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August 23, 2011 > LA mayor urges 'big solution' for Calif. finances
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Aug 16 - Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Tuesday challenged Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers to think boldly in repairing California's finances and pursue a ``grand bargain'' that would link property tax reforms to an overhaul of public pensions and K-12 schools.The Democratic mayor said he was willing to provide political cover to the governor and lawmakers by suggesting changes to Proposition 13, the 1978 ballot initiative that rolled back property taxes and capped their increases. A pillar of California's direct democracy, the initiative is seen as untouchable in the state because it so popular with the electorate.``I'm here to shine a light on a dark cloud hanging over California,'' Villaraigosa said during a speech to the Sacramento Press Club. ``I'm here because I believe there's an opportunity for a grand bargain, but it's going to mean including broad stakeholders to acknowledge that we need to fund government. That we need to make government more efficient.''Villaraigosa's comments came against a backdrop of fiscal gloom. Lawmakers closed an 18-month, $26.6 billion budget deficit this year primarily with spending cuts and the hope that tax revenue would continue to rise in a rebounding economy. The rebound has stalled and tax revenue has since reversed, leading to the prospect of even deeper cuts to higher education, public schools and other services at the beginning of the year.The mayor said the current taxing and budgeting systems are insufficient and are cutting too deeply into the state's safety net, schools, universities and infrastructure.He advocated the governor and legislative leader convene a commission on tax reform. He suggested that a major component be a split tax roll, in which caps remain for residential properties but are lifted for businesses. He estimated that such a move would raise between $2.1 billion and $8 billion a year, money the state could invest in education and lower property taxes for homeowners.He said the impact on business would be softened if the changes are phased in gradually.``You don't have to agree with every one of my ideas to acknowledge that a grand bargain is the only way out. A big solution is the only way forward,'' he said.Villaraigosa said Proposition 13 was intended to protect homeowners from skyrocketing property taxes, not provide a tax-giveaway to corporations.Any attempt to change the initiative will be met swiftly by opponents and advocated of limited government. Anti-tax advocates and business groups moved quickly Tuesday to criticize the idea as an attack on small businesses.Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said Villaraigosa's proposal makes no sense at a time when businesses large and small are struggling and the state has the nation's second highest unemployment rate. A group of concerned Los Angeles business leaders issued a letter to Villaraigosa urging him to drop the proposal.``There's a correlation between a favorable tax-and-regulatory climate (and) economic development,'' Coupal said. ``What he is suggesting is making that tax-and-regulatory climate worse for business, which will hurt California's employment situation, not help.''Brown's spokesman, Gil Duran, said the governor has not had a chance to speak to the mayor directly about his proposal but looks forward to hearing the mayor's ideas.``Like Gov. Brown, Mayor Villaraigosa believes both sides must stand up to the ideologues and do what's best for California,'' Duran wrote in a statement. Former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had convened a bi-partisan tax commission to try to smooth out the fluctuations in state revenue but its proposals never gained traction. Proponents of the split tax roll say Proposition 13 has shifted the property tax burden from commercial property owners to homeowners. Lenny Goldberg, a lobbyist with the labor-backed California Tax Reform Association, said businesses, particularly those that invest in commercial real estate, are often able to evade property assessments when there's a change in ownership.For example, Goldberg said the famous Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills was not reassessed when it was bought out by the Blackstone Group, a private equity firm. The property's value is still assessed far less than neighboring properties.``It's time to address the unfairness inherent in a system that allows Wall Street hedge fund managers to devise complex real estate investment trusts that give the super-rich a free pass on the taxes every ordinary homeowner in California has to pay,'' Villaraigosa said.Pro-business groups like the California Taxpayers Association say small businesses wouldn't be able to absorb rent increases at commercial buildings, shopping centers and business parks if split roll were enacted. Any major changes will be daunting.Proposition 13 can only be changed by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature or through an initiative process approved by voters. In 2009, San Francisco County Assessor Recorder Phil Ting failed to obtain enough signatures for an initiative that would have placed the split roll question before voters.The mayor also backed an effort to allow local school districts and local governments to raise taxes on a majority vote, rather than two-thirds. Coupal said the mayor's ideas are nothing more than a push by labor to increase taxes.``Unless they've changed their tune, we believe the public employee unions just want more revenue and that's pretty clear in their agenda and that's contrary to what businesses and families want,'' Coupal said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Singer and actor Eric Benét charges his old-school soul songwriting with healthy doses of modern funk and hip-hop. His winning formula has been recognized with multiple Grammy and NAACP Image Award nominations. He also has a busy acting career in film and television, and starred in the 2011 feature film Trinity Goodheart.
Benét has topped the charts with hits like "Spend My Life With You" (which he recorded with Tamia), and he's collaborated with artists ranging from the legendary producer David Foster to R&B singer Faith Evans. His sixth album, The One, was released last year and retains his signature sound; it features a duet with his daughter India and a lullaby for his new daughter Lucia Bella.
Eric Benét joins host Michael Feinstein on this edition of Song Travels for a set of original tunes, as well as classics by Stevie Wonder, The Carpenters and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Subscribe to the Song Travels Express podcast.


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"Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time." Winston Churchill
"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." Inscription on the Liberty Bell
Monthly Archives: April 2011
Americans Are Ready to Take On the Deficit
A reader pointed out these remarkable numbers from a Washington Post/Pew Research Center poll conducted April 21-25. Respondents were asked whether they think the federal budget deficit is a major problem that must be addressed now; a major problem that should be addressed when the economy improves; or not much of a problem: Major problem that must be addressed now: 81% Major problem that should be addressed when economy improves: »
Birth Certificate Postscript
The New York Times editorializes on the Obama birth certificate today, in predictable fashion. For the Times, the controversy was mostly about race: It was particularly galling to us that it was in answer to a baseless attack with heavy racial undertones. … That's because the birther question was never really about citizenship; it was simply a proxy for those who never accepted the president's legitimacy, for a toxic mix »
Birth of a negation
From day one of the Obama administration, Glenn Reynolds has asserted that a rerun of the Carter era is a best-case scenario. Obama's Middle East diplomacy provides a striking illustration of Glenn's proposition. Carter's bumbling support of an all-party peace process including the Soviet Union seemed to have something to do with Sadat and Begin seizing the initiative to come to terms on their own and cut the ground out »
How Great She Is
Most of what I know about music, I learned from Scott. He introduced me to Alison Krauss, Elvis Presley, Vince Gill and many more. One year, Vince Gill appeared at the Minnesota State Fair, and Scott and Sally got special tickets that conferred backstage access, which they shared with us. Somewhere, I have a photo of my family with Gill that was taken on that occasion. Vince Gill is a »
Credit Where It's Due
Full disclosure: quite a few years ago–mid-1960s–I was a fan of Playboy magazine. Not that I often saw one; they were kept under the counter. But teenage boys somehow got our hands on them, and I can still remember the names of a few favorite Playmates. But that was a long time ago, and Playboy has gone badly downhill. Hugh Hefner is a disgusting old man, and the Playboy Mansion »
No Justice, No Peace!
The Streetwise Professor, Craig Pirrong, makes an excellent point about the Obama administration's perverse energy policies: The EPA has a made a big deal of "environmental justice": Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons »
The U.N. Adds Insult to Injury
Guess who will be elected the latest member of the United Nations' Human Rights Council on May 20? That's right: Syria. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has no comment on Syria's fitness for the Council, other than to say that its selection is "for other member states to decide." Anne Bayefsky comments: "[T]he question for the Obama administration is not how do we keep Syria out, but why is the United States »
Those Birds You See Are Obama's Energy Chickens, Roosting
President Obama said yesterday that he has "urged world oil producers to lift crude output." "They need to increase supplies," Obama told CBS affiliate WTKR in Hampton Roads, Virginia. "We are in a lot of conversations with major oil producers like Saudi Arabia." So Obama understands that increased production of crude oil will bring down the price of gasoline. But does he not understand that the United States is the »
The Party of Fairy Tales
Michael Ramirez depicts President Obama as a sort of green Tinkerbelle. Unfortunately, we can't run our cars or heat our homes with pixie dust. Click to enlarge: Come to think of it, the Democrats are peddling fairy tales on a number of fronts these days. High gas prices are the fault of nameless "speculators." We can keep Medicare as is without breaking the bank. More government spending is the key »
"Birtherism," RIP
Today, President Obama finally released his "long-form," or official, birth certificate. There has never been any doubt about the fact that Obama was born in Honolulu. The local newspapers reported it; case closed. Therefore, he is a natural-born American citizen and is eligible for the presidency. The mystery has always been, why was Obama so reluctant to release his long-form birth certificate? There have been two possible explanations: 1) the »
In his own engaging style Jay Nordlinger makes a few points we have tried to make here. Here is how Jay says it: I want to quote this report from Syria: "They opened fire from roof-tops as mourners marched from a mosque to a cemetery . . ." What sort of people would do such a thing, gun down innocents as they march in a funeral procession? Such people can »
Dawn of the unbook
Over the past few weeks we've featured a series by William McGowan, the prominent journalist and author, most recently, of Gray Lady Down: What the Decline and Fall of the New York Times Means for America. The book authoritatively covers the important and interesting subject suggested in its subtitle. In his series of posts for us Bill has examined the Times's treatment of national security issues. In the concluding installment »
Uncommon Knowledge with Andrew Ferguson
Last week we posted Peter Robinson's interview with Andrew Ferguson. Given our format, the interview rotated off the site after a few days. We'll have another installment of Uncommon Knowledge next week. In the meantime, here is the interview with Ferguson, once more once, after a brief introduction. Andrew Ferguson is the native Illinoisan, conservative luminary, Weekly Standard senior editor, and author of Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America. »
Cheerleading For America
We got home a few minutes ago from the Freedom Club's annual dinner. The Freedom Club is an organization of Minnesota businesspeople that supports conservative candidates and causes. Over the years, it has had a considerable influence on Minnesota politics. Most recently, the club has run this ad on statewide television. There is evidence that the ad has had a perceptible impact on public attitudes toward the current budget battle »
This Day In Baseball History
Our 1961 baseball season beat writer filed this report: On April 26, 1961, Roger Maris hit his first home-run, and first extra base hit, of the season. It came in his 11th game and his 33rd at-bat. Maris wasn't just having a bad start in terms of the long ball, either. His batting average coming into the April 26 game was .161. He had, however, walked seven times, giving him »
Senate Republicans Call For Budget Accountability
Senate Democrats are doing everything possible to frustrate transparency in the budget process. So far, they have offered no budget, and it is not clear whether they will do so or whether the Democrats will decide not to enact a budget at all, as in FY 2011. Further, there are rumors that they may bypass the Senate Budget Committee to avoid public scrutiny in the event that they do offer »
Gas Pains and Infinite Liberal Stupidity
The Obama Administration is clearly the most anti-energy administration ever. Will Collier has a noteworthy item up today over at PajamasMedia on soaring gasoline prices and the Obama Administration's hypocritical policy of paying lip service to increased oil production at home while doing everything possible to hinder any real increase in domestic oil production. (For example, Greg Pollowitz notes over at NRO's Planet Gore that the Obama EPA has once »


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BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — It's the third straight season that the Bedford volleyball team and coach Jodi Manore have made it to the Class A final four at Kellogg Arena.
In 2010, the Kicking Mules were downed by Farmington Hills Mercy in the semifinals and last season, they were tripped up by Rockford in the same round.
This time around, Manore and her squad made a state title their goal, not just a state final appearance. The Mules were able to get one step closer to that goal Friday with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-13, 18-25, 25-23) victory over No. 8-ranked Grand Haven.
"Two years ago our goal was to get to state. I think last year, we wanted to go further, but we were just happy we were here," Manore said. "This year, I told the girls that just being here wasn't enough anymore. We've been here twice, now we need to win it. That is our goal."
Bedford senior Taylor Foster paced the Mules offense with 13 kills while sophomore Kayla Gwozdz tallied 12. Senior libero Ellen Hays — who will play at the University of Toledo next season — made 21 digs while sophomore Nicole Rightnowar finished with nine kills, nine digs, and three solo blocks.
With the win, Bedford advances to the Class A final, marking their first title game since 2005. The match is at 2 p.m. against Macomb Dakota, which defeated Northville 25-21, 26-24, 25-13 in the second semifinal.
Bedford came out of the gate and proved they belonged on the big stage once again by taking an early 7-2 lead. The Buccaneers battled right back to tie the game up at 11. The Mules (65-12-3) eventually snuck away with a 23-18 edge and took a one game lead on Grand Haven (46-17-1) after big kills by Rightnowar and Foster.
Bedford once again had the upperhand in the second game, using an early 9-3 lead to force another Grand Haven timeout.
The Mules kept their distance from the Bucs thanks to a six point rally that gave them a 21-10 lead. Bedford eventually put Grand Haven in a two-game hole after a 25-13 victory.
They couldn't hold the Buccaneers down forever.
Grand Haven's attack flexed its muscle early and often in the third game. Leading the Buccaneers offense was 6-foot-5 senior Abby Cole, who single-handedly led Grand Haven to their lone win of the night, a 25-13 victory in the third frame.
"She's a great player, but I don't know that we tried to avoid her. We knew going in that if we could keep her in the back row, unfortunately, she had to serve when she was back there," she said with a laugh. "When it got to that point, we knew we had her where we wanted her. We just wanted to get the ball back and do something with it."
Grand Haven rattled off 48 kills for the night. Cole was responsible for just shy of half, swatting a game-high 20 kills.
"We figured out that when they were in trouble, they were going to go to Abby, and I would too," Manore said. "We were absolutely trying to make others beat her, instead of her. She's pretty darn good."
The Mules quickly regained their composure in the fourth frame thanks to back-to-back aces from Rightnowar that gave Bedford a 7-3 edge.
The Mules found themselves tied at 13 but they strung together yet another rally, increasing their lead to five before forcing Grand Haven's head coach Aaron Smaka to call a timeout late in the game.
"It was a little scary, being in that fourth set. But, we came back when we were down in our quarterfinal match and I think that was a big deal," Manore said. "These girls believe they can, they know they can."
Hays helped Temperance put the finishing touches on the night by serving up seven straight points, giving her team a 20-13 lead.
Grand Haven found a spark late with the Mules sitting on 22 points, but it was too little, too late.
"When you are playing on a stage like this, anything can happen," Manore said. "These kids have a lot of heart, they are a true team, the chemistry has been great and I think that was it. We kind of lost our composure a little bit during that third game."


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As the season continues and with his new provincial contract commencing in July 2014, O'Callaghan is in line to surpass fellow Cork man Ronan O'Gara's all-time leading tally of 240 Munster appearances.
On the international front O'Callaghan has made 94 appearances for his country and is currently involved with the Ireland squad as they prepare for the GUINNESS Series.
The 34-year-old who made his Munster debut back in August 1998 against Edinburgh Reivers is more than happy to cement his future with Munster Rugby.
"I love playing for this team and representing my home province and supporters each week," admitted O'Callaghan.
"Running out for Munster is something I've always wanted and I've been fortunate to make my career out of it, and to continue doing so for the next few years is just what I want. The main thing for me is that I still enjoy it and I have the opportunity to do it."
Munster head coach Rob Penney commented: "We are lucky to have someone of Donncha's calibre and experience commit his future to Munster Rugby.
"He is great with the younger lads and drives everyone on. His own dedication and work ethic are an example to all and it's good to know he is on board for another two seasons."


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Loved ones seek traffic safety measures following soldier's death
About six months after returning home from a nine-month tour of Afghanistan, Specialist Joel Constantineau of the Army National Guard was struck and killed by a motorist on Main Avenue while riding his motorcycle to school the morning of May 21. He was 27 years old.
"He was just full of life," said his mother, Maryanne Constantineau. "He loved his family and friends so much and made everyone that he loved feel that. He was generous, happy [and] a well-loved guy."
According to a report filed by the Warwick Police Department, Constantineau was traveling west on Main Avenue while a truck exiting Shell gas station at 708 Greenwich Avenue going northbound attempted to cross four lanes of traffic to Covington Drive when the crash occurred. The driver was not injured. Speeding and alcohol were not factors, but the WPD cited the driver for entering from a private driveway, plus eluding a traffic signal.
While Maryanne said she and her husband, Bill, are not angry at the driver, they would like to see traffic improvements made to the area. Their oldest son was also in an accident at the same intersection 10 years ago.
"He was in a vehicle and traveling down Main Avenue the same way Joel was when a car cut through the Shell parking lot and rammed into the side of his car," said Maryanne. "He was OK, but I've spoken to so many people who either have been involved in an accident there or know someone who has been involved."
Renee Frechette, Constantineau's girlfriend of nearly four years, said an accident took place in the exact spot five hours after the tragic collision.
Soon after his death, Constantineau's loved ones contacted staff members at Governor Lincoln Chafee's office in hopes of having the site changed to prevent further accidents. Chafee's staff advised them to write to the governor. In addition to a letter to the governor, they promptly launched an e-mail campaign, encouraging others via Facebook to compose letters. Chafee's office connected with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to evaluate the location.
In an e-mail to a Warwick Beacon reporter, RIDOT spokesperson Rose Amoros said RIDOT initiated a road safety audit of the area based on the concerns. Safety enhancements are being explored, and any proposed modifications would first be discussed with the community and surrounding businesses before being implemented.
She said RIDOT, along with the WPD, the local Department of Public Works and RIDOT's engineering consultant, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., conducted a road safety assessment at the intersection in late June.
Chafee's staff member, Ryan Crowley, recently sent a letter to the Constantineaus stating that possible improvements include "extending the existing raised median beyond Covington Drive, restricting the through crossing movement. This [concrete] median will have a break to allow left turns into Shell's western driveway. This will aid in eliminating cross movement of vehicles at Covington."
Crowley wrote that RIDOT would contact Shell to determine the feasibility of striping a no parking zone on their property in front of Main Avenue to improve sight distance at the driveway.
"RIDOT has not yet presented a timeframe for this project but will keep the Governor's Office informed of any time estimate that may develop," wrote Crowley.
Additionally, Amoros noted that Main Avenue, a state road also known as Route 113, has an average daily traffic volume of 21,200 vehicles. The intersecting road, Greenwich Avenue, or Route 5, has an average daily traffic volume of 9,200 vehicles.
From 2007 to 2013, there were 29 crashes at the intersection of Main Avenue and Covington Drive. One involved a fatality.
Amoros said that the frequency of crashes at Main Avenue and Covington Drive is not unusual for an intersection of this size and traffic volume.
"Per federal regulations, we compile an annual list of high-risk intersections that are ranked based on the number and severity of the crashes," she said. "This intersection is not identified on the list."
Constantineau's family and friends want the traffic median extended, making the exit from the gas station a right-turn only.
"It's such an easy fix to me," Maryanne said. "We just want to do the right thing."
Bill added, "If extending that island could save one person's life, it's all worth it."
Frechette feels the same, as does Constantineau's friend Lauren DelSesto. She and Constantineau had been close since meeting at Gorton Junior High.
"This is someone who served his country," DelSesto said. "They should at least pay some respect and prevent more accidents from happening. It's something that's so simple."
While Lt. Michael Gilbert of the WPD's Traffic Division and Community Services Platform agrees it's a dangerous intersection, he said it's not that easy. He's been present during RIDOT evaluations.
"I'm very sensitive to the fact that the family wants to make it safer," Gilbert said. "But if the median is extended, as a result I guarantee there would be additional accidents at the other intersections. It's like plugging a hole in a dam – you put your finger in one hole and then three others pop up. There's not one simple silver bullet to solve this problem."
Gilbert also pointed out that improved signage to prevent left turns out of the gas station wouldn't have made a difference in this situation, as the motorist wasn't attempting to make a left turn. Rather, the vehicle was crossing Main Avenue onto Covington Drive.
"That would make it a little bit safer, but it wouldn't fix the underlying cause for this accident," he said.
Aside from Constantineau's family, as well as Frechette and DelSesto, some of his friends, including Evan Eidam, Aubrie Blanchette and Bryan Buckley, also hope to see changes made to the traffic law. They said Constantineau, a graduate of Veterans Memorial High who was pursuing a degree in nutrition at the Community College of Rhode Island, was working on becoming a certified personal trainer and about to be sworn in as an Elk by the Elks Lodge on West Shore Road.
"With him, there was no clique," Eidam said. "He got along with everyone."
Blanchette added, "People just gravitated towards him."
He was also the life of every party, DelSesto said, further noting that he often interjected if someone was being bullied or treated unfairly.
Buckley recalled Constantineau's "lust for life" and his ability to make people smile. His laugh was also special.
"His laugh could fill the void on your saddest day and bring you back to reality with a single quip," said Buckley, who befriended Constantineau during their days at Oakland Beach Elementary School. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him and have a good laugh thinking about our friendship."
To honor their loyal, helpful and outspoken friend, who was enthusiastic about serving the country, as he reenlisted for another seven years and was Airborne qualified, they are thinking about planning a fundraiser to create an "Adopt-A-Spot memorial in the area.
"But it's not the first thing we think of when we decided we wanted to fight to get the median extended," Maryanne said. "Our whole goal is to prevent someone else from having to go through this. We want to stop accidents from happening. That's our crusade."
Here we go again...'If it saves one life it is worth it'. That statement has launched thousands of rules and regulations that makes no ones life any better. My condolences to the family but not every death means we have to change something.
Im sure if it was your life, or your child's or your spouse's or YOUR friend's, you'd be singing a different tune. Clearly you dont get out much bc if you did you'd know how dangerous the left turn out of this intersection is. Joel died senselessly and served our country to protect YOUR rights, the least we can do is what shouldve been done years ago and prevent the idiocy of allowing someone to cross 4 lanes of traffic at intersection that has 20k people commuting through it each day. Everyone worked very hard to organize this for our loved one and alittle sensitivity to our loss wouldve been nice. Constructive comments only wouldve been appropriate.
@davebarry You must be out of your mind to post something like "here we go again"
Joel was loved by so many, and to have his life cut so short by such an unfortunate accident, is horrible. People have been working day in and day out to try to get this project rolling. What difference does it make to you if the traffic pattern changes? Why do you feel the need to post on this article and have such a cavalier attitude towards the while thing? Your post not only offends me and everyone else who knew Joel, it also disgusts me.
My condolences to Joel's family and friends. I live in the neighborhood off Covington, and I think of Joel and say a prayer for him every time I walk by that intersection. It's terribly dangerous. Part of the issue is the volume of cars on Main Ave and another part is the high rate of speed at which they travel - definitely not at the speed limit. According to the article "possible improvements include "extending the existing raised median beyond Covington Drive, restricting the through crossing movement. This [concrete] median will have a break to allow left turns into Shell's western driveway. This will aid in eliminating cross movement of vehicles at Covington." This will also restrict the drivers coming out of Covington from taking a left hand turn onto Main. My concern with this suggested median is that instead of people going "right only" when leaving Covington onto Main, they will cut through the nearby parking lot to take their left - and cars coming from the direction of the Shell station will take a left into the parking lot next to Covington to cut into the neighborhood. This will only move the problem up a few hundred feet. The article also says that RIDOT will seek the opinion of the community - how will they being doing that? I'd like to voice my opinion - not to challenge what Joel's family is suggesting - but to provide some input from those that live in the neighborhood. I definitely think improvements could be made that work for us all.
I have successfully cut across from the Shell onto Covington and from Covington to the Shell and have made the left turn hundreds of times. Accidents happen. Again, my deepest regrets to the family but not being able to turn left out of Covington and not being able to cut from the Shell to Covington is not called for.
Its an easy fix. Make it a left turn only exit. Any driver wanting to go east on Main can exit out the west side of the station onto Greenwhich. Any body wanting to go onto covington can do the same and take a right onto main and a left onto covington. Taking a right out of the shell during heavy traffic is obnoxious, and in this case a lazy man killed somebody because he wanted to save 30 seconds.
Oops, make it a right turn only exit. Sorry


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Garlic Bread Butter
Makes about ½ cup seasoned butter
Because this is a seasoned butter, not just a dry seasoning mix, you want it to be nice and liquid, so add more butter if necessary. You can store leftovers in the refrigerator and re-melt when ready to use again, adding additional butter to replace what
Find this recipe and more in Chef Paul Prudhomme's Always Cooking!.
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (or more if necessary)
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 tablepsoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
6 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic®
how to prepare
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat, add the seasonings, stir well to combine and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. To use, brush on the seasoned liquid on top of the mixture, leaving the actual seasonings behind to continue flavoring the remaining butter.


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When I came to the Chicago Tribune as a cub copy editor, there was an old hand on the desk -- probably about the age I am now -- who used to smile and say, "Is this a great job or what? We get paid to read the newspaper."
I think of that now with a new product we've launched at the Chicago Tribune: Our e-book collection. Along with Pete Reinwald, lead editor on this project, I get to survey the great work my colleagues have done at the Tribune and decide how to package it in e-book form.
In the last several months the Tribune has published nearly 30 e-books. Among them are a collection of Mary Schmich columns chosen by the Pulitzer Prize winner herself; a compendium of a favorite Tribune feature, 10 Things You Might Not Know; the photo book "Capone" that includes never-before-published portraits of the Chicago gangster; and a compilation of "Cheap Eats" restaurant reviews that speaks to both my appetite and my budget. The latest to hit the virtual shelves, "Golden Season," chronicles Notre Dame's rise to the No. 1 ranking in college football.
With partner Doug Seibold, president of Evanston-based Agate Publishing, we expect to publish dozens more e-books in coming months on topics ranging from politics to sports, food to theater, history to entertainment.
You can buy them at chicagotribuneebooks.com, or wherever e-books are sold. Or join digitalPLUS, whose members receive complimentary access to all e-books, at chicagotribune.com\members.
And let us know what stories you'd like to see in a future Tribune e-book. I'll be happy to check them out.
-- Colin McMahon, National Content Editor
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What I think eventually turned me away from the game were a few factors. First, they attempted to build group roles into characters rather than let people explore completely new sets of abilities and finding a way to work together. I think this is one of the more recent flaws with other games like World of Warcraft. Early games like Everquest didn't so much set out with the goals of having a character be a tank or healer or whichever. The characters were designed around an idea. Some point of imagination and the roles sprung up around those ideas. Part of the fun and enjoyment of those early MMOs was discovering the characters, getting caught up in their uniqueness and flaws and then making them work. Sure, the games could be horrifically unbalanced at times, but it wasn't about balance. It was about having our imaginations run wild. To have possibilities and to sometimes abuse them a little.
I have played a little Guild Wars 2 lately. Very little, since I'm spending nearly all of my "free" time working on the sequel to Tritium Gambit. Still, a guy has to play a little, right? Unfortunately, the game might be pretty, but it runs far too slow on my laptop to be enjoyable. The only reason I haven't uninstalled it is because even if eight-frames-per-second is agonizing, at least I get to spend time talking to a friend on Skype. Should I get a new computer? Probably. First, I need to sell a whole crap load more books.
Related to Guild Wars 2 being a complete turd on my machine, a friend of mine pointed out how much fun Torchlight II has been for him. He and I had spent quite a few hours playing Diablo III and that was enough to get me to install the game. I haven't had time to play it yet, but the first hour or so that I experimented with it were excellent. I'd highly recommend to folks to at least download the free demo from Steam. The game was built on the Ogre rendering engine, which I think is a fantastic accomplishment. Runic has said they will release a Mac version of the game eventually and I'll be first in line to purchase it.
I still play World of Warcraft weekly with my dad and two sons. My boys are loving the Pandarians. I think this really breathes new life into the game for them. Personally, it didn't really stir enough emotion in me to want to commit any extra time to the game, but I do appreciate that it gives my kids new material to explore and enjoy. From what I can tell, the starting quests aren't as painful as the ones for the Worgen or Death Knights. Yes, yes. You did the starting quests for both the Worgen and the Death Knights in less than two hours. However, you aren't six-years-old, like my youngest, and you didn't need to have your (very patient) dad read all of the quests forty-billion times whenever you decided to delete your character and start over. Why would anybody delete their character and start over? Apparently, because that's what you do when you are six-years-old.


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Submission + - AMD Not Trying To Get Its Chips Into Low-Cost Tablets (itworld.com)
jfruh writes: While Intel is going after low-end Android tablets in a big way chipmaking x86 rival AMD is taking a more judicious approach, looking to focus on the high end. "This idea of contra revenue is foreign to us," said AMD's CEO, referring to Intel's strategy of selling chips at a loss to boost market share. But will Intel's vast resources keep AMD in its niche?


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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky officials say an inventory that records toxic releases by industries in the state showed a reduction in releases in 2011.
The Department for Environmental Protection says in a statement that total onsite and offsite toxic releases were 83.6 million pounds in 2011, which is a nearly 14 percent decrease from 2010, when it was 97 million pounds.
The department says more than 90 percent of the 2011 total was attributed to recycling, treatment and energy recovery, instead of releases that go into air, water or land.
The figures include data from 423 facilities and 154 chemicals, including lead and arsenic-based compounds.
The department says the toxic release data shows a downward trend since 1988 that "reflects the success of the Clean Air Act and air quality standards."


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In honor of February's Black History Month, I would like to pay tribute to one of Lancaster County's first black sheriff's deputies, Jimmy Brown. Brown was originally hired by former Sheriff Nae Parks.
Brown deserves numerous accolades. He served Lancaster County with honesty and pride for his work. He also served under sheriff's Williford Faile and Johnny Cauthen.
Jimmy, I want to say thank you for your service to the citizens of Lancaster County.
Carl Miles
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Up until yesterday, Mitt Romney was the only, and I repeat, only politician trying his best to redirect our attention to the most important issue of the day: jobs, jobs, jobs. Fix the economy now, and worry about the deficit afterwords ought to be the motto of every thinking conservative. As David Frum puts it in his latest must read,
The deficit is a symptom of America's economic problems, not a cause.Romney's careful avoidance of supporting a reckless policy of not raising the debt ceiling and his insistence that jobs are the real issue was precisely what the conservative movement needed to hear. Unfortunately, Romney figured that Jim DeMint's endorsement is just too important in a presidential campaign. And so he gave in to the pressure.
When the economy slumps, government revenues decline and government spending surges.
Federal revenues have collapsed since 2007, down from more than 18% of national income to a little more than 14%. To put that in perspective: That's the equivalent of losing enough revenue to support the entire defense budget.
Federal spending has jumped to pay for unemployment insurance, food stamps and Medicaid benefits.
Fix the economy first, and the deficit will improve on its own.
Cut the deficit first, and the economy will get even sicker.
Now, I am certainly not a purist (else I would have left the Republican Party a long time ago). This is not the first time I have been disappointed with Romney this cycle. I find his support for ethanol subsidies quite disagreeable. But unlike ethanol subsidies, not raising the debt ceiling has severe consequences for the American economy. How can Romney preach his jobs message and from the same mouth call for the debt ceiling to not be raised? Those are two opposing messages.
The way that some of us Romney supporters rationalize Romney's occasional pander is that we just tell ourselves that he really knows better. We think, he just has to play with the clowns in the circus because that it what you have to do. When Bachmann says outrageous things, we believe that she believes it. When Romney says outrageous things, we believe that he is just playing politics. And that may very well be the case, but it is a disheartening way to rationalize it. I, for one, will gladly make my voice known that I strongly disagree with Romney's position on the debt ceiling vote. And while Mitt is still likely to get my vote (where else would I turn?), I hope sincerely that he really is pandering and that a President Romney would not take Candidate Romney's advice on the debt ceiling.


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A controversial fix for Illinois' ailing state-run pension systems is on its way to Gov. Pat Quinn after barely squeaking through both houses of the General Assembly.
In a landmark Tuesday vote, the House and Senate approved a bill aimed at saving the systems by reining in annual cost-of-living increases and raising retirement ages.
Senate Bill 1 – which will undoubtedly face a court challenge over its constitutionality by the state's public-sector unions – passed 30-24 in the Senate and 62-53 in the House. It passed by the minimum number of Senate votes needed, and two more than is needed in the House. Quinn has said he will sign the bill into law.
Those who represent Grundy County were split on the measure.
State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, and state Rep. John Anthony, R-Plainfield, voted in favor of the measure. State Rep. Kate Cloonen, D-Kankakee, and state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields, voted against it, according to vote totals posted on the Illinois General Assembly website.
"Senate Bill 1 is a step in the right direction in terms of stabilizing our pension system and also ensures the state will be able to make future payments and benefits," Rezin said.
She said not making pension payments is not an option, and the measure has provisions to stop that from happening.
"What is also important in this bill, especially for our area, is there is no pension cost shift to the local school districts and the bill does create an optional 401(k) program, which is a good start," Rezin added.
Messages left Tuesday afternoon with Anthony and Cloonen were not immediately returned.
The five state-run pension systems for suburban and downstate teachers, rank-and-file-state employees, judges, university employees and General Assembly members are underfunded by at least $100 billion. More than 20 percent of the state's current 2014 budget is going to pay the state's ballooning pension obligations, which have eaten up almost all of the historic 67 percent income tax increase that lawmakers imposed in 2011.
Under the plan, the 3 percent COLA still will be compounded, but only off a base salary of $1,000 for each year an employee works, plus the rate of inflation. The COLA will skip some years on a sliding scale based on state workers' current age – employees at least 50 years old will only miss one increase, while those 43 and younger will miss five, spaced out every other year.
The plan also will raise the retirement ages for employees 45 years or younger by four months for each year an employee is younger 46, for a maximum of five years. The provision does not apply to "Tier 2" employees hired since 2011, whose retirement is set at age 67 under a previous pension reform bill. But the bill imposes the Tier 2 benefits cap on pensionable income on all employees. That cap, annually adjusted by 3 percent or half the rate of inflation, whichever is less, was $109,971 for 2013.
Senate Bill 1 does not include the retirement system for judges, likely in an attempt to improve the legislation's chances of surviving a court challenge on its constitutionality – the Illinois Constitution states that pension benefits "shall not be diminished or impaired." When former Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried stripping judges of their 3 percent COLAs, they sued, got to hear their own case, and won.
State employees' contributions to their pensions will decrease by 1 percent, and the measure will require lawmakers to pay the full annual amount required into the pension system, and the five state-run pension systems can take the state to court to force them if they don't.
The proposal will also allow up to 5 percent of employees hired before 2011 to enter a 401(k)-style plan if they so choose.
The bill will save an estimated $160 billion over the next 30 years with the aim of fully funding the pension systems by 2044.
• Morris Daily Herald reporter Christina Chapman-Van Yperen contributed to this report.


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International News
Homophobia Sweeping Africa Like a Disease, Says Rights Group
December 20, 2010
Adapted from:
The African Union must end its silence concerning homophobia on the continent and take urgent measures to stop this "growing and insidious contagion," the group AIDS-Free World says.
Uganda has recently considered laws that would impose harsh penalties for homosexual acts, with one measure calling for the death penalty in some cases. A gay couple in Malawi was prosecuted after their relationship became public. Other such incidents have occurred in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and recently, Ghana, said Donovan.
Voice of America News
12.16.2010; Joe DeCapua
This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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Dear all,
I am implementing a shopping cart in PHP. How do I share a particular product on facebook, twitter and google+ in PHP. I tried by placing the link SHARE THIS. In place of YOUR-PAGE-URL I placed my site URL and to t, I assigned the product name from the database. But on clicking the link it shows the main site content instead of the product name.
How can I share the product?


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The PCM Mustangs handed Pella Christian a loss for the second time this season on Monday night. In the opening round of the Class 2A State Tournament, #1 PCM got all they could handle in the first half from #8 Pella Christian as heard on 92.1 FM KRLS.
The Eagles jumped out to an early six point lead behind a pair of threes from Curtis Rozenboom. Pella Christian would lead, or at least hold a tie until PCM's Andrew McCarthy, who was subbed in for a foul-troubled Scott Bruxvoort, hit a jump shot with 3 seconds left in the half. McCarthy scored 6 key-points in 7 minutes as Bruxvoort was on the pine. PCM would take their first lead of the game heading into the locker room at 27-26.
Chase Carlson, Curtis Rozenboom and Kyle Nikkel played a big part in the Eagles strong first half.
PCM's Scott Bruxvoort had the first 8 field goals in the second half, putting his team ahead, as it turned out to be, for good. The Mustangs outscored the Eagles 15-7 in the 3rd quarter.
PCM's lead grew to as much as 19 during the 4th quarter, as Josh Fosenburg and Dillon Bruxvoort got into the scoring action. In the end, the whole was too big for Pella Christian and PCM saw their undefeated record stay intact as they went on to win 63-51.
Chase Carlson had a team-high 18 points to go along with 7 rebounds for the Eagles. Kyle Nikkel pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds and scored a dozen while blocking 4 shots. Curtis Rozenboom also had 12 in the form of 4 three-pointers. Sam Tvedt had 6 points and Alex Branderhorst had 4.
PCM's Scott Bruxvoort had a game-high 29 points and 7 rebounds. Josh Fosenburg added 14 and 7. Andrew McCarthy scored 7 points in just 7 minutes, Dillon Bruxvoort notched 6 points, Sean O'Connor had 3, Hutch Burns and Nate Vande Wall each had 2.
With the win, PCM heads to the semi-finals to play Western Christian on Thursday at 2 PM at Wells Fargo Arena. Western Christian put a late run together of their own against Treynor earlier in the night. Once down 26-21, Western ended the game on a 25-0 run.
You can hear PCM and Western Christian on 92.1 FM KRLS Thursday with the pregame at 1:40PM. Eric Grillaert and Wynne Veenstra will have the call.
Pella Christian ends their season with a record of 20-6.


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Towards Grey goo. [wikipedia.org]
Or big nations making mechanical viruses as weapons, and ultimately... those creations at risk of being turned against their creator through malfunction, hackers, or worse.
Already happened. Except it's pink goo. And it's us.
Ugly bags of mostly water
The greater concern is that the technology will be used without understanding of the consequences. The Replicators in Stargate, for example, emerged from an experiment in which a childlike intellect taught its toys to make more of themselves. Research into self-replication, while reasonable, is not without nightmare scenarios or significant potential drawbacks.
The cockroach is one example of such an experiment. Who is to say that in time, we will not create an example capable of out-competing us for some natural resource? So it is not without risk to experiment in self-replication. You can limit the risk, of course. Until someone makes the wrong kind of mistake at the wrong time. Kind of like researching Level 4 biohazards in a major population zone. If nobody does something dumb or protocols require fifty dumb things to happen at once for a problem and no massively unexplained events occur, it works just fine.
Except that StarGate is fiction.
It'd be a pretty shitty story that went "Thousands of years ago, a civilisation created a self-replicating machine. It escaped into the environment. And was promptly turned back into raw silicon dioxide by the first bacteria that found it tasty."
Technology breakthroughs have been occuring for thousands of years. The nuclear bomb, dynamite, machine guns, rifles, muskets, long bows, hell, even something as simple as putting a rotten corpse on a catapult and flinging it at your enemies could be considered technology. We've managed not to kill ourselves yet.
Well sure, but keep in mind, we only have to end the Earth once in order for it to all be over, I am sure that at some point that will happen. SOMEONE has to get "Red button that kills everyone"-happy eventually, it happens all the time in movies.
I am sure everyone in charge of anything that could possibly escalate into "Grey goo" is keeping a close eye on not letting it go too far.
I didn't say Stargate was evidence. The evidence was the cockroach. The possibility of outcompeting for resources is the most likely concern. The fiction merely illustrates it.
And yes, all of those things were technology. Alexander the Great (the corpses) invented biowarfare in that way, but nobody thought it would destroy the world--it didn't have the potential to yet. Today, it can be pretty gruesome. Machine guns had a huge cost--world war I had many more casualties because of them. Other technolo
The Replicators in Stargate, for example
Going to stop you right there. That's not an example of anything other than how technology destroying the earth is a common THEME IN SCI FI.
The cockroach is one example of such an experiment.
Who is to say that in time, we will not create an example capable of out-competing us for some natural resource? So it is not without risk to experiment in self-replication.
You can't assume all possibilities to be likely just because of how dire they would be. Who is to say that by getting out of bed, you will not be exposed to a flu, and it will recombine with some bits of your genes, and create a world-ending superflu? No one, because it's possible. Extremely unlikely, but possible. With replicators, how about we wait until the
Cockroach. Good survivor. Self-replicating.
This is the same as the story of the Golems [wikipedia.org], so nothing new.
Poor poor micheal Behe. Irrefutably refuted by construction of a mouse trap from itself.
...they've created an artificial structure that can self-replicate. The bad news is that it's Ice-9.
Quick, somebody call Colin Farrell!
I for one would like to welcome our self-replicating overlords.
Especially if they look like Kristanna Loken [wikipedia.org]
Especially if they look like Kristanna Loken
The Academy snubbing her for an Oscar for her amazing performance in Uwe Boll's 2006 epic In the Name of the King (Dungeon Seige) is a travesty that I still have not gotten over. They gave it to that boring Helen Mirren for The Queen that year, and while Helen Mirren is decent, and certainly bangable, she doesn't have Kristanna Loken's acting chops. However, I understand Mirren can pick up quarters with her...you know, so I can see how the Academy might be swaye
The Academy snubbing her for an Oscar for her amazing performance in Uwe Boll's 2006 epic In the Name of the King (Dungeon Seige) is a travesty that I still have not gotten over.
That film's got Jason Stathan, Ray Liotta and Burt Reynolds in it too. Seldom can so much ham have been gathered together in one place.
a deterministic state machine.
which is in all honestly quite pointless.
"which is in all honestly quite pointless."
What's your point?
...if you are allowed to have complex raw materials.
Fire self replicates. Fallen-down dominoes self-replicate. The line between "chain reaction" and "self replication" is very blurry.
I don't think it's as blurry as you'd make it out to be. Fire and falling dominoes are instances of entropy , quite the opposite of what these scientists are after, I believe.
Everything is entropy. Self-replicating machines included.
Everything is entropy. Self-replicating machines included.
Really? Everything? So then, order and disorder are just a matter of opinion [wikipedia.org]? Well, let's put down our books and get in line for the local megachurch.
Even self-replicating machines can only represent local order. So what you view as "self-replicating" or not depends on the scale at which you examine it.
So what you view as "self-replicating" or not depends on the scale at which you examine it.
Yeah, at the scale at which the self-replication is occurring, it's self-replicating.
These molecules are self-replicating. The parent they are present on is not. This is not exactly a deep insight.
I don't know what church has to do with anything. The laws of thermodynamics are abso-fucking-lutely clear that no process can decrease the total entropy in a system. That includes self-replication. The machines will inevitably give off waste heat or break down complex materials. That's grade school level stuff. Perhaps next you'd like to bitch at me for asserting that the world is round?
delta(G) = delta(h) - Tdelta(S) is the equation you are talking about I guess.
Clearly the entropy of a system can be decreased during a spontaneous process if it is exothermic enough. I see you do refer to it giving off waste heat, which is necessary, but that's not the same. As far as I know cosmologists have not determined the source of order in the universe, and so you cannot say that heat is just an abstraction of entropy.
Yes, but self-replicating machines (and life) increase the _local_ order of the system (e.g. the number of states in which a self-replicating machine exists is much smaller than all possible states of components) while increasing the entropy of the surrounding environment.
The end-products of fire, falling dominoes, etc., are _locally_ less ordered than the fuel consumed. E.g. carbon ash and smoke are less ordered than pieces of wood or not-fallen dominoes. That's easy to see -- there are more ways to arrang
Contemporary science has various sources of truth. A common one is experiment. Now the way thermodynamics is demonstrated experimentally, well, half a century ago, is to put the test system in a box, let it get to stable equilibrium and measure whatever goes in and out. So far so good?
Okay, the other thing science gets its truth from is some sort of religious thingy. If you say the universe is going to some sort of heat death hell, then just how are you going to talk about putting the universe in a box
re: order/disorder/opinion
I've often wondered about this: If a pile of stones are randomly thrown on the ground, they have a high entropy yes? What I place them carefully in a pre-determined (but identical to the 'random' version earlier) configuration directly on the ground? Surely one has high entropy and the other has low entropy - yet they're identical!
Replace stones with some tiny molocules if you want.
I'm obviously missing something obvious.
Surely one has high entropy and the other has low entropy - yet they're identical!
The entropy is the same. It doesn't matter how they got in that state. Deliberately placing stones (or molecules) in a disorded state is still a disordered, and thus high entropy, state.
One useful way to think of the entropy of a system is in terms of information. The amount of information needed to describe a system represents its entropy (in a real and quantifiable way according to QM and Information Theory). A smooth rock wall requires less information to describe than randomly scattered rocks. A cr
Life is an example of negative entropy, i.e. a process that absorbs free energy from its environment and uses it to work against entropy by making a small section of that environment more ordered. That the absorbtion of energy creates more entropy than the localised reduction is given, but it doesn't detract from the usefulness of this observation. I imagine any realistic self-replicating machinery will have the same attributes. Fire and falling dominoes, however, don't.
The universe, being (as far as we know) a closed system
The problem is that we don't know very far. There is convincing evidence that the cosmos is a house of mirrors and thus finite and closed. See: 'topological lens effect.'
"The universe, being (as far as we know) a closed system..."
Your words:
"There is convincing evidence that the cosmos is a house of mirrors and thus finite and closed."
I fail to see where there is disagreement here.
They took DNA, a natural structure that can replicate, and modified it without breking that property. I wouldn't call it artificial self-replication.
At what point will we have a text based programming language that will compile the results into a DNA sequence? Coding the next plague wouldn't be such good idea. Because you know, there are assholes in this world that would do just that.
At what point will we have a text based programming language that will compile the results into a DNA sequence?
Automated production of short sequences is a well-established technology; Google on "custom oligonucleotide synthesis" and "custom gene synthesis" and you'll get links to a bunch of companies that will be happy to manufacture just about any sequence you want. Assembling an entire genome is harder, but not that much. So the answer to your question is pretty much "we're already there."
Nobody's built any superplagues base pair by base pair yet, and honestly, I think it's not particularly worth worrying about
Fair enough. That's true, but they modified it a lot, creating a structure that as far as we know doesn't exist in nature. It replicates without any of the normal cellular chemistry that makes it happen naturally including enzymes, which separates this from the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique for DNA amplification someone mentioned below. It also allows them to replicate structures other than proteins composed of amino acids defined by the normal base pairs.
They even fabricated the DNA they used, so i
Erm... no. They took DNA, a natural structure which is half of a system that can replicate (the other half being a collection of enzymes that can transcribe the DNA to RNA, and a ribosome that can take RNA templates and make enzymes, some of which can produce more DNA or ribosomes) and rearranged it into an entirely new structure that doesn't require the assistance of a ribosome to replicate itself.
Look, it's a watch that self-assembles!
All that's really necessary to prevent the machines from getting out of control, however, is to design them with some chemical dependencies.
That assumes your machines don't mutate, ala Jurassic Park.
I've also heard that the "grey goo" scenario is a bit overstated given that:
Organisms have already evolved optimal survival strategies over the millennia and if nanobots were made of organic material they would be "prey" to some of these.
- and -
The energy requirements for taking on such a task is unlikely to be satisfied in the current environment (especially if made of non organic materials)
Remember though, there is no animal on earth that is superior to a simple rifle. We're quite capable of building a bionuke, intelligence goes to places evolution never would or perhaps could.
Nonsense. Evolution excels at finding local optima, but there is nothing in evolution that suggests it will find global optima. With regards to energy requirements, consider for a moment that plants are green and not black. That means, they are not converting the green spectrum into energy at all. Which means, that an artificial plant, which absorbed all natural solar produced light spectrums (sp) would have more energy to work with than a natural plant does, which means it could definitely out compete the
...Plus, natural selection will be true in part with any self-replicating thing. If they get out they'll have to struggle for resources just like any other form of life. There isn't any reason to automatically assume they'll be better at it simply because they're artificial.
You're absolutely right, except you're not taking into account the very mechanism that has allowed almost all current species to survive over the eons; mutation. And unless that is kept in check, then any new self-replicating "organism" will likely follow those same evolutionary lines. Chaos theorists will have a field day with this.
Personally, I'm a little more concerned at whatever targeted resource is identified to "feed" these...our planet isn't exactly thriving these days with options...perhaps we'
Make sure the machines have a lysine dependency (but cannot manufacture it themselves).
Also, just make them all female.
That should do it!
Until it mutates into something that's not so restricted, and if it then has huge food sources it can devour alone it'll spread like wildfire. On a much less sci-fi note, a true global pandemic is still one of those really scary scenarios despite all the hype. If it first spirals out of control and you have people fleeing everywhere breaking quarantine it could get really, really nasty.
All that's really necessary to prevent the machines from getting out of control, however, is to design them with some chemical dependencies.
It's going to be so hard to build machines without some chemical dependencies, that having them get out of control really won't be a problem. Nature has been trying to do that for millions of years and molds and bacteria do quite well but all exist pretty much only in a specific environment for whatever type they are. I doubt if we will ever be able to build a robust s
Except, at least as I read the press release, it appears to be self-catalyzing.
Self replication of artifices (self repairs..) is what is going to be needed to long term voyages.
Alright, grey goo has the first comment, so how about evolution [imdb.com]?
Just when I thought I couldn't get any lower as a bachelor...machines go and gain the ability to replicate - I can't even do that!
Scientists have developed...
OK, I have something that's been bugging me for a while.
Scientists discover things. Engineers develop things. Frequently someone can do both, but they're two different processes.
There's this terrible societal misconception that "scientist" means someone who works with technology. It leads to the mistrust of scientists because they're perceived as some ivory tower loonies who're lording technology over the populace.
Scientists are people who apply the scientific method to acquire knowledge. I don't expect
I think you're thinking of theorists. Experimental scientists run experiments. Those experiments involve developing prototypes and running tests on them. Engineers also develop prototypes and run tests. The difference is the goal: scientists do it to learn, engineers do it to create a product to sell.
You're drawing a line where none exists, and in the wrong place to boot.
Engineers develop useful, practical things. Things that serve a particular need, that can be made economically, etc.
Scientists develop things, too, but they aren't as often concerned with the direct utility or practicality of what they develop. For instance what these scientists developed is an ingenious proof-of-concept that could eventually be developed into a practical procedure for replicating materials, possibly by a chemical eng
From the article:
DNA replication process involves complementary matches between bases -- adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T) and guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C) -- to form its familiar double helix. By contrast, the NYU researchers developed an artificial tile or motif, called BTX (bent triple helix molecules containing three DNA double helices)
In order to achieve self-replication of the BTX tile arrays, a seed word is needed to catalyze multiple generations of identical arrays. BTX's seed consists of a
Also FTFA:
no biological components, particularly enzymes, are used in its execution
So no, not PCR or PCR-like, as such processes require enzymes.
Run-away replication has already happened over forty years ago when the Starship Enterprise was overrun with tribbles. All it takes is a great intellect like that of Capt. James T. Kirk to deal with the problem.
What's that? Star Trek was a work of fiction?
That's different.
Never mind.
Oh no, they have created the Seed.
Quick, call Protocol Enforcement.
Executive ability is deciding quickly and getting somebody else to do the work. -- John G. Pollard


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An upcoming title update to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will re-enable the Theater Mode, after an exploit previously forced Treyarch to pull it. The Emblems were also disabled recently, but they were not mentioned as a returning feature in this update.
The announcement was posted on Activision's forums (via CVG). Films had been disabled when Treyarch discovered it was being used as part of a Prestige glitch. By viewing a particular demolition match repeatedly, ne'er-do-wells could easily get to 10th Prestige without doing the footwork to earn it. Once the update hits, players will be able to record and view matches again. Game design director David Vonderhaar also previously said that UAV score requirements are going up with the next update, to cut down on what a fan called "UAV spam."
If you're looking for your own tweaks to the experience in the meantime, Activision has published a troubleshooting guide aimed at helping players reduce lag in multiplayer matches.


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How Has Drug Trafficking Affected My Community?
- Articles
I had a nice life, and I'd never heard of any type of violent crime taking place in my hometown. For me, violence would only be found miles away in Mexico City. At least that's what national television showed me. Nevertheless, once I started growing up and reading local newspapers, I realized that something was wrong.
I don't really know when it started, but for more than three years ago, Tijuana has been covered by a wave of violent crimes that are related to drug trafficking. Kidnappings, torturous murders, shootings in public places, persecutions, threats, army's intromission, innocent lives taken away, it all has become part of the place I used to call home.
While some are scared to death and avoid going out, especially during night, other habitants say they don't really care about Tijuana's violence since "it's an issue between gangsters." Apparently, those people have never listened about shootings taking place inside of hospitals or outside schools, including kindergartens. There is a difference between being indifferent and being ignorant. I was ignorant. I thought Tijuana was a peaceful city and that all the things said by the media were exaggerations. Nevertheless, once you are informed that a neighbor was shot while in a park, or that one of your closest friends lost his father who was a policeman, or even when you listen to the story of a girl who's been involved in the drug trafficking world all her life, that makes you think.
One of the things I've learned is that when people get used to violence, they just end up accepting it. The society has lost faith in its representatives which keeps some people from voting. That is, people do not expect change anymore.
In my opinion, Tijuana lacks people eager for a different reality. I believe that if someone has the voice and the courage, the rest will listen to him. Unfortunately, drug trafficking is too powerful that it actually silences people. This is logical in a society that doesn't rely on their representatives.
People always blame the government when things go wrong. But what are people doing besides complaining and crossing their arms? I don't believe that talking about how good the old times were will change the present or the future.
– 17-year-old from Mexico (female)
This entry is part of a series of essays and messages from the publication "Adolescence - Beyond the Stereotypes" - written, compiled and edited by adolescents and young people themselves with support from Voices of Youth and UNICEF.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Netflix Inc. rallied to the top of the S&P 500 on Tuesday following a price target hike to above $200 while BlackBerry recovered from a selloff sparked by the disappointing launch of its Z10 smartphone.
Top Tickers Trending
$BBRY: BlackBerry US:BBRY shares rebounded after shedding 12% over the two previous sessions.
The Z10 may experience some degree of success from loyal BlackBerry users initially. The problem for BlackBerry isn't the launch but that demand won't be sustained, said Colin Gillis at BGC Partners.
"There are flaws in how the company is positioning itself in the smartphone market. At a time when the high end of the market is showing signs of saturation and slowing growth, the company is investing the majority of its resources pursuing that segment," he said in a report.
$TSLA: Tesla Motors TSLA, +0.36% continued to attract attention. Co-founder Elon Musk tweeted Monday that a "really exciting" announcement will be made Thursday, leaving investors wondering what's in store for the electric-car company. Shares rose 0.9% after closing up 2.5% in the previous session.
$SBUX: Starbucks Corp. SBUX, +0.42% trended on Twitter in the wake of Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz's defense of the coffee retailer's support of same-sex marriage. Schultz spoke at the annual meeting last week in response to a shareholder's suggestion that the company's same-sex marriage stance was hurting the bottom line, according to media reports. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear two cases involving same-sex marriage this week.
Shares of LogMeIn LOGM, +1.53% soared 20% and then was halted with few minutes left in trading. Soon after, the company announced that a federal jury found that it had not infringed on one of 01 Communique's patents.
Monsanto Co. MON, +0.89% shares added 4.4%, one of the best performers in the S&P 500 SPX, -0.24% The company said it reached a licensing deal with DuPont US:DD on new soybean technologies and agreed to dismiss their ongoing patent lawsuit.
Netflix NFLX, +0.57% shares rose 5.4% after Pacific Crest's Andy Hargreaves raised the price target on the stock to $225 from $160. "We view Netflix as the global leader in subscription streaming video and recommend owning the stock at current levels," he said in a report.
Apollo Group Inc. US:APOL shares slid 2.7%, the biggest loser in the S&P 500. Citi's James Samford noted that while the for-profit educator's second-quarter earnings beat estimates, its fundamentals have not improved and the long-term outlook is uncertain. "We remain cautious on accreditation uncertainty and weakening enrollment trends," he said in a report.
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Best Buy Co. BBY, -3.46% shares retreated 2.2%, one of the worst performers in the S&P 500. The stock's price target was raised to $21 from $14 by Scott Tilghman at B. Riley & Co. But at the same time, he recommended investors to unwind shares in the retailer.
"We would, however, use the recent share price run as an opportunity to take profits, as we expect Best Buy to remain challenged by a general lack of near-term product catalysts as well as ongoing spending," he said.
Retail stocks were some of the biggest laggards with Gap Inc. GPS, -14.57% down 2.7% and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF, -1.85% off 1.5%.
"March weather has been unseasonably cold and wet, and we believe that the soft sales trends seen in February are likely to continue into March," Richard Jaffe at Stifel said in a report.
Ziopharm Oncology Inc. ZIOP, +0.00% shares plunged 65% as the company ended development of a drug that didn't meet standards of its late-stage study.


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Concept (1)
When evaluating logarithmic equations, the logarithm power rule can be a useful tool. The logarithmic power rule can also be used to access exponential terms. When a logarithmic term has an exponent, the logarithm power rule says that we can transfer the exponent to the front of the logarithm. Along with the product rule and the quotient rule, the logarithm power rule can be used for expanding and condensing logarithms.
Sample Problems (3)
Need help with "Power Rule of Logarithms" problems? Watch expert teachers solve similar problems to develop your skills.
log73⁴ =
log88⁵ =
Problem 1
How to use the power rule for logarithms to simplify a log.
blogbx = x
5log57> =
62log62 =
Problem 2
How to simplify an exponential statement with a base to a log of the same base.


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December 07, 2012 14:15 ET
SARNIA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 7, 2012) - Patricia Davidson, Member of Parliament for Sarnia-Lambton, on behalf of Canada's Public Safety Minister, the Honourable Vic Toews, today announced that Canada is delivering on a key Beyond the Border Action Plan (Action Plan) commitment to reduce border delays for trusted traders.
Through the Action Plan, Canada and the U.S. are working to enhance the benefits of their trusted trader programs that help members move goods efficiently and securely across the border. As a result, Canada launched a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) expansion pilot at the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, Ontario to allow Partners in Protection (PIP) and Customs Self Assessment (CSA) trusted traders to use the FAST lanes/booths without having to be members of both programs, which is the current requirement. This six-month pilot will align Canada's eligibility requirements with those of the U.S. If successful, changes may be permanently implemented at all three ports where FAST is currently available.
"With $1.9 billion worth of goods and services crossing our shared border every day, we have a vested interest in reducing barriers to trade," said MP Davidson. "The pilot aims to further reduce border wait times for trusted traders thereby strengthening the security and economy of both nations."
"CTA is pleased to work in partnership with the CBSA in our efforts to improve the efficiency of cross-border trade," said Canadian Trucking Alliance President and CEO David Bradley. "The trucking industry has long supported these changes to the FAST program and looks forward to continuing to work with the CBSA to improve benefits for Trusted Traders."
This FAST pilot is an important step in continuing to manage risk at the border by facilitating the lawful flow of pre-approved, low-risk traders, enabling officers to focus their efforts on unknown or higher-risk goods. Expedited passage for members means less wait times which will encourage cross-border trade, supporting both Canadian and American economies.
Canada and the United States agreed to implement the Action Plan one year ago today, on December 7, 2011. The Action Plan is designed to speed up legitimate trade and travel and improve security in North America, and it outlines the specific steps our countries intend to take to achieve our security and economic competitiveness goals.
For more information on the Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness, please visit the Web site www.borderactionplan.gc.ca.
Follow the Canada Border Services Agency on Twitter (@CanBorder) and Public Safety Canada (@Safety_Canada).
Media RelationsCanada Border Services Agency613-957-6500Public Safety Canada613-991-0657U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityOffice of the Press Secretary202-282-8010
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text:
The retail distribution review (RDR) has sparked a price war, with the next battleground expected to be the charges levied by platforms and discretionary fund managers (DFMs).
Asset managers have already gone head-to-head on fund charges – last month Fidelity cut fees on its passive range to their lowest ever level. Platforms and DFMs are not expected to be immune from this downward pricing pressure, but are mounting the case for value for money versus cost alone.
Daniel Godfrey (pictured), chief executive of the Investment Management Association, said: 'The next leg of competition is going to be around platforms and that will be healthy for consumers. Ultimately what we see is that clients are willing to pay for what they believe will be the best returns. So if they are confident a manager can deliver alpha, they are willing to pay for it.'
Value for money is something Andrew Denham-Davis, director of business development at Brooks Macdonald Asset Management, said his firm offers.
Denham-Davis defended the fees his company charges, which at 50 basis points (bps) is more than double some of its competitors. He said Brooks Macdonald would not be able to maintain the quality of its business if it dropped its charges.
'I'm not sure it's possible for us to go to 20bps. We have to make sure we look after people and can maintain the quality of our business. Selling on price is very different to being price competitive, and it's difficult to get that compromise,' he said.
'Post RDR, what has really come into the spotlight is the need to be able to demonstrate what we are doing for what we are charging. I think the industry is barking up the wrong tree, and this is about longevity, and value for money.'
David Tiller, Standard Life's head of adviser platforms, said Standard Life Wealth charges 30bps plus VAT for discretionary services, which he considers 'pretty competitive'.
He agrees strong brands could thrive in the new era of transparency. 'There will be some pressure, but the flipside of that is people will pay for quality. It is particularly important when you look at discretionary management. It's not purely about cost, it's about whether you believe they will deliver your outcome, whatever that is.
'With the guys that have good brands and strong reputations, people are willing to pay their fees. It's the smaller businesses that maybe do not have the track record that might struggle.'
Sean Walsh, chartered financial planner and director at Ergowealth, said even though it appears DFMs are getting more competitive, clients are still getting stung by hidden costs.
'There is downward pressure as clients become aware of the fees they are paying. We still do not have the transparency we would like over total expense ratios and they [platforms] are keen to keep it vague,' he said.
'They are offering more value than before, but it comes down to how well IFAs can negotiate.'


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Each day we bring you one stunning little glimpse of history in the form of a historical photograph. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Mystery Man
Today is Saturday, so it is the day I post a picture of a person, and readers try and determine who it is. In past contests, it has taken about 5 minutes to get a winner. In the past, I gave a few clues, because I thought no one could possibly win. Because people have been winning so quickly, this time I am giving no clues at all, and we will see if anyone can figure out who this is. Good luck!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Migrant Worker
This picture was taken in 1937, and shows a Mexican Migrant Worker. The worker lives in a shack, and is holding a small child. Another reminder of the poverty of the Great Depression.
It looks like the government could not reach agreement on the bank bailout, and so the markets look pretty nervous this morning. The bailout is pretty unpopular with most people, because it is viewed as rescuing the fat cats on Wall Street. Unfortunately, as we found out in the 30's, when the banks fail, it hurts all of us. No one comes out whole. At the same time, there probably is a painful period coming that is unavoidable, due to the excesses we have been enjoying.
It looks like the government could not reach agreement on the bank bailout, and so the markets look pretty nervous this morning. The bailout is pretty unpopular with most people, because it is viewed as rescuing the fat cats on Wall Street. Unfortunately, as we found out in the 30's, when the banks fail, it hurts all of us. No one comes out whole. At the same time, there probably is a painful period coming that is unavoidable, due to the excesses we have been enjoying.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Farman Airplane
Posted by PJM at 5:53 AM 2 comments:
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Saying Grace
This photograph was taken in Pie Town, New Mexico in 1940. It shows a group of people saying grace before a Barbeque. I really love this picture, and it reminds me of many events I went to as a child back in the 60's. It reminds of the very strong sense of community that existed where I grew up. I can not think of being part of something like this anytime in the last 25 years. I miss it.
Posted by PJM at 5:54 AM 6 comments:
Labels: 1940's
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
General Pershing
Monday, September 22, 2008
Kern County California
This photograph was taken in 1939 and shows a carload of migrant workers on their way to look for work in the San Joaquin Valley. The picture was taken on US 99 in Kern County, California. The car appears to be from the 1920's, but I am not sure if it is a Model T or not.
Well, I guess we will learn more about the Government's bailout program for the financial institutions. It sounds like they are going to print up $700,000,000,000 to try and cover just about all the bad loans in the country. If it is like most things, it will end up costing twice as much as they think. It is really scary to me . . . every time they print money like this, it gets easier and easier.
Well, I guess we will learn more about the Government's bailout program for the financial institutions. It sounds like they are going to print up $700,000,000,000 to try and cover just about all the bad loans in the country. If it is like most things, it will end up costing twice as much as they think. It is really scary to me . . . every time they print money like this, it gets easier and easier.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Mystery Man
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Farmer's Market
This is a picture from the 1930's that shows a couple of farmers at their stand at a Farmer's Market.
Is it just my imagination, or does produce purchased directly from the farmer taste much, much better than what you get in the Walmart Supercenter? Take sweet corn on the cob for example. Have you ever bought sweet corn right out of a field from a farmer? There is nothing like it. Once you have had it, you really can not eat corn bought from the grocery store. I don't think I have ever gotten a good ear of corn from the grocery store. Also, watermelons . . . we use to buy watermelons on the side of the highway right in front of the farmer's watermelon patch. I have never had a store bought watermelon any where near as good as those I bought from the road side stands. Peaches are another example. Home grown peaches from the Texas Hill Country are like something you have never tasted before. The only good produce I have ever bought commercially are the fruits you can mail order from Harry and David. These are as good as what you get directly from the farmer, but my are they expensive. I have had people send me the Harry and David gift baskets, or the fruit of the month gifts, and have always enjoyed those, but they are more of a treat, not something you would order every day.
Anyway, I am hoping that the roadside fruit and vegetable stands, and the Farmer's Markets will make a come back.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Bear Cub
Posted by PJM at 5:55 AM 2 comments:
Labels: Alaska
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Old Country Church
This is a picture of an old Church in New Mexico. The picture was taken in 1940, and shows the Llano de San Juan, New Mexico. I love the old architecture of New Mexico.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Run on Bank
Today we feature a photograph of a Bank Run. The picture was taken in New York City in 1912.
I appreciate all the insightful comments on the post yesterday. I noticed last night that the government decided to bail out AIG. They provided 85 Billion dollars to try and save the company. I am sure it was a tough decision to make. If they had not done it, a collapse of AIG could well have led to a wide spread financial collapse, as AIG insures all types of financial instruments. On the other hand, the government in effect just printed another 85 Billion dollars. The thing that scares me is that every time the government cranks up the printing presses to bail someone out, it gets a little easier.
I appreciate all the insightful comments on the post yesterday. I noticed last night that the government decided to bail out AIG. They provided 85 Billion dollars to try and save the company. I am sure it was a tough decision to make. If they had not done it, a collapse of AIG could well have led to a wide spread financial collapse, as AIG insures all types of financial instruments. On the other hand, the government in effect just printed another 85 Billion dollars. The thing that scares me is that every time the government cranks up the printing presses to bail someone out, it gets a little easier.
Posted by PJM at 6:07 AM 7 comments:
Labels: Economy
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Great Depression
Today we feature the famous picture of the woman of the Great Depression. The photograph was taken in 1936 by Dorothea Lange. This picture has become synonymous with the Great Depression.
With the economic news of the last few days, posting this picture seemed appropriate. I am really concerned about the financial state of the country. While I hope things bounce back, I worry that there is a lot more pain that we must endure to purge the excesses that had been in the system. It is as if we have been living in the 1920's, and now we have to face the 1930's. Over the weekend several major financial companies went under, and others are hanging on by a thread. The Dow Jones Industrial averages were down by over 500 points yesterday.
The thing I notice when I look at these old pictures that I post every day is how much more stuff we have today than what our parents had. The truth is, I wonder how much of this stuff we really need. Maybe a realignment of our attitudes about what is wanted vs. what is needed would be a good thing.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Temperance Movement
This is a great photograph taken in 1919. The picture shows a group of women committing to rather extreme measures in support of the temperance movement. The temperance movement was an effort in the 1910's in the United States to reduce alcohol consumption. It actually led to Prohibition. I will not speculate on how successful the strategy taken by this group of women was.
Many thanks to long time blog participant Al L. for contributing this photo.
Many thanks to long time blog participant Al L. for contributing this photo.
Posted by PJM at 5:55 AM 8 comments:
Labels: The 1910's, Women
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Christening a Submarine
This picture was taken in 1943 and shows the christening of the submarine USS Plaice. The woman doing the honors is Eleanor Fazzi. She was given the honor because she had recently lost her brother who was killed on the USS Yorktown at the Battle of Coral Sea. The submarine served in World War II, and was later acquired by the Brazilian navy. Before retiring the submarine, the Brazilian navy provided a memento, the sub's barometer to the Fazzi family.
Many thanks to Lea E. for providing this interesting old photograph.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Who is This Man
OK, last Saturday I posted a picture of a person, and asked visitors if they could identify him. It was Haile Selassie, who was a noble emperor of Ethiopia. It was not a very well known picture of him, and he is not very well known by many people, so I really thought that no one would solve the mystery. Well, the first correct answer came in about 5 minutes after I posted the picture. So, today I am going to post another Mystery Man and see if you can identify him. I am almost certain that no one could identify him just from the photograph, so I feel like I need to give a few clews or no one would have a chance.
His initials are H.S. (No this is not Haile Selassie)
Almost no one knows his name, but hundreds of millions of people have been inspired by words he wrote.
An organization he started took the photograph of Haile Selassie posted last week.
His life changed forever on November 21, 1873.
Who was this man, and more importantly, what is his story? Hope you all don't mind if I post a puzzle like this on Saturdays.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Barbed Wire Fence
This picture was taken in 1939 near El Indio Texas. A farmers is working on repairing a fence. Fence work turns out to be pretty hard work. Especially hard is digging the post holes in rocky ground.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Pool Hall
This picture was taken in 1939 in Fairfield, Montana. It shows a Pool Hall and an old water pump out front. When I was growing up, our little town had a pool hall, but it was not a place respectable people went. I am not sure what it was about pool that was not respectable. I don't know if pool halls had a bad reputation in other parts of the country, but where I grew up, you were told to never go in the pool hall.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Top of the Capitol Dome
This picture was taken in 1909. It shows three men on the top of the US Capitol dome in Washington DC. They look like they are installing or working on the statue that sits atop the capitol.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Service Station Mechanic
This picture was taken in 1940, and shows a service station attendant. I love the big smile this man has, and I am sure he gave one to every customer he ever served. I can remember growing up in the 1960's filling stations still had attendants come out and fill your car, wash your windshield, check your oil, and check your tire pressure. The attendant would usually have a piece of bubble gum for the kids.
Businesses have become so impersonal these days. I have to admit I miss the days when things moved at a little slower pace. People had a lot less, but there was much more of a sense of community among people and businesses in a neighborhood.
Posted by PJM at 6:19 AM 4 comments:
Labels: 1940's
Monday, September 8, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
This photograph was taken in the 1910's and shows a secretary working on an old typewriter. I love looking at the old typewriter and thinking about how much has changed in the last 100 years. I got my first real job in 1984. I can remember at that time, there were no personal computers in the office. There were computers in the building, but they were used to control scientific instruments. At that time, if you wanted to use a computer, you sat down in front of it, and wrote a program. There were not things like word processors or windows or graphics. The computer turned on, and you wrote a program telling it what calculation or function you wanted it to do. I think it was probably about 1985 that our office got the first personal computer. There was one for the entire building. Not many people used it. Then, within another year or so, people started getting PCs in their offices. This was a huge productivity boost, as individuals could produce their own memos and reports without going through the secretary, who was usually days behind on her work. Then, several years later, email came out. I can remember how exciting it was to be able to instantaneously communicate with people. What I did notice, however, is that very quickly people became somewhat lazy and sloppy in their communication. People did not put the thought and care into their email communications that they had typically done with paper memos or reports. Overall, I think computers have increased the volume of communication between people, but have dramatically lowered the quality of communication. I have an old trunk full of family letters. These letters are treasures, with family members pouring their heart out to their loved ones. Some how email is just not as intimate as a good old fashioned hand written letter. I guess no one writes those any more.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Who is This Man
A few days ago someone posted a comment saying that they enjoyed reading the visitor comments more than the original posts on this site. Actually, I take that as a great compliment. I am delighted to have such insightful and thoughtful people both reading and posting comments to the blog. I learn something almost every day from visitor contributions. Thanks, and hope all will continue to make this site more interesting.
Today, I want to take it up a notch, and see just how resourceful our readers are. So, I am not going to tell you who this person is, and I want to see if anyone recognizes him, and knows about him. I consider him to be one of the most intriguing figures in World History. I consider him to be a great man. He is no longer living, but was a great leader. Does anyone know who he is?
Friday, September 5, 2008
Old Grocery Store
This is a wonderful photograph showing a feed store in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was taken in 1942. It just seems like shopping was so much more civil back in the 1940's. Little shops like these were owned by individuals who operated them with pride. When you bought something, you were buying from the person who owned the store. When I was growing up in the 60's I can remember Mom and Pop grocery stores similar to the one pictured above. I think America really lost something when we lost these small corner shops.
Posted by PJM at 6:11 AM 8 comments:
Labels: 1940's, Storefronts
Thursday, September 4, 2008
This is an interesting picture of a Yemenite Jew Blowing the Shofar, or Sabbath Horn. It was created in 1934 by Matson Photo Service in Jerusalem.The photograph presents a stunning image of this sacred Jewish tradition. The Shofar is mentioned in the Bible in Leviticus 25: "Then you shall transmit a blast on the horn; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, the day of Yom Kippur, you shall have the horn sounded throughout the land, And proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." The Shofar was made from a Ram's Horn, and was used to announce important events to the Jewish People. The horn is blown 100 times, and serves as a reminder to the Jewish People that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Mark Twain
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Taos Indian
Monday, September 1, 2008
Mining the Dakota Territory
Posted by PJM at 7:13 AM 2 comments:
Labels: Gold Rush
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