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Statement of The Federal Trade Commission Presented by William J. Baer before the Committee on Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, U.S. House of Representatives March 10, 1999 Mr. Chairman, our thanks to you and the Committee for the opportunity to discuss the Federal Trade Commission's role in enforcing the antitrust laws to protect consumers in the petroleum industry. The Commission shares the view that a viable and competitive energy sector is vitally important to the economic health of the United States and the world. The Commission has an extensive history of carefully examining mergers in the petroleum industry, and has used its authority to enforce the antitrust laws to assure that mergers in this industry do not lead to lessened competition or its consequence - higher prices for gasoline and other fuels, and the consequent harm to the economy of the nation or of any region. As has been publicly observed, the combination of Exxon and Mobil is the largest industrial merger ever, and will create the largest private oil company worldwide and the largest US-based company of any type (by revenues). Today, Exxon and Mobil face each other at just about every level of the industry - exploration for and production of crude oil, refining of crude oil into petroleum products, manufacture of petrochemicals and lubricants, and the marketing of gasoline and other fuels in many parts of the United States (in particular the northeast, the Gulf Coast, and California). Exxon/Mobil is likely to be the largest or one of the largest players in each of these market sectors. Obviously, a transaction of this size alone merits our close attention. As antitrust enforcers, we need to consider whether Exxon/Mobil's size - or other attributes - will change the competitive dynamics of this industry. This merger will be scrutinized carefully, not only by us and by our colleagues, 21 State Attorneys General, but also by antitrust enforcers in Europe and possibly elsewhere. As you know, the Commission cannot comment in any detail on the specifics of any pending nonpublic law enforcement investigation. However, the Commission can provide a general discussion of how it approaches its merger investigation responsibilities, the special issues that arise with respect to petroleum industry mergers, and our prior enforcement experiences in this sector. We will begin by reviewing recent merger activity in the petroleum industry, and then describe how antitrust analyzes mergers generally, as well as in this sector specifically, and the relief we are authorized to seek. As many have noted, this merger does not occur in a vacuum, but appears to be part of an ongoing trend of consolidation and concentration in this industry. In recent months, we have seen the merger of BP and Amoco - which was the largest industrial merger in history until Exxon/Mobil was announced -- and the combination of the refining and marketing businesses of Shell, Texaco and Star Enterprises to create the largest refining and marketing company in the United States. In addition, Tosco acquired Unocal's California refineries and marketing business; Ultramar Diamond Shamrock acquired Total's North American refining and marketing operations; and Marathon and Ashland combined their refining and marketing businesses. We also have seen the worldwide combination of the additives businesses of Shell and Exxon. Other combinations, such as the pending combination of the refining and marketing businesses of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock and Phillips (which we are currently examining), likely will follow. These consolidations and joint ventures are not limited to the United States: BP and Mobil have combined their refining and marketing operations in Europe, and Total and Petrofina have recently announced their own merger plans. This is the second wave of consolidation in this industry in the last 20 years. The first wave, in the 1980s, saw Mobil's attempted takeover of Marathon, which was blocked by the courts,(2) and the mergers of Standard of California and Gulf (into Chevron) and Texaco's acquisition of Getty, as well as many smaller deals. During that earlier merger wave and today, the Federal Trade Commission has carefully reviewed each proposed merger, and intervened where appropriate to prevent those mergers from significantly reducing competition in any sector of this industry that affects the United States or its citizens. The Commission's inquiry is and has been to determine whether a merger would make it substantially likely that the remaining firms in the industry could reduce output and raise prices by even a small amount, to the detriment of consumers and, in this industry in particular, of the competitiveness of the American economy or the economy of any particular region. This is the goal of antitrust enforcement across all industries; its vital role is particularly clear in the petroleum industry, where even small price increases can have a direct and lasting impact on the entire economy. As a general matter, the Commission approaches its antitrust mission by examining the areas in which merging companies compete, looking at the existing state of competition in that marketplace and the likely changes in that marketplace in the future - both from new competition entering and from existing competition exiting. We also look at the effect of recent mergers on competition in the particular marketplaces at issue. And we look at the trends in the industry, including trends toward further concentration. The Commission has recognized the existence of such a trend toward consolidation in this industry.(3) We also want to know whether a merger will yield efficiencies that might counteract the anticompetitive effects the merger would otherwise threaten. Merely claiming cost savings is not enough to allow an anticompetitive merger. The cost savings must be real; they must be substantial; they cannot themselves result from reductions in output; they cannot be practicably achievable by the companies independently of the merger; and they must counteract the merger's anticompetitive effect - not merely flow to the shareholders' bottom line. In examining mergers, particularly in this industry, the Commission recognized - and continues to recognize - that it must look both at broad effects on broad markets, such as the worldwide crude oil market, and narrow effects on specific local and regional markets. A merger that did not substantially reduce competition nationally might nonetheless substantially reduce competition in specific parts of the country - as the Commission found in both BP/Amoco and Shell/Texaco. When the anticompetitive problems could be isolated, and when businesses and operating assets could be divested to new competitors and thereby restore the competition lost by the merger, the Commission has frequently entered into consent orders allowing the merger to proceed while preventing the anticompetitive harm through divestiture. When, however, anticompetitive problems infect the entire merger, so that there is no practical way to allow the companies to merge without threatening consumers with a substantial loss of competition, the Commission can go to federal district court to seek an injunction blocking the merger. The Commission has not hesitated to seek to block mergers, in this industry and elsewhere, where other remedies were insufficient.(4) In the petroleum industry, we apply these general points of antitrust analysis by looking at each level of production separately. Some firms, such as Exxon and Mobil, are vertically integrated through all levels of the industry; there are "upstream only" companies, such as Unocal and Occidental, that are only engaged in exploration and production; "downstream only" companies, such as Tosco and Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, that are only engaged in refining and marketing; and other firms that are even more specialized. Most firms do not operate at every level in every geographic market. Therefore, the Commission begins its analysis by asking at what specific level do these companies compete, and who else competes with them at that level.(5) Exploration and Production. In looking at the "upstream" or exploration and production sector, we observe that the crude oil market is for most purposes a worldwide market.(6) We recognize that major oil producing nations (such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Venezuela) are significant factors in this worldwide market. Consolidation in this industry in the 1980s does not appear to have given the merging companies, such as Standard of California and Gulf into Chevron, or Texaco and Getty, the ability to increase the price of crude oil by withholding production or exploration and development of reserves. That does not necessarily mean that further consolidation in exploration and production will be equally harmless. It may well be that the Exxon/Mobil merger will not reduce competition in the worldwide crude oil market. However, because of the significance of this merger to the industry, creating the world's largest privately owned oil producer, it is important for the Commission to examine carefully its likely effects on the exploration and production sector. Refining. Mergers involving oil refineries have long been a matter of intense interest to the Commission. The nation's principal refining market, the Gulf Coast, not only supplies that immediate area, but also sends substantial amounts of gasoline by pipeline to the southeast, the northeast and the midwest. It is vitally important for nearly all of this country east of the Mississippi to maintain a competitive Gulf Coast refining market. Similarly, we must ensure that the pipelines that deliver Gulf Coast product to these markets remain competitive. In the 1980s, the Commission acted to preserve competition in Gulf Coast refining in connection with Standard of California's merger with Gulf by requiring the divestiture of a Louisiana refinery and an interest in the Colonial Pipeline, one of the two pipelines that carries gasoline and other fuels from the Gulf Coast to southeastern and northeastern markets. When Shell and Texaco combined their refining and marketing arrangements, the Commission required a similar pipeline divestiture.(7) Not all parts of the country have access to Gulf Coast gasoline supply, and some areas - in particular the Rocky Mountains and the West Coast - have substantially less refinery competition. Not surprisingly, these areas also tend to have higher prices for gasoline and other fuels. In Shell/Texaco, we therefore prevented the parties from combining two of the four major refineries in the Pacific Northwest. One refinery that the Commission required to be divested also supplied California markets, and its operation by a new competitor in West Coast markets should ameliorate some of the effects of concentration in California. Even so, California refining markets remain an area of concern to the Commission. Our colleagues at the Energy Information Administration have studied the tight supply situations in California, where the unexpected shutdown of even one refinery can significantly disrupt supply and lead to sharp price increases.(8) According to press reports, the tragic fire at Tosco's Avon refinery last month already has caused a 30% wholesale price increase in California, even though that refinery produces only six percent of California's gasoline needs.(9) While the supply disruption caused by that fire obviously does not raise antitrust issues itself, it does show how a small reduction of supply by firms in a concentrated market can provoke huge price increases. Refineries -- and oil companies -- make more than just fuels. The Commission has examined refinery mergers and other oil company combinations to ensure that competition will not be reduced in petrochemical and lubricant markets. After examining the proposed joint venture combining Shell's and Exxon's additive business, the Commission ordered divestiture of Exxon's viscosity index improver business to Chevron, rather than allow them to create a joint venture that would have controlled more than half of the U.S. market for that motor oil additive. Gasoline Marketing. The Commission is also concerned about the risk to competition in the marketing of gasoline and other fuels once they leave the refinery and reach their local markets. On several occasions, the Commission has blocked mergers or demanded divestitures to prevent the elimination of competition at the terminal or tank farm level - thus ensuring that there are competitive sources of supply to local marketers.(10) Competition between branded marketers in local markets can be reduced by merger. As a result, a relatively small number of branded marketers in a local gasoline market may have the ability to raise price oligopolistically, without fear that the price increase will be eroded by a small fringe of independent marketers or by new entry. That appeared to be the case in San Diego, California, where branded marketers were able to maintain higher prices even in a market defined as "moderately concentrated" by the Merger Guidelines. The Commission therefore ordered divestitures of gasoline stations in San Diego as a condition precedent to the Shell/Texaco merger, and is continuing to examine the marketing of gasoline in California. Based on this experience, the Commission in BP/Amoco required divestitures and other relief intended to prevent substantial increases in concentration in branded gasoline marketing. Prior Commission Enforcement Actions. The Commission has examined every significant petroleum industry merger over the last 20 years, and has used its enforcement authority to protect consumers from petroleum mergers that would lessen competition on at least 10 occasions during that period, several of which I have already mentioned:
These are all cases where the Commission believed that local or regional competition was sufficiently threatened to require enforcement action. We carefully tailored our relief to address the problems and to restore any competition that would have been lost from the merger or other combination. If competition could not be preserved through divestiture, the Commission has gone to court to block anticompetitive mergers in the petroleum industry in their entirety. What we have learned from these and other investigations is that competition is critical to this industry and that concentration, as well as increases in concentration - even to levels that the antitrust agencies call "moderately concentrated" - can have substantial adverse effects on competition. Our investigation of the Exxon/Mobil merger is still at an early stage, and neither the Commission nor its staff has reached any conclusions about the effects of the merger on competition, or whether the merger violates the antitrust laws in any respect. We are working closely with the Attorneys General of many of the states in which Exxon and Mobil compete, as well as with our European allies, to understand this merger and its likely effects on competition locally, nationally and internationally. I can assure you that the Commission will examine these issues thoroughly and expeditiously. We appreciate the parties' pledge of full cooperation with our investigation, and we intend to rely on that cooperation to do our job quickly and completely. Thank you. 1. The written statement reflects the views of the Federal Trade Commission. My oral remarks and responses to questions reflect my views and are not necessarily the views of the Commission or of any Commissioner. 2. Marathon Oil Co. v. Mobil Corp., 669 F.2d 378 (6th Cir. 1981). 3. Analysis to Aid Public Comment, British Petroleum Company p.l.c., FTC File No. 981-0345 (Dec. 30, 1998). The Supreme Court has found the existence of a trend toward concentration to be highly relevant in examining the competitive consequences of a merger. United States v. Pabst Brewing Co., 384 U.S. 546, 552-53 (1966); United States v. Von's Grocery Co., 384 U.S. 270, 277-78 (1966); United States v. Philadelphia Nat'l Bank, 374 U.S. 321, 362-63 (1963). 4. In 1987, the Commission successfully challenged the proposed acquisition by Pacific Resources, Inc. of Shell Oil Company's assets in Hawaii, which the Commission believed (and proved) would reduce competition in the terminaling and wholesale marketing of gasoline and other fuels. In 1997, the Commission prepared to challenge Shell's proposed acquisition of Exxon's operations on Guam, which would have had a similar effect; the parties abandoned the transaction. Last year, the Commission successfully challenged proposed mergers among the nation's four largest drug wholesalers, which wanted to become two; the Commission recognized - and the Court agreed - that nothing short of a full stop injunction would preserve competition and prevent the elimination of two significant competitors. FTC v. Cardinal Health, Inc., 12 F. Supp. 2d 34 (D.D.C. 1998). 5. For example, although BP and Amoco were each substantial companies, and their merger created the second largest privately owned oil company in the world (after the Royal Dutch/Shell Group), the Commission found that BP and Amoco did not overlap significantly in most of their operations, but did overlap in terminaling and wholesale marketing in particular geographic areas. In those areas where BP and Amoco would have substantial market shares, and there would be few significant competitors, the Commission required divestiture and other relief. 6. There can be specific local crude oil and natural gas production markets, and the Commission has acted to preserve competition in local crude markets. In both Texaco/Getty and Shell/Texaco the Commission required pipeline relief to prevent a lessening of competition in California heavy crude oil from harming refineries in the San Francisco Bay area that relied on that crude oil. 7. Chevron Corp., 104 F.T.C. 597, 608 (1984); Shell Oil Co., Docket No. C-3803 (April 21, 1998). 8. Energy Information Administration, "Motor Gasoline Assessment: Spring 1997," pp. 25-30 (1997). 9. "Refinery Closure Hasn't Hit Retail Gas Prices - Yet," San Francisco Chronicle (March 4, 1999). 10. BP/Amoco, FTC File No. 981-0345 (Dec. 30, 1998) (terminals in nine markets); Shell/Texaco, Docket No. C-3803 (April 21, 1998) (terminal in Oahu, Hawaii); Shell/Exxon, FTC File No. 971-0003 (terminal on Guam; transaction abandoned); Sun/Atlantic (1988) (terminals in Pennsylvania and New York); FTC v. Pacific Resources, Inc., (1987) (terminal in Oahu, Hawaii); Texaco, Inc., 104 F.T.C. 241 (1984); Chevron Corp., 104 F.T.C. 597 (1984). |


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First of all let me give you some general information on Diving in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a fast growing diving destination at present. It's protected marine spots and the rich fauna are the main attractions for divers who have a wish for new discoveries. Being the market leaders in Sri Lanka, LSR Diving Centers take pleasure in offering top quality with international standards scuba diving services with instructors in main European languages. LSR is the only diving company affiliated to the prestigious 5 Star Padi Gold Palm Resort and is able to cater to any diving enthosiast with a variety of activities according to their interest. Because of our two bases located in the South/West and East coasts we have easy access to the best dive sites around the island:
- Bentota: Marina - Passikudah: Marina Beach
Apart from being operators of these water sports centers, LSR is also a leading Tour Operator which enables it to provide packages with transport, accommodation from guest house to 5 star hotels including diving services LSR with its expertise and technical know how can guarantee quality and personalized services to individual divers or group of maximum 20 divers at a time.
1) BENTOTA MARINA 1-1) Location We are located in Bentota lagoon (60 Km south Colombo) on a 2000 m2 land facing the Indian Ocean with our boarding decks on the lagoon. Our Dive Centre Includes: - Welcome bank. - Classroom. - Changing room. - Toilets, shower - Clients' equipment store room. - Compressors/Tanks room. - Workshop
1-2) Boats Hard hull boats - 27 Feet - 50 CV outboard. 10 divers per boat. Average of speed: 14 knots. On board: - GPS - Echo sonar - Mobile Phones - Safety extra tank.
1-3) Equipment - BCD "Scubapro" (XL/XS). - 30 Regulators Scubapro and Sherwood. - 110 Tanks alu 12 L - Shortys - ABC - Leeds. - Compass, depth gauges parachutes. Etc. - SEA & SEA MX 10 for rent. - Compressors BAUER K14.
1-4) Crew - 4 captains (Coxswain license). - 8 Boatmen. - 1 Compressor-Boy
1-5) Instructors - 1 Base leader (M DESSART) - CMAS *** Inst. - PADI MSDT. - 1 Course manager (Mlle GEAY) - CMAS ** Inst. - PADI OWSI. - 1 Instructor (PADI/CMAS). - 2 Dive master. - English, French, German, Dutch & Italian fluently spoken.

subset: commoncrawl


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Learn more at a free information session.
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San Antonio — The Progressive Retailers Organization was at the Westin La Cantera Hill Coun
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIF. – Low-price CE accessories e-tailer Monoprice.com has expanded its assortment of networking devices and mobile add-ons as it continues to build out its 4,000-SKU assortment.
"Finding the right IT gear is difficult enough, but finding the perfect tech accessory that won't empty your wallet is a whole other thing," said Monoprice marketing director Luke Grant. "That is the gap that Monoprice is working to fill for IT pros."
To that end, the company recently introduced four Monoprice-branded networking products, including: an HD stream gigabit dual band wireless router (600Mbps) with USB server, for $51; an ethernet-over-power line 200Mbps converter, for $49.95; an ethernet-over-power line 200Mbps converter with integrated Wi-Fi, for $74, and;a high power gigabit power-over-ethernet (POE) injector, for $19.
In addition, the company has introduced two mobile accessories for Apple products: an external battery pack and 9,000mAh charger for iPad, iPhone and iPod for $38, and a mechanical keyboard folio for iPad 2 and iPad 3 for $38.


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Lyubov Strauss | Posted: Thursday, March 14, 2013 11:25 am
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MOT Test for £16 at Car Plus Service Centre (71% Off)
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Congrats! Have fun with your high school season. Mine went great! We went to state and got 3rd, passing all expectations. Don't set any limits to what you can do & what is possible!
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play your game.
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and the rest will take care of itself
Best of luck!
tell you honestly i hate highschool tryouts they are so much different than real tournaments. you have to put together 3 or 4 days together to make the team. don't worry if you're really good you have nothing to worry about
p.s. only sometimes :)


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M&G's Isaacs: 5 reasons why Cypriot bailout is insane in the brain
by Stefan Isaacs on Mar 18, 2013 at 10:53
This highlights the extent to which a number of banks in Europe remain reliant on ECB funding, and that if that funding is withdrawn then their collapse is inevitable.
Finally, we have yet another example of a country being forced to face a stark choice between ceding sovereignty to Brussels or facing financial ruin. The Eurozone project continues to ask a great deal of its citizens. Bailouts don't – and won't – come cheap.
The Cyprus deal will be in the headlines for the next few days. We can't help but think that the markets will be listening to Cypress Hill – Insane In The Brain for the next week or so. Maybe the Troika should too.
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2 comments so far. Why not have your say?
Mar 18, 2013 at 12:07
I wonder if any of the €2bn of bank debt was held by German or Finnish banks?
report thisMar 18, 2013 at 13:25
I highly expect none of it was... This seems to be a ploy to address Cyprus' issue with money laundering and tax haven investments from overseas, a large proportion of which is Russia.
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In the following guest post (originally written around Thanksgiving), Garcia McCall shares insights into how she thinks her book can be powerful for adolescents. I noticed how her statements, such as a focus on reading like writers and writing like readers closely aligning with workshop philosophy. Enjoy!
"Looking at Books through the Eyes of a Writer"
—Dreaming Up Teaching Ideas for Summer of the Mariposas as the Turkey Roasts in the Oven—by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
There are so many critical thinking skills a teacher can develop in her students using a novel, especially one dealing with a different culture. One skill that I think students need to develop as readers is to look at text through the writer's lens and explore the what, how, and why of the choices the author made as an expert writer. As both an English (writing) teacher and an author, this is something I think about a lot. Reading and writing are wedded. They are connected in a way that is natural and organic and therefore should be taught together, as two sides of the same coin. Students should read as writers and write as readers.
One interesting element of Summer of the Mariposas that students can explore in this context is plot. The plot structure of Summer of the Mariposas is based on The Hero's Journey, the ancient form used by the Greeks to develop the plots of such fantastical stories as "The Odyssey" and "Jason and The Argonauts." First, I would ask students to research The Hero's Journey and outline the form and structure of that basic plot in a graphic organizer of their own design. How does the plot of "The Odyssey" or "Jason and The Argonauts" fit into that basic structure? How does the plot of Summer of the Mariposas fit?
Next, I would have students think about why the author of Summer of the Mariposas would use such an archaic plotting device to create a contemporary novel. Here are some questions to help guide discussion:
• Did the author change the structure, play with it, move pieces around, or reformat it in any way? If she did change or play with the structural components, why do you think she did it?
• What Greek supernatural elements were replaced with something in the author's culture? Can you correlate characters from "The Odyssey" to characters in Summer of the Mariposas based on their names, descriptions, or actions?
• In your opinion, which structural pieces from The Hero's Journey were well suited for the plot development of this novel? Which pieces didn't fit as well? Research other plot forms and structures. Would any of them have served the author's purpose of developing the story of the Garza girls? Which one? Why? How?
I hope these ideas help educators teach students to think critically about books and help them grow not only as readers but also as writers. There is so much more I could say here, but the Thanksgiving turkey is almost done, and my family is stirring awake. Have a blessed Holiday Season!


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Eating a grilled cheese at a strip club... good idea??
We're like adult pinky and the brain when they decided that taking over the world is unrealistic so they aim lower by trying to get drunk every day.
I'm 50% okay with that amount of body contact... plus/minus 7% based on where blood may flow.
you and him went to the park at 2am to "catch a pigeon" and ACTUALLY CAME BACK WITH A PIGEON
I'm dressed in all sequins still at 9:30 in the morning and the worst part is that I actually still fit in in Vegas
Then he rubbed shampoo all over my arm and shouted, "Garnier FUCK THIS."
i cant believe we used adam and eve as a sexting theme last night
You just kept screaming "PLEASE YELL CORNDOG AT HIM. PLEASE. CORNDOG."
He kept telling me Te Amo last night. Over and over. And that he was scared. Drunkenly. In Spanish.
I can't get over how you look like his sister and he wants to fuck you.
cops woke me up on the sidewalk and asked where my shoes are.. fuck if i know, im sleeping on the sidewalk! actually i didnt say that, i just cried until they gave me a ride home.
So, my ex just showed me the drunk voicemail we left him last night. Started out with me saying "I think it's Shane." Then you took my phone and started singing a song about peanut butter, train tracks, and tequila. I joined in. On the upside, he said he's totally fine with being on the drunk dial list from now on. Soooo, another tequila night??
I remember him going "OH SHIT" when he saw you straddling me on the table. And it was like the best feeling ever.
She left her panties here. They looked SOOO much smaller last night.
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Your Location: Park.edu Home > CETL > Faculty Spotlight
Doug Scheffner What do you enjoy most about being a Faculty Member? Doug enjoys "interaction with the students...that is what I probably enjoy the most about on campus teaching." What are some of your current projects? Doug enjoys being retired after after 32 years in previous employment. Doug has been teaching at Park for 22 years as an adjunct professor. What exciting things are currently happening in your department? Doug says that Greg covered many of the topics but mentions that "always ongoing is looking at courses and how to improve them." What is a little known fact about you? Doug grew up in the military and lived around the world. Kansas City became his hometown 35 years ago. He met his wife in Lawrence and they have been married for 36 years. Doug worked in Gladstone's Public Safety office starting in 1974 as a patrol officer and fire fighter. He also held a pandemics license for 16 years. In 1989 he made Captain in Bureau Commands which includes Law Enforcement, Fire/EMS, Support Services. His last assignment was in Fire/EMS. Doug has also attended many academies including the FBI National Academy. In addition to teaching online and at the Parkville Campus Doug trains Boy Scouts and drives his wife to dog shows where she competes and he finds, "the local brew pub". Doug received his Bachelor from Park and his Master's at UMKC. One thing he really likes about the Criminal Justice program at Park is that the faculty members came to Park with real world experience. --------------------------------- University Resources |


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Outfitted by the Wardens of Annuminas June 19, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, Lord of the Rings Online.Tags: Annuminas, Evendim
3 comments
What with a war on in EVE, I haven't spent as much time in LOTRO as I might have otherwise. But I still manage to get into Middle-earth now and again when fleets are not forming or I do not have the time set aside for what might turn out to be a multi-hour operation.
My last post on LORTO was saying, "Oh wow, I am in the Lone Lands already!"
This time around I am saying, "Oh wow, I am done with the Lone Lands already!"
I have been trying not to pass the guild designated goal levels, which hasn't been that hard, since it seems like every time I get close they go up. I thought I might stop in the Lone Lands, but then the bar was raised to 35. And once I hit 30 around Ost Guruth I decided to wrap up my time in the Lone Lands. There was more to do. I had not yet finished up the Red Maid or the swamp area. But I was ready to move on.
I like the Lone Lands as a zone. There is a comfort going through it, knowing where to go for all the quests. It is the one zone where I really feel like a ranger, so familiar am I with the terrain. But at best now it ranks as my second favorite zone, at when I hit level 30 I was ready to go to my current favorite: Evendim.
Revamped Evendim that is, not the original which caused so much pain… and required so much swimming… back in the day.
You can certainly make the case that it should not be my favorite. It is designed in a way that has been declared "bad" by those who purport to know best. In a game where the now maligned quest hub structure is common, Evendim takes the quest hub idea almost to extremes.
You show up at a quest hub, you get a quest with a big reward that essentially tells you that you must do the quests of a handful of other NPCs in order to get that reward, and then you are stuck servicing all their varied whims.
That might have ended badly had the quest design not been above par for the game. There are the requisite "go kill an oddly specific number of something" quests, but they are well leavened with all sorts of other different, and sometimes goofy, tasks. Like collecting farm animals for hobbits.
You also get to set things on fire now and again. The zone seems to set you against the idea of boats.
And occasionally being asked to go to some high point in the zone simply to look (/look command) at the zone around you, which if nothing else puts the grandeur of the zone right in your face so you can't miss it.
The quests are also pretty well focused around the story line of the given location. They give a feeling that there is a legitimate task at hand and that you are helping them along with something more urgent than, say, collecting lynx pelts so they will have warm clothes for winter.
And then there are the rewards for the zone. The Wardens have their own currency which can buy three pieces of very nice gear and getting your standing with them up to the "kindred" level opens up some more options. Finally, finishing out the quest line in the zone fills in a few more pieces, leaving you rather well equipped if you finish the zone.
So far I have managed to horde enough of the currency to buy the three pieces of the Forgotten Hope armor set available from Cannuion.
I also managed to make it "kindred" status with the wardens rather quickly this time around. In the past I have been well into the final set of quests in the heart of Annuminas before getting there. This time around I was a "made warden" before I got to the series of quests at the tombs of the kings.
That opened up my next weapon, the level 40 halberd from the reputation vendor as well as the special mount.
I am now level 39… because our goal level got raised to 50… and on the last couple of quests in Annuminas, after which I will have the final piece of the captain's Forgotten Hope armor set and be done with the zone. Of course, that last bit is a doozy, even with Orchalwë and my herald in tow. Actually, especially with those two in tow, as they seen to find joy in pulling in adds. But even if they were perfect, the the Banners of the Iron crown is a tough nut to crack alone, and I have to go in there no matter what, as it is also the final location to finish off Orchalwë mission. I might have to get Gaff over to help me.
Then I will be fully outfitted, level 40, and ready for the next zone. I am clearly not playing enough alts if I am moving this fast. And, honestly, I have stopped so often in the past at this point, I am not quite sure what the next zone is.
Angmar I think. Off to Angmar.
Quote of the Day – The Strategy for the Conquest of Fountain June 18, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, EVE Online.Tags: Fountain, Null Sec, Quote of the Day, The Mittani
16 comments
The CFC goes to war on a simple, tested strategy: grind the moons down, and only later bother grinding sov. Hostiles should be either massacred or blueballed to ensure their playing experience is ruined. Relentless metagaming should take place such that the conflict is as demoralizing and unfair as possible. To us, sov is essentially meaningless once jump bridges have been snapped; what matters is that our foe does not want to log into the game. We have taken out superior forces by ruining their gameplay to the point that they do not bother logging on; this was how we dealt with the massive Raiden pre-nerf Titan blobs in the Tenal campaign. You can kill a hostile spaceship by blowing it up, or by ensuring that it never logs in in the first place.
Now that such a huge and ridiculous band of hangers-on have joined the 'independent' TEST to fight their war for them, it is important that the CFC remembers how we fight: it has been months since Tribute, our last grinding hellwar, and we have many newbies. At every turn you should consider how to ruin the fun of the foe, while still enjoying yourself. We care nothing for ~honor~, 'gudfites', or any of the pubbie views of how warfare 'should' be. We have massacred, griefed and blueballed our way across the galaxy since Red Alliance first taught us how to win sov wars in late 2006, and there is no reason why we will change our methods now.
The Mittani, GSF CEO Update: Slouching Towards Bethlehem
The Mittani, back from E3, has provided an update on the war.
The update itself contains salve to sooth all possible worries of the rank and file, including my own concerns that we had let things get out of our control on the diplomatic front. We are told that TEST is screwed and hurting for money, they fear us and so are staging out of low sec right from the start, their allies are only in it for the fights, and that we have managed to break off Black Legion from TEST's pack, in large part due to TEST's promiscuous ally policy. (Though, with that last one, there are some tales as to what transpired floating around.)
Oh, and we are all heroes, having stepped up and worked overtime to launch the invasion. Go us!
Now, how much of the CEO Update you believe will no doubt reflect where you stand. If you are from TEST or one of their recent allies, you are probably standing on your chair shouting, "Lies and damage control!" and wondering how The Mittani's trousers have not yet burst into flames. The comment thread on the post over at The Mittani (he's both a space tyrant AND a web site!) is running about as you would expect.
You will also see on the comment thread a recurring mention that this sort of update is really only focused at an internal audience, that it is a morale booster for the troops, and that you should view it in that light and not blow a gasket.
That is a lie.
There is a long history of posting the CEO updates publicly. They used to get reposted on Kugu. Now, with with access to their own gaming news site, updates get posted in the GSF forums and to the front page nearly simultaneously.
These sorts of updates are clearly crafted for public consumption and often contain sections directed squarely at the enemy. They are propaganda. They are part of the meta game. And an enemy has to parse this sort of thing whether they agree with it or not. They have to ask if we really believe what was said, if things really are going to our plan, if people will keep logging on if fights dry up. Enemy leadership won't express any doubts to the rank and file, but they have to assess the message and decide where it should fit in their world view. And if an enemy blows a gasket over an update… and does something stupid… so much the better.
Other alliance heads mask their updates in secrecy. We hear about them through leaked recordings and transcriptions.
The Mittani publishes his updates for all to see and makes them do double duty. They bolster the morale of the troops and attempt to raise fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the enemy and its leadership.
Fountain: Who is Winning Ten Days In? June 17, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, EVE Online.Tags: Fountain, Null Sec, TEST
8 comments
Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
Everybody thinks their side is winning.
There is a huge temptation to look at the last battle, the last kill vs. loss report, the last sovereignty change and to pronounce that one side couldn't possibly winning because look how badly they just did. That is what most of the forum and comment thread crowing is about right now.
The thing is that fights, even losing fights, are motivators for both sides. Such fights are why a large majority of the rank and file show up every day. We want to blow things up. We want to use all those skills we have trained, to fly all those ships we have bought. It is fun.
And so we have had 10 days running of thousand plus ship fights. The war goes on and the pitched battles continue because it is what most of us want.
As for other indicators of winning or losing, they seem rather mixed.
The CFC's biggest claim to winning is that we have deployed forces to Fountain and have taken and held systems in the region. The last I heard, we have also knocked out more than a score of TEST moon mining stations, the key assets over which this war is being fought. Executing to plan, as one might say. And the "not winning fast enough" theory was discredited last year with the campaign in Tribute and Vale. The CFC has proven they can stay in the fight over the long haul.
On the flip side the CFC diplomatic corps wasn't able to set favorable terms for the battle before hand. This has always been part of the power of the CFC, the ability to rig the odds in advance through back channels.
This failure has allowed TEST to run a very successful "Come Kill Goons" campaign as it sought allies. Who would have thought so many people would respond favorably to that rallying cry, right? Hah!
Meanwhile, who has the CFC picked up? Fweddit. There is a propaganda victory in that, what with Fweddit sharing with TEST an origin in Reddit. But the CFC can't really run a "come shoot shit posters from Reddit" counter campaign now, can they? (Though, hey, well played Fweddit! Thanks!)
So the CFC is looking at a lot of motivated enemies who seem pretty united on the "Kill Goons" part of the strategy. This has meant not only facing fleets of equal size at all turns, but has unleashed a series of attacks in the CFC backfield. The convoy route to the Fountain front is camped and disrupted regularly. Gents has had some capital ship assembly arrays at home destroyed, while Goonswarm lost a system in Tribute. Life is getting difficult for the CFC and will remain so for some time, barring a diplomatic break through.
On the other side of the battle, TEST's biggest claims to winning right now is that they have all these allies ready and willing to shoot Goons, that they are causing the CFC pain, and that they have shown the wherewithal in the past to ride out a sovereignty grind until the other side gives up.
The problem with their claims is that it is hard to explain away the fact that the CFC continues to hold 10% of Fountain despite efforts to retake systems. The sovereignty change listing for Fountain shows a lot of flips in ownership, but TEST has not been able to push the CFC back. Moon mining operations in the region have been thoroughly disrupted. Plus, historically, a focus on defense has always been a losing proposition. TEST and its allies really haven't brought the fight into the CFC homeland in any significant way to distract them from Fountain.
And then there are the TEST allies. What happens when you invite so many wolves into your camp to defeat a bear? Where do all their interests lay? Granted, that is more of a post war diplomatic problem, which won't matter if TEST loses.
All of the above is great fodder for forum wars and comment thread battles and, more importantly, feeds the propaganda war. Because it is the propaganda war that likely to have the most impact over time.
It is very difficult to take sovereignty from an actively resisting alliance, even when they are vastly outnumbered. Remember how long the Walltreipers Alliance held out in Delve last summer?
But if an alliance loses heart, if it starts thinking it cannot win, that the fight isn't worthwhile, if members stop showing up for fights, if people start hauling things out of null sec "just in case," well, then the war might be over. Remember White Noise back in early 2012 or, going back to Delve last summer, how Nulli Secuda folded over their treatment by Against All Authorities even as Walltreipers was holding firm. Nulli wasn't beaten by external forces, they simple ceased to believe in the fight. That is all it takes. And then there was Northern Coalition (who ironically now live in the south) and their retreat from Tribute and Vale after they tired of the sov grind. (And in one of those "the more things change" events, Northern Coalition, Nulli Secunda, and former White Noise ally Raiden are all in with TEST at this point.)
That is how I imagine the war in Fountain will be decided.
One side or the other will decide the fight isn't worth it and stop showing up.
Again, at this point, everybody thinks the opposition will fold. How can they not, facing such odds?
As long as both sides hold on to that idea, and barring and serious shift in the balance of forces, the war will grind on.
TEST Knocks 7-8S5X Into Unclaimed Status June 15, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, EVE Online.Tags: 7-8S5X, Fountain, Null Sec
1 comment so far
TEST and its numerous allies, after losing the hotly contested J5A system, have started pushing back hard on the CFC foothold on the eastern edge Fountain.
This morning there were a number of fleets in motion laying what appeared to be traps and counter traps. The CFC had a Caracal fleet out shooting structures. TEST sent fleets out to chase off or kill the caracals. I was sitting on a titan with Mister Vee's Hamgu fleet waiting to jump in once TEST was committed. And then TEST had carriers set to bridge in once we were engaged. And then we brought in some capital ships. All of which lead to another large battle in 10% time dilation.
While local was just shy of 900 when I got popped, people were still bridging in, so I bet we ended up past a thousand players again.
But the strategic upshot for the moment is that TEST killed the territorial control unit in the system, rolling back the CFC sovereignty claim on the system.
The tactical result was pretty close as far as I can assess, with both sides showing up in about equal numbers. They killed a lot of Tengus and Tempest Fleet Issues, we killed a lot of Rokhs, Apocalypses, and Apocalypse Navy Issues.
Since I spent a good portion of my time in the fight jammed, I had plenty of time to take screen shots. The most unique ship I saw during the battle was an Osprey. Actually, there were three in our fleet. I am not sure I have actually seen an Osprey since I started mining back in 2007. Anyway, pictures.
(Another report on the battle.)
Another Fight in J5A June 14, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, EVE Online.Tags: Fountain, J5A-IX, Null Sec
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Another day, another 1,000+ ship fight in Fountain.
Screen shots from Gaff, who was there in a Caracal.
That is pretty much a giant battle every day for the first week of the campaign in Fountain. A hectic pace for a what will no doubt end up being a long war of attrition.
Traveling with Caracal Fleet June 13, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, EVE Online.Tags: Fountain, Null Sec
6 comments
Hey, I can take fuel out of the jump bridge!
What is the password for the bubble on the gate?
How do I use FoF missiles?
-What voice coms are like when we don't have a solid mission
A couple of years back I was having some sort of comment thread argument with SyCaine about the absolute near-nil likelihood that I personally would ever see a thousand ship fight in EVE Online. At the time it was something that had happened once and took a good deal of pre-planning by CCP for it to even work.
Since then much has changed.
Early last year with the war in the north, I saw a number of battles where the total number of pilots in local exceeded one thousand. I was impressed by the battle at EWN-2U, where the total number was around 600. That seemed like a lot.
Likewise in Delve last year, such large battles happened a number of times. Remember 49-U6U?
And with the war of conquest going on in Fountain, I was in 1,000+ ship engagements every day for the first five days of the war. Hell, we had a thousand ships in J5A on our side alone when TEST declined to show, and two thousand on the gate in B-DBYQ when the final timer battle broke out. If there is a serious fleet op coming up, there can easily be a thousand in local in B-DBYQ with no enemy in sight.
I am starting to wonder if EVE is can keep itself together in the face of its ever growing popularity. Last year, one of the side effects of Burn Jita was that the system reached a population cap and you couldn't get in. Ha ha, very funny, all those people sitting on gates trying to get in.
I logged in last weekend with my Jita alt and was kicked to an adjacent system. Jita was just full. It seems it has been reaching its population cap lately, even without Goon help. Meanwhile, once sleepy Amarr has been hitting a thousand players in local and has had the Jita treatment applied and now resides on an exclusive node.
It is getting busy in EVE. As Nosy Gamer asks, is 60K the new 50K in EVE?
So in the face of all of that, it was kind of nice to go on a small fleet op last night.
And by small, I mean Lyris only had about 200 people in his Caracal fleet when we pulled out of B-DBYQ in search of… something.
There were other fleets going up and off to do things, but we did not really seem to have a concrete mission. We jumped into fountain. I had actually just escaped from Fountain, having been stranded there after the big "server is going down" interruption of the the big fight in EI-O0O the night before, when we were all told not to log back in when EVE came back up. I take it we were not doing well. But with the call for fleets last night I logged back in and slipped past a gate camp that just happened to be warping off when I landed on the gate.
Back in our staging system I swapped out for a Caracal and joined the fleet just in time to start hunting the very same group that was camping the gate. We chased one group around for a while, picking off a ship or two now and then. I got on a kill mail for a Merlin and an Enyo, both tech I frigates.
I did not even do any damage. I got credit because I had missiles headed to the target, but both were gone before they got there. The odds were heavily in our favor. But that is the face of PvP in EVE a lot of the time. A dozen ships sit on a gate or a drag bubble killing single passers by and telling people they were in a "skirmish."
There, stuck into Fountain and, I would guess, acting as a screening force for other operations… we were in the pipe that TEST deploys though… word came down the line that we had serious business to which to attend. Somebody was shooting up a jump bridge on the convoy route from VFK-IV to our staging system. We were detailed to go put a stop to that.
Unfortunately, that meant traveling back out of Fountain and then half way up the convoy route to the jump bridge under attack.
At this point our fleet size began to work against us. Push 200 ships through a gate or a jump bridge and time dilation kicks in, slowing everybody down. Well, everybody in the fleet. The people shooting the jump bridge were unaffected.
Tidi also seemed to aggravate some of the new Odyssey bugs, like that one with the overview where it cannot identify the pilot for some reason, so you get a list of neutral ships where the pilot name is the ship type.
Every new expansion brings its own little bundle of joy.
We struggled up the convoy route and managed to land in the our destination system just in time to hear that the fleet that had shot up the jump bridge had just left, their mission complete, the jump bridge now off line.
So we warped to the jump bridge where Lyris put people on repping it.
As a shield tanked fleet, our logistics were able to repair the shields on the jump bridge, but the slow acting armor repair drones they carried couldn't begin to make a dent on the armor damage. The vast majority of the jump bridge hit points are in the armor, the ratio being 1 million shield hit points to 15 million armor hit points.
Lyris tried to whistle up an armor fleet and some triage carriers to come help, but was eventually told by the command structure not to do this. Apparently, when a jump bridge has been knocked offline, it is easier just to get rid of the old one and install a fresh module than it is to try to repair it in the field. The POS repairman would be out to take care of things later.
That mission… well… done if not accomplished… we headed back to B-DBYQ as it was getting to the end of US time zone prime time and people like me needed to get off to bed. Those on summer vacation or in Asia-Pacific time zones carried on the fight.
And the whole night, I never saw more than 800 people in local. The first time so far in the war.
Of course, that was in part because there had been a giant fight in PNQY-Y earlier in the evening, before I got on. I just missed that one.
Thousand plus ship fights seem to be a regular thing in this war.
TorilMUD offers a Web Client June 12, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, MUDs, TorilMUD.Tags: HTML 5, Web Client
1 comment so far
The crew running TorilMUD just announced that they have a beta HTML 5 web client available for people to try out. It offers some pretty reasonable features.
- Scripts in the Cloud: Create aliases and triggers once on the web client and use them from anywhere.
- Script packages: Organize scripts into "packages" that are shared throughout your account and usable by every character.
- Aliases: Create aliases with support for variable matching and multi-line commands.
- Triggers: Design powerful triggers with the use of full-featured regular expressions.
- History: Recent commands can be easily traversed via the up and down arrow keys.
- Scroll lock: Auto-scrolling intelligently pauses whenever you begin manually scrolling, and will resume when you scroll all the way down or enter a command.
- 256 Colors: Goodbye 16 colors – the web client has 256 colors all the time.
Right now the Web Client is only usable if you have created an account and rolled up characters through a traditional telnet client, but I imagine that if things go well, all of that will eventually be included.
The URL for the web client is in the article linked above, and it sends you to an account login page.
Logging in gives you a list of the characters you have associated with your account. The concept of an account login is still somewhat new as well. Back in the day, every character had its own login and password. Once logged in, you get a list of the character on your account.
Once you choose a character, hey presto, you are in the game.
From there, things look very much like a standard MUD client that supports ANSI color. That used to be one of the big things about TorilMUD, and its predecessor Sojourn, the full on support and usage of color in their text.
My old main character was still there.
You can go about your business in game, or camp out and select one of the other characters associated with your account.
And it all looks good and responds quickly.
Now color is great, but not really required to play the game. You could open up the Windows command prompt and telnet into TorilMUD and play it if you so desired. Why people don't do that instead opting for a purpose built MUD client is for things like triggers and aliases.
Triggers are automated responses to text coming from the game. I mentioned those the other day. The simplest ones can be things like drinking from a container when you get the "You are thirsty" message.
Aliases are short cut commands that set off more complex actions. One of my oldest ones would let my type in "cpff Rarik" which would then output "cast 'protection from fire' Rarik" to the game.
These two items are not required to play the game. I played Sojourn/TorilMUD for the first five years with an ANSI terminal emulator that supported 10 simple macros I could configure on the fly. Everything else I just typed by hand. (Which made me a very fast typist in time.)
But life is definitely better, especially doing zones… the TorilMUD equivalent of raids… when you have 15 other people in your group and you have set responsibilities and need to both see and respond quickly to situations in the midst of what can be an incredibly spammy flow of text. Buying zMUD back in the day was an investment I do not regret in any way. I think at one point I lost my key when a machine died and I just bought a second copy. It was totally worth it.
And the beta TorilMUD web client supports triggers and aliases.
You can create groups of simple triggers and aliases to help automate some of the more mundane tasks in the game.
And, anything you create gets saved in my butt the cloud… well, on their server in any case. People throw around the term "cloud" pretty loosely, despite it having a pretty specific meaning. (Hint: If my data is on a single server or in a single location, it isn't in any sort of "cloud.") Anyway, scripts you create are there for you when log into the game from other locations.
So is this the end for dedicated MUD clients like zMUD or Tintin++?
Probably not.
Leaving aside some bugs in the current implementation, the HTML 5 web client for TorilMUD is like that basic Craftman tool kit you buy for somebody when they first get their own place. It has a couple of screw drivers, an adjustable wrench, and a few other items that will cover very basic situations.
A MUD client like zMUD, on the other hand, is like the super deluxe Snap-on tools setup that has you covered for just about every obscure need.
So with zMUD I can have conditional triggers, triggers that parse multiple terms in a single statement, triggers that turn off or on other triggers, triggers that highlight text, triggers that parse data and write to a log or a database, triggers to generate statistics, a whole world mapping subsystem, the ability to pipe specific data to other windows, and a myriad of other things that let you create your own custom client and UI.
Plus… and this is a surprisingly important point for me… zMUD maps the 10-key pad on your keyboard to be movement keys. The almost immediate, fall flat on my face moment for me with the web client was moving. I had to think about how to do it. I have to press "n" and then return to move north, rather than just spamming out directions on the 10-key as I have been trained to do for the last 15 years. Ah well.
No, what this web client represents is a way for new players to see a MUD in the best possible terminal emulation while giving them some of the basic tools of the trade, all within a browser interface.
It is an easy gateway into the world of MUDs. And for that, it is a fine solution.
See the TorilMUD web site for more details.
Rift Goes Free to Play Today June 12, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, Rift.Tags: Free-To-Play
5 comments
The time has come, the day is here. Trion Worlds has followed through on their plan and changed Rift from a monthly subscription game into yet another contestant on the free to play field.
I actually have not been playing Rift for a while now. Not because of the business model transition, but because our Rift group is on summer hiatus so I have been off in Middle-earth and New Eden.
Never the less, I remain mildly bemused at the change. The new currency has been unleashed.
Once down the cash shop path you start, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will, until lock boxes and random card packs seem like perfectly reasonable ways to generate money and you start to pander shamelessly to the so-called "whales." Or something.
They still want people to subscribe, and hand out a set of benefits according to the store page.
You can even buy subscriber benefits in 1, 3, 5, 15, and 30 day increments with the RMT currency. And then there is REX, which lets people exchange in-game currency for RMT currency benefits.
So Trion has a plan. I have no doubt that, during the initial "happy time," everything will seem just dandy, with more people playing the game and revenues jumping. And if you don't mind the game selling just about anything from their cash shop, life will be good.
And if that sort of thing… or the whole equity equation… bothers you… well… I guess there is still WoW and EVE Online. Though WoW is bad at the equity thing in its own non-cash shop way.
Addendum: Happy time… engaged!
PlayStation 4 Wins June 11, 2013
Posted by Wilhelm Arcturus in entertainment, Hardware.Tags: PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One
13 comments
Today at E3 it was dueling presentations between Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Microsoft went first. I think this sums it up.
Remember that Sony had all day to soak in MS's presentation and KNOW they were about to destroy them. How good a day was that for them?—
Chris Hanel (@ChrisHanel) June 11, 2013
It is hard to come to a conclusion besides "Total Victory for Sony" at E3.
The PlayStation 4 will:
- have a base price of $399, $100 less than the Xbone
- support used/traded/rented games
- not require an internet connection to play
- not have that creepy always on Kinnect watching your every move
I am not in the market for a next generation console, but if I were I know which way I would be leaning.
Still, it is only June and the PlayStation 4 isn't due out until the holiday season. There is still time for Sony to follow its tradition of screwing something up with each console launch.
Meanwhile, I thought I heard somebody mention something called a "we-you" or some such. It was hard to tell with Shigeru Miyamoto sobbing in the corner.


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This position plays an important role in assisting with all aspects of daily business and ongoing exhibitions, while supporting continued overall growth and development. Working closely under Secession's Owner and Curator, the Gallery Operations Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
- Customer service and sales transactions
- Store opening and closing procedures
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- Website and Data entry
- Assisting with marketing and promotional strategies - Assisting in opening and closing gallery receptions
- Maintaining knowledge of designers and product lines
- General gallery maintenance (light cleaning)
- Prior retail experience
- Excellent communication and customer service skills
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Good writing, editing, and math skills
- Positive and motivated attitude
- Works well independently and in a team
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds
- Flexible schedule
Preferred Skills:
- Tech and social media savvy
Opening for mature, responsible individual desiring stable, long-term position in mid-sized architectural graphic signage firm in San Francisco. Must have the following skills and experience:
• Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent graphic arts experience.
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• Must be able to pass a background investigation including criminal records.
• Seeking a Manufacturing Technician with experience in contract manufacturing. PCBA solder processes; including wave solder, selective solder, reflow, and all hand soldering processes. Also experience in electro-mechanical assemblies, wire, harness and cable assemblies and generating manufacturing process instructions is required. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge in these processes. This position reports to the Engineering or Production Supervisor. We are looking for self-starters that have experience leading small teams and taking initiative to drive improvements in the processes they own. Ultimately, this position insures that all customer requirements and company goals for quality and process improvement are met or exceeded for the manufacturing processes. • Creates and maintains machine programs and profiles for new and existing product. • Participates in reviewing all necessary data including drawings and implement proactive improvements on an ongoing basis. • Creates and maintains process instructions. • Assists in process training on processes/products for production. • Works with production team to maintain product routings, creating manufacturing process instructions and interpret instructions/specifications for the floor. • Assists production in product startups on the floor. • Assists in corrective actions and discrepant material report resolution. • Develop new process capabilities with the production group and create new process instructions. • Will have basic understanding of ISO 9001-2008 and IPC standards. • Will demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and verbal, Bilingual-Chinese speaking a plus. • Will demonstrate mechanical and electrical troubleshooting aptitude including understanding of manufacturing systems and tooling development. • Will demonstrate basic electronic skills, schematic fundamentals and gerber file knowledge. • Will have working knowledge of Microsoft Office and basic digital photo skills.
• 2+ years manufacturing engineering experience. • 2 year technical degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
DODOcase is a premier manufacturer of cases for iPads and Kindles in San Francisco, CA. We are looking for a customer service super hero to manage this important sector of business. We have amassed a passionate community of users who enjoy interacting with us via email, Twitter and Facebook. The primary responsibility of the position is to interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints. You will be one of the voices of the DODOcase brand so your belief in what we do and how we do it is essential. Read full description here.
Position is a 30-50hr/week position. Overtime is often required. Occasional weekends, will be required. We also could add hours if you have a valid CA licence with no points and experience driving an Isuzu 14ft box truck. You will also earn more if you are a fast producer and don't drag your feet, take too many breaks, etc.
If you enjoyed playing with legos as a kid this job may be a nice fit for you.
Non Smokers only.
Job invovles using quality control and packaging of products. Some use of industrial saws to slit foam and some heavy lifting is required.
This clerical, hands-on role will be responsible for: • Customer Order Entry • Accounts Receivable (AR), Cash Application, Collections • Accounts Payable Entry • Payroll Entry and Processing • Item Master & Inventory Data Entry and Maintenance • Customer Order Shipping Control (Order Release) • General Office Clerical Duties
We are seeking a team player with excellent written and verbal communication skills and a positive can-do attitude.
Part time Welder sought by San Francisco CNC Machine Shop. MUST have several years experience with tig, mig etc. All materials. We are a job shop in the business of making custom parts and assemblies for an extremely diverse set of customers. The work is interesting and hopefully you are too.
key words – heli arc tig mig welder welding
The ideal candidate is a natural leader and must possess solid written and verbal communication skills, strong attention to detail, and excellent problem solving skills. Job Responsibilities - Managing daily workflow and making sure employees are working efficiently - Maintaining Shop Standards and Safety - Shop Cleanliness & Organization - Incoming Work Orders and Job Tracing - Managing Inventory of both RAW and CONSUMABLE Materials - Coordinating Orders and Shipping - Quality Control - Project Documentation and Maintenance of Project Hours And must posses the following Key Competencies: - Great judgment - Decision-making - Information management - Planning and organizing - Problem analysis - Delegating tasks and responsibilities - Communication - Teamwork - Flexible - Dependability
Preferred experience factors are: 5+ years journeyman experience in custom wood manufacturing in high-end commercial or residential projects involving millwork, doors, windows, or other wood products. Managerial experience (discipline, interview, assigns tasks w/ judgment) Experience with ISO 9000/9001, WDMA or WWI specifications or Lean Manufacturing Knowledge of woodworking machinery, including CNC, jointer, planer, wide-belt sanders, routers, etc. Experience in Quality Assurance, Controls and tracking. * Ability to translate shop drawings and construction documents into parts, construction orders, and to estimate total production time frame for custom work. *Production planning, tracking and reporting to meet or exceed productivity goals. *Maintaining a safe, organized and clean production shop. Familiarity with OSHA requirements * Bi-lingual helpful
Requirements: *Good English literacy and math, spoken and written, computer skills. *Proven track record in delivering on-time and high-quality projects using a team of technology and craftsmen. *Proven track record in managing many concurrent projects with sometimes conflicting priorities. We ask that you PLEASE DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS, but rather paste your cover letter and resume in the body of the email. If we think you are the right fit, we will call you. Thank you for getting in touch with us.
Duties: -Day-to-day bookkeeping, payables, receivables and office management. -Occasionally working on the floor to swap parts. -Answering phone calls, emails and book appointments
- Must be Fun! - Excellent communication and customer service skills - Experience with Quickbooks - Basic knowledge of Word, Excel - Customer service experience - Strong attention to detail - Good organizational and communication skills - Website skills would be a bonus
We are hiring for a 1st thru Production Patternmaker with at least 7 years experience in better quality RTW and evening garments. Understanding of fit, garment construction draping and pattern balance.
To apply:Email resume to email@example.com.
Please see http://www.biritemarket.com/contact-us/ for information about specific job openings- which include positions such as: Store Operations Assistant, Production Cook, Cheese Specialist, Service Butcher, Grocery Service Supervisor, Grocery Stocker, Produce Clerk, Deli Server, and Human Resources Coordinator.
Please see individual job descriptions via www.biritemarket.com/contact-us/.
Thank you for taking the time to read my posting.
We need someone friendly, compassionate, with a subtle touch of confidence while directing customers in their selection of an Organic or memory foam mattress that we are well known for making.
Our SFMade local manufacturing business is looking to expand. We would like help to grow new business in the following categories.
1 Medical Foam Supports 2 Organic Mattress and Sustainable Bedroom Furniture 3 Resellers/Wholesale accounts
We are a family owned small business with sales of 2.5 mil annually.
Please review our product line at
www.NaturalSenseMattress.com and www.FoamOrder.com
Position involves guiding customers to proper products in any of our diverse product lines and requires strong measuring and strong basic math skills. Position would also require product lifting, minor cleaning, and any other small business requirements that may come up.


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The Fern range of kitchen dining chairs comes in six great colours, from the popping brightness of zingy Yellow, Zesty Lime, mouthwatering Grape Purple and the juiciness of Berry Red, to classic Black and modern White. The seat and back are all one piece, fabricated from laminated plywood, which makes the chair look streamlined and seamless. The Fern chairs are for home use and add a contemporary, designer look to any dining area. Team them with a glass, wooden or lacquered dining table and you have instant style without breaking the bank!
Argenta Coloured Faux Leather Dining Chair
The Argenta Coloured Faux Leather Dining Chair has stylish, chunky curves. The metal frame is well upholstered in a broad range of colours in high quality faux leather to produce an eye-catching and modern dining chair. The Argenta is also stackable making it very versatile and brilliant for small spaces as spare chairs can be stored safely when not in use.
Available in fashionable modern White, Poppy Red, Putty Grey, Pistachio Green, Mulberry Purple and Ochre Yellow.
Podo Plastic Coloured Dining Chair
This contemporary brightly coloured plastic dining chair is made from polypropylene and is available in many matt colours including red, orange, green and blue, as well as white and black. Buying a set of Podo plastic coloured dining chairs is a great idea if you want to modernise a tired looking kitchen, dining room or restaurant and those in the know about design are definitely going to appreciate seeing a set of these when they walk into a dining area! Podo dining chairs look fabulous indoors but are also hardy enough to be used outdoors too, plus they're stackable!


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Air Quality: Green |
Air Quality: Yellow |
Air Quality: Yellow |
City of Alexandria, VA
Adult Criminal CasesThe judges of the Juvenile Court hear and decide
Misdemeanors are criminal offenses for which the maximum punishment is confinement in jail for up to a year and/or a fine of up to $2,500. There are classes of misdemeanors where, upon conviction, no confinement in jail is permitted and only fines can be imposed. Felonies are criminal offenses for which punishment can be confinement in the state penitentiary and in some situations confinement in jail. There are classes of felonies that establish the range of possible punishment for violation of the law. Most of the criminal cases heard in the Juvenile Court regarding adults are misdemeanors involving allegations of domestic violence upon family or household members. Family or Household members are defined by Virginia law as people who are married, have lived together in a personal relationship at some point within twelve months of the date of the alleged criminal act, or have a child in common. To help prevent future acts of domestic violence between household or family members, the Juvenile Court and the Court Service Unit have established a variety of programs and referrals to assist persons who become involved in these type cases. A small but growing type of criminal case is the charge brought against parents who are alleged to have failed to have their elementary school child attend school on a regular basis. The Alexandria City Public School System brings these cases to court in cooperation with the Alexandria Police Department. |


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Headlines January 31, 2008 Full Show | First Story >
Edwards, Giuliani Exit Presidential Race
The presidential field narrowed by two Wednesday when Republican Rudolph Giuliani and Democrat John Edwards both dropped out of the race. Giuliani made his announcement in California just hours before the Republican debate. The former New York mayor threw his support behind Senator John McCain. Meanwhile, John Edwards made his farewell address in New Orleans, where he launched his campaign thirteen months ago.
John Edwards: "It's time for me to step aside so that history can — so that history can blaze its path. We do not know who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but what we do know is that our Democratic Party
will make history. We will be strong, we will be unified, and with our convictions and a little backbone, we will take back the White House in November, and we'll create hope and opportunity for this country."
Edwards did not endorse either of the remaining Democratic candidates. But he said he received pledges from both Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama to focus on poverty in the United States, which Edwards called the "cause of his life." As Edwards bowed out of the race, longtime consumer advocate Ralph Nader announced a presidential exploratory committee to decide whether to run as an independent candidate. We'll have more on Edwards and Nader later in the broadcast.
Meanwhile, Obama and Clinton were on the campaign trail ahead of the upcoming Super Tuesday vote. In Denver, Obama told supporters he would work to bolster the US international standing.
Sen. Barack Obama: "I want to go before the world community and say 'America is back, America is back,' and we are ready to lead the world against the common threats of the twenty-first century: terrorism and nuclear weapons, but also climate change and poverty, genocide and disease. And I will once more send a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that says: you matter to us, your future is our future, and our moment is now."
Clinton, meanwhile, was in Arkansas. In Little Rock, she stressed her campaign's Iraq platform of pressuring the Iraqi government.
Sen. Hillary Clinton: "We can tell the Iraqi government that the blank check that they've had from George Bush is no longer valid. They have to start making the decisions for themselves."
Carter Praises Obama Campaign, Criticizes Clinton
Meanwhile, former President Jimmy Carter has weighed in on the presidential race. Although he's said he won't endorse a candidate, Carter praised Senator Obama, calling his campaign "extraordinary and titillating for me and my family." Carter went on to compare Obama's speeches to those of Dr. Martin Luther King and said Obama could likely win some Southern states as the Democratic nominee. Carter also said he has spoken to former President Bill Clinton and criticized some of Clinton's racially charged comments on the campaign trail.
Mukasey Refuses Senate Calls to Label Waterboarding "Torture"
Attorney General Michael Mukasey has refused again to say whether waterboarding is a form of torture or illegal. Mukasey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday for the first time since the Democratic-led Senate confirmed his nomination. Under questioning from Senator Ted Kennedy, Mukasey admitted waterboarding would feel like torture if it was done to him, but he refused to say whether it would be illegal for a foreign country to waterboard a US citizen.
Sen. Edward Kennedy: "So let me ask you this: would waterboarding be torture if it was done to you?"
US Attorney General Michael Mukasey: "I would feel that it was."
Mukasey later said the cruelty of torture must be balanced "against the information you might get." He was criticized by Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy.
Sen. Patrick Leahy: "Never mind that waterboarding has been recognized as torture for the last 500 years! Never mind that President Teddy Roosevelt properly prosecuted American soldiers for this more than a hundred years ago! Never mind that we prosecuted Japanese soldiers for waterboarding Americans during World War II! Never mind that this is the practice of repressive regimes around the world! That is not America."
Israeli Supreme Court Upholds Gaza Blockade
In Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Israeli Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Several human rights groups had sought a judgment overturning Israel's cut-off of fuel, electricity and other supplies. The petitioners accused the Israeli government of "collective punishment" in violation of international law. But on Wednesday the court called Israel's blockade a just response to Palestinian rocket fire.
Abbas: No Talks With Hamas on Egypt Border
Meanwhile, in Egypt, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on the border breach that sent more than half-a-million Palestinians into Egypt searching for food, fuel and medical relief. After the talks, Abbas said he had reiterated his refusal to deal with the Gaza-controlling Hamas.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: "There is no Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. There is one Palestinian Authority. Hamas is not a legal force, it is a usurping force."
Hamas forces currently have ground control of the Egyptian border. Hamas is seeking recognition of its authority and says the border should remain open.
Internal Israeli Inquiry Criticizes Tact of Lebanon Invasion
Meanwhile, in Israel, a long-awaited internal formal inquiry has criticized Israel's leadership for its handling of the 2006 attack on Lebanon. The final report from the Winograd Commission called the Lebanon war "a serious missed opportunity" that failed to achieve its goals. The report did not criticize the government for attacking Lebanon in the first place nor for causing more than one thousand Lebanese civilian deaths. Referring to Hezbollah fighters, the report concludes: "A semi-military organization of a few thousand men resisted, for a few weeks, the strongest army in the Middle East, which enjoyed full air superiority and size and technological advantages." In Lebanon, parliament member Hussein Haj Hassan said the report recognized what he called Hezbollah's successful resistance.
Hussein Haj Hassan: "This report highlighted that the Israeli army, that everyone knows is invincible, was defeated. And that has a big impact on the Zionist enemy, on all levels, in the short, medium and long term. When the Winograd report says that the army failed in its ground offensive, that means that the Israeli army failed and was defeated in the war against what it itself said was only a number of fighters."
Pentagon Investigating Alleged Killing of Iraqi Prisoners
The Pentagon has announced it's probing charges US soldiers killed several Iraqi prisoners in Baghdad last year. Officials say the prisoners may have been killed at the point of capture before they could be taken to a US or Iraqi jail. No details were released on the number of slain prisoners or accused soldiers.
Army Suicides Hit Record High in 2007
Civil Rights Attorney Stewart Back in Court to Appeal Sentence
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IRS Commissioner Forced to Resign over Extra Scrutiny of Right-Wing Groups
Holder: Deputy Signed Off on AP Subpoenas
Holder Unsure of How Many Journalist Subpoenas He's Approved
Report: Verizon Gave Justice Dept. Records of 2 Journalists
White House Seeks Revival of Media Shield Law
Dem Rep. Blasts Holder for Drug War, Marijuana Crackdown
Suicide Attack Kills 10 in Kabul; Group Tells AP of Plans to Target U.S. Soldiers
U.N. General Assembly Condemns Syrian Gov't as Toll Passes 80,000
Palestinians Mark 65th Anniversary of "Nakba"
Up to 6 Dead in Cambodia Shoe Factory Collapse
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U.S. Earns $50.6 Billion Profit on Student Interest
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Hundreds Take Part in Milwaukee Fast-Food, Retail Strike
North Dakota Abortion Clinic Challenges New Restriction
Charges Dropped Against NYPD Officer in Shooting Death of Ramarley Graham
New DNA Evidence Could Clear Florida Death Row Prisoner
The original content of this program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Please attribute legal copies of this work to democracynow.org
. Some of the work(s) that this program incorporates, however, may be separately licensed. For further information or additional permissions,
contact us.
By Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan
Former Guatemalan President Efraín Ríos Montt was hauled off to prison last Friday. It was a historic moment, the first time in history that a former leader of a country was tried for genocide in a national court. More than three decades after he seized power in a coup in Guatemala, unleashing a U.S.-backed campaign of slaughter against his own people, the 86-year-old stood trial, charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. He was given an 80-year prison sentence. The case was inspired and pursued by three brave Guatemalan women: the judge, the attorney general and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
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Cowl Vent Grille Reproduction Black 1983-1993
Product Description
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