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PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- University of Delaware men's basketball senior guards Devon Saddler and Davon Usher have been invited to participate in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this week at the Churchland High School Sports Complex.
Representatives from all 30 NBA teams as well as many European squads will be on hand for the four-day, 12-game event, one of the top showcases for college seniors leading up to the NBA Draft and the nation's oldest amateur basketball tournament dating back to 1953. All eight teams at the event will play three games from Wednesday through Saturday.
Saddler will play with the Portsmouth Sports Club team along with Garrick Sherman of Notre Dame, Dalton Pepper of Temple, Jerrelle Benimon of Towson, Roberto Nelson of Oregon State, Justin Jackson of Cincinnati, Langston Hall of Mercer, and Z. Mason of Tennessee-Chattanooga. The team is coached by Mark Hall and Walt Webb, along with NBA Assistant Coach Kiwane Garris.
Usher has been selected to play with K&D Rounds Landscaping, along with Richard Solomon of Cal, Travis Bader of Oakland, Ronald Roberts, Jr. of Saint Joseph's, Mark McLaughlin of Central Washington, Augustine Rubit of South Alabama, Eric Atkins of Notre Dame, and Trevor Releford of Alabama. The squad will be coached by Jim Markey and Patrick Dulin, in addition to NBA Assistant Coach Michael Bradley.
Usher will play his first game at the invitational on Wednesday at 7 p.m., while Saddler will play at 9 p.m. that night.
Saddler recently concluded an outstanding four-year career at UD in which the Aberdeen, Md. native set a school record by scoring 2,222 points. A first team All-Colonial Athletic Association, NABC All-District 10 and Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American selection, Saddler ranked second in the league and 30th in Division I by averaging 19.7 points per game as a senior.
He also led the conference with 37.0 minutes played, while ranking fourth with 3.6 assists per contest and a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio. Saddler reached double figures in all but one game this season, and surpassed the 20-point mark 15 times on the year. He averaged 15.7 points per game during the Blue Hens' run through the CAA Tournament, earning All-Tournament Team honors.
Usher joined Saddler on the first team All-CAA and NABC All-District 10 teams, after setting a UD single season record by scoring 679 points this year. The South Baltimore, Md. native started all 35 games during his lone season in Newark, tying for the team lead with 85 three-pointers made while ranking the second on the squad with 6.1 rebounds, 62 assists and 62 steals.
Usher ranked among the top 10 in the CAA in eight categories, including leading the league with 1.8 steals per game. Usher's point total was the 22nd highest in Division I, while his 19.4 scoring average ranked 34th in Division I.
Saddler and Usher are the second and third Blue Hens to participate in the invitational during the last two years, as Jamelle Hagins competed in the event last spring.


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Advantage, Yankees!…
Wow, what a Sports weekend!…
Al Bello/Getty Images
It started with a thrilling college football game on Saturday as the University of Iowa Hawkeyes overcame the Indiana Hoosiers, 42-24. The Hawks had trailed at one point, 21-7. However, due to some great defensive plays by the Iowa defense and the play of QB Ricky Stanzi, the Hawkeyes improved their record to 9-0. Iowa Is currently 4th in the BCS Standings, and this has been the greatest Hawkeye season of my life.
Charlie Neibergall/AP
Saturday night, the Yankees gained the advantage in the World Series with an 8-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. In the early stages of the game, it appeared that it would be short night for Andy Pettitte. I saw two games in the 2001 World Series in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and one included Game 6 which saw Pettitte get blasted in a 15-2 defeat. I had concerns that I was seeing a repeat performance, however, Andy showed that he has learned a few things since then and he held firm with the 'bend but don't break' mantra.
I thought Andy's game-tying single in the 5th was the key hit of the game. Andy definitely showed that the three years spent in Houston was well worth the time as he was able to gain experience hitting at the major league level.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
I was surprised that the Yankees were able to get to Cole Hamels. Hamels was last year's MVP, and I had expected a performance commensurate with the Game 1 start of Cliff Lee. Fortunately, the Yankees were able to capture the victory as well as the momentum in the Series. They had lost home field advantage while at Yankee Stadium with the Game 1 loss. However, they've ensured that for Philly to have a chance, the series would have to return to Yankee Stadium. So much for Jimmy Rollins prediction that the Phillies would win this one in five games…
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Sunday, saw Brett Favre make his first return to Lambeau Field as a visitor. Favre looked tremendous as he threw for four touchdowns. It looked like it would be a rout early, however, Aaron Rodgers brought the Green Bay Packers back to within a score. However, the Vikings pulled away at the end to win the game, 38-26. Favre won both games against the Packers this year, and that is a rare feat for the Vikings. It gives them a commanding lead in the NFC North with a 7-1 record.
Jeffrey Phelps/AP
Speaking of commanding leads, the Yankees grabbed the Series by the throat with a 7-4 victory on Sunday night. On short rest, CC Sabathia did very well, but he was long gone by the time the game was decided. CC had the lead when he departed, but a game-tying home run by Pedro Feliz off Joba Chamberlain in the bottom of the 8th inning left a no-decision for Sabathia.
Al Bello/Getty Images
At that point, it appeared that the Phillies had the series advantage. If they could pull out a win tonight and Cliff Lee on the mound tomorrow, they could have potentially gone ahead 3-2 before the series headed back to New York. But it was not meant to be as the Yankees rallied for three runs in the 9th. Johnny Damon showed why he is such a catalyst for the Yankee offense. After a two-out single in the 9th, he stole second and seeing that there was no one covering third, he outraced Pedro Feliz to advance two bags. The play was critical as it forced Phillies closer Brad Lidge to alter his pitch selection and it gave Alex Rodriguez a chance to line a go-ahead single to score Damon.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
With Mark Teixeira on base along with Rodriguez (Tex had been hit by a pitch after Damon had stolen third), Jorge Posada lined a single to score both runners and give the Yankees a three run cushion heading into the bottom of the 9th. Posada was thrown out attempting to stretch the single to a double, but it didn't matter. The three runs were enough for Mariano Rivera, and he closed out the game with 3 up and 3 down to pick up his 39th career post-season save.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
There is one more game in Philadelphia as A.J. Burnett, the Game 2 hero, faces Cliff Lee, the master of Game 1. While it would be nice to close out the series in Philly, I have a feeling that this one is headed back for the Bronx. Regardless of what happens, to win two out of three in Philly was a tremendous feat by the Yankees. The Phillies are definitely a championship club and they've proven that last year was no fluke…not like the 2004 and 2007 World Series Champs! Sorry Julia, I had to throw one in there for you!
So, I had a great weekend. How about you?…
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

subset: commoncrawl


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Thanks to a three-part (part 1, part 2, part 3) article on the German paper, Der Spiegel, we know that the NSA not only has a secret division within the agency who's expressed purpose is to exploit various hardware and software technologies, but that they have a 'product catalog' of sorts that they can pull from for various purposes. The TAO, which is their Tailored Access Operations division exists within a former Sony facility in San Antonio. This facility is officially named the Texas Cryptology Center and is an official NSA facility, but unofficially is home to the TAO, the NSA's top hacking unit. The NSA did acknowledge the existence of the TAO division and its mission to Der Spiegel but did not explain anything beyond that.
The problem with the NSA's TAO division or unit is that they are the NSA's prime force that exists to accomplish complicated physical tasks. In the documents provided to Der Spiegel, it was made clear to them that the TAO was capable of incredible tasks that included the installation of backdoors or backdoors that already existed. While Der Spiegel's information is clearly dated (documents date from 2008), it also lacks some technical explanations of the NSA's capabilities. Little detail has been provided about how the TAO gains access to some of the hardware companies listed in the 50-page 'product catalog' which reads like a laundry list of technical hacking tools. Some of the tools involve USB cables that connect to a target's computer and transmit the data from the computer over the air. Other tools involve building cellular base stations that allow the NSA to intercept cellular traffic in order to gain full access to that person's calls, texts and or data.
Additionally, the documents showed tools that allow the NSA to hack into various networking infrastructure companies, including the two biggest, Cisco and Juniper. The documents also stated that the NSA had the ability to gain BIOS level access to certain systems and could install itself on a firmware level. This was not limited to motherboards, however, since they also mentioned that they could gain access to certain hard drive manufacturers such as Western Digital and Seagate. I suspect that this access is obtained through the hacking of the hard drive controller firmware which would likely involve hacking LSI and Marvell (Seagate and WD's primary controller suppliers) firmware.
Der Spiegel contacted the hardware companies involved and stated that none of the companies had any knowledge of this occurring, however, Dell's response was a bit more ambiguous. Stating that the company, "respects and complies with the laws of all countries in which it operates." Which to me is basically an admission of guilt in complying with the NSA's requests to build in backdoors.
Such revelations regarding American-based technology companies and the vulnerability of their hardware further hurts the technology economy of the US. It is still unknown what the impact could be on the US IT industry, but I suspect that billions of dollars of business stand to be lost to non-US companies because of such major developments. The US Government, the FBI, CIA and NSA are not only jeopardizing the profit of the companies' whom they hack, but they also risk hurting the US tech economy's perception and strength. Not to mention, if this makes other countries not want to deal with US tech companies we will start to bleed jobs and talent and become a second class economy. Right now, the only thing keeping the US economy are the tech and medical sectors and if you stunt the fast-growing tech sector you risk taking down the whole economy with it.
People invested with these companies and executives within these companies should be lobbying to end these programs immediately and to create laws that forbid such behavior. Because now that we see what our inaction in the face of the Patriot Act has accomplished we must correct our mistakes or forever pay for them in this global economy. Many countries will simply do whatever possible to avoid business with American tech companies and start to look for alternatives which will likely spark growth in other countries rather than in the US.
Also, you know those crash reports that you get when something goes wrong and it asks you if you wish to send them to Microsoft? Anyone with a slightly paranoid/privacy obsessed personality would always say no to these assuming that Microsoft could be spying on you. And heck, Microsoft even states that these crash reports are not used to personally identify information about you or your usage but rather just to solve software problems. And that this software is specially encrypted to protect users. However, the NSA has found a way to not only intercept these crash reports which include tons of user information but also to decrypt the information and use it as a passive method of surveillance.
In addition to these recent revelations regarding computer hardware and networking companies, it was also discovered that the TAO intercepts targets' computer purchase shipments. Once they've carefully gotten into the computer, they install their own malware/spyware on the machine and basically give themselves full access to the device remotely. While it remains to be seen how they accomplish this task, I have a feeling that the government must have some sort of a way to secretly divert a package from its original destination. Now you might think twice when your next smartphone or computer package is 'delayed' for no reason and arrives a day or two late. Heck, it might even be possible that they accomplish such tasks without any delays in delivery, which would make things all the more terrifying and unknown, yet effective.
Overall, such revelations including the spying on the Mexican version of the CIA further indicates the completely unabated nature of the NSA's actions and their behavior. They effectively act without any accountability and do whatever they deem advantageous to the agency's mission of gathering as much information on anyone and everyone possible. Surely, they claim that their only goal is to search for information on foreign terrorists, but it appears quite clear that the NSA spies on US allies and citizens in order to accomplish their ends. In the name of liberty and justice the ends do not justify the means, especially when they violate the fundamental principals that our country was founded upon.


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US Jobless Claims Plunge to 298,000, as Layoffs Slow
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits tumbled 23,000 last week to 298,000, nearly a six-year low that shows companies are laying off fewer workers.
The Labor Department says the less volatile four-week moving average declined 10,750 to 322,250.
Last week's jobless claims nearly matched a September figure, which was distorted by late reporting from California. When excluding the September report, last week's figures were the lowest since May 2007.
Applications have fallen seven of the past eight weeks, a hopeful sign for job growth at the end of the year. The decline has corresponded with stronger hiring in recent months.
Last week included the Thanksgiving holiday, which can present challenges for seasonal adjustments. But government officials say there were no special factors affecting the report.


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Seven Rings
The Seven Dwarf-rings were the Rings of Power given to seven Dwarf Lords by Sauron in the guise of Annatar. Apparently the Lords were the Kings of the Seven Houses, as Gandalf mentions that the Rings were given to the "Dwarf-kings"[1].
The most famous was the Ring of Thrór: in Dwarven tradition it was said Celebrimbor gave the Ring to Durin III king of Durin's folk before the Downfall of Eregion[2], but this seems unlikely as Celebrimbor was said to have yielded the Seven - all the Seven - to Sauron after torture[3].
The Dwarf Lords proved resistant to the malevolent magic of the rings, which could not even turn them invisible. The rings did, however, make them exceedingly rich; the Rings gave them the power to multiply whatever they mined[4]. However, it made them greedy as well.
Angered by his failure, Sauron tried to gather the rings back to him. He succeed in finding two, while four others were swallowed or destroyed by Dragons. The third ring Sauron obtained was taken from Thráin II in T.A. 2845 while he was imprisoned by Sauron in the dungeons of Dol Guldur. Gandalf arrived too late and only got the key and the Thór's map to the secret entrance of the Lonely Mountain from Thráin[3].
The two rings Sauron gathered are pity and fame. Thráins ring is luck. Two more were ardor and splendor. The rings are mostly used to overwhelm and impress.
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Shadow of the Past
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, The History of Galadriel and Celeborn
|Rings of Power
|The One Ring
|Three Rings
|(Narya · Nenya · Vilya)
|Seven Rings
|(Ring of Thrór)
|Nine Rings


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To the Editor:
Bruce Kaplan is the first Cary board member to understand the needs of the residents. He listens to what the citizens are talking about and is open to all ideas.
This is a refreshing change for Cary. For far too long, Cary residents have had their opinions ignored by past board members and the village staff. We need a fresh approach to the village of Cary. On April 9, vote for Bruce Kaplan for Cary village president.
David Henry


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The Nikon D610 will most likely be announced in two weeks, on October 7th or 8th. The only upgrade I am aware (in addition to the shutter) is the slightly improved top continuous shooting speed at 6 fps (compared to 5.5 fps in the D600). I cannot yet confirm if there will be something else announced on that date.
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Here we will take a look at several key ratios for Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT), starting with the Book to Market (BTM) ratio. Value investors seek stocks with high BTMs for their portfolios. The ratio is a comparison of the firm's net asset value per share to it's current price. This is helpful in determining how the market values the company compared to it's actual worth. The Book to Market value of Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated currently stands at 0.115291.
In terms of EBITDA Yield, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) currently has a value of 0.039405. This value is derived by dividing EBITDA by Enterprise Value.
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) presently has a current ratio of 5.96. The current ratio, also known as the working capital ratio, is a liquidity ratio that displays the proportion of current assets of a business relative to the current liabilities. The ratio is simply calculated by dividing current liabilities by current assets. The ratio may be used to provide an idea of the ability of a certain company to pay back its liabilities with assets. Typically, the higher the current ratio the better, as the company may be more capable of paying back its obligations.
The Price to book ratio is the current share price of a company divided by the book value per share. The Price to Book ratio for Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated NasdaqCM:CORT is 8.673666. A lower price to book ratio indicates that the stock might be undervalued. Similarly, Price to cash flow ratio is another helpful ratio in determining a company's value. The Price to Cash Flow for Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) is . This ratio is calculated by dividing the market value of a company by cash from operating activities. Additionally, the price to earnings ratio is another popular way for analysts and investors to determine a company's profitability. The price to earnings ratio for Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) is 13.128685. This ratio is found by taking the current share price and dividing by earnings per share.
Looking at some ROIC (Return on Invested Capital) numbers, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT)'s ROIC is 0.656278. The ROIC 5 year average is -1.837951 and the ROIC Quality ratio is -1.524758. ROIC is a profitability ratio that measures the return that an investment generates for those providing capital. ROIC helps show how efficient a firm is at turning capital into profits.
Free Cash Flow Growth (FCF Growth) is the free cash flow of the current year minus the free cash flow from the previous year, divided by last year's free cash flow. The FCF Growth of Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) is -1. Free cash flow (FCF) is the cash produced by the company minus capital expenditure. This cash is what a company uses to meet its financial obligations, such as making payments on debt or to pay out dividends. The Free Cash Flow Score (FCF Score) is a helpful tool in calculating the free cash flow growth with free cash flow stability – this gives investors the overall quality of the free cash flow. The FCF Score of Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) is -0.232525. Experts say the higher the value, the better, as it means that the free cash flow is high, or the variability of free cash flow is low or both.
The Gross Margin Score is calculated by looking at the Gross Margin and the overall stability of the company over the course of 8 years. The score is a number between one and one hundred (1 being best and 100 being the worst). The Gross Margin Score of Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) is 1. The more stable the company, the lower the score. If a company is less stable over the course of time, they will have a higher score.
At the time of writing, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) has a Piotroski F-Score of 6. The F-Score may help discover companies with strengthening balance sheets. The score may also be used to spot the weak performers. Joseph Piotroski developed the F-Score which employs nine different variables based on the company financial statement. A single point is assigned to each test that a stock passes. Typically, a stock scoring an 8 or 9 would be seen as strong. On the other end, a stock with a score from 0-2 would be viewed as weak.
Shifting gears, we can see that Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT) has a Q.i. Value of 52. The Q.i. Value ranks companies using four ratios. These ratios consist of EBITDA Yield, FCF Yield, Liquidity, and Earnings Yield. The purpose of the Q.i. Value is to help identify companies that are the most undervalued. Typically, the lower the value, the more undervalued the company tends to be.
Watching some historical volatility numbers on shares of Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NasdaqCM:CORT), we can see that the 12 month volatility is presently 70.7416. The 6 month volatility is 68.944, and the 3 month is spotted at 49.0106. Following volatility data can help measure how much the stock price has fluctuated over the specified time period. Although past volatility action may help project future stock volatility, it may also be vastly different when taking into account other factors that may be driving price action during the measured time period.
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The Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 is doing more than just raising eyebrows now that insurance premium increases have reached the doorsteps of business and residential owners on Fort Myers Beach.
The reality of the country-wide flood insurance legislation, known as the Biggert-Waters Act, is hitting home like a brick to the head with rate increases of ridiculous proportions. Beach property owners that may be affected include those who have ground level/pre-firm structures for either residence or business.
Sea Gypsy Inn's Jacki Lizsak is one of the business property owners that has been hit the hardest on the island because she purchased the property between the act's national adoption date of July 6, 2012 and Oct. 1, 2013, the date that the phase-out of Pre-FIRM rate subsidies for business and non-residential properties began, according to Josh Overmyer, the Town's Floodplain Administrator.
Article Photos
Sea Gypsy Inn will see dramatic premium rate increases on flood insurance if the Biggert-Waters Act is not repealed or delayed.
"Non-residential properties purchased between those two dates will see full-risk rates upon their next renewal, instead of 25 percent increases until the property reaches the full-risk rate," he stated through email. "I understand that Jacki purchased the property in November 2012, therefore in November 2013, her flood insurance premium will rise to the full-risk rate as determined by actuaries. The property is in Flood Zones VE-EL14 and VE-EL15, but her two existing structures are located only slightly above the grade of the lot. When a structure is seven or eight feet below the Base Flood Elevation (elevation determined to be the flood level in the 1 percent annual chance flood), the property is at risk of flood in much more frequent, less extreme flood events, and could see catastrophic damage in the 100-year flood."
Lizsak recently showed proof of her flood insurance declaration paperwork. If no action on the act -like an appeal or a delay- doesn't come into effect, her premiums will rise from $2,722 on $170,000 of coverage to $46,907 on the establishment's two buildings -a rate increase of $46,207.
The insurance for the Sea Gypsy Inn is due Nov. 5, the anniversary date when Lizsak bought the property last year. Since she is carrying a mortgage, her mortgage holder is requiring that she carry flood insurance. If not, she may face foreclosure.
"This is effectively going to kill us," she said. "If I do not buy flood insurance, my mortgage holder will force-place it, which means it will be even more expensive then this. We feel like we need the protection."
The increase come next month will be just under a 2,000-percent increase. Thanks to a friend of a friend, members of Congress have personally seen copies of the inn's "dec sheets," she added.
Lizsak has done extensive renovations to property within the year. The family-owned business is a large investment that may not stay afloat with the premium increases in flood insurance. Sea Gypsy Inn carries several types of insurance: property, property contents, liability, wind, flood and flood contents. It is a business member of the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce.
"We are giving back every way we can. We've employed people in the community, and we have done community outreach with community services and donations," Lizsak said.
Besides insurances, there are taxes and operating expenses to consider as well.
"I am not sure what we are going to do," said Lizsak.
Mango Street Inn co-owner Tree Andre disclosed the flood insurance premiums for her properties' two buildings will increase from $2,800 to $23,000 per year. The inn was purchased in 2008, and this year's premium was paid prior to the act going into effect. The Andres face a 25-percent increase until the property reaches the full-risk rate if the act is not delayed or repealed.
"Obviously we are going to budget for it. It will also require a rate increase for us," Andre said. "There are a lot of people who are working to make this decision. I think that the people making decisions should keep in mind of the adverse affect."
Lizsak says she holds national and state Real Estate officials responsible for not making her aware of the act while she was in the purchasing phase.
"I hold the Florida Real Estate Commission and the National Real Estate Association culpable for not educating the Realtors and raising the alarm," said Lizsak. "This was never disclosed. It certainly was never disclosed to me when I bought the property. This also never should have been implemented without an affordability study as part of the language in the bill."
Karen Swanbeck, president-elect for The Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach, says national lobbyists for Real Estate association have worked "very, very hard" in trying to get a five-year extension if not a repeal to this act.
"I think that everybody has been taken back by what the program is putting in quotes as actuarially sound rates. These actuarially sound rates were not part of the discussion initially," she said.
Swanbeck offered figures to show that Florida has been carrying the National Flood Insurance Program for more than 35 years. Since 1978, Florida has contributed $17.1 billion in premiums to the national flood insurance program and received back $3.7 billion in claims.
"The whole premise of why they are making these rate changes is to bring them into actuarially sound rates," she said. "I cannot imagine an actuary anywhere out there is going to say an actuarially sound rate is a total loss every five to seven years. The majority of flood losses are partial losses."
Fort Myers Beach has seen its share of hurricanes and other tropical events that have caused flooding but not necessarily flood losses.
"There are an awful lot of these properties on the island that are built to ground level that have never had flood losses," said Swanbeck. "So, to be looking at premiums in that $6,000 to $12,000 range depending on various factors doesn't make a lot of sense."
The premium hikes have begun to push aside mortgage companies in the sale process.
"If these rates don't get changed, cash buyers are choosing to self-insure for floods because they don't want to pay these rates," said Swanbeck. "This has an opposite effect on the program because the program is getting zero dollars for that property. If cash becomes the majority of transactions, that always puts the pressure on values. It will ultimately affect all property values."
Renters may also be affected in a trickle-down effect.
"If all of a sudden the cost to own a property goes up hugely, the owner can either absorb the rate increases, pass it on to the renter or sell the property," said Swanbeck.
Gov. Rick Scott is now backing a lawsuit from the Mississippi Department of Insurance and its aim at delaying the increases. The lawsuit, which is against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and one of its agencies (FEMA), states rates shouldn't go up until FEMA provides Congress with a required affordability study on the increases.
Back in August, the Fort Myers Beach Town Council unanimously approved a resolution that urges the U.S. Congress to take action by way of repeal or delay on the Biggert-Waters Act. An added clause to the resolution involves a possible alternative of a National Disaster Fund to keep rates lower.
The resolution stated "the new parameters established by the Biggert Waters Act imposes unreasonable flood base elevation requirements and unreasonable increases to flood insurance premiums" by having a "devastating financial effect on the local economy and on real property owners in the Town of Fort Myers Beach and Lee County."
Town officials have referred to a large number of policies (subsidized Pre-FIRM rates because the structures were built before the community joined the National Flood Insurance Program) that will be affected by Section 205 of the Biggert-Waters Act as "disproportionate."
"Florida has a quarter of all Pre-FIRM structures with existing flood insurance policies in the U.S.," stated Overmyer. "Lee County has 3 percent of all Pre-FIRM flood insurance policies in the U.S., and the Town has 0.13 percent of all of the Pre-FIRM structures in the US with existing flood insurance policies. To put that in perspective, we have about 0.002 percent of the population of the US."
If you notice a sudden spike in your flood insurance premiums, email Swanbeck at email@example.com or drop by her office at VIP Realty at 2450 Estero Blvd. with your paperwork. She can send a copy of your renewal policy and last year's policy to her lobbyist at the state and national level to help out.


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MINNEAPOLIS, MN, April 10, 2006---The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has proclaimed April 2006 as National Landscape Architecture Month. The Minnesota Chapter, and chapters across the U.S., will celebrate with public outreach activities to help communities "Discover Landscape Architecture," the theme for this year. The month encompasses Earth Day on April 22 and the birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted on April 26, who founded the American landscape architecture profession.
In recognition of the month, the Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (MASLA) held their 37th Annual Awards Dinner last Friday and announced their 2006 Professional Award Winners, juried by the Indiana Chapter of ASLA. Chris Coleman, St. Paul Mayor, delivered the keynote address.
This year's award winners included:
Public Landscape Design Category
· Award of Excellence: Dahlgren, Shardlow and Uban for the Nicollet Commons in Burnsville, Minn.
· Merit Award: Short Elliot Hendrickson for the Loring Bikeway Bridge in Minneapolis, Minn.
· Merit Award: SRF Consulting Group, Inc for the Main Avenue Bridge and Riverfront Revitalization in Fargo, N.D.
Private Landscape Design Category
· Merit Award: Close Landscape Architecture for the West River Commons in Minneapolis, Minn.
Planning Category
· Honor Award: Center for Changing Landscapes, Roger Martin, FASLA, for the Red Lake River Corridor Enhancements Plan in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
· Merit Award: Kestrel Design Group for the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Stewardship Project in Minneapolis, Minn.
· Merit Award: Short Elliot Hendrickson for the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway Enhancements Plan in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Unbuilt Works Category
· Honor Award: Coen + Partners, Inc. for the Dickerman Park in St. Paul, Minn.
· Merit Award: Laura Musacchio, ASLA, and Ann Forsyth for the publication Designing Small Parks
· Merit Award: Kestrel Design Group for the publication Minnesota Soil Bioengineering Handbook
Karen T. GrajalesManager, Public Relations tel: email@example.com @ktgrajales


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Friday, 28 December 2012
Messy Smoky Eye Look
When I did this look originally, I used Illamasqua Skin Base foundation. I only have a small sample tube of the Illamasqua Skin Base and I wasn't particularly taken with the formula when I first tried it. However, it's the only full coverage foundation that I own so I use it whenever I want a heavier coverage and I must admit that I've warmed to it a lot. You only need a small amount otherwise it looks cakey and I find it looks best buffed into the skin using a dense kabuki-type brush. Instead of Skin Base, today I used a sample pot of the new Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying foundation.
Vapour Soft Focus Skin Perfector*
Rouge Bunny Rouge Skin Sanctuary Time Defying foundation in Linen Cream*
Ellis Faas Concealer in S202
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-3 on blemishes
Brows freshly dyed with Eylure Dylash kit in Dark Brown
MAC Strada blusher to contour
Rouge Bunny Rouge blusher in Gracilis*
A tiny bit of Rouge Bunny Rouge Sea of Tranquility on the tops of cheek bones
Kevyn Aucoin eye pencil in Basic Black*
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill in #4 (Pulp Fiction)
Navy aqua cream from the MUFE Black Tango palette layered in the centre of the mobile lid
Maybelline The Falsies Flared mascara
Rouge Bunny Rouge Irreverence
I wanted to finish off with a few random brush thoughts. I used my MAC 217 to apply the Eyes to Kill eyeshadow, just as Lisa Eldrige demonstrates in her video. I was surprised how well the 217 applies this kind of product, I typically apply with my fingers but I've never been entirely happy with this. I will definitely use the 217 in future. I've been using my new Laura Mercier Eye Finishing brush to buff in concealer which it does really well, one of these days I will get round to using it with eyeshadows as I had intended.
Now this is probably a rather odd brush confession. I have been using my tiny Louise Young eyeliner brush to apply Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer. I've hardly used the Secret Camouflage since I bought it two years ago, as I've always thought the formula looked too dry and obvious. After watching Lisa use it in her videos, I decided to give it a try using a small brush. Unfortunately, all of my concealer brushes are too big for this kind of spot application, hence the misuse of the liner brush. Using a different tool has definitely changed my opinion of Secret Camouflage and I intend to buy a dedicated pinpoint concealer brush to use with it in future.
* Items indicated with asterisk were received without cost for review purposes
30 comments:
- Anonymous28 December 2012 at 19:10
This look suits you so well - you look very pretty. I especially like that soft lipstick on you and much prefer it to the red from your Christmas MU post.ReplyDelete
What do you think of this new RBR foundation? Is it any good?Replies
Thank you. It's really useful to see the two looks side by side like this as I would agree that this is the look I prefer of the two.Delete
This is my very first use of the new RBR foundation so these are only my initial thoughts. It's got quite a dry satin finish and the coverage is lighter than I was expecting. I suspect it won't suits dry skin and will be better suited to oily to combination skin.
- Anonymous29 December 2012 at 10:50
Ah, interesting - thanks a lot. My skin can't decide at the moment whether it's dry or oily so I think buying it might be a bit risky. But it's true: your skin looks really perfect!Delete
- Anonymous29 December 2012 at 10:52
Oh, and I completely forgot to tell you that I also love your new hairstyle and the fact that you let your grey show. So it's not just the make-up ;-)Delete
Thank you :DDelete
Love it! It suits you wonderfully, and your skin looks flawless!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Lilly. I gave myself a mini-facial yesterday to try and fight the effects of the festive excesses!Delete
Beautiful Jane, and your skin is flawless!!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much Mariella. The RBR foundation has that 'just-powdered' feel to it and it still feels that way several hours later. As a tinted moisturiser junkie, it feels strange but I find I keep stroking my skin :DDelete
Those colours look lovely on you. I also like your hair. The grey hairs make the style really interesting and textural.ReplyDelete
Thanks Claire. I often wonder whether people think I'm crazy for letting the grey show through but I do quite like the way it looks. I especially like the way it's coming through in my parting too!Delete
You look fab! I love the eyeshadow, it's surprisingly soft for such a strong eye look. I am very tempted my the LM secret camouflage.ReplyDeleteReplies
Ah, thanks Claire. I think the colour and finish of Pulp Fiction seems to soften the effect of using lots of black liner. I want to have a go doing to the same thing using Chanel Illusoire.Delete
If you go for the LM secret camouflage, I would highly recommend getting a fine-point brush to apply it with.
Your eyes look amazing xReplyDelete
I love the structured messiness of it! And I agree with all comments above, your skin looks amazing!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Gaelle, I'm really pleased you like it.Delete
Irreverence looks lovely on you! :) I just got Prey of Lust and Nothing Unknown from Zuneta! Time to make (yet) another order LOLReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Jenni, Irreverence is an old favourite of mine. Oddly enough, I seem to recall Nothing Unknown was one I purchased and then parted with as it wasn't flattering on me. It was a shame as I love their texture.Delete
Very pretty, great combination of shades, I really like your brows :)ReplyDelete
I don't think to use the 217 with products like that so will give that a go, I do tend to get stuck using the same tools so need to branch out a bit, I bought one of those beauty blender sponges recently and it has made such a difference to my makeup application, not sure why I didn't think of it earlier xxReplies
Thanks Replica. You know, the brow tinting was my surprise success of 2012!Delete
You know, I've never tried a beauty blender, do you rate it? I've tried normal wedge sponges in the past but becoming frustrated at how much product they absorb. Maybe I ought to try again, even if it's just to use up all of foundations a bit faster ;) xx
It does eat up product which is not good but I have to say the finish is better than any other wedge/sponge thing I have tried. I am going to buy more so I have one on hand every day as its my preferred method of application at the moment, seems to help fill in the pores which is always good xxDelete
Love this combination of colours on you and thank you so much for the tips on brushes. I'm always playing around, trying to find the perfect brush for the EtK shadows. For the longest while, I was using a lip brush, which seemed to work for more precise applications...ReplyDeleteReplies
Ooh, I really like the idea of using a lip brush with the EtK, I bet it gives a more intense application? I would not have used the 217 had it not been for Lisa Eldridge's video but I was really pleased with the effect (and not getting my fingers messy!).Delete
This is one kick-a** eye look Jane!!! Love it so much!!!ReplyDelete
Btw I never would have thought of using a 217 for this type of eyeshadow consistency, I might give it a go!!!
Beautiful FOTD alltogether too btw! ;)
Thank you so much Tina! I would definitely recommend trying the 217 brush with the hybrid cream to powder eyeshadows, it does work very well. One of these days, I will treat myself to another 217 so mine isn't constantly in need of washing! xDelete
Love this! I want the RBR Irreverence lipstick badly.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Jen, I view that as a huge compliment as I'm always so inspired by you looks. Irreverence has become my lipstick of choice when I wear a darker eye look.Delete
Really love this look, all of it, fab.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Blighty :)Delete
I love receiving comments and read each and every one. I always do my best to reply too. If you have a question and need a quick response, please feel free to email me.


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Hurricane Sandy Damages Space Shuttle Enterprise 126
SchrodingerZ writes "The now decommissioned Space Shuttle Enterprise appears to have been damaged by super storm Sandy, as it blew through New York City. The shuttle is currently on display on the deck of the USS Intrepid, as part of the Sea, Air, and Space museum on pier 86. The storm tore through the shuttle's inflatable pavilion which housed it, leaving a deflated mess over the space craft. It appears that the pavilion has damaged the vertical stabilizer on the tail of the craft. The museum has yet to comment on the situation. This is not the first time the Enterprise has been damaged however. As it was being towed through Jamaica Bay en route to its new home in Manhattan, the barge was hit by wind and forced the spacecraft's wingtip into a railroad bridge pylon ."


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Almost immediately after a state appeals court tossed a lawsuit that had stalled a Tupper Lake resort for 16 months, Protect the Adirondacks was back with another similar suit to block another big private project that had waited through a years-long process before finally being approved.
Protect, Adirondack Wild and some outside-the-Park groups, including the Sierra Club and Atlantic States Legal Foundation, have filed suit and succeeded - temporarily, at least - in blocking NYCO Minerals' exploratory mining on 200 acres of the Jay Mountain Wilderness in the town of Lewis. They hope to win in the courts a battle they already lost among voters, lawmakers and state agency officials.
There's always a chance judges will agree with them, but this seems like a harder fight than the resort lawsuit was, since this time the project they oppose has a gigantic stamp of approval from the democratic process we, as a people, rely on. Two separately elected state Legislatures agreed to amend the state Constitution to allow this mining operation, and then it went to every voter statewide this past November. It passed - not overwhelmingly, but sufficiently.
The plaintiffs claim the constitutional amendment wasn't enough, that it only "suspended one layer of protection for Lot 8 (as the 200-acre parcel is called), but all other legal requirements protective of Wilderness areas remain in full force and effect."
The APA, meanwhile, says the amendment overrode laws such as the State Land Master Plan. From a layman's perspective, it would certainly seem so. If not, then the voters and lawmakers were hosed. They clearly thought they were making a decision about actually let NYCO mine on Lot 8.
APA Commissioner Richard Booth, who has been the agency board's strongest voice for environmental protection, anticipated the suit but doesn't agree with it.
"This may well get litigated, and that's not a surprise," he said at the agency's June meeting, at which it approved NYCO's mining plan. "But I think, given the vote of the public, this is what the public anticipated would happen."
The Park's two larger green groups, the Adirondack Council and Adirondack Mountain Club, have supported the project because NYCO, in exchange for mining rights on 200 acres of state land, would give the state 1,500 other acres to add to the Forest Preserve. We think that's a good deal, both from an environmental and an economic standpoint.
More than 40 percent of New York voters said "no" to that offer, but these plaintiffs are refusing to take the majority's "yes" for an answer. How is any decision to be made in the Adirondacks if every years-long review is followed by years of legal obstruction?
This suit will be a public burden: It will eat up tax dollars as well as the time and resources of a company that has painstakingly leaped every regulatory hurdle, and it will sow more rancor in future Adirondack politics. Apparently the more zealous environmental groups have money to burn, but it's sad they're making New York taxpayers and employers burn through their resources, too.


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By Brendan Conway
The Vanguard Group junk-bond fund that closed to new investors in May could reopen soon, predicts a leading outside observer.
Money has started flowing out of the $18 billion Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund (VWEHX) of late, setting the fund up for a reopening, writes Daniel P. Wiener, editor of the Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors.
It would be good news for high-yield enthusiasts: The fund's conservative approach to junk bonds "tends to flag during hot markets yet manages to improve when things are at their worst," in the words of Morningstar's Eric Jacobson. What's more, its expense ratio is just 0.23%. The two big junk bond ETFs, the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund (HYG) and the SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond ETF (JNK), charge 0.50% and 0.40%, respectively.
Wiener's other item of note is a news scoop — he says Vanguard is "out there beating the bushes" for outside junk-bond managers who could potentially join as a new sub-adviser. If so, it would mark the first time that Vanguard takes the multi-manager approach in fixed income, he notes. The fund's advisor is Wellington Management Co.


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NC State Research Around the World
Event Description
Did you know that NC State research happens all over the world? From Peru and Ecuador to Kenya and Jordan, NC State faculty are making a difference. The NC State Research Around the World virtual tour showcases the work of over 25 faculty from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Natural Resources, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Sciences, and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Google Earth tour is a new addition to the Libraries' permanent media portfolio for the James B. Hunt Jr. Library's video walls. We curate a program of content for the video walls that is focused on demonstrating NC State's impact. NC State Research Around the World shows the incredible variety of problems that NC State researchers are tackling. NC State Research Around the World debuts today in the iPearl Immersion Theater on the second floor of Hunt Library and will run continuously through February 6. Come join us as we explore faculty research on 5 continents!
Contact Information
Admission Information
Admission is free.


text:
I'm still slogging away at Mr. Foster's clothing. Over the weekend, I finished all four "tubes" that make up the sleeves and legs of his pajamas, and last night I got to the point where I joined the legs together and started working up the body. As you can see, he's a little anxious for me to finish his PJs so he can get to bed.
I am determined to finish the pajamas by this weekend, which will give me a week to knit his robe and package him up nicely for his trip to live with Aidan. I think the robe -- knit mostly in stockinette -- is going to go a lot faster.
I'm in sort of a weird place right now because I have only two projects on the needles: Mr. Foster and a pair of stockinette socks (which should be done shortly, as I'm on the gusset of the second sock and it's being worked on size 2 needles). I'm looking forward to getting this monkey business out of the way so I can start another big project, this one for me. Do you think it would be ridiculous to start a sweater in April? Hmm, maybe some lace is in order.
In any case, Mr. Foster and I will be meeting up with the Hurricane Knitters at the Waterworks Barnes & Noble tomorrow night, starting at about 7 p.m. Please come and join us if you're in the area!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Slow and Steady
Labels: Mr. Foster
5 comments:
- Jenn said...
I'm starting Flair pretty darn soon, maybe this weekend. The yarn is a cotton/silk blend, so it won't be like I'll have a lapful of wool.
- Knit Geek said...
Why not make a sweater in the spring? Knitters know no rules!
- Julie said...
I'm in the middle of knitting a sweater right now and I'll probably do another when I finish this. The good thing about knitting sweaters in the spring is that there is no big rush to finish them :-)
- Knitting Granny said...
I agree with Julie - I'm working on a sweater for my daughter and one of the things I like best about it is I don't feel the pressure of having to get it done quickly...
- Knitting Granny said...
Oh, and P.S. - I sure like Mr. Foster!
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Jim Harbaugh is an ahole.
It's hard to hide being an ahole when emotions are running high.
I really expected the 49'ers to win but given that Jim Harbaugh is such a sore loser I was not disappointed when the Ravens won.
Here is Steve Politi's ( Star Ledger) take yesterday on Jim Harbaugh.
" The older brother gave a clinic on how to be graceful after a victory, telling the entire world that the losing coach in the Super Bowl was the best in the business.
There is no greater coach in the National Football league or in the world, really than Jim Harbaugh, his brother John said.
The younger brother showed everyone exactly how not to handle a defeat on the biggest stage, behaving like an overgrown brat after the referees didnt throw a flag for defensive holding on the final play of the decisive drive, and then in a six-minute news conference never praising his brother once for what he accomplished."
His ridiculous antics on the Superbowl sideline, his post-game exchange with Schwartz (he is also an idiot) and his fiasco with the time-outs and challenges (and tantrums) in the Minnesota game prove that Jim needs some anger management classes.
Jim Harbaugh is an ahole.
It's hard to hide being an ahole when emotions are running high.
I'd welcome either of them with open arms.
They are the type of HCs that if they are your HC you love them, if they aren't you hate them. I am sure NE and SF fans are very pleased.
Little brother syndrome at it's finest, lol.
Seeing that POS lose the Super Bowl and get outcoached by his brother in the process made even Ray Lewis winning it all bearable... s... it Jimmy...
It was the Super Bowl. I think I can understand him being pissed about a blown call that basically cost him the game.
Those goal line play calls were horrendous. The Ravens D was winded and slow footed then and not once did he have Kap run.
If he thinks he called all the right plays and that he lost because the refs screwed him then hubris will be his undoing every time.
The way you handle losing tells a lot about someone's character. Jim Harbaugh is a low life and he got what he deserved...
Jim Harbuagh is a class A douce-bag.
I know this from personal experience.
I met him a few times back in 96 when he was with the Colts and I had just moved out here.
He's just a giant A-hole. There's no other way to describe it. He's the kind of guy you would see out and about and secretly hope that he would say the wrong thing to the wrong person and get his a$$ kicked.
Jim Harbaugh is ultra competitive. He wants to be the best and believes he is the best at everything. As a result when he loses he is devastated and acts like a douchebag.
I saw an interview once with a former Denver Bronco (forgot who) who described John Elway in the same way. Elway thought he was the best at everything, not just QB and not just football. He would literally challenge other players to see who is faster, stronger and smarter. He claimed he could beat any other player in a foot race, arm wrestling, chess etc. When he lost he took it real hard and took his teammates to task if they did not play up to par. He was a real D!ck to everyone when they lost. It is this quality that made him a great QB and respected by his teammates.
In my opinion, it is this quality that Mark Sanchez lacks and has held him back as a QB. Its not his physical ability or ability to learn, its the ultracompetitiveness...the "im better than everyone at everything and if you dont play up to standard i will tear you a new one" attitude that Mark lacks which has held him back.
Being a hyper competitive d!ck may work for some people. I guess it motivates Harbaugh, Elway, Bellichick, Jordan, etc. and is a part of what makes them great. But there are just as many all time greats who can win with class... Jeter, Montana, Eli & Joe Torre are just a few that come to mind.
We all have our own style that works for us. If being a classless douche is what motivates some to be great then good for them. Just understand that a lot of the public enjoys watching people like this fail and roots for the guys that win ( & lose) with class.
Who cares. Steve Politi and Steve Serby should go take a trip in a helicopter together.


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 14th Jul 2011 21:16 UTC
I've been sitting on this item all day. Technically, it's about patents and the like, and even I understand I've been beating this dead horse so often it almost looks like it's alive. However, this is an interesting opinion piece by Craig Hockenberry, long-time employee at The Iconfactory, one of my favourite software development houses - these guys breath software and beautiful design, and employ one of my favourite artists, David Lanham. The gist of his story? Software patents are killing the independent developer scene.
Permalink for comment 481072
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RE[2]: Old-school solution
by JAlexoid on Fri 15th Jul 2011 15:20 UTC in reply to "RE: Old-school solution"
It's not as socialist sounding as unionise. Most Americans for some* reason think that socialist means undemocratic and anti-freedom, while capitalism** is democracy and freedom.
* - Not some, they've been thoroughly brainwashed.
** - While only two undemocratic regimes on this planet , in fact, identify as socialist/communist.


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Durbin wrote a letter to the owner of the Old Post Office located south of Chicago's Union Station to ask that he properly maintain and operate the ventilation systems below the building that prevent locomotive fumes from backing up in the train station.
After months of out-of-court attempts to settle the matter, Amtrak filed a complaint in U.S. District Court on February 3 against the Old Post Office's holding company, International Property Developers. The building has already been cited by the city of Chicago for not maintaining and operating the ventilation system.
"As you know, air quality in Union Station is dependent on ventilation systems operated by private owners," Durbin wrote. "When not properly maintained and operated, the resulting diesel exhaust build-up affects the millions of passengers who travel by rail through Chicago Union Station annually. Amtrak and City of Chicago officials have identified the lack of operational ventilation exhaust fans at the Old Post office property that you own a significant factor contributing to the problem. In the past year, both Metra and Amtrak have taken significant steps to reduce diesel emissions from their trains. The progress these changes will make toward improving air quality, however, will be limited if all ventilation systems in the surrounding area are not made fully operational."
In November 2010, Durbin asked several federal agencies to work with Amtrak and Metra to look into the results of a Chicago Tribune report that discovered the high level of diesel soot and air pollution in commuter rail cars and on train platforms at Union Station. The report found levels of diesel soot in Ogilvie and Union Stations significantly higher than on the streets outside. Diesel exhaust contains many air pollutants and has been linked to health problems.
In February 2011, Durbin met with then-recently appointed CEO of Metra, Alex Clifford, to discuss Metra's ongoing review of diesel locomotive emissions. Since the Chicago Tribune's report, Metra has added high efficiency filters to each of their train cars, reducing pollution inside cars by an average of 75 percent. Through the federally-funded Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction program, Metra will be able to install automatic shut-offs on 27 locomotives, shutting down train engines that idle for more than 10 minutes. With $5.28 million in additional federal funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, Metra will be able to install 29 additional engine retrofits to limit idling and completely rebuild tow aging locomotives. When these locomotives are shut down instead of left idling, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by more than 81,000 tons per year.
Durbin also wrote to Joseph Boardman, President and CEO of Amtrak, in July 2011 for an update on their efforts to improve air quality in and around Union Station. Amtrak has received federal CMAQ funds to acquire two "gen-set" switching locomotives to reduce emissions in its busy Chicago facility and will acquire new diesel locomotives that will meet new EPA Tier 3 or 4 standards designed to operate more cleanly. Amtrak also initiated a comprehensive review of the ventilation system surrounding the tracks in Union Station.
The suit filed by Amtrak claims the Old Post Office's lack of ventilation is affecting public health and would force the owner to operate and maintain the fans.


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Journalist Robert Parry, editor of Consortiumnews.com, may be the most knowledgeable journalist about the GOP use of foreign policy subterfuge (some might call it treason) to successfully win the 1968 and 1980 elections. He has compiled the evidence in his latest book, "America's Stolen Narrative."
It is a persuasive account of the beginning of de facto stolen presidential elections by the GOP, which in turn has led to a lack of accountability for executive branch actions by the DC code of silence among the powerful. These elections (with the exception of Watergate) taught the Republicans, Parry contends, that there would be no consequences for law-breaking behavior in elections and foreign policy.
You can get the compelling America's Stolen Narrative with a minimum contribution to Truthout. Just click here.
The following passages from the book explore the 1968 Nixon campaign efforts to prevent peace in Vietnam in order to help him narrowly be elected president.
Possibly the most notorious "October Surprise" case – and the first of this modern era – occurred in fall 1968 when Republican Richard Nixon was locked in a tight presidential race with Democratic nominee, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and President Johnson was making progress in Vietnam peace negotiations.
At that point, a half million American soldiers were in the war zone and more than 30,000 had already died, along with Vietnamese dead estimated at about one million. In late October 1968, Johnson saw a chance for a breakthrough that would involve a bombing halt of North Vietnam and a possible framework for peace.
However, Johnson encountered surprising resistance from U.S. allies in South Vietnam. President Nguyen van Thieu was suddenly laying down obstacles to a possible settlement in the Paris peace talks.
On Oct. 29, 1968, Johnson got his first clear indication as to why. According to declassified records at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas, Eugene Rostow, Johnson's Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, got a tip from Wall Street financier Alexander Sachs who said that one of Nixon's closest financial backers was describing Nixon's plan to "block" a peace settlement.
Nixon's backer was sharing this information at a working lunch with his banking colleagues in the context of helping them place their bets on stocks and bonds. In other words, the investment bankers were colluding over how to make money with their inside knowledge of Nixon's scheme to extend the Vietnam War.
Eugene Rostow passed on the information to his brother, Walt W. Rostow, Johnson's national security adviser. Eugene Rostow also wrote a memo about the tip. "The conversation was in the context of a professional discussion about the future of the financial markets in the near term," he wrote. "The speaker said he thought the prospects for a bombing halt or a cease-fire were dim, because Nixon was playing the problem ... to block. ... They would incite Saigon to be difficult, and Hanoi to wait."
In a later memo providing a chronology of the affair, Walt Rostow said he got the news about the Wall Street lunch from his brother shortly before attending a morning meeting at which President Johnson was informed by U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam Ellsworth Bunker about "Thieu's sudden intransigence."
You can get the compelling America's Stolen Narrative with a minimum contribution to Truthout. Just click here.
Walt Rostow said "the diplomatic information previously received plus the information from New York took on new and serious significance," leading Johnson to order an FBI investigation that soon uncovered the framework of Nixon's blocking operation.
From the FBI wiretaps, Johnson quickly learned about the role of Nixon campaign official (and right-wing China Lobby figure) Anna Chennault contacting South Vietnam's Ambassador to the United States Bui Diem regarding the political importance for President Thieu's continued boycott of the Paris peace talks.
Nixon's 'Treason'
After reading these secret FBI cables, Johnson began working the phones to counter the Nixon campaign's gambit. According to recordings of the phone calls that have since been declassified, Johnson complained to Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen about the subterfuge.
On Nov. 2, just three days before the election, an angry Johnson telephoned Dirksen at 9:18 p.m., to provide details about Nixon's activities and to urge Dirksen to intervene forcefully.
"The agent [Chennault] says she's just talked to the boss in New Mexico and that he said that you [South Vietnam] must hold out, just hold on until after the election," Johnson said. "We know what Thieu is saying to them out there. We're pretty well informed at both ends." [Johnson believed "the boss in New Mexico" was Nixon's running mate, Spiro Agnew, who was there on a campaign trip.]
Johnson then injected a thinly veiled threat to go public. "I don't want to get this in the campaign," Johnson said, adding: "They oughtn't be doing this. This is treason."
Dirksen responded, "I know."
Johnson continued: "I think it would shock America if a principal candidate was playing with a source like this on a matter of this importance. I don't want to do that [go public]. They ought to know that we know what they're doing. I know who they're talking to. I know what they're saying."
Dirksen: "I better get in touch with him [Nixon], I think."
"They're contacting a foreign power in the middle of a war," Johnson said. "It's a damn bad mistake. And I don't want to say so. ... You just tell them that their people are messing around in this thing, and if they don't want it on the front pages, they better quit it."
After hearing from Dirksen, Nixon grew concerned that Johnson might just go public with his evidence of the conspiracy. At 1:54 p.m. on Nov. 3, trying to head off that possibility, Nixon spoke directly to Johnson, according to an audiotape released by the LBJ Library.
Nixon: "I just wanted you to know that I got a report from Everett Dirksen with regard to your call. ... I just went on 'Meet the Press' and I said ... that I had given you my personal assurance that I would do everything possible to cooperate both before the election and, if elected, after the election and if you felt ... that anything would be useful that I could do, that I would do it, that I felt Saigon should come to the conference table. ...
"I feel very, very strongly about this. Any rumblings around about somebody trying to sabotage the Saigon government's attitude, there's absolutely no credibility as far as I'm concerned."
Armed with FBI reports and other intelligence, Johnson responded, "I'm very happy to hear that, Dick, because that is taking place. Here's the history of it. I didn't want to call you but I wanted you to know what happened."
Johnson recounted some of the chronology leading up to Oct. 28, 1968, when it appeared that South Vietnam was onboard for the peace talks. He added: "Then the traffic goes out that Nixon will do better by you. Now that goes to Thieu. I didn't say with your knowledge. I hope it wasn't."
"Huh, no," Nixon responded. "My God, I would never do anything to encourage ... Saigon not to come to the table. ... Good God, we want them over to Paris, we got to get them to Paris or you can't have a peace. ... The war apparently now is about where it could be brought to an end. The quicker the better. To hell with the political credit, believe me."
Johnson, however, sounded less than convinced. "You just see that your people don't tell the South Vietnamese that they're going to get a better deal out of the United States government than a conference," the President said.
An Almost Scoop
After the conversation with Nixon, Johnson continued to consider whether he should go public with Nixon's "treason." A last-minute opportunity arose when a Christian Science Monitor correspondent in Saigon, Beverly Deepe, got word from South Vietnamese sources about the pressure on Thieu from the Nixon campaign to block the peace talks.
Deepe's story draft read: "Purported political encouragement from the Richard Nixon camp was a significant factor in the last-minute decision of President Thieu's refusal to send a delegation to the Paris peace talks – at least until the American Presidential election is over."
So, on Nov. 4, journalist Saville Davis from the Monitor's Washington bureau checked out Deepe's story with South Vietnamese Ambassador Bui Diem and with the White House. Bui Diem knocked the story down and the decision by the White House on whether to confirm the story went to President Johnson himself.
In a conference call, Johnson consulted with Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Defense Secretary Clark Clifford and Walt Rostow. All three advisers recommended against going public, mostly out of fear that the scandalous information might reflect badly on the U.S. Government.
"Some elements of the story are so shocking in their nature that I'm wondering whether it would be good for the country to disclose the story and then possibly have a certain individual [Nixon] elected," Clifford said. "It could cast his whole administration under such doubt that I think it would be inimical to our country's interests."
Johnson concurred with the judgment, and an administration spokesman told Davis, "Obviously I'm not going to get into this kind of thing in any way, shape or form," according to an "eyes only" cable that Rostow sent Johnson. The cable added:
"Saville Davis volunteered that his newspaper would certainly not print the story in the form in which it was filed; but they might print a story which said Thieu, on his own, decided to hold out until after the election. Incidentally, the story as filed is stated to be based on Vietnamese sources, and not U.S., in Saigon."
You can get the compelling America's Stolen Narrative with a minimum contribution to Truthout. Just click here.
Rostow's cable also summed up the consensus from him, Rusk and Clifford: "The information sources [an apparent reference to the FBI wiretaps] must be protected and not introduced into domestic politics; even with these sources, the case is not open and shut."
Thus, the American electorate went to the polls on Nov. 5 with no knowledge that Johnson's failed peace talks may have been sabotaged by Nixon's campaign. Nixon prevailed over Humphrey by about 500,000 votes or less than one percent of the ballots cast in one of the closest elections in U.S. History.
'Sordid Story'
After Nixon's victory, Johnson tried to get the peace talks back on track. He appealed directly to Nixon in another phone call on Nov. 8 and again raised the implied threat of going public with his growing file on Republican contacts with the South Vietnamese:
"They've been quoting you [Nixon] indirectly, that the thing they ought to do is to just not show up at any [peace] conference and wait until you come into office. Now they've started that [boycott] and that's bad. They're killing Americans every day. I have that [story of the peace-talk sabotage] documented. There's not any question but that's happening. ... That's the story, Dick, and it's a sordid story. ... I don't want to say that to the country, because that's not good."
Faced with Johnson's threat, Nixon promised to tell the South Vietnamese officials to join the peace talks. However, nothing changed. For LBJ, there would be no peace.
As Inauguration Day approached, an embittered President Johnson ordered his national security aide Walt Rostow to remove from the White House the file containing the secret evidence of this "sordid story," a decision that would have its own unintended consequences.
But Johnson did know that the file was no longer at the White House because he had ordered Walt Rostow to remove it in the final days of his own presidency.
[Nixon instructed H.R. Haldeman, his chief of staff, to find and destroy the secret Rostow file on the Nixon campaign efforts to undercut the Paris peace conference. Haldeman had told Nixon that the file was being safeguarded at the Brookings Institute.]
On June 30, 1971, Nixon again berated Haldeman about the need to break into Brookings and "take it [the file] out." Nixon even suggested using former CIA officer E. Howard Hunt (who later oversaw the two Watergate break-ins in May and June of 1972) to conduct the Brookings break-in.
"You talk to Hunt," Nixon told Haldeman. "I want the break-in. Hell, they do that. You're to break into the place, rifle the files, and bring them in. ... Just go in and take it. Go in around 8:00 or 9:00 o'clock."
Haldeman: "Make an inspection of the safe."
Nixon: "That's right. You go in to inspect the safe. I mean, clean it up." For reasons that remain unclear, it appears that the planned Brookings break-in never took place, but Nixon's desperation to locate Johnson's peace-talk file was an important link in the chain of events that led to the creation of Nixon's Plumbers unit and then to Watergate.
The 'X' Envelope
Ironically, Walt Rostow made that link in his own mind when he had to decide what to do with the file in the wake of Johnson's death on Jan. 22, 1973. In the preceding four years, Rostow had come to label the file "The 'X' Envelope," a name that he wrote in longhand on the file's cover.
On May 14, 1973, as he pondered what to do with the file, the Watergate scandal was spinning out of Nixon's control. In a three-page "memorandum for the record," Rostow summarized what was in "The 'X' Envelope" and provided a chronology for the events in fall 1968.
Rostow reflected, too, on what effect LBJ's public silence may have had on the unfolding Watergate scandal. Rostow had a unique perspective in understanding the subterranean background to Nixon's political espionage operations.
"I am inclined to believe the Republican operation in 1968 relates in two ways to the Watergate affair of 1972," Rostow wrote. He noted, first, that Nixon's operatives may have judged that their "enterprise with the South Vietnamese" – in frustrating Johnson's last-ditch peace initiative – had secured Nixon his narrow margin of victory over Hubert Humphrey in 1968.
"Second, they got away with it," Rostow wrote. "Despite considerable press commentary after the election, the matter was never investigated fully. Thus, as the same men faced the election in 1972, there was nothing in their previous experience with an operation of doubtful propriety (or, even, legality) to warn them off, and there were memories of how close an election could get and the possible utility of pressing to the limit – and beyond."
Rostow apparently struggled with this question for the next month as the Watergate scandal continued to expand. On June 25, 1973, fired White House counsel John Dean delivered his blockbuster Senate testimony, claiming that Nixon got involved in the cover-up within days of the June 1972 burglary at the Democratic National Committee. Dean also asserted that Watergate was just part of a years-long program of political espionage directed by Nixon's White House.
The very next day, as headlines of Dean's testimony filled the nation's newspapers, Rostow reached his conclusion about what to do with "The 'X' Envelope." In longhand, he wrote a "Top Secret" note which read, "To be opened by the Director, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, not earlier than fifty (50) years from this date June 26, 1973."
Ultimately, however, the LBJ Library didn't wait that long. After a little more than two decades, on July 22, 1994, the envelope was opened and the archivists began the process of declassifying the contents.
Since the audiotapes from many of Johnson's phone conversations have also been declassified, it is now possible to overlay the information that Johnson had from the FBI wiretaps upon his conversations with Nixon and other principals and thus get a fuller sense of the high-stakes drama.
Lost History
Yet, Rostow's delay in releasing "The 'X' Envelope" had other political consequences. Since the full scope of Nixon's political intelligence operations were not understood in 1973-74, Washington's conventional wisdom adopted the mistaken lesson that "the cover-up is worse than the crime." What wasn't understood was how deep Nixon's villainy may have gone.
You can get the compelling America's Stolen Narrative with a minimum contribution to Truthout. Just click here.
Copyright of Robert Parry. May not be reprinted without permission of the author.


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KLRU-TV and Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell invite you to a community forum on Austin's future. Join us in KLRU's Studio 6A as an audience member for Civic Summit: Planning the Future on Monday, Feb. 28, at 6:30 pm (doors open at 5:30).RSVP here.
Former mayors from across Texas reflect on their years in office as guidance for Austin's transition into a major city. Topics will include governance, major infrastructure and what the city of Austin can learn from their experience. Guests include Bill White, former Mayor of Houston, Henry Cisneros, former Mayor of San Antonio, Laura Miller, former Mayor of Dallas and Kirk Watson, former Mayor of Austin.
Civic Summit is KLRU's program for discourse on public affairs issues.
Originally published Feb 15, 2011 @ 17:55


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Medtronic Inc. said its profit gained in the fiscal first quarter, buoyed by strong international growth and geographic expansion as well as robust demand for cardiac and vascular devices.
(Daily News File/Lance Murphey)
Net income in the three months ended July 26 gained 10 percent to $953 million, or 93 cents per share, from $864 million, or 83 cents per share, during the same period a year earlier. Profit excluding one-time items was 88 cents per share.
Revenue also rose 2 percent to $4.08 billion, from $4.01 billion, during the same period last year.
Net income was in line with Wall Street analysts' expectations, while revenue fell slightly short on weaker-than-expected sales of defibrillators and some spinal products, according to FactSet. "Our Q1 results reflect that we are broadly outperforming our sector," said Omar Ishrak, Medtronic chairman and chief executive officer. "At the same time, we continue to strengthen and geographically diversify our business and remain confident in both our outlook for the remainder of the year and our long-term competitive position in the changing health care environment."
Medtronic Spine, which is based in Memphis, reported first-quarter global Spine revenue declined 2.7 percent to $765 million, compared with $786 million a year earlier. Core Spine revenue was $641 million, compared with $645 million a year earlier. BMP, commercially marketed as rhBMP-2 INFUSE Bone Graft, revenue slumped 12.1 percent to $124 million, compared to $141 million.
Infuse Bone Graft sales have been hurt by revelations about the company's handling of studies and marketing of the product. Last year, a U.S. Senate investigation concluded Medtronic helped write and edit journal articles about the graft that downplayed its risks.
Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, Medtronic Spine said total revenue declined about 1 percent, while core spine revenue grew 1 percent.
"We saw continued stability in our business, with growth across our largest segments," said Doug King, senior vice president at Medtronic and president of Medtronic Spine. "Our core spine and other biologics portfolio performed well in the quarter, as our new technologies, enabling technologies and procedural innovations continued to gain broad surgeon acceptance."
Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, sales of cardiac and vascular devices gained 2 percent to $2.16 billion, compared to $2.12 billion, on improved demand for pacemakers, heart valves and devices to treat atrial fibrillation. Sales of defibrillators slumped on regulatory scrutiny, weaker European demand and general economic uncertainty.
Medtronic, including the Spine division in Memphis, has been cutting costs, including employee layoffs, on increased pressure as U.S. hospitals push for lower prices and European austerity plans trim procedures and profits.
That has led CEOs like Ishrak to look to emerging markets such as China for growth. Last year, the global medical device maker increased its Chinese presence with the purchase of China Kanghui Holdings, a maker of spine and joint products.
Medtronic shares closed Tuesday at $52.83, down about 2.3 percent from its closing price of $54.10 Monday. The company's shares have been trading around five-year highs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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"eat greedily," c.1300, from Old French gorger, from gorge (see gorge (n.)). Related: Gorged; gorging.
mid-14c., "throat," from Old French gorge "throat, bosom," from Late Latin gurges "gullet, throat, jaws," of uncertain origin, probably related to Latin gurgulio "gullet, windpipe," from PIE *gwere- "to swallow." Transferred sense of "deep, narrow valley" was in Old French.


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By Michael Aneiro
Treasuries just strengthened after the Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing index dropped to 51.6 in February from 54.0 in January, falling short of economists' expectations. The survey measures service-sector companies in the U.S., and a number over 50 indicates expansion. Naturally the weather took some of the blame: "The majority of respondents' comments indicate a slowing in the rate of growth month over month of business activity. Some of the respondents attribute this to weather conditions," the ISM said. "Overall respondents' comments reflect cautiousness regarding business conditions and the economy."
The survey's employment index plunged to 47.5 from 56.4 in January. Earlier today, ADP's latest report showed private-sector jobs increased by 139,000 in February, also falling short of economist expectations. The report comes two days before the Labor Department's February nonfarm employment report.
Treasuries had slipped earlier this morning but rebounded following the ISM report, with the 10-year note now unchanged in price on the day to yield 2.69%, per Tradeweb data, and the 30-year bond up 4/32 to yield 3.63%


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Will Kickstarter Launch a Gaming Renaissance? 170
jfruh writes "Most gamers probably know that legendary game designer Tim Schafer turned to Kickstarter to help raise money a new adventure game; aiming for $400,000, he managed to raise more than $3 million. But you might not know that a host of other game projects are doing well on the crowdfunding site, with creators ranging from industry famous to unknown. By bypassing corporate funding and appealing directly to their audience, these developers are sparking a renaissance in quirky, personal games that probably wouldn't be backed by a big label looking for a sure-fire hit."


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Original URL: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/07/07/huffington_post_uk_launches/
HuffPo goes UK: But shills and pols writing for free isn't new
'I once got 800 words in the Sport as a 50ish Spanish lady'
Posted in Policy, 7th July 2011 11:38 GMT
So HuffPo UK has launched and, my word, it is the future of journalism, isn't it? New, fresh faces telling us about the world in new and interesting ways...
Online, centre left, news and views galore: sounds like the Guardian's Comment is Free really, doesn't it? Which is something the Guardian themselves might agree with, you would think. However, the Grauniad's Jemima Kiss wrote in today's edition that:
Persuading celebrities and public figures to blog for free has been a success, but that ego-powered cheap editorial can only last as long as HuffPo's credibility.
That might well be true, however, there's something about the UK's glorious newspaper industry that should be pointed out here. Large chunks of it are already written for free, by people interested in the exposure not the cash. I can tell you this for I have been one of the ghostwriting operatives for a political party myself. The high point of that career was getting 800 words as a 50ish female Spanish accountant into the Daily Sport. Rather over their word budget for the day's entire paper, which is why it was such a triumph.
Ed Milliband's opinion piece on NoTW scandal led the first UK edition. In a
shockingly unexpected turn of events, he seems to be of the opinion that his
opponent is, in fact, not doing a good job on the matter (click to enlarge).
No one would pay these clowns, anyway
Looking at the front page of HuffPo UK today, there's a number who wouldn't be paid not just by CiF or other online outlets, but wouldn't be paid by a print newspaper either, even if they did agree to publish it.
From the top: Ed Miliband, no, Leader of the Oppo. Wouldn't be paid by anyone. You've a platform for your politics and that's yer lot mate. Tim Knox from the CPS? Maybe paid, in print, but not online. Advertising for your think tank. Kate Allen, Amnesty? Nah, writing PR pieces is part of your job, we're not paying you as well. Chairman of the Police Federation? Al Campbell writing about his diaries (again?). Will Straw of the IPPR? Mo El Erian of Pimco the bond fund? No, that sort of business outreach doesn't get paid for, that's part of the job. Two more policy wonks, New Century Foundation and Taxpayers' Alliance, no we're giving you a platform, not money.
Roy Greenslade writes for a living and yes, he would be paid elsewhere in print. Zac Goldsmith, well, backbench MPs are a bit of a grey area. Ministers, it's illegal to pay them, frontbench spokesmen and senior politicians of all stripes, if they're writing party politics, they don't get paid. A simple MP, writing off party politics, probably does get some dosh. It's a grey area. Jeremy Hunt, well, he's already paid his ghost to write the piece and as above, it would be illegal to pay the minister for writing a piece anyway. The illegality is because as a minister you're not supposed to have outside interests that might influence you. Boris most certainly would not have his Telegraph column if he were in the Cabinet rather than just Mayor of London.
And so on through the list. Of the 19 there, I can only see two or three who might actually be paid by another media outlet for similar pieces. There's also the two or three who might get paid if another outlet agreed to publish them but it's unlikely that another outlet would agree to publish them (no, not being sarky, just realistic).
So, to an extent, this HuffPo people-will-write-for-free thing isn't in fact new. It's just open about it. All newspapers do it, most certainly all online outlets do it. It's not just the obvious shills that don't get paid either: CiF itself has been known to say that they'll take something only if they don't have to pay for it and that was when I wasn't pretending to be a Spanish accountant, Party Chairman or MEP on the make. ®


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Standish businessman taking prison fight to D.C.
STANDISH — Dave Munson, the owner of the Summer Trial Inn in Standish and Vice-President of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA), heads to Washington D.C. for a lobbying day every year, but this year he has other business – promoting the Standish Maximum Correctional Facility (SMF) as a detention center for Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Munson, who will be in the nation's capital June 16-18, has MLBA meetings set up with Congressmen Bart Stupak, Gary Peters, Mike Rogers, Dave Camp and John Conyers and Candice Miller, as well as Sen. Carl Levin, says he will make sure to get the word out on the importance of SMF to the elected officials.
"I'm going to meet with them as a tag-on of the MLBA," he said, adding he will be bringing copies of the June 10 issue of the Arenac County Independent and letters from County Commissioner Raymond Daniels and Standish City Manager Mike Moran to the officials. "We just want to let them know that it is politically correct to say 'Gitmo detainees at Standish Max.'
"I'll drop off a newspaper and a packet of information with all of them."
According to Munson, the MLBA draws the attention of elected officials when it stops in Washington annually.
"It's pretty impressive when we walk in," he said, adding the group includes 15-20 lobbyists.
But when it comes to the Standish Max/Guantanamo Bay issue, he will be going at it alone.
"There's nobody else from this area that's an officer," Munson said.
Check online for a follow-up on Munson's trip to Washington D.C. later this week.
Keywordsarenac county standish maximum correctional facility prison dave munson michigan licensed beverage association washington dc
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I am sure the leaders of Arenac County has already given this idea a go as well.
Purchase the SMF facility... Use it as the county jail... rent available bed space to the surrounding counties who are over crowded. Hire the unemployed SMF employees.
I very much doubt, first off, that the city or county have near enough money to buy a multi-million dollar prison. Secondly, if they did buy it, it would be a huge waste of energy costs, space, etc. You could fit all of the Arenac prisoners in half of one wing. I'm sure there aren't too many other counties in Michigan that would want to spend money to ship prisoners here. Not happening.
It's either a Federal prison or else a private developer will buy and probably do nothing with it.


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Beach communities and environmentalists are pushing back against a proposal to give the National Park Service the option of using sand to fight erosion on North Carolina's pristine Shackleford Banks.
Park Service officials say they need the option of taking sand from Beaufort Inlet, which is expanding, and move it to the eroding barrier island over the next 20 years.
But beach communities like Atlantic Beach say they need all the sand for their own shores. And some environmentalists say Shackleford Banks should be left alone.
The Army Corps of Engineers plans to approve a final plan in spring of 2015.


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Question: very rough idiling at stop light or when idiling
My kia idiles rough at stop lights. It's ok when driving. I changed the ignition coils and wires but the problem still exists. I took it too a PT in homestead,fl. He said that it's just the way they made those cars. Which I find hard too believe.. need help
Car Brakes: How Do You Know When to Change Them?
By Zach Bowman For those who suffer a daily commute through heavy traffic, your vehicle's braking system can bring thousands of pounds of metal, plastic and empty Starbucks cups to a stop hundreds of times before you get to work. It goes without saying that these pieces wear out, but they do so slowly, meaning you may not notice they need attention until ...


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Tim Ferriss, entrepreneur, Evernote Advisor, and author of The 4-Hour Workweek and The 4-Hour Body, just released a new book, The 4-Hour Chef, which he researched and wrote almost entirely with the help of Evernote.
Read and watch how he did it. Then purchase your own copy of The 4-Hour Chef here!
Using Evernote to simplify
Tim used Evernote as the repository for everything related to The 4-Hour Chef, including thousands of photographs, illustrations, hundreds of interviews, and research ranging from recipe notes to Web Clips. While his latest book covers a phenomenal amount of information related to food and cooking, it's also very much about how anyone can learn to master anything in a short period of time with the right approach and methodology. In order to sift through enormous amounts of research and intelligently organize it, Tim used Evernote for gathering and organizing.
Whether he was at a bookstore snapping a picture of something to research later, creating a shopping list for a recipe he was testing, or chronicling a restaurant meal he ate, Tim was able to quickly capture everything in Evernote, and search for it later. Recalling his earlier book-writing experiences, Tim shared that the drafts of his first book produced mile-high piles of paper that covered his large dining table. With Evernote, writing the book was virtually a paperless process. In fact, the only paper he accumulated came in the form of final press checks that were printed for fan giveaways.
A serendipitous discovery
Years ago, Tim Ferriss asked his fans and followers on Twitter and Facebook to share their favorite tools for task management. He was looking for tools that would allow him to save articles, research, create to-do lists, and more. Overwhelmingly, people kept suggesting Evernote, so he thought he'd give it a try.
While he initially began using Evernote primarily for his work, he quickly found that it also became a personal diary for tracking his interests over time. As Tim told us, "There are very few services that I real feel I could not live without. Evernote is one of them … I use it 10 to 20 times a day. Evernote literally saves me hundreds of hours."


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Trent Hardy, 23
Trent Lynn Hardy, 23, of North Platte, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010, in North Platte. He was born Jan. 8, 1987, at North Platte to Larry F. and Cathy (Nozicka) Hardy. He grew up in the Thedford area, graduating from Thedford High School in 2006. He graduated from Mid-Plains Community College in 2008, in auto technology. He was currently employed at Seever's Auto Care. Trent is survived by his mother, Cathy of Thedford; sisters, Tiffany Hardy of North Platte, and Tisha Hardy of Thedford; grandparents, Larry and Nina Hardy of Seneca, and many other relatives and friends. Trent was preceded in death by his grandparents, Donald and Dorene Nozicka, and father, Larry. Memorials may be made in Trent's name in care of the family at 83808 Highway 83, Thedford, NE 69166. Funeral services were Dec. 27, 2010, in the Thedford High School Auditorium with Pastor Ben Eickhoff officiating. Interment wasa in the Seneca Cemetery in Seneca. Mullen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.


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I've spent a lot of time this season defending Barbie and her friends. Odd since I would never be caught dead playing with a Barbie as a kid. But with my professional toy reviewer hat on…I dug really deep…so here are the results of our testing this season.
Our Favorites:
1. Princess & The Frog Princess Tiana– As the first African-American Disney Princess she is notable just by her existence, but we really like the Just One Kiss Doll…and the silliness of her gown lighting up. Watch our video.
2. Liv Dolls– Spinmaster's new line of fashion dolls. At first I was a little freaked out by their heads (you can take off their wigs and replace with new ones!). Underneath they have painted heads-very short. Think Annie Lenox–and then a little post chemo therapy. Yes, it's a little odd–but let me tell you the girls that played with these dolls loved the hairplay action of popping new hair on. That's right– the dolls' have a hole in the top of their heads so the wigs really stay on. They look like teenagers -something our early school year girls loved! They don't look like street walkers (a la Bratz). Read our full review.
3. Moxie Girlz Best Friends– New from MGA, the makers of Bratz. Hats off to the toned down new collect of Moxie Girlz. They look somewhat related to the originals–think of the sixth grader who wants to look like the 11th grader but can't pull it off exactly.
They are sweeter looking–but they still wear a little fishnet (worked into their shirts instead of on their legs). Our testers enjoyed this collection as well. They come with ridiculously fun and silly big wigs that you strap on to the dolls head. Our testers preferred the snap in feature of the Liv dolls on this point. Read our full review.
4. Barbies of Note. We're always big on Barbies that take an active role beyond going to the mall. This year we have given awards to
Barbie and The Three Musketeers Doll
Personally, I love the Three Musketters because of her wickedly great purple boots…but our testers really loved playing vet and TV Chef!


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Big Brother's Pizza Delivery 82
Dusty Rhodes writes: "Lexis/Nexis, providers of massive database information services mostly to media, legal and law enforcement organizations, is hyping their new database service, BatchTrace, to track fugitives and deadbeats. In addition to cataloging common info such as census records, driver's license records, etc., this database includes pizza delivery records, tech support call records and grocery store discount card records. Who knew you'd need an alias to order a pizza? Pretty funny/sad stuff in the Land of the Free. What's next, a national pizza delivery ID, complete with thumbprint and DNA sample? Thanks to Britt Sandusky for pointing us to this story."