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Archive for January 2010
We have moved!
Posted January 22, 2010on:
Please note that the url of the website has been changed from http://www.fenilandbollywood.wordpress.com to http://www.fenilandbollywood.com! So keep visiting the new FENIL AND BOLLYWOOD for all the Bollywood gupshup!
The Most Awaited movies of 2010
Posted January 22, 2010on:
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, January 21, 2010 – 12:10 IST
With all eyes on Bollywood, and a whole slew of movies due for release this year, Bollywood Hungama conducted a poll to chart out what are likely to be the biggest blockbusters of 2010. The analysis took the form of an extensive survey (from 16th to 28th Dec.) conducted online amongst those who really matter – the Consumers. Spanning regions as diverse as India and South-East Asia to the European Union and USA-Canada, the user had to select his/her 5 most anticipated movies. To ensure complete transparency and accuracy, a three level authentication check with email validation, cookie check and IP mapping was put into place.
The hot list of the Most Awaited Movies of 2010* truly proved to be the voice of the masses, garnering an overwhelming response. The 12-day poll saw 1,79,681 valid responses. Results were compiled based on votes from 72 countries – countries which constitute about 98% of revenue towards Bollywood releases.
The poll threw up several interesting results, analysis of which is as follows:
Some Facts
|India: 38.40%
Rest of the world: 41.92%
|Star quotient1. 2010 will see SRK and Hrithik battling it out for the top spot. Shah Rukh's My Name Is Khan ranks first on our list while his pet project Ra.1 also makes it to the top five. Hrithik has the much awaited Kites and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish, ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively, in his arsenal.
2. Despite a dull 2009, Akshay Kumar retains his hold on the audience's minds, with three of the actor's forthcoming releases: House Full, Action Replayy and Tees Maar Khan finding place in the overall top 20. Interestingly, the Sajid Nadiadwala-Sajid Khan-Akshay Kumar combo in House Full is ranked higher in the poll compared to Vipul Shah's Action Replayy. Moreover, Nikhil Advani's Patiala House has been ranked 18th by Indian surfers.
3. With the ladies, it's a three cornered fight between Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor and Kajol. Aishwarya makes a huge comeback with Guzaarish (third), Raavan (sixth) and Action Replayy (ninth). Kareena Kapoor's makes her mark with Ra.1, Agent Vinod and Stepmom Remake in the top 20.
4. Kajol, who is also making a comeback of sorts in 2010, retains a steady fan following. Two of her films, My Name Is Khan and Stepmom Remake find place in the overall top 20.
1. The poll indicates that Indian viewers have not warmed up to animation films. While Tarun Mansukhani's animation film Koochie Koochie Hota Hain ranks 9th and 20th in the UK and US votes polled, it finds no spot on the Indian top 20.
2. In fact, Nikhil Advani's forthcoming animation feature Delhi Safari is placed right at the bottom of our poll results.
Production Houses
1. The poll has reinforced that when it comes to films, 'Content is the King'. Eros and BIG Pictures lead the pack, while it's a mixed bag for most others.
2. Yashraj Films will have to work harder to capture the audience's imagination. For a second year in a row, none of its films find a spot in the top 20.
* Bollywood Hungama (earlier http://www.indiafm.com) has been conducting polls annually to determine the movies which are awaited the most or have a high level of public awareness and interest. The survey does not reflect or tend to predict the performance of the movie at the box office.
By Taran Adarsh, January 22, 2010 – 10:44 IST
VEER drives home a few hard facts…
- No amount of gloss can substitute for an engaging story.
- Not all directors are capable of pulling off a period film.
- No star – howsoever strong his rankings are – can infuse life in a comatose script.
Everyone's awaiting VEER with bated breath. The film industry will get another breather if VEER goes the 3 IDIOTS way at the box-office. The junta will have one more fascinating genre to look forward to, if VEER appeals to them. But your hopes go crashing as reel after reel of VEER unfurl.
Salman Khan [who has been credited as the story writer of VEER] takes TARAS BULBA, adds GLADIATOR, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, TROY, TITANIC and even KRANTI [the end is a straight lift of Manoj Kumar's Dilip Kumar starrer] and comes up with this khichdi which gets unpalatable after a point.
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VEER is about a warrior and at the same time, it's a love story too. Sadly, neither does it evoke any patriotism, nor does the love story make your heart go dhak-dhak.
The writing [screenplay: Shaktimaan Talwar, Shailesh Verma] is so fragile that one is mentally exhausted by the time this marathon movie finally reaches its finale. Of course, Salman's star power tries hard to salvage the situation, but window dressing doesn't help if the store has nothing to offer.
Final word? You have to be a veer to sit through VEER. Colossal disappointment!
As the British enslave India with their devious Divide and Rule policy, kings and nawabs fall to their guile and cunning schemes and entrust their precious kingdom to the foreigners. Except for the brave Pindaris, who prefer death to dishonour and will fight to their last breath to save their land.
The bravest, the toughest, the strongest of the Pindaris is Veer [Salman Khan]. As Veer takes on the might of the British Empire, he also has to fight the conniving King of Madavgarh [Jackie Shroff] as well his own jealous tribesmen. At stake is his love for princess Yashodhara [Zarine Khan], daughter of his sworn enemy. At stake is his thirst to avenge his father's dishonour.
VEER has it all – great stars, opulent and majestic sets, adrenaline pumping action scenes, but no soul [read script]. The movie begins with a bang, but the moment the story shifts to London, it crashes!
Frankly, it's a screenplay of convenience. Salman meets the woman of his dreams within minutes of reaching London and that looks so unreal. You try to digest it and move on to the next scene and lo! The damsel studies in the same college that our hero has enrolled in. Now that looks fake!
The sequence at the interval is interesting, although it remains a mystery how Puru Raaj Kumar gets to know of Salman's identity. At this point, Salman becomes a killing machine, slaughters more than a dozen people in the hostel campus [including a few gora soldiers] and conveniently escapes from London with a badly injured brother [played by Sohail]. Now that is taking it too far.
The second hour goes on and on and on, emphasising on unfulfilled promises, seething anger and revenge, love and freedom and frankly, you are least bothered by now. In fact, you lose interest in the proceedings. Period. The climax is so long drawn and more of an anti-climax, while the ending is bizarre and unintentionally funny.
Director Anil Sharma fails to deliver. That's the bitter truth. The project had everything going in its favour, but alas, Sharma and his writers make a complete mess of the story. Sajid-Wajid's music is melodious, but why repeat one song ['Surili Ankhiyon Wali'] again and again? The background score [Monty] is top notch. Gopal Shah's cinematography is splendid. Tinu Verma's action scenes are dynamic and in fact, the saving grace of VEER. The production design [art: Sanjay Dhabade] give an authentic feel of the bygone era.
VEER rides on Salman's star power, but even his hardcore fans will be disappointed by this movie. Zarine Khan resembles Katrina Kaif, but wears one expression all through. Mithun is okay, while Jackie does his bit well. Sohail Khan irritates. Puru Raaj Kumar and Aryan Vaid get no scope. Neena Gupta is as usual. The English actors are stereotype.
On the whole, VEER proves the age-old adage true: All that glitters is not gold. The film may open very well at single screens thanks to Salman's popularity and the hype surrounding the film and may also enjoy a healthy extended weekend [Tuesday, 26th January is a holiday], but given its exorbitant costs and poor merits, VEER will face an uphill task to recover its costs. This one's a monumental disappointment!
Makrand Deshpande in Guzaarish
Posted January 22, 2010on:
Sanjay Leela Bhansali had to cast for an important three-minute cameo for his film Guzaarish. But he just couldn't make up his mind after auditioning various people. That's when Hrithik Roshan suggested Makrand Deshpande's name. Interestingly, Hrithik doesn't know Makrand personally nor has he ever worked with him.
A source revealed, "Makrand got a call from Bhansali's office and was equally surprised by the offer."
Makrand grabbed the opportunity to work with the cast and crew of Guzaarish. He said, "Yes, I have done an important cameo, but I am not supposed to speak about it as the character is a vital part of the film. It was a pleasure working with Sanjay sir, Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai. Hrithik and Aishwarya are such hungry actors. When I got a call from Mr Bhansali's office, I wondered why they chose me. When I met Hrithik, he told me it was his suggestion to cast me in the cameo and Sanjay loved the idea!"
Recalling his experience, Makrand tells us, "I remember that during the sequence I suggested that I should carry flowers in my hands and Sanjay loved the idea. He stopped the shooting to arrange for the flowers. The entire three-minute scene which had so many dimensions was shot in one take. We even had a long chat after pack-up. I was amazed that Sanjay was aware of my plays and he even knew that I had made a film. He also spoke at length about his musical Padmavati. I still have to finish a couple of shots for the film which I will do soon."
|(L): Hrithik Roshan (R): Makrand Deshpande
Priyanka ka swayamvar
Posted January 22, 2010on:
// Priyanka Chopra, who is currently shooting for Anjaana Anjaani in New York, was invited to crown the winner of a local fashion pageant there.
"At the event, Priyanka, probably deciding to do a rehearsal for her film with Vishal Bhardwaj, in which she is the only woman with seven husbands, decided to play a small game of swayamvar with a few male participants before crowning the winner," an eyewitness revealed.
He added, "Priyanka called three boys on stage. They were asked to propose to her in innovative ways. One of them did a very filmi number and even sang for her. She did not accept any but danced with all of them. It was an Indian themed fashion show. So, there was no better chief guest than the former Miss World herself, who, in a pink saree, looked stunning. But because much time had been spent on the swayamvar, when the time came for the main event which was the fashion pageant, the organisers realised they had reached the time limit and switched off the lights and sound. But Priyanka being the sport that she is, happily came on stage, crowned the winner in the dark and made a quick exit.
Vidya Balan to stick to what suits her best in No One killed Jessica – ethnic wear by her favourite Sabyasachi
After getting flak for her dressing sense in her earlier movies, Vidya Balan has become extremely conscious of her clothes. She is finally happy that she has been appreciated for her outfits in Paa and Ishqiya, thanks to designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
So it's not surprising that Sabyasachi has become her favourite designer. Lately, she insisted that she will only work with him in No One killed Jessica, directed by Rajkumar Gupta.
The other lesson she has also learnt in the recent past is that she should stick to Indian outfits that she is comfortable in, rather than experiment with the Western look.
|Sabyasachi Mukherjee
A source from the unit reveals, "Vidya categorically told Gupta that she needs Sabya on board for her clothes. As she is accepted and appreciated for her Indian wear, she will once again be seen in similar costumes in this film. At best, the actress will wear denims paired with tunics and kurtis. Her role does not demand a Western look and thus she will stick to Indian wear."
Apart from movies, Vidya has also been dressing for events in Sabya creations. "She carries it off really well and has been garnering major compliments for the same," the source added.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his sharp music sense. He first discovered Ismail Darbar and as a team, they gave two blockbusters with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. His risk paid off, and the music was a huge hit.
Now, Bhansali is set introduce music director duo Ajay and Atul in Bollywood. They have just delivered a superhit Marathi film Natrang.
|Ajay and Atul
Our source said, "Someone suggested their names to Bhansali, who heard their music and loved it. He met up with them and immediately signed them for his upcoming film Chenab Gandhi, which stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rajeev Khandelwal and Vidya Balan in lead roles.
|Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Bhansali was very impressed by the music they had created for the Atul Kulkarni and Sonali Kulkarni-starrer Natrang.
The film created a buzz not only for its performances, it got some rave reviews for its music as well."


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Stephen Tanzer, world-renowned wine reviewer and tastemaker, publisher of Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar has joined the blogging world.
Called Stephen Tanzer's Winophilia, the humbly-titled blog is written by Stephen, other members of the IWC staff, and, presumably, guests. But how is it different from other wine sites?
Luckily for all of us, the About page answers just that question with, and this is just a snippet, the following:
At Winophilia, we're not armchair tasters who pretend to speak knowledgeably about regions we've never visited. We're not amateur bloggers whose coverage of wine is limited to a handful of random samples we've just received, a trade tasting we've attended, or a press junket we've just been treated to. We live wine. Each of us spends several weeks to several months on the road each year, visiting wineries and tasting thousands of wines annually with their makers. And that's not even including the thousands of bottles we taste each year in our own dining rooms.
Well, that's quite a mouthful, Stephen! As an armchair taster who pretends to speak knowledgeably about all sorts of things, I'd like to personally welcome you to the wine blogging world by saying go back to your dying print medium, jackass.
In the wake of flagging circulation numbers and decreasing revenue, wine publishing luminaries have been migrating online, albeit slowly, for the last year-plus. Robert Parker did it with eRobertParker.com, and now Stephen's here. But why the denigrating tone? Why simultaneously join the party and piss in the punch bowl? What could be the point? The impetus?
Since I'm already an armchair taster pretending to speak knowledgeably about blah blah blah, allow me to put on my armchair psychoanalyst hat (while the former apparently pisses off Stephen, the latter may make my wife, an actual PsyD candidate, throw up her arms in frustration. I'll take the chance.) and give it a go: he feels threatened.
I'm not sure why. As we all know, "[w]ine blogging is the attention-seeking barking of lonely poodles" (thanks, Ron), not the to-be-taken-seriously challenge to the traditional wine cognoscenti that Stephen must view it as in order to leap in to the deep end of blogging while, at the same time, decrying the existence of water in the pool. Or maybe of other swimmers. See, I'm just an armchair wordsmith pretending to speak knowledgeably about analogies, so I'm not sure there.
Frankly, the "traditional vs blogging" catfight is getting tired. I don't really care what Stephen Tanzer thinks of me. We're never going to meet. I'm never going to have to ask him for a letter of recommendation, and he's never going to ask me to design and develop a website for him (my career)–although incidentally, Stephen, Winophilia looks like a high school class put it together–so really, our effect on each other is minimal.
Unless my words here (collectively, of course, with the words of other wine bloggers) are actually making an impact on his bottom line. If I'm right up there in that pedestrian psychoanalysis, and he does indeed deem wine blogging to be a threat to his dying medium. If so, then boys and girls, we must be doing something right. Apparently, blogging is having an effect. People like it. Maybe they only like it because it's free, but I doubt that. As my personal hero, Walt Disney, liked to say, "quality will out."
Maybe it has to do with being unpretentious nonjackasses. If you're an unpretentious nonjackass, please step forward.
Not so fast, Mr. Tanzer.
(photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpockele/ / CC BY 2.0)
Steve Paulo's vitriol aside, he raises a good point.
With remarks such as Robert Parker labeling wine bloggers as "wine blobbers" (Jeff LeFevere at Good Grape has a great summary on this) as well as Anthony Dias Blue, we can look at the latest salvo by Stephen Tanzer as more of the same.
Wine bloggers should rejoice that they are getting such traction that old-guard wine reviewers such as Tanzer and the International Wine Cellar feel threatened enough to jump in the wine blog pool and swim with the… um… what is it that you call capable incumbents who occupy the market segment that you hope to enter?
Oh yeah: sharks.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Thomas Tjpaltjarri
|Acrylic on canvas
|60 X 60cm
Thomas Tjapaltjarri was born in the Gibson Desert in the early 1960's and is a member of the Pintupi tribe. The sensation in October 1984 was when Thomas and eight other members of his tribe walked out of the desert from the 'Stone Age' into the 20th century.
While all the other Aboriginals in the area were being settled on government stations further east, their small family group escaped the net. They continued to live the traditional aboriginal life of nomadic hunter-gatherers. They had no contact with the modern world of 'white' twentieth-century Australia until 1984.
It was then that they were 'found' by a party from a recently re-settled aboriginal outstation at Kiwirrkuru. The discovery created international headlines. It also created a new life for the wandering tribe. In 2000 -2002 he started to paint. His brothers, both very famous artists, Warlimpirrnga and Walala, inspired him to do so.
The subjects of his painting are the Tingari Cycle, a series of sacred and mythological songs connected to his birth ground. His Tingari Cycle paintings are associated with the artist's Dreaming sites located throughout the vast sandhill country of the Western Australian desert.
It was at Kiwirrkuru that Thomas began to paint on canvas, setting down the stories and images of an unbroken cultural tradition stretching back tens of thousands of years. This style is characterized by its rectangular shapes and lines surrounded by dots. The strength of his work was recognised at once and is very popular today.
His style is strongly gestural and boldly graphic, one that is generally highlighted by a series of rectangles set against a monochrome background.
"Hello to those at Spirit Gallery,
I'd like to thank you for your excellent service.
The didgeridoo..."
"Received my Didge bag yesterday.
Thank you so much. It's perfect. "
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-Gary from the USA
"Good morning Reno
Just wanted to let you know the paintings reached Boston today safe and sound. ..."
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"We ordered a didgeridoo for delivery when we were in Sydney. We asked for a delay in the pick up whi..."
-Peter Housego
"Hi Reno, thank you so much, the didge is beautiful and makes and amazing sound!!!!"
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"Service excellence the iron bark plays good making it good to learn "
-Mick from Campbelltown
"Hello Reno.
I bought a didgeridoo from you, when I was in Sydney last Saturday (4th January 2020)..."
-Ken from the UK
"Bought a beautiful Kristian Benton Iron Bark didge in the key of C Sharp. A highly qualitive instrum..."
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"Didge bag it is perfect!!!
Thank you so much for your help & fantastic service! I will definite..."
-Tina from NSW
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Bethany College academic programs range from the humanities to the fine arts to the pre-professional and professional. All academic programs are grounded in a core curriculum that encourages foundational, common learning among all community members.
But Bethany College is more than a place to take classes—it is a home base for those who seek excellence in their character, in their work, and in their world.
In an age of uniformity and conformity, Bethany College prepares every student to discover his or her own unique gifts, talents, skills, abilities and loves. But none of us does this alone.
We live side by side with others whose unique gifts and abilities help to comprise the complex world of which we are all apart. At Bethany College, each individual is affirmed, and the diversity of our community is affirmed, as we all seek to be intelligent and thoughtful members of the global community.


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What do you want first, the good news or the bad news? Whenever a conversation starts this way, you know things are going to get interesting.
Check out this video clip where Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA's Director, talks face-to-face with 100 teens at Harlem High School in New York about drug abuse. See what she says when someone asks her about Internet addiction. She is really open and honest, explaining both the good and the bad about taking risks. View the video and feel free to share it with your friends.
I think tht was ok
there arekids in my school who smoke pot and they seem okay. what's the big deal
Hi mike, there's no way to predict who will encounter the negative effects of marijuana and who will not. Actually, that's true for many drugs since there are so many differences between us all as individuals....we'll all react differently depending on how the drug is made, what our genetic make-up is, and other factors. The point is why take the risk by using something that could be harmful in so many ways?
Wow! This is a great video for teens and educators. I love how Dr. Nora stood in the center of the room to field questions. This is a another winning video from NIDA.
smoking pot will NOT make someone ok.
just because they SEEM ok doesnt mean they are ok.
nora is doing great things with the might of all her knowledge... she is engaging with adolescents as a rock star...mexicans must feel very proud of her achievements... we may still expect many more intrepid ideas from her to help people understand what is really on stake when you have an addiction...
what do you win by smoking and doing drugs?


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Warning for Exhibitors
Warning for Exhibitors
We inform exhibitors not to sign forms for free subscription to professional guides of companies who do not know.
The International Association of Fairs UFI, of which HELEXPO is a founding member, announced that attempts to mislead exhibitors have multiplied.
These companies usually offer to companies found by official Exhibitors' Catalogues, free registration in a commercial guide in the internet.The form they use is similar to that of an Exhibitions' Organizer.
Thanks to the 'small print' at the bottom of the form, unsuspecting exhibitors are affiliated to three years, non-retractable agreement, which is expensive and has no tangible benefit.
Debt collection companies from the European Union are also included in the above companies.
As an exhibitor, it is important to know that the above publications/companies have nothing to do with HELEXPO, the Official Exhibitions' Organizers of UFI or their organizations - and of course, to protect yourself.
Further information can be found on the website of the International Association of Fairs UFI, while after the mobilization of Exhibitions' Organizers and EU enterprises, instructions for canceling any agreements with such companies, were posted.


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Republicans promise to block Cordray nomination — again
Emboldened by a recent court decision that found some recess appointments are unconstitutional, Senate Republicans are renewing their vow to block the confirmation of a director to the new consumer watchdog agency unless Congress changes its structure.
In a letter to President Barack Obama Friday, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 42 other Republicans said they "have serious concerns about the lack of congressional oversight of the agency and the lack of normal, democratic checks on its sole director."
A group of 44 Senate Republicans sent a similar letter to the president in May 2011, shortly before he nominated Richard Cordray to serve as the agency's first director.
After months of Republican threats to block the nomination, Obama placed Cordray in the position through a recess appointment on Jan. 4, 2012. Last week, Obama nominated Cordray to continue as the agency's director.
The next day, however, a federal appeals court ruled that similar recess appointments made to the National Labor Relations Board were unconstitutional, calling into question the validity of Cordray's appointment.
Republicans have seized on the opportunity to push their longstanding proposals to change the bureau's structure.
They want to replace the bureau's director with a board of directors, allow Congress to approve its budget through the annual appropriations process and make it easier for the other banking regulators to challenge the bureau's actions.
"As presently organized, the CFPB is insulated from congressional oversight of its actions and its budget," the letter said. "Far too much power is vested in the sole CFPB director without any meaningful checks and balances."
Senate Banking Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) said Republicans' request for changes to the bureau is "just politics at play."
"The CFPB enjoys overwhelming public support, and there is no evidence that the Bureau is unaccountable and that structural changes are necessary," he said in a statement. "The market needs certainty, and blocking Richard Cordray's nomination is a disservice to consumers and industry alike."
Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Rob Portman of Ohio did not sign the letter. Corker's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Later on Friday, Portman sent Cordray a letter asking him to endorse Republican calls for changes at the bureau.
"As a nominee to lead an independent agency, you have an opportunity to stake out a reasonable position on these proposals independent of the White House," Portman wrote. "Now is the time to exercise that independence and lend your support to these commonsense reforms to make the Bureau more effective and accountable to the American people, so that the Senate can find a path forward on your nomination."
Cordray is a fellow Buckeye, having served as Ohio's attorney general before joining the CFPB.
Portman isn't pledging to block a vote on Cordray's nomination but notes in his letter there are enough votes among his fellow Republicans to do so.
Also on Friday, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced a bill, similar to one he offered in 2011, that would implement the three proposals.
"The CFPB has more power and authority than almost any independent agency in history and asking them to present a budget to Congress for approval is a very modest request," he said in a press release.
This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 1:09 p.m. on February 1, 2013.


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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Downtown Hopkinsville
Posted by Genevieve on 3/29/2006
1 comment:
Hello, praire bluestem!!
I am enjoying your pictures of Hopkinsville and Christian county. My mother and grandmother both live there as well as some other family members. Sometime, I'd like to write about them. My grandmother and grandfather have were born and raised in Kentucky and have roots in Caldwell County. My mother and grandmother have lived in Hopkinsville for over 20 years.
Love your stuff...
Subscribe to Prairie Bluestem
CONTENTMENT: Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry, live simply, expect little, give much, sing often, pray always, forget self, think of others and their feelings, fill your heart with love, scatter sunshine. These are the tried links in the golden chain of contentment.
(Author unknown)
IT IS STILL BEST to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasure; and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong.
(Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1867-1957)
Thanks for reading.


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Free Public Record Search and Free Background Checks
Search Free Public Records by State
Think of how many things you do nowadays where you are told that a background check will be required first. A background check is basically a brief history that gives the person looking you up an idea of your character. Having a history that has one or more negative items listed on there could end up being the difference between you getting hired or accepted for school or not.
You might be surprised at just how many people are actually performing a little background check on you. Just about every company out there will perform this type of check before offering a job to a candidate. The background check may be performed to see if the information you have listed on your resume is indeed accurate, as well as to check and see if you have any kind of criminal record. The latter may prevent you from being hired if the offense was something that could impact your job.
Landlords and homeowners will also frequently do background checks to ensure that potential tenants can be trusted. It's now not that uncommon for people to perform a background check on someone they are interested in dating. It's all about protecting yourself.
When a background check is performed, public records are searched to see if there are any negative marks in your history. As you might expect, criminal records are at the top of the list, but such things as credit history and your driving record are also checked. Any red flags raised during the background check could mean that your will not be hired, will be ineligible for a loan, or turned away from renting the home you want.
Background checks are in place to protect everyone, which means you can use them, too. You can use a background check to get information about a company or institution you are thinking of dealing with, although you may have to do some digging of your own to get information beyond the products and services that said company offers.
It should be noted that cases of wrongful arrest and mistaken identity can muddy the waters somewhat. This can sometimes make a background check unreliable and lead to you seeking further verification on certain points.
One of the most popular methods of background checks is the online process. It is a much cheaper route than many of the other methods, with search engines now frequently used to gather information. The issue with that particular method is that there are generally fewer details found, with the accuracy of information that is discovered often being questionable.
There are a number of companies you can find online that will perform background checks on your behalf. The good thing about this method is that there is minimum personal contact required, with details sent and delivered via e-mail. The results of your check are usually sent back to you within 1-3 days, with some companies offering to keep the results on record for faster future access.
Can you get a really free background check and/or criminal check?
The information obtained from public domain maybe used by individuals, investigators, attorneys, and other government representatives. A free background check will only exist if you are willing to do the research yourself. You need to be present in the state you are planning to do the research and go to court and different government authorities where they provide you with computer terminals and research. However for a small fee you can have an online service provide you with instant online background checks or even government authorities provide you with criminal checks or background checks but you will have to pay a small fee to obtain a copy of background information. keep in mind many states will not allow you to get background checks on others but online services will provide you with reports on anyone as long as the information is available through public records. Of course for general background information the best place to start is on Google you can find out first if there is any information online. Then it is best to check the social networks to get more detailed information today Linkedin and Facebook contain a lot of information about most of their members. You can also find images, employment information and contact information online. By the way most online services do provide you with some free information by searching on their sites you will get relatives and cities, states they have lived or aliases and other names known. For example on whitepages.com you can get contact information, addresses and phone numbers for free and if you search on a site like USSearch.com you can find out aliases and relatives and history of location lived before having to pay for any reports.
How often the information in background checks get updated or changed?
Background Check information changes based upon different events happening. When new events in someone's profile occurs and is documented then authorities make reports which is then reflected in background check reports prepared. Just like credit reports these events are necessary in order to changes to appear and keep in mind based on the online background check service you are using your information could slightly vary depending which public record data aggregator they are using in order to fulfill the data for reporting.
What is the best way to do a free background check?
Most people usually start their free search by checking by location if you know someone's name and last name the city and the state they lived in you can start searching by state. If you don't succeed then try other information such as relatives, place of employment, SSN, date of birth etc. Whatever information you have on the person will help your search to be easier and quicker not to mention more accurate. Keep in mind most online background check services do provide you with some free information before you decide to buy a report. In many cases free information includes relatives, places lived and name and aliases. Simply do a search on the form and you will get either one or a list of results which include this information for free.
How Do I run a Free Background Check in my city or state?
You can use the navigation and select Free Background Check then simply select a state you are interested and you will be provided with resources to conduct a free background check. If you need other types of records simply choose a state from the drop down menu at the top of this page and you will provided with all different types of public record data resources.
Are there any disadvantages to 100% Free Background Checks?
Yes, most free background checks you run online might not be coming from reputable data resources furthermore most states require applications for obtaining criminal history and in order to do a proper background check you should include a criminal background.
Can you run a Federal Background Check?
Though FBI records are available to police and authorities, you can request an FBI background check on yourself. On others you can probably obtain background checks through federal courts and detention centers.
How can I search police reports and arrest records?
Yes, simply choose Criminal Records and then select arrest records or you can choose court records in order to do a search in the state your interested. Most research done in person in courts or law enforcement agencies are free, but they will charge you for copying documents.
How can I search if there are offenders around my neighborhood for free?
Simply choose Offenders Search from the main navigation and select a state your interested you can run free searches to see sex offender lists in your ZIP code. Most of these free services list people's name and pictures and description of their offenses. You can also try a paid service where for a fee they will send you an e-mail with a list of offenders if they move in your neighborhood.
Can I run a background check on someone who has changed her name?
Yes, when you run a background check name changes should still show as aliases. Many women change their name when they get married or get divorced. You can search by either name and once you have identified the profile then the background check you purchase should include all the information including any aliases and name changes.
Will I get the same information in a free background check as a premium background check?
It all depends how extensive is your search. As we explained earlier in order to do a totally free background check you need to visit courts and government authorities to research records and find information on the subject of your search. However by purchasing a background check online you can specify nationwide criminal check and get information from every state that allows release of information.
Are marriage records considered public records?
Marriage records are considered public records but jurisdiction differ, so depending on the state you are searching you might be able to access these records. Some online services do provide you with marriage and divorce records as part of background checks but these records are usually name based searches and not always very accurate. However if you are trying to get a copy of your own marriage certificate you should not have a problem. Your records are always available to you. You will probably have to pay a fee and wait a certain period of time depending on the state you were married and your marriage was recorded. Another way you can research marriages is through newspapers many people have their marriages announced in papers and you can research the date and some basic information about marriages through news services.
Here at Public Record Results we have gathered relevant resources and information all in one place so you can easily locate or investigate the people you are searching for free and find more details about them free or otherwise. By searching you may find their current address or address history , their phone number and email addresses or run a background check to learn more about their past. In this site you will find free public record sites in order to locate information and sources of records in civil and criminal courts, real estate ownership, driving records, and more.
Can I check for free criminal records on this site?
Yes, simply select criminal records in the navigation and choose the type of criminal record check whether it for federal criminal search or by state. Then select the state and find information particular to each state.
Can I run a background check on myself?
In fact most states allow only for self background checks when you are requesting background check from state authorities. So definitely you can do a background check on yourself. For other state some states allow it if you have the person's permission. But online background checks are available on anyone for a fee if it is for personal reasons. If you need to get a background check on yourself you can start by going to the background check for you state by clicking here.
Can I do an asset check on someone?
Yes you can check different governmental organizations and courts and search public records for assets. Try starting with asset search and choose the state your interested.
How long do online background checks take?
Usually background check reports online are instant or matter of hours at most. However, if you choose to get the records directly from the state organizations rather than private online services then there might be waiting periods.
How difficult it is to do a background check?
It is really simpe to do a background check specially if you choose to use one of the online services that provides a background check instantly. For a nominal fee you get a report that has all the personal data available including address history and contact information. You even sometimes get a list of neighbors and associates and relatives. You can find out about divorces, marriages, property ownership, bankruptcies and other civil court actions, professional and business licenses, boat and flying licenses and of course you get information about criminal history. Based on the type of background report you purchase you may get criminal check in all the states or nationwide or just one particular state which is usually where you have done the search. In order to the search you need to know minimum of the last name of the person, but of course the more you know more of the chance you find the right person specially if you are searching for someone with a common name, in that case you will probably get a too many result response from the server. You really need to add first name location: city, state and if you know approximate age for common names like Jones and Smiths, etc. But otherwise what you will get is a result page that you will review and narrow down your choices to the best one before buying a report. In certain circumstances where the person's name is unique you might get just one result or no result if you get no result then broaden your search and take away more information try no first name or just initial, try different spellings of the last name and search countrywide in case the person has moved or does have public record data in another state. Either way these online services make life much easier for running background checks and they cost between $20-$100 depending on the service and amount of detail you are requesting in your report.
Can I search for warrants on myself or others?
Usually warrants are searched through sheriff's office or other law enforcement agencies. Most counties and states have local sheriff's offices where the lists are available you can also search the most wanted lists which have photos as well. In most cases sheriff's are in charge of enforcing warrants so it is usually the best place to start.
Can I find out if someone is married or divorced?
Yes, the best thing to do is to search in marriage records for marriages and for divorce records for marriage dissolution records. On this site you can click the vital records and search marriage records or divorce records by state. Each state is different but usually there are depositories of public records which have records of marriages. Keep in mind most marriage and divorce searches are name based and you have to look at the details to ensure you have the right person.
What if I am searching for someone who has passed away?
In the same manner as other vital records you can search for death certificates to see if there is any record of a person reported as deceased. Most death records have some personal information including birth dates, immeditate family and address information.


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Finally, we have the CHED endorsement for 11th PSITE National Convention in Dipolog City, February 26-28, 2009. tnx to sir jimmy, joeboy and UP-ITTC staff.
more info details about the convention ...pls visit .. http://11thpsitenatcon.dmc.edu.ph/
The Seoul Accord's Annual General Meeting (SAGM2016) was held last June 3-5, 2016 at the Royale Chulan, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Read more
Due to the recent developments with the PSITE National Board, the board met and reconvened in Manila on 15-March-2016 and held another election. Congratulations to the new set of officers listed below, they will bring PSITE into even greater heights! Soar high, PSITE! Mabuhay!!! Read more
Last May 23-28, 2015, I joined the Benchmarking Educational Tour of the PSITE National Board in Bangkok, Thailand. Read more
Last November 20-23, 2014, I attended and presented a paper entitled "Best Practices and Challenges of Information Technology Education in the Philippines. Read more
The Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea (ABEEK) invited me to attend the Seoul Accord General Meeting (SAGM2013(Seoul)), Millennium Seoul Hiiton, Seoul, Korea last June 21 to 23, 2013. Read more
Last May 18-25, 2014, I joined the Benchmarking Educational Tour in Jakarta, Indonesia. Read more
Philippine Information and Computing Accreditation Board -- MOA signing Read more
Pix taken during the 2013 National Engineering and Science Research Conference (2013 NESRC) held at the Heritage Hotel, Roxas Blvd, Pasay City last March 7, 2013 Read more
PSITE NatCon 2013 Opening Remarks; Read more
A team of four students from the Institute of Computing of the University of Southeastern Philippines clinched the Ideaspace Award and a PhP 100,000 cash prize; Read more
I joined the PSITE National Board Hongkong Benchmarking Educational Tour last January 03-06, 2013; Read more
From a shortlist recommended by DOST-ICTO, i was invited to be one of the judges of the eGOV awards final judging last November 8, 2012 at Oxford Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga; Read more
Delivered by Dr. Randy S. Gamboa, PSITE President, during the NCITE 2012 October 19, 2012 in Laoag City; Read more
Two entries from the Institute of Computing had been shortlisted as top 10 finalists for the 9th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards!; Read more
The Philippine Youth Congress on Information Technology or "Y4iT" (Youth for IT) is an annual event hosted by UP ITTC and UP SITF in cooperation with the UP ITTC Student Volunteer Corps, JICA, PSITE, CSP, PCS, PSIA, GDAP, EITSC, HSF, and Cyberpress. … Read more
pix taken during the national board meeting last August 17-19, 2012 at Club Balai Isabel, Barangay Banga, Talisay Batangas.; Read more
The University of Southeastern Philippines held its 25th University Wide In-House Review; Read more
The Institute of Computing through its extension office with IBM and the Philippine Society of Information Technology Educators-Region X1 … Read more
Konnichiwa , On behalf of the participants both from the Philippines and from other countries, I would like to thank the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship or ….Read more


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Design-conscious and innovative boutique and designer hotels can be found all around the UK. Revelling in innovative architecture and funky décor, many exude an air of uncluttered minimalism, and some have outstanding restaurants.
Where should you stay?
Stay in a hotel and they'll be an option available to suit every budget and taste! So whether you choose a place that is in the heart of the city action or somewhere peaceful in the British countryside that helps you recharge your batteries, they'll be a boutique hotel for you.
There are so many boutique and designer hotels in Britain that will offer you an extraordinary experience.


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Looking for investment in commercial property in Mumbai Central? Take a look at this property shortlisted for you. This is a pre-leased property and is suitable for restaurants and cafes. To know more about this commercial property in Mumbai, inquire now!!

 Location:	 Mumbai Central

 Unit Height:	 Twelve feet

 Furnishing:	 Furnished

 Washroom:	 Five

 Amenities:	 Security, lift, parking, power backup, firefighting system, and water storage

 For details about this neighborhood, click here
 ... Read moreINR 76,00,00,000
7,602 Sq. Ft.Commercial Building for Sale in Mumbai Central - 7602 sq ft
Hubtown Skybay, Breach Candy, Cumballa Hill, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

This office building is available for sale in Fort. This Fort office building has five floors (ground, first, second, third & fourth) with a total carpet area of 13,000 square feet and a built up area of 20,000 square feet. The commercial building is furnished that comes with fifteen cabins and eight conference rooms. To boot, there are two washrooms on each floor. In term of amenities, the Fort office building provides full time security, air conditioning, a fire fighting system, water storage, a lift, power backup and visitor's car parking. This Fort office space is just next to VT Station providing your employees with a hassle free commute.

Town: Colaba, Churchgate, Nariman Point, Fort, Marine Lines & Cuffee Parade

The southernmost area of Mumbai which includes, but is not limited to, Colaba, Churchgate, Nariman Point, Fort, Marine Lines and Cuffee Parade is often referred to as "Town." Although many companies have moved their offices from Town to central Mumbai or BKC, many still consider it to be the commercial hub of Mumbai.

Given its popularity as a premiere office location of Mumbai, the space constraints in South Mumbai and the smaller office spaces in Town (most are less than 10,000 square feet), commercial office space in South Mumbai is very expensive to both buy and lease. Additionally, South Mumbai houses government offices and courts, making it a convenient location for a number of law firms, banks and corporates.

Some of the popular tenants in Town are HSBC, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank and Reliance Industries.

In addition to office space, Town is arguably the most popular area in Mumbai to open a retail location whether it's a brand new high-end restaurant, a night club or an expensive clothing store. These retail locations not only cater to the affluent individuals who live in South Mumbai but also to many tourists who spend the majority of their time in this part of the City. If your firm caters to the affluent, Town should certainly be considered.

In terms of connectivity, the recently built Eastern Freeway, which connects DN Road in Churchgate to Chembur and Ghatkopar, has shortened the time taken to commute from the central Mumbai suburbs as well as New Bombay.
 ... Read moreINR 39,00,00,000
13,000 Sq. Ft.Furnished Office Building for Sale Next to CST Station
Mumbai G.P.O, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Area, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Commercial Properties for sale are many at Jagaha.com, if you are reading this then maybe this property was meant to be. It is located in a prime location. Inquire now if interested.

 Location:	 Fort

 Unit height:	 Fourteen feet

 Furnishing:	 Unfurnished

 Washroom:	 Eight

 Amenities:	 Security, power backup, firefighting system and water storage

 Accessibility:	 Within driving distance of Churchgate Railway Station

For details about this neighborhood, click here
 ... Read moreINR 35,00,00,000
8,000 Sq. Ft.Commercial Property for Sale in Fort - 8000 sq ft
Varun International, Old Custom House Road, Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Looking for a commercial building for sale in Lower Parel? Look no further! This excellent property is a ground plus two independent structure and if the office space suits your requirements, inquire today!

 Location: 	 Lower Parel East

 Carpet Area: 	 350+350+350 (ground + 2 floors)

 Furnishing type:	 First floor: Furnished with one cabin
 Second floor: Unfurnished

 Accessibility:	 Within walking distance of Lower Parel Railway Station

 ... Read moreINR 1,85,00,000
1,050 Sq. Ft.Commercial Building for Sale in Lower Parel - 1050 sq ft
Pragati Industrial Estate, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India


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The Water Resources Board met on April 24, finalizing the forms which will be used for the water testing program to be done this summer. Residents who wish to have their drinking water tested for Volatile Organic Compounds will be recruited in May and June through the Madbury Musings, information at the library and at the Town Hall and at Madbury Day.
The results of previous testing were reviewed and primary interest is in retesting a few wells which showed concentrations of VOCs in previous tests.
Board member Jim Irish brought in his summary of the results of water testing done of the New England Metal Recycling wells. He said the tests "are moving toward 'better'." Testing is done twice yearly at the metal recycling facility on Route 155.
The report notes that Schnitzer Northeast (present owner) has realigned its process operations to serve as a temporary storage/transfer yard, the large metal shredding facility having been dismantled.
Garret Ahlstrom will be continuing as chair of the board, with Eric Fiegenbaum as secretary; both terms are for one year. The board meets monthly on the last Tuesday.
Roadwork is under way on Cherry Lane, and there has been a clean-up at the Transfer Station on Pudding Hill Road. The Transfer Station will be open on the first and third Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the second Wednesday, from 4 p.m. to dusk, through Nov. 17.
The selectmen received the resignation of the Library Director, Shay Doyon.
ARTISTS and CRAFTSPEOPLE
Artists and craftspeople who would like to exhibit and sell their work on Madbury Day, June 9, should contact Nancy Pape at 743-4976. They will be allowed to set up a table on the church grounds and will be expected to share a small percentage of their take with the church.
On May 8 the Madbury Historical Society will host Dr. Neill DePoali in the Town Hall, beginning at 7 p.m. DePoali, who is an Adjunct Professor at Southern Maine Community College, has been exploring early New England history for 35 years. He will speak about "The Odd Adventures of John Gyles." Gyles was a prominent culture broker who aimed to bridge the culture divide between the Europeans and the Native Americans. All are welcome. This is a New Hampshire Humanities council sponsored program.
On May 16 at 6 p.m. at the library, Dr. Molly Girard will speak about the Flu Epidemic of 1918, which spread across the world. Three to six per cent of the population of the globe died in this pandemic, described as "the greatest medical holocaust in history." Girard is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire where she teaches modern world history, wartime propaganda and the history of espionage. This program is free to the public.
On May 17 the Madbury Community Club will convene at the Fish Shanty in Dover at 6 p.m. Kitty Cornwell is taking the count; please let her know (866-0465) if you plan to attend.
On May 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., the Madbury Church will be serving a Ham and Bean supper. They always have a variety of beans, baked ham and hot dogs, a variety of breads, potato salad and jellied salads as well as a salad bar, and one tops off the meal with a piece of homemade pie and beverage. The fee is $8 for adults; $4, children; $20 for a family.
Testing offered for VOCs in drinking water
The Water Resources Board met on April 24, finalizing the forms which will be used for the water testing program to be done this summer. Residents who wish to have their drinking water tested for Volatile Organic Compounds will be recruited in May and June through the Madbury Musings, information at the library and at the Town Hall and at Madbury Day.


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Writing JForth was a worthwhile exercise that was also fun. Just about every programming task we do teaches us something and this was no exception. If this article made some readers want to experiment with Forth, all the better.
Forth not only had a place in the past ,it has a place in the future as well. The following quote from the article "A Forth Apologia" (Programmer's Journal, Volume 6, Number 6, November/December 1988, page 56) sums things up very well. It is truer now then it was then.
Forth development systems are available for nearly every CPU in existence, and Forth is consistently the first third-party high level language to appear on a new CPU architecture, personal computer, or operating system. Forth continues to enjoy wide use in real time control and data acquisition applications, and can be found in the most unexpected places: from the bar-code-reader "wand" carried by your friendly Federal Express driver, to the American Airlines baggage control system, to instrumentation for SpaceLab experiments, to a networked monitoring and control system with some 400 processors and 17,000 sensors at an airport in Saudi Arabia. While I think it likely that Forth will always remain a somewhat obscure language, its speed and interactivity coupled with minimal hardware requirements and ready portability are a unique combination of assets. In its niche, Forth has no real competition, and I expect it will be around for a long time to come.
Here, here to that!
The following resources may be helpful for learning more about Forth.
- There are 18 Yahoo groups dedicated to Forth on various platforms. Check out http://tech.dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Computers___Internet/Programming_Languages/Forth
- In my opinion the best book for Forth beginners is Starting Forthwritten by Leo Brodie. This book is available free on-line.
- A search of Amazon.com for books on Forth yields 70+ books being available.
- A selection of free Forth implementations are available for Unix, Linux, and Windows.
- Forth standards include:
- Forth-83.
- ANSI standard Forth X3.215-1994.
- ISO standard Forth ISO/IEC 15145:1997 (which I believe is the same as the ANSI standard).


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March 20, 2020 - BMWED President Freddie N. Simpson sent official letters today to the country's largest railroads urging them to protect the safety of their employees during the current global and national pandemic.
Public servants, hospitals, grocery stores and other vital industries and programs need to meet their supply chain demands. We understand and greatly appreciate those efforts. BMWED members, as well as all crafts of Rail Labor, understand their critical roles during this unprecedented emergency.
That said, the BMWED remains committed to the health and safety of our members. We have communicated those to the carrier CEOs and we trust their commitment to their employees – as well as their employees' families – will be just and fair.
This link contains the letter President Simpson sent to Amtrak.
March 14, 2019 - Rule "G" Bypass Agreement - Resulting from an Amtrak Office of Inspector General report issued March 13, 2019, Amtrak will be discontinuing their Drug and Alcohol Rule "G" bypass agreement with the various crafts. This report titled: "Safety and Security: Opportunities to Improve the Effectiveness of Controls for Detecting Drug and Alcohol - Related Issues of Employees in Safety - Sensitive Positions" (OIG-A-2019-005), makes reference to Amtrak's failures in Drug and Alcohol testing, including collections, documentation, training and reporting. The bottom line is:
Effective October 1, 2019, employees who provide a positive test result for Drug and Alcohol testing, whether random, reasonable suspicion, CDL/CMV, return to work or other necessitated test, will be immediately discharged from service.
View Amtrak's announcement here, including a Q+A, and list of restricted medications.
December 20, 2018 - Per Diem - For years our per diem allowance remained stagnate while the cost of living away from home increased. Then in 2011 we were successful in negotiating a per diem rate tied to real and tangible multipliers. Initially those multipliers provided only small adjustments to our per diem. This year federal regulators calculated that the November 2017 Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home (1982-84=100) for the U.S. City Average for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Employees (CPI-W) issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (271.353) increased 2.633% over November 2017 (271.353). The bottom line: Our per diem negotiations continue to bear fruit and our 2019 per diem rate increases by $1.26, from $47.68 to $48.94 View Amtrak's letter.
November 2018 - Hot Spot Book Reprinted - Every member of our Union has the right to refuse to work in unsafe situations without the fear of discipline. We now have a new right to report unsafe conditions, particularly close calls, without the fear of discipline. Our lives literally depend on all members of our Unions sticking together regarding enforcing the rules and reporting problems. We have this responsibility to our co-workers and more importantly to our families who expect us to return home to them alive and well at the end of each work day. Use these rights to stay alive.
Our Hot Spot booklets identifies the hot spots on the railroad and the number of watchmen needed to protect that work area. This book was developed by labor and management to prevent jobs from being started when the requisite manpower was not supplied to properly protect the work area and to eliminate the bickering and arguments about the number of watchmen needed to protect a work area. This book has been reissued and labor and management will put greater reliance on it when setting up protection for work locations.
August 20, 2018 - Voluntary Safety Reporting Policy - The loss of our Brothers and Sister can never be adequately explained. What we can do is resolve to give their deaths meaning by ensuring that every one of us goes home to our families at the end of our tour of duty alive and well. To this end, the three unions have stuck together and engaged Amtrak management to make meaningful safety reform. This required that we overcome our righteous rage and anger at the failed Amtrak policies that led to this tragic state and seek constructive ways to ensure no more deaths.
We are pleased to report that after long, difficult and acrimonious meetings which began several years ago we have reached an agreement with Amtrak over a series of safety reforms which we believe will help prevent future fatalities. They are a New Voluntary Safety Reporting Policy, 60mph slow by's for work areas, watchman placements, and reaffirmation of the many hot spots. Read More...
April 6, 2018 - the American Arbitration Association began mailing ballots to our membership for deciding acceptance or rejection of our tentative agreement with Amtrak. Ballots will be counted on April 24, 2018 in the offices of American Arbitration Association and the certified results will be published shortly thereafter. View the complete chronology of this round of bargaining on our Amtrak Negotiations page.
April 6, 2018 - Last fall Amtrak served the Union with a notice to contract out the ET, Track and B&B work for two new High Speed Rail Facilities located in Sunnyside Yard and Ivy City. These new proposed facilities would be used to maintain and repair the new train sets that are being purchased to replace and supplement the Acela fleet. The Union vigorously protested these intentions. We filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court to stop the contractors. We made our case to the senior Amtrak managers and to the Board of Directors. We took initial steps to organize a strike if necessary over the issue. We went and talked to politicians that support Amtrak and informed them that the Union busting would not be tolerated. We kept the rank and file informed and organized a consensus that we would do anything necessary to protect our work and our collective bargaining agreement. Our victory is evidenced in this agreement.
March 18, 2018 - The BMWED's letter to Amtrak re: Fair Warning. Amtrak has informed our Union that they intend to proceed with the 72nd Street contracting project of BMWED core work and thus unilaterally abrogating our collective bargaining agreement. We have offered to arbitrate this dispute and Amtrak has ignored us. Attached is an advance copy of a letter that Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer D.J. Stadler will be receiving by UPS overnight mail on Tuesday. Read letter here...
March 12, 2018 - Today the BMWED filed suit in Federal Court against Amtrak for their intended use of contractors to install rail and catenary at three different locations on the Corridor. Our Scope Rule preserves work historically performed by members of the BMWE for the Carrier as of January 1, 1987, or prior thereto. Because we installed ties, rail, and catenary prior to 1987, contracting out this work would be in violation of our agreement unless the General Chairman offers his concurrence. The General Chairman has not. Proceeding with this work using contractors would not only violate our agreement but would also violate Section 2, Seventh of the Railway Labor Act. Read Law Suit here...
March 1, 2018 - Amtrak and the BMWED are on a collision course with respect to contracting out of core track and electric traction work. Linked is our March 1, 2018 letter with attachments to Amtrak President CEO Richard Anderson requesting to resolve this dispute peaceably in expedited party pay arbitration. Read More...
January 1, 2018 - For years our per diem allowance remained stagnate while the cost of everything else in our lives increased. Hard fought negotiations spearheaded by the BMWED culminated with a per diem rate tied to multipliers. Initially those multipliers provided only small adjustments to our per diem. This year federal regulators calculated that the November 2016 Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home (1982-84=100) for the U.S. City Average for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Employees (CPI-W) issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (271.353) increased 2.5% over November 2016 (264.779). The bottom line: Our 2018 per diem rate increases by $1.16, from $46.52 to $47.68 View Amtrak's letter.
June 7, 2017 - Amtrak's Policy Prohibiting Harassment and Intimidation for Accident, Injury and Illness Reporting. We strongly discourage any member from using Amtrak's internal investigation process and strongly recommend that you use the Federal Agency (OSHA) and laws (FRSA 20109) provided for your protection.
April 24, 2017 - Sleep Apnea - In a letter exchange between the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Amtrak, and then as informational correspondence to Union leadership, regulators and administrators discuss sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Read More...
April 3, 2017 - Amtrak Training and Qualifications - Our agreement requires standardized tests, standardized training, standardized qualifications and rank and file members to qualify and train members on equipment. With the massive reorganization in management, many of the new managers were unaware of these procedures and the rights of the membership have sometimes been ignored. Also, with the great turnover in our rank and file, many of our new members are not aware of these rights or how to enforce them. The Union has met with management over the problems regarding implementing this agreement and they have revised their training and qualifications procedures to comply with our agreement. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of your rights under the agreement so that you know your rights and can help enforce them. Read More...
March 23, 2017 - Safety Update. In order for us to make Amtrak number one in safety, I think is is necessary to understand what has worked and what has not worked on the Amtrak property. Offensive and draconian discipline programs have not worked. Training the employees improperly and permitting employees to engage in unsafe behavior without consequence has not worked. What has worked is… Read More…
January 9, 2017 - Safety Update. For Amtrak, it is all about the money and not about safety. For the Amtrak manager, it is all about not being responsible for managing a safe railroad. Read this letter from the three big unions on Amtrak and understand that the consequence of railroad management's dysfunction can be measured in injuries and fatalities. Our Injuries. Our Fatalities.
Also included with this letter is a list of all the safety liaisons on the Amtrak property and their contact information and an "Unsafe Condition Reporting" form. We must use these liaisons and this form to document safety related conditions that need addressing. We cannot rely on railroad managers to protect us, we must protect ourselves.
View Letter and Unsafe Condition Reporting form
January 1, 2017 - For years our per diem allowance remained stagnate while the cost of everything else in our lives increased. Hard fought negotiations spearheaded by the BMWED culminated with a per diem rate tied to multipliers. Initially those multipliers provided only small adjustments to our per diem. This year federal regulators calculated that the November 2016 Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home (1982-84=100) for the U.S. City Average for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Employees (CPI-W) issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (264.779) increased 2.2% over November 2015 (259.041). The bottom line: Our 2017 per diem rate increases by $1.00, from $45.52 to $46.52 View Amtrak's letter.
December 20, 2016 - Amtrak provides the annual report for the Amtrak Retirement Savings Plan.
April 14, 2016 - Letter to the membership in connection with the injuries and deaths resulting from the recent train strike of maintenance of way workers. Also included is a letter to Amtrak's president and other relevant correspondence.
April 12, 2016 - Amtrak advises it will soon do away with pay stubs. View Amtrak's letter to the employees and the Pay Statement Mailing Authorization Form.
April 3, 2016 - BMWED member struck and killed by Train 89 near Chester, Pennsylvania, and another member injured in this horrific accident.
February 18, 2016 - "An Appeal To Reason", Boardman announces his retirement. Good Riddance!
December 21, 2015 - Pursuant to our November 4, 2010 agreement, the per diem will be increased by $1.24 to $45.52 effective January 1, 2016.
September 2, 2015 - Amtrak's 14-Hour Overtime Edict, a Unilateral Abrogation of the Agreement. The BMWED's response to Amtrak's Deputy Chief Engineer-Maintenance Andrew Keefe's letter of instruction dated August 21, 2015. Amtrak Instructs that it will restrict the amount of hours an employee may work based on vague data obscure to everyone except Amtrak. Read More... including the BMWED's letter to Amtrak's Chief Engineer.
May 21, 2015 - Amtrak Capitulates, Agrees to Binding Interest Arbitration. Amtrak has abandoned their position concerning our "Me Too" disputes and have accepted our offer to interest arbitration. Our claims and litigation will be discontinued and the dispute will now be heard before a Special Board of Adjustment. This next step in a lengthly and convoluted process will finally decide: Did Amtrak deny compensation to BMWED workers by incorrectly applying our 'Me Too' agreement as compared to contracts settled by other Amtrak unions.
View our Arbitration offer to Amtrak.
April 23, 2015 - General Chairman Dodd's response to Deputy Engineer Keefe's April 10, 2015 letter (see below) regarding Amtrak's intent to cancel our BMWED Safe-2-Safer agreement, along with a cover letter to Amtrak's Board of Directors.
April 10, 2015 - Amtrak seeks to cancel our BMWED Safe-2-Safer agreement. Amtrak management writes: "...The organization has consistently maintained the declaration that Safe-2-Safer is not working. Without the support from the leaders of the organization, the carrier agrees, Safe-2-Safer will not work." A unique perspective.
March 18, 2015 - Amtrak management has declared war on Its employees. Our senior managers have little or no experience In operating or building a railroad. They have not been hired for their railroad expertise. They have been hired to extract more from the workforce and attack our rights and compensation. Over 50% of our current membership has been hired in the last five years, and this management is betting that their anti-employee, union busting tactics will not be hindered by a workforce that is new to union membership. The Union is the primary obstacle to their attacks and our first line of defense is an informed and active membership. The purpose of this letter is to educate you about the problem and begin the process of organizing our resistance to these attacks. Read More...
February 19, 2015 - "Safety and Security-Opportunities Exist to Improve the Safe-2-Safer Program". A glaring report issued by the Office of Inspector General that illustrates Amtrak's FRA-reportable injury ratio at more than three times the average of the other Class I railroads in 2013. Read report here.
December 18, 2014 - Pursuant to our November 4, 2010 agreement, the per diem will be increased by $1.25 to $44.28 effective January 1, 2015.
October 11, 2014 - Contractor crane topples on Race Track project just 10 days after our union warned Amtrak's Chief Engineer. "We believe that the project is being mismanaged and the contractor is not being held accountable...furthermore we believe that the contractor does not work safely." see letter to Scot Naparstek below.
October 7, 2014 - Claim against being denied the $250.00 lump-sum bonus, which should be payable to the workers under the provisions of the August 20, 2014 Supplemental Award. That award reads:
"In the event the Carrier reaches agreements with other Organizations (representing other crafts) which contain more favorable general wage increases or benefits during the current round of negotiations, such provisions will be incorporated into this agreement, unless such improvement(s) was made in consideration for modification(s) in other work rules in the agreements between the parties."
During the current round of negotiations, Amtrak reached an agreement with UTU covering the UTU Passenger Conductors & Assistant Passenger Conductors that includes the payment of an annual lump sum wage increase of $250.00 that is not included in the agreements reached with BMWED and BRS. Copies of this claim were delivered to all the Amtrak officers designated to receive them. View claim...
October 7, 2014 - Same as above, this claim is being presented against being denied the semi-annual bonus payment of $500.00 which UTU received, and which should be payable to PRLBC workers under the provisions of the August 20, 2014 Supplemental Award.
September 30, 2014 - Letter to Scott Naparstek, Acting Chief Engineer in connection with the Race Track Project. "The installation of constant tension systems is the future of high speed railroad on the Northeast Corridor and the test track for this purpose, known as the Race Track project in the Metropolitan Division, is extremely important to both Amtrak and our Union. The agreements worked out between Amtrak and the Union to build this project were carefully crafted with this in mind. ...We believe that the project is being mismanaged and the contractor is not being held accountable and is obtaining windfalls from the taxpayers as a result of this mismanagement and the lack of accountability. Furthermore we believe that the contractor (Case) does not work safely." Read More…
May 2, 2014 - Amtrak advises regarding the Bi-Weekly pay period and work week definition adjustments. The Arbitration panel was persuaded that adoption of 1) the bi-weekly pay, 2) direct deposit, 3) definition of the workweek, and 4) adjustment of pay error administrative work rule changes are appropriate, are part of the Amtrak Pattern settlements, and should be thrust upon the BMWED as well.
View Amtrak's advisement including Payroll Hotline Number, along with the FAQ sheet, the payroll calendar, and the "bridge loan request" forms.
March 25, 2014 - PRLBC-Amtrak arbitration decision is rendered resolving wage disputes, retroactivity, healthcare cost-sharing and plan design adjustments, and work rules.
March 20, 2014 - Work Week dispute settlement letter and claimant list.
January 27, 2014 - Public Law Board award - Work Week dispute. View decision here. (1.1mb)
January 1, 2014 - Per Diem Increase - Resulting from language included in our November 4, 2010 "Fence Agreement, 2(b)", the per diem allowance for 2014 will be increased by 87¢.
The November 2013 Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home (1982-84=100) for the U.S. City Average for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Employees (CPI-W) issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (245.036) increased 2.0% over November 2012 (240.216). Accordingly, the current $42.16 Per Diem will be increased by $.87 effective January 1, 2014, which includes the agreed upon 2013 adjustment. Based on this adjustment, the new Per Diem amount will be $43.03.
Read Amtrak's letter here.
Amtrak Contract Arbitration Agreement
The Passenger Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition has finalized an agreement with Amtrak to arbitrate and settle our contract dispute(s). We will have a decision and contract in place by March 1, 2014 at the latest.
January 1, 2013 - Per Diem Increase - Resulting from language included in our November 4, 2010 "Fence Agreement, 2(b)", the per diem allowance for 2013 will be increased by $1.02. The November 2012 Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home (1982=100) for the U. S. City Average for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Employees issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (240.038) increased 2.475% over November 2011 (234.240) as reported in 2011. Accordingly, the current $41.14 Per Diem will be increased by $1.02 effective January 1, 2013. Based on this adjustment, the new Per Diem amount will be $42.16.
December 14, 2012 - America's Railroad Can't Live In 'Survival Mode' - Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman was interviewed on camera by Bloomberg TV for a profile about him and his role as the government-subsidized rail corporation's leader. In the interview, Boardman says that Amtrak has lived in "survival mode" for the past 40 years when it comes to funding, and can't exist in that state anymore.
"We either grow or we die," Boardman said. Read More...
October 10, 2012 - Amtrak Contractor Policies Endanger Riding Public. The Pennsylvania Federation discovered an alarming reality; an outside contractor is now responsible for all administration and testing in connection with Contractor Orientation Training, and can then issue contractor security photo ID badges allowing outsiders access to Amtrak's mainline and infrastructure.
In a letter to New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg, General Chairman Dodd discusses this security threat and the potential for disaster. Read our warning.
July 9, 2012 - Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor plan at $151 billion. Amtrak says the costs of building the new rail system would be offset by 40,000 construction jobs a year for 25 years, 22,000 new permanent jobs, and increased revenue and productivity for East Coast employers. Amtrak is waiting for the Federal Railroad Administration to complete a required environmental-impact assessment of the corridor to come up with a "preferred alternative" for development. That assessment is expected to take until June 2015. In the meantime, Amtrak is moving to build political and popular support for funding and building its proposed high-speed corridor.
March 29, 2012 - SEPTA Job Sites on the Northeast Corridor Threaten Railroad Passengers and Right of Way Workers. The purpose of this letter is to focus your attention on an alarming pattern of negligence by SEPTA work crews who are working on SEPTA train stations along the Northeast Corridor and in the foul of the Northeast Corridor. Their continued and willful violation of the FRA Roadway Worker Protection regulations and NORAC operating rules will potentially lead to fatally injuring passengers, Amtrak employees or SEPTA employees who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A railroad emergency exists and we will hope that you take this situation seriously and correct it. These issues have been raised and documented repeatedly to senior Amtrak engineering management whose lack of remedial action can only be described as negligent. Read More... of General Chairman Dodd's letter to Amtrak's President Boardman.
Then read Boardman's response...
March 13, 2012 - The Passenger Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition (PRLBC), on behalf of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), along with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), are making a joint application for the National Mediation Board's services in mediating outstanding disputes arising from the PRLBC's Section 6 Notice of April 7, 2010. View our joint Application for Mediation Services here.
January 19, 2012 - Amtrak's Vice President Government Affairs Joe McHugh writes to Congressman Tom Latham, (R-IA), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Appropriations regarding overtime work on Amtrak, and the legislated $35,000 cap on overtime. Read Joe McHugh's letter here.
January 1, 2012 - Per Diems - Latin for "per day" or "for each day", per diems refer to a specific amount of money that an employer allows a worker per workday, to cover living and traveling expenses in connection with that work. In 2010 the BMWED succeeded in negotiating per diem adjustments tied to variables reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. Section 2.b. of our November 4, 2010 BMWED/Amtrak fencing agreement is the product of those negotiations, providing in perpetuity for an annual adjustment of our per diems. The new per diem amount for 2012 will be increased from $40.00 to $41.14. Read More...
December 14, 2011 - Amtrak Safety Crisis Follow Up "Last month I wrote to you about the current safety emergency on the Northeast Corridor. Over the course of a short period of time, we had a series of close calls and incidents. Our concern was that another employee fatality was inevitable. There have been 17 members of the Union killed on the job since the beginning of Amtrak in 1976, and most of these Brothers were hit by trains. It is a huge mistake to think that it cannot happen to you, and currently, conditions exist where it is more likely to happen again." Read More of General Chairman Dodd's follow-up letter to BMWED/Amtrak members.
November 7, 2011 - The purpose of this letter is to alert you to the fact that, currently conditions exist on the Amtrak property that, in the past, have resulted in an employee fatality. Supervisors are issuing orders to do jobs without enough resources and telling members of the Union that if they complain they won't honor side deals to let them leave early. Young foreman are being intimidated by Supervisors and Managers because they are inexperienced and being told to do things without enough men to protect the job site. Our newer members are being told to do things by some foreman and when the instruction is questioned the foreman is rude, threatening and intimidating. The side deals, inexperience and ego power trips will inevitably lead to the death of one of our members. Of course there are other reasons for the increased danger now on the property, but I think if we are honest with one another these are some of the major reasons. Read More of General Chairman Dodd's letter to BMWED/Amtrak members.
June 9, 2011 - The BMWED performs initial assessment of the recent accident where a light plant came into contact with energized catenary. It is our requirement that all light plants should be removed from service until we can ensure they are properly grounded and the controls are properly marked to indicate direction for when the light pole is raised or lowered. General Chairman Dodd's letter to Amtrak is linked here. Then read Deputy Chief Falkenstein's curt response.
June 9, 2011 - Are Amtrak Safety Liaisons entitled to the Foreman Service Bonus? Not according to Amtrak, who graciously agreed not to recover three thousand dollars of service bonus from our liaisons. Read Frank Vacca's letter on the subject here.
May 16, 2011 - Important payroll update from Amtrak, who is in the process of transitioning into a new Strategic Asset Management (SAM) program on June 10, 2011. View Amtrak's correspondence to Union Leaders, along with Amtrak's explaination of this transition including examples. Questions can be directed to 866-247-2915.
May 13, 2011 - Please read this important Safety Notice regarding "Implantable Cardiac Devices". Should you have any questions about the contents of this notice; please contact your local Safety Officer. Medically related questions should be directed to HR Medical Services at (215) 349-2389.
April 11, 2011 - Amtrak President Joe Boardman, while presenting Amtrak's budget request, attempts to explain Amtrak's overtime expenses and the seniority provisions of labor agreements to Congressman Tom Latham, (R-IA), Chairman of a House Subcommittee on Appropriations.
February 11, 2011 - Amtrak President Joe Boardman's letter to the Unions discussing the future of Amtrak funding, the importance of educating the new faces of Government, cutting Amtrak spending, and more. Read President Boardman's letter here.
January 10, 2011 - Secret ballots counted for the Amtrak Contract Survey. There were 2094 ballots sent to Amtrak workers in 6 BMWED-IBT Systems, Divisions, or Federations, and a 45.5% return of those ballots. 14.5% voted to accept Amtrak's offer and 85.5% voted to continue to bargain for a better settlement. View Survey results here.
December 6, 2010 BMWED – Amtrak Contract Survey Letter and Summary of Agreement between Amtrak and the Settled Unions (IBEW, TCU, lAM, Carmen, ATDA, ARASA, and TWU). A secret ballot has been mailed, giving the membership opportunity to voice their opinion, the results of which will be counted on January 10, 2011. View Survey Letter here.
September 29, 2010 Amtrak issues it's Infrastructure Master Plan. This new dream system's construction would support 44,000 jobs annually over the 25-year construction period and approximately 120,000 permanent jobs, while generating an annual operating surplus of approximately $900 million. Read Amtrak's Employee Advisory and then view the report (3.5mb) in all it's splendid glory.
July 30, 2010 Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman's contract with Amtrak has been extended by the Board of Directors through 2013. Maybe thats enough time for our outstanding contract to settle. Let's not all hold our breath. Read More...
June 28, 2010 Amtrak Announces Three New Board Members. Anthony R. Coscia, Bert DiClemente and Jeff Moreland were nominated by President Obama and recently confirmed by the United States Senate. They are expected to soon assume their new responsibilities guiding and overseeing America's railroad.
"We welcome our newest board members with confidence they will contribute their considerable knowledge and experience to advance Amtrak's growth strategy and efforts to make the nation's railroad safer, greener, and healthier," said Amtrak Chairman Thomas Carper. Read Press Release...
May 1, 2010 "An Appeal To Reason" Amtrak edition discussing various contracts, both ratified and tentative. Also discussed is the study which found Amtrak Workers underpaid compared to our Passenger Rail counterparts.
February 4, 2010 General Chairman Dodd's letter with regards to both an upcoming BST/Safe-2-Safer survey, and our Union's current relationship with management's newest safety program. View General Chairman Dodd's letter here.
January 20, 2010 Obama Names Freight Attorney to Amtrak Board. President Obama is nominating Jeffrey R. Moreland, a former senior attorney with BNSF Railway and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, to join Amtrak's board of directors. Read More...
January 5, 2010 Joseph Boardman will continue to lead Amtrak for a while. The national intercity passenger railroad's board recently extended his contract as interim president and chief executive officer "indefinitely," according to Amtrak. Read More...
December 3, 2009 Amtrak's recent correspondence regarding new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations which impact agreement covered employees. Payment for per diems and meals for employees who are not in lodging, and meals provided in connection with working overtime will be considered taxable income under the IRS regulations. Read correspondence.
November 30, 2009 Amtrak Announces it's Xmas Present to Employees. Amtrak gifts the workers this year with time clocks. Just when you've finally gotten over the 2006-07 Merry MAXIMO Christmas where over nine hundred Amtrak employees and their families were Scrooged by Maximo caused payroll shortages. For this holiday season, Amtrak prepares to "roll out" a swipe card time clock system. Given Amtrak's history, what can the workers expect from this present? Let's hope this season isn't spoiled by Amtrak's time clock scheme. Read How the Grinch Stole Christmas here.
November 23, 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provide Amtrak an additional $850,000,000 for capital projects. Read General Chairman Dodd's letter to the Amtrak Committee and the letter of understanding for various ARRA projects, such as Security Upgrades, Platform Lighting, and Right of Way Improvements.
November 5, 2009 Amtrak's Chairman Thomas Carper today announced his appointment of Theodore (Ted) Alves as Amtrak's new Inspector General. Carper appointed Mr. Alves after naming a Selection Committee chaired by Amtrak board member Nancy A. Naples and comprised of Amtrak board vice chairman Donna McLean and two prominent former inspectors general, Ken Mead from the U.S. DOT and Gaston Gianni from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Selection Committee sought and received input from the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), and the chairman engaged a leading executive search firm to assist with the process. Does this mean Ms. Lorraine Green is back full time at H.R.? Read Amtrak's fluffy news release.
October 30, 2009 Amtrak petitions the FRA for a waiver enabling the off-corridor passenger platform snow removal to be performed using conductors and contractors.
September 20, 2009 Amtrak's Bridges Troubled. Officials say the region's spans are safe, but they need hundreds of millions in repairs. An Inquirer lawsuit threat uncovered the data.
August 6, 2009 Amtrak Top Cop Paid Hush Money? Amtrak IG's severance raises questions. When Fred Weiderhold Jr. suddenly retired this summer, Amtrak agreed to pay him more than $310,000 in exchange for his signature on a separation agreement that drastically limited what he could say about the circumstances of his departure.
August 1, 2009 The agreement is signed in connection with the foreman rate increase, the CDL differential, and the tree cutting in the overhead wires. and is effective August 1, 2009.
Amtrak has informed the Union that it may be several weeks before their payroll system can be updated to include the new rates of pay for Foreman. Any shortages resulting from this situation will be adjusted and retroactively paid back to August 1, 2009. This also applies to shortages in the CDL differential.
July 27, 2009 The ballots have been cast, the votes have been counted, the membership has decided. Link provides the official results certified by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in connection with ratification voting on the July 3, 2009 tentative special agreement.
June 30, 2009 Over the last several months our Union leaders have been meeting with Amtrak in an attempt to negotiate a special agreement to raise the foreman rate of pay, provide more money to members who are required to obtain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL), improve the 65-cent incentive allowance and increase the travel money for members in production gangs. Follow link to the proposed special agreement page, including the general agreement summary, and schedule of pre-ratification meetings.
June 25, 2009 Officials of Amtrak have "systematically violated the letter and spirit of the Inspector General Act," Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) charged Thursday (June 25), making public a 94-page legal report prepared at the request of the Amtrak inspector general who resigned suddenly a week ago, the American Spectator reports.
May 29, 2009 Baltimore's Penn Station to get hotel. Amtrak officials confirmed this week that they have signed a lease with Hospitality Partners of Bethesda that will enable the company to build and run a "boutique" hotel inside the 1911 train station while it continues to operate as a railroad terminal.
February 17, 2009 Amtrak President Joseph Boardman asked Congress to provide sufficient funds so Amtrak can fulfill its contractual obligation to pay agreement employees the entire amount of retroactive pay due in 2009.
January 30, 2009 Amtrak's Special Employee Advisory announcing Thomas Carper (not the Delaware Senator) assumes role as Chairman of Amtrak Board, replacing Republican Donna McLean.
January 21, 2009 Tom Roth's letter to General Chairman Dodd discussing an audit and determination that Amtrak's methodology in calculating the back pay is correct with the exception of Amtrak's failure to pay retroactive money on time claims paid during the retroactive period.
January 20, 2009 Back Pay calculations in error, Amtrak does not consider claim settlements as subject to retroactive calculations. BMWED issues strike warning.
January 13, 2009 Thousands of concrete ties to be replaced in Connecticut
January 7, 2009 Amtrak conductor will ride to inauguration
January 6, 2009 Amtrak plans onboard credit sales
December 31, 2008 Amtrak's Portal Bridge replacement in Forecast
December 18, 2008 Amtrak special Employee Advisory - Amtrak President Boardman's message
December 11, 2008 Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) writes Amtrak's President Boardman regarding Rail Security on Northeast Corridor
December 3, 2008 Rail Labor Protests Appointment of Amtrak President Joe Boardman
November 25, 2008 Amtrak Alex calls it Quits
July 20, 2007 Agreement reached with Amtrak to resolve grievances submitted after Assistant Foreman positions were posted to be Contractor Protection Foreman for a series of NJT Projects in the Metropolitan Division.


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Apple's 2013 Roadmap: Multiple iPhones in Q3, No Apple HDTV Until 2014
Apple's 2013 Roadmap: Multiple iPhones in Q3, No Apple HDTV Until 2014
The start of the year is a good time for making predictions of upcoming products from major manufacturers, and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is among the first to share his projected roadmap for Apple. In his roadmap, Apple is predicted to release the following devices in this order:
- Q1 2013: Apple TV refresh
- Q2 2013: MacBook Air
- Q3 2013: iPhone 5S, a new design iPhone 5, iPad 5, iPad mini 2, New design MacBook Pro, Modified iPod Touch 5, iPod nano refresh
- Q4 2013: iMac and Mac mini
Kuo believes that an Apple HDTV will not show up until next year, and expects a refresh of the Apple TV set-up box in Q1. The MacBook Air is unlikely to come with Retina displays as it still remains a challenge for Apple. A more likely upgrade will be outfitting the MacBook Air with Intel's Haswell platform.
Despite rumors and reports of the iPad 5 and second-gen iPad mini launching in March, Kuo asserts that they will be launched in Q3 instead. In addition, he predicts the iPad 5 to be "significantly lighter and slimmer" than current iPads, and will inherit a narrow border design similar to the iPad mini.
As for the second generation iPad mini, Kuo says that it will come with a Retina display with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels. This will allow developers to code apps for one standard resolution across all iPads.
More interestingly, Kuo predicts that there will be two new iPhones this year - an iPhone 5S and a redesigned iPhone 5. The iPhone 5S is estimated to incorporate a fingerprint sensor and a larger aperture for its rear camera, while the redesigned iPhone 5 (also known as the low-cost model) will sport a similar design as the iPhone 5 but is slightly thicker with a plastic chassis that comes in 6 different colors.
As for the MacBook Pro lineup, Kuo believes Apple will retire the non-Retina MacBook Pros this year, and offers all-Retina MacBook Pros at more affordable price points. A design tweak is also expected.


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East Georgia State College won the first place trophy in the golf cart division in the annual Christmas parade with their festive creation. Congratulations to everyone that worked on the project with a big "shout out" to designer, Raven Hudson, a truly remarkable talent. EGSC was the star of the show!!!! Another special thanks to the EGSC Bobcat Cheerleaders for helping with the Santa visits and Santa "drop", You really represented EGSC well --- great job!!!!
Click here for a complete set of pictures from Christmas on the Square held on Thursday evening, December 6th, downtown Swainsboro.