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The slate, south east facing Leistenberg vineyard habitually produces exceptional Kabinetts and in 2016 this is a very finely tuned, mouth-watering, classic rendition, full of fine green apple notes, white flowers and lime juice. Precise, feather light and very moreish.
Contains Sulphites.
The Dönnhoff family bought a modest estate in the Nahe in the 1750s. In 1971 current owner, Helmut Dönnhoff produced his first vintage and has not looked back since. A regular on the shortlist of 'German Winemaker of the Year' and actual winner in 1999, Helmut's work is helping the Nahe to take a share of the plaudits showered on the more internationally renowned German wine regions of the Mosel and the Rheingau. His cool, calm demeanour is a stark contrast to the demonic fervour with which he tends his vineyards. Only the best hand-picked fruit will do, in order to produce wines that are honest refl ections of the Riesling grape and the terroir its planted in whether it be the volcanic soils of the Kupfergrube (copper mine), the deep, cool Brücke, the slate/sandstone Hermanshöhle or the slate of the Leistenberg. Fermentation is in the traditional large old wooden casks and there is a light filtration before bottling. Some of Germany's most intense, bewitching and mouthwatering wines, that mixes Rheingau body with Mosel minerality.
The Nahe comprises vineyards that occupy each bank of the river Nahe, to the south of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. The wines are often characterised by spice, red apple notes and intense minerality, and in the hands of producers like Hermann Donnhoff can be some of Germany's greatest wines.
One of the world's noblest grape varieties, Riesling produces scented, refreshing, mineral wines from dry to lusciously sweet. Its bad reputation, tarnished by the cloying and completely unrelated Liebfraumilch, is one of the wine world's great injustices. Its heartland is the steep Mosel and Rheingau valleys of Germany, where it produces floral spritzy off-dry to medium wines packed with lime and apple fruit or, when affected by botrytis, honeyed apricot characteristics. In Alsace, Austria's Wachau and Germany's Franken there are some exhilarating, complex dry versions that work very well with Oriental fusion foods, as well as some stunning sweet versions. Some superb lively fruit-forward styles are cropping up in New Zealand, Constantia in South Africa and the cooler parts of Australia and California.
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IB stands for In Bond. Wines that are stored In Bond have not had UK Duty and VAT paid on them.
Most of our wines are available for purchase under bond, as fine wines often need to be laid down in order to allow them to mature. Many clients choose therefore to store them in our bonded warehouse and pay the tax as and when they wish to get the wines delivered. Please note that Wines purchased In Bond can be exported to non-EU countries without the need for Duty and VAT to be paid.
DP stands for duty paid. If you wish to get wines delivered for drinking, the duty and VAT will need to be paid as it leaves its bonded state in the warehouse. The wine is then said to be duty paid.
All taxes must be paid in order for us to be authorised to ship or deliver wine (unless the wine is bonded and being moved to another bonded warehouse or being shipped directly outside of the EU.)
EP stands for En Primeur. These wines are currently held with the Estate and Domaine's we work with and will be shipped in due course.
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Members of heavy metal band Korn have paid tribute to their former tour guitarist Shane Gibson following his death this week.
Gibson passed away at an Alabama hospital on Tuesday aged 35 after suffering complications relating to a blood clotting disorder.
The musician acted as the band's tour guitarist for three years from 2007 and also played in frontman Jonathan Davis' sideproject group The SFAs.
Members of Korn have now paid tribute in a statement which reads, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Shane Gibson's friends, fans and family following the passing of our dear friend. Shane Gibson was Korn's touring guitarist from 2007 to 2010 and a member of Jonathan Davis' solo band, The SFAs. He will be greatly missed."
The band's full-time guitarist, Brian 'Head' Welch, also offered his own tribute, praising Gibson for helping out following his departure in 2005.
He says, "I've never had the pleasure of meeting Shane, but I'm honored he was able to fill my spot after I left Korn. He was an amazing guitarist. Hopefully we can jam together in the next life. RIP brother."
His bandmate James 'Munky' Shaffer adds, "Shane Gibson, you were an amazing guitar player and an amazing person. Your kindness and talent will be missed. I'm very fortunate to have known you."
In 2010, Gibson formed avant-garde metal group stOrk, which is due to release a second album this month.
Members of heavy metal band Korn have paid tribute to their former tour guitarist Shane Gibson following his death this week.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hylas-1 in place for launch
Hylas-1 reached its launch site yesterday, still on schedule for today's Ariane 5 launch to orbit from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
The innovative telecommunications satellite had already been sealed within its Ariane 5 launch fairing, alongside co-passenger Intelsat 17. This took place in the Final Assembly Building last Friday, 21 November.
So on 25 November, the complete launcher plus its payloads were transferred on a huge 2000-tonne mobile launch platform to the Ariane Launch Complex No.3.
A powerful diesel truck pulled the platform along the 2-km long road to the launch site, sticking to a maximum speed limit of 5 km/h. The entire journey took about half an hour.
The mission remains on track for launch today, with promising weather reports for this evening, within a launch window between 19.39 and 22.54 CET. The launch can be seen live from ESA's Hylas-1 mini-site (see right hand link).
Providing European broadband coverage as well as TV distribution and other services, Hylas-1 is ESA's first public-private partnership to result in an operational mission. ESA's contribution centres on Hylas-1's advanced communications payload. The bulk of the mission is financed by commercial operator Avanti Communications.


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Is the St. Vrain Valley becoming better educated?
How do you even determine that?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "educated" as "having an education beyond the average; giving evidence of training or practice." At Dictionary.com, the definition includes "having undergone education; … based on some information or experience."
On the other hand, Mark Twain once said, "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."
With apologies to Mr. Clemens, we'll have to look at schooling to answer to our question.
The St. Vrain Valley School District has seen its graduation rates increase for several years; 81.6 percent of all students, including those at alternative schools, and 89.1 percent of those at the traditional schools, graduated in 2012.
Since the Colorado Department of Education regularly changes how it determines that graduation rate, current data can't be compared to rates from 10 years ago.
However, U.S. Census data show that among 18- to 24-year-old Longmont men, 19 percent had not earned high school diplomas in 2011, compared with 34.2 percent in 2000. Among women in that age group, 14.6 percent had not earned high school diplomas in 2011, compared with 28.6 percent in 2000.
So it seems that far more St. Vrain Valley residents are graduating from high school. In today's economy, though, a high school diploma alone won't get you too far.
Four-year degrees provide one path
According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics release regarding wages in the fourth quarter of 2012, workers with only high school diplomas earned a median wage of $647 a week or $33,644 a year; those with bachelor's degrees earned a median salary of $1,168 a week or $60,736 a year.
The percentage of Longmont residents with bachelor's degrees — not including those with more advanced degrees — increased to 22.4 percent in 2011 from 19.6 percent in 2000, according to the U.S. Census.
So it's not surprising that enrollment at the University of Colorado at Boulder has been increasing. Enrollment of undergraduate and graduate students reached 29,278 students in the fall of 2012, a 12.5 percent increase since 2000, according to the university's website.
While the number of liberal arts students has outpaced the overall growth, the increase in engineering students is outstanding: Enrollment in the engineering department has increased 30.9 percent since 2000.
That's not by accident.
"We have made a commitment to increase engineering (enrollment) … to help meet the needs of the local and regional workforce growth," Provost Russell Moore said in February.
The school has added other programs, as well, to help meet the needs of businesses and students, including a doctorate in Asian languages and civilizations; master's and doctoral degrees in architecture; a master's in telecommunications; and a doctorate in German studies.
German studies?
Students had been losing interest in CU's German language program, but some new faculty members proposed integrating it with liberal arts or business and revitalized the program, Moore said.
And, it turns out, there's a market in Colorado for those who know Germany.
"Germany is Colorado's second-largest trading partner" said Jeffery Cox, associate vice chancellor for faculty affairs.
Associate degrees offer alternative routes
But you don't have to commute out of Longmont to get an education that leads to a better-paying job.
Opportunities to earn associate's degrees abound, from Front Range Community College on the city's south side to the Institute of Business and Medical Careers on the north.
IBMC opened in Longmont in September 2010 and expanded its campus in 2012. The school has about 250 students — "about where we want to be at this point," Steve Steele, president of IBMC, said in February.
With that enrollment, the school can keep its classes small, yet offer several programs. In Longmont, the school offers programs in health, business, paralegal and massage, with business administration and paralegal studies the most popular, Steele said.
Students usually have a life event, such as a layoff, a divorce or even their children starting school or going off to college, that triggers their interest in a new career, he said.
The average age of IBMC students is 27, and most are looking to start a second career, he said. The youngest student is 171/2 — an early high school graduate — and the oldest is 62, he said.
"They don't have a lot of time; they don't have lots of money," Steele said. "Something is pushing them to go back to college."
The appeal of earning an associate's degree or technical certification can be seen in enrollment increases at Front Range Community College's Boulder County campus in Longmont.
Since 2003, enrollment has been growing, no matter how you count it. The number of full-time equivalent students was 1,942 in 2012, an increase of 25.9 percent since 2003. When you count heads, 4,946 students were on campus in the fall, a 10.5 percent increase from 2003, the college reported.
Enrollment peaked in 2011, with 2,008 FTE students and 5,069 actual students, according to college officials.
One of Front Range's perennially popular programs, nursing, has long had a waiting list; space limits the classes to 24 students at a time, said Tammi Bailey, director of nursing education.
Changes in health care are changing how nursing students are educated, she said.
"The nurses have to be sharper than they were before," Bailey said, pointing out that hospital patients are sicker than they used to be, and medical care involves more technology than it did in the past.
"We have to start teaching nurses how to think, how to problem-solve," Bailey said.
The outlook for jobs requiring associate degrees or vocational training is quite healthy, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of jobs for medical sonographers is expected to increase 44 percent; for therapy assistants, 41 percent; and for dental hygienists, 38 percent.
Steele doesn't see the various types of colleges in and around Longmont as competing against each other, and encourages potential students to explore all their options.
"It takes all of the education experiences to meet the needs and the demands," Steele said.


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2013 HCI Human Capital Summit
Building Successful and Adaptive Talent
Management in a VUCA Environment
The HCI Human Capital Summit has an acclaimed reputation for spotlighting the latest trends, actionable strategies, and the best speakers, and 2013 is no exception. Our focus this year: how to be a successful HR executive in a "VUCA" environment. What is VUCA you ask? A term originating in the U.S. military, it describes an environment characterized by constant Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. Sound familiar? Of course it does — it's your company and the complex marketplace in which it competes.
As an HR executive, you know the human capital (and personal) implications of this environment: the challenges it poses to your executive team and the task of developing them for it, the difficulties you face in workforce planning even a couple quarters out, and the impact it has on the engagement, productivity, and retention in your workforce. This year, HCI dedicates its Human Capital Summit to what is perhaps the executive human capital management challenge of the 21st century: the leading and management of talent in a permanent VUCA world.
The Human Capital Summit will be looking at VUCA in relation to 4 deep-dive tracks:
- Acquisition/Recruitment
- Workforce Planning/Business Strategy
- Learning/Leadership Development
- Engagement/Social Media
How Does a VUCA Environment Change Talent Acquisition and Recruitment?
VUCA brings a continually changing set of required employee skills and job duties creating a huge gap between the needed and the available skill sets
Candidates who are versatile, who can handle multiple responsibilities and job functions are the new rockstars
You'll find dramatic shifts in the volume and quality of applications and frequent changes in offer acceptance rates
Movement in and out of the organization will be more organic — some areas will be hiring quickly while other areas will drop employees just as fast.
You'll find fluid job descriptions are necessary for continually evolving job descriptions and hiring standards that reflect the continually changing work
Acquisition/Recruitment Track — Preliminary Session Descriptions
- Innovations and Roadblocks to Developing Agile Talent Acquisitions in a VUCA World
- Creating the Hottest Branding to Attract the Coolest Talent
- Rapid Fire Recruiting — Quality Hires Under Budget Fast
- Coping with Constant Change in Talent Requirements
- Becoming Agile on a Budget: Using Social Media and Other Free Tools to Attract Talent
- Keeping Potential Hires On the Hook: Communication Strategies for Today's Potentials and Tomorrow's Future Hires
How Does a VUCA Environment Change Your Organization's Workforce Planning?
You will find contingent labor a vital part of the workforce, needed in order to increase your capability to meet sudden upturns, downturns, and new skill needed. Organizational agility now requires a fast ebb and flow of talent in strategic areas to stay aligned with corporate goals.
You will need to develop the capability for rapid hiring for sudden needs through poaching, with pre-identifying talent pools and by building professional communities.
Look for ways to quickly release talent — Develop the capability for rapidly releasing surplus and inappropriately skilled workers.
Workforce Planning and Business Strategy Track — Preliminary Session Descriptions
- Planning for Gaps in the Workforce and Available Talent
- Who's Your Big Data: Leveraging the Full Potential and Flexibility of the Workforce
- Using Contract Talent to Balance the Workforce in Volatile Times
- Integrating Workforce Planning into the Business Planning Cycle
Positioning HR as a Business Driver for Organizational Growth and Profits
Getting C-level Support for Development Initiatives-Communicating ROI To Gain Buy-In
How Does a VUCA Environment Change Your Engagement and Social Media Strategy?
Maximizing talents will be the key to workforce agility, find processes to proactively speed up the movement of employees internally to where they can have the greatest impact.
Look for quicker promotions and upward mobility for proven performers. If you're ready, you move forward. No more set waiting times until you qualify for a promotion.
Multi-faceted employees who are the most adaptable and can do a variety of jobs with increased responsibilities and will be rewarded and recognized.
Increased data on employee skills and potentials to better leverage the workforce — especially when integrated in the talent management process.
Engagement and Social Media Strategy Track — Preliminary Sessions
- Next Generation Collaborative Practices, Tools, and Technologies for the VUCA world
- Low-Cost Engagement Strategies that Work in VUCA Environments
- Engaging and Retaining High Potentials in VUCA times: Adaptive Programs that Generate Enthusiasm and Excitement
- How "Best Companies" Achieve Engagement at the Management Level
- Valuing New Social Rewards and Recognition - Big Impact Strategies and Programs That Gain Trust and Loyalty
- Using Engagement Strategies to Drive Business and Tap New Trends
How Does a VUCA Environment Change Learning and Leadership Development?
Organizations will need rapid learning — learning leaders must increase the speed of individual and organizational learning.
This means a continuous development of new communications and learning tools.
You must prioritize talent management so that it focuses on innovators, game-changers, and pioneers who are essential for success in a VUCA environment.
Generational changes will occurs every 6 years instead of 20 — so be prepared for major culture shifts.
Successful leadership now requires a completely new set of skills that focus on agility, flexibility, and in developing a "just-in-time" solutions capability within the team.
Learning and Leadership Development Track — Preliminary Session Descriptions
- New Leadership Skills and Competencies for the 21st Century
- Succession Planning in an Unstable Environment
- Identification, Development, and Engagement of High Potentials in a VUCA Environment
- Learning Strategies that Drive Innovation and New Business Revenue
- Virtual and Social Communities that Engage, Instruct, and Create Fresh Business Opportunities
- The Role of HR in Fostering and Developing Innovation and Leadership
Register Today!
This year's Summit is singularly focused on bringing you the freshest, most innovative case studies from thought leaders who have achieved new levels of excellence in driving innovation and thriving in a VUCA environment. In just 2 1/2 days you will experience how the leading strategies and programs have helped propel organizations of all sizes to significant growth, increased performance, and in building a collaborative culture focused on Innovation, risk taking and creativity!
Join your peers at the 2013 Human Capital Summit and leave with actionable strategies that have been tested and proven by the world's leading organizations. Enjoy bench marking and networking with peers, learn about the latest programs and technologies on the market, and arrive back at the office with a binder full of new ideas
To reserve your seat to hear from our excellent keynote speakers and to learn how to transform your talent organization, please contact Shane Lennon anytime at 866.538.1909 x1904 or firstname.lastname@example.com. For speaker submissions and inquiries please contact Shane York at email@example.com Yes... two different people named Shane.
Highlights from the 2012 HCI Human Capital Summit
What People said about the 2012 HCI Human Capital Summit
Earn Credits Towards Leading Industry Certifications — With Live or Virtual Attendance!
View Brochure
Learn more about the conference and view the full agenda.
Keep Me Updated
Stay up to date on the latest 2013 HCI Human Capital Summit happenings and news!


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Your Shopping bag (0)
Be advised that changing your location will remove the contents from your bag.
* Unfortunately we do not currently offer online shopping in these locations.
Designed with a distinctive shape inspired by our original trunks, the RIMOWA Trunk is a timeless classic engineered to offer travellers optimum capacity and long-lasting performance.
See airline compatibility
Each of our suitcases features TSA-approved locks that can be opened by security during airline baggage checks without causing any damage.
Packed items are kept in perfect order during transit with the height adjustable Flex Divider, which can be adapted to suit your belongings.
Pioneered by RIMOWA, this high-end system guarantees stable and effortless steering thanks to ball-bearing mounted wheels with cushioned axels.
Engineered to offer seamless stage-free adjustment for maximum comfort and smooth manoeuvrability.


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|Photograph © Rick Sammon
Until the end of the year, I am offering a one-time/personal, high-res download of one of my top selling images: "Here Comes The Sun." The cost is $9.99.
You can download the image from my SmugMug gallery and make your own print or screen saver.
If you are new to downloading images from SmugMug, here's how to do it.
Select an image in a gallery. Click on Buy.
Click on Downloads and make your purchase.
That's it!
Hey, if you are not using this feature in SmugMug to make yourself a few bucks, give it a try.
And if you don't have a SmugMug Pro account, you can save 20 percent by using this code: RICKSMUG20.
Explore the light,


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|All DLC available
|Prepaid or contract
|immediately online
|10 - 120 slot available
|10 GB for Maps and Mods
Configure your Gameserver here
Available Gameserver Services
Your payment options
Accepted Payment Methods
Online account credits and donations
The new account system at NGZ.
Order your server and use it as long as you have funds on your online account. Once the credits are used up your server will simply be shut down. There is no need to cancel it. Simply add funds to your account for the time that you want to use your server. You can also use the funds to rent other services. Easy and simple - this is the gameserver hosting of today.
Donation system
Use our donation system to finance your servers. Just use the donation link - that you can find in your webinterface - and place it on your website or give it to friends. Anyone of your community or your clan can donate to your server by following the link and select an amount and the desired payment method.
ARK Survival Evolved server rental
Copyright 2016 by United Gameserver GmbH. All rights reserved.V188.8.131.528


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Hannity on health risk of mercury to pregnant women and children: "This is silly"
After listening to a description of the health risks of mercury to pregnant women and their children by environmental advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president of the Waterkeeper Alliance and vice president of Riverkeeper, FOX News Channel host Sean Hannity dismissed the subject as "silly" despite governmental evidence of the prevalence and seriousness of the problem.
From the August 3 edition of FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes:
KENNEDY: It's coming from the power plants. We know a lot about mercury. One out of every six American women now has so much mercury in her womb that her children are at risk for a grim inventory of diseases, including autism, blindness, mental retardation, permanent cognitive impairment.
I have so much mercury in my body -- I recently had it tested -- that Dr. David Carpenter, who is the national authority on mercury, told me that if a woman of child-bearing years had the same levels that I did, that she her -- that she would have a child that would have permanent cognitive impairment.
KENNEDY: Now listen, the Clinton administration, recognizing this problem, classified mercury as a hazardous pollutant under the Clean Air Act, which required those utilities to remove the mercury, 90 percent of it, within three and a half years. They can do it. It will cost less than 1 percent of the revenues of the plant.
PAT HALPIN [Filling-in for co-host Alan Colmes]: Now, Sean, you ought to be concerned about that.
HANNITY: This is silly.
Kennedy's assertion that the high levels of mercury are "coming from the power plants" is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which notes that "coal-fired electric power plants are the largest source of human-caused mercury air emissions in the U.S. Power plants account for about 40% of total U.S. manmade mercury emissions." (According to the Center for Responsive Politics, President George W. Bush is the top recipient in 2004 of both coal and electric industry contributions.)
The EPA has supported Kennedy's claim that "one out of every six American women" are "at risk," and reported that "approximately 600,000 infants are born each year with blood mercury levels higher than 5.8 parts per billion, the EPA level of concern." The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry provides more information on the specific health risks for children posed by mercury: "[M]ercury's harmful effects that may be passed from the mother to the fetus include brain damage, mental retardation, incoordination, blindness, seizures, and inability to speak. Children poisoned by mercury may develop problems of their nervous and digestive systems, and kidney damage."
As Kennedy stated, and as the Associated Press noted on December 13, 2003, the Clinton administration "had listed mercury as a 'hazardous air pollutant.' The Bush administration would undo that by placing mercury ... under a less stringent category of the Clean Air Act, so it can be regulated using a program allowing companies to buy pollution credits from other plants." As The Washington Post noted on December 30, 2003, critics argue that this system allows "the White House and its allies in the utility industry" to subvert environmental standards in order to "allow power plants to continue polluting for another decade."
Later in the program, Kennedy mentioned the influence of "Latham & Watkins" in establishing the new regulations. As the Post reported on January 31, in the new rules constructed by the Bush administration to combat mercury emissions, "at least a dozen paragraphs were lifted, sometimes verbatim" from the suggestions of Latham & Watkins LLP, a law firm representing the energy industry.


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Gail Mercedes Cole
"Selling Dreams and Lifestyles"
The Hills Premier Realty
9595 Wilshire Blvd, Ste #900,
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
1(310) 853-9933
Contact Me
Search Westside Homes
Donate: Wounded Warrior Project
Gail Mercedes Cole (310) 853-9933
The Hills Premier Realty
9595 Wilshire Blvd, Ste #900, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
This is not intended as a solicitation of prospective buyers or sellers who already have an exclusive agency agreement with another agent. All information deemed accurate but not guaranteed, CalDRE#00788828
Copyright © 2018, All Rights Reserved
Based on information from CARETS as of 2019-09-16 14:30:43. The information being provided by CARETS is for the visitor's personal, noncommercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties visitor may be interested in purchasing. The data contained herein is copyrighted by CARETS, CLAW, CRISNet MLS, i-Tech MLS, PSRMLS and/or VCRDS and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited.
Any property information referenced on this website comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of CRISNet MLS and/or CARETS. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.


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The SKF ST-1240-GRAPH is a two-channel lubrication control centre that supports any combination of single-line, dual-line and progressive lubrication systems. The lubrication channels can be zones, separated by shut-off valves, or complete lubrication systems with separate pumping centres and varying lubricants. The ST-1240 control centre enables configuration in the field via an alphanumeric touchscreen display.Features and benefits:
- Automatic pump change (Dualset)
- Grease spraying control with air monitoring
- IP 65 protection rating
- Compatible with SKF Doser monitor
- Works with SKF Online 1440 control software


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Looking for best 90006 zip code Internet service providers? We found 9 high speed 90006 internet companies and 36 plans in 90006 zip code neighbourhoods. The cheapest 90006 internet available is $14.95 per month. DSL Extreme is offering 1Mbps DSL Internet for as low as $14.95 per month. The fastest 90006 internet is 1000 Mbps. AT&T is offering 1000 Mbps DSL Internet for as low as $70 per month.
Frontier Communications, Charter Communications, AT&T, DSL Extreme, Wave Broadband, HughesNet, Spectrum -Time Warner Cable, Viasat and Sonic are the best 90006 internet in your area. Compare below their plan, price, speed, features and get exclusive discounts for ordering online!
Best Internet providers in 90006 zip code are:
Frontier Communications offers voice, broadband, satellite video, wireless Internet data access, data security solutions, bundled offerings, specialized bundles for small businesses and home offices in 28 states.
Charter Communications, Inc. is a leading broadband communications company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. Charter provides advanced video, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to approximately 6 million residential and business customers in 28 states. Charter has invested billions in the communities it serves through infrastructure upgrades, allowing the company to deliver industry-leading video, high-speed Internet and phone service to homes and businesses.
- 100% of residents in 90006 zip code can get Charter Communications Cable Internet. The fastest speed Charter Communications customers can get in 90006 is 300 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.
AT&T is a fiber-optic ISP, Digital TV and Telephone service provider, available in 21 states of the United States. AT&T offers fastest Internet connection for both home and businesses. AT&T Internet speed for residential user ranges from 3 Mbps to 100 Mbps. In some location AT&T high speed Internet service offers up to 1 gigabit download speed.
- 100% of residents in 90006 zip code can get AT&T DSL Internet. The fastest speed AT&T customers can get in 90006 is 75 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.
DSL Extreme offers high speed DSL Internet services in select AT&T and Verizon market areas. To get DSL Extreme, you must have basic phone services from AT&T or Verizon. With speed up to 6 Mbps DSL Extreme offers enough download and upload speed for standard home usage.
Wave Broadband is a leading provider of video, internet and phone services on the West Coast, serving customers in communities in Washington, Oregon, and California. Wave Broadband is part of WaveDivision Holdings, LLC, which currently serves over 400,000 residential and business customers in Washington, Oregon, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area. WaveDivision Holdings is headquartered in Kirkland, Washington.
HughesNet operates North America's largest consumer satellite Internet network to deliver HughesNet services, and serving more Americans, in more places, over a longer period of time, than any other satellite Internet provider. With HughesNet as your high-speed satellite Internet service, your super-fast, always-on, satellite Internet access is ready when you are - no dialing in, no waiting, and no tied-up phone lines. And HughesNet is compatible with Windows and Macintosh, so it's easy to get online anywhere in the contiguous U.S.
Time Warner Cable (TWC), is the second largest cable provider and a leading provider of Internet, Digital TV and Digital Phone in the United States. Time Warner Cable offers cutting edge digital technology, a rich range of home entertainment and information choices for the whole family to enjoy, and superior service that demonstrates customer satisfaction is our number one priority. Time Warner Cable has an Internet plan for the ways you want to connect. You can choose from fast to super-ridiculous-crazy fast. Time Warner Cable offers download speed up to 50 Mbps.
- 100% of residents in 90006 zip code can get Spectrum -Time Warner Cable Cable Internet. The fastest speed Spectrum -Time Warner Cable customers can get in 90006 is 300 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.
Viasat is the global communications company that offers Wireless Internet services to consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world.
Sonic offers High speed Internet, Home Phone services in California. Sonic uses variety of technologies to deliver the fastest, unlimited and uncapped Internet service to you home.
- 12.5% of residents in 90006 zip code can get Sonic DSL Internet. The fastest speed Sonic customers can get in 90006 is 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload.
|Types of Service
|Download Speed
|Upload Speed
|Spectrum (Charter)
|(855) 371-3850
|Up to 300 Mbps
|Up to 20 Mbps
|(855) 371-2931
|Up to 75 Mbps
|Up to 20 Mbps
|Up to 5 Mbps
|Up to 1.5 Mbps
|Up to 6 Mbps
|Up to 0.768 Mbps
|Up to 100 Mbps
|Up to 100 Mbps
|Up to 100 Mbps
|Up to 3 Mbps
|Up to 25 Mbps
|Up to 3 Mbps
Source data: broadbandmap.fcc.gov
Spectrum (Charter) is the fastest DSL Internet Service Provider in 90006 zip code. Spectrum (Charter) delivers fast, reliable internet service in 90006, Los Angeles. Spectrum (Charter) offers speeds up to 300 Mbps and is the best option for speed where it's available.
The cheapest Internet Service Provider in 90006 zip code is $14.95 per month. DSL Extreme offers 1Mbps DSL Internet for as low as $14.95 per month.
If you live in an area where you are going to have many Internet providers to choose from, the best plan for you depends on what your needs along with a price you're happy to pay. To help in the decision making process, the following opinion will help you find best ISP which is based on the experiences of household with internet providers compared on factors including best value, speed, data, availability, customer service, contract, network performance and value for money.
90006 Zip Code Facts
|Los Angeles
|Los Angeles County
|Area Codes:
|213, 323, 310
|Time Zone:
|Population in 2010:
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QCSS has an exceptional Quality Assurance program. Be assured that all of our clients are being serviced with 100% integrity & quality.Learn More
Our philosophy on training is that it never stops. All of our agents are consistently groomed & taught new techniques to enhance the customer experience.Learn More
Our solid proven processes play a very large role in the success that we achieve in our programs.Learn More
What advantages do you gain by implementing a telemarketing campaign? Learn the advantages to outsourcing to a call center and learn why using QCSS as a preferred partner is the...Learn More
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Our state of the art dialing technology allows us to maximize productivity.Learn More
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Quality Customer Service & Sales has been nurturing relationships since 1991 with our call center & telemarketing services. QCSS has built some of the most advanced Smart Centers in the world; Complete Customer Engagement Centers. We are a United States call center & telemarketing firm, with multiple locations in the Midwest. We employ U.S. agents only. QCSS has extensive experience in both Business to Business (B2B) & Business to Consumer (B2C) markets to be your primary telemarketing solution.
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text:
This mess is actually a Van's Waffle (70cal,1wwpt) with 1/2 a cup of Fage O% (60cal, 1pt) and 34g of SF strawberry jam (20cal, opt). This is a really great combo. I usually add some oatmeal on the side, but I was in a hurry this morning.
I got the kids off to science camp at the Y and took a spin class. I am really enjoying spin. I like how much I sweat in it. It is great cross training and I feel like my legs look different already.
After spin we went to Cool Cut's to get Ryan a haircut. I tried to grow it out, but was tired of trying to untangle the rats nest in the back every morning. Now she looks like she has a home.
I am about to eat my lunch of broccoli, brussel sprouts, and an Earthgrain sandwich thin (100cal,1pt) with a Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb wedge (35cal,1pt) and 1/2 cup of egg whites (60cal,1pt).


text:
Airlines have gotten better at stuffing their planes—and squeezing you out. If a gate agent is all that stands between you and a timely arrival for Thanksgiving, remember to use the Kindly Brontosaurus. Jessica Winter's valuable tip from 2013 is reprinted below:
In her helpful Slate piece on how to avoid and mitigate flight delays, Amy Webb stresses that the savvy air traveler must invest energy in grooming the airport staff. "Stand next to the gate agent, even if they ask you to sit down," she writes. "Be polite but firm. … Ultimately, they just want you to go away and not be their problem anymore."
I endorse this strategy, and I would like to elaborate on it, because Slate readers deserve to know about a foolproof method of persuasion for securing a seat on a packed flight—and for that matter, for convincing authority figures of all stripes to give us things that aren't ours. This simple technique has an anodyne name that belies its hypnotic, even occult powers. It is known as the Kindly Brontosaurus.
A practitioner, nay, an artist, of the Kindly Brontosaurus method would approach the gate agent as follows. You state your name and request. You make a clear and concise case. And then, after the gate agent informs you that your chances of making it onto this flight are on par with the possibility that a dinosaur will spontaneously reanimate and teach himself to fly an airplane, you nod empathically, say something like "Well, I'm sure we can find a way to work this out," and step just to the side of the agent's kiosk.
Here is where the Kindly Brontosaurus rears amiably into the frame. You must stand quietly and lean forward slightly, hands loosely clasped in a faintly prayerful arrangement. You will be in the gate agent's peripheral vision—close enough that he can't escape your presence, not so close that you're crowding him—but you must keep your eyes fixed placidly on the agent's face at all times. Assemble your features in an understanding, even beatific expression. Do not speak unless asked a question. Whenever the gate agent says anything, whether to you or other would-be passengers, you must nod empathically.
Continue as above until the gate agent gives you your seat number. The Kindly Brontosaurus always gets a seat number.
I once gave up my seat on a miserably oversold JFK-to-Heathrow flight for cash and frequent flier miles, had second thoughts, and convinced a gate agent to put me back on the flight, after the gate had closed. (It was just before Christmas, too. The gate. It had closed.) This is the power of the Kindly Brontosaurus.
The Kindly Brontosaurus once shepherded me past a power-crazed downtown Manhattan bouncer into a Go-Betweens concert in 2001, a feat that was all the more remarkable considering I didn't have a ticket. The Kindly Brontosaurus once coaxed a formidable guard at the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg to allow a friend and me into a closed area of the museum.
The Kindly Brontosaurus once politely ushered me past a queue of about 1,000 people to get into a sardine-packed celebrity reading at the Union Square Barnes and Noble. The Kindly Brontosaurus once persuaded a former boss of mine to completely change course on a project, at some inconvenience to said boss. But how could said boss possibly say no to such a genial herbivore?
A colleague of mine once termed the move the "Powerful Supplicant," and said it would work best whilst wearing a monk's hood. My friend coined the superior "Kindly Brontosaurus" terminology after she participated in the Hermitage incident; she in turn got the term from another friend, who used it to describe a 6-foot-5-inch colleague's comportment as he leaned over a bassinet to look at her baby.
My science-minded colleagues at Slate may object to this nomenclature, as the Brontosaurus never existed; the correct term for our gentle giant is Apatosaurus. But I think this bit of paleontological imprecision only enhances the Kindly Brontosaurus' mythological, unicorn-like aura. He is a fabled beast with secret superpowers, blinking his doe-like eyes at the honorable gate agent, docilely chewing whatever brand of foliage is for sale at Hudson News as the agent travels, in his own time and on his own terms, toward the correct and rational decision to do whatever the Kindly Brontosaurus wants him to.
Why does it work? I called Dr. Lillian Glass, resident body language expert on Dancing With the Stars and Millionaire Matchmaker, to ask. "The body language of the Kindly Brontosaurus is respectful and nonthreatening," she says. "There's a humility, so you allow the other person to feel empowered. Since you've made them feel like king of the jungle, they're more receptive to you." Glass adds that the Kindly Brontosaurus can apply not just in customer service contexts but with parents, spouses, children, and "toxic employees."
So lean in, apprentice brontosauri! Your greatest prehistoric advocate stands poised to ease you patiently through life, lumbering gracefully beside you, ready to nudge open any closing door with an intuitive flick of the tail. A final piece of advice: When you get on that plane, don't forget to order the vegetarian meal.


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10.04 Webcam wont work. any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Popular Guides
View more guides at Linux Wiki Guides
This is a compatibility guide to running Linux with the Acer Aspire 8930G laptop.
This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which modules you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required modules have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.
This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Acer Aspire 8930G. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the Acer Aspire 8930G page on LapWik.
If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.
For full specifications see the Acer Aspire 8930G specifications page.
|Acer Aspire 8930G
|Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9400
|18.4" WUXGA Widescreen
|Up to 4GB
|Up to 640GB
|Optical Drive
|NVIDIA® GeForce 9700M GT
|Ethernet, Intel 5100 802.11abgn, Bluetooth
|Optical Drive
|Blu Ray/HDMI Blu Ray both work, although there is yet no way of playing Blu-Ray movies in Linux.
|Works (NOT SUSE 11)
|But not out of the box, had to update Nvidia drivers before activation.RESOLUTION LIMITED TO 1680 ON SUSE 11. Waste of money to buy such expensive hw when it cannot be used.
|finally out of the box since a while now (march2010)
|Out of the box
|Out of the box
|Out of the box
|56K Modem
|Card Reader
|Needed tweaking, re: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=921637. Adding pciehp.pciehp_force=1 to kernel parameters in /boot/grub/menu.lst fixes this.
|ExpressCard Slot
|Adding pciehp.pciehp_force=1 to kernel parameters in /boot/grub/menu.lst fixes this.
|Fingerprint Reader
|Not Tested
|Remote Control
|Problem area
You can enter any specific notes with running Linux on the Acer Aspire 8930G here.
You can enter a summary of how well the Acer Aspire 8930G works with Linux here.
Install cheese
sudo apt-get install cheese
that should make the camera work at least in ubuntu 9.10 it still works
I havent installed 10.04 yet but planning to do after i sended back for garantee.
I do have some questions What does work using Ubuntu 10.04 and what does not?
- Fingerprint (very important to know)
Could also be bad hardware. The webcam on mine stopped working and wouldn't even work when I booted into windoze. If you still have windoze installed, see if it registers there. If it works in windoze, then you need to work on your install. If it don't work in windoze, it probably needs to be RMA'd or fixed
Found out… Fn + F7 solves the disabling touchpad thingy. Some times rtfm solves it. :)
Hey! Great guide.
I put in xubuntu 9.10 today. Three major problems.
1. How do i deactivate the touchpad? (Cant find anything in /etc/X11/xorg.conf regarding the touchpad.)
2. Screenresolution. My maximum is 1680 x 945. And I want 1920 x 1080.
3. Only sound in the front speakers. Not on the… "Dolby Home Theater" speaker.
Best Regards
Ive just installed 9.10 on the Acer Aspire 6920G. Most of the things are the same as the 8930.
- Graphics
- Sound + internal Mic (you have to set it on mic 2 not 1 to get it to work)
- Wlan + LAN
- Bluetooth Sending - Receiving didnt but i think it was the phones fault.
- 2 other buttons between bluetooth and wlan only one works because the second tries to open emailclient but dont have any emailclients on it.
- cinedash
- Internal webcam
- SDCard Reader
- FingerPrint Reader
- Infra Remote Control
- Express Card
Installed Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) on Thursday and everything works out of the box as far as I can tell. Haven't tried USB or Bluetooth though. Sound works, graphics work, WLAN works.
I'm happy!
I tested Karmic Koala Alpha 5 - The sound works out of the box on it (It has newer versions of ALSA, I'm guessing).
can someone please post their /etc/X11/xorg.conf file please. I can't get sax2 to change to the full 1920×1080 resolution.
Thanks Clive, works with ubuntu 8.10 also, added the line to the file (which was empty), rebooted and now have sound.
Has anyone tried the upgrade to Jaunty? I tested the live cd, sound didnt work, same fix as before? Dont want to risk an upgrade without some info on how to fix some the problems.
Have a look at hdverb and download the newest alsa-driver. But everytime you upgrade the latest version of kernel, you have tou recompile the alsa-sources.
Sorry for my bad english.
I've found a good fix for the "no sound" problem on Ubuntu Jaunty.
My thanks to the original poster. It got the sound working on my 8930.
add "options snd-hda-intel model=auto" without quotes at the end of this file "/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf".
You can use gedit, kate or your favorite text editor like this :
gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
Ubuntu 8.10 on Aspire 8920G
Installed uBuntu Linux as the OEM installation of Vista was 32 bit. Ubuntu installed extremely easily as dual boot (HDD was partitioned by Acer). It boots up fast - and runs same apps faster than Vista - as is to be expected. I was surprised how easily it installed a CDMA modem - which have given me grief on other computers to configure. Prints and scans fine. Screen has excellent res. Colours are great too. Wireless and Bluetooth work.
Initially these don't work: sound, touchpad, fingerprint reader, and I still don't know about the webcam and BluRay. In the next few days as I get time I'll try to look into those issues.
Even with these minor problems I'm over the moon with the installation. The system is very fast - which makes me happy.


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ITHACA, NY — Ithaca College has once again been included on the Campus Pride list of the 25 colleges and universities whose policies, programs and practices are most friendly to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. The list was compiled by Campus Pride in partnership with The Huffington Post.
"Each has demonstrated in policy, program and practice inclusion and safety for LGBT and ally student populations," said Campus Pride executive director Shane Windmeyer of the top 25. "It is also important to recognize the 300-plus additional colleges that have 'come out' as LGBT-friendly on the Campus Pride Index, regardless of their star rating. Every student deserves to feel safe on campus, and all of these colleges are committed to creating a more LGBT-friendly campus."
Other institutions earning a spot in the top 25 included Cornell University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Oberlin College and Carleton College.
Campus Pride is the nation's leading educational organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students. Launched in 2007, the Campus Pride Index rates institutions from one to five stars, depending on their answers to a detailed, voluntary questionnaire. For the third consecutive year, IC earned a five-star rating in the index.
Campus Pride has previously listed IC as being one of the top-10 trans-friendly colleges and universities and having one of the nation's 10 most LGBT-friendly college sports programs. The college's Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services actively fosters the academic success and personal growth of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and offers college-wide services to enhance the campus community's understanding and appreciation of LGBT people and themes.
For more information on the Campus Pride Index, visit www.campusprideindex.org. For more information on the Ithaca College LGBT Center, visit www.ithaca.edu/lgbt.


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(Camelus dromedarius)
There are two species of camels, the dromedary has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries, the species of camel we have here at Australia Zoo, are a domestic animal used in dry desert areas. While the dromedary camel's ancestors were native to west Asia, today the only wild camels are feral, having escaped or been released back into the wild, right here in Australia.
Camels typically graze on shrubs, leaves and grasses. They will tackle thorny bushes, saltbushes and other plants which most animals can't eat.
The breeding season for camels depends on the availability of food and the climate so the season will vary depending on where in the world the camel lives.
A female camel, called a cow, is pregnant for just over one year. In the wild, camels will usually only have one baby every two years.
How big can I get?
The average life expectancy of a camel is 40 to 50 years of age. A full grown camel can get to about 1.85 metres tall at the shoulder and 2.15 metres if you measure to the hump. The hump normally rises about 76cm out of the body.
Camels are super cool. They are observant and have really good memories so they can be taught easily.
Awesome Adaptations
The camel's hump actually stores fat, not water as commonly believed. The fat in their hump is a source of energy, but also minimises heat trapping in the rest of their body, which helps them to keep cool.
Camels can also withstand long periods without water. Their red blood cells are oval shaped, unlike other mammals which have circular red bloods cells. This helps with blood flow when they are dehydrated. These cells are also built to withstand camels drinking huge amounts in one sitting. A camel can drink up to 150 litres in one drink.
Seen those big wide feet? Well a camel's widened feet and the way they walk, called their gait, helps them not to sink into sand.


text:
VANCEBORO -- Mariah Harris doesn�t live the typical teenage lifestyle.
VANCEBORO -- Mariah Harris doesn�t live the typical teenage lifestyle.
When her friends are out having fun, she is at home taking care of other priorities, and larger responsibilities.
Harris� life changed on March 18, 2012.
She gave birth to a daughter -- Alora -- four days before she turned 17.
�Everybody has that thought of, �should I keep the baby or should I not?,� maybe adoption or something else,� Harris said. �My mom�s religious values would not allow that.�
Harris is a star athlete, playing pitcher and outfield, for two softball teams.
She plays ball at West Craven High School in the spring, then turns her attention toward showcase ball, the N.C. Chaos, during the offseason.
Her focus has always been on bettering herself as a softball player, and as a student. Then, in an instant, her responsibilities shifted.
Her mornings now start at 5:30 a.m. when Alora, now a healthy one-year old, awakes. Harris drops her daughter off at daycare, then goes to school where she is a senior at West Craven. She then heads to softball practice, then picks Alora up from daycare, works on homework, plays with her little girl and then gets her ready for bed.
�She loves to be read to, so I read to her like three books a night,� Harris said. �I have grown up a lot. I�m not going to lie, every teenager loves to party and all that stuff.
It�s hard to balance out seeing my friends do all of that because I want to do it too, but I put myself in this situation to become a mom.�
Moving forward
While finding out, at just 17 years old, she was going to be a mom, Harris didn�t let it deter her from reaching her dreams.
She is planning on playing softball next year at Johnson C. Smith, a Division II college in Charlotte.
Harris already has a plan. She is going to major in biology, then work to be an officer in the Coast Guard.
While she is off in college, Alora�s father, and Mariah�s family will watch over the bright-eyed girl.
�People will look down on you for being so young and being a mother,� Harris said. �Stuff happens in life, but it depends on how you take it.
�A child doesn�t stop you. I feel like by having a child and coming back and playing sports, some people should feel like, �hey she didn�t quit and she is doing something.�
I appreciate it if you are pushing me, but if you are downing me, I am going to come out on top and proving you wrong.�
Back to the sport she loves
Harris played softball up until she was seven months pregnant with Alora. She resumed softball activities three weeks after giving birth.
She missed an entire season, her junior year, for the West Craven Eagles. But playing travel ball with the N.C. Chaos, Harris was scouted by the coaching staff of Johnson C. Smith.
�It feels great to know that a college coach didn�t look past me because I have a child,� Harris said. �They looked at my talent and not my background.
�My dream has always been to play college softball.�
Harris returned to the diamond for West Craven, and in her senior season, she became an instant impact player -- leading the Eagles to their first playoff appearance in a decade.
She pitched nearly 85 percent of the innings, posting an ERA of 2.03 in 18 games. At the plate, Harris had a .366 batting average.
�With me playing sports, my want to go to college has become a need,� Harris said. �I need to go to school to get out of here and get a great paying job to take care of (Alora) and give her everything she needs or wants.
�My childhood was good and I want her to have the same thing.�
Her pride and joy
Alora�s first words were �eat eat.� It then progressed to �momma.�
Harris, now at 18 years old, is celebrating her second Mother�s Day.
�I have a lot of pride in (Alora),� Harris said. �That little girl is my everything. I would do anything for her. I want her to know that everything I�m doing is for her.�
While most teen moms stress out at the notion of having a child at such a young age, Harris is taking a different approach.
At the time Harris found out she was pregnant, she was worried she let her family down, and she wished she would have waited until she was older.
But, such is life, Harris can�t erase the past. She wouldn�t trade Alora for the world.
�Having a child is what you make of it,� she said. �You just need to keep moving forward. Don�t let anybody stop you. A child is only a pause in your life.
�It doesn�t stop you completely. If anything, your child should motivate you to do better.�
Harris said the most rewarding part of her day is hearing her daughter say �momma� on a daily basis.
�Just having her be a part of my life, and seeing her smile everyday, lets me know I am doing something right,� she said. �Her giving me hugs and kisses, that lets me know I am appreciated.�
Adam Thompson can be reached at 252-635-5669 or at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Adam on Twitter @Adam_matic.


text:
The price of gold fell sharply Wednesday, marking its biggest one-day drop in three weeks, but some professional traders remain bullish on the precious metal.
From the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange, trader Anthony Grisanti said he likes gold [GCCV1 1723.10 6.60 (+0.38%) ] for several reasons. To start, he pointed out that the price of gold fell after a single customer sold 15,000 contracts of gold as soon as the market opened Wednesday.
"Let me put that in context — we've already done, by 10 o'clock this morning, the volume we usually do in gold for a day," said Grisanti, founder and president of GRZ Energy. "These weren't new shorts coming into the ring. These were longs that were liquidating. Profit taking." More...
More Top Stories:
Then, as today, societies were uncertain about which model of society to strive for and how to repair monetary systems. Societies bet on the wrong ideas; we may be committing similar mistakes now.
Many people draw parallels between today and the 1930s, labeling this the Great Recession. They note the high unemployment rate, referring not to the mismeasured, official statistic, but to the number more than double that rate, which also accounts for those who dropped out from the labor force and are no longer counted as "unemployed." Others worry about the deflationary risk, the dollar devaluation, and the status of the U.S. dollar as reserve currency. More...Would a one-dollar coin save Americans money?
Here is an article noting that the U.S. Treasury would save $147 million by switching its $1 note with a $1 coin, but that proposal faces opposition not only from the supplier of paper, but also from a majority of Americans.
From a Swedish perspective, changing to a $1 coin would seem natural considering that here the highest valued coin, the 10 krona coin, is worth more, roughly $1.5, 6 times more that of the highest valued U.S. coin and 1.5 times more than a $1 coin would be worth.
Still, even stranger from a Swedish perspective is however the coins that are still around, especially the penny. More...
Featured Commentary:
A new gold standard is crucial. The disasters that the Federal Reserve and other central banks are inflicting on us with their funny-money policies are enormous and underappreciated. An unstable dollar is wreaking havoc on our capital markets, depriving us of money for productive enterprises and future enterprises while subsidizing government debt on a scale never before seen in U.S. history. The zero-interest-rate policy destroys capital by punishing savers and enabling the central bank to allocate where capital goes. By definition such central planning means subpar or negative returns. No one believes, given the finances of the U.S. government, that a ten-year Treasury bond should yield only 1.8%. More...
Market Trends:


text:
Shapleigh will hold its annual municipal election on Friday, March 8. Polls will be open at the Shapleigh Town Hall on Back Road from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On the ballot, Ruth Ham is running unopposed for a three-year term as selectman. Michelle Rumney also is uncontested in her bid for town treasurer for three years.
Jennifer Roux will appear on the ballot as a candidate for the RSU 57 director seat for a three-year term.
No candidates stepped forward to appear on the ballot for two three-year terms as trustees of the Shapleigh Community Library. Similarly, a five-year post as a budget committee member will be blank on the ballot.
Ralph G. Ridley will be on the ballot for his bid to be a Shapleigh Community Forest trustee for three years.
The positions listed as blank will need to be filled by write-in candidates.
Absentee ballots are available in the town clerk's office at the town hall. Requests for a mailed ballot may be made by calling 636-2839, ext. 415 or 413, by Tuesday, March 5, unless the voter completes a "special circumstances" application.
Also during the election, voters will answer the following question on a ballot: "Do you favor our State and Federal Congregational delegations holding hearings, in consultation with the National Academy of Science, to devise and implement a sustainable energy policy for the nation? (This policy must be based on peer-reviewed science and should seek to diminish polluting emissions.)
The Town of Shapleigh is currently undergoing a pre-audit by Terry J. Desmond, CPA.
Once Desmond's portion of the audit is complete, it will be turned over to Cummings, Lamont &Associates for its work on the final aspects of the audit.
As always, the complete audit will be printed in Shapleigh's 2012 Annual Town Report, which will be available before the annual town meeting on Saturday, March 9, at 10 a.m. at the Shapleigh Memorial School.
Newly hired Deputy Daniel Shaw has announced that his office hours will be held on the second Wednesday of each month from 4 to 5 p.m. Shaw will meet with residents upstairs in the Public Safety Building at 506 Shapleigh Corner Road. There is a chair lift installed in the back hallway for those who may find it difficult to climb the stairs.
Obviously, if there is an emergency or the deputy is dealing with a situation, that would take precedence over regular office hours.
Those who may wish to meet with Deputy Shaw to discuss any issues are encouraged to call 911 and explain it is not an emergency but that you wish to talk with him. Leave your name and telephone number, and that information will be passed on to him.
York County officials are in the process of trying to change the county's year from a calendar one to a fiscal one from July 1 through June 30. The reason is to allow the county a better cash flow and the chance to reduce the necessity of borrowing money for Tax Anticipation Notes (TANs).
Municipalities have the option of paying to the county in one lump or over a five-year period with interest. The Shapleigh Board of Selectmen has opted to pay one lump-sum rather than pay the interest associated with the extended payment period. The payment would be taken from undesignated funds, so that there would be no impact on the tax rate for 2013.
The Shapleigh Board of Selectmen meets at the Shapleigh Town Hall every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Selectmen also occasionally hold workshops throughout the week.
Shapleigh's selectmen are members of the 12 Town Group, which meets regularly on the third Monday of each month, excluding December, at 6:30 p.m. at the Waterboro Town Hall.
The Sanford and Shapleigh Dam Committee (SASDC) meets quarterly on a Friday at 8 a.m., alternately at Shapleigh Town Hall and Sanford City Hall.
Selectmen have awarded Carrie Benvie the bid to be the custodian for both Shapleigh's town hall and community library. Benvie was selected from the five bids that selectmen received.
The York County Center for Women, Work and Community (WW&C) has posted its list of winter-spring 2013 classes and events at the Shapleigh Town Hall.
Registration is required for all of the classes, which are held at the University College in Saco at 110 Main Street in Suite 1101, unless otherwise noted. Some of the subjects being offered include Career Planning: Find Your Place in Today's Job Market; Beyond Startup: Moving Your Business Forward; Tax Prep for the Self-Employed; My Money Works; Creating Your Future in the New Economy; MATURE Worker Event: Changes, Challengers and Opportunities in Today's Economy; and Marketing Yourself for New Employment.
For more information, call Ruth Graves at (207) 286-1722 or, toll free in Maine, (800) 442-2092 or visit online at www.womenworkandcommunity.org.
The Financial Authority of Maine (FAME) will hold a workshop at Massabesic High School on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 5:30 p.m. to assist parents and students in completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for college.


text:
Do you want to improve your logic and problem-solving skill? If so, Sudoku is a smart choice for you! It is fun, extremely addictive (you can't get your hands off it until you can solve it all!). You can play it anywhere and anytime, on the bus, train, lunch break or play it with your family on the dinner!
You don't have to be a math geek to be good at Sudoku Samurai! Remember that a practice is all it requires.
The newest version of SUDOKU Game: This MUST HAVE Brain Training version includes 100 Puzzles Very Hard Level for the beginner to get your idea around Sudoku Samurai. This book gives you a solid background for playing Sudoku, and is a great way to prepare you for the harder version.
This book includes these awesome features:
• How to play Sudoku Samurai
• 100 Very Hard Level Sudoku Samurai Puzzles
• There is one and only solution for every puzzles (don't waste your time playing multiple solution Sudoku!
• Full solution is included for every puzzles
• Carefully designed for Professional Level
NoiseTrade is a user-generated platform where fans can trade their email addresses for free music and books. All content is provided by users and does not indicate an endorsement from the Paste editorial staff. Create an artist or author account from a desktop or laptop to upload your own content and connect to new fans today.


text:
Lately, the only disagreements we've seen between analyst reports on Apple have been how good a quarter/year Apple had (or will have). Not so with Bernstein Research's Toni Sacconaghi, though. Scconaghi is bucking the trend and predicting that Apple won't meet its iPhone sales goals in 2008 thanks to carrier exclusivity agreements.
Sacconaghi says in his latest report, seen by AppleInsider, that while exclusive agreements with one carrier are great for profits, they may not be good for sales overall thanks to the high percentage of revenue that's being shared. Because the exclusive carriers operate in places with multiple providers, each of Apple's partners may only have a 25 to 40 percent share in their respective markets. Even worse, Apple may have to settle for a smaller revenue share in some future iPhone markets, which could lead to lower profits if it sticks with a single-carrier strategy.
Ultimately, Sacconaghi is predicting that less than half of the 10 million iPhones Apple wants to sell in 2008 will be bought in the US. That leaves north of 5 million iPhones to be sold in other countries, which he believes won't happen if Apple continues to focus on profits rather than selling lots of iPhones. The question is: does Apple want to sell beeeeelions more iPhones, or would it rather make mo' money on the ones it already sells?


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In November 2018 the online e-commerce company Amazon announced it would be building a second headquarters in New York City and Arlington, VA. The announcement came a year after the company announced it would accept proposals from any North American city who wanted to host the headquarters. Amazon said the company could invest over $5 billion and the offices would create up to 50,000 high paying jobs. More than 200 cities applied and offered Amazon millions of dollars in economic incentives and tax breaks. For the New York City headquarters the city and state governments gave Amazon $2.8 billion in tax credits and construction grants. For the Arlington, VA headquarters the city and state governments gave Amazon $500 million in tax breaks. Opponents argue that governments should spend the tax revenue on public projects instead and that the federal government should pass laws banning tax incentives. The European Union has strict laws which prevent member cities from bidding against each other with state aid (tax incentives) in an effort to lure private companies. Proponents argue that the jobs and tax revenue created by the companies eventually offset the cost of any awarded incentives. See recent Corporate Subsidies news


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The 2RU panel is an addition to the manufacturer's line of Opt-X fiber-patch panels. The 3.5-in. panel accommodates up to six mounting plates and can support a variety of different adapters, including ST, SC and MT-RJ. The six mounting plates support up to 72 fibers in MT-RRJ or SC adapters or 48 fibers for ST adapters. The panel is constructed of 16-gauge heavy steel with a black-paint finish and features trimmable, self-healing grommets for better fit and dust resistance at cable-egress/ingress points. Leviton Voice and Data Division
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David Reutimann
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Being a part of NASCAR's top two Series, has always been a dream of Reutimann's, but to have "00" on the side of his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Toyota Camry makes the reality even sweeter. Reutimann's family not only has a deep-rooted racing history, but ironically has a last name synonymous with the "00" number. Now, Reutimann begins his own tradition with his family's fabled number.
The Florida native finished third in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings with his No. 17 Team Tundra Racing Toyota fielded by Darrell Waltrip Motorsports and recorded two pole awards (Dover International Speedway and California Speedway), seven top-five and 19 top-10 finishes, which was the most top-10 finishes of any driver in the Series. Reutimann also made 14 NASCAR Busch Series starts and registered four top-10 finishes driving the No. 99 Aaron's Dream Machine.
During the 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, Reutimann recorded his first career victory in his No. 17 Toyota during the Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway in front of thousands of Toyota dignitaries. In addition to his first win, the Florida native collected two Bud Pole Awards (Bristol Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway), six top-five and nine top-10 finishes en route to finishing 13th in the points standings. Other highlights for Reutimann that year include a second-place finish at Memphis Motorsports Park, a pair of third-place finishes at Kansas and Kentucky Speedway and a pair of fifth-place finishes at Dover International and Texas Motor Speedway.
In his first year of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition, the 2004 Rookie of the Year amassed two Bud Pole Awards (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway), four top-five finishes and ten top-10 finishes. Reutimann's first career pole at Atlanta was also Toyota's first in the Series. Reutimann's best finish of the season was a pair of third-place finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. Reutimann finished fourth in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and 14th in the points standings.
Making a home in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was easy for the third-generation driver, but he attributes much of his success to his legendary father - Emil "Buzzie" Reutimann. His father took the DIRT world by storm winning events all over the Eastern seaboard and he still continues to race today. Reutimann followed in his father's footsteps driving Modifieds and Late Models at dirt and paved tracks on Friday and Saturday nights growing up and it was only a matter of time before he made a name for himself.
In 1997, Reutimann transcended to the NASCAR AutoZone Elite, Southeast Series and received Rookie of the Year honors. The three-time Southeast Series winner finished as high as second in the 2002 championship points standings.
That same year, the Zephyrhills (Fla.) native ran his first of four NASCAR Busch Series races in a car owned by Joe Nemechek thanks in part to help from a childhood friend - Brian Pattie. Reutimann finished 16th in his debut at Richmond International Raceway and went on to finish in the top-15 twice that season.
Reutimann collected two top-fives and three top-10s for NEMCO Motorsports in seven NASCAR Busch Series starts in 2003. He also earned his first career Busch Series Bud Pole Award at Memphis Motorsports Park after qualifying the No. 7 car for Greg Biffle. After posting the fastest time, Reutimann was able to say on national television that he was looking for a full-time opportunity and that he was out of a ride. Soon after, Reutimann received a call from Darrell Waltrip asking him to drive his No. 17 Toyota Tundra. The story continues, but with another Waltrip - Michael Waltrip.
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******* NOTE: On the Desura page, please be sure to download 'Full Tactical-Expansion V1.1 Installer", as this will eliminate the Desura installation issues. ******* This mod enhances the things that make Crysis great, and adds a number of new things. New blood effects, bullet drop and penetration, 22 new ammo types, and more weapon changes than I could list here. Armored vehicle have different ammo types. The US Tank gets SABOT, HEAT, and Canister shells. The NK Tank gets HEAT, SABOT, and AT-11 Missiles. The APC's get HEI-T (normal) shells and Canister shells for the cannon, and the TOW missiles are now player guided. Weapons are more versatile, for example the Gauss Rifle can destroy any vehicle and can shoot through concrete walls. The SCAR with all the different attachments and 40mm grenade types can be used in any situation. Also included are Fortran's Barrett M107, and Rad15's advanced AI, used with permission of the respective creators.
The release of Tactical-Expansion V1.1 is imminent.
it's that time again...
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Air Force Veteran Elected to Lead Veterans of Foreign Wars
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (July 24, 2014) — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States concluded its 115th national convention yesterday with the election of the new VFW National Commander, John W. Stroud.
Stroud served in the U.S. Air Force from 1976-1997, including a tour in Korea in 1992-1993 with the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base as a Flight Operations Superintendent. His decorations include four Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Force Commendation Medals, three Air Force Achievement Medals, the Korea Defense Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
He is a resident of Hawthorne, Nev., and a Gold Legacy Life Member of Post 2313, and has served the VFW in a number of leadership positions including Nevada Department Commander and Chairman of the National Veterans Service Committee.
During his acceptance speech, Stroud addressed the recent VA crisis stating, "the VA is a health care system worth saving that right now must identify and fix what's broken … that needs to hold people appropriately accountable to the fullest extent of the law … and a system that must restore the faith of veterans in their VA. He added that he is confident Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson and nominee Bob McDonald—if confirmed—will not make the same mistake as the previous VA Secretary who simply trusted his employees to the point of his demise.
Stroud recounted his first experience with the VFW, stopping in Post 10047 in Las Vegas, Nev., after seeing a sign that read 'Active Duty Military Welcome.' Dressed in fatigues, he entered the Post and was immediately welcomed. Surrounded by his comrades, he learned of the organization's many programs and services, and he knew he wanted in.
"Comrades, I share my story to encourage you to tell your own stories to others. A great part of the VFW story involves the relevance between different generations, and the ability to educate others about who we are, what we do, and who we do it for," he said.
Stroud had high praise for members' work and VFW programs, citing several outstanding instances of disaster relief, troop support and veterans resource efforts. He commended those who worked with the U.S. European Command to operate a Visitor's Center for hundreds of American D-Day veterans and thousands of visitors who were in Normandy for the 70th anniversary of the landing, and praised the Ladies Auxiliary for its donations to cancer research which now total $30 million.
"One of the best things about being a National Officer is I get to brag about the VFW wherever I go … to the troops, to veterans, their families, nonveterans and politicians, too," he said.


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How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe Tedesco, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
Find the Answer
Jim Malsteed, estimator/project manager with Pleasant Valley Electric, Inc., in Ithaca, N.Y., ran across this panelboard installation in an industrial building, formerly set up to refurbish transformers.
This is a classic example of a violation of the dedicated space requirements for electrical equipment. As per 110.26(F), "All switchboards, panelboards, distribution boards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage. Exception: Control equipment that by its very nature or because of other rules of the Code must be adjacent to or within sight of its operating machinery shall be permitted in those locations."
Indoor installations shall comply with 110.26(F)(1)(a) through (F)(1)(d).


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Join NPR For Live Blogging And Latest Results From The Florida Primary
Starting at 6 p.m. ET, we'll be helping out the NPR Elections Desk with some more live blogging — this time on the news from Florida, which holds its Republican presidential primary today.
Will former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney come in first as pre-primary polls suggested? How well will former House Speaker Newt Gingrich do?
As for the other contenders, former Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, have already moved on to other states. They're expected to finish well behind the leaders today.
Our updates will flow right on to the NPR.org homepage. And, they'll be featured on the page where vote results will be displayed.
Come over to follow along if you can.


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EcoPro Hardcover Wedding Album Set
Availability:In stock
Details:EcoPro Hardcover Wedding Album Series
Includes 14" x 14" and 10" x 10" ProLeather Wedding Album with Personalized Carry Case.
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Standard 20 pages, maximum 30 (exclude cover)
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Individual album can be purchased here
MyPhotoTalk prints beautiful wedding albums for you to remember, treasure and to pass down through generations; your first family heirloom. Design your wedding album using our online software using easy drag and drop feature. There is free templates available to help you with your design, no special skills is needed. MyPhotoTalk now offers professional quality wedding albums now to direct end users, previously available only to professional photographers. It is made affordable to everyone with this DIY software to reduce designing cost that is passed down to you. Now you can create your own wedding album, crafted to make your beautiful memories come alive again.
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How Does Inequality Define the Health of a Nation?
Richard Wilkinson discusses inequality and the effects it can have on a country's citizens.
Just because a country tops the charts for GDP and high income doesn't mean it's the most equal, happiest, or healthiest of nations. Research is showing that some of the wealthiest countries also have the greatest equality gaps between rich and poor as well as the highest rates of health problems and mental illnesses.
Richard Wilkinson has done extensive research on the effects and consequences of inequality.
An interview with epidemiologist Richard Wilkinson, whose research shows that what the healthiest and happiest societies have in common is not that they have more, but that what they have is more equitably shared.
A new study suggests Americans' happiness declines when there's a wider gap between rich and poor.
The problem isn't "competitiveness"—it's inequality.


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Leveraging Remittances for Development
This report explores the increasing significance of remittances and their impact on development. Through analysis of remittance flow trends, the author identifies features of remittances that make them ideal leveraging agents for poverty reduction and migration management agendas. Remittances, when compared to private capital flows, tend to show more even distribution across developing countries, and greater stability or even counter-cyclical patterns relative to the recipient economy. Unlike official aid flows, they do not suffer from governance issues.
The author links remittances to increased household investments in education, entrepreneurship, and health; and suggests that they not only directly augment the income of recipient households but also reduce poverty through such indirect multiplier effects.
However, the report cautions governments against relying on remittances as a substitute to official aid, as efforts to tax and channel remittances to specific development are likely to hurt recipients and force remittance flows underground to informal channels. Instead, he recommends provisions that indirectly leverage these flows by making remittance services cheaper and more convenient, in conjunction with efforts to improve the overall investment climate in origin countries. He proposes a four-part international remittances agenda which includes: (1) monitoring and analyzing the nature and impact of remittance flows; (2) developing new retail payment platforms and regulated remittance transaction systems; (3) offering remittance-linked savings, investment, loan, and insurance products through financial institutions; and (4) leveraging remittances to enhance developing countries' access to international capital markets.


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An intense nose of blueberries and sloes and backed by good oak structure and smoky hints; explosive on the palate with great balance, dark fruits of the forest, mingled with mint and leading to fine, minerally finish. A very fine St Emilion.
Contains Sulphites.
Larcis-Ducasse has been re-born under the `dream team` of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephan Derenoncourt. Since 2004, the quality at this estate has lived up to its excellent position next to Pavie. Exceptional terroir and state of the art wine-making has transformed this and sister property Pavie Macquin into two of the `must have` wines from St Emilion.
St-Émilion is a very different region to those of the Médoc, dominated by small-holding farmers and estates rather than grand Châteaux. Merlot is widely planted as is Cabernet Franc in some parts. The wines are enormously variable in style depending on the terroir, the grape variety make-up and winemaking style. Loosely the region is divided between the limestone Côtes, Graves or gravelly limestone plateau or the sandy alluvial soils nearer the Dordogne. Traditionally Médoc wines were trade from Bordeaux and St Emilions from Libourne so they have their own classification system separate to that of 1855. The classification is revised every ten years and falls into four categories, St Emilion, St Emilion Grand Cru, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé and St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé Most of the district's best properties are either on the steep, clay-limestone hillsides immediately below the town or on a gravelly section of the plateau west of St Emilion itself abutting Pomerol. There are several high profile estates in the region, including Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Figeac, Le Dôme, Valandraud and Pavie.
Cabernet Franc with its unique herb infused red berry fragrance, adds backbone and acidity to the sensual, round favours of Merlot. This is as tried and tested combination used in the vast majority of serious St Emilion and Pomerol blends.
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IB stands for In Bond. Wines that are stored In Bond have not had UK Duty and VAT paid on them.
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$5B infrastructure strategy doesn't exist
Acting auditor general concerned about being denied information from departments
The province doesn't have a formal $5-billion infrastructure strategy and departments are claiming cabinet secrecy prevents the release of details about how their infrastructure projects are assessed.
Those were two of the major findings in the auditor general's annual report, which was released Wednesday.
Of the issues scrutinized, acting auditor general Wayne Loveys said the unsuccessful quest to get information from departments about infrastructure decisions raised one of the biggest red flags.
"The precedent-setting nature of that is very concerning."
Mr. Loveys elaborated on what happened regarding the much-touted infrastructure strategy, which was announced in 2004 and was valued at $5 billion last year.
His office asked for a copy and was told there was no formal infrastructure strategy document.
It then requested information from five departments about processes for identifying, evaluating and ranking infrastructure projects.
Preliminary details were provided, but it became apparent the needed information wouldn't be forthcoming.
Health and Community Services, and then Justice, said the information fell under a section of the Access to Information Act protecting data that could inform cabinet deliberations.
Mr. Loveys indicated it clearly wasn't worthwhile to make further requests of the departments. Still, he didn't buy the rationale.
"We know that. We accept that, but their interpretation of deliberations is very widespread. They're saying any and all information, whether or not it goes to cabinet or the budget committee or anything, is off limits to us. Anything in the department. Obviously we don't agree with that."
Mr. Loveys noted the response is inconsistent with previous decisions because the auditor general has probed things like infrastructure and medical equipment in the past.
He indicated being denied the information was significant.
"If I go for a new project for this year and I go to the same departments and ask for something on another program, they could say any and all information could eventually end up in cabinet, so we can't give it to you."
Another red flag for Mr. Loveys also involved not getting access to information.
The Canada-newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB), a joint federal-provincial body, continued to stimy attempts to conduct an operational review.
Mr. Lovey's office has been trying to do the audit since 2008 and the board has continuously refused.
It did say it would provide unrestricted access to privileged information provided findings related to that information were not reported.
Mr.loveys couldn't accept that condition and has decided the review will not proceed.
He said that was regrettable because the board will not be held accountable like other government entities.
"This just brings it to a resolution, and in the report, I say that it's been a lengthy and somewhat frustrating process, and that's true for all of us in the office."
The 530-page report was released midafternoon.
New Democratic Party leader Lorraine Michael had only read two sections - the reviews of the infrastructure strategy and the C-NLOPB - when interviewed just before 5 p.m.
She said those sections showed the questionable openness of government and its entities.
"It really disturbs me as an MHA. What chance do I have, or what chance does the public have, or what chance does our caucus have, of getting information from the government on things when even the auditor general - who is protected by an act - can't get information that will help ... with doing his work."
The NDP leader added the lack of a formal infrastructure strategy will make her wonder what actually exists on paper when a government plan is mentioned.
Like Ms. Michael, Liberal leader Dwight Ball had not yet read the entire document when he spoke with The Telegram.
But he said "we didn't have to turn too many pages to find out there's some alarming things coming out of this year's AG report."
He indicated he was taken back by the absence of an infrastructure strategy and the departments' denying information on their infrastructure planning.
"I was shocked to find out that the AG didn't have access to this information. Really, from an administration that has positioned themselves to be open and accountable, in this case, it's not the way we see it. That said, we've been seeing examples of this over the last little while. You need to look no further than the (Public Utilities Board), the House of Assembly being closed again ..."
The report also included an audit of financial statements for the fiscal year ending Mar. 31, 2011.
Mr. Loveys' look at the books found the surplus was $598 million, while the net debt was $8.1 billion.
He noted government's fiscal position has improved significantly over the past years, but cautioned that a number of factors need consideration moving forward.
Those include net debt, spending sustainability, dependence on oil, the aging population, increased capital spending, and the Muskrat Falls development, as well as increases in the unfunded pension liability and liability for group insurance.
In a release, Finance Minister Tom Marshall said the report's recommendations will be reviewed.
He noted government recognizes the need for a continued focus on debt reduction, while containing growth in expenditures.
"We must continue to spend within our means and focus on sustainability as we plan for the future of Newfoundland and Labrador."
Besides the findings on the infrastructure strategy, the C-NLOPB and the financial audit, the report also determined:
- Environment and Conservation's industrial compliance section isn't consistently inspecting or monitoring industrial facilities, increasing the risk of environmental violations;
- the former department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment didn't fol- low government policy on hiring temporary workers;
- the Marble Mountain Development Corp. has run a deficit for the past several years, relying too much on a provincial operating grant and a $2.1 million line of credit, of which $1.9 million has been spent;
- among other issues at the Western School District, there were overpayments and underpayments to staff, purchases made without invoices, and hirings that lacked evidence of a job competition;
- required financial reports for provincial lottery licensing were being submitted late or not at all. The licensing auditor position was vacant for more than four years, resulting in financial reports not being properly reviewed and financial audits not occurring. Onsite inspections were not being performed and there were instances of lotteries operating without a licence;
- the cost of replacing all government buildings was found to have almost doubled since 2004 - from $1.03 billion to $1.94 billion - and incomplete ratings for building conditions were found for 478 of 854 government-owned properties;
- the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary could tighten up compliance with firearms policy. Among the concerns were inadequate storage locker security and an inaccurate firearms and munitions inventory system;
- better records need to be kept on the junior exploration assistance program, a grant program for small mineral exploration and development companies valued at about $2.4 million;
- some spending at three provincial commodity boards - regulating production, processing and marketing of eggs, milk and chicken - were highlighted as "inappropriate use of board funds;"
- the province has no solid plan on how to complete the Trans-labrador Highway. Questions were also raised about how the route was chosen and why some contracts for paving work were extended multiple times. As well, the Public Tendering Act wasn't followed in a couple of cases;
- twenty-seven companies who received grants from the Growing Forward agriculture program were reviewed and there were inconsistencies in project approval, follow-up oversight and completion of paperwork;
- a number issues with Workplace Health and Safety, including a lack a clear guidelines to support inspectors in enforcing orders when there are less serious violations. There were also instances where important follow-up investigations were not conducted.
Wayne Loveys


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The Brattleboro Retreat psychiatric hospital is cutting 31 jobs. The move comes two days after unionized workers held an informational picket over what the union has called deteriorating contract talks.
Retreat officials say the cuts are due to projected deficits this year and next year.
Retreat Senior Vice President of Government Relations Peter Albert said Wednesday that the cuts will be to both administrative and clinical jobs and affect both nonunion and union positions.
Jack Callaci, director of collective bargaining and organizing for United Nurses & Allied Professionals, tells the Brattleboro Reformer that the layoffs highlight mismanagement among the hospital's administration.