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A day before Apple announces its newest product(s) and the interwebs seem to be collectively holding back. No new rumors. No outrageousness. No Apple store riots in China. Nada.
But the buildup? That was spike after spike of conjecture and "sources say." Good stuff, for tech heads.
The new CEO, Tim Cook, will make his debut on Tuesday at the Cupertino headquarters. He'll most likely unveil a new iPhone. There's talk of an iCloud
There's a possibility of a down-scale iPhone version as well, given that Apple is ramping up its Asian presence with new retail stores in China and other spots. Nokia dominates the low-end market for phones, and Apple wants a bigger slice, according to Reuters.
In America, the iPhone has 28 percent market share -- Android, 43 percent. It seems like everyone has the phone they want, so kicking it up a notch is a challenge, for sure. The Wall Street Journal weighs in on that angle.
And just how will Cook differentiate himself from the iconic company co-founder, Steve Jobs? Will Jobs headline the show -- or even appear at all? Since stepping down as CEO, industry analysts and investors have accepted Jobs' diminished role. That doesn't lift the pressure for Cook, though.
He'll need to inspire and show some vision on that stage. The faster processor and bigger screen are sexy, it's true; but, Jobs casts a long shadow when it comes to showmanship.


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Niacin is a B-Vitamin that is part of a coenzyme needed for energy metabolism.* Niacin helps maintain healthy functions of the nervous system and skin.*
No Artificial Color, Flavor or Sweetener, No Preservatives, No Sugar, No Starch, No Milk, No Lactose, No Soy, No Gluten, No Wheat, No Yeast, No Fish, Sodium Free.

subset: commoncrawl


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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — They survived the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. But they did not survive the homecoming.
A six-month investigation by the Austin American-Statesman of Texas' Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who died after leaving the military found that an alarmingly high percentage died from prescription drug overdoses, toxic drug combinations, suicide and single-car crashes — a largely unseen pattern of early death that federal authorities are failing to adequately track.
The newspaper obtained autopsies, toxicology reports, inquests and accident reports from more than 50 agencies throughout Texas to analyze the causes of death for 266 Texas veterans who served in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and were receiving VA benefits when they died.
The newspaper began with 345 fragmentary, nameless records provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Reporters used obituaries, widely scattered public records and interviews with veterans' families and friends to identify the dead, determine causes of death and reveal a phenomenon that has largely been hidden from public view.
The investigation found that:
— More than one in three died from a drug overdose, a fatal combination of drugs, or suicide. Their median age at death was 28.
— Nearly one in five died in a motor vehicle crash.
— Among those with a primary diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, the numbers are even more disturbing: 80 percent died of overdose, suicide or a single vehicle crash. Only two of the 46 Texas veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts with a PTSD diagnosis died of natural causes, according to the analysis.
— The 345 Texas veterans identified by the VA as having died since coming home is equal to nearly two-thirds of the state's casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. But that only includes veterans who have sought VA benefits, meaning the total number of deaths is likely much larger.
The analysis also highlights the problem of prescription drug overdose among veterans, which has received scant attention compared to suicides: Nearly as many Texas veterans died after taking prescription medicine as committed suicide. VA prescriptions of powerful narcotics have skyrocketed over the past decade even as evidence has mounted that such painkillers and PTSD make a dangerous combination. In effect, experts say, the military and VA have exposed an especially vulnerable population to a flood of dangerous drugs.
Although the startling number of suicides among active-duty service members has been widely reported, there has been little examination of what happens to the nation's soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors after they leave the service.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, which serves nearly half of recent veterans, does not regularly track individual causes of death, a shortcoming that critics say prevents it from understanding the scope of the problems facing those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This is the data we've been looking for," said Texas state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, who chairs the Texas Legislature's Veteran Affairs Committee. "We know very well the numbers of active duty (deaths), but what we don't know is what happens once they separate from the military.
"Unless we know the extent of the problem, people don't tend to act on things," Van de Putte said. "I'm hoping people will be appalled ... and feel compelled to take action."
The deaths reported by the newspaper represent a fraction of the nearly 53,000 Texas veterans of the wars who have applied for VA disability benefits. Most have returned home without major trauma.
Yet the autopsy reports and investigation narratives obtained by the American-Statesman paint a mosaic of pain, desperation and hopelessness among a significant number of Texas veterans.
Among them was Chad Mitchell, 40, a veteran of seven overseas deployments who had settled in Austin after leaving the Navy. He died in September 2010 with a half-dozen prescription drugs in his system, including anti-anxiety medication and powerful painkillers oxycodone and methadone prescribed by private and VA physicians. Mitchell, who suffered from PTSD, suffered pain from a complicated chest surgery, as well as a shoulder injury in Iraq.
Among them was Justin Languis, a 31-year-old veteran of Iraq who shot himself to death in January 2011 at the Fort Hood memorial wall commemorating fallen soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division. Languis had deployed with a unit of the division in 2004, serving as a combat medic during the battles of Fallujah and Najaf. Several soldiers from the unit were killed during the deployment, their names etched in the wall where Languis died.
Among them was Paul Robert Norris, a 24-year-old Army veteran, who died when he lost control of his Honda Civic and slammed into a rock wall along an El Paso street. Police said Norris was speeding; his father said his son was usually a cautious driver and believes his son was experiencing a flashback to his time in Iraq when he lost control of his car.
The newspaper's findings show that deaths from suicide and overdose are far higher among the veterans receiving VA benefits than for the overall state population: The percentage of suicides was nearly five times higher, while the percentage of deaths from overdose and toxic drug combinations was 5.3 times as high.
Former Texas state epidemiologist Dennis Perrotta said that while differences between the groups — mostly male war veterans who were receiving medical treatment, versus a much more diverse overall population — account for some of the discrepancies, the results are nevertheless meaningful. The newspaper's findings are also echoed by broad data compiled by the Texas Department of State Health Services that indicate elevated levels of suicide and overdose among veterans under the age of 35.
VA officials said that because they don't track individual causes of death, they couldn't verify the newspaper's numbers or determine whether they mirror causes of death for young veterans nationally.
"These are important conclusions, but I would caution against applying them nationwide or VA-wide," said VA spokesman Mark Ballesteros, adding that the VA is working to address gaps in its data collection and is planning a mortality study based on 2010 death records.
U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Waco, who serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said the VA needs to fix its data collection limitations.
"We don't do a very good job of tracking these folks," Flores said. "I would like to see a little more action and less talking."
In many of the cases reviewed by the Statesman, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan died in relative anonymity. Unlike those who die during active duty, the veterans' deaths often aren't noted in press releases.
Some did not even get an obituary in their local newspaper, including about a third of those who committed suicide.
In Austin, a 44-year-old Navy veteran was buried in Travis County's pauper's cemetery after dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in October 2007. The man's body was discovered after neighbors noticed fliers piling up around the door to his North Austin apartment.
Inside, police found a mostly empty bottle of rum and a .38-caliber handgun under his hand. In the closet, they found a bag of medical records that revealed a lengthy battle with psychological problems.
Colleen Rivas of New Braunfels, Texas, whose husband Ray took his own life in 2009 outside a military hospital in San Antonio, said her husband and his comrades who have died since returning home deserve to have the circumstances of their deaths investigated, in hopes of finding ways to reduce the death toll among veterans.
"They had a life, they had a story," she said. "They were soldiers and they mattered. And they all left behind someone who loved them."
Report: Texas vets dying young at alarming rate
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — They survived the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. But they did not survive the homecoming.


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Casa de La Flora, one of the best new hotels by Conde Nast Traveller's Hot List 2012
is located directly on the beautiful, palm-fringed beach of
Khao Lak, just one-hour drive
by car from Phuket International Airport. This ultimate design resort with stunning
Andaman views as well as its friendly service warmly welcome visitors from
across the globe.
We are proud of being the first modernist hideaway in Khao Lak, presenting cutting-edge architecture and unique design amid tropical nature. Whether you're looking for a romantic hideaway or a luxury holiday experience, Casa de La Flora is definitely a perfect choice.
|Casa de La Flora comprises 36 contemporary slate-grey cube villas which come in four categories and
are designed to allow guests to experience the environment from inside out, with large glass facades that
widen the perspective when looking out to Cerulean Ocean. All villas offer a range of modern comforts for
design and luxury lovers, complemented by unrivaled service. To guarantee greatest comfort, only kingsize
bed is provided in every villa.
Studio Pool Villa(1 bedroom | 5 villas | total size: 70 sq.m. | room (indoor) 48 sq.m. | deck 12 sq.m. | pool 4.30 m. x 1.9 m.)
Duplex Pool Suite(1 bedroom and living room | 8 villas | total size: 90 sq.m. | room (indoor) 73 sq.m. | deck 9 sq.m. | pool 3.40 m. x 2.00 m.)
Duplex Grand Pool Villa(1 bedroom and living room with sea view on 2nd floor | 11 villas | total size: 110 sq.m. | room (indoor) 82 sq.m. | deck 11 sq.m. | pool 6.20 m. x 2.20 m.)
Beachfront Pool Villa(1 bedroom with sea view | 4 villas | total size: 70 sq.m. | room (indoor) 48 sq.m. | deck 4 sq.m. | pool 3.40 m. x 3.40 m.)
Beachfront Suite Pool Villa(1 bedroom and a separate living room with sea view | 5 villas | total size: 100 sq.m. | room (indoor) 67 sq.m. | deck 8.5 sq.m. | pool 4.30 m. x 3.50 m.)
La Aranya Restaurant: This lovely restaurant by the beach offers the pleasant and relaxing ambience of
the serene beach. Our experienced chef presents an international menu with a Thai twist, using only
premium and fresh ingredients, refined techniques and served with a healthy dose of Thai hospitality. This is
where you can savor every mouthful while relishing a tropical breeze carried on the ocean.
Pool bar: Sip your favorite cocktail by the pool when watching the sun go by. Our pool bar serves all kinds of drinks including tropical fruit juice, smoothies, cocktails, and etc.
|La Aranya Restaurant
|La Aranya Restaurant
|La Aranya Restaurant
|Pool Bar
|Pool Bar
|Pool Bar
Spa La Casa: Very few spa journeys can equal what guests are likely to experience at Spa La Casa, where
comprises four treatment rooms. If going to a spa means finding inner balance and true harmony, then this
is definitely the place to be. Once you are in this haven of serenity, you will surely leave all of your troubles
behind. Here exotic and indigenous herbs, gathered from the four corners of the orient, are delicately
infused into a variety of exquisite treatments.
Dream Experience:
More than just host service, this exclusive service is specially designed to fulfill
every wish. Whether you want to surprise your wife with a romantic dinner by the beach, learn yoga, or
explore the unspoiled nature along the wild river of Khao Lak, the dream maker is here ready to make it
become true.
Swimming pool: Realizing the importance of your health, our infinity edge swimming pool is chemical free, using O3 water treatment system which is designed to remove many common contaminants such as iron, manganese, bacteria, and etc. So our guests can enjoy swimming in truly clean water while watching a magnificent sunset.
Library: If you love reading, you will love this cozy and lovely library, where you can spend all day enjoying good readings from around the world. Whether you love novels, art, or books about business, we have them all here.
Fitness centre: Your relaxing holiday is complemented by our fitness centre, where there are a broad range of equipment such as free weights and exercise machines such as treadmill running.
Excursion: If you look for something exciting, then come and explore with us. We can make it a tailor made excursion just for you. You may choose to do something different like buying food ingredients in the local markets for cooking your favorite menu and enjoying the dish you yourself cooked by the unspoiled river of Khao Lak. Or choose to have your private dinner in a yacht, cruising the Andaman while relishing the magnificent view of sunset.
Private Airport Transfer: Let us help make your trip as smooth as silk. Our Phuket airport transfer service is safe and can be trusted. We look forward to welcoming you the very moment you walk out of the airport.
|Swimming Pool
|Pool Bed
|Fitness Center


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Aggrieved users of the BC Ferries system are planning a protest demonstration at the provincial legislature in Victoria on Tuesday.
Up in the rarefied air of executive suites at the swanky new headquarters building of the debt-ridden ferries Quango — that's delightfully apt Brit lingo for quasi-non-government organization — the ferry brass is probably not averse to a monster turnout.
A big gathering of visitors from various Gulf Islands, Northern Vancouver Island, coastal outports and First Nations communities, for example, would at least offer a glimmer of good news amid an otherwise dismal record of dwindling passenger loads.
After all, even disaffected customers will have to use ferries to get to the capital to vent their spleen. So, if there's a big turnout for the demo, at least there'll be a bump in ferry traffic on beleaguered routes.
Millions of visitor trips have evaporated from BC Ferries' books since it embarked upon a policy of jacking up prices and cutting services, squeezing more and more money out of fewer and fewer customers.
By the way, interest payments on the billion dollars in debt that the ferries corporation acquired in one decade stood at $16.5 million-a-year at the end of December — pretty close to the "savings" it seeks from slashing services.
This seems to me to be a bit like somebody with a maxed out credit card whose frantic budget cutting turns out to be just enough to pay the interest and keep the collection agency at bay but not really enough to actually retire the debt.
Smarter business analysts than me have described the strategy of hiking prices in the face of falling sales and a declining customer base as entering the classic "death spiral" for a business, so it will be interesting to see where all this leads and what the bond rating agencies finally conclude about whether that debt shouldn't really be showing up on the province's books instead of the Quango's.
Meanwhile, as one astute observer has noted:
"B.C. ferry fares have finally gotten so high that for every dollar they raise it will actually garner less in revenue.
"Higher fares mean fewer passengers so the accountants will have to subtract paying customers from every new dollar. And at this rate, how long will it be before they abandon the routes where they don't make any money? How long before the provincial government abandons its responsibility to provide a public service to many of the people who depend on ferries to travel or to ship their goods?
"Our transportation minister seems to have an insatiable appetite for funding highways, if they require blacktop, and he seems perfectly at peace with providing free ferries on inland lakes in B.C., but he doesn't seem to have the same affection for our maritime highway on the coast.
"Why don't they say that they're subsidizing people who live in Whistler by the massive expansion of the Sea to Sky Highway? I mean, I occasionally go up to Whistler, I suppose I benefit from that expansion of the highway, but the math they do suggests that only people who live at the end of one of these transportation routes are the people who are being subsidized. Why don't they do that — apply the same math to the highways they build, then maintain — that they do to the ferry routes?
"Am I subsidizing people, wealthy people, who can afford a second home in Whistler?"
As I say, I didn't make those observations.
It was Premier Christy Clark, back when she was still one of us, hosting a CKNW talk show in 2008.
On Clark's watch as premier, though, prices have continued to escalate. Service has continued to decline. Customers have continued to dwindle. The debt has continued to rise. The transportation minister, one that she's appointed since becoming premier, continues to maintain the fiction that somehow our ferry system is massively subsidized although 80 per cent of its costs are paid by the travelling public — precisely the opposite of what happens in Alaska where government pays 75 per cent of the operating costs and all of the capital costs.
Perhaps Clark will have some answers for the aggrieved on Tuesday. Don't count on it, though.
To paraphrase a famous Roman who discovered that the before and after behaviour of someone courting favours differed considerably once the favours had been obtained:
What a politician says to a prospective voter, "write on the wind; write on the rushing waves."


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Tagged: Cleveland Spiders
Philadelphia Phillies – Year 8: The Phillies finished in third place in the NL, inspite of losing their manager Harry Wright for most of the season as he goes blind.
The Phillies would start the 1890 season with a major problem. Before the season even starts, as they start to officially call themselves the Phillies, the club would lose several of its players to the teams of the Players' League, including a new team that the rebellious league had set up in Philadelphia, the new Philadelphia Quakers. This new team would challenge not only the Phils but also the American Association's Philadelphia franchise, the Philadelphia Athletics, to see which team would reign surpreme in the Philadelphia baseball world.
As the National League finds itself unable to destroy the upstart league through the courts, as New York Supreme Court Justice Morgan J. O'Brien rules on January 28 in favor of John Montgomery Ward, formerly a star pitcher for the New York Giants and now a Hall of Famer, in his reserve clause case against the league, they decide to destroy it on the playing field, despite losing half of the people who had played for National League teams the previous season before the start of the regular season. The league would set things up so that they would end up playing most of their games on the same day as would the teams of their Players' League opponents, beginning with opening day, April 19.
The Phillies' opponents for 1890 would include the two franchises that had joined the National League from the weakening American Association, after the previous season, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and the Cincinnati Reds, replacing the now defunct Washington Nationals and Indianapolis Hoosiers franchises, along with the Beaneaters, the Giants, the Alleghenys, the Spiders and the Chicago franchise, which has before the season changed its nickname from the White Stockings to the Colts. Every member of the league, except for Cincinnati, would face a challenge from a Players' League franchise, while only Brooklyn and Philadelphia would also face teams from the more friendly American Association. The Phillies would continue to play their home games at the Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds, while Harry Wright would begin his seventh season as the team's manager, trying to see if he can finally pilot the team to a league pennant.
The Phillies would begin their season on the road in April, playing four games against the previous season's champ, the Giants, and one game against the former American Association champ, the Bridegrooms. The Phillies would win the season opener behind Kid Gleason, defeating the Giants 4-0. They would then lose the next game, 5-3, before winning the four- games series, 3-1, by defeating New York by the scores of 7-3 and 3-1, and landing in a three-way tie for first place with the Beaneaters and the Alleghenys. The Phils would then lose their game with the Bridegrooms, 10-0, ending their road trip with a record of 3-2 and landing in third place, trailing the Beaneaters by a game. They would then go back home to begin an eleven-games home stand with their eastern rivals the Giants (3), the Beaneaters (4) and the Bridegrooms (4). The Phillies would end the month of April by splitting the first two of their three games with the Giants, ending the month with a record of 4-3 while in a three-way tie with the Bridegrooms and Beaneaters for second place, as they all trailed the now leading Colts by half-a-game.
With the start of May, the Phillies would conclude their series with the Giants, winning the final game, and thus winning the series, 3-1, as they would end up in a four-way tie for first place with the Beaneaters, the Colts and the Reds, all four teams a full game ahead of the Alleghenys and the Bridegrooms. The Phils would then sweep their series with the Beaneaters, putting themselves in first place, a game-and-a-half ahead of the second place Colts. The Phillies would then win their sixth game in a row as they would defeat the Bridegrooms in the first game of their four-games series, 6-1. The Phils would then lose their next two games with Brooklyn, before winning the last game of the home stand, and splitting the series 2-2, while winning their home stand, 8-3, still in first place, but now leading the Colts by two full games. The Phils then go to Boston for a one-game series, which they would lose, 14-7, before coming back home for a long twenty-four games series against all of their league opponents that would last the rest of May and the early part of June. The Phillies would begin the home stand by losing their three-games series with the Reds, 1-2, leaving them just a half-game ahead of the Colts, as their western rival come into Philadelphia for a four-games series. The Phils would win the series, 2-1-1, including a suspended final game which had the Colts leading 10-8, which would end up leaving the Phillies still in first place, a game-and-a-half ahead of the Colts, the Bridegrooms and the Giants. The Phils would next face the Alleghenys for four games. They would sweep the series, including a doubleheader sweep on May 28, winning the games by the scores of 12-10 and 7-2, which would leave them still a game-and-a-half ahead of Brooklyn. The Phils would then end the month playing four games with the Spiders, including their second doubleheader of the month, played on May 30. After winning the first game of the series, they would be swept in the doubleheader, losing the two games by the score of 8-4 and 4-1, before winning the final game of the series, thus ending up splitting their series with Cleveland, 2-2. The Phillies would end the month of May with a 17-8 record, and with an overall record of 21-11-1, a game-and-a-half ahead of both the Reds and the Bridegrooms.
The Phillies would start June by winning their series with the Beaneaters, 2-1 and then with the Bridegrooms, also 2-1, before sweeping their three-games series with the Giants, ending the home stand with a winning record of 17-7, leaving them in first, but now only a-half-game ahead of the Reds. The Phillies would then go on the road for seven games with Boston (4) and Brooklyn (3). The Phils would lose the first game in their series with the Beaneaters, 8-5, having their four-games winning streak snapped, before losing the series overall, 1-3. They would then get swept by the Bridegrooms, becoming mired in a five-games losing streak, as they fall into third place, five-and-a-half games behind the Reds. The Phillies would then go back home for a four-games home stand with the Alleghenys. The Phils would win the short home stand 3-1, still in third, but now trailing by three-and-a-half games. The Phillies would then go on an eleven-games road trip to Cleveland (4), Chicago (4) and Cincinnati (3) for the rest of the month and the start of July. The Phils would go to Cleveland, winning the series there, 3-1, as they now stood in second place, still three-and-a-half games behind the Reds. The Phillies would then go to Chicago, where they would lose the first game of their series with the Colts, thus ending the month with a 13-11-1 record, and an overall record of 34-22-1, falling back into third place, but still three-and-a-half games behind the Reds.
The Phillies would start July off by winning two of their next three games with the Colts, ending the series with a split, before going on to Cincinnati for their first visit to the Queen City on the Ohio. The Phils would win their first road series against the Reds, 2-1, which would include a doubleheader split on July 4th, winning the first game 11-2, and then losing the 'nightcap', 7-1, thus ending the road trip with a record of 7-4, still trailing the Reds by three-and-a-half games, tied for second with the Bridegrooms. The Phils would then go back home for a fifteen-games home stand against the Reds, the Spiders, the Alleghenys, the Colts and the Alleghenys again, for five three-games series. The Phillies would start the home stand by winning their series with the Reds, 2-1, leaving them now just two-and-a-half games behind the Reds, while staying in third place. They would then sweep the other four series in their home stand, thus ending the home stand with a 14-1 record, returning to first place, now leading the second place Bridegrooms by two-and-a-half games. The Phillies would then go back on the road, for nine games with the Spiders (2), the Colts (3) and the Reds (4). The Phils would begin the road trip by sweeping the Spiders, increasing their winning streak to fifteen games, while increasing their lead over the Bridegrooms to three games. The Phillies would then go to Chicago, where their winning streak would be snapped by the Colts, 12-4, before they ended the series losing it, 1-2, with their lead over Brooklyn shrinking down to two games. The Phillies would then go on to Cincinnati, where they promptly lost the first game of their four-games series to the Reds, ending the month with a 21-6 record and an overall record of 55-28-1, now leading the Bridegrooms by just a game-and-a-half.
The Phils would start the month of August by losing two of three to the Reds, thus losing the series, 1-3, and the road trip with a 4-5 record, now in second place and a game behind the Bridegrooms, as the pennant race starts to heat up. The Phillies would then go back home for a short three-games home stand against the Giants (2) and the Beaneaters (1). The Phils would split their short series with the Giants, 1-1, before losing their game with Boston, ending the homestand, 1-2 and now three games behind Brooklyn, as they remain in second place. The Phillies then go back onto the road for nine games with Boston (2), New York (3) and Brooklyn (4). The Phillies go into Boston, where they are swept by the Beaneaters, dropping them into third, still three games behind Brooklyn. The Phils then go to New York, where they would lose the series to the Giants, 1-2, leaving them four games behind the Bridegrooms, before going into Brooklyn. The Phillies would then fall further behind Brooklyn, as they would lose three of their four games with the Bridegrooms, including a doubleheader lost on the 20, by the lopsided scores of 13-2 and 12-7, ending the road trip with a 2-7 record, now six games behind the first place Bridegrooms, as they fall into fourth place. The Phillies would then return home for a long nineteen-games home stand against all of their opponents for four straight three-games series (Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago and Cincinnati), two straight two-games series (Boston and New York) and then a final three-games series with Brooklyn. The Phils would start the home stand by redeeming themselves as they would proceed to sweep first the Alleghenys and then the Spiders, putting them back into third place, now three games behind Brooklyn. They then had a setback as they got swept in turn by the Colts, ending August with a losing record of 10-14, and an overall mark of 65-42-1, in a technical tie for third place with the Reds, six games behind the league leading Bridegrooms.
The Phillies would start September off by spliting a doubleheader with the Reds on the 1, winning the first game, 2-1 and then losing the 'nightcap', 8-5, before winning the third game of the series to win the series, 2-1. They would then split their two-games series with the Giants, which was a doubleheader split on the 3, losing the first game, 9-6, then winning the 'nightcap', 9-5, leaving them in third place, eight games behind the Bridegrooms. The Phillies would then be swept by the Beaneaters in their two-games series, leaving them now eight and a half games behind Brooklyn, still in third place, as the Bridegrooms come to Philadelphia for three-games, giving the Phils one last chance to make up ground on first place Brooklyn. The Phils would proceed to sweep the Bridegrooms, winning the three games by scores of 4-3, 13-6 and 9-3, ending the home stand with a record of 12-7, now trailing the Bridegrooms by five-and-a-half games. The Phillies would then go on the road for the final time, to play fifteen games in Boston (3), Cincinnati (4), Chicago (2), Pittsburgh (2) and Cleveland (4), for the rest of September and the start of October. The Phillies would start the road trip off by taking two of three from the Beaneaters, leaving them still five-and-a-half games behind Brooklyn and now a game behind the second place Beaneaters. The Philles would then lose three of four to the Reds, watching them stay in third place, six-and-a-half games behind Brooklyn, with only an outside chance to win the pennant. The Phils would then go to Chicago, where they would sweep the Colts, seeing them move up into second place over the Colts, six games behind the Bridegrooms. The Phillies would then go to Pittsburgh, where they would split the two-games series with the Alleghenys, losing the second game by the score of 10-1, thus ending the month with a record of 12-9 and an overall record of 77-51-1, now in third place, seven-and-a-half games behind the Bridegrooms, as Brooklyn clinches the pennant on that same day, September 30, by defeating the Spiders, 4-3 while the second place Colts would lose to the Beaneaters, 6-4.
The Phillies would end the season playing four games in October with the Spiders. After tying the first game, 2-2, they would win the next game, 5-4, before ending the season by being swept in an October 4 doubleheader, losing by the scores of 5-1 and 7-3, ending the month with a record of 1-2-1, the road trip with a record of 7-7-1, and ending the season with a record of 78-53-2, two-and-a-half games behind the second place Colts and nine games behind the league champ, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, so far the only Major League franchise to win a championship two years in a row in two difference leagues (AA 1889, NL 1890).
The Phillies would spend most of the year without their manager as Harry Wright would become blind on May 22. He would not be able to distinguish light from dark for ten days and would not return to manage the Phils until August 6. As Wright recovers, the Phillies would originally replace him with catcher Jack Clements, thus making him the fourth manager in Phillies' history and the team's second player-manager. Clements would be at the helm for only nineteen games, compling a record of 12-6-1 for a winning percentage of .667. Phillies co-owner, Al Reach, would replace him as the team's fifth manager, leading the team for eleven games, compling a losing record of 4-7 for a winning percentage of .364. Reach then replaces himself as the team's manager with shortstop Bob Allen, making him the team's sixth manager and the third player-manager in franchise's history. Allen would remain the team's leader until Wright's return, compling a record of 25-10 in thirty-five games, for a winning percentage of .714. Wright would return on August 6, leading the team during the final two-plus months of the pennant race, leading the Phils to its third third place finish, as he compiled a record of 36-31-1 in sixty-eight games, for a winning percentage of .537.
The Phillies would end up playing a total of 133 games, with a home/road split of 54-21-1 at home and 24-32-1 on the road, as 148,366 fans would come to watch them play at home. They would face the Spiders, the Reds and the Beaneaters twenty times each, the Colts and the Allghenys nineteen times, the Bridegrooms eighteen times and the Giants only seventeen times. The Phillies had winning records against four of their opponents, with their best record being against the Alleghenys, as they would go 17-2, followed by the Spiders at 14-5-1. They would have losing records with three teams, with their worst record being against the Bridegrooms, as they went 8-10, followed by both the Beaneaters and the Reds at 9-11. The Phillies would be 9-3 in shut outs, 17-9 in 1-run games and 30-17 in blowouts.
During the season, the Phillies would be either at the top, or near the top, in most offensive categories. The team would be first in doubles (220), batting average (.269) and on-base percentage (.342), second in hits (1267), walks (522), slugging percentage (.364) and stolen bases (335), third in run scored (823) and triples (78), fifth in at-bats (4707), sixth in home runs (23) and strikeouts (403), while also knocking in 631 RBIs, while 64 batters would be hit by the pitch. Meanwhile, the pitchers would also be near the top in most categories. They would be second in saves (2), shut outs (9), innings pitched (1194), home runs allowed (22) and strikeouts (507), fifth in complete games (122), and sixth in ERA (3.32), hits allowed (1210), runs allowed (707), and walks (486), as well as start 133 games, complete eleven games, allowed 440 earned runs, throw 45 wild pitches and commit two balks.
Team offensive leaders for the season would include Billy Hamilton in batting average (.325), on-base percentage (.430), runs scored (133), stolen bases (102), also leading the league in that category, and singles (137), being tied for the league lead with Cliff Carroll of the Chicago Colts. Clements would lead the team in slugging percentage (.472) and home runs (7). Allen would lead in games played (133), walks (87) and strikeouts (54), while being tied with Eddie Burke for triples with 11 each. Sam Thompson would be the team leader in at-bats (549), total plate appearances (599), hits (172), tied for the league lead with Jack Glasscock of the New York Giants, total bases (243), doubles (41), being the league leader, RBIs (102) and extra-base hits (54). Al Myers would lead in hit by the bat by being plunked 10 times.
Pitching wise, 1890 would be the coming out year for Kid Gleason, as he would be the team leader in most pitching categories. He would have the lowest ERA (2.63), win the most games (38, which is still the team's single season record), highest win-lost percentage (.691), game played (60), saves (2), tied for the lead in that category with Dave Foutz of the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and Bill Hutchison of the Chicago Colts, innings pitched (506), strikeouts (222), games started (55), complete games (54), games finished (5), shutouts (6), hits allowed (479), earned runs allowed (148), while being tied with Tom Vickery for the team lead in home runs allowed (6). Vickery would also lead the team in walks (184), losses (22) and wild pitches (23). The Phils would only have two pitchers who would win twenty or more games, Gleason, setting a club record 38 wins and Vickery with 24.
As the Phillies continue to try to claim their first pennant, the National League Champ, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, would face the American Association Champ, the Louisville Colonels in a seven-games post-season series, that would end up as a 3-3-1 tie between the two teams. Meanwhile, the Players' League folds, as the league's idea of having a revenue sharing-pool between the players would backfire, as the owners of the league's eight teams are unable to make enough of a profit to stay in business. This would force the owners to sell the interest of their teams to the owners of the National League, who would in the process regain many of the players that they had lost to the revolt, such as the Phillies regaining Ed Delahanty from the Cleveland Infants. Meanwhile, as the Players' League dies, the American Association would kick the Athletics out of the fold, for violating the league's constitution. The Athletics would then be replaced in the AA by the Quakers of the Players' League, leaving the Phillies with a rival. Noone, however, would have any idea how damaging the players' revolt would be to the AA until 1891.
Sources: Wikipedia, Baseball Almanac.com, Baseball-reference.org, Retrosheet.org
Philadelphia Phillies – Year 7: Dropping back down to fourth place.
The Phillies would begin their seventh year of existance trying to rebound from the previous season drop in the standings, as their manager, Harry Wright, would begin his sixth season as the Phillies' skipper.
As the Phillies continue to play their home games in their home ballpark, the Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds, change is in the air in the National League as the league would be in a constant state of flux that will last the next several years. Early in the 1888 off-season, the Detroit Wolverine franchise would fold, it place in the National League to be taken by the American Association Cleveland Blues, who would soon change their name to the Cleveland Spiders. The league would then adopt a five-tier salary structure which would help to determine how much each player is paid. This move by the owners would have repercussions within two years, as it would lead to the Players' revolt of 1890. Early in 1889, the National League would take control of the debt-ridden Indianapolis Hoosiers before an ownership group would finally take contol of the franchise. The Phillies' opponents for the new season, besides the new Spiders and the Hoosiers, under new management, would be the Beaneaters, the Giants, the Nationals, the Alleghenys, and the White Stockings.
The Phillies would begin the 1889 regular season on Wednesday, April 24, against the Nationals in Washington, which the Phillies would win, 8-4, putting them in a tie for first place with the Beaneaters, the Hoosiers and the Alleghenys. The Phillies would then go home for a twenty-eight games home stand against all of their rivals, where they would play four straight four-games series with the Beaneaters, the Giants, the Nationals, the White Stockings, a two-games series with the Hoosiers, two straight four-games series with the Spiders and the Alleghenys and finally a second two-games series with the Hoosiers, which would last through the entire month of May. The Phillies would end April by splitting the first two games of their four-games series with the Beaneaters, losing 8-3, and then winning 7-6, ending April with a 2-1 record, in third place, trailing both the Giants and the Alleghenys by half a game.
The Phillies would begin May the same way they had ended April, by splitting the last two games of their four-games series with Boston, ending the series with a 2-2 record, while staying in third place as they now trailed the first place Giants by a game and a half. In their four-game series with their rival, the Giants, the Phillies would take three of the four games, including 9-4 and 11-2 victories in the first two games of the series, before being clobbered 13-9 in the series' third game, putting them in a first place tie with the Beaneaters, half a game ahead of both the now third place Giants and the fourth place Alleghenys. The Phils would then proceed to split their series with the Nationals, which would keep them tied with Boston for first and still half a game ahead of the Giants. The Phils would then win their four-games series with their main western rival, the White Stockings, 3-1, as they fall into second place in the standings, a full game behind the first place Beaneaters. They would then sweep their two games with the Hoosiers, which keep them a game behind Boston in the standings. They would then win the first game of their four-games with the Spiders, giving them a five-games winning streak, before they would lose the next three games, thus losing the series to Cleveland, 1-3, as they fall three and a half games behind Boston, while staying in second place. The Phillies would then rebound, winning the first three games in their four-games series with the Alleghenys, including a doubleheader split on May 30, winning the opener by the score of 13-6, before losing the 'nightcap' by the score of 10-6. They would then sweep their second straight doubleheader, this one against the Hoosiers on May 31, by the scores of 11-8 and 11-4, thus ending the home stand with a record of 18-10 and the month with a 17-9 record. Their overall record of 19-10 would keep them in second place, now two and a half games behind the first place Beaneaters.
The Phillies would start off June by playing a four-games series with first place Beaneaters in Boston. The series would be a disaster, as they would lose the first three games in the series by scores of 7-2, 10-6 and 4-2, before leaving Boston with a 5-4 win, which would put the still second place Phils behind Boston by four and a half games. The Phillies would next play two straight three-games series with the Nationals, with the first three to be played in Philadelphia, and then the latter three in Washington, as part of a six-cities, twenty-two-games road trip to New York (2), Chicago (4), Cleveland (4), Pittsburgh (5) and Indianapolis (4), that would take the balance of June and the start of July to complete. The Phillies would win both of their series against the Nationals, going 2-1 both at home and in Washington, which would include a split of their third doubleheader of the season, losing the first game 6-3, and then winning the 'nightcap' 7-5. The Phillies would drop down to third place as they head for New York, a game behind the third place Spiders and three and a half games behind league leading Boston. The Phils would end up being swept in New York, which would drop them five and a half games behind the Beaneaters. The Phillies would then go to Chicago, where they would split their four-games series with the White Stockings, as they would now trail Boston by eight games, as the Beaneaters would appear to be running away from the rest of the league. The Phillies would next go to Cleveland, visiting the city for the first time since the collapse of the original Cleveland Blues franchise in 1884. The Phillies would end up losing the series to the Spiders, 1-3, which would dropped the Phils into fourth place, still trailing the Beaneaters by eight games, as the Giants would jump over them into third place. The Phils would then go to Pittsburgh, where their losing streak would increase to four games, including a doubleheader lost on June 29 by the score of 3-2 and 8-0. The Phillies would end June with an 8-15 losing record, and an overall record of 27-25, eight and a half games behind Boston in fourth place.
The Phillies would start July by losing the last two games of their series with Pittsburgh, losing the five-games series as their losing streak rises to six games, as they now trail Boston by nine and a half games. The Phillies would finally break their losing streak by winning the first game of their July 4th doubleheader with the Hoosiers, winning by the score of 5-4, before losing the 'nightcap' 6-0. They would then split the last two games in Indianapolis, splitting the series, as they would end the road trip with a losing record of 7-15, as they now trailed Boston by nine games, as they stayed a half game ahead of fifth place Chicago. The Phillies would then go back home to begin a seventeen-games home stand with the Hoosiers (3), White Stockings (2), the Spiders (3), the Alleghenys (3), the Giants (3) and the first place Beaneaters (3). The Phillies would start the home stand off with a seven-games winning streak as they would sweep first the Hoosiers, then the White Stockings, before the Spiders would finally end the winning streak by beating the Phils in the final game of their three-games series, 9-4. Their seven games winning streak would place the Phillies six games behind the Beaneaters, before their lost and Boston's doubleheader sweep of the Hoosiers the next day would push them back to seven and a half games behind. The Phillies would then sweep their series with Pittsburgh and New York, which would put them four and a half game behind Boston as the Beaneaters came to town. The Phillies would proceed to lose the first two games with Boston, thus losing the series, 1-2, as they now trail the first place Beaneaters by five and a half games, as they moved into third place, a half game ahead of the Spiders and two games behind New York, as they end the home stand with a record of 14-3. The Phillies would then go back onto the road for a six-cities, thirteen-games road trip to Boston (2), New York (2), Pittsburgh (2), Cleveland (2), Chicago (3) and Indianapolis (2). The Phillies would start their road trip in Boston, where they would be swept by the Beaneaters, ending the month with a 16-9 record and with an overall record of 43-34, seven and a half games behind Boston, and tied for third place with Cleveland (who have played one game more than the Phils, which ended up as a tie.).
The Phillies would begin August still on the road as they visit rival New York, where they would be swept by the Giants as their losing streak rises to four games, as they fall to eight games behind, technically in third place as they lead the Spiders by .001. The Phillies would then sweep their series with the Alleghenys, before splitting their series with the Spiders, as they now trailed the Beaneaters by six and a half games, while in third place by themselves. The Phillies would then go to Chicago, where they would win the series with their western rival, 2-1, before heading on to Indianapolis, where they would split the series with the Hoosiers, ending the road trip with a respectible 6-7 record, seven games behind the Beaneaters, who were now trying to fight off a challenge for first from the Giants. The Phillies then went home for a short three-games series with the Nationals, which the Phillies would win, 2-1, as they now trailed Boston by seven and a half games. The Phillies then went back onto the road for a five-games series in New York, which they would lose to the Giants, 1-4, as they played two straight doubleheaders with them, splitting the first one on August 23, losing the first game, 7-3, before winning the 'nightcap' 11-2. They would then be swept in the doubleheader played on the 24, by the scores of 10-8 and 8-3. The Phils would stay in third place, but now trailing Boston by nine and a half games. They would then go home to face the Beaneaters for three games, seeing their losing streak go up to four games, before finally winning the series' final game, as they lose the series, 1-2, as the Phillies now trailed the Beaneaters by ten and a half games. The Phillies then go back onto the road for three games with the Nationals, where they would lose the series, 0-1-1, tying the series' middle game by the score of 2-2, as they would end the month with a record of 10-14-1, while having an overall record of 53-48-1, eleven and a half game behind Boston, and a half-game ahead of fourth place Chicago.
In September, the Phils would play a ten-games home stand with the White Stockings (4), the Spiders (3), the Alleghenys (1) and the Hoosiers (2). The Phillies would lose the series with their western rival, the White Stockings, 1-3, which would include a doubleheader split on the 2, losing the first game, 2-1, before winning the 'nightcap' 3-2. The series would see the Phillies drop back into fourth place, now twelve and a half games behind both Boston and New York, who were in a mathematical tie for first place, and a game and a half behind now third place Chicago. The Phils would then go on a five-games winning streak, sweeping their series with the Spiders, and then winning their one-game series with the Alleghenys, before splitting their doubleheader with the Hoosiers on the 14, winning the opener, 11-3, then losing the second game, 10-7, thus ending their home stand with a 6-4 record, as they regained third place, now twelve games behind Boston and three and a half games ahead of the fourth place White Stockings. The Phillies would then go to Boston for a three games series, which they would lose to the Beaneaters, 1-2, leaving them still twelve games behind the Beaneaters and the Giants, with the Giants leading by .003. The Phillies then went back home for a five-games series with the Giants, which they would lose 0-4-1, which would include a doubleheader split on the 20, as they would lose the first game, 5-1, then would be tied in the 'nightcap', 4-4. The Phillies were now sixteen and a half games behind the Giants, who were now a game ahead of Boston in the pennant race. The Phillies would now go onto the road for the rest of the season, to play eleven games in four cities, with three games in Cleveland, three in Pittsburgh, two in Indianapolis and the final three games of the season in Chicago. The Phillies would win the series in Cleveland, going 2-1, as they now trailed the Giants by seventeen and a half games. The Phils would then go to Pittsburgh, where they would be swept by the Alleghenys, ending the month of September with an 8-14-1 record, while their overall record went to 61-62-2, placing them in a mathematical tie with the White Stockings for third place.
In October, the Phillies would start the month off with a sweep of the Hoosiers, placing them a half game ahead of Chicago as the two teams now fought over third place, while the Phils now trailed both New York and Boston by eighteen games, as those two teams fought for the league's crown. The Phillies would go to Chicago, and would end the first game in their three-games series in a 5-5 tie. They would then lose the final two games of the season to the White Stockings, ending the month with a record of 2-2-1, while their road trip would end with a record of 4-6-1, as they end the season in fourth place with a record of 63-64-3, a winning percentage of .496, a game and a half behind third place Chicago and twenty and a half games behind the league's winner, the New York Giants, who would win the pennant on the last day of the regualr season.
The Phillies would play 130 games, with a home-road record of 43-24-1 at home and 20-40-2 on the road. They would play in front of 281,869 fans at home. They would have winning records with only three teams, with their best record being 13-4 against the Hoosiers, while also having losing records against three teams, with their worst being against the Beaneaters at 6-13. They would also have a 9-9 record with the Alleghenys. The Phillies would be 4-10 in shut outs, 17-13 in one-run games, and 21-24 in blowouts.
Offensively, they would end up being around the middle of the pack, ending up second in 2Bs (215), third in stolen bases (269), fourth in at-bats (4695), home runs (44) and batting average (.266), fifth in runs scored (742), hits (1248), on-base percentage (.323) and slugging percentage (.362), seventh in triples (52) and walks (393) and eighth in strike outs (353), as well as knocking in 605 RBIs, while 35 batters were hit by the pitch. Among pitching staffs, the Phils would also be near the middle of the league, as they would lead the league in home runs given up with 33, be third in saves (2) and strikeouts (443), fourth in runs allowed (748), fifth in ERA (4.00), innings pitched (1153), hits allowed (1288) and walks (428), sixth in shut outs (4), and eighth in complete games (106), while finishing twenty-four other games, giving up 512 earned runs, forty-seven wild pitches, and hitting twenty-seven batters.
Among the batters, Sam Thompson would lead the team in batting average (.296), slugging percentage (.492), total plate appearances (575), hits (158), total bases (262), doubles (36), home runs (20), where he was the league leader and RBIs (111), while Jim Fogarty would lead in on-base percentage (.352), runs scored (107), triples (17), walks (65), strikeouts (60), stolen bases (99), also leading the league in that category and hit by the pitch (7), Sid Farrar in games played (130), and Joe Mulvey in at-bats (544) and singles (121). Among the pitchers, Charlie Buffington would lead the pitching staff in ERA (3.24), wins (28), winning percentage (.636), games pitched (47), games started (43), complete games (37), shutouts (2), innings pitched (280), home runs allowed (10), walks (121), wild pitches (15) and batters faced (1661), while Kid Gleason and Ben Sanders would be tied for first with one save each, Sanders would also lead in hits allowed (406), losses (18) and earned runs allowed (138), and Gleason would lead in hit batters (9) and games finished (7). The Phillies would have only one twenty-game winner in 1889, Charlie Buffington, who would go 28-16, as Ben Sanders would just miss it, as he would go 19-18.
With the 1889 season over, the Phillies would have their first losing season since 1884, although staying in the first division for the fifth straight season under Harry Wright's tenure. As the Phillies once again try to figure out what they would need to do to finally win a pennant, the Giants would face the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the American Association in a post-season playoff, which the Giants would win 6-3, beginning what would become a long standing rivalry between the two clubs, as Brooklyn would join the National League for the following season, along with the Cincinnati Red Stockings (now the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds, respectively), as they would replace the just folded Nationals and Hoosiers franchises. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players, the players' union, still upset over the restructuring of the players' salary structure, would formally revolt against the owners with the formation of the Players' League on December 16. The players' revolt would within two years have an outcome not expected by any of the players who would join any of the teams in the new league or those who would remain in either the NL or AA, or among the teams' owners.
Sources: Wikipedia, Baseball Almanac.com, Retrosheet.org, Baseball-reference.com


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It's just like my Sunburst shawl, except this time in a silvery-gray alpaca silk laceweight (details here on Ravelry). Whenever I'm planning on writing a pattern, as I have been thinking I'd do with this shawl, I like to knit a second version.
I don't know if it'll happen, this being crunch time for my dissertation and all. But it's been good to have soothing alpaca-silk yarn on my needles. And it brought a much needed glow to my face during our trip to the forest.


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David Friedman / NBC News
File photo shows a FEMA trailer park near Highway 90 in Bay St. Louis, Miss., in 2007.
More than six years after Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina began experiencing adverse health effects while living in travel trailers provided by the federal government for temporary housing, a federal judge in New Orleans has given his final approval to a $42.6 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit alleging that the units emitted hazardous levels of the toxic chemical formaldehyde.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the deal Thursday after hearing from attorneys who brokered the agreement between the plaintiffs and more than two dozen manufacturers of mobile homes provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Roughly 55,000 residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas will be eligible for shares of $37.5 million paid by more than two dozen manufacturers, the Associated Press reported. They also can get shares of a separate $5.1 million settlement with FEMA contractors that installed and maintained the units.
Dan Balhoff, a court-appointed special master, will determine the plaintiffs' awards, the AP said. Up to 48 percent of the total settlement money – or approximately $20,5 million -- will be deducted for attorneys' fees and costs, it said. Assuming the remainder is divided equally among 55,000 plaintiffs, the plaintiffs would receive about $4,020 apiece.
Payments are expected to go out late this year or early next year, the AP said.
Engelhardt presided over three trials for claims against FEMA trailer manufacturers and installers after he was picked in 2007 to oversee hundreds of consolidated lawsuits. The juries in all three trials sided with the companies and didn't award any damages.
As msnbc.com (now NBCNews.com) first reported in July 2006, residents of the trailers began complaining of headaches, nosebleeds and breathing difficulty shortly after moving into the trailers, which were trucked to the Gulf Coast by the tens of thousands after Katrina and Rita devastated the area in rapid succession in 2005.
Air quality tests of 44 FEMA trailers in early 2006 conducted by the Sierra Club found formaldehyde concentrations as high as 0.34 parts per million – a level nearly equal to what a professional embalmer would be exposed to on the job, according to one study of the chemical's workplace effects.
And government tests on hundreds of trailers in Louisiana and Mississippi announced in 2008 found formaldehyde levels that were, on average, about five times what people are exposed to in most modern homes.
FEMA, which isn't a party to the settlements, had long downplayed the health risks from formaldehyde exposure before those test results were announced.
It eventually began auctioning off the units as "scrap" — meaning they should not be used for human habitation — in October 2008, but some unscrupulous buyers apparently were able to dodge regulations and return them to the housing pool.
Formaldehyde gas -- the airborne form of a chemical used in a wide variety of products, including composite wood and plywood panels in the travel trailers that FEMA purchased to house hurricane victims -- is considered a human carcinogen, or cancer-causing substance, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and a probable human carcinogen by the EPA.
Gerald Meunier, a lead plaintiffs' attorney, told the AP that the deal provides residents with "somewhat modest" compensation but allows both sides to avoid the expense and risks of protracted litigation.
"Dollar amounts alone do not determine whether a settlement is fair and reasonable," he said.
Jim Percy, a lawyer for the trailer makers, said Engelhardt would have had to try cases individually or transfer suits to other jurisdictions if the settlement wasn't reached.
"It was not going to end quickly, and it was going to be even more monumental for all the parties concerned," he said.
But that doesn't mean the deal isn't a disappointment for many residents who blame their illnesses on the cramped trailers they occupied for months on end.
"We were told not to look for much," said Anthony Dixon, a New Orleans resident who says he developed asthma while living in a FEMA trailer for two years.
Dixon, 58, attended the hearing with his wife and mother to learn more about the deal.
"We're glad to get it over with," he added.
Engelhardt noted he received a letter from a woman whose 66-year-old mother, Agnes Mauldin, of Mississippi, died of leukemia in 2008 after living in a FEMA trailer. Mauldin's daughter, Lydia Greenlees, said the settlement offers "very little" for what her family considers to be a wrongful death case.
"I am saddened about the settlement in that I feel like it makes a mockery of my mother's life," Greenlees wrote. "I don't want anyone to think for one second that I view this settlement as a fair trade for my mother's life. I do not."
A group of companies that includes Gulf Stream Coach Inc., Forest River Inc., Vanguard LLC and Monaco Coach Corp. will pay $20 million of the $37.5 million settlement with the trailer makers.
Shaw Environmental Inc., Bechtel Corp., Fluor Enterprises Inc. and CH2M Hill Constructors Inc. are among the FEMA contractors that agreed to pay shares of the separate $5.1 million settlement.
Only a handful of formaldehyde-related claims are still pending, including some against FEMA by a group of Texas residents.
Mike Brunker is the projects editor for NBCNews.com; the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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China Milk-Powder Investigation Risks Turning Sour
By Shaun Rein
The antitrust bureau of China's National Development and Reform Commission has launched an investigation of three major foreign baby-formula brands—Mead Johnson Nutrition Danone, and Nestlé—for price fixing.
The NDRC is citing Article 14 of the Anti-Monopoly Law as grounds for the investigation, suggesting that it sees the three companies, the largest foreign makers of milk powder by market share, of abusing their commanding market position to set unfairly high prices. The law has been used to go after companies for setting high prices before; in early January Samsung, LG, and a number of Taiwanese television makers were fined $22 million and ordered to pay consumers $27 million for fixing prices of flat-panel TVs.
But are price fixing and unfair competition the real issue? There are three key issues that the government needs to go after.
First, there is the issue of keeping prices under control across the board, not just for foreign brands. The government is worried about rising prices for all products, and within milk powder specifically this is a key concern. Overall milk-powder prices are up 30% since the melamine scandal in 2008, and prices of imported milk powder are up 60%—and can cost twice as much as the same brands sold in Hong Kong or markets overseas. The government needs to ensure that Chinese babies have access to safe, high-quality milk powder at an affordable price, and is using the investigation to ensure that prices do not continue to go out of control.
It's not that Nestlé, Danone and Mead Johnson are colluding to fix prices per se. But a key issue is that the prices of the top brands affect other companies' prices. No Chinese company wants to be seen as too cheap, since safety-conscious Chinese consumers still closely associate low price with poor quality and safety. So when any company raises its prices, the others follow suit to avoid becoming the cheap, low-end—and therefore unsafe—option.
Despite the high prices, demand for foreign milk power keeps surging. In interviews that my firm, the China Market Research Group, has conducted with thousands of Chinese mothers over the past two years, we've found that product safety is overwhelmingly their top concern when shopping for their families. The vast majority of mothers of infants and toddlers are willing to pay a high premium to buy imported milk powder—or actually buy it overseas, to minimize the risk of getting a counterfeit—to ensure that it won't harm their babies.
It's typical of Chinese consumers to associate high prices with quality and safety, and vice versa. Prices are no longer numbers in themselves, but a reference for the quality standard. For foreign producers of baby formula, differentiated pricing is simply a strategy that helps them establish their ground in Chinese market, and is justified by strong consumer demand.
Differentials in pricing for premium foreign brands between China and other markets are actually pretty common, and not just in milk powder, diapers, skin cream and other products associated with children or safety concerns. A 16GB iPhone 5, for example, costs 23% more in Mainland China than in the U.S. Consumers have many cheaper smartphone options, both from foreign brands like Samsung (though its Galaxy Note costs 30% more in China than in the U.S.) and domestic brands like Xiaomi and Coolpad, but many are still willing to pay a higher price for an iPhone.
Second, the government needs to focus more on improving quality control and testing, not just within the dairy sector but for food production overall. Five years after the melamine scandals, there's little sign the government has regained Chinese consumers' trust in its ability to deal effectively with food and quality issues, and continued failure in this area presents a serious long-term risk for social stability. Addressing food-production standards also goes beyond restoring confidence in domestic brands and the issue of corporate corruption; it also ties in with water and soil contamination and overall environmental pollution. Pollution and the environment are a key issue that needs to be dealt with even more than corporate corruption—the Chinese public is increasingly fed up with the situation and is demanding solutions.
Third, the government needs to make sure that it does not target foreign companies only, or target them unduly for corrupt practices while neglecting malfeasance by domestic companies. That would be playing to a fear already common among foreign multinationals: that the government unfairly protects Chinese companies and gives them more leeway than foreign competitors. It would also risk sending an unintentional message to domestic companies that they are off the hook when it comes to quality control, safety, and corruption issues. And that's no way to restore the public's confidence.
Shaun Rein is founder and managing director of Shanghai-based consumer-intelligence firm China Market Research.
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Stevens, 1
Farmingdale State, 0
Hoboken, NJ - The Farmingdale State men's soccer team (1-4-1, 0-2 Skyline) faced the 7th ranked team in the country, Stevens (6-0-1, 1-0 Skyline), on Wednesday afternoon at DeBaun Field in Hoboken, NJ. The Rams were outshot 22-0, but held Stevens to just one goal in the 1-0 loss.
Freshman goalkeeper Joseph Caccavale (West Islip, NY/West Islip) made six saves in defeat for Farmingdale State. Stevens' only goal came in the first half at the 27-minute mark when sophomore forward Jeremy Lippel(West Orange, NJ) received a pass up the midfield from freshman Al Lockhart (Decatur, GA) and knocked it past Caccavale for the eventual game-winner.
The Rams will travel to Hackettstown, New Jersey on Saturday, September 23rd for a conference game against Centenary College at 3:00pm.


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Teams are allowed to negotiate with free agents starting Tuesday. Deals can't be finalized until 3 p.m. on Friday.
With that in mind, here is a list of the Raiders unrestricted free agents:
Offensive linemen Langston Walker, Mario Henderson, Khalif Barnes, Samson Satele and Robert Gallery, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, quarterbacks J.T. O'Sullivan, Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski, linebackers Sam Williams, Ricky Brown, Thomas Howard and Jarvis Moss (also plays defensive end), safety Michael Huff, tight end Zach Miller, wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins and long-snapper Jon Condo.
Everything we have been told points to running back Michael Bush being a restricted free agent.


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Listings in Appraisals, Buy & Sell, Gold Coins and Commemoratives in Beverly Hills, Tiburon and Los Alamitos
L & C Coins
Business Contact: Lee Crane
in World Coins, U.S. Coins, Type Coins, Quarters, Proof/Mint Sets, Paper Money, Half Dollars, Gold Coins, Dollars, Dimes, Commemoratives, Certified U.S. Coins, Cents, Bullion
Boasting an extensive inventory, L&C Coins specializes in Collector coins and Modern Issues as well as World coins. L&C Coins provides quality coins at a fair price to novice and seasoned collectors, alike.
11061 Winners Cir
Los Alamitos, California 90720
United States
Kagin's, Inc.
Business Contact: Don Kagin
in U.S. Coins, Paper Money, Collector Services, Auction Services, Appraisals, Buy & Sell
Kagin's Inc. is a California-based coin firm that specializes in rare U.S. coins, paper money, private issues from the California Gold Rush, and other unusual and rarely-encountered numismatic items.
1550G Tiburon Blvd
Ste 201
Tiburon, California 94920-2517
United States
Fax: (415) 435-1627
Kevin Lipton Rare Coins
Business Contact: Kevin Lipton
in U.S. Coins, Type Coins, Trade Dollar, Territorial Gold, Silver Coins, Seated Liberty Dollar, Peace Dollar, Morgan Dollar, Key Date Coins, Gold Coins, Early Amer. Coppers, Commemoratives, Colonials, American Eagles
At Kevin Lipton Rare Coins, our business philosophy is different than most. We're not satisfied with any rare coin transaction unless it's advantageous for all parties involved.
9478 W. Olympic Blvd. Ste 202
Beverly Hills, California 90212
United States


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Our Menu
Santa Fe Cattle Co. has a great selection of savory dishes. Most folks have a hard time choosing just one, take a look at our menu and see how many different dishes just might interest you!
Peanut Disclaimer
We serve buckets of peanuts to all of our guests and shells are discarded on the floor. If you are unable to dine with us due to allergy, we hope you will enjoy our menu through our carry-out service. We will gladly bring the order to your vehicle in order to minimize your allergic exposure.


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A DOG that lived in the house where 11-month-old baby Ava-Jayne Corless was mauled to death had previously killed a cat, it has been revealed.
The RSPCA, which attended the incident, was also called on two other occasions to issues involving dogs from the house.
Now an MP is calling on the charity to look at its files to see if there were any 'missed opportunities'.
Baby Ava-Jayne was killed on Monday night when an illegal pit bull-type dog attacked her in a house in Emily Street, Blackburn.
Her mother Chloe King, 20, and her boyfriend Lee Wright, 26, were downstairs at the time of the incident.
They were later arrested on suspicion of child neglect and manslaughter and have since been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
Ava-Jayne had been asleep upstairs when an eight-stone pit bull terrier, which was an illegal breed, savaged her.
She was later pronounced dead in hospital.
A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said the organisation was first called to the property in Emily Street two years ago after a cat was killed in the garden.
The incident was described as an accident by the animal charity as there was no suggestion the owner had done anything wrong.
An investigation was again launched in October 2012 when the RSPCA received reports of concerns for the health of a litter of puppies being kept at the semi-detached home.
An officer attended and the dogs were all found to be under veterinary care and receiving the treatment they required, a spokeswoman for the organisation said.
Two puppies were signed over to the RSPCA and were found new homes.
The officer investigating did note that there was a 'bull breed-type' dog also at the property, but did not consider it to be a banned breed.
It is believed the dog was the same one which killed Ava-Jayne as it had the same name, Snoop.
Tests have since shown that Snoop, who was destroyed at the scene on Monday night, was an illegal pit bull-type.
Emily Street resident Faisal Shahzad said he had also reported the dog to the RSPCA and police when it broke a hole in his fence.
Neighbour Ian Prescott said Snoop was so large that he came up to his waist.
He said: "It was huge. I saw Lee taking him for a walk, but really the dog was taking him for a walk.
"I would not taken him for a walk, I would have put a saddle on him."
Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said the charity should now take another look at its notes from the incidents to see if there might have been an opportunity to prevent Ava-Jayne's death.
He said: "We need to make sure that opportunities were not missed.
"We need to make sure that everything is done that can be done to prevent future tragedies.
"I do think at a time like this we should look back and ask 'was there more we could have possibly done?'."
Mr Stephenson added that when new legislation comes into force in 2016 making it illegal for a dog not to be microchipped, RSPCA should scan every dog in a household its officers visit as a matter of course to make sure they are all registered.
Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "There are certainly going to be a lot of questions asked about whether this dog should have been brought to the attention of the police at an earlier stage."
A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said investigations had been carried out at the time of the incidents.
She said the officer had not considered any of the dogs to be banned breeds and that the cases were now resolved.
The spokeswoman said: "We are extremely saddened to hear about this incident and our thoughts are with the family of the baby girl involved.
"Two years ago the RSPCA was contacted about a cat which had been attacked and died after going into a garden at this address.
"There was no suggestion that the incident was anything other than an accident and no further action was taken.
"Later that year the RSPCA was again contacted regarding concerns for the health of a litter of puppies at the address.
"There were no children living at the address at that time.
"The officer saw a male bull breed type dog at the scene but did not suspect the dog she saw of being a banned breed."
She added that the bull breed type dog seen by the officer matched the description and name of the dog that killed the baby.
The spokeswoman said: "The RSPCA very much welcomes compulsory microchipping of all dogs and strongly believes it is something all responsible dog owners should do.
"We do not have staff qualified to formally identify any dogs prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act, nor is that our remit.
"The RSPCA is concerned with animal welfare, enforcement of the Dangerous Dogs Act is the statutory duty of the police.
"We are liaising with the police as part of their investigation."
A police investigation into the death of Ava-Jayne has been launched.
A spokesman said inquiries into the dog's history were ongoing.
He said: "We continue to try to piece together the history of the dog and any dealings we may have had with it, or other dogs at the address in the past."


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Across the rippled silver sand and down to the water, the sky vaulting above me and teeming with stars. I can see the band of moist sand before my feet get wet; a strip of shine where the waves wash in.
I've been to this spot before but not at this time. It's a second viewing; the kind of revelatory glimpse of a place you only get once you've seen it a thousand times, and then see it anew. Out in front of me a succession of cargo ships navigate the Straits, twinkling like a chain of fairy lights.
Beyond them the fainter flickering of Tangier, its lighthouse and medina. And spanning my field of vision from the Isla de Palomas on my left to the huge dune up at Valdevaqueros on my right, the black Atlantic. Sand, water, lights; the world is made of these long horizontal layers and of the noise the waves make.
And of the vertical sky. Orion stands over me, high in the sky and dead ahead. When I first knew K we would stand out back of the house we shared in Dublin and I would point it out to her; Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak, the three stars of his belt; Hatsya, the tip of his sword. She would humor me by listening. It was the only constellation I could see from our yard that I could name. More


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I don't know about the rest of you, but I am absolutely terrified of talking about race. So I'm always a fan of good stories that manage to deal with race through the normal turbulence of a conversation between real individuals. What does it mean to be called a racist? When does a person become a category? It's like dropping a lead apron on someone, and then watching them struggle to get out from underneath its weight.
The Taproot's production of the new play Brownie Points explores exactly that motif, through locking a few mothers in a cabin and letting their insecurities erupt. Five women drive up from Atlanta to relax with their daughters at a Girl Scout camp in the Georgia wilderness for a weekend. Personalities clash, though, and what starts as parental disagreements ("why can't we feed them Doritos?") becomes a dangerous racially-charged confrontation, when Diedre accuses the highly-strung Allie of intentionally putting the only two black mothers on kitchen duty for the entire weekend. Whoosh! The air rushes right out of the room. From that original conflict, the mothers split off into twos and threes, doing their best to reconcile their attitudes towards race, parenting, and how they justify their escape into the woods. (The fabulous Amy Love and Faith Russell, for instance, deftly navigate the turning point of the show, a peacemaking mission to the minivan.)
If you've never been to the Taproot, by the way, it's the hollowed-out shell of a movie theater, reconfigured as a beautiful playing space with a stage that launches far out into the audience. For this production, a cozy living room extends out from a naturalistic façade of a cabin on the upstage wall. I sat in the corner of the balcony ringing the set (which turned out to be an awful spot—I found that I had to jostle around or lean waaaaaay forward in order to catch the downstage action. Note to theatergoers: sit on the first floor. You will feel a zillion miles closer.)
What I loved most about this production was the completeness of each character, due to both an excellent writer and a solid cast (except for Karen Ann Daniels as Nicole, whose onstage presence tends to be flavorless). The race issues could have obscured the trajectories of these five mothers in the hands of a less careful playwright. But Shaffer, with capable director Karen Lund, have produced for us a nuanced chamber play. Also, this is only the second production of the play, ever! That is cool! You'll see approaches to race issues honestly opened up, considered, and usually laughed at. Go if you want to see a brand-new relationship drama about mothers in the woods who, wonder of wonders, manage to talk to each other like real humans. And to everyone's happy suprise, motherhood triumphs over adversity. But the show begs the question: what are the girl scouts doing? I hope they're eating Thin Mints. Thin Mints are awesome.
-Ernie Piper


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|Photo: Kyle Johnson
|Photo: EDUCAUSE Review
A recent discussion on an e-mail list I follow (yes, I still subscribe to and participate in e-mail lists) caused me to think about this question anew. With permission, here's part of what a colleague wrote:
"A related question that I sometimes ponder is whether CIO-hood is a genuine profession. As professionals (doctors, lawyers, librarians, and others) often remind me, a 'professional is someone who has completed extensive and rigorous training in order to obtain generally recognized credentials to practice in a specific field.' CIOs, on the other hand, come from a wide variety of backgrounds and, while there are graduate programs that provide concentrations in IT management, there is no widely accepted credential for CIO-hood. I've known CIOs with doctoral degrees, master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and no degrees whatsoever. And, at least in my experience, degrees don't seem to be correlated with CIO success. So I guess my question back to you is, *should* there be a generally accepted training program and credential for CIO-hood?"My first experience with a professional certification was in 1993 when I became a Certified Apple Repair Technician. I was one of two CARTs in my location, and this allowed the company to do Apple warranty repairs. I later also became a Certified Novell Administrator (CNA), mostly because my company needed a certain number of CNAs to get a reseller status they wanted. So by 1994 I was a two-time professional — and everything "professional" about my career has been downhill since.
After moving to higher education IT, I had a track record of continuous growth and improvement that helped the organization succeed and thrive, attended conferences that expanded my knowledge and network exponentially — and garnered absolutely no professional certifications. My professional downward spiral continued for over a decade until I landed my first CIO appointment in 2007, at which point I had evidently hit rock bottom and joined the amateur ranks permanently.
I have served as CIO at three different institutions, each of which has required a different set of skills. Some CIO positions are technical: you work right next to the other IT staff on much of the day-to-day technical work. Others are general: you set direction and mentor staff, but the staff members do most of the operational work. Some are utility oriented: you keep the network running and the servers on. Others are partnerships with the "business" side of the house: these are process and mission driven. Most are some combination.
While I long to be considered a professional, I'm hard pressed to say what a CIO certification in higher education would look like. If it covers only the core things that every CIO position probably has in common (leading an organization, managing staff, etc.) then it seems too watered down to call a CIO certification. If it covers more, certification as a CIO risks having multiple different specializations (large public, small public, R1 private, religiously affiliated private, community college, etc.).
At the end, if I were putting together a certification program, I would want to make sure that people in the CIO role (or interested in it) have:
- a good core of leadership, management, and communication skills;
- a broad enough understanding of IT to listen, ask good questions (and understand the answers), and evaluate impacts of decisions;
- a passion for learning new things (and a tolerance for failure while learning them);
- a social presence and a desire to contribute to the profession; and
- the self-awareness to understand what kinds of institutions will match what they're looking for in a CIO role and the ability to figure that out during the interview process.
Read more...
Source: EDUCAUSE Review


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There is no translation available.
Contact Information
Bone Cancer Research Trust
Suite 7
Gledhow Mount Mansion
Roxholme Grove
Tel. +44 (0)113 262 1852
Fax +44 (0)113 262 5391Email: このメールアドレスはスパムボットから保護されています。閲覧するにはJavaScriptを有効にする必要があります。
Organisation Profile
Our Vision: 'We want a world where lives are no longer limited by primary bone cancer'
Our aim is to improve outcomes for people with primary bone cancer through Research, Awareness, Information and Support.
How BCRT began:
- Back in 2004 there was practically no funding for research and little awareness, information or support specifically for primary bone cancer.
- A group of bereaved parents of young bone cancer sufferers, came together and registered the charity in 2006 under the guidance of Professor Ian Lewis, Consultant Paediatrician and Adolescent Oncologist at St. James's University Hospital, Leeds.
- The families pooled money they had already raised, totalling £176,000, to start the charity and fund the first pieces of research.
What BCRT does:
- Working to find ways of improving the outcomes of this devastating cancer which mostly affects children, teenagers and young people was the priority and still is the essential role of the charity.
- When potential researchers apply for funding, they submit their applications to BCRT's Scientific Advisory Panel where their proposals are peer reviewed by eminent scientific and medical professionals.
- The charity's trustees then receive their recommendations and approve the funding.
Raising Awareness
- Through the website and contact with the main cancer centres, more patients, families and professionals began to discover BCRT and became involved.
- Raising awareness of this rare cancer and of the existence of BCRT through leaflets and newsletters; the website; the media; holding an annual Awareness Week; also the annual Conference are all extremely important.
- On-going fundraising to be able to increase the number of research projects and to run the charity effectively is vital.
- BCRT is striving to become the recognised, reliable source of information on bone cancers, in particular osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.
- Much user-friendly detail can already be found in other areas of this website and this will be increased.
- You can submit your own questions and receive replies (but individual cases cannot be dealt with specifically).
- Being able to talk about similar experiences with others can be a great help.
- Support can be given by BCRT's team of Support Givers who can also set up links between individuals and families.
- Providing practical information for patients and families on many day-to-day aspects of living with bone cancer is beginning to be developed.
- BCRT does not offer counselling but can help with the search for this if required.


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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
(based on 3 reviews)
June 26, 2014
"It's perfect! Perfect size; perfect material; perfect amount of embelishment. Made very well."
December 11, 2014
"This was a very cost effective, yet cute stocking for our newest addition to our family!"
December 26, 2014
"Adorable! even cuter in person. Perfect size for all our doggie gifts."


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An armed society is a civil society; a knifed and booted society is a dangerous one
I grew up deathly afraid of guns. This wasn't like my fear of snakes and spiders, which seems to be pretty atavistic. Instead, this was a learned fear: Guns kill people. Guns also kill innocent animals that should, instead, die nice clean deaths in factory farms, before being sliced up and packaged in cellophane. I knew the truth: guns are bad, very, very bad.
Then I went to England and learned that guns aren't the only bad things. My sojourn in England coincided with the explosive rise of soccer hooligans, louts who traveled the length and breadth of England, and periodically spilled over into the rest of Europe, bringing jack-booted violence with them wherever they went. (Among the Thugs is a horrifying account of these louts and the carnage in which they delighted.) Up in the north of England, where I lived, I could always tell when the local soccer team was having a home game because all the businesses near the soccer stadium boarded up their windows. England may not have had mass shootings, but it had death by a thousands cuts and boot stomps.
When I returned to America, I still hated guns (I had, after all, been carefully taught to do so), but I began to wonder — Are guns really the only bad thing out there? Will doing away with guns turn America into an Eden that sees that loutish lion and the helpless lamb lie down together? England, which was a less armed country than America, wasn't necessarily a safer one. People still got victimized; it was just that guns weren't the weapons doing the victimizing.
Upon my return to the states, Second Amendment supporters to whom I spoke told me that, while bullets have the advantage of distance, in the close quarters of a bar fight, knives or broken bottles are much more dangerous. They made the logical argument, then, that no one ever suggests outlawing knives or bottles. Likewise, the fact that more people die from car accidents than gunshot wounds doesn't mean we're about to outlaw cars. (Although, I must say, the climate change people are making a good stab at outlawing cars.)
When I was still in my liberal phase, I always had the right answer at hand when I heard these logical arguments: knives and bottles and cars all have a primary utility separate from their secondary, dangerous uses. Guns, however, exist only to kill.
With age, thankfully, I've gained wisdom. I've figured out that guns are extremely useful: you can get your own food if you're nowhere near a market with tidy cellophane packages; you can have the sheer pleasure of target practice; you can discourage looters in the wake of a disaster; if you're a woman and a large man is threatening you, guns are the great equalizer; if you're alone and a crazy man is at your door, you don't have to die like the screaming teen in a slasher movie; and guns are the only defense against the single largest and most deadly entity known to man — a totalitarian government that has turned on its citizens.
As I know from my gun hating years, even though all of the above are good reasons to cheer the Second Amendment, these facts make no headway with the anti-gun crowd. Instead, they just keep pulling out this tired old poster:
Well, I think we've finally got a new poster in our Second Amendment arsenal:
Here's an interesting point about those numbers. In 1997, Britain's Labour government worked overtime to remove guns from the hands of law-abiding citizens:
After Hungerford [a massacre in 1987], the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 criminalised most semi-automatic long-barrelled weapons; it was generally supported by the Labour opposition although some Labour backbenchers thought it inadequate.After the second incident, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 criminalised private possession of most handguns having a calibre over .22; the Snowdrop Campaign continued to press for a wider ban, and in 1997 the incoming Labour government introduced the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, which extended this to most handguns with a calibre of .22 (there are exceptions for some antique handguns and black-powder revolvers.)
And not coincidentally, since 1997, the year law-abiding Brits were denied arms, violent crime in England has skyrocketed:
The Tories said Labour had presided over a decade of spiralling violence.
In the decade following the party's election in 1997, the number of recorded violent attacks soared by 77 per cent to 1.158million – or more than two every minute.
The figures, compiled from reports released by the European Commission and United Nations, also show:
- The UK has the second highest overall crime rate in the EU.
- It has a higher homicide rate than most of our western European neighbours, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
- The UK has the fifth highest robbery rate in the EU.
- It has the fourth highest burglary rate and the highest absolute number of burglaries in the EU, with double the number of offences than recorded in Germany and France.
But it is the naming of Britain as the most violent country in the EU that is most shocking. The analysis is based on the number of crimes per 100,000 residents.
In the UK, there are 2,034 offences per 100,000 people, way ahead of second-placed Austria with a rate of 1,677.
The U.S. has a violence rate of 466 crimes per 100,000 residents, Canada 935, Australia 92 and South Africa 1,609.
Britain used to be famed as a polite society. It is no longer. It is also a society that full lives up to the saying that "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns."
People will kill. They always have, and they always will. Culture matters, in that cultural norms can encourage or discourage violent crime. But only guns will be there when you're small and alone, and that's true whether you're facing a home invader, a street thug, or a modern-day Hitler, Pol Pot, or Stalin.