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Jigsaw Review: Woodworking Expert Tests Seven and Picks Bosch EVSL As the Best
Features & Accessories
The author prefers a longer handled jigsaw, as it allows you to grip it at different angles more easily for different cuts. Handle & trigger: A good handle is important on a jigsaw for user comfort and also because a solid grip is essential to controlling the movement of the tool during cutting. All of the saws in this group, save the Festool, have a rubber-like overmold covering their handles. Overmolds are softer to the touch than hard plastic, provide a more secure grip and even dampen tool vibration slightly. Of the seven saws, the handles on the Makita and Hitachi fit my medium-sized hands the best. I also liked the longer handles found on these saws (as well as several others) because their length allows for a varied grip to suit different working positions. The pommel at the front of the DeWALT's handle allows a two-handed grip — helpful when cutting in awkward positions. Wider triggers offer you more gripping options and control, whereas narrower jigsaw triggers can be clumsy and hard to grip while cutting. A jigsaw's most important operational feature is its trigger that switches the tool on and off. I generally prefer a wider tool trigger that allows twofinger operation, to help reduce hand fatigue. Wide triggers also let users place their hands in a variety of positions along the tool's handle. The Festool was the only saw in the group with a narrow trigger, and I didn't like its stiff, clunky on/off action. I preferred the comfortable, smooth-operating, wide triggers on the DeWALT and Makita. All the saws have trigger locks, so you don't have to hold the trigger on during long cuts. The Bosch's trigger lock is the only one designed for use by left- or right-hand users. The Bosch, DeWALT and Milwaukee saws feature variable triggers that let you ramp up the speed of the blade gradually, up to the maximum set on its variable-speed dial. This is useful when starting cuts in very hard and/or splintery woods as well as materials prone to chipping, like tile and plastics. The Bosch's unique trigger works with a two-step action: Pull the trigger lightly, and the saw immediately switches on to a slow speed. Press the trigger a little farther and it fully varies the speed up to the set maximum. Although the Bosch's trigger works well enough, I prefer the triggers on the DeWALT and Milwaukee, which let you ramp the speed up from zero to the maximum set speed with one continuous pull. All the portable jigsaws had variable speed control dials, but the locations varied, with some being harder to reach while operating than others. Variable-speed & soft start: All seven saws are variable-speed models with dials that allow you to set the motor speed and, hence, the number of blade strokes per minute. This makes a jigsaw a more versatile cutting machine: Choose slower speeds for fine cuts and when cutting dense materials and plastics and faster speeds for quicker, rougher cuts in lighter woods and porous materials. Interestingly, the saws with the highest maximum speeds didn't necessarily cut faster than those with slower speeds. I like the position of the speed dials on the Hitachi and Festool saws. These are easier to see and set than the rear-mounted dials on the Bosch, Metabo and Makita. The DeWALT and Milwaukee have trigger-mounted speed dials that I find hard to see and set without tipping or inverting the saw. The Metabo and Makita both feature "soft-start" motor electronics that ramp up motor speed gradually when the tool's trigger is pulled. Soft start can prevent the saw from suddenly jerking if you start cutting with the blade in contact with the material. But, overall, I found soft start more of an irritation than an aid; I didn't like having to wait for the saw to come up to speed each time I started a cut. One of the things to check when selecting a jigsaw is how comfortable the orbital blade adjustment is, as this will ultimately guide how aggressive your cuts can be. Selectable blade orbit: Probably the single most important feature on a topnotch jigsaw is its orbital blade action. This mechanism moves the blade forward slightly during the upstroke cut, resulting in a more aggressive cutting action than if the blade simply reciprocated up and down. The mechanism also moves the saw blade back slightly, so it clears the kerf during the return down stroke and saves wear on the teeth. Adjusting the amount of blade orbit makes the saw cut more or less aggressively. Most saws have four orbit settings: 0 (no orbit) or 1 for cutting metals and plastics; 1 or 2 for fine and curved cuts; and 3 (maximum orbit) for faster, rougher cuts. The Metabo features five orbit selections instead of four, but I didn't find the greater range of select ability to be particularly necessary or useful. The Milwaukee has a small, somewhat handy blade orbit and speed selection chart mounted on the side of the tool. While they are historically a bandsaw accessory, blade guides are starting to make their way onto jigsaws like these from Festool and Bosch. Blade guide systems: A unique feature found on the Festool and Bosch saws is a special saw blade guide positioned below the orbit mechanism's guide wheel. These small metal guides work like the guide blocks on a band saw, to help stabilize the blade and keep it from deflecting during cutting. The Festool's guide has two small prongs that contact the blade more closely at the back than at the front. They're user-adjustable via an included Allen wrench. The Bosch's "Precision Guide Control" has two small parallel blocks that are user-engaged via a small pushbutton. The blocks apply light spring-loaded pressure against the sides of the blade. The guide's jaws open automatically when the blade release lever is pulled. Both of these innovative systems are very easy to use and significantly improve performance. All the jigsaws featured had tool-free blade change systems, which allow you to safely and easily change out blades thanks to a spring loaded lever and clamp. Tool-less blade clamps: All seven jigsaws allow tool-less blade changes, employing a lever that opens the blade clamp on the end of the saw's plunger — the part that moves the blade up and down. Tool-less blade clamps make changing the tang-style saw blades each model uses quick and easy. But each clamp is different, and some are easier to work with than on others. The Festool, Makita and Bosch blade clamps are among my favorites. The Festool's "Fast Fix" blade change mechanism has a relatively stiff lever, but its clamp accepts blades without fuss and holds them rock solid. The Makita also has a terrific mechanism with a spring-loaded lever that's easy to pull open and a clamp that accepts blades easily and positively. As good as these clamps are, the Bosch's "One Touch" blade change system is my favorite. There's no clunky mechanism or oversized blade clamp on the end of the plunger, just a simple slot. After pulling back the small, easy-to-use release lever, a spring gently ejects the blade. This can save you from burning your fingers trying to pull a hot blade out of the clamp after a prolonged cutting session. The new blade inserts easily into the Bosch's plunger slot and latches with a positive feel. Some jigsaws allow you to change the positioning of the footplate without tools, but most require the use of an Allen wrench which takes time, but isn't a deal breaker. Tilting footplate: Adjusting the angle of a jigsaw's footplate (a.k.a. "shoe") allows the saw to make bevel cuts, say for the edge of a picture frame or decorative plaque. While all these jigsaws have tilting footplates, only the Bosch, Milwaukee and DeWALT allow tool-less angle changes. Each of these saws has a lever that releases and locks the footplate easily and quickly. The Bosch's even includes a separate dial for adjusting locking tightness. I like the Milwaukee's wide lever the best because it operates smoothly and positively. The other four saws employ an Allen wrench, which conveniently stores on board the tool, for angle changes. Yes, using a wrench does take more time, but then again, how often does the average woodworker take bevel cuts with a jigsaw? Angle detents are very useful for locking in commonly used tilt settings. All the saws have a 0-degree detent for square cuts, and most have detents at 45 degrees and other angles as well. After checking the accuracy of the all-important 90-degree detents, I found that only the Festool and Bosch consistently kept their blades at near perfect square to the footplate. The other saws required a bit of fussing with a try square to get their blades dead on 90 degrees. Fittings for easy chip extraction is handy, but sadly only comes with more expensive jigsaws from Metabo, Bosch and Festool Dust collection and sawdust blower: Having written many articles and several books on woodshop dust control, I'm a huge advocate of built-in dust collection on portable power tools. The three most expensive jigsaws in this group — the Festool, Bosch and Metabo — come with a chip extractor fitting for dust collection; it's an optional accessory for the other four saws. This plastic fitting clips into the back of the saw's footplate and connects to a small diameter vacuum hose (the Bosch comes with a hose adapter). A clear plastic chip guard snaps in place over the front of the saw to enclose the blade area and enhance chip collection. The guard must be removed for blade changes. I only tested dust collection with the three saws that came standard with the extractor fitting. Both the Bosch and Festool collected chips effectively, but there was a problem: Their chip guards limited the visibility of the line of cut, and as fine dust built up on the inside of the guard, it became nearly impossible to see. Visibility was considerably better with the Metabo when using dust collection, as its chip guard is much taller and larger and didn't seem to attract as much fine dust. Bosch's solution to not having dust collector fittings is a directed blower, which can be controlled via a switch on the side of the tool. An alternative means of clearing sawdust from the line of cut is to simply blow it away. All the saws feature a dust blower that uses air channeled from the motor fan to blow dust away from just in front of the blade. The blowers on all the saws do a pretty good job, save the Makita, whose airflow is rather sluggish. The Bosch has a blower On/Off lever, and the DeWALT and Milwaukee have controls for reducing the amount of blown air. Shutting off or turning down the airflow is desirable when you're working inside your home and don't want to launch sawdust everywhere, or when blown dust might end up in your eyes, say when jigsawing plumbing and electrical cutouts inside a kitchen cabinet. Curiously, only the three least expensive saws tested, like this one from Hitachi, were equipped with an LED guide light. Built-in light: The Hitachi, Makita and Milwaukee all include one of my favorite portable power tool features: a built-in LED light. Interestingly, these are the three lowest-priced saws in the group (I guess toolmakers figure that the folks that buy more expensive saws also have better eyesight!). A built-in light is particularly welcome on a jigsaw, since the overhanging body tends to cast a shadow in the area of the blade. The Hitachi's light has a small plastic pointer that conducts some of the LED's light and sticks down in front of the blade. Although its goal is to better visually define the line of cut, I found it actually obscured the work area. DeWalt jigsaws (amongst others) come with a removable footplate cover that is made of plastic to prevent the metal plate from scraping the wood. Other features: An accessory plastic shoe cover comes with the Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee and DeWALT jigsaws. This thin, slick plastic cover snaps in place over the tool's footplate, allowing you to saw delicate materials — decorative veneers, plastics, Corian® countertops — without fear of causing scratches. The Festool doesn't include a shoe cover, but it doesn't really need one. Its cast alloy footplate already has a slick plastic covering. Almost all jigsaws currently available come with a small, plastic anti-splitter insert that is very useful when cutting chipping prone materials like plywood. All the jigsaws in the group, except the Hitachi, come with a plastic anti-splinter insert. This small accessory snaps into its footplate to surround the area directly around the blade, like a zero-clearance throat plate in a table saw. These inserts really do help reduce splintering, and I recommend using them when taking fine cuts on splinter-prone woods and plywoods, as well as materials with delicate surfaces, such as melamine. Except for the economy-priced Hitachi, all the jigsaws in the group come with a plastic tool case. The Bosch and Festool saws have special stackable cases, each part of a system that allows multiple cases to be latched together for storage or transport. Like all other current Festool portable power tools, the Trion jigsaw features a detachable "Plug It" power cord. This makes it easier to stow, as you don't have to wrap the cord around the tool. Plus, you can easily replace a damaged cord by simply plugging in a new one. The back of the Hitachi's body has a loop molded in, making it easy to connect the tool to a lanyard or other hook — a nice feature if you work on a roof or ladder.
Part 2: Testing
Cutting Fast: An obvious question when comparing the performance of different jigsaws is "which saw cuts the fastest?" I created a speed cutting test to determine the answer. First, I fitted each saw with a new Bosch Progressor blade, designed specifically for fast, rough cutting. With the help of my wife, Ann, I timed how long it took each saw to crosscut a 2×6, as shown in the lead photo on page 44. I took several passes, then averaged the times for each saw. I tried to push each saw as hard as I could without bogging its motor down. In the final tally, the premium-priced Festool turned in the fastest average time: 2.74 seconds, notable because this saw doesn't have the highest-amperage motor or fastest blade stroke speed in this group of jigsaws. The next fastest cutting time was clocked by the Makita — less than a tenth of a second slower than the Festool. Posting a slightly slower time than that was the Bosch, followed (in timed order) by the Metabo, Milwaukee and Hitachi. The DeWALT held up the rear of the pack with a rather slow 4.27-second average time. The second-and-a-half difference between the fastest and slowest saws might not seem like much. But this time can really add up if you have dozens of rafter ends to decoratively jigsaw, or a pile of curved parts to cut out. Vibration: Regardless of how fast a jigsaw cuts, the less vibration it produces, the better. All jigsaws employ some sort of counterbalance system to reduce the up-and-down shaking created by the reciprocating plunger and blade, and some work better than others. In truth, I found it quite difficult to accurately compare the vibration of the various saws in the group, as it varied under different circumstances. For example, the DeWALT felt very smooth-running when idling at full speed. However, when I put the saw to wood, it produced noticeably more vibration. After careful consideration, I found the Bosch and Festool, closely followed by the Milwaukee and Makita, consistently produced the least vibration when cutting a variety of wood types and thicknesses with a variety of blades. That's not to say that the DeWALT and Hitachi produce unacceptable amounts of vibration, but they just didn't feel as smooth running as the top saws. At the bottom of the pack, the Metabo jigsaw consistently produced more vibration than any of the other saws. One of the tests the author put the saws through was cutting melamine, which is fragile and likely to splinter when making close cuts. Cutting cleanly: Getting clean jigsaw cuts with only light splintering, tearout and surface chipping is chiefly a matter of selecting a blade that's designed for the job. But I still wanted to see just how smooth a cut each saw was capable of producing with a general purpose blade. I fit each saw with a fine-toothed blade and set it to a medium speed with a slight orbit (#1). I then took several cuts with each on a piece of 3/4″ melamine — a material notorious for chipping easily. After experimenting with different rates of feed, I selected the cutoffs that displayed the cleanest edge produced by each saw. The Bosch, aided, I suspect, by its precision control guide, left the cleanest cut edges. With cuts only slightly more ragged than the Bosch were the Makita, Festool and DeWALT, followed by the other saws. It's worth noting that I was able to get a much cleaner cut with all of these saws by fitting them with a special saw blade designed for laminates, as well as an anti-splinter insert. The better view you have of the cut line, the more accurate your cut will be, and the Bosch jigsaw has the best overall cutting viewpoint. Cutting accurately: The major factors that affect the accuracy of jigsaw cuts are: How well you can see the line of cut and how well the saw's blade stays square to the workpiece (or at a fixed angle during bevel cuts). Generally, a saw with less of its body overhanging the blade is easier to use, especially when you're working in cramped quarters or trying to follow a curvaceous line, say when cutting out a scrollwork pattern. The open front end configuration of the Bosch and Metabo make it much easier for me to see the blade without having to crane my neck. The Milwaukee and Hitachi have the most blade obscuring body overhangs, but the former's built-in LED light helps to improve its line-of-cut visibility. Many of the jigsaws had a slight waver in them, but the Bosch and Festool saws provided the most square cuts. It's usually true that the thicker, denser (or more variable in density) a workpiece is, the more likely that a jigsaw's blade will deflect when cutting it. This is especially true when cutting tight curves. To judge this aspect of cutting accuracy, I crosscut 4×4 lumber with each jigsaw. Most models left edges that wavered in squareness and up-and-down straightness over the length of the cut. The exceptions were the Bosch and Festool models, which left nearly dead square and straight cut edges. It's safe to assume that such superior performance was likely due to the special blade guide systems on these saws, which helped prevent their long saw blades from deflecting.
Picking a Jigsaw Winner
I've conducted dozens and dozens of tool reviews in my career, but few were as close as this one: After a couple of weeks of testing and hundreds of cuts, I found a small range of differences between my most and least favorite saws. All seven are truly top quality tools capable of putting in a serious day's work. Even the relatively bargain-priced Hitachi is a well-built machine that deserves a place in this lineup. But as capable as these machines are, some models proved to be better performers and more "user-friendly" than others. The three factors that were the most important to me when choosing the best jigsaws included: 1. Solid performance — a blend of aggressive cutting and smooth operation 2. Superior user comfort — a comfy grip and easy to use controls 3. Good value for the money — the balance of features and price. When I considered the saws independent of price, there was a fairly small point spread between the top models, with the Bosch, Makita and Festool leading the pack. It was a bit easier to choose an alpha saw when price entered the picture. As good as the top-priced Festool Trion proved to be, I don't think it's twice as good as the Makita that's half the price. The Makita 4350 FCT is a very good jigsaw for the price, but the Bosch had a better feature set and overall performance for just under UAH 1.257,80 more. Therefore, the Bosch 1590 EVSL earns my choice as the "Best Bet" in this group of impressive top-shelf jigsaws


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When a ship is approaching a rocky coast and the
life of the ship and its crew depends on a fast and accurate answer. It's the Navigator's job to provide the answer.
So what do navigators need to find their position on the earth's surface by observing the stars?
They need an Almanac prepared by the astronomers to forecast precisely where the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon planets and selected navigational stars,
are going to be, hour by hour, years into the future, relative to the observatory that prepared the almanac, Greenwich, England in modern times.
They need a chronometer or some other means of telling the time back at the observatory that was the reference point for the data in the almanac,
It is the cartographer's job to provide accurate charts so that navigators can establish their position in latitude and longitude or in reference
to landmasses or the hazards of rocks and shoals.
The navigators need a quick and easy mathematical method for reducing the data from their celestial observations to a position on the chart
Finally, navigators need an angle-measuring instrument, a sextant, to measure the angle of the celestial body above a horizontal line of reference.
How do navigators use the stars, including our sun, the moon, and planets to find their way? Well, for at least two millennia, navigators
have known how to determine their latitude, their position north or south of the equator. At the North Pole, which is 90 degrees latitude,
Polaris (the North Star) is directly overhead at an altitude of 90 degrees. At the equator, which is zero degrees latitude, Polaris is on
the horizon with zero degrees altitude. Between the equator and the North Pole, the angle of Polaris above the horizon is a direct measure
of terrestrial latitude. If we were to go outside tonight and look in the northern sky, we would find Polaris at about 40 degrees
13 minutes altitude - the latitude of Coimbra. In ancient times, the navigator who was planning to sail out of sight of land would
simply measure the altitude of Polaris as he left homeport, in today's terms measuring the latitude of home port. To return after
a long voyage, he needed only to sail north or south, as appropriate, to bring Polaris to the altitude of home port,
then turn left or right as as appropriate and "sail down the latitude," keeping Polaris at a constant angle. The Arabs knew all about
this technique. In early days, they used one or two fingers width, a thumb and little finger on an outstretched arm or an arrow held
at arms length to sight the horizon at the lower end and Polaris at the upper.
The Kamal
To return to homeport, he would sail north or south as needed to bring Polaris to the altitude he had observed when he left home,
then sail down the latitude. Over time, Arab navigators started tying knots in the string at intervals of one issabah. The word
issabah is Arabic for finger, and it denotes one degree 36 minutes, which was considered to be the width of a finger. They even
developed a journal of different ports that recorded which knot on the kamal corresponded to the altitude of Polaris for each
port they frequently visited.
Throughout antiquity, the Greeks and Arabs steadily advanced the science of astronomy and the art of astrology. About a thousand
years ago, in the 10th century, Arabs introduced Europe to two important astronomical instruments, the quadrant and the
Astronomers Astrolabe.
In the word "astrolabe", astro "means" star
and "labe" roughly translates as to 'take' or 'to find.'
The astronomer's beautiful, intricate and expensive astrolabe was the grandfather of the much simpler, easy to use mariner's
quadrant and astrolabe. The mariner's quadrant, a quarter of a circle made of wood or brass, came into widespread use for
navigation around 1450, though its use can be traced back at least to the 1200s.
Mariner's brass quadrant.
The quadrant was a popular instrument with
Portuguese explorers. Columbus would have marked the observed altitude of Polaris on his quadrant at selected ports of call just
as the Arab seaman would tie a knot in the string of his kamal.
Alternatively, the navigator could record the altura, or altitude, of Polaris quantitatively in degrees at Lisbon and at other
ports to which he might wish to return. It wasn't long before lists of the alturas of many ports were published to guide the
seafarer up and down the coasts of Europe and Africa.
During the 1400's, Portuguese explorers were traveling south along the coast of Africa searching for a route to the orient. As a
seafarer nears the equator heading south, Polaris disappears below the horizon. So, in southern seas, mariners had to have a
different way of finding their latitude. Under orders from the Portuguese Prince Henry, The Navigator, by 1480, Portuguese
astronomers had figured out how to determine latitude using the position of the sun as it moved north and south of the equator
with the seasons, what we now call its "declination." In simple terms, the navigator could determine his altura, his latitude,
by using his quadrant to take the altitude of the sun as it came to it's greatest altitude at local apparent noon, and then
making a simple correction for the position of the sun north or south of the equator according to the date.
The mariner's quadrant was a major conceptual step forward in seagoing celestial navigation. Like the knots-in-a string method of the Arab kamal, the quadrant provided a quantitative measure, in degrees, of the altitude of Polaris or the sun, and related this number to a geographic position, the latitude,n the earth's surface. But for all its utility, the quadrant had two major limitations: On a windy, rolling deck, it was hard to keep it exactly vertical in the plane of a heavenly body. And it was simply impossible to keep the wind from blowing the plumb bob off line.
A beautiful mariners' astrolabe.
All the complex scales were eliminated, leaving
only a simple circular scale marked off in degrees. A rotatable alidade carried sighting pinnules. Holding the instrument at eye
level, the user could sight the star through the pinnules and read the star's altitude from the point where the alidade crosses
the scale.
Astrolabe in use.
The Cross-Staff.
The Persian mathematician Avicenna wrote about a cross-staff in the eleventh century. The concept probably arrived in Europe when Levi ben Gerson, working in the Spanish school at Catalan in 1342, wrote about an instrument called a balestilla that he described as a being made from a "square stick" with a sliding transom.
The Cross-Staff in use.
After 1650, most "modern" cross-staffs have four transoms of varying lengths. Each transom corresponds to the scale on one of the four sides of the staff. These scales mark off 90, 60, 30, and 10 degrees, respectively. In practice, the navigator used only one transom at a time. The major problem with the cross-staff was that the observer had to look in two directions at once - along the bottom of the transom to the horizon and along the top of the transom to the sun or the star. A neat trick on a rolling deck!
Davis quadrant.
The observer determined the altitude of the sun by observing its shadow while simultaneously sighting the horizon. Relatively inexpensive and sturdy, with a proven track record, Davis quadrants remained popular for more than 150 years, even after much more sophisticated instruments using double-reflection optics were invented. One of the major advantages of the Davis back-staff over the cross-staff was that the navigator had to look in only one direction to take the sight - through the slit in the horizon vane to the horizon while simultaneously aligning the shadow of the shadow vane with the slit in the horizon vane. The major problem with back-sight instruments was that it was difficult if not impossible to sight the moon, the planets or the stars. Thus, toward the end of the 1600's and into the 1700's, the more inventive instrument makers were shifting their focus to optical systems based on mirrors and prisms that could be used to observe the nighttime celestial bodies. The critical development was made independently and almost simultaneously by John Hadley in England and by Thomas Godfrey, a Philadelphia glazier, about 1731. The fundamental idea is to use of two mirrors to make a doubly reflecting instrument - the forerunner of the modern sextant.
Diagram of Sextant.
Hadley's first doubly reflecting octants were made from solid sheets of brass. They were heavy and had a lot of wind resistance. Lighter wooden instruments that could be made larger, with scales easier to divide accurately and with less wind resistance quickly replaced them.
Early Hadley octant.
We have seen how navigators could find their latitude for many centuries but ships, crews and valuable cargo were lost in shipwrecks because it was impossible to determine longitude. Throughout the seventeenth century and well into the eighteenth century, there was an ongoing press to develop techniques for determining longitude. The missing element was a way to measure time accurately. The clock makers were busy inventing ingenious mechanical devices while the astronomers were promoting a celestial method called "lunar distances". Think of the moon as the hand of a clock moving across a clock face represented by the other celestial bodies. Early in the 18th century, the astronomers had developed a method for predicting the angular distance between the moon and the sun, the planets or selected stars. Using this technique, the navigator at sea could measure the angle between the moon and a celestial body, calculate the time at which the moon and the celestial body would be precisely at that angular distance and then compare the ship's chronometer to the time back at the national observatory. Knowing the correct time, the navigator could now determine longitude. When the sun passes through the meridian here at Coimbra, the local solar time is 1200 noon and at that instant it is 1233 PM Greenwich Mean Time. Remembering that 15 degrees of longitude is equivalent to one hour of time gives us the longitude of 8 degrees, 15 minutes West of Greenwich. The lunar distance method of telling time was still being used into the early 1900's when it was replaced by time by radio telegraph. An octant measures angles up to 90 degrees and is ideally suited for observations of celestial bodies above the horizon. But greater angle range is needed for lunar distance observations. It was a simple matter to enlarge Hadley's octant, an eighth of a circle, to the sextant, a sixth of a circle, that could measure up to 120 degrees.
An early sextant by John Bird.
A brass sextant by Dollond.
Ebony sextant.
Examples of sextant frame designs.
Ramsden pentant.
Probably the finest 18th century instrument maker was the Englishman Jesse Ramsden. His specialty was accurate scale division. Here's a small brass sextant that Ramsden made shortly before his death in 1800. Ramsden's major achievement was to invent a highly accurate "dividing engine" - the apparatus used to divide the scale into degrees and fractions of degrees. His design was considered so ingenious that the British Board of Longitude awarded Ramsden a prize of 615 pounds - in 18th century terms, a small fortune. His "dividing engine" now resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The development of more precise scale division was a milestone in instrument development. Certainly, it permitted more accurate observations but it also permitted smaller, lighter, more easily handled instruments.
The Modern sextant 1988 .
By kind permission of Peter Ifland, Ph. D. in Biochemistry (U. of Texas) Commander in the US Naval Reserve and A.S.Alves University of Coimbra.
Our collection of Fine Solid Brass hand crafted Sextants are probably the finest reproductions of the traditional Nautical sextants, which have been used in celestial navigation since 1757.Our Sextants are based an a design bought in by Captain Cambell, but the original Octant from which the modern sextant came was made by John Hadley about 1731.The sextants are workable but not meant to be used for serious navigation. They make ideal nautical gifts for those who love the sea, or are collectors of historic navigational instruments.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hello all again,
I have a problem with my code can't seem to figure out the problem. Some help would be greatly appreciated.
--- Update ---
I noticed a small problem. I created a local variable int k; before the for loop. But it is still saying illegal start of an expression


text:
The odds makers are going to have a heck of a time setting the line for the Best Picture race – the Academy Awards' new voting system could make picking a winner a crapshoot.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' first surprise gambit came in June when it announced plans to double the Best Picture field to 10. This week, the Academy unveiled a new balloting scheme: voters will be asked to rank the 10 movies in order of preference. The new formula will give heavy weight to second and third choice picks when no one movie gets more than 50 percent of first-place votes.
The radical changes follow a year in which a critical and fan favorite – "The Dark Knight," the second biggest box office success in Hollywood history – didn't notch a Best Picture nomination. The snub, for many, reinforced an image of Academy voters as a stodgy bunch of snobs who don't care about public taste – or whether anybody bothers to watch the Oscars telecast.
But the new system may do little to bring sanity to the process – and could spell more confusion and disappointment. It's possible a flick that didn't get the most first-place votes could sneak in as the winner.
That a similar voting system is used to choose the contenders is hardly reassuring, especially considering how the nomination process fizzled last year. Doubling the field to 10 already means the Hollywood hype machine will be slamming into overdrive, as studios promote films that ordinarily wouldn't have a chance for the statue.
For movie moguls, the Oscars are about bragging rights and making money. For fans, the awards are about gawking at celebrities, getting caught up in the drama of winners and losers, and occasionally having their taste in movies affirmed.
The Academy Awards should be about celebrating and rewarding quality, and ensuring a sense of fairness even if the fan favorites don't always win. Wagering on a new voting system that makes the Electoral College seem like a model of direct democracy sounds like a sucker's bet.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


text:
This reminds us of that one episode of CSI where the girl got rear-ended by the guy in the big Ford truck in a bout of road rage and was pushed onto the train tracks, her Cherokee smashed to smithereens by a locomotive. Thankfully, this incident seems to be an accident rather than an act of malice, and everyone made it to safety. A New Hampshire woman was hit from behind and knocked onto the tracks while stopped at the crossing, and both cars ended up on the railway where they were predictably plowed by Amtrak's Downeaster. The woman had to exit via her passenger door due to damage incurred in the initial collision, but both drivers survived and no injuries were reported on the train.
Train crashes into cars, seconds after drivers escape [Boston Globe]
Chicago Metra Debacle Update [Internal]


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(Pocket-lint) - Apple's iMac has always been a beautiful device, and one that has made the industry create thin clone after thin clone to try to compete. If you are reading this on an all-in-one computer, it's either an iMac, or the designer wanted it to be one.
But in an age where we are all about "mobile, mobile, mobile" and sofa surfing is becoming the norm, is there still a place in the home for a desktop computer, no matter how thin it is? Apple clearly believes so, and thus has overhauled the iMac to incorporate a thinner design, more power and a few new tricks to boot.
We dumped one in the Pocket-lint kitchen to see whether it stood a chance against the house iPad.
From the front you can't immediately see the changes Apple has made. The iMac sports a large crisp screen - in this case 21.5-inches - and beneath that a strong looking silver bar or chin.
The screen is surrounded by a thick black bezel and there is a FaceTime HD camera at the top next to two mics to let you video call and be able to hear them. One mic is on top, the other behind designed to bounce off the wall.
Look at the iMac from the side though, and you'll soon see the difference. It's thin, really thin and it's side-on where you see where a lot of the work has gone in to improving the overall appearance. The thinness tapers down to just 5mm. That's half the thickness of the iPhone, or in other terms the thickness of a CD single jewel case - remember those?
Of course Apple hasn't somehow created the computer equivalent of Mary Poppins' carpet bag, and at its thickest point, where the the casing meets the stand, it is a lot thicker, but it is still an impressive feat.
All this supermodel thinness is achievable because Apple has lost the optical disk drive from the side. Don't worry, there's an optional optical disk drive - if you really must have one - but let's face it, when was the last time you loaded some software on to your computer that you couldn't just download.
As you can imagine, all this thinness has drawn plenty of remarks from visitors: "Where's the rest of it?" one of our guests said.
The iMac comes with the same tilt stand (vertically) as before, and as before it doubles as a place to store the accompanying wireless keyboard and mouse.
Pop your head around the back and there is a power button to the rear left of the screen and an array of connection ports on the right.
Hidden in the thin edge of the screen that faces down, towards your desk, are the Mac's speakers. We are really surprised by how good they are, considering that we can't see them, and they aren't facing us. If you are listening to music or watching a video, you'll be more than happy with their performance.
The iMac comes with four USB 3.0 ports, all lined up alongside a pair of Thunderbolt sockets. On top of that, of course, is an SDXC card slot, your Mini DisplayPort that supports DVI and VGA and one, bog-standard, Ethernet connection.
It's all fairly straightforward, but we found using the SD card slot cumbersome. In a move that keeps the front of the design of the iMac crisp and clean the SD card reader is hidden around the back of the display. To access it, you either have to fumble as you would in the dark, or poke your head around the back of the screen. For such a beautiful design, its strange that it doesn't insist you stay beautiful using it.
Bum up in the air, head tucked around the back of your computer isn't a good look, trust us.
It's a poor design and one that would have been difficult to improve on, granted, but this is Apple we're talking about; we shouldn't have to compromise. Most people who use SD - or other memory formats - on a regular basis are going to end up ignoring the built-in socket, and using a separate card reader.
Of course you can argue that the same applies to the rest of the ports, but they are slightly forgivable as we know that you don't use those as much. It's a desktop after all and you'll probably set everything up when you first get the computer, and not look at it much again.
Keyboard and mouse
In the box you get Apple's standard Bluetooth keyboard and either its Magic Mouse or its Magic Trackpad. Both take about 10 seconds to set up the first time you use them and then work seamlessly there on out. If you want the mouse and trackpad, you'll have to pay £60 extra. There isn't much to say beyond they work, are comfortable to use, and you'll be either impressed or disappointed, so we will move on.
Screen and performance
Back to the main focus of the iMac - the screen - and the IPS display itself is now 5mm thinner than before, and laminated to the front glass in order to eliminate an air gap that was there previously. It also has a new non-reflective coating that means the glare is less obvious too. The 21.5-inch iMac brings you a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, which is a full HD, 16:9 screen. Some computer users will have preferred a 16:10 ratio, but that's not an option.
It is likely to be crisp enough for most people - it's HD after all - however, if you've seen the company's MacBook Pro with Retina display, you'll be a tiny bit disappointed. Apple's problem is that it spoils us with one device, and then expects us to live without that glorious tech on the next. Like a spoilt child, we're muttering "it's NOT fair"and chucking our toys about.
Still that's us being difficult, and most won't notice the difference and will be very happy with the screen quality, whether it's while watching a movie or surfing the web.
The iMac we were sent had a 3.1Ghz Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GT650M 512MB graphics card, a 1.12 TB "Fusion Drive" that's a mix between a traditional mechanical drive and a 128GB SSD to speed up load times. Those on a budget can start with a more austere package that starts with a 2.9GHz quad-core Intel i5 and 2.7GHz quad-core Intel i5 processors.
The starting price is £1,099. Our model cost £1,768.99.
Fusion Drive
As it's described by Apple "[the] Fusion Drive combines 128GB of super-fast flash storage with a traditional hard drive" that "automatically and dynamically moves frequently used files to flash for quicker access. With Fusion Drive in your iMac, booting is up to 1.7 times faster, and copying files and importing photos are up to 3.5 times faster. Over time, as the system learns how you work, Fusion Drive makes your Mac experience even better. All while letting you store your digital life on a traditional, roomy hard drive."
It sounds glorious, and the tech has been available on hard drives from third-party manufacturers, and with certain motherboards for some time in PCs. The idea of putting frequently-used files on an SSD and infrequently accessed ones on a slower, mechanical, drive is a solid one though. All this is done in the background automatically without you noticing.
It's hard to actively tell whether the system is worth the extra £200 because you never know whether the software you are loading is loading from the flash drive or the traditional hard drive. But from experience of Flash drives compared to traditional hard drives on other Apple machines, we would opt for the flash drive experience every time. Flash is usually much faster.
The 21.5-inch iMac is not really upgradable - well not yourself anyway. That's the payoff you have to live with for that lovely thin design and it's a trait that flows through most Apple products at the moment. If you want to upgrade you will have to send it back to Apple. That goes for hard drives and memory. Best advice, if you don't want to worry about it in the future buy the best setup you can afford right now to "future-proof" yourself.
During our time with the 21.5-inch iMac we did a number of daily tasks. Watched a movie, wrote this review, surfed the web, played some games, watch some more movies, and listened to music via Spotify. It's all good. Very good.
The 21.5-inch iMac isn't without its faults though. We don't like the positioning of the SD card reader and for some, the lack of upgradability (at home) will be annoying.
What is clear however is that the Apple has produced a lovely desktop machine that will look good wherever you put it in your home or your office. It will have people talking, and that's probably what you want. This is a computer that you won't want to put in the spare room, and a computer you will be happy to have on show.
As much as we enjoyed using the iMac in our home it is a solo, single-task experience. You're sitting in front of it spending quality time and doing very little else. That's great for work, writing that novel, or dedicating time to reading stuff on the web, but not so good if you are thinking of sitting in front of the TV on the sofa shopping.
If you are looking for a dedicated machine that sits there waiting for you to give it attention then this is a powerful enough, pretty enough and lovely enough servant that will serve you well. It coped with everything with ease and we like that. but if you are looking to break free from the confines of a desk, a MacBook Air or iPad will be the device you really want to look at buying.


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48 's
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Color: Red
I had so much fun making this. The directions were easy to follow. I already have a cute Master Chief of my own, and I only bought the pattern three days ago! Thank you so much. :D :D A million thumbs up!
The granddaughters loved this Zombie! I'm attempting different "looks" to make more for them. Ordering your set of PVZ patterns to complete their set. Awesome pattern; easy and complete instructions!
For custom orders, go to http://www.deadcraft.com/orders !
After 2 weeks your items will automatically renewed for another 60 days and $0.23 per item will be added to your billing ledger.
While you were away our TOU was updated,
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I received my first paycheck of the new year this week. Did you?
Notice anything?
My wife certainly did. Roughly $100 that had previously been in my paycheck was now missing. That money was probably going to buy groceries but had mysteriously vanished.
I say mysteriously because we were told by the president during his re-election campaign that his quest for raising more tax revenue was only aimed at those greedy, horrible, über-wealthy members of America's financial aristocracy. Certainly not the struggling middle-class.
But there it was, a smaller paycheck for me before the president was even inaugurated into his second term of office, and I can tell you that I don't make anywhere near the arbitrary line of wealth that was drawn in the fiscal cliff deal, above which you were fair game for more confiscatory taxes.
Hey, don't blame me. I voted for Romney.
Regardless, as I looked at my paycheck it occurred to me that we are so obsessed with talking about and debating the federal share of the withholdings in our salaries, that we completely miss what the state does.
In Maine, for instance, there are a number of facts about what you pay in taxes that you probably aren't aware of.
Maine, for instance, has a top marginal tax rate — which was 8.5 percent until recently — that is among the highest in the nation.
So what, you ask? Who cares what the beautiful people on the coast in their mansions and private islands pay in tax?
Well you may be surprised to learn that this top-income tax bracket kicks in at a whopping $19,500 a year for individuals and $39,000 for couples. In other words, when I tended bar in college, I was paying the top-income tax rate available.
In states like New York or New Jersey, just as a comparison, the top income tax rate kicks in at half a million dollars.
How does it feel to be in Maine's upper-crust?
Even with the LePage tax cut (which just became implemented in January), the supposed "progressivity" of the tax code remains the same, just with a slightly lower rate of 7.95 percent.
Speaking of that, were you even aware of when the new tax rates were taking effect? Were you aware there was a tax cut enacted in the first place? From what I have heard from Republican operatives around the state who polled on this, the level of awareness was virtually non-existent.
Everyone always talks about neighboring New Hampshire as an anti-tax paradise, but what about the residents of the colloquially named "Taxachusetts"? Are you aware that, while people making less than $20,000 are paying roughly 8 percent in taxes in Maine, residents of the Bay State are paying a 5.3-percent flat tax?
The real point here is that, even despite the Republican reforms of the last two years to Maine's tax system, the system itself is still tragically broken. It is too high, and the income distribution is ridiculous.
While we sit here and agonize over the federal tax rate, and get justifiably irritated by the debate over those rates and subsequent changes to them, it is important to remember that they are not the only taxes that we are subject to.
It is well past time that Maine seriously consider what kind of system it wants to have, how fairly it is apportioned and the overall burden it puts on Maine's citizens.
The overall goal should be the implementation of a fair and simple system that provides for the financial needs of the state of Maine, while creating an environment that makes it easy to live and work in the state.
Gov. LePage has made clear that his long-term agenda is the elimination of the income tax altogether, though now with the Democratic takeover of the legislature that seems like an impossibility.
But regardless of your political affiliation, I think we can probably all agree the current system fails that test.
It is time we all understood that and faced that reality and dealt with it.


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Caramelized Onions:
2 Spanish Onions, sliced in half lengthwise and thinly sliced into 1/8 in halfmoons
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2T cognac
2T beef stock
Bun Spread:
½ C sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese, room temp
½ C mayo
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cayenne
Sriracha (optional- to taste)
2 lbs ground beef, 75-80% lean
Bun of your choice but something soft enough that your toppings don't squeeze out
Gruyere cheese
For the onions: Heat a very large sauté pan, (I prefer nonstick) over medium high heat. If you don't have one big enough use two pans. Heat butter and oil in pan and add your onions. Toss to coat. Season with the salt, pepper, and sugar and turn heat down to medium. Stirring frequently, cook onions for 20-30 minutes or until they are a nice caramel brown color. Deglaze pan with cognac and stock. Stir through and set aside until ready to use.
Bun spread: In a food processor mix together the sour cream, mayo, cream cheese, worcestershire, and cayenne. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to use. (This is the "French Onion Dip" element. This is what takes it over the edge of richness. Use as little or as much as you dare!)
For the Burger: Form the beef into patties, about 5 to 6 ounces each or just larger than the size of your bun. Press an indent into the center of the burger with your thumb, to form a small impression. This keeps the burger from shrinking during cooking. Season the patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the patties on the grill and cook on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes or until nicely charred. Flip the burger, put the gruyere on top and continue to cook on the second side for 2 to 3 more minutes or until cooked to desired doneness. Top the burger with caramelized onions and spread the topping on your bun. Dig in!
Tailgate Recipe: French Onion Burger
Caramelized Onions:


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It all comes down to reliable functionality in machines and systems – especially in processes that would not be possible without defined air transport. When paired with energy-optimised drive technology and corresponding frequency inverters from ZIEHL-ABEGG, the process air fans form the basis for maximum functional performance and absolute process reliability in various systems.
Process air
Certified in accordance with DIN ISO 9001 and compliant with ATEX (expect zone 0), all products are available in either standard or customer-specific versions and can be designed specifically for the required operating point.


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ISS Expedition Five crew biographies
The three strong Expedition Five crew, comprising Commander Valery Korzun, and Flight Engineers Sergei Treschev and Peggy Whitson, will welcome the Odissea crew on board the International Space Station when they arrive on 30 October 2002.
The Expedition Five crew has been on board ISS since 7 June 2002 and will stay on the Station until they are replaced by Expedition Six who will arrive on Space Shuttle flight STS-113, currently scheduled for launch mid-November
Valery Korzun
Colonel, Russian Air Force
Cosmonaut of Yu.A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre
Born 5 March 1953 in Krasny Sulin. He is married with one son.
Certified as a test cosmonaut in June 1989, he trained for spaceflight from September 1989 to September 1992. From October 1992 to March 1994 he underwent extensive training as Commander of the 'Soyuz TM' rescue spacecraft. He trained as a group member for flight on board the Mir space station from March 1994 to June 1995.
On 2 March 1997, Korzun returned to Earth after a 197-day stay on board the Mir space station. During his stay he also performed two space walks totalling 12 hours and 33 minutes.
Sergei Treschev
Cosmonaut of RSC Energia
Born 18 August 1958 in Volynsky District, Lipetsk Region (Russia). Married with two sons.
Completed basic cosmonaut training course in 1994. From 1994 to 1996 he underwent advanced test cosmonaut training. From June 1997 to February 1998, Treschev trained as Flight Engineer for the Mir space station backup Exp-25 crew. Trained as Flight Engineer for the Soyuz-TM backup ISS contingency crew from June 1999 to July 2000. Initially trained as backup to the ISS Expedition Three crew
Peggy Whitson (PhD)
NASA astronaut
Born 9 February 1960 in Mt. Ayr, Iowa. Married.
Doctorate in biochemistry from Rice University in 1985. A recipient of numerous awards and fellowships. Before her selection as an astronaut, Dr. Whitson's NASA career included time spent as a researcher. She helped develop experiments to fly on the Space Shuttle.
served as the project scientist for the Shuttle-Mir programme and was the co-chair of the U.S.-Russian Mission Science Working Group.
Selected as an astronaut candidate in August 1996. Assigned to technical duties in the Astronaut Office Operations Planning Branch and served as the lead for the Crew Test Support Team in Russia from 1998-99.
Recently named as the first NASA ISS Science Officer, a new function that will be assigned to a NASA astronaut within each ISS Expedition crew. The NASA ISS Science Officer will work with the U.S. research community to understand and meet the requirements and objectives of each ISS experiment – helping to achieve maximum scientific returns.
(Source: NASA)


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Basically I have a text file that I want to read line by line (I have this bit working) and write it to an array.
However I want the data from the text file to be split after every character.
For example:
Text file line 1: ABCDEFG
Array: { A, B, C, D, E, F, G}
Could anyone give me any help on this?


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giclee print on 100% cotton rag archival paper
10 x 10 inches
signed, titled, and numbered
edition 60
Kate Pugsley is an illustrator based in Chicago. She grew up outside of Cleveland and went on to study illustration and fine art at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work ranges from illustrations in gouache created for print and products to figurative oil and acrylic paintings on panel. She focuses on color, shape and texture while exploring a narrative about our interactions with nature and objects.


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CRESTVIEW � Last autumn, local artist Rita Benz delighted the community with an exhibit of paintings that included some somber and enigmatic subjects as well as travel and floral scenes.
CRESTVIEW � Last autumn, local artist Rita Benz delighted the community with an exhibit of paintings that included some somber and enigmatic subjects as well as travel and floral scenes.
In her exhibition currently at the Crestview Public Library through October, Benz offers another wonderful glimpse into her world � and this time it's a cheerier place.
With a range of subjects, from a rushing "Wild River" to the "Giggles and Grins" of two little girls on a tire swing, the collection of landscapes, portraits and flowers is fun, light and refreshing.
Benz's sure brush also captured a special subject. Unexpectedly grouped with two other portraits, viewers suddenly come face to face with Sara Reese.
Better known around town as "Miss Sara," the diminutive woman is omnipresent, riding her tricycle along local streets, popping up at community events, and observing the passing parade of Crestview life.
Benz's portrait of Miss Sara captures her warmth and generous soul, sharing her broad smile, her eyes aglow through her familiar large spectacles, and her hair neatly captured in a bejeweled bun atop her head.
"She's a sweetie for the community," Benz said. "I gave her that painting and the only condition was that I show it in the show."
A fawn in winter, a collection of local flowers, and a stern Indian chief are among the paintings on exhibit.
However, Rita Benz's brilliant capture on canvas of dear Miss Sara outshines them all.
Want to go?
What: An exhibition of paintings by Rita Benz
When: Through October
Where: Crestview Public Library, behind the post office
Contact: 682-4432
Contact News Bulletin Arts & Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.


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AT&T is celebrating after posting another strong quarter - bringing in $29.5bn in revenues and making reported net profit of $2.9bn, up from $1.8bn last year on revenue of $15.8bn.
AT&T added another 1.5m wireless subscribers in the three months ended 30 June, putting its total at 63.7m. Its customers sent 277 million multimedia messages and almost 18 billion texts in the quarter - both figures more than double what was sent in the same three months of last year.
The company also revealed that it activated 149, 000 iPhones in the two days included in these results. Some 40 per cent of these were new customers for AT&T. Sales continued strongly in July.
Monthly churn for contract wireless customers was 1.2 per cent, down from 1.5 per cent the previous year. Average total churn was 1.6 per cent, down from 1.7 per cent in the same quarter last year.
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) grew by 3.6 per cent in the period - the best year-on-year improvement for several years. Revenue from wireless data grew by 66.9 per cent in the period.
AT&T bought Bell South in a deal which was approved by regulators in October 2006.
More info here. ®


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So I honestly think I have been going out and having too much fun with either my friends, family or me just riding on my skateboard. My knee is officially killing me. I have a knee brace and everything but it still hurts. Its been almost two weeks since I hurt my knee. I couldn't take it easy for the first couple of days it hurt because I had work and volunteer, but since Ive cut back some hours its not really helping me. Running around playing Tag at 3 am at school or playing kickball at 2 am isnt helping at all. Yeah its winter break and I dont want to take it easy, I want to have fun lol. But my knee needs to get better asap. So I think after new years celebrations done I am going to rest my knee, try not to do anything and just relax on my couch or in bed at home. I already have a bad right shoulder, I do not want a bad knee too.
So, my plans are to:
- sleep
- Read any book I can get my hands on
- have a movie night at home so I dont have to go out
- buy a video game and just start tweaking out again
- relax =]


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404 Resource Not Found
- Make sure that it is spelled correctly if you typed the page url in the Address bar.
- Start from the UNPAD home page.
- Check our site map for the information you want.
- Click the back button to try another link.
- Search the IIT web site using the form below.


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Pushed lots of note UI updates to #taproot today, including porting almost all the #js to Backbone. Still #todo:
- Improving location UI: improve cancelled state text, fix located state
- Make a view for note lists, inc. event handling like add new note to the list when it's posted from the dialog. This will also minimise the number of requests.
- Make the backend auto-add hashtags to the note tags property. It should have been this way all along.


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There aren't many more humiliating things to happen to you if you're a man than being turned down by the woman you love when you propose to them. But if you happen to be on camera at the time, up on the big screen of a basketball game, on "Mistletoe Cam" no less – that's just got to be truly gut wrenching. I'm cringing just thinking about it. Ouch.
Attention lonely internet lurkers, there are girls out there who totally "get" our internet humour and still love us! Like Audrey, the lovely girl in this video who was proposed to by her boyfriend Tim with internet memes. Watch the video, it's so gosh darn cute.


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Studies claiming to identify the best places in the country to do business are a dime a dozen. Most analyze government and other publicly available data.
The rankings generated tend to reveal more about the sponsoring organizations—and their individual agendas—than the communities scrutinized.
Thumbtack.com, a San Francisco-based consumer services website, has taken a different approach. With the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Thumbtack.com asked 13,000 small-business owners, to rate their own states and cities on business-friendliness.
Some of the results will come as no surprise. Among 39 states ranked, New York ranked 32nd with a D+ overall grade. (At the top of the list, with A+ grades, were Utah, Idaho, Texas and Virginia; the bottom three, with F grades, were California, Illinois and Rhode Island.)
But notice this: Among 82 cities ranked, Rochester placed 30th with an overall grade of B. While it did not earn top 10 bragging rights, Rochester scored higher than the other New York metro areas on the list: New York City (49th, C+), Albany (55th, C) and Buffalo (80th, F). Also trailing it on the list were cities like Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Rochester fared poorly in ease of hiring, ranking 75th, and overall regulations, at 73rd. But as a place to start a business, it placed fifth. Training and networking were strengths, survey respondents said.
Among a number of other interesting findings, the Thumbtack researchers found that in assessing good environments for small business, ease of tax compliance was a more important factor than the amount of tax paid. Ease of complying with licensing and permitting regulations also had a strong correlation to company owners' views on business-friendliness.
The Thumbtack survey comes with a few caveats. For example, because the website is used chiefly by independent professionals to find leads for their businesses, certain sectors—manufacturing among them—are underrepresented.
But at a minimum, the survey offers a different perspective on the factors that determine small-business friendliness, and its findings could help local officials make more informed decisions about policies to foster business growth.
6/13/14 (c) 2014 Rochester Business Journal. To obtain permission to reprint this article, call 585-546-8303 or email email@example.com.


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NoMad: Daniel Humm Lets His Hair Down
In the Nomad Hotel, 1170 Broadway New York NY 10001 (b/n 27th and 28th; map); 212-796-1500; thenomadhotel.com
Service: Practiced and somewhat formal
Setting: Airy, open atrium in the Nomad Hotel
Must-Haves: Poached egg, chicken, lemon shortbread dessert
Cost: Apps $14-24, mains $20-39
Grade: A-
It's hard to imagine a restaurant more eagerly anticipated than The Nomad. Because it's hard to imagine a more celebrated chef than the man behind it, Daniel Humm. The Swiss-born chef has racked up just about every top accolade in the business for his work at Eleven Madison Park: three Michelin stars, four stars in the New York Times, a James Beard award for Best Chef: NYC—the list goes on. Humm and partner Will Guidara purchased Eleven Madison from Danny Meyer last year, and opened NoMad, a more accessible counterpart, last month. Humm tells us that his second restaurant is certainly derived from his work at Eleven Madison, but intentionally brought down to earth; "our food, but maybe not plated with tweezers," is how he put it. A place where it's possible to have a meal more than, say, once a year, because how often can you really go to Eleven Madison Park?
And the new NoMad has plenty of places to visit. There's the Library lounge, warm and softly lit; there's the imposing mahogany bar (we've already investigated Leo Robitschek's ambitious cocktail program) and the "parlour" next to the open hearth. But we settled happily in the atrium, the sunroofed space we found quite comfortable for this sort of dining, elegant but airy—relaxed in an appealing way, a tie loosened just slightly at the first sip of a cocktail.
Cocktails range widely across spirits and styles, helpfully designated by aperitifs, "light-spirited" drinks, and "dark-spirited" ones. (Read more about the cocktails here). The Haymarket ($13) was particularly refreshing, a pale ale whose bitter elements are brought out by Suze, a cinchona-based liqueur, plus cucumber and lime. A Beau Four ($15) poured tableside is a take on a cocktail once served at Eleven Madison Park, with prominent Amaro CioCiaro and Nardini Amaro backed up by bourbon.
What's New On Serious Eats
No amuses at Nomad; it's bread that kicks off your meal, though I should probably call it a bread course because I ate enough of it to count as one. It arrives on the table in a long, slim loaf, steaming as you pull it apart, its crust delicate and crisp. Potato and onion mingle on top. It's warm enough to burn your fingers and instantly melt the softened butter, and no sooner is a piece in your hands than it's gone, and you reach for another.
House-smoked Trout ($18) feels a very New York dish, smoked fish with something creamy, something fresh, something rye, with roe crowning the top. To say that this gorgeous plate of food was the least memorable of the appetizers is only to show how fantastic the others were. The simple, supple Tagliatelle ($19) shone for the quality of its fresh noodles and the Alaskan king crab, with butter, Meyer lemon, and black pepper to bring it together; with starring ingredients this strong, nothing else is needed. (Some at the table felt it was a bit too simple, but I didn't mind a bit.)
There's very little in the world I love more than a good chef doing good things with eggs, and this Egg ($17) easily earns a place on my Top 5 Egg Dishes of All Time. (Joining the ranks of Manresa and Blue Hill Stone Barns.) The poached egg sits atop a brown butter sabayon, and when the egg is poked, the two run and swirl together, amplifying each other's richness and coating the spring asparagus below. Quinoa comes in two forms: some just boiled; some boiled, dehydrated, then fried, resulting in a nutty, appealing crunch throughout the dish. I'd never seen quinoa used as effectively as an accent, and have enjoyed very little more than the lick of a spoon coated in this glorious golden swirl of egg yolk and brown butter. We scraped our spoons on the bottom of this bowl long after we could really get anything more out of it.
And on the opposite side of the appetizer spectrum, the vibrant Snow Peas ($15) show off that vegetable in a very pure way, a bright green chiffonade with pancetta, pecorino and mint, very lightly dressed in a white balsamic vinaigrette. The pecorino, pancetta, and mint remind me of Italy; the peas themselves just remind me, most happily, of spring.
I think we've entered an era in which Carrots ($20) actually seem like a logical main course, joining the ranks of halibut, beef, and chicken. These are oven-roasted with cumin and the spices of madras curry, with wheatberries underneath and crispy duck skin as an accent. We found these a bit overspiced—really, you'd just call them "cumin carrots" after the first bite—but I love how seriously vegetables are taken here. Halibut ($32) is slow-cooked on the stovetop with spring peas; it's served in a fish nage with saffron and lemon thyme. It's a joyful jumble of spring, the peas vibrant in their own flavor, a bright crunch against the delicate fish.
But nothing can compare to the Chicken ($78, serves two), a very close relative of a dish Humm served at Eleven Madison Park. $78 for a chicken dish? Yes, we thought that, too. But you can't just think of this as a chicken dish: it's also a foie gras and morel and black truffle dish. Especially the last of those. Brioche, black truffles, and foie gras are stuffed under the skin, such that the foie gras liquifies and seeps into the brioche for a layer of soft substance that tastes of nothing but foie and truffles. (It's hard not to think of what else foie, brioche, and truffles might improve.) So even at this point, it's not "just" chicken.
The bird is roasted whole, a preparation with which it's often hard to nail both the dark meat and the white; if the dark's cooked through, the white is generally overcooked. So NoMad's chicken is presented as an intact stunner, but then dismantled in the kitchen.
The dark meat? It keeps cooking, with morels, other mushrooms (we spotted maitake), no shortage of butter, and no shortage of truffles. But the plated white meat, in its way, is still more decadent. The skin perfectly crisp, the meat as moist and tender as any we've ever had; and it's served over a bed of truffle-laced and impossibly rich mashed potatoes (white asparagus on the side).
How committed to this dish are they? Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery brewed the "Nomad de Poulet" just to pair with the chicken. It's a full-bodied, slightly bitter Belgian-style rendition of a brown ale: rich enough to coexist with a dish this intense, but bitter enough to cut through it.
This chicken is an indulgence. It's an experience. But it's without question the best chicken dish I've ever had. Good chicken is great; but good chicken with foie and truffles—I don't need to waste more words telling you how special it is.
Of pastry chef Mark Welker's desserts, we all enjoyed the chocolate tart ($14) with caramel and hazelnuts brought alive by fleur de sel; but the Lemon ($13) was the real showstopper. Its soft, supple and intensely tart custard is encased in a seamless shell of shortbread. We had to ask how they managed this feat: the shortbread is actually puréed with oil, and the lemon custard is frozen, then dipped into the "liquid" shortbread—which then re-sets around the custard in a buttery, crumbly cookie. It's impressive as a feat of engineering, but it's impressive as a pairing of flavors, too: gut-level appealing, like the best lemon bar you've ever had.
That could be said of much of NoMad's fare: precisely designed, meticulously plated dishes that nonetheless satisfy in a very basic way. The pasta is just good pasta; the bread is just really good bread. The team has managed to create a restaurant on the very precise point of crowd-pleasing but ambitious, accessible but sophisticated—it is a hotel restaurant, after all. Beef tartar and seared scallops make an appearance, but NoMad has a sufficiently modern sensibility to call carrots an entree and trust that it will be appreciated.
What, to me, makes NoMad a success is the number of niches it fills: you could imagine a blowout celebration meal here, truffle-laden chicken and foie to start. But you could equally imagine settling in for an under-$50 bottle of wine (of which there are many) and an entree in the $20s. It's not quite a neighborhood restaurant; but it's one I'd see myself returning to much more often than an Eleven Madison Park. And that's a restaurant that's good to know about.
View all the dishes in the slideshow above »
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Louis Daignault (ISN)
July 30, 2013, WINNIPEG, Manitoba (ISN) – The Winnipeg-based National Women's Volleyball Team has recently confirmed that it will play host to the Peruvian Women's National Team for a series of matches August 20 to 23.
This exhibition series will be a great precursor to the NORCECA Continental Championship, September 16 to 21 in Omaha, Nebraska. This NORCECA Continental Championship occurs every two years and includes the top nine teams from the NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean) Zone. For Peru, it will help them prepare for the South American Championship in September, which they are hosting.
"I am very pleased that we can play these matches against Peru as it is a long summer with a lot of training," said Canadian Head Coach Arnd Ludwig. "It gives us a competition opportunity to help prepare for the NORCECA Championship. We played them twice, winning both times, but over the past couple years, the record with Peru is pretty even so we will have interesting and close games."
Canada (ranked 22nd in the world) and Peru (ranked 17th) faced each other in this year's annual Pan Am Cup competition in June. Canada was victorious in both matches, winning the first 3-2, and the second 3-0.
These teams will face each other twice in Winnipeg, and once in Dauphin, Manitoba, as follows:
Match #1: Tuesday, August 20 at 7pm at the Investors Group Athletic Centre, University of Manitoba
Match #2: Wednesday, August 21 at 7pm at the Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School
Match #3: Friday, August 23 at 7pm at the Investors Group Athletic Centre, University of Manitoba
"We are all very excited to play Peru again," said Canadian captain Brittney Page. "Peru is a team that fights and claws until the very end of every game. I think both teams bring out so much intensity and competitiveness in each other. It'll be a great opportunity to sustain a high competitive level throughout an entire series. And above all we can't wait to play on our home court!"
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for student/seniors and 16 and under get in free when accompanied by an adult. To pre-order tickets, or for any inquires about these matches, please either call our office at 204-474-7227 or email firstname.lastname@example.com . Otherwise, tickets will be available at the door with rush seating.
During these matches, Team Canada will also be launching their brand new Mizuno uniforms. There will be an opportunity to win one of these new uniforms by following Volleyball Canada on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


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There is a lot of controversy and speculation about the decision to turn World War Z, the popular book by Max Brooks, into a film. The book, which features a number of short stories, does not necessarily seem to lend itself to be the base of a feature film. I myself had some large reservations walking into the theater, most of which stemmed from the CGI zombies featured in many of the trailers. When the credits rolled at the end of a very well shot and well acted film, every one of my reservations had been resolved.
World War Z gives the audience a terrifying inside look at the start and progression of a zombie apocalypse. Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), his wife Karin Lane (Mireille Enos), and his two kids played by Sterling Jerins and Abigail Hargrove start the film like any other day, with pancakes. The apocalypse hits swiftly, catching the Lane's by surprise in the center of downtown Philadelphia. While trapped in a traffic jam, the zombies take over the city like a storm, forcing Gerry and his family through a number of terrifying chase scenes. Gerry gets in contact with the people he used to work for, the United Nations, giving his family a safe place to take refuge if Gerry agrees to help try and solve the zombie outbreak. Reluctant to agree but eventually realizing he has to for his family's safety, Gerry travels around the world in search of answers on how to stop the zombie outbreak, seeing the devastation of the apocalypse and doing anything and everything to survive.
Another point of discussion about this film surfaced around its PG-13 rating as opposed to an R rating that most zombie films would have gotten due to extreme grit and gore. This film was certainly violent but it did not have the overdrawn scenes of zombies ripping people apart or chowing down on intestines and human flesh. While this film seems to be missing some of the key elements that make a zombie film scary, I found it to be one of the most terrifying films I have seen in a while. Not only were the zombies fairly terrifying but the film takes you further into the apocalypse than is comforting. The audience is given an almost first person view of the apocalypse, starting by becoming a member of the Lane family as they desperately try to escape the brutally fast zombies and find a safe place to hide. After that the audience travels with Gerry across the world, seeing the devastation and havoc the zombies have caused worldwide.
Brad Pitt did a great job in this film, as did the rest of his family but one of the best aspects of this film was the quality of the side characters. The only real, main character in the film was Gerry Lane. As he travels around the world he encounters a number of different people that help him and each one is a well written, well crafted and well acted side character. There are a number of great side characters throughout the film but one of the best ones is a young soldier Segen (Daniella Kertesz). Gerry meets Segen in Jerusalem and the two manage to keep each other alive and stick together for the rest of the film.
This was a very well done, well put together film. Director Marc Forster showed the skill that he has with a camera, easily cultivating suspense and washing wave after wave of anxiety over the audience. With the sounds of Muse permeating each new location, this film was extremely well done. While I do understand that some people are apprehensive to see the film for a number of reasons, I would recommend this film and give it a B rating. If you think you can handle it, jump into the center of a zombie apocalypse with World War Z.


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Revelations that the National Security Agency violated federal law or presidential orders in thousands of surveillance "incidents" are whipping up a late-summer firestorm among civil libertarians and US lawmakers, undermining White House efforts to shore up support for the NSA's sweeping antiterrorism surveillance programs.
Publication of internal NSA documents, by the Washington Post, comes a week after a press conference in which President Obama sought to reassure Americans that the NSA is doing its job lawfully and with oversight. The documents show that the agency regularly scooped up e-mails and phone-call metadata on Americans and US residents without first obtaining federal warrants or other authorization.
During the year spanning from the second quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2012, NSA auditors detected 2,776 "incidents" involving "unauthorized collection, storage, access to or distribution of legally protected communications," the Post reported late Thursday.
The Post obtained the top-secret documents from fugitive Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor now sheltered in Russia on a one-year visa, the newspaper said. Causes of the incidents ranged from "operator/human error" to technical glitches that inadvertently scooped up both foreign and domestic communications, according to the May 2012 audit report.
Produced by the chief of the NSA's Signals Intelligence Division Oversight and Compliance staff, that core document appeared on the Post website late Thursday. The Monitor has reviewed it and other available documents.
An incident is defined as any violation, whether deliberate or accidental, of court-ordered procedures that govern how surveillance is to be handled involving "U.S. persons" worldwide – whether they are abroad or in the country. The largest number of incidents listed in the audit fell under the "query incident" category, which occurs when an NSA analyst discovers that a US person's data appear in a database among previously collected intelligence data, or when an analyst keys in a search term that inadvertently returns data on US persons.
"The majority of incidents in all authorities were database query incidents due to human error," the audit report said. The reported incidents were for NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Md., and other locations near Washington, raising the prospect that an audit of the agency's entire operation would have produced a larger number of violations.
Perhaps among the most serious violations, the NSA intercepted international data surging through fiber-optic cables in the US and shunted the whole lot into a database for later processing and analysis, the Post reported, citing a top-secret internal NSA newsletter. The collection included a mix of US and foreign e-mails that could not be separated, the NSA argued.
But in October 2011, several months after the program began, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which authorizes certain NSA surveillance activities, ruled the collection program unconstitutional.
Another "incident," in February 2012, involved the unlawful retention of 3,032 files that the FISA court had ordered the NSA to destroy after five years, according to the May 2012 audit document. Each file contained an undisclosed number of telephone-call metadata records, the document showed.
The large number of database query incidents – which by definition involve communications that were previously collected – indicate that the NSA is collecting and storing scads of information for later analysis, including data on Americans, some analysts say. The audit documents list a dozen data-collection systems with code names – among them PINWALE, MARINA, DISHFIRE, FASTSCOPE, OCTAVE, and XKEYSCORE – in which there were 119 incidents in early 2011.
For its part, the NSA said Friday in a statement to the Post that the audit shows that the agency is trying hard to ride herd on its surveillance programs and to ensure that it adheres to the law – and that it is unabashedly documenting its own failures.
"We want people [inside the agency] to report if they have made a mistake or even if they believe that an NSA activity is not consistent with the rules," according to the NSA statement. "NSA, like other regulated organizations, also has a 'hotline' for people to report and no adverse action or reprisal can be taken for the simple act of reporting. We take each report seriously, investigate the matter, address the issue, constantly look for trends, and address them as well – all as a part of NSA's internal oversight and compliance efforts."
The agency reported, too, that more than 300 people are assigned to its internal privacy-compliance program, a fourfold increase since 2009. That group manages NSA's rules, trains its personnel, develops and implements technical safeguards, and sets up systems to monitor and guide NSA activities.
"We take this work very seriously," the statement said.
Mr. Obama noted at a news conference in June that federal judges keep a close eye on NSA activities. "We also have federal judges that we've put in place who are not subject to political pressure," Obama said. "They've got lifetime tenure as federal judges, and they're empowered to look over our shoulder at the executive branch to make sure that these programs aren't being abused."
But the chief judge of the FISA court, responding in writing to a Post query about the NSA audit, said his judicial crew could not be expected to provide close oversight of the agency.
The FISA court "is forced to rely upon the accuracy of the information that is provided to the Court," US District Judge Reggie Walton said in a written statement to the Post. That court "does not have the capacity to investigate issues of noncompliance, and in that respect the FISC is in the same position as any other court when it comes to enforcing [government] compliance with its orders."
That raises the question of how vigilant a watchdog the NSA can be when it's watching itself. One episode, at least, casts doubts on that capability.
In 2008, the agency accidentally intercepted a "large number" of phone-call metadata from the Washington area because a programming error confused the district's area code, 202, for the international dialing code for Egypt, 20, the Post reported. Yet a "quality assurance" review on that incident was not distributed to the NSA's oversight staff because "the issue pertained to Metadata ONLY so there were no defects to report," the review stated, according to the Post report.
None of this is happy news for civil libertarians or US lawmakers, who say the leaked audit shows that much more oversight of the NSA is needed.
"The number of 'compliance incidents' is jaw-dropping. The rules around government surveillance are so permissive that it is difficult to comprehend how the intelligence community could possibly have managed to violate them so often," said Jameel Jaffer, ACLU deputy legal director, in a statement. "Obviously it's important to know what precisely these compliance incidents involved, and some are more troubling than others. But at least some of these incidents seem to have implicated the privacy of thousands or millions of innocent people."
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D) of California did not have a copy of the 2012 audit until the Post's reporter asked her staff about it. The committee "can and should do more to independently verify that NSA's operations are appropriate, and [that] its reports of compliance incidents are accurate," she said in a statement Thursday.
Momentum appears to be building for increased NSA oversight. NSA surveillance activity has prompted civil liberties groups to file at least five lawsuits against the government, and even a fractious Congress seems to be uniting behind the idea of greater accountability. Between the two parties, at least 19 bills to boost oversight are in the offing.
"I plan to hold another hearing on these matters in the Judiciary Committee and will continue to demand honest and forthright answers from the intelligence community," said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D) of Vermont, the author of one oversight bill, in a statement Friday. "Using advanced surveillance technologies in secret demands close oversight and appropriate checks and balances, and the American people deserve no less than that."


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Dinner Tonight: Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa Recipe
Your source for quick recipe every single week day.
Black bean and corn make an inspired pair. I've explored this union before, but was interested in this particular recipe from the cookbook Bistro Latino by Rafael Palomino because of the corn-roasting and almost complete lack of embellishment. Sure, actually grilling the corn would probably be the better option here, but this technique works. The corn kernels become super sweet and fragrant, and make for an excellent salsa.
It also helps to have good black beans. Most canned versions are fine, but I made a fresh batch that worked especially well. After that, just add some garlic, oil, cilantro, and tomato to round out the dish. Use it as a dip or salsa, or go the route of my wife and I—we just scarfed down the entire bowl with a spoon.
- Yield:2 to 3
- 4 ears of corn
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups canned black beans
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- Salt
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the tough outer pieces of the stalk and the silk at the very top of the cob. Cook for 15 minutes. When done and cool enough to handle, remove the stalk and silk, and cut the kernels off the corn.
Meanwhile, mix together the olive oil, garlic clove, black beans, tomatoes, and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add the corn. Season with salt to taste.


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|A warm welcome to your friendly bus- and taxitransfer at hahn airport. We invite you to enjoy your transfer from the airport in our well conditioned vehicles.
Of course we also pick you up at home or at your hotel or even at your business to get you to your flight. Just in time, not only to Hahn airport. Gladly we transfer you also to Frankfurt, Colone or Saarbruecken. Wherever you want to.
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The breathtaking Simple Home Balcony Ideas White Painted Exterior Wall Black Horizontal Iron Railing Balcony Fence photograph above, shared at Wednesday, November 11th 2015 03:13:16 AM, by edward, organized in Exteriors category.
Excerpt of House Balcony Design For Perfect Outdoor Experience :
Nowadays house balcony design is no longer made to be vacant without special function besides a small space to appreciate scenery from above. Right now, there are a growing number of designers who transform small verandas to be much more functional space in homes, especially the ones with instead small size. The outdoor balcony ideas they apply are likewise fascinating that it is really feasible for the terraces to come to be another preferred spots in residences. If by any chance you are interested in something similar to this, below are some motivations of useful home balcony you can attempt to use in your very own balcony area.
An Analysis Area That Is Additionally Excellent to Enjoy Afternoon Tea
Small balcony decorating ideas you need to get inspired from in the idea of producing house balcony design that additionally operates as an analysis area. This can be made true by putting a comfortable chair or sofa there. It would be higher if you likewise add a small table in the design, which is useful for putting some publications on. With the schedule of the seating and table there, it is additionally possible for you to earn the balcony a just suitable space for delighting in tea in your house area.
Extra Living Space with Outdoor Touch
If your house balcony design is not too small in size that it is feasible for you to position sufficient furniture for seating there, an additional living space with outdoor touch is factually the one you will certainly get. This sort of spot can be ideal as different to the living-room you have inside your house. When you have some guests that are so near you, such as friends, it is absolutely best to have a good conversation with them in the balcony while taking pleasure in the fresh air and wonderful view can be seen directly from up there.
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View contact information for Planning Department divisions and staff members.
Find out what's currently happening with the Planning Board.
Thank you for visiting the Prince George's County Planning Department's website. Please take a moment to give us some feedback.
The Prince George's County Planning Department is responsible for preserving, protecting, and managing the County's resources by providing high-quality planning services and growth management guidance. The process includes effective intergovernmental and citizen involvement through education and technical assistance.


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Olympic athletes have a history of winning "Dancing with the Stars" – and past champ and America's most decorated Winter Olympian, Apolo Anton Ohno, told Access Hollywood's Billy Bush that Season 10 would likely be no different.
"I think he's just going to rock it," the speed skater said of ice skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek, a contestant on the new season. "I think he's going to do very well… We all saw how well Kristi Yamaguchi did. Shawn Johnson. A number of athletes, almost everybody's made the final."
As for the impact the show made on Apolo, who won the competition in Season 4 with partner Julianne Hough, he told Billy that he still uses his "Dancing" moves.
"The show helped my dancing skills quite a bit, so I have a little more confidence if I go out," he told Billy.
And with the Olympics over, Apolo added that he finally has time to socialize – and even date.
"I'm enjoying life," he said. "The social scene is something that I've had to kind of just pocket away for a long time…. If I have time, I'd love to [go on a date]."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Highlights Of The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Week 2
PLAY IT NOW: Billy Bush Plays Matchmaker For Apolo Anton Ohno… & Kate Gosselin?!
PLAY IT NOW: Will Apolo Anton Ohno Return For The 2014 Winter Olympics?
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Apolo Anton Ohno - Dancing With the Stars - Evan Lysacek - Athletes - Reality TV


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One of the most common debates I hear about from people such as myself – twenty- and thirtysomethings with young children at home – is whether it makes more sense to save adequately for retirement or save adequately for their child's college education. Quite often, young career folks (like myself) don't have the means to do both, so it becomes a choice. Retirement or college? Today, I'll look at both sides of this coin that's central in my own life.
When I envision my life thirty years from now, one key part of that vision is that I'm not financially dependent on my children. I'm able to live the life I want to lead without them worrying about me (at least financially) in the least, particularly in my final years.
The best way to ensure that kind of a future is to focus primarily on shoring up retirement savings, even if it comes at the expense of saving adequately for the college experience of one's children.
What are the advantages of retirement savings when you're young? The big advantage of retirement savings when you're young is that it has a huge number of years to grow and grow and grow. The power of compound interest has plenty of time to work in your favor.
The real numbers tell the story better than anything else. If you invest $10,000 when you're 45 at an 8% rate of return, you'll have $46,609 when you're 65. Invest $10,000 when you're 35 and you'll have $100,626 when you're 65. Invest $10,000 when you're 25 and you'll have $217,245 when you're 65. The earlier you sock away money for retirement, the better the deal is.
What about their education? Self-motivated students can always make college work if they choose to do so. There is a myriad of financial aid options available, plus most schools also accept transfer credits from very low-cost institutions, enabling students to fulfill many of their general education requirements at a very low cost from community colleges.
Beyond that, having a student take a large deal of responsiblity for their education forces them to learn some personal responsibility that they might not otherwise learn. It can also show them, first hand, the cost of their education – and the value of it. Those are lessons that aren't taught by simply writing a check for them.
What if I change my mind? If you start saving for retirement, then change your mind about your choice, you're not completely without options. Most common retirement savings plans allow you to use some – if not all – of your retirement savings to help with college education.
Most 401(k) plans allow you to borrow against them to pay for educational expenses. However, if you do this, you lose out on the returns during the years that you've got the money out on loan. If you've used a Roth IRA, you can withdraw the amount you've contributed at any time without penalty, but you can't put that money back.
I'll feel guilty about saddling my children with lots of student loans. There's no reason you can't help them pay off those loans when you're very secure in retirement. At Christmas, write a check to their student loan holder, knocking off a chunk of their loans for them. This way, you'll be making the payments from a position of total security rather than from a position where the future is uncertain.
What if this makes my children fail to get an education? From my perspective, that's more of a commentary on the initiative of your children than anything else. If this roadblock somehow "prevents" them from going to college, they're showing a lack of self-motivation that will hinder them in more ways than just not getting a degree. Without that kind of drive, they'll be hard-pressed to succeed in any high-pressure field.
They might also simply not be interested in what college has to provide for them and are intelligent enough to make that decision on their own. In that situation, a trade school or something similar might actually be the best situation for their temperment, for one example. Students who attend trade schools can often earn a very good salary doing a wide variety of skilled labor.
This makes a strong case for saving for retirement instead of saving for your kid's education. But what about the flip side of the coin? Tune in later today to see that discussion.