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A closer look at graduation and dropout rates in Contra Costa County school districts
By Theresa Harrington
Friday, June 29th, 2012 at 6:26 pm in Contra Costa County, Education.
Earlier this week, the California Department of Education released improved data for high school graduation and dropout rates, which followed specific groups of students by grade level to track if they graduated in four years.
This was the second year in a row the state used this more sophisticated way of collecting data, making this the first year it could be compared from 2010 to 2011 to get a clearer picture of whether or not districts are improving.
Here's how districts in Contra Costa County stacked up against each other, with 2010 graduation rates followed by 2011 rates and the change, then 2010 dropout rates followed by 2011 rates, along with the change. The graduation and dropout rates do not add up to 100 percent because some students had not graduated or dropped out by the end of four years.
District 2010, 2011 (change) 2010, 2011 (change)
Acalanes 95.4, 96.3 (+0.9) 3.3, 1.8 (-1.5)
Antioch 74.0, 73.1 (-0.9) 16.8, 17.2 (+0.4)
John Swett 75.3, 88.2 (+12.9) 16.7, 8.8 (-7.9)
Liberty 83.9, 85.1 (+1.2) 5.5, 5.5 (no change)
Martinez 84.9, 88.6 (+3.7) 8.1, 5.5 (-2.6)
Mt. Diablo 74.8, 81.8 (+7.0) 18.8, 11.4 (-7.4)
Pittsburg 64.3, 66.3 (+2.0) 30.9, 25.5 (-5.4)
San Ramon 96.4, 96.8 (+0.4) 2.2, 1.6 (-0.6)
West Contra Costa 72.6, 74.0 (+1.4) 22.0, 20.5 (-1.5)
To see complete results, including school data, visit t http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest and select "graduates" on level 2.
Acalanes and San Ramon Valley had the best results, with more than 96 percent of students graduating and less than 2 percent dropping out. The John Swett, Liberty, Martinez and Mt. Diablo districts posted respectable results, with more than 80 percent of students graduating and less than 10 percent dropping out in all but Mt. Diablo.
These results included impressive one-year improvement in the John Swett and Mt. Diablo districts, with John Swett's graduation rate soaring nearly 13 percentage points and its dropout rate falling about 8 percentage points. Mt. Diablo's graduation rate jumped about 7 percentage points, while its dropout rate fell by about 7.4 percentage points.
But Rose Lock, assistant superintendent of Student Achievement and School Support in Mt. Diablo, said the district wasn't completely sure the data was accurate. She said districts have the opportunity to correct their data in July, if there are discrepancies.
The Mt. Diablo school board reduced graduation requirements in 2011, dropping required math courses from three years to two years and the total number of credits from 230 to 200. But Lock said she did not think there was a correlation between the lowered requirements and the higher graduation rate.
Here is a comparison of graduation requirements in Contra Costa County districts: http://esb.mdusd.k12.ca.us/attachments/54123307-1df4-46e9-83bd-967138c02bd5.pdf
Contra Costa County districts with the lowest graduation rates and highest dropout rates were Antioch, Pittsburg and West Contra Costa, with all three faring worse that the state average of 76.3 percent graduating and 14.4 percent dropping out.
Here's more information about the statewide results, from a California Department of Education press release:
"Graduation rates among California's public school students are climbing and dropout rates are falling, with the biggest gains being made among English learners and the state's largest minority groups, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced (Wednesday).
More than three quarters, or 76.3 percent, of students who started high school in 2007 graduated with their class in 2011. That is up 1.5 percentage points from the 2010 graduation rate. Larger gains were seen among Hispanic and African American students at 2.2 and 2.3 percentage points respectively, with the biggest increase being among English learners at 3.8 percentage points. The graduation rate for socioeconomically disadvantaged students climbed nearly 2 percentage points, from 68.1 to 70 percent.
'Every graduate represents a success story in one of the most effective job and anti-poverty programs ever conceived, our public schools,' Torlakson said. 'These numbers are a testament to the hard work of teachers and administrators, of parents and, most of all, of the students themselves. While they are a great illustration of all that is going right in California schools, they should also remind us that schools need our support to continue to improve so that every student graduates prepared for college, a career, and to contribute to our state's future.'
Beyond the 76.3 percent graduation rate and the 14.4 percent dropout rate, the remaining 9.3 percent are students who are neither graduates nor dropouts. Some are still enrolled in school (8.6 percent). Others are non-diploma special education students (0.4 percent), and some elected to pass a high school equivalency exam.
Graduation and dropout rates for counties, districts, and schools across California were calculated based on four-year cohort—referring to this particular group of students—information using the state's California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). This is the second time this four-year cohort information was collected, making this the first time that it can be compared year to year. With two years of data, the cohort rates will now be used to determine whether schools have met their targets for increasing the graduation rate for the Adequate Yearly Progress reporting under the federal school accountability system. The 2009-10 rates were also adjusted as a part of this data release (marked "A" in the tables below) to include only those students who were first-time ninth graders in the 2006-07 school year.
The new cohort dropout rate is calculated for high school students, grades nine through twelve. However, there are also significant numbers of students who drop out of school during the middle school years.
'Our research shows that chronic absence from school, even as early as kindergarten, is a strong indicator of whether a child will drop out of school later,' Torlakson said. 'The dropout rate shows there's still much work to be done, particularly to address the needs of disadvantaged and minority students. We must build on our work with parents and communities in the earliest years to pave the way for kids to succeed in school.
CALPADS has made great strides since an independent oversight consultant was critical of the initial release of the system in 2009. In its latest report, the same independent oversight consultant concluded, 'The CALPADS project is presently in the healthiest state of its history.'
To view and download state, county, district, and school graduation and dropout rates, please visit the CDE DataQuest Web site at DataQuest. Reporters are encouraged to use caution when comparing education rates among individual schools and districts; some, such as county office schools, alternative schools or dropout recovery high schools, serve only those students who are already at the greatest risk of dropping out, compared with the broader population at traditional high schools."
Education Trust-West, an advocacy group, released a statement that was more harsh in its assessment of the data released, but found a few bright spots throughout the state:
"For the second year in a row, the California Department of Education (CDE) has released accurate and transparent graduation and dropout rate data thanks to the state's use of CALPADS, the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System. The data once again reveal that California's schools are graduating Latino, African-American, and low-income students at alarmingly low rates.
The data show that three out of four (76%) of our state's students are graduating from high school in four years.
Sadly, the news is far worse for the state's African-American, Latino, and low-income students, who graduate from high school at abysmally low rates—63% and 70%, respectively.
Education outcomes for students of color, students with disabilities, low-income students, and English learners, whose needs and potential are often overlooked, are particularly disturbing when compared with the graduation rates of their more advantaged peers. For example, California's white students graduate at a rate of 86% and Asian students at a rate of 90%.
'Even though these rates are improving, at the rate California is going, it will take us 13 years to close the graduation gap between Latino and African-American students and their white peers,' said Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director of The Education Trust—West, a statewide education civil rights organization. 'Every high school dropout is an individual tragedy. Tens of thousands of dropouts represent a large scale-tragedy for the California economy and our state's future prosperity. It's time we stopped talking about this problem and invested in the strategies that top districts and schools are using to fix it.'
In spite of these overall statewide trends, the data reveal districts with better results for Latino and African-American students.
In 2010-11, Castro Valley Unified (Alameda County) graduated 94% of their Latino students, while in Sanger Unified (Fresno County) and West Covina Unified (Los Angeles County), 95% of their Latino students graduated in four years.
In ABC Unified (Los Angeles County), 90% of their African-American students graduated in four years. Corona-Norco Unified (Riverside County) posted similarly high graduation rates for their African-American students (88%), and Clovis Unified (Fresno County) graduated 93% of their African-American students.
The data also reveal high schools throughout California with similar strong results for African-American and Latino students, a few of which were recently highlighted in The Education Trust—West report, Repairing the Pipeline: A Look at the Gaps in California's High School to College Transition. There are a number of high schools serving high proportions of Latino students (more than 65%) with high graduation rates in 2010-11.
At Calipatria High School in Calipatria Unified School District 91% of Latino students graduated in four years.
Imperial High in Imperial Unified School District graduated 98% of their Latino graduates.
At Southwest High in Central Union High School District, 89% of Latino students graduated in four years.
Our analysis also found high schools serving high proportions of African-American students (more than 15%) with high graduation rates in 2010-11.
Rancho Cucamonga High School and Etiwanda High School, both in Chaffey Joint Union High School District had high African-American graduation rates of 88% and 91% respectively.
Kearny Digital Media and Design School, a Linked Learning model in San Diego Unified, graduated 89% of their low-income students, and 83% of their African-American students.
Arthur Benjamin Health Professions High School, a Linked Learning model in Sacramento City Unified, with an African-American student population of nearly 30%, graduated 92% of their African-American students.
'These districts and schools reveal that our statewide results are not inevitable. We know that approaches such as Linked Learning that tie college rigor to career relevancy; investments in credit recovery; and strong counseling supports are critical to fixing this crisis. Yet, these are the very supports that many districts have cut over the past several years. Our high school accountability system must include graduation rates, dropout rates, and college and career readiness metrics for low-income students and students of color core. This would incentivize schools and districts to ensure that all of their students graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college and career.'
About The Education Trust—West
The Education Trust—West works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, pre-k through college. We expose opportunity and achievement gaps that separate students of color and low-income students from other youth, and we identify and advocate for the strategies that will forever close those gaps."
Are you satisfied with your district's results?
JULY 12 UPDATE: We have just added a searchable database to our website, where you can look up 2011 graduation and dropout rates by county, district and schools: http://www.contracostatimes.com/twitter/ci_21060223?appSession=5493428234174
[You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.]


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ST. CHARLES – Fine Line Creative Arts Center may be easier to find after its new entrance opens in mid-May.
The nonprofit center plans to break ground for the new entrance at 10:30 a.m. April 1. The public is invited to attend the ceremony. Even though the center has a Crane Road address, its entrance is currently off Twin Silos Drive.
"We always have been difficult to find," center Executive Director Lynn Caldwell said.
The center's entrance will be across from the soccer fields at Primrose Farm, she said.
"We will have signage and an address people can find," Caldwell said.
The entrance also will expand the center's special-use permit, which will allow it to stay open later.
"Right now we have a 9 p.m. curfew," Caldwell said.
The entrance is set to be done by mid-May, and the project is expected to cost $300,000. Funding has come from contributions from the center's members and the public along with a $20,000 grant from Aurora-based Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley.
"We have all but about $35,000 secured," Caldwell said. "People can still donate to the project."
To donate or for information about the center, visit www.fineline.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sir David Attenborough's new BBC wildlife series will tell viewers when animals are filmed in specially controlled conditions after an episode of Frozen Planet was criticised as fake.
The BBC was criticised for failing to inform viewers that scenes of a polar bear with her newborn cubs in last year's natural history series were actually filmed in a zoo.
'Africa' will be legit, say the BBC, except when it isn't
Producers say that the new BBC Two series 'Africa' will make it clear in Sir David's commentary when controlled filming is used.
"Because of the reactions to the polar bears being filmed for 'Frozen Planet' it was appropriate to be more explicit... we feel it is important to maintain trust and credibility with the audience," series producer James Honeyborne said.
MORE: Sir David Attenborough Tells HuffPostUK: 'There's Only One Place Left To Discover'
"What's important to us is to be able to share great moments of animal nature, and some controlled filming allows us to do that.
"We're proud of those sequences because they reveal new aspects of behaviour that you can only see filmed in this way," he said of the shots featuring a mole rat and a rock python.
"We know that the audience wants to know, and we don't have a problem with it. We're not embarrassed about it, we're absolutely proud of it."
'Africa' explores some of the lesser-known stories of the continent's wildlife and features the shoebill bird, which hatches two eggs and then deprives its younger chick of food and drink to allow it to die.
Honeyborne told the Radio Times: "Very little is known about the shoebill and it has hardly ever been seen.
"It took us four weeks to find a nest, and once we located one the crew had to drag canoes full of equipment for two days through the swamp and then camp for a month on a half-drowned ants' nest while filming."
Some stunning images from the new series...


text: This news item expired on 5/15/2013, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect. Olympic Medalist Lauren Tamayo to Join Buncombe County Students Lauren Tamayo, Asheville's hometown Olympian, will be joining students at Hominy Valley Elementary School on Wednesday, May 15 as they bike to school during Buncombe County's Strive Not to Drive Week, May 12-18, 2013. Ms. Tamayo, who earned a silver medal in track cycling at the 2012 London Olympics, will greet students as they arrive in two "bicycle trains" at Hominy Valley Elementary School on the morning of Wednesday, May 15. Ms. Tamayo's attendance at the Hominy Valley event will add to the enthusiasm students, parents, and administration already feel about walking and biking to school. Principal Dr. Angie Jackson notes that "This event aligns with Hominy Valley's Healthy Active Child Initiative. The staff worked hard this year to provide activities that promote healthy, active lifestyles for our students." Hominy Valley bike-to-school event organizer and parent Garrett Artz adds, "This is really about the kids having fun and getting away from the television and computer screens. My kids absolutely love 'driving' themselves to school." Hominy Valley is one of six schools across Asheville and Buncombe County that are hosting walk- and bike-to-school events as part of Strive Not to Drive Week. The events provide an opportunity for students and parents to get out of their cars and hit the pavement in an effort to support healthier kids and communities. Read more about the Walk- Bike-to-School events below. Table: News Item Documents File NameSizeTypeDate & Time Added Strive Not to Drive Event 266 KB 05/09/2013 9:00 AM


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One of the arguments against raising the minimum wage is that businesses must choose whether to lay employees off or pass the additional cost on to consumers. Neither alternative is palatable.
One of the arguments against raising the minimum wage is that businesses must choose whether to lay employees off or pass the additional cost on to consumers. Neither alternative is palatable.
However, that argument neglects some inconvenient facts. The price of goods and services — the cost of living — goes up regardless of the minimum wage. How much were you paying for a hamburger in 2006? Chances are, the price has climbed more than the minimum wage, which hasn't changed in Arkansas since then.
Another argument is that the minimum wage affects mostly people in entry-level, low-skilled jobs. That may be true in many cases, but it also affects single parents, workers who have been laid off from other jobs and older people who found a need to re-enter the job market.
These may have been entry-level jobs at one time, but the Recession wiped out many of the next-tier jobs, as acknowledged by a high-level Walmart executive in a March interview with The Associated Press. The resulting bottleneck is widening the gap between the richest Americans and everyone else.
"Some people took those jobs because they were the only ones available and haven't been able to figure out how to move out of that," Bill Simon, CEO of Walmart U.S., said.
Many businesses keep costs low by holding workers to the minimum wage and offering few, if any, benefits. If the government didn't raise the rate occasionally, it probably wouldn't be much above the 75 cents an hour established as the federal minimum in 1955.
On the other hand, Congress, which must approve each federal minimum wage increase, in 1989 established an automatic cost-of-living adjustment for itself. Every year, absent action to stop it, lawmakers get a raise. Although they have declined the last five, they have accepted the raise 13 times since 1989 — three times since 2006. Next year's raise could be $2,800.
If the cost of living goes up in a free-market economy, all wages should go up. But in slow economic times the employees at the bottom and middle of the wage scale suffer the most because of layoffs and wage freezes. While the most recent recession resulted in a high unemployment rate, chief executive compensation reached extraordinary heights in 2012, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization.
Further, a 2013 EPI study showed that the growth of CEO and executive compensation overall was a major factor in doubling the income shares of the top 1 percent from 1979 to 2007.
Certainly, some executives are worth what they are paid, but let's don't pretend that only minimum wage employees are driving cost increases. You could hire a lot of counter help for the $13.8 million McDonald's CEO received in 2013. And that's way down from the $27.7 million his predecessor was paid the previous year (including a hefty retirement package).
The minimum wage has become an important issue in this year's elections, not only because national Democratic leaders are pushing for an increase in the federal rate but also because an initiative to raise the state minimum may be on Arkansas ballots.
An organization calling itself Give Arkansas A Raise Now is proposing a ballot issue that would raise the state's minimum wage from $6.25 an hour to $8.50. The group must gather 62,507 voter signatures by July 7.
A Talk Business-Hendrix College poll of 1,000 likely voters indicates the measure would pass easily. About 79 percent of those responding, including two-thirds of Republicans, said they would favor it.
A people's initiative is necessary because the Legislature has twice bottled up bills proposing increases in recent years, one sponsored last year by state Rep. Butch Wilkins, D-Bono, which died in committee.
The Legislature raised the state's minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.25 in 2006 but only after a similar organization started working on a ballot initiative. That put Arkansas above the federal minimum of $5.15, but only until 2008. The federal minimum is now $7.25, and Democrats want to hike it to at least $10 a hour.
Generally, small businesses (with less than $500,000 in revenue annually) that don't engage in interstate commerce can use the lower state rate.
The national Democrats' proposed increase is too ambitious, but the Arkansas initiative is more reasonable. If approved, the rate would go up to $7.50 next Jan. 1, then $8 a year later and $8.50 in 2017.
Those who believe that raising the minimum wage is bad for business should study the case of San Jose, Calif., whose voters approved an increase to $10.15 an hour in a November 2012 ballot initiative.
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that hiring of fast-food workers in the region slowed in the early months after the vote but then accelerated last year. The San Jose Mercury News said that unemployment in the metro area dropped by almost two points from February to December (to 5.8 percent) and that the city registered 9,000 new businesses last year.
Arkansas isn't on the way to San Jose, but putting more money in the hands of people likely to spend it surely can boost the economy.
• • •
Roy Ockert is editor emeritus of The Jonesboro Sun. He may be reached by email at email@example.com.


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Submission + - Tesla Wins One Over Chinese Trademark Troll
cartechboy writes: The Tesla Model S went on sale in China this week, at a price of $121,000--which is the same $79,900 price as in the U.S. plus a whole bunch of other costs tacked on, mostly the customs duty China uses to protect its own auto industry and a stiff value-added tax. But that's not the big news. Lost in the announcement was the news that Tesla got its brand name back from a Chinese trademark troll who'd registered it in 2006, even before the very first electric Roadster was sold in the States. So now the company's stores can carry the name "Te Si La," which is the Chinese transliteration most familiar to consumers in that country. Score one more for Tesla Motors.


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Ultracon Of South Florida (July 2014)
April 18, 2014 by ultraconofsouthflorida
Filed under Anime, Collectibles, Comic Books, Convention Profiles, Florida, Sports
Comments Off on Ultracon Of South Florida (July 2014)
Event Details:
|Convention Name
|Ultracon Of South Florida
|Convention Website Address
|This convention will take place:
|Start Date (Format mm/dd/yyyy)
|End Date (Format mm/dd/yyyy)
|About This Convention
|ULTRA CON Of SOUTH FLORIDA
The Original Is Back. Fort Lauderdale's own, Cosplay, Anime Collectibles, Manga Toys, Comic Books, Sports Cards, Star Wars and Transformers. Convention
July 19th & 20th 2014
Visit Our ULTRACON of SOUTH FLORIDA Website for Guest and Vendor
Email: irving@ultraconofsouthflorida.
Featuring a Magic the Gathering Tournament-July 19th & 20th 2014.
Group Panels, Gaming Tournaments, Card Gaming Tournaments & much
ULTRACON will feature a Comic Book Corner For Local Comic Book Dealers & Artist Displaying & Selling Their Comic Books & Art Work….
10:00 AM Until 10:00 Pm Saturday.
Adults at the Door $25, Kids 5 Age & Older $10 & Under the Age of 5 Years of Age Free.
Cosplay Contest, Saturday Grand Prize Play Station 4
ULTRACON welcomes the following Celebrities and Artists:
1) Marvel Artist Mark Sparacio
Known for his painted artwork on such titles as Green Lantern, Heroes
2) Marvel & DC Artist Jose Delbo
Super artist at DC & Marvel Comics for – Wonder Woman, Transformers, Super Girl, Captain Planet, Conan, Secret Wars, The Defenders, X -Factor And Much More..
3) The Garcia Brothers
Meet Eric and Derek Garcia from the hit series Faceoff From SYFY Network.
4) Giggles, Boss & Thug
These creepy clowns will be back to take pictures and sign posters for all of our Horror Fans In South Florida. Their presence will be felt At ULTRACON.
5) Mike "The Wolverine" Rio
South Florida UFC Fighter, Mike The Wolverine Rio will be signing autographs and
6) Marcus Brimage
Homegrown Florida UFC Fighter, Marcus Brimage will make his presence
7) The Walking Dead Sketch Artist Steve Lydic
Steve Lydic will be at ULTRACON signing prints and "Talking Dead" with fans.
8) Silverback Comics
Home to such titles The Dark Rider & IV Four, ULTRACON Welcomes Silverback Comics.
9) Freya Folkvangr
ULTRACON welcomes professional Cosplay artist Freya Folkvangr. Well known for Power Girl, Mermaid, Viking Princess, Lady Punisher& Lady Barbarian, Take a picture or get a autograph print from South Florida Cosplay Goddess Freya Folkvangr.
10) Meanballz
Meanballz will be at ULTRACON Of South Florida with their Gaming
11) Author Kerry Cepero
Author Of Titles WARHEAD & MELTDOWN Kerry Cepero will be on hand signing books and taking pictures with fans. Be there on Saturday as Kerry releases two new books exclusively for ULTRACON!
12) The Pow Wow Radio Show & PSN Radio
13) Bronies Of South Florida
Bronies Of South Florida Will Have Group Panel & Trivia To Their Fans.
We Will Announce More Guest & Celebrities As We Get Closer to The Event.
Ultra Con Will Feature Collectors And Dealers From All Over the Country Selling Collectibles New & Vintage, Modern Toys, Custom Toy Work, Anime Collectibles, Hot Wheels, Old Vintage Sports Cards, Avengers Comic Books, Comic Art, Star Trek Comic Books and Collectibles. Vintage GI Joe's From The 1960's & 1970's, Hundreds Of 3 3/4 GI Joe Vehicles & Figures On Display, , United Kingdom Action Man From The 1960's& 1970's, Star Wars Old & New ,Monsters Old & New Godzilla,Transformers, Dragonball Z, Power Rangers, Marvel Legends, Marvel
July 19th & 20th 2014
At the Broward Convention Center
Advance Ticket Sales & Your Weekend Pass
Call 786-285-3738 for more info
|Venue Name and Address
|Broward Convention Center
1950 eisenhower Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316
United States
Map It
|Number of Dealer/Exhibitor Tables
|Projected Attendance
|Please select the Category that best describes the convention
|Additional Categories
|Marvel Artist Mark Sparacio, Marvel & DC Artist Jose Delbo,Garcia from the hit series Faceoff From SYFY Network, Giggles, Boss & Thug, UFC Fighter Mike "The Wolverine" Rio, UFC Fighter Marcus Brimage, The Walking Dead Sketch Artist Steve Lydic, Silverback Comics & his team of Artist, Professional Cosplay artist Freya Folkvangr, Meanballz Gaming ,Author Kerry Cepero, The Pow Wow Radio Show & PSN Radio They will have a live broadcast Saturday & Sunday, Bronies Of South Florida & much more guest as we get closer to the event.


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As temperatures dropped into the single-digits and dipped below zero Tuesday morning, area school bus engines refused to purr.
"We had a two-hour delay today because one-third of our buses would not crank, they would not go," said Polk County Schools Superintendent William "Bill" Miller. "If we had tried to be on regular schedule today, we would have had a lot of students standing around waiting at the bus stop for who knows how long."
Miller estimates that about 12 buses failed to start. Knowing how difficult it was to get the buses moving and on the road Tuesday morning with a two-hour delay, the school system anticipates similar problems tomorrow and has already announced another two-hour delay for Wednesday, Jan. 8.
"Those two hours gave us time to get the buses going on time and get the heat going in our schools," Miller said.
Heat and power ultimately led Henderson County Schools to cancel school Tuesday, said Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services Bill Parker.
Parker said that around 6:25 a.m., administrators learned that the power was out at Edneyville and Dana elementary schools. Shortly thereafter, a gas line valve froze at Glenn Marlow and prevented the heat from turning on, and the power went out at Bruce Drysdale.
"At that point in time, we decided it was pretty much a game-changer from a two-hour delay to go ahead and cancel schools," Parker said, noting that the school system also had difficulties getting its buses cranked this morning as well. He estimated that close to 20 percent of the system's 111 buses failed to crank.
Though the diesel-powered buses were using a special winter mix designed to help engines start in the cold, Parker said "We've used it in the past and it's worked, but we typically don't get zero and slightly below temperatures."
However, as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Henderson County and Transylvania County schools are scheduled to operate on normal schedule Wednesday.
Parker said a plan is in place to get mechanics out to buses early in the morning, but he also noted that school officials are still assessing the situation in regard to a delay or cancellation.
"We're going to let parents know as soon as possible without it being too late tonight or too early in the morning," he said. "Our goal right now is to run on regular schedule."
Byrd can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 828-694-7881.
Polk County Schools announce 2-hour delay for Wednesday
As temperatures dropped into the single-digits and dipped below zero Tuesday morning, area school bus engines refused to purr.


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Adam & Catherine Fisher's award winning restaurant is situated in the picturesque centre of York, 2 minutes away from York Minster & The Shambles. Over the last ten years they have created a special reputation for excellence, with outstanding food being complemented by a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Adam - "At the beginning of my career I was taught the essential element for creating quality in the kitchen - attention to detail - this gave me a springboard for my enthusiasm to explore new ideas for wonderful food. I learnt about culinary variety at The Green House in Mayfair and about the qualities of fish in a Mediterranean Restaurant in the South of France. As Chef/Director of Cafe Bleu in Newark I achieved entry into the Good Food Guide.
I am passionate about using good quality local produce. In January 2005 our York restaurant was featured in the ITV series Raw Chefs, about six family run restaurants in the north of England all dedicated to using produce from the region. In July 2006 we were nominated in the UKTV "Local Food Hero´s"campaign, featured on Sky Television, a series featuring small businesses who favour high quality local ingredients.
I love to discover new ways of incorporating ingredients in my dishes to suit different palates. The menu is changed regularly and updated on the website. Special diets such as Gluten Free, are a welcome challenge - if you inform us in advance of your dietary requirements we can ensure you have a selection of dishes to choose from - 01904 632734."
Catherine - "I am delighted to be back in my native Yorkshire to fulfil our dream of owning & running our own restaurant & to raise our young family. I want to provide all Lime House customers with a mix of those things that enhance an excellent meal: welcoming staff, soft candle light, flowers & intimate background music - an atmosphere for you to enjoy with friends, colleagues or family. Our aim is to ensure all customers enjoy a meal to remember."
Lunch Tuesday - Saturday
Open at 12pm
Last orders at 2pm
Restaurant vacated by 4pm
Dinner Tuesday - Thursday
Open at 6.30pm,
Last orders at 9pm
Dinner Friday - Saturday
Open at 6pm,
Last orders at 9:30pm
We are open Tuesday - Saturday
We are closed on Sundays & Mondays
Bookings are always recommended to avoid disappointment 01904 632 734


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Originally published on February 8, 2013 10:03 am
"He played Rick in Casablanca, and it's also one stroke over par in golf." Crossword puzzlers will delight in this game's clues, which appear to be about two very different things, but the answer to which is, in fact, the same. If you knew the answer to the clue above was "Bogey," this game will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


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Manhunt 2 Leaked By Sony Europe Employee 59
GamePolitics has the word that the leaked version of Manhunt 2 was put onto the internet by a Sony employee. "GamePolitics has now learned that the leak came directly from PlayStation Europe. Here's a statement from Manhunt 2 publisher Take-Two Interactive: 'Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that a former employee of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has acknowledged his responsibility for the unauthorized online distribution of an unrated play-test version of Manhunt 2 submitted for the European PAL PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.'"


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September 22, 2013 12:11:21 AM
Cornerstone Park, an industrial site located south of the Miss. Highway 12 and Miss. Highway 25 bypass, has been submitted for at least two economic development projects after inventory and logistical analysis revealed 4-County Electric Power Association can commit more electricity than developers once believed.
Previously, officials assumed the area could only support a residential load. But Joey Deason, Oktibbeha County's representative with the Golden Triangle Development Link, said 4-County committed to a 2-megawatt load for the approximately 225-acre area owned by the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority.
The commitment, in tandem with the site's water and sewer capacity, allows the Link to aggressively market Cornerstone. The Mississippi Department of Transportation has been the park's sole tenant. A majority of the site has sat empty for years. Plans are in the works to give a parcel of the industrial park to the state for a future Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop G home.
"Cornerstone is back on the market," Deason said Friday. "The door has opened up a little. There are projects out there that do not require up to 2 megawatts of power. One project we submitted for didn't require an exorbitant amount of power, but it was enough that it excluded a lot of other communities."
4-County's commitment is dependent upon area demand, said Lynn Timbrook, the company's manager of engineering. The site is located about 4 to 5 miles away from two different substations that supply power to residents in the Bluefield Road area. As load growth increases, overall supply would likely decrease unless a new substation and transmission lines are constructed near the industrial park.
Engineers are working on a plan to improve capacity, but the project is years away from becoming a reality, Timbrook said. TVA would build the transmission lines, while 4-County would construct the substation, he said, but the project's approval requires economic solutions.
"TVA needs an economic justification to build the transmission lines, as does 4-County to construct a new substation. That...may be satisfied in two ways," he said. "The first way would be for a new economic development proposal to serve a new customer. For a new economic development project load that is larger than the existing available capacity, the time and cost to construct the amount of transmission line required and to build a special delivery substation to serve that new customer historically takes too long for that potential customer to wait and might be uneconomical for that new customer. Construction of the infrastructure based on purely speculative reasons is not an option.
"Over time, 4-County's load growth is increasing and is expected to eventually reach a threshold where a new general delivery substation in the area near Cornerstone will be needed, and we will work with TVA to get the necessary transmission service to such a substation," Timbrook added. "This would be the second way to improve the available capacity at Cornerstone, albeit an indirect way, since the capacity to the whole area is the intended recipient of the increased capacity. If and when that substation become a reality, 4-County's available capacity to Cornerstone would naturally increase due to shorter and much less loaded circuits, and the timing for serving a new customer in Cornerstone would be within reasonable limits that a new customer can live with it."
Combined, Starkville and the county possess $10 million in economic bonding capacity, but Deason said he does not expect to use those monies to increase Cornerstone's electrical capacity. He did recommend to OCEDA members last week that existing trees at the site should be cleared in order for prospects to better visualize potential projects.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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1. CAFB pilots released from hospital after crash COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY
2. Three finalists announced for CMSD superintendent spot COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY
3. Five arrested in suspected fraud operation COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY
4. Ex-Columbus-Lowndes Airport manager arrested for embezzlement COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY
5. Starkville could settle Pride lawsuit this week STARKVILLE & OKTIBBEHA COUNTY


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Star light, star bright, shine with joy upon your family and friends this holiday season with this set of modern holiday photo cards. Available in a number of colors, customize any text to fit your own holiday greetings. Printed on premium 100% recycled paper.
See how Paper Culture compares to Tiny Prints, Minted, Shutterfly, & Snapfish
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My inspiration doesn't necessarily always come from looking at design specific imagery or items but also comes from going about my everyday life. I find inspiration in unexpected things such as a shop window, random objects left behind on the street, and household items. Furthermore, I believe that typography is an essential part of design. Choosing the right font is an integral part of speaking to your target audience. I want to show people that a card which contains only type can be just as arresting and exciting as illustrated cards. www.victoriafong.com


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With a winning combination of comic style and leading-man charisma, Cary Grant was the essence of a star. But the suave exterior concealed a complex individual. Family photos, archival footage and film clips vividly convey Grant's journey from lonely working-class beginnings to the peak of Hollywood royalty. The episode includes his first starring role in She Done Him Wrong and his discovery by Mae West. Other film clips includes His Girl Friday, Notorious, An Affair To Remember, North by Northwest, To Catch a Thief and others. Interviewees include actors Leslie Caron, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Deborah Kerr, Eva Marie Saint and Ralph Bellamy; directors Stanley Donen and Richard Brooks; and producer/director Stanley Kramer. Narrated by Richard Kiley.
Visit the Website: http://www.janson.com
Episode #501 / Length: 59 minutes


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DOVER — Layne Case, owner of AMITY Publications and children's author of the Charlie books, is proud to announce the release of "Charlie and The School Bully", the fourth book in the series. The event will be held Wednesday, April 17, at The Spaghetti Stain Restaurant, 421 Central Ave, Dover, from 6-8 p.m.
Musical entertainment will be provided by "VIBE", a barbershop quartet, from Sounds of the Seacoast. Complimentary dessert will be available for all who attend. Those who purchase copies of any of Layne's books will be entered in a drawing for door prizes. Bring your camera and take a picture of your child with "Charlie".
Layne's first book, "Charlie," was written 40 years ago while she was a student at UNH. Charlie is dog who is very different from other dogs. Published in 2007, Charlie's three foot tail causes many problems, but Charlie learns how to deal with his feelings and emotions after running away from home. In the second book of the sequel, "Charlie and His New Friend", published in 2009, Charlie finds a friend who is quite different from him but he knows that it is not what is on the outside but on the inside that counts. "Charlie and His Neighbor", published in 2011, introduces Meezer, a little kitten who has characteristics of ADD, ADHD and autism. Charlie befriends little Meezer, showing what it means to be a good friend. And, in "Charlie and The School Bully," released in December 2012, Charlie witnesses another dog being bullied but doesn't know what to do. When he later meets the bully, it becomes clear as to why the bully treats other dogs as he does. Charlie reaches out in friendship. With the epidemic of bullying in our society, Layne wants to empower those who witness bullying to respond in some way, understanding that how is an individual choice.
In additional to her authorship, Layne Case has designed a literacy program called "Read Up! Write On! Literacy Rules!" This program guides children through the process of writing and publishing a children's book and gives those involved a purposeful experience where they teach an important lesson or value. Her programs have been offered in many schools and libraries in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Layne is also the founder of "TTBCC: The Traveling Book Club for Children". Literacy statistics show many children read and write below the basic proficiency level. This program invites businesses to join the club and help distribute "Charlie" books into the community. Books will contain company information as they "travel" into the hands of children. Children who own or have access to books will read more. To have books to read with a positive message is even more beneficial.
For more information about all that Layne Case is doing to educate children and improve literacy, please visit www.amitypublications.com.


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 2nd Oct 2013 10:16 UTC
Manual window management is awful. Windows 8 ditched windows in favor of fullscreen apps. Traditional desktop window paradigms are powerful but obsolete.
Windows 9 unifies previous contrasting paradigms, taking design cues from all platforms and recent innovations.
Just an unofficial design concept, but damn, this is sexy. This is exactly what Windows needs - a combination of the old and new, leading to something seemingly far more usable than the monstrosity that is Metro in Windows 8.
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RE[3]: powerful
by sgtrock on Wed 2nd Oct 2013 16:26 UTC in reply to "RE[2]: powerful"
RE[4]: powerful
by jgagnon on Wed 2nd Oct 2013 16:51 in reply to "RE[3]: powerful"
RE[5]: powerful
by ssokolow on Thu 3rd Oct 2013 01:29 in reply to "RE[4]: powerful"
I am a fan of XFCE and use it on my Raspbian installs (Raspberry Pi mostly)... I just can't get into to LXDE.
Interesting. I use LXDE everywhere except my OpenPandora and never gave Xfce a chance because it's designed by people who have no intention of adding support for tabs to Thunar.


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Another foster shepherd, I picked her up today-she'd been at the local shelter TOO LONG. Tyler named her Cher (because we have Sunni!???)
So Sunni had to be dominant to her...note the raised tail, and the new (BIGGER) girl is being submissive...size matters not!
No I don't think they are related - Sunni's got an entirely different build and their heads are different. Cher has either Collie (Rough) or GSD in her...and even though she's twice as big as Sunni...she rolls over!


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But Revis is a bargain for next season at 6 mil. That alone is worth a 1st round pick. Then its up to them to.sign him long term. I think the Jets can get the 49ers first 2 picks and their 4th rounder for Revis.
He's not "betting" on himself and playing for only $6 mil and risking another serious injury.
The endgame for Team Revis is either QB money or a smaller deal with big upfront money which he can hold out from in 2 years to get the deal he really wants.
Why do you think there is so many rumors about Revis being traded? That isn't coming from the Jets. It's coming from team Revis. They're desperate for that new deal.
He won't participate in any of the volutary workouts, but then show up for the mandatory ones but not participate because of his knee.
Then, he'll show up to training camp and participate in the first light practice so he can't be put on the PUP list. He'll subsequently claim his knee is sore and then sit out the rest of training camp. He'll be on the stationary bike for all of August and won't play in the preseason games. This way he protects his body while also not risk losing any money.
Remember, Revis faked an injury in training camp one year to protest his contract.
Report: Jets have "good" offer on table for Revis
the other teams aren't stupid you know. they know revis has one more year with the jets and then they can get him for zero picks. as for the jets, they need more than a first rounder even if it is a top 10 pick. the jets need lots of draft picks, maybe a first and two high mid rounders to make sense.


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WEST DES MOINES - Iowa Farm Bureau voting delegates shared concerns about crop quality and insurance as they gathered in West Des Moines Aug. 30-31 to set state and national legislative policy for 2013.
The drought-stricken crops and low river levels also brought additional discussion of the importance of maintaining the condition of the Mississippi River and its important role in transporting grain.
"What a difference a year can make; last year's conference focused on the flood conditions in the western part of the state, while this year's delegates are keyed in to the drought and its effects on the Mississippi River's ability to move grain on the eastern side of the state," said Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) president. "Our unique grassroots policy development process truly represents the concerns of our members and where they live and farm."
Iowa's largest grassroots farm organization called for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize funds for cleaning the channels of the Mississippi River to navigate the current low water levels to allow large barges to continue moving through the waters. The river represents one of the nation's largest methods of grain transportation.
IFBF delegates gather each year to discuss and set state policies which impact not just farmers, but all Iowa taxpayers. In addition, national policies approved this week will be ratified and sent up for national debate in January at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting in Nashville.
Another lively discussion at the IFBF Summer Policy Conference concerned the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) closing of several Farm Service Agency offices. "We support consolidation of government service facilities to create efficiencies, but there has to be careful consideration, because if farmers have to drive 50 miles back and forth to conduct essential business, those closures quickly become inefficient, both to the government and the folks who rely on the services," said Hill.
Farm Bureau voting delegates moved to continue support of the Renewable Fuels Standard and increase the use and development of renewable fuels.
Iowa's Transportation Infrastructure Funding also found consensus among IFBF farmers, who agreed that additional revenue for the state's roads and bridges should be generated from an increase in the state fuel tax and that hybrid and electrical vehicles should contribute their fair share to the repair of the very roads they share with all Iowans. "Since the Transportation Infrastructure Fund is likely to come up in our 2013 legislative session, we believe Iowa lawmakers will take careful consideration of that issue and appropriate funding levels," said Hill.
The IFBF Summer Policy Conference is a step in Farm Bureau's grassroots policy development process and is subject to national debate during American Farm Bureau Federation policy discussions in January. All state Farm Bureaus meet in January to finalize the organization's national policies.


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Post Tagged with: "tablet"
Tablet E-Commerce: Portrait of a Tablet UserTechnology
Is your e-commerce website prepared for the future? Tablet users are becoming more prevalent in today's online purchases. More money is spent purchasing goods by tablet users than by those on computers and smartphones. By making your website mobile friendly, you could increase the conversion rate of sales to those who are seemingly eager to […]Read More »


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2002 Baseball
weekly recap
BC takes two from Hanover, HCAC tournament possible with sweep of DefianceBy Tim Stried, SID
April 29, 2002
The Bluffton College baseball team collected two huge wins last Friday over the Heartland Conference's second-place club, Hanover College, to take a step closer to making their goal of reaching the HCAC tournament a reality.
"It was the best single day that we've had in the HCAC," said head coach Greg Brooks, who has seen his club win six of their last seven league games. "It's been the highlight of our season so far and gives us something to play for this coming weekend."
Bluffton (9-9 HCAC, 12-21 overall) now faces rival Defiance College (6-12 HCAC, 13-17-2 overall) in a three-game series this weekend with a chance at qualifying for the HCAC tournament, which involves the top four teams in the league at the close of the regular season. BC takes on Defiance Friday at 3:30 in a nine-inning game at Sears Field followed by a double-header at Defiance on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
The Beavers must win all three games against the Yellow Jackets and then hope for help from one of three teams above them in the current HCAC standings. If Franklin (14-3 HCAC) sweeps all three games from Hanover (12-6 HCAC) this weekend, BC will qualify for the tournament. The other scenario involves Manchester (11-7 HCAC) and Anderson (11-7 HCAC), who play each other in a three-game series this weekend. If either team sweeps the other, BC will qualify for the tournament. If both those scenarios happen, the Beavers will earn the number three seed.
The Beavers already know what's it's like to be in a must-win situation, though. Against Hanover last weekend, BC knew they had to win at least two games over the powerful Panther squad to even be in a position to talk about the HCAC tournament.
"Up until the Transylvania series, we've not been consistent enough in all phases of the game to put two wins together in the league," said Brooks, "but at this point a three-game sweep is possible, even through it will be very difficult against our rivals at Defiance."
"We'll be prepared to play each game as a do-or-die situation, and then hope for the best scenario regarding the tournament. I believe our kids will be ready for the challenge, and we still have a winning HCAC season as a goal to play for even if we don't get into the tournament, which would be a big step for us," said Brooks, noting that BC's nine league wins are the most since Bluffton joined the HCAC prior to the 1999 season.
Hanover arrived in Bluffton last Friday with over 20 wins and an 11-4 mark in the HCAC, but Bluffton won the first game of the double-header 5-2 and came from behind for an 8-4 win in game two.
In the opener, sophomore Bob Heitkamp worked the first six innings for the win and junior Wes Hall closed the door in the seventh as the BC offense was led by senior Brad Buckingham (3-for-4), senior Todd Pickthorn (2-for-4, 2 rbi) and sophomore Jim Dwenger (2-for-2). In the nightcap, Hall went the distance on the mound and Bluffton scored five runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take an 8-4 victory. Buckingham (4-for-4), Dwenger (3-for-4) and Pickthorn (2-for-4, 3 rbi) led Bluffton at the plate and sophomore Kyle Alberson hit his sixth homerun of the season.
On Saturday, sophomore Josh Underwood allowed just three earned runs in nine innings of work, but Hanover prevailed 4-2. Hall notched two singles and Alberson hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, bringing his career homerun total to 14, which are now just three away from tying the school record of 17 held by Dave Rodriguez (1987-90).
Special to: The Bluffton News


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The Horizon Christian basketball team fell to 1-12 on the season Tuesday night with a 71-53 loss to Big Sky Conference foe, Ione, at Wy'east Middle School.
Seniors John Winters and Sheldon Diers each scored 15 points and sophomore Brian Stenberg added 10, as the Hawks tried to break a four-game losing streak.
But the Cardinals' run-and-gun style, combined with a slow start by Horizon, sent the Hawks to their fifth straight defeat.
"We knew Ione would want to run, and they did," Horizon coach Ron Haynes said. "We were trying to avoid a first-quarter lull, but just couldn't seem to get ourselves going until the second half."
In fact, if the Hawks played the entire game the way they did the third quarter, they may have taken Ione down to the wire.
After falling behind 20-7 at the end of one and 35-15 at halftime, the Hawks were reenergized by a 7-0 run to start the second half. Diers hit one of his four three-pointers to cut the lead to 13, and Horizon was in business.
"Sheldon is our leader," Stenberg said. "When he gets going, we all start following his lead. That early run really sparked us, and I think that if we had played the same way in the first half, the score would have been closer."
Aside from the slow start, foul trouble also became a factor for the Hawks. Freshmen big men Jeff Larson and Jon Strickland were each tagged with their third foul in the second quarter, and the road to recovery proved too steep.
"We're not going to think about our record too much," Stenberg said. "As long as we keep improving with every game, we'll get a win here and there."
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Indeed, if we set our hearts to answer but one very famous question, I am certain that all these questions and doubts will vanish from the horizon, and you will look unto their place to find them gone. This indignant question is a question that the whole world asks, namely, What is the meaning of my life? In other words, these numbered years of our life that cost us so heavily and the numerous pains and torments that we suffer for them, to complete them to the fullest, who is it that enjoys them?Yehuda Ashlag
I want to die at a hundred years old with an American flag on my back and the star of Texas on my helmet, after screaming down an Alpine descent on a bicycle at 75 miles per hour. I want to cross one last finish line as my wife and my ten children applaud, and then I want to lie down in a field of those famous French sunflowers and gracefully expire, the perfect contradiction to my once anticipated poignant early demise.Lance Edward Armstrong


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February 28, 2013 10:14 ET
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 28, 2013) - The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation, will co-host a conference on extractives entitled "Maximizing the Value of Extractives for Development" on March 2, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario. This conference will be co-hosted with the World Economic Forum.
Daniel Bezalel RichardsenPress Secretary to the Minister of International email@example.com Relations OfficeCanadian International Development Agency (CIDA)firstname.lastname@example.com us on Twitter: @CIDA_CA
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Skip to comments.Guantanamo - Torture Revealed! (SOMEONE ATE MY PEANUTBUTTER! NOT A JOKE!)
Posted on 03/07/2006 9:34:51 AM PST by areafiftyone
Guantanamo - Torture Revealed
Scott Burgess has been combing through the newly released Guantanamo hearing transcripts, uncovering a horror beyond words: Guantanamo - Torture Revealed.
During his time in Guantanamo, Mr. Abbasi (writing in the third person) alleges that he was:
* subject to [unspecified] "mental stress and pressure"
* "willfully misdirected ... to pray north"
* deprived of "comfort items"
* subjected to an [apparently failed] "attempt to withdraw Qur'an"
* able to hear two guards having sex, while they "assumed he was asleep"
* distracted from his prayer by the "sharp intake of breath" of a female MP who'd been "sexually fondled".
* offered a plate of pork
* the object of a conspiracy "to keep detainee ignorant of detainee's allotted Tuesday recreation"
* subjected to a "partially successful" attempt to administer injections "under the guise of immunisation", designed to "unhinge detainee's mental and emotional stability"
While all of these acts are undeniably horrifying, being on a par with the worst excesses of Torquemada, even their totality pales in comparison with the most extreme of the tortures to which Mr. Abbasi was subjected...
Read the rest, but be warned — it contains a graphic depiction of inhuman abuse.
Oh, the horror!!!!
"Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!"
I know - Jeeze this guy is lucky someone didn't come around with a chocolate bar and bump into him while he ate his peanut butter! Then Bush would be in deep doo doo!
Was he ever told to shut up?
OMG told to "shut up". OH the Humanity! how could you!!
I must admit I am guilty of this offense.
I willfully removed stickers from hotel room furniture indicating the direction of mecca and rotated them 180 degrees. I have done this in almost every hotel room I have stayed in throughout the Middle East and Asia.
I hope you also checked carefully for body lice and bedbugs...
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
How the hell would he know??
Who do you think fondled her?
willfully misdirected ... to pray north
LOL! Hes going to hell for sure. But not because hes praying in the wrong direction.
* offered a plate of pork *
These guys want to kill us and we are worried about what they eat?
*shock and consternation*
Good job.
"We're being constantly accused of torturing the illegal combatants imprisoned at Gitmo, despite the fact that we're not using torture. However, given the constant drumbeat of accusations, I've decided to initiate torture sessions in the hope of deriving useful intelligence that will save the lives of Americans, our allies, and other innocent parties around the world. Because those making the accusations already believe we're guilty, we might as well derive some benefit from their perceptions."
Ok, lets recap, shall we?
1. Sunny Cuba with white sandy beaches
2.3 Hots and Cot, served ala carte (Duck l'orange anyone?)
3.Warm climate year round
4. Excellent health care (better than we taxpayers get)
5.Snappy, stylish, jumpsuits that never go out of style
6.Free Koran and Prayer rug and apparently, babes, too!
After reveiwing the above, I have to ask myself, What the hell am I doing in Saint Louis??!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Penn State Impact videos share stories of critical involvement
Across the University, Penn State experts are working together to make significant changes in science and medicine. A new series of Penn State Impact videos highlights some of the collaborative research ongoing at Penn State. The newest video, "Advancing Surgery," shows how collaborative efforts among University researchers in engineering, materials science and medicine aim to improve endoscopic surgeries by shrinking surgeons' tools as well as patients' recovery time.


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Submission + - Kim Dotcom Launches Political Party In New Zealand (Though He Cannot Stand) (techweekeurope.co.uk)
judgecorp writes: Fugitive entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has launched a political party in New Zealand although he himself cannot stand for election. Dotcom, founder of Megaupload is a German national, not a New Zealand citizen. He is also on bail pending extradition to the US over claims that his Megaupload site infringed copyright. The Internet Party manifesto promises net neutrality, privacy, and faster broadband. Meanwhile, his new venture Mega is now worth NZ$210 million (£108m) thanks to a reverse takeover. He has also had to assure the New Zealand media that owning a signed copy of Mein Kampf doesn't mean he is a Nazi.


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Victorino Was Key in Phillies Win Over Dodgers
After being suspended for three games, Shane Victorino was still able to play tonight against the Dodgers as he appealed the ruling. And that turned out to be a very good thing for the Phillies.
Going 3-for-5 in the game, Victorino scored three times and hit a key home run in the 8th inning to give the Phillies a 2-run lead late in the game.
The energy Victorino brought to the game was crucial on a night where both starter Roy Halladay and the Phillies bullpen encountered some issues. While Halladay allowed only one run, he struggled to get through 6 1/3 innings and had a lot of baserunners.
The bullpen took over with a 4-1 lead that quickly dwindled down to just a 4-3 lead by the end of the eighth inning. Michael Stutes allowed two runs and also committed a throwing error before Brad Lidge was brought in to take over. Lidge was shaky as well, walking one batter and giving up a hit. But he redeemed himself by fielding a tough bunt and making a glove toss to first to end the inning.
In that same inning, the Dodgers were called for interference as Juan Rivera ran Chase Utley over who was trying to field a ground ball. They may have had a double play, but it did not matter once Lidge made the final out.
After the Victorino homer, the Phillies were leading by a score of 5-3 in the ninth. Ryan Madson was brought in for the save, but Madson had not pitched since 8/1 as he left the team to see the birth of his fourth child. Madson was a bit rusty, but he nailed the save.
Game two with the Dodgers is another late one; 10:10pm Tuesday night with Cliff Lee on the mound.
FYI – Placido Polanco had an MRI today and was diagnosed with a mild sports hernia. He will receive and injection, but may still require surgery. I will have more on that as the news comes.
"LIKE" us on Facebook for more updates & photos!
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*


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Vans Bedford Low Shoes, Block/ Red Canvas/ White
The Bedford Low is a low-cut skate shoe with a clean design, featuring vulcanized soles with waffle grip, padded tongues and collars, and one-piece toe caps. It comes in canvas, suede, and leather upper materials, has metal lace eyelets, and also strategically incorporates Vans OTW labeling throughout the shoe.
Sorry, this product is currently not in stock. Below are colors we've previously had. Email email@example.com with any questions.
OUT OF STOCK Color: Block/ Red Canvas/ White
OUT OF STOCK Color: Block/ Grey Canvas/ White


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Want to remind yourself or a friend about this program? Fill out this simple form and klru will email you a reminder on the day that it will air.
The Really Red Ruby / Firefighters To The Rescue
series: Wordworld
air date: 7/18/13 11:00 AM
The Really Red Ruby - Frog is excited to accompany Sheep on an exciting adventure to find the Really Red Ruby - until he realizes that Sheep is only pretending to go on an adventure. Frog is disappointed until he makes his greatest discovery: playing pretend is fun! Firefighters to the Rescue - Duck and Fly want to become firefighters, just like their friend Firefighter Frog. To do that, they need to look out for any signs of smoke in WordWorld, because where there's smoke, there's fire! Will Duck and Fly be able to determine what's really smoke and what's not?
WARNING: Email reminders for this program have already been sent out. Your reminder may not reach the intended address in time for this program's airing.
Back to TV Schedule


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Welcome to Ultimate Subaru Message Board, my lurker friend!
|Welcome to Ultimate Subaru Message Board, an unparalleled Subaru community full of the greatest Subaru gurus and modders on the planet! We offer technical information and discussion about all things Subaru, the best and most popular all wheel drive vehicles ever created.
We offer all this information for free to everyone, even lurkers like you! All we ask in return is that you sign up and give back some of what you get out - without our awesome registered users none of this would be possible! Plus, you get way more great stuff as a member! Lurk to lose, participate to WIN*!
* The joy of participation and being generally awesome constitutes winning
** Not an actual guarantee, but seriously, you probably won't regret it!
Serving the Subaru Community since May 18th, 1998!
FS: Gen 1 stage 2 grille and golvebox door!
Posted 18 September 2012 - 06:34 PM
First off, I have a complete grille for a quad headlight setup. In good shape, all the chrome is still there in decent shape on the bottom. Also has the center emblem and the "4 Wheel Drive" emblem on it. - $50
Would be a pain to ship but I will do it at the buyers expense.
Next is a black glovebox door from the same wagon. Reason why I saved this? It has two ORIGINAL Subaru keys to go with it. In good shape, no cracks or chips in it. I can also ship this as well. - $40
I'm pretty firm on the prices but I am also willing to do a deal if you buy both:D
Posted 18 October 2012 - 02:58 PM
Posted 21 November 2012 - 07:17 PM
Posted 23 November 2012 - 01:20 PM
Posted 23 November 2012 - 10:44 PM
Posted 24 November 2012 - 03:22 PM
That wagon isn't still there is it? I've got a 78 and need a windshield and a gas tank badly. I'd pay for your time and obviously to ship it. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com if you are up for a discussion and want some cash. Where is that soob located by chance?
I didn't go into the yard and verify but I saw their inventory list and it wasn't on there anymore. I could make an adventure out of going to the yard today though....
Posted 02 December 2012 - 06:49 PM
Posted 10 January 2013 - 01:20 AM
Posted 10 January 2013 - 03:58 AM
my email: Yaron dot agi at gmail dot com
Posted 15 January 2013 - 09:45 PM
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Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam's Company Reportedly Has $4 Billion in DebtJuly 1, 2013
Jimmy Haslam's status as owner of the Cleveland Browns has been on shaky ground in recent months, and its taken a serious turn for the worse with a recent report on his company's financial standing.
According to Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer via the Wall Street Journal, Pilot Flying J, a joint venture of which Haslam is the chairman and CEO, has $4 billion in debt.
This isn't the first issue to be reported regarding Pilot Flying J. According to Josh Katzowitz of CBS Sports, the FBI has been investigating Haslam's truck-stop chain for rebate fraud, and some of the company's executives have already pleaded guilty.
Haslam, already with minority interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers, bought the Browns in August of 2012 for a reported $1 billion. The 59-year-old currently owns 70 percent of the Cleveland franchise while former majority owner Randy Lerner retained 30 percent.
According to Forbes, Pilot Flying J is one of the nation's largest private companies, totaling $29 billion in sales with 20,000 employees and 500 truck stops in the U.S. and Canada. Haslam's family owns a 59 percent stake in the company, and Haslam himself owns 35 percent of that stock.
Having so much negative press surrounding Pilot Flying J certainly couldn't have been good for business, and the company's dire financial straits confirm that. According to Katzowitz, Pilot Flying J's credit rating has been downgraded and it is now considered to be a significant investment risk.
Pilot Flying J's debt doubled over a two-year period, per Pluto's report:
The company's debt nearly doubled to $4 billion in a two-year period through last year, as its owners paid themselves two payments totaling $1.7 billion from it, according to Moody's.
Despite his company's financial issues, Haslam doesn't seem to believe that he will be crippled by the debt, reportedly claiming that the debt can be paid down quickly.
As of now, Pilot Flying J is still operating and Haslam is still the owner of the Browns. According to Katzowitz, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said that there are no plans to remove Haslam from ownership of the team.
It remains to be seen if Pilot Flying J's problems will force Haslam to remove himself from ownership, but as of Monday afternoon, it appears that he will be the Browns' owner for the immediate future.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter


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#1 Repubs cave again and again and ... on debt ceiling fight01-19-2013, 03:38 AM
Republicans back away from debt ceiling fight
Republicans proposed a three-month increase to the US debt ceiling Friday as they lean toward breaking a protracted fiscal impasse, but warned any long-term deal would require Congress to pass a budget that cuts spending. >>>
The move could help defuse a fiscal time bomb that Congress and the White House face in late February with the nation hitting its debt ceiling, looming automatic federal spending cuts, and debate over the budget.
The three-month extension of US borrowing authority would buy time for the Senate to pass a non-binding budget, Cantor said. >>>
Should they fail to approve a budget by April 15, the legislation would withhold lawmakers' paychecks, he added.
"Members of Congress will not be paid by the American people for failing to do their job. No budget, no pay. It's time to come together and get to work," said Cantor.
Its so comforting to see the GOP leaders KNOW just where the priorities really lie. When has there been a fight the Repubs DIDN'T back down on? And ... we must NOT let the poor Congressmen miss a pay check, right? Oh, and btw... look at that grin on Boehners face... you can tell ...he just luvs grabbing the ankles for Master Barry.
So whats going to be these shucksters excuse next time?
Liberalism is just communism sold by the drink.
01-19-2013, 03:47 AMShould they fail to approve a budget by April 15, the legislation would withhold lawmakers' paychecks, he added.
"Members of Congress will not be paid by the American people for failing to do their job. No budget, no pay. It's time to come together and get to work," said Cantor.
Four boxes keep us free: the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.
- Join Date
- Mar 2010
- Posts
- 3,269
The Republicans simply don't have the votes to do much else.
There is little doubt that Obama would withhold paychecks or some other thing - which he could do - if he doesn't get his debt ceiling raise.
By extending the raise 3 months, Republicans are blocking his demands that he get an unlimited ability to raise the ceiling. It is better, I think, to make a smaller stink now, and try to get the senate in 2014.
There are 20 Democrats and 13 Republicans up for reelection in 2014. We need to win a total of 19 seats to take control of the senate, and Obama may help if he continues on his current course. I think fighting a battle in 2014 that we could win is more important than digging in now and losing by being seen as obstructive and intransigent.
I listened to Charles Krauthammer's analysis of this and he persuaded me to his perspective that in the log time this is a good move. Over the years I've come to trust his opinion and analysis of republican politics
His is an excerpt but read the whole article to get it in context. I heard to speak to this on Fox yesterday and I came to agree that this may be the best approach
The debt-ceiling deadline is coming up. You can demand commensurate spending cuts, the usual, reasonable Republican offer. But you wont get them. Obama will hold out. And, at the eleventh hour, you will have to give in as you get universally blamed for market gyrations and threatened credit downgrades.
The more prudent course would be to find some offer that cannot be refused, a short-term trade-off utterly unassailable and straightforward. For example, offer to extend the debt ceiling through, say, May 1, in exchange for the Senate delivering a budget by that date after four years of lawlessly refusing to produce one.
Not much. But it would (a) highlight the Democrats fiscal recklessness, (b) force Senate Democrats to make public their fiscal choices and (c) keep the debt ceiling alive as an ongoing pressure point for future incremental demands.
Republicans should develop a list of such conditions some symbolic, some substantive in return for sequential, short-term raising of the debt ceiling. But the key is: Go small and simple. Forget about forcing tax reform or entitlement cuts or anything major. If Obama wants to recklessly expand government, well, as he says, he won the election.
Republicans should simply block what they can. Further tax hikes, for example. The general rule is: From a single house of Congress you can resist but you cannot impose.
Arent you failing the country, say the insurgents? Answer: The country chose Obama. He gets four years.
Want to save the Republic? Win the next election. Dont immolate yourself trying to save liberalism from itself. If your conservative philosophy is indeed right, winning will come. As Margaret Thatcher said serenely of the Labor Party socialists she later overthrew: They always run out of other peoples money.
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
I have always found if you spend 100,000.00 per year that it is always a good idea to cut your spending by 50.00.Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21 NASB
By golly we can't win this one, we need to save our political capital for the next.Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21 NASB
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This is an over the counter product - it does not require prescription.
Feline Restraint Bag
Product Description:
Feline Restraint Bags. These nylon bags are designed for proper restraint of fractious cats. They offer 2-way zipper running full length over back for either front or rear access. Comes equipped with a quick-close velcro collar and front leg openings. Pull-tab zipper flap provides quick, fur-free closure. Washable/waterproof.
Take the scratch out of your veterinary practice with Feline Bags.
Ideal for controlling a cat for examination and medication. Read directions and sizing before using.
Insert cat. Close collar. Place finger in loop and pull zipper with free hand until secured. Release front leg openings and rear zipper tab as needed for access.
Machine wash warm. Tumble dry low heat.
Use only with direct supervision. This feline restraint bag is intended for short-term use only.
Never place total reliance on one method of restraint.
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Kind Wants Bill to Improve Duck Hunters Convenience
- Published in News
Wisconsin hunters could get their federal duck stamps online under a bill proposed by La Crosse House Democrat Ron Kind.
He and Virginia Republican Rob Wittman say it makes sense to make it more convenient for sporting enthusiasts and collectors to get their duck stamps on the Internet. It could save a trip to local post offices, wildlife refuges, and sporting goods shops where the stamps are now sold. Kind first proposed the idea a few years ago. Since then, a pilot program was conducted in 15 states – not including Wisconsin. Kind said it resulted in higher stamp sales, thus raising more money for a federal conservation fund. Those revenues have been used to buy-or-lease over five-million acres of wetlands and habitat for waterfowl. Kind's bill would work like the pilot program did. Electronic proofs-of-purchase would grant duck hunters free access to the nation's 553 federal wildlife refuges. After 45 days, the proof-of-purchase would expire, and hunters must have the normal paper stamp to get its full benefit.


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Some thoughts on Petraeus
So, I'm trying to sort out this whole thing about David Petraeus' revelation that he had an affair. I'm wondering what the hell he was doing in charge of the CIA and conducting an affair with his official email account. What kind of spy chief would do that? OK, he shouldn't have been having an affair in the first place, but what grade of moron does it with a government email account? And, then apparently, he gave this woman access to his email account which she then used to harass other people? Was she wearing Depends while she was doing it – because that's the kind of crazy that drives across country wearing Depends to save time.
According to Fox News, Broadwell admits that she works out with Petraeus when she's in town, but we noticed back in January that she needed work on her pushups.
"By any measure, he was one of the outstanding General officers of his generation, helping our military adapt to new challenges, and leading our men and women in uniform through a remarkable period of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped our nation put those wars on a path to a responsible end," Obama said. The White House has named Michael Morell, the agency's deputy director, to serve as acting director.
The decision abruptly ends the public-service career of one of the military's most vaunted leaders. He led the surge in Iraq, and was later tapped to lead U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan — following two years at the helm of U.S. Central Command. In April 2011, Obama again tapped Petraeus to lead the CIA.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, if this whole thing about an affair turns out to be true, in my memoirs, Petraeus will come off as a moron. It's really poor judgement to have an affair in the first place, and especially stupid to conduct it on a government email account – what with all of the alternative options available. And being the head of CIA, he must have been aware of all of the ways he coould have been caught. It's as if he wanted to be caught.
I'm not subscribing to the theory that it was all manufactured to keep him from testifying about the Benghazi fiasco, that would be too easy to circumvent, but then this affair thing is majorly stupid on everyone's parts.


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LONDON — "Doctor Who" fans rejoice — the BBC says it has recovered nine episodes of the sci-fi series that were feared lost in space and time.
The broadcaster says the missing episodes, and two others, were found in the storeroom of a television relay station in Nigeria.
"Doctor Who" was first broadcast in 1963 and remains one of the BBC's most popular programs.
Some early episodes were lost because the broadcaster wiped the tapes clean for re-use.
The BBC says the lost episodes were tracked down by tracing records of overseas shipments of BBC tapes for transmission.
The recovered episodes date from 1967 and 1968 and feature Patrick Troughton, the second of a dozen actors to play the show's time-traveling alien hero.
They consist of most of two six-part stories: "The Web of Fear" and "The Enemy of the World."
They will be offered for sale on iTunes from today, and later on DVD.
Almost 100 episodes of the series are still missing.


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Event will take place October 28
Thanksgiving is still six weeks away but hunters will get an early start Sunday, Oct. 28 when the Taft Sportsman's Club holds a turkey shoot.
The event will take place at the Taft Sportsman's Club trap range at 11 a.m.
It will be an Annie Oakley style shoot and will cost $5 a round. A person has a chance to win a gift card to Albertson's to buy a turkey. There will also be a hamburger barbecue and a laser shot trailer.
Proceeds will benefit the Cuyama Valley 4-H.
For more information regarding the event, contact Sarah at 549-2421.


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InterMat Job Board
Central Illinois Middle School Head Wrestling Opening: Glenwood Middle School
Glenwood Middle School Vacancy
Glenwood Middle School will be looking for a new wrestling coach beginning ASAP. If a high school position is attained we will be willing to staff that individual accordingly as well. Glenwood Middle School has a large tradition of excellence at both the middle school and high school levels. Over the past decade the middle school has won regional and sectional titles and prides itself on wrestling excellence. The high school team finished in the elite 8 this year while winning the regional and conference titles for the 2nd consecutive year.
Glenwood also has Ascension Wrestling Academy (www.ascensionwrestling.org) that works closely with district wrestlers as a successful offseason training tool for our youth club, middle school, and high school programs.
Glenwood Middle School is located in Chatham, Illinois which is 90 minutes north of St. Louis. Our high school enrollment is 1355 while our middle school enrollment is 654.
The Ball-Chatham School District has the following openings:
* Middle School Language Arts
* 6th Grade Language Arts
* Middle School Math and Summer School Math
* 2nd Grade Teacher
* Elementary Special Education: 4 positions
* High School English Teacher
* High School Special Education Teacher
A promotional video and can be viewed at www.chathamschools.org to find out more about our schools athletic and academic programs. The website also contains a link to our online application and teaching vacancies list.
If you have questions please feel free to contact:
Jeremy Mosier
Glenwood High Head Coach


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NEW YORK (AP) – All the single ladies will be watching the upcoming Super Bowl along with football lovers. That's because Beyonce is the halftime show performer.
A source familiar with Super Bowl 47 tells The Associated Press that the Grammy-winning diva will take the stage at the halftime show on Feb. 3, 2013, at the Superdome in New Orleans. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because that person wasn't authorized to publicly reveal the information.
The source said the official announcement is expected Wednesday.
Beyonce sang the national anthem at the 2004 Super Bowl in Houston. Madonna performed at this year's Super Bowl with guests CeeLo Green, Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and M.I.A.
Pepsi is returning as the sponsor for the halftime show since doing so in 2007 when Prince performed.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Anti-Obamacare rhetoric leads to questions about motives
I agree with Michael Banerian on the importance of maintaining freedom of speech in America, but his reasons are all wrong. Banerian�s argument opens with emotional language: ��a brave woman�..went on TV and pleaded with citizens�..Obamacare is destroying lives��, and goes on to accuse the Democratic Party and Gary Peters with: �came down on her rights like a hammer � mafia style politics threatened legal ramifications against any TV station that continued to broadcast the commercial��
So this is an argument over a TV commercial, correct? A political attack advertisement paid for by Americans for Prosperity � a conservative political advocacy group � rallying against the Affordable Care Act. A TV spot recently revised to delete questionable references to costs and affordability, and replaced with a softer script claiming that choices are being taken away.
In the midst of such a subjective commercial, it�s important to remember that freedom of speech works for all parties, and we hope it works best for those that can support their speech with facts. Facts are not in the forefront of most political advertisements. Facts are dry, emotionless and often boring. They might not generate sufficient response from the target audience. Now, a strongly worded, emotionally charged TV spot (or an opinion letter)? That can get the desired response.
Or it might, if readers and viewers do not question the motives of the author and the facts behind the arguments.
The Detroit News and other media organizations have exposed misleading information in the original TV spot featuring a politically motivated American sadly battling cancer, but their presentation of the facts is not getting as much exposure. Money buys exposure. If the amount of money being spent on anti-ACA advertisements (for the purpose of political campaigns) results in a majority of people believing misleading statements about the ACA, then in answer to Mr. Banerian�s question; no, this is not the America I want.
The importance of maintaining freedom of speech is not so words can be bought by money, but so Americans can have unfettered access to the truth. And that is what millions of Americans have fought and died for.
Martin Hall is a resident of Rochester Hills.


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By Donna Miles
WASHINGTON, July 6, 2006 – The top U.S. general in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq issued a statement today expressing "heartfelt condolences" to the families of four Iraqi civilians killed March 12 in Iraq. "We understand this is painful, confusing and disturbing, not only to the family who lost a loved one, but to the Iraqi people as a whole," Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, said in their joint statement. "The loss of a family member can never be undone."
The statement was issued in response to the deaths of four Iraqi civilians -- a man, two women and a young girl -- and the rape of one of the female murder victims in their home near Mahmudiyha. Steven D. Green, 21, a former 101st Airborne Division soldier, was arrested June 30 in connection with the incident, according to a July 3 announcement by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Green was deployed from September 2005 to April 2006 and was discharged from the Army May 16. Army officials declined to disclose the circumstances of his discharge, citing privacy protections under the Health Information Privacy Protection Act. Meanwhile, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command is continuing its investigation. Federal prosecutors alleged in their July 3 statement that three other individuals may have been involved in the incident.
"We will fully pursue all the facts in a vigorous and open process as we investigate this situation," Casey and Khalilzad said in their statement. They called the alleged events surrounding the civilians' deaths "absolutely inexcusable and unacceptable behavior" and vowed to get to the bottom of what happened.
"Coalition forces came to Iraq to protect the rights and freedoms of the Iraqi people, to defend democratic values and to uphold human dignity," they said. "As such, we will face every situation honestly and openly, and we will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the facts." Casey and Khalilzad promised to work openly with Iraqi leaders and to ensure justice is served.
"We will hold our service members accountable if they are found guilty of misconduct in a court of law," they wrote. "We will work closely with the government of Iraq to ensure transparency as we complete the investigatory and legal processes." Green was charged with murder and rape in federal court in Charlotte, N.C., July 3, federal prosecutors announced that day. He is subject to civilian prosecution under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, which allows crimes committed in foreign countries by members of the military to be prosecuted as if they had been committed within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, officials said.
If convicted of murder, Green could face the death penalty.
Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said during a Baghdad briefing yesterday that the allegations "strike at the very heart of who we are and our character as coalition forces." "Our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines do their utmost each day for the sake of freedom both at home and here abroad," he said. "While we must not rush to judgment, we must remember the acts of a few should not outweigh the deeds of the many."
Thursday, July 06, 2006
U.S. Leaders in Iraq Promise Openness, Justice in Civilian Deaths
Posted by Raymond Foster at 9:07 PM
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Jennifer Loveland, MBA '00: Creating a "best-in-class" supply chain
Jennifer Loveland, MBA '00, project manager in global operations supply chain strategy at Dell Computer Corp., is determined to make Dell's a "best-in-class" supply chain. "That is pretty broad when you talk about end-to-end supply chain, globally for all products," she says. "It means that each day will be different. It might be about influencing, gathering data, analyzing data, working with industry experts or suppliers, or just being sure you understand all of the interactions in our complex system."
It's a job Loveland relishes both because every day is different, and because it's like being a consultant. Her VP believed that external consultants had added a lot of value by pushing Dell outside of its supply chain comfort zone, but she wanted a small, internal group that was more intimate with the company's operations to answer all the "what if" questions bound to arise as Dell began to implement changes and needed to be nimble in its decisions.
"We do not own the final decisions, but we must find the best way to analyze and present the options to the leaders that do own the decision," notes Loveland, in describing how her job is like being a consultant. "We work on a variety of questions with a large cross-section of the organization. One difference is that we do not have a particular project with a start and end date; we are really there to engage where ever the priority lies."
Loveland likens her current position to an earlier experience she had as one of four designers of Dell's manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem, N.C. "It was an amazing opportunity: I was part of everything from green field site selection, through design of every process, through installation and startup," she says. "This job feels like the same type of experience on a broader scale. Instead of a factory, the focus is global and includes the entire supply chain."
Working at Dell headquarters in Austin, Texas, Loveland's days are varied, but generally her work falls into the following areas:
- Identify new issues facing the business through meetings or questions from executives
- Brainstorm with industry experts and co-workers on key aspects of a question
- Understand trends and competitive industry practices
- Gather and analyze data
- Create that "million dollar" slide that sells a concept
- Seed new concepts throughout the organization
- Help Dell's leadership review current projects
Below, Loveland describes a current project, pinpoints key issues affecting the computer industry, and shares the most compelling and most frustrating aspects of her job.
Could you describe a project you're currently working on?
Loveland: Dell has just begun a reorganization from a functionally aligned company to a structure of four global business units by customer type. As we undergo this transition and work to deliver $3 billion in COGS (cost of goods sold) savings to Dell over the next two years, we are reassessing every aspect of our supply chain. The organization is globalizing, updating its IT infrastructure, changing its physical footprint and manufacturing partnership strategy, supporting a move by the business into new channels of retail stores and value-added resellers. Dell is supporting focused growth in emerging markets, aligning operations to Dell's environmental focus, and increasing our product offering to allow more, targeted products. Our team is literally engaged in advising in all of these areas.
The main item I have been focusing on the last few months is describing the future portfolio of supply chains that our customers need Dell to enable, as well as key guiding principles for creating them. This includes analyzing configuration profitability and profiles, total landed cost, tax incentives, and other key factors. We then determine key statistical and operational guiding principles such as postponement, pooling of variability, and organizational structure and incentives that should be disseminated throughout the organization.
What key issues are affecting your industry today? How is it changing?
Loveland: The computer industry in general is maturing. Dell was a big part of commoditizing the hardware. The advances in technology mean computers are at once more accessible and not the focus. In developed markets, the solution to a question or problem is the new focus. The industry is much more competitive. At one end you have HP and IBM focused on software and services for business. At the other end you have Apple creating product lust and new ecosystems as well as Acer focusing on a low cost model. On the flip side, the expected growth in emerging markets is tremendous. Additionally, there is an increase in volatility throughout the economic system. That means it gets harder to control costs just when it becomes more important. Additionally, the mobility of technology is increasing at a rapid pace with smart phones and netbooks.
What's the most frustrating aspect of your job?
Loveland: Turning a big ship is not an easy task. Dell has over 80,000 employees. Truly constructing a best-in-class supply chain touches almost all of them. That is a lot of leaders to get on the same page. Some of the concepts we work with take time to seed in the organization and it can be frustrating waiting for the right moment to push forward an idea.
What's the most compelling aspect of your job?
Loveland: The variety in the intellectual challenge. The access to see the whole picture as a truly storied supply chain re-invents itself. The ability to influence great leaders and see how they navigate implementing a huge amount of change. The better part is that travel is rare and I get to enjoy the temperate winter and live music in Austin, Texas.