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Jacent Strategic Merchandising, formerly LaMi Products/ATARetail
Who We Are: Jacent was formed in 2016 by the merger of two pioneers in impulse merchandising with a combined 60 years of experience. With the industry's largest database of retail intelligence, the deepest inventory of impulse products, and the most experienced team, we're the premier strategic merchandising partner to North America's retailers.
What We Do: Jacent sources, warehouses, ships, and stocks over 3,500 impulse items to 14,000 retail stores across the US and Canada. We create a strategic merchandising plan for each store– then place the ideal impulse items in the ideal locations, with follow-up re-ordering and re-stocking. In addition to our impulse business, Jacent offers retail insights and services, such as audits and shelf stocking, to help stores run at peak efficiency.
Our Merchandisers: Jacent merchandisers are the heart and soul of our team. They're on the front lines in over 14,000 stores, placing just the right products, building displays, and working with store personnel—right in their own community. Jacent offers a flexible, rewarding work experience. You'll be empowered with the tools, technologies, and knowledge to be effective in your work and to grow your career. And you'll be joining an industry powerhouse with a rich heritage and solid company values.
Create your own schedule
Be your own boss
Competitive compensation
Connect with your community
Join the industry leader
What we're looking for:
Self motivated, computer literate individual
Organized and able to schedule your time efficiently
Available mornings & afternoons, Monday to Friday
Professional & friendly demeanor with a sense of accountability
Reliable transportation
Computer with high speed internet access
Smart phone or tablet with internet access (may be required to take pictures)
Able to lift 35 lbs.
Able to be on feet for 3-8 hours
Must be 18 years old
Job Specifics: Merchandiser will operate their own route of assigned stores. Duties include packing out, ordering, cross merchandising, cleaning & tidying. No previous merchandising experience necessary, but is helpful. In order to be considered you must live centrally located to the stores listed below. Position is approx. 6 to 8 hours per week.
$12.00/ HOURLY with paid mileage and travel time.
In order to be considered you must live centrally located to the stores listed below:
Store # Service Freq Address
Kroger 0147 14 5620 WEST 4100 SOUTH, WEST VALLEY CITY, UT 84128
Kroger 0065 14 8055 WEST 3500 SOUTH, MAGNA, UT 84044
Albertson's 0339 21 740 N. Main, Tooele, UT 84074
Albertson's 1509 21 1585 West 3500 South, West Valley City, UT 84119
All qualified applicants welcome, please reply to this post or apply online at:
http://jacentretail.com/life-as-a-merchandiser/be-a-merchandiser/- -USE THE 5-DIGIT JOB # 17395


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Democratic Representative Tim Bishop won a decisive victory in his Congressional rematch with Randy Altschuler. Unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections had him leading Mr. Altschuler by more than 11,000 votes.
In 2010 he won re-election by fewer than 600 votes. Mr. Altschuler fought hard this election cycle, with significant superPAC backing, to harness voters' frustrations with the Obama administration, and, in many ways, this Congressional race was cast in the same terms as the Presidential one, a tactic that ultimately proved unsuccessful for both Mr. Altschuler and Governor Mitt Romney. Mr. Altschuler questioned Mr. Bishop's fund-raising ethics, called him a Nancy Pelosi crony, and criticized him for not creating more jobs on in the district. Mr. Bishop was often on the offensive, and his campaign again took up the outsourcing criticisms he leveled at Mr. Altschuler and his company Office Tiger in 2010.
Mr. Bishop lost the Independence line this year to Mr. Altschuler, but ran also on the Working Families line, winning over 10,000 votes there. Mr. Altschuler got nearly 23,000 votes on the Independence and Conservative lines.
In other races, State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle, a Republican, was the clear winner in his race, beating Bridget Fleming, a Southampton Town councilwoman, with more than 60 percent of the vote. Ms. Fleming conceded to Mr. LaValle late Tuesday. In a statement issued by e-mail, Ms. Fleming said, "This has been a tough, hard-fought campaign, I'm glad to have had the opportunity to debate the issues and I thanked Senator LaValle for his long service and his dedication to the district."
The unofficial vote count was 45,568 for Ms. Fleming, who also ran on the Working Families line, and 69, 238 for Mr. LaValle, who was also on the Conservative and Independence lines.
In the uncontested race for state assemblyman in the First District, 33,601 cast ballots for the longtime incumbent, Fred W. Thiele Jr.

subset: commoncrawl


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Affirmative action is back before the U.S. Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the justices hear arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin. Abigail Fisher says she was denied admission to the school four years ago because she's white. Host Michel Martin discusses the upcoming arguments with Associated Press reporter Justin Pope.
What Another Look At Affirmative Action Will Mean
By editor • Oct 9, 2012


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Community Connections to host financial wellness workshop series
Thursday, April 25, 2013 7:37 AM
Pathfinder Community Connections, the Community Development division of Pathfinder Services, will host a workshop series focused on overall financial wellness with an emphasis on building and improving credit scores.
Classes begin Wednesday, May 1, in Huntington. The workshop series consists of five different two and a half hour sessions, and are open to anyone in the community interested in improving their financial situation.
The workshop series will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, at Pathfinder Community Connections located at 2824 Theater Ave., in Huntington.
All courses are taught by Pathfinder Community Connections certified Home Buyer Counselors with a variety of guest speakers.
A complimentary light meal will be served. The course sessions are presented as follows:
• Week 1 - Financial Planning in Easy Steps.
• Week 2 - Set and Achieve Financial Goals to Move into Home Ownership.
• Week 3 - Being a Responsible Consumer.
• Week 4 - Build Credit and Explore Lender Expectations.
• Week 5 - Focus on the Future.
Upon successful completion of all five workshops sessions, participants may qualify to receive up to $300 from Pathfinder Community Connections to open a matched savings account at a local financial institution.
Participants may also be eligible to receive up to a $300 loan with a local bank regardless of credit history.
The Financial Fitness program educates the communities served by Pathfinder Community Connections on the importance of improving credit and increasing financial stability this year and beyond.
Space is limited and registration is required by calling Jeff Teusch at Pathfinder Community Connections at 356-0521 ext. 3215 or via email at email@example.com.


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I discovered using an elemental staff also increases your level of protection. This is in addition to the Barspell, but is only vaild while you are equiping the staff. I saw a 20 point increase when using the HQ staff over no staff. (I was testing at level 75.)
Edited, Sat Jun 24 21:26:55 2006


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2003 Dodge Viper
SRT-10 Roadster
Compare Dealer Clearance Prices and SAVE
2003 Dodge Viper Review
American made super-sports car for performance enthusiasts and collectors.
Reviewed by Automotive on
The 2003 Dodge Viper is the next in a line of proud American muscle cars. The Viper debuted in 1992, and while the classic side pipes are gone, it is still a unique and stylish beast of a performer. The coupe model does not appear this year, making the Viper a roadster only. With a 500 horsepower engine, fine handling, and a respectably appointed cabin, the SRT-10 Viper is sure to please any sports car enthusiast.
The Range
Engines: 8.3-liter V-10
Transmissions: six-speed manual
Models: Viper SRT-10
What's New
The 2003 Dodge Viper gets a genuine roadster body, serious power in the way of an upgraded power plant producing 500 horsepower, and improvements in the build quality.
The 2003 Dodge Viper two-seat convertible roadster comes in just one trim: SRT-10. It comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, a manual convertible roof, power door mirrors, intermittent wipers, rear defogger, dual stainless steel exhaust, sport suspension, front and rear anti-roll bar, and Brembo four-wheel disc brakes. It has always had one of the toughest, meanest exteriors of any car on the road, and this model continues that appearance ethos. If one names a car after a fear-inspiring and lethal reptile, it's a good idea to make sure it looks the part. But the body design is more than eye-catching American muscle car splendor. The low, wide stance combined with the sleek and aerodynamic lines not only look great, they help the car achieve its high level of performance.
The 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10 isn't just a pure sports car with the traditional approach of forgoing amenities to save weight and improve performance. The SRT-10 has standard cabin fare, including four-way leather seats, adjustable lumbar support for driver seat, power windows, power locks, tilt and adjustable power steering wheel, adjustable pedals, air-conditioning, leather trim on steering wheel and shift knob, and a 310-watt audio system with AM/FM, in-dash six-CD player and six speakers, including a subwoofer. Despite having some amenities, luxuries, and appointments, the cockpit is still racing inspired. The ergonomics are decent, and the comfort is more than acceptable for a sports car.
Performance & Handling
The 2003 Dodge Viper is powered by an amazing 8.3-liter, V-10 engine that cranks out an impressive 500 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed-manual gearbox is the only transmission available. The Viper is predictably rear drive and makes use of a limited-slip differential. With this setup, it runs the zero-to-60-mph sprint in under four seconds and the quarter mile in 12.6 seconds. Top speed exceeds 190 mph. One should have no difficulties in acceleration based traffic situations while driving a Viper. It handles like a sports car/roadster with its performance-tuned suspension, low-to-the ground, and aerodynamic body and sports car attributes. It lacks stability control and traction control, which means things could get dicey. It also means that this roadster is for skilled drivers only. The response is like a racecar thanks to the wide stance, huge tires, and low center of gravity. It inspires confidence with its handling, the steering feels great and responsive, and the braking power is more than enough to stop a beast like this without nosedive. The ride is as taut, firm, and choppy as one would expect from a performance tuned American muscle car. The goal wasn't to make a European sedan-like ride. It won't beat up occupants with its ride, but it's not exactly smooth, either. Noise levels are at expected amounts for wind and road varieties, the engine gets gloriously loud.
The 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10 comes equipped with standard safety gear that includes all-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, side-impact bars, dual front impact airbags with passenger airbag deactivation switch, Electronic brake force distribution and seatbelt pretensioners. Side-impact airbags, stability control and traction control are not available. The NHTSA has not performed crash safety tests. The IIHS only conducted its rear crash protection/head restraint test. It receives the highest rating of ""good"" in that test.
EPA Fuel Economy
You'll Like
- Serious power
- Excellent handling
- Eye-catching style
- Cockpit improvements
- Limited production/collectability
You Won't Like
- Fuel economy
- Can be hard to get one
- No side airbags
- Oddly, no traction control
Sum Up
American made super-sports car for performance enthusiasts and collectors.
If You Like This Vehicle
- Porsche 911
- Ferrari 575M
- Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
- Aston Martin V12 Vanquish


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RailComm's SaaS offering provides a "pay-as-you-go" model, thus eliminating capital equipment procurement constraints. Through the SaaS delivery model, the railroads can be remotely dispatched by G & W anywhere an internet connection is available. Therefore, it is possible to relocate the dispatchers to alternate locations as required.
Additionally, railroad management can log in from an office, home, or even from a hotel and directly view dispatching activity and management reports.
Since the DOC® control application resides on servers within RailComm's managed data center in Rochester, N.Y., the requirement for local IT support at each railroad is reduced.


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How the health club credit program has helped Ken Sisk lose weight
A year ago Ken Sisk was looking through photos with family members during the holidays when he was struck by how much weight he had gained since changing jobs and altering his workout routine.
"At that point it really hit me that I had gained a lot of weight and needed to do something about it," Sisk said. "I had a treadmill at home, but it was too easy just to say, 'I will work out tomorrow.'"
Sisk, a Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota member who lives in Minot, joined the local YMCA and is taking advantage of BCBSND's health club credit program. The health club credit program allows BCBSND members who work out at participating health clubs 12 days or more per month to receive up to $20 off their next month's club membership. Sisk said the health club credit program reduces his monthly membership costs from about $53 per month to $33 a month — a significant savings — and a major motivating factor that has helped him get off the couch.
"I'm the kind of person that if I'm paying for something, I'm going to use it," he said. Sisk said he plans to use the money he saves from his monthly $20 health club credit discount to set up a savings account to help him buy new clothes in smaller sizes.
Sisk, 40, a deputy state fire marshal, has lost 23 pounds in the 10 months since he began working out and adopting healthier eating habits in January 2013. He said he has also been motivated to get healthy by the fear that if he didn't make changes in his life soon, he might not be able to walk his 12-year-old daughter down the aisle at her wedding when she gets older. "I have a little bit of time, but when you're 40, the older you get the harder it is to lose weight and stay in shape if you're not taking care of yourself," Sisk said.
In addition to exercising regularly, Sisk has quit drinking soda, a big change for someone who used to consume a six pack of Diet Mountain Dew a day. He is also eating a more healthy diet and is taking better care of himself. "My biggest thing was portion control," Sisk said. "Instead of having three or four slices of pizza at a sitting, now I have two."
The changes have been working, giving him more energy. "I feel much better," Sisk said. "Even if I only exercise for 30 minutes, I feel so much better and my day even seems to go better."


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A New York Boy Scouts leader was arrested Wednesday after authorities found hundreds of images of pornography on his computer involving children as young as five years old, officials said.
Edward Orenchuk III, of Garden City, N.Y., was charged with three counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child as a sexually motivated felony and three counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators observed Orenchuk making multiple images of child pornography available for download online during August and September, and they tracked the source of those images to his home, said Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.


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By Edith Honan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - It was as much a chance to learn about drying techniques and mold control as support-group meeting for those gathered at New York's Museum of Modern Art on Sunday for a session on salvaging art damaged in the flood waters of superstorm Sandy.
As New York City emerges from a week of power outages and public transportation shut-downs and tens of thousands of people find themselves homeless, artists and gallerists in the art hub of West Chelsea in Manhattan are facing ruined galleries, flooded storage facilities and water-logged artwork.
Scores of galleries saw flood water of four feet in ground-floor exhibition spaces, while a power outage in most of downtown Manhattan for five days further hampered the clean-up process. This weekend Chelsea seemed like a construction site, with waste bins on sidewalks and workers tearing up flooring and walls.
"Almost no art object is immune from this kind of abuse, and the vast majority are very sensitive to it," said James Coddington, the Museum of Modern Art's chief conservator, after addressing dozens of artists and specialists in midtown Manhattan.
He said he hoped to offer "hope and some realistic perspective," as well as warn about the health hazards of cleaning up. Flood water can be contaminated with fuel and sewage, and the deluge may have created structural problems for buildings.
"As the artist, or the owner of a work of art, you haven't seen this before. It looks awful," Coddington said.
The craft of salvaging art from flood waters has been well-developed since the 1960s, when a devastating flood overwhelmed Florence, Italy and damaged priceless artwork - notably Cimabue's Crucifix.
Subsequent storms in the United States, including Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, forced the art community to develop techniques for handling different materials, like freeze drying works on paper and vacuuming mold.
"Take a deep breath. You're not alone in this," said Lisa Elkin, a conservator of the natural sciences collections at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
As the storm Sandy hit New York on Monday night, Katie Heffelfinger, an exhibition manager who specializes in working with damaged art, was dismantling an exhibition in Pennsylvania that was due to move to California.
"I had a bunch of trash bags and my good humor to keep it together," said Heffelfinger. "I got paintings damper than I have ever before, and that was really scary."
She said she had come to the event at the Museum of Modern Art because "I like knowing that I'm not the only one who's trying to dry out bamboo paper."
During the question and answer session, Alex Schuchard, a painter whose studio at the South Street Seaport flooded, drenching thousands of works of art, stood up to ask if he should simply throw his canvasses in the trash.
The answer: don't assume that any work is ruined, prioritize works in terms of value and seek guidance from experts.
On Tuesday - the day after the storm - Schuchard arrived at his studio to assess the damage. The flood water had receded but the smell of muck remained.
About 20 large paintings had stood in about four feet of water, while smaller works on paper were destroyed.
"Fifteen years of work is gone," Schuchard told Reuters. "At one point, I was literally sitting on a bench crying."
After a day or so, Schuchard - whose larger works have been valued at between $10,000 and $20,000 - said he had regained a measure of perspective.
"It's cliche to say it, but you look at the damage at Breezy Point, the Rockaways (in Queens), and they're just paintings," he said. "What I want to have or need to have I can remake."
In Chelsea there was an air of tragedy.
"We prepared, but the amount of water that came in was above all the highest estimates," said a gallery worker who asked not to be identified to avoid angering the gallery's artists. "It's horrible. Art is just not meant to get wet."
(Editing by Dan Burns and Christopher Wilson)


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The Souter key Features:
Ground Floor
As you enter The Souter the spacious living room is directly in front of you, offering access to the rear of the home. At the rear of the home is the open plan kitchen/diner offering access to the rear garden via feature French doors.
First Floor
Upstairs the hallway leads to two bedrooms, with the well designed family bathroom serving both.
Second Floor
The second floor of this home belongs entirely to the well pro-portioned master suite, offering the added luxury of an?? en suite shower room.
The en suite is a part of our Finishing Touches package on selected plots, please contact us for more information.


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Volle Halthen doesn't like birthdays. Still, that didn't stop about 30 employees from celebrating the 90th birthday of the founder of Volle's Bridal & Boutique in Lake Zurich.
After all, if it wasn't for her initiative and entreneurship, the store wouldn't be in business for about 42 years, selling about 1,200 gowns a year, renting tuxes and doing alterations.
"I've learned one thing," Halthen said. "You have to handle your employees with kindness and understanding and I definitely got that in return."
Halthen was born in Germany in 1922, and her parents later arrived in llis Island when she was still a baby. They first settled in Iowa and rented a one-room apartment. When she was 8, she started baby-sitting, earning 10 cents per child. And she saved every penny. So when her mother wanted to buy an insurance policy one day, but didn't have the money, young Volle pulled out the cash and bought the policy for her, she said.
She continued to work throughout her life and used the money to travel around the world. Later, her family moved to Chicago and Palatine. It was then that she started designing and making gowns for people in Barrington and decided to expand the concept. She held fashion shows here and even in Brazil.
When she was driving her parents home one day, she passed a funeral home in Lake Zurich that had just put up a for-sale sign. She quickly returned and arranged to buy the building with a $750 down payment. Then she immediately overhauled it.
She remodeled the building with a new staircase, added rooms and built an elegant shop to feature bridal gowns and other dresses.
Although her business continued to grow, it was hit by a devastating fire in 1995, which forced her and her staff to long hours to make sure brides and their families received their dresses on time. She also had to rebuild the store, which took about two years. Still, the business moved ahead and she continued to serve a variety of brides, grooms and their families. In later years, her son, Kerry, also joined the company.
She never considered opening more locations.
"One store is enough," she joked. "When you do well, you just stay with it."
Besides, she's seen her share of fashions come and go, and has remained up to date with modern brides.
"You have to treat people right," she said. "There's no two ways about it."
How to make a million
North Barrington resident John Ratkovich, a lawyer and owner of Palatine-based American Home Finance Inc., has published a book, "Teenager's Guide To Becoming A Millionaire," about teaching young people the value of making and saving money. It's available on Amazon.com for $13. He started making money as a kid by buying and reselling used grammar school books.
Discussing innovation
Joe Jou, president of Elgin-based HIWIN Corp., was chosen as one of several presenters to discuss Taiwan's machine tool products during a press event sponsored by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council at IMTS 2012, a global manufacturing technology trade show. HIWIN Corp. is the U.S. subsidiary of Taiwan's HIWIN Technologies.
Helping to feed the needy
Michael Olesen, owner of Stockholm's in Geneva, held a fundraiser that donated 10 percent of sales to Northern Illinois Food Bank, which provided 1,800 meals. Members of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce also volunteered their time at the food bank and provided about 10,808 meals.
Raymond Ruginis of HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab marked 30 years as a business in downtown Lisle. ... Carrie Finch is a new case manager at Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services of South Elgin. ... Heather Larson, sales manager with Schaumburg-based Woodfield Chicago Northwest Convention Bureau, has earned the certified meeting professional designation. ... Dan Kaminski, general manager of the Wendy's on Rand Road in Mount Prospect, said the restaurant will celebrate 33 years at that location. He'll be handing out free Junior Frosties to mark customer appreciation on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Stephanie Brown is an account manager at Oakbrook Terrace-based integrated marketing communications firm David James Group. ... Carlos Pedroza of Palatine is managing partner of the new LongHorn Steakhouse, 1901 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg. ... Elmhurst resident Thomas P. McGuinness has been appointed as president of Oak Brook-based Inland American Real Estate Trust Inc. He joined Inland in 1982 and has held several executive positions there. ... Shelly Encher starts today as business developer, and Valentina Tomov starts Oct. 15 as the new economic development director at the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce.
Robert Cisneros is the new president of Anthony Roofing Tecta America and Michael Ward was promoted to president of Tecta America Illinois Roofing, both in Aurora and owned by Rosemont-based Tecta America Corp., a commercial roofing contractor, ... Paul Lencioni, great-grandson of founder Nancy Lencioni, is the new president of Blue Goose Market in St. Charles. The supermarket has been operated by the Lencioni family since 1928. ... Chris Lok and Kirk McLaurin, workers at Deerfield-based United Stationers, were honored at the Diversity MBA 100 Under 50 Gala on Sept. 21 at the Chicago Hilton Hotel. Lok and McLaurin were selected from a group of more than 300 candidates from public and privately held companies, as well entrepreneurs and not for profit organizations.
Lombard resident Deanna Killackey has been promoted to senior vice president and Wheaton resident Jennifer Nau to senior account supervisor at Oakbrook Terrace-based JSH&A Public Relations, a consumer marketing public relations agency. ... Peapod.com President and co-Founder Andrew Parkinson will join Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz when the Peapod Pick-Up site opens Tuesday at 790 W. Northwest Highway, Palatine. Another will open later this year in Deerfield. Shoppers can order groceries online for pickup any day of the week. ... Andy Shaw, former ABC 7 reporter and now president of the Better Government Association will moderate a political business forum at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2012 legislative luncheon starting at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Midlane Golf Resort, 4555 W. Yorkhouse Road, Wadsworth.
Takashi Nakamura is the new vice president of research and development at Wilmette-based Imbibe, a developer of beverage flavors. ... Jason Blumberg is the new CEO and managing director of the Illinois Science & Energy Innovation Foundation, a newly created $72.5 million effort that will invest in electrical grid and energy innovations to accelerate entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as empower consumers to better utilize the smart grid in Illinois.
Chicago-based Telephone and Data Systems Inc. founder and Chairman emeritus LeRoy T. Carlson, 96, was inducted into Junior Achievement's Chicago Business Hall of Fame last week at the Chicago History Museum. Carlson founded TDS in 1969. In 1983, Carlson founded TDS subsidiary U.S. Cellular, now the seventh-largest wireless carrier in the nation.
• There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people that make business work. Send news about people in business to firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.


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Dear Sir,
Iam not able to start the Oracle Management Server and I end up with the following error when I try to start the service:
Error 0005: Access is denied
I have logged into the system in the administrator mode and the error says that I do not have the previlege to do so.
Looking forward for your suggestions in this regard.
Thanking in advance,


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That a sad occasion another one of our very Special Cats has passed on.
We do miss our Cat Companions, and the fact that their special friendship is no longer there, but I remember someone posting a card with a Black Cat leaving his home to a new Cat so they can be loved too.
And there will be a time where Bosun , all our Angels and we will all be reunited in a Great Place in Paradise forever.
One Fine Day:love:


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(Update) Britain's markets tipped down in late Thursday trade as oil giant BP (BP.L) agreed to pay £2.8 billion ($4.5 billion) in criminal damages, the largest penalty in history, for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Two workers will also face manslaughter charges related to the 2010 spill in which 11 workers died, and the company is expected to plead guilty to obstruction for lying to Congress about the size of the leak.
Shares slipped 0.35p, or 0.08%, to 425p at the close of Thursday trade. The company had earmarked £24 billion ($38.1 billion) to cover damages, and will be able to pay the fine over five years.
Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.8% or 43 points, to 5,679 and the Mid-250 index gave up 0.4%, or 51 points, to 11,667.
More grim news awaited the eurozone as the region fell back into recession for the first time in three years as gross domestic product shrank 0.1% in the third quarter.
Economies in the Netherlands, Austria, Spain and Portugal all contracted. Germany's economy also slowed to 0.2% growth in the three months to September, down from 0.3% in the previous quarter, showing the bloc's largest economy is also being hit by the sovereign debt crisis.
BP wavers on falling FTSE as investors await US fines
08.41: Investors found no incentive to end their selling spree on Thursday morning, dragging European stock markets lower.
Sitting in the middle of today's FTSE 100 movers, shares in BP wavered as long-suffering investors steeled themselves for resolution of the criminal investigation into the 2010 Gulf of Mexico disaster.
Fiscal cliff and geopolitical uncertainty
Concerns over the ability of politicians in the US to avoid a fiscal cliff continued to weigh on markets, after president Barack Obama, in his first press conference since re-election, held to his position that marginal tax rates will have to rise to tackle the nation's deficits.
Renewed concerns over conflict in the Middle East gave investors more reason to temper any enthusiasm.
Asian shares mostly fell after Xi Jinping was, as expected, named as the new leader of the communist party of China as part of a seven strong leadership team that has been reduced from the previous nine.
China watchers were concerned that fewer reformist candidates had been elected to the powerful Politburo Standing Committee than had been hoped, with some labelling it a 'conservative victory'.
However, others noted that the conclusion of the Party's once-in-a-decade leadership would at least provide certainty for investors, while reforms – which stalled in the run up to the Party congress when stability was more desired than ever – can now speed up.
They pointed to Xi's acceptance speech in which he focused on the need for reforms to reduce the corruption which is said to be rife among China's political classes.
Britain's FTSE 100 dropped by 0.5% in early trade to 5,691, with similar declines across other European markets.
Weighing on UK sentiment in particular was a warning from Moody's that the UK's AAA credit rating faces a downgrade within the next four months if the economy dips sharply again.
'Despite the UK's clear political commitment to fiscal consolidation, the weaker macroeconomic environment will create headwinds for revenue growth and increase the risk that the country's debt metrics will not stabilise within the next three to four years,' said Moody's in its annual UK credit report.
Miners and banks lead sell-off
Miners, banks and insurance companies hustled for places at the bottom of London's benchmark index, with Resolution the biggest faller, down 3.9% to 230p. Randgold (RRS.L) fell by 2.6% to 6,400p, while Fresnillo (FRES.L) was off by 1.5% to 1,905p.
Banks Lloyds (LLOY.L), Barclays (BARC.L) and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) fell by around 1.5% to 45p, 234p and 274p respectively, as usual hit especially hard by the weak sentiment. Bank investors also learnt that the banker remuneration is back in the headlines; according to a report in the Financial Times the FSA's Andrew Bailey has warned the banks that this year's bonuses must reflect the mis-selling and market manipulation scandals that have damaged the sector over the past year.
BP faces fine
Investors were poised for news from BP after the energy giant announced that it was in advanced discussions with the US authorities over claims against the company for its role in the Deepwater Horizon incident from which its shares still haven't recovered.
Several news reports quoted sources saying that the fine would amount to the largest criminal penalty in US history. Investors will at least welcome the certainty of the fine being announced however, adding to relief after BP recently struck a deal to offload its stake in TNK-BP.
Gordon Gray, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, noted that a deal would not cover a string of other federal, state and private claims. He said: 'We think a figure for total settlement costs of $15-20bn – as mentioned in the press recently - would be taken positively by the market, as it would allow BP to move forward with much greater clarity. However, it does not look like that clarity will be forthcoming yet, as some of the key issues look set to remain unresolved.'
Shares in BP were down 0.6% to 423p.


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Sept. 21, 2002
Santa Barbara, Calif. -
Drew McAthy and Rob Friend scored two goals apiece, and Memo Arzate added three assists as the UC Santa Barbara men's soccer team remained undefeated at 6-0 with a 5-2 win over cross-town rival Westmont College on Saturday night.
The Gauchos scored their first goal of the match at the 8:42 mark. Arzate hit David McGill with a long pass near the end line. McGill cracked a hard right-footed cross and McAthy drove it home. McAthy scored again at the 26:58 mark when he took a pass from Friend and shoved one just inside the left post.
Westmont cut the UCSB lead in half in the 39th minute. Mark Thorington took a cross from Dana Weymouth and put one past Gaucho goalkeeper Danny Kennedy near the left post, making it 2-1 at half.
The score remained 2-1 until the 65th minute when Friend took a perfect feed from Arzate and dribbled past the defense and Warrior goalkeeper Jonathan Rinn, notching his sixth goal of the season and making the score 3-1 Gauchos. Westmont's Mark Oehlman made it 3-2 at the 73:29 mark when he scored unassisted on a shot from about 15 yards out straightaway.
UCSB scored a pair of goals in the final five minutes to seal the match. In the 86th minute, it was once again Arzate who created the score as he dribbled into the heart of the Westmont defense and hit Matt Kubota with a perfect pass on the right side. Kubota touched it once and fired it inside the far post making it 4-2. Friend capped the scoring at the 89:31 mark when he took a feed from Kubota right in front of the net and put it past Rinn to make it 5-2 Gauchos.
UCSB outshot the Warriors 26-11. Kennedy had seven saves for the Gauchos, while Rinn had five for Westmont. For Friend, he now has seven goals on the season, including at least one in all six matches. Dating back to last season, in fact, Friend has scored goals in each of his last ten outings. McAthy now has six goals as he produced his second two-goal match of the year. The victory allows UCSB to retain The Bryant & Son's Cup, annually awarded to the winner of the cross-town match.
With the win, the Gauchos are now 6-0 on the season and they have won seven straight matches dating back to last season. The 6-0 start is the second best start in school history. The 1971 Gauchos opened the year at 9-0. Westmont drops to 4-3.
UCSB returns to action on Sunday, September 29 when they host Sacramento State in a 1:00 p.m. match at Harder Stadium.


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Hooray for Hockeywood.
Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis scored two goals apiece, playoff MVP Jonathan Quick made 17 saves in his latest stellar performance, and the Kings beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 Monday night in Game 6 of the finals, becoming the first eighth-seeded playoff team to win the league title.
Captain Dustin Brown had a goal and two assists for Los Angeles, which ended its dominant postseason run before a frenzied bunch of its heartiest fans incessantly waving towels and glowsticks. The crowd included several dozen Kings faithful who have been at rinkside since the team's birth as an expansion franchise in 1967, waiting for one glimpse of the Stanley Cup.
After taking a 3-0 series lead and then losing two potential clinching games last week, the Kings finished ferociously at Staples Center just when the sixth-seeded Devils appeared to have a chance for one of the biggest comebacks in finals history.
One penalty abruptly changed the tone of the series. Brown, Carter and Lewis scored during a five-minute power play in the first period after Steve Bernier was ejected for boarding Rob Scuderi, leaving the veterandefenseman in a pool of blood. Quick took it from there, finishing a star-making two months by allowing just seven goals in six finals games.
"You never know. You get to the dance, you never know what's going to happen," Brown said. "We calmed down after losing two. It was the first time we had done that all playoffs, and we finally got off to a good start."
Martin Brodeur stopped 19 shots for the Eastern Conference champion Devils, just the third team to force a Game 6 in the finals after falling into an 0-3 hole. Rookie Adam Henrique ended Quick's shutout bid late in the second period after the Kings had built a 4-0 lead, but Lewis and Matt Greene added late goals for the Kings.
"We never lost our confidence," Quick said. "We had to take it on the chin to keep moving, losing two, and we looked at it as, 'Hey, we still have to win one game to win a championship. And we have two chances.' Finally, we were able to do it at home."
The Kings went 16-4 after barely making the playoffs, eliminating the top three seeds in the Western Conference in overwhelming fashion as they matched the second-fastest run to a title in modern NHL history. Although the Devils gave them a little trouble, the Kings took down every opponent in their path after an inconsistent regular season.
"Every single guy worked so hard for us this season," said defenseman Drew Doughty, who began the year as a contract holdout and finished with six points in the finals, including two assists in the clincher. "Everyone deserves this. We got used to each other, we developed a chemistry, and we just went sailing from there."
Los Angeles boasted a talented, balanced roster that peaked at the absolute perfect time under midseason coaching hire Darryl Sutter. Brown, just the second American-born captain to raise the Cup, accomplished what even Wayne Gretzky couldn't do in eight years in Los Angeles.
Quick added one more dominant game to his run, setting NHL records for save percentage (.946) and goals-against average (1.41) among goalies who played at least 15 postseason games. Brown capped his own impressive playoff work by finishing with 20 points, tied for the postseason scoring lead with linemate Anze Kopitar.
Brown accepted the Cup from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and skated straight to center ice with it, triumphantly thrusting it skyward and kissing the silver. Brown handed it off first to Willie Mitchell, the 35-year-old defenseman who had never won the Cup, and he gave it to long-injured and recently returned forward Simon Gagne, who nearly tripped before raising the Cup for the first time.
The stone-faced Sutter smiled broadly at his first chance to raise the Cup, and general manager Dean Lombardi even took a turn after declining it twice.
Kings 6, Devils 1
New Jersey 0 1 0--1
Los Angeles 3 1 2--6
First Period -- 1, Los Angeles, Brown 8 (Doughty, Richards), 11:03 (pp). 2, Los Angeles, J.Carter 7 (Brown, Richards), 12:45 (pp). 3, Los Angeles, Lewis 2 (King, Doughty), 15:01 (pp). Penalties -- Volchenkov, NJ (hooking), 3:01; S.Bernier, NJ, served by Sykora, major-game misconduct (boarding), 10:10.
Second Period -- 4, Los Angeles, J.Carter 8 (Brown, Kopitar), 1:30. 5, New Jersey, Henrique 5 (Sykora, Ponikarovsky), 18:45. Penalties -- Salvador, NJ, double minor (high-sticking), 6:00; R.Carter, NJ, served by Sykora, minor-misconduct (roughing), 14:23; Clarkson, NJ, misconduct, 18:19; Penner, LA (roughing), 19:43.
Third Period -- 6, Los Angeles, Lewis 3 (King, Stoll), 16:15 (en). 7, Los Angeles, M.Greene 2, 16:30. Penalties -- Sykora, NJ (roughing), 6:55; Brown, LA, served by Williams (tripping, charging), 6:55; Zidlicky, NJ (tripping), 8:06.
Shots on Goal -- New Jersey 4-6-8--18. Los Angeles 13-8-4--25.
Power-play opportunities -- New Jersey 0 of 2; Los Angeles 3 of 9.
Goalies -- New Jersey, Brodeur 14-9-0 (24 shots-19 saves). Los Angeles, Quick 16-4-0 (18-17).
Referees -- Dan O'Rourke, Chris Rooney. Linesmen -- Jean Morin, Derek Amell.


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Deepak Chopra
series: Innerviews With Ernie Manouse
air date: 3/08/13 2:00 PM
Born and educated in India, he came to the US in 1970 for his medical residency. By 1981, he had become a leader in the Transcendental Meditation Movement, which led to his understanding of the mind-body connection. In recent years his works have moved more into the realm of spirituality. While not without his critics, he continues to gain followers who look to him for answers on everything from nutrition to the afterlife. On this episode of InnerVIEWS, our conversation with best selling author and spiritual leader Deepak Chopra.
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Interesting little thing that happened this morning. My g/f received a request from a friend to join this site. So she clicked on it and it went through her gmail account, sending a request to all email addresses it found. It also opened up a link to an "AV online scanner" that found "3 nasties" on "her system" but when I tried to close the window, it kept insisting on trying to download an "AV software" to her system.
It's interesting how they tout that they've got 34 million members. I wonder how many were falsely led to believe to join because friends "contacted" them about it. My g/f is pissed because it sent itself out to potential work contacts and close friends.
So at the least, be aware that this is out there but I'm curious if others would view this more as malware or what?


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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Small business owners who rely on the nation's military posts for their business say they are already bracing for a hit from the automatic budget cuts that took effect March 1.
Soldiers' salaries are exempt from the cuts, which total roughly $85 billion across the entire military. However, civilian employees who work on bases are expecting furloughs that could significantly slash their paychecks.
Near North Carolina's Fort Bragg, in Fayetteville, Mike Thomas is the general manager of Auto Express. Thomas says smaller paychecks mean fewer sales at his shop, which specializes in selling Jeeps, chrome wheels and sound systems.
Business owners in Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas and Alabama that rely on bases are expecting a similar hit. They say people could wind up spending less on everything from haircuts to furniture.
GRAY, Ky. (AP) -- Two adults and five children are dead after a fire at a house in rural southeastern Kentucky.
Knox County Coroner Mike Blevins says the adult victims found inside the ranch-style home were a woman and her boyfriend. He says the woman was the mother of three of the children who died, while two other children were from another family.
Further details about their identities were being withheld until relatives are notified.
Blevins says the remains have been sent to Frankfort for autopsies, which are likely to take place on Tuesday.
Blevins and Kentucky State Police say the cause of Saturday's blaze in the Gray community near Corbin is still under investigation. Arson investigators are at the scene, but officials say no foul play is suspected.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Spring must be around the corner. It's time to set the clocks forward for daylight saving time.
At 2 a.m. local time Sunday, daylight saving time arrives with the promise of many months ahead with an extra hour of evening light.
You lose an hour of sleep, but make sure to turn the clock ahead -- spring forward -- before heading to bed Saturday night to avoid the panic of a late rise.
It's also a good time to put new batteries in warning devices such as smoke detectors and hazard warning radios.
Some places don't observe daylight saving time. Those include Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.
Daylight saving time ends Nov. 3.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has a ready excuse for anyone who doesn't think he was funny enough at Saturday night's Gridiron dinner in Washington: "My joke writers have been placed on furlough."
Always a target for humorous barbs, the president tossed out a few of his own during the Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner. The annual event features political leaders, journalists and media executives poking fun at each other.
Obama kidded his vice president, Joe Biden, over his ambitions, saying he has had to take Biden aside and tell him that he's way too young to be the pope.
During a pause in his remarks, Obama took a long, slow sip of water and then said, "That, Marco Rubio, is how you take a sip of water."
The dinner was the organization's 128th since its founding in 1885.


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Photo by Adam Lapierre
A Local stampede kicked off the runners' division of the 2005 Joe Kollas Memorial Run. The 33rd annual run brought together runners of all colors for the 7.4 mile Fourth of July celebration.
By ADAM LAPIERRE
News staff writer
July 6, 2005
The Joe Kollas Memorial Run brought runners and walkers to the Odell fire station Monday morning for an annual Fourth of July kick-off dash into Hood River.
Hitting the shade of Jackson Park first were: For the men, last year's one-two runners Ahrlin and Oscar Bauman and for the women, sisters Mandy and Heather Gustafson. Complete, official results and times will be published in the next issue of the Hood River News.
Runners gathered Tuesday morning at Mid-Valley Elementary School to register for the 33rd annual run. Under beautiful sunny skies, participants congregated for the only event in the county that could bring together such a dynamic group of Hood River locals.
Hood River Valley High School teacher Bob Kadell stood in a tank top and running shorts, with former students stretching by his side. Mother and daughter Kristin and Lauren Frost warmed up side-by-side at the Odell fire station. Parkdale pair Bill and Patty Munk shared water from a Camel-Pack as they walked the course together, close behind longtime local Jim Donnelly and his daughter. Mt. Hood local Betty Benjamin escorted her daughter Lindsay to Mid-Valley, insisting on a photo before departing. Gabe Thompson showed, again without the presence of his younger brother Jake, who is serving in Iraq. Former Hood River teachers Roger Nelson and Jim Hammermeister greeted runners with smiles at the starting line, as the large crowd of runners prepared for the 7.4 mile course.
HRVHS teacher and track coach Rich Hedges cruised the crowd on a bicycle, socializing with runners he recently taught and coached as Eagles. Sheriff Joe Wampler gave a final safety briefing before kicking off the run with a ten second countdown.
Three… two… one… and the crowd went wild, shouting loudly as they started their journey toward Jackson Park. Joel Stenberg— sporting the same classic shaggy hair and a bandana look as last years look was one of the first off the starting line. This year he left behind the 'I love MOM' shirt and lacy-white running skirt.
With Mount Adams crisp in view, runners started with a two mile flat stretch of Odell Highway. They wound down and across Tucker Bridge, up a torturous Tucker Hill, and into town. Hitting the Heights, runners were cheered-on by hoards of parade-goers. A cool breeze and soft grass at Jackson Park greeted runners after the finish line, calling for a much deserved holiday break in the shade.
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Speakers Guide
First Looks: Ozaki iUFO Dock
Unidentified Flying Dock
iPod and iPhone docking devices are a dime a dozen these days. They come in all shapes and sizes, colors, and price points. There's something for everybody. So how does one stand out in this saturated market?
For Ozaki, a company that specializes in accessories for Apple devices, it means being radical. And indeed, the Ozaki iUFO iPod/iPhone dock is one of the most unique-looking docks we've seen. As its name suggests, the iUFO dock is saucer shaped, exactly like how an UFO is usually depicted. But it's not the shape that makes it special, but rather what it can do. Allow us to elaborate.
Unique Look
The iUFO is divided into two sections. The outer ring with the grille houses the four speaker drivers, which surrounds what Ozaki calls a "turntable". This turntable encompasses the docking connector and what's exceptional about it is that the turntable can be tilted and rotated to align your iPod or iPhone in either portrait or landscape mode.
The angle by which you can tilt your device is too gentle for our liking, and an upright position would have been welcomed because it'll help make your iPhone or iPod easier to view from a distance. As it is, the remote control is rendered mostly useless because you'll be hard pressed to see your iPod/iPhone screen.
However, if you intend to use it directly in front of you, the gentle angle of the recline is good enough for watching videos. Speaking about video, the iUFO also has a composite video output, so users can output movies from their Apple devices to other displays, like a television.
On a more positive note, one thing we liked about the swiveling and rotating dock is that by docking the iPhone and setting it into landscape mode, it actually transforms the iPhone into a mini computer of sorts, complete with speakers. And as is the case with most if not all such docks, docking your iPod or iPhone to the iUFO charges the device.
Decent Audio
The iUFO isn't as large as proper iPod/iPhone docks, but despite its modest size, the iUFO sounded commanding and we could raise its volume up to respectable levels without encountering distortion. Volume aside, the iUFO actually sounds rather decent. Sure, it might not be bass-thumping powerful nor aurally accurate, but it sounded smooth and clear. It's not one for critical listening, but the iUFO will suffice for casual users who require nothing more than a decent sounding system.
Final Thoughts
In summary, the iUFO isn't going to win any awards for its sound, but at least it sounds reasonably good, with a decent mid-range performance. And it is the iUFO's adjustable turntable docking system that makes it one of if not the most unusual iPod/iPhone docking devices we've seen. With prices starting from US$110, it's also not going to put a dent in your wallet. Get it because it's different, not because it's better than other docks.


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Originally published on April 5, 2013 7:01 am
A local newspaper investigation in Atlanta uncovered widespread cheating in standardized testing, which school officials were indicted for last week. But almost 25 years ago, a doctor in West Virginia coal country uncovered a similar scandal after noticing that standardized test scores in his community were suspiciously high. Host Michel Martin speaks to Dr. John Cannell about his report back then, and other incidents he has been following since.


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MIAMI (AP) — Florida welfare officials are proposing a bill that targets Medicaid fraud among patients who hide their assets with family and friends to get the taxpayer-funded program to pay for their nursing home care.
Patients are allowed to hire a relative or friend to oversee small aspects of their care, such as hair styling or room decorating. But instead of being paid monthly or yearly, some caregivers are paid up front for years of service at a time, which can decrease some patients' assets so they in turn qualify for Medicaid. Spouses also can sign over their patient's financial support to the state, which allows couples with millions of dollars in assets to get Medicaid to foot the bill, Department of Children and Families spokesman Joe Follick said Friday.
A 58-year-old patient submitted a contract last September to pay someone $25 an hour for 10 hours a week over the next 22 years, paying them up front and diverting nearly $300,000. The employee's job description included labeling clothes so they aren't lost, shampooing and brushing the patient's hair, and decorating the patient's room with family photos, according to Medicaid records provided by DCF.
"These are services that most people's loved ones would be providing without compensation, and it causes us to questions what the purpose of these contracts are really for," Follick said.
DCF officials said the loopholes allow patients to unfairly divert assets and are costing the taxpayer-funded Medicaid program millions of dollars a year.
The agency tracked 538 cases over six years and found that Medicaid spent more than $29 million in services for people whose spouses were financially stable but had signed over financial support to the state so Medicaid would pay for the nursing home. Officials could have recovered $24 million from those spouses under federal law, but the state currently lacks a process to do, DCF officials said.
Here's how it works: The healthy spouse legally turns over the patient spouse's financial support to the state. The healthy spouse still lives in the couple's home and is allowed to have assets including personal income, a car and up to roughly $115,000 a year in the bank.
"Taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing nursing home care for the wealthy. And with Medicaid being expanded in the future, it's more important now than ever that we make sure that every dollar is being spent correctly," Follick said.
DCF is meeting with lawmakers to discuss a bill that would increase oversight and close loopholes.
There are no federal or state policies that prohibit patients from transferring funds and assets to family and friends they hire to fill caregiver roles.
Florida, New York and Connecticut struggle with this problem, likely because they have a strong sector of elder-law experts who advise clients to take advantage of the loophole, welfare officials said.
In New York, Medicaid attorneys have to open a lawsuit before the state supreme court to try to recoup money from a person who has signed over a spouse's financial support to the state. They typically only open cases involving couples with assets of more than $100,000. Connecticut enacted a law that allows people to sign over rights to the state only if the healthy spouse can't be located or can't provide information about the assets. The law is being challenged by elder-law advocacy groups.
Some states have restricted contracts so patients can't pay up front or the services can't duplicate those already provided by a nursing home.
The Florida Bar is looking for clarification on the subject and held a public hearing in Tampa on Friday to discuss whether it's OK for non-lawyers to prepare personal service contracts or give advice about the implementation of Florida law to obtain Medicaid benefits.
Follow Kelli Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kkennedyAP.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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In general, I'm a numbers and concepts guy, not a feelings guy. When I go after someone like Paul Ryan, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee, I emphasize his irresponsibility and dishonesty, not his evident lack of empathy for the less fortunate.
Still, there are times — in Mr. Ryan's case and more generally for much of his political tribe — when that lack of empathy just takes your breath away. Harold Pollack, a professor of social service administration at the University of Chicago, recently caught Mr. Ryan calling his proposed cuts in Medicaid, food stamps and more "welfare reform round two" in remarks following the unveiling of his latest budget plan and suggesting that our current suite of safety net programs is "a hammock that lulls able-bodied people to lives of dependency and complacency."
Oh. My. God.
On "The Reality Based Community Blog," Mr. Pollack recently wrote: "I live and work in the Chicago southland, near hundreds of thousands of poor people who would be deeply hurt by policies Congressman Ryan espouses. Some are jobless. Others work hard every day in crummy jobs. Others are students in elementary school. They don't need lectures from a conspicuously pampered congressman regarding their 'will and their incentive to make the most of their lives.'"
First of all, if you think that welfare reform has been just great, read the extended New York Times report by Jason DeParle titled "Welfare Limits Left Poor Adrift as Recession Hit," about the desperation of many poor Americans trying to survive in a depressed economy, unprotected by the shredded safety net. It takes a monumental inability to imagine other peoples' lives to blithely praise welfare reform's results at a time like this.
And if you look at how desperate you have to be to qualify for food stamps and Medicaid, the notion that these programs encourage "complacency" is breathtaking.
Oh, and of course, being "able-bodied" in the current economy does not, remotely, ensure that you can actually find work, no matter how hard you look.
Ryan, we're told, is a nice guy. And maybe he is, to people he knows. But he evidently has no sense of or interest in the lives of those less fortunate.
Origin of Speciousness
I was unhappy with President Obama's decision to describe Republicans as social Darwinists in a speech earlier this month — not because I thought it was wrong, but because I wondered how many voters would get his point. How many people know who Herbert Spencer was? (He coined the phrase "survival of the fittest.")
It turns out, however, that right-wing intellectuals are furious, because ... well, it's a bit puzzling. One complaint is that some 19th-century social Darwinists were racists; well, lots of 19th-century people in general were racists, and racism is not the core of the doctrine.
The other is that modern conservatives don't literally want to see poor people die. So?
As Jonathan Chait, a commentator at New York magazine, says, the real defining characteristic of social Darwinism is the notion that harsh inequality is both necessary and right. And that's absolutely what today's right believes — which is the point all the faux outrage about the Darwinist label is meant to obscure.


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Avalanche-Oilers PreviewNHL.com @NHL
Paul Stastny might have cooled down, but the Colorado Avalanche have not. The Edmonton Oilers haven't been hot in a very long time.
Seeking a fourth straight win, Colorado looks to continue its push toward a playoff spot Wednesday while trying to saddle Edmonton with the longest losing streak in franchise history.
Stastny saw his NHL rookie record point streak end at 20 games Sunday, but Milan Hejduk scored 19 seconds into overtime to give Colorado a 4-3 win over San Jose. The Avalanche (37-29-6) improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine games.
The Oilers (30-36-7), meanwhile, have lost 11 in a row to match the club record set during the 1993-94 season. Their last win came on Feb. 23, 4-3 in a shootout at Detroit.
"There are nine games left and we have to keep a positive outlook," Oilers center Shawn Horcoff said.
The victory drought is made all the more astonishing by the fact it comes less than a year after Edmonton reached the Stanley Cup finals. While the postseason is well out of reach for the Oilers this year, the Avalanche have thrust themselves back into the playoff chase.
Colorado, which faced a double-digit deficit for the Western Conference's final playoff spot less than a month ago, has climbed within striking distance of eighth-place Calgary. The Avalanche play the Flames twice in the final week of the season.
The franchise has not missed the playoffs since 1993-94 when it was known as the Quebec Nordiques.
"We are now in a good spot where we have control over our own destiny," said Colorado's Joe Sakic, who had four assists Sunday and has nine points in his last three games. "We got Calgary twice, and that's four points. We just have to keep building off of this and take it into Edmonton."
A big reason Colorado is in this position is Stastny's streak, second-longest in franchise history to Mats Sundin's run of 30 games in 1992-93. Stastny scored 11 goals and had 18 assists during the stretch. He has eight points in six games against Edmonton this season.
Hejduk scored his 30th goal on Sunday to tie Sakic for the team lead. Andrew Brunette added his career-high 25th goal as Colorado continued its offensive surge that's produced 10 goals in its last two games.
"It's a huge two points for us," said Hejduk, who has scored in six of his last seven games. "It was a big game for us, a big win, and we need to keep it going."
Colorado looks to stay hot with back-to-back matchups against the Oilers. The teams close out the season series Friday in Edmonton.
The Avalanche are 3-3 this season against the Oilers and have won both matchups in Edmonton, scoring seven goals in each. The Oilers won 3-2 at Colorado on Feb. 3 in the most recent meeting, but are 4-13-3 overall since then.
Edmonton (30-36-7) lost 2-1 to Vancouver on Monday for its 11th straight defeat. The Oilers are three losses shy of their franchise-record 14-game winless streak from 1993-94.
Raffi Torres scored his first goal in 11 games Monday, but the Oilers were missing 10 players due to injuries and lost by one goal for the third straight game.
"We played the best game tonight that we have played in a long time," said Horcoff, who has a goal and five assists against Colorado this season. "But to come away with the same result again leaves you dejected."
Edmonton has been outscored 39-10 during its current skid and is 0-9-1 since trading leading scorer Ryan Smith to the New York Islanders.
The Oilers are halfway through a six-game homestand, which precedes their season-ending six-game road trip.


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News from the Committee to Protect Journalists, July 2012
CPJ calls for release of jailed Ethiopian blogger
CPJ's condemnation of the trial and conviction of Ethiopian blogger Eskinder Nega this month has received widespread coverage in the international media, as has a follow-up story on the Ethiopian government's attempts to cover up news of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's failing health.
CPJ joined a coalition of international rights groups, including the PEN American Center, in calling for the release of Eskinder, who was sentenced on vague terror charges. Members of the coalition issued a combination of petitions and protest letters in the international media to bring an international focus to the blatant violations of press freedom in Ethiopia. CPJ board member Charlayne Hunter-Gault also wrote a blog on how Ethiopians, especially Eskinder, are being denied the right to exercise their constitutional rights, such as freedom of expression or freedom of association.
Through its advocacy, CPJ has helped garner widespread global attention to the prosecution of journalists in Ethiopia as well as the country's restrictions on press coverage of high-ranking officials. Our advocacy has helped make Eskinder a key symbol in the global fight for press freedom.
Speaking highlights
- CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney provided testimony at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C., on July 25. Mahoney spoke about the global threats to free expression and urged the international community to ensure that meaningful steps were taken to prevent attacks on press freedom. The deputy director also pointed out the deteriorating free press environment in Honduras, Russia, and Turkey, where journalists face repression, censorship, and outright violence
- At the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit in Nairobi earlier this month, CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes and CPJ Internet Advocacy Coordinator Danny O'Brien spoke about the challenges faced by journalists in East Africa and highlighted CPJ's Journalist Assistance Program, which provides direct help to journalists at risk, and CPJ's Journalist Security Guide. The two also briefed Nairobi's exiled journalist community on the increasingly prevalent digital security threats in Africa and described ways to curb the hazards.
- O'Brien also spoke at "The Revolution in Mobile Media: Power (and Peril) to the People," a joint conference of the International Human Rights Funders Group and Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media, which was hosted on July 16 at the Paley Center in New York. O'Brien's panel, "Security and Policy: How to Use Mobile Media Safely," examined specific policies that govern the use of technology and impact human rights.
A shameful award
For years, CPJ has called on UNESCO to suspend the controversial Obiang prize, pointing out that Equatorial Guinea's record on human rights, including press freedom, made it incompatible with UNESCO's mission. Despite widespread opposition, the prize, sponsored by Equatorial President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, was awarded by UNESCO on July 17 in France.
CPJ participated in a global coalition that fought against the award. While the groups could not stop the award, they were able to ensure that Equatorial Guinea paid a high price for its stubborn insistence--the country hired global public relations firms--in presenting the prize.
Conspicuously absent from the award ceremony were Irina Bokova, UNESCO's director general, and several Western leaders. The president himself did not show his face--and no wonder. The same week of the ceremony, France issued an arrest warrant for his son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, on charges of money laundering. Obiang's son had failed to appear at an investigation to answer questions about how "he managed to spend millions of dollars despite earning a modest government salary," according to news reports.
An award for excellence
CPJ would like to congratulate our West Africa Consultant Peter Nkanga, who was a finalist this year in CNN's MultiChoice African Journalist Awards, which recognize excellence in African journalism. Nkanga's coverage of West Africa spans stories on Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, and also includes the controversial report on the threats and harassment that Liberian journalist Mae Azango faced after reporting on female genital mutilation in the country.
Upcoming events
In August, CPJ will be releasing a special report on the deteriorating press freedom environment in Venezuela. The report, which analyzes President Hugo Chávez Frías' use of legislation to diminish free expression, will be available in English and Spanish.
CPJ's Distress Fund provides emergency grants to journalists facing persecution for their work. Support our work and give a gift today.
Blog highlights
Egypt's state-run media threatened by Shura move
The Maldives backslides on press freedom
Internet law: a good bad example of Russia's backsliding
Bossa Nova's home and Olympics host is risky for press
Victory for press freedom in Sarkozy video case


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INDIANAPOLIS -- Officials say a program to restore riverfront habitats across Indiana now includes more than 10,000 acres of land.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Director Rob Carter said this week the Healthy Rivers Initiative surpassed that mark with the acquisition of land in four counties in western and southern Indiana.
The new property includes land near the Wabash River in Vermillion and Vigo counties and land along the Muscatatuck River in Jackson and Scott counties.
The project started in 2010 aims to secure permanent conservation protection for nearly 70,000 acres along the two rivers and Sugar Creek. It includes various agencies and groups working with landowners to balance conservation of farmland and natural resources and to improve habitat for wildlife and migratory birds.


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If you're looking for indicators of the health of the overall economy, look no further than the recent run of auctions that took place this past January. During the deepest part of the Great Recession, auctioneers were defining success as a sell rate of a measly 50 percent. Lately, however, auctions overall have been up, with sell-through rates of 70 percent or better reported in all of the Scottsdale, Arizona, auctions. And overall sales revenue rivaled the peak of 2007.
Those encouraging figures give acquisitive Vette enthusiasts permission to scratch the itch they've been trying to ignore for the past few years. Auctions in general are perhaps not the best places to make sound purchase decisions, but they are undeniably popular ones. The annual Scottsdale pilgrimage offers a temporary auto mall with something for everyone.
The key to getting a deal is, in part, understanding the differences between the individual auction houses and their target audiences. We'll touch on those two aspects, and along the way include some specific highlights of the recent auction action as they relate to current Vette values.
Seasoned auction participants already know that different auctions draw different crowds. Barrett-Jackson attracts a younger crowd, buying more for entertainment and prestige, with some eagle-eyed collectors looking for opportunity buys. Corvettes show up in a big way every year at B-J Scottsdale. The NCRS even had a large booth right off the main auction stage this year.
Even so, after surveying the Corvette auction lots, NCRS judges agreed that there was little present that would earn Top Flight status. Barrett-Jackson has made its name on world-beating prices and an absolute no-reserve policy. This scenario can occasionally create a collision between sellers wanting to cash in at the "B-J Lottery" and buyers looking to troll the auction lanes for a hapless victim who pulled a lousy timeslot and/or did a substandard job on car prep. That means B-J has a lot of professional sellers looking to take advantage of novice buyers, and vice-versa. No-reserve sets a feast-or-famine scenario, with consignors searching for a way to insulate themselves from risk should things go awry.
It's no surprise, then, that sellers have been accused of planting confederates in the audience to boost the bid until it gets to an acceptable level, at times even "buying back" their own cars. The house doesn't seem to mind, so long as the paperwork is in order and the sale earns both the buyer and seller premiums. These kinds of alleged shenanigans have caused some collectors to take their business to auction houses that offer reserve protection. (For its part, Barrett-Jackson has announced that it will be offering reserve pricing for auction lots valued over $50,000 for the Palm Beach, Florida, auction in April.)
Occasional controversy aside, Barrett- Jackson thrives on a creating a circus-casino spectacle—which it does with gusto and panache. Walk into the entrance and you're confronted by what appears to be part auto show, part bazaar, offering everything from fullsized vintage neon signs to 30-foot-tall cactus sculptures. To call a B-J event a car auction is an oversimplification, as the marketplace takes up the largest section of indoor tent space. This sense of showmanship is why it also attracts a wide demographic of buyers. Corvette connoisseurs might resent having to compete with a rich rube on cars they feel really deserve their bids. The average enthusiast is likewise mystified when he or she sees a driver-quality car earn Concours-Gold money.
The one thing that can be said about typical B-J buyers is that they possess plenty of money to support their occasionally impulsive purchases. For the primetime auction-slot buyer, $100,000 seems to be a comfortable number to indulge in a luxury item. Customized Corvettes—especially classics repowered with modern engines—seem to sell well in this range.
A different approach to the restomod scene was evident in Scottsdale, in the form of companies such as Karl Kustom Corvettes. Instead of modernizing a classic, these firms start with a late-model C6 and imbue it with the iconic styling of the midyear generation. Karl Kustom had a booth containing two cars in the bazaar section, where reps handed out information on the product and the nine-week build process.
This company also put a pre-built car in the auction for a prime Saturday time slot, (Lot 1246.1). The average price of one of these restyling conversions runs about $135,000, but this silver-over-red coupe was bid up to a sale price of $148,500. A Karl Kustom representative stated that he would have sold 15 cars over that weekend if they were on hand.
While most of the offerings that crossed the block Tuesday through Thursday fell well short of Top Flight status, the primetime auction slots were replete with cars touting legitimate NCRS credentials. However, there was no guarantee that the cars remained in Top Flight form when they were presented in Scottsdale. One of the most important things an auction buyer can do is bring along an expert who can verify that a potential buy is still in award-winning condition. An unscrupulous seller may seek to insulate himself from losses in a no-reserve situation by stripping the car of the hardest-to-find new old stock (N.O.S.) or original equipment (OE) parts.
Whenever buying Concours pedigree, a judging audit is a must-have. At the very least, take detailed photos of the engine bay and undercarriage, and send them to someone who has experience with the given generation of Corvette.
Lot 1320, for example, demonstrated the importance of verifying correctness. The description on this '67 Corvette 427/435hp roadster read, "NCRS Regional Driven Top Flight awards, one in 2002, 2003, and 2004." It then went on to describe a restoration in 2009 with zero miles on it, and no judging history since the restoration. The car still drew $154,000, quite a number considering that it didn't have original documentation and wasn't in the same condition that earned it Top Flight.
Lot 1289 was another 427 Tri-Power car that boasted a show-car pedigree, with Top Flight and Duntov Awards having been conferred in 1998. Note that judging standards and the quality of restoration have progressed markedly in the past two decades. The red/red color combination and documentation (which included the factory tank sticker) boosted this car's value, but should have been tempered by the re-stamped engine block and outdated pedigree. Still, the car earned a stout $209,000 after the 10-percent buyer's premium was paid. Critics decry prices like these, which aren't duplicated in the private market or based solely on the merits of the vehicle. For this seller, however, selling at auction proved a wise choice indeed.
Collectors unwilling to risk the ironclad no-reserve environment of Barrett-Jackson brought their cars to the other auctions going on concurrently in Scottsdale. RM Auctions typically has a more mature buyer, geared principally toward exotics and pre-war vintage cars. The Corvette is at home here, respected as the only true American sports car. First-gen and midyear cars do well in this environment.
Lot 267 at RM was a solid example of a '67 427/435 Sting Ray roadster. Owned by Reggie "Mr. October" Jackson and finished in Tuxedo Black over Black with a red stinger, the car was striking at first glance. It was also listed vaguely as a "former NCRS Top Flight Award winner." A closer look suggested that the certificate must have been awarded more than 10 years ago. The car was in very good condition and detailed for presentation, but oxidation was starting to show on exposed metal, and underside patina indicated that it had been converted to driving duty during its recent ownership. At a final settlement price of $164,000, the car earned no more than its merits allowed, despite the celebrity ownership.
Interestingly, solid-axle Corvettes also found their core audience at RM. Several of them were lined up for inspection early on, their Arctic Blue, Harvest Gold, and Cascade Green paint schemes giving the appearance of a color-book reunion. Normally, when so many cars of the similar vintage are crowded into the same place, the overall transaction prices suffer, and that appeared to be the case here.
The highlight was a '57 Fuelie, Lot 276, boasting an October 2010 NCRS Top Flight win. It was rewarded with a winning bid of $115,500. While a similar '58 Fuelie (Lot 1264.2) earned $121,000 at Barrett-Jackson, RM's more forgiving commission structure means the owner of the '57 likely brought home just as much money. Even so, the RM estimate placed the car's value at between $120,000 and $140,000.
The third Scottsdale event, Russo and Steele, also appeared to draw buyers who were focused on the merits of the cars over the thrill of the auction environment. Russo events tend to be a good blend of car-show kitsch on the outside and razzle-dazzle showmanship in the bidding ring. The core audience consists of the younger segment of the Baby Boomer generation, many of whom have firsthand memories of the muscle-car era. As such, you're likely to see more second- and third-generation Corvettes than at RM, and more stock-appearing vehicles than typically show up at Barrett-Jackson.
While Russo didn't attract a '67 427 Tri-Power Sting Ray this year, a 427/390 car did roll into the round during prime bidding time. The description of Lot 9486 offered a general recap of the model's history and few details on this particular example. No show-judged pedigree was cited, leaving the prospective buyer to make up his own mind about how correct the car was. The $72,600 final settlement price reflected the relatively weak presentation. The owner was likely left scratching his head, wondering why his convertible only earned coupe money.
Other Corvettes at Russo earned more modestly still, in sharp contrast to the $100,000 paid for customized flights of fancy at Barrett-Jackson. A Corvette Rayzr Restorod (Lot 9430) was similar in concept and quality to the Karl Kustom car (though a good bit older), yet it earned a mere $35,200.
While not the icon that the C2 is, the third-generation "shark" retains a loyal following. A '68 427/435 coupe (Lot 9204) strutted all the right stuff at Russo, with a recent restoration, a numbers-matching drivetrain, and original documentation. The California "black plate" car sold for a buyer-pleasing $48,400. In contrast, a '68 custom that spent its life as an ISCA show car only earned a shade over $17,000. The car was no more outlandish than a 30-foot cactus, and it likely would have done better on the B-J stage.
As you can see, knowing the distinctions between the auction houses can help you use the environment—and the resulting Vette values—to your advantage, whether as a buyer or a seller.
Car List
1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 (Lot 1320), SOLD - $154,000
1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Restamp (Lot 1289), SOLD - $209,000
1958 Chevrolet Corvette EFI Roadster (Lot 1264.2), SOLD - $121,000
2009 Karl Kustom Corvette (Lot 1246.1), SOLD - $148,500
RM Auctions
1967 Corvette 427/435 Roadster (Lot 267), SOLD - $165K
1956 Corvette Roadster Dual-Quad Carbs (Lot 269), SOLD - $115,500
1957 Corvette Roadster FI (Lot 267), SOLD (NO RESERVE) - $115,500
1956 Corvette Roadster (Lot 275), SOLD - $71,500
1967 Corvette 427/400 Roadster (Lot 298), SOLD - $126,500
Russo and Steele
1958 Corvette 283/270 Roadster (Lot 9052), SOLD - $107, 250
1967 Corvette 427/390 Roadster (Lot 9486), SOLD - $72,600
1993 Corvette Rayzr Restorod (Lot 9430), SOLD - $35,200
1968 Corvette 427/435 (Lot 9204), SOLD - $48,400
1968 Corvette '70s Show Car (Lot 9469), SOLD - $17,050


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Watching the Steelers Cardinals game right now and Dixon looks awesome. I was hoping we would pick him last year, but he injuried his knee. The Steelers picked him in the 5th and he is looking very sharp.
Dennis Dixon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I guess it doesn't matter now since we have Cassel.


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Financial Mogul Gets Started in Holy Bull
Wildcat Red to Miss Holy Bull
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - Intense Holiday will have the rest of the field inside him when he breaks from post 11 in Saturday's $400,000 Miller Lite Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream Park – the same scenario his sire, Harlan's Holiday, faced 11 years ago in the Donn Handicap (G1).
"We were at the draw that year and everybody had a heart attack when he pulled the 11-hole," said Jack Wolf, who owned Harlan's Holiday and is co-founder and managing partner of Starlight Racing, which campaigns Intense Holiday. "Good horses can find a way to win from any post."
The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull will mark the 3-year-old debut for Intense Holiday, who had a maiden win from five starts at 2. Before leaving New York for South Florida, he was fifth in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park and fourth in both the Nashua (G2) and Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.
"We sort of took a stab in the Champagne because there sort of wasn't any other place to go. I thought he ran a credible race there," Wolf said. "Not using it as an excuse, he hasn't had the best of trips. This race has got some pretty fancy horses in there. It's one good horse after another."
This year's Holy Bull field is the largest since Barbaro beat 11 challengers in 2006. There have been as many as 11 four times in its first 27 runnings, the best finish from post 11 being Choctaw Ridge's fourth in 1992.
"We've been pointing for this race ever since his last race in New York. He's trained forwardly and seems to be maturing at the right time," said Starlight co-founder and managing partner Don Lucarelli. "I just wish, naturally, that we had a better post but you have to play the hand you're dealt. Hopefully this will make him get more involved early and see from that standpoint what he can do."
Despite his post, Intense Holiday is fourth in the program at odds of 6-1; Nashua winner and Remsen runner-up Cairo Prince is favored at 3-1. Other familiar horses Intense Holiday will face are Financial Mogul, second in the Nashua, and Wicked Strong, third in the Remsen.
"We're hopeful he can catch a trip and show us what he really is capable of," Lucarelli said. "Whatever happens, happens, but I do think that he will be a good horse. He can handle the distance. It's going to all be how much pace is in front of him and where he sits off the first turn; that's what's going to dictate everything. It's all about the trip, but the horse is doing well."
Financial Mogul Gets Started in Holy Bull
A deep field of 11 3-year-olds will test their Triple Crown credentials on Saturday in the $400,000 Miller Lite Holy Bull Stakes (G2). Cairo Prince, winner of the Nashua Stakes (G2) and a narrow second in the Remsen Stakes (G2), is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line, but faces a number of promising colts for his 2014 debut in the mile-and-a-sixteenth contest. Among them is Financial Mogul, who has not faced the starter since rallying for second to Cairo Prince in the Nashua on November 3.
"We'll get his 3-year-old career started on Saturday," trainer Rick Violette Jr. said. "He's not ready for the best race of his life, but hopefully this will move him forward and show that he belongs, and keep dancing the bigger dances."
Financial Mogul romped in the slop at Saratoga in his second start on August 31 for owners Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence. After finishing fourth in the six-furlong Futurity Stakes (G2) at Belmont on September 29, the stretch-running youngster made up ground on Cairo Prince in the Nashua and cut the margin to 2 ½ lengths at the wire. Violette opted to give the Street Boss colt some time to grow up after that.
"We were very tempted to run him in the Remsen, but then we thought about it and decided that it was late in the year and he'd already run four times," Violette explained. "I told (co-owner) Seth Klarman that if we're going to give him a break, that we should do it then because his break would be short, if any at all, after the Remsen. We took him down to Palm Meadows and gave him about three weeks off. He was in jogging mode for a couple of weeks. He's fit enough to run without being ready for his best race."
Financial Mogul has recorded four timed moves at Palm Meadows since the calendar turned, most recently a stamina-building mile drill in 1:43 on January 17.
"I like doing that sometimes," Violette offered. "He went off in a bunch of 13s (seconds per furlong) and he got the last quarter in 24 (seconds). It was a really good move. The ones that can do it do it well, and the ones that can't really don't want to go two turns. His breeze was fabulous."
Violette acknowledged that while Financial Mogul isn't fully cranked up for the Holy Bull, he expects to get a gauge on where the colt stands among his peers.
"(Cairo Prince) is probably the most accomplished, and he looks ready to roll," Violette remarked. "He's trained pretty seriously here (at Palm Meadows). But the rest of them are looking to move to the next level, and confirm what they might have shown in their last couple of 2-year-old races. I don't think you can eliminate anybody at this stage. A 3-year-old can improve leaps and bounds, and I just hope we're one of them."
Wildcat Red to Miss Holy Bull
A minor illness will keep Wildcat Red, runner-up in the Gulfstream Park Derby on Jan. 1, from making his next scheduled start in the $400,000 Miller Lite Holy Bull (G2) on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Jose Garoffalo said the D'wildcat colt was treated after showing some mucous in his throat on Monday morning, the day entries were taken for the Holy Bull.
"We decided not to enter because the horse got sick," Garoffalo said. "He's got a little cold. He wasn't a hundred percent good for the race, so we decided to skip the race. He's in good shape. It's just a routine cold, so we're treating him and he'll be better for the next time."
Garoffalo said Wildcat Red did not have a fever and that he could train the horse up to the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream on Feb. 22, which is also being targeted by GP Derby winner General a Rod.
"He just wasn't reacting like he usually does. He wasn't too happy [Monday] morning," Garoffalo said. "Maybe it was the change of weather or something related to that, I don't know. We hopefully have many races ahead for him."
Garoffalo also mentioned the $200,000 Hutcheson (G2) at Gulfstream on Feb. 1 as a possible start. Wildcat Red has two wins and two seconds from four career starts.
"We have to evaluate the horse in the next couple of weeks," he said. "He's OK. We didn't want to take the chance, so we just do what's best for the horse."


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UMW News Bureau
Award-winning educator and Montana Western alumna Angela McLean was appointed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer as the newest member of the Montana Board of Regents. Her appointment is effective immediately.
In 2006, Gov. Schweitzer appointed McLean to the Montana Board of Public Education where she served as vice-chair. McLean's accomplishments and awards are many; her innovative teaching methods led to a $25,000 Milken Family Foundation Educator award in 2007, and in 2008, she was the recipient of a Milken Festival Youth Grant.
Last year McLean was honored by Montana Western with the 2009 Distinguished Service Award.


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Set on a six-acre site, the $12 million, 30,000 square foot Hillary Rodham Clinton Children's Library & Learning Center includes a computer lab with fourteen computers, teaching kitchen, large activity area, individual and group study rooms, theater, and community room in addition to a collection of more than 21,000 books, DVDs, and CDs.
In 2007, Little Rock voters approved a bond issue to provide funding for the Children's Library.
Community input from library patrons as young as eleven years old helped CALS fine tune the concept of a vibrant, happy place for families with children to come for hands-on learning and enrichment. Activities and programs will be geared toward preschool, elementary, and middle school students and key subject areas will focus on the amenities of the site. The teaching kitchen is large enough to accommodate an entire class in learning about all facets of culinary arts, including nutrition, growing, cooking, and eating food.
In the 165-seat theater, children can experience all aspects of theater, including designing and building sets, writing plays, acting, and costume design. The state-of-the-art sound system, lighting, and projection screens will also be used for movies, concerts, and lectures.
The Children's Library's grounds are integral to the entire facility's program. A greenhouse and teaching garden will help children learn about growing healthy foods as well as provide produce that will be used in the teaching kitchen programs. The grounds reflect the topography of Arkansas's ecosystems, from the native hardwood trees in the highlands to vegetation of the wetland areas, which are both planted and original to the site. Walking paths offer families an attractive place for exercise while learning the names of the trees and plants, and an amphitheater has seating for outdoor programs or nature watching.
Homework and projects may be completed in the lab with fourteen computers or on laptops available for checkout using free Wi-Fi access. Early childhood computers and iPads with literacy apps allow small children to practice reading and computer skills. A limited number of computers and materials are available for adults who bring their children.
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Bill Clinton attended the dedication of Central Arkansas Library System's (CALS) Hillary Rodham Clinton Children's Library & Learning Center on Monday, July 8.
About 2,600 people attended activities including the dedication ceremony during an afternoon of events. Children and families were treated to a concert, animals from the Little Rock Zoo, and activities in the teaching kitchen and reading areas. Those attending were invited to participate in creating a mobile which will be displayed as a piece of public art in the library.
The CALS Board of Trustees voted on Thursday, June 27, to recognize Hillary Rodham Clinton for her services to children by naming the new children's Library in her honor. The board wished to specifically acknowledge the work she did as a citizen of Arkansas, including service for the Children's Defense Fund, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Arkansas Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youth, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Arkansas Educational System Task Force, Rural Health Advisory Committee, and many others, including her ground-breaking work as co-chair of Arkansas's Educational Standards Committee. Also recognized is her continued work at the national and international levels to improve the lives of all the world's children.
© 2018 Central Arkansas Library System. All Rights Reserved. Web Design & Internet Marketing by Aristotle.


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Why I do the BTD
Pardon me if this is a bit of a solemn blog. You don't spend nearly two weeks nursing someone you love back from the brink of disaster without a lot of introspection.
It is hard to see a once vigorous man – one who used to effortlessly toss me in the air and catch me – one who loved to climb mountains and ride horses – unable to sit up in bed or stand in a walker.
It forces me to face the reality that we live in a fallen world (Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight. Genesis 6:11) and we are all heading toward death (For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23).
Our culture glorifies life and youth. We fill magazines with pictures of healthy, happy youngsters. We watch movies of people living immoral lives and practicing all kinds of unhealthy habits without any consequence. It's a lie.
We are all aging. The earth is decaying. Everything in this world is moving toward death. The Bible predicts it, and when you spend a while in a sick room, the truth slaps you in the face.
One day a friend was going pretty hard on my Dad and other elderly people who stop taking medication. "Wait a minute," I said. "I follow a pretty weird and restrictive diet so that I don't have to take medication every day. When the BTD worked, I didn't talk to my doctor. I stopped the medication that was no longer needed."
Later, as I thought back over my own words, I asked myself, "Why do I stay with the BTD?" It's certainly not an easy diet, though it's also not as hard as it seems for the first month. I don't do the BTD, thinking that I will live forever. That won't happen, and I know it. I'm not even sure I would want to live to some extreme old age. It would get pretty lonely when all my family and friends were gone.
I stay with the BTD because I want to be active, productive, and independent for as many years as God gives me. I don't want to slowly decline to a point where I can't move and I can't think. I don't want to be on prescription drugs, if there is a way I can have the same results naturally. I believe that the BTD gives me the best chance to stay healthy and energetic.
I quoted the first half of Romans 6:23. It sounds pretty bleak. It is the 2nd half of the verse that brings hope: but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. My Dad and Mom are declining because this is a fallen world. But because of their faith in Jesus Christ they have hope. They will have new resurrected bodies where there will be no more disease or sorrow. (There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4). Best of all, I know I will see them again. Until then, I count out vitamins for their daily pill boxes, and I eat right for my type. We want to live for God as long as he leaves us on this earth. But as recent days have reminded me; this is just a temporary home.
2 comments
I have read your blogs specifically for along time and appreciate your insights and how your share your faith. Thank you for all your knowledge and sharing it as well. I feel I know your family after reading about them for at least a couple years now. Blessing to you and for all your help.
Blessed be.
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The Loft House – Grand Opening
Only three days until Little House on the Trailer's New Unit Grand Opening coming up this Saturday!
We're excited for the release of our first-ever factory-built unit, the Loft House.
This new display unit was custom ordered through the factory and finished by our Little House crew in Petaluma. With upgrades such as a 100 sq. ft. veranda and a 200 sq. ft. loft, the Loft House is priced at $53,000, although it can be offered for as low as $36,000.
You are invited to join us for refreshments this Saturday at our showroom in Petaluma from 10:00 to 4:00! Click here for the invitation. We hope to see you on Saturday!
1840 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma CA
Stephen Marshall
Owner & Designer


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Occupational Medicine
Healthcare that works!From on-the-job emergency services, to follow-up care and additional access to a broad range of services including, but not limited to, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Audiology, and Physical and Hand Therapy, Trinity Health's network of providers offers the complete package for your business under one banner.
With eight locations across northwestern North Dakota, we offer employers cost- effective care that is both efficient and convenient.
You work hard to keep your business going. Let Trinity Health Occupational Medicine go to work for your company today!
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New Town - 701-627-2990
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Marketing & Information
Phone: (701)-857-7830


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ST. LOUIS, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Young Innovations, Inc. (NASDAQ - YDNT) today announced that it will broadcast its third quarter earnings results with a live and on-demand web cast conference call on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time. A live audio broadcast of the call will be available through InterCall at http://tinyurl.com/YI-Quarter32011 [1]. Access to the live audio broadcast will also be available through the Company's website, www.ydnt.com [2].
For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available at www.ydnt.com [2] for ninety days following the live call. There is no charge to access any event.
Young Innovations develops, manufactures and markets supplies and equipment used by dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and consumers. The Company's consumables product offering includes disposable and metal prophy angles, prophy cups and brushes, dental micro-applicators, moisture control products, infection control products, dental handpieces (drills) and related components, endodontic systems, orthodontic toothbrushes, flavored examination gloves, children's toothbrushes, and children's toothpastes. In addition, the Company offers a line of diagnostic products that includes panoramic X-ray machines and related supplies. The Company believes it is a leading U.S. manufacturer or distributor of prophy angles and cups, liquid surface disinfectants, dental micro-applicators and obturation units designed for warm, vertical condensation.
Investors are cautioned that this press release as well as other reports and oral statements by Company officials may contain certain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation and Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or ref