of prohibited language would take immediate effect. Others simply changed the word "teacher" in order to keep the prohibited language but have it apply to other staff members. Finally, some districts appear to have kept prohibited language without explanation.
This study includes further examples and lists of districts that kept the prohibited language in their contracts. As a solution, penalties could be added to the collective bargaining reform laws in order to encourage district compliance. … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2013
The Public School Market in Michigan: An Analysis of Schools of Choice
This study finds that students enter districts that have higher graduation rates and higher test scores. On average, Schools of Choice students chose districts with higher pupil-teacher ratios, lower expenditures per pupil and higher average teacher salaries.
… more
A New Turnaround Model: Michigan's Highland Park Goes Charter
During the first year of charter school operation, students demonstrated significant learning gains, with some grades posting academic growth far above the average Michigan student. … more
Criminal Minds: Defining Culpability in Michigan Criminal Law
Conviction of a crime traditionally required a combination of a wrongful act and criminal intent. But frequently the criminal code is used for regulatory purposes, and those laws often omit a requirement that the prosecution prove the existence of criminal intent for a conviction to occur. Consequently, individuals can be charged, convicted and imprisoned for committing crimes without possessing a culpable state of mind — often for behavior a reasonable person would not think of as criminal.
The policy brief proposes a reform that would clarify the element of intent in criminal statutes. If the Legislature enacts a criminal statute that is silent on intent, a default intent provision would be incorporated. Such a reform could make for a more orderly criminal justice system and protect the rights of individuals. … more
Electricity Choice Policies in Michigan: Comment on "Readying Michigan to Make Good Energy Decisions: Electric Choice"
Between the years 2000 and 2012 two distinct changes emerged. Between 2000 and 2008 new suppliers were allowed to start entering the Michigan market and competing with incumbent utilities. Between 2008 and 2012 competition was restricted to guarantee a 90 percent market share for the largest utilities. The analysis of these two periods suggests that market competition tends to bring innovation and lower prices to Michigan electricity consumers, while monopolistic policies tend to raise prices. Michigan should once again embrace opening its electricity market to more entrants to see if they can perform better than the incumbent firms, which will drive down prices for electricity consumers. Michigan allowed such competition to start to emerge during its brief era of Full Customer Choice, and the early results were promising. The initial results from a more tightly regulated and protectionist experiment have been by contrast disappointing.
A video recording of the January 22, 2014 Issues and Ideas Forum featuring the author discussing the topic of expanding the electricity market can be viewed here. … more
Benefits in Balance: Benchmarking Public Sector Employee Benefits in Michigan
Michigan's Top-to-Bottom Ranking: A Measure of School Quality or Student Poverty?
These results matters because TTB rankings are used to impose consequences on low-ranking schools. This study suggests that Michigan should look at how other states rank schools in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of penalizing schools that serve lower-income students. It also makes the case that a choice-based accountability system is preferred, as it would allow students to escape schools that are not serving their needs and reduce the risk of penalizing undeservedly low-ranked schools. … more
Economic Growth and Right-to-Work Laws
Medicaid: Waivers are Temporary, Expansion is Forever
Berrien Springs Public Schools: Reinventing School — Becoming a District of Choices
Michigan's Schools of Innovation
An Analysis of the Proposed Medicaid Expansion in Michigan
The study considers several factors, including potential enrollees that are not considered in typical enrollment projections: uninsured people who are already eligible for Medicaid but have not yet enrolled, low-income, privately insured individuals who would switch to Medicaid, and childless adults and others who live below the poverty line and who would now qualify based on the broader definitions of the expansion.
The study determines that a Medicaid expansion would likely shift many insurance costs to state taxpayers, while other studies have found that as many as 50 percent or 60 percent of new enrollees following Medicaid expansions dropped existing private insurance to do so. Further, both local and federal studies have indicated that Medicaid often delivers substandard health outcomes and access to medical services. Therefore, lawmakers should think twice before widening the program's scope. … more
Michigan vs. Florida
Student achievement, education policies and proposals for reform
Proposal 5 of 2012: An Assessment of the Supermajority Tax Vote Requirement
The study examines the amendment to the state constitution that proposes to require a two-thirds supermajority vote of both the Michigan House and Senate, or a simple majority vote of the people in a November election, to impose new state taxes or increase any state taxes that currently require only a majority vote of the Legislature. The study concludes that Proposal 5 is likely to provide additional protection against state tax increases, though it may be appropriate to ensure state lawmakers take further steps to ensure the original intent of the proposal.
The Policy Brief was authored by Michael D. LaFaive, director of the Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. … more
Proposal 1 of 2012: The Referendum on Public Act 4
The study examines the claim that local control will diminish if Proposal 1 passes and Public Act 4 is nullified. Public Act 4 had provided expanded powers to state-appointed emergency managers of local governments and school districts that are in a state of serious "fiscal stress or "fiscal emergency." The study determined that the question in Michigan has not been whether state-appointed managers or court-appointed receivers may replace local elected officials in running a local unit of government; they have been able to do so for decades. The only question is whether state government will participate in the effort to avoid local fiscal insolvency and how it will do so.
The Policy Brief was authored by James M. Hohman, assistant director of Fiscal Policy for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. … more
An Analysis of Proposal 4 of 2012: The Unionization of In-Home Caregivers
The proposed constitutional amendment would authorize the forced unionization of tens of thousands of home-based caregivers in Michigan, allowing the Service Employees International Union to continue skimming millions of dollars in dues from Medicaid stipends meant to help Michigan's most vulnerable residents. A line-by-line review of Proposal 4 shows that it would not provide any programs or services to in-home care recipients that are not already available, including any improved care, new options for care recipients or taxpayer cost savings. … more
Proposal 2 of 2012: An Assessment
The study examines how the proposed constitutional amendment would enshrine collective bargaining in the state constitution, which would allow government union collective bargaining agreements to invalidate numerous state laws meant to improve the quality of public services and would likely negate a projected $1.6 billion in annual taxpayer savings.
The Policy Brief was co-authored by Vernuccio and other Mackinac Center analysts: Senior Legal Analyst Patrick J. Wright, Executive Vice President Michael J. Reitz and Assistant Fiscal Policy Director James M. Hohman. Also co-authoring was Paul Kersey, director of labor policy at the Illinois Policy Institute. … more
The Projected Economic Impact of Proposal 3 and Michigan's Renewable Energy Standard
The proposed constitutional amendment would mandate a 25 percent renewable energy standard for Michigan by 2025. The policy brief estimates the cost of the mandates using the State Tax Analysis Modeling Program – or STAMP – to determine the economic impact on Michigan. They determine that the ballot measure would impose higher electricity prices and economic costs than are sustainable or environmentally friendly. … more
The Shortage of Generic Sterile Injectable Drugs: Diagnosis and Solutions
These are mostly injectable drugs for cancer and other important therapies, and they are frequently produced by generic drugmakers. These drugs are not dispensed by community pharmacies, but rather administered by health professionals in clinical settings.
Currently proposed solutions are unlikely to address the crisis satisfactorily. Congress appears ready to give more power to the FDA, but making FDA regulations more onerous will not alleviate the current shortage of crucial medicines.
A more promising approach is to make it easier for competitors to enter the market in response to forthcoming shortages. In general, this means reducing and ultimately removing the FDA's monopoly on the approval of drugs for medical use. Shifting these medicines to Medicare Part D insurance may also stabilize supply by helping ensure manufacturers receive adequate compensation for the medicine, even as taxpayers are protected from escalating costs. … more
Alcohol Control Reform and Public Health and Safety
Last year, a state Liquor Control Advisory Rules Committee was charged with developing alcohol control reform proposals. Some critics, however, have cautioned that the state's present alcohol laws are necessary to protect public health. This Policy Brief examines the health and safety effects of alcohol regulations like Michigan's. … more
Oxford Community Schools: The Great Recession — and the 'Greatest Gift'
Michigan's Schools of Innovation
Five Options for Addressing 'Transition Costs' When Closing the MPSERS Pension Plan
Michigan Public School Employee Retirement Plans
This study considers the supposed 'transition costs' that would be effected by a state switch from a defined-benefit to defined-contribution retirement system. In it, the "transition costs" are found to be nonbinding and discretionary. In addition, the study offers the state a series of reforms that would diffuse such costs, as well as consideration for the long-term fiscal improvements that would arise from payment of the pension's unfunded liabilities. … more
in Need of Reform
Loar v. Michigan Department of Human Services Brief
The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation sued to end the DHS' illegal diversion of so-called "union dues" from state subsidy checks received by home-based day care providers who watch children from low-income families. The "dues" were funneled to a government-employee union that purports to represent more than 40,000 of Michigan's home-based day care providers, who are actually private business owners and independent contractors.
The case was ruled moot by the Michigan Supreme Court after the DHS ceased to collect the dues and the DHS director stated that these home-based day care providers are not public employees. … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2011
Despite increased spending in Michigan public schools, districts regularly face tough choices allocating their resources. This study surveys the privatization of the three major noninstructional services: food, custodial and transportation services. The findings are that over half of public schools have privatized at least one of these services; what is more, about 93 percent report satisfaction with the private-sector services they receive, which spells progress towards improving services while spending less. … more
Estimated Savings From Michigan's 1997 State Employees Pension Plan Reform
In this Policy Brief, the author analyzes state pension data to determine whether state taxpayers have saved money as a result of the switch. … more
Revenues and Spending of Michigan's Urban, Suburban, Town and Rural School Districts
Reconsidering Michigan's Public Employment Relations Act
Restoring Balance to Public-Sector Labor Relations
No area of public policy in Michigan is more in need of fresh thinking than the relationship between government and its employees. With Michigan's recurring government budget struggles, and with a new Legislature and governor espousing a commitment to performance, efficiency and accountability in government, a new labor law for government employees is imperative.
This report outlines a variety of ways the Michigan Legislature can address the damaging impact of PERA. … more
Virtual Learning in Michigan's Schools
Virtual learning is not for every student, but it's not science fiction, either. Right now in Michigan, it's being used by thousands of students in hundreds of virtual courses in urban, rural and suburban school districts. In fact, Michigan has been seen as a national leader in virtual learning.
This study analyzes the financial costs and academic benefits of virtual learning, and it explores how this innovation could further benefit Michigan public school students. … more
101 Recommendations to Revitalize Michigan
Michigan is blessed with a wealth of the human and natural resources integral to building vibrant commerce and vigorous communities in the 21st century. At the moment, however, counterproductive public policies have made it harder for our industries to compete nationally and internationally and have reduced our state's attractiveness to investors and entrepreneurs.
In addition, Michigan is not immune to the gradual erosion of equity and basic human freedom that accompanies a steady growth in the power and scope of government. Related to this, our government's ability to properly perform many critical functions, including education, has been jeopardized by policymakers' attempts to do too many things. This lack of focus has even led to confusion among policymakers over whether government exists to serve the people or vice versa.
There's a lot of work to do to reverse this, but there's good news. Once growth- and freedom-friendly policies are in place, recovery is likely to occur much more quickly than most people imagine.
For policymakers and voters serious about restoring freedom and economic vitality in the Great Lakes State, the Mackinac Center presents the following 101 recommendations.
This report is a compendium of work authored by Mackinac Center policy analysts and compiled by Senior Legislative Analyst Jack McHugh. The brief recommendations inevitably omit some nuance and detail. These are provided more fully in the online articles cited with each recommendation. … more
School Funding in Michigan: Common Myths
Cigarette Taxes and Smuggling 2010
An Update of Earlier Research
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2010
The largest impetus for contracting is cost savings. The survey found that first-year contracts alone are expected to save districts $16.7 million cumulatively. … more
Michigan's Public-Employee Retirement Benefits: Benchmarking and Managing Benefits and Costs
This paper reviews MPSERS and MSERS pension and retiree medical benefits and confirms many of the published concerns* related to the level of benefits provided and the associated fiscal challenges facing Michigan taxpayers in both the short and long term.
*Citations provided in the study's main text. … more
Reforming Michigan's Auto Insurance Industry
Some Concrete and Practical Proposals
Rather than attempting to regulate insurance company and individual behavior, Michigan legislators would much better serve the people they represent by examining why insurance premiums are so high in the first place, in order to address the problem at its source. A careful study of Michigan's insurance market and the regulations governing it indicates that no-fault insurance and the legislative requirement for individuals to purchase unlimited personal injury protection are two important reasons for the increased costs of providing insurance coverage in Michigan. The good news is that it is possible to reduce these costs and reduce the number of drivers who take the risk of violating the law and do not purchase insurance. … more
Mackinac Center Amicus Curiae Brief to Michigan Supreme Court in Michigan Education Association v. Secretary of State
Chetly Zarko v. Howell Education Association
(now Eric Rothoff v. Howell Education Association)
A lower court's interpretation of what constitutes a "public record" under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act would shield criminal and other improper government activities from public scrutiny, according to this "friend of the court" brief jointly submitted to the Michigan Supreme Court by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the Michigan Press Association.
Click here to download the PDF of this amicus brief. This news release explains the context of the case.
Following the filing of this brief, the Mackinac Center and MPA have submitted two supplemental briefs to the Court. The first alerted the Court to a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling that is relevant to this case. The second supplemental brief brings up recent examples of how the Appeals Court's disastrous ruling has been used by school districts to deny FOIA requests and potentially hide improper activities. Read the news release for more information.
The Mackinac Center's original amicus brief for the Appeals Court hearing of this case, then named Howell Education Association v. Howell Board of Education, is available here. … more


text:
posted by Thom Holwerda on Thu 22nd Aug 2013 21:00 UTC
Although I have been a lazy blogger lately we haven't been lazy working on our remaining tasks at all. So, unsurprisingly, since my previous post we have reached and passed a few nice milestones. The latest one is that we're finally able to build the gcc2/gcc4 hybrid Haiku images again, including all the software needed for the official release.
While that in itself isn't a particularly impressive feat - after all we were already able to build the complete gcc 2 part before - the interesting aspect is how we are doing it.
Interesting progress for Haiku.


text:
By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
The Libyan National Army and Libya Dawn, entangled in a seemingly unending conflict, are both forced to look for creative solutions to provide their troops with the maximum amount of firepower required to gain the edge over each other. While the many arms depots present in Libya provided an impressive amount of sophisticated weaponry to the many forces now fighting for control over Libya, a lack of spare parts has meant that only a part of this equipment could enter service, with the majority cannibalised in order to keep a part of the fleet running.
The situation is only worsened by the arms embargo imposed on Libya, which officially prevents the acquisition of military equipment by the forces fighting in Libya. As arms embargoes are often little more than a few noneffectual words on a piece of paper, both Libya's Armed Forces and Libya Dawn do still receive some military equipment from their supporters abroad, but this flow of arms remains too small to give one or the other a decisive advantage on the ground.
This led to parties scrounging for whatever advanced weaponry could be found in Libya's arms depots and airbases. The most remarkable results of this were the use of Kh-29 air-to-surface missiles, originally destined for use by Libya's Su-24s, as unguided rockets by Libya Dawn and the installment of AK-230 naval guns on trucks by the Libyan National Army.
A similar project was initated by Libya Dawn around the same time the Libyan National Army completed its first truck armed with a naval gun. Libya Dawn managed to get its hands on numerous of such guns once equipping Libyan Navy frigates, corvettes and fast attack craft after capturing the depot the weaponry was stored in. Libya was unable to service all these vessels in the nineties because of the arms embargo, and eventually scrapped them all. The weaponry formerly equipping these ships was subsequently stored.
The 412 Wadi Mirah and her three sister ships were among the ships scrapped in the 90s, all having served just over ten years. Their 76mm OTO Melaras, 35mm Oerlikon GDFs, torpedo tubes, Otomat anti-ship missiles and associated fire-control systems were all stored.
This huge arsenal of stored naval weaponry not only included anti-ship missiles such as the Otomat Mk.1, Mk.2 and the Exocet, but also various types of naval guns such as the 76mm OTO Melara and 35mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns, in addition to a large array of Soviet-designed weaponry.
Much of this already obsolete Soviet-designed weaponry was stripped for spare parts to allow guns that were still installed on ships to continue service. The Western-designed naval guns, barely used in their short career, were still in prime condition however, yet were now rotting away with no apparant future use. The procurement plans of the Libyan Navy under Gaddafi mainly included Russian-designed ships which had no possibility to mount the stored Western weaponry, which effectively sealed their fate.
However, a part of the weaponry was brought out of storage by Libya Dawn in late 2014 for installment on trucks. These early conversions proved a success and work was initiated to convert more naval guns for land use.
The system under construction (seen in the header) donned a double-barreled 35mm Oerlikon GDF naval gun taken from the British-built frigate Dat Assawari, a ship that was also scrapped in the 90s. Half of the turret was cut away to allow for easier aiming and access to the guns and their munitions. Due to the relatively high calibre of the naval gun and the fact that the truck was not designed to be used in such a way, prolonged fire is likely not possible and stability would be best achieved if the gun were firing backwards as opposed to towards the sides.
The finished product included the muzzle brakes on the 35mm guns, but saw the entire turret removed. The minimal protection it provided apparantly did not weigh up against the increase in stealth and situational awareness acquired when equipped with a (partial) turret.
Special thanks to Joseph Dempsey.
Recommended Articles
Libya Dawn going DIY: S-125 SAMs used as surface-to-surface missiles
The Libyan National Army going DIY: AK-230 naval guns mounted on trucks
Kh-29 air-to-surface missiles used as unguided rockets in Libya
Libya's MiG-25s, the mighty Foxbats fly again (1)
Libya's MiG-25s, the mighty Foxbats fly again (2)


text:
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
|Marta Full of Grace
Head on over to Elizabeta's place on the western edge of Bohan, on San Quentin Avenue. When you arrive, she'll be all alone in her apartment (with her assistant), drunkenly wielding a pistol and heavily hitting the bottle. She and Johnny will have a back and forth, and surprisingly, you learn a lot more about her and her past in this conversation than you ever did during Niko's interactions with her during GTAIV's main quest. Nonetheless, after the conversation concludes, Elizabeta will send you on your way. She wants you to head over to Francis International Airport to pick up her drug mule friend.
You likely know where Francis International Airport is, but if you don't, simply keep reading. The airport dominates the eastern edge of the island that makes up Dukes and Broker. It's technically in Dukes, but you can take all sorts of routes through either borough to ultimately arrive at your destination. However, because you'll be travelling from Bohan, you'll almost certainly head south over the Dukes Bay Bridge, and use Dukes Boulevard to get to your destination.
When you arrive at the airport, you're immediately going to find trouble. Marta, Elizabeta's friend who you're supposed to pick up from the airport, has been caught by federal authorities. She rants in Spanish, but the federal officer detaining her can't understand her. Nonetheless, when Johnny intervenes, the federal officer clearly has no idea what he's in for. After verifying that Marta is who she says she is (in English, nonetheless), he incapacitates that officer and runs off. We have to gun our way out of here.
As usual, you'll begin this dangerous section of the mission automatically tucked behind some cover. So, for the time being, you're covered. Now, there are plenty of cops in the area to take care of, and in order to leave, you have to eliminate all cops and feds in the area, as represented by red dots on your HUD. This doesn't include the roving helicopter overhead, though if you have an RPG handy, you could easily take out the chopper before doing anything else. As for the cops, equip your heaviest weaponry and go to town on them, while being sure to use cover. Also, watch your flank, since the LCPD loves nothing more than sneaking up on unsuspecting criminals. If you have leftover explosives from the van destruction mission, use them. Use your heaviest weapons, and go all out here.
When the police threat is eliminated at the airport, it's time to jack a car (preferably a Buffalo, one of the feds' dope cars), pick up Marta, and get out of dodge. The carnage at Francis International has given you at least a three star wanted level, so it's going to take some time and effort to get away from the cops here. Nonetheless, you're so far from your ultimate destination in Bohan, that you can place a marker on San Quentin Avenue and drive towards it while losing the cops; thus, you kill two birds with one stone. When you finally arrive back at Elizabeta's, drop off Marta to successfully complete the mission.
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