text:
CUERO - Blue eyes narrowed, Kathy Gips lifted her chin and stepped closer to the barbed wire fence lining her pasture land.
Eyeing the workmen on her land, she crossed her arms, a petite blond woman perched ramrod straight in the long shadow of her husband.
"It feels like we're being run over," she said, stopping to press her lips together.
Jimmy Gips looked down at his wife of 24 years and the laugh lines on his face sagged into lines of frustration.
"It is our land after all. Don't we matter?" he said, ruffling his sandy hair.
The Gipses are one of hundreds in the Crossroads with pipelines crisscrossing their property. For the Gipses and others, their worries aren't about fracking or possible pollutants. For them, the problems start with two legal words: eminent domain.
The Eagle Ford Shale play has unlocked thousands of barrels of oil from the dense brittle rock formation that lies in the depths below their feet. But the oil has to make it to market, and to do that efficiently companies need pipelines. They will buy the right to put in the steel lines, but if you don't cooperate, these private companies use their power of eminent domain - the legal authority to take privately owned land for the public good.
The Eagle Ford Shale play is booming, but the pipelines being laid to get the glut of oil to market have put those two Texas passions - landownership and the oil business - on a collision course.
The sky glittered blue, and a northern wind tugged at the Gipses' clothes, pulled at their hair and sent the smell of the land, a mix of dried grass and the sweet stench of cow manure, into their nostrils.
In May, the Gipses got a call from a Kinder Morgan landman. The company wanted to run a pipeline through their property and wanted to start negotiations. But negotiations skidded to a halt when the company offer came in for $23.98 a foot, 15 percent less than what the Gipses got for a pipeline crossing the same stretch of land before.
Kathy Gips got a certified letter informing her she was being sued. Kinder Morgan was going to use eminent domain to condemn the land it wanted for the pipeline.
The deck was stacked against the couple. Kinder Morgan held all the cards, and the multimillion dollar company knew it. There was one thing they hadn't counted on - the Gipses aren't the kind of people used to being run over. They decided to fight.
Michael Sheppard is a tall man with a sharply cut profile and a ready smile that belies his years of legal experience. Sheppard, the district attorney covering DeWitt, Goliad and Refugio counties since 1997, cut his legal teeth on oil and gas law in the 1980s, and he knows his business. He was the obvious choice to represent Kathy and Jimmy Gips.
His firm, Crain and Sheppard, has handled more than 1,200 pipeline negotiations in the past three years, dozens of them with Kinder Morgan. Sheppard handled two other eminent domain cases with Kinder Morgan, but both were settled after being heard by special commissioners, one of the first steps in condemnation proceedings. Working as the DA, Sheppard has his hands full, so he limits the number of civil cases he'll take on, examining the quality of the case to weigh out if it's worth the trouble.
He took the Gipses' case.
Eminent domain is the big hammer pipeline companies use, but most try to keep things friendly.
Kinder Morgan is different, Sheppard contends.
"They use the power of eminent domain to strong-arm people. They've got so much money they want to spend and they aren't going to spend any more. They use the process and what the landowner has to go through - which is very expensive for the landowner - and they use it to their advantage," he said.
When a deal closes later this year, the Houston-based company, Kinder Morgan, will be the largest pipeline company in the United States and the fourth largest in North America. The company, formed by former Enron executives in 1997, will own more than 67,000 miles of pipeline across the United States.
The pipeline being laid across the Gipses' land will have the capacity to run more than 300,000 barrels of oil a day from Cuero to the Houston Ship Channel. It will cost $220 million and includes 61 miles of newly constructed pipeline and 109 miles of existing natural gas pipeline, crossing the land of 49 tracts in DeWitt County.
Only three lawsuits have gone all the way through the condemnation process, but the company started condemnation proceedings against the owners of 14 tracts the pipeline will cross in DeWitt County.
Kinder Morgan representatives filed most of these claims in mid-August.
In fact, a flurry of activity happened in the district clerk's office that month. A new law went into effect Sept. 1 changing how pipeline companies have to deal with landowners. The law requires the company to make good-faith offers to landowners before filing a lawsuit and gives landowners more time to respond to the pipeline company offers.
Larry Pierce, a spokesman for Kinder Morgan, said the company uses eminent domain rights only after all reasonable efforts have been made to make a deal with the landowner.
Despite having a reputation for rough tactics, Kinder Morgan hasn't filed as many condemnation proceedings as other companies in the area. Both ETC and Enterprise Pipeline have filed more than 40 eminent domain claims in DeWitt County to make way for their respective lines.
It is Kinder Morgan's approach to making deals with landowners that singles them out.
The same pipeline now being laid in the Gipses' property will be put into Ed Southern's land in the coming days in Cuero. The line was mapped to barrel straight through a grove of live oaks on the retired Navy man's property. Southern knew he was dealing with a tough company - "Do you know what eminent domain is?" were the first words out of the Kinder Morgan landman's mouth when they met to negotiate - and he couldn't afford a legal battle to keep the pipeline off his land. But he decided to fight to save some of his trees and Kinder Morgan rerouted the line to spare some trees after Southern's story appeared in the Victoria Advocate.
Pierce declined to comment on either Southern or the Gipses' condemnation proceedings.
When it comes down to it, and the legal paperwork is in their hands, most landowners choose to settle out of court. Choosing to fight is a difficult, time-consuming and expensive endeavor.
"For every Jimmy Gips there is who chooses to fight them, there are 50 landowners who don't," Sheppard said.
The law in Texas leans toward oil and gas interests, Sheppard said.
"The Supreme Court of Texas has not rendered an opinion contrary to the interests of oil companies in probably more than a decade, and that's a source of much discussion and debate within the legal community," Sheppard said, leaning forward in his leather desk chair to make the point. "I don't think we have a Supreme Court that looks out for the interests of landowners."
Decades ago when conservative Democrats held political power in Texas, the state supreme court routinely ruled in favor of landowners rights. That changed about 20 years ago when corporate energy companies stepped up and shifted the court's focus. The justices to the state's High Court are elected to their seats, and oil companies started pouring money into election coffers.
The companies know their power. During condemnation proceedings, companies will simply appeal the case all the way to the state Supreme Court in Austin, certain in the knowledge that the court will side with them, Sheppard said.
The O'Connor vs. Exxon case is a good recent example.
T. Michael O'Connor, the Victoria County sheriff, was part of one of the more recent battles duked out between oil companies and landowners. In the early 1990s, Exxon ended a lease on the O'Connor family ranch in Refugio County. But before the company left, someone trashed the wells, throwing enough junk down the holes that when another company tried to reopen the wells a few years later, they were unusable.
The O'Connor family embarked on an 18-year legal odyssey. Court after court ruled in their favor. Each time Exxon appealed the ruling. Finally, the case was heard by the state Supreme Court. After delaying their ruling for two years, the court sided with Exxon in 2009.
Kinder Morgan filed a lawsuit against Kathy Gips in July. According to eminent domain law, once condemnation proceedings have begun, there's no going back for the landowner, aside from striking a deal with the company outside of court. The land will be taken one way or another. The only question is how much the land is worth.
The district judges appointed three special commissioners, all local landowners, to decide the value of the Gipses' land: John Schlinger, of Yoakum, Ron Ledbetter, and Jim Mann, both of Cuero.
On a hot morning in September, they met at the district court annex, a small squat building across the street from the elegant red brick of the DeWitt County Courthouse. The commissioners sat on one side of the table while Kinder Morgan representatives, their lawyer, the Gipses and Sheppard pulled chairs up to the other side.
By the time the commissioners asked to be alone to discuss what they'd heard, the sun was high overhead.
The Gipses were hopeful. They felt local landowners would understand where they were coming from, what the land that has been in their family for generations was worth.
After an hour, the commissioners called everyone back to announce their decision. They agreed with the Gipses; the amount Kinder Morgan had offered to pay wasn't enough. They ordered Kinder Morgan to pay the Gipses $42.50 a foot for the easement.
The couple left the courthouse smiling. It seemed the fight was over.
Then Kinder Morgan appealed the decision to district court.
The Gipses sighed, met with Sheppard, and prepared to continue the fight. They didn't want to go to court, Kathy Gips said. They sent another offer to the company, trying to settle the issue, sign a contract and be done with it.
Kinder Morgan sent back a brief reply, declining the offer.
Then the company cut the barbed wire fence on the property and started planning for the pipeline.
"Land ownership is sacred in Texas. You don't mess with somebody else's property unless you want to take your life in your hands," Sheppard said, shaking his head.
In early December, the Gipses got a notice that Kinder Morgan had paid a bond allowing the company to continue pipeline construction on their land. At first they didn't believe it, that a company could get the power to come on their property while they were still in the middle of a legal dispute.
Jimmy Gips drove out that day, stepped from his truck and asked the men what they were doing on his land. Workmen were staking the easement to designate where the pipeline would be laid.
He tried to stay calm, telling them the issue was still in litigation, that nothing had been decided yet, and they needed to leave his property. The men were polite and packed up and left.
But they came back. One month later, workmen clipped the barbed-wire fence and started bulldozing the property.
Gips drove out again and found a Kinder Morgan landman on the site. Sharp words were exchanged, but the Kinder Morgan pipeline continued to be built.
Once, cutting a fence in Texas was a felony, but Kinder Morgan had eminent domain. They had the power to be on the land, and, suddenly, Jimmy realized the hard truth - there was nothing he nor his wife could do about it.
The Gipses' experiences with most other companies have been good. Hawk Field Services, a subsidiary of Petrohawk, put in a pipeline on that same stretch of land last year. While the company was putting the line in, one of the Gipses' cattle escaped from the pasture. The workmen tried to get the heifer back into the pasture, but the frantic animal ran, terrified. They finally maneuvered her back into the fenced area, but she had run too hard and dropped dead a few hours later. The landman called Jimmy Gips to apologize. Their contract with the company didn't have any requirements about the cattle, but the man insisted on paying for the loss. Gips donated the $1,500 Petrohawk paid him to St. Michael's Catholic School; Petrohawk then matched his donation.
"They stepped up and did the right thing, even though, legally, they didn't have to," Jimmy Gips said.
The Gipses stood on the roadside, watching the men work. The mint green steel hulls of the line already had been delivered to the site and would be in the ground in a matter of days.
Because the Gipses are still in a legal dispute with Kinder Morgan, they don't have a contract written by Sheppard to protect them. Unlike the other lines on their place, this one will be buried 36 inches, instead of the 48 inches they prefer.
A red pickup motored by them slowly, heading to the pipeline site. The workers inside looked down, avoiding Jimmy Gips' eyes.
"Tree killers!" Jimmy Gips called merrily, with a wave of his hand. "I like to have fun with them. The problem is they just don't get my sense of humor."
Back at their office in Cuero, Kathy Gips hauled out a manila folder, thick with papers.
They have dealt with pipeline companies before - already two pipelines are buried on one side of the pasture and three on the other side across the road. They also have leased their mineral rights, and a rig on the horizon will pay them royalties when the oil starts flowing.
She keeps track of everything. Every phone call, every conversation and every bit of legal paperwork that is involved in these deals ends up in one of these folders.
Kathy Gips paused for a moment and stared down at the papers in her hands.
They never wanted to be noticed or known. It wasn't their goal to become crusaders. But now they are taking on the largest pipeline company in America.
The next step will be a trial in district court. The case already is on the docket, and Sheppard expects to be representing the Gipses sometime this year. If either side chooses to appeal, the case will go to the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi. If there is an appeal of that court's ruling, it'll be in the hands of the state Supreme Court, if the justices choose to hear it.
"We won't make any money in this deal. We're probably going to come out losing money on this thing, but it's what we have to do," Jimmy Gips said.
Kathy Gips nodded.
"If we back down from this, what are our kids going to say? If you're going to stand for something, you've got to stand to the end, and that's what we're doing," she said. "This could drag on for years. We could be 100 years old and still be dealing with Kinder Morgan, but it's the right thing to do."


text:
Thanks to MindLoveMisery's Menagerie for hosting the music challenge each Friday.Today's Music Prompt is the song: "Airplanes" by B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams and Eminem.
"Airplanes" – B.o.B
Stars don't fly tonight,
Can't help win my fight.
Wishing on a star for hope.
Instead I find I'm caught,
'Neath black sky, dreams rot.
With airplanes, I cope.
Dreaming on airplanes,
Drive myself insane.
I only wanted hopes for real.
I only wanted aid,
Encourage me, don't blame.
Airplane shooting star; dream seal.
Such a black starless —
Night with dreams a mess.
I can't wish for dreams,
Have to fight their sheen.
Lights promising everything.
When truly, they give nothing.
I'm glad I only see —
Airplanes, I'm not on —
A flight, soaring into night.
Shooting stars they crash.
Airplanes fall; they crash,
Taking humans who lose sight.
Never do I want,
Plans to crash –to haunt.
I'm afraid, like stars, they are —
Become black holes that —
Are vacuums, no switch,
For off; destroy life too fast –far.
Find a star, wish long,
And wish hard, there is —
Hope in the distance calling,
Like the promise of lights —
Leading us with foresight.
Wishing star work, stop falling.
©Mandibelle16.(2016) All Rights Reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The battle for white men
BURLINGTON, Iowa — They arrived here in droves in the pouring rain to hear Vice President Joe Biden, an ocean of white guys. There were men in overalls and some in suits, hardcore Democrats and wavering Republicans, undecideds and first-time voters, the unemployed and the angry.
After decades of taking a back seat to the growing voting demographics of women and Latinos, middle-class white men are finding themselves front and center again. They are being intensely targeted and wooed by the left and right, as Barack Obama and Mitt Romney fight to hold together their fragile coalitions and lay claim to the ever-shrinking slice of uncertain voters.
Story Continued Below
"White men are significant and they are in play," says Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, who for 30 years has closely tracked the political migration patterns of white working-class men.
( Also on POLITICO: 10 presidential debate questions)
"They swung to Obama in 2008 and they swung back Republican in 2010. Now there is evidence that they might be swinging back because they have doubts about Mitt Romney."
The white male voter who is in play in this cycle is not part of some mass movement of volatile white men swerving across the ideological divide every couple of years.
Since 1972, white men have voted roughly 60-40 percent in favor of the Republican Party in presidential elections. The exception was 1976, when Democratic Southerner Jimmy Carter attracted 48 percent of the white male vote. Then, in 2008, Obama surpassed the numbers of Bill Clinton, Al Gore and John Kerry to win 41 percent of the white male vote nationally. But by 2010, white male support had shrunk back to 37 percent — a precarious landing spot for the president.
Now, things could be shifting again. Already struggling to connect with average voters of all stripes because of his wealth and social station, Romney faces an additional hurdle with middle-class men in the secretly recorded video at a Florida fundraiser in which he seems to be assailing the working class as deadbeats and moochers.
"I found it offensive," said Rob Hach, a registered Republican in Iowa who voted for George W. Bush and John McCain. "It cemented my view that I wasn't voting for him. We elect officials to represent all of the people. He made it clear he wouldn't be representing me."
Nowhere is this fight for the soul of the white guy playing out more acutely than here in Iowa, a battleground state that Obama won handily in 2008 but which Republicans hope will be close in 2012 — and where early voting starts on Thursday. (Recent polls show Obama now running ahead of Romney in the state.)
Both sides believe that their most critical targets are Iowa men here who have felt the biggest sting of the recession — often called the "he-cession" as government statisticians report month after month that the male blue-collar worker has carried the brunt of the downturn.


text:
The Time Magazine Portraits Collection
(24 of 59)
The Café, the Explore Family Space and Courtyard will be closed Sunday, Nov. 17 in preparation for a special event. The museums will close at 5:00 pm, at which point visitors will be directed to exit through the building's F street lobby. The G street exit and ramp will remain accessible to those who need it. We apologize for any inconvenience.
(24 of 59)


text:
GMOs at the Polls: 7 Things to Tell Your Friends Before Election Day
Farmers and eaters around the country and the world are watching the November 6 election with a very important question at the forefront of their minds: Will California's Proposition 37—requiring labeling of GMOs—pass?
Sixty-one countries already require such labeling. But here in the U.S., GMOs took off in the 1990s with no public debate, and today they're in most processed foods, making Americans the world's GMO guinea pigs.
We know it's easy to get sunk by "information overload" and agribusiness advertising. So far the largest GMO maker, Monsanto, and other industry giants have plowed at least $35 million into killing Prop 37.
To help us think straight, we've prepared seven points—backed by peer-reviewed studies, a physicians' 10-year investigation, and UN data—to consider and share with your friends. Here's what they reveal:
1. GMOs have never undergone standard testing or regulation for human safety.
And now that they're in 70 percent of processed foods, it's extremely difficult for scientists to isolate their health risks.[i]
2. But we know that GMOs have proven harmful in animal studies.
A 2009 review of 19 studies found mammals fed GM corn or soy developed "liver and kidney problems" that could mark the "onset of chronic diseases."[ii] Most were 90-day studies. In a new two-year study, rats fed genetically modified (GM) corn developed 2-3 times more tumors—some bigger than a quarter of their total body weight—and these tumors appeared much earlier than in rats fed non-GM corn. Among scientists, the study has its defenders and critics, but even the critics underscore that we need more long-term studies.
3. And the most widely used GMOs are paired with an herbicide linked to serious reproductive problems and disease.
GM crops Roundup Ready soy & corn are treated with the herbicide glyphosate. A physicians' study found people exposed to glyphosate had increased risk of miscarriages, birth defects, cancer, and neurological problems in children. Neurologists report that herbicides, especially glyphosoate, "have been recognized as the main environmental factor associated with ... Parkinson"s disease." [iii]
4. The consequences of GMO technology are inherently unpredictable.
Inserting a single gene can result in multiple, unintended DNA changes and mutations. "Unintended effects are common in all cases where GE [genetic engineering] techniques are used," warn scientists . One such environmental consequence—genetic contamination of other plants—is already documented. Note that unlike food, once released into the environment, seeds can't be "recalled"![iv]
5. GMO-makers intimidate and silence farmers and scientists.
GMO corporations use patents and intellectual property rights to sue farmers, block research, and threaten investigators. "For a decade," protested Scientific American editors in 2009, GMO companies "have explicitly forbidden the use of the seeds for any independent research," so "it is impossible to verify that genetically modified crops perform as advertised."[v]
6. GMOs undermine our food security.
Within the biotechnology market, Monsanto alone controls 90 percent of GE crops worldwide. And Monsanto is one of three GMO companies, including DuPont and Syngenta, that control 70 percent of the global seed market, reinforcing monopoly power over our food. GMO seeds are costly and must be purchased every year, so they worsen farmers' indebtedness, dependency, and vulnerability to hunger.[vi]
7. GMOs aren't needed in the first place, so why would we take on risks and harms?
Studies show that safe, sustainable farming practices applied worldwide could increase our food supply as much as 50 percent. And keep in mind that the world's already producing 2,800 calories for every person on earth every day—more than enough. And that's just with what's left over: Half the world's grain goes not to people directly but to feed, fuel, and other purposes. Plus, one-third of all food is wasted. So the urgent question isn't about "more" anyway. It is, how can all of the world's people gain the power to secure healthy food? And a good start is knowing what's in our food.[vii]
Just Label It: Let Us Know It's GMO
Video: Wouldn't it be nice if they had to tell you what's in your food?
Shopping in the know (not GMO)
Avoid processed foods! It's a simple way to reduce exposure to the four most common GM ingredients: non-organic forms of soy, canola, cottonseed, and
corn, including high-fructose corn syrup.
- Look for the voluntary "non-GMO" label.
- Buy "certified organic," which ensures that no GMO ingredients were used.
- Visit www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com for a list of thousands of GMO products and brands.
See below for full citations
Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé wrote this article for YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas and practical actions. Frances is author of the legendary best seller Diet for a Small Planet, and many other books. She is co-founder of the Small Planet Institute and is a contributing editor for YES! Magazine. This article draws on material from her latest book, Nation Books, 2011.
Anna is the author of and co-author of and . She is a founding principal of the Small Planet Institute.
To sort more food myths from facts, visit the new website at .
Three provisions in the bill would make it more difficult to regulate the safety of genetically modified crops. Consumers fight back with a flurry of organizing.
A grassroots coalition of California citizens has an initiative on the ballot to require the labeling of genetically modified organisms. While Monsanto and other corporations have spent tens of millions to silence them, the initiative seems likely to succeed.
Because wouldn't it be nice if they had to tell you what's in your food?
Source for GMOs in 70% processed foods: California Department of Food and Agriculture, "A Food Foresight Analysis of Agricultural Biotechnology: A Report to the Legislature," Jan. 1, 2003. .Source for safety testing: Freese, W. & Schubert, D., "Safety testing and regulation of genetically engineered foods," Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev, 2004: 299-324. .
Source for GM corn study : Séralini, G.-E., et al., "Long term toxicity of Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize,"Food and Chemical Toxicity, . Source 19 GM corn and soy studies: Séralini G.-E. et al., "Genetically modified crops safety assessments: Present limits and possible improvements," Environmental Sciences Europe, 2011; 23(10). .
Sources for miscarriages, birth defects, cancer: Report from the 1st NATIONAL MEETING OF PHYSICIANS IN THE CROP-SPRAYED TOWNS, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National U. of Cordoba. Aug 2010, University Campus, Cordoba Coordinators: Dr. Medardo Ávila Vazquez, Prof. Dr. Carlos Nota. . Also see: Eriksson, M. et al, "Pesticide exposure as risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma including histopathological subgroup analysis." Int J Cancer. Oct 1, 2008; 123(7): 1657-1663. . Source for cell toxicity: Gasnier C. et al., "Glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic and endocrine disruptors in human cell lines," Toxicology. Aug 21, 2009; 262(3): 184-191. .
[iv] Source for unpredictability: Wilson, A.K. et al., "Transformation-induced mutations in transgenic plants: Analysis and biosafety implications," Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev, 2006; 23: 209–238..Source for 1st quote: Freese, W. & Schubert, D., "Safety Testing and Regulation of Genetically Engineered Foods," Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews, Nov 2004; Vol. 21. . Source for genetic contamination: Quist, D. & Chapela, I., "Transgenic DNA introgressed into traditional maize landraces in Oaxaca, Mexico," Nature, Nov 29, 2001; 414: 541-543.. Source for 2nd quote: Cummings, C. H., "Trespass: Genetic Engineering as the Final Conquest," WorldWatch Institute, World Watch Magazine, Jan/Feb 2005: 18(1),
Center for Food Safety. "Monsanto vs. US farmers: Nov. 2007 Update." Washington, DC & San Francisco, CA. Nov. 2007. . See also: Waltz, E. "Under wraps – Are the crop industry's strong-arm tactics and close-fisted attitude to sharing seeds holding back independent research and undermining public acceptance of transgenic crops?" Nat Biotechnol, Oct 2009; 27(10): 880–882.. For Scientific American editors: The Editors, "Do Seed Companies Control GM Crop Research?" Scientific American, Aug 13, 2009.
Source for Monsanto 90% statistic: Marie-Monique Robin, 2010, "The World According to Monsanto: pollution, corruption and the control of our food supply," The New Press,
Greenpeace, Monsanto: Get out of our food, accessed 19 December 2011:
Center for Food Safety, Monsanto vs. US Farmers, 2005: Source for GMO monopoly statistic: GRAIN, "Global agribusiness: two decades of plunder," July 13, 2010. .
Source for producing plenty: Badgley, C. et al., "Organic Agriculture and the Global Food Supply," Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 22 (2007): 86-108. Statistics calculated from : FAOSTAT, Agricultural Production Indices, Net Per Capita. Index 100 = 2004-2006..And: FAOSTAT, Food Balance Sheets, Commodity Balances, 2009.


text:
Recent News
March 14, 2014
Dole Italian-Blend Salads Recalled Due to Possible Health Risk
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services received information regarding a recall of Dole Italian-blend bagged salads. These products have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Dole Fresh Vegetables is voluntarily recalling a limited number of cases of bagged salad. The products being recalled are Dole Italian Blend (UPC7143000819), Fresh Selections Italian Style Blend (UPC1111091045), Little Salad Bar Italian Salad (UPC4149811014) and Marketside Italian Style Salad (UPC8113102780) coded A058201A or B, with Use-by date of March 12, 2014.
Cases of the potentially contaminated Dole Italian-blend salad bags were distributed to Kroger stores in the following locations: Greater Cincinnati (including Northern Kentucky and Dayton, Ohio plus South Eastern Indiana); Central and Northwest Ohio; Northwestern Virginia panhandle; Michigan; Indiana (except SE Indiana, -Evansville-); Illinois; Eastern Missouri; Hopkinsville and Bowling Green, Kentucky; Nashville and Knoxville, Tennessee; Huntsville, Alabama; Jay C and Food 4 Less.
The full recall can be found at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm389296.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.


text:
Wii U pricing is "in a good spot," says Nintendo executive
Pricing for Wii U is "in a good spot," according to NoA VP of sales and marketing Scott Moffitt, and the Wii U Deluxe set reaching pre-order caps in US stores is proof.
Speaking with GI International, Moffitt said the $349 Deluxe Set's popularity with consumers is "phenomenal."
"All I can say is that the response has been phenomenal and we're getting, especially in the higher priced deluxe set, that one's selling out incredibly quickly," he said. "That seems to indicate that the pricing's in a good spot and the proof is in the consumer response.
"Certainly we've seen brisk pre-sales and that the phone calls have been coming into our headquarters for quite a while now asking for more and so we do expect high demand. But I can tell you this – on opening week we will have more systems on hand for the Wii U than we did for the launch of Wii. And, second, our replenishments will be more frequent this holiday time than during the Wii launch."
Moffitt added that it's "impossible to exactly predict demand," but consumers shouldn't worry and very little patience will be required during the wait on replenishment.
Wii U launches in the US on November 18 and in Europe on November 30.


text:
Audio Basics: A Is For Ampere
Many years ago, Life magazine did a feature issue about "The Sacred Cow of Science," which included a pictorial diagram of scientific knowledge. It was an inverted pyramid, with all the contemporary scientific disciplines at the top, and supported at the bottom by a toothpick that was labeled Basic Premise. The Basic Premise was summed up, essentially, by the statement: "That which is proven to be, is." In other words, if something is obviously something, then you'd better believe it. Today we know better. Today we have quantum physics, whose main impact to date on scientific thought has been to show us that: "That which is proven to be, isn't necessarily." This kind of enlightenment could displace revealed religion if there was less objective proof of its truth.
Even the toothpick is different today from the way it was. The "Basic Premise" physicists argue about today is the cosmic question of whether the universe originated with a Big Bang or a Little Whimper. If it Banged first, the assumption is that it will eventually Bang again, which will wipe out all our investments, contractual obligations, and guilt-edged insecurities once and for all. If it doesn't Bang again, we'll all be swallowed up, whimpering, by a black hole in which even the IRS will be powerless.
There is also a theory about information communication which holds that people are averse to learning anything new (footnote 1). Since most Stereophile readers are probably no different otherwise from other people, I shall drag basic theory into what follows only when it is absolutely necessary for comprehension, which will be most of the time. Technical stuff is really very simple as long as you don't have to divide and square things. So while boredom may be forgivable, intimidation isn't.
The Incomparable Electron
Since this whole business of audio is about making electrons sit up and bark, it is necessary that you learn first about them. Actually, all you really need to know is that electrons are negatively charged particles of matter (footnote 2) which, left alone, spend their time zipping aimlessly around atoms (footnote 3) like tiny satellites (footnote 4). Some electrons are much easier to knock out of orbit than others, and it is the number of these detachable electrons that makes some atoms good electrical conductors and others lousy conductors. Most metals, for example, have lots of them, while insulating materials like vinyl and polypropylene have virtually none. A length of wire has billions of conductive atoms, each with its complement of orbiting electrons just waiting to fill the air with Mahler or Mötley Crüe.
Footnote 1: Most people would rather starve to death than learn something new that might feed them.
Footnote 2: They are not "pure energy" because they have mass, a fundamental property of matter which we, immersed in a gravitational field, perceive as "weight."
Footnote 3: The atom, in case you lost absolutely everything after high school, is the most fundamental unit of matter, divisible by which there is nothing. Except particle physics.
Footnote 4: As elegant a description can't help but be wrong---and it is. Quantum physics actually describes electrons as standing waves---resonances---in a probability function, which doesn't exist anyway. But as the classic "tiny little satellites" description behaves as though it were right for electronics and audio, it would seem to be sufficient for our purposes.---JA


text: Our co-op is a membership based family where participants volunteer 2-hours of their time to Brookside Community Church. By joining the co-op you establish an "ownership" role in meeting your households needs, but you are also connecting yourself to a church family that desires to care for you even beyond your food needs. Food pantry is open at this time for our co-op members to shop in our pantry. If you are interested in joining our food co-op, please contact Mindy Cederquist at 317-636-7808 ext. 102.


text:
I thought I'd post this little hack along with a question to you all: How do YOU prevent potential damage to the ribbon cable? Here's what I did just now:
To save a little precious desktop space, I've recently put the tent stand away and now I'm just using the TSLP flat on the desk. I've done that once, ages ago at work, and found that finger drift was much more pronounced and a big problem, so I put it back on the tent stand and have been keeping it there ever since. Today though, finger drift is oddly no big problem; at least not much more than usual for me. It's strangely comfortable to write on a totally flat device. I do miss the wrist pads and the angled hands, but I'll keep the tent away for now and see how it goes.
One thing I noticed was that when there's no tent stand (with which I can move the whole device with one hand) I need to use both hands to move the TSLP - one hand for each half - or else the ribbon cable gets flexed in a way that might not be good in the long run.
To prevent that flexing, I've just made a crude hack using two bits of stiff cardboard cut into a wedge shape and stapled together on each side of the ribbon. A piece of tape on the underside keeps it in place. This hack seems to be very effective. It completely removes any wiggle room between the two halves, which is just what I wanted. It does introduce a new change though: It's now difficult to pick up the TSLP without putting a pulling tension on the ribbon cable. Luckily I never pick it up so it doesn't matter, but it's worth noting anyway.
Yes I know it's not symmetrical. I said it was a quick hack.
While using the tent stand, I have often been a little annoyed that the TSLP is sliding around just a little bit; enough for me to develop a tiny nervous habit of realigning the TSLP on the stand every now and then. I've considered simply fastening both halves on the stand using a small piece of double-sided tape in each of the eight corners, but I never did. I'd be interested in hearing your ideas about this!


text:
Exclusive: Mega-donors plan GOP war council
A group of major GOP donors, led by New York billionaire Paul Singer, is quietly expanding its political footprint ahead of the midterm elections in an increasingly assertive effort to shape the direction of the Republican Party.
The operation was launched discreetly last year, with the previously unreported formation of a club called the American Opportunity Alliance to bring together some of the richest pro-business GOP donors in the country, several of whom share Singer's support for gay rights, immigration reform and the state of Israel. Around the same time, Singer and his allies also formed a federal fundraising committee called Friends for an American Majority that raised big checks for a select list of the GOP's most highly touted 2014 Senate hopefuls.
Story Continued Below
Those candidates are among the big names expected at a two-day retreat organized by the American Opportunity Alliance set for the last week of February at a swanky Colorado resort. The closed-door event — which is also expected to draw House Speaker John Boehner and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, according to Republicans familiar with the plans — is seen in GOP finance circles as a grand debut of sorts for Singer's still-amorphous club.
( POLITICO's full coverage of political fundraising)
On its face, it in some ways resembles a much smaller-scale version of Charles and David Koch's fabled network, which brings together hand-picked operatives and politicians twice a year at tony resorts to make presentations to dozens of rich conservatives. At the conclusion of the Koch seminars, as they're called, donors commit massive sums into a pool of cash disseminated to various Koch-backed groups for seven- and eight-figure advertising and organizing campaigns that have made them a force in Republican politics rivaling the official party.
That doesn't appear to be the goal of Singer and his donors. While many of them — including Singer himself — have attended the Koch seminars and also maintain their own independent spending groups, their approach with the American Opportunity Alliance is more donor-centric, focusing on comparing notes about one another's political projects and funneling limited hard-money contributions effectively.
Still, the list of big-name pols expected at the American Opportunity Alliance's upcoming Colorado gathering highlights the influence that only a few big donors can command in the post- Citizens United era, when a small group of wealthy individuals can reorder elections with just a few huge checks. That new reality has shifted some of the power and control once maintained by the parties and their candidates to factions of major donors, like the libertarian-infused Koch network on the right or the Democracy Alliance club of major liberal donors on the left.
( Also on POLITICO: Barack Obama fundraisers add up)
The ideological and tactical contours of Singer's plans remain somewhat unclear, as does the membership of the American Opportunity Alliance, which is registered as a for-profit corporation in Delaware. If nothing else, though, the group appears to represent a new center of gravity in the world of GOP money, anchored by a famously prolific Republican bundler with a distinct ideological agenda.
Singer, who founded the hedge fund Elliott Management, has long been a key player in GOP money circles, espousing a nontraditional brand of conservatism that includes aggressive backing for gay marriage and immigration reform, as well as more traditional GOP stances like lower taxes and less government regulation. Contributors to the joint fundraising account for Senate candidates — a list that likely dovetails at least partially with the American Opportunity Alliance's member rolls — include a mix of gay marriage supporters like Todd Ricketts and billionaire investor Cliff Asness, as well as more conventional fiscal conservatives like brokerage titan Charles Schwab and real estate developer Harlan Crow.
The Colorado summit appears to be the first organized under the American Opportunity Alliance banner, but it comes after a series of other political gatherings organized by Singer and his cohort that paved the way for it. At the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Singer put together an economics panel featuring at least one congressman, plus he teamed with fellow hedge funder Dan Loeb — another prominent gay rights supporter — to host a dinner at the Hyatt Regency headlined by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.


text:
Almost all questions and information on both SO and "Google" describes how different licenses works and what license to choose for your work?
But how do they work in reality.
Almost everyone I have spoken to have vastly different thoughts of how they work, including hard core open source developers that gladly share their libs and consultants who is only interested in money and would never reveal their libs.
First I will give my impression of how they work in practice with three questions / statements and you can agree or disagree with me on those.
Lets say I make a large application and have a small portion of that from GPL code, then the copyright holder can't do much about it as it's deemed non essential code for my application and thereby the "law" rules over the GPL?
If the code is generic the copyright doesn't hold. For example if I make a tutorial on how to set up a chess engine no one have to care about my license. That's because my code is mechanical in nature.
If I use a lot of GPL code that is essential for my application and don't disclose it and someone finds out, my "punishment" will be to release all my source code, large companies are terrified by this.
But for a small hobby developer this isn't much of an issue as the software wouldn't be written at all or would be open sourced from the start anyway? I don't like this approach personally because I find it unethical and disrespectful to the original author.
EDIT: Clarified as a comment made was that I din't ask a question. My question is are the 3 statements correct.


text:
ROUTE 232, Israel (REUTERS) - Israel began withdrawing the army on Thursday that had been poised to invade the Gaza Strip to go after Hamas, with both sides declaring they had won their eight-day battle.
Dust-covered tanks and armoured bulldozers were winched onto transporters and driven out of the same groves of straggly eucalyptus where they camped in January 2009 before going in.
That conflict cost more than 1,400 lives, all but 13 Palestinian, while this time, some 160 Palestinians were killed in eight days of fighting, against six Israelis.
Hamas nevertheless declared it had come out on top.
"From the lion's den, we declare victory," said Abu Ubaida, spokesman of Hamas' armed wing, Izz el-Deen Al-Qassam Brigades.
Israel's "security hallucination" had been exposed.
Islamist militants launched more than 700 rockets from Gaza by the end of October, Israel said, to explain its decision to set off the latest conflict by killing Hamas's top military commander with a precision strike from an F16 fighter jet.
Psychologically and in propaganda terms, the long-range rockets Hamas fired all the way towards Tel Aviv and Jerusalem over the past eight days were a game-changer, celebrated by Gazans who were also relieved the invasion never came.
But 84 per cent of Gaza's rockets were knocked out of the sky by Israel's new Iron Dome interceptor defence, neutralising Hamas' main weapon.
The Israeli army says Islamist fighters fired 1,500 rockets at Israel, both home made and smuggled from Iran, scoring two lethal hits. The same number of Israeli strikes killed 30 senior militiamen and blew up rockets, launchers and arms dumps.
The ceasefire agreement, Israel's Defence Minister Ehud Barak said, was "a paper bridge for the defeated so that they can explain to their public how they can even show their faces after what they were hit with for a week".
The truce, arranged by Egypt, "could last nine months. It could last nine weeks. And when it no longer continues we will know what to do," Mr Barak said.
Tanks, self-propelled artillery, armoured personnel carriers and Humvees were lined up in some of the same fields they used four years ago, when they did invade, Israel's blue and white flag flying from their radio masts.
They will be pulled out in the next day so farmers can get back to work.
At Kerem Shalom, on the border with Egypt and Gaza, trucks carrying international food aid were rolling again on Thursday into a terminal where freight is re-loaded onto Palestinian trucks for 1.2 million people in Gaza who depend on it.
Empty buses were coming down Route 232, which runs parallel to the Gaza Strip from north to south, to pick up soldiers no doubt relieved to know they would not have to go in.
In 2009, after a week of aerial bombing and long-range shelling, this country road with kibbutz farms on either side was the launch point for some 30,000 troops and armour that cut the Gaza Strip in two.
Israel is a small country and the frontline is only 70km from Tel Aviv. The army could be back in place in little more than half a day if needed.
The truce will test the intense distrust between Israel and the Islamist movement that runs Gaza, but both sides had a clear interest in not prolonging the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to cease fire just hours after a bomb exploded on a Tel Aviv bus, prompting opposition charges of weakness but winning international credit he may seek to draw on in Israel's standoff with Iran, whose disputed nuclear program he considers an existential threat.
"I don't hanker to go back in to Gaza. I'm persuaded that Hamas has no hankering to repeat what happened to it over the last week, and ditto Islamic Jihad," Mr Barak told Israel radio.
Hamas had managed to fire one tonne of high explosive into Israel's built-up areas, he said. Israel hit Gaza targets with around 1,000 tonnes.


text:
Detail Images
Current Color
Free 2-Day shipping on orders over $50. Learn More
Select a Size:Select options
Select a Color:Select options
11 Reviews
The Eureka K-2 XT Tent is your shelter from the storm, base camp or trailside.
Start your alpine assault from the Eureka's K-2 XT Tent. Wait out the storm with your climbing partner, or play some poker with two buddies while you all acclimatize to the altitude. This self-supporting tent is among the roomiest and most popular in Eureka's four-season category.
- Four-pole geodesic dome design is strong, lightweight, and offers plenty of living space
- Two vestibules add tons of storage space; feature high-low venting in twin-point front vestibule, single-point rear vestibule
- Zippered high/low tent vents and scoop vents in the fly, accessible through zippers in the tent roof
- PU window in vestibule allows light to enter even when you've battened down the hatches
- Post-and-grommet corner attachments, clips, continuous mesh rod sleeves, and an external vestibule hoop simplify set up
- 14-pocket organizer wall, four gear loft loops, and one flashlight loop offer excellent storage and organization for long campsite stays
- Item #ERK0101
Tech Specs
Gearhead Help
Tech Specs
California Proposition 65
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
Eureka K2 XT
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I have had this tent for many years and it is still going strong. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall it provides for the appropriate shelter. It is built to last (rugged and protective). It also has nice ventilation. So if you need protection and durability, this is your tent!
PA Winter Camping
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
Wind, snow load, and temps well below zero have are no match for the k-2. Awesome 4 season tent with expedition quality features. Looking forward to backcountry elk hunt next season (of course the only way to back pack with this tent is to split the weight).
African predawn...
Breathtaking photo Aaron !!!
I selected this image to feature on the homepage of Backcountry.com in our Activity Feed! Congrats on being GOATWORTHY !!!
Camp 1 Spantik
The whole ridgeline ahead of us.
Camp 2 - Spantik, Pakistan
Avi and Grace get ready to check out the route to Camp 3
I like it!
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
Pretty cool tent, love all of the pockets. Sadly, I used it once and noticed a rip in the seam. It is out of stock so I have to return it. It is quite heavy too, but if you're car camping, who cares? I love the hexagonal shape. Its great for an air mattress because there is room on either side. It is a bit complicated to set up too, but practice makes perfect.
Getting hit with 50mph winds...
Shelter from the Storm
I am really enjoying this piece of gear. The venting options are perfect. Opening up the roof panels on a clear night(not using the fly) lets all the stars in...The organizer walls , along with the optional gear loft, will give you all the room you need for your stuff.
Eureka K2 XT
Eureka K2XT in Algonquin June 2011
Notice the gear pockets behind me
Algonquin June 2011
Eureka K2 XT on Harness Lake June 16
Nice shot...Nice to know what my tent will look like up there.
Thanks Rick. If you are hitting this very campsite, you may want to wait a few weeks, I was watching bees lay eggs in a blowdown tree right on the campsite. But this tent stands up to everything
This is a really cool shot Dwayne! Great work!
eureka k2 xt
March in Algonquin Western Uplands
just got it
I will edit my review when i try it out, but I just assembled it in the living room, it looks like a yellow igloo..Tons of room inside and sturdy. A few weeks I will test it in an Ontario Winter
Held up fairly well. It is super important in wet snow to keep your fly tied up nicely. The snow was so deep, I rigged our poles to hold fly up.
Secure tent. Lots of room
Solid tent, not for backpacking alone
The Eureka K2 XT tent is well constructed, attention to detail, and for the most part all the extras (storage, ventilation, fly, vestibule) well thought out and easy to use. Goes up/takes down easily in all weather. My wife and I mostly kayak on wilderness lakes, where winds/rain up to 40mph 1"/hour don't bother. Likely can take more. Used in Rocky MTs to 10,000 ft.
Downsides include too tight for three, unless you're young and don't know better...cause the vestibule (front) is about 12 sq feet and about 3 feet high, given the door slants. The rear vestibule, such as it is, allows one to store about one backpack of gear, but then that door is blocked to get out.
So...if you gotta cook in the forward vestibule, which so far I haven't, it's tight, and one would have to be very careful.
That being said, for canoe/kayak/car camping, or if you can split the load, even backpacking, this is a very good tent for the price, given what's out there.
Just for perspective, I've been through the Tetons, Wind Rivers, most of Colorado, Wyoming, much of Montana and Idaho in my old smelly Holubar kit I built in 1974, which dates me...and that tent has never yet leaked nor blown over. It weighs 6 lbs and has a 20 sq foot 4.5 ft high vestibule two people can sit under and cook all day. There are no tents built like this today.True story. If there is leave a comment...I want one.
But the Eureka is still an excellent tent for what it is, based on the proven North Face VE 25 design, and has a larger vestibule.
Southeastern Arizona
West face of the Whetstone mountains, at 6022' elevation. Again, the days are warm, but the nights are cool. Mid 50's. A great tent, many venting options, and where I am you need that. Lots of storage pockets, 22 in all and plenty of room for two people plus gear. Easy set up for one person. The downside, rather heavy at almost 12 lbs. but worth the extra weight if you want a little extra room.
Roosevelt lake, Central Arizona
10:00 and still waiting for it to cool down. Its late September and still 100 plus degrees during the day and high 70's at night. With all the venting options in the K-2 the nights were tolerable.
4 Seasons...No Lies
Cold or hot. Rain or snow. This one has you covered. With the ample mesh vents and doors you can let the breeze, views and stars all come rolling in. Seal out the elements when needs be. The fly is super strong and has tons of attachment loops as well as guy out lines/attachments. Only draw back is the weight. However you're certainly getting a lot if you buy this tent. Great buy for sure.
Eureka K2-XT
I have to say I was very impressed with my new K-2 XT tent. It had some features I didn't expect to see in a tent of this type. The extra vents and pouchs internally were a nice touch. The tent held up very well against the elements and the rain, but only issue that we had was with the condensation inside the next morning. We opened as many vents as possible to bleed out any moisture but we still ended up with a little dampness. Overall a great buy and a tent to look forward to using it again.
real tuff tent
all materials are 70D or 75D. try to find a tent made with thick ripstop,you
just did .
Underrated tent
I had a north face talus which I thought was a pretty decent tent until I got this one. Wow do I love this tent. The set up is pretty quick especially if you don't use the fly...which you can easily do in this tent. The fly secures in so many places you don't get so much as a ripple in high winds. There are lots of mesh openings you can access but should nasty weather come in you can zip them up if you are not using the fly and be completely safe from the elements. About the only gripe with this tent is that it is not super light at all...but the design is so good and the construction excellent, you can leave the fly at home and lighten you load by the weight of that plus one of the poles that gives the fly its shape and a few stakes. Now you are not in ultra light territory but maybe 6-6 1/2 lbs which is workable for a tent this strong. Only tent you will ever need!
Has anyone had problems setting this tent up alone? I spent several hours trying following directions and the only way I could get any of the pole pieces into both grommets was to try one pole through a sleeve at a time and then the 4th you could not fit through the sleeve because of the other poles being arched. Wondering if I got a defective one? Having a new one sent out.
I wouldnt say its defective at all. It can be incredibly difficult to set one of these up alone. The best way that I have found is to get the poles all set up through the sleeves, then try to get them in the grommets. Will be very difficult as its tough to keep one end of the pole in the grommet while you are going to arch it and fit it into the other end. I dont think you will find another 4 season bomber tent like this for 3 people that will be easier.
You can call or email me directly. 801-736-6398, or firstname.lastname@example.com
l like the fact that l wouldn't have to...
l like the fact that l wouldn't have to sell a kidney for this tent and l'm honestly considering this to be a future grab, but how does it do in comparison to higher priced four season tents? anyone own a few and have come input?
The difference in price is typically the removal of weight. This is a good tent but it is heavy - if you are going to need to be carrying this tent for long distances, going with something that is a bit less weight and higher price tag is definitely worth the consideration - unless you like to lug heavy gear for long distances!
hm, good to know! l kind of figured that the weight was going to be the big tradeoff, and l don't mind a little extra hauling, so i'll keep this one in mind. thanks!
It is pretty heavy, at 12 pounds it can be a chore to lug around, but it is basically a "weather bomb shelter".. Learning how many vents to open in different conditions has been a learning experience
from the look of the photo and from what...
from the look of the photo and from what else i've heard that everywhere that there is vent or mesh there is a zip up cover for each it just seems like there might be some areas that aren't covered and just vent is this wrong and can every vent be zipped up close because my last tent has 2 huge vents that i can't close and cause the tent to be very cold at night
This thing has many screen windows, but they all zip up. Even the outer vents are able to be shut if you want to
What kind of footprint would you recommend...
What kind of footprint would you recommend to put under this tent?
Though not available at backcountry.com, check out the Eureka floor saver (Hexagonal Small) at:
What kind of maintenance is required for...
What kind of maintenance is required for this tent? Also, I live in a VERY dry area. We average under 10%humity for most of the year, but most of my camping is in northern New Mexico and Colorado. Should I be concerned taking the tent through extreme changes in humidity and climate? I'm concerned about mold damage and other similar issues.
Luckily Colorado and New Mexico are not all that humid, but where every you go it is likely that your tent will collect some condensation during the night. It does not take much moisture to grow nasty mold, so I would recommend pulling your tent back out when you get home and air it out to make sure that it is 100% dry.
how does this tent compare to the msr...
how does this tent compare to the msr stormkingI see the price is about half
the eureka one is only three men and it has almost the same pole design. the msr one has 2 doors and the eureka has only 1 door and 1 vestibules, the eureka one has a window which is very nice to look threw when it is snowing and raining. the eureka tent has been used on mt. everestThe MSR Stormking is a five person tent, weighs 2 pounds more, & is $400 more expensive. The decision is all yours!(The comment about the doors and the vestibule is incorrect in this answer. The K2-xt has 2 doors and 2 vestibules - a large hooped one in the front, and a stake out one in the back. The doors are both the same - in fact, the tent body is symmetrical, the fly can be rotated 180.)The K2-XT has two doors and two vestibules actually. The larger one is pictured, the smaller is perfect for boots and like items.
would another fly work for warmer weather...
would another fly work for warmer weather if not going to use it for climbing
You'll have to have one specially made. This tent is expedition specific & only comes with the fly as shown above.


text:
E!'s KHLOÉ & LAMAR, ICE LOVES COCO PREMIERE RATINGS
Below are highlights from the 2nd season premieres of both Khloé & Lamar and Ice Loves Coco.
The 2nd season premiere of Khloé & Lamar on Sunday, February 19th from 10pm-10:30pm debuted to impressive numbers, scoring the series' highest-rated and most-watched episode yet, drawing a 2.00 Household rating and attracting approximately 2.6 million Total Viewers as it exceeded last season's premiere while also posting the series' most-watched telecast ever among both Adults 18-34 and Adults 18-49, attracting over 1.3 million and 1.8 million viewers respectively.
Khloé & Lamar garnered its highest ratings among Women 18-34, scoring a 3.52 rating with the coveted demo and nearly one million W18-34 viewers.
Following Khloe & Lamar, the 2nd season premiere of Ice Loves Coco at 10:30pm posted the series' highest-rated most-watched season opener yet, delivering a 1.55 HHLD rating and attracting nearly 1.9 million Total Viewers as it out-performed last season's premiere by nearly +20% with both measures. This also marks the series' highest-rated and most-watched telecast ever with Adults 18-34, drawing a 1.67 A18-34 rating and approximately 935,000 A18-34 viewers, up over +40% from last season's debut.
The season premiere of Ice Loves Coco scored a 2.40 rating with its core Women 18-34 audience and attracted nearly 700,000 W18-34. Additionally, the show saw its highest-rated and most-watched season opener among Adults 18-49 with 1.3 million viewers, which is up nearly a quarter over its year-ago premiere.
Online, Khloe and Lamar's season 2 delivered its highest ever mark in video views, more than doubling season 1's premiere week (+130%). Ice Loves Coco season 2 also had a strong video performance on E! Online leading up to its Sunday premiere with 302K video views, more than 12 times the initial season.
*Source Nielsen Media Research, Fast Nationals, Live + Same Day, COV AA% & Impressions; 2/19/12, 10pm-10:30pm & 10:30pm-11pm; E!'s 1Q'12 Primetime (Mon-Sun, 6pm-12am) Online Source: Adobe Site Catalyst (Traffic 2010 - current, Video Starts 2011 - current), The Platform (2009 - 2010) *Premiere week for online is based on the full week leading up to the premiere show and video content totals and comparisons include E! Online on-site and off-site players since 2010. Premiere day comparisons are based on 2010 to present.


text:
Sorry, no results were found.
check the spelling of your search query or maybe try a less specific term.
For example, instead of searching for "Apple iPhone 6", try something simple like "iPhone".
Did you get here after clicking on a Komando email newsletter link?
Please copy and paste the article title into the search box above to find the article you're looking for.


text:
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
bad(Inferior), adjective adultered, base, decaying, degenerative, degraded, deleterious, deplorable, detrimental, dreadful, faulty, foul, fulsome, impure, injurious, malignant, malus, noxious, objectionable, ruined, undesirable, unfit, unsound, unsuitable
Associated concepts: bad bargain, bad check, bad title
bad(Offensive), adjective abhorrent, abominable, amoral, arrant, atrocious, baleful, baneful, base, corrupt, cruel, debauched, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, deplorable, depraved, derogatory, despicable, destructive, detrimental, diabolic, dire, disastrous, disgraced, disgusting, dishonorable, disreputable, evil, execrable, flagrant, fulsome, heinous, ignoble, immoral, improbus, improper, indecent, infamous, iniquitous, injurious, insidious, loathsome, maleficent, malevolent, malific, malus, miscreant, monstrous, nasty, nefarious, nequam, nocuous, objectionable, obnoxious, odious, offensive, onerous, oppressive, peccant, perfidious, pernicious, reprehensible, repugnant, repulsive, retrogressive, revolting, ruined, ruinous, scandalous, sinful, sinister, treacherous, troublous, turpitudinous, undesirable, unfit, unsuitable, unvirtuous, venal, vicious, vile, villainous, virtueless, wicked
Associated concepts: bad behavior, bad character, bad faith, bad influence, bad motive, bad reputation, bad repute
Foreign phrases: In facto quod se habet ad bonum et malum, magis de bono quam de malo lex intendit.In an act or deed which may be considered as both good and bad, the law directs its attention more to the good than the bad.
See also: culpable, deleterious, delinquent, deplorable, depraved, detrimental, disastrous, disreputable, harmful, heinous, immoral, imperfect, iniquitous, nefarious, noxious, peccable, peccant, perverse, poor, profane, reprehensible, reprobate, wrongful


text:
Plumber Repair Service East Lansing MI 48823
When you book an affordable plumber, whether it's to fix a broken boiler or to unclog a drain, you want to know they're skilled enough for the task at hand. Nothing is worse than sending an amateur with a wrench to look at your pipes. Odds are, there will be more damage than when they started. All our plumbers are vetted, verified, and background checked way before they arrive at your home, so you can be sure that they're the right person for the job.
There are few things worse than waiting for a plumber after being given an 8 hour time window, while your sink is spouting water all over the carpet or your toilet is overflowing. Using our professionals, you can arrange an exact time for your plumber to arrive, which means you don't have to take an entire day off of work to sit around and wait for them. The plumbers have seen it all and they have the ratings and reviews to prove it. We'll match the details of your job with a reliable plumber in your area before you know it.
A plumber's reputation depends on your satisfaction. As a result, any plumbing service professionals East Lansing MI you book through our system will take their responsibility to you very seriously. They will want to turn up on time, bring the right equipment and get the job done as professionally as possible. That way, they know you'll leave them a good review and they'll get more work! To give you further peace of mind, every plumbing repair done on our platform is backed by the 100% Happiness Guarantee. This means that, in the unlikely event that you're unsatisfied, our experts will work hard to make things right.
Plumbing Leak Detection East Lansing
Even attempting to fix your plumbing repairs on your own without proper knowledge can cause massive problems down the line. Book your plumber and you'll be matched with plumbers who know just what they're doing. Experienced and practiced in their craft, they'll provide you with the best job at a price that won't break the bank. When you use our platform to find cheap plumbers East Lansing, you can rest assured that you'll be connected with a capable plumbing service who will get your job done without you having to worry about how much a plumber costs ever again.
Need Immediate Assistance? We're Standing By.
Whether you need a plumber to perform drain repair, install a new fixture, or replace rusty pipes, you need to make sure you hire someone reliable who will finish your job on time and within budget. Start by asking the plumbers on your short list these questions:
When you book a plumber using the platform for water heater installation, to unclog a toilet, or to clean out your drains, they'll always arrive with the equipment they'll need to do a great job. It's in their interest as much as it's in yours to complete every job quickly, professionally, and efficiently.
That's why when they show up, they'll be prepared for whatever curveballs your plumbing repairs may throw at them. When you use the platform to book the best plumbers, you'll be asked to input a few details about the plumbing repair job. Using that information, your chosen plumbing services provider will be able to prepare in advance and ensure they bring everything they need.
Plumbing As Well As Home heating
Our plumbing professionals in East Lansing MI offers permanent solutions to plumbing problems, saving you time and money. With their experience and expertise, they'll be able to protect you against a range of hazards, such as exposure to foul water and even flooding. Often, these hazards are caused by an unqualified homeowner, thinking they can tinker their way to success. Using a professional and reliable plumber, you don't need to run those risks.
However, our experts aren't just for the big jobs—you can book a cheap plumber for work of any size. Whether you need a clogged drain dealt with or a full-scale water heater installation, booking local plumbing services through our experts ensures that the job is done right the first time.
Call us Today at 877-959-6069
We have many satisfied as well as satisfied clients in your area that trust us with their plumbing requires. Call our plumbing professions now to talk with us to know more about our services or call us anytime for any kind of kind of emergency plumbing service plans.
Please call us today at (877) 959-6069 for more info about our Plumbing Services and prices.
… Next


text:
Get ready for a lot of these sort of op-eds. Here's one in the LA Times from John Villasenor, a Brookings Institute fellow, who thinks the current FAA rules on RC have got to go. Extra points for anyone who can explain the logic of the bolded sentence below:
Although reasonable people can disagree on how long it would take terrorists to build or acquire weaponized drones that can be guided by video into a target, there's really no dispute that it is a question of when and not if. The day will come when such drones are available to almost anyone who wants them badly enough.
In fact, there is ample evidence that terrorist groups have already experimented with drones. As far back as the mid-1990s — practically ancient history in drone terms — the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo sect that carried out the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway reportedly considered drones. So too have Al Qaeda and the Colombian insurgent group FARC.
Nations with a record of close ties to terrorists are another concern. Iran unveiled a drone in August 2010 that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad managed to describe as an "ambassador of death" and a "message of peace and friendship" in the same sentence.
So what can we do to reduce the risk? One good place to start is the "model aircraft" provision in the new aviation law, which allows hobbyists to operate drones weighing up to 55 pounds with essentially no governmental oversight. The law allows recreational drones to be operated in accordance with "community-based" safety guidelines established by a "nationwide community-based organization." The inclusion of this language was a lobbying victory for model airplane enthusiasts. But is it really in the broader national interest?
It is not. One of the hallmarks of an effective national antiterrorism policy is consistency. The hobbyist exception is glaringly inconsistent with our overall approach to antiterrorism. By what logic, for example, do we prevent airline passengers from taking 8-ounce plastic water bottles through security checkpoints, while permitting anyone who so desires to operate a 50-pound, video-guided drone, no questions asked?
The overwhelming majority of the people in the model airplane and drone hobbyist community would never consider carrying out a terrorist attack. Yet the same could be said for the overwhelming majority of airline passengers, all of whom are subject to the same rules about what can be taken through airport security checkpoints.
Given the realities of the world we live in, it doesn't seem unreasonable to require all civilian U.S. operators of drones capable of carrying a significant payload to obtain a license. A useful model can be found in fishing licenses, which provide an inexpensive, non-burdensome way for government agencies to know who is fishing.
A licensing program obviously wouldn't eliminate the threat of drone terrorism. After all, terrorists won't necessarily feel compelled to get a license. But the federal government has a legitimate national security interest in monitoring domestic drone use. Today, its ability to do so is inadequate. A licensing program would help plug a critical gap in the government's knowledge regarding who should — and shouldn't — be operating drones.
Views: 3858
LA Times....California....liberal opinions...nanny state... do you need more?
Where I live (temporarily), entrenched overpaid government bureaucrats following rules derived on after years of consensus based debates by agenda-based groups and clueless policy makers dictate the level of responsibility should be given to the individual citizen in society.
Same argument with guns. People who are law abiding do not need to be regulated with licenses, and people who are going to perform illegal acts will not go and get a license. There is no logic in his statement.
Reminds me of the recent post here on an upcoming UAV convention that advocates the responsible use of drones with a catchy sounding subtitle of "drones kill children".
A licensing program obviously wouldn't eliminate the threat of drone terrorism. After all, terrorists won't necessarily feel compelled to get a license. But...
If there is one (sadly not fatal) flaw in his argument, it's this. If regulation doesn't acheive what it's supposed to acheive, it should either be scrapped or not implemented in the first place!
Continuing with useless legislation and regulation that doesn't actually have the desired effect is why the West is so inefficient and cumbersome and why innovation has effectively gone 'underground' or at least down to the basement, garage.and/or garden shed.
When the Californian liberals and their ilk wake up to an Asian-dominated world economy, perhaps they'll get it then, but I fear they still won't.
This is a great idea. We can come up with a bloated federal agency to "oversee" registered RC hobbyists because the ones who register are the ones who will be committing acts of terror. My taxes aren't high enough and I would love to spend more money on useless bureaucracy. NOT!
If I was going to commit a crime, I wouldn't make sure to stop at a police station to get fingerprinted on the way.
This kind of bull shit makes me angry.
A bit of training and certification may even improve the skills of the terrorist pilots! It certainly wouldn't stop them.
They need to focus on restricting the bits that make the drones a weapon (ie. the explosives, bombs, poison gas etc), not really the drone itself. This is what airport screening is looking for on airline passengers.
Nice analogy to fishing licences in the article. My fishing licence pays for restocking and R&D - will this licence fund DIY Drones :)
"Nations with a record of close ties to terrorists are another concern. Iran unveiled a drone in August 2010 that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad managed to describe as an "ambassador of death" and a "message of peace and friendship" in the same sentence."
just as a reality check, drone wars are already a reality.
I guess we all need to sharpen our sticks and crawl back in our caves. Or in my ancestors language.. glarp splat nooodnik, arg.
Didn´t the 9/11 terrorists take flight training in regular flying shools?
There are so many past examples where registration or licensing did not prevent crimes...
The best protection is the community itself by giving obviously "bad" but not clever people a stop. The problem left are always bad and intelligent people which do not rely on help... But these will hopefully come to the conclusion that UAS are not good for crimes, anyway :-)
Whats the next step back for the airborn RC hobby? Insurance and sky tax with sky speed cameras and air police


text:
Angelo Henderson, Pulitzer Prize-winning Detroit journalist, radio talk show host and co-founder of a prominent community patrol group, died Saturday, a medical examiner's spokesman said. He was 51.
Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office spokesman Bill Mullan said Henderson died Saturday in Pontiac of natural causes, but no other details were available.
Henderson was most recently a host on radio station WCHB. He previously worked for The Detroit News and The Wall Street Journal, where he won the Pulitzer in 1999 in the feature writing category for a portrait of a druggist driven to violence by encounters with armed robbers.
A story about the award published at that time by The Associated Press said Henderson sought to understand what happened when pharmacist Dennis Grehl shot and killed an armed robber who tried to hold up his shop.Henderson interviewed Grehl and his drugstore colleagues and spent a year researching the life of the man he killed.
"It happened so quickly, he was just trying to protect himself and his co-worker," Henderson said. "It was nothing about malice or hatred, but afterward realizing what you've done is tough. ... I tried to tell the story of how these two lives collided, and how their lives both changed."
He carried his passion and commitment for the city and its residents through all of his endeavors, including the daily radio show, "Your Voice with Angelo Henderson," said program producer Kamal Smith.
"The title of the show really captured what Angelo was all about: 'Your Voice,'" Smith said. "He tried to give the city a voice to speak on ... and take back what's theirs."
Detroit 300, the crime-fighting organization he helped lead, consisted of residents, civic groups, and businesses. They patrolled neighborhoods and prompted the public to help police with investigations but dissolved in 2012 after a group leader and member were killed. A smaller, spin-off group continues.
Without Henderson, "radio won't be the same in the city of Detroit; journalism won't be the same in city of Detroit; community activism won't be the same in Detroit," said Detroit 300 co-founder Raphael Johnson.
Henderson also was an ordained minister and served as the director of community affairs at Triumph Church, which has multiple Detroit-area locations.
He's survived by his wife, Felecia, assistant managing editor of features and presentation at the Detroit News, and their son, Grant, 19.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
More Fashion Trends in spring
In the coming fashion season, you should be open to surprises. Many designers use patterns, such as the checkerboard pattern in black and white in all variants. Similarly, the fashion designers seem to have fallen for the pattern. Everything is permitted, you can combine everything.
The checkerboard pattern is particularly sexy, reminiscent of the fashion style of the 60s. In this case, the larger the print, the more attention to you. Furthermore, shimmering metallic fabrics and colours are very trendy this year. It is here not only to tones in silver, gold or copper, but also pink, violet, purple or green. Metallic shades are best combined with black or white. In addition, hats are fashionable in spring 2013. Here anything goes, anything goes, from wide-brimmed hats or caps on even smaller models. You can complete the right hat rocking her, noble or urban style. Overall, the women's fashion business in the spring of 2013, varied and unusual. If you are keen to experiment, it is great.
To make custom engraved jewellery
Online you will find bracelets, diamond rings and necklaces that can complement with different elements in any way. When jeweller and online store you can choose necklace pendants, necklaces, bracelets, rings and key chains that have engraved plates. For the engraving, you can choose different fonts. A classic example of an engraving is the first name. Leave it in a font that you like, engraving on the piece of jewellery. If that is not enough customization, you often have the opportunity to fill the lettering with precious stones or Swarovski; also, you can make the engraving with colour. Instead of a first name, initials also can be engraved on the jewellery. They can be placed on imaginative way, you are sure to find an idea for yourself as choose an original font.
Gold – The Noble classics for special jewellery
Individually is a photoengraving, you can often order from online stores for photo gifts. Such photo-engravings, for example, a portrait photo of you, you can engrave on chain or key chain and use as a gift for your partner. Wedding rings you can customize. This is something very special, unusual.


text: CherrySoda08 82 Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) Hello all, Last June, I began this thread (http://www.acne.org/...15#entry3257915) here on Acne.org, and have gotten some wonderful words of advice and encouragement in my journey of reducing the appearance of my acne scarring. Well, now it seems as if I have to take a small step backwards and undergo treatment of spironolactone in order to finally rid myself completely of cystic acne. I still get cystic lesions once a month, and went to my cosmetic dermatologist today for a cortizone shot for a cyst in my cheek. It was the first cyst I've had in either of my cheeks in 1 year and 5 months. I'd still been getting them in my chin area throughout that time period. I decided that enough is enough. I need to do everything in my power to rid my face of cysts for good. I've done nearly all that I possibly can to help my body's endocrine and integumentary systems without the aid of a medication (quitting smoking---I was a two cigarette a day smoker, anyway, so it wasn't too difficult---, taking water kefir daily, adopting a Paleo-ish diet in which I still sometimes eat rice, a daily vitamin regimen) and yet I still get these gorgeous honkin' cysts. My sleep schedule and exercise routine most certainly need work, and I am slowly taking steps to improve them. However, I believe that with the craziness of this semester (I'm a medical assisting student), it's probably just the best thing for me to also take the spiro to win the battle against cystic acne. So, here goes; Day One- I began taking my prescription of spironolactone today after dinner. My cosmetic derm warned me of the potential side effects that can take place during pregnancy, so I already am aware of them. I'm on a 25 mg dosage, and I have to take some forms given to me in the dermatologist's office for bloodwork at my general practitioner's in two week's time. I'll try to update this thread maybe once a week, and I'd absolutely love it if those with experience and advice would offer some input. Until a few weeks ago, I knew barely anything about spironolactone, and I am very eager to learn. Thanks in advance to those who take the time to read my post. I really appreciate it, and can't wait to read some pointers from those with more knowledge of this medication than I have. Edited October 24, 2012 by CherrySoda08 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Collaborative Teams address instructional costs
Our team members attending the national Redesign Alliance conference in March concluded that many CSU institutions have already implemented the cost reduction strategies used in Course Redesigns led by the National Center for Academic Transformation. (At some campuses, it did appear that the number of course sections offered might be reduced – if appropriate instructional enhancements could be introduced to retain or enhance course outcomes and if sufficient options were available for students to complete their class schedules.)
A more promising approach identified by the teams for the CSU was a focus on the "cost per successful outcome" for a course, rather than the traditional "cost per student" enrolled. This approach is also being used in the campus-based stream of the Transforming Course Design program, where reducing the number of students repeating a course is being examined as a way to produce reductions in the number of course sections required.


text:
Pamplin Media Group Acquires Additional News Outlets
By: Press Release | Pamplin Media Group
Portland, Ore. – Jan. 8, 2013 – Pamplin Media Group, Oregon's largest community news organization and a subsidiary of R.B. Pamplin Corp., has expanded its reach with the acquisition of six weekly newspapers from Eagle Newspapers Inc., a Salem-based company. The transaction, which was effective immediately, has expanded Pamplin Media Group's presence throughout the Portland-area and in Central Oregon. The newspapers included in the acquisition are: the Canby Herald, Madras Pioneer, Molalla Pioneer, Newberg Graphic, Wilsonville Spokesman and Woodburn Independent.
"We are excited to add these outlets to the family of Pamplin community newspapers," said Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr., owner of Pamplin Media Group and R. B. Pamplin Corp. "This acquisition strengthens our ability to share important community news with more residents in more places.
"Now, we'll reach half a million print readers each week, and hundreds of thousands more online and our radio stations," Pamplin added. "This puts us on equal footing, in terms of reach, with any other media in Oregon. With this acquisition, there's no media larger in the state than Pamplin Media Group." E
agle Newspapers was founded in 1948 by former Oregon Gov. Elmo Smith. Under the leadership of his son, former Congressman Denny Smith, the company grew to 25 holdings in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, including dailies in The Dalles and Sunnyside, Wash. The company also owns four press plants, a mailing service and publishes various other specialty publications and phone books.
"This sale is between two great Oregonians, men who share many of the same ideals, including a passion for community journalism and public service," said Eagle Newspaper President, Tom Lanctot. "We look forward to watching these news outlets continue to grow under the leadership of the Pamplin Media Group."
Pamplin Media Group also owns the Portland Tribune and 17 other newspapers throughout Portland, including newspapers in Gresham, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Tigard and Clackamas.
About R.B. Pamplin Corporation
Founded in 1957 and based in Portland, Ore., the R.B. Pamplin Corporation is one of the largest privately-owned and family-managed-businesses in the United States. Under the leadership of Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., R.B. Pamplin Corp's subsidiaries are leading American manufacturers of commercial and household products, including textiles, concrete, asphalt, newspapers, wine, beef, berries and hazelnuts. The 55-year-old company generates more than $600 million annually, employs more than 4,000 people in eight states including Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Washington and sells its product globally. Learn more at www.pamplin.org.
About Eagle Newspapers Inc.
Eagle Newspapers is a community of two dailies, six semi-weeklies, six weeklies, two weekly classified publications, six specialty publications, four printing operations and a mailing service located throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho. A family-owned corporation, Eagle is dedicated to the community newspaper concept. Each publication is locally managed to best serve the community or region in which it is located. Plans based on the Eagle mission and objectives are made at each location and in each department. The result is a "sense of ownership" in the plan for each of the 400-plus employees company wide.


text:
Conflict and Judicial Affairs
We strive to promote a learning environment that is safe, positive, and in which the rights of all members of the campus community are respected.
Thomas University' holds students accountable for their behaviors and have developed educational sanctions designed to help students learn from their mistakes. We strive to help students at TU see both the immediate consequences and the long-term consequences of their behavior.
We believe the disciplinary process is an educational process as opposed to a punitive process. The disciplinary process allows individuals the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, while at the same time protecting the rights of all members of the University community. The disciplinary process also provides an opportunity to discover underlying issues that are leading to the irresponsible behavior. Recognizing that our students are the leaders of tomorrow, we seek to help them develop their character and become a person of integrity through this educational process.
Reports of acts and incidents involving students may be referred for evaluation and possible disciplinary action by the Student Life and Athletics Coordinator. Reports should be directed to the Student Life and Athletics Coordinator.
Judicial Review Board
The Judicial Review Board was established in Fall 2009 to provide an avenue for Due Process for students accused of Violations of the student Code of Conduct. The Judicial Review Board consists of five members: Two student representatives, two faculty representatives and the Chair of the Judicial Review Board. The Chair only votes in the case of a tie.
Students accused of a level one violation will automatically be referred to the Chair of the Judicial Review Board for appropriate hearing and action. A Student accused of a level two violation will have the choice to appear before the Chair of the Board or sit for a formal hearing before the entire Board. Students Accused of a level three or four violation will automatically appear before the entire Judicial Review Board in a full, formal hearing.
The Judicial Review Board has full authority to dispense disciplinary action based on the facts of the case and testimony from University officials. Disciplinary actions are defined in the student code of conduct and are based upon the severity of the offense. The disciplinary action may range from community service hours and monetary fines to expulsion from the University. Students convicted of a level three or four offense have the right to appeal the decision to the Executive Director of Student Life and Athletics. The Executive Director of Student Life and Athletics has the authority to uphold or commute the sentence of the Judicial Review Board after hearing the facts of the case via a transcript of the hearing, if deemed necessary.
The Judicial Review Board only meets when a case is pending and is to be heard. The Chair of the Judicial Review Board will convene the board and summon all parties to the hearing as needed. Failure to abide by a summons from the Judicial Review Board is a disciplinary offense and may result in further disciplinary action.
Thomas University falls under the jurisdiction of local law enforcement personnel. Students violating criminal or civil codes will be prosecuted by local authorities and will be provided the judicial processes thereof.
Students involved in conflict(s) with another individual(s) may elect to have the conflict(s) mediated with the assistance of a third party mediator. The following information and procedures relate to the TU mediation process.
Conditions of Mediation the following conditions must be accepted by the parties:
- All parties involved must agree to the mediation process
- The resolution that results from the mediation process will be written, must be signed by all parties, and will bind the parties to abide by the agreed terms until such terms are completed, or an alternative agreement is developed by the parties
- The agreement reached through mediation is not subject to any appeals process; and if no form of resolution can be determined by mutual consent, the judicial coordinator may recommend that the matter be referred to the appropriate judicial body


text:
4710.0 - Housing and Infrastructure in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, Australia, 1999
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/04/2000
|Page tools: Print Page Print All RSS Search this Product
A recent survey undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown that many discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities experience difficulties with their water supply, sewerage systems, power supply and the condition of housing.
Survey shows Housing and Infrastructure difficulties faced by Indigenous Communities
Survey results on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander discrete communities and housing organisations were released today by the ABS. The survey was commissioned and funded by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
Of the 18,565 dwellings in discrete Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, 2,284 (12 percent) were occupied temporary dwellings and the remaining 16,281 were classified as permanent dwellings. Over 90 percent of the permanent dwellings were community owned or managed, with one third (33 percent) of these requiring major repair or replacement.
While almost all permanent dwellings had the basic services of water, power and sewerage systems connected, the survey indicates that there were substantial problems with the operation of these services. Of the 348 communities with a population of 50 or more, 58 had their water supply fail water testing, 57 had frequent power interruptions and 204 had leakages or overflows in their sewerage system in the 12 months prior to the survey.
During the time of the survey there were almost 1,300 locations identified as discrete Indigenous communities. These communities had a combined population of 109,994 people, or approximately 27 percent of the estimated total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
Other indicators of community access to infrastructure showed that 87 percent of people living in discrete communities had a primary school located within 10 kilometres of their community and 90 percent of people had access to a first aid clinic within 25 kilometres of their community.
In 1999 more than 700 Indigenous housing organisations were identified. They owned or managed a total of 20,424 dwellings (including those in discrete communities), of which 29 percent were in need of major repair or replacement. A total of $39 million was spent on repairs and maintenance of the dwellings owned or managed by these organisations in the 12 months prior to the survey, an average per dwelling expenditure of $1,942. During the financial year prior to the survey 69 percent of dwellings were reported as undergoing some form of maintenance and repair.
These organisations collected a total of $36.5 million in rent in the financial year prior to the survey, with an average weekly rental of $35 per dwelling.
The most common sources of income for housing organisations during the financial year prior to the survey were rent (88 percent), and government housing grants (56 percent) . Almost half (48 percent) relied on voluntary labour for their operations.
Details are in Housing and Infrastructure in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (cat. no. 4710.0) available from ABS bookshops. The summary of the main findings can be found on this site. If you wish to purchase a copy of this publication, contact the ABS Bookshop in your capital city.
Document Selection
These documents will be presented in a new window.