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Doing Business with the City
Doing Business with the City
Please browse the following section to find information about doing business with the City
The Purchasing Division is responsible for the acquisition of all supplies, materials, equipment and/or services for the City of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The City assumes no liability for payment of obligations except those incurred and authorized by the City of Rio Rancho Purchasing Division.
The primary objective of Purchasing is to provide timely and responsive support to user departments. Functions of the Purchasing Division include:
Purchasing of supplies, materials, equipment and services as requested by user departments in accordance with Article 2 of the Procurement Code
Providing guidance and training to user departments on the Procurement Code and purchasing policies and procedures
Formulating policy regarding purchasing procedures.
Purchase Order Awards
Award of a purchase order will be made to the responsive bidder submitting the lowest and best bid which conforms to the specifications, terms and conditions contained in the invitation. Consideration will also be given to the bidder's potential ability to successfully perform the terms and conditions contained in the invitation and the bidder's past performance, if applicable.
General Information About Bids/Proposals
Correspondence Concerning Bid/Proposal Invitations:
Any question concerning the Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Information (RFI) should be directed to the Purchasing Division and the Procurement Officer or Contracting Officer whose name and telephone number is listed on the document. The person corresponding should specify the bid/proposal or quotation number and the bid/proposal opening date.
Public Bid/Proposal Openings:
In most cases, all bid openings are due at 3200 Civic Center Circle NE, 1st Floor - Room #150 - Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87144 at 2:00 p.m. local time and are open to the public.
Receipt of Bids/Proposals:
It is the bidder's sole responsibility to ensure that a bid/proposal is physically delivered to Fiscal Services prior to the time and date specified for closing. Vendors must ensure that submitted bids/proposals are sealed and identified upon delivery to Fiscal Services. The bid/proposal container must bear the official IFB/RFP number and the official closing date. Any bid/proposal received after the bid/proposal opening date and time will be returned unopened. All bid/proposal tabulation sheets are public record and kept for a period established by statute.
Bid/Proposal Errors:
Prior to submission of bids/proposals, errors may be corrected by lining out and entering the substituted words or figures. The change should be initialed by the person signing the bid/proposal. No bid/proposal shall be altered or amended after the bid opening and proposal due date and time. In the case of errors in the extension price, the unit price will govern.
Modifications or Withdrawal of Bids/Proposals:
Bids/Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by written notice received prior to the bid/proposal opening date and time specified. A bid/proposal may also be withdrawn or modified in person by the bidder or his/her authorized representative who identifies him/herself and signs a receipt for the invitation, but only if these actions are accomplished before the specified time and date for the bid opening and proposal due period. No telefax quotes will be accepted for purchases exceeding $20,000.00.
After bid opening, a low bidder alleging a material mistake of fact which makes his bid nonresponsive may be permitted to withdraw his bid if the mistake is clearly evident on the face of the bid or if the bidder submits evidence which clearly and convincingly demonstrates that a mistake has been made.
The decisions to permit or deny withdrawal of a bid on the basis of a mistake is a decision to be made by the procurement officer. No modifications in bid prices or other provisions of the bid are permitted.
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The Purchasing Division may cancel an Invitation for Bid, Request for Proposal or any other solicitation in whole or in part when it is in the best interest of the City at any time prior to notification of award.
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Any samples or descriptive literature requested in the Invitation for Bid/Request for Proposal must be provided free of charge. Samples which are not destroyed by testing will be returned at the bidder's expense upon request. Samples submitted by successful bidders may be kept for the duration of the contract for comparison of shipment received.
Unless a vendor specifies otherwise in his/her bid/proposal, it is assumed that the vendor is bidding in strict accordance with the specifications in the IFB/RFP. When merchandise is received that does not meet these specifications, it may be returned to the vendor for non-compliance.
Payment Procedure:
Vendors are requested to submit original invoices for payment to: City of Rio Rancho, ATTN: Accounts Payable, 3200 Civic Center Circle STE 300, Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87144. All invoices must reference appropriate purchase order number. Standard terms are net 30 days from invoice/statement date, however, the following exceptions will apply:
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Inquiries regarding payment should be directed to Accounts Payable at (505) 891-5010.
The City of Rio Rancho by enactment of a Charter pursuant to the provisions of Article X, Section 6 of the New Mexico Constitution and pursuant to the Municipal Charter Act, is a home rule municipality. The City will adhere to the Procurement Code adopted in accordance to the City of Rio Rancho Charter. No political or other prejudicial consideration govern the award of the City of Rio Rancho contracts or orders; rather every purchase is made in the public's interest providing all vendors a fair and equal opportunity. It is the objective of the City of Rio Rancho to procure the necessary supplies, equipment and services at the lowest possible cost consistent with the quality needed to meet the departmental requirements and that the taxpayer receive the maximum value for each dollar expended.
Bidder Selection
The City of Rio Rancho maintains a current file of prospective bidders categorized by goods and services. The bidder file is continually updated with new prospective bidders.
Procurement Methods
Procurement means:
The purchasing, renting, leasing, lease purchasing or otherwise acquiring items of tangible personal property, services or construction.
All procurement functions, including but not limited to, preparation of specifications, solicitation of sources, qualification or disqualification of sources and preparation and award of contracts and contract administration
The City of Rio Rancho has the following types of open market purchases.
A sole Source Purchase or emergency requires justification documentation. Best Obtainable Price.
$0.01 to $50.00, Petty Cash
All purchases under $5,000 shall be made at the best obtainable price.
Purchases between $5,000.01 - $10,000 shall be made after receipt of three telephone quotations.
Purchases between $10,000.01 - 20,000 shall be made after receipt of fax or written quotation, which shall be attached to the purchase requisition.
Purchases over $20,000 shall be a formal invitation for bid (IFB)
A 5% allowance shall be credited to bidders' prices for businesses with offices located within city limits.
Procurement requirements shall not be artificially divided so as to constitute a small purchase under this section.
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Regardless of the type of goods and/or services being sought, the City of Rio Rancho may use existing price agreements/contracts issued by other governmental entities including, but not limited to, the Federal GSD, State of New Mexico, Counties, Schools or other Municipalities.
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By Parrish Alford/NEMS Daily Journal
OXFORD – I am a big "window of time" theorist when it comes to sports. You have a time frame where your program is peaking, and that's your best shot to achieve at the highest possible level.
With four super regionals in five years, Ole Miss baseball had a window of time to make it to Omaha and did not.
A period of rebuilding was inevitable. It seems the program has remained in this window longer than many deem necessary, most importantly athletics director Ross Bjork.
When he met with Rebels coach Mike Bianco last week Bjork says he didn't "mandate" that the program host a regional in 2014, but he emphasized the investments made on behalf of Ole Miss baseball and noted the statistical advantage of playing postseason games at home. Fourteen of 16 teams who reached the super regionals began their journey in their own park.
Ole Miss left some SEC wins on the table, or it would have been one of those 16 host teams. One reason the Rebels were close but not over the bar was talent.
Bianco points to success stories like Stuart Turner and Bobby Wahl. There just aren't enough of those.
Wahl was outstanding this season, and pitching was indeed better, but when Turner hit almost 100 points below his average in two regional losses, no one had his back. Without Alex Yarbrough, Matt Snyder and Zack Kirksey this season the Rebels had 14 fewer home runs and 16 fewer doubles.
In trying to recruit their way back to better times, Bianco and his staff lost three of their top 2013 signees to the draft, one to grades and another to a personal issue.
Turner led the team in hitting at .374, but the next best newcomer was freshman Holtz Perdzock, who hit .265 as a pinch-hitter. No other newcomer hit as high as .215.
Last year's recruiting losses were an aberration, and unless something unforeseen happens the Rebels should lose only juco lefty Cody Reed from this year's class.
That would be a big help in righting the ship.
That ship needs to chart a course for the island of regional hosts.
Bjork may have made no mandates, but he clearly communicated his position by extending Bianco's contract just one year.
Bianco has built the program and he is now charged with building it back.
Regional host status means not only a fun weekend in a state-of-the-art facility. It also means the Rebels as a 1 seed playing the 4 seed in the opening round, not in a second-day elimination game on the road.
The seeding provides the competitive advantage and makes the path to Omaha more attainable.
And that's how the program that Mike Bianco built is judged.
Parrish Alford (email@example.com) covers Ole Miss for the Daily Journal. He blogs at InsideOleMissSports.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Live Results and Pics from Battle at Bally 2 Muay Thai
- Written by Dave Walsh
Evening folks, you may be wondering who the heck I am - I'm a former writer at Head Kick Legend before the site shut down and now write over at Gals Guide to MMA. Sir Walsh has been kind enough to allow me to bring you live results for tonight's 14-fight card at Bally's Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. I've got a front row view here at press row, so I'll be able to get some great pictures as well.
It's about ready to start in a few minutes - nothing's happening now but people getting ready to rock n roll. Thanks to Dave for the opportunity to bring you these results live.
We're about to get underway and the first fighter, Mike Gianone just got finished with the traditional MT pre-fight intro.
Aliaga came out aggressive, but Gianone landed a nice counter left that backed him up. After a break, Aliaga continued to come out aggressive and Gianone ate a low blow in the exchange of knees. Both fighters ended the round firing. Aliaga had the faster start to round 2, but Gianone ended the round unloading knees to the body and head in his own corner. The great thing about three two-minute rounds is that the fighters were going all out. Helps that these are 125'ers, so there's no gassing. Fight ends, and I would guess that Aliaga wins, but it was a close fight regardless. The great thing about three two-minute rounds is that the fighters were going all out. Helps that these are 125'ers, so there's no gassing. Fight ends, and I would guess that Aliaga wins, but it was a close fight regardless. I'm wrong, and Gianone wins by unanimous decision.
Mike Gianone throws a knee.
Next fight is a bantamweight contest in the ladies division. Jennie Nedell is fighting out of the famous (to MMA fans) Sera-Longo fight gym, however it's Peteraf that starts out strong with a bunch of knees in the clinch. Nedell lands a stiff jab straight through Peteraf's guard and finishes the round strong with punches throught Peteraf's loose hands. Round two is very similar, as Nedell is getting bullied in the clinch while landing the better punches. Peteraf ate less punches this round than she did the first, so I'd say this round is hers. The final round continued the theme of Nedell landing better from range with Peteraf doing good work from the clinch. This fight is almost certainly Peteraf's as she just earned a standing 8-count with a series of like... 20 unanswered knees to the body. Yup, I called this one correct, as she got the UD.
Some bigger boys now, as we've got 178'ers in the ring. Maldonado looks to be the stronger of the two, as he's been able to spin Mamroud around in the clinch a couple times. They ended the round firing back and forth. Close round, but I would guess Maldonado on some cleaner strikes. Another close round, more strong clinching from Maldonado, but Mamroud isn't just laying down either and he's firing some nice combos. No idea who got this round. Maldonado has some nice kicks that sound loud in the arena when they land. Mamroud has a big welt on the left side of his rib cage. Mamroud trying hard, and landing some, but I think Maldonado takes this. 2 for 3 so far - Maldonado with the UD win.
Well, this fight ended quickly. Kate Allen showed that the Cool Hearts Gym knows its clinch work and she earned the TKO win a minute and nine seconds into the first round with a couple dozen clinch knees.
185-lb title fight here for the Take On belt. Abreu lookks to be the stronger man in this event, and at 5-0, he's got a good record so far. He earned a knockdown midway through round 1 with a high kick, but Miller fought back to try and earn some points back. Miller's family has moved down and are yelling enthusiastically right behind me. Miller with solid 1-2 and then doubles up on it. Miller with a liver kick. Abreu catches a kick and lands an overhand right. They each miss a leg kick. Abreu with a pair of liverkicks, and Miller sweeps Abreu's legs from under him to end the round. Slower start to the third so far... Miller lands a good right, but then eats a solid left. High kick from Miller, and another left hand from Abreu. Couple of body kicks and then three HARD lefts in a row from Abreu has the ref stopping the action to administer a standing 8 to Miller. This fight is Abreu's unless I'm sadly mistaken. I am not, and Abreu takes home the strap.
Here's a pic of Abreu winning the title, courtesy of the in-ring announcer: https://twitter.com/blklkp/status/234439236034625537/photo/1/large
Odria with a strong kick to start this 105-lb contest. Slow-paced as neither fighter is landing a lot. They exchange tandem knees from the clinch and repeat this about three times before Odria throws Ng to the canvas. Ng starts with some nice combos of knees and kicks, but not everything is getting through Odria's guard. Nothing thudding landing, but both fighters are landing combos and clinch knees. Same through round 3 as well. Jess Ng takes a close fight in another unanimous decision.
Bastone comes out strong and hits a solid leg kick. Close fight as Gregory and Bastone trade in center ring. They stand and trade in center ring and all of a sudden, Bastone lands a big hook that staggers Gregory. The ref gives him a standing eight and then waves it off. Gregory is on wobbly legs still minutes after the fight as they announce Bastone as the winner by TKO.
Take On ring card girl Alicia Patterson
Close fight so far between Noll and Rugilo. Noll is doing better in the clinch, but both fighters are landing pretty evenly. Solid back and forth in the second as well, although Rugilo has landed a couple of good shots. Rugilo opens the third with some solid lefts to Noll's jaw. Good chin on Noll as she fights through. Low blow from Rugilo is shrugged off. Fight ends with an exchange of spinning backfist from Rugilo meeting a cross from Noll. Rugilo takes a close split decision 29-28 x2 and a 28-29.
Henry Lee is the clear crowd favorite and comes out strong. He gets a knockdown midway through the first with a solid straight as Jiminez was moving forward. Lee continued strong through much of the round and didn't fade in the second. After a flurry that staggered Jiminez into the ropes, the ref jumped in and waved off the fight as Lee picks up his first win.
Fireworks to start the first full Thai rules contest of the night (no headgear, elbows legal). Cheung looks to be overpowering Krampetz every time they clinch. Krampetz is landing some good shots from range, but Cheung is hitting him with solid, solid shots when he connects. And he just connected now for a knockdown. Round 1 ends, and that's a clear Cheung round. Nothing is changing here in the second, and Cheung lands a HUGE knee to the liver that ends the fight. If you saw Overeem/Lesnar, it looked exactly like that. Cheung, your winner by KO at 1:11 of round 2.
Take On ring card girl Candice Figueroa throwing t-shirts to the crowd.
Quick start in this lightweight title contest as Mauceri is taking charge of center ring. He's landing good combos and pushing him into the corners. Mauceri is pushing the pace and Grekoski has his chin up. First round to Mauceri on the heels of a powerful straight left. Mauceri is bullying Grekowski. He backs Grekowski into the far right corner and is unloading. Grekowski is staggered by a big elbow and the ref jumps in to stop it. Mauceri your winner by TKO
Whoa. Andy Singh just put on a clinic on a very experienced veteran in Anthony DeMaio. DeMaio has had dozens of fights in Thailand that don't apear on his official record and Andy Singh came out like a tornado. DeMaio was not without offense, but Singh was FLYING. Hee landed multiple flying knees, head kicks and powerful punches. The end came about two and a half minutes into the first round, as Singh staggered DeMaio with a 4-piece combo that sent him crashing to the mat face down. Your winner by KO, Andy Singh.
Anthony DeMaio is staggered against the ropes by Andy Singh moments before Singh scored the knockout.
Two powerful lightweights immediately started slugging it out in center ring. Low kicks, jabs, knees and hooks were being exchanged, but in a technical manner, not just a brawl. Hinds landed a few solid knees and they broke. A left from Robinson followed by a HUGE left after a feint of the jab and down goes Hind. He's staggered and can't get up and Robinson defeats Hinds by KO.
Check out some more awesome pics straight from the ring announcer and his in-ring ipad:
https://twitter.com/blklkp/status/234462105535913984/photo/1/large -Spencer Grekoski's pre-fight routine.
https://twitter.com/blklkp/status/234461871506341889/photo/1 - Scott Krampetz in between rounds.
In the main event of the evening, Jay Matias came out overpowering the smaller Ahammer. Ahammer did some good work in the clinch with his elbows, but Matias had the stronger combos. I'd score that round for Matias. Well, that was brutal. Matias got Ahammer into the clinch and brutalized him with knees and elbows. About a minute in (I missed the exact time), the ref stepped in to save a faded Ahammer. Your winner by TKO, Jay Matias.
AND I AM dooooooooonezo. I'm off to either an afterparty or a poker table or uh... maybe just a bus ride home, but probably one of the other two first.


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Spider "realvoice" Vertical in the Ear Headphone
" First off the disclaimer, the Realvoice IEM'S were given to me a month or two back for reviewing. I would like to thank Spider Cable for the review sample and my apologies for taking so long in writing this review. Since I have had these I have used them about 75% of the time when I am using earphones, which probably averages about two hours per day. So I have put quite a few hours..." --Carlsan
GOgroove Earbuds with Nylon Woven Cord and 3 Sets Silicon Ear Gels
GOgroove Earbuds are great for any audio application! Their sound profile makes them perfect for casual music, personal DVD players, active audio, and even audiobooks!


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By Ben Levisohn
With an old year like this, who needs a new one?
The S&P 500 gained 29.6%, the biggest percentage gain since 1997, to close at 1843.36, a record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 26.5%, its biggest gain since 1995, to 16,576.66, also an all-time high.
Those gains came despite a wide range of issues that in the past might have shaken the market to its core. It was a year of government dysfunction as Republicans and Democrats battled over the debt ceiling and included a government shutdown; a year when the fear of a Fed taper shook emerging markets and yield-sensitive investments but the real thing came and went with nary a rumble; and a year when TK.
It's a year that will be remembered as a time when hedge-fund titans did battle with companies–who can forget Carl Icahn calling for Apple (AAPL) to do something with its cash–and each other–William Ackman's call to short Herbalife (HLF) countered by Icahn and George Soros–as well as admitting defeat–Ackman exiting JC Penny (JCP) when his strategy to turnaround the struggling retailer backfired.
It was a year when I wrote about Tesla (TSLA) far more than I would have liked.
But it was also a year when run of the mill investors like you and me could sit on our hands and show those hedge fund titans thing or two. Counting reinvested dividends, the S&P 500 returned 32.4% this year, while the small-cap Russell 2000 returned 38.8% and the Dow Jones Total Stock Market index returned 34.1%–proving you didn't need to pay high fees for stellar performance.
It was also a year of loss here at Barron's. We said good bye to Alan Abelson and Abe Briloff, two of the great writers and editors from this publication's golden years. As we enter 2014–and a period when precedents will be hard to come by–their hard-won experience will be difficult to replace.
Abelson would have urged investors to consider the risks–advice I echoed in my column last weekend–but there's a decent chance that 2014 won't be the year stocks come tumbling down. MKM Partners' Jim Strugger explains:
Though the trajectory of the major indices may be flatter than 2013, the precedent of prior volatility cycles suggests that stocks are likely to continue grinding higher interspersed with relatively short and shallow pullbacks. Coincident with suppressed volatility, equity correlation should remain low and declining. This inherently means increasing dispersion and a natural system of shock absorption that will localize corrections at the stock or group level.
On a personal note, I just finished my first calendar year at Barron's, one that began with me writing about emerging markets, and finished with me manning Stocks to Watch. It was also my first year blogging and one where I learned a lot about what I can do–search for interesting views about stocks in the news and bring it to you, I hope, in an entertaining manner–and what I can't–offer predictions on eight stocks a day. I hope that you've found Stocks to Watch informative, and I'd love to hear about what I've gotten right and what I can do better.
Until next year.


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June 12, 2013
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By JB Clark/NEMS Daily Journal
TUPELO – An investigation is under way after a Tupelo teen was hit by a train and killed Thursday.
Ron Woods, 16, a Tupelo High School student died shortly after noon on the tracks between Blair and Jefferson streets where a BNSF train was heading south.
According to BNSF Public Affairs Director Joe Faust, the teen was struck and fatally injured on the stretch of track running parallel to King Street.
Faust said the teen was walking down the center of the tracks when the accident occurred. Woods' main image on his Facebook page shows him posing in the middle of train tracks.
A preliminary investigation by BNSF shows the teen was walking south. Investigators found ear buds and a radio on the teen and said they believe he may have been listening to music and unable to hear the whistle. Tupelo Police Capt. Rusty Haynes said they are continuing to investigate the incident but suspect no foul play at this time.
BNSF and Tupelo Police Department investigators said they have not been contacted by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is a federal agency tasked with investigating these types of accidents.
Residents of nearby King Street said they heard a train's whistle blown repeatedly while someone tried to stop the train.
Michael Bordelon, who lives on the corner of King and West Jefferson streets, said he heard the commotion about 12:15 p.m. but did not see what happened. It took the train more than 100 yards to stop.
King Street resident Dennis Krutz said people use a path between the houses on King Street to cross the train tracks on their way to nearby stores.
"When they hear the whistle blowing, they start running to beat the train," Krutz said.
Paramedics surveyed the scene for about an hour to locate the body and remove it from beneath the train. A body bag was loaded into the ambulance just before 1:15 p.m.
Faust said the maximum authorized speed for a train to travel through the city of Tupelo is 44 miles per hour. He said at 50 miles per hour, it takes a train about 1 mile to stop. The exact speed of the train at the time of the collision is still not known but Faust said he believes it to be less than 44 miles per hour.
Faust said BNSF investigators will work with Tupelo law enforcement to continue the investigation.
Traffic on Jefferson Street was blocked for several hours.
The Tupelo Public School District released a statement saying counselors will be at the school Friday to help students and staff, The Associated Press reported.


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Radians Single Behind Ear Electronic Sound Enhancer(1170763)
Radians Single Behind Ear Electronic Sound Enhancer - Electronic behind the ear Sound Enhancer amplifies sound and protects hearing.
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Press Center
Olympus Announces New Filmless Digital CameraOlympus America Inc., Digital & Imaging Systems Group, a leading consumer digital camera manufacturer, today announced the Olympus D-340R entry-level filmless digital camera for $499. The D-340R digital camera is the latest addition to the popular Olympus 300-series digital camera product line (D-300L, D-320L, D-340L), winners of over 30 industry awards.
The Olympus D-340R evolves from the popular point & shoot D-340L with a 1.3 megapixel CCD (1280 x 960 resolution) in a compact, lightweight camera, and adds new features including an improved ISO rating of 100/200; uncompressed TIFF recording mode for maximum quality zero compression images; 3x inspection mode to review photo details in the camera; and 8MB SmartMedia removable media, all for the same price as the previous model D-340L. The D-340R retains the popular features of the D-340L, including its compact lightweight ergonomic design, low price, all glass aspherical lens system, burst mode of 10 shots in ½ second intervals, 4 mode intelligent flash, 2x digital telephoto mode, video out, and SmartMedia card usage.
Olympus High-Quality Images
Olympus digital cameras are well known for their exceptionally high-quality images. This is achieved through the employment of three tactical technology categories. First, a host of sophisticated Olympus imaging technologies developed over 60 years of camera design and manufacturing, including auto-exposure and auto-focusing systems and other proprietary camera systems. Secondly, an all-glass Olympus lens system, comprised of a 5-element 5.5mm (36mm equivalency in 35mm cameras) aspherical F2.8 coated lens. Finally, low compression ratios applied to the image captured by the high-resolution 1.3 megapixel sensor.
Two new features of the D-340R provide even better picture taking ability than before. The new faster 100/200 ISO rating and zero compression modes allow for low light success and larger file creation. The resulting photos are truly photographic.
The D-340R can be used with or without a computer. It features video out for easy viewing of photos on a TV set. In addition, it allows printing or viewing on the camera's 1.8-inch real image LCD in a full screen or 1-9 image reviewing. The video out feature enables groups of people to simultaneously view the photos without a computer. Images can also be transferred to video tape and sent to relatives and business associates for easy viewing. The D-340R can also print to many popular output devices employing a computer, as well as directly to the new Olympus P-330 Photo Printer (also announced today).
"The Olympus D-340R is the fourth generation of the most highly awarded digital cameras in the world," said Ken Barone, Product Manager, Digital Cameras, Olympus America, Digital & Imaging Systems Group. "At 1.3 megapixels, the D-340R is ideal for the cost conscious consumer marketwith the entry level mark of one megapixel resolution plus 30% more."
Photographic Controls
The D-340R includes professional level photographic controls you'd expect from an Olympus camera. These include four levels of recording images (Standard Quality at 640 x 480, High Quality at 1280 x 960, Super High Quality 1280 x 960 with low image compression for superior image quality, and uncompressed TIFF mode), exposure controls, and flash features. Exposure control allows users to bracket +/- 1 step for lighting compensation. Olympus also features a sophisticated four mode flash, with "red-eye" reduction, force-fill flash, automatic low-light and back-light mode, and force-off to accommodate any lighting condition.
The D-340R is part of a comprehensive filmless photographic system. Additional camera accessories are available, including an A/C adapter, NIMH batteries and recharger, camera case, and additional 4,8, and 16MB SmartMedia cards available optionally through Olympus.
Digital Tele/Wide Mode
The 2x Digital Tele/Wide Mode adds the flexibility of a telephoto lens in a compact point and shoot camera. With the D-340R, users can choose between the standard (wide) mode for those everyday situation shots or choose the 2X telephoto mode (72mm equivalency in 35mm cameras) for those shots you want to bring in a little closer. The built in 1.8-inch LCD display automatically activates when choosing the digital Tele/Wide Mode for through the lens composition in a digital SLR simulation.
Sequence Shooting
The D-340R incorporates high-speed D-RAM (internal memory). This architectural enhancement provides near world-class shot recovery performance of 2 seconds between shots surpassed only by the recently announced Olympus D-620L. The D-RAM also enables Sequence Shooting mode allowing the capture of up to 10 images in half second intervals. Activation is easy. Users simply hold the shutter button down and the camera does all the work. Up to 10 images are written through D-RAM and saved to the removable media for later review.
SmartMediaTM Removable Media
The Olympus D-340R utilizes 3.3 volt SmartMedia removable media (also known as SSFDC). 8MB of memory is included with the camera. Additional 2MB, 4MB, 8MB, and 16MB cards can be used so there is no restriction on the number of photos that can be captured. The included Olympus SmartMedia memory can be reused thousands of times, as images can be erased and users can go back at any time and reshoot.
Recording Mode
# of Images
# of Images
# of Images
Standard Quality
640 x 480
Std. compression
High Quality
1280 x 960
Std. compression
Super High Quality
1280 x 960
Min. compression
|Uncompressed TIFF
1280 x 960
* Image or more on a single SmartMedia card.
Floppy Disk Compatible
Images on Olympus SmartMedia memory cards can be directly transferred to any Macintosh, Windows 95, 98, and NT computer using the optional Olympus FlashPath 3.5-inch floppy disk adapter. The floppy disk adapter allows users to take images directly from their camera to most any computer using common 3.5-inch floppy disk drives. Once the included memory card is placed in the adapter, think of it as a 4, 8, or 16MB diskette, as it is both readable and writable (Windows only).
Ergonomic Design
The D-340R is designed by Olympus, a camera company that understands and excels in camera ergonomics. Beautifully designed with the consumer in mind, the camera is light weight at 9 ounces and is very compact with dimensions of 5" x 2.6" x 1.8". The protective lens barrier slides open with one hand for ease of use, and simultaneously turns on the camera. The camera's clever design protects and blocks the viewfinder when closed. Therefore, there is no question when the camera is turned on. The D-340R also has an efficient 1.8-inch smudge-resistant LCD screen.
The D-340R includes 4 AA Alkaline batteries, 8MB of panorama SmartMedia memory, strap, serial cable for Mac and/or PC, video connection cable for TV or VCR, and instruction manuals. A software bundle for Windows and MacOS-based computers is included, consisting of Adobe® PhotoDeluxe image manipulation and creation software, Enroute QuickStitch panorama stitching software and Olympus Camedia Utility Software for downloading images from the camera. The D-340R will be available in Q1 with an expected street price of $499. For more information, contact Olympus America, Digital & Imaging Systems Group, Two Corporate Center Dr., Melville, NY 11747-3157, ph: (516) 844-5000 (800) 347-4027, Fax: (516) 844-5262 or the Olympus Web Site: http://www.olympus.com/digital.
Olympus America distributes a wide range of products for consumer, scientific, health care, commercial and industrial markets. These include film and filmless cameras, Microcassette and digital voice recorders, binoculars, film scanners, personal photo printers, medical and industrial endoscopes, biological and metallurgical microscopes and measuring instruments, clinical analyzers, and other high technology products. Olympus America is responsible for sales in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Specifications subject to change without notice.


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|GTA V Latest News | #GTAV | #GTAOnline
2005 Interview With "CJ"
GTAGaming.com - General News | @ 02:25 PM MDT | By Zidane
The internet radio show, "The Social Crime Syndicate" will have a special guest to interview on their show - Young Maylay, an aspiring rap artist, (better known to us as the voice actor for CJ!) He'll be joining the S.C.S. crew on Thursday at 5 pm Eastern time. There are many different ways to tune in! Don't miss it. Check out the S.C.S. for more.
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text:
I now have an extended vacation as I don't have to study tomorrow as part of the Hanukkah vacation, which is nice. Meanwhile, in Statistics I had a difficulty with one of the home exercises. The problem was that we were given several distributions for the case in which there are two populations. And it was not clear from the page when to use which. But I think I can overcome it now.
Private Lesson in Perl
Someone who once drived me away from a Linux event and I later met in others, wanted to learn Perl or other Linux things that I can teach him. Today, we finally held our first session. I first asked him for what his experience was with Linux and programming. It turned out he worked as a sys admin in a company with several Linux installations, and had very little experience in programming (not even from school). Then he told me that he asked people what should he learn first: some said "shells", others "Perl" and others "C". This is without taking Python, Ruby and Tcl into account. :-).
I said I think we will start with Perl. The reasons for it are that it is easier to write shell scripts in Perl, than it is to write many Perl programs in shell, so there will be a faster path to results. Retrospectively, I think there are other reasons: I would not recommend C as a first language, because it's two low-level and as such newbie-unfriendly. Also, learning shell first may have a relatively crippling, because shell programming has a different philosophy than either Perl (and friends) or C.
So I began teaching him Perl by following my Perl for Newbies series. I found out he was quite proficient in vi, and a fast typist, so it was not frustrating to watch him code. During one hour (which was the sesssion length) we covered most of the first lecture (which is originally intended for two hours). I realized that there were many things he did not understand at first, which I had to explain to him verbally. This may indicate a deficiency of the material I prepared as far as people who are complete beginners to Perl are concerned.
During the lecture I made a couple of small comparisons with Python. For instance, I showed that "+=" and friends did not exist in earlier versions of python and "++" still does not.
I ended up receiving 50 NIS for the lecture, but it was fun any way you look at it.
Site about Giving Presentations
Someone read in this weblog that I'm going to give a presentation, so he pointed me to his site which is dedicated on how to give effective presentations. I checked this site and it is very good, so I'm mentioning it here.
Gimp Gradient-Fu Patch
I finished writing the patch, and it even has one more function that was not present in the previous incarnations of it. You can check it out on Gradient-Fu for GIMP 1.3.x page. Now I have to wait until the development of GIMP 2.1.x to start for it to be integrated. Or I can accelerate its accpetance by resolving standing issues with GIMP 1.3.x myself... ;-)
If you remember, I started using WWW::Form in the past for the IGLU Jobs tracker and had to modify it to suit my needs. I haven't heard from its developer for quite some time, after sending a couple of messages, so today I decided to try and reach him again. I emailed him asking if he received my last modifications, and if he'd like us to cooperate somehow on its development more closely. He answered me saying he would gladly accept me as co-developer, and we agreed that we will use a Wiki, and a version control system, and modify the module extensively together.
Hopefully something good will come out, because it's preferable not to fork it and the developer seems very much alive and kicking.
Some Threads of Possible Interest
Check this thread on Linux-IL about the Hurd for some discussion on how good Hurd is, and some speculations if it'll ever be ready for prime time. (taking into account the fact that Linux has been for years) It's quite amusing.
Here is a Hackers-IL post I wrote about the "Great Divide" between Windows and UNIX.
Finally, here are my answers to the recent Microsoft Poll as I posted on the appropriate Newsforge article about it.
Advogato Replies
movement: congratulations for your new job. I know it took you a long time to find it, and I hope you'll enjoy it and make a good living out of it. Solaris should be a very interesting thing to work on.
lindsey: I recall the time I had to convert MikMod (which was originally written in C) to Java. During that time, my code generated a bootload of exceptions because I did not trap some file I/O related exceptions. At first I tried to throw them to oblivion, but then realized it only made the situation worse, so I ended up catching them at the function that did the I/O and returning an error code instead. Doing exceptions logic properly is very hard, and the code already had error handling in the function return values.
I really like the fact that in Perl I don't have to explictly catch any exceptions, because it is very suitable for Perl. I'm not sure it's appropriate for C#/.NET, though, which is much more Java-like.


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apcupsd via Python to Pachube
In python, the 'default' URL accessing toolkit (urllib2) doesn't support PUT, however I've discovered requests which a) does and b) is in Fedora. So one apt-get install python-requests.noarch and you're off.
So - one trivial script (reusing much of the code for my MQTT variant) you get https://gist.github.com/1903259. The only minor niggle was working out how to prepend the minimum extra json content (version and datastreams) as I'd not used the json libs before.(Hmm yet another github toy - embeddable gists with syntax highlighting. Nice)Update now I have 24h worth of data - plot attached
Syndicated 2012-02-24 20:00:00 (Updated 2012-02-25 18:33:51) from Elwell


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Belk & Co. 14k Yellow Gold Charm Link Bracelet
$705.00 - $1005.00 Original Price $1175.00 - $1675.00
14k yellow gold charm link bracelet is available in 7.25-in. and 8-in. length.
- 14k yellow gold
- Clean with a soft bristle brush and warm soapy water. Use gold polishing cloth on gold items.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping your purchase is easy on belk.com. Depending on the destination of your package, you can expect it to arrive within 4-7 business days. Shipping Information
Returns are easy on belk.com. Easy returns


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Seven days after being taught a finals lesson by perennial heavyweights Melbourne, South Sydney are aiming to graduate with their first NRL finals victory in 25 years.
The Rabbitohs admit they were outclassed by the Storm, but say the lessons they learned will help them take down Canberra at ANZ Stadium tonight.
A win there would be their first in the finals since they beat Balmain 15-12 in a minor preliminary semifinal in 1987.
And while that drought must feel like a lifetime for Rabbitohs fans, coach Michael Maguire argues the finals clinic dished out by Melbourne means more than anything.
"It's all the little things in the game," Maguire said. "Kick pressure, your kick chase to all the little things this team has been developing right throughout the year. We've got to make sure we take that into this game.
"(Giving away penalties) put a lot of pressure on ourselves and Melbourne showed us how to play disciplined footy in finals.
They completed sets and put a lot of pressure on us. That's what the three of their big boys do and the rest of their team.
"They're a quality team and they showed us how to play finals."
Maguire was disappointed by his side's inability to convert second-half pressure into points, and put that down to a lack of finals experience.
And he said rookie halfback Adam Reynolds and five-eighth John Sutton would be better for the touch-up they received from finals veterans Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.
"Every experience that the players have had this year they've lifted," he said. "Right throughout the year we've learned lessons from every game that we've played. The losses and the wins.
"That was a tough loss to take but we took a lot out of that.
"We got a lot out of that game on the weekend about what we need to do this week.
"I know Sutto and Reyno will perform to their capabilities. If we get our forward pack moving forward and they can play off the back of that, it makes things fall our way.
"When you're playing in finals you've got to take those opportunities ... We didn't play to our capabilities and Melbourne took their chances."
Currently on a six-game winning run, Canberra are a vastly different proposition to the outfit that were belted by Souths 36-18 in round 12.
Missing that day were fullback Josh Dugan and centre Blake Ferguson, dropped for disciplinary reasons, and Maguire was quick to remind his team of the Raiders' strong recent form.
"They're a team that are working for each other," he said.
"When they're doing that they're giving themselves a chance."
Rabbitohs v Raiders
ANZ Stadium, 9.45 tonight
Referees: Matt Cecchin, Tony Archer


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Big Dada's newest recruit, Kate Tempest, will release het debut album Everybody Down, this spring and to celebrate London's Corsica Studios will play host to an intimate one-off performance with her full band on Tuesday 20 May.
Tickets are available now from See Tickets / Ticketmaster / Star Green
Kate is best known as a poet, perhaps a performance poet or a spoken word artist. She also has a novel coming out next year with Bloomsbury. But Kate was originally a rapper and is finally bring out her debut solo record Everybody Down, a record that pays homage to the roots of hip hop, produced in collaboration with the ever-talented Dan Carey.
Everybody Down will be released on 19 May 2014 on 2LP, CD and digitally, available from Big Dada, iTunes and Amazon.
Big Dada are pleased to announce the signing of Kate Tempest with her album Everybody Down due out on 19 May. Download "Lonely Daze" and pre-order the record here.Read More
Big Dada are pleased to announce the signing of Kate Tempest with her album Everybody Down due out on 19 May. Download "Lonely Daze" and pre-order the record here.Read More
Kate Tempest launches her new rap album Everybody Down at Corsica Studios on 20 May - tickets available from See Tickets / Ticketmaster / Star GreenRead More
Kate Tempest shares the first "chapter" from her upcoming "novel-rhyme" solo album, Everybody Down, on the Guardian - head here to listen.Read More
Hear the first "chapter" from Kate Tempest's upcoming "novel-rhyme" solo album for Big Dada, Everybody Down, on the Guardian.Read More
The latest track from Kate's upcoming solo effort gets an acid-flecked club re-rub from PhOtOmachine. Listen in full on Clash.Read More
The next aural "chapter" of Kate's novel rhyme solo album Everybody Down, arrives in the form of "A Hammer", head to Consequence of Sound to check it out.Read More
See the brilliant new video from Kate Tempest for "The Beigeness", taken from her upcoming debut solo album Everybody Down released on 19 May.Read More


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One Shooter One Spaniel One Retriever
To the OP. I think Hillman's video would be ideal for you and your kids. It is casual, it is simple to implement, no need for special grounds or lots of equipment and most of all it is fun, for pup and people. But you should know, he does use an e collar at the appropriate time. You might think of it as "e collar lite". Somehow, I think the video will help you to appreciate the modern e collar and the lack of drama involved in its use.
Carol Howey
Owned and handled by Cruisin' with Indiana Jones, JH
Alternate Handler: Westwind Buffalo Soldier
Apprentice Handler: Snake River Medicine Man, SH
Jon Couch
Duck Creek Kennels
Allegan, MI
"It's very important to constantly analyze what you are doing and whether your dogs are being good or bad because of what you are doing or in spite of what you are doing." Mike Lardy
I just watched Jakie's Sound Beginnings and she does a nice job with many aspects of dealing with a retriever puppy (covers training tools, puppy drills, retrieving, intro to water, etc), but it is NOT a training program. Still worth a watch or two. I've been waiting to get my hands on Hillman's video as well as Evan Graham Smartworks. I joined bowwowflix so I could review the DVD to see what I like and fits me before running out and dropping the money on a copy. Hillman's DVD is all rented out if that tells you anything. I also have Mike Stewarts - The Wildrose way and it to is not very detailed as a program might be, but still has good info on drills and technique. I was mainly looking for something that keeps me from making mistakes at this young age prior to doing more formal training. I also got in contact with two local trainers and will be attending a session with each of them. Both offer training the trainer help and work as opposed to leaving the dog with them which would not happen in my house. Good luck!


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By Robbie Ward/NEMS Daily Journal
TUPELO – Dining on fried catfish and bacon-wrapped meatloaf with orange construction barrels just feet away seems almost natural to Deryl and Pat Brendle.
The couple regularly dines at Fresh Market Cafe on South Gloster Street, traveling across town through long traffic lines and construction that begins near their east Tupelo home and picks up again near the eatery.
Fans of fresh, made-from-scratch cooking, the Brendles continue eating at the local business in spite of the trouble getting there.
"It's a nightmare," Deryl Brendle said of the construction, pausing from his corn souffle. "But it's just a fact of life."
While not always appreciated by drivers and businesses in construction zones, Tupelo's Major Thoroughfare Program has improved navigation through the city for more than 20 years. Started in 1991, the city initiative with an annual budget of about $4 million depends on taxpayer approval every five years to continue constructing improved streets, bridges and other infrastructure to make travel in Tupelo less congested.
Marty Wiseman, director of the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, said the forward thinking of city leaders to create the thoroughfare program embodies what sets Tupelo apart from other cities in the state and elsewhere that have significant infrastructure issues and uncertain ways to pay for them. He said Tupelo's tradition of supporting community needs has helped make it the city that other communities look to as a model.
"That's the way you're supposed to do municipal government," Wiseman said of Tupelo, citing the thoroughfare program.
However, despite forethought put into the program, business owners continue to struggle with construction interfering with customers shopping along affected areas.
For the South Gloster Street project, businesses have waited longer than expected for construction to end. It's already past the scheduled completion date of Dec. 31, and it likely will continue into late spring.
Mike O'Hara, part owner of Fresh Market Cafe, said the business opened just a month before construction began out front. The roadwork had an immediate negative impact.
"The day after construction started, our business dropped 30 percent," he said. "It's been like that ever since."
Businesses lined along South Gloster report a significant decrease to their bottom line, all attributing the $6.5 million project as a key culprit. Instead of tending to customers at Jimmy's Portable Buildings, 1105 South Gloster St., operations manager Jim Curry said the situation has made his work a solitary experience.
"I just sit here and watch the traffic," he said, looking outside from his office at a lot of plenty of inventory and no customers. "I've sat here for three straight days without anyone coming in here."
While a strain on business is reported, few residents familiar with the area disagree that the project to widen the roadway from four lanes to five isn't needed. Weather-related delays and discovering undocumented underground utilities has kept the project behind schedule. Carson Neal, an engineer with Cook Coggin Engineers, which manages the project, said 75 percent of the work is complete on the project.
While hiccups happen in construction projects, Greg Pirkle, chairman of the MTP committee, said lasting results help traffic flow and improve economic development opportunities for the area.
"Our quality of life is so much better now because you can take your kid to a city park and get in and out from most parts of the city," he said. "There's a consistent regard for improved thoroughfare in the city."
On East Main Street, another key part of the city project, residents and businesses have grumbled about the bumpy drive resulting from months of construction.
A few days ago, the street received a base level of paving, quieting some of the grumbles.
For one new business to the area, Budget Dollar, east Tupelo's street improvements may be too much to keep it in business. After opening in late 2011, owner Mike Freeman said his sales dropped by 50 percent when construction began in front of his store.
"My customers still come," he said. "But they come less frequently."
While the $3 million East Main Street project is a few weeks ahead of schedule, work will likely continue there through July. And after that section is completed, the city will begin a second phase of the east Tupelo project that will widen bridges between Veteran's Boulevard and the Fairpark downtown area, along with enhancing the area with bike lanes and sidewalks from downtown to Elvis Presley's birthplace.
While asking for patience during construction, Ward 5 Councilman Jonny Davis said the improvements in east Tupelo will transform the area, better connecting it physically and symbolically to the rest of the city.
"We've waited so long in east Tupelo to have this work done," Davis said. "I think we'll have one of the most attractive roadways in Tupelo when it's all done."
In the northern part of the city, the third active part of the Major Thoroughfare Program is the Northern Loop, a nearly $30 million project that includes about five miles of roadway. While the street has been paved, work continues on two bridges there. Construction of the bridge at the Natchez Trace began in February, while the bridge at Highway 78 will begin construction in six to eight weeks, said John White of Engineering Solutions Inc., responsible for managing the Northern Loop project.
White said the Northern Loop project should be complete in the fall or winter of 2014.
While businesses may suffer financially during the construction, O'Hara, the restaurant owner, said he wasn't bitter.
"When it ends, it'll leave a tremendous benefit," he said.


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- Death by SUV
Saw my ex-girlfriend of several years ago while crossing Woodruff Ave today. We had a pretty traumatic breakup, and it's always kind of a shock to see her around campus, since I almost never do. I don't really have any hard feelings anymore, but I think she does.
She was driving her big-ass Ford Explorer SUV, and I was going to cross the street. The light was green in her direction, but traffic was stopped, so I could have walked across in between the cars. After a few seconds the car in front of her started moving a bit, but she stayed in the same place, and kind of looked at me expressionlessly, as if offering to let me walk in front of her car to cross the street.
I almost started to do that, since I was in a hurry, but right before I stepped out in front of her car, I realized that she wasn't offering to let me go in front, she was daring me to. I decided it would be a good idea to wait for the crosswalk signal. She drove off.
- Hacking
Yesterday, I took my laptop to MacMobile, a local Mac repair place. If you're in Columbus, Ohio and you need your Mac repaired, I highly recommend them. They expertly extracted the mini-CD stuck in my drive, which put me out about $70. Seems fairly reasonable.
Then I mentioned the real problem, which was it crashing. Of course when he booted it up into MacOS X from an external FireWire hard drive, it ran perfectly. But Linux still crashed while trying to mount my XFS partition. One of the techs suggested filesystem corruption, and I realized that I'd never even thought of that. XFS has been rock solid for me for a year, but it was possible. So I decided to take it home and try reinstalling Debian on it.
First in order to do that, I needed to install MacOS X to download the Debian installation bits, so I went ahead and did that. While I was in MacOS X, I tried beating on the computer by ripping a CD with iTunes, copying files around, etc. It ran perfectly.
I was at this time almost totally convinced the problem was software, so I tried installing Debian. The installer hung halfway through. MacOS X continued to work perfectly. I was starting to feel like my laptop had decided it only wanted to run proprietary software. Then, the next day, MacOS X hung hard when I tried waking the computer up from sleep, and it's fairly repeatable. So now I'm convinced again it's hardware. Damn.
SyntaxPolice: Thanks for the links to PC laptops. I think I'm still wanting to buy a Mac, mainly because figuring out what PC laptop hardware has Linux and XFree drivers is a big pain in the ass. Plus the Mac battery life rules. I dunno though, if someone pointed me at a PC laptop in the $1200-$1700 price range with integrated ethernet (and maybe integrated 802.11{b,g}, that had good Linux/XFree drivers, I might consider it.
- School
Got my midterm in math back yesterday. I'd studied a lot for it, but since I really need to do well in this class in order to stay in school, I had a bit of anxiety about getting it back. When the teacher handed me the test, I flipped it over, and on the front was a score of 44...out of 100. I felt this complete and total sense of failure. I didn't even bother to look at the rest of the test; I just stared a the wall in front of me, thinking about how I was going to get kicked out of school and wondering what I would do.
But after a minute or two I sort of shook myself out of my brief melancholy, and decided to see what I had done wrong. That's when I noticed that the handwriting didn't look much like mine...in fact, it wasn't my name at the top of the test. I felt a sense of relief that was much like an equal but opposite reaction to my first. It turned out that I got an 85, which is good enough for me. Maybe I won't be kicked out of school after all.


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Rental Car
Use our interactive map and directory
Customer Experience
Sydney Airport taps into brewery's legacy with opening of Coopers Alehouse
Coopers, Australia's family-owned brewery, in conjunction with Emirates Leisure Retail Australia, will set up shop at Sydney Airport's T2 Domestic Terminal with the opening of the first Coopers Alehouse in Sydney, today.
Coopers has partnered with Emirates Leisure Retail Australia (ELRA) to bring the concept bar to life in Australia's busiest and most vibrant terminal, offering travellers a wide selection of food and beverages. Also launching alongside the concept bar will be a new Hudsons Coffee outlet, an ELRA-owned franchise.
The fully branded Coopers bar will offer a wide selection of Coopers' famous brews on tap, as well as bottled local and imported beers, wines and pre-mixed beverages. The menu will feature breakfast, lunch and dinner classics such as deli sandwiches, gourmet pizzas and entrée-sized light bites.
"It's a natural fit for Australia's busiest terminal to feature an iconic Australian brewery. Offering great choices, convenience and providing a pleasurable travel experience to customers is at the heart of our retail strategy. Coopers Alehouse will provide another sensational dining choice to travellers, further cementing our commitment to the expansion and revitalisation of T2," Sydney Airport General Manager Retail, Andrew Gardiner, said.
Executive Chairman of Coopers, Glenn Cooper, said the company was excited to be offering its iconic brand to millions of Australia's travellers.
"The first Coopers Alehouse in Adelaide has been operating successfully since it opened, and we saw this as a fantastic opportunity to put the Coopers name in front of vast numbers of travellers from all over the country. Along with our partners, ELRA and Sydney Airport, we are thrilled to bring a great Coopers experience to more Australians," he said.
ELRA Managing Director, Adam Summerville, said Coopers and ELRA have had a robust longstanding relationship.
"We are delighted to take this partnership to a new level with the launch of Coopers Alehouse at T2, as well as our new Hudsons Coffee outlet. ELRA's track record as an effective partner and operator for brands is a key part of our ability to work with iconic names such as Coopers, and we hope to continue this success in future projects with them," he said.
Sydney Airport Domestic Terminal (T2) delivers a range of fashion and gift retailers plus casual eateries catering to its diverse customers. Time-poor travellers benefit from the convenience of T2's careful planning of the retail layout, range of shopping options and strong service values – all enhancing the joy of travel.
Coopers Alehouse at T2, Sydney Airport will be open daily from 5am to 10.30pm.
For more information about Sydney Airport, visit www.sydneyairport.com.au
Editors' Notes
For more information please contact DEC Public Relations, on behalf of Sydney Airport:
Natalie Cameron / Brittany Connor / Anna Frilingos
02 8014 5033


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Annual cost-sharing limits for nongrandfathered group health plans would increase to $7,350 for individuals and $14,700 for families in 2018, under a recent CMS proposal. This marks a 2.8% increase from the 2017 limits, which cap out-of-pocket costs for in-network covered essential health benefits under nongrandfathered group health plans at $7,150 for self-only coverage and $14,300 for broader coverage.
Applying the same premium adjustment percentage to employer shared-responsibility assessments, the play-or-pay assessment for not offering coverage would increase to $2,320, while the assessment for offering coverage that is unaffordable or lacks minimum value would increase to $3,480 for 2018.
The Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched an initiative to more widely investigate HIPAA breaches affecting fewer than 500 individuals. Historically, investigations have focused on breaches involving protected health information (PHI) of 500 or more individuals, but OCR now intends to shift more attention to the root causes of smaller breaches. OCR believes breach investigations allow it to better understand industry-wide compliance problems as well as compel corrections for entity-specific deficiencies.
With this post, we at the blog are officially kicking off annual planning for 2018. Over the coming weeks, we'll be offering advice and check lists for 2018, including some special to-do's for prescription drugs and time-off benefits. We thought a good place to start this year is with a list of best practices. The list below contains 25 health benefit best practices from the Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans. Each year we compare the performance of employers that use the most of these best practices with those using the fewest (the top and bottom quartiles). And each year we find that those using the most best practices have lower average healthcare cost increases. (In 2016, the two groups had average increases of 3.8% and 4.8%, respectively.)
As you review the list, highlight the practices you have in place. Once complete, there are two ways to look at your results. One way would be to look at all the things you are not doing and consider them as options for 2018. But if you already have many of these strategies or tactics in place, a better approach for your organization might be to carefully consider whether you are getting the results you expected. Is there opportunity to improve? Should you redirect funding to another program?
We update the best practice list every year. Let us know if you have suggestions.
25 Best Practice Cost-Management Strategies
Source: Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2016
House Republican leaders are working to win the votes needed to pass a revised version of their health care reform bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), that aims to lower health insurance premiums for some individuals by letting states obtain waivers to opt out of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) essential health benefits, community rating, and age banding requirements.
The latest revisions reflect negotiations between leaders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the moderate "Tuesday Group" since the March collapse of Republicans' first attempt to pass the bill, which Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, pulled from floor consideration because it lacked support. Other changes to the AHCA since its introduction include the addition of a risk-sharing program to help insurers cover high-claims costs.
These latest revisions brought an official endorsement from the Freedom Caucus, and GOP leaders had hoped to rush the bill to a floor vote this week before the 100th day of President Donald Trump's presidency on Saturday. But many moderates, leery of what they see as a lessening of consumer protections by the new changes, are not rushing to sign on to the bill, and some have announced opposition. Leaders are trying to secure enough support to pass the bill the first week of May, but the outlook is uncertain.
It has been a month since the American Health Care Act was pulled because House Republicans lacked the votes to advance it to the Senate. Here's a run-down of all that has happened since then, including our perspective on what it means to employers.
Individual Options in the Public Exchange
Over the past month, after Humana announced that it will no longer offer plans on the public exchange and Anthem announced that it is nervous, we have been seeing articles about parts of the country where Obamacare options could go from one to zero. Insurance companies are trying to decide whether to participate in the exchange market in 2018 as they wait for Washington to provide some much-needed clarity and stability.
Last week, health insurers met with Seema Verma, the new Medicare administrator. Their biggest concern is the future of cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) paid by the administration that now go to the companies covering about seven million individuals to help lower deductibles and co-payments. While the Obama administration paid the subsidies, House Republicans sued, arguing that payments made by the executive branch and not appropriated by Congress were unconstitutional. A federal district court judge agreed but allowed the subsidies to continue while the case is being appealed, and the next court date is May 22. Interestingly, Kaiser Family Foundation released an analysis that showed eliminating the CSRs would actually result in a net increase of $2.8 Billion to the Federal government in 2018 for higher premium subsidy payments. In addition to the CSRs, insurers also worry about enforcement of the individual mandate penalty. Without it, healthier people might consider going without insurance, which drives up costs for the insured.
What employers need to know: The funding for the CSRs is critical for the insurance companies because it will saddle them large immediate costs and affect their pricing of future policies. Without the subsidies, rates are estimated to increase an additional 20% on top of required increases for 2018. The health of the individual market is important to employers as outside options for COBRA coverage and pre-65 retiree medical coverage. In addition, shortfalls in the individual market will result in cost-shifting to other markets, most likely employers since they cover the largest portion of the US population.
Attempts to Revive the AHCA Continue
Following the failed attempt to pass the AHCA in the House, the White House urged continued efforts aimed at bridging differences between GOP moderates and conservative Freedom Caucus members who believe the AHCA did not do enough to drive down insurance premiums. Just before Congress left town on Friday, April 7, for its two-week Spring recess, House Republicans agree to add language to the bill that would establish a federal risk-sharing program providing $15 billion to states over nine years. The change did not convince the Freedom Caucus members, who had earlier met with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss their support for getting rid of three ACA regulations -- essential health benefits, which mandate what services insurers must cover; community rating, which says insurers can't charge sick people more for insurance; and guaranteed issue, which says insurers must cover people with pre-existing conditions.
Talks between the White House, House GOP lawmakers produced a compromise proposal on April 26 that would let States to opt out of essential health benefit regulations and loosen the rules on when insurance companies can charge higher premiums. In exchange, states would have to set up a high-risk pool where older, sicker people could buy coverage, likely at much higher prices. It remains unclear, however, whether the proposed changes will attract enough votes to move the bill out of the House.
What employers need to know: There is still interest in repeal/replace, but the reality that it will take time seems to have sunk in – especially given that even if the House is able to pass a bill, there will be more issues to navigate in the Senate.
Trump Has Options While Waiting for Lawmakers
There was an interesting piece in the New York Times outlining what the Trump administration could do to the ACA in the absence of legislative changes. It could weaken enforcement of the individual mandate; not fund CSRs and make premium subsidies less generous; allow states to impose work requirements under Medicaid expansion; and redefine essential health benefits (although this would require a lengthy re-write of current regulations). What the administration can't change is the employer mandate or taxes created under the ACA. Nor can it increase in premiums for older Americans. Most recently, HHS issued a stabilization rule aimed at addressing some of the insurance companies concerns in the individual insurance market. It addresses premium payment requirements, shortening the open enrollment period, pre-approval verification for special enrollment requests, and flexibility on plan designs within the metal categories (essentially, allowing higher cost sharing in order to lower the premium costs).
What employers need to know: The longer it takes for lawmakers to reach consensus, the more important these types of actions will be. Employers should be aware of any actions that potentially could result in cost shifting -- which is everything on the list.
Here's the bottom line. More than 177 million Americans get their health coverage through an employer. American businesses are a critical partner for success as the Trump Administration and lawmakers navigate the future of health insurance. We strongly support actions that seek to slow healthcare cost growth and limit cost-shifting to private payors.
In our recent policy paper, we recommend the creation of a "President's Healthcare Leadership Council" to drive transformation and boost transparency in healthcare. In setting health policy for the coming years, the federal government has an important opportunity to support the collaboration needed to drive value throughout the entire health system.
Offerings of HSA-eligible high-deductible health plans have more than doubled in the past five years. Our 2016 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans found that more than half of large employers (53%) now provide this type of plan to their employees, and nearly a quarter of employees (24%) are enrolled. At the same time, there has also been steady growth in offerings of onsite and near-site medical clinics, especially among the largest employers: About a third of employers with 5,000 or more employees provide a clinic for primary care services. An onsite clinic offers the maximum opportunity for control over quality, and more than half of the clinic sponsors in another Mercer survey said that their clinic is integrated with their population health efforts.
Employers that offer HSA-eligible plans and provide onsite care face unique challenges. Under rules for HSA-eligible plans, only preventive services can be provided at no cost; employees need to pay the full cost of a non-preventive visit before they satisfy the plan deductible. Some employers with onsite clinics may be unknowingly disqualifying employees, understating their own tax liability, and incorrectly filing employment tax forms.
It remains to be seen if lawmakers will loosen regulations to make coordinating clinics and HSA-eligible plans easier. In the meantime, we surveyed 84 organizations that have onsite clinics and asked how employees are charged for clinic services. Of those respondents that offer both an HSA-eligible and non-HSA eligible plans, nearly two-thirds say that members are charged the same amount for clinic services, regardless of plan selection, though a third responded that members in the HSA-eligible plan are generally charged more. More than half of these employers that offer HSA plans charge a single, flat fee per visit for all services, 29% have a full fee schedule, and the remaining 17% have a tiered fee structure. Nearly a quarter of respondents use third-party services for billing, and just over half require full payment for clinic services at the point of sale.
Employers with onsite clinics that are considering adding an HSA-eligible plan will need to revisit their clinic fee structure and billing practices to ensure clinic use is compliant with plan eligibility -- at least until these regulations are updated… fingers crossed!
The stalled House ACA repeal and replace effort means the next crucial decision about the ACA's future will probably be made by the White House. Following the canceled vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the immediate concern on the health reform front is whether President Trump is serious about his threat to let the ACA "explode" – to use his term.
The first – and clearest – signal by the president and congressional Republicans will be whether they continue to fund crucial subsidy payments to insurers – called cost-sharing reductions – that reduce premiums by about $9 billion for millions of the poorest exchange customers. Stopping the payments would virtually guarantee a collapse of exchange markets, causing insurers to flee some markets immediately and nearly all to stay away entirely in 2018, with millions of Americans losing coverage. Employer-sponsored health plans would also feel the repercussions of an individual market collapse as providers would likely look to shift more costs to those plans and employer strategies that rely on the market to provide coverage to part-time workers and pre-Medicare-eligible retirees would need to be reevaluated.
But it appears that GOP sentiment is running toward preserving the subsidies to keep the market stable — an irony given that the House Republicans went to court to stop the Obama White House from spending the money without a congressional appropriation. Last year a federal judge agreed but let the subsidies continue pending an appeal. The parties are scheduled to meet on May 22nd, and the judge could then order Republicans to decide what they want to do. They could withdraw the suit, or the Trump administration could continue providing the subsidies without an appropriation, though that wouldn't go over well with some conservative Republicans.
The AHCA would have repealed the subsidies in 2020, but Republicans were expected to appropriate funding in the meantime. Now, without the political cover of a repeal and replace effort, it's not entirely clear that Congress would appropriate the money. Still, some leading House GOP lawmakers believe that the subsidies will be kept in place despite the legal effort to stop them, given the potential political backlash.
If Republicans cut off the payments, Democrats could go to mat over the issue when Congress needs to pass a new government spending bill at the end of the month. That bill will need 60 votes in the Senate, so this has the potential to become a government shutdown issue.
The uncertainty is weighing heavily on health insurers. They have until June 21 to decide whether to participate in the 2018 federally-facilitated marketplaces, and the deadline for participation in some state-run exchanges is even earlier. The clock is ticking.
Click here to see the full infographic
We've been tracking the growth of consumer-directed health plans in our national survey for years. Now policymakers in Washington are signaling interest in liberalizing health savings account rules, intensifying the focus on high-deductible plans that would be eligible for an HSA. While the majority of large employers already offer CDHPs – among the largest they are nearly ubiquitous – most often they are offered as a choice, not as the only medical plan. Building enrollment in a CDHP offered as a choice has proven to be challenging, but it can be done. In this infographic, we present survey findings that should be of interest both to employers thinking about a full replacement strategy and to those committed to offering a CDHP as a choice but looking to encourage more employees who could benefit to make the move.
Just a few days after the dramatic collapse of efforts to pass the House GOP's American Health Care Act, more than 1,300 folks with an interest in employer-sponsored health benefits joined a Mercer webcast* to learn a) what the heck just happened, b) now what, and c) what does this mean for employer health benefits? A team from our Washington Resource Group aced the first question and gave as good a look into the future as possible without a crystal ball.
We took advantage of the opportunity to ask the health benefit professionals on the call a couple of questions, starting with their reaction to the (apparent) death of the bill. More respondents were relieved than disappointed; in fact it wasn't even close. Enough said.
Our second question was inspired by our belief that while shoring up the individual market and ensuring Americans have access to affordable health coverage is critical, neither the AHCA nor the ACA did nearly enough to address the underlying problem in the US healthcare system: too much cost for not enough value. Given that employers provide coverage to more than half of all Americans, employers are key stakeholders in any effort to reform US healthcare. So what would they like Congress and the administration to prioritize going forward?
At the top of the wish list is help with controlling the escalating cost of pharmaceuticals: on a scale of 1-5, that scored a 4.4. Next was improving price transparency for all medical services and supplies. Most respondents to the poll also want the government to maintain Medicaid funding and stabilize the individual market so that people not in employer-sponsored plans have access to affordable coverage. A rise in the number of uninsured will increase providers' risk for uncompensated care, leading them to hike rates for private payers. This type of cost shifting does nothing to address the underlying cost of care and makes it harder for employers to provide affordable coverage.
As we've been saying, employers are uniquely positioned to help control healthcare spending and promote positive health outcomes. They are working to help employees become responsible insurance consumers and are a trusted source of health information and resources. Policymakers should view this health reform "reboot" as an opportunity to partner with American businesses to drive higher quality, lower costs, and better outcomes for all Americans.
*Mercer Select Intelligence membership required. Not a member? Learn more
After their failed attempt to pass ACA repeal and replace legislation, President Trump and House Speaker Ryan indicated that they were "moving on" to other legislative priorities. On Tuesday, we learned that Republicans have restarted their conversations about healthcare. On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported the GOP was discussing a new vote as early as next week.
At Mercer, we believe that the current healthcare system is unsustainable, but we urge that changes be made without undue haste and with careful consideration of the many complex factors at play in our system. We are actively advocating for new health savings account rules and the repeal of the Cadillac tax and, as I said in my blog post earlier this week, we stand ready to support lawmakers in shaping policies that will address the underlying causes of healthcare cost growth.
Our conversations with employers across the country echo these priorities. For instance, the morning of the day the bill was pulled, I gave a speech at the North Carolina Business Group on Health annual conference. I asked the group of benefits professionals if they could ask one wish of the President and Congress, what would it be? Responses included:
- Healthcare coverage for all
- Consideration of the consequences of cutting federal funding for Medicaid and public health programs
- Consideration of the consequences of cost-shifting to older pre-Medicare-eligible Americans
- Help addressing unnecessary/inappropriate care, ER visits, and opiate use
- Help with escalating prescription drug costs
- Relief on the ACA reporting requirements
What would your "one wish" be?
Source: www.nytimes.com
A couple of weeks ago (feels like ages) we launched a brief survey to find out where employers stood on specific provisions in the House GOP repeal-and replace-bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA). We closed the survey on Thursday with more than 900 responses. As I was reviewing the results on Friday, the bill was apparently dying -- but now House leaders and President Trump are signaling that it may be revived. Either way, the health reform debate is far from over, and many of the provisions introduced in the AHCA will likely remain part of the discussion.
The survey asked health benefit professionals how key provisions would affect their organization's health benefit program, employees, and business success -- as opposed to how they might affect the individual market or people without access to employer-sponsored health insurance. They could also respond that the provision would not affect their organization one way or the other.
HSA changes, repeal of employer mandate seen as positive
We didn't ask for an overall opinion of the bill, but employers' reactions to individual provisions added up to a less-than-ringing endorsement. To start with what they liked: 66% said that liberalizing HSA rules -- such as allowing higher contributions -- would have a positive effect on their organizations. That's in the ballpark of the percentage of large employers nationally that offer HSA-eligible plans (53% in 2016). If you don't offer an HSA-eligible plan and don't intend to, or if you do offer one but none of your employees are likely to hit the maximum account contribution, you might not believe this provision would have much of an impact, like 29% of our respondents.
That was the only provision seen as a positive by more than half of the respondents. Next closest is repealing the employer mandate. Just over a third -- 35% -- said it would have a positive effect on their organizations. Most said it would have no impact. Why? Wouldn't employers like the option to drop coverage for employees working less than 40 hours per week, or to stop worrying about meeting the affordability and minimum plan value requirements? The fact is that most employers already met the ACA requirements before the law was signed. And if they did make changes to extend coverage to more employees or make it more generous, they may not be able to picture clawing that back. Our earlier surveys found that the employer mandate had very little effect on employer plans because employers were already voluntarily providing comprehensive and affordable coverage, so repealing the employer mandate would likewise have little effect.
Repealing the individual mandate was judged as a positive by just 27% of employers; 18% view it as a negative and most believe it would have little effect on their organizations.
Other provisions expected to do more harm than good
For the rest of the provisions we asked about, the view was much more negative than positive. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) believe that cutting funding for public health initiatives would have a negative effect on their organizations. Such a change would scale back or eliminate programs designed to improve community health (for example, vaccinations), and employers are well aware of the extent to which workforce health is tied to community health. Federal programs to monitor and reduce hospital-acquired infections would also be cut, with obvious negative consequences for health care payers.
Nearly as many respondents (64%) say that the proposed Medicaid cutbacks -- ending Medicaid expansion and moving to block grants -- would have a negative effect on their organizations. This suggests that employers are aware and concerned about the impact that an increase in the number of people without insurance could have on the cost of health care. It may be hard to prove, but it stands to reason that providers wind up shifting the expense of treating those who can't pay to those who can.
Last but certainly not least, 64% of respondents told us that retaining the excise tax, as the AHCA did, would have negative consequences for their organizations; our health reform leader Tracy Watts described the excise tax as a dark shadow hanging over strategic planning. We also asked about capping the exclusion on the individual tax, which was in an earlier draft of the bill and may well resurface. Not quite as many saw this as negative, but it was close, at 57%. Those who believe that the excise tax or the cap will not affect their organizations may think they will never hit the thresholds. We wish that were true, but given that health cost generally rises faster than the CPI, the index used to raise the tax thresholds, more likely it will only be a matter of time.
Based on their 2016 plan costs, we project that 23% of large employers will be subject to the excise tax in 2020 when it is slated to go into effect, unless they make changes to the plan. That percentage almost doubles when we project it out to 2025.
Cadillac tax remains a focus
For many employers, avoiding the excise tax won't be a simple matter of downgrading a "Cadillac" plan, because their plans weren't Cadillac to begin with! As we've shown, many factors that drive plan cost are outside an employer's control -- in particular, location and employee demographics. That's why Mercer will continue to advocate against the excise tax and a cap on the individual health benefit tax exclusion -- provisions that will make it harder for employers to continue providing affordable, comprehensive coverage to the more than 177 million Americans that now rely on it.
Last week Republican leaders abruptly canceled a House vote on the proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA) because it was clear that it wouldn't pass. At a March 24 press conference, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, said that the party will now "move on" to tax reform and other policy priorities.
While "moving on" might be an option for Congress, it isn't an option for employers who collectively provide health coverage to 177 million Americans and spend over $660 billion annually on health benefits -- more than federal spending on Medicare. Given that healthcare spending rises faster than inflation, it has been an ongoing challenge for employers to provide their workers with comprehensive, affordable coverage.
But there is reason to be optimistic. In recent years, we've seen overall health benefit cost growth slow, and some employers have made remarkable progress in bending the trend with breakthrough strategies. We believe there are steps that employers of any size can take to make a difference in their own programs -- and that ultimately these actions will drive change in the larger US healthcare system. We are working with employers to lead meaningful change through a collective focus on these four vital aspects:
- Pay for Value: Align reimbursement with value, not volume.
- Drive to Quality: Deliver the right care at the right time, in the right setting, error free.
- Personalize the Experience: Leverage data and technology to help employees make better healthcare decisions.
- Embrace Disruption: Leverage constant changes in the system -- with internal stakeholders and external partners -- to be future-ready.
Of course, true transformation will require change and cooperation from other players in the healthcare system -- including the federal government. That is why we will continue our efforts on the Hill, pushing for policies that address the underlying causes of healthcare cost growth, new health savings account rules, and the repeal of the Cadillac tax.
One possible fix for the public exchanges? Repeal the ACA provision expanding dependent coverage. Allowing young adults up to age 26 to be covered under their parents' plans has been one of the law's most popular provisions, especially since it went into effect at a time when many young people were struggling to find full-time work in the wake of the recession. But it also took these same people out of the potential pool of enrollees when the exchanges opened in 2013. While many factors have contributed to premium spikes in exchange coverage in some states, one quoted across the board has been that fewer young people than expected signed up for coverage. Had young adults not been able get coverage through their parents' plans, it's possible a portion of them would have signed up for exchange coverage. And having these younger, and generally healthier (i.e., lower risk) individuals in the pool might have helped to keep the premiums down.
Leading up to Thursday's vote in the House on the AHCA, the GOP's repeal and replace bill, lowering the dependent eligibility age to 23 was on the list of possible amendments but then withdrawn. As acknowledged in thisPolitico article, repealing the provision would be political suicide for anyone that proposes it; people don't react well to losing a benefit they've gotten used to having. Yet the upsides for removing this provision are, in principle, aligned with GOP repeal and replace goals, namely, removing additional costs imposed through the ACA and helping to stabilize the individual market.
One approach might be to phase out this provision, or grandfather individuals born before a certain date, so that families have time to prepare and plan for alternative coverage for their older children. Of course, this only works if there's an affordable health care option for these young adults on the exchanges. If the current subsidies are reduced to the levels proposed under the AHCA (an individual under 30 would only receive $2,000 towards health coverage per year regardless of income or location beginning in 2020), then leaving these individuals to the mercy of the individual market may not be wise; it could create a "black hole" of coverage from age 26 perhaps until the age when people are starting their families and see an absolute need for care. So while employers as well as the individual market could benefit from a rollback of this provision, adequate subsidies on the exchanges would need to be in place to help these individuals purchase and maintain continuous coverage.
Before the ACA, many self-employed individuals found it challenging to find a health plan on the individual market that met their needs, let alone to pay for it. Post ACA, the ability to obtain affordable coverage not tied to an employer has givenentrepreneurs in the growing 'gig' economy the flexibility to pursue their goals without having to worry about maintaining health coverage. These days may be coming to an end if the new GOP health care bill passes, however. Under theAmerican Health Care Act or AHCA, subsidies are dependent on age, as opposed to income (like under the ACA), and are not adjusted for geography, even though health costs vary widely depending on where you live. This could mean big changes in the amount of assistance an individual would receive under the AHCA compared to under the ACA. As cited in the article, a 40 year-old in San Francisco making $30,000 a year would receive $800 less a year under the new plan, and a 40 year-old living in Santa Cruz County, CA would see a $2,490 less per year -- potentially putting coverage out of reach.
A study published by the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that U.S. has between 54 million and 68 million 'independent workers', with some working independently full-time and others using independent/freelance work to supplement their primary income. With the proposed changes under the AHCA, some individuals may try to seek traditional employment for the purpose of healthcare coverage, or they may just choose to go without coverage completely. While critics of ACA subsidies have said they discourage people from seeking employment or advancing their careers since an increase in income would result in a decrease in subsidies, this new plan could have the same discouraging impact on the next generation of entrepreneurs.