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Man Detained By TSA For Writing 4th Amendment On His Chest Wins 1st Amendment Argument In Court
from the surprised,-but-happy deptNearly two years ago, we wrote about how Aaron Tobey was suing the US government after he was detained by the TSA for trying to go through airport security without his shirt on, but with a paraphrased version of the 4th Amendment on his chest:
Here, Mr. Tobey engaged in a silent, peaceful protest using the text of our Constitution—he was well within the ambit of First Amendment protections. And while it is tempting to hold that First Amendment rights should acquiesce to national security in this instance, our Forefather Benjamin Franklin warned against such a temptation by opining that those 'who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.' We take heed of his warning and are therefore unwilling to relinquish our First Amendment protections—even in an airport.The ruling hit back on the claims by the TSA that the detention made sense because Tobbey's actions were "bizarre."
Appellants contend that Mr. Tobey has not pled a cognizable First Amendment claim because their actions were "reasonable" given Mr. Tobey's "bizarre" and "disruptive" conduct....The court also pushes back on the claims of "disruption," noting that the TSA seems to say that removing clothes itself is disruptive, but the court points out that there's an awful lot of clothing removal that happens at TSA checkpoints, so it is not obviously disruptive (though it leaves open the possibility of more evidence of disruptive behavior by Tobey). This was an appeals court panel, overturning a lower court decision against him. It's worth noting that the panel (a standard 3 judge panel) included one dissenter, who bizarrely and ridiculously argued that, not only do you give up your First Amendment rights at the airport, you do so because the TSA needs you to shut up so it can find the real terrorists. I'm not joking:
Even conceding that Mr. Tobey's behavior was "bizarre," bizarre behavior alone cannot be enough to effectuate an arrest. If Appellants caused Mr. Tobey's arrest solely due to his "bizarre" behavior, Appellants' cannot be said to have acted reasonably. This is especially the case given that the First Amendment protects bizarre behavior
Had this protest been launched somewhere other than in the security-screening area, we would have a much different case. But Tobey's antics diverted defendants from their passenger-screening duties for a period, a diversion that nefarious actors could have exploited to dangerous effect. Defendants responded as any passenger would hope they would, summoning local law enforcement to remove Tobey—and the distraction he was creating — from the scene.How does one become a judge at the appellate level when arguing that you have different free speech rights during airport passenger screening because you shouldn't distract the TSA agents? That's quite an incredible statement.
Either way, the case still has a long way to go. This part just sends it back to the lower court to permit the case to move forward on First Amendment grounds.
Filed Under: 1st amendment, 4th amendment, aaron tobey, detainment, free speech, tsa


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Tom Mazanec wrote:They had a stained glass window with a human and Racconan IIRC. But the human size was underestimated. Humans are BIG. The Racconan in the last frame looks comparable to the kid in size, especially since he is in the foreground, not the background. Remember how BIG the human scale golem looked way back when. I am pretty sure this is a kid.
LoneWolf23k wrote:#1, Remember the "Lux in the outside world is 1/10th of that in Antilla" bit? That kid grew up in that diminished Lux zone all his life, and his Lux-using skills are used to very low Lux conditions. In Lux-rich Antilla, he's now got more power then he knows what to do with it.
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While leveling up bagspace is usually at a premium. It may have been my imagination but it seemed like a lot more quests were giving rewards than they did when going from 60-70. Most of it isn't worth hanging on and unless you can disenchant it, your only options are to vendor it or let it take up bag space.
But not all vendor trash is created equal. I put together a list based on level 79 greens of which items fetch the most at the vendor. The general rule is that weapons vendor for the most, then plate, then mail, then leather, then cloth. Within an armor class, legs are most, then chest, shoulders, helm, boots, bracers, hands and finally waist. Instead of clogging up the front page with a detailed list, I made a post on the forum with a more detailed list: http://www.tankhard.com/smf/index.php/topic,206.0.html
I also highly recommend the addon AutoProfitX (http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/auto-profit-x.aspx) which puts a button at the top of any vendor window that lets you automatically vendor all of the grey items in you bags. You can also set it up to vendor selected white items as well (I am looking at you fish scales and fish oil).


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The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) performs an essential public health task by making sure that safe and effective drugs are available to improve the health of people in the United States. As part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDER regulates over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including biological therapeutics and generic drugs. This work covers medicines and other drugs, including fluoride toothpaste, antiperspirants, dandruff shampoos and sunscreens.
Review Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 under the 1863 charter of the National Academy of Sciences for the purpose of advancing and disseminating scientific knowledge to improve human health. The Institute provides objective, timely, authoritative information and advice concerning health and science policy to government, the corporate sector, the professions and the public. The IOM issues research reports, organizes symposia and workshops, and arranges lectures.
Review Date: Monday, March 28, 2011
The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) founded in 1982, is a nonprofit coalition of government, consumer, business, patient advocacy and public health organizations whose mission it is to stimulate and improve communication of information on the appropriate use of medicines between healthcare professionals and consumers. NCPIE believes medication misuse is the nation's "other" drug problem. The Council was established to serve as a forum for exchanging ideas, to encourage member organizations to develop and launch medicine communication campaigns, and to develop other methods of educating and informing consumers on the safe and appropriate use of medicines. NCPIE sponsors the online, annual "Talk About Prescriptions" (TAP) Month each October.
Review Date: Tuesday, May 01, 2012
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Security researchers from F-Secure have managed to locate an interesting Android hack tool identified as HackTool:Android/UsbCleaver.A, allows anyone to steal sensitive information from a PC by connecting an Android phone to it.
The hacker must install an application called USB Cleaver on his/her Android device. Once executed, the app downloads additional files from a remote server.
These files are actually various utilities designed to retrieve certain pieces of information from a Windows computer.
When the Android device is connected to the Windows PC, it automatically starts collecting browser passwords, the Wi-Fi password and network information.
The app allows the user to select what type of information should be harvested. The gathered information is copied into a folder from the Android device's SD card.
Fortunately, there's a simple way for users to protect themselves against such hack tools. That's because the app creates an autorun.inf file that triggers the automatic gathering of information.


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Silver Ice Metallic 2020 Chevrolet Equinox LT 1LT AWD 6-Speed Automatic 1.5L DOHC AWD.
Backup Camera Bluetooth. Recent Arrival! 25/30 City/Highway MPG Price includes: $1,500 - GM Consumer Cash Program. Exp. 09/30/2019, $500 - Chevrolet Bonus Cash Program. Exp. 09/30/2019
New 2020 ChevroletEquinox LT Sport Utility
- Stock: 73855
- Fuel Economy
- 25.0/30.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- Silver Ice Metallic
- Interior Color
- Jet Black
- Body/Seating
- Sport Utility/5 seats
- Transmission
- 6 speed automatic
- Drivetrain
- all-wheel drive
- Engine
Chevrolet Equinox
Highlighted Features
- Blind spot sensor
- Lane departure
- Emergency communication system
- Premium audio system
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Parking sensors
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Front dual zone A/C
Detailed Specifications
Dealer Notes
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
This is a great upgrade from my 2012 Equinox
By Big Tee on Saturday, February 24, 2018The Equinox handles better then my 2012 Equinox and it looks better too. I love the equipment that came with the included package like heated seats and panoramic roof and dual climate controls up front. The back up warning system and blind spot warnings are excellent. The 2.0 liter turbo charge has nice pick up on the highway. The ride is comfortable and Chevy did a great job on the redesign.
- 5.0
2.0 turbo
By ted on Friday, March 16, 2018Premium fuel recommended per owners manual and decal inside gas door. The government web site stated tested as premium. From what I could tell by reviewing an article or two the vehicle probably runs well but performance will be slightly less(prob includes mileage)with reg..The dealer never mentioned this to me nor did another dealer to a relative that bought the 2.0.Manual says use premium if it knocks.I had a chance to back out of our deal but didnt because this a low mileage vehicle for us-love the car otherwise.
- 5.0
Fun 4000 miles
By bigdog on Thursday, March 15, 2018Ive driven 4000 miles in Iowa with much of it on snow and ice. The AWD works very well. I put 190000 miles on a 2007 Equinox AWD and really enjoyed. I think that the current model is more fun to drive, has all of the safety and technology that you could hope for AND Ive been averaging 31.4 mpg on the highway! It is comfortable for a small SUV. I drove the Ford Escape, Honda and Toyota Rav4. They are all excellent vehicles. Im really happy with the Equinox though - it just seems to do everything a little better for me. Im looking forward to the next 180000 miles!
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Negotiators from the United States and Iran have held face-to-face talks in Geneva in hopes of pushing forward efforts to reach a comprehensive deal on Tehran's nuclear program.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said in Washington that U.S. and Iranian officials met for more than five hours Monday and the talks are expected to continue all day Tuesday.
Harf said the substance of the discussions was kept private to "give them the best chance of success."
An interim deal reached in November between Iran and six world powers, the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, limited Iran's uranium enrichment program. In exchange, some penalties against Iran were eased.
The full nuclear talks are scheduled to resume June 16. There's an informal deadline of July 20 for a comprehensive deal.


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Swindon Town Vs Milton Keynes Dons, Sat 16 Apr 2011
Swindon goalkeeper David Lucas is in contention for a return to action against MK Dons.
The Robins stopper has missed the last two games with a back injury but was included in full training earlier this week and is now pushing Phil Smith to start at the County Ground.
Striker Calvin Andrew, match-winner at Brentford last weekend, and centre-back Andy Frampton have both recovered from minor knocks.
Impressive loan midfielder Alassane N'Diaye managed almost half an hour from the bench at Griffin Park and will again be pressing interim manager Paul Hart for a starting berth.
Forward Thomas Dossevi is also expected to shrug off a slight niggle in time to be in contention for a place in the matchday 18.
But full-back Kevin Amankwaah will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury while on-loan Leeds forward Mike Grella returned to Elland Road prior to last Saturday's 1-0 triumph over the Bees - Town's first win in 19 games.
MK Dons will be without defender Danny Woodards for the trip.
The right-back came off after 39 minutes of the 3-2 win at home to Carlisle last weekend with a hamstring strain and he will miss out.
Midfielder Stephen Gleeson played the remainder of the match at full-back and is an option for manager Karl Robinson while youngster Adam Chicksen may come in.
Striker Sam Baldock and defender Gary MacKenzie (both ankle) missed the match last weekend but are back in training and in contention.
On-loan QPR forward Angelo Balanta is fit after being sidelined since November with an ankle injury and is pushing for a starting place after scoring from the bench last time out.
The Dons have won six of their last eight matches in npower League One.
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2009, All Rights Reserved.News Now - Sport News


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Summer is almost here and that means many of us have vacation on our minds. If you haven't booked your summer travel, now's the time to do it.
We thought we would help you out by going through our archives and finding our top ten tips for airfare, hotels, road-trips and cruises. After all, saving a little money will make your next trip all the more enjoyable. Here is our summer 2014 travel tip round-up!
10 Airfare Tips
- 87% of airfare sales start on a Tuesday and end on a Thursday. When a sale is posted, wait till about 4:00 p.m. EST to see if other airlines have matched it or gone lower.
- Typically, the most affordable days to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Travel on a Friday or Sunday could cost you twice as much.
- July can be the most expensive month to travel. Plan summer vacations for the end of August when peak season is winding down. If you're traveling without kids, wait till early fall when school's back in session. You'll likely score even better airfare deals, plus the weather is still good in most of the country.
- If you want to avoid travel delays, aim for the earliest flight out. Avoid booking the last flight of the day, which could leave you stranded.
- Some airlines offer inexpensive upgrades within 24 hours of your flight.
- If you have trouble using reward miles because you always travel during blackout dates, see if you can use them to upgrade your seat.
- Compare costs not only between airlines, but between nearby airports if you are flying to or from an area with multiple options.
- Disable cookies on your computer before beginning your airfare search. Sometimes sites will recognize your search history and raise prices on flights you showed interest in. I have done experiments to prove this and it's true.
- If you have flexible travel plans, sometimes getting bumped can be a good thing. If you volunteer, try to get a travel voucher for a certain dollar amount rather than "free" tickets, which often carry more restrictions.
- Flying last minute can cost you, so if you can't find a flight within your budget, check vacation packages. Agencies buy an abundance of plane tickets in advance, then bundle them with hotels and car rentals. As the trip approaches, they need to sell these packages or it will be a loss to them.
10 Hotel Tips
- Call the hotel directly to book and you will have more room to negotiate. A chain's 1-800 booking number is usually working off set rates.
- Compare the price quoted over the phone with online rates. Sometimes the lowest rate is an online-only special.
- Or book through a third-party site with a coupon code offer. You can find great deals from sites like Travelocity, Priceline, Orbitz or Hotels.com.
- Stay at recently opened hotels, which usually offer rock bottom rates and perks to get people in the door.
- Request a corner hotel room and you may get more space for the same price.
- Find hotels that offer crossover rewards programs like Starwood Preferred Guest and Delta SkyMiles. That means in addition to the Starpoints you already earn for your hotel stays, you will get Delta miles and vice versa.
- If it's an all-inclusive resort, know the gratuity policy. Many places automatically bill you $10 to $20 per person per day extra at the end of your trip. For a family of four on a 7-day vacation that could be as much as $560!
- You may pay the price to go with a resort package that includes airfare. Many have long or multiple layovers, very early flights, and the price may not even be that much better. (Though as we mentioned earlier, if you're flying last minute, this could be your only option to find an affordable flight.)
- If you're a frequent traveler, then you may want to consider a credit card that rewards you with hotel stays. For example, the IHG Credit Card (Holiday Inn, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, etc.) gives you 60,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 during the first three months. That can be redeemed for up to 12 free nights.
- When comparing the cost of hotels factor in amenities. A hotel with free breakfast could save your family of four $50 a day, so even if it's a little more overall, it pays off. Free wi-fi, airport shuttle service, complimentary drinks and recreational activities like a pool or game room are other things to take into consideration.
10 Road Trip Tips:
- Estimate the fuel cost of your trip by entering your vehicle and destination on the AAA Fuel Cost Calculator.
- Use a gas comparison app like GasBuddy.com to find the best price at nearby gas station when you're on the road.
- 64% of states had lower prices on the weekend, according to a four-year analysis of gas prices by GasBuddy.
- Many stations will give you a discount (often 5-10¢ per gallon) when you pay with cash
- Increase fuel efficiency by keeping luggage inside the car. A loaded roof rack can decrease efficiency by 5%.
- Pack light because an extra 100 pounds in the trunk can reduce fuel economy by 2%.
- If you need a rental car, it could really pay off to rent it for five days. Most rentals companies start offering the weekly discount rate when you rent for a minimum of 5 days. It may be worth it to rent the car for an extra day just to qualify.
- Monday through Friday business travel accounts for the largest chunk of car rentals. So, if your period of travel includes a Saturday night, you may qualify for lower weekend leisure rates.
- Many credit cards offer built-in car rental insurance. Though read the fine print, some policies don't cover loss-of-use fees, which are charged each day the rental agency can't use the car because it is in the auto shop.
- Search online for free road trip printables like car bingo games, coloring pages, song lyrics and word searches. Give your child a blank sketchpad to start a travel journal where they can draw, write and paste in trip memories.
10 Cruise Tips:
- Consider taking a repositioning cruise. These generally happen in spring and fall when ships relocate to accommodate the change in season.
- The first quarter, January to March, is typically the best time to book a cruise. It's what the cruise industry calls "wave season." Cruise lines want you to book with them so they discount fares and offer perks like onboard credits.
- Look for last minute fares with 60 to 90 days of departure, which is typically when the final payment is due and ships have an idea of their capacity.
- If you're more of a planner and want to travel during a peak travel time (like summer in Alaska), then book at least six to 12 months in advance. River cruises are growing in popularity and it is recommended that you book 12 to 15 months in advance.
- June through November is hurricane season, so you may find cruises offering very low rates to the Caribbean. Just make sure you are protected if your cruise is canceled due to weather.
- Book on an old ship recently refurbished rather than a brand new one.
- Look for "kids sail free" promotions. It's becoming more common for cruise to offer a deal where the 3rd and 4th guests (your kids) in a stateroom cruise free.
- Choose cruises that depart from ports that are driving distance or a cheap flight away.
- If you book a future cruise while still onboard a current cruise, you'll often enjoy reduced fares and perks like onboard credits.
- Cruises are fairly all-inclusive, but the one thing that's pretty much never included: drinks. Even soda can add up. Most cruises offer different tiers of beverage packages, starting with your basic soft drinks and going up to top-shelf alcohol.


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operationredhot needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 43 designs submitted by 26 freelance designers.
simple, basic, understandable and rememberable... were looking for a logo for our new classified section
Free Market
We are looking for something that is eye catching and simple. This will be the logo for a section that we will be featuring on a few different websites.
- simple
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Drawing more than 16,000 visitors to the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 29 to June 1, the 12th Annual Lightfair International Conference offered a parade of products designed to squeeze the most light out of every energy dollar in any type of facility without sacrificing looks.
What's new in lamp technology?
Power shortage woes are boosting business for those designers and consultants who can apply the new technologies emerging in the lighting industry. Electronic circuitry now allows the "soft start" of incandescent, fluorescent, and HID lamps, extending the life of the filament or cathode. New dopants and material processing (quartz-pinching technology) enhance incandescent performance. And improved infrared reflection coatings that turn heat into light offer the potential for nearly 40 LPW efficacy for a halogen incandescent lamp.
Osram Sylvania, Danvers, Mass., introduced the G9 CAPSYLITE 2-in.× 0.5-in., 120V halogen incandescent lamp that features a snap-in base and is suitable for unshielded fixtures. The lamp uses quartz pinching to open a wide variety of new fixture possibilities that could replace the MR-16 source.
GE Lighting, Cleveland, presented the Integral Electrical MR-16 lamp. Using a built-in transformer to convert line voltage to 12V, the lamp combines the beam control advantages of a low-voltage MR-16 source and the convenience of a screw base.
Upgrades in fluorescent lamps like barrier coatings, improvements in electrode design and depletion, and better management of mercury consumption reap a higher color rendering index (CRI) and reduce the wattage of the popular 32W T8 linear lamp to 30W. At the same time, new ballast designs work as a system with specific lamps for optimum efficiencies.
At 3 hr per start, the T-8 linear lamp life now stretches from 20,000 hr to as high as 30,000-hr in some cases. Philips Lighting's Alto Universal T-8 lamp offers full-rated life on all T-8 ballast systems and 33% longer life on instant-start ballasts than standard T-8 lamps. Another version, the Universal Advantage, includes a special phosphor for 95% lumen maintenance and 86 CRI.
The T5 linear fluorescent lamps, are ideal for sleek, pendant-mounted fixtures, but are fairly new in the United States. The T5 lamps only operate with electronic ballasts and feature end-of-life sensing and other characteristics previously unavailable in the U.S. market. Now the same ballast can run a 54W or a 28W T-5 lamp a task not possible with any previous linear fluorescent lamp.
Similarly, higher quality parts, better management of ripple currents and control of preheating, and improved layout and lead forming allow compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) to come in a high-lumen package, like GE's 57W (4300 lm) and 70W (5100 lm) triple-tube CFLs that can be applied in high-bay industrial areas, retail ceilings, and outdoor general lighting areas.
Metal halide (M-H) manufacturers also boast design improvements. Ceramic arc tubes and new arc tube shapes provide better control of metallic salts and can boost life and improve color. GE's Hi-Watt Ceramic M-H lamp has a CRI of up to 94 in 250W and 400W ratings and is designed for use in higher ceiling applications. Sylvania's True-Color Metalarc Ceramic pulse-start M-H lamp features a "bulgy" ceramic arc tube design for improved reliability and performance. Philips' Master Color HPS-RetroWhite M-H lamp, in 250W and 400W ratings, operates on a high-pressure sodium ballast, so a lamp replacement improves color rendition.
Venture Lighting, Solon, Ohio, offers the 125W Uni-Form pulse start, M-H lamp ballast system, which offers 12,000 initial lumens, a rated life of 15,000 hr, and a color temperature of 4000K. Also available in a coated version, the system is designed for new and retrofit applications where energy consumption and lumen output are important. Venture also introduced a "tipless" manufacturing process for the M-H lamp that injects the halides and gases through the end of the arc tube, thus eliminating the need for an exhaust tip on the side of the small arc tube. During operation, the halides distribute evenly along the arc tube wall, resulting in color uniformity equal to that of lower wattage ceramic M-H lamps. Currently available with the 300W and 320W lamps, the process will soon be used by every Uni-Form lamp.
LEDs continue to make inroads
Lamp makers are also working hard to find the best way to produce high-output white light. LED systems have made large advances in the last few years, and the pace of innovation is increasing. While LED technology is impressive, it still must first provide adequate total flux (lumen output) efficacy (LPW), lamp life, cost, color temperature, and color rendering for a given application to compete with other light sources. Keep in mind the lighting industry measures lamp life based on the point at which 50% of a large group of lamps is still burning, while the opto-electronic industry uses the point in time at which LEDs emit 50% of their light output. Nevertheless, the products on display indicated that signage and contour lighting is perhaps the first market in which LEDs can economically replace neon or other light sources.
Ballast and control technology
Ballasts are also keeping pace in terms of adding performance features especially the concept of addressability, or individually addressing and controlling each fluorescent ballast through a communications network or circuit. The ThinLine T5 and T5/HO electronic ballasts from MagneTek, New Berlin, Wis., serve single- or two-lamp operation, in ratings from 14W to 55W. The ballasts feature an end-of-life shutdown circuit with auto reset when replacing lamps, less than 10% THD, and programmed rapid-start technology for maximum lamp life. Advance Transformer, Rosemont, Ill., unveiled SmartMate, a family of electronic ballasts for popular 4-pin CFLs. Advance also exhibited a lightweight, constant DC current driver for operating LEDs that features a 50,000-hr life.
Lighting control strategies such as occupancy-based, time-scheduled, light-level control, and load-shedding received a lot of attention on the show floor, now that facilities are slashing unneeded lighting usage. Osram Sylvania is spearheading a new control language in the United States called digital addressable lighting interface (DALI) first developed by lighting equipment manufacturers in Europe. The open digital protocol allows simplified control wiring that offers greater flexibility than traditional 0V to 10V analog dimming control systems. Two-way communications over a pair of low-voltage wires provide opportunities for monitoring lighting systems with direct input from ballasts and lamps.
The LCD-based Viseo display lighting control unit from Lutron, Coopersburg, Pa., can program a firm's lighting control systems without computers or other plug-in devices. It's suitable for multiroom lighting control applications, like ballrooms or conference centers. The company also introduced the Digital microWATT system, which provides automated on/off light switching, full-range dimming capabilities, precise real-time monitoring of a building's entire lighting system, and load shedding for peak demand reduction.
Improvements in luminaires
For the outdoor environment, LSI Industries, Cincinnati, and Greenlee Textron, Rockford, Ill., introduced an outdoor area luminaire that combines a vertical M-H lamp for maximum light output and excellent cutoff using a flat lens. GE Lighting Systems, Hendersonville, N.C., introduced the Criterion series of outdoor architectural luminaires that uses Snap Drive interchangeable components along with high-efficiency optics and photometrics. A simple, microprocessor-based plug-in diagnostic tool is also available for lighting maintenance/service contractor use.
The Agili-T from Lightolier, Fall River, Mass., is a T5 direct/indirect pendant-mounted luminaire (nominally 4-ft long) that can be mounted directly to a T-bar ceiling to provide even ambient lighting. Integral mechanical and electrical connections at the ends of the lightweight housing permit the fixtures to be easily interconnected. This system allows you to change the fixture layout without extensive rewiring. Because each fluorescent ballast incorporates a network communications chip, it can be individually controlled from a central building location. Columbia Lighting, Spokane, Wash., showed the Brio, a T-5 recessed luminaire that uses narrow-profile parabolic louvers and perforated panels to gain low-glare, high-efficiency performance in offices.
Efficiency was the chief concern at Lightfair 2001 in Las Vegas this year. Industrial plant owners looking to reduce lighting costs but retain performance found an increased selection of energy-efficient choices at the show.


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|"The popularity of randomized evaluations among researchers and policymakers is growing and holds great promise for a world where decision making will be based increasingly on rigorous evidence and creative thinking. However, conducting a randomized evaluation can be daunting. There are many steps, and decisions made early on can have unforeseen implications for the life of the project. This book, based on more than a decade of personal experience by a foremost practitioner and a wealth of knowledge gathered over the years by researchers at J-PAL, provides both comfort and guidance to anyone seeking to engage in this process."–Esther Duflo, codirector of J-PAL and coauthor of Poor Economics
Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide
You are here: Home / Social Sciences / Running Randomized Evaluations
Running Randomized Evaluations
April 9, 2014 by Jessica Pellien
Filed Under: Social Sciences Tagged With: courses, evaluations, glennerster, policy, research, running randomized evaluations, social science, takavarasha, textbooks


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Ranger Design Base HVAC Package, Aluminum, Mercedes Metris
Get more out of your work van: Ranger Packages are designed specifically with your trade in mind. Our aim is to ensure that your most frequently used tools and equipment are well within reach.
PERFECT FIT Engineered to optimize space. Layout designed to ensure that all tools are well within reach.
TRADE SPECIFIC Created with specific trade in mind. Optimized for maximum productivity.


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I'm Q Ethan McCallum. I help companies with strategic matters around data analysis and technology.
Some publications sport my name on the cover – such as a paper on developing business models around data, a book on dealing with data problems, and another on large-scale data analysis – and I sometimes speak to groups about how to use data and technology to improve their business.
Most recently, I've been working on a book about how to build a data analytics shop inside a company. This is also the focus of my consulting practice.
This site hosts:
- a description of my consulting offerings (including a brief FAQ and list of data myths)
- links to my publications
- a list of my speaking engagements, which includes conference talks and training
- various projects in which I've been involved
- the occasional bit of news (blog)
- how to contact me
Now that you know a little about me, I'd like to know: how can I help you? if you want to put data to work for your business, we should talk.


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I recently came upon this old Coca-Cola commercial. Take a look.
How did it make you feel?
I felt a confusing mix of emotions. Along with a slight smile of amusement, I also felt an instinctive indignation as I digested it on a personal level. "This is a perfect example of the media pushing beauty standards that cause women to have low self esteem and form eating disorders," I said to myself. Then I felt annoyance because the commercial only represented the reality of how many young men act. Other thoughts were to roll my eyes at the hypocrisy, (for the young men accessing the women's figures are drinking Coca-Cola, which isn't exactly healthy), and then I ended up wondering how I can prevent my own sons from objectifying women as they grow closer and closer to adolescence.
After a few minutes, I suddenly remembered another old commercial, also put out by the Coca-Cola company.
Now the tables have turned. In this video we have a group of women objectifying a man yet it didn't strike the same nerve in me. Is this natural or hypocritical? Is turn about fair play? Should we just smile and not take either video so seriously?
¿Qué opinas tú? What do you think?


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The new album from Nebraskan singer songwriter Max Holmquist (The Great American Desert) is now available for pre-order via his new Bandcamp page! Visit HERE or see below to stream/download the title track and pre-order the new vinyl or digital album.
As a bonus, any pre-orders for the vinyl LP will receive a limited CD copy of the album as well! The CD is only for the pre-order and album release shows and will not be for resale. Don't miss out on it.


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Skip to Excursions
In 1877, the aptly named James Venture Mulligan struck pay dirt on Hodgkinson River, igniting the fabled North Queensland Gold Rush. At the height of the boom, Port Douglas boasted 12,000 residents and 27 hotels. Bust inevitably followed boom, and Port Douglas slid into decades of obscurity. Then came a second gold rush in the 1980s as tourists flocked to the North Queensland Coast. Located between the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and the Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas provides a perfect gateway to hardy adventurers en route to rainforest and reef.In addition to its nearby scenic wonders, Port Douglas boasts several resorts ranging from the Sheraton Mirage to the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa in the heart of the rainforest.Note: Port Douglas is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender.
Visit Cruise Personalizer to reserve excursions
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Soar above Australia's World Heritage tropical rainforest on a 6-person gondola. Immerse yourself in an intimate rainforest experience that transports you from the canopy to the rainforest floor.
Kuranda Scenic Railway
Ride this famous railway on a scenic journey that takes you on a thrilling ride over bridges, through tunnels and into the rainforest, passing spectacular waterfalls and the magnificent Barron Gorge.
Rainforest Habitat
Discover the flora and fauna of three Australian environments: the Wetlands, the Grasslands and the Rainforest when you stroll through aviaries, wildlife pavilions and have lunch with the lorikeets!
Great Barrier Reef
One of the seven wonders of the natural world, a catamaran takes you across the Coral Sea to the reef, where a variety of water activities enable you to experience its magnificent marine life.
Daintree National Park
A World Heritage Site, the park encompasses the oldest rainforest area in the world. Magnificent vistas, walking trails and a host of activities can be found along with crocodiles, so please beware!
Known as the capital of Tropical North Queensland, Cairns lies an hour to the south of Port Douglas. This laidback city on Trinity Bay has something to offer for everyone.
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
Celebrate the Aboriginal culture when you spend a day at a traditional Tjapukai camp. Throw a boomerang, enjoy a dance performance, view ancient artifacts and interact with these warm, native people.
Rainforestation Nature Park
Set on 100 acres of World Heritage Rainforest, this eco-friendly tourist attraction is situated five minutes from the Kuranda Village and features Army Duck Rainforest Tours (with Tropical Fruit Orchard), Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and Kuranda's largest Koala & Wildlife Park.
Children age 12 and younger, savings up to 50%. For actual pricing information, click on tour title or Reserve button.


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lisamarie on Family Tree Circles
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Journals and Posts
Clark Joyce Laverne of Mount Shasta area. Cal.
Joy is what she likes to be called. She has a good son and his name is Grant and I think his fathers name is Matthew. Joy is one of the most sweetest people I know and miss. Joyce please find this and contact me at 415-681-7099.
looking for "Yoshie Cale " of Los Angeles & sur. area of Ca.
Yoshie is about 75 yrs old. Has a daughter named Judy. Daughter has a resteraunt or works in one. Yoshie has Grandchildren and one she exspecially likes. She has had some tough times but she a good person. She reminds me of my Grandmother. I love her as a friend.
Searching for "SAWYER" & "CODEY" of OK.,TX. & CA.
I have been searching for most of my adult life for my Father. He and my mother were only 18 and when I was 6 moths old he was gone. My mother said he had stolen the money she had for my formula. I like to think that she made that up because she was angry at him for leaving here. I questioned any family members that had been around back in 1968. Thank godness my Grandmother had 5 kids that all grew up around me. That gave me better odds of finding out anything about my Father. Not to forget my Uncles who my Mother also softened her voice when speaking of them. I have a srong rememberance of one Uncle perticularly. I remember feeling so safe when he was near and to look in his eyes,they were filled with kindness and Love.
I found out that my father was brutily murdered last Month.I was pregnant with what would have been his 4 granchildren.A set of beautiful healthy TWINS. My first son I named Richard after my father.
I was so hoping I could have a Grandmother again and I am named after my Fathers Mother Marie Codey Sawyer and George Melvin Sawyer. Jeoy and Calvin. I know more names not but I would love to know the people. Marie Louis and Lucy. Bless you all,Peace to all fellow souls as we share this short time here and in these shells we will emrege from when we leave here. My shells to tight anyway...ha.
- Displaying 1-4 of 4 Journals
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Jim Rogers (301) 734-0603
Jim Brownlee (202) 720-4623
WASHINGTON, May 15, 2007--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to establish a voluntary trichinae certification program for U.S. pork.
Because farm management practices, biosecurity and farm hygiene have improved significantly over the last 50 years, Trichinella spiralis is rare in the United States and is not currently required as part of a testing program in the United States. The European Union and other overseas markets, however, require testing for all imports of fresh pork and fresh pork products. The proposed voluntary certification program for the United States would ensure that American producers standardize their protocols and offer overseas markets a USDA certification as to the Trichinella spiralis protections in place at U.S. farms without having to test every animal and every product.
Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic roundworm found in many warm-blooded carnivores and omnivores, including swine. Transmission from one host to another only occurs by the ingestion of infected muscle tissue. The primary vector for Trichinella spiralis in swine is the consumption of raw meat waste and, in some cases, the consumption of rodents or other animals.
Under the proposed program, APHIS would certify pork production sites that follow good production practices to reduce, eliminate or avoid the risk of exposure of animals to Trichinella spiralis . Good production practices include feed integrity (such as source of feed and feed storage) and facility construction and condition as it pertains to biosecurity.
The proposed voluntary certification program will enhance the ability of producers to export pork and pork products to overseas markets. This proposed program was developed as a cooperative effort by USDA, the National Pork Board and the pork processing industry.
Notice of this proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the May 16 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before July 16. Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0089, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the Internet, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov, select "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service" from the agency drop-down menu; then click on "Submit." In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0089 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and may also be viewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:40 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading room, please call (202) 690-2817.
Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS news release page at /newsroom. Also, anyone with an e-mail address can sign up to receive APHIS press releases automatically. Send an e-mail message to email@example.com and leave the subject blank. In the message, type
"subscribe press_releases."


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The Creepiness Continues
Not all Cake Wrecks are a result of poor construction, as you can see from this example. Some cake artists just seem to forget that, at the end of the day, their creation is meant to be eaten. Can you seriously imagine being told to slice up and serve this cake?
And baby shower cakes seem to be the worst offenders in this vein. People, try to think outside the box, will you? Just because the occasion has "baby" in the name doesn't mean the cake has to BE a baby, mmkay? You don't see bridal shower cakes made to look like the bride, do you? Oh, wait - scratch that example...
But getting back to this cake - I think the worst part is that the baby is staring at me. No, really - check out the right eye. [shudder] Dang, that would be spine-tingling even if it were a real baby, you know? (And can you imagine being the person who gets served that eye? Eeeek- I'm going to give myself nightmares.) Call me finicky, but I really can't eat anything that looks like its looking at me.
Still not creeped out? Then watch the video of this cake's construction. The final few seconds are the stuff horror flicks are made of ("The eye! It's opening! Aaauggh!!!).


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A while back, I came across a project at Still Life with Circles that I thought was worthy of some serious thought. It's basically a look at where you are right now in your grief.
Wow. To try to nail down where I am in my grief seemed just too hard at first. Grief is such an ever-changing process, full of things that jump up out of nowhere and knock you down again. But as I thought it through, I realized the beauty of such a project. Taking a snapshot of where I am now (and even in the months and years ahead) will no doubt highlight some things that might otherwise be overlooked as one day slides into the next.
Right now, I am feeling the weight of all that makes no sense falling hard on my shoulders again. For the second time in just over two weeks, I've watched a friend bury her child. The first is a friend I've known for decades. Her third daughter shares Kristen's exact birthday. The second is a friend I met not long after Kristen died. My heart breaks for both of these women. I wish I didn't know the ache and the longing, the sadness and the tears, the brokenness that accompanies the death of a child. And I most certainly wish my friends didn't know, either.
And yet, here I am, now facing opportunities to live out God's Word in such a real way and so very close to home.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
-2 Corinthians 1:3-4
In all honesty, part of me wants to run away screaming. It's just too much. These situations bring back a flood of my own memories and emotions. Even so, I feel stronger. I don't feel like the wind and waves of these storms bend me to the breaking point like they once did. I've been able to share with these mothers on a level that I've not been able to with even the closest of my friends. That in itself breaks my heart a little more.
Just this week, I led my first GriefShare session. God, in His mercy, led me through it because I certainly didn't feel up to the task, especially given the fact that this particular session was one that dealt with the death of a child. It felt a little strange to be in the leader role rather than the participant role, but it somehow seemed "right."
I still get teary-eyed when I talk about Kristen. I just miss her so very much. No matter how many years and months pass, that will never change. In the same way, the God who gave her to me, the God who has caught every tear, He will never change. He is good, all the time. All the time, He is good.


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While the prospect of Israeli-Syrian peace has been given a boost by French President Nicholas Sarkozy's visit to Damascus, any face to face dialogue between the two longtime enemies is likely to wait until new administrations are in place in both Jerusalem and Washington.
Still, the profile of the indirect Israeli-Syrian peace talks received a major upgrade as Mr. Sarkozy offered to mediate a treaty that could shift the balance of power in the Middle East away from Iran and in favor of the US and its allies.
But even as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Thursday that he had sent a six-point peace proposal to Israel and awaited a response, officials in both countries and Middle East analysts concede that substantive progress from the indirect talks hosted by Turkey has been modest at best.
"It will not happen in the present circumstances except as part of a larger reorientation of Syrian policies. For that, you need a US administration that is in the game," says Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to the US and a top negotiator in Israeli-Syrian talks during the 1990s. "For now, everyone is keeping the ball in the air and trying to improve their position."
But the very fact that Israel and Syria are engaged in talks just months after they seemed on the brink of a war is something of a breakthrough. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, credited the talks with reducing tensions along Israel's northern border for the first time in several years.
Mr. Assad has already reaped dividends. Sarkozy's visit to attend a mini-Middle East summit this week warms a three-year freeze in the relations between the countries that followed the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Assad, shunned in recent years by the Bush administration, said this week that the US must be involved to reach an agreement that Syria expects will end years of isolation and bring a wave of foreign investment.
"The Syrian side is trying to publicize that there are no big reasons that there can't be an agreement in the near future," says Rime Allaf, an associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. The summit with France, Turkey, and Qatar is "still another point of pressure on the Americans and Israelis that there is a will to see this deal through."
An Israeli-Syrian deal will relieve the threat of war along Israel's northern border, reducing the chance for a flare up with Hezbollah in Lebanon following a month-long war between the sides in 2006, says Ms. Allaf.
She added, however, that the US and Israel shouldn't expect a radical realignment of Syria's ties with Iran. Syria is unlikely to cut ties with Hamas, as well. "It is naive to image that just because Israel and Syria sign a peace deal the relations between Syria and Iran to come to a standstill."
Israel, concerned about Iran's growing influence in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, hopes that diplomatic and economic ties with Syria – which aids both Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza – will undermine Tehran's influence.
But after Mr. Olmert said last month he planned to resign because of numerous corruption investigations against him, the Syrians are awaiting a new Israeli government with enough political capital to give back all of the Golan Heights – which was seized during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and which a majority of Israelis oppose giving back.
Indeed, there is legislation making its way through the Israeli parliament to require a special majority to give back the Golan, which was de facto annexed by Israel in 1982.
"If there is one move capable of changing the dynamics in the entire region, it's an Israeli-Syrian peace treaty," wrote Ari Shavit, a commentator in the Haaretz newspaper. "Such an agreement will set into motion a positive strategic change: It will isolate Hezbollah, make it more difficult for Hamas, threaten Iran, and provide an important tail wind for moderate forces in the Sunni Arab world."
Syria is considered a major linchpin along with the Palestinians on the way toward a comprehensive peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. A return of the Golan – a mostly barren plateau that looks out to northern Israel and drops to the banks of Israel's one natural water reservoir – would fulfill one of the conditions of an land-for-peace proposal by the Arab League.
The major stumbling block in the talks has been resolving a dispute over where the international border should run in relation to the Sea of Galilee and whether the Syrians should have access. The talks also focus on a security buffer between the two countries armies, normalizing ties, and water rights.
The next milestone for the talks would be for the sides to move to the face to face negotiations, the first since the round of talks in Shepherdstown, W.V., in 2000. In those failed negotiations, Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Assad's late father, Hafez, were thought to be a few hundred feet away on a common border that would have sealed an accord.
"The blueprint is known. [Israeli President Shimon Peres] said the other day. You need 24 hours to sign," says Moshe Maoz, a political science professor from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. "The question is whether the parties are ready."


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CHICAGO, Ill. - The Benedictine University football team rolled up 246 yards rushing to win for the first time this season, downing North Park 30-22.
The rushing attack held Benedictine dominate the line of scrimmage and nab a substantial edge in time of possession with over 36 minutes for the evening. Overall, the Eagles rolled up over 400 yards while limiting North Park to just 147 total yards including only 91 on the ground in 31 attempts.
The contest started off as a back and forth affair with the teams trading scores. With the game tied 14-14, Benedictine rattled off 16 unanswered points to take control of the contest. Cyle Schultz hooked up with Artie Monaco for a 56-yard score to open the stretch with 6:43 to play in the third. L.J. Stolarski drilled a 23-yard field goal with 10:03 remaining in the game and John Borsellino snared a 12-yard score from Schultz with just over six minutes remaining to cap the run.
North Park (0-2) was able to answer quickly after a lengthy kick return, but a fumble on a punt allowed Benedictine to run off the final 5:38 to seal the win.
Borsellino had a big day, amassing 130 yards on the ground, 68 yards receiving, and 137 yards on returns for a total of 335 yards of total offense with a pair of scores. Schultz threw three touchdowns to three different receivers and John Alessi added 55 yards on the ground.
Defensively, the Eagles forced six turnonvers. Ben Lockton led the charge with 10 tackles including 2.5 for loss and a sack. Kevin Lawson recovered a pair of fumbles in the victory, which avenged defeats the last two seasons, both playoff years for Benedictine.
The Eagles (1-1) will welcome Albion for homecoming on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. Albion upset 10th ranked Wheaton 22-21 today. Wheaton defeated Benedictine 48-7 last week.
Benedictine Runs Past North Park
|Benedictine (1-1)
|North Park (0-2)
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Benedictine University football team rolled up 246 yards rushing to win for the first time this season, downing North Park 30-22.


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Iran mother recalls act of mercy for son's killer
See Gallery
By AMIR VAHDAT and ADAM SCHRECK
Associated Press
ROYAN, Iran (AP) -- Her son's killer stood on a chair on the gallows, his hands shackled, the noose around his neck. Hundreds crowded outside the jailhouse in a northern Iranian town to see if the mother, Samereh Alinejad, would exercise her right to kick the chair out from under him to let him hang.
But after seven years of dreaming of revenge - up to the last moment she held the killer's life in her hands - Alinejad pardoned Bilal Gheisari. That act has made her a hero in her hometown, Royan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, where banners in the streets commend her family's mercy. Two weeks after the dramatic scene at the gallows, well-wishers still pass by her home to praise her and her husband
Alinejad told The Associated Press during a visit to her home that retribution had been her only thought ever since her 17-year-old son Abdollah was killed seven years ago in a street brawl when Gheisari's knife sliced through his neck.
"My world collapsed the day I heard about my son's death," she said, dressed in a black with a black scarf covering her hair. "If I pardoned Bilal and saved him from death, how would I be able to live anymore?"
The thought of Gheisari's family's happiness at his eventually walking out of jail a free man ate her up inside. "I told my husband if he were spared death, I would die," she said.
Families of murder victims in Iran and some other Muslim countries are often faced with the final word choice over whether convicted killers live or die. The Islamic law concept of "qisas" - an "an eye for an eye" provision - gives them the chance to oversee the killer's execution.
They also have the option to have mercy - often in return for blood money payments of $35,000 or more. Forgoing qisas is seen as an act of charity and a chance to atone for one's sins. In standard murder cases in Iran, it is a choice left up to victim's family, not the government.
Alinejad's pardon was not the first time a family decided to forgo retribution at the last minute. But a series of photos by an Iranian photographer for the ISNA news agency at the gallows in the nearby town of Nour on April 15 offered a dramatic window into what would have been Gheisari's last moments.
Abdolghani Hosseinzadeh, the murdered teen's father, was something of a local celebrity as a well-known former soccer player who now coaches children in the game. Both his son and his son's killer, who was a couple years older, trained at the Derakhshan Soccer School where he teaches.
Leading up to the day of execution, neighbors, activists and even a popular TV program had appealed to the couple to spare Gheisari.
Kamyar Salari, the manager of a local non-profit that provides support to prisoners, said he told the couple, "You have a right to retribution. However, when time passes, usually the level of anger drops."
"I asked them to give forgiveness some thought," he told the AP. "He is young and ... he just made a mistake."
None of the appeals seemed to work.
Further deepening the family's sense of loss, their other son, Amir, died years earlier in an accident when he was riding his bicycle and was hit by a motorcycle - and Gheisari was one of two boys on the motorcycle.
On April 15, Alinejad walked slowly toward the gallows, with Gheisari's family among the crowd of onlookers. A blindfolded Gheisari, weeping, begged her one last time.
"Forgive me, Aunt Maryam," he pleaded, addressing Alinejad by the nickname she is widely known by in the community. "Show your mercy."
Alinejad moved in close, face to face, with Gheisari.
"Did you have mercy on us? Did you show mercy to my son?" she demanded. "You have taken happiness away from us. Why should I have mercy toward you?"
Alinejad stared angrily him. Then she slapped him across the face. She and her husband slipped the noose off his neck, and with that move, Gheisari's death sentence had been commuted.
Some in the crowd applauded. Others stood silently shocked.
Alinejad's decision was widely publicized by the semi-official ISNA news agency, suggesting that Iranian authorities hope to encourage more victims' families to consider choosing mercy over retribution. In a report on the Iranian judiciary's website Tuesday, state prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi described accepting blood money for a stay of execution as a humane practice. He said it spared the lives of 358 convicts in the last Iranian calendar year, which ended in March.
Iran has come under sharp criticism by international rights groups for its high rate of executions. Amnesty International says 369 people were publicly put to death in the Islamic Republic last year. The majority of executions are for drug smuggling, which Iranian officials say reflects the large quantities of opium trafficked through Iran from Afghanistan to Europe.
Gheisari's sentence was changed to 12 years in prison, half of which he has served already.
Alinejad and her husband, who have a young daughter, have refused to accept blood money that benefactors had collected on Gheisari's behalf, proposing it go instead to charity and improving local soccer schools.
Alinejad said she feels relief.
"This slap made me feel as if all the blood that had accumulated in my heart over the years suddenly burst and poured out. I became peaceful," Alinejad said. "I do not think about revenge anymore."
Schreck reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.


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"I recommend his seminar to any and all who are searching for inner strength and/or courage to dare to dream" - David Lanier,
"We had over 20 guest speakers this year, and Dr. Watkins is the ONLY one who commanded 100% of our students' attention. I was amazed." - Mike Filipski, Guidance Counselor,
Middle School
About Dr. Watkins
I started reading "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about College" about 2 nights ago and to say the least, I couldn't put it down. It's like your books are my college bibles. The raw advice that you gave in the book is exactly what I need and will use before, during and after College. I thank you for your truthfulness in your publications and for your struggle to get to where you are today. It's people like you who make a difference in the lives of youth like me. Success is a journey and this journey includes college, just as you said, " Starting college is like going to war. When you leave for battle ,You must bring all your weapons and ammunition." Your books are just that, weapons! And the ammunition that you've packed in these books are enough to kill a two-toned, Saber-toothed tiger!
I thought you were right on time. You spoke to the teens in their language, which allowed them to hear what you had to say. Too often folks "preach at" or "speak over their heads" and the words fall on deaf ears. The message was great. It gave the academic underachiever a reason to believe they could become an Achiever if they put forth the effort. Getting good grades sounded easy when you compared them to practice time, weightlifting and other activities designed to improve football skills. The majority of our Youth Achievers are athletes or band students, so they could definitely relate. Our kids need people that will be real and tell it like it is. You did that in a way that was enlightening as well as entertaining.
For more information, please email us at: [email protected]
To order books, call 1(800) BOOKLOG (266-5564)
or you can also call 1(800) 247-6553 (Quantity discounts provided)
To have Dr. Watkins address your students, please call: (315) 487-1176
Fax: (315) 320-9202
For large orders, please contact us using the information above. Orders
of 50 or more are provided with substantial discounts.
Media and Publicity contact: Cassie Chenevert (727) 209-1745


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Pricing does not include applicable freight, setup, or documentation fees.
9999 Honda Power Equipment EU7000iS Generator
On Sale
Was $4,889.00
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Sale: Save $440.00 now until 10/31/2019
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Naults Powersports - Windham
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EU7000iS Generator
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Key Features
- 7000 watts, 120/240V
- Perfect for home back up power, RVs, outdoor events, and more
- Super quiet
- Fuel efficient - runs up to 18 hours on 5.1 gal of fuel
- Convenient electric start
- Inverter - stable power for computers and more
- Fuel injected - better fuel efficiency and lower maintenance
- Perfect for home back up power, RVs, outdoor events, and more: The EU7000iS can operate a wide variety of appliances, making it perfect for portable use at home, camping, or much more. Take a look at the applications tab for more examples.
- Super quiet - less noise than normal conversation: So quiet, your neighbors will thank you. The EU7000iS operates at 52 to 58 dB(A), which is less noise than a normal conversation. This makes it ideal for supplemental RV power, powering outdoor events, and any other activity that requires quiet operation.
- Fuel efficient - runs up to 18 hours on 5.1 gal. of fuel: Thanks to our exclusive Eco Throttle System, the EU7000iS offers great fuel efficiency. Runs between 6 to 18 hours on a single tank, depending on the load. This makes it great for overnight power.
- Electronic Fuel Injection offers better fuel efficiency and lower maintenance: Smart electronic fuel injection technology increases fuel efficiency, eliminates the engine choke, and reduces fuel associated carburetor problems. And of course, the reliable Honda GX390 engine is designed for long life and superior performance.
- Advanced inverter technology - reliable power for computers and other sensitive equipment: Honda's inverter technology means stable, clean power in a smaller, lighter package. The precision of Honda's inverter technology ensures our inverter generators produce power that is as reliable as the power you get from your outlets at home.
- Add more power by connecting two EU7000iS with optional parallel kit: Need more power? Add a second EU7000iS for additional power. Two identical models can be paralleled with an optional kit for up to 14000 watts of power.
- Easy folding handles: The EU7000iS has convenient handles that can be raised for transport and lowered for more compact storage.
- i-Monitor system tracks hours, RPM, battery volts, and wattage: i-Monitor™ provides information on hours of operation, wattage and engine speed, as well as diagnostics for convenient dealer servicing.
- GFCI Outlets: The EU7000iS features two GFCI 20 amp, 120 V duplex outlets, meeting ETL and NEC standards.
- 120/240V Selector switch - More usable power, more flexibility: Choose between using both 120 and 240 Volts, or 120 Volts only. This allows for the total generator output to be available through any of the 120 volt outlets, limited only by the capacity of the individual outlet. This enables you to power units with larger wattage requirements.
- Wheel kit standard: The EU7000iS is easy to maneuver and transport.
- 3 year residential and commercial warranty: You can rest easy, knowing your generator is covered from top to bottom for 3 full years.
- Convenient push button electric start: Easy recoil starting is also available as a back up.
- Protected by Oil Alert®: Protects the generator by shutting the engine off when low oil is detected.
- Electronic circuit breakers: Protects the generator from being overloaded.
- Fuel gauge standard
- USDA-qualified spark arrestor/muffler
- Engine: Honda GX390 EFI
- Displacement: 389cc
- AC Output: 120/240V 7000W max. (58.3/29.1A) 5500W rated (45.8/22.9A)
- Receptacles: 20A 125V GFCI Duplex (2), 30A 125V Locking Plug, 30A 125/250V Locking Plug
- DC Output: N/A
- Starting System: Recoil, electric
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 5.1 gal.
- Run Time per Tankful: 6.5 hrs.@ rated load, 18.0 hrs. @ 1/4 load
- Dimensions (L x W x H): 33.4 in. x 27.6 in. x 28.4 in.
- Noise Level: 58 dB(A) @ rated load, 52 dB(A) @ 1/4 load
- Dry Weight: 261 lb.
- Residential Warranty: 3 Years
- Commercial Warranty: 3 Years
- Storage Cover
- Transfer Switch
- Parallel Kit
NOTES:WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including soots, tars, and mineral oils, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, and carbon monoxide, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
- Engine Type
- Displacement
- 389cc
- Length
- 33.4 in.
- Width
- 27.6 in.
- Height
- 28.4 in.
- Weight
- 261 lb.
- AC Output
- 120/240V 7000W max. (58.3/29.1A) 5500W rated (45.8/22.9A)
- Receptacles
- 20A 125V GFCI Duplex (2), 30A 125V Locking Plug, 30A 125/250V Locking Plug
- Fuel Tank Capacity
- 5.1 gal.
- Noise Level
- 58 dB(A) @ rated load, 52 dB(A) @ 1/4 load
- Run Time
- 6.5 hrs.@ rated load, 18.0 hrs. @ 1/4 load


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I loved the fact that I can watch live sessions from the Rootstech conference. I especially enjoyed Syd Lieberman's keynote. He had such a wonderful way of weaving the story about his family into an interesting story. My next favorite of the streaming sessions was Laura Prescott's Researching Ancestors Online. She introduced me to some great sites I have never considered. And of course the always funny David Pogue. Thanks all for such a great show.
Here are some great links
http://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid - One stop shop for searching and locating historical archives.
http://www.linkpendium.com - I think I can seen this one before but I think I need to use it more often.
http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic - Great government website for finding long lost places.
http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc - This looks great. I will definitely be checking this one out.
http://www.davidrumsey.com - A fantastic map collection. I checked this one out and will be going back often.
EIU's Digital collections - I already knew that Eastern Illinois University held many collections but I didn't realize how many of the collections are online. Thanks so much Laura Prescott for the great tip!
http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx - Another great link thanks to Laura Prescott.


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positive boat buying or selling experience. With over 15 years experience we have the knowledge and know how to make sure your transaction is smooth and stress free!
Whether choosing to sell your boat or purchase your next one Cast Off Yacht Sales will guide you through every step of the process including but not limited to;
~Listing and advertising your vessel (including attending all local boat shows)
~In House Financing
~Always Present During Sea Trial and Survey
~Title Services and Registration
~Captains Training
~Free Market Analysis
~Delivery Services
~USCG Licensed Captain 100 Ton Masters
~Certified Mechanic
~Superior Knowledge of Market Places
~Maximum Exposure of Your Vessel
~Trade-ins Welcome
We will work hard to complete your sale or purchase in a quick and professional manner!
Thank you for visiting Cast Off Yacht Sales . Please view our listings and contact us with any questions! Don't see the boat your looking for? Contact us and we will find it for you!
We look forward to doing business with you! Please visit our office located at: Marina at Southwinds 362 East Lacey Rd Forked River N.J. 08731
Cast Off Yacht Sales is a proud member of Yacht Brokers Association of America (ybaa.com)and is committed to continue "Setting the Standard for Yacht Sales Professionals".
Cast Off Yacht Sales
362 E. Lacey Rd.
Forked River, NJ 08731, United States
Tel 732-638-1226
Fax (609) 312-7695
Email Us


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Hastings has been ranked as the 13th most deprived area of England.
Published on by Annabel Gammack (author), Yasmin Thomas (author)
According to government data, Hastings has been ranked as the 13th most deprived area of England.
Brighton city council to discuss controversial taxi app
Published on by Catherine Delves (author), Grainne Connolly (author)
Brighton and Hove council meet today to consider Uber's application for a licence in the city.
Residents call for Amber Rudd to stop tax cuts.
Published on by Oli Birch (author), Daniel King (author)
Hastings residents demand Amber Rudd to stop tax cuts.
Hastings Herring Fair returns
Published on by Iara Kaiser (author), Chloe Garnham (author)
The popular Herring Fair in Hastings returns yet again to the old towns' centre this month.
Southern Rail Unizone fares cause anger and confusion amongst Hastings students
Promises from Southern Rail to extend the Brighton Unizone to Hastings have caused confusion to arise among students.


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USTR Gives MPAA Full Online Access To TPP Text, But Still Won't Share With Senate Staffers
from the transparency? deptUS Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk continues to insult the intelligence of the Senate. During a recent hearing Senate hearing at which Kirk appeared, Senator Ron Wyden once again quizzed Kirk about the lack of transparency the USTR has (video link, key point starts around 89 minutes and 30 seconds) regarding the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Except, this time, Wyden went one step further. He pointed out that while many in Congress have no real access to the document, special interest company representatives are given special logins to the USTR's site, allowing them full access to the text of the document. We've pointed out many times before that Kirk seems to have given himself over entirely to the special interests, and this kind of access only shows how true that is. But where Kirk returns to being a disingenuous apologist for these special interests is to argue that this is no big deal because anyone in Congress can see the document too.
Wyden: What I've learned is that when trade agreements are negotiated, industry advisors sit in a far stronger position than virtually everyone in the Congress. For example, an industry advisor from the Motion Picture Association can sit at their desk with a laptop, enter their username and password, and see the negotiating text of a proposed trade agreement. Virtually no one in the Congress has the ability to do that. How is that right?Kirk's answer is insulting in how misleading it is. He chooses his words very carefully, so let's break this down to expose why Wyden is concerned, and why Kirk's answer is no answer at all. Remember, folks on the MPAA and other "industry advisors" (of which there are no internet company representatives) have a direct login, so they can access the latest negotiating docs wherever they'd like. Kirk's response, in which he claims that any member of Congress can see the same text is technically true, but it is not the same level of access. What Kirk meant is that any member of Congress can go to the USTR offices by themselves and be shown a copy of the negotiating text on a so-called "read and retain basis." That means: no notes, no copies, no staff -- even staff that have all the necessary "security clearance" as Senator Wyden himself found out when he had a trade expert on his staff obtain the necessary security clearance, only to find that the USTR denied him access to the documents.
Kirk: Well, Senator, I want to make it plain, that it's not just industry, but it's all of the members of our trade advisory commissions which are established by this Congress, and they're cleared advisors, they have security clearance and they represent a broad range of interests from both industry and environmental groups, business groups.... Every member of Congress, any member of Congress, that wants to see the text of a trade agreement we're negotiating has the ability to do so, as long as we're doing so in a secure environment that's private, so I would only offer that one clarification that any elected official in this body has the ability to see the same text as any of those cleared advisors.
So, let's compare: the MPAA and other industry groups can log into a website at their own convenience. They are even allowed to (with certain limitations) share parts of the text with others, supposedly for the sake of getting an "analysis" of what the text means. But when a Senator -- who is the chair of the Senate subcommittee on International Trade -- wants to take a look at the same document, he has to go to a "private room" where he will be shown the document, but not allowed to make copies, take notes or bring along his own staff expert on the matter.
Who does it sound like Ron Kirk is listening to more in this case? The MPAA? Or the Senator who's supposed to have oversight concerning the agreement. I tend to think the word "corrupt" is thrown around too easily, but at this point, is there any way to look at this situation and not judge it to be a case of massive corruption?
Filed Under: ron kirk, ron wyden, tpp, transparency, ustr
Companies: mpaa


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Home › Scene › Well Played ›
Well Played
Chicago's biggest stars on and off the field turned out to support the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center's sixth annual Guys Night Out for the Kids. Held at Carmichael's Chicago Steakhouse, the event was emceed by CBS 2 Chicago's Ryan Baker, and counted among its 500 guests current Chicago Bears such as Henry Melton and Nate Collins, as well as former Bears, such as Anthony Adams and Jim Thornton. Guests enjoyed bites, cocktails and cigars in the course of raising more than $150,000 to benefit the CCAC, one of the city's premier organizations aiding victims of child sexual and physical abuse. Photography by Jim Collins


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wanderingjew Looking forward to seeing Beauty and the Beast again (leechef and MH) I too hope that will_work_4_bbq can attend
Sundancer7 The evening in Nashville with B&B, Bushie, Roz and Paul lasted quite a while." />
ann peeples This would be a dream trip for Bob and I.Maybe, just maybe.....
lleechef wj Now that you have your plane ticket could you get us all a really good hotel rate like you did in Nashville???
ann peeples Wow! Great pic........I see my old friend Padre Rick......neat people, one and all. However, me thinks Demi need a visit with Bob!


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Troy dad charged in his 3-month-old daughter's death WITH VIDEO
Troy resident Kenneth Michael Little, 25, accused of killing his three-month-old daughter, Kendalyn, was charged Thursday with open murder and an alternate charge of involuntary manslaughter.
The charges were brought before Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig at the 52-4 District Court in Troy.
Troy police officers were called to Little's residence on Stratford Road at 2:30 a.m., Monday, and found the mother of the child distraught. She led them into the home, where they found Kendalyn unresponsive on a rug in his basement.
Watch a report on the charges on today's News at Noon.
She was quickly transported to St. John's Hospital Oakland, but was later pronounced dead at 3:04 a.m.
The Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of Kendalyn's death was blunt-force trauma.
Police said the mother was not home during the actual incident, but would not say when she had returned home or where she had been.
As Little stood in front of the judge about 4 p.m. Thursday, he was asked if he discussed the charges with his attorney, Richard Lustig.
Little responded that he had briefly been able to talk with his lawyer.
Lustig asked the court to allow Little a pretrial release so he could work.
He explained that Little is a Troy resident, has one other child, is a security guard and has no prior criminal history. He asked the court to set a tether so there would be no problem in the pretrial release, and also to set a bond of $50,000.
The judge responded that because she had so little information about the defendant, she had to respectfully deny the request and the pretrial release.
"I don't have any information about the alleged facts of the crime," said Hartig.
Lustig argued that Little is entitled to a bond, regardless of the information in the case.
"They had him for three days and not to be interviewed by pretrial services is not really fair to him," Lustig said.
The judge said that even though she didn't necessarily disagree with Lustig, it was her discretion -- in any murder case -- to deny pretrial release.
"Based on the charge alone, I am remanding him without bond," said Hartig.
After the arraignment and bond hearing, Little's attorney said "There's a real question as to how it occurred because the baby had been crying longer ... for several hours ... and they didn't seek medical care and that's the problem."
It has been revealed that three separate families -- 12 people -- were living in Little's house, which Troy Police Capt., Robert Redmond said.
Through conversations with Little, the Troy Police Department was able to make a case, said Redford. He added that he hadn't even seen the actual warrant yet.
Redford said that Child Protective Services has been to that residence in the past, and they are investigating the case now.
Family members who were at the court Thursday declined to comment.
A preliminary exam has been set for 8:30 a.m., Oct. 29.
Contact staff writer John Turk at 248-745-4613 or email@example.com.


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Agenda for Monday, December 13, 2010 9:00am, Senate Judiciary
I. Meeting called to order
II. Roll call
III. Approval of minutes
IV. Kim Donahue, Business Development Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration Emma Wilson, Lead Lender Relations Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration Presentation on SBA programs for veterans
V. Skip Gebhart, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Update on veteran friendly campuses
VI. SB/HB ****- Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
VII. Miscellaneous business
VIII. Adjournment
Agenda for Tuesday, December 14, 2010 11:00am, House Gov. Org.
I. Meeting called to order
II. Roll call
III. Approval of minutes
IV. Sen. Ron Stollings Presentation on accepting TRICARE as an accepted form of payment
V. Toney Cologrosso, TRICARE Presentation on updated information regarding the TRICARE health care program
VI. SCR/HCR ****- Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study ways to increase TRICARE acceptance by private medical practitioners
VII. SCR/HCR ****- Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to continue studying the issues facing veterans
VIII. SB/HB ****- Disposition of remains of deceased military service members
IX. SB/HB ****- Eligibility for unemployment benefits for spouses of transferred military service members
X. Miscellaneous business
XI. Adjournment


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Now that the floodwaters in Pakistan are receding, officials from Islamabad to Washington are faced with a great possibility.
This disaster that swept so much away may actually provide an opportunity to sweep away the biggest roadblock to improving Pakistan's stability, furthering its economic growth, and lessening its threat to global security: the widespread lack of landownership by the rural poor.
The landless poor have no meaningful stake in rural society, and it is often the Taliban who step in to use their grievances as grounds for recruitment.
For the poor, owning at least some land of one's own is a lifeline to survival – a basic source of nutrition, income, status, and security. Grossly mistreated by landowners, the landless poor in country after country have supported severe civil unrest and outright revolution.
The state of Pakistan's rural poor
Pakistan's land-tenure problems are more severe and have been more persistently ignored than nearly any others found on the planet. Though the flood altered Pakistan's landscape, it did not alter the fact that the vast majority of land in Pakistan is owned by a very small number of landlords – chiefly by 300 families of "feudals" who have ruled the Pakistani countryside for generations.
Their workers make up nearly half of the rural population, own no land, and toil as sharecroppers, day laborers, or under debt bondage. For generations, the only land most of them have been able to call their own is the plot for their grave.
A solution model in India
But solutions exist. In neighboring India, a number of individual states are now granting cost-free ownership of house-and-garden plots of about a tenth of an acre (slightly bigger than a tennis court) to the landless poor. Last year, India's central government, eager to make further progress on the issue of landlessness and to undermine a persisting Marxist rebel movement, pledged $200 million to help buy lands – earmarked to become another 2 million microplots – at market price.
In some Indian states, existing public land can meet much of the need. Just one acre of land can decisively supplement the livelihoods of 10 landless families, give them status, and end their dependence on local landlords for a house site.
In Pakistan itself, Sindh Province has distributed 43,000 acres of government-owned land since 2008, mostly to poor rural women. That distribution has been of much larger plots (about 10 acres), but the same quantity of land could reach more than 400,000 landless families using the smaller house-and-garden plot model. Indeed, Punjab Province, Pakistan's most populous, is now distributing one-quarter-acre plots to an initial 1,500 landless families, using government land.
Giving house-and-garden microplots
The house-and-garden small-plot model reduces the amount of land required, allowing the government to acquire the land voluntarily, at market price, or use underutilized public land.
As the floodwaters that covered one-fifth of Pakistan recede, it is clear that new grain crops on landlords' fields may not grow successfully for up to a year. But fast-maturing vegetable crops on newly allocated micro-plots could come much sooner, and on a repeating basis.
An area equal to 5 percent of the inundated lands would be sufficient to give 1/10th-of-an-acre plots to all of Pakistan's landless.
Huge amounts of assistance are now flowing into Pakistan from the world community, some for immediate relief, but some for the longer term. Islamabad and the provinces, with the support of the international community, should embrace giving microplots to the landless to ensure that the laborers who didn't drown in their landlord's fields are afforded a chance to build better lives for themselves, creating greater stability in Pakistan, and in turn furthering global security.
Roy Prosterman is the founder and chair emeritus of the Rural Development Institute and professor emeritus of law at the University of Washington. Mr. Prosterman has been nominated for The World Food Prize, the Hilton Humanitarian Award, the Alcan Prize, and the Nobel Peace Prize.


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The Rev. Walter Jackson Ong, a Jesuit scholar of language and its evolution as a means of communication, died on Aug. 12 in St. Louis. He was 90.
Father Ong, who taught and wrote at St. Louis University, a Jesuit institution, was the author most notably of ''Orality and Literacy.'' First published in 1982, it was most recently reissued as ''Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word 2000'' (Routledge, second edition).
A psychologist and onetime student of Marshall McLuhan, he focused, as McLuhan did, on the history of the word. But where McLuhan studied the historical changes from the written to the printed word and from there to the present-day electronic ''global village,'' Father Ong took what has been described as a more primitivist approach.
He studied the appearance of speech in the development of mankind, or orality as a means of communication. And he analyzed the emergence of a secondary orality in the form of computer languages, which, he wrote, ''do not grow out of the unconscious but directly out of consciousness.''
In that modern culture of secondary orality, he held, people do not learn language naturally as part of growing up. Instead, he argued, they absorb it from television, compact discs and computer programs.
Father Ong associated the spoken word in oral cultures with action, strength and unity. By contrast, the written word in literate cultures denoted, in his view, something internalized, isolating and apt to keep a distance between the reader and the read.
He studied communication in its various forms, from oral traditions to print culture, from manuscripts to cyberspace.
Father Ong wove his theological, psychological and philosophical insights to show the contrasts he saw between morality and literacy. He was considered an outstanding postmodern theorist, whose ideas spawned college courses and were used to analyze anything from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s soaring oratory to subway graffiti.
Walter Ong was born in Kansas City, Mo., and graduated from Rockhurst College there in 1933 with a major in Latin. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1935, was ordained in 1946 and performed his priestly duties throughout his academic career.
He received a master's in English in 1940 at St. Louis University, where Marshall McLuhan supervised his thesis. He also received advanced degrees in philosophy and sacred theology at St. Louis University and, in 1955, a Ph.D. in English at Harvard.
He then taught at St. Louis University for 36 years. He was Haren professor of English and a humanities professor in psychiatry at the medical school until his appointment in the 1980's as university professor of hHumanities.
He served on President Lyndon B. Johnson's Task Force on Education in 1967, and was a member of the National Council on the Humanities and president of the Modern Language Association of America.


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MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) - November 12, 2009--SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) today announced that Judy Bruner, Executive Vice-President, Administration & CFO, will present to the investment community attending the 2009 Citi Sixth Annual Small and Mid Cap Conference in New York City on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 8:30 am Eastern Time. The session will be webcast and can be accessed live from SanDisk Corporation's Investor Relations website at www.sandisk.com/IR. A replay of the webcast will also be made available.
About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards, from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk's product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.
|Contact: SanDisk Corporation
Jay Iyer, 408-801-2067
|SOURCE: SanDisk Corporation