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November 5, 1999, Section A, Page 1Buy Reprints
Congress approved landmark legislation today that opens the door for a new era on Wall Street in which commercial banks, securities houses and insurers will find it easier and cheaper to enter one another's businesses.
The measure, considered by many the most important banking legislation in 66 years, was approved in the Senate by a vote of 90 to 8 and in the House tonight by 362 to 57. The bill will now be sent to the president, who is expected to sign it, aides said. It would become one of the most significant achievements this year by the White House and the Republicans leading the 106th Congress.
''Today Congress voted to update the rules that have governed financial services since the Great Depression and replace them with a system for the 21st century,'' Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers said. ''This historic legislation will better enable American companies to compete in the new economy.''
The decision to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 provoked dire warnings from a handful of dissenters that the deregulation of Wall Street would someday wreak havoc on the nation's financial system. The original idea behind Glass-Steagall was that separation between bankers and brokers would reduce the potential conflicts of interest that were thought to have contributed to the speculative stock frenzy before the Depression.
Today's action followed a rich Congressional debate about the history of finance in America in this century, the causes of the banking crisis of the 1930's, the globalization of banking and the future of the nation's economy.
Administration officials and many Republicans and Democrats said the measure would save consumers billions of dollars and was necessary to keep up with trends in both domestic and international banking. Some institutions, like Citigroup, already have banking, insurance and securities arms but could have been forced to divest their insurance underwriting under existing law. Many foreign banks already enjoy the ability to enter the securities and insurance industries.
''The world changes, and we have to change with it,'' said Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, who wrote the law that will bear his name along with the two other main Republican sponsors, Representative Jim Leach of Iowa and Representative Thomas J. Bliley Jr. of Virginia. ''We have a new century coming, and we have an opportunity to dominate that century the same way we dominated this century. Glass-Steagall, in the midst of the Great Depression, came at a time when the thinking was that the government was the answer. In this era of economic prosperity, we have decided that freedom is the answer.''
In the House debate, Mr. Leach said, ''This is a historic day. The landscape for delivery of financial services will now surely shift.''
But consumer groups and civil rights advocates criticized the legislation for being a sop to the nation's biggest financial institutions. They say that it fails to protect the privacy interests of consumers and community lending standards for the disadvantaged and that it will create more problems than it solves.
The opponents of the measure gloomily predicted that by unshackling banks and enabling them to move more freely into new kinds of financial activities, the new law could lead to an economic crisis down the road when the marketplace is no longer growing briskly.
''I think we will look back in 10 years' time and say we should not have done this but we did because we forgot the lessons of the past, and that that which is true in the 1930's is true in 2010,'' said Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota. ''I wasn't around during the 1930's or the debate over Glass-Steagall. But I was here in the early 1980's when it was decided to allow the expansion of savings and loans. We have now decided in the name of modernization to forget the lessons of the past, of safety and of soundness.''
Senator Paul Wellstone, Democrat of Minnesota, said that Congress had ''seemed determined to unlearn the lessons from our past mistakes.''
''Scores of banks failed in the Great Depression as a result of unsound banking practices, and their failure only deepened the crisis,'' Mr. Wellstone said. ''Glass-Steagall was intended to protect our financial system by insulating commercial banking from other forms of risk. It was one of several stabilizers designed to keep a similar tragedy from recurring. Now Congress is about to repeal that economic stabilizer without putting any comparable safeguard in its place.''
Supporters of the legislation rejected those arguments. They responded that historians and economists have concluded that the Glass-Steagall Act was not the correct response to the banking crisis because it was the failure of the Federal Reserve in carrying out monetary policy, not speculation in the stock market, that caused the collapse of 11,000 banks. If anything, the supporters said, the new law will give financial companies the ability to diversify and therefore reduce their risks. The new law, they said, will also give regulators new tools to supervise shaky institutions.
''The concerns that we will have a meltdown like 1929 are dramatically overblown,'' said Senator Bob Kerrey, Democrat of Nebraska.
Others said the legislation was essential for the future leadership of the American banking system.
''If we don't pass this bill, we could find London or Frankfurt or years down the road Shanghai becoming the financial capital of the world,'' said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York. ''There are many reasons for this bill, but first and foremost is to ensure that U.S. financial firms remain competitive.''
But other lawmakers criticized the provisions of the legislation aimed at discouraging community groups from pressing banks to make more loans to the disadvantaged. Representative Maxine Waters, Democrat of California, said during the House debate that the legislation was ''mean-spirited in the way it had tried to undermine the Community Reinvestment Act.'' And Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, said it was ironic that while the legislation was deregulating financial services, it had begun a new system of onerous regulation on community advocates.
Many experts predict that, even though the legislation has been trailing market trends that have begun to see the cross-ownership of banks, securities firms and insurers, the new law is certain to lead to a wave of large financial mergers.
The White House has estimated the legislation could save consumers as much as $18 billion a year as new financial conglomerates gain economies of scale and cut costs.
Other experts have disputed those estimates as overly optimistic, and said that the bulk of any profits seen from the deregulation of financial services would be returned not to customers but to shareholders.
These are some of the key provisions of the legislation:
*Banks will be able to affiliate with insurance companies and securities concerns with far fewer restrictions than in the past.
*The legislation preserves the regulatory structure in Washington and gives the Federal Reserve and the Office of Comptroller of the Currency roles in regulating new financial conglomerates. The Securities and Exchange Commission will oversee securities operations at any bank, and the states will continue to regulate insurance.
*It will be more difficult for industrial companies to control a bank. The measure closes a loophole that had permitted a number of commercial enterprises to open savings associations known as unitary thrifts.
One Republican Senator, Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, voted against the legislation. He was joined by seven Democrats: Barbara Boxer of California, Richard H. Bryan of Nevada, Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland, Mr. Dorgan and Mr. Wellstone.
In the House, 155 Democrats and 207 Republicans voted for the measure, while 51 Democrats, 5 Republicans and 1 independent opposed it. Fifteen members did not vote.
Tucked away in the legislation is a provision that some experts today warned could cost insurance policyholders as much as $50 billion. The provision would allow mutual insurance companies to move to other states to avoid payments they would otherwise owe policyholders as they reorganize their corporate structure. Many states, including New York and New Jersey, do not allow such relocations without the consent of the insurer's domicile state. But the legislation before Congress would pre-empt the states.
Both the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and the Prudential Life Insurance Company are in the midst of reorganizing into stock-based corporations that are requiring them to pay billions of dollars to policyholders from years of accumulated surplus. In exchange, the policyholders give up their ownership in the mutual insurance company.
The legislation would permit any mutual insurance company to avoid making surplus payments to policyholders by simply moving to states with more permissive laws and setting up a hybrid corporate structure known as a mutual holding company.
The provision was inserted by Representative Bliley at the urging of a trade association. It attracted little opposition because it was attached to a provision that forbids insurers from discriminating against domestic-violence victims.
In a letter sent to Congress this week, Mr. Summers said that the provision ''could allow insurance companies to avoid state law protecting policyholders, enriching insiders at the expense of consumers.''


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We have a project where UI code will be developed by the same team but in a different language (Python/Django) from the services layer (REST/Java). The code for each layer exits in different code repositories and which can follow different release cycles. I'm trying to come up with a process that will prevent/reduce breaking changes in the services layer from the perspective of the UI layer.
I've thought to write integration tests at the UI layer level that we'll run whenever we build the UI or the services layer (we're using Jenkins as our CI tool to build the code which is in two Git repos) and if there are failures then something in the services layer broke and the commit is not accepted.
Would it also be a good idea (is it a best practice?) to have the developer of the services layer create and maintain a client library for the REST service that exists in the UI layer that they will update whenever there is a breaking change in their Service API? Conceivably, we would then have the advantage of a statically-typed API that the UI code builds against. If the client library API changes, then the UI code won't compile (so we'll know sooner that there was a breaking change). I'd also still run the integration tests upon building the UI or services layer to further validate that the integration between UI and the service(s) still works.

subset: commoncrawl


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Oakland directs Coliseum board members to reject A's lease
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Oakland's showdown with the A's and the O.co Coliseum board intensified Wednesday as rumors and accusations flew faster than a Coco Crisp line drive.
The drama is expected to culminate Thursday morning when the city's four representatives on the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority are expected to reject a 10-year lease deal worked out after months of negotiations with the A's. Their no votes would kill the lease deal.
The Oakland City Council is opposed to the deal, saying it's not beneficial enough to the city, and it has instructed two of its members - Rebecca Kaplan and Larry Reid - to present a new proposal to the Coliseum board on Thursday. Kaplan and Reid serve on the Coliseum board, which is made up of eight members - four each from the city and county.
'A little more patience'
"The council directed us to vote against it," Reid said. "This process has been extremely frustrating for me. I just hope Major League Baseball and the A's can have a little more patience with this council."
If the deal collapses, the A's will stay in Oakland at least another 18 months, when the team's current lease expires. After that, the A's would be free to move.
The city wants to see the A's annual lease payments increase over the course of the 10-year term, not decrease, as proposed. The Coliseum board agreed to the decrease - from $1.75 million to $1.25 million annually - as an incentive to keep the team through the duration of the lease. The team has been trying to leave Oakland for at least a decade, complaining of the aging Coliseum.
The City Council has influence over the deal because any deal approved by the Coliseum board must also win separate approvals from both the full council and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
But the team's co-owner, Lew Wolff, said Thursday he would not consider a revised lease and said the one the A's worked out with the Coliseum board, a group also known as the JPA, is the final version.
"We believe in our dealings with the JPA (that) we are 100 percent finished," Wolff said. "We have a 14-month negotiation finished and approved by Major League Baseball and the JPA. If someone wants to do something else, we have no interest in that.
"If we don't get a positive vote, we'll be very sad after 14 months of negotiations."
Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, chairman of the Coliseum board, said the city risks losing the A's if they don't agree to the current proposal.
'It's a moving target'
"The long and short of it is that we already have a good deal. Major League Baseball is comfortable with it. The A's are comfortable with it. Most of us at the JPA are comfortable with it," Miley said. "Ultimately, this just shows how challenging, if not impossible, it is to negotiate and do business here. It's a moving target - no one knows who they're negotiating with, or what the terms are. It's very disconcerting."
Miley said he is confident the current proposal is the best the Coliseum board and city can get and includes numerous provisions to protect taxpayers and keep the team in Oakland.
Last week, the Coliseum board was slated to vote on a lease and the four Oakland representatives - Reid, Kaplan, sports agent Aaron Goodwin and architect Yui Hay Lee - boycotted the meeting, leaving the board without a quorum to vote.
On Tuesday, the A's and the Coliseum board released a revised lease with several new provisions to benefit Oakland, including rent waivers if the team moves to another stadium within the city, and a requirement to give two years' notice if the team wants to leave before the 10 years are up. If the team does move to another city before the lease expires, it would have to continue paying a minimum of $1.25 million annual rent to the Coliseum.
But the main perk for the city and the Coliseum authority is a new $10 million scoreboard system, sources said. Under the deal announced Tuesday, the A's would purchase the scoreboard, which could also be used for Oakland Raiders games, concerts and other events at the facility, whether the A's stay or go.
The Coliseum authority is ordinarily responsible for maintaining the scoreboard but can't afford to replace the entire system, sources said.
Deadline looming
Miley said he's afraid the City Council's delays will threaten the entire deal, which is under urgent deadline pressure because construction on a new scoreboard must be agreed to by Aug. 1 if it's to be ready for next season.
The City Council's attempt to intervene in the Coliseum board's deal comes as some council members challenge Mayor Jean Quan for her seat in the November election. Nineteen people are running for mayor, including Councilwomen Kaplan and Libby Schaaf.
Carolyn Jones and Susan Slusser are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: email@example.com, email@example.com Twitter: @carolynajones, @susanslusser


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CHERRYVILLE � After earning second team Louisville Slugger All-American honors for his play at East Carolina in the spring, most fans would expect to hear about Drew Reynolds� summer collegiate baseball exploits.
Instead, a broken right pinky finger caused Reynolds to decline an invitation to play for the Bourne Braves of the prestigious Cape Cod Summer League � and has him back in his hometown.
Reynolds, who helped Cherryville to four of its current record streak of six straight North Carolina Area IV American Legion baseball titles, is a volunteer assistant coach for Post 100 as it pursues a seventh straight title.
�It was a great honor to be considered to go up there and play,� Reynolds said of his Cape Cod League invitation. �But everything happens for a reason. I�m just going to make the best of it and get ready for my senior season.�
Already a two-time All-Conference USA selection, Reynolds will be a key component to whatever success East Carolina has in its final year in that league as the Pirates prepare to join the American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East) in 2014.
�It�s very hard to imagine we�re talking about my senior year,� said Reynolds, who played for his father Bobby Reynolds at East Rutherford High and at Cherryville Post 100. �It�s just flown by. It feels like yesterday I was packing up to head to Greenville. But I�m looking forward to my last year and hope we can have a successful season.�
After spending his freshman season as a reserve where he hit .200 in 29 games and pitched only twice for a 41-21 NCAA tournament team, Drew Reynolds has been a top two-way performer for the Pirates.
In 2012, he hit .330 with three home runs and 24 RBIs while going 3-0 with 10 saves and a 3.00 ERA in 21 appearances on a 36-24-1 NCAA team. And this past spring, he hit .322 with 22 RBIs while going 3-2 with 14 saves and a 2.92 ERA in 28 appearances for a 31-26 team that failed to make the NCAAs.
�I felt I had a good year, but we had such a young team,� Drew Reynolds said of this past spring. �It�s really two different roles and I have to be two different players. But I enjoy it. It�s more of the mindset of, �I�m going to do what I can as a hitter first, then I�m going to prepare to pitch in relief.�
�There�s nothing I love more than being out there with the game on my shoulders. I�ve learned over the years from my experiences and from my dad that you have to be mentally tough to do well in that role.�
Drew Reynolds has simply continued the success he�s been a part of since helping Cherryville�s Chavis Middle School to the Gaston County championship game as a seventh-grader in 2005.
A three-year starter at East Rutherford High and member of a 2008 N.C. 2A runner-up and MVP of the 2010 N.C. 2A title team, Drew Reynolds was a four-year starter in the summers for Cherryville Post 100.
Not only did he help Cherryville to four straight Area IV titles, he hit .381 with a 22-4 pitching record and area-record 10 saves in his career that also saw Post 100 finish as N.C. runner-up in 2008 and as N.C. champion in 2011.
That 2011 summer season also included a 35-inning scoreless pitching streak that culminated with his victory in the N.C. title game over Wayne County.
Unfortunately, the past two summers have been injury-riddled for Drew Reynolds as his 2012 summer was ended after 14 games with the Forest City Owls of the Coastal Plain League due to a broken left index finger.
�It can be tough to not be able to play,� Drew Reynolds said. �But I have just started back throwing, hitting and weightlifting so I�ll be ready for fall drills and next spring.�
You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22


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Iraqi war flick "The Hurt Locker" won big at the Writers' Guild Awards Saturday evening, continuing its streak of awards-season victories that director Kathryn Bigelow could carry through to the Oscars.
"Hurt Locker" picked up best original screenplay, Reuters reported, while "Up in the Air," George Clooney's star vehicle, won for best adapted screenplay at the ceremony, which honored the best screenwriting in this year's film catalogue.
"The Hurt Locker" is the brainchild of Mark Boal, who worked with Bigelow to create the film, which is expected to rival "Avatar" at the Oscars.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
"Avatar" was directed by Bigelow's ex-husband, James Cameron, whose 3-D flick topped his other box office great, "Titanic," to become the world's highest-grossing movie.
Other winners at the WGA ceremony were "30 Rock" and "Mad Men," which picked up awards in the TV division for best comedy series and best drama series, respectively.
New sitcom "Modern Family" also won for best new series and comedy episode, while mainstay "House" won for best drama episode.
Larry David and writer/director Barry Levinson were also given lifetime achievement awards at the event.


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This section is for backyard builders, customs and cut downs
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Negative pregnancy tests, but where's my period?
Sarah replies:I haven't had my period for two months now (the last time I had my period was March 16). My b.f. and I fooled around but nothing happened, if you know what I mean. I then took 2 pregnancy tests and they both came out negative. At the end of April, I went to the pediatrician and they did a pregnancy test too (I don't know if they did it by blood or by urine). All the tests came out negative, but my period hasn't come yet and I just want to know what it could possibly be! I feel like I'm going to get my period, yet it just wont come. PLEASE HELP!
Pregnancy tests, both the blood and the urine type, are pretty darn accurate these days. So if you've had two negative home tests (HPTs) and a negative test at the doctor's office (assuming they were all correctly taken and done at least 14 days after the last time you were sexually active), then you should be able to rely on the results of those tests. If you are concerned that perhaps the tests were not done correctly, you have a couple of options. You can certainly get another HPT and test again at home, making sure to follow the directions very carefully. Once a person is pregnant and has produced enough of the hormone to show up on a test, they would be able to get a positive test throughout the rest of the pregnancy. So were you to be pregnant, you would be able to get a positive test for sure at this point. Your other option is to head back to your health care provider and ask for another pregnancy test. But again, it is highly unlikely that you would have tested negative on the tests you've already done and be pregnant right now unless you have had some sort of pregnancy risk since that time. But certainly, if you are overly concerned about this, re-testing certainly won't make you pregnant, but it might relieve your anxiety a bit. You can find out more about pregnancy tests by checking out our article: Peeing on a Stick: All About Pregnancy Tests.
However, since it sounds like you really don't have a pregnancy risk here (unless you have had contact that you did not mention), we can certainly look at other things that might cause you to have a late or missed period. Our bodies are not like machines. They don't always function in the ways we expect, or in the ways we might like the to work. Especially during the first five years or so of menstruation, it is very possible to have some (or lots of) irregularity. Your body is growing and changing, which can sometimes throw things off. Even if you've been regular in the past, it's not unusual for things to get weird all of a sudden for no apparent reason. (Heck, even in people who have been menstruating for a long time, some occasional irregularity can happen. And some people who menstruate will never be terribly regular.) Generally, this is going to work itself back out eventually. It's hard to say exactly how long it will take to become regular again (if you do). There can also be other causes like weight loss (or gain), changes in exercise routines, or even stress that can impact your menstrual cycle. You can check out our article M.I.A or, Dude, Where's My Period? for more information on the things that can cause your period to be late.
The bottom line is that it doesn't sound like you've had a pregnancy risk here (and three negative pregnancy tests pretty much rules out pregnancy at the moment). If your period continues to be absent, especially if you're to the point where you've actually missed 2 or more periods, then it's time to head back to your doctor just to get things checked out again. There can be certain medical conditions which can cause long-term absence of menstruation, but only your doctor can look at your medical history and examine you in order to be able to figure that out. For the moment, try to relax and not worry too much.
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Goblin Valley State Park
MUSHROOM MAYHEMVisitors to Goblin Valley State Park are awestruck by the thousands of mushroom-shaped sandstone formations standing sentry throughout the park. These eerie hoodoos were formed over millions of years, as layers of Entrada Sandstone eroded and alternating layers of silt and shale were deposited with the changing climates and landscapes. The weaker sandstone layers eroded from water and wind quicker than the harder rock, resulting in these exceptional formations. The park's unique landscape provided the backdrop for the movie Galaxy Quest, and one look at these 'goblins' and you'll understand why.
GOBLIN VALLEY HISTORYGoblin Valley, at an elevation of 5,100 feet, was initially discovered by cowboys searching for lost cattle. The area was noted again in the 1920s by Arthur Chaffin, owner of Hite Ferry, as he searched for an alternate route between Caineville and Green River. Awed by the mysterious rock formations, Chaffin dubbed the area 'Mushroom Valley' and returned nearly two decades later for an in-depth exploration of the isolated valley. The park was officially designated in 1964.
EXPLORING GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARKThere are three marked hiking trails in Goblin Valley State Park, making it easy to explore in an hour or two. The park is also noted for several walls of petroglyphs and pictographs, ancient evidence of Fremont, Paiute and other Native American residents. The 3,654-acre park has a 25-unit campground but there is also lodging in nearby Hanksville, just twelve miles from the park. To reach this extraordinary landscape from Hanksville, travel along Highway 24 to the Temple Mountain/Goblin Valley Junction. Travel west on a paved road for about five miles, then south to the park entrance.


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Ravens defensive lineman Arthur Jones has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender. Jones is due a one-year base salary of $2.032 million.
By signing his tender prior to an NFL deadline on April 19 for teams to submit offer sheets to restricted free agents, Jones is now ineligible to sign with another team.
If Jones had signed with another team, the Ravens own the right of first refusal to match any offer or be compensated with a second-round draft pick.
Jones emerged as a starter at left defensive end last season, recording a career-high 47 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks with one forced fumble. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound 2010 fifth-round draft pick from Syracuse played in every game, starting six of them.
Meanwhile, linebacker Albert McClellan signed his $555,000 exclusive-rights free agent tender.
McClellan had 42 tackles, one sack and two fumble recoveries last season on defense, and he also had seven special teams tackles and one forced fumble.
Latest Ravens


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QC LAB: Via FerrataWednesday, September 7, 2016
Before any piece of Black Diamond gear makes it on to the shelves, it spends months, sometimes years getting put through the wringer by our Director of Quality, Kolin Powick, and his team of Quality Assurance engineers. Through extensive and meticulous testing, both in the lab and in the field, KP and his team help ensure that you can count on your BD gear to be as durable, reliable and as strong as possible every time you head into the mountains or out to the crags. Our QC Lab posts aim to answer some of climbing's most common gear-related questions.
In early August there was a fatal accident on a via ferrata in Austria where a climber fell and both lanyards on the energy absorbing system broke.
This accident did NOT involve Black Diamond Equipment products.
There was an investigation by the manufacturer as well as by the German Alpine Club, which discovered that the particular design, after excessive use, failed to meet the standard requirements. Subsequently, the manufacturer of the particular model of via ferrata set, as well as other manufacturers incorporating similar designs, issued recalls for many of their products.
The German Alpine Club issued a warning to its members to inspect their equipment and ensure that it is not affected by the recalls. To read the warning, CLICK HERE.
There was an emergency meeting of the UIAA Safety Commission, which resulted in a press release to the same effect: http://www.theuiaa.org/news_389_Worldwide-warning-to-users-of-via-ferrata-sets
Black Diamond's via ferrata sets are not affected by these notices or recalls. Although BD products were not involved in the accident, we felt it necessary to reinforce that proper usage and knowledge of your gear is of the utmost importance to staying safe in the field.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of the victim. As always, no equipment will last forever. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for care, inspection, and general guidelines for life expectancy, and if in doubt, retire your gear.
For those who don't know what via ferrata is all about (i.e. most people in North America), this incident provides a good opportunity to review the basics.
So what is a via ferrata? (From Wikipedia): A via ferrata (Italian for "iron road") is a protected climbing route that is equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders and bridges. The use of these allows otherwise dangerous routes to be accessible to people with a wide range of climbing abilities. Walkers and climbers can follow via ferrata without needing to use their own ropes and belays, and without the risks associated with unprotected scrambling and climbing. The majority of the world's via ferratas are found in the Alps and throughout Europe, with a handful found here in North America.
To a true rock climber, a via ferrata may not sound like much, but let me just tell you from first-hand, former-naysayer experience—don't knock it until you try it. They are surprisingly fun. You take minimal gear, there are no belays so you're constantly moving, and you are able to cover and see all kinds of great terrain. It's a total blast.
In normal climbing, the rope absorbs energy in the event of a fall. However, while climbing a via ferrata, you typically aren't using a rope, therefore, in order to be able to relatively safely ascend the route, a climber uses a via ferrata "set" to absorb energy in the unlikely event of a fall. Black Diamond Equipment currently manufactures and sells two different models: Iron Cruiser and Easy Rider.
Components of a Via Ferrata Set
Before talking about how and what a Via Ferrata Set does, first we'll talk about the components:
1. Carabiners
- autolocking
- easy-to-open because you typically open these gates hundreds of times per day in order to bypass anchors in the VF system
- K-type carabiner — must comply to different certification standards than a "normal" climbing carabiner
2. Lanyard arms
- typically made of structural webbing
- often elasticized so that the arms can extend and retract, which makes it more convenient
3. EAS (energy absorbing system)
- the heart of the VF system, this is the component that absorbs energy in a fall, so that the loads are reduced on all of the other components of the system, the via ferrata structure, and, of course, the climber.
4. Attachment loop
- the means of attaching the system to your harness.
How it Works
- The attachment loop is girth hitched to your harness
- The EAS is usually right next to the attachment loop, and just kind of hangs there as you walk, ascend or climb the via ferrata. The lanyards extend from the EAS system to the two carabiners. The carabiners are connected to the via ferrata cables, which run alongside the chosen path ascending the rock.
- There are anchors connecting the cables to the rock every 3, 5 or 10 meters or so, depending on the terrain and who installed the via ferrata.
- Sometimes you're climbing the rock, sometimes you're climbing iron rungs that have been pounded into the rock, sometimes you're literally grabbing the cable and hauling yourself up (gloves are pretty much mandatory while climbing a via ferrata)
- When you come to anchor and need to pass it, you unclip one carabiner, pass the anchor, and then unclip the other carabiner and lanyard, and pass the anchor. This way you are always clipped in to at least one carabiner and lanyard.
There are no two ways about it—falling on a via ferrata would be bad. The way the system is designed to work if you were to fall is when the carabiners hit the last anchor point, the lanyards extend, and as the load increases to a certain point the EAS starts to tear (in the case of BD's) or slip intentionally (in other designs) absorbing the energy of the fall. The EAS continues to extend, absorbing energy as the climber slows and eventually stops.
Most official requirements for climbing gear (which includes via ferrata equipment) are ultimate strength related. The system is designed based on an 80 kg climber, and a fall of 5 m:
- The force of initiation is 1.2 kN—meaning that the system shouldn't slip or start absorbing any energy until a load greater than 1.2 kN is reached.
- The maximum allowable elongation of the system is 1.2 meters; this is to limit the amount of extension during a fall.
- At no point can the load go any higher than 6 kN. This is to try to reduce the load the climber sees on him/herself.
- Each lanyard must be able to withstand a static load of 9 kN, which basically gives the lanyards a bit of a buffer over the max allowable force during an actual fall.
More details about via ferrata standards and testing requirements can be found on the UIAA website here:
- UIAA 128 for the EAS system
- And UIAA 121 for carabiners (a carabiner for via ferrata must meet type K requirements)
This all may seem a bit complicated, but it's not. First rule: don't fall on a via ferrata. This is NOT like sport climbing where you're pushing the limits and taking whippers all day. Second: the system is designed to reduce the loads during a fall, however, as stated above, a fall would still not be fun. And finally: remember the current standard and most systems on the market are designed based on an 80 kg (176 lb) climber. Be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions if you are of a significantly different weight—it may be prudent to incorporate a secondary roped belay in some instances.
Additional BD Testing
As with all of testing we do with our climbing gear (and even our non-climbing gear), we go way above and beyond any official requirements. In order for a piece of our gear to make it to the market, it must withstand all that we can dream up. This usually involves many different configurations of use, abuse and mis-use, testing in extreme environmental conditions, simulated cyclic and durability testing, and of course extensive field testing. Only after a piece of gear can successfully be put through the wringer do we give it the green light to hit the store shelves.
Check out the video below for a peek at one of our via ferrata system tests at our on-site drop tower.
Black Diamond Via Ferrata Testing from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.
Bottom Line
Via ferratas are very popular in Europe, and if you get the chance you should give one a try. The gear is pretty hi-tech, but like anything, it won't last forever. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for life expectancy based on amount and intensity of use, etc. Of course the more you use it, as in professional use or with rental agencies, the life expectancy will likely be greatly diminished. Always inspect your gear, and when in doubt, it may be time to retire it.
Climb safe,


text:
Sealing competence for the oil and gas industry
Seals are key components for the operation of oil and gas plants. Rotating equipment, such as pumps, agitators and compressors; valves and flanges, as well as pipes and ducts carrying gases and liquids, must be reliably sealed. M&P Sealing provides a comprehensive product portfolio, long-term branch experience, and a profound knowledge of the processes.
Whether a large series seal or an engineered one-off solution: M&P Sealing products are always robust, reliable, easy to assemble, and present a strong case due to their exemplary cost-benefit ratio. They provide optimal sealing solutions for the processes of up-, mid- and downstream.
Upstream, midstream, downstream: Sealing solutions for the entire process chain
Pumping, transporting, processing: M&P Sealing has significant experience in all segments and offers advanced sealing systems and services to meet all technical, environmental, and economical requirements.


text:
Sony has repeated its claim that it'll focus on high-end smartphones.
CEO Kaz Hirai told Bloomberg: "We basically are out of the feature-phone business and in the Android-based smartphone business. We are more in toward the high end of the market as opposed to trying to get into the commoditised portion."
This chimes with what Xperia product marketing manager Stephen Sneeden said a few days ago. So the Sony lot seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet.
Abandon hope, all ye who entry level
Sneeden said last week: "We're ready to be a premium smartphone provider, logically then, at the very entry level is where you lose the 'Sonyness'. And it's where you cannot implement some of these wonderful ideas from Sony at such a low cost, we might leave the very entry tier to some other manufacturers."
Hirai is more direct about his aims. He wants to focus on the high-end to turn a profit from Xperia smartphones. "That's why we are in this business, and that's why we invested heavily in the business," he said. "I believe we still have a lot of room to grow."
While Sony has its sights set on the high-end, Apple is rumoured to be readying a budget version of its iPhone.
Via Bloomberg


text:
Court: Man can't sue gov't over records sharing
WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the federal government cannot be sued for emotional distress after two agencies improperly shared a man's medical records detailing his HIV status.
"We hold that the Privacy Act does not unequivocally authorize an award of damages for mental or emotional distress," said Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the 5-3 opinion throwing out Stanmore Cooper's lawsuit. "Accordingly, the act does not waive the federal government's sovereign immunity from liability for such harms."
The San Francisco man, who is HIV-positive, disclosed that information to Social Security officials to receive medical benefits, but withheld it from the Federal Aviation Administration. During a criminal investigation involving pilots' medical fitness to fly, the Social Security Administration gave the FAA the medical records of some 45,000 Northern California residents who applied for licenses.
The FAA was investigating whether pilots were using one set of doctors to certify their fitness to fly while applying to Social Security for disability payments using other doctors to support claims of illness and injury.
Cooper was identified in "Operation Safe Pilot" as an FAA licensee who also was receiving disability benefits. He admitted withholding his HIV condition from the FAA on applications filed between 1998 and 2004. Cooper pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement. He paid a $1,000 fine.
The FAA has since changed its policy, but HIV-positive applicants once were denied a pilot's license.
Despite the conviction, he sued the federal government in 2007 for violating the Privacy Act after discovering that the Social Security Administration turned over his medical records to the FAA without his consent.
U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled he could only recover actual damages. Because Cooper only alleged emotional distress and no out-of-pocket expenses over disclosures of a disease he kept private, the judge tossed out the suit. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that, saying emotional distress caused by the disclosure of Cooper's illness counts as actual damages.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer dissented, saying they would have let the Privacy Act lawsuit move forward. The ruling "cripples the Act's core purpose of redressing and deterring violations of privacy interests," Sotomayor said.
Justice Elena Kagan did not participate because she worked on the case while solicitor general.
The high court also:
-- Ruled immigrants who committed crimes before the government changed the law to keep criminal immigrants from entering the United States can travel abroad for brief periods without jeopardizing their resident alien status. In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court said Panagis Vartelas' guilty plea in 1994 is controlled by the "legal regime in force at the time of his conviction," not by the 1996 law that banned foreign travel by criminal immigrants like him.
Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, saying since Vartelas' trip happened in 2003, the law in force at that time should apply.
-- Ruled that judges can order federal sentences to run consecutively with future state sentences. In his 6-3 opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia said Monroe Setser did not identify "any flaw in the District Court's decision-making process" when it sentenced him to a 151-month prison term to run consecutively with a future state sentence for a drug offense and parole violation. Texas officials eventually gave him a five-year sentence on the probation violation and 10 years on the drug charge.
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony Kennedy and Stephen Breyer dissented, with Breyer saying "a federal sentencing judge does not have the power to order that a `federal sentence be consecutive to an anticipated state sentence that has not yet been imposed.'"


text:
As a Group, we are reliable and responsive and whichever of our specialists you deal with, you can be assured that they will be committed to providing you with an attentive, personal service.
We currently have over 500 professionals at 19 offices across the UK. To read more about key individuals at each of our offices, and for individual contact details, please follow the location links, or search by name or specialism.


text:
Today's BDR guest poster is Rebecca from Searching Out Simple.
Rebecca always makes adorable clothes for her son and little girls, so I knew she would come up with something awesome to share. ______________________
Rebecca always makes adorable clothes for her son and little girls, so I knew she would come up with something awesome to share. ______________________
Hi! I'm Rebecca from Searching Out Simple. I have three kids, two dogs, an Army husband and a to-do list that will keep me busy for years if I ever get it all done. I love creating things for my home and family as well as gift giving. If I'm sewing or Mod-Podging things together you know there is a pile of laundry on the bed and stack of dishes in the sink. But a girl's gotta have priorities right? Right. ;)
I was so excited about Jen's BDR series and flattered that she asked me to guest post. My dress is somewhat inspired by a drop waist dress I saw at the store and thought "hey, I could make that for less than $5". I love a challenge. I hope my tutorial inspires even the beginning seamstress, that with enough determination {and maybe a few choice words} you can see a vision come to life and learn some lessons along the way.
*Disclaimer* I am still fairly new at making clothing. I have a lot to learn about clothing construction and this did not turn out to be a drop waist dress.
* button down shirt {I used a short sleeve my husband didn't want}
* coordinating thread
* white or coordinating color cotton {1/4 should be enough}
* extra buttons {optional}
Step 1
First I put my trusty seam ripper to work and removed the sleeves, collar and pocket from the shirt. Set those pieces aside, you'll use some later. Fold what's left of the shirt in half and place a dress that fits on top, also folded in half. Trace around the dress leaving room for seam allowance. I believe most people use 5/8" seam allowance.
Step 2
Put right sides of dress together {I didn't cut the top of the sleeve so I just folded the dress in half at the shoulder with right sides facing). Fold the bottom of dress 1/4" two times to create new hem, press, pin and sew. {Ignore the horizontal stripe pieces shown here, this was an idea that didn't work out}. Do the same thing on the sleeves to hem. Then sew from the edge of sleeve to the bottom of dress on both sides.
Step 3
To create the bib I referred to this tutorial. Instead of one piece of white cotton I had two pieces so it could still button up to put on and take off. My pieces were 8"x12" with two inches for the button up center. I accidentally sewed my button hole to the inside piece instead of the outer piece so this dress buttons backwards on the top and I sewed a white ruffle to the top. As you can see, I wasn't very careful while cutting the bib shape, I thought I could cut it folded in half but it didn't come out evenly. Definitely trace a round object and cut along your line. I attached the bib to the button down like sewing an applique, next time I'd like to try a cleaner method.
The second picture shows a lesson learned. If you're sewing past your bedtime, triple check what you're doing before cutting fabric. I accidentally cut the back of the shirt while cutting the front for the bib. I pieced it back together and later sewed the tag that was on the inside to the outside, I thought it was something unexpected.
Step 4
Next came the ruffle at the bottom. I used two pieces of white cotton measuring 2" x twice the width of the dress bottom. I pressed & sewed a 1/4" hem on both sides of the strips then created the ruffle by sewing down the middle of each strip with my tension at the tightest setting and stitch length at the longest. Next, pin the first ruffle strip starting at one side of the front with the bottom of the ruffle lining up with the hem. Continue pinning the second ruffle overlapping slightly in the back and finishing up at the other side of the front.
Step 5
Add a pocket! That pocket you set to the side before can be made new again. I made a gathered pocket method I've used before using this tutorial and put a piece of the collar along the top and some extra ruffle strip.
Step 6
Step 6
The dress was fine without a collar but seemed a little unfinished. So I hemmed the rest of the old collar and sewed it to the inside of the neckline with a zig zag stitch, about 1/4" overlapping.
Step 7
I don't have pictures showing this step but I replaced all of the original buttons on this shirt. They were originally a shiny off white. My daughter chose tan for the buttons on the stripes, blue for the white {backwards} and I put a brown one on the pocket.
And there you have it!
A button down turned dress with a crooked bib, backward buttons, ruffle trim, functioning pocket and little collar. I would still like to add a little button and finishing technique that Jen shared on day 4 of BDR to the sleeves and maybe a little elastic in the back to hold it's shape better but those will have to wait.
I really do love how this dress turned out, though during the process it was one of those things that makes me want to poke myself with a needle in the eye. If you make a dress using this tutorial I'd love to see the finished product! Thank you for having me Jen!
Thanks, Rebecca!
I've seen so many cute bib shirts and dresses out there, this is definitely something I'll have to try for my daughter. If you haven't already, make sure to check out Rebecca's site, Searching Out Simple, and share some love.
Tomorrow will be the final post in the Button Down Rehab series. I kind of can't believe it, my life has been so full of button down shirts for the past month! I hope you'll drop by for the final post, it's a good one!
Click on the picture below to see the BDR projects you may have missed:


text:
A worrying new study found that BPA is not the only chemical leaching from common household plastic products that come in contact with food. Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst from the Environmental Working Group said in an NPR story Wednesday:
"We've long cautioned consumers to avoid extreme heat and cooling for plastics, to discard scratched and worn plastics and we feel like this (study) validates one of our many concerns," she says.
According to the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, this is a problem that can be solved.


text:
"As of 8 p.m. Central Vatican Time, we are officially popeless," Steven Colbert declared at the beginning of his segment on the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI.
Then, with a straight face, Colbert offered a few more succinct summaries of the situation the world's Catholics now find themselves in.
"We have been disempopenated."
U.S. & World
"We have undergone a popendectamy."
And, for good measure: "Pope goes the weasel."
Colbert then went on to comment on the "controversial" remarks made by Benedict during his final sermon, namely that during his reign as pope he experienced great joy—but also had moments of great difficulty he felt "the Lord was sleeping."
Whoa! The pope—or now ex-pope—just upset one of the world's most outspoken Roman Catholics, Steven Colbert.
"Excuse me!" Colbert said. "God does not sleep. He has to stay awake all the time to catch you masturbating."
But, Benedict's comment aside, Colbert went on to thank the retired pontiff for "your leadership of my faith; you've done the Lord's work with honor and integrity."
Okay! Moving on! Having said his obligatory thank-you, Colbert then got gabbing about what is presumably on the minds of many devoted Catholics everyhwere: "Who's gonna be the next top pontiff?"
Nobody knows, Colbert assured us. But there are some favorites, namely Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana.
"Well, that makes sense," said Colbert. "The church is in a mess right now, and they always give the crappy cleanup job to the black guy." Then a picture of Cardinal Turkson and President Barack Obama flashed on the screen.
For more pope talk, including surprising details about Pope Benedict XVI souvenirs—plates, T-shirts, baseball hats and more!—check out the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:
The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive


text:
Annals of cheap: Tsume-hodai
The average household is seeing tighter food budgets thanks to worldwide rise in the prices of basic commodities. And while these price rises will curb deflation, they won't have much of an effect on the downward pressure that deflation has put on wages. So while food prices will go up, your paycheck will remain the same.
Still, supermarkets and other food retailers will likely try to keep their prices as low as possible for competitive purposes. And since everyone is doing that, marketing chiefs have to come up with ways to get you into their stores in the first place. Traditionally, supermarkets put on shows: They buy a huge, expensive tuna and have some knife expert come in and slice it up in a grand, flamboyant way. The housewives love it, and while they're there they buy other stuff. With penny-pinching in vogue like never before, loss-leader type events are more attractive. Loss leaders are products or product lines that are sold below cost mainly for promotional purposes. The style of promotion that's become most prominent in recent years at food stores is tsume-hodai.
Tsumeru means "to stuff," and hodai means "as much as you want." In tsume-hodai sales, the retailer offers selected wares, usually produce, in bulk. Customers stuff bags provided by the retailer with as much of a given product as they can fit into them and then pay a set low price for each filled bag. Some years ago when the idea was first launched, it was usually only low-priced vegetables that were offered, like potatoes or onions. Eventually, vegetables were joined by fruit, then fish, and even sometimes meat. Last weekend we saw a tsume-hodai table set up on the street outside a discount supermarket offering pastries and other baked goods. Given the enthusiasm with which the housewives were stuffing the pastries into their plastic bags we assumed by the time they got home they would be filled with sweet, doughy mush.
Some supermarkets have actually become famous for their regular tsume-hodai fairs, which typically attract evening news crews who like nothing better than the spectacle of middle-aged women pushing and shoving and cramming. The fad's apex, however, is represented by outlets of the convenience store chain Lawson that feature Kobe Hotto Deli, a buffet of prepared food. Instead of throwing unsold food away, KHD offers its own brand of tsume hodai: You take a tray of cooked rice and top it with as many dishes as possible for the uniform price of ¥390, which is usually what a dish would cost individually. The only condition is that the lid has to fit snugly over it. No leaning towers of fried prawns.


text:
Sweet Jojo Designs Blue and Gray Avery Collection Changing Pad Cover
Blue and Gray Avery Changing Pad Cover will help complete the look of your Sweet Jojo Designs nursery. This changing pad cover can be used with standard or contoured changing pads up to 17 in. x 31 in. It also has elastic edges for a tailored, snug fit.
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text:
The locker room is the player's haven. A place where they can be themselves, relax and get away from the fans, media and general pressure that they have to perform. It is only fitting that your team should make the locker room as friendly and as comfortable as possible.
Pretty much all of our furniture is a perfect fit for your locker room. Whether it is office chairs or folding chairs for each players locker area or recliners or sofas for the lounge area, DreamSeat has you covered. Your players will not only be comfortable but they will take immense pride in the team when they see the logo all over the furniture. Know more : http://www.dreamseat.com/


text:
beauty contest(redirected from Beauty contests)
Also found in: Dictionary.
Beauty Contest
In Keynesian economics, a concept describing how rational investors are expected to buy and sell securities. According to the theory, in a free market, rational investors tend to buy securities they believe everyone else thinks are valuable, rather than the ones they themselves believe are valuable. That is, because demand for securities drives prices up and down, rational investors attempt to estimate their demand rather than their intrinsic values. The term is based on a fictional newspaper contest in which contestants are asked to identify one woman among six that other people think to be the most beautiful, rather than the woman the contestant likes best himself.


text:
Faith Episode 17
Faith Episode 17 English Sub
Comments (104) ADD COMMENT
what's with the king's uncle? why does he want to marry the high doctor? is he in love with heror what? he doesn't really believe that she is from heaven. so why? someone explane me. and why does the other evil guy accept that? didn't he want the high doctor for himself?
well, it was to distract the General's attention and make a serious mistake, which would also take the King's life... Gi Cheol, the Prince in court, as I understood, was more interested into going through the heaven's door than the Doctor herself - he found out he won't live, and he wanted to change that
4 years ago . Report
Don´t get me wrong but this is so borinnnnggggg!! Lee is a wonderful actor, but i don´t know why this drama is so extremely boring. The lady doctor is so older than him, i don´t care but she is no charismatic. i didn´t enjoy this drama. Sorry i would rather go for Secret Garden
well, it is boring ...the script is not great - too many episodes and they can't fill them properly... the Doctor is old, but she is beautiful :)
4 years ago . Report
The long awaited kiss at last. Ep 17 before it happened.
littletigerkyaa...lead actress is very beautiful and smart..
About 7 years ago . Report
putriAgreed.she really suit with lee min ho in this drama
LOL!!!! Assistant General says to General about the royal soldiers he was talking with, "These are my comrades cum friends." They are his cum friends lol. Sorry, but that is hilarious. This happens on part 4, 3:23min... Childish or not, after I read he called them his cum friends in the subtitles, whether it was a typo, I could not let it go from mentioning it here and laughing out loud. Heheheheh
michaelme too!!!
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text:
A Media Personality, Suffering a Blow to His Image, Ponders a Lesson
By CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY
Published: August 20, 2012
When Lynda and Stewart Resnick, the Beverly Hills entrepreneurs who founded POM Wonderful, wanted to host a dinner at their Aspen home in 2006 to talk about the Iraq war, they assembled a list of 22 A-list guests, including Queen Noor of Jordan, George Soros, the financier, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California.Leading the list of journalists was one of their favorite guests: Fareed Zakaria, the Indian-born Harvard Ph.D and foreign-policy specialist who had turned himself into an unlikely media star.
''When he speaks, I listen,'' Ms. Resnick said last week. ''I am just so thrilled that he exists, that there is someone like that.''
Since that evening, the Resnicks have watched Mr. Zakaria climb the media ladder to even greater heights -- running Newsweek International, writing columns for Time magazine and The Washington Post, hosting ''GPS,'' his own program on CNN, and becoming one of the favorite dinner companions of the power elite.
But Mr. Zakaria's career suffered an abrupt setback recently after bloggers discovered that his column of Aug. 20 for Time magazine had passages lifted almost entirely from an article by the historian Jill Lepore that appeared in The New Yorker in April.
Mr. Zakaria quickly apologized. But within minutes, Time had suspended him for a month and CNN, which had posted parts of the column on its Web site, removed the article and suspended him until further notice. Both began investigations of his work, as did The Post.
On Thursday afternoon, Time and CNN said they had completed their reviews, found no evidence of plagiarism and restored Mr. Zakaria to his demanding schedule. Just as quickly as his employers had questioned his credibility, they rallied around him.
''He's one of the premier global intellectuals,'' said Richard Stengel, managing editor of Time. ''He will recover.''
Not that long ago, getting a column in Time would have been the pinnacle of a journalist's career. But expectations and opportunities have grown in the last few years. Many writers now market themselves as separate brands, and their journalism works largely as a promotion for more lucrative endeavors like writing books and public speaking.
The problem, as Mr. Zakaria discovered, is that stain from any scandal can spread across platforms, threatening the image he had carefully built.
''This guy is his own brand,'' said Jim Kelly, a former top editor at Time. ''So when doing that, you have to be really careful at how you extend yourself. The American corporate landscape is littered with disastrous brand extensions.''
In an interview on Friday in his CNN office, Mr. Zakaria again apologized for what he had called ''a terrible mistake.''
''This week has been very important because it has made me realize what is at the core of what I want to do,'' Mr. Zakaria said. He said he wanted to ''help people to think about this fast-moving world and do this through my work on TV and writing.''
He added: ''Other things will have to go away. There's got to be some stripping down.''
Even a stripped-down schedule for Mr. Zakaria seems ambitious. Mr. Zakaria said he works on his column ideas each weekend, reports them on Monday, writes on Tuesday and Wednesday and films his Sunday television program on Thursday.
Then there are the three books he wrote and one book he edited, the speeches, the Twitter postings, all while trying to spend mornings with his family. On a recent Friday he was trying to cook pancakes and French toast for his three children who range in age from 4 to 13.
Mr. Zakaria said he never had an assistant write a column in 25 years and that he began using a research assistant for his column only in the last year.
The mistake, he said, occurred when he confused the notes he had taken about Ms. Lepore's article -- he said he often writes his research in longhand -- with notes taken from ''Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America,'' by Adam Winkler (W.W. Norton, 2011), a copy of which was on his desk at his CNN office.
Charles R. Eisendrath, director of the Knight-Wallace Fellows in journalism at the University of Michigan, said the episode reflects the economic realities underlying the media business, where magazines have become more dependent on single personalities.
''What happens in the media is the cult of personality,'' he said. ''The brands who have been forced to cut their staff have been forced to take on the brands of journalists.''
He compared what happened to Mr. Zakaria to some of the challenges that Dan Rather went through before his fall. Mr. Rather stepped down as anchor of ''The CBS Evening News'' after the network began an investigation into his report on ''60 Minutes II'' on President George W. Bush's National Guard record. He was doing four jobs while his predecessor Walter Cronkite was able to focus on one, Mr. Eisendrath said. ''As long as it's cheaper to brand individual personalities than to build staff and bolster their brand, they will do it,'' he said.
Friends say Mr. Zakaria, 48, has always been a multitasker -- and an ambitious one. Boykin Curry, said that when they were Yale undergraduates and Mr. Zakaria ran the Yale Political Union, he set up trips to meet the vice president, Isaac Asimov and Andy Rooney. At the same time, Mr. Curry said, Mr. Zakaria always seemed so well read that ''I figured he just never had to sleep.''
Gideon Rose, another close college friend of Mr. Zakaria's and managing editor of Foreign Affairs magazine, said that Mr. Zakaria has always been efficient even with his private time. As he approached middle age, Mr. Zakaria grew more committed to an exercise routine of running and tennis and stuck to it. In 2011, he briefly separated from his wife, Paula Throckmorton, but said they were back together.
''I wish I had one-tenth of the energy and productivity he has,'' Mr. Rose said. ''I am much more normal than he is and therefore much less disciplined.''
After spending eight years as an editor at Foreign Policy magazine, Mr. Zakaria established his public reputation with a cover article for Newsweek in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks titled ''Why They Hate Us.''
He publicly favored the Iraq invasion, although he argued for a multinational force and was critical of how the war was conducted. Moving to Time, he wrote ''How to Restore the American Dream'' a cover article and a CNN special.
Barrett Sheridan, a book researcher for Mr. Zakaria from 2008 to 2010, described his former boss as a ''phenomenally fast and lucid writer'' and said that he never knew Mr. Zakaria to have a ghostwriter.
Nisid Hajari, who worked with Mr. Zakaria at Newsweek from 2001 through 2010, said that, unlike some other columnists, Mr. Zakaria did his own research and writing. ''I've edited other writers who seem to me to be overextended, and you can see it in their copy,'' Mr. Hajari said. ''Fareed was never like that.''
Current and former colleagues say that Mr. Zakaria has been very deliberate in the assignments he will take on. Mark Whitaker, managing editor of CNN Worldwide and former editor of Newsweek, said that Mr. Zakaria told him he had turned down suggestions that he start appearing daily on CNN.
Former colleagues at Newsweek International said he was involved in choosing covers and generating ideas but did little line editing and was more the public face of the magazine.
Now he says he plans to cut back work with groups like the Council on Foreign Relations, the Little Shakespeare Company and the Yale University governing board. He also says he plans to make fewer speeches.
''This has been a tough week, but it has also been clarifying,'' he said. ''You find out what matters to you in life, who your friends are.''
Ms. Resnick counts herself as one of his admirers. ''It's not his character to do these things,'' she said about the plagiarism. ''I think it's a tempest in a teapot.''
PHOTO: Fareed Zakaria, a foreign-policy specialist, hosts ''GPS'' on CNN as well as writing for Time magazine and The Washington Post. (PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN NOWAK/CNN)


text: A new Request for Comments is now available in online RFC libraries. RFC 5554 Title: Clarifications and Extensions to the Generic Security Service Application Program Interface (GSS-API) for the Use of Channel Bindings Author: N. Williams Status: Standards Track Date: May 2009 Mailbox: Nicolas.Williams at sun.com Pages: 4 Characters: 8173 Updates: RFC2743 I-D Tag: draft-ietf-kitten-gssapi-channel-bindings-07.txt URL: http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5554.txt This document clarifies and generalizes the Generic Security Service Application Programming Interface (GSS-API) "channel bindings" facility, and imposes requirements on future GSS-API mechanisms and programming language bindings of the GSS-API. [STANDARDS TRACK] This document is a product of the Kitten (GSS-API Next Generation) Working Group of the IETF. This is now a Proposed Standard Protocol. STANDARDS TRACK: This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the Internet community,and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the Internet Official Protocol Standards (STD 1) for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. This announcement is sent to the IETF-Announce and rfc-dist lists. To subscribe or unsubscribe, see http://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-announce http://mailman.rfc-editor.org/mailman/listinfo/rfc-dist For searching the RFC series, see http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfcsearch.html. For downloading RFCs, see http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc.html. Requests for special distribution should be addressed to either the author of the RFC in question, or to rfc-editor at rfc-editor.org. Unless specifically noted otherwise on the RFC itself, all RFCs are for unlimited distribution. The RFC Editor Team USC/Information Sciences Institute


text:
* Please add a line to the story and determine where it goes.
1.) Only write 1 to 2 sentences
2.) Keep it clean
3.) Have fun and spread the word so the story grows
Here's the story that has formed so far:Awesome people who have authored the story by adding lines so far: Sullivan McPig, Julie@My5monkeys, Susan Jane Bigelow, barmybex, Tiny Reverse Vampire, Man of la Book
"Why me?" she cried.
Once upon a time in a time not that long ago there was a disturbance.
cause of the disturbance was something that was well...truly
disturbing. In fact it was so disturbing that at first it was quite
unclear what this disturbance was, because anyone who saw it was too
disturbed to talk about it.
came a noisy unruly girl who demanded that all must obey her. She was
the girl of the mayor and weird things did happen around her. Pigeons
tap danced when she blinked her eyes and cockroaches would mimic her
words when she spoke. Lights would go off and babies would cry when she
This girl
stood in the center of town, pigeons dancing, roaches waiting, lights
flickering and babies crying all around. She struck her umbrella on the
cobblestones. A hush fell over the town as purple sparks shot out of
the tip of the umbrella and even the pigeons stopped their dancing and
seemed to hold their breath.
the astounded masses watched a massive hole slowly appeared in the
middle of the street. As the dust settled it was revealed...a giant
staircase leading down to complete darkness and then a faint music
started to radiate from its depths.
was such a ruckus in the town and trying to make sure that all the
citizens were fine. The music coming out of the hole had a mesmerizing
sound that attracted all the citizens. It was almost like children's
The girl grinned mischievously and whistled along with the music while she slowly descended down the hole.
further down she went the louder the music echoed. A strange shift
filled the air and a cold wind howled past causing her hair to flutter
round her face, but it didn't distract her. As she confidently walked on
some of the pigeons and cockroaches followed her, cautiously and
trembling with fear and a sense of foreboding.
a high, piping voice said, "there are dangers below!" One of the
pigeons had spoken. This was not a terrific surprise to the girl, who
did not pause in her descent." Stay above ground if you don't have the
courage to follow me," she stated calmly." But I must go on. The faith
of the town depends on this."
she kept traveling downward the tone of the music seemed to change and
become more insistent. Then in the distance a faint shimmering light
It glowed
a dull purple at first, but then changed to a harsh, angry blue that
pulsated like a frantic heartbeat that got more aggressive the closer
the girl got to it.
The light was actually calling to her, and only her. She was different from everyone else in the town. It was her duty.
edged closer with her arm out in front of her. The blue light grew in
intensity until she had to close her eyes against the glare, a warmth
surrounded her arm from the light and she pulled in a satisfied breath
and grinned.
As more of the light enveloped her, she felt the heat spread and her body began to hum with a sense of power.
Then in her mind she began to hear a whispering chant almost as if the power knew who she was and what she had to do.
words and the music started to sync together and then she began to
speak the chant, as she spoke the discordant words the light solidified
into a wooden door which slowly began to open.
light around the door frame was still so bright it cast shadows into
the room, making it impossible to see what was in there.
slowly peeked into the room and felt so cold that there must be
something not of this world in there. She slowly found the bed and sat
down on it.
out of nowhere a dapper looking man appeared. He looked like a perfect
gentleman; he even had a strange purple top hat on. Though when you
looked in his eyes there was no warmth to be found and his presence
seemed to suck the warmth from the room.
man seemed to be staring straight at her but there was no recognition
in his eyes, just blackness. Then he opened his mouth to speak and she
felt shivers shoot up and down her spine.
His voice seemed to freeze the very air and stop all sound when he said, "I know what you're here for."
Thinking this was her job and her job alone, she wondered if he was friend or foe.
steadied herself because she knew that if she showed any fear that he
might pounce and his true form would be revealed. Her bag of tricks was
pretty full though and she had the spark of an idea.
She remembered his particular fondness for word puzzles and taking a deep breath began reciting an odd sounding riddle.
the middle of the chant he began chanting along with her, their voices
rose and the atmosphere in the room grew even more tense.
girl could have sworn she felt the very walls vibrating and the floor
shaking, but she knew she couldn't stop now. If this was some sort of
test she was determined to succeed.
When she finished the chant he stopped at the same time, then with a deep rumbling the floor fell away beneath them.
The pair tumbled down into the darkness, but for some reason neither one of them was scared.
They seem to fall forever, almost floating in the air. The girl held the man's hand, or was he holding hers?
man was still chanting, while the pigeons were flying in circles around
them. That is when the girl notices something that sent cold chills to
her spine: the cockroaches mimicked him!
She thought everything was under control but those darn cockroaches really fouled things up.
The farther they fell the more weightless she felt and the air seemed to thicken and become colder.
chanting continued, she glanced down and saw that they were falling
quickly toward a rather large clearing that was surrounded by snow and
something shadowy she couldn't quite make out.
herself for a rough landing the girl blew out a deep breath and got
ready for impact. At least the snow would offer some sort of comfort, or
so she thought.
closer they got the more the view changed. The snowflakes now seemed
to be separating, darkening, and slowly but surely rising to meet them.
girl closed her eyes in the hope she was imagining it, but when she
opened them again the shadowy snow was still coming towards them and now
it looked like a dark outstretched hand just waiting to snatch them
both out of the air.
the hand wrapped around them, they could feel the very breath being
squeezed from their lungs. It wasn't really a hand, they had fallen into
a canyon with ridges that looked like fingers. It got narrower the
further down they were drawn, then they could feel something on their
"what is
that?" the girl asked, trying to wriggle herself away from whatever it
was, scrunching her nose in disgust. Her breath caught as she slipped
again and fell further into the thing below.
Then his voice boomed from right behind her, "You know why, it always had to be you."
She stared shocked while he continued, "I never forgot about you and I wasn't just going to let you go."
"You thought that you could just walk out and I wouldn't notice?"
the girl took a deep breath, realising she knew just who was behind her and knowing things were about to get a lot worse. "oh boy!" she sighed to herself.
Before she could turn around the temperature plummeted and then he was there, the man she thought she could get away from. Well he wasn't exactly all human as she had found out before fleeing.
Taking two steps back she yelled at him, "I've learned a lot since our last meeting."
"She fumbled for the umbrella which lay a few feet away, broken and wet."


text:
Hi Marco
On this post: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...244#post521244
You wrote about the Jaeger XLR connector and I've been trying to find this particular connector with no luck. Do you have a part number or link for it?
Hi Marco
I am trying to contact you on a serious matter in regard to your forum, I have written a long email but I am having difficulty sending it to you, how can I send it? Sorry I am not a regular user of this site.
Kind regards
Hi Aaron,
It could be that you haven't made enough posts yet on the forum to send PMs, but that doesn't matter, as we can communicate via the Visitor Message system, which you're currently using, until you've made more posts.
Looks like I even managed to mess up sending a PM! Today is not my day.
Sorry - PM now with you.
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for getting in touch. It's quite simple really.
There is a small charge of £50 per annum, to advertise on the forum, and for that you get your own dedicated room in the trade section (Trade Exhibitions) where you have access to unlimited advertising. Plus you can also advertise/promote your products by interacting with the membership on relevant threads in the main forum, so great value for money and loads of opportunity to generate sales!
Therefore, to open your trade account, simply send your £50 payment via Paypal GIFT to: email@example.com
Once payment has been received, I'll open your account (and dedicated room) in the name of JustBoom, and you'll all set to go!
Hi Marco,
Good to speak to you.
Let us know about the trade account thing :-)
Hi Marco,
My name is Charles and i'm with SS-Audio (A burson audio subsidiary)
We have interest on running a trial program for the forum users, however we need to know if there are certain guidelines to follow for industry participants.
Thanks and best regards
Hi Bartosz,
Thanks for your message. What you're doing sounds intriguing! However, we require that anyone joining the site, connected with the industry and seeking to gain, commercially, in some way from participating here, whether selling actual products or not, requires to open a trade account.
The fee for this is £50 per annum, which entitles you to unlimited advertising/access to our 11,000 members and a 'shop' in the trade room, where you can promote your business. You will also be entitled to use other areas of the forum, where appropriate, to conduct your enquiries and gain the information you seek from our membership.
If you wish to proceed with that, and open a trade account in your business name, then please send your payment, via Paypal gift, to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Once payment has been received, your account will be opened and you can proceed as directed. Good luck and all the best!
Hi Marco
It has been brought to my attention in the reply to my intro post (walpurgis), since i'm in a way part of the industry, to contact you and establish a proper rapport as not to brake any forum rules.
Please take a look at my introduction post
i should also add that, i'm interested in posting some specific questions and perhaps links to specific issues or what we call "prosets" and to seek community's opinion on them, in order improve our sites guidelines for recommendations.
here is a link to the site we have been working on - acqurate
please take a look and advise what is within ethical behaviour on this forum, as i would not want to brake any rules.
I see. The message only appears on your visitor message tab, not mine.
Senior Member
New Member
Trade: Cleveland Audio
The Supernatural Anaesthetist


text:
SSDD - Buy It Now Lots
This item has been removed by the seller.
Vintage Lieba USA Gold Tone Scarf Clip 1-7/8", Abstract 1960s, Mid CenturyShips from Salt Lake City, UT
Vintage Lieba USA Gold Tone Scarf Clip 1-7/8", Abstract 1960s, Mid Century
Vintage Lieba USA Gold Tone Scarf Clip 1-7/8", Abstract 1960s, Mid Century
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Pickups are generally available between M-F 10a-6p & Sat/Sun 10a-4p. Please contact us (text, FB message, call, or e-mail) before coming so we can pull your items and be ready for you. We are often available outside of these times, please message us to make arrangements.
Directions to Pickup:
From I-15, take the 4500 South exit, head west. Turn north at the first light (500 West). We're a few blocks up, just north of the big red & yellow 'In and Out' sign in the nice brown & gray warehouses. Look for the "Storage Steals & Daily Deals" sign on the curb to guide you in, we're door #4.


text:
Nine times out of 10, when a company makes an error, the polite and politically correct thing to do is to make an apology, correct the mistake, then move on.
I thought that might be the appropriate action for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to take, too, following the Apple Maps debacle that has frustrated far too many users of iOS 6 devices, (which most notably includes the new iPhone 5). After actually reading Tim Cook's letter of apology, though, I've officially changed my mind.
Maybe sometimes the best thing a company can do when it makes a mistake is to say nothing.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'm Apple-agnostic. I won't defend the company to my dying breath, because at the end of the day it's still just a collection of really cool toys. On the flip side, I don't think the company is the devil and has designs to take over the world.
It's a company. I'm an investor and a market journalist. It is what it is, no more, and no less.
I gotta be honest, though … the letter came across a little smarmy.
You might or might not have gotten that from the apology. If you didn't, then maybe you need to look at it again, this time with my personal footnotes and thoughts added where appropriate.
Here's the letter, in bold:
At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.
We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.*
* — Apple might want to be careful with its definitions of the words "create," "new," and "ground up." The company acquired C3 Technologies, Placebase, data from TomTom, web-based mapping outfit Poly9, listings from Yelp (NYSE:YELP) and more, all to build its new mapping app that — bluntly — is a mess. In retrospect, one has to wonder if Apple's unwillingness to actually create anything new from the ground up, and efforts to instead try to make a bunch of other things work together, is the core reason for Maps' failure now.
There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations.* The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get**, and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.
* — Searched for half a billion locations? How many of them ended up getting lost? It's not exactly a stat worth touting.
** — "The more our customers use our Maps, the better it will get." Really? I'm no computer engineer, but I think the only way for maps to get better is if programmers open up the software and, you know, make it less crappy. I conceptually get what he's saying — the more it's used, the more the bugs get worked out. I'm just not sure why the full-scale launch is also the beta test.
While we're improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.*
* — Thanks for stating the obvious, but it misses the point of having a Maps app on the device in the first place. That being said, is it just me, or is it a tad ironic that he's sending users back to the very source he was trying to steer them clear of with the new Maps feature?
Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world.* We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.
* — I'm calling BS here. It would seem everything Apple is doing is actually aimed at making the company the most profitable in the world, regardless of the customer experience. Unexpected things happen. Problems arise. This is a little more than an unforeseen snafu. This is a product that wasn't ready for prime time, but was launched anyway. The sad part is, launching it before it was ready has done more damage than good.
Tim Cook
Apple's CEO
Frankly, the whole apology would have seemed a lot more sincere had Cook also not peppered the letter with reasons suggesting he doesn't actually owe anyone an apology. It's kind of like Steve Jobs telling iPhone 4 users "Don't hold it that way" when they figured out its antenna didn't work very well in certain positions.
Maybe the two are cut from the same cloth after all.
As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.


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5250.0 - Australian Business Expectations, Mar 1997
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/03/1997
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Business expectations positive
Businesses are expecting increased sales of 1.6 per cent and profits to rise by 7.8 per cent in the June quarter 1997, according to the latest Business Expectations Survey released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Large businesses expect an increase in profits of 14.9 per cent, while small businesses expect an increase of 4.2 per cent and medium sized businesses expect an increase of 3.0 per cent.
Total expenses are expected to rise by 1.0 per cent.
For the June quarter 1997, selling prices are expected to rise by 0.3 per cent, which is the lowest projected rise of any June quarter since the survey commenced in 1993. Businesses expect capital expenditure to increase by 3.4 per cent, while employment is not expected to change.
The ABS also reported on medium term business expectations. Sales for the March quarter 1998 are expected to rise by 2.9 per cent compared with present levels. Businesses in the Finance and insurance industry expect an increase of 4.3 per cent, with those in the Manufacturing industry expecting an increase in sales of 3.6 per cent and those in the Mining industry expecting an increase of 3.5 per cent.
Profits are expected to rise by 12.2 per cent compared with the present, with the Wholesale and Manufacturing industries expecting the strongest growth. Capital expenditure is expected to rise by 3.2 per cent, while employment is expected to rise by 0.5 per cent.
For the March quarter 1998, expectations of sales and profit for medium and large businesses are more optimistic than for small businesses.
Details of short and medium term business expectations are in Australian Business Expectations, June quarter 1997 and March quarter 1998 (cat. no. 5250.0) available from ABS bookshops.
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DOHA, Qatar – Representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States met in Doha, Qatar, last week to commence the first Agricultural Trilateral meetings among the nations. The meetings focused on three areas: improving food security, water management, and trade corridors in the Central Asia region. All three areas, said USDA Deputy Under Secretary Burnham Philbrook, will help to increase economic opportunities for millions of Afghans and Pakistanis.
"I think we can all agree that meetings are nice, but progress is preferable," said Philbrook. "We have come together here because we are serious about improving economic opportunities for Afghans and Pakistanis. And we recognize the historic nature of our responsibilities and seizing this opportunity while it lasts."
The Agricultural Trilateral is meant to build relationships between Afghans and Pakistanis, and lead to plans that address improvements to each nation's agricultural economy.
Nearly 50 representatives from the three countries participated in working sessions to develop action plans in each of the three areas. The action plans will address:
- agriculture trade corridors along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan to facilitate trans-border trade;
- strengthening food security by reducing post-harvest loss and collaborating on research to improve the production of fruits, nuts, livestock and other agricultural products;
- and improving water and watershed management and irrigation methods and rehabilitate watersheds to increase crop yields and create jobs.
Launched in May as part of President Barack Obama's broader new strategy on global food security, the meetings are an important step toward improving some of the root causes of economic instability in the region as a whole. Plans will look at mitigating hunger, addressing job creation, water issues, and examining how to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen markets for the benefit of the region. When plans are complete, USDA will seek to complement strategies by offering collaborative opportunities in research to improve the production of fruits, nuts, livestock and other agricultural products.
"They [the United States] can facilitate our initiative, but our initiative has to be our initiative," said Malik Zahoor Ahmad, Director General of Pakistan's Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
"Only by agricultural reform can farm families climb out of poverty," said Saleem Kunduzi, Afghanistan's Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, "… can farmers stop planting narcotics … can more than a million young men throw away their guns and take up peaceful, honest, paying jobs. … Afghanistan and Pakistan need each other in solving problems."


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'Starbucks Drake Hands' Video Selfie Goes Viral
Why? It's inexplicable! It's hardly even interesting, but somehow it caught on and has been declared viral and there's a bunch of celebrities who have joined in. Believe it or not. See for yourself!
A place to exchange information pertaining to Trona and surrounding areas.
What is he guilty of?! First Degree Sexiness?!
He holds the key that can open my heart! Won't someone give me the key to open his jail cell?
I heard that GQ just bailed him out of jail. Calvin Klein was in line behind them!!
Men everywhere are hoping the "hot mug shot guy" Jeremy Meeks gets locked up for life.
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