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Latest News
Obama spends big now, talks austerity later — 10 years later
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama boasts that he'll reduce spending on key domestic nondefense programs to their lowest levels since the 1960s, but he and Democrats in Congress are on a spending spree not seen since then.
Few analysts or members of Congress expect Obama to meet his cost-cutting goal, which he projects he won't meet for 10 years.
"Projections for future years rarely come true," said Marc Goldwein, policy director at the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Some Democratic lawmakers agreed.
"I don't see this in the next 10 years. We just have too many challenges we have to face," said Rep. G. K. Butterfield, D-N.C., who voted for the House of Representatives' Democratic budget on Thursday.
House and Senate negotiators will try later this month to craft a budget plan that looks ahead. Its most important goal, however, will be to set budget levels for fiscal 2010 — which starts on Oct. 1 — and they're expected to boost spending for non-defense discretionary programs by 7 to 9.5 percent for that year.
Obama has proposed to raise fiscal 2010 spending by 10.1 percent, citing the economic emergency. At the same time, though, he's talking as if his budget is a blueprint for fiscal austerity.
The president told a March 24 press conference that "as a percentage of gross domestic product, we are reducing non-defense discretionary spending to its lowest level since the '60s, lower than it was under Reagan, lower than it was under Clinton, lower than it was under Bush, or both Bushes."
What Obama didn't say is that, under his budget, that low percentage won't be reached until fiscal 2019. Even if Obama serves two terms, fiscal 2019 won't begin until nearly two years after he leaves office.
One clue to the administration's — and the Congress' — seriousness about holding spending in check could come this week, when Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to discuss the fate of several big-ticket weapons programs, including the Air Force's F-22 fighter and the Army's Future Combat Systems, which big defense contractors have been lobbying hard to keep.
White House Budget Director Peter Orszag estimates that by 2019, nondefense discretionary spending will drop to 3.1 percent of gross domestic product, the lowest level since the early 1960s.
OMB officials also point out that such spending over the next 10 years would average 3.6 percent of GDP under their plan, lower than the 40-year average of 3.8 percent. But such spending in 2010 — the year they're budgeting for now — is expected to reach 4.7 percent of GDP, considerably higher than the 40-year average.
Analysts and lawmakers see several problems with the 10-year projection.
First, the administration assumes that the economy will grow at an average of 2.6 percent annually, but it's impossible to predict that with certainty. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office envisions somewhat slower growth, but long-term economic forecasts are notoriously inaccurate.
Second, the political situation is likely to change over 10 years. Will Obama win a second term? Will he have to deal a Republican Congress? Will there be a new war, or an escalating old one, that sends military spending up?
Many recent presidents have painted similarly rosy scenarios, only to be upset by events.
Shortly after he took office in January 1981, President Ronald Reagan promised a balanced budget by fiscal 1984. But his huge tax cuts, military spending boosts and the nation's worst recession since the 1930s up to then combined to drive deficits sky high.
His successor, George H. W. Bush, said eight years later that he'd balance the budget by fiscal 1993. Instead, Bush in fiscal 1992 faced a then-record $290 billion deficit.
Only Bill Clinton was successful, predicting deficits around $180 billion by the end of his first term in 1997. A combination of strong deficit-reduction legislation, a booming economy and, after 1995, a Republican-led Congress, helped deliver a federal surplus from fiscal 1998 to 2001.
Under President George W. Bush, deficits returned after 9/11, the product of big tax cuts, spending increases on defense and homeland security, and a recession. Even so, in his final budget last year, Bush, too, pledged a balanced budget by 2012.
So much for projections from former presidents.
The CBO last month estimated the 2012 deficit under Obama's plan would be $658 billion.
Some lawmakers agree with Obama's goal of getting future deficits under control.
"We have to get it down to the levels the president wants, or we're all going to be out of office in a few years," said Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J.
His is a lonely voice, however, because Democrats see nondefense discretionary spending on a path to increase this year and next at the highest inflation-adjusted rate since the 1960s.
"It's insane," said Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss. "This is the fourth president since I've been in the House who's said they were going to fix the deficit in later years. It only worked out for Bill Clinton."
Other Democrats were more circumspect.
"It disturbs me a bit," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., "but we're getting some good funding for transportation, and that's very important."
And they're making no promises about where the deficit will be in the future.
"The president," said Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., "is ahead of his time."
White House Budget Director Peter Orszag blogs on non-defense discretionary spending
Deficits and surpluses through the years
President">George W. Bush's proposed fiscal 2009 budget
House of Representatives 2010 budget fact sheet
President Obama's 2010 budget outline
House of Representatives Republican 2010 budget
CBO: Obama's budget would double deficit over decade
Greatest threat to Obama spending plan? Democrats
Health-care overhaul could hinge on procedural gamble
Another Obama grassroots drive leaves lawmakers unfazed


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Hi everyone. I have my Electribe on midi out to my Nord synth. Electribe being the master and Nord being the slave. When it's not in chain mode and I manually change the pattern on the Electribe the midi out works fine and automatically changes to matching Nord pattern. But when in chain mode, when the next electribe pattern plays, the Nord synth stays on the same pattern. Is there a setting I'm not seeing here?
When in chain mode and you want to skip to the next pattern in less bars than you have saved in the chain mode. is there a way of jumping quickly to the next pattern?
Any help would be much appreciated. Marie

subset: commoncrawl


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The Lycan's Den
Tucked away in a privately owned five square mile tract of wooded land stands a familiar building that was built on an even more familiar, yet old, wood framed building. Although it is a few miles from the city, it is far enough away that it is rather hard for regular people to simply stumble upon the place. Those who are…different, however, will find the Den easily enough. The door to the bar, as well as the rooms upstairs and the multiple cabins built up around the main building, are always open for those that wander this war-torn realm. Any time of day or night, one can find both comfort and friends here.
Even though this is a meeting place created and ran by Lycans, all other races are more than welcome here as well. However, this is The Lycan's Den and therefore certain rules must be observed. The drinking of blood in any form as well as the use of any type of magic is strictly forbidden. Any other forms of disruptive behavior will not be tolerated, and the offending person or persons will be ejected most forcibly from the premises. This is a place of peaceful fellowship, not a place for drama and senseless arguments. I strongly urge our customers not to test me on this. If you bring trouble into this bar, I will personally hunt you down to whichever city you run to and proceed to stomp a mud hole in you and then walk it dry.
Almost every type of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage can be found at the bar of the Den. If at first you don't see someone tending bar, simply call out for Tabatha (NPC) with your order and she will take care of your drinks quite promptly. If it is food you are looking for, Raul (NPC) is an amazingly talented chef for someone who is so hideous to look at. Try not to talk to him too much as he hates everybody equally, but he can prepare absolutely any non-restricted meal from the Den's absurdly well-stocked pantry.
Now then, to all those who wish to come and join us in friendship and camaraderie--I, John Doe, along with my wife and co-owner Adara, bid you welcome. May our shared pain be lessened, and our shared joy increased.
As much as John liked being around his family and the rest of his clan out on the reservation there was a reason he left all those years ago. Part of it was to protect his people from himself and his actions but if he is being honest, part of it was just because he couldn't be around people for so long.
It only made matters worse when his one buffer, his wife, decided she couldn't take anymore either and left for some mountain privacy. It didn't take very long at all after her departure that he decided it would be a good idea to say his goodbyes and head back to the Den.
While packing the few belongings that he had brought with him he wasn't at all worried about his wife returning and finding him no longer there with the clan. He was quite certain that once she had had enough of Colorado she would go straight to upstate New York instead of back here to the desert.
In anticipation of her final destination he makes sure that Raul and Tabatha will get there first and have things up and running for their return. The Den has been shuttered for a bit now and would need some serious elbow grease applied in order to have it back up to any kind of decent condition. Just refilling the freezer alone would be a monumental task for the ugly little goblin cook. John had no doubts they could handle it though, they have always come through when needed and then some.
With the help on the way to the Den and his farewells said to his family and people the man known to the Realm as John Doe boards a reserved private jet and flies non stop to a small private air strip that allows him certain travel freedoms that a normal airport can't provide. On this trip he doesn't have anything questionable on or about his person or luggage but it is still nice not having to deal with security checkpoints or other travelers in general.
It's a short drive from the air field to the Den but still John is relieved that Raul had the foresight to have a car there for him so that he didn't have to run all the way through the woods carrying his bag in his jaws. That would have been less than dignified to say the least. As it was, he was able to make good time to the Den and arrive with all of his clothes still on and in humanoid form, all of those being definite plusses.
Once inside the grand lodge that he and his wife and now their child call the Den he sets his bag behind the bar and checks the most important aspect of the entire building, his whiskey supply.
A tall glass of Jack in hand John gives a sigh of contentment, quite happy to be back home. The only thing that will improve his current situation is having his wife and child back here as well. He knows it won't be long before they arrive though, he has a way of knowing her mind and knowing what she is going to do often before she even knows herself. With that knowledge in mind he picks up his bag from behind the bar and heads out the back door of the Den to follow the path around the lake that leads to their actual house just past the member and guest cabins up on a small hill overlooking the lake and Den property.
It doesn't take him long to make sure the house is in good order and is being aired out for their re-habitation. It would only take a bit of dusting, linen changing and restocking the kitchen for it to be as if they had never been away. Luckily he knew a service that would take care of all that. It isn't like he was going to do any cleaning, that would seriously eat into his drinking time.
Things have been going quite well as far as returning the Den and it's surrounding buildings back to fully operational status and John was enjoying a bit of down time in the office just off the bar in the main building when he heard a very familiar and much missed voice. His darling wife and little demon child had finally managed to leave the solitude of the mountains and return home.
With the door to the office open he is able to hear everything going on in the main room and he can't help but smile to himself as his wife is already soliciting their one customer to silence in a mild misadventure in parenting. The big man certainly wasn't worried about their child getting hurt while in her mother's care, he had dropped the demon baby on more than one occasion without ever telling her mother a thing about it. It was rarely on her head though so he is sure that no real damage was caused. Mostly sure.
Stepping out of the office he gives his wife his most welcoming smile, and it really was quite genuine for he has missed them both immensely in the time that they were gone and was supremely happy that they had made their return.
"Really now my dearest, lets not entangle every stranger we meet with secrets and intrigue, wait until he has had a few more drinks in him at least."
With a good natured laugh he comes out from around the bar to embrace both his wife and their satan spawn child in a very warm welcome.
"I'm glad you are back, I think I have wandered around on my own up here quite long enough for now. You know things are always so much better when you are close."


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GRAHAM, N.C. – The King University men's golf team came into the second round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament in fifth place. The Tornado weren't able to move up the leader board in the second round as they finished in eighth place with a total of 608 after shooting 300 on the second day.
John Scott led the Tornado in the second round, carding a one-under 71 after his first round 76. His total of 147 game him a 10th place finish in the tournament. Taylor Gouge followed Scott with a one-over 73 in the second round. After carding an 80 in the first round, Gouge finished with a total of 153.
Ross Maietta followed his first round of 76 with 78 in the second round to finish at 158 while Leennawat Numpituckchaikul carded 76-78 for a total of 154. Richard Powell rounded out the squad, shooting 85-80 for a total of 165.
King's total of 608 put them in eight place while the top four teams will play match play tomorrow to decide the conference championship. Belmont Abbey College earned the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament after finishing first at 574. Barton College followed at 578 and Queens University finished third with a total of 587. Limestone College rounded out the top-four, carding a 593.


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Map of Port Victoria, SA
Not the 'Port Victoria' you were after? Try: Port Victoria (the bay) near Port Victoria in South Australia; or Port Victoria (the regional area) in South Australia.
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Not sure how to measure your kitchen? Follow our measuring guideline and send us a drawing, our professional designers will be more than happy to help you!Learn more >>
We usually deliver your design in just one day! You will have your dedicated design expert to help you create your charming and extraordinary dream kitchen!Learn more >>
Once the design is settled, simply convert the item list we provided into your cart and checkout! We will take care of the shipping and the rest of the work.Learn more >>
Buy Assembled & RTA Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets Online
Ordering All Solid Wood RTA Kitchen Cabinets Online - Start Here!
1. Find your cabinet color - Browse our selection of cabinet colors and styles and compare our pricing in Basic Kitchen Pricing and see What is Basic Kitchen Pricing This may not be your actual price but will give you relative pricing for different cabinet choices.
2. Measure your kitchen - Learn How To Measure Your Kitchen and submit to our Free Design Service. We will return an ideal design with pricing usually the same day, so you know exactly how much it will cost before you buy online.
3. Order sample doors - Once a design is completed and you have a quote, we highly recommend that you order your Sample Door before making your purchase online so that you can see and feel the quality of our products in person. Currently, you can register an account on our website and use coupon code "WELCOME" at checkout page to save $5 on your sample door order.
4. Review and place the order online - Review Ordering Guidelines to confirm you will be getting all the cabinets and accessories, or just Contact Us and request for an itemized list. Register, add all the items to the cart, apply any discounts, choose your shipping method and pay your total.
5. Receive your order - Review our Shipping Policy online which will provide you with order preparation, transit time and delivery procedures. Once you receive the products, you can start building your dream kitchen. View our Assembly Instructions for questions regarding assembly.
Thank you in advance for purchasing our products. We feel confident that you will enjoy your new kitchen as much as our previous customers and welcome any photos or comments you would like to forward to us.
How is the quality of our RTA cabinets compared to other sources?
The overall quality of a cabinet mainly depends on the construction of the cabinet body and drawers, the finish of the doors, and the hardware it comes with. Our cabinets are all minimum 1/2" cabinet grade plywood panels, with most of the styles having a 5/8" plywood box and shelving. Most of our drawers come standard with dovetailed solid wood drawer boxes and under mount soft close tracks. Our Euro-style cabinets have a standard 3/4" plywood box and Euro style aluminum drawer sides. The majority of our cabinets goes through a 4 coat paint process so the finish is silky smooth and will not fade with use or exposure to frequent contact with water. Many companies only use a 1-2 coat paint finish. All our cabinet doors and drawers are solid wood. You will be receiving high-quality solid wood products at a lower price, which is possible due to owning our own factory and supplying ourselves.
Lead time = preparing time + shipping time
Lead time varies by purchased products and customer's location.
- Ready to Assemble Cabinets & Bathroom Vanities: 3-5 business days
- All Kitchen Accessories: 2-4 business days
- Furniture Style Vanities: 1-3 business days
(RTA cabinets may be prepared in less than 3 business days for the following styles: Mahogany Shaker, Espresso Shaker, White Shaker, Grey Shaker, Ash Taupe, Dove White Glaze, American Walnut, Milan, Cocoa, Bella, Piano Paint White Gloss and Piano Paint Charcoal Gloss)
Our shipping time is based on 6 different zones in the US and 2 zones in Canada.
- * Numbers above means average how many business days a shipment takes to get to that zone. Weekends are not included in the transit time.
- * Sometimes shipment may take longer to get to the customer due to the hard reach locations or during a busy season.
- * Best Online Cabinets does not have any control of the shipping companies once the shipment been picked up.
Whole kitchen orders will always go by freight while loose items will ship through UPS. Most of the US customers will receive the cabinets within 2 weeks.
How do I get absolutely free design help quickly?When you are ready to do a layout of your kitchen, you can submit your measurements to our design center. Generally, we will email your design, including 3D perspectives same day or next day. In order for us to help you in the quickest manner, please limit your design to one layout. Once you had a chance to review the first layout you can email us back to make changes. The more changes or different layouts you request the longer it will take for us to get back to you. Along with the design, we will also provide with an initial estimate, which is fairly accurate. In order to have the most accurate estimate please select one style of cabinetry for your estimate and design. If you would like to get the estimate in another style you can always email us back. Sometimes when you switch styles, it will completely change the layout, such as switching from face frame cabinets to frameless cabinets. Our designers work hard to respond to each and every design request promptly so you don't have to wait long. Make sure the measurements you submit is accurate and complete. If you have questions on measuring your kitchen, please check our measuring guideline. Emailing us some pictures along with the measurements is also helpful. If you would like to speak with one of our designers please email us at email@example.com
Our main goal is to help you complete your kitchen. If there is something missing in the boxes, or you received any damaged or defective items, please check our Damages and Replacements Guideline, then either email us or CLICK HERE to submit your replacement request.
Please make sure that you attach pictures of the whole product and the damaged part. It will help us better understand the issue and determine which items you will need.
- *We cannot release any replacement parts without pictures. So the earlier you send the pictures, the earlier we can send the items.
- *All claims will be addressed in the order they were received.
- *We will do everything possible to keep your project moving forward, but some parts or cabinets may not be available immediately. Please allow time for a response to any damage issues.
- *Sometimes there may be imperfections on the products. Please understand that some minor imperfections are considered acceptable for solid wood products. We recommend that you include the matching color touch up kit for your order so that these minor imperfections can be easily fixed.
- *Please understand that we cannot overnight any of the replacement pieces. We have a contract with UPS and they come to our warehouse every day to pick up the small packages.
- *For some surface scratches or any other damage showing at places that will never be seen after the whole kitchen is done, if they are unrelated to the strength of the cabinets, it is considered acceptable. If you submit a claim for any of these items, we will still send you replacement pieces, but please understand that all claims will take time and delay your project.


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Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Time of Poss.
(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) - The 20th-ranked Thomas More College football team fell, 13-7, to 11th-ranked St. John Fisher College in overtime tonight (Saturday, September 1, 2012) in its season-opener at Growney Stadium in Rochester, New York.
With the loss, the Saints fall to 0-1, and with the win, the Cardinals improve to 1-0. It was Thomas More's first overtime game since the 2006 season.
St. John Fisher led 7-0 after one quarter and the game was tied 7-7 at halftime, after three quarters and after regulation.
The Cardinals took a 7-0 lead with 7:04 to play in the first quarter when Tyler Stell caught a nine-yard pass from Ryan Kramer.
Thomas More tied the game at 7-7 when sophomore quarterback Luke Magness (Pleasureville, Ky./Henry County) connected on a six-yard pass to sophomore running back Devin Kendrick (Cincinnati, Ohio/Reading) with 10:18 to play in the second quarter.
Thomas More had the ball first in overtime and couldn't score. St. John Fisher won the game on their possession of the first overtime period when Cody Miller scored on a two-yard run.
The Saints were led offensively by Magness, who was 12-of-23 passing for 85 yards and one touchdown and had 11 rushes for 11 yards and junior running back Domonique Hayden (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Christian Academy), who had 12 carries for 17 yards and two catches for 29 yards. Senior wide receiver Tony Bell (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) had five catches for 25 yards and sophomore running back Landon Savoy (Radcliff, Ky./John Hardin) finished the game with three carries and 17 yards.
Freshman linebacker Nick Pennekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) led the Saints' defense with 10 tackles. Junior defensive back Alex Taylor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) had eight and half tackles and one force fumble, senior linebacker Elijah Anglim (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) finished with seven tackles, while sophomore defensive lineman Erick Butler (Eminence, Ky./Henry County) had six and a half tackles and one sack.
Thomas More is idle until Saturday, September 15 when it hosts Westminster College in its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opener at The Bank of Kentucky Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m.


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I couldn't go without sharing at least ONE of the cards right away, so here is one I created for Lawn Fawn's WCMD challenge. You simply had to create a Thank You card with Lawn Fawn stamps AND SEND IT! Well, mine won't actually officially be sent until Monday, but I am sending it to all of YOU virtually because I truly thank you for being so awesome. Yesterday's post reminded me just how much I love my blog readers!!! You guys seriously ROCK!!! Thank You!!!
The stamps are Lawn Fawn, of course, and I colored them with Twinkling H2O's from Creative Imaginations. I love the shimmer and I SO wish you could see it better in the photo! The sticker is SRM Press and the twine is, of course, from The Twinery. Yay!!! The label is cut from the Art Philosophy cartridge by Sally the Cricut.
And now, my friends, I am SOOOO going to bed! I'm a seeeeepy, seeeepy, girl! HA! BUT...the good news is, I'm pretty sure I can make more stuff tomorrow! YAY for fun crafty happy weekends!!!!!
Jingle Out!
P.S. Did you make any cards for World Card Making Day?


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Exclusive artist-curated pop-ups from Snoop Dogg, Capital Cities and Allen Stone with special daily programming to provide an array of exciting sounds, tastes and sights for a one–of-a-kind festival experience
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 2014-2-24 — /Travel PR News/ — Airbnb, the world's leading community driven hospitality company today announced it is teaming up with Capitol Records and Cashmere Agency during the 2014 SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX. The Airbnb Park will feature exclusive artist-curated pop-ups and diverse daily programming. Airbnb celebrates the most interesting people, places and experiences worldwide, and this new collaboration will provide SXSW attendees with a distinctly one-of-a-kind experience in Austin this year.
From March 11 to 15, The Airbnb Park will showcase pop-ups and open public spaces welcoming artists and fans to an oasis amidst the bustle of SXSW. Here, SXSW goers can enjoy an array of activities day and night including spa treatments, yoga, live music courtesy of emerging acts ranging from bluegrass to rock to hip hop, and specialty cooking events. The centerpieces will be three kitHAUS pop-ups curated by a trio of music artists: entertainment superstar Snoop Dogg, acclaimed LA-based indie-pop duo Capital Cities and 26-year-old soul sensation Allen Stone. Each artist will collaborate with designer Emily Henderson on the design of their pop-up to best convey their personal styles within the pop-up. Additionally, each of them will contribute to the programming at each pop-up, from specially selected musical performances to exclusive food tastings.
Attendees can stop by The Airbnb Park for beautifully designed public spaces, which include park and dining areas and wi-fi hot spots. Daily programming will entice the senses and prepare visitors for the long days and nights ahead: morning "Hang Time" will serve up organic coffee and freshly-pressed juices, "Rise + Relax" will feature meditation and yoga sessions, and rotating local chefs and food trucks will prepare tasty creations, and for those who stay out 'til the sun comes up, soothing awaits at the "Hangover Haven."
"Musicians spend so much time on the road. We know they appreciate encountering great local experiences as well as the personal comforts of home when they are away from their own for so long," says Amy Curtis-McIntyre, CMO for Airbnb. "What better way to celebrate the music community than offering the rich one-of-a-kind experiences Airbnb provides with a park that fuses it all?"
"Cashmere is excited to be partnering with Airbnb during SXSW," says Ted Chung, Founder of Cashmere Agency. "We're fans of Airbnb and how they're changing the way people travel. We look forward to creating more innovative campaigns with them."
For a full schedule of Airbnb SXSW events and a special invitation to join us in Austin, log on to www.airbnb.com/music.
About Airbnb:
Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world – online or from a mobile phone. Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 35,000 cities and 192 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.


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Miles&Smiles lets you transfer Miles to loved ones so they can make up the Miles needed for awards. You can share your Miles for a fee of USD 10 for every 1,000 Miles, and help your friends and family discover more of the world.
A confirmation e-mail and SMS will be sent to members once Miles have been transferred.


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EGLIN AFB � Mary Barnes once thought she knew a lot. The 76-year-old said her opinion changed 13 years ago when she began volunteering for the oncology department at Eglin Hospital.
Editor�s Note: This series recognizes people who make a difference in their communities. To nominate someone, call Wendy Victora at 315-4478 or email email@example.com
EGLIN AFB � Mary Barnes once thought she knew a lot. The 76-year-old said her opinion changed 13 years ago when she began volunteering for the oncology department at Eglin Hospital.
�I had to leave the room when there was something unpleasant,� Barnes said of when she started. �I�m at a place now where I have to be strong for these patients.�
The retired schoolteacher said she started volunteering in radiology, but when a need came for the oncology department, she transferred. Now she goes at least once a week.
�A lot of patients, I feel, need TLC,� Barnes said. �A smile can help them be positive about everything. I�ll just hold their hand, get them a blanket or just sit and talk with them.�
Barnes said through her years she has seen patients at their best and at their worst � sometimes willing to take on the world, sometimes right after hearing the chemo isn�t working.
Her strength comes from sheer necessity.
�Once I get in my car, that�s when it comes out and I cry all the way home,� she said.
Barnes gives credit to the doctors and nurses. She said their devotion inspires volunteers and patients to keep looking forward.
�The patients know that they are loved and thought of every day,� Barnes said, her eyes tearing up. �They are not another bump on a log. They matter.�
Also nominated:
Tim Ryan: This DeFuniak Springs florist visits schools and teaches children how to make flower arrangements for their moms.
Teresa Rodgers: The activity director at Superior Residences of Niceville was nominated for the enthusiasm she brings to her job.
Matthew Sexton: The owner of Chick-Fil-A in Fort Walton Beach is known for exemplifying his personal creed of �to whom much is given, much is required.�
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.


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GLENDALE, Ariz., April 5 (UPI) -- Michael Stone ignited a three-goal Phoenix second period Thursday that rallied the Coyotes to a 4-2 victory over Detroit.
Phoenix jumped back into the playoff picture, which currently finds six teams -- the Coyotes and Red Wings among them -- separated by three points in the battle for the final two post-season spots in the Western Conference.
Valtteri Filppula scored on the power play for Detroit 1:56 into the contest, but the Coyotes took charge in the second period and then held off a late threat.
Stone tied it with a slap shot with 1:47 having elapsed in the second period, Chris Conner gave Phoenix the lead 7 minutes later and Shane Doan added his 12th of the season with 3:59 to go in the stanza.
Chad Johnson made 34 saves for Phoenix, but surrendered a power-play goal to Daniel Cleary with 1:13 left in the third that gave the Red Wings hope for an improbable rally.
Martin Hanzal then delivered an empty-net goal just before the final horn. Jimmy Howard stopped 34 shots in taking the loss.


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You are… The One
On trend stand out letterpress style designs for family, milestone ages and Christmas printed and foiled on high quality textured board.
SKU: LP040 Category: Cards, Letterpress.
We are passionate about our products being made in Britain. A product's provenance is important to us and we want to support and endorse British-Made wherever possible. We will continue to source high quality products in the UK and partner with suppliers who are proud to be 'Wonderfully British'.


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Exposing The Patent Troll Playbook... And How To (Almost) Beat It
from the this-is-innovation? deptWe've written about patent hoarding firm RTI before, back when it sued Google. At the time, we pointed to Rich Tehrani's fantastic article about the company and how it was basically one guy who claimed his rather narrow patents covered pretty much everything having to do with VoIP. Pretty much any company of any substantial size that had anything to do with VoIP had been on the receiving end of threats and/or lawsuits from RTI.
Now, Joe Mullin points us to an absolutely fantastic description from the CEO of Fonality exposing RTI's patent badgering techniques -- and how Fonality fought back and (almost) won. The "almost" part is the sad part. In the end, they still paid the guy a little bit of money, though it was significantly less than what he had been asking for (and what he had sued them for). And, tragically, this plays into RTI's game plan as well -- as part of his initial pitch is sending over a list of all the other companies who have settled over these patents, which makes plenty of companies feel that since those other companies "settled" then it wasn't worth fighting and they might as well settle too. This is unfortunate.
But at least the post describes how to push back on his various claims. Here's a short excerpt, but it's worth reading the whole thing:
It was then that Jimmy enacted the second part of the classic troll playbook. Peer pressure. Jimmy started to list (and provide documentation to support) literally hundreds of other "big" companies that had already settled with him over this same patent. Heck, it seemed like everyone from AT&T to Cisco was on this list. A sustained bout of queasiness settled over me. Yikes, if they couldn't beat this guy, what chance did I have? He even told us how he had sued the mighty Google for $5B!...Hopefully more folks will start exposing some of the sneakier tactics used in patent infringement lawsuits -- and how to fight back as well.
But, then a funny thing happened. When we asked him *how* much he had settled for, he wouldn't tell us. Nor did asking "the Google" (you know, that series of interconnected pipes) help us much. There just seemed to be a dearth of information on either settlement amounts or terms. Did they settle for a million dollars? A billion? A free iPod? An agreement not to mention that they settled for zero? Well, heck, if nobody was writing about it, and Jimmy wasn't boasting about it, it probably wasn't much to boast about anyway. So, when my lawyers called and asked us if we were ready to settle, I did what every strong leader does in a moment of crisis. I put the call on speakerphone, crawled under my desk, and cowered with hands over head. It was from that towering position of omniscience that I gave the proud warrior cry to "fight on!"
Filed Under: patent trolls, patents, responding
Companies: fonality, rti


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For immediate release: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Contacts: Naches R.D. Visitor Services Specialist Doug Jenkins, (509) 653-1468
Naches R.D. NEPA Coordinator Michelle King, (509) 653-1420
NACHESNaches Ranger District is in the process of surveying trail conditions to determine if restrictions are necessary on motorized trails.
We decided last month to go with trail evaluations to determine the necessity of restricting traffic on motorized trails this spring, said Naches District Ranger Irene Davidson. This will allow the Naches Ranger District to be flexible when implementing restrictions on designated trails, depending upon current trail and weather conditions.
Any restrictions will apply to Naches Ranger District trails with any type of motorized designation excluding wilderness areas.
The effort is intended to minimize trail and resource damage on motorized trails; maintain a quality motorized trail system; educate the public about trail misuse, erosion and maintenance requirements; and maintain positive relationships with volunteer and recreational user groups.
If a motorized trail is designated closed, it is closed to all usersmotorized or not, said Davidson.
Condition reports from trail coordinators, hydrologists, trail crew members, user groups, law enforcement officers and national forest visitors will be used to determine if trail restrictions are needed to prevent natural resource damage.
Once we have completed our surveys we will ask for an Emergency Closure of trails beginning May 1st through June 1st. This doesnt mean if trails dry out before June 1st they cant be open, said Davidson.
Annual trail condition reports will determine if seasonal restrictions are necessary, appropriate implementation dates and the trails that will be included.
Volunteer groups are an invaluable asset and every year they donate their time, energy and money to maintain recreational opportunities on the district, Davidson said. Any necessary trail restrictions will continue to allow permitted volunteer groups to perform trail maintenance even if restrictions are in place.
Communication with trail users will increase spring trail restriction effectiveness, according to Davidson. She said Forest Service managers recognize trail users often travel long distances and plan outings far in advance.
News releases, radio announcements, internet sites, and signs on Forest Service roads and trails will be used to notify the public when trail restrictions are implemented or rescinded.
Naches Ranger District staff will also work with local law enforcement officials on anticipated busy weekends to ensure compliance of restrictions.
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nations forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to State and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.
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The RobertWahlberg.com Webmastah!
Joined: 29 Nov 2002
Posts: 592
Location: USA
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:12 am
Post subject: Interview with Director John Singleton
The summer of Singleton
With 'Hustle & Flow' out Friday and 'Four Brothers' on the way, the filmmaker has a one-two punch.
By Chris Garcia
Sunday, July 17, 2005
John Singleton wears the relaxed, contented glow of someone whose life is taking smooth turns down uncluttered roads. The top is down, the sun is shining. That breeze feels good.
Singleton, who erupted in Hollywood at 24 with the 1991 inner-city drama "Boyz N the Hood," has another hit movie on his hands and a generous producing deal to go with it. The now-seasoned director dropped his own money "a few million," he mumbles to produce the buzzed-about hip-hop drama "Hustle & Flow," and it has paid off nicely.
Gritty, mesmerizing and groovy, "Hustle & Flow" tells the outta-the-ghetto tale of a low-budget pimp (Terrence Howard) in Memphis, whose dreams of hip-hop stardom begin to be realized with the beat-making help of two pals and the vocals of his female employees. The classic bootstrap story, written and directed by newcomer Craig Brewer, relates the hero's journey with enough catchy crunk beats, performer charisma and old-fangled inspiration to hook mainstream audiences while keeping it real.
A little bit of "Rocky" and a lot of "8 Mile," the film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival this year and landed Singleton a $16 million, three-movie deal from Paramount and MTV Films. This means he can produce movies that he wants to produce with someone else's money. Singleton looks forward to the movie's release this Friday. He knows he's holding gold.
"It turned out pretty good, man," he says.
In town last month for a sneak screening of "Hustle & Flow," the filmmaker is at the Driskill Hotel, practically stretched out on a cowskin couch, the hair of which is all bristle, like flattened cactus spines.
Boy, he seems relaxed. He's sort of plopped diagonally on the cow furniture, feet on the floor pointing south, head pointing north. (Go ahead, lie down, you want to say.) He has on loose blue jeans, white running shoes and an oversized polo shirt by Sean John (rap producer Sean Combs' clothing line). His sleepy grin takes little coaxing.
Singleton, 37, is rounder than expected. His bald head is like a smaller ball atop a bigger ball. He's thick, not fat, and stands 5 feet 6 inches tall. He has slender wrists and small hands. With open palm, he habitually rubs his naked scalp as we talk.
So calm, content, cool. Yeah, success rules. "Hustle & Flow" isn't all there is, either. His old friend Michael Jackson Singleton directed the singer's "Remember the Time" video was acquitted of child molestation and a battery of other unsavory charges. ("I'm really glad it worked out fine for him," he says.) And Singleton has deep faith in his latest directorial effort, "Four Brothers," a tough drama-comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and OutKast's Andre "Andre 3000" Benjamin. It opens Aug. 12.
"I'm really excited about the summer," Singleton says. "With 'Hustle & Flow' and 'Four Brothers,' I have a one-two punch going."
Which brings us to ask, is John Singleton hot again? (Which brings us to the meek, gulping regret of asking.)
"Hot again?" Singleton sniffs. "My last movie made $240 million!"
He's referring to "2 Fast 2 Furious," the critically deplored sequel to "The Fast and the Furious," both of which were raucous, pedal-to-the-metal action pictures. Blockbusters for blockheads.
And yet, "2 Fast" boasted the biggest opening ever for an African American director at the time, making all sorts of noise with $50.5 million in its first weekend. (It was surpassed last weekend by Tim Story's "Fantastic Four," which pulled in $56.1 million.)
What we mean by "hot again" is the universal adulation Singleton enjoyed 14 years ago with "Boyz N the Hood," when he became the youngest person ever nominated for the best director Oscar. He followed this influential film about growing up in the epicenter of drive-by shootings with the ill-received "Poetic Justice," starring Janet Jackson. Then came "Higher Learning" and the box office bomb "Rosewood," which depicted roiling racism in 1920s Florida.
It's here where we jump into our conversation with Singleton, whose next projects are producing "Black Snake Moon," written and directed by Brewer and starring Samuel L. Jackson, and writing and directing "Luke Cage," based on the 1970s Marvel comic books.
American-Statesman: How then would you sum up your career to date?
John Singleton: I've been able to do what I wanted to do. My first three movies made more money in the first weekend than they cost. The only movie I've done that hasn't been financially successful was "Rosewood." Talk about a risk. With that film I went to a place nobody had gone before. So I think I've done pretty well. I like the fact that I've done different kinds of films in different kinds of milieus, you know what I mean?
What drew you to big action pictures like "Shaft" and "2 Fast 2 Furious"?
At the beginning of my career I was really interested in being taken seriously as a director, to come on the scene and show these pretentious Hollywood people how to make really good movies that are topical but commercial. And I did that. But I got sick of having to watch these guys who direct music videos making all this money (on blockbusters). I was struggling to get these little movies made that really say something when it would be so easy to go off and do a movie that makes a whole lot of money. I know many ways to entertain an audience and tell a story. So I was like, "Let me try this." I decided to just have fun at it. It puts money in the bank so I can finance movies like "Hustle & Flow." If people like John Sayles can do it on his own, I can do it. He's another idol of mine. He goes and gets the money. He and Robert Altman are filmmakers who are holding it down for the true American independent cinema, because the films they make are far more interesting than stuff made by studios.
Crunk or Southern-fried hip-hop is busting out as a serious new pop force, with exploding scenes in Houston and, as "Hustle & Flow" shows, Memphis. How versed are you in this movement?
Why do you think the music is in the movie? I took Terrence Howard down to Memphis and told him I'm not going to put down money for this movie unless he's believable as a rapper. So I put him in the studio with Three 6 Mafia and we did a track called "Pop It for Some Paper," the track Terrence and DJ Qualls do a capella in the kitchen (in the movie). It was like, "Whoa, he can do it." Craig then hooked him up with the rapper Al Kapone, who took him under his wing and came up with the song "It Ain't Over," the last song in the movie, and "Whoop That Trick."
The music in the movie is so good and solid, it seems to be a sure hit on the charts. Do you think it will help Memphis crunk?
I think it will help Southern hip-hop as a whole. That was a big goal of ours to show how it's probably some of the most exciting music happening in America right now.
Black cinema was showing signs of taking off about a decade ago. What's the state of it today?
I don't think there is a state of black cinema right now, because most of the (African American) guys who are making movies are making big, impersonal Hollywood movies. Nobody's really saying anything. Even Spike Lee is doing different kind of work. He's holding it down but in a different way. There's a whole lot going on that hasn't been explored by filmmakers.
Do you feel like Hollywood still pegs you as an "African American filmmaker"?
Nothing wrong with that. Everything that ends up being cool in this country comes out of black culture first. I'm cool with that.
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The RobertWahlberg.com Webmastah!
Joined: 29 Nov 2002
Posts: 592
Location: USA
Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 6:58 am
Post subject:
Director Puts His Name, and Money, at Stake
By LOLA OGUNNAIKE
Published: July 21, 2005
LOS ANGELES - Dressed in a Puma T-shirt, jeans and white sneakers, John Singleton walked into the lobby of a building on the Paramount Pictures lot here and suddenly stopped in his tracks. Before him were two giant billboards: one for a film he had bankrolled and produced, "Hustle & Flow," which hits theaters on July 22, the other for his latest directorial effort, "Four Brothers," due in August.
"Wow," a smiling Mr. Singleton said, reveling in the double whammy. "That's pretty cool." Mr. Singleton is back in a big way, but to hear him tell it, he never left.
John Singleton during a break in the post-production on "Four Brothers," his latest directing effort.
"My last film made $240 million," he quickly pointed out in a recent interview. He was referring to "2 Fast 2 Furious," the critically lambasted blockbuster he directed in 2003. "Hello, I've been here."
Yes, Mr. Singleton has been here, churning out, on average, one film every two to three years. But none has managed to generate the buzz of his 1991 breakthrough, "Boyz N the Hood" - that is, until now. Written and directed by a newcomer, Craig Brewer, "Hustle & Flow," which Mr. Singleton dropped more than $3 million of his own money to make, was the hit of this year's Sundance Film Festival, winning an audience award, a $9 million price tag and Mr. Singleton a $7 million two-movie deal with Paramount and MTV Films.
Equal parts "Rocky" and "8 Mile," "Hustle & Flow" tells the tale of DJay, a Memphis pimp who has a midlife crisis and decides to become a rapper. The plot was a hard sell at first. Mr. Brewer and the producer Stephanie Allain knocked on doors for two years trying to land a deal in Hollywood, but to no avail. Ms. Allain turned to Mr. Singleton, hoping his pull would open doors. "They shot us down again," Mr. Singleton said. "I was surprised by that."
He was more than surprised, Ms. Allain said: "It was like a slap in the face. It upset him so much. He felt like his name value was on the line."
Studio executives "couldn't see past the stereotypes and see the humanity in these characters," Mr. Singleton said.
It did not help that they had Terrence Howard, a relative unknown, in the lead and Mr. Brewer, a first-time director, at the helm.
So Mr. Singleton, inspired by Mel Gibson and the hip-hop entrepreneur Damon Dash, decided to finance the film himself, thus violating Hollywood's Rule No. 1: Never ever spend your own money.
"Everybody thought I was crazy," Mr. Singleton said. "Everybody."
Though he has been vindicated, Mr. Singleton is not out of the woods just yet. The road from Sundance to box office glory is littered with the carcasses of small films that were supposed to hit it big.
So, Mr. Singleton has been tirelessly promoting the movie. During filming last August, he flew journalists to Memphis to visit the set. Friends like Spike Lee and Will Smith have held private screenings for tastemakers. And Mr. Singleton has guarded prints of the movie with the ferociousness of rabid pit bull. "If it gets pirated it will be after the movie comes out," he said.
On the day of the interview, Mr. Singleton, a consummate multitasker, had a power breakfast with executives at E! and a lunch with an executive at DreamWorks. He then dashed over to a meeting about the soundtrack for "Four Brothers," which stars Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, the R&B singer Tyrese and Andre 3000, one half of the hip-hop duo OutKast. Because the film is set in Detroit, Mr. Singleton wanted a lot of old school soul. The studio was asking for more contemporary urban hits.
"There was a time when executives wanted to only put rock in everything," he said. "Then it was techno and now it's hip-hop."
Mr. Singleton may have inadvertently had something to do with this turn of events.
It was his poignant depiction of life in the gang-ravaged streets of Compton, Calif., "Boyz N the Hood," that established Mr. Singleton as one of Hollywood's most promising talents. While the world of drive-bys and Crips and Bloods had been chronicled in rap lyrics by groups like N.W.A., it had never been captured on celluloid. At only 24, Mr. Singleton became the youngest person ever nominated for a best director Academy Award. He followed two years later with "Poetic Justice," starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur. "Higher Learning," his next project, dealt with life on a socially segregated college campus. In each of these films, main characters meet violent deaths. Mr. Singleton was out to do more than tug at heartstrings; he was eager to provoke thought, to advance the conversation whether it be about race relations, gender bias, date rape, single parent homes or, preferably, all of the above.
"I wanted to be taken seriously as a filmmaker and my first film was taken so seriously," Mr. Singleton said, "so I kept feeling like each film had to be more serious than the last one."
It doesn't get more serious than "Rosewood," Mr. Singleton's 1997 film about an African-American town in Florida that was burned to the ground by a white mob in the 1920's. The film received tepid reviews and was a commercial flop. And even worse, Mr. Singleton said, it was trounced by "Booty Call," which was released the same month.
"You've got to understand, before that I was a golden boy," the director said. " 'Rosewood' was a whole different thing. The studio didn't support it. They were afraid of the picture. You're talking about black genocide."
Mr. Singleton took some time off to gather his thoughts, travel, marry and divorce, and have more children (five in total, with four mothers). Unlike other young directors, he was not grappling with how to break into the business, but what exactly he wanted to do in the business. The answer was simple: Have fun.
"Finally I said, you know what, I'm in this business because movies saved me from delinquency, movies saved my life," he said. "I just want to make movies. It doesn't matter if they're serious or not."
Mr. Singleton went on to make films like "Shaft," a remake of the 1971 action movie, and "Baby Boy," a commentary on the infantilizing of the black man.
Mr. Singleton has grown fond of telling interviewers that he greenlighted "Hustle & Flow," and while that makes for a compelling sound bite it is a bit of a stretch. His inability to get the film made within the system speaks to an even bigger issue in Hollywood, the director Spike Lee said.
"Very few studios have people of color deciding what films get made," Mr. Lee said. "There's not one African-American at a studio in a position to greenlight a film. When that happens that will be landmark. That will have far more impact than two black people winning Academy Awards in one year."
Though Mr. Singleton agreed with Mr. Lee's assessment, he does say that blacks have made strides in front of and behind the camera in recent years. "When I came in the game it was more of a novelty to be a young, black male making movies," he said. "Now it's not a novelty, which is good."
Mr. Singleton said he wanted to continue to guide other young filmmakers through the moviemaking process. "There are a lot of talented kids making films on video," he said with the fervor of someone who struck oil once and is eager to drill again. "I'm looking for the next new stars."
Now that he's got the hang of this producing thing, Mr. Singleton, who is teaming with Mr. Brewer again for "Black Snake Moan," about a girl who suffers from a sexual addiction, said he was ready to tackle movie moguldom.
"I just want to be able to make the type of movies that I want to make and I don't ever want anyone to tell me that if I really feel passionate about something I can't make that movie," Mr. Singleton said. "I've got to be able to say, well, I'm making it anyway, bye." He threw his head back in laughter. "Now that's power."
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LA Times although reported elsewhere.
"Over the course of two decades, the Boy Scouts of America covered up the acts of hundreds of child molesters within its ranks, never notifying authorities and instead quietly banishing offenders"
Obvious parallels have been brought up, to the catholic church.
Boy Scout officials were not just elevating the protection of the institution over the welfare of individuals, but also were perpetuating a culture in which sexual abuse was seen not as a crime to be punished and denounced but as an embarrassment to be dealt with quietly.
CNN: In Tennessee, Scout officials talked a victim's parents out of contacting police, promising to "handle the situation" internally. They let the molester resign and he was arrested months later for abusing another boy. When a Pennsylvania scoutmaster was arrested for molesting three boys, a local Scout executive worked with the chief of police to "do everything he could to keep this account out of the newspaper to protect the name of the Boy Scouts. That is two out of 1,800 cases in the BSA confidential files regarding sexual misconduct.
The BSA gets big donations from US corporations, despite their policy of total discrimination against LGBT people.
34% of BSA troops are Mormon sponsored. The Mormon church is the single largest sponsor of Boy Scout troops.
The Boy Scouts of America bans atheists. also here.
The BSA's biggest donor, Intel, has now stopped contributing due to discriminatory policies banning LGBT people from the scouts. ThinkProgress. but again, reported elsewhere as well.
My employer gives a choice of which organizations our community giving program donation will go to. I am making sure that the BSA is not a recipient of my donation.
I should add, I was a Boy Scout. My troop (back in the age when Woolly Mammoths and Mastodons roamed the American plains, and Sabre Toothed Tigers feasted on massive herbivores) was sponsored by a Baptist church. I was raised Baptist. I can still recite the Boy Scout Oath from memory. My troop was disbanded after an unspoken scandal - no one would say why. There were hints of impropriety. I remember at boy scout camp, being talked into a game of strip poker (by others my age). Strange memory.
"On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law. "
"A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful ,friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."
Except for the reverent part, that's pretty much me for most of my life.. Too bad the same can't be said for the Boy Scouts of America.
I suspect some of the Boy Scouts' popularity, among conservative and religious adults, goes back to a false nostalgia, reaction against modernity. The uniforms, the mostly-white clean scrubbed faces, camping in the woods. It's important to have organizations devoted to supporting young people, but I think the Boy Scouts should be disbanded, and find or create others to fill the gap.
Views: 379
Again ... why should I be surprised at this?
An organization which purports to be dedicated to the love of god and country and utterly opposed to homosexuality in any form is found not just to have incidents of child abuse, but a systematic cover-up of such abuse. The parallels to the catholic church would be amusing, were the circumstances not so tragic. Hypocrisy screams from these headlines, and as with the RC church, a serious and wide-reaching calling to account is in order. Disavowals from the the BSA hierarchy should be IGNORED. Investigations should commence immediately and culpable individuals or groups charged and prosecuted.
Point being: nothing and NO ONE are above the law in these United States. Doubtless, the catholic church and the Boy Scouts of America both would like to think themselves exempt. Their thinking needs disabuse.
What irony lurks in this story. A recent article in the New York Times suggests that the founder of the Boy Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell, was a repressed homosexual. He did not marry until he was 55 and then found that sleeping with his wife gave him headaches—cured by sleeping alone.
Of course these days every respectable biographer must show evidence that his subject was gay or there is no interest in publishing anything, so it is probably good to be skeptical about these kinds of speculations.
I hadn't heard the story you linked on the founder Dr. Clark.
Reading the article (thanks for the link) I was moved by the following:
" A Victorian military hero who skyrocketed to fame after his valiant defense of the besieged city of Mafeking during the Second Boer War, Baden-Powell was one of the British Empire's most adulated soldiers, looked to as the very model of muscular Christianity. "
This man who gave so much to so many suffered from the forces of repression and taboo.
These two statements are compelling for me. Speaking to the first, I'm the only Vietnam era veteran who I know in my workplace. The topic has come up many times, and the men who are my age, every one, stated they got deferments and their motivation was not to get education, but to stay out of the service. I am the only gay one there as well. The idea that someone could do something out of a sense of duty, as well as that person happens to be gay (the stereotype being, the gay guys were prancing around the bath-houses and drag shows so couldn't be risking their lives in the service), doesn't seem to strike a chord with anyone. Leonard Matlovich was one of my heros. Being gay can include "Muscular christianity" or even "muscular atheism" in the endless diversity of temperaments.
And the second statement, that's the desire of every good christian, and every good Republican, today.
I think you are exaggerating a tiny bit, that every biographer needs to show their subject was gay. I recently read a bio of Genghis Khan, and there was no suggestion that he was gay. That said, there is a lot of non-hetero life out there, and has been, for eons.
Yes, I was definitely exaggerating and you are quite right about the ubiquity of "non-hetero" life. My objection is to a trend in biography to explain a whole lifetime of achievement solely in terms of sexual orientation.
How can anyone join this organization? Oh wait - the bigots have a place to go!
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Here are the rest of the sessions I attended at Club Industry East:
How to Manage Without Losing Your Mind, Ajay Pant. Ajay is the national tennis director for Midtown Tennis Clubs and works where I live and work in Overland Park, KS. He spoke at one of my "Tennis in No Time" sessions last summer (which I wrote about here), plus I ran into him in Chicago last fall when Midtown's Alan Schwartz was honored as our Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Ajay talked about how to deal with staff members. If they are willing and able, they are superstars. If not, you have to decide whether they're worth the time and effort to improve them. If they are willing but just not able, they need to go, Ajay says. Managing friends can be difficult, and Ajay talked about how he fired a friend who was a great tennis pro, but just not a very good manager. The two still have not spoken since.
Club Design: The Most Popular Design Trends for Successful Clubs, Part 2, Bruce Carter. I don't want to spoil some of the highlights Bruce hit upon here, since he also writes about them in our upcoming May issue. For a sneak preview, Bruce talked about how green is a popular color these days, as are "earth" colors, such as brown and tan. Bruce also talked about how Curves (not the club company) are in for club design, and owners should reduce the amount of mirrors in their clubs to prevent people from seeing themselves right away. Some sales areas are off to the side in some clubs, Bruce says, and water walls are inviting and give off positive energy in a club.
Legal Issues Involving Running a Small Business, Alan Roth. Jennipher went over some of the highlights in a previous post, but I'll add a few things here. Even if you're a small business, there are so many things to consider and hoops to go through before opening your doors, more than I realized. My favorite line from Roth was that a private equity lender is like a home-run hitter, and a mezzanine lender is like a singles hitter. Roth and Sara Kooperman are a husband-and-wife team who also happen to be lawyers. I wonder what they talk about at the dinner table.
Retention: Why Members Quit and How to Prevent It, Thomas Kulp. Can you imagine if your club no longer had contracts? That's what Kulp is considering in about a year or so at his Universal Athletic Club in Lancaster, PA. Kulp's club has had a lot of success over the years, going from 500 members in 1994 to more than 11,000 members today. Kulp says his club has an 84 percent retention rate. Owners need to get "married" to their members and encourage family memberships over single memberships, says Kulp, who adds that working out at a club should be recess for members.


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|Jack and Fred Moore with Jennie Cole Kint Purdy Phelps in background
Fred is my grandfather and Jennie is my great great grandmother. The boys were born in 1908 and 1909, so that should help to date this photo. Any ideas?
Norie and her eagle-eyed husband pointed out that the license plate says 21 and that this may be a 1921 Packard. Thanks for the great tips!


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Peachy keen summer activities in Box Elder County
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One fatality, one man injured in back-to-back Longs Peak accidents
A 20 year-old man fell 150-feet to his death while climbing Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park on Thursday, Aug. 15.
The man, identified as Paul Nahon of Springfield, Mo., was climbing The Narrows section of the Key Hole Route on Longs Peak, the only fourteener in the park, which rises 14,259 feet above sea level. An off-duty park ranger and the man's climbing partners reached the man, who survived the fall, but he later died from "multiple traumatic injuries," according to a press release from Park officials.
Ice was present along several locations along the Keyhole Route at the time the accident took place.
Park rangers began efforts to recover the man's body utilizing a helicopter, but were unable to recover the body due to high winds the day of the accident.
Recovery efforts of the man's body were further delayed Friday morning, when rangers received a report of a climber on the east face of Longs Peak who had taken a 50-foot roped fall around 7:30 a.m. and suffered numerous serious injuries.
Resources gathered for the recovery of Nahon's body were then focused on assisting the 34 year-old climber from Arvada.
A park ranger and medic climbed up the North Chimney to reach the injured climber. Two additional rangers rappelled from Chasm View to the man. The rangers performed a 500-foot technical lower down the North Chimney where they met up with additional resources. The man was then transported via a rescue litter to Mills Glacier where he was flown by Flight for Life helicopter to Saint Anthony's Hospital in Denver around 5:30 p.m.
"The resources that were in place and the timeliness of the response were critical in getting the climber to advanced medical care," according to a press release from park officials dated Aug. 18.
Nohon's body was recovered Sunday, Aug. 18 and was transferred to the Boulder County Coroner's Office.
Park rangers were assisted by Rocky Mountain Rescue and Larimer County Search and Rescue.
Reid Tulley can be reached at 970-887-3334
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Press Presentation Ballin FW 15-16 @Hong Kong. By invitation only
Ballin presents the FW 15 - 16 collection to the press on 6 May in Hong Kong, a few months after enting the market with the opening of the first Ballin single brand store, in the exclusive setting of the Ocean Terminal. The event was attended by the national press and some of the hottest celebrities at the moment.SEE ALL NEWS


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This is not an offer for credit and should be used for estimation purposes only based on the information you provided. You should not base your decision on this estimate alone. Title, registration, tax and other fees, and personal circumstances such as employment status and personal credit history, were not considered in the calculations.
Front - Dual Ventilated Hydraulic Disc
Rear - Single Ventilated Hydraulic Disc
Front - AT22 x 7 - 10 Radial
Rear - AT22 x 10 - 10 Radial
Front - Independent dual A-arm with Anti-sway system
Rear - Swing Arm
Sun Rise Orange


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See the original story on GreenBiz.com.
With supply chain-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) having a large footprint for any institution, procurement has emerged as a burgeoning area of reduction targeting throughout the public and private sectors.
Portland Community College (PCC) is the largest higher education institution in Oregon, with approximately 100,000 students and 10 campuses and centers that cover 2,276,615 square feet. In 2012, PCC's Office of Sustainabilitychose to voluntarily report its supply chain-related GHG emissions.
Before that, PCC became a signatory of the American Colleges and Universities Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2006, committing the school to complete GHG inventories, develop a climate action plan and report annual sustainability progress. Since then, PCC has completed four GHG inventories, reported sustainability progress annually and completed two climate action plans.
In 2012, the Office of Sustainability partnered with Community Environmental Services (CES) within Portland State University to complete an assessment of supply chain GHG emissions. CES is a research and service unit within the school's Center for Urban Studies in the College of Urban and Public Affairs. The group chose to assess data spanning from fiscal years 2006 to 2012 because of PCC's 2006 GHG reduction baseline. The college is committed to reducing its emissions 10 percent below 2006 emissions by 2012, by 40 percent by 2030 and by 80 percent by 2050.
The first step was data collection. We gathered all purchasing records for all funds within PCC for these years, which amounted to more than 750,000 lines of data.
The team then took that data and organized it into accounting codes specific to PCC and deleted unnecessary data, such as salaries, benefits, tuition and grants. The team then organized the data into categories specific to the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment calculator. This free calculator, developed by Carnegie Mellon University in 2002, quantifies carbon emission intensities to dollar amounts.
Once the final results were complete, PCC entered this data into the GHG calculator. The final results were quite surprising.
Because PCC is a community college, our assumption was that our highest sources of emissions would be commuting. That indeed was true, but the surprise for us was that supply chain emissions followed so closely behind. In 2012, 37.6 percent of PCC's total emissions were attributed to commuting, while 37.3 percent were supply chain emissions. Because of these high numbers, PCC's Sustainability Council (PSC) was forced to re-focus the work of its subcommittees on the highest emissions sources.
Before 2012, the PSC had sub-committees that were subject-specific, such as buildings and energy, transportation, and consumption and solid waste. With this new, more accurate information, the PSC refocused its sub-committees and priorities on GHG emissions sources. For example, in 2009 the consumption and solid waste subcommittee focused on waste reduction by increasing the amount of recycling and compost collection systems available districtwide. This was a significant use of resources.
With the completion of the 2012 GHG inventory, the PSC learned that solid waste accounts for only 1.5 percent of the overall GHG footprint, yet we spent a considerable amount of resources reducing this impact. With this knowledge in mind, the PSC created a new structure for the subcommittees:
1. Scope I: Focuses on consumption of natural gas, district fleet and refrigerants
2. Scope II: Focuses on consumption of electricity
3. Scope IIIA: Focuses on commuting and air travel
4. Scope IIIB: Focuses on supply chain and solid waste
5. Sustainability in education: Focuses on sustainability in curriculum and academic programs
6. Community outreach: Focuses on outreach to faculty, staff, students and administrators
With this new structure, PCC will reduce its carbon footprint through measures targeting supply chain and commuting. This new method for tracking and assessing GHGs is now the standard at PCC.


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Enterprise Community Park
Redding, California 1 course · 18 holes Driving directions
Course reviews
Most votes | Newest first | Oldest first
+0 votes Jack W › October 29, 2010
This is a fantastic place to introduce a virgin to disc-golf. The holes are mostly short. It's the fastest 18 holes in golf.
+0 votes Billy Matthews › December 11, 2011
Short beginner course. Usually busy so expect to wait and possibly get hit by disc. Almost every hole is a birdie hole. Major weeds in the summer and partially flooded in the winter.
+0 votes Chris Bauman › November 26, 2013
Nice, simple course. Great course to learn on.
-1 votes Gary N › January 6, 2014
Very small course. A good player can tee off with his putter on almost all of the holes. But the course is still pretty nice and decently maintained. I still had fun there. We almost lost a disc on one of the back 9 holes when a disc rolled through a hole in the fence ...


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Emma helping me with the new header shot. She also said, "Mommy, be careful, get down."
You can see the entire Valentine's Day collection, here.
My goal is to be able to provide you with everything you need to create beautiful gifts, so I've added lots of new ribbons, twine and tags. Below I've featured some of my new favorite things for Valentine's Day, but I'll be posting blogs with step-by-step instructions for creating in the next week.
Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm for my store - it is such a fun venture. I've loved getting to know all of you through your orders and kind notes. I hope you find something that helps you create something beautiful, make a friend smile, have a special moment with your family or make your day brighter. Yay for a holiday all about LOVE : )
Baby Bird Copper Cookie Cutters, $14
These Baby Birds have been one of my favorites for the last 8 years when I first found it at a local boutique. I've used it for baby showers, wedding showers, Valentine's Day and Easter. They are irresistibly charming - and so versatile. I've featured them on the site on several occasions and receive countless requests for them.
These cookie cutters are extra special, as they are made from copper - the most traditional metal for cutters. They are a truly heirloom quality cutter that can be passed down for generations. I love collecting copper cutters - and I love thinking that Emma will be using them with her kids and grandkids as they make holiday memories as I did with my Mom and Sister.
The cutters make fabulous gifts, too. I've packaged each cutter with a recipe card of my favorite Sugar Cookies and wrapped them in a cello bag with a bow and a tag - ready for gifting.
Vanilla Bean Paste, $12
This is a thick, gel syrup that is packed full of real vanilla bean seeds - you can use it in the place of Vanilla Extract in any recipe. Add the power of real vanilla beans and those luscious black specs of vanilla beans to coffee, whipped cream, sugar cookies, custard sauce...
Kraft Coffee Bags
These bags are great for just about anything - especially for homemade gifts. The inside is lined with a plastic film to keep the bag from getting stained. You can fill it with truffled popcorn, homemade chocolates or, my favorite, vanilla sugar. The tabs fold over the top of the bag to hold it secure.
Vanilla Sugar Labels
I've printed these on my favorite sticker labels. They are a creamy white color printed with a medium pink. They look great paired with my Kraft "Coffee" Bags filled with Vanilla Sugar... a very easy and beautiful no-bake gift.
Be Mine Medium Cards : Can be folded over treat bags, or used as a folded card.
Sweetest Day Tags : Pre-punched ready to be strung on a ribbon.
I love using simple white and clear sprinkles on my baked goods. Many of my readers have commented how much they like the sprinkles that I use on my cookies and cupcakes, but they haven't been able to find them. I've packaged these in glass jars to make your baking pantry look great, too.
Three Options Available,
7 ounces each - $10
Fine Sanding Sugar
Coarse Sanding Crystals
White Nonpareils
Wooden Baking Baskets
I've restocked these baskets - a best seller for the holidays! I have some new recipe ideas for them coming soon!
Tablet & Le Pens
I have 6 new colors added - including some great colors for Valentine's Day!
I have a lot of new fabulous colors added to my Grosgrain and Double Faced Satin collection. Now that so many of you have a huge roll of kraft paper from my holiday collection, you need lots of ribbon to go along with it!
Hope you find something you love!
Here is an easy-to-pin strip!


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.shock | PRO .stock .commercial .fashion .wedding
.mission statement
.why you should choose us as your photographer
.what does our photography cost?
Our rates are comparable to other commercial photographers of similar ability. Our rates are based on the type of job, how the images will be used, the time involved, and the level of difficulty. Consequently, projects are quoted on a job by job basis. You will find the costs are appropriate to the specific project. We quote many of our projects on a flat fee basis to keep the process as simple as possible for you.
Fotolia / Shutterstock / iStock / Dreamstime / 123rf / CanStock / Veer / BigStock / Depositphotos / ThinkStock / Crestock / Pixmac / Stockfresh / CutCaster / YayMicro / MostPhotos / MSI


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MENOMONIE (October 19, 2013) - UW-La Crosse scored on their opening drive and never looked back, handing UW-Stout a 21-3 loss on Homecoming at Don and Nona Williams Stadium.
The Eagles came out firing, as quarterback Trent Cummings, making his first collegiate start, led the offense 75 yards on the opening drive, capped off by a 39-yard scoring strike to receiver Alex Lepp for a 7-0 lead.
The Blue Devils (2-4, 0-3) were unable to get anything going on offense all afternoon. A Ricky Marteney (Sr, Greenfield) field goal from 42 yards out midway through the first quarter cut the lead to 7-3, but that would be as close as Stout would get.
Stout's defense had no answer for the Eagles (1-5, 1-2) rushing attack, as La Crosse carried the ball 51 times for 274 yards. Ben Hertrampf had 27 carries and 168 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown run. Jude Williams added 15 rushes for 75 yards on the day for the Eagles.
After Hertrampf's touchdown early in the fourth, quarterback Hank Kujak (Jr, Blair) led Stout down to the Eagle's 22, but a Jon Becker interception in the end zone killed the drive for the Blue Devils. Becker also had an interception to end the first half.
On the offensive side of the ball, Adolfo Pacheco (Fr, South Elgin, Ill.) led the way for the Blue Devils with 65 yards on 14 carries, with a long of 19. Receiver Brian Alvarez (Jr, Atwater, Calif) had four catches for 57 yards and added 18 yards on 4 carries.
Defensively, safety Jake Schiff (Sr, South Range) had an interception to go along with seven tackles, four solo. Tyler Naatz (Jr, Menomonie) led the team with nine tackles on the day, five solo. Luke Bakkum (Jr, Oconomowoc) had seven tackles, five solo, including a sack. Lineman Alec Zoern (Jr, Germantown) also contributed a sack as the Blue Devils finished with three sacks.
The Blue Devils will be at UW-Platteville Saturday, October 26 at 2:30 pm. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Wisconsin and Fox Sports North PLUS.
Eagles run past UW-Stout at Blue Devils' homecoming
|UW-La Crosse (1-5)
|UW-Stout (2-4)
MENOMONIE (October 19, 2013) - UW-La Crosse scored on their opening drive and never looked back, handing UW-Stout a 21-3 loss on Homecoming at Don and Nona Williams Stadium.


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After experiencing great success with Lactagen®, Ritter Pharmaceuticals is pursuing FDA approval, in order to develop the first prescription treatment for lactose intolerance.
Unfortunately, Lactagen® is no longer for sale. Lactagen® has been successful in helping thousands of lactose intolerant sufferers, and we hope to help millions in the future. Unfortunately, based on the regulatory restrictions in the U.S., Europe and around the world, going through regulatory clinical trials is the most prudent approach to ensure worldwide application and availability of our product. We are working as fast as possible to bring this treatment to the market.
About Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc. develops novel therapeutic products, which modulate the human gut microbiome and has the potential to treat inflammatory, gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases. Our microbiome modulators provide specialized nutrition that selectively increases the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colonic ecosystem and creates significant improvement in the health of individuals that suffer from these diseases.
About RP-G28, A Treatment for Lactose Intolerance
RP-G28 has the potential to become the first FDA-approved drug for the treatment of lactose intolerance, a debilitating disease that affects over 1 billion people worldwide. The product is understood to stimulate the growth of lactose-metabolizing bacteria in the colon, which reduces lactose-derived gas production, and thereby mitigates the symptoms of lactose intolerance in the process. RP-G28,for the treatment of lactose intolerance, is currently in late stage 2 clinical trials. You may read more about RP-G28's recently published clinical data at http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-12-160.pdf.
To join our mailing list and keep up to date with our research and progress, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
When will this product be available?
We are sorry that we cannot provide a timetable at this time. You may follow our development and progress by visiting our website at www.ritterpharma.com or by going to www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Can I participate in a clinical study?
Clinical trials are not in enrollment at this time. You can learn more about participating in clinical trials at www.clinicaltrials.gov for more information.


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Buying a home doesn't have to be a difficult process. Let me help you by providing the answers to your most common questions. Many of my clients have me help them with questions relating to the home buying process. To assist in this process, we've come up with a comprehensive 8 step process that will help you buy your new home.
8 Steps to Buying a Home:
- Expert Consultation
- Get Pre-Approved for a Loan
- Prepare "Wish List"
- Visit Properties
- Learn about the Neighborhood
- Make an Offer
- Due Diligence
- Closing / Possession


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Fed up with high fertilizer prices, more and more U.S. farmers are looking at poultry litter to feed their crops.
But before deciding on any source of fertilizer, poultry litter or commercial, it's important to know your fertility costs in cents per pound of nutrient or nutrients instead of cost per ton. Many producers figure this cost based on nitrogen, but phosphate and potash are important components too.
First determine the analysis of the fertilizer you intend to purchase – the numbers expressed as N, P2O5 (phosphate) and K2O (potash). These numbers represent the percent by weight by of each nutrient.
To convert dollars per ton into cents per pound for N, multiply the percentage of N by 2,000 to get the number of pounds. Anhydrous ammonia at 82 percent N would provide 1,640 pounds of N per ton. Then divide the current price per ton by the number of pounds to get cents or dollars per pound.
For example, current prices for nitrogen are a moving target, but $575 per ton divided by 1,640 pounds, gives you around 35 cents per pound of N. Thirty-two percent N would provide 640 pounds of total N. If the cost were $320 per ton, your cost would be 50 cents per pound of N.
"So even though the liquid UAN 32 percent will cost less per ton when you look at it side-by-side with anhydrous, per pound of N, you're actually paying more," said Jac Varco, professor, plant and soil sciences, Mississippi State University.
With complete fertilizers, it's more difficult to separate out the cost of one nutrient. With poultry litter, try combining the analysis numbers together to get cents per pound for all three — N, P2O5 and K2O. For example, in poultry litter with an analysis of 3-2-2, add the numbers of the analysis together, multiply each by 2000 to get pounds, then add up the total amount of nutrients and divide into the price/ton (say it's $30 a ton). The 140 pounds of N, P and K would cost you about 21 cents a pound for the three nutrients.
Varco says "The best option is to figure out what your total needs for nitrogen, phosphate and potash are for a field, then figure out what it would cost to partially offset some of that with poultry litter at a set price, which hopefully would reduce total costs somewhat."
You could create some problems by depending too much on poultry litter for your nitrogen according to Varco, "The primary element in poultry litter is phosphate, at almost a 1:2 ratio of N to P2O5 in some of the poultry litters I've been seeing. The problem with that is that most producers are really going after nitrogen. So you could meet your phosphate demand with litter, then calculate how much nitrogen came along with it, then use your traditional fertilizer to make up the difference in need for nitrogen."
Varco doesn't have figures on an exact cost benefit for poultry litter over commercial fertilizer, "but it could be pretty close right now because producers are using it more and asking more questions about it. Or it could be that producers are just so irritated with the high fertilizer prices they're just buying the poultry litter. But I do know that the farther you get away from poultry country, the more it's going to cost you, because of transportation costs."
According to Charles C. Mitchell, Extension soils agronomist at Auburn University, poultry litter-based fertilizer "has the most fertilizer value the day it comes out of the chicken house. Whatever you do to it is adding costs. So if you pelletize it, it makes it easier to handle, but you haven't added any fertilizer value to it."
Researchers also stress that the analysis in raw poultry litter can be highly variable while processed or pelletized litter is more stable. Some states may have regulations on the use of raw poultry litter.
According to Bill Evans, assistant research professor, Mississippi State University, processed poultry litter has some advantages over fresh chicken litter. "With fresh chicken litter, you have to move some water (in transporting), and the total analysis is lower, but with their product most of the water is removed, so you're not moving water. But there is a cost of pelletizing the litter."
Evans says the processed poultry litter is not any more difficult to handle and apply than a commercial fertilizer. "There is a little bit of dust with the application, but I don't think it's any more dusty than a dry, granular fertilizer. The pellets are a little bigger than a standard fertilizer though. So it's possible that certain kinds of equipment might not handle it as well. For example, I've never tried to run it through a Gandy applicator. I wouldn't think you would have any problem with a sling spreader."
John Strickland, who runs Organic Growing Systems, an organic fertilizer processor in Monticello, Miss., says interest in his product has also spiked. "Last year, commercial fertilizers jumped 68 percent. The predictions were that in 2008 they would rise another 102 percent, but they've jumped so far since January that the people we were talking to in October who were not interested in our product are now asking us to bring our product to them."
Organic fertilizer has largely been perceived as a boutique product for dedicated organic farmers, noted Strickland. "You pay more money for it, but you could feel good because it was better for the environment because it doesn't leach and we have no atmospheric volatilization. With the current price curve, people are finding that it's not only good for the earth, but it's saving money too."
But the cost, which averages around $400 per ton, is still considered cost-prohibitive for most commercial operations desperately looking to slash costs. With an analysis of 4-2-2, if you're counting N, P and K, that comes to $2.50 per pound of fertilizer nutrients.
e-mail: email@example.com


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ASHEVILLE NC – With the April 15th tax filing deadline coming up, watch out for criminals and con artists posing as the Internal Revenue Service to try to win your trust and steal your money.
We've warned you before about phony calls from the IRS. One North Carolina consumer recently reported getting one of these threatening calls from someone claiming to be with the IRS. The fake IRS agent told him a warrant had been issued for his arrest and, if he did not pay his taxes immediately, police would put him in jail within hours. The caller continued to harass and intimidate him until he felt he had no choice but to pay more than $8,000 to the scammers.
If you get a call that claims to come from the IRS, look for warning signs that it's scam:
- The IRS will not threaten arrest, deportation or license revocation if you don't pay back taxes immediately.
- IRS agents will never demand immediate payment by credit card, pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.
- Typically, the IRS communicates with consumers about tax issues via mail, not by phone, email or text message.
- Ask for the caller's call back number and employee badge number, and then call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to check them out.
- Don't rely on Caller ID to identify who is calling you, since scammers can manipulate it to make it appear they are calling from the real IRS.
- Never share personal information, such as your Social Security Number or bank account number, with anyone you don't know who contacts you, even if they claim to be with the IRS. Identity thieves can use this information to open up accounts in your name and even claim your tax refund.
If you spot a tax related scam, report it to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at ncdoj.gov. If you need help filing your taxes, check out our tips for finding tax help you can trust.