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Are we solving the ROOT CAUSE of our economic problems?
Are we solving the ROOT CAUSE of our economic problems?
Picture yourself in the following scenario: you are visiting your doctor complaining of abdominal pains, the doctor gives you a prescription for a strong pain killer. Certainly the pain medicine will help you feel better, but does it really solve the problem that caused the pains in the first place? Could this be the result of appendicitis or some other serious condition? You would rightly question the doctor's judgment. The doctor is treating the SYMPTOMS of the problem, not the ROOT CAUSE.
Yet collectively we are doing exactly the same thing on a national and even international level. Consider the following scenarios:
- During the health care debate, we witnessed the spectacle of Mitch McConnell (Republican Senator from Kentucky), worrying about the effect that the emerging health care bill would have on health insurance companies. This was coming from a Senator who represents a state with the 5th highest level of poverty in the nation. Why is he so worried about the insurance companies? Would the majority of his constituents have called his office asking him to protect the insurance company profits?
- When it was discovered that telecommunications companies were illegally spying on citizens of the United States, Jay Rockefeller (Democratic Senator from West Virginia) voted to give these same companies "retroactive immunity" to protect them from the lawsuits that were working their way through the legal system. If no crime was committed, why did they need to receive retroactive immunity? If a crime was committed, why did they receive retroactive immunity? Would the majority of his constituents have called his office and asked him to authorize corporate spying on Americans with no judicial overview?
Of course, these are not the only elected representatives who did this and the examples just cited are only 2 of literally thousands of such efforts by members of both political parties on behalf of the well connected insiders. These efforts worked directly against the interests of the vast majority of their constituents. So, why would these seemingly intelligent people work so blatantly against the interests of the people who they are supposed to represent?
The answer is that all of these people received significant amounts of campaign money from the very corporations who would benefit from their efforts. It turns out that Senator Mitch McConnell received $932,207 from the insurance industry and $2,758,468 from medical professionals over his career. Senator Jay Rockefeller received $42,000 from the telecommunications industry in 2006 while the lawsuits and the bills for immunity were working their way through the legislative process. (Mitch McConnell also strongly supported retroactive immunity for the telecoms and received siginificant sums from them).
Does anyone really think that a regular citizen has the same access to their elected representatives as those corporations who contribute thousands and millions to these campaigns? If you showed up at your elected representative's office at the same time as a lobbyist, who would get to meet with the elected official first? When it comes time to allocate access, priority will always be given to those with the money. In 2008, the telecommunication industry contributed over $9.4 million–from January 2007 to June 2009, and the insurance industry contributed $46,720,000 in 2008 to politicians in both political parties. In the aftermath of our financial meltdown, we certainly need significant financial regulatory reform, but realistically we cannot possibly hope to have effective financial reform when in 2008 the banking industry contributed $37,242,212, hedge funds contributed $16,993,557, and so on and so on. You have a situation where we have elected representatives sitting on the committees that have jurisdiction over specific industries or issues where these same representatives are receiving huge contributions from those very same companies they are supposed to be regulating.
Like drug addicts, our politicians have become totally dependent and addicted to these large campaign contributions for their political survival. It is an illusion that we have a government of the people and by the people. Instead, we have devolved into a government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations. We are moving further and further towards centralizing power and wealth into the hands of fewer and fewer people with inside connections. Our elected representatives are not truly our decision makers, but have become mere figureheads on the stage providing a fig leaf of cover to perpetuate the illusion that this government represents the interests of the people. The situation has become so bad that Senator Dick Durbin, Senator from Illinois remarked: "And the banks — hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created — are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place." How else could we have seen the most massive transfer of wealth in human history from the poor and working classes to the same people, banks, and corporations whose bad decisions brought the world economy to its knees?
Think back to the doctor who only prescribed a solution to the SYMPTOM of the problem. In this economic situation, the ROOT CAUSE of the problem is money in politics and any attempt to "fix" the problem without addressing the ROOT CAUSE, is doomed to failure because any "fix" will only address the SYMPTOMS of the problem. Until we have public financing of all political campaigns, without any private or corporate funding we will always have these problems. There are those who might say, that we do not need any more spending since this would add to the deficit and cost more money to the treasury. However, consider how much the "influenced decisions" have cost the nation so far. How many bills were recently passed that were obviously designed to favor a single special interest? Just ponder this very incomplete list:
- The nation passed deregulation bills such as:
- The Gramm, Leach, Bliley Act which repealed the Glass-Steagall Act which tore down the firewall banning the banks from gambling with depositors funds. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked to have these protections removed?
- The Commodity Futures Modernization Act which explicitly banned regulation of derivatives, allowing banks like JP Morgan Chase to become the largest derivative holder in the WORLD at $87,362 BILLION! There is not enough money on this planet to bail this out if these gambling debts go bad. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked to allow these "financial weapons of mass destruction" to remain totally unregulated and opaque to regulators?
- The gutting of America's manufacturing sector because of one sided trade agreements and tax policies that allow companies to defer and often never pay taxes on foreign-earned profits. So foreign profits of U.S. companies end up taxed at a lower rate than their U.S. income, creating an incentive to invest in foreign factories. The jobs left the country along with the factories. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked to have these perverse incentives implemented to move the foundation of economic base to foreign countries?
- The nation committed over $12,200 BILLION dollars to bailout, backstop, and guarantee the banks and financials. (I like to use $1000's of billions, rather than $trillions since it is easier to grasp the unbelievable scale of these numbers.) Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked them to use their tax dollars to reward the same corporations and people who created the economic mess?
- How can we have had over a year pass since the economic meltdown, and yet no meaningful regulation of the financial industry has been passed? Do you really think that a majority of constituents are calling their representative's office and asking them to refrain from regulating the banks and financials?
- The "too big to fail" banks have been not only been bailed out, but encouraged to become even bigger. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked them to allow these big banks to buy up the smaller ones at pennies on the dollar and to provide taxpayer guarantees on any loses they might incur?
- Almost 2/3 of Americans opposed the TARP bailouts, yet the bailouts passed anyways. We KNOW that a majority of constituents did NOT call their representative's office and ask them to use their tax dollars to reward the same corporations and people who created the economic mess.
- A bankruptcy bill passed in 2005 that forced people to pay credit card and private student loan debt before unpaid child support. The politicians had the audacity to call this the Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked them to protect the big banks' already obscene profits?
- In several states there were efforts to ban labeling milk as free from artificial growth hormone rBST also known as rbGH (synthetic or recombinant bovine growth hormone). I find it hard to believe that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and told them that they did not want to know if there were any artificial growth hormones in the milk their children drank. The good news here is that many of these efforts were defeated as the result of grassroots efforts by organizations such Physicians for Social Responsibility.
- Efforts to label genetically modified foods have been blocked from passage. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and said that they preferred to be uninformed as to whether the food their families eat have been genetically modified?
- The people on the economic team in the current administration such as Larry Summers, Timothy Geithner, John Dugan, Gary Gensler, to name just a few, not only missed predicting this economic collapse, but were complicit in enabling the deregulation that made it possible. I doubt that the majority of people who called the White House asked that these Wall Street insiders be part of the decision making team.
- The Federal Reserve has provided over $2,000 BILLION in free money to the "big" banks by allowing them to "borrow" money at 0%. These banks then "deposit" this money with the Federal Reserve as a "savings account" for which they collect interest, while paying no interest on the "loan". I would think that a majority of people would like to have sweet deal such as this for themselves.
- There is very limited transparency as to how the alphabet soup of bailout program funds that were distributed. This invites fraud and corruption. We have a situation where the financial corporations do not even fear the government because they know that their paid off politicians will not call them on this. Even Elizabeth Warren, the chair of the Congressional TARP Oversight Panel cannot get the information she needs and is frustrated by the lack of transparency. Do you really think that a majority of constituents called their representative's office and asked them to give these big financial institutions a break and allow them to ignore even congressional inquiries?
How did any of the above help most Americans? Would the majority of any elected politicians' constituents have supported any of the above decisions? Of course not! It was money that influenced these decisions that benefited a small inside group without regard for the vast majority of the workers in this country who actually produce the wealth of the nation. By not having public financing of campaigns, the nation is paying a huge price with the legislation that is being influenced by the private money. To illustrate this point, the big financial companies contributed over $2,300,000 to both presidential candidates during the 2008 campaign. These companies hedged their "bets" by contributing to both candidates, so they would "win" no matter who won the election. When you consider the $thousands of billions committed to these financials, that $2 million was truly a great return on their "investment".
The cost of running publicly financed or at least significantly reformed fund raising in campaigns is miniscule compared to these numbers. The need to build walls between lawmakers and those private interests looking to buy votes is obvious and unfortunately too many of the currently elected politicians are against this because as long as this system is perpetuated, incumbents are at an advantage. This money in politics is the ROOT CAUSE of all of the bad decisions listed above and many, many, more.
There currently limits on the amounts of "hard money" that can be contributed directly to a campaign, however "soft money" can be contributed without limits to organizations that do not directly support specific candidates. An example of soft money is: an ad that says Tom Smith supported cutting Medicare benefits and accepted contributions from some special interest, call Tom Smith and tell him what you think of this. Political Action Committees (PACS) are where unions and corporations provide contributions, but they are limited to $5,000 for a single candidate.
There are dark storm clouds on the horizon. There was recently a case before the United States Supreme Court, The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, where the current federal prohibition against corporate campaign contributions was struck down. We are now witnessing a situation where the level of corruption and influence will go from the current very bad, to even worse. This marks a pivotal turning point in this nation's history where corporate spending on campaigns will notch up exponentially. It will inevitably result in even more bad legislation influenced by the huge increase in corporate campaign spending, and sideline most citizens even more from the political process. Using first amendment arguments, the Supreme Court could actually give corporations equal protection to that of individuals. Where in the constitution did our founding fathers give corporations the same 1st amendment rights as individuals?
So what can you do?
- Call your representatives and DEMAND public financing of all political campaigns with strict limits on private funding. Let them know you are a voting constituent and will be watching their actions closely.
- Support organizations such as Common Cause, Public Citizen, followthemoney.org, opensecrets.org, youstreet.org, to name just a few. These organizations are fighting to bring transparency and responsiveness to our government and need your support.
- Protest the bailouts, lobbying, as well as the bonuses, by moving your money from the big banks to a small community bank. Can you imagine the effect this would have on congress and the big banks when literally $billions would be withdrawn from their system. Vote with your pocketbook!
- Send AIG a message about their lobbying and bonuses by cancelling any policies you have with them and insuring with another more responsible company. Be aware that they have changed their name to 21st Century auto insurance to mask the tarnished image that the AIG name has. It is the same company! Vote with your pocketbook!
- Minimize the use your of credit cards. Every time you charge something, the issuing bank makes money from BOTH you and the merchants. With the widespread use of credit cards, the average 2-3% charge to the merchants by the credit card companies amounts to a BANK TAX on all purchases since the merchants have to pass this cost on to the consumer. This BANK TAX is a huge source of income for the big banks. Remember the merchant that charges you less for cash is actually doing you a favor by passing the BANK TAX savings on to you. Patronize merchants who offer this discount. Ask those who do not offer the discount to provide it. Vote with your pocketbook!
Remember, that any "reforms" that do not address money in politics are only nibbling at the edges by treating the SYMPTOMS of the problem like the doctor giving you pain killers, rather than getting at the ROOT CAUSE of the problem. If enough people follow through with the steps outlined above, we will have the beginnings of a true populist revolt against our current corrupt system that is fueled and sustained by private money. It is time the citizens took control of this fight similar to the way the passengers on the Detroit Christmas flight did. Our government will not do it for us.
Rudy Avizius
J PiottiApril 3, 2011 at 4:04 PM
Wow, what an article and with links to others.
April 4, 2011 at 5:55 PM
I think you touch on some great ideas. Just to summarize: Commoners have lost the influence over our politicians who are now influenced by lobbyists and corporations with financial resources to donate. These financial contributions are used to influence the public vote through advertising and media campaigns. So yes we do have the ability to influence: if we do the work to research the candidates and the biases of the media presentations, and participate in meaningful conversations with our peers. I don't think it's realistic to assume we can rewrite the campaign finance laws to limit corporate contributions; they will always find loopholes and workaround ways to fund the candidate of their choice.
The general public isn't paying attention, what is the Root Cause of that situation? Increased standard of living and luxury that causes people to ignore politics. Distractions of entertaining television programs and sports to consume our free time and mental attention? Social networking to establish our own status and influence?
The same research and review should be done with institutions we support financially such as banks and manufacturing companies, as you suggest above. These big corporations need us to survive, and we are blindly following their suggestions. They have mastered the understanding of human decision making, taking advantage of our apathy and laziness. Who or what is to blame for that?
Now how do we change our culture to prioritize these activities and involvements? Can we create a Twitter and Facebook revolution of our own?
April 6, 2011 at 4:18 PM
Anne, you are probably right that as a nation we are still too comfortable.People that are receiving money from the government safety net such as unemployment, food stamps, and other aid will generally not "take to the streets". Many also will not get involved because they are fearful of losing the low paying jobs they may still have. Instinctively people know that the government employment figures are being manipulated. (http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article27358.html)
However, as more and more people lose work, and more and more people's unemployment benefits expire, and programs are cut to "reduce the deficit", you will start to see resistance.
ThirdEditionApril 5, 2011 at 2:18 PM
The public will not protest because there is nothing worth fighting over in the US. We think we are exceptional, but there is nothing really that great going on here. Just a government bought by the rich, of the rich, and for the rich.
April 26, 2011 at 2:03 PM
In this world there is always danger for those who are afraid of it.
December 6, 2016 at 11:18 PM
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- Are we solving the ROOT CAUSE of our economic problems?
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Rudy Avizius
Rome crumbles while the nation numbs its mind with NFL gladiator games, propaganda and opinion masquerading as news, celebrity worship, and corporate drivel such as: reality shows, Dancing with the Stars, and American Idol.


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Eastern Michigan player found dead from gunshot wound
Eastern Michigan football player Demarius Reed died from an apparent gunshot wound, the university confirmed Friday.
Ypsilanti Police Sgt. Thomas Eberts told the Ann Arbor News that a man's body was found in the hallway of an apartment complex about 7:15 a.m. by his roommate. The victim appeared to have been shot to death. Authorities have launched an off-campus homicide investigation.
MORE: SN Midseason Awards | Defining BCS moments
The 5-10, 161-pound Reed played in six games this season, catching 15 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. He made 18 receptions for 171 yards and scored a touchdown in nine games last season.
"The circumstances involving (Reed's) death remain under investigation at this time by the Ypsilanti Police Department," school president Susan Martin said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, and his teammates on the football team."
She said Eastern Michigan public safety officials were in close contact with Ypsilanti police. Grief counselors met Friday with Reed's teammates, other students and faculty. An afternoon forum was scheduled at the Student Center Auditorium to discuss the case with the campus community.
A Saturday home game against Ohio University will be played as scheduled.
Heather Lyke, vice president and athletic director at the school, said Eastern Michigan had suffered "an unbelievable loss."
"Demarius was an influential leader who thrived in the classroom and on the field," she said. "Everyone gravitated to him and often described him as the 'life of the locker room.'"
Current football players at Reed's high school alma mater, Chicago Simeon—perhaps best known as the high school of NBA star Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls—had little to say as they arrived for Friday afternoon's game against Foreman High School.
Before the game, they gathered around his jersey, which was hung on a fence near the end zone. They said a prayer and dedicated the game to him.
Others expressed sympathy for Reed's family and his younger brother, who now plays for Simeon.
"You're thinking about his family," Halethia Jones, a parent of a Simeon football player, told WLS-TV. "I'm thinking especially about his younger brother, who is my son's friend. And I know his family's hurt, and we just want to send our prayers and condolences out to them."
Reed's grandfather Joe L. Reed said he found irony in the tragedy of his grandson's slaying: Demarius was able to survive the dangerous streets of Chicago only to become a victim in an off-campus apartment building in the perceived safety of a university community.
"He was an outgoing, beautiful kid. He wasn't associated with no gang or anything," Joe L. Reed said. "I would say, 'Hey man. Don't go outside.' I wouldn't let him associate with anybody over there."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

subset: commoncrawl


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Why do I think I'm happier? I am, this is my life and I enjoy everyday. In the past I wasn't happy, I was miserable. Why? Doesn't matter, what does is that I never want to feel that again. So I strive for a better life, a better way of living MY life and where I am right now is where I want to be.
I know everyone's situation is different by all means. I don't expect everyone to understand because of this, but life is what you make of it, regardless.


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The booklet will assist people in developing their own family disaster plan. One of the goals is to help each family be better prepared for disaster situations, which includes pandemic influenza. The department also encourages citizens to volunteer and to get involved with their local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and/or Medical Reserve Corp (MRC).
Guides are also available at the local health department office. Call Terrie C. Wright at 435-637-3671 for more information.


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Narutopedia has had a fair bit of issues with things not related to the wiki and users who don't actually help the wiki, both in the past and present. As a result, among a few other things, there is a policy on userpages.
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The 3s were falling, "Dunk City" was roaring and the players were riding the emotion like a surfer on his best day.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The 3s were falling, "Dunk City" was roaring and the underdogs were riding the emotion like a surfer on his best day.
But what the Florida Gulf Coast team couldn't know was all of the things this Florida basketball team has seen this year.
Game that starts at 10:38 p.m. on a raised floor in a football stadium in front of a bandwagon crowd rooting against them? Not a problem.
An idiot fan in the second row behind the Gator bench screaming, "Billy Donovan you suck!" throughout the second half? No worries.
A 15-4 deficit to start the game? Watch this run.
Florida locked down on defense and locked in with its focus. The Gators weathered FGCU's last punch by making the plays down the stretch.
"We just had to start getting back in transition," senior Kenny Boynton said. "They were getting too many easy layups.
"But there really isn't anything we haven't seen this year. We just had to fight back."
This grizzled team saw two of its bench players turn in inspired performances. Will Yeguete and Casey Prather played as if they had relatives out here they didn't want to leave.
For all of the flash of the Eagles, Florida showed how you hunker down and defend. They forced 21 turnovers and allowed the Gulf Coasters only 35 points over the final 35 minutes of the game.
Sorry to spoil the national lovefest, but on this night it wasn't about supermodels and toothy grins. It was about putting on your hard hat and winning an NCAA Tournament game.
"I think we calmed down a little bit," junior Scottie Wilbekin said. "Early in that game we had some loud turnovers."
And the louder the turnovers, the louder the crowd.
But for as cute a story as Florida Gulf Coast was, Cinderella doesn't win in a street fight. Sometime after midnight, the run ended because Florida wouldn't let the Eagles make a run. Their 15-4 start was it.
"There were going to be runs in the game," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "They're that kind of team."
But Florida was able to neutralize FGCU point guard Brett Comer, forcing him into nine turnovers. They cut off passing lanes and knocked away lob passes that usually lead to "Dunk City."
And they had just enough on offense. Two runs did it for the Gators — the 16 straight points in the first half that turned a 24-17 FGCU lead into a 30-24 Florida lead and the seven straight points to start the second half.
Other than that, it was simply a dogfight.
"The defense they play is just weird," Wilbekin said. "It was hard for us to get into a flow. It became a grind-it-out game.
"It was one of the worst games we've played this year."
But it was good enough.
The Gators will now face Michigan, which made one of those amazing NCAA Tournament comebacks to beat Kansas in overtime Friday night. It will be interesting to see how the Gators handle Trey Burke, who had 23 points in the second half.
But that's for another day. Friday night was about a basketball program that went to one regional final before Donovan and on Sunday will play in its sixth with him. The story is about a couple of seniors in Boynton and Erik Murphy, who at times toyed with the idea of leaving Gainesville but will instead leave a lasting legacy.
This is about a team that is playing in its third straight Elite Eight. No other team that will join them can say they've made three straight runs this deep in the last three years.
"I'm proud of what they've been able to do up to this point in time," Donovan said. "I think they've been committed to working and committed to trying to get better together."
Mostly, Friday night and Saturday morning was about a team which has seen it all, experienced everything — including being booed as it ran on the court at the start of a neutral-site game — and is still playing.
"I feel like that just motivates us," Mike Rosario said of the pro-Florida Gulf Coast crowd. "With the atmosphere like this, we have to come in just locked in on things. Everyone against us, we just have to block everything out and stay connected."
A season that started on a battleship continues on a raised floor in a football stadium Sunday.
No matter how much it disappointed the people who believe in fairy tales.
Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 or at email@example.com. And follow at Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley.


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If you like breathtaking imagery of wine country – and who doesn't? – then this one's for you.
Richard Duval, the dean of Washington wine country photographers, unveils a new fine art series, "Metal Impressions," Friday in the Nectar Tasting Room in Spokane.
The series features Duval's focus on capturing enlargements of stunning vineyard and travel images on metal media. The process for creating these presentations sounds fascinating, even for a lay person like me who chugs along with a semi-primitive point-and-shoot camera.
Duval first prints the images on metallic-coated photo paper. The images are then fused to a thin plate of aluminum and affixed with a novel hanging system that enables the prints to be nearly flush with the surface yet display in a contemporary manner without a visible mat or frame.
Duval sometimes enhances the images with sophisticated digital editing tools to subtly alter colors and textures in order to emphasize the artistic characteristics of each image. As a result, the pieces in the show, shot in Washington, Oregon and Italy, look more like works on fine art than mere photographs.
One example: his "Harvest Moon" image, posted below. It's actually a composite of three different exposures captured at dawn when the moon was setting over Sagemoor Vineyard near the Tri-Cities.
"So much of my imagery – particularly my wine subjects – is defined by vivid color and strong contrasts between shadow and light," said Duval, who also shoots and markets images in other industries. "Printing on metal media dramatically underscores these features and allows me to offer a finished print that is much more contemporary in its presentation than a traditional matted and framed print. I'm aiming to capture a bit of the magic of the wine world for lovers of both wine and fine art photography."
If you follow Washington wine, you're probably familiar with Duval's work. His pictures are seen in Washington Tasting Room magazine; Northwest Travel magazine; The Washington Wine Guide
(his image of the barrel room in Col Solare graces the cover); Scenic Washington; Wine Spectator; Sip Northwest; Wine Enthusiast, Alaska Airlines magazine and a regular photo feature in Washington Wine Report.
The show in Spokane will run for a month. If you want to meet the man behind the lens, you'll have your chance Friday at the opening night artist reception. Click here for info.


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Opportunists, it seems, have grabbed a hold of the obesity epidemic as an opportunity to cash in on a fat financial future for themselves. The success of Curves, which grew in 10 years to 8,000 franchised clubs, and the media attention given to the obesity problem around the world has spurred a flurry of franchised express and 24/7 clubs during the past few years. I'm a supporter of capitalism, so the idea of taking a good idea and running with it has an appeal to me, especially since I'm certain that some of these franchised clubs were created for the noble purpose of bringing the unfit into the fit fold. However, as with any good idea, success and less noble intents can get the best of good people and an industry.
When I first started writing about the fitness industry about six years ago, the problem I foresaw with the express clubs was the possibility that members would burn out and plateau without the ability to move on to new forms of exercise or higher resistance on strength equipment. I did not foresee that the problem might actually be in the franchising of these clubs. After all, World Gym and Gold's Gym International had been franchising and licensing for years. But some (no, not all) of the newer franchisors seem more interested in franchising and growing quickly than in developing a good model for the success of their franchisees and their franchisees' members. They often are growing too quickly to support their franchisees properly.
That desire for quick growth has led some franchisors to choose unqualified people as franchisees — people with insufficient financial backing and business experience to open and operate their clubs. Instead, they recruit franchisees using terms like "no previous business experience needed." This phrase has hooked more than one person who wanted to run their own business but didn't have the experience to do so. The franchisors make it seem like running a small club is easy. Most of the small club owners reading this can attest that even a small club takes a lot of work.
I heard from several franchisees after last month's cover story on franchised express clubs and the problems some of them face. I also checked out the http://www.franbest.com/fitness/?page_id=32. Web site where a large number of upset franchisees have posted their stories. You could chalk up some of the comments to people who just didn't follow the franchisor's operating plans and paid the price, but I would guess that that doesn't explain most of the bad experiences these people describe.
Does that mean that franchising in our industry should go the way of the dinosaurs? Not at all. Franchising is still a good way for people to grow their companies. Done right, franchising is an opportunity for people with a fitness and business background to start up their own business knowing that their franchisor is there to guide and support them as needed.
Franchising has a big future in our business, but only if franchisors focus on the right reasons for growth and curb their greed and macho desire to claim the title as the biggest and the fastest growing franchise out there.


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Exclusive: FLASHPOINT-by-Point with GEOFF JOHNS
Flashpoint, the five-issue mini-series by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, will dominate the this summer's DC comics, yet very little is known about its story.
Based in a world where everything has changed, Flashpoint chronicles how Barry Allen is the only hero who recalls the regular DCU. In the Flashpoint world, Cyborg is the world's quintessential hero, Batman is apparently running casinos, and Wonder Woman is a warrior-ruler.
Although the mini-series doesn't cross over with any other publications — not even The Flash, which is canceled with May's issue #12 — DC is publishing 16 three-issue mini-series and several one-shots that tell stories within the Flashpoint world. The only ongoing series that will reference Flashpoint is Booster Gold, who also knows something is wrong.
DC has been releasing cover images and taglines that add up to some educated guesses about what happened in the "past" to create the "current" Flashpoint world. Some changes are obvious — for example, Abin Sur survived in the Flashpoint world, so he never gave Hal Jordan a Green Lantern ring. But most of the other hints DC has been releasing have been pretty vague.
And even Johns isn't saying much.
"The first rule about Flashpoint," the writer told us this week, "is don't talk about what happens after Flashpoint."
But Newsarama did find out a few things about what happens during the event. For example:
- In the Flashpoint mini-series, Flash and Batman team up "Brave and the Bold style."
- Johns says his mini-series is the "most accessible event I've ever done," saying there is no other comic necessary to read before or during his story.
- The writer has been working on the concept for years.
- One of the reasons there are multiple tie-ins is that comic creators were told about the event at a meeting, and they came up with what Johns calls "quality stories" they wanted to tell in the Flashpoint world.
- Although Johns won't clarify whether the mini-series has lasting ramifications, he keeps saying things like, "where DC is going" ... and "what we have coming out of" Flashpoint.
Want to know more? So did we. Newsarama talked to Johns and bombarded him with Flashpoint questions, hoping the tight-lipped creator would share more about this summer's DC event.
Newsarama: Geoff, the concept of Flashpoint is new to most readers, since we're just hearing about it, but you've been working on this quite awhile, haven't you?
Geoff Johns: I really have. I came up with the idea behind it when I was fleshing out Barry Allen a long time ago. Andy and I have been talking about it and working on it for a long time. Andy's already cruising through issue #4 out of 5.
Nrama: You guys are that far ahead? Readers will be relieved to hear there's little possibility for delays.
Johns: You know, I hate to talk about schedules, because as soon as you do, something happens to completely mess things up. But as of right now, I'm about to start the script for issue #5, so I'll be on the last issue before the first issue even hits. And like I said, Andy's drawing issue #4 right now, out of five issues.
Nrama: Let's talk about the beginning of the Flashpoint concept. One thing that stands out about this mini-series is that so many writers are involved. Even editors are writing some of these tie-ins. I saw that Brian Azzarello specifically said at one of the recent cons that he doesn't like being part of events, but he loves the idea behind Flashpoint so much that he and his 100 Bullets collaborator Eduardo Risso wanted to get involved. Is that how other creators got involved? Did you call them? Or have a meeting?
Johns: We had a meeting a while ago, last year, and everybody came in. And we talked to everyone and I pitched out the series, and what it was all about. The whole story from beginning to end. And we talked about it.A lot of people had ideas about things to do. That's how a lot of the guys got involved.
I talked to Brian [Azzarello] in detail about stuff. He's one of my absolute favorite writers in comics, and one of my favorite people in comics. I think he's brilliant. I was psyched when he wanted to get involved, especially with him and Eduardo. 100 Bullets is one of the greatest series of the Modern Age.
And it wasn't just him. I mean, Jeff Lemire, Scott Snyder, and all these other talented writers wanted to get involved. I just feel fortunate with the quality we have with the writing and art on the stuff around Flashpoint.
I'm a big believer in that being the reason Sinestro Corps worked, and why Blackest Night worked. The main book has to be amazing, but the other books around it have to be great too. If you're going to do an event, you have to do it right.
Nrama: When these other writers got involved, was it a matter of you telling them the story that they could write? Or were these their ideas?
Johns: A lot of it was ideas they had about exploring the world beyond what I could tell in the pages of Flashpoint. My mini-series really centers on a core group of characters in this world, and a lot of the other ones come in and out. And then there were so many glimpses of other characters that could be explored, and there was an opportunity to look at what changed them and why. And I think that was what was enticing to so many people.
The tie-ins aren't just, like, "look, so-and-so is this way." It's exploring "how did they get there, and why?" That's the idea that drove a lot of the people who are involved. What would happen to make a hero in our universe go this far?
Nrama: Some of the solicitations make it pretty clear that there are minis and one-shots that take place in the past. Is that so you can go back and tell the story about how each character or group got this way?
Johns: Yeah, it shows you how the character got here. But those stories also dive into the present Flashpoint world.
Nrama: You keep saying "world" and not universe, and there are a lot of guesses about what would create a place where so much has changed. On the surface, this seems to be an altered timeline by someone messing with the past. Would you call this a time travel story?
Johns: Um... it's hard to say. In a way, it is. It really builds off what we've done in both The Flash and Rebirth, and it comes full circle to that.
Nrama: How is this different from or similar to other "alterated world" stories we've seen before?
Johns: I think this is different than anything that's been done before, because of the way it's told and what we have coming out of it.
Nrama: You say, "what we have coming out of it." So are there lasting ramifications, or is it just an alternate version of this world that gets fixed and goes away?
Johns: What we've been saying is, "the first rule about Flashpoint is, don't talk about what happens after Flashpoint."
Nrama: How is it all being coordinated?
Johns: Eddie Berganza's really the coordinator of this one. He did Blackest Night as well. Because it's so vast, there's a lot of coordination happening. I work with Eddie and Rex Ogle, and there are a lot of other editors involved, like Brian Cunningham and Pat McCallum. A lot of people.
Nrama: I remember talking to you about Blackest Night, and you had said it featured a team-up between Barry and Hal, who emerged as central characters in the story. Are there any team-ups like that who are at the core of Flashpoint?
Johns: Yes. It's really a Flash-Batman story.
Nrama: That makes sense, since Flash is a cop and Batman is a detective.
Johns: That's exactly right.
Nrama: Solicitations have indicated that Booster Gold knows the Flashpoint world isn't his own. The concept behind an altered timeline goes right along with his series. Did you think of him all along as someone who could be involved in Flashpoint?
Johns: Yes, that was the one book that I knew would be tied into the mini-series. I knew [Booster Gold creator] Dan [Jurgens] was coming back [to write and draw Booster Gold], and I talked to him a lot about this story. It just felt like he's the natural person to have be involved in this, and that his book would just fit right along with it. If you're going to tie in anything, that's the book to tie-in.
Nrama: It's interesting to see Cyborg take a lead role. Is that a character you think has more potential?
Johns: Cyborg, much like Aquaman, is one of my favorite characters. I brought him into The Flash way back when and I brought him into Teen Titans. I always felt that he was so recognizable and I thought he was such a great character. He's one of my favorites. I just felt like there are a lot more stories to be told about him, and he's a character that I really wanted to work with more. I would love to elevate the character. He's not usually in the center of these events.It's similar to what happened with Mera. We always see Superman and Batman and now, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman at the center of these events. So I wanted to have a big DCU event that revolved around Flash, but also bring in some other characters, like Cyborg.
There's another character that's very obscure who is going to have a bigger role in the Flashpoint mini-series than she's ever had in the DC Universe.
That was one of my goals. I think it makes it more fun to read. I think it's fun to introduce some of these characters to people who don't really know them. I think it's fun to explore them in totally different way. And it also just shows how capable and powerful these other characters are.
Look at Mera, before Blackest Night and after. She's in a totally different place.
Nrama: Just to clarify, you did say "she" when you referred to the obscure character you're giving more attention in Flashpoint?
Johns: Yes.
But you know, it isn't just attention. What I mean is, you can't force people to like characters by just throwing them in the spotlight. You see people try to do that and it just doesn't work.
What I like to do is take characters that I love, characters that I already have a passion for, and concentrate my effort there. Whenever I wrote my top favorite characters down, on the list was some of the top characters, but there were a lot of obscure characters too. I want to share the passion I have for these characters. And I think the only way to elevate characters is to pick the ones you love. Pick the ones you have ideas for, that you have stories for, that you know and have an emotional core for.
You see why they could be bigger and relatable. You take all that potential that you see and you try to lock it into the story that people are reading. I think that's the real key to getting these characters out there.
Nrama: You certainly elevated a lot of characters in Brightest Day, and people want to see more of those characters. Are the concepts or characters from Brightest Day at all connected to Flashpoint?
Johns: Not really. Flashpoint really grows out of the Flash book more than anything else.
But Flashpoint is the most accessible event I've ever done.
Nrama: Why is that?
Johns: There are a lot of new characters in here. This isn't just one of those stories were you take the DC Universe, shake it up, and say, "This is what happened to so-and-so." There are a lot of new characters in here as well. So you, as the reader, are in this universe with Flash, meeting all these characters for the very first time. Some of them are brand new. Some of them are characters that you maybe aren't familiar with, who are in a different place. But it's very much a journey where Barry's in the dark as much as the reader.
I think it's going to be much more accessible than anything else you've seen before as an event. You certainly don't need to read anything before issue #1, and the mini-series tells you everything you need to know.
Nrama: There are several covers that concentrate on London. Is this not an American story?
Johns: It's a global story.
Nrama: Are there multiple earths involved? Any of the other 52?
Johns: Nope. This is just strictly ours.
Nrama: Will we see things in Flashpoint that clarify other things we've seen in "our" universe? I'm thinking specifically of mysteries we've seen about Abin Sur's past. Since he's still alive, would those mysteries be answered in Flashpoint?
Johns: Yep. Yep. Part of the fun of Flashpoint is not just to explore this world, but to explore the details of why things went the way they went. The stories behind these characters, and why they went different places.
Nrama: And because of that, you might see some "whys" revealed from the past in the "regular" DC Universe?
Johns: Yes.
Nrama: Will we find out the back-story of Hot Pursuit, the character you introduced in The Flash?
Johns: Well, you kind of do in upcoming Flash issues. And in a way, Hot Pursuit will appear in Kid Flash: Lost, by Sterling Gates. And that turned out really nice. He did such a great job on that.
Nrama: Is Zoom a part of Flashpoint?
Johns: Yes.
Nrama: Is Wonder Woman's anomaly that she's experiencing right now at all linked to Flashpoint?
Johns: Um... you'll have to read Wonder Woman.Nrama: We saw June solicitations, and it alleviated some fears people had about whether this event would halt other comics, particularly in the Batman universe. Will the structure we saw in the June solicitations continue that way?
Johns: Yeah. We didn't want to interrupt the flow of the other books. We didn't need to.
Nrama: Then to finish up, Geoff, is there anything else you wanted to tell people about Flashpoint?
Johns: Just that I'm really proud of the book. I think it's different than any other event that's been done before. And as more is revealed about Flashpoint and about where DC is going, it will become clear what this is.
- Exclusive: GEOFF JOHNS Talks AQUAMAN Ongoing Series
- CHRIS ROBERSON Looks For Some SUPERMAN Lift-off After GROUNDED
- C2E2 2011 - DC's BRIGHTEST DAY Panel LIVE!


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Ocean Voyage: Edinburgh - Reykjavik
* Subject to availability.
Special offer(s) :
*The supplement for single usage of a double cabin is waived, according to availability and staterooms categories.
Staterooms & Suites
Deluxe Stateroom AU$1,280 Available Prestige Deck 4 AU$1,360 Available Prestige Deck 5 AU$1,400 Available Prestige Deck 6 AU$1,440 Available Deluxe Suite Deck 5 AU$1,920 Available Deluxe Suite Deck 3 AU$1,920 Available Deluxe Suite Deck 4 AU$1,920 Available Deluxe Suite Deck 6 AU$1,920 Available Prestige Deck 5 Suite AU$2,520 Available Prestige Deck 6 Suite AU$2,590 Available Privilege Suite Deck 6 AU$2,670 Available Privilege Suite Deck 5 AU$2,670 Available Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6 AU$2,740 Available Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5 AU$3,800 Not Available Owner's Suite AU$3,910 Available
Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed staterooms, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 staterooms and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience.
As the sixth ship in a new series that remains true to the Ponant spirit, Le Jacques Cartier will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line's hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort.
Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service.
Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel.
Port of call & excursions
Edinburgh, ScotlandEmbarkation 06/06/2021 from 12H00 to 13H00 . Departure 06/06/2021 at 14H00 .
7 June 2021▸8 June 2021 – At seaArrival 07/06/2021. Departure 08/06/2021.
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship's upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
ReykjavíkDisembarkation 09/06/2021 at 14H00 .
Iceland's capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the "Pearl of Reykjavík", a museum located on 'Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.
The information below is current but subject to change at any time without advance notice from government authorities. Please consult your respective government agencies for visa and health information.
Warning about the use of drones: the use of drones aboard PONANT ships, whether they are sailing at sea, at a port of call or anchored, is strictly forbidden. The use of drones on land in the Arctic and Antarctic regions is also strictly forbidden by international polar regulations. In other regions, it may be possible to use drones on land if permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities of each country and each region travelled through, as well as a pilot's licence that should be obtained from your home country. Passengers are responsible for obtaining these permits; they should be able to present them at all times. Passengers who do not obtain these authorisations expose themselves to the risk of legal proceedings.
Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the completion of your trip. Passport must contain at least two completely clear, blank, unused visa pages for each visa required, not including any amendment pages. Visa pages with stains or ink from other pages in the passport are not usable. Guests who deviate from the scheduled embarkation or disembarkation port should research the foreign entry requirements for the port country. Due to government regulations, regrettably, Ponant will have to deny boarding to any guest who fails to obtain the appropriate travel documentation for this trip.
To secure the boarding on departure day, we strongly recommend that you spend the night before in the city that your ship leaves from. Similarly, on the day you disembark we advise you just as strongly to reserve a flight that leaves the day after your arrival. Indeed, these "Ocean Voyages" long trips are more than any other type of travel subject to climatic hazards, including winds and currents, which may require anticipating the departure of the ship, and / or delay the arrival of the ship.
We remind you that all our ships have a doctor on board and medical facilities. However, these cannot, under any circumstances, be compared to any medical structure on land. Given the remote areas in which we will be sailing for a number of days, safety requirements mean that we are obliged to ask each passenger signing up for this program to provide us, no more than 45 days before departure, with a medical certificate from their GP, as well as the completed medical questionnaire received during registration.
Ponant also recommends
Inaugural Season - Nordic Discoveries & Traditions
from 30 March 2020 to 7 April 2020
- Tromso - Bergen
- Ship : LE BELLOT
Gastronomy, Vineyards & Grands Crus
from 11 April 2020 to 19 April 2020
- Lisbon - Lorient
- Ship : L'AUSTRAL


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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Ichiro Suzuki and Steve Pearce scored the decisive runs on a seventh-inning throwing error Wednesday, giving the New York Yankees a 6-4 win over Tampa Bay.
New York ended a three-game losing streak and moved in front by a game over Baltimore in the American League East.
The teams battled to a 4-4 tie through six innings before the Yankees came up with two unearned runs on a defensive miscue.
Andruw Jones singled to open the seventh off Matt Moore (10-9) and Suzuki came in to run for him. Pearce singled Suzuki to second and the runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Jayson Nix.
With the infield playing in, Derek Jeter hit a hot grounder directly to second baseman Elliot Johnson. Suzuki broke for the plate immediately and Johnson fired home. His throw, however, sailed past the glove of catcher Chris Gimenez all the way to the backstop.
Suzuki scored and Pearce never slowed down, easily coming in as well before Gimenez could recover the ball.
Hiroki Kuroda (13-10) got the win by giving up four runs on eight hits in six innings. Rafael Soriano worked a perfect ninth for his 36th save.
Tampa Bay fell to 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees after having a four-game winning streak snapped.


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Siding Industries is a Business operating in the St. Augustine, Daytona and Jacksonville area. John Kelleher is the Owner/President of the Company, a Licensed Residential Contractor (CRC1327934) in the state of Florida, previously licensed in Northern Nevada and has over 30 years Quality Workmanship in Exterior Remodeling. More
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71 shot, 12 dead.
This tragedy had already been re-purposed by opportunist theocrats by early this morning – 8 hours later. Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) went on the air and attributed this massacre to 'attacks on Christianity' and specifically cited so-called 'unreleased DoD statistics' that military suicides are all / mostly atheists.
I am in the process of writing a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request to see what he is talking about. I'm pretty sure he's referring to the illegal, yet still mandatory Spiritual Fitness testing and training nonsense that the DoD wasted $125 million in 2009. That's more than they spend on rape prevention and reaction ($113 million) annually, DoD-wide. Ironically, both suicide (one a day) and sexual assault (19,000 per year) numbers are peaking in the military.
Rep. Gohmert quoted an alleged 'unreleased DoD' statistic involving a 2% sample size. He gave a realistic number (6,000) for viable Spiritual Fitness test results. That perked my ears up, perhaps in a way different than most. I'm sad to say, I don't think he's making this up. There very well may be some champion for their demonstrably failed program who is lobbying congress for more money (or some other motivation)… using this very type of dishonest statistic. I want to know what this is immediately.
GOHMERT: …But, ya know, I might mention something else that had not been public yet, most of us that follow the military know we have had an extraordinary increase in suicide in the military –and it's just heartbreaking. And, I've sat with families around their kitchen tables and they are going 'we never saw this coming – ya know, we didn't know." And there was a study commissioned…
ISTOOK: And, Louie, we're gonna have to finish…
GOHMERT: Well, let me say this very quickly – but its six thousand personality index profiles. And, what they found, and I don't know if they will make it public – one of the participants told me ' the results may not go public'; but, all of the people who committed suicide, within their thousands of people studied, were part of the 2-percent most atheistic members of the military. We've lost our faith.
ISTOOK: Thank you, Louie Gohmert – Congressman from the First District of Texas.
Military linking atheism to suicide
The entire justification for the Spiritual Fitness testing and training was to curb the growing suicide rate. When I failed the five questions on this test, it said this:
2 US Air Force personnel were at the theater. 1 Navy service member has yet to be accounted for. Yet Rep. Gohmert drags the military into this. He drags atheism into this. He may also be pointing to statistics generated by an unconstitutional tool of oppression that kicked this particular foxhole atheist's activism into overdrive 18 months ago when I broke the Spiritual Fitness story to the public.
Attacks on Christianity?
I would generally consider it bad taste to bring up the shooter's religion if it's not a clear motivation for the crime. Rep. Gohmert insisted that attacks on Christianity were to blame, and it's just a fact that the shooter was active in his local church. I don't think anybody should draw any conclusions about other Christians from that fact… except for one Christian – Gohmert.
According to a piece in the L.A. Times.
Holmes could not find work after graduating from UC Riverside in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience, said Tom Mai, a retired electrical engineer who lives in the Rancho Penasquitos neighborhood where Holmes grew up.
A former high school classmate, Keith Goodwin, 24, now a Columbia Law School student, said he had a couple of conversations with Holmes during an AP European history class at Westview. He called Holmes a "generally pleasant guy."
"James was certainly not someone I would have ever imagined shooting somebody," Goodwin said.
Tori Burton, 24, a fellow with the National Institutes of Health, said Holmes was part of Westview's cross-country team for at least one year.
"He was very quiet," she said. "He was a nice guy when you did occasionally talk to him. But he was definitely more introverted."Holmes' last known address in California was at the University Iowa Gardens Apartments less than a mile from UC Riverside. Maintenance worker Jose Torres, 45, said he remembered Holmes as a quiet person who kept mostly to himself."He didn't talk too much," Torres said. "Friendly? No."Mai said he remembers Holmes as a very shy, well-mannered young man who was heavily involved in their local church."He seemed to be a normal kid, I don't know what triggered it. This makes me very sad," Mai said.


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Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360) review
"Its fine with me when the game starts to segue into cut scenes built right off the previous games frantic war against biological experiments gone wrong and hunting for brains, but it seems to go jarringly against what they tried to do with the last outing. For those of you out there who started the series at 4, prepare to be confused."
Staff review by Gary Hartley (April 19, 2009)
Gary Hartley arbitrarily arrives, leaves a review for a game no one has heard of, then retreats to his 17th century castle in rural England to feed whatever lives in the moat and complain about you.
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For those that read my blog regularly you will know that I over the last couple of years I have been able travel quite extensively delivering SQL Server Training with Learning Tree. At the start of December I travelled to New York to deliver more SQL Server Training the course was SQL Server Virtualisation and Consolidation in Learning Tree's New York education centre. I will be visiting New York for a sight-seeing trip later next year but I did manage to get to see some of the sites.
When I first arrived New York I was slightly taken back by what I found. With Hurricane Sandy a very painful recent memory it was obvious, even several weeks on, how much damage and destruction it had caused and it was still having a huge impact on businesses in the city. There were still entire buildings closed and many that were open still pumping out water from their basements. It was still a 24 hour operation but things were but surely slowly getting back to normal.
I was staying at the south tip of Manhattan just off Wall Street and a stones throw from the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The image on the right below is in fact the Statue of Liberty it was just taken with my iPhone and the camera is not the greatest.
I did get out and about and see a little bit of New York City whilst I was in town. I got some Christmas shopping done in Time Square and drove past Madison Square Gardens.
Still it was a work trip and I spent the week teaching SQL Server Virtualisation and Consolidation at Learning Tree's New York education centre which went very well


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Paperback, 240 pages
Released: November 2008
Is the Teaching of Evolution to Be Banned in U.S. Public Schools? Is Science Once More to be Burned on the Cross? Will Creationism Win the 2,500 Year War with Materialism and Reason?
A critique of religious dogma historically provides the basis for rational inquiry into the physical and social world. Critique of Intelligent Design is a key to understanding the forces of irrationalism challenging the teaching of evolution in U.S. public schools and seeking to undermine the natural and social sciences. It illuminates the 2,500 year evolution of the materialist critique the explanation of the world in terms of itself from antiquity to the present through engaging the work of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Lucretius, Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, David Hume, William Paley, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, Stephen Jay Gould, and numerous others (including contemporary advocates of 'intelligent design').
Proponents of intelligent design creationism in a more subtle guise have recently reignited the age-old war between materialism and creationism, in which they claim to elevate their doctrine to empirical truth and thus incorporate it into science curricula. They attack modern science, advancing a pseudo-scientific view and a reactionary political culture in line with their theology and what they perceive as a knowable moral order. They single out for criticism the greatest modern representatives of materialist-scientific thought: Darwin, Marx, and Freud.
Critique of Intelligent Design is a direct reply to the criticisms of intelligent design proponents and a compelling account of the long debate between materialism and religion in the West. It provides an overview of the contemporary fight concerning nature, science, history, morality, and knowledge. Separate chapters are devoted to the design debate in antiquity, the Enlightenment and natural theology, Marx, Darwin, and Freud, and to current scientific debates over evolution and design. It offers empowering tools to understand and defend critical and scientific reasoning in both the natural and social sciences and society as a whole.
Finally we have a book on so-called 'intelligent design' that gets to the heart of the matter rather than devoting all its energies to a point by point refutation of that doctrine. While providing a sophisticated modern understanding of the complexities of organisms and the biological processes that have resulted in life as it has evolved, the authors of Critique of Intelligent Design never lose sight of the real issue which is the struggle between materialism and supernaturalism as an explanation for the world of phenomena. Theirs is the model on which all discussions of intelligent design should be based.
This superb history of philosophical materialism argues for its indispensability as the answer to the ideology of 'intelligent design': its authors make the point that the latter is not merely a local tactic in the service of political reaction, but that religion itself is fundamentally incompatible with progressive politics. At a time when all kinds of religious assertions are allowed to pass unchallenged, this book is an invigorating blast of fresh air.
The intelligent design creationist movement's attack on the natural sciences has been thoroughly critiqued and rightly rejected. However, the movement's attempt to undermine the social sciences as well has been largely overlooked. This book fills that void by offering a thoughtful, well-researched discussion of the major figuresbesides Darwin himselfwhom ID creationists demonize: Epicurus, Marx, and Freud. Moreover, by analyzing C. S. Lewis's influence on the ID movement's leaders, the authors further expose ID as essentially an exercise in Christian apologetics. This is an excellent book. It adds to the growing body of critical writing about intelligent design creationism.
. . . this is an admirable little book. It is well written; it is punchy and forthright; and by and large it gets the facts right and makes some good points. . . . Critique of Intelligent Design does a good job of picking up on the work of Forrest and Gross, using it to set the background for the overall history of what John Bellamy Foster, Brett Clark, and Richard York see as a clash between materialism and Christianity as represented by design arguments, of which IDT is only the latest manifestation.
A discerning historical reconstruction, which succeeds in illuminating the broad anti-materialist agenda underlying the intelligent design movement.
A scholarly and compelling book showing intelligent design to be an anti-Enlightenment projectand one full of illusion, superstition, and hidden reactionary agendas. Anyone interested in science and reason rather than fairy tales about a Celestial Designer should get hold of a copy. So too should educators intending to force intelligent design onto their pupils.
A fascinating history of the long struggle between scientific and materialist thought on the one hand and religion and various forms of idealism on the otherprobably the most significant issues over which humans have been arguing throughout their recorded history.
With Epicurus and Darwin among its heroes, this book is a timely exposure of the creationist dogmatism that the intelligent design movement seeks to disguise as science.
What can a Marxist critique of 'intelligent design' do that the flood of non-Marxist atheist works on this subject cannot? The short answer is that it can show how this new/old form of ideology functions inside our modern capitalist society (systemic critique), and it can show how it has developed over time as part of the debate between materialist and idealist views of the world (historical critique). The long answer can be found in the detailed and scholarly manner in which this project has been carried out in the volume before us. Without this double contextualization, you may be able to judge whether 'intelligent design' is true or false, but you will never know its 'meaning.' A brilliant scholarly achievement that no one interested in the subject or in how to analyze this kind of subject can afford to miss.
In combating the new creationism repackaged as intelligent design, it is not enough to refute particular misunderstandings about chance, complexity, or natural selection. ID is part of an offensive against materialism and humanism aimed at imposing a Christian fundamentalist culture congruent with the needs of a declining empire. Critique of Intelligent Design places the debate in its broadest context and historical roots from Epicurus on up, in a vigorous defense of a materialist view of nature that rejects the tepid compromise that would simply divide the turf into domains of science and religion.


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January 18, 2013 08:00 | Source: Trius Therapeutics, Inc.
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 18, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trius Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:TSRX) today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 6,300,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $4.75 per share. The gross proceeds to Trius from this offering are expected to be approximately $29,925,000 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by Trius. The offering is expected to close on or about January 24, 2013, subject to customary closing conditions.
Citigroup and Leerink Swann are acting as joint book-running managers and Baird is acting as a co-lead manager in the offering. Trius has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an aggregate of 945,000 additional shares of common stock. Trius anticipates using the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including clinical trial, preclinical and other research and development expenses, capital expenditures, working capital and general and administrative expenses.
The securities described above are being offered by Trius pursuant to two shelf registration statements previously filed with and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 15, 2011 and September 11, 2012. Preliminary prospectus supplements related to the offering have been filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplements and accompanying prospectuses relating to these securities may also be obtained, when available, from Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, via telephone at 1-800-831-9146 or email at [email protected] or from Leerink Swann LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, via telephone at 1-800-808-7525 or email at [email protected] This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
About Trius Therapeutics
Trius Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative antibiotics for serious infections. The company's lead investigational drug, tedizolid phosphate, is a once daily, IV and orally administered second generation oxazolidinone in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of serious gram-positive infections, including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Trius has partnered with Bayer HealthCare for the development and commercialization of tedizolid phosphate outside of the U.S., Canada and the European Union. In addition to the company's tedizolid phosphate clinical program, Trius has initiated IND-enabling studies for its Gyrase-B development candidate with potent activity against Gram-negative bacterial pathogens including multi-drug resistant strains of E. coli, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, Trius' expectations regarding the closing of the public offering and the expected gross proceeds therefrom. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering, as well as risks and uncertainties associated with Trius' business and finances in general, and the other risks described in Trius' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2012, and in the preliminary prospectus supplements related to the offering filed with the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Trius undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Public Relations Contact:
Laura Kempke/Andrew Law at MSLGROUP
Investor Relations Contact:
Stefan Loren at Westwicke Partners, LLC


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Stretched ready to hang CANVAS PRINT,new york skyline pictures,manhattan wall art
This stunning high quality digital print on high quality cotton canvas makes a great decoration for your home or office.
For our oil Paintings
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- Handmade: 100% handmade oil painting on canvas
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I can't wait to use this! Decopaged on a box or a card, used as an over-lay, this is so versatile the ideas are endless. The pattern and color will blend easily with any style, and the amount is very generous for the price!!
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What if Clocky the alarm clock didn't just run away from you in the morning? What if he could sense your presence and evade capture with an IR sensor? That's the annoying idea behind Mr. Wake.
Of course, looking at these videos it is plain to see the Mr. Wake is a moron. I'm pretty sure I could capture him even when my eyes are half open and I'm stumbling around the room. Still, it's a good proof of concept. Perhaps you can use Vadim Ryazanov's notes on the build to make Mr. Wake more elusive—although I have no earthly idea why you would want to torture yourself like this. [Let's Make Robots via Make]


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T.R. Arnold and Associates Inc. – an internationally accredited certifier of quality management systems based in Elkhart, Ind. – now is turning its expertise to the recreational vehicle industry and the growing desire among manufacturers and consumers for environmentally friendly RVs and recreational park trailers.
Operating under the name TRA Certification Inc., the company already has demonstrated its ability to certify "green construction" in the manufactured and modular housing industries. It has to date certified five companies as green capable and is in the process of certifying several others.
Arnold founded his company in 1967; it now is an employee-owned company. Besides work with factory-built homes and buildings, it also offers a complete line of inspection and consultation services to the RV, cargo trailer and park trailer industries.
In order to certify a building or an RV as environmentally friendly, there would naturally have to be some sort of an industrywide consensus standard of what it means to be "green." Although there is a consensus standard for the RV Industry, no green requirements exist. So, Tom Arnold, president of TRA Certification, said to implement a standard he turned to the National Green Building Standard to develop a standard — a consensus standard for single-family dwellings established by the American National Standards Institute, the Association of Home Builders and the International Code Council.
"We're using this as a platform to implement the applicable parts of this for the recreational vehicle industry," said Arnold. By using an existing standard developed through the consensus process, Arnold feels he is ensuring that any green certification his company makes is legitimately environmentally friendly.
The first step in the certification process is to certify the manufacturer is green-capable. "We go to the factory and we look at what's going on with their processes," said Arnold. That involves examining their recycling programs and manufacturing methods to ensure they are able to produce green compliant RVs. "We're giving the manufacturer who is doing a good job recognition for what they do," said Arnold.
The second step in the process is to examine the materials and appliances that go into making the RV.
Arnold said that any supplier can claim his materials are environmentally friendly, but "the engineer (at the manufacturer) does not have the time to do the research." TRA Certification, he points out, does that for the manufacturer.
Arnold said TRA Certification is just now launching its green certification program and he fully expects to have many manufacturers certified by the end of the year. "We have proposals out to several park trailer companies now," he said.
His staff for the company already is in place. Amanda Leazenby, who has professional accreditation in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the manager of the program. Clay Huth will serve as director of marketing, and Sherman Hansen is a green certification consultant.
For more information on TRA Certification's green program, contact Amanda Leazenby at 700 W. Beardsley Ave., Elkhart, IN 46514, (574) 264-0745 or visit the company's website at www.tragreen.com.


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"Near this site was buried a British soldier"
Yesterday's posting included a recent photograph of the monument marking the grave of two British soldiers who died in the skirmish at the North Bridge in Concord. That tablet, with lines by the poet James Russell Lowell, has been on the site for decades.
In recent years, as D. Michael Ryan's article from 2000 describes, Concord installed a stone marker on the site linked to a third soldier said to be fatally wounded in that fight. Concord chronicler Lemuel Shattuck had described his burial according to the landmarks of his time, and local research in real estate records relocated the approximate spot.
Ryan's article states that the names of the three British soldiers buried in those places are Thomas Smith, Patrick Gray, and James Hall. Minute Man National Historical Park, Wikipedia, and the Silver Whistle site that supplied the photo above say the same.
How did Ryan and other historians arrive at those three names? They looked at the muster rolls for the company of His Majesty's 4th Regiment known to be at the North Bridge. They counted which men were listed as killed or missing after the Concord march. Three names of three privates—three bodies—case solved!
But a few years ago Dan Lacroix of Westford shared some research that convinced me that neither of those graves probably contains the remains of Pvt. James Hall of the 4th. You'll see some of that research tomorrow. Dan is more careful about that conclusion than I am; for one thing, the name "James Hall" was common enough that it's hard to rule out the possibility of two men with that name, a lucky confluence like Hezekiah Wyman. But see what you think. Is James Hall buried in Concord?
TOMORROW: Or, would you believe, Vermont?


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Here is the first review of What Masie Knew from The Hollywood Reporter.
Siegel and McGehee make a strong move back to conventional storytelling after experimenting with "Uncertainty"
TORONTO — A broken-family melodrama with a minimum of histrionics, Scott McGehee's and David Siegel's What Maisie Knew begins from scenes that will be familiar to most viewers who've witnessed a custody battle. Things get pretty orchestrated from that familiar scenario onward, but never to the point of unbelievability; the sad tidiness of the film's resolution (and the way it departs from the Henry James book it's based on) makes it all the more appealing at the box office, where it should have the broadest appeal of any of the duo's films to date.
Maisie is a six year-old New Yorker (Onata Aprile) in a position to know a great deal. She knows her rock-star mother (Julienne Moore) is too busy arguing with Dad (Steve Coogan) to pay for the pizza delivery she ordered; she knows Dad tries extra hard to be cute when her nanny Margo (Joanna Vanderham) is in the room. She knows Mom and Dad aren't going to live together anymore, and there's a lot of arguing over how much time she'll spend with him. Most importantly, she knows how to keep some of these things at bay — as the adult relationships around her grow more disturbed, she coasts along as best she can, wisely choosing ignorance when Mom asks if Daddy (now in his own apartment, with the nanny there to help when Maisie's with him) is ever so happy to see Margo he gives her a kiss.
He is, of course, and when he marries his former employee, Maisie's mother Susanna feels she must compete in the court's eyes — making her own home just as family-like by marrying a younger man (Alexander Skarsgård's Lincoln) she hardly knows. The closest thing to an innocent in all this aside from Maisie, Lincoln — a lanky Southerner whose body sometimes seems to fold inward on itself in deference to those around him — can't help but befriend the girl, a development that (to a perhaps implausible degree) disturbs Susanna. "You don't get a bonus for making her fall in love with you," Susanna snaps at one point, making us wonder whether that's a literal comment, and she has actually paid the bartender to be a prop husband.
What's more emotionally abusive to a child whose parents have split — failing to show up for days when it's time for her to stay at your place (both sides are guilty here), or spending your time with her on loud, "he can't get away with this" phone calls to a lawyer? Steve Coogan's Beale is an up-front narcissist; Susanna needs her daughter's welfare as an excuse to make everything about her own desires.
Moore has the most complicated part to play here, as a woman who really believes she loves her daughter more than anything but is blind to what such a devotion might mean in practice. Over and over, she relies on Lincoln to pick Maisie up from school, watch her when a gig beckons, improvise when necessary. It's inevitable that he will come to identify with Margot, who fills the same role for Beale.
And another thing Maisie knows is to trust the people who actually take care of her — never voicing an allegiance that would exclude anyone she cares for, but eagerly accepting love that's offered in the form of actions as well as words. In this modern take on a century-old story, that distinction remains the most valuable one of all.


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The Sustainability International Forum (SIF) is a favorite spot for dialogue and exchange between companies, institutions, academia, associations, and students. It offers a place for people to reflect on the challenges and trends with regards to global sustainable development, to analyze the way the green and blue economies are influencing and guiding the evolution of economic growth on a human scale, and the opportunities of such transitions.
On November 21, State of the World 2013 Co-Director Tom Prugh will present key themes from the report.
For more information and program details click here (in Italian)!


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We all know that we're supposed to drink lots of water. I installed an RO system so that I would always have a supply of high quality water to be well hydrated. I found the opposite to be true. I never felt well hydrated. The more I drank, the worse I felt. But why does spring water do such a great job of hydrating me? At first I thought it was just coincidence and there must be something else. But I have noticed the same pattern repeating over years so I started to reconsider. This study makes total sense. RO water has no chlorine so it is a prime spot for bacteria. Seems pretty obvious. I even brought this up with the vendor when I purchased the system. He assured me that the only problem would be stagnant water in the toilet tank and to put some bleach in there periodically.
Not so fast.
What happens when you go on vacation for 2 weeks? Stagnant dechlorinated water in the RO tank, chambers, lines, and the filter itself will grow bacteria. In fact, carbon is an ideal breading ground for bacteria. You start feeling bad and don't know why. The last thing you would suspect is the RO water. After all, it was an investment in your health.
It's even worse if you have a whole house dechlorinating filter. Because all the pipes stand to grow bacteria. Of course, you could flush the RO system and pipes with a disinfectant periodically. But who do you know that does that? I was never advised by the vendor and the owner's manuals say nothing about it.
The more I think it through the more problematic it is to dechlorinate water at any point other than the point of use. When was the last time you flushed your refrigerator water line? It's just a matter of time until bacteria or a bug makes it's way inside there. You take all the time and effort to clean the water, then contaminate it immediately prior to drinking it. No thanks. You'd be better off with (safe) tap water or preferably spring water, a shower head filter, and chlorine in all the pipes.